For His Son’s Sake

Caleb Craig will do anything for his son, even ask his boss’s enemy for help. Not only does Lilly Bell tend to his son’s injured puppy, but she offers to rehabilitate little Teddy’s leg. Caleb knows that getting Teddy to walk again is all that really matters, yet he wonders if maybe Lilly can heal his brooding heart, as well.

Precocious little Teddy—and his devoted father—steal Lilly’s heart and make her long for a child and husband of her own. But Lilly learned long ago that trusting a man means risking heartbreak. Happiness lies within reach—if she seizes the chance of love and motherhood she never expected…

Montana Marraiges: Three sisters discover a legacy of love beneath the Western sky

“I’ll take good care of Teddy. We all will,” Lilly said.

“He has a special fondness for you.”

The words melted her heart. “And I for him.”

Caleb touched her hand and rode away. He lifted his hat at the crest of the hill and waved to her. She waved back and stood watching until he was out of sight.

He would return tonight, just as he said.

Because of Teddy, she reminded herself. Not because of her.

She would not expect any man to return to her. That led only to disappointment and pain. As Rose had pointed out, she’d learned that lesson at a very young age and she’d had it reinforced throughout her life.

She was more than content living on the farm with her family, tending the garden and the animals. But she’d accept the company and care of Teddy and his father for a short time, even knowing it couldn’t last.

The pain would be worth the joy of the moment.

LINDA FORD

lives on a ranch in Alberta, Canada. Growing up on the prairie and learning to notice the small details it hides gave her an appreciation for watching God at work in His creation. Her upbringing also included being taught to trust God in everything and through everything—a theme that resonates in her stories. Threads of another part of her life are found in her stories—her concern for children and their future. She and her husband raised fourteen children—four homemade, ten adopted. She currently shares her home and life with her husband, a grown son, a live-in paraplegic client and a continual (and welcome) stream of kids, kids-in-law, grandkids and assorted friends and relatives.

Big Sky Daddy

Linda Ford

www.millsandboon.co.uk

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,

and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

—Psalms 40:2

My father taught me many things: how to shoot a gun, how to drive a car, how to find fossils in a gravel bed, how to recognize the constellations in the sky, but most of all, through his example, he taught me how a noble, kind man should act. This book is dedicated to his memory.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Bar Crossing, Montana Fall 1889

Did he hear gunshots? Caleb Craig jerked toward the window. “Listen.” He held up his hand, trying to cut short the storekeeper’s detailed description about the young woman who had stepped out of the store as Caleb and his son, Teddy, went in.

“Lilly Bell,” the storekeeper had said. Twin sister to Rose, the two were the least alike, though to be sure, both were sweet and generous and loyal. Their parents were elderly, but that didn’t mean they were feeble. Oh, far from it.

A series of pops convinced Caleb someone had set off firecrackers. They were not as deadly as gunshots, but they were enough to start a dangerous chain reaction.

Before he reached the window, Caleb knew it had already started. Several women screamed. A deeper voice called out. The rattle and creak of wood and harnesses signaled frantic horses.

“You stay here,” he ordered five-year-old Teddy, and then raced through the door.

The young woman, whose virtues the storekeeper expounded on even as Caleb hustled out of the shop, wrestled with a rearing horse hitched to a swaying wagon. Packages and sacks tumbled out the back. A redheaded woman raced toward the struggling gal. That must be the twin sister, Rose. An older man hobbled across the street toward them while other people huddled on the sidewalks, watching but doing nothing.

Caleb saw it all in one glance as he jumped to Lilly’s side and grabbed the harness, his hand right next to hers.

“Steady there,” he ordered, his voice stern yet kind—something animals understood.

Breathing raggedly, the horse allowed Caleb to pull his head down. Still holding tight to the animal, as was she, Caleb turned to the young woman. The name Lilly suited her. Blond hair, unblemished skin, blue eyes flashing like lightning.

She was understandably upset.

“What idiot set off firecrackers?” he demanded.

She snorted. “That Caldwell cowboy.”

Ebner? His boss? Caleb glanced about but saw no sign of the Caldwell foreman. “Is anyone hurt?”

The redhead rushed to their side. “Lilly, are you okay?” She rubbed her hands over the young woman’s arms. “I saw the whole thing.” She jammed her fists to her hips. “I can’t believe anyone would do such a stupid thing. Not even a Caldwell.”

Caleb’s neck tensed. He’d been working at the Caldwell ranch a couple of weeks now. Ebner was tough, allowing no slacking and objecting to Caleb keeping Teddy with him as he worked. Caleb had reminded Ebner several times it had been part of the agreement before Caleb had taken the job.

Mr. Caldwell was away on some errand, leaving Ebner in charge. The foreman ran the place with efficiency. Caleb had certainly seen no sign of such wanton disregard for the safety of man and beast.

“I’m fine,” Lilly said. She sucked in air as if to calm her nerves and faced Caleb. “Thank you for your help. I saw you at the store, didn’t I?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave his name.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” The smile she gave him could have changed rain to sunshine.

“Papa.” Teddy’s trembling voice made them all turn toward his son. Both ladies murmured, “Ah,” as they saw Teddy.

Caleb understood how the boy would pull at one’s heart. Big blue eyes, tousled hair that refused to be tamed, a look of innocence, though it was impossible there could be any innocence left after what the boy had been through. Teddy leaned on his crutches, his right leg not touching the floor.

“Son, I asked you to stay inside.”

“I know, Papa. But what if something happened to you?”

Lilly’s attention flickered between Caleb and Teddy. Rose’s lingered on the boy.

“I don’t intend for anything to happen to me.”

Teddy nodded, his expression more worried than relieved.

“You stay there while I help these ladies collect their packages.”

“Yes, Papa.”

“That’s my boy.”

An older man approached them. “Are you girls okay?”

“We’re fine, Pa,” the pair chorused.

So this was Mr. Bell. Caleb introduced himself. In turn, Mr. Bell introduced his daughters.

The horse had settled down. Caleb left Mr. Bell holding him and strode to the back of the wagon to gather up parcels and return them to the box.

Lilly scurried around to pick up things as well. “I hope nothing was damaged.”

Teddy hobbled along the sidewalk to see better what Caleb was doing.

Lilly lifted a sack and paused to watch the boy. There was no mistaking the question in her eyes. She was wondering why the boy wasn’t walking.

If only someone could provide that answer.

“Caleb.” Ebner rode toward the wagon. “Leave them people to gather up their own stuff. You get our wagon on home now. Hear?”

“Yes, boss.”

Lilly glowered at Ebner as he rode away laughing. Then she turned toward Caleb. “You work for them?” She grabbed the package from his hands and shook it as if his mere touch had somehow soiled it.

“Yes, ma’am. ’Fraid I do.” And if he wanted to keep his job, he needed to do as the boss said. “Glad no one was hurt.”

She snorted. “I’m sure your boss won’t agree.”

If only he could explain. But what could he say? His job with the Caldwells was too important to risk losing over a few packages in the dirt. He needed the money to take Teddy to a new doctor down east. Perhaps this special doctor would be able to say why Teddy still wasn’t using his leg though it had healed up. At least on the outside. The several doctors he’d already seen suggested there was nerve damage. Or something. They had all been vague and none had helped in any way.

“Goodbye.” He included the sister and father in his nod and joined Teddy on the sidewalk. “Let’s get going.”

The walk toward the wagon couldn’t be hurried even though Teddy had gotten good at walking with his crutches over the past few months. At the wagon, he scooped Teddy up and set him on the seat. “Now don’t you be driving off without me.”

Teddy laughed. “You know I can’t drive a wagon.” He leaned forward as if to take the reins. “Unless you let me.”

Caleb climbed up and sat beside his son. “Seems to me it’s about time you learned.” He pulled the boy to his lap and let him hold the reins, his big hands firmly on Teddy’s small ones.

Teddy turned his face up to Caleb and gave him a smile as wide as the sky.

Caleb’s heart caught the smile and clung to it, determined not to let the past steal the joy of this precious moment or any others yet to come with his son.

If only he could go back and undo the past. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t bring back his wife, nor could he stop the thugs from breaking in and taking her life. He’d discovered them and shot them, but in the gunfight Teddy had been injured. Caleb’s throat constricted with the same mire of emotions he’d experienced when he found his son, his leg bloody, his little face filled with terror.

Caleb swallowed hard and forced air into his lungs. He’d never know if he had been the one who fired the shot that hit Teddy. He lived for only one thing—to see Teddy’s fears end and the boy walk normally again.

If that required him to work for the Caldwells knowing Ebner could stoop to such dastardly deeds, well, that wasn’t his concern now, was it?

As if suspecting Caleb might be having second thoughts, Ebner rode up beside him.

“You’ve got to understand something. The Caldwells don’t get along with the Bells. We’ve been feuding ever since the Bells had the gall to file claim to a piece of land right plumb in the middle of Caldwell land. Seems some ignorant file clerk made a mistake. But will the Bells do the right thing and go farm somewhere else? Nope. They’ve got to keep on causing trouble. No one who works for the Caldwells can figure on being friends with the Bells. Understand?”

Caleb nodded. “Don’t see I’ve got any cause to have truck with them.”

“See that you don’t.” Ebner rode away, leaving Caleb to muse about his words.

“Papa, that man at the store, Mr. Frank, he said the Bells were nice people.”

“Uh-huh. I expect they are.” The way Rose and Mr. Bell had clustered around Lilly to make sure she wasn’t hurt sure made him think so. It’d been a long time since he’d seen such care and devotion. Or rather since he’d experienced it. Amanda had been an efficient housekeeper and a good mother to Teddy, but she’d been distant and critical when it came to Caleb. He stilled his thoughts. One didn’t speak evil of the dead even in his mind.

They rumbled down the road toward the Caldwell ranch, Teddy so focused on handling the horse that he never lifted his eyes from the animal.

Something in the bushes to the side of the road caught Caleb’s attention. At first he thought someone had discarded a cow hide and wondered if there were rustlers about, but then he made out a nose and ears. A pup. Dead by the look of it.

He didn’t want Teddy to notice, so he leaned over the boy. “Remember, you must always hold the reins as if something could startle your horse. Never get so relaxed he could get away from you.”

Teddy pulled his hands from Caleb’s and straightened, leaning hard into Caleb’s shoulder as he turned to look to the side. “Papa, it’s a dog.”

“Don’t you want to drive the wagon still?”

Teddy patted Caleb’s shoulder. “He’s hurt.”

“Son, we have to get back.” Please, Teddy. Let it go. You don’t want to see any more suffering and death.

“Papa, he needs our help.”

When Caleb continued onward, Teddy pounded his shoulder. “Papa, you can’t leave him. You can’t. He’s hurt. You have to help. Stop. Please stop.” Tears mingled with Teddy’s demands.

Caleb pulled the wagon to a stop and held Teddy by the shoulders. “Son, he’s dead and I don’t want you to see it.”

