“Tom, I understand how you feel, but I want you to stop treating Oliver so badly. Sooner or later you’d have had to come out.”
“But not before sundown.”
“But why—”
Just then the two girls came up the rise from behind the outhouse and stopped short when they saw Abby.
Abby lifted an eyebrow. “So now everyone is present and accounted for.”
Katie ran over to her and grabbed the leg Oliver wasn’t holding. “You’re not mad, are you, Abby?”
“I’m not sure, sweetie. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on. Does your uncle know where you are?”
Lily shook her head. “He’ll probably be glad we’re gone. He won’t have to worry anymore about what to do with us.”
The resentment in her tone got Abby’s attention. “What are you talking about?”
“Boarding school. Katie overheard him say it was his last resort.”
Now Abby understood. “So you stowed away in the back of my wagon?”
Katie asked, “What does stowed away mean?”
Abby put her arm around the little girl staring up at her. “It means taking a ride without permission.”
Katie’s eyes widened. “Are we goin’ to jail?”
Tom snorted. “‘Course not.”
“Don’t be too sure about that, mister,” Abby said, shooting him a look. “What you’ve done is very serious. Not just to me, but to your uncle. He’s probably worried sick about you.”
“If he cared enough to worry, why would he send us to boarding school?” Lily asked.
“He hasn’t definitely made up his mind about that. And after this stunt, I’m not so sure he isn’t right.”
Abby stared from one child to the next, but not one of them would meet her gaze. “How did you find out that he was thinking about it?” she asked.
“Katie overheard the two of you talking this morning,” Lily explained.
Now Abby understood. That creaking on the stairs had been a blond, curly-haired little eavesdropper. She looked sternly at Katie. The little girl buried her face in Abby’s leg. Abby turned the most severe look she could muster on each of the others. “You should have talked to your uncle before
running away. He’s going to give me more time to find a housekeeper.”
“You mean we’re stayin’ at the ranch?” Tom took two eager steps forward, then seemed to catch himself.
“That’s right.”
“Hot damn!” he said.
“Tom, watch your language,” Lily said.
“You’ve been spending too much time with Gib Cochran,” Abby added.
“Sorry. I’m sorta glad we get to stay. I wanted to see that there baby horse, ‘n’ all,” he said, rubbing his nose. “I mean foal.”
Abby squinted into the distance as the glare of the sun descending behind the mountain caught her in the eyes. “Before I take you all home with me, I have one more question.”
“Asking questions is what
I
do best,” Katie said proudly.
“Indeed it is,” Abby said, smiling down at her. “Why was it so important to stay out of sight until sundown?”
Lily shrugged. “That’s easy. We had to make sure there wasn’t enough time for you to take us back to Uncle Jarrod.”
“How did you keep me from finding you in the back of the wagon?”
“That’s two questions,” Katie corrected. Lily grinned. “We fell asleep.”
“What made you so sure I’d take you rascals in?” Abby asked.
Oliver took his thumb out of his mouth. “‘Cuz you love us.”
Katie held onto Abby’s leg, but leaned back to study her. She tilted her head to the side and asked, “Abby, you got somethin’ in your eye?”
Abby sniffed. “No, sweetie. Why?”
“’Cause you’re blinkin’ and there’s water in there,” she said, pointing at Abby’s eyes. “You cryin’?”
She cleared her throat. “I never cry. Especially over thoughtless children like yourselves. Tomorrow I’m going
to take you back to your uncle. It means I’ll have to take more time off work. Mr. Whittemore may not like it.”
“Who’s he?” Lily asked.
“The man I work for. If he doesn’t like it, I could lose my job.” Abby noticed the four of them exchange a knowing look. What were they up to?
“Are you mad at us, Abby?” Katie asked.
“I should be.”
“But you’re gonna take us home with ya? Right, Abby?”
Oliver asked.
“Right.”
“‘Member the last time we was here and you took us to that place for fried chicken?” the little boy asked.
Abby suppressed a grin as she nodded. “Would you like to go there again?”
“Yes’m. I’m hungry
and
thirsty.”
Abby ruffled his blond hair, then brushed it off his forehead. “Let’s get you all cleaned up, then we’ll go there.”
Jarrod rode into Hollister about an hour after sundown. He was tired and hungry. His temper was frayed real thin.
