Montana Bride By Christmas. Linda Ford

honor me to say so.”

      Hugh felt Annie studying him and met her gaze. “Were your parents both dead?” she asked.

      He nodded.

      “I’m sorry. There’s so much I don’t know about you.”

      “And I about you.” The moment grew longer with each heartbeat.

      Grandfather chuckled. “You want to know anything about Annie, just ask me. I can give you all the details.”

      Hugh could ask Grandfather but would sooner have Annie tell him. Her cheeks looked like she was too close to the stove and she shifted her attention to Evan as did Hugh.

      The boy had cleaned his bowl and watched the adults until they looked at him and then he shifted away from them.

      Hugh’s coffee cup was empty but he took it and squeezed it between his hands as if doing so could relieve the heaviness sucking at his body. Would his son ever learn how to properly relate to people?

      Annie rose and reached for the coffeepot. “Can I give you a refill?”

      He held up a hand. “No thanks. I must go to the office and study for my sermon. Will you be okay?” He inclined his head to indicate his concern over Evan.

      Annie gave Hugh a steady, promising look. “We’ll be fine.”

      “You’re going to ignore Mr. Barret?” Grandfather’s voice carried a mix of humor and accusation.

      “I’ll visit him this afternoon.” Not until he reached his office did he realize he had not addressed the careless words he’d spoken last night. Of course, he could hardly say anything in front of her grandfather. The old man would surely see it as wrong to withdraw words that could be taken as a promise.

      He’d deal with the matter later, though he couldn’t keep putting off unpleasant duties.

      Before he started he sat quietly in prayer. God, show me how to help Evan. Give me insight into Your Word that I might deliver hope and encouragement to Your people. He readily admitted he needed to hear from God as much, if not more, than those who would gather on Sunday.

      He pulled out his notes, opened his Bible and dipped his pen in ink. Dishes rattled from the kitchen. Grandfather grunted as he made his way to his easy chair. The poor man must be feeling pain today. Annie murmured something.

      Hugh leaned closer to catch her words.

      “Evan, did you enjoy breakfast? I’m glad to see you ate it all. I hope you got enough.” She chattered away as if Evan understood and responded to everything she said.

      Grandfather’s deeper voice chimed in. “Hurts my bones to watch you sit on the floor, young man. Sure do enjoy my soft chair.”

      Hugh bent his head, determined to concentrate. He could close the door but he didn’t. How else was he to know what was going on in the other room? And if he wished, even a tiny bit, that he could be there observing, it was only because he cared about Evan. He refused to admit he wished he could see the expression on Annie’s face as she talked to the unresponsive boy.

      He forced his attention to sermon preparation and read over the Bible passage he meant to preach from.

      A knock rattled the back door. Hugh set aside his pen and pushed to his feet. By the time he reached the office door, a blast of cold air indicated Annie had let in the caller.

      “Hi, Logan. What brings you here? Did you want to see Hugh? I’ll get him.”

      “I’m here to see you.” Logan’s voice rang with authority.

      “Well, here I am. Can you see me?”

      Hugh hung back. Someone would call him if he was needed.

      “Dawson told me you moved in here.” Logan’s voice rang with disapproval.

      “Would you like a cup of coffee and some cookies?” Annie sounded unperturbed by her brother’s attitude.

      “Fine but don’t think you can keep me from speaking my mind.” The coffeepot scraped across the stove and china clattered on the table as Annie served her brother.

      Should he join them? Hugh thought.

      After a moment or two, Logan spoke again. “Tell me what you think you’re doing.”

      Annie chuckled. “I know Dawson told you everything and nothing has changed since yesterday.”

      “You can’t seriously plan to marry in response to an advertisement.”

      “Have you never heard of mail-order brides? Isn’t that what they do?”

      Hugh marveled at the calm way she answered.

      “You aren’t an old spinster. You have a family that gladly wants you to stay with them. Why are you doing this?”

      “Why do you object?”

      “Because you deserve better than a loveless marriage.”

      “I’m not married yet.” She drawled out the final word as if to inform Logan it was only a matter of time.

      Hugh had to put a stop to this. He hadn’t promised her a marriage...only a four-week trial period. Was that long enough for someone to answer his ad? Someone more suitable. As he headed for the door, Grandfather spoke.

      “Annie thinks she can protect herself from pain by settling for less than love.”

      “Why,” Logan demanded in an aggrieved tone, “would she want to do that?”

      Hugh slowed, wanting to hear her response.

      “Because of that young fella who courted her—what was it?—a year or two ago.”

      Logan made an explosive sound. “Rudy Ryman! That milksop? Good riddance to him, I say. If he hadn’t left, us boys were about to suggest he should.”

      Silence greeted his remark. Hugh wished he could see Annie’s expression. Was this the real reason for her eagerness to marry him?

      Annie’s soft response came. “Nothing stays the same but life goes on and I intend to go on in the way I choose.” No mistaking the conviction in her words.

      “Dawson told me you wouldn’t listen to reason,” Logan continued. “But you and I have always been closer than that. I hoped you’d listen to me.”

      Annie continued to speak in gentle tones. “I’d like you to accept that this is what I want.”

      There came no response. Was she changing her mind under pressure from her brother? Hugh had to know what was going on and crossed the sitting room. As he reached the kitchen doorway, Logan’s look blasted him. Hugh, having dealt with harshness all his life, kept his own expression bland. “Hello, Logan. What brings you here so early in the morning?”

      “My sister. No offense, Preacher, but I’m trying to talk her out of this arrangement.”

      Hugh’s gaze skimmed those at the table and settled on Evan who huddled in the corner, his shoulders hunched forward, hearing every word and wondering what these adults would decide and how it would affect him.

      Hugh met Annie’s look. Saw desperation and determination. She inclined her head slightly toward Evan signaling that she was concerned about how the boy would react to this conversation.

      Her look, her concern about his son and Logan’s comments about a beau of Annie’s made up his mind. “Annie and I are agreed that she should stay here for now. Evan and I need her. Your grandfather provides chaperoning.”

      Annie’s smile rewarded him.

      Had she heard the limitation of his offer? For now. Until someone more suitable, more likely to find this situation to their satisfaction answered his ad. Why was he having to remind himself of that so often?

      * * *