Teddy flung his father’s hands off his shoulders. “You don’t know that. What if he’s only hurt?” He pursed his lips and gave Caleb a narrow-eyed look. “You ain’t gonna just leave him there to die, are you?”

“He’s already dead.” How could such a small body hold so much stubbornness?

“Then we need to bury him.”

Caleb would have protected his son from ever again seeing blood and death and burial, but the boy seemed to have other thoughts on the matter. “Very well.” He jumped down, lifted Teddy to the ground, handed him his crutches and grabbed a shovel out of the wagon. He followed his son to the dog.

A pair of eyes opened and followed their approach.

“Papa, he’s alive.”

Caleb knelt by the dog. It had been slashed, and whimpered as if in pain. He saw it was a female. “Teddy, she’s barely alive and she’s hurting.” He pushed to his feet. “I want you to come back to the wagon.” He waited for the boy to obey, but Teddy only looked at him in puzzlement.

“Why, Papa?”

“Just do as I say.” Caleb’s feet felt heavy as rocks as he went back to the wagon and reached under the seat. He had to do what he had to do. It will be a kindness. The poor animal shouldn’t be allowed to suffer.

Teddy hobbled after him, saw Caleb reach for the rifle and screamed. “No. You can’t shoot my dog.” He scrambled to the animal so fast Caleb held his breath for fear he’d fall and further injure himself.

“She’s my dog.” Teddy huddled forward. “Ain’t nobody ever gonna hurt her.”

“Son, she isn’t going to live.”

“You’re wrong.”

He tried every argument to convince Teddy of the futility of trying to save the dog, but his son would not relent. Though Caleb saw nothing ahead but sorrow and regret, he couldn’t stay at the side of the road any longer. He wrapped the injured dog in a gunny sack and carried her gingerly to the wagon. “We’ll take her home and stay with her so she doesn’t die alone.” He made the animal as comfortable as possible.

“I’ll stay with her.”

Knowing when to concede defeat, Caleb lifted Teddy in beside the dog and continued on his way. At the ranch he pulled up to the storage shed and unloaded the supplies. Thankfully Ebner wasn’t around to demand he explain why it had taken so long to get back. It also saved Caleb from confronting the man about how he’d treated the Bells.

His task done, he carried the dog over to the covered wagon he shared with Teddy. He could have joined the others in the bunkhouse, but it wasn’t the sort of atmosphere he wanted Teddy exposed to. It would soon get too cold to sleep in the wagon—he counted on having enough money to head east before then.

“You know what Mr. Frank said?” Teddy sat beside the dog, rubbing a spot behind the animal’s ear.

“He said a lot of things.” The man had seemed bent on informing Caleb about the “beautiful Bell girls.” He’d overlooked one tiny detail—the Bells and the Caldwells didn’t get along.

“He said that pretty lady you helped knew how to fix things.”

“Things?” Was she a blacksmith? He couldn’t imagine it, but he’d encountered stranger things in the West.

“Hurt things.” Teddy must have thought he needed to explain her abilities more. “Mr. Frank said she helps people, too, and all kinds of animals.”

Caleb smiled at his son’s enthusiasm. “Hurt people, too, huh?” He wondered if she could help him. He silently laughed in derision. It was those around him who would need her help. People who got close to him tended to get hurt.

“But especially hurt dogs.” Teddy gave Caleb a wide-eyed, pleading look that brought a smile to Caleb’s lips. How long had it been since Teddy had cared enough about something to use that special look of his?

“What are you saying, son?” As if he didn’t know. But he dared not give the boy any encouragement. The dog looked beyond saving.

“We could ask her to help my dog.”

“It might not do any good.” But what harm would it do? Perhaps Lilly could help. Perhaps Caleb could protect his son from more pain.

“Couldn’t we try, please?”

* * *

Lilly put the last of the packages into the wagon and then stared after Caleb and his son. Poor little fellow was limited by having to use crutches. Had he broken his leg? Perhaps he had a severe cut. She hoped, whatever the cause, the injury was temporary. God, please help the little fellow get better.

Caleb was so tender with the lad. He had lifted him to the wagon seat and laughed at him, and then had taken him on his lap as they drove away, little Teddy almost bursting with pride as he gripped the reins.

There was a time she’d hoped she’d have a little boy or girl of her own. But thanks to one Karl Mueller, she’d given up such dreams.

Tightness weaved around her spine. How could she have let herself care so deeply? And in hindsight, so foolishly? She could put it down to age. She had been a mere sixteen years old when she’d been thrilled and somewhat surprised at the attention he’d paid her. After all, he had been handsome and so grown-up at eighteen. So attentive. He’d made her feel important when he tipped his head to listen to her talk. She’d told him her dreams and her fears. He’d assured her he understood. They’d agreed that when Lilly turned eighteen they would marry. And she’d trusted him. Sometimes she wondered if Karl really believed the things he’d promised, or if they’d fallen off his tongue simply because he thought they would please her. One thing Karl liked was to know people were happy with him.

Karl had saved his announcement for her eighteenth birthday, as if it might have been a reason for celebration. He’d revealed he had other plans. He’d been employed by Mr. Fry at the hardware store for a year. Mr. Fry said how much he appreciated Karl’s work and asked him to go to Oregon to take over the operation of another Fry store. Karl’s chest had expanded three sizes as he told Lilly this.

Karl had never once suggested she accompany him. His words made it very clear that it wasn’t part of his plan. “My time and attention must be on this business. I intend to make this the most successful store Mr. Fry has. He’ll be so pleased he’ll make me a partner.” Karl fairly glowed with self-satisfaction. He’d never expressed a word of sorrow over ending their plans so abruptly. Never suggested they keep in contact. Never even—she sucked in air heated by her anger—asked if she’d like to join him once he’d settled into his new job.

She’d finally learned her lesson, one she should have learned at a very young age. She and her sisters had been abandoned by their birth father after their mother’s death, and had been left alone on the prairie to find their own way in life when the twins were three and Cora was five. It had set the tone for Lilly’s relationships. Easy come, easier go.

Ever since Karl had left her, she had guarded her heart. That meant no man of her own. No child of her own. But never mind. She had Ma and Pa and her sisters and the many animals she took care of. That was enough for any woman.

Rose nudged her. “Stop staring at him. Have you forgotten he’s a Caldwell cowboy?”

“I haven’t forgotten. At least he had the decency to help us.” She and Rose climbed to the seat of the wagon and Pa got wearily into the back. He had mentioned several times how the cold hurt his bones and it was only October. When they got home, she’d ask Ma to give him a tonic.

She guided the wagon out of town. “I wonder what’s wrong with his boy.”

Rose turned to face her squarely. “Don’t you go getting all interested in them.”

Lilly snorted. “I don’t intend to.” She glanced back. Pa had stretched out, his head resting on one of the sacks, and fallen asleep. “I haven’t forgotten Karl, you know.”

“He wasn’t the right man for you. He only cared about himself.”

Lilly tried to remember what it was that had attracted her, but after a moment’s thought she realized a couple of things. Although Karl had let her talk about her dreams, he had done far more talking than listening, and more importantly, her insides no longer wrenched at the sound of his name. She’d finally been able to push the sharp pain of his leaving from her mind.

She didn’t intend to ever again give someone the right to hurt her like Karl had. “He certainly didn’t think I was right for him. Good thing I found it out when I did.”

“Karl is completely forgettable.”

“Guess it goes both ways.” Lilly’s thoughts turned back to the events in front of the store. “I don’t think he knew Ebner threw the firecrackers.” Caleb had seemed somewhat surprised.

Rose chuckled. “I don’t think we’re talking about Karl anymore.”

Lilly laughed. “He’s forgettable, remember?” Though she wouldn’t so readily forget how it had felt to watch him walk away with barely a wave.

Rose giggled. “He certainly jumped to obey when Ebner ordered him to stop helping you.”

Lilly knew Rose was back to talking about Caleb.

“I almost expected him to pull his hat off and bow a little,” Rose added.

Lilly chuckled, though she didn’t find it all that amusing. She’d been surprised and not a little disappointed to realize he worked for the Caldwells and was eager to obey Ebner, the man who had been responsible for so much of the damage inflicted on the Bell farm. Though he was smart enough and cautious enough to always make it look like an accident.

“How can a man with any integrity work for that crew?” Lilly asked. “Wouldn’t he have to take part in some of their activities?” Her voice hardened. “Like driving the sheep into the river. I’m not apt to quickly forget that one of the lambs died as a result of it.” Not once but twice, the Caldwell cowboys had shepherded the sheep into the river while the Bells were away.

Rose squeezed her hand. “We both know the Caldwells are a bad bunch.”

There was no need for Lilly to reply. They all knew the truth about the Caldwells. They insisted it was a mistake made by some inexperienced clerk that a quarter section of land right next to the river had been left off the Caldwells’ land title. The Bells should have realized that was the case, Mr. Caldwell insisted, and not taken advantage of the mistake. The Caldwell cowboys had done their best to drive them off before Pa could prove up on the homestead. They’d failed. Even then they hadn’t given up.

She realized she was clenching her teeth—something she did every time the Caldwell name came up. Why couldn’t they leave the Bells alone? They had thousands of acres. The quarter section Pa owned shouldn’t matter.

Over the years, she’d decided the Caldwell quest had nothing to do with reason. Some people weren’t happy unless they had everything.

They approached the farm and Lilly allowed herself to study the place with pride. She and her sisters had a hand in developing the few acres into a Garden of Eden along the river despite the Caldwells’ objections to their presence. She studied the place hard. The sheep were grazing placidly in their pasture. The milk cows looked up at their approach but didn’t move, contentedly chewing their cuds. The hay was safely in the barn, and the oats were harvested and the grain stored for winter use. The garden was almost done as well—only the root vegetables were left to be brought in.

She let out a sigh of relief. “Everything looks the way it should.”

“For now.” Rose sounded dubious. But then they all knew it was only a matter of time before the Caldwells struck again.

“I hope Ma’s all right.” Lilly passed the new barn. “It’s not like her not to go to town with us.”

“She said she was tired.”

Lilly glanced back at Pa, who was still asleep. “So is he.”

“I think they’re missing Cora.” Their older sister had married a few weeks ago and moved with her husband, Wyatt, to a nearby ranch.

“Pa thinks he has to take over Cora’s chores.” Lilly tried to persuade him that she and Rose could manage without his help, but he still offered it constantly. “The cold bothers him. I’m going to ask Ma to give him a tonic. Maybe I’ll suggest she take it, too.” They drew up before the house. Ma watched from the window.

Pa woke and eased from the wagon. Rose and Lilly hopped down and scurried around to get the packages before Pa could do it.

“Did you sell all the produce?” Ma asked as they entered the kitchen. They took garden produce and medicinals to town each Saturday.

“Every bit of it,” Rose assured her.

“Did you see Mrs. Andrews? How is she feeling?”

