Dakota Father

A silent sigh filled the air.

“She’s still in the—”

Burke nodded. “Her parents are with her. They told me not to come again. Blamed me for how she is.” No more than he blamed himself. He shouldn’t have pushed her, shouldn’t have asked so much from her.

The four men turned and stared at the house. Burke realized he still hadn’t provided them with the necessary information. “My niece is here. Meggie. She’s only two.”

He chuckled at the way all heads turned and surprised eyes stared at him.

Dug swallowed hard, his long thin neck working all the way down. “A little gal?”

Mac, ever practical and blunt said, “Why?”

“