Page 548 of Conveniently Wed
“You soon said momma.” The housekeeper smiled at Lorinda. “I’m sure our little prince will call you momma any day now.”
Our little prince?When had the baby becomeour little prince? He’d been missing too much of his family’s life. That was going to change...right now.
The aroma of the food sitting in front of him made his stomach growl like an angry bear.
Lorinda fed a spoonful of scrambled eggs to Michael. “You must need your breakfast right now.” She laughed.
He joined in her laughter. This homecoming was what he dreamed about the whole time out on the trail. The camaraderie lifted his spirits. But he wanted so much more from this marriage. Looking at his lovely wife’s face, he yearned for the time when they could take the next step in their relationship...if it ever happened. He wanted to accelerate his effort to woo her but knew he couldn’t rush her. It might push her away, and his heart couldn’t take the chance of her turning away from him. But today was a new day, and he’d make the most of it.
The sound of cowboy boots and spurs on the front porch was followed by a sharp knock on the door.
“Do you want me to go? I’m already up.” Mrs. Oleson dried her hands on the towel hanging from the waistband of her apron as she quickly stepped into the hallway. Soon the front door squeaked as she opened it. “Rusty, come on in. We’re just now eating breakfast. Do you want to join us?”
“No, ma’am. I’ve eaten, but I need to speak to the boss.”
“Can it wait until he’s finished eating?”
Franklin could tell from the tone of his ranch hand’s voice that something serious was happening. He quickly wiped his mouth with his napkin and dropped it beside his plate before he went to find out what.
Mrs. Oleson met him in the hallway. “I’ll keep your food warm for you.” She continued on to the kitchen.
Franklin hurried out the screen door, letting it slam behind him. Rusty stood on the porch, turning the hat he held in his hand. Worry wrinkled his brow.
“What’s going on?”
“One of the men just came riding in real fast from where the lane meets the road. A rider is headed this way, and she’s in pretty bad shape. I sent one of the men out with the wagon to check on her.”
“She? Is it anyone we know?” Franklin glanced toward the lane and saw the dust cloud near the other end. “She’s riding a horse, I see.”
“Yeah, but according to Charlie, she looks like she might fall off any time. That’s why I sent out the wagon.” Rusty’s gaze roved around the porch and out to the barn, even bounced toward the sky and trees.
Franklin wondered why he wouldn’t look him in the eye.
“Thought you might want to go meet her.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Do we know her?”
“Yes, sir. It’s Miriam.”
For a moment, Franklin expected to feel pain. The name only gave him a momentary twinge. What he’d felt for the woman in the past was a distant memory. But why was she coming here now? She could really muddy the waters.
What would Lorinda think about his former fiancée showing up like this?
He went inside, stopping in the hallway. Grabbing his Stetson and jacket from the hall tree, he started to open the screen door. He stopped, turned around, and went to the kitchen. “I’ve got to check on something. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”
Leaning down, he dropped a quick kiss on his son’s blond curls.
Michael once again pounded his chair tray with a spoon. “Da...da...dada.”
Even if they weren’t really words, the sounds warmed his heart, causing it to expand in his chest.
“Wait.” Lorinda grabbed a large biscuit. She broke it in two, piled it with scrambled eggs, then added broken pieces of bacon before putting the top back on. “Maybe this’ll stave off your hunger till you get back.” Her bright eyes as she handed it to him made him want to sit down and stay with her.
But he couldn’t. “Thanks.”
He took a large bite and headed out of the house, shutting both doors behind him. Rusty had Major saddled, waiting by the gate in the picket fence. He grabbed the reins and mounted.
“Want me to come with you?” Rusty sat atop his own horse.
