Page 11 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes (Montana Mail-Order Brides #7)

Chapter Six

“ S usie!” Bryn yelled her loudest. How was it possible she had forgotten to watch the child?

She should never have let herself be distracted by Flint.

Yes, she felt sorry for him. A ten-year-old child was orphaned and no family to take him in.

Susie had family— Bryn— but that wasn’t doing her any good if Bryn couldn’t be responsible.

Flint touched her shoulder, the pressure of his fingers easing the tightness in her muscles. She wasn’t alone. Flint would help her.

“She can’t have gotten far. And there’s nothin’ much around here that’s a danger.” He took a step. “Come on. She was here a few minutes ago.”

Sticking close to him, Bryn followed across the soddy soil and into the tall grass.

Flint stopped so suddenly that she bumped into him and stayed with her palm against his back, feeling its strength and drawing comfort from it.

“Have a look,” he whispered.

She peered around his shoulder. Relief flooded her. Susie sat on the ground, arranging flowers and twigs around Daisy who curled up at Susie’s knees. The murmur of Susie’s singsongy voice reached them.

Bryn edged forward, sticking to Flint’s side. Using the excuse that the tall weeds blocked her from moving away any distance.

Flint leaned close to whisper, “She’s so busy playin’ she didn’t hear.”

“I’m just glad she’s all right.”

Daisy noticed them and picked her way through Susie’s tiny fence to come toward them.

“Don’t go,” Susie wailed.

Before Bryn was able to intervene, Flint went to the child’s side. “Daisy isn’t leavin’ you though you know she belongs to Mrs. Addington.”

The wails increased.

“We’re gonna have a look around. Do you want a piggyback ride?”

The crying stopped and Susie scrambled to her feet.

Flint squatted down to let Susie climb to his back. He bounced her as he stood, earning him a giggle.

There was no mistaking the pleasure on Flint’s face.

Bryn felt an answering pleasure. This sweet child deserved to be given the attention of a man.

If not by her own father who thought girls and women were useless except for one thing— producing male heirs— then by someone willing to fill that role. Flint seemed ready to provide that.

“Would you like to see the barn and horses?” Flint looked at Bryn as he spoke, but the answer came from behind his head.

“Yes, please.”

Bouncing Susie and bringing giggles, Flint led the way across the yard. The barn door stood open, and he went in, Bryn at his side.

Warm air rose from the floor. Flies buzzed against the windowpanes.

The scent of hay and horses wafted to her nose.

A smile filled her heart and curved her lips.

The place had a comforting feeling to it.

She could imagine spending pleasant hours here, watching Flint work, discussing plans, sheltering against a storm, playing with Susie, and even…

should the good Lord see fit… more children.

“You shoulda seen this when we moved here.”

Her imaginative thoughts crashed to a halt. “Addie told me you and Jayce have put a lot of effort into improving this place.”

“It needed some work, fer sure. But it’s been well worth it.” His gaze circled the interior of the barn. “All the buildings are solid. Good grazing as far as the mountains.”

They wandered down the alley past pens that had been repaired. They circled back to the door and out into the afternoon sun.

“Where’s the horseys?” Susie asked.

“Yer about to see them.” They arrived at a rail fence. He lifted Susie from his back, so she stood with her toes on the middle rail as she leaned over the top.

Was she imitating Flint who rested his arms on the top rail? It pleasured Bryn to think so.

Horses grazed a distance away. Flint whistled, a sharp sound that made Susie giggle and Bryn widen her eyes before she laughed.

At the sound, half a dozen horses galloped toward them. Some tossed their heads. One trotted close and then shied away. Another stopped just out of reach, breathing in the scent of unfamiliar people before racing away.

“They’s a little shy ’round strangers. But they’ll get used ta ya. Then they’ll come right up ta the fence begging for a pat on the neck or maybe a treat.”

“What they like for treats?” Susie asked. “I gots no sweets.”

“Wait here.” Flint trotted back to the barn and returned with a bucket of oats.

He rattled the pail and again whistled. The horses again trotted toward him.

Again, they paused at the sight of strangers.

He tossed oats over the fence and the bravest one edged closer and began to eat them, his lip curling around the treat.

Soon four more joined him, nudging and nipping at each other for a larger portion.

Susie giggled. “They needs to learn to share.”

