Dakota Father. Linda Ford

sighed and filled in the other things Jenny no doubt figured Meggie needed—things like neighbors, church, town activities, pretty clothes. He’d heard it all. Tried to convince Flora those things weren’t necessary but it was the land itself that defeated him. Flora thought the prairies desolate; the wind haunting. She swore they would drive her mad.

      She was right in the end.

      But he would teach Meggie to be different.

      He could only do it without some city gal filling her mind with frivolities.

      He cleared his throat to announce his presence.

      “I finish de supper,” Paquette said and shuffled indoors.

      Jenny dusted her hands. “I’m cleaning out the room you’ve allotted me.”

      “So I see. Is all this necessary?”

      She smiled. “I guess only you could say. But necessary or not, it won’t be sharing my quarters.”

      He knew from the way her eyes flashed that she had purposely misunderstood him. He meant was it necessary to move everything out to the middle of the yard. But he let it pass. “Where’s Meggie?”

      “Sleeping. I better check on her.” She would have slipped past him except he moved to block her path.

      “I think you better accept that we have different agendas here.”

      Her eyebrows headed for the sky. “Really? I thought we both had Meggie’s best interests in mind. Her health and safety and happiness. Am I mistaken in thinking so?”

      Her quiet challenge edged through his arguments and completely disarmed him. “On Meggie’s behalf, we are agreed. But you won’t be staying any longer than it takes for me and Meggie to make friends.”

      Her eyes clear as the sky above, she stared at him. “I’ll leave when I decide everything is as it ought to be for Meggie.” She swung away then turned back. “Unless you figure to have me bodily removed.”

      The idea tickled his insides. Somehow he suspected it would require three strong men and a long length of sturdy rope. His amusement trickled into his eyes. He felt them crinkle. Then it caught his mouth and filled his throat and he laughed. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

      She blinked at his laughter then her stubbornness seemed to melt away. “I do tend to get all bristly, don’t I? I’m here to see Meggie is settled. We should be able to tolerate each other long enough to accomplish that.” And she marched away.

      He scrubbed his chin with one finger. Tolerate her? Now why should she think that? But perhaps she’d been thinking she would tolerate him. Ah well. He had nothing to offer a fine lady. He knew it. His life consisted of the vast lonely prairie and the company of cows and cowboys. He’d teach Meggie to appreciate it all but he had no such misconceptions regarding any young woman. He’d put up with her tolerance only as long as he needed.

      Mac and Dug rode to the bunkhouse and Burke sauntered over to see how things were.

      “Good to have you back, boss.”

      “Good to be back.” He better warn them before they stomped into the house for supper. “There’s company up at the house.”

      “Yeah?”

      He could almost feel their ears perk up with interest. The last time he’d had company…no point in thinking about that. It was history. A lesson well learned for them all.

      Lucky joined them. Burke felt their cautious curiosity but it was Mac who broke the barrier of silence. “Flora?” His voice was courteous, revealing nothing though Burke knew they likely all hoped to never put up with her dramatics again.

      “Flora won’t be back. Ever.”

      A silent sigh filled the air.

      “She’s still in the—”

      Burke nodded. “Her parents are with her. They told me not to come again. Blamed me for how she is.” No more than he blamed himself. He shouldn’t have pushed her, shouldn’t have asked so much from her.

      The four men turned and stared at the house. Burke realized he still hadn’t provided them with the necessary information. “My niece is here. Meggie. She’s only two.”

      He chuckled at the way all heads turned and surprised eyes stared at him.

      Dug swallowed hard, his long thin neck working all the way down. “A little gal?”

      Mac, ever practical and blunt said, “Why?”

      “My sister and her husband died. I’m now Meggie’s guardian.”

      “Sorry, boss,” the three mumbled in unison.

      He joined them in staring toward the house. “A young woman brought her out.”

      The men shuffled but no one spoke, as if waiting for Burke to say more.

      “Name’s Jenny and she’s staying to get Meggie settled in.”

      Dug took a straw from his pocket and picked at his teeth. Mac crossed his arms and stared at the house, his expression dour. Burke didn’t bother glancing at Lucky. He felt again their reluctance to voice their concerns about another young woman visiting the ranch.

      “She won’t be here long.”

      A couple of grunts.

      “She hauled all the junk out of the second bedroom and piled it in the middle of the yard on the other side of the house.”

      Cautious nods.

      “Guess we best haul it away.” He strode across the yard, the men in his wake. They rounded the corner and viewed the pile of junk.

      “Boss, all this was in a bedroom?”

      “Yup.”

      “What was ya thinking?”

      He shrugged. “Had no need of another bedroom. Paquette only needs one.” He didn’t say the bedroom had been meant for him and Flora. Suddenly the men figured it out and shut up. Except Mac.

      “You say this young woman hauled all this out by herself?”

      “I came from cleaning out the spring and found it here.”

      The men grabbed armloads. “Where you want it?” Dug asked.

      “I don’t know. In the barn. Beside the barn. Wherever you think it should be.”

      Lucky paused at Burke’s side, his arms loaded with lengths of lumber. “Must be a right spunky gal to drag this all out by herself.”

      Spunky? Huh. He didn’t know about that. “All I seen was her stubbornness.”

      Mac chuckled softly. “A bird of a different feather maybe.”

      The men seemed cheered by that thought as they moved the pile of stuff.

      Burke didn’t care what sort of feathers she wore so long as she nested them far away from here. As soon as possible.