Lilly answered Ma’s question. “She’s much improved. I gave her some more cough syrup and I looked at little Andy. He’s got a bad case of thrush.”

Pa sat at the end of the table and sorted through the mail—mostly newspapers and a farm magazine.

Ma scurried about to make tea and they all sat down to enjoy it. “What’s new in town? Did you see Mrs. Rawley?” Ma was speaking about her dear friend the pastor’s wife.

“She asked after you,” Lilly said.

Rose plunked her teacup on the table. “Ebner threw firecrackers under the horse.”

“Goodness.” Ma glanced around the table. “Is everyone okay?”

Rose chuckled. “A very handsome cowboy came and helped us.”

Lilly squinted at her sister, knowing Rose meant to tease her. “I could have managed on my own.”

Rose gave a dismissive shrug. “I didn’t see you telling him to leave you alone.” She turned to Ma. “Lilly could hardly tear her eyes off the man.”

Ma studied each of the girls. “Is this a nice man? Should we invite him to join us for Sunday dinner?”

The skin on Lilly’s face grew tight. “Ma, no.”

Between them, the two sisters related the events. “The boy doesn’t use his right leg,” Lilly told her. “He walks with crutches. But Caleb—Mr. Craig—is very patient and tender with him.”

“He’s a Caldwell cowboy.” For Rose that was all that mattered. She, of all the Bells, bore the most resentment toward their neighbors. Probably because Duke Caldwell, the son and heir, had teased Rose throughout school.

Ma held up her hand. “You can’t judge a man solely because he works for the Caldwells. A man should be judged by his actions and his choices.”

Rose grunted. “He chooses to work for the Caldwells. Guess that says a lot about him.”

“Nevertheless,” Pa said, with final authority. “We will be fair and give the man the benefit of the doubt until we have reason to think otherwise.”

Rose pursed her lips.

Lilly knew her twin didn’t think anything good could come from the Caldwell ranch. But finally Rose lowered her challenging gaze from Pa’s patient one. “Yes, Pa.”

Pa turned to Lilly. “We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, won’t we?”

Lilly nodded. “Yes, Pa.” She agreed readily enough. For one thing, she’d like to know why Teddy didn’t walk. Maybe she or Ma could help. She’d also like to know how a man who obviously had tender feelings could work for the Caldwells. Or perhaps his feelings were for Teddy and no one and nothing else.

There was one thing she would be clear about. She would not let her interest in the pair go beyond surface curiosity and concern.

Not that she expected she’d see them again unless they happened to bump into each other in town. So guarding her feelings shouldn’t be a problem.

A few minutes later she went to the barn to start feeding the animals. She smiled as she stepped into the interior. The barn was cozy and warm and solid. The animals were safe in there.

If she could turn her heart into a solid barn she could keep her feelings safe and warm, too. She chuckled at the silly thought.

When she was done with the feeding, she stepped back outside and blinked as a wagon approached with Caleb in the seat. Teddy peered out from behind his father.

She stared. “What are you doing here?” Her words sounded rude, though she didn’t mean them to.

But what was a Caldwell cowboy doing on Bell land?

Chapter Two

Teddy nudged Caleb. “Papa, tell her about my dog.”

Caleb’s heart swelled as he took in the pretty little farm—the decent-sized, new-looking barn, the outbuildings, the house surrounded by yellow flowers, the garden with pale cornstalks and orange pumpkins still on the vine. Once, he’d had a little ranch similar to this with a herd of cows that had increased in number each year. It was all he’d ever wanted.

His dream of settling down and raising cows and children had vanished the day Amanda had died and Teddy had gotten injured. After that, he couldn’t abide the place. He’d taken care of Teddy as his leg healed, and then he’d begun looking for a doctor who could fix his son so he could walk.

“Papa.” Teddy’s voice brought him back to his task.

He wondered if she would welcome him or ask him to get off their property simply because he worked for the Caldwells. But surely she’d be moved by the needs of an animal and a small boy. He didn’t expect or welcome any sympathy regarding his own losses.

He cleared his thoughts and spoke to the woman who was waiting patiently in front of him, her expression rife with caution. “We got us an injured dog. Mr. Frank told us you help injured animals.”

Lilly nodded. “I do my best. Where’s the dog?”

He jumped down and went to the back of the wagon to gingerly lift the limp dog out of it. The poor animal whimpered. “Hang on, buddy. We’ll help you.”

Lilly hovered by his side, her attention on the pup in his arms.

“What happened to it?” Her nearness rattled his insides. He’d vowed to never again think of sharing his life with a woman, but sometimes it was hard to remember that. Like now, as she tenderly ran her fingers over the furry dog. When her arm brushed his, his mouth went dry. He drew in a strengthening breath and righted his thoughts.

“This animal has been neglected.” She fired a hot look at him, as if to silently accuse him.

“We found her by the road.” He wanted to make it clear he wasn’t responsible for the condition of the animal.

“Can you make her better?” Teddy asked.

Thankfully she shifted her powerful gaze to Teddy, and Caleb pulled his thoughts back to where they belonged—finding help for the dog, finding help for his son and preventing any woman from entering his life.

She smiled at Teddy. “I’ll certainly do my best.”

Her gaze returned to Caleb, warm with a compassion that slowly cooled as she looked at him. He understood her kindness was aimed at Teddy and likely this unfortunate pup. Toward him, she seemed accusatory.

Well, it wasn’t like he wasn’t used to accusations, mostly from his own thoughts. At twenty-five years of age, he had a number of failures to his name. Likely more than a man twice his age ought to have. He’d failed to protect his wife. He’d failed to help his son with his problems. Letting this dog die in his arms was not another failure he meant to endure. “Can you help?” His question rang with more harshness than he felt. She had no way of knowing he only wanted to make this turn out right.

“Follow me.” She hurried toward the barn, seeming to expect him to follow.

He didn’t move. He couldn’t carry the dog and help Teddy down, too.

“I’ll wait,” Teddy said.

“See that you do.” Caleb gave him a look that ought to have pinned him to the wagon box, but Teddy’s eyes lingered on the dog.

Caleb hustled after Lilly. The woman moved like a whirlwind. By the time he caught up she was already inside the barn, a scrap of old blanket on the floor in front of her.

“Put her here. Gently,” she urged as if she thought he’d drop the dog.

It was on the tip of his tongue to point out he’d rescued the dog and brought her here for the animal’s good and he wasn’t about to do anything to make things worse. Instead he knelt and eased the dog to the mat.

She examined the poor critter with gentle fingers. The dog moaned and opened her eyes briefly.

“What do you think?” Sure looked to him like the pup was about to draw her last breath.

“She’s very weak. There are a number of cuts on her. She’s got some nasty bruises. And she’s been badly neglected.” Her voice grew harder with each word. “Who would do this to a dog?”

“Same sort who would hurt a woman or child.” He heard the strangled sound of his voice but hoped it wasn’t noticeable to Lilly. He kept his attention on the suffering animal as a thousand pictures flashed through his mind. Amanda’s blood pooling on the floor. Teddy’s pale face as Caleb cradled Amanda and tended to his son’s wounds.

Lilly nodded her head in decision. “Let’s get to work.”

“You’re gonna save her, aren’t you? She’s my dog. I want her to live.”

They both jerked toward Teddy, who stood in the doorway. Without waiting for an answer, he hobbled toward them.

Lilly’s eyes filled with pity.

Caleb stiffened. Pity would not do Teddy any good. The specialist down east had promised to fit the boy with a brace that would teach the leg to work again. Or so the man had claimed. Caleb had long since lost his faith in doctors. “Let’s get started.”

Lilly bent over the dog, but her hands didn’t move. He wondered what she thought about it all—Teddy, the dog, him. Well, he already knew what she thought of him. He worked for the Caldwells. That made him part of the wrong side in a land feud. Good thing she didn’t know his past or she’d have reason to think even more poorly of him.

“You want me to get water?” he asked.

She let out a gust of air and nodded. “There’s a bucket by the door and the pump is toward the house.”

Caleb scrambled to his feet and then hesitated.

She glanced up, a question in her eyes.

“Is it all right if I leave him here?” He gestured with his head toward Teddy.

She looked at his son and her mouth curved into a smile as warm as the morning sun on the horizon.

His breath caught partway up his throat at her gentle, sweet regard for his boy, who had been hurt so badly. He closed his eyes against the rushing memories. The boy was without a mother because Caleb had been unable to save Amanda. He’d been away from home when the cowboys had entered, set on punishing him for interfering after he’d caught them tormenting the young man running his father’s store. If Caleb hadn’t come along, the pair would have helped themselves to whatever they liked from the shelves without paying. In hindsight, he should have known they were the sort who would want revenge, but he thought the incident was over with when he rode away. Later he’d arrived home and come face-to-face with their blazing guns. He’d shot the two men in self-defense after they’d murdered his wife, and he lived with the agony that he might have been the one who shot the bullet that injured Teddy. His hope, his prayer, was that he could make up for it by getting Teddy the best of care. God, let this doctor be one who can really help.

He strode out to get water. He pumped with such vigor the water splashed out of the bucket, and he realized he was angry. What was the use of anger anyway? His energies would be better spent getting help for Teddy. And if that meant working for the Caldwells while seeking Lilly Bell’s care for the dog that Teddy had claimed as his own, well, so be it.

He wouldn’t let a feud that meant nothing to him stand in the way.

* * *

Lilly smoothed the dog’s fur across the top of her head, which was about the only place that wasn’t soiled with dirt and blood. “Poor puppy. You’ll be okay now.” She’d do her best to make sure that was true.

Teddy scooted closer and leaned over to put his face close to the dog’s. “You’re my dog and you ain’t gonna die. You hear?”

The dog stuck out her tongue. It touched the tip of Teddy’s nose and the little boy laughed.

Lilly wanted to pull both of them close and shelter them in her arms. Seemed life had been unfair and cruel to the pair. “I’ll do my best to make sure she gets better.”

Teddy studied her so intently her lips twitched with a smile.

“The man in town said you had a special way with sick animals. Do you?”

She laughed. “If taking care of them means I do, then yes.”

“But nothing special?”

She studied him carefully. He was such a sweet-looking child. What had happened to his leg? She’d ask his father the first chance she got. If she or Ma could do anything to help... “I just use the skills my Ma taught me.”

Caleb returned and set the bucket down. He squatted next to his son.

She turned from the pair, dipped a rag in the cold water and began to sponge away the dirt and blood from the pup.

“Can I help wash her?” Teddy asked.

“If it’s okay with your papa.”

After a moment of consideration, Caleb gently said, “It’s okay.”

She handed Teddy a wet rag and showed him a place where it appeared only dirt had smudged the fur.

“After all,” Teddy said as he dabbed at the spot, “she’s my dog. I should take care of her.” Teddy sounded so serious she ducked to hide her smile.

“Teddy.” Caleb’s voice held warning. “You just found her. And she’s in pretty bad shape.”