“Yup. They do. Wanna ride again?” Flint turned to let her climb to his back, and they continued their journey. He pointed out the mares and their babies. Indicated other horses in the distance.

Lots of horses. Handsome creatures, but— “I thought you had cows.”

“Yup. We do. I’ll take you out to them one of these days.”

“I’d like that.” The truth was, she wanted to see everything and know everything about this man she’d married.

They changed direction and walked along the path connecting the two houses. Adele waved from her window. Bryn waved back. They passed the garden Addie had shown her earlier. Was it just this morning? So much had happened that it felt much longer.

The ground rose slightly. The grass beside the path had been cut but beyond were tall weeds such as she’d seen in other areas. Flint must have noticed her interest.

“I told Addie she should let her chickens roam. They’d clean up the weeds, but she said she’d sooner use the scythe than risk her chickens getting lost. That woman has a fondness for her hens.”

At the way he shook his head and sighed, Bryn laughed. “She seems like a nice person.”

“Yup. So I guess I’ll overlook her small failin’.”

Knowing he was joshing, Bryn laughed. “Where are we going?” The buildings were behind them.

“We’s there.” He set Susie on the ground. “I hope you aren’t offended by being brought to a graveyard.”

A shiver crept up her spine. Had Flint or Adele or even Jayce lost loved ones and buried them on this hill? “Whose graves?”

“This’d be Mr. Roe’s family. His wife and three young’uns. Mr. Roe owned this ranch, but after his family passed, he lost interest and it got neglected.”

“How sad.” The grass had been trimmed around four mounds of stones, one larger than the others. A doll lay on the smallest mound wrapped in a small green knitted blanket.

Susie immediately spotted it. “A dolly. Can I has it?”

Guessing there was a reason for it being where it was, Bryn caught Susie’s hand before she could touch the toy. “It belongs here. You have to leave it here.”

Susie’s eyes were wide. She opened her mouth as if to protest but must have seen something in Bryn’s expression because she nodded. “Who it ‘longs to?”

“A little girl who used to live here.” A doll and a small mound of rocks gave Bryn enough information for her to assume it was so.

“Her coming back?” Her gaze lingered on the doll.

Bryn didn’t know how to explain it.

Flint squatted to eye-level with Susie. “She’s not coming back but she would like the doll to stay here.”

Child and man studied each other then Susie shrugged. “I gots my own dolly.”

She trotted away to explore around the tree and bushes that stood guard over the hillside.

A cross stood beyond the child’s grave. Bryn moved closer. Read the bold letters. Evert Ward. The look she gave Flint was doubtlessly full of curiosity.

He nodded as he trailed his fingers along the top of the cross and answered her unspoken question. “Adele came west looking for her pa. Don’t know if’n she told you, but she married Jayce by mistake.

Bryn jerked her gaze from the cross to Flint’s face. “You aren’t joshing.”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

She tried to think how that was possible, but nothing came to mind. “How can you get married by mistake?”

“Seems she banged her head and lost her memory for a time in which she agreed to marry Jayce.”

“And they’re still married?” Her voice thinned at such an idea.

He chuckled softly, a sound like falling rain that washed away a layer of her uncertainty about her decision to marry him.

“He bargained with her. If she stayed and sorted out the house and made a few meals—” He laughed again. “The house was very dirty, and we were too busy working to make meals. Mostly we opened a can of beans and ate straight out of the can.” He paused and looked at her.

She understood he wanted her reaction and provided a shudder. “What was this bargain?”

“If she did that, he would help her find her pa.” His gaze went to the cross.

“Did they find him before or after—?” She tipped her head toward the marker beneath his palm.

“They never did find him, but learnt he’d died in the mountains. Jayce made this so she’d had somethin’ to mark his passin’.” With a tip of his head, he indicated they should move on. A few feet beyond the graves and the marker, he stopped. “This’s a nice place to enjoy the view.”

They sat side by side on the soft grass.

“The view is spectacular.” The mountains to the west. A blue ribbon of water bisecting the rolling green grassland.

Darker green where trees, both deciduous and evergreen, stood.

Behind them, Susie’s sweet singsongy voice indicated her nearby presence, happily amusing herself.

“This is a sad place and yet it doesn’t feel sad. ”

Flint nodded. Although he must wonder at her comment, he remained silent. Perhaps waiting for her to say more if she desired.