Page 55 of Sweet Home

“We’ll be glad to stay,” he told Ellen.

“I’m going to wrap you two up some of my famous brownies to take home with you,” Ellen said.

“That sounds amazing,” West told her, earning himself a big smile.

He would have refused, but he knew Ellen would feel good doing something in return for what she viewed as a great kindness.

Honestly, West hadn’t felt this good about a house call in a while. And he could tell it made Dulcie happy to help out too—even though the situation was sad.

Ellen bustled off to the kitchen, and West kept watching Dulcie and Kit watch the movie. By the time Ellen was back with a foil-wrapped package, Kit had drifted off to sleep beside Dulcie, the hint of a smile still on her face.

“Isn’t that something?” Ellen whispered happily. “Thank you so much for this.”

“It was our pleasure,” West toldher honestly.

Dulcie slipped out of her seat, then bent to gently tuck Kit’s blanket around her.

“Oh, thank you,” Ellen said, pulling Dulcie into a fierce hug. “You’re a wonderful young lady. I hope you know that. And you’ve got yourself a wonderful man there.”

“I’m glad you take such good care of your mom,” Dulcie told Ellen when they pulled back. “I hope she has a good day tomorrow.”

As they slipped out the front door and into the cold winter night again, West felt like his heart was too big for his chest. He opened Dulcie’s door for her and watched her slip into the car before heading over to his side and getting in.

“I know that was hard,” he said carefully after he closed his door.

She didn’t answer, and when he looked over he could see she was leaned against the window, tears sliding down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry,” he told her. “I didn’t mean to make you?—”

“I miss my sister too,” she whispered.

“Oh, Dulcie,” he said, reaching over to grab her hand. “I’m so sorry.”

She squeezed his hand back hard, and they stayed that way for a long time, sitting with their sadness.

16

DULCIE

Dulcie stepped out of the library the next day with Elizabeth holding her hand.

She took a deep breath of the sweet, cold afternoon air and glanced down at her little friend.

They’d had another wonderful day so far.

Maybe it was just that she was getting used to life here after almost a week. But she suspected that her sense of relief actually came from last night. She had wept over missing her sister so many times these last months. But something about crying about her with West beside her had been healing. The big man stayed silent, but he held her hand and never once judged or questioned her.

And the time spent with sweet Mrs. Harris had reminded her that while she might miss her sister, she wasn’t going to be without her forever.

West had given her a generous cash payment this morning and let her know he’d be getting her onto thefarm payroll when the bookkeeper came in Friday, and then paying her weekly.

Soon, I’ll have enough to rent a little place, maybe even one over the shops here in the village.

Of course in that case, she would need a way to get to and from the farm for work, but that was a worry for another day. She was closer, and that was all that mattered.

“We’re helpers,” Elizabeth said, smiling up at her.

“We sure are,” Dulcie told her. “Where should we go first?”

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