“But Miss Lilly can fix her. Can’t you? That man in town said you could.”

She caught his hands and held them until he met her eyes. “Teddy, we will do our very best. Sometimes the best thing we can do is love our friend.”

“I love her.”

She felt the depth of his yearning in the pit of her stomach. He needed this dog. She prayed the injuries weren’t too bad and she’d survive. God, give me hands to heal and words to strengthen. She meant both the dog and his young owner.

Grub padded in at that moment. The silly dog never noticed people coming, and usually barked a warning upon their going. But the big, clumsy, lop-eared dog was dearly loved by the entire family. Grub saw Caleb and Teddy and gave a halfhearted woof. He noticed the injured dog and ambled over to smell it. He then sat two feet away and watched.

“This is Grub. He’s our dog.” She’d never tell a stranger how useless he was.

Caleb snorted. “Johnny-come-lately, I’d say.”

Lilly let the comment pass. “What’s your dog’s name?” she asked Teddy.

“She’s a girl, right?”

“Yes.”

“A girl might not like being with two boys.”

“Two boys?” Was there another one hiding in the wagon?

“Me and Papa.”

Caleb made a noise like he was holding back a laugh.

Lilly dared not look at him for fear of revealing her own amusement and offending Teddy. “Oh, I see. I don’t think a girl dog will mind.”

“That’s good. You know any good girls’ names?”

“Well, let me think.” She continued to wash the dog as she talked, thankful she’d discovered nothing but cuts so far, though some of them were deep enough to make infection a real possibility. “My sisters are named Cora and Rose, but those aren’t very good names for a dog. The girls I know have names like Nancy and Katie. I know a little girl called Blossom.”

Teddy nodded and smiled. “I like Blossom. It sounds like a pretty flower and my dog is as pretty as a flower. You like it, Papa?”

“I like it fine.” He knelt beside Teddy and patted Blossom’s head gently, earning him a grateful swipe of the dog’s tongue.

Lilly studied the man. He had dark brown hair, curly and tangled like it hadn’t seen a brush in several days. His dark brown eyes set off a face full of determination. She felt a flash of sympathy. No doubt he worried about his son. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask where Teddy’s mother was, but it didn’t matter to her except where it concerned the boy.

Caleb met her gaze. “Blossom is a fine name for a dog who looks to be half collie and half bulldog, or something equally—”

Afraid he’d say “ugly,” she quickly inserted her own word. “Strong.”

He nodded and grinned.

She blinked. My, how his eyes did darken and flood with warmth when he smiled. His whole face underwent such a transformation she was almost tempted to say he was handsome. Which had been her first thought when she’d seen him at the store. Good thing Rose hadn’t been there to take note of the way her cheeks had warmed as he brushed past with an apology.

She thought about how strong and kind he had been when he’d helped her calm the horse. Her feelings had been struck again with awareness of tenderness and strength when he took his son on his knee and drove from town.

Despite all those wonderful virtues, he had so much working against him. He was obviously married, even if she’d seen no evidence of a wife. He worked for the Caldwells, which put a barrier as big as the Rocky Mountains between them. Not that any of that mattered, because she had no intention of ever again getting close to anyone outside her family.

If you get close to people, you will just suffer more losses down the road.

She’d help the dog. She’d even help Teddy if Caleb let her and if she could. But she would not let her heart be drawn to either one of them.

She’d keep on repeating her vow every day if necessary.

Chapter Three

Blossom! Caleb had almost laughed at the name. The animal looked more like trash than a flower, but he would respect Teddy’s devotion and hope the boy wouldn’t end up with a broken heart.

Lilly bent over a cut on the pup to examine it more closely, and then let out a sigh. “It’s not deep.”

“Blossom sure likes me washing her.” Teddy wiped at the fur. Indeed, the dog opened her eyes and focused on Teddy, who leaned closer. “You’re so pretty. Prettier than any other dog I ever seen.”

Caleb chuckled. The dog would likely grow into a good-sized animal with long silky hair like a collie. Her face, on the other hand, would probably look like she’d run into a train. “Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder.”

Lilly made a sound—half grunt, half sigh. “Seems to be true on many levels.”

Caleb considered her at length. It sounded like she had personal experience with the old saying, but it couldn’t be on her own behalf. She was quite the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. “I met your twin this morning. What about your other sister? Is she older or younger?”

“Cora. She’s two years older. She got married a short time ago and she and her husband, Wyatt, live on a small ranch not far from here.”

“How old are you?” Teddy asked, the question so out of the blue and so inappropriate it shocked Caleb.

“Son, we don’t ask personal questions.” He needed to give the boy some lessons on how to carry on a conversation with a woman. Not that he would mind knowing the answer. There was something about Lilly that made it impossible to guess her age. She had a twinkle in her eyes and a freshness about her that spoke of young innocence, but several times he’d glimpsed wisdom lurking in the depths of her gaze.

Lilly chuckled. “It’s a perfectly natural question. I’m eighteen.”

Teddy considered it a moment. “Mr. Frank said you and that girl you were with are twins. So your sister is eighteen, too?”

“That’s correct.”

“I’m five.”

Caleb ducked his head to hide his smile at how Teddy delivered his announcement. As if it carried a huge amount of importance.

“My pa is twenty-five. Isn’t that right, Papa?”

Caleb didn’t know whether to laugh at his son’s audacity or to scold it. The boy had developed a sudden need to tell Lilly everything. Everything? He hoped not. He did not want Teddy informing Lilly that his mama had been murdered and his papa had shot two men. And worst of all, that his papa might have been the one to injure his leg. Perhaps he could distract the boy. “Blossom is watching you.”

Teddy smiled at his dog and patted her back. “My mama was twenty-four when she died.” Teddy cocked his head as if thinking about Amanda’s death.

Caleb held his breath. Teddy had refused to say a thing about the day of her murder ever since it happened. Please don’t start talking about it now. Not in front of a stranger. How would Caleb deal with the press of regrets and the weight of sorrow if he had to confront his past before this beautiful woman? He swallowed hard and gritted his teeth. He would not let his emotions escape into the open.

“Papa, does that mean she’s still twenty-four?”

His lungs relaxed and released the pent-up air. “I suppose it does.” Forever twenty-four. For some odd reason the notion gave him a measure of comfort.

Lilly touched Teddy’s head. “I’m sorry about your mama.” She shifted her gaze to Caleb. It was soft, gentle, full of compassion. He tightened his jaw. Her expression would have shifted to horror if she’d known the details. Lilly rubbed Teddy’s back. “I’m so sorry, Teddy. I lost my own mama and papa when I was three.”

He looked at her. “You did? I thought that man was your pa.” He was referring to Mr. Bell.

“He is. He and my ma found us and adopted us.”

Teddy studied her unblinkingly.

Lilly met his look with a kind smile.

Finally Teddy spoke. “I’ve never known anyone who was adopted. I found Blossom.” He turned to Caleb. “Can I adopt her?”

Caleb chuckled. “I don’t think it’s called that when it’s an animal.” Teddy already had his heart set on keeping the dog. The animal wasn’t as sorry looking as she had been when they’d found her, but she still looked mighty poor. “How is she?” He directed his question at Lilly.

She continued examining the dog. “There are some serious cuts, but nothing is broken that I can tell. She’s awfully tender over her ribs, though, so it could be some of them are broken. They’re certainly bruised. I’ll get some ointment to apply to the cuts. She needs to rest and get some proper food in her.”

“Lilly, you have guests. I didn’t notice anyone drive up.” The sound of a new voice drew Caleb’s attention. Mr. Bell stood in the doorway.

“Hi, Pa. You remember Mr. Caleb Craig and his son, Teddy? They found this dog and brought her to me for some care.”

“Of course, the Caldwell cowboy.”

The man’s voice revealed no emotion, but Caleb felt condemned by the statement.

Mr. Bell rumpled Teddy’s hair. He knelt by the dog and ran his fingers through her fur. “Found her where?”

Caleb answered the man. “Down the road about three miles.”

Mr. Bell grunted. “Close to where the Bixbys live. He’s a man with no regard for God’s creation. Lets his animals suffer. Uses his land unwisely. What’s your verdict?” He asked the latter to Lilly and she repeated what she had told Caleb.

Mr. Bell nodded. “He might benefit from Ma’s tonic. She gave me a shot of the stuff and I feel better already.” He chuckled. “Might be the nap and a hot drink of tea helped, too.”

“I was going to ask her for some.”

Mr. Bell planted a hand on Lilly’s shoulder. She smiled up at him. Their love was obvious. It seemed neither of them regretted finding the other.

A found family full of tenderness and love. It was almost enough to give a man hope—

He jerked his thoughts away from that trail.

Mr. Bell headed for the open barn door and then paused. “Lilly, you need any help with the dog?”

“I think I can manage on my own.”

“Then I’ll be in my shop.” The man disappeared through the door.

Lilly went to the neat room in the corner and returned with a jar and a roll of bandage. She looked from Caleb to Teddy.

He felt her hesitation and wondered what she wanted. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.

She knelt in front of Teddy and commanded his attention. “I am going to fix Blossom’s cuts.” She explained how the ointment would help the wounds heal. “Now Blossom might not like me touching them.” She let the information settle in Teddy’s brain.

“Sometimes you gotta do what’s best, even if it’s hard.” The words seemed to come from a dark place inside Teddy.

Feelings of pride and pain warred inside Caleb.

Lilly squeezed Teddy’s hand. “You are exactly right. And very wise.”

Teddy beamed.

“Now here’s where you have to make a choice. Do you want to stay even if you have to see Blossom crying, or do you want to have your papa take you outside and wait until I’m done?”

Caleb jerked forward. “May I speak to you?” He indicated that they should retreat to the tack room.

She rose slowly. Leaving her supplies behind, she joined him, though she hovered just inside the door as if ready to take flight.

“I don’t think he should have any choice in this. I’ll take him to the wagon or over to the pump for a cold drink of water.”

She refused to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry I spoke out of turn. But I’ve already given him the choice.” She shot him a look of defiance.

“Papa, Miss Lilly, I’ve made up my mind.”

Caleb knew he wasn’t mistaken in thinking Lilly was relieved about the interruption. Maybe he was, too. He had no desire to engage in an argument with her about what was and was not appropriate for his son. All he wanted was assurance the dog Teddy had adopted on sight would live.

Teddy sat up, his expression eager.

“Son,” Caleb began, intending to warn the boy that they were leaving the barn, but Teddy had already started to talk.

“I decided. Blossom is my dog. She wants me to stay.”

Caleb jerked back. How could he disagree with that kind of conviction? “Very well. But you must be brave.”

Teddy looked so determined that Caleb stifled a chuckle.

“I can. I remember how. Mama told me.”

Caleb stared. In the past nine months, Teddy had steadily refused to talk about Amanda’s death. Many had suggested it might help the boy if he did. Seems finding this dog had done something for Teddy that Caleb, the doctors and even Amanda’s parents had not been able to do.

Lilly squeezed Teddy’s shoulder. “Blossom will be much happier with you here.”

Teddy beamed.

Another thought surfaced. Maybe Lilly had played a role as well, with her gentle kindness and direct way of talking to Teddy. If she and Blossom combined forces, could they help his son? He didn’t expect the pair could figure out what Teddy needed in order to walk again, but it seemed at least they might help him come to grips with Amanda’s death. That would be worth something.

Would she agree to spend more time with his son? But even if she did, how could he ask her without risking his job at the Caldwells’? Ebner made no secret of his antagonism toward the Bells.

Lilly knelt beside the dog, her knuckles white as she held the jar and supplies she’d brought.

Caleb’s heart went out to her. She had a difficult job to do, applying ointment and dressings to the wounds. It would be doubly difficult with Teddy watching. Maybe she regretted allowing Teddy to stay. “Teddy, it’s not too late to change your mind,” he said.

“No. I gotta do this. Big boys don’t let hard things stop them from doing what they have to.”

He narrowed his eyes at the boy. Where had Teddy heard those words? Had Caleb spoken them to his son? He didn’t remember doing so, but then a person can say a lot of things carelessly that a listener might take seriously. He’d best watch his words in the future. He didn’t want to make the boy feel he had to take on a load too big for his little shoulders.

Lilly gave the boy a gentle smile. “Then let’s get it done.”

“Is this when she cries?” Teddy’s voice was clogged with sadness.

She sat back to study him. “You don’t have to stay.”

He blinked back tears. “I can be brave.”

“Very well.”

Caleb sat behind the boy and held him close. “You won’t be alone.”

Lilly studied him. He wished he could read her expression. Did she see his care for Teddy and approve of it? Or was she able to see past all that to his pain and guilt? He was getting plumb foolish. Of course she couldn’t see anything of the sort.

She ducked her head and set to work. She screwed the lid off the jar and dipped her finger into a thick yellowish ointment and applied it to the first wound.

As expected, Blossom yipped.

Grub ambled over to investigate. He shoved his nose into Lilly’s neck as if to inform her she’d hurt the other dog. She elbowed him aside. “Grub, go lie down. Everything is just fine here.”

Grub padded back to his spot in the patch of sunlight pouring through the open door.

As Blossom whined, Teddy smoothed the fur on her head and whispered, “It’s okay, little one. We’re going to make you better.”

Lilly kept her attention on her task. She applied the ointment to many of the wounds, flinching when Blossom cried. Some of the cuts she left open to the air, and a few she wrapped with bandages. When she was done, she sat back. “That’s the best I can do for now. I’ll get her some of Ma’s tonic. But first, I’ll bring her water.”

Teddy looked at her with eager eyes. “I’ll take good care of her.”

“I know you will.” She shifted her gaze to Caleb. “I really think she needs to stay here a few days so I can watch for infection.”

Teddy let out a small cry. “She has to come with us.”

Lilly caught his hand. “Teddy, I promise I’ll take really good care of her for you.”

“No. No.” Teddy shook his head. “I’m not leaving her.” He turned to Caleb, his eyes wide. He plucked at Caleb’s shirt front. “Don’t make me leave her. Please, Papa.”

Lilly closed the ointment jar and tidied up the bandages. She took them back to the tack room and then stood at the doorway. “Caleb, may I speak to you in private? Teddy, will you watch Blossom carefully while I get her some water?”

Caleb took Teddy’s hands and waited for the boy to look him in the eye. “I’ll be right back. You hear?”

Teddy nodded. His eyes remained too large. His pulse beat frantically in the veins of his neck.

Caleb followed Lilly outside to the pump, where she already had a pail full of water.

She faced him. “I know this might seem presumptuous, but why not leave Teddy here? I can make sure Blossom doesn’t get infected and he can be with his dog.”

Caleb stared. This was what he wanted, wasn’t it? But he couldn’t leave Teddy alone.

Nor could he afford to lose his job by risking Ebner’s ire.

What was he to do?

* * *

Lilly almost choked the words of invitation out. Not because she didn’t welcome Teddy’s company or think it would do him good to be with his dog.

But because she knew it would inevitably mean seeing more of Caleb, and there was something about him that made her heart pull at its moorings. A dead wife. A son who, for whatever reason, needed crutches to walk. Yet rather than seeing a man wallowing in self-pity she’d seen numerous glimpses of a tenderhearted man. She’d seen it in the way he’d held Teddy as she ministered to the dog. She’d seen it in the way his eyes filled with concern that Teddy might be upset by watching her work. And she saw it now in the way his expression went from surprise to interest to doubt and finally to decision.

“I couldn’t leave him. He’s not been away from me since...”

She waited, but he didn’t seem about to explain further. “I understand. But the dog...”

He looked past her to the horizon. “Yes, the dog. It’ll upset him some to leave her.”

She nodded. But there was little more she could offer. “If you leave Teddy here, perhaps Ma and I could help with his leg.”

Interest flared in his eyes and then faded. “I’ve been to a dozen doctors and they’ve not helped.” Doubt and hope seemed to cling to his words.

“Do you mind telling me what happened? Is his leg broken?”

Caleb turned so she saw only his profile—he swallowed hard and sucked his lips in. “His ma was murdered.”

A gasp tore from her throat. “I’m sorry.”

He nodded but continued to stare at something far off. “I found two intruders. They came at me with guns. I used mine.” He sounded as if he were working hard to grate his voice from his throat. “When it was over they were dead. Amanda was already dead—murdered by the pair.”

“And Teddy?” she whispered, hardly able to take it in.

“Amanda must have seen the intruders coming and made him hide in the closet. When I found him, he’d been shot in the leg.”

“Oh, no.” Pain and sorrow twisted through her with such vengeance she couldn’t breathe. “How awful.” Caleb’s face contorted and she knew he was reliving the horror. The only comfort she could offer was the one thing Ma had taught her. Sometimes all a person could give another person in pain was presence and touch. She pressed her hand to his arm. “Caleb, I am so sorry. It’s too dreadful for words.”

A shudder shook him hard. He turned to face her, his eyes dark as a summer storm, his mouth a white line.

She too shuddered at the frank agony she saw.

“That’s not the worst part.” His voice was a hoarse whisper. “I’ll never know if I was the one who fired the shot that hurt him.”

She nodded, understanding this feeling of guilt must edge every thought, every glance at his son. What comfort could she offer him? Only the truth.

“You have no way of knowing it didn’t come from some other gun, either.”

He nodded, but she could tell the words had not gone farther than his ears.

“How long ago did all this happen?”

“Nine months. Almost ten.”

That long and the boy’s injury still remained? There had to be something wrong, likely an infection. One that long-standing was unusual and—she shuddered—usually life threatening.

“Has the wound not healed?”

“It’s healed, but he can’t use the leg. And I have no idea why. No doctor has been able to help me.” He told her about the many trips he and Teddy had taken to find help. “I have to get him to a doctor down east.” He stepped away as if he were already on his way. “I can’t leave him here. I need the job at the Caldwells in order to pay the special doctor.”

She nodded. She and Ma used only common sense and old-fashioned remedies, along with herbs and poultices. Surely a special doctor would have newer things to offer. But if the infection had gone to the bone...

She shivered. If she could do anything to help, she would. She opened her mouth to ask him to reconsider taking Teddy away for the night.

Caleb turned on his heel and strode toward the barn before she could utter the words.

She rumbled her breath out. She’d been about to suggest he stay, too.

How had she so quickly forgotten that he was a Caldwell cowboy? Rose would be shocked.

Worse, she’d shocked herself by how much she’d been drawn to this man and his pain.

She could see Teddy through the open barn door, leaning over his dog, crooning words of comfort when he himself needed those same words. Likely some of Ma’s medicinals wouldn’t do his leg any harm, especially if infection had gone deep inside, but that type of deep infection usually resulted in severe pain, and the boy didn’t appear to be suffering.

She or Ma could at least provide comfort measures to Teddy until Caleb took him to the special doctor.

Never mind that his father worked for the Caldwells.

Halfway across the yard, Caleb’s feet slowed and he slowly came about to face her. With measured steps he returned to her, his expression full of determination.

“Tomorrow is Sunday. I don’t have to be at the Caldwells’. If your invitation is still open, I accept for the day.”

One day! What could she hope to do for Teddy or Blossom in one day?

“Unless you’ve changed your mind. Perhaps your family wouldn’t welcome a Caldwell cowboy.” He had clearly mistaken her hesitation.

Rose would have concerns, but she’d voice them in private. Ma and Pa would take a wait-and-see approach. As for Lilly, she’d make the most of the limited time, grateful in a way he’d not be there longer. The locked doors around her heart shuddered every time she thought of what he’d been through. “The invitation is still open.”

Caleb gave a quick nod. “I’ll deal with the consequences when I get back.”

“I’m not trying to discourage you, but are you sure about this? From what I’ve seen of Ebner and the others, they won’t be happy to know you’re consorting with the enemy, so to speak. Only the Caldwells view the disagreement in such terms. We only want to be left in peace to farm our little bit of land.”

“I only want to do what’s right for Teddy. I’m sure I can make Ebner understand that.” His words rang and his dark eyes flashed.

Lilly had her doubts, but she’d never before let the Caldwells stop her from doing what she thought was right.

She certainly wasn’t about to let them stop her now.

Chapter Four

Caleb hadn’t decided how he’d deal with Ebner should the man object, but he felt he should be able to do as he chose on a Sunday and return to his work at the Caldwells’ on Sunday night without questions being asked.

He was a free man, after all.

He tried to dismiss the doubts cluttering his mind. At the moment, staying seemed the right thing to do.

Lilly’s invitation had sounded sincere, but her eyes were now shadowed by second thoughts. Was she concerned about how the Caldwells would react? Or her family? Then she smiled and drove away every bit of darkness. “Let’s make Blossom comfortable. Then I’d like Ma to look at Teddy’s leg, if you don’t mind.”

He wouldn’t have minded if he’d thought there was any chance they could help, but—

“He’s been prodded and poked. Some of the suggestions for helping him have been absurd. And too many of them cruel. Hang him in a harness until he uses his leg. Use some kind of noxious rub that would burn a hole in the hide of a cow. Poke his legs to stimulate the nerves. Seems everyone had a cure. Too bad none of them worked.” He sucked in air. “No more torture.”

Her hand brushed his arm and stilled his rush of words. Her touch when he’d been almost overwhelmed by his memories had soothed him. He had noted, too, how she’d touched Teddy to calm him. He didn’t know if he should object to the touch or thank her for it. But he couldn’t pull words from his brain, so he simply stood there as she spoke.

“Caleb, I promise you neither my ma nor I will do anything to hurt Teddy.” She held his gaze unblinkingly until he nodded.

“Very well.”

Satisfied, she said, “I’ll let you tell Teddy.” She carried the water to the barn.

