you go.” Chip plopped a spoonful of mashed potatoes on his plate and shoved the bowl at her.
If she wasn’t mistaken, he’d interrupted her on purpose. What did he have against letting the children know they were safe? She attempted to make eye contact with him, but he didn’t look her way. He asked Jasper what he’d seen when Tess had given him and his sister a tour of the Double T, which prompted the talkative fellow to launch into a detailed description.
Fine. Chip might be able to ignore her now, but once they’d tucked the children in bed, she’d let him know what she thought about him cutting her off. He might believe Mr. Tate’s murderers would come looking for Jasper and Ruby, but that didn’t mean she agreed.
The meal passed quickly. Despite her opposing view, she was still drawn to Chip. For a man as regimented as he was, he certainly had a playful side, which the children seemed to bring out. He kept Jasper distracted with his stories throughout the meal and even managed to get a smile out of Ruby.
Tess stood. She clapped thrice, as she’d done before the meal, and the room grew quiet. “Children, I’m sure you’ll want to see to the clean-up as quickly as you can tonight when you hear what special treat awaits you.”
Excited murmurs swept through the room. Callie tapped Chip on the shoulder to get his attention and whispered over Jasper’s head. “Do you know what’s going on?”
A lopsided grin and a wink were her answers. She suppressed a stab of jealousy. Evidently, he was privy to information she wasn’t. Just how much did he know about the workings at the Double T? And how had he come by his knowledge?
Once Tess had the youngsters’ full attention, she continued. “You probably noticed our newest helpers who joined us for dinner. For those who don’t know, Mr. Chip is a carpenter. He’s going to be working here the next few weeks while he builds furniture for Jack and Jill House, and Miss Callie will be helping him.”
The heads of several curious children turned toward them, and Callie smiled. She looked forward to getting to know everyone who called the Double T home.
Tess continued. “Some of you have been here longer than others and can remember when he built the seesaw, parallel bars and that wonderful tree house, his gift to all of you. And I’m sure you’ve seen the wooden toys he’s made. Tonight we’re going to discover another of his talents.”
So Chip was the one behind the play equipment, was he? It appeared his generosity knew no bounds, which wasn’t a surprise. Although he was focused on chasing after his goals, she’d heard numerous tales of good deeds he’d done up in Placerville. He’d added a room on a house for a young widow left with five children to raise on her own, fashioned a tiny coffin for a family who’d lost their infant son and repaired a roof for an injured miner’s family—all with no cost to the recipients. It was a wonder the hardworking man had time for sleep.
Callie leaned forward, as eager as the children to find out what Chip was going to do.
Tess swept her gaze over the room, her smile evidence of how much delight she took in building the suspense. At last she spoke. “How many of you have heard of whittling?”
Hands shot up, some of them waving wildly. Jasper’s was among them. As was Callie’s.
“That’s great. Many of you have seen the darling little figures Mr. Chip makes. Tonight he’s going to do wood carving. He’ll be creating something bigger and better than anything he’s done before. And you get to watch him begin the sculpture.”
A young boy raised his hand.
Tess called on him. “Yes, Freddie?”
“What’s he going to make?”
She held up an index finger, leaned forward and grinned. “That, my dear boys and girls, is for you to figure out. The first one to guess correctly gets to ring the dinner bell tomorrow. Now, I’ll excuse you. Once the clean-up is done, we’ll gather on the bottom floor of Jack and Jill House, where we’ll have benches set up.”
One group of children began clearing the tables. The rest filed out in a noisy but orderly fashion. Jasper and Ruby watched the exodus, their brows furrowed. They had to be overwhelmed by all the changes in their lives. Callie had to admit she was feeling a bit unsettled herself. A new job could do that to a person. Her uneasiness had nothing to do with the handsome carpenter she’d be assisting. Or did it?
Chip stood. Callie rose, too, and planted Ruby on one hip. “You’re a man of many talents. My brother told me you drop off toys here from time to time, but I didn’t realize you’d built the playground equipment. No wonder you know so much about how things work around here. I’ve visited several times, and yet I have a lot to learn.”
“I’m no expert, but I’d be happy to teach you what I know. All you have to do is ask.” He sent her one of his most winsome smiles.
She chuckled. “All right. I’m asking. What happens next?”
“Very well. Now that Tess has excused the children, they’ll complete their assigned chores under the supervision of their group leaders. Each of the groups has a name. Tess chose to use wildlife found in California for them. Whenever a new group forms, the children in it choose the name. You probably won’t be surprised to hear that the first boys who lived here dubbed their groups the grizzlies, the cougars and the salamanders. The girls, on the other hand, went with quail, chipmunks and rabbits.”
Jasper tugged on Chip’s sleeve. “Mr. Chip.”
“What is it, Jasper?”
“Can I be in the grizzlies?”
Chip leaned over, his hands on his knees. “You and I are going to be in a special group, just the two of us. And you—” he gave Jasper a playful tap on the tip of his nose “—get to pick the name.”
“I do? Oh!” He scrunched his face in the cutest way as he contemplated. A smile burst forth. “I know. We can be the bullfrogs. I used to hear them outside my window at night.”
Chip grinned. “What do you think of that, Miss Callie? I’m sure you’re fond of frogs.”
“It’s a fine name. I’ve seen some big bullfrogs up in Hangtown Creek. I even grabbed one once.” Accidentally, when she’d mistaken it for a rock. She’d nearly shrieked her lungs out, but they didn’t need to know that.
Jasper gazed at her with boyish admiration. “Really? How big was it?”
Chip’s lips twitched, a telltale sign of his disbelief. “Yes, Miss Callie. Tell us. Just how big was this frog you befriended?”
Since she’d gotten Jasper’s attention focused on something pleasant, she might as well finish the tale with a flourish. She suppressed a shudder at the memory of that dreadful experience, shifted a yawning Ruby to a more comfortable position and forged ahead.
“It was a spring day much like today, clear and warm, with not a cloud in the sky. Recent storms had filled the creek, and it was burbling over the rocks. I tossed stones in the creek just so I could hear the satisfying plops. I reached for a nearby stone, but I saw something else.” She paused for dramatic effect.
“What was it?” Jasper asked.
A strangled sound from Chip stopped her. She recognized it for what it was—a cough covering a chortle. He was laughing. At her.
So be it. She wasn’t going to let his amusement ruin Jasper’s fun. “It was a big ol’ bullfrog with bulging eyes. That fellow was huge. Why, he must have been as big as my hand. Or bigger.” Definitely bigger. And very ugly.
Jasper trembled with excitement. “And you picked it up?”
“I sure did. He didn’t like being disturbed, though, so he took a flying leap out of my hand.” If she wasn’t embellishing the tale for the boy’s benefit, she might have mentioned that the slippery creature didn’t have much choice, not when she’d flung