A Man for Glory. Carolyn Davidson

she read it to me before I was old enough to enjoy it for myself.”

      “Charles Dickens wrote a bunch of books,” Buddy said, taking his place across the table from Glory. “I already read two of them, and Glory said I have to write a book report about the one I’m reading now.”

      “She’s done a good job of teaching the pair of you, I’d say,” Cade told the boy. “I’ll warrant you’ll do well in school. I’m going to look for a horse for you to ride back and forth. Mr. Bradley has a dozen or so mares and geldings he’s willing to sell. Maybe you and I can go over there tomorrow. If you’re gonna ride the horse, I’d say you ought to have some say in which one we get for you.”

      “Can I do that, Glory?” Buddy looked beseechingly at his stepmother and Cade thought he held his breath as he awaited her answer.

      “Sounds like Cade’s got things lined up, Buddy. If he wants to get you a horse, he can call the shots, I’d say.”

      She opened the book, sliding the bookmark from its place and setting it on the oilcloth as she tilted the volume to catch the glow of the lamp overhead. “If we’re going to read a whole chapter, we’d better begin,” she said, glancing at Cade as he sat down in the available chair.

      His grin was aimed at Glory as he settled back to listen. And for the next half hour her audience was held captive by the story of an orphaned boy and the trials inherent in his life without a family of his own.

      Glory reached the end of the chapter and slid the bookmark into place, closing the volume and brushing the cover as if she would deny any speck of dust a resting place there. “Time for bed,” she said quietly, and both children pushed their chairs back and headed for the stairway in the hall. Buddy picked up a lamp from the table in the hallway and walked ahead of his sister up the stairs.

      “Will you be coming up, Glory?” Essie asked, looking back over her shoulder.

      “In just a few minutes,” Glory answered. “Your clean nightgown is on the bed, Essie. Make sure you change your underwear, Buddy. I put the clothes basket in your room, so be sure you use it.”

      Cade smiled as she uttered the words she’d no doubt spoken numerous times before. From upstairs, he could hear the sound of two doors opening and Buddy speaking softly to his sister.

      “You’ve done a good job with those children,” Cade said quietly. “They love you, Glory. It shows in the way they pay attention to you and mind what you say.”

      “I made up my mind when I came here that I’d do the best I could to take the place of their mother. I’ve tried to teach them all the things my own mother taught me when I was comin’ up. Mr. Clark gave me a free hand with them and we’ve always gotten along together. They’re smart and willing to work hard to get their schooling.”

      She rose and went to the doorway, then turned back and met Cade’s gaze. “I’m pleased that you’ve decided to get a horse for Buddy. He’s excited about going to school in town and his eyes surely lit up when you said he could go along and help decide on which horse you’d buy for him.”

      “I’d like to see him on two or three of those geldings. Figure I’ll buy him a saddle in town and he can learn how to handle things on his own. He’s tall enough to lift a saddle and I’ll check into things at the school, see if the boys have a place to keep their tack during the day. I imagine they stake the horses around back of the schoolhouse, but I’ll want to see for myself how things are done. I spoke to a fella in town and he said that there’s near to a dozen students who ride in from the surrounding farms.”

      “Buddy knows how to ride pretty well,” Glory said. “Mr. Clark let him use the saddle horse, made sure he knew how to handle the animal.”

      “He’ll do well,” Cade said confidently. “He’s a smart boy and he’s old enough to accept responsibility.”

      Glory nodded her agreement and turned to climb the stairs. Her steps were light, and she rapped on the doorjamb of Buddy’s room, calling his name as she entered. Cade heard her voice, then Buddy’s as they spoke together for long minutes before she left his room, closing his door and heading to Essie’s room.

      She spent a bit longer with Essie, probably helping her with her nightgown, he suspected, and then listening to the girl as she said her prayers. Her voice was but a murmur in his ear, but he smiled, imagining Glory sitting on the bed, her hand on Essie’s head as she uttered her petitions aloud. And then Glory left Essie’s room, leaving her door open and pausing to call out soft words to the child.

      She came back downstairs and into the kitchen. “I’ll fry up some sliced ham for breakfast in the morning, I think. Maybe some corn bread instead of biscuits.” Glory retrieved the sack of cornmeal from the pantry and bent to lift her mixing bowl from the kitchen dresser, readying things for morning.

      She turned then, picking up the book she’d read from and carrying it into the parlor where she put it on the library table in front of the window. Pausing to straighten the pillows on the sofa, she moved a picture, placing it just so as if it must be properly displayed. Cade watched her from the doorway of the parlor, admiring the sway of her skirts, the deft movements of her hands and the easy way she moved about in the home she had established. With little obvious effort, Glory managed to keep things neatened up, creating a place of comfort for her family, a warm atmosphere in which they thrived. She looked up to where Cade stood, as if she had just sensed his presence there.

      “I think I’ll go up myself and get ready for bed,” she said. “It’s been a long day.”

      He leaned forward a bit, his lips touching her forehead in a soft unthreatening kiss. “Good night, Glory. I’ll lock up and take care of the lamp in the kitchen. Do you need a light to take with you?”