The Cowboy's Ready-Made Family. Linda Ford

      “He planned to capture some of the wild horses himself,” Frank explained.

      Susanne knew that. In fact, he might well be alive today if not for that dream. He had been following the whereabouts of the herd when he got caught in a downpour that eventually led to his pneumonia.

      Frank continued. “He had the corrals all ready and would have gotten his horses for sure except Ma got sick and then he got sick.” His voice quavered but he pushed on. “He told me I could help him when he got the horses. He’d have to gentle them first, but then I could help feed them and could talk to them so they’d learn not to be afraid of children.” Frank sucked in a ragged breath, as did his brother and sisters. This talk of their father and mother would soon have them all in tears. “I want to help Tanner with the horses.”

      Susanne jolted back. “I’m sorry, but I must refuse you permission. It simply wouldn’t be safe and I sure don’t want anything to happen to any of you.”

      Frank hung his head but not before she caught a glimpse of rebellion in his eyes.

      She’d never considered she’d encounter problems with the children. But she must insist. Being around wild horses simply wasn’t safe.

      The children were subdued throughout the remainder of the meal. Afterward they helped with the dishes, then scattered outside. She should give them more chores but couldn’t seem to get any organized for them and she freely admitted she didn’t want them to have to work as hard as she had for Aunt Ada.

      She glanced about the kitchen. It needed a good cleaning. Alice would be shocked at the way it looked, and Aunt Ada would have had her whipped for the neglect.

      But she no longer answered to Aunt Ada or depended on her for a roof over her head and a meal to warm her insides.

      She stepped outside when she heard a horse approach. Goodness, months had gone by without anyone but Alfred Morris visiting, and now she had a steady stream of visitors. Or rather, she corrected herself as she recognized the rider, one recurring visitor. Was this what she’d agreed to? For Tanner Harding to come and go at will? Her insides grew brittle at the idea. Frequent visitors, in her mind, came with demands. Demands she didn’t care to fulfill. Thinking of Mr. Befus, she shuddered.

      Her eyes narrowed as she saw the milk cow bawling and bucking behind Tanner, protesting at being pulled home at the end of a rope. What was he doing with her cow?

      “I brought you something,” he said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the cow.

      “Was she out? I fixed the fence just a few hours ago.”

      “I saw her jump over the fence where the wires were slack. She was intent on the wide-open spaces.”

      “What am I going to do with her?”

      “You could try tethering her.”

      She hadn’t meant the question for him but if he knew how to keep the cow home, she would like to know. “How do you do that?”

      “I’ll show you.” He led the cow toward the barn.

      “You tell me and I can do it myself.” Susanne followed hard on his heels, intent on making it clear she didn’t need his help. She did not want him to think he could take advantage of her failures.

      “You’re back,” Robbie called to Tanner.

      The four children stood in the doorway of the barn, their faces eager.

      “I brought your cow home.”

      “She won’t stay,” Frank said.

      “That’s our problem,” Susanne pointed out, not wanting Tanner to think she couldn’t manage. Never mind that there was plenty of proof she wasn’t doing well on her own.

      Ignoring her protests, Tanner handed the rope to Frank and went into the tack room, picking his way over the items on the floor.

      Susanne’s cheeks burned. She’d been meaning to clean up that mess. Another of the chores that never seemed to get done.

      Tanner returned, a halter in his hands, and went to the cow, five people watching him, four with keen interest, one with reluctance. Okay, maybe she’d let him do it this time, while she watched and learned. After that, she’d do it herself.

      “Let’s see if we can train her to stay home.” He slipped the halter over her head, found a length of rope on a nail by the door and hooked it to the halter.

      “It’s long enough we can secure it to anything solid enough to hold her. Which might have to be a tree with a girth of at least six feet.”

      The children giggled at his explanation as they followed him from the barn. The cow balked, but he leaned into the rope and persuaded her to walk along.

      Could this control the stubborn animal? It must. She had no other choice.

      “That tree will do.” He led them to the spot where the grass was green and the tree stout, and tied the rope about the tree. “Now she needs water.”

      “I’ll get it.” Frank ran back to the barn and dragged out a small trough. He put it beside the tree and then hurried to fill it with water.

      Tanner stood by and let the boy do it. Robbie insisted on helping and, even though he could only carry half a bucket of water, Frank let him.

      Susanne secretly smiled her approval at how the children worked together. Helping each other was the only way the five of them would manage to run this farm.

      “That ought to do,” Tanner said with some satisfaction.

      “Thank you,” she said to him. He might have saved her several hours a day by showing her a simple remedy. “I’m sure I can do it in the future.” Hopefully her voice didn’t sound as uncertain as she felt.

      The cow jerked at the end of her rope and mooed a protest.

      Little Janie pressed her fingers to her mouth. “Daisy doesn’t want to be tied up.” Tears pooled in her eyes.

      Tanner squatted in front of the little one and wiped the tears from her face. “She’ll get used to it. In a little while she’ll even learn to like it. Just like we all learn to adjust and even like changes.”

      Susanne could well argue otherwise but before she organized what she would say, Janie’s eyes cleared and she smiled. The little girl reached out and touched his cheek.

      “I like you.”

      Tanner straightened quickly and gave Susanne a dark look.

      She pulled Janie to her side. He’s only here for a short while, she wanted to warn her niece. Don’t get fond of him.

      Frank spoke, his voice breaking the tension. “My pa planned to capture some wild horses, too. But he died.” Instead of lightening the moment, Frank’s words descended on them like a dark cloud.

      Susanne blinked hard, determined not to give way to tears.

      “That’s why he built that set of corrals,” Frank added.

      “They look real sturdy,” Tanner said.

      “They are. Pa said if you’re going to train horses, you need to be set up for it.”

      “That’s a fact. I think he would wonder why I didn’t plan ahead before I trapped my horses.”

      “Why didn’t you?”

      Tanner chuckled. At the sound, the children relaxed visibly, but tension mounted in Susanne. Be careful, little ones. Guard your hearts.

      “I should have,” Tanner said, “but when the horses were hanging about within easy capturing distance, I couldn’t resist grabbing the opportunity, trusting something would work out. And, look, it has. Your pa’s corrals are going to be used just as he intended they should.” With that, Tanner moved toward his horse.

      Susanne