He left his horse at the livery with orders for a good rub-down and an extra ration of oats. It wasn’t smart to push an animal as hard as he had. A healthy mount could mean the difference between living and dying. When he laid eyes on the kids, they might be sorry the ol’ roan hadn’t dumped him on the trail. With an effort, he reined in his anger. One thing he’d found out today—he didn’t like worrying.
He planned to put an end to it real soon. Standing in front of the livery, he stared down the main street of Hollister and wondered where to start looking.
The freight office. Just so happened, it was right next door. With the place all dark, it didn’t take him long to figure out no one was there. The next building down was the sheriff’s office. Light spilled through the window onto the boardwalk. When Jarrod looked inside, he saw Zach Magruder hunched over his desk with paperwork.
Jarrod opened the door and walked in. “Evenin’, Zach.”
The sheriff looked surprised, then pleased. “Don’t that beat all. Jarrod Blackstone. What the blue blazes are you doin’ here in town?”
“Wish I could say it was a social call, Zach. But the fact is, I’m looking for some kids—my nieces and nephews. You seen ‘em wandering around?”
“Not wanderin’. Seen ‘em with Abby Miller not too long ago over at the Hollister House Restaurant.”
“Are they all right?”
Zach laughed. “The way they were puttin’ away Henrietta’s fried chicken—yeah, I’d say they were doin’ just fine.”
“Glad to hear it.” Relief washed over Jarrod and he let out a long breath.
“Something wrong?” the sheriff asked.
Jarrod paused in the open doorway. “Not yet.”
“Don’t you ever do that again.”
Jarrod stood beside the table in the restaurant and pointed at each of the children in turn.
Abby had never seen him like this. Lines of worry cut his face from nose to mouth. There was no teasing glint in his cold gray eyes. He looked dirty, tired, and angry.
“Take it easy, Jarrod,” she said, pushing her chair away from the table. Around them, people had stopped eating and talking. They stared at Jarrod Blackstone.
He turned to her. She’d been wrong about his eyes. They weren’t cold at all. Spitting fire was more accurate. “Abby, you stay out of this.”
Lily stood and moved between Abby and Jarrod. “Don’t blame Abby, Uncle Jarrod. She didn’t know anything about this until she found us a little while ago.”
“I’m not blaming her. I just want to know what the hell is going on. What do you mean sneaking off like that? I’ve lost a day’s work looking for you. Not to mention Dusty and Slim. And I’ve been—” He gritted his teeth as he ran his hand through his hair.
Abby put her hands on Lily’s shoulders and moved her out of the way. “Jarrod?”
“What?” he asked.
“Just tell them you were worried sick about them.
Then
give them a talking-to they’ll never forget.”
He sighed and his shoulders relaxed a bit. He stared at her for a moment, his mouth a straight line, then said, “Abby Miller, you’re developing an irritating habit of being right.”
He turned to the children and opened his arms wide. “Come here,” he said gruffly.
Katie and Oliver were the first to reach him, and he scooped them up, one in each arm. Lily put her arms around his middle and hugged him. He smiled at her.
Around them, other diners put down their forks and knives and nodded approvingly as they applauded.
Jarrod grinned. “Sorry to interrupt your supper, folks. Don’t pay us any mind. Please go on eating.”
He looked back at Tom, who stood within the circle but didn’t touch his uncle. “That foal missed you today.”
“Did she?” he asked, his eyes lighting up. “I missed her too. She okay?”
“Fine.”
Tom tipped his head back to meet his uncle’s gaze. “I didn’t want to leave the ranch, but Lily said Mama wanted us all to stay together.”
Jarrod put the two youngest down. “Finish your dinner.”
“Did you miss us, Uncle Jarrod?” Katie asked.
“Yup.” The lines appeared again between his eyebrows. “No one’s told me yet why you ran off without even a by-your-leave. Dusty and Slim and I have been looking everywhere. Then I get here and you’re laughing and talking and having a grand old time—”
“Why don’t you have something to eat with us, Jarrod?”
Abby said. “You must be hungry. When you’re fed and watered, you’re bound to be in a better frame of mind.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my temper,” he said sharply.
“I think there is. You’ve lost it,” Abby said. “Hogwash. A good day’s work and a long night’s sleep is all I need,” he snapped.
Katie put down her fork. “Why are you talkin’ so loud, Uncle Jarrod? Is it because you can’t find your temper?” she asked.