Teddy turned to them as they entered, his expression tight as if he expected Caleb to insist they had to leave.

Caleb’s insides warmed at his ability to give his son one small gift—a yes to his request to stay. He squatted in front of him. “Teddy, I’ve decided we can stay until tomorrow evening. Then I’ll have to go back to work and you’ll have to come with me.”

“One day?”

“I’m afraid that’s all we have.”

Teddy sighed softly. “Then God will have to make Blossom better in one day.”

Caleb blinked. How could his son have any faith left after all the praying that had been done over him to no avail? But he would not rob his son of it. Please, God, honor the faith of this little one.

“I brought water.” Lilly had poured some into a little dish.

“Can I give it to her?” Teddy reached for the dish.

“Of course you can. In fact, I think she might prefer it.”

She helped him place the dish close to Blossom’s nose.

Grub came over and lapped at the water. Lilly pulled him close to her. “I’ll fill your dish in a minute. Let me help this little girl first.”

Grub plunked down at her side and watched. “Good dog.”

Caleb had his doubts about Grub’s qualifications as a guard dog, but he certainly passed with flying colors as a friendly, obedient pet.

Teddy leaned over Blossom, patting her head. “Come on, Blossom. You have to drink so you can get better. We don’t want you fading away to a shadow, do we?”

Lilly choked back a chuckle.

Teddy was repeating something Caleb had said often when Teddy was mending and didn’t want to eat. “At least he listened to some of what I said.”

She laughed. “I expect he takes in everything you say and do.”

Caleb nodded, smiling at his son, filling with pure pleasure. With a jolt he realized he’d been so focused on getting help for Teddy’s injured leg he had almost forgotten the joy that came from simply spending time with him. He opened his mouth, about to thank Lilly, for he knew it was because of her calmness in dealing with Teddy and Blossom that some of his tension had disappeared.

He closed his mouth again. How could he possibly hope to explain this feeling?

He studied Lilly out of the corner of his eye. She bent over Blossom, murmuring encouragement to the dog. She touched Teddy’s head to encourage him as well. Grub pressed to her side.

It hit him like a sledgehammer.

This was a woman made for giving and receiving love. Not that he should care. But for her sake he was glad he would only be there one day, lest she begin to care for him more than she should. He did not want to think he would bring sorrow or heartache into her life, as he’d done to others’.

He could list a whole lot of times people had been hurt because of him. Most of the events he hadn’t thought of until after Amanda’s murder, and then the memory of them had returned with a vengeance, as if to reprimand him for having forgotten them.

The time he lied about taking eggs to one of Ma’s customers, instead having broken them while chasing a gopher. The customer had berated Ma publicly and Ma had gone home crying.

Then there was the time at school when he’d pulled a chair out when his friend Toby had gone to sit down and Toby had banged his head. Caleb had laughed until he realized Toby had taken a long time to bounce up again.

He would not continue to list his guilty deeds. Suffice it to say Caleb knew he was bad news to those who happened to have the misfortune of hanging around him.

He’d be extra careful while at the Bells so they wouldn’t pay a price for helping him. Though it was Teddy they meant to help.

* * *

Blossom lapped the water a few times and then ignored it.

“That’s a real good start.” Lilly patted Teddy on the head and pushed to her feet. “I’ll go to the house and get Ma’s tonic.” She had only made it to the barn door when Rose came out of the house and trotted toward them, carrying a dish. “Pa told us about the injured dog. I made that gruel you like.”

She handed Lilly the dish and the bottle of tonic. Her look blared a challenge.

Lilly knew exactly what she was wondering. Why is a Caldwell cowboy here and why are you helping him? She backed up so Rose could step into the barn.

“Rose, you remember Caleb Craig and his son, Teddy?”

Rose snorted so softly Lilly hoped she was the only one to hear it. “The Caldwell cowboy from town. I’m not likely to forget.” Her piercing look said, But it seems you are.

Caleb set Teddy behind him and got to his feet to face Lilly and Rose. “Sorry to intrude on your fight about the Caldwells, but we found this dog and my son instantly claimed him. Your sister kindly offered to help.”

Rose met his gaze. Neither of them blinked as Lilly held her breath, wondering who would relent first.

Caleb spoke again. “She’s even offered to let us stay the night so Blossom here can rest.”

Oh, no. Now Rose would blurt out how much she disliked the Caldwells.

Rose blinked. “Blossom?”

“The dog.”

“Overnight?” She glared at Lilly.

Lilly smiled, not at all deterred by her sister’s shock. Rose would soon realize that Teddy and Blossom needed their help.

Caleb shifted his gaze to Lilly and gave her a smile full of gratitude. “Your sister is very generous.” Beyond the smile, Lilly glimpsed an ocean’s depth of sorrow.

She couldn’t look away. This man had every reason in the world to have a furrowed forehead. She shivered at the thought of everything that had happened to him.

If it had been possible, she would have applied one of Ma’s healing balms to this man’s heart.

“Oh, fine,” Rose grumbled, and moved toward Blossom and Teddy. “So this is the dog you found.”

“She’s mine,” Teddy said.

“Then I’d say she is very fortunate.”

Lilly smiled. Rose might have been one to fight and sputter, but she didn’t have an unkind bone in her body.

Caleb looked at the thin mixture Rose had made—oats cooked with meat broth—and shuddered. “I sure hope you mean that for Blossom.”

The twins laughed, though Rose did so with more abandon than Lilly, as if enjoying his suspicion.

“Yes, it’s for the dog,” Lilly murmured and knelt beside Teddy. Together they managed to get Blossom to lick up some of the concoction. Then she uncapped the tonic. “Teddy, I need to give her these drops. Think you can help?”

He nodded eagerly.

“That’s good. You hold her head while I put the drops in her mouth.”

Teddy did as instructed and Blossom swallowed the drops and drank more water. Wearily, the dog closed her eyes.

Teddy glanced from the dog to Lilly to Caleb and then did it again.

“Papa?”

“What is it?”

“Wasn’t that stuff supposed to make her better? She’s still just lying here.”

Lilly touched Teddy’s head and smiled at him, her heart brimming with sorrow and tenderness at his question. How many times had this child been promised something would make him better and then been disappointed? She pushed her lips together as Caleb’s words echoed in her head. The treatments the poor boy had endured. And his father along with him.

“Healing takes time. It can’t be rushed.”

Teddy gave Lilly a look of frank admiration. “You sure do know a lot about taking care of sick animals.”

Rose laughed again. “She’s had lots of experience. When we lived in town she rescued all sorts of dogs, cats, birds, chickens and even mice, and she nursed them. We were ten when we moved to this farm and she’s collected all sorts of critters since.”

“Like what?”

“Well, she raises sheep and pigs. People bring her animals that are doing poorly. Mostly she fixes them up and sends them back home, but sometimes we keep them. That’s how we got our horse, and we have a motley collection of cats she’s rescued. You should see this place at milking time. Say, I think you will. Lilly, when are you bringing in the cows?”

Ignoring the reminder of chores to be done, Lilly glowered at her sister. “Rose, please don’t tell them everything you know about me.”

Rose’s smile widened. “Only the interesting stuff.”

Lilly gave her a hard look. “That would be everything.”

Rose opened her mouth as if to argue and instead burst out laughing. “You almost had me that time. One of these days you are going to convince me with that deadpan way of yours.” Her expression grew thoughtful. “Maybe our first pa was a gambler. You might have learned that from him.”

Lilly shook her head. “You’ve had him be everything from a wild horse wrangler to a traveling preacher. And now a gambler.”

“I’m just curious, you know?”

“No, I don’t. Seems to me what’s in the past is best left in the past.” They had loving parents in the way of Ma and Pa Bell. That was enough for Lilly.

But it had never been enough for Rose. She constantly tried to discover something about their birth parents.

Lilly dismissed the direction of the discussion.

“I’ll bring in the cows,” she said. Rose left the barn to do her own chores.

“Can I go with you?” Teddy asked. Then he sagged. “I guess I should stay with Blossom.”

The dog was sleeping peacefully. “There’s not much to do for her right now but let her rest. You’re welcome to accompany me,” Lilly said. “Both of you.”

Teddy scrambled to get his crutches and hurried to her side. Caleb followed after.

Lilly didn’t know whether to be grateful for his company or annoyed he probably didn’t trust her alone with his son. Then again, she had invited him. And it really didn’t matter either way—her only interest was in seeing Blossom get better and helping Teddy if that was possible.

Lilly led the way past the house. Out of habit, she scanned the pasture and fields. The cows waited patiently. Beyond them, the white sheep dotted the faded green pasture. The yellow and gold leaves on the fruit trees and bushes flapped in the wind. The garden lay peaceful.

Everything seemed in order. She allowed her breath to ease out even though it was only a matter of time until the Caldwells would do something.

“Is anything wrong?”

She startled at Caleb’s question. “Just checking.”

“For what? Are you expecting some sort of trouble?”

She snorted. “You might say that.”

“Like what?” He squinted at her and edged closer to Teddy as if to protect him.

“Nothing to concern you. At least not directly.” She shouldn’t have said anything, but now that she had, perhaps it was best she told him the truth. Perhaps he had been unaware of how dangerous the Caldwells could be. “You should understand who you work for. The Caldwells are always up to mischief.” Aware Teddy could hear every word, though he seemed more interested in watching the cows press toward the fence, she kept her words low and benign while frustration raged through her. Why couldn’t they leave the Bells alone?

He nodded. “You’re right. It’s nothing to do with me. I need the job and who they choose to feud with is not my concern.”

She wanted to argue. But what could she say? That a man of honor would not work for people like the Caldwells? But why did it matter one way or the other if he was honorable or otherwise? Yet somehow it did. For Teddy’s sake, she reasoned, it mattered.

They reached the gate and she opened it. “Come on, girls. Milking time.” Two dough-faced Jerseys cows lifted their heads. “Come, Bossy. Come, Maude,” she called.

“Look, Papa, they come when she calls them.”

She led the animals to the barn with Teddy and Caleb at her side. She scooped oats into the manger for each.

“Are you going to milk them now?” Teddy asked.

“I like to get it done before supper.”

“Papa, Mama used to milk a cow, didn’t she?”

“She sure did. She insisted you have milk so I got her a decent milk cow.”

“She used to take me with her.” Teddy’s sad voice scraped Lilly’s nerves raw. She’d lost her birth parents when she was three—one to death and one to abandonment—and had only a fleeting recollection of them. Or were they memories the girls had created over the years? She didn’t know. Perhaps it would have been better to not have any memories of her birth parents at all—they only made her sad.

Teddy brightened. “I used to give the cow oats just like Miss Lilly did.”

Lilly pulled a three-legged stool close to the first cow. “This is Maude. She’s gentle as a lamb.”

“Can I pet her?”

“Best wait until I’m done milking.” Squirt, squirt. The milk drummed into the bucket.

Meowing cats exploded from everywhere. A couple, seeing strangers, hissed.

