Dakota Father

“It isn’t like I’m here alone.”

Jenny’s eyes flickered in disbelief and if he wasn’t mistaken, amusement was the reason her eyes crinkled at the corners. “I suppose you intend to put her on a horse and teach her to hold the reins as you chase cows.”

It was so close to what he figured he’d do that he lowered his eyes lest she see his acknowledgement. Meggie had the same golden brown hair and light brown eyes Lena had. “She’s very much like her mother.” The way his voice had grown soft revealed far too much of what he felt—loss and pain that twisted through him with the cruelty of an internal auger.

“She is.” Jenny’s voice softened too and trembled slightly. She cleared her throat. “I realize she’s your niece. I’m sure you feel a sense of responsibility toward her, but be honest. You can’t possibly hope to provide her with a proper home.” She pushed to her feet, ignoring Meggie’s wails. Perching the child on one hip she turned to Paquette. “Thank you for tea.”

“Baby need food. Need loving. Need sleep, her.” The two women considered each other silently, some unspoken message passing between them.

Burke watched, wondering about the way Paquette’s eyes flashed from Meggie to him.

Jenny turned to Mr. Zach. “May I ride back to Buffalo Hollow with you?”

Zach scrambled from the table. “Certainly, ma’am.”

Jenny took two steps toward the door, Meggie clutched to her side, before Burke realized what she had in mind.

He bolted to his feet. “Now hold on just one minute. I am this child’s uncle and as her last living relative, I am most certainly her guardian. You can ride back to Buffalo Hollow with Zach and catch the next train back home but you are not taking Meggie with you.” He reached for the little girl.

Meggie’s eyes grew wide. Her mouth opened in a perfect O. She clung to Jenny’s neck. For a moment, Burke struggled to extract the child from Jenny’s arms. Jenny would not release her and Meggie fought him.

“Let her go,” Burke ordered.

A fierce, angry look crossed Jenny’s face and then it fled. She nodded and released her grasp.

Meggie screeched fit to stampede every cow within a hundred miles. She threw her head back, arched her little body and turned into a writhing bundle of resistance.

Burke almost dropped her in surprise. His ears hurt from the noise. But he had to prove he could handle this. “Meggie, I’m your Uncle Burke.” He had to shout and even then he doubted Meggie heard a thing. She was every bit as hard to hold as an eight hundred pound steer as she reached for Jenny. Burke backed up so she couldn’t touch the woman. But Meggie refused to come with him and hung suspended between the two.

Jenny watched, silently challenging him to admit defeat.

He would not. He turned his back on her and held the child so they were face to face. “Meggie, look at me.”

But Meggie tossed her head side to side, still screaming, tears washing her face. He sat her on the table hoping that would calm her. It didn’t and he struggled to keep her from throwing herself flat-out.

Paquette shuffled over. “Boss man not know babies. Boss man need help, no?”

Obviously he did. He nodded toward Paquette indicating she could help him.

She shook her head. “Paquette not strong no more. Paquette not look after baby.” She waved toward Jenny. “Give baby to lady.”

“No!” He shouted the word. Startled, Meggie gulped back a sob and stared at him, her eyes wide and filled with fear. It burned clear through that she should be afraid of him. But it was only because they were strangers. “I’ve lost everything, everyone. Meggie is all I have left.” Seems God was prepared to allow him this much and he wasn’t about to let it go.

At the sound of her name, Meggie again shrieked.

Paquette shook her head. “Boss man biting off big chunk of tough meat.” She retreated to the stove.

Surely Meggie would soon run out of steam. But she showed no sign of relenting.

He flung a look over his shoulder.

Jenny and Zach stood at the doorway. Zach looked ready to fly away in a heartbeat. Jenny simply stood patiently, her arms crossed as if she knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the child and waited for him to admit it.

At that moment he knew nothing in the world would induce him to let this child go. “She isn’t going to settle so long as you’re there. Please leave. Go back to town with Zach.”

Meggie’s wails did not let him forget how powerless he was to deal with her.

“Mr. Zach, you can go,” Jenny said. “I’m not going to leave Meggie like this.”

The man nodded and strode away.

Jenny knew her eyes flashed defiance. It was an attitude she’d tried hard to quell but Burke’s behavior undid all her carefully fought gains. How dare he tell her to leave? As if she were to blame for the fact Meggie was crying. As well she should. She’d never seen this man before and he had rudely wrenched her from Jenny’s grasp.

Being her uncle gave him no right.

As she boldly, defiantly met his startled look, she realized what she’d done. This was not what she’d planned. A few days. A week. Two if she pushed it, to allow Meggie time to get used to her new guardians, with a Mrs. Edwards taking over Meggie’s care. Then Jenny would return home to her promises. Now what?

It wasn’t like she had a lot of choice. She glanced around. A crippled old woman who mumbled and fiddled with things on the cupboard and made it clear as the air outside the door that she wasn’t up to looking after a child. As if she needed to speak the words. Her first look had given Jenny the necessary information. Paquette was so crippled Jenny wondered if she could lift a pot of water which she did so right before Jenny’s eyes. Barely. The woman must be in constant pain.

She shifted her attention back to Burke. He looked like he wanted to throw a brand on the baby.

She could hardly leave Meggie here under these circumstances.

“Where is your…fiancée?”

Paquette grumbled loudly but Jenny couldn’t make out what she said.

Burke scowled. “She’s gone. That’s all you need to know.”

Well, fine. He was entitled to his secrets, as was she.

Then the enormity of her situation hit her and she plunked to the hard bench. Here she was with a man who looked like he cared nothing what people thought and an old woman who—what would Ma and Pa think? What would they say? Pa had warned her to act wisely, speak carefully and live a life that gave people no cause to whisper about her. She knew her reputation was a precious thing and didn’t intend to compromise it. She shivered. Not after her narrow escape.

Meggie thrust herself into Jenny’s arms and Jenny held her close, finding comfort in the way the baby clung to her. She had a responsibility to this little one. But would everyone understand her choice?

She fired another look at Burke. “I intend to stay until suitable arrangements have been made for this child and she is settled.” Her decision raised all sorts of quandaries. “Where do you…will I—?” Heat crawled up her neck and stung the tips of her ears. She couldn’t even voice her concern. Where did he sleep? Where would she sleep?

Burke leaned back on the heels of his dusty cowboy boots and grinned. “Got yourself into a predicament, did you? Didn’t check out the situation before you made your bold decision?”

Bold. The word clawed through her mind. How often had Pa said she was too bold? How often had Ma said it would get her into trouble?

Boots thudded on the wooden floor outside and Mr. Zach appeared, carrying her luggage. “Thought I’d carry your bags inside.”

“Not too late to change your mind and go back with Zach.”

Burke’s voice was low, insistent, as if he not only thought she should do so, but felt an urgency she should.

Meggie in her arms, she pushed to her feet and faced him knowing her determination blared across her face. “If I can take Meggie.”