Page 26 of Montana Bride By Christmas
In the meantime, she’d see that the animal was cared for.
She glanced toward the house. How did Hugh feel about dogs indoors? She had no idea. How would Evan react? She couldn’t begin to guess.
“I think it would be best if you stay outside for now, but I’ll leave the door to the shed open, and you can get out of the wind.”
She got him to follow her into the small building by taking the bowl inside. She found a horse blanket and put it on thefloor. The puppy sniffed at it and then sank down with a sigh. A grateful sigh, she thought.
She filled her arms with more wood, grabbed the empty bucket, and returned to the kitchen.
Hugh waited until she’d unloaded her arms, then pushed to his feet. “I’ll be in my office.”
She watched him out of sight, then released a long, soft sigh.
“Annie, have you two fought?” Grandfather barely waited until Hugh was behind his door to speak.
“Of course not. Why would you think so?”
“He barely spoke a word this morning. And you’re very quiet, too.”
“Me? I talked the whole time.”
“Not to each other. Girl, if you plan to marry him, you need to learn to talk to him.” He sat back and gave her squinty-eyed consideration. “Could it be you are already seeing the foolishness of such an arrangement?”
She gave him look for look. “I believe I am needed here.” She indicated Evan whom she knew would be listening to every word and perhaps wondering if she planned to stay. “Besides, the arrangement suits me.”
Grandfather leaned back and rumbled his lips in despair. “Girl, it ain’t healthy to deny yourself love.”
Not prepared to argue with the man she respected so much, she tried to ignore him.
Not that she could hope he’d let it go.
“Annie, what are you up to?”
“I thought I’d wash up the dishes.”
Grandfather grunted. “I think we’ve been guilty of spoiling you so that you can’t see past this momentary whim.”
His assessment of her stung. How could he see this as a selfish desire? She could—and would—take very good care of Hugh and Evan. She responded to something else he said.“Spoiling me? Is that what you call it when I cooked and cleaned and did laundry for five men and a little girl?”
He looked uncomfortable at that. “You know what I mean. You were allowed to run free with Carly. You’ll not have the same kind of freedom here. Hugh’s the preacher and has a certain reputation to maintain.”
She let out a gusty breath. “You make it sound like I was wild and crazy.”
“Who’s outside?”
She glanced at the window to see who’d come up the walk and then realized he had noticed the bowl of food she’d taken out. She could honestly say, “No one.” To signal the conversation was over, she began to wash the dishes, her back to him.
Evan shifted. What did the poor little guy think of all this? If only she could tell.
Recalling the puppy gave her an idea, and she began to tell a story for Evan’s sake.
“Once upon a time, there was a little black-and-white puppy with big floppy ears and a spot over his right eye. His name was Spot.” How was that for original? “Spot was an unusual dog. You see, he thought he was a little boy.” She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see if she had Evan’s interest. He looked at the floor by her feet, his whole body alert.
Satisfied that he listened, she continued. “Spot sat at the table just like a boy. He couldn’t use the fork and knife, but he put a paw on each and pretended he could.” She continued spinning a yarn about a dog pretending to be a boy, hoping Evan would see how a little boy should act.
Hugh triedto concentrate on his notes. He must. Tomorrow, he would need to deliver a well-prepared sermon. But his mind kept hurrying back to the kitchen. And Annie. The girl left him so confused he couldn’t sort out his thoughts.
She’d been upset that he asked about Rudy. Had refused to talk about the man. Said Rudy would not be a threat. In his experience, the more a person avoided a subject, the more it mattered, and that concerned Hugh. Bernice had run off and look at the harm it had done Evan. If he allowed Annie to stay and Rudy returned, wouldn’t she suddenly realize how much she cared for the man and see how much he had to offer?