“Mind your manners,” Lilly scolded, shooting streams of milk at each cat in turn.

Teddy’s eyes were round. His mouth gaped open.

Caleb laughed. “Guess you never saw so many cats at one time.”

“I want to pet them.” Teddy dropped his crutches and sat down amid the melee.

Seeing the concern in Caleb’s face, Lilly reassured him. “It’s okay. None of them will hurt him.” She smiled at the pleasure in Teddy’s face as the cats rubbed against him.

She might only have one day, but she’d do all she could to see he enjoyed every minute spent on the farm.

* * *

Caleb felt as if he had stepped back in time to a gentler, sweeter place where life followed familiar routines and his son enjoyed normal pursuits.

Two cats crawled into Teddy’s lap, purring loudly. Teddy laughed. The purest laugh Caleb had heard from him in many months.

Caleb’s eyes misted, no doubt irritated by the dust the cats were kicking up and nothing more.

Now satisfied with their drink, several cats hissed at Blossom. She opened one eye and closed it again but otherwise paid them no heed.

Grub cocked his head and watched the scene with a puzzled expression.

“Why do you have so many cats?” Teddy asked.

“Mostly because we had three batches of kittens this year.”

“And you get to keep ’em all?”

“For a while. Usually once cold weather sets in and mice move indoors, people come and ask for a cat to keep the mice population down.”

“Guess you don’t have any mice around here.”

“Not many.”

“Would have to be an awfully brave mouse to come here.” Teddy laughed so hard at his joke that tears trickled from his eyes.

Caleb watched in pure and natural pleasure.

Lilly chuckled as she finished with Maude. Then she stood at Caleb’s side, a foamy pail of milk in one hand, and watched Teddy. “If that isn’t the sweetest sound in the world, I don’t what is.”

He looked at her. She looked at him. And for a moment they shared something. Something he had not shared with anyone since Amanda died. A common delight in his son. It was temporary, he warned himself. But for now, he allowed himself to enjoy the moment. “His laughter is better than Sunday music.”

She laughed. “Tons better than Sunday music if you happen to sit next to Harry Simmons, who sings like a hoarse bullfrog.” She croaked out a few words of a song, then broke off and covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I should not be mocking anyone.” Pink flared up her cheeks.

He’d laughed at her imitation of the poor Harry Simmons, whoever he was, but his laughter stalled in the back of his throat when he looked at her. The woman could go from straight-faced teasing, to lighthearted imitations, to apologies so fast it left him dizzy.

And more than a little intrigued.

Her eyes widened and then she ducked her head.

Oh glory, he’d been staring long enough to make her uncomfortable.

He bent over Teddy and stroked one of the cats. Lilly hurried over to the other cow and started milking.

“What’s her name?” Teddy asked.

“This is Bossy.”

Did Caleb detect a note of relief in her voice, as if she were happy to be talking about cows again?

Teddy seemed to consider the name for a moment. “Is that ’cause she’s mean?”

“No, she just likes to do things the same way and if I try to change anything, she insists otherwise.”

Teddy brightened. “That’s like Papa.”

Caleb stared at his son. “Me? Why would you say that?”

“You always put your boots in the exact spot every night. Once I moved them ’cause I wanted something and you made me put them back. You always make me sleep on the same side of you even when I want to sleep on the other side. And every morning, you stare at the fire until the coffee is ready. And you tell me not to talk until you have your coffee.”

It was all true. “That doesn’t mean I’m like Bossy. I can change if I want.” He stole a glance at Lilly. She had her head pressed to the cow’s flank, but—he narrowed his eyes—her shoulders were shaking. “You find this funny?”

She nodded without lifting her head.

He crossed his arms and considered the two of them. Teddy innocently petting a lap full of cats. Lilly trying to hide her amusement.

So his son considered him inflexible. Stuck in a routine. As for the coffee, he simply had to get his first cup before his brain started to perk. It didn’t mean he was bossy or stuck in a rut.

Lilly gasped, tipped her head back and laughed aloud. She held up a hand to indicate she wanted to say something as soon as she could speak.

He waited, none too patiently. Did the woman intend to spend the rest of the day laughing?

She swiped her hand across her eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t laugh, but if you could see your expression...” She chuckled some more and then tried to press back her amusement, but it showed clearly in her eyes.

From a deep well within, one that felt rusty with disuse, a trickle of laughter escaped. It grew in volume and intensity. He laughed. And laughed. And continued to laugh until his insides felt washed with freshwater. Until his stomach hurt. Until he realized Lilly and Teddy were watching him with wide smiles.

He sobered and drew in a deep breath. “I guess it is funny to realize a five-year-old has been taking note of my habits.”

She grinned. “It’s kind of sweet if you think about it.”

He couldn’t seem to break from her warm gaze. It was as if she approved of him. No. That wasn’t it at all. Really, it was as if she approved of the way he and Teddy were together.

Bossy tossed her head.

“Okay. Okay.” Lilly turned her attention to the cow. “I’m done. I’ll let you go.”

If Caleb had a lick of good sense left, he’d be done, too. He’d be on his way before his brain got any more affected by this woman.

Only he couldn’t break the promise he’d made to Teddy. He’d stay the night, enjoy one day of being part of a normal family. Then he’d return to the Caldwells and his job with his resolve renewed and his face set to reach his goal.

He’d dare not linger overlong at the Bell place and risk losing his job with the Caldwells.

Not that he was tempted. Not at all.

Chapter Five

Lilly turned the cows out. “I’ll take the milk to the house and let Ma know you’re staying overnight. She’ll expect you to join us for supper.”

“That’s not necessary,” Caleb said. “We have supplies in our wagon. But could I turn the horse in to the pasture?”

“By all means.” She wanted to kick herself for not suggesting it the moment Caleb had said he’d stay.

She would have accepted his refusal to join them for supper, but Ma would have had a fit if she didn’t bring them.

“Ma’s a very good cook.”

Teddy got a look on his face that could only be described as hungry. “Papa, she’s a good cook.”

Caleb chuckled. “Are you saying I’m not?”

“I like your food.” He sounded so uncertain that Lilly smiled.

Teddy brightened. “But it might be nice to try someone else’s for a change.”

Caleb gave his son such a loving, amused look that tears stung Lilly’s eyes. She almost envied the boy such devotion, which was plumb foolish. Ma and Pa loved her every bit as much as Caleb loved his son. But oh, to see such a look meant especially for her. She shook her head hard, trying to clear her brain of such confusing thoughts.

Caleb and Teddy had followed Lilly as she put the cows in the pen for the night. He turned his horse in to the pasture, and then they returned to the barn.

“Look, Papa,” Teddy chirped. “Blossom wagged her tail. Isn’t that good? Means she’s getting stronger.” Teddy eased himself down beside the dog and petted her, murmuring encouragement. “You’re safe here. Don’t be afraid. No one will hurt you now.”

Caleb pressed a fist to his chest as if, inside, his heart were hurting.

Lilly touched his arm. “He’s safe, too.”

Caleb nodded, but his eyes did not show relief. “I wish—” He shook his head.

She patted him twice. “I’ll ask Ma to look at his leg after supper.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll leave you two with Blossom.” She hurried to the house to strain the milk. As she passed through the kitchen, she stopped to speak to Ma.

“How’s the pup?” Ma asked.

“She’s a fighter. I think she’ll be okay. Ma, I asked them to stay overnight so they could be with the dog.”

Ma nodded. “Sounds sensible. Did you ask them to come for supper?”

“Yes. Ma, the little boy has something wrong with his leg.” She repeated what Caleb had said. “I said we’d do what we could to help. Can you look at the leg after supper?”

“Certainly.” She stirred a pot on the stove.

“Caleb was afraid we might torture his son.” She told Ma the things Caleb had said.

Ma dried her hands on a towel and looked out the window toward the barn. “That poor little boy and that poor father. I hope you assured him we’d be very gentle with the lad.”

“I did, but I warn you, he’s very protective of his son.”

“As well he should be.” Ma returned to the stove and her meal preparation, her lips tight.

Lilly stared. Was she thinking of her three daughters? She had never said much about the circumstances of their adoption. She had only assured the girls over and over that they were loved, that they were a blessing from God to a childless couple. But no doubt she wondered what had happened to the girls’ birth parents. Or more accurately, their father. Cora could remember their mother had died. Lilly figured it must have been something horrible that caused their father to abandon three little girls in the middle of the prairie. She went to Ma’s side and brushed her hair off her forehead. “You’re the best ma,” she said. When had Ma’s hair gotten so gray? Both her parents were in their seventies, but she didn’t like the thought that they were getting old.

“I’m glad you think so. Now you get on with your chores so you’ll be done in time for supper,” Ma said. “It will be ready soon.”

“Yes, Ma.” Lilly went to the workroom, strained the milk and set it to cool. Pa would take the cans to the river after supper and hang them in the water, where the cold would keep the milk fresh and sweet for days. Soon that wouldn’t be necessary. The workroom would be cold enough once winter set in. Many days it was so cold the milk froze. Lilly smiled. She loved spooning the crystalline milk from her cup. It was almost as good as ice cream, a rare treat they only enjoyed at community gatherings.

Although done, Lilly lingered. She didn’t want to rush back to the barn and give anyone reason to think she was being overly curious or concerned about Caleb and his son. Though, of course, she had Blossom to check on, and she had said she and Ma would do what they could to help Teddy. It would be nice to have more than one day on which to help. But she’d tell them Ma would look at Teddy’s leg after supper.

She turned, her reasons for returning firmly established. But still she hesitated. There was something about Caleb that upset her equilibrium. She might have said it was concern and sympathy over Teddy’s plight, but it was more than that.

She might have said it was compassion because Caleb’s wife had been murdered. Or she might have said it was because they had shared a good old-fashioned belly laugh at Teddy’s description of his father’s routine.

It was all of those things. But still more. Something about the man touched a tender, expectant spot deep inside that she hadn’t been aware of before this day.

And that frightened her. She didn’t like surprises, and this unexpected feeling left her off balance.

But why let it bother her? He’d soon be gone. He’d made that very clear.

Rose stepped into the room. “I can’t believe you asked him to stay.”

There was no mistaking the challenge in her sister’s voice. “Only for one night, so Blossom has time to rest.”

Rose made a dismissive sound. “Never thought I’d see the day you’d hang about a Caldwell cowboy.” She didn’t give Lilly a chance to answer before she grinned and spoke again. “Though he is rather handsome, and seems a decent sort of man.” She grew glum again. “For a Caldwell cowboy.”

Lilly shrugged. “Hard to judge a man after only a few hours, but I’m glad he’s staying long enough for Ma and me to look at Teddy’s leg and see why he doesn’t use it.” She explained yet again what had happened to the boy.

“Oh, that’s terrible. I wouldn’t wish that kind of disaster even on a man who works for the Caldwells.”

Lilly chuckled. “Nice to know.”