He sucked in a breath between his teeth. “I have not lost my temper. Is it too much to ask why you all took off the way you did?”
As he glared at Abby, the bell over the restaurant door rang loudly. Everyone turned to look as Gib Cochran and Bea Peters walked in together.
The older man took off his hat, then nodded to people at a table in the corner. Spotting Jarrod and the others, his gray-black brows went up in wonder. Bea noticed the group at the same time and glanced at Gib, surprised. Not any more surprised than Abby was to see the two of them together. She stifled a grin.
The older couple walked over and said hello to the children.
“Howdy, Firecracker,” Gib said, nodding to Abby. He looked at Jarrod. “Didn’t know you was plannin’ t’bring the kids into town.”
“I didn’t,” Jarrod said through clenched teeth.
Oliver ran over to the foreman and grabbed his leg. “We comed all by ourselves.”
“Did ya now? And just how did you do that?” Gib asked, giving Bea a curious look.
Katie joined her brother. “Can you guess how we did, Mr. Cochran?” When he shook his head, she said, “We hid in the back of Abby’s wagon. Tom didn’t think I could be quiet,” she went on, wrinkling her nose at her brother. “But I was. We made it all the way to town and Abby never heard us.”
“Only because you were asleep,” Tom said sharply.
“Children,” Abby said in a firm voice that got their attention. “Are you all finished with your dinner?” When four heads nodded, she handed Lily a key and continued, “I want you to go upstairs in the boardinghouse to my room. Do you remember the way?”
“‘Course we do. Right, Lil?” Tom asked his older sister. “We’re not babies like Oliver.”
“I’m not a baby,” Oliver said indignantly.
“That’s enough. Everyone go upstairs. Your uncle and I need to talk.”
Katie pulled on Abby’s skirt to get her attention. “Are you gonna find Uncle Jarrod’s temper for him?” she asked.
Abby bit back a smile. “Yes. And I need peace and quiet, because it’s a very difficult thing to do. Can you go upstairs and be good while I do?”
The little girl’s curls bounced as she nodded vigorously. “I’ll play with Oliver so he’ll be quiet too.”
Abby glanced at her older brother. “Tom? Take him to the necessary, please.”
The older boy frowned at her. “You can’t tell me—”
“Tom,” Jarrod said in a tone that allowed no disobedience. “Do as Abby asked.”
“Yes, sir.”
When they were gone, Abby turned back to Jarrod and breathed a sigh of relief. “Now we can talk.”
“We’ll join ya,” Gib said.
Bea Peters touched his arm. “I don’t think we should, Gib. They have some things to discuss regarding the children.”
“I’m fond of those young’uns,” Gib said. “Maybe—”
Abby could have sworn Bea elbowed him in the ribs. But as smooth as molasses over hotcakes, the older woman said, “We’ll just have supper by ourselves so you young people can talk privately.”
Just before they turned away, Abby saw her shoot Gib Cochran the look she used to give her students. The one that said,
I
know you’re not dumb as a post, so why are you acting like it?
A young boy came out of the kitchen. Abby recognized Joe Schafer, who worked at the restaurant. He started to put the dirty dishes in the bucket he carried.
She touched his arm. “Joe? Would you ask Henrietta to put together a big plate of chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans and biscuits, for Mr. Blackstone?”
He glanced up at Jarrod, then back to her. “Sure thing, Miss Abby.”
She turned back to Jarrod. “Now sit down, so we can find your temper.”
“I haven’t lost it,” he snapped. But he sat, and Abby took the chair to his right.
Joe made another trip for dirty dishes, and Abby shook her head, still amazed at the pile of plates, forks and knives, napkins, crumbs, and chicken bones. The kids had been starved and hadn’t eaten anything all day. They’d been in too big a hurry to conceal themselves in her wagon without being seen.
“You want to know why the children ran away?” Abby caught and held his gaze as she clasped her hands together on the white tablecloth. “They overheard us talking about boarding school. The idea didn’t strike their fancy.”
“I remembered hearing that creak on the stairs, and figured that’s what happened.”
“That’s what happened, all right. Katie wasn’t as sound asleep as I’d thought. She crept downstairs, listened to part of the conversation, and assumed you had already made up your mind.”
He took his hat off and rested it on the chair beside him, then pushed his fingers through his dark hair. “Wouldn’t you know it would be the one time she didn’t ask questions?”