Montana Cowboy Family. Linda Ford

be easy.

      The children each took a slice of bread and turned their attention to the meal, eating quietly and neatly, their silence such a marked contrast to mealtimes at the ranch that Logan wasn’t comfortable. He much preferred the noisy interaction of people talking.

      Jeannie had stopped eating after one mouthful and Beth took Jeannie’s spoon and offered her some stew. Jeannie opened her mouth, leaned forward and cleaned off the spoon.

      “Beth?” Jeannie said, as soon as she could speak around the food.

      “What?”

      Jeannie leaned closer to whisper to Beth. “He’s not like the man.”

      “Hush. Eat your supper.”

      This time Logan let his gaze roam from one child to another, then to Sadie. When he saw the uncertainty in her eyes, he turned back to Jeannie. “What man is that, little one?”

      Beth pressed a restraining hand to Jeannie’s arm. “Don’t talk. Just eat your meal.”

      Jeannie studied her sister for a moment, then nodded and concentrated on her food. But every few seconds her gaze would jerk to Logan. As soon as she saw he watched her, she quickly ducked her head.

      There were far too many mysteries surrounding this family. Logan would begin looking for their father tomorrow morning and allow the man to answer the questions racing through his mind.

      They finished the stew and Sadie cut the remaining cake to give everyone a piece.

      Jeannie had two mouthfuls left when she started to whimper.

      “What’s wrong, honey?” Sadie asked.

      The child’s whimpers turned to wails.

      Beth rose. “I’m sorry. She’s tired.”

      Logan rose, too. “Do you want me to carry you to the bedroom?” He reached for her. Her wails turned to screams and he backed away. “I’m sorry. I should have thought.” Of course she was frightened. He was a stranger.

      Beth scooped her up and took her away, closing the bedroom door behind them. She could be heard murmuring softly to the distraught child.

      “She always does this,” Sammy said. “Ma used to say she ran out of sweet before she ran out of day.”

      The crying moderated and, after a few minutes, ended. Beth sang a soothing song. Logan couldn’t make out the words.

      Sadie rose and began to clean up the kitchen.

      Logan looked about. Should he go or should he stay? Was he welcome? Or was he part of the problem? He didn’t know and wasn’t about to ask. Instead, he followed his instincts and carried a stack of dishes to the dishpan and filled it with hot water.

      “You don’t have to do that,” Sadie protested.

      “I know I don’t, but my ma taught me to do my share.”

      She put away the butter. “I can’t see the men doing dishes on a busy ranch. Don’t they rush in to eat and leave again as soon as the food is gone?”

      Sammy carried the cups they’d used for water and stopped halfway to the cupboard to watch and listen.

      Logan grinned at him. “Hey, us men can do dishes as well as we can rope a cow. Right, partner?”

      Sammy gave Logan a look of disgust. “Dishes is women’s work. And the sooner they learn that the better for ’em.” He put the cups down and whacked one fist into the other palm.

      A chill ran up Logan’s spine. “That what your pa says?” He kept his voice gentle in the hopes of getting some information from the boy.

      Sammy shrugged. “Nah. Not my pa. Someone else.”

      “Well, let me tell you. That someone else is wrong. Very, very wrong. There is nothing wrong with men helping with dishes or sweeping the floor or anything like that. It’s true what Miss Sadie says. Sometimes the men are too busy to take time for household chores, but when my little sister was born, my pa did all those things for my ma. He said she deserved a rest. And my grandfather took care of my grandmother and did all those things when she was ill. You ever see my pa and grandfather?” He didn’t wait for Sammy to answer. “They are big men.” He flexed his muscles to indicate both size and strength. “No one would call them sissies.” He gave Sammy a mock scowl meant to make the boy realize men could be men and still do dishes.

      Sammy looked him up and down twice. “Are they as big as you?”

      Logan would not expand his chest as Sammy had earlier, but he couldn’t keep from glancing at Sadie to see her reaction and barely managed not to stare as she grinned at him.

      “All the Marshall men are big and blond,” she told Sammy.

      “And they do dishes?”

      “I’ll tell you a secret.” Logan leaned over and crooked his finger to bring Sammy closer so he could whisper in his ear, though he didn’t speak too softly for Sadie to hear. “My brother Dawson just got married and he said doing dishes with his new wife is the best part of the day.”

      “No!” Sammy’s look dared him to say it was the truth.

      “Yup. He says it makes his wife so grateful she kisses him right then and there.”

      “Yuck. Sure hope nobody’s going to kiss me if I help with dishes.”

      Logan and Sadie looked at each other and laughed. He couldn’t help but notice the twinkle in her eyes. Was she thinking doing dishes together would be special?

      He slammed a fist into his thoughts. Of course she didn’t, and neither did he.

      Again remembering Sammy’s sore back, Logan squeezed the boy’s arm. “I can’t promise someone won’t want to kiss you but probably not until you’re a lot older and then you won’t mind.”

      He backed away. “Ain’t no one gonna kiss me.”

      Logan grinned, knowing Sammy’s attitude would change soon enough. “Come on. Let’s be brave men. I’ll wash. You dry.” He handed Sammy a towel.

      “What’s Miss Sadie going to do?”

      “I’ll put things away and wash the table.”

      “Okay.”

      At the reluctance dragging the word out, Logan glanced again at Sadie and, when their eyes met, he saw a reflection of his amusement and they grinned at each other. Her smile slowly disappeared but their look held. The moment was fragile with possibility. His heart lurched sideways.

      She blinked rapidly and spun away to scrub the table until it could well bleed if it had any life in it.

      He brought his attention back to the basin of hot water and the dirty dishes, telling himself he had imagined the sensation that she’d seen deep into his soul. But something had happened and he was at a loss to understand what.

      Beth tiptoed from the bedroom just as Sammy dried the last pot. “I’m so sorry, but Jeannie wouldn’t let me go until she fell asleep.”

      Sadie gave the girl a sideways squeeze. “I’m glad you were there to comfort her. It must be scary to have your father disappear and then be moved.”

      Beth didn’t say anything but slipped from under Sadie’s arm.

      Logan couldn’t miss the disappointment in Sadie’s face. He’d have to reassure her that it would take time to win their trust.

      “Sammy, let’s fill the wood box.” Sammy trotted after him. As Logan chopped wood, Sammy gathered it up and carried it inside.

      Logan returned indoors and looked around. Everything was in order. The children fit into these rooms with ease, and Sadie appeared to have everything under control.

      His sense of peace exploded as screams came from the bedroom.