Rose studied Lilly long enough to make her squirm inside, but outwardly she returned the look, hoping she was managing to keep hidden every hint of her confusion about her feelings for Caleb and Teddy.

Rose’s expression softened as if satisfied with what she saw.

Lilly might demand to know what exactly Rose thought that was, but she didn’t care to encourage Rose’s curiosity about the Caldwell cowboy and Lilly’s choice to open their home to him.

“I came to tell you supper is ready,” Rose said. “Will you let the others know?”

“Certainly.” Lilly left the house and stopped at Pa’s shop to tell him, and then made her way to the barn. She paused outside the door. Why hadn’t Rose informed everyone of supper herself? Lilly narrowed her eyes. Was she purposely avoiding contact with Caleb and Teddy simply because Caleb worked for the Caldwells? His reasons were noble—to earn enough money to take Teddy to a special doctor. She’d have to tell Rose that and set the record straight.

Caleb was sitting near Teddy and Blossom, his back against a post, his legs stretched out halfway across the alley. He’d perched his hat on a nearby nail. He was watching his son, an affectionate smile curling his mouth. She drew in a breath at the depth of his devotion. Many men would simply accept the fact their son would only walk with crutches and get on with their lives. But not Caleb. It seemed he meant to move Heaven and earth to help his son. It was truly admirable and brought a sting of emotion to the back of her eyes.

Teddy fussed with the dog, petting her head and talking to her, urging her to eat more.

Neither of them had noticed Lilly in the doorway until Grub padded toward her.

She stepped inside. “Supper is ready.”

Caleb tugged on the lobe of his ear. “We don’t want to be a bother.”

“It’s no bother.”

Slowly he rose. “If you’re quite certain?”

“I most certainly am.” More than anything, she wanted them to join the family for a meal. She wanted more time to observe them.... She meant, observe Teddy.

“Then we will come.” He signaled for Teddy to join him and the pair fell in step with Lilly as she crossed the yard.

Teddy grinned up at his father. “I was afraid you would say no.”

“Why would you think that?”

“’Cause sometimes you are so stubborn.”

Lilly choked back laughter. Young Teddy must have really kept Caleb on his toes.

“Son, must you point out all my flaws and perceived failings in front of Miss Bell?” His voice deepened.

She couldn’t say if it was from amusement or annoyance or perhaps a combination of both. “Please, call me Lilly.” He’d used her Christian name several times already—perhaps not aware he was doing so. She certainly didn’t want to revert to a more formal way of address.

“Lilly and Caleb it is, then.”

She realized she, too, had easily used his Christian name even without permission. Maybe working together over an injured pup erased some of the normal polite restraints.

“Papa, I only say what I see.”

Lilly could not contain her amusement at Teddy’s directness and burst out laughing.

Caleb rocked his head back and forth in dismay, but she understood it was only pretend because his eyes brimmed with mirth, and in a moment he chuckled.

Teddy grinned, pleased with himself for making them both laugh.

Ma and Pa would enjoy a young boy’s presence at supper. Even Rose would see Caleb was a nice man.

She realized her smile might have appeared too bright as she entered the house, so she forced a bit of seriousness into her expression.

* * *

Still chuckling, Caleb followed Lilly to the house. Teddy had not once complained about the simple food they ate, but perhaps the meals, although adequate, were lacking in imagination.

He was willing to give his son a good meal tonight. Then it was back to their regular fare after tomorrow.

Lilly led him into the house.

The scent of roast pork, turnips and apples brought a flood of saliva to his mouth. The meals he’d had over the past few months certainly didn’t carry such tantalizing aromas.

“Papa, it smells awfully good,” Teddy whispered.

“It does indeed.” Caleb glanced about. It was a usual-looking kitchen—cupboards to one side, a big stove belting out heat, a wooden table. But there were touches that revealed the family, too. A rocking chair with a basket of mending. A spinning wheel and a basket of carded wool. A stack of papers teetering on a side table. And on the cupboard, four golden brown loaves of bread were cooling beside jars of applesauce and jars of dark blue-purple jam. He could almost taste the jam on the bread.

He and Teddy seldom had bread. A man on his own didn’t have time to make bread, even if he knew how. They ate biscuits unless they found bread to purchase in one of the many towns he’d visited in his search for a doctor who could help Teddy.

The woman by the stove turned at their entrance.

Lilly pulled them forward. “Ma, this is Caleb Craig and his son, Teddy.” Lilly and her mother’s love for each other was evident in the way they each smiled. “Caleb, my mother.”

Both Teddy and Caleb offered their hands and Ma shook them. “Pleased to meet you.”

Mrs. Bell indicated two chairs at the table and he and Teddy sat down.

The others took their places. Rose and Lilly sat across from him and Mr. Bell sat at the end, facing his wife.

Caleb glanced around the table, but his gaze stalled when it landed on Lilly. She smiled as if to assure him they were welcome.

“Papa.” Teddy tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. “This is like we used to have.”

Caleb nodded. “Yes, son.” They’d once known family. Though Amanda admitted she didn’t love him and had married him only to get away from her overly strict upbringing. He’d tried to love her as a man should love his wife, but she had rebuffed every attempt, so they had lived together in peaceful coexistence, both committed to providing their son with a pleasant home.

But that home had never felt as warm and welcoming as this one did already.

Mr. Bell cleared his throat. “Welcome to our guests. I’ll give thanks.” He reached for Rose’s hand on one side and Caleb’s on the other. Seeing what Mr. Bell meant for them to do, Teddy reached for Ma’s and Caleb’s hands.

Caleb hesitated. Regret, refusal, confusion and pain all flashed through his brain. Being invited so intimately into this family circle had set his nerves to jangling. He had vowed to distance himself from people after Amanda’s murder. Or maybe it had begun long before that, during the years when Amanda had remained cold to his love. Slowly, over time, he had closed his heart in order to protect it. Now he was grateful he had done that. It kept him from overreacting to this current family situation. He’d only be here one day. He sucked in air and allowed Mr. Bell to take his hand.

He sought Lilly with his eyes. She smiled and gave him a tiny nod. Confused by the way his heart tipped sideways at her gesture, he bowed his head as Mr. Bell asked the blessing. A question blared through his mind. Why had he looked to Lilly for reassurance? He didn’t need or want assurance from anyone. And yet his insides felt soft and mellow knowing she was sitting across from him, and she cared enough to take note of his hesitation.

He jerked his thoughts to a halt. If he kept going in that direction he would lose sight of his every goal. He was only there to get a dog tended to, his son looked at and a savory meal or two eaten. Then he would return to the Caldwell ranch.

All that mattered was getting Teddy to that doctor down east.

“Amen,” Mr. Bell said, and the word echoed around the table.

Throughout the meal Teddy raved about the food. He turned often to Mrs. Bell to ask questions.

Mrs. Bell helped him cut his meat and butter his bread. She filled his cup with milk three times. “You can have as much milk as you like,” she said. “We have lots of it. Milk is good for strong bones.”

“Would it make my leg work again?” Teddy latched his trusting, begging gaze on Lilly’s ma.

She didn’t answer at first. “It might depend on what’s wrong with it, but it can’t hurt.”

“Then can I have some more?” He downed the contents of his cup and pushed it forward for a refill.

“Son, remember your manners.” Caleb spoke softly, not wanting to spoil Teddy’s enjoyment of this family meal, but needing him to be polite.

“Please,” Teddy said. As Mrs. Bell filled his cup again, he added, “Thank you so much.” He drawled the words to make sure Mrs. Bell understood he was terribly, terribly grateful.

Lilly and her sister glanced at each other and ducked their heads to hide their amusement.

Mr. Bell smiled at Teddy. “A young boy with a healthy appetite is a good thing to see.”

Caleb murmured his thanks. He had no objection to the kindness and attention this family seemed prepared to heap on his son.

Mrs. Bell patted Teddy’s hand. “You’ll go far.”

Lilly watched Teddy. She swiped at her eyes and glanced at Caleb. Then she ducked, as if uncomfortable that Caleb had seen her tears. Rose also swiped tears from her eyes.

The tenderness of this family’s behavior toward his son stirred Caleb’s heart. Perhaps the boy would find something here he hadn’t had since his mother’s death—the loving care of a mother figure. Only in this case, two mother figures, a grandma figure and a grandpa-type man.

Too bad he could only spend a day with them. No. He didn’t want more time. He clanged shut the doors guarding his heart, doors he’d built with steel and sealed with rock. His future did not include a loving family and a warm home. He had Teddy. That was enough.

When the meal ended, Mr. Bell spoke. “We’ll have our Bible reading now.” He lifted the Bible from a nearby shelf and opened it.

“Papa,” Teddy said, “you used to read the Bible every night. How come you quit?”

Caleb shrugged. “Things change.” It hadn’t been intentional. At first he’d been in shock. Then his energies had been bound up in caring for Teddy. Then the two of them had been on the move, going from one doctor to another.

Mr. Bell turned pages. “God changes not.”

Caleb nodded. “For which I am grateful.”

“Tonight’s reading is from Job, chapter thirteen.” He glanced about the table, giving each person a moment’s attention. “May we each be blessed by the hearing of God’s word.” He read the chapter until he reached a verse that he emphasized. “‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.’ We’ll stop there. Job, a man like us, faced troubles and trials most of us will never know, thank God, yet he chose to trust God through them all. Shall we pray?” He again reached out for the hands on either side of him and prayed that each be blessed, and each have a good night’s sleep. “May we honor You in all we say and do. Amen.”

Teddy clung to Caleb’s hand even when the others started to push back from the table. He pulled at Caleb to draw his attention. Caleb leaned toward the child. “What is it?”

Tears flooded Teddy’s eyes.

Caleb groaned inwardly. What had upset the boy so much? “Do you miss Mama?”

He nodded. “But that’s not why I’m sad.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

The room had grown quiet. Caleb glanced up and met Lilly’s gaze. Her lips lifted at the corner—it was not quite a smile, but there was no mistaking that she meant to encourage him. He nodded and turned back to Teddy.

“What is it?”

“He asked God to bless me.”

“Yes. Mr. Bell asked God to bless each of us.” He didn’t understand why that had made Teddy cry.

“Can God make my leg better?”

Lilly hurried around the table and knelt beside Teddy. She touched his head and looked at Caleb. He felt her concern clear through to the bottom of his heart.

“Can He, Papa?”

Caleb pushed his chair back and pulled the boy to his lap. “God made you. I expect He can fix you.”

Lilly hovered close. “God can do anything. Do you want my pa to pray for you?”

Teddy sniffed. “Would he?”

Mr. Bell had already moved to Lilly’s side and placed his hand on Teddy’s head. Rose scurried around to stand behind Teddy’s chair and Mrs. Bell stood behind Caleb, her hand warm on his shoulder.

Mr. Bell prayed. “God of all mercies and love, look upon this little child of Yours and make his leg strong and well again that he might run and play like other little boys, and most of all, that he might love and adore You all his life. Amen.”

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