Page 16 of Mail-Order Bride Secret
She shook her head. “Ours was delivered to us.”
“I’ll show you what to do.”
She glanced past him to the door. “Where are the twins?”
“Playing with the dog. See for yourself.” He pointed out the window. She moved to his side. “And the cats.”He chuckled. “There are six of them. Lindy has them all named.”
Sunshine scent wafted from his clothes. And a heavier smell of cows and hay.
He pulled out a stoneware crock and a clean white square of cotton and proceeded to pour the milk through the cloth.
Madeline watched his every move—his big hands steady and sure, his arms long enough that his wrists were exposed from his shirt sleeve. She found herself staring and shifted her gaze to the stream of milk.
“It’s wonderful to have fresh milk.” Not that she was surprised. After all, this was a farm—no, a ranch. Lots of cows.
“We’ve always kept a milk cow. Mr. and Mrs. Shannon said it was necessary with children around.” He grinned at her. “I think Mr. Shannon enjoyed thick cream well enough to keep a cow just for that.” His attention shifted back to the milk. “Mrs. Shannon made great farmer’s cheese.”
“I’ll make some.” She’d observed Miz Allie make it on all of two occasions. It seemed easy enough. Besides, she had the book Miz Allie had given her.Cook Book by the Ladies of the First Presbyterian Church.She’d glanced through it and knew it would be of help.
Finished, he covered the container with a clean towel and set it in the cool pantry then he washed the straining cloth and the milk pail.
Jonathan had been contentedly watching, one hand holding the warm cloth to his ear but now he pressed to Madeline’s legs asking to be picked up. She lifted him and kissed his forehead.
Wally studied the baby and then brought his gaze to her.
She shifted her attention to the empty milk bucket, wondering what was going through the man’s mind. Not wanting to let her thoughts conjure up negative things, she didn’t try and guess.
Wally touched Jonathan’s head. “He must take after your husband.”
A tingling sensation began in her fingers and raced up to flutter in her heart. The skin on her face grew taut and warm. Had he guessed or had she said something to give him pause? She had been so careful. Had grown accustomed to guarding her secret. “My husband?” she stammered.
Jonathan caught Wally’s finger and grinned, bringing a chuckle from the man.
Distracted by her son, he didn’t look at her. “He’s got blond hair and blue eyes. Yours are brown. So, I reasoned he must be like his father.”
Not his father. Please never be like that man.
“My father has brown hair and brown eyes. I take after him. Jonathan has the same coloring as my mother.” Had she managed to keep her voice calm notrevealing the way her insides roiled with fear and darkness pressed into the edges of her thoughts?
Wally studied her words.Strange that she had not mentioned what her husband’s coloring was. Only her parents. It must hurt her to talk of him. He wanted to offer comfort but was at a loss for how to do it. Instead, he took the same direction as she had. “Your parents will miss him, with you moving so far away.”
Madeline pressed her hand to the back of Jonathan’s head. “They’ve never even seen him.”
He caught a thickness in her tone that suggested she was struggling with emotions.
She continued, the words coming slowly. “I left before Jonathan was born. Never made it back for a visit.”
“You and your husband moved to Kellom?”
She blinked rapidly and shook her head. “I was alone there.”
Although he waited long enough for her to give more information, she didn’t offer any. He assumed that part of her life was too painful to speak of. “I see.” Except he wondered why she hadn’t gone home to her parents after her husband’s death. But he knew enough about the hurt of past events to understandsometimes they stayed buried only to resurface when least welcome.
“I write to them. They write.”
“Of course.” He’d found home and belonging with the Shannons. “I’m sorry you’ve been alone. I hope having family here—myself, the children, and the Shannons—will go a long way toward making up for the absence of your own parents.” He hesitated, not wanting to stir up painful memories but needing to acknowledge certain facts. “And the loss of your husband.” Strangely, she hadn’t made any mention of her husband’s family. Wouldn’t they want to be part of Jonathan’s life? Maybe he’d learn the details in due time.
Strands of her hair fell forward as she nodded, her gaze going to a spot to his right. She put her son on the floor and offered him a pair of wooden spoons before she straightened. “I don’t want to keep you from your work. I remember from your letters how you said you liked taking care of the horses.”
