Page 54 of Mail-Order Bride Mommy
He and Gwen looked at each other and laughed. Their shared amusement honeyed his insides.
“We’re coming.” He rose and held out a hand to Gwen. He only meant to help her to her feet, but she made no effort to pull away and he didn’t release her as they walked along the valley floor. It felt right and good.
“How far does this go?” she asked.
“The valley widens out in five miles and then it’s nothing but a gently rolling hill. We used to ride there and camp.” They rounded a curve. “You can see what I mean in the distance.”
She cupped her free hand to her eyes and stared. “I’m more accustomed to seeing a wide ribbon of water. It’s so different to see green grass.”
He let her take her time studying the landscape.
“I could never get tired of this.” Her face shone with inner joy as she looked at him. She seemed about to say something then changed her mind. Instead, she shifted her gaze to the west. “Look, the sun is resting against the rim.”
How had it gotten so late? “Lindy, come. We need to get back.”
The little girl returned to them, carrying a handful of feathers she’d picked up. The return trip was rushed as he urged them to a fast pace. He waited until Lindy ran ahead to explain to Gwen. “We need to get up the trail before it’s so shadowed we can’t see.”
She broke into a trot. “Are we in danger?”
“I didn’t mean to frighten you. We’ll have to be careful, that’s all.” He didn’t point out that being familiar with the terrain, he could do it easily enough. They reached the upward path in less time than the outward journey had taken. He let Lindy go first, warning her not to rush and to hang on to the bushes.
“You go ahead,” he instructed Gwen. He’d be able to catch her if she stumbled.
The first part of the trail was relatively easy and then they bent forward as it grew steeper. He kept one arm stretched out, a poor barrier to the yawning edge but he’d do his best to stop her from falling should she stumble.
Her foot slipped and he caught her around the waist. For seconds he pressed her to his chest as his heart hammered. As it settled, he thought how perfectly she fit into his arms. How sweet she smelled. Her hair tickled his nose, and he had an urge to pull the pins out and let it hang free.
She righted herself. “Thanks. I’ll be more careful.”
He sucked in air like a man surfacing from being stuck in deep water. “Take your time. Grab the bushes like Lindy is doing.” The child was almost lost in the shadows until her head crested the rim and the sunlight brightened her.
“Almost there.” He hoped his words calmed Gwen.
She stepped to the top and stood beside Lindy. The lowering sun blazed on her face. He almost fell backward at the way her countenance glowed, more light coming from inside her than from the sun.
“The sunlight is touching everything with gold.”
He completed the climb and stood at her side, looking at the sky although it was all he could do to keep his eyes off her.
“I’m hungry.” Lindy was on the point of getting whiney.
“Let’s go home.” Gwen reached a hand to the child and the three of them returned to the house. “I don’t have anything prepared.” She sounded apologetic. “But I can make something quick.”
“Take your time. I have a couple of things to do.”
He went to his room in the big house and lifted Mother’s Bible from the table by his bed.
Andy entered the house just as Matt reached the door. He looked at the Bible in Matt’s hands. “Thought you were only borrowing it.”
“Gwen would like it if we read it after supper.”
Andy rocked back and forth on his heels. “Like Ma did?”
“Do you mind?”
Andy still stared at the Bible. “I think Ma would like that.” He raised his gaze to Matt’s. “I don’t think you should wait to marry Gwen.”
“Why’s that?” He kept his tone mild. Not that he expected that he fooled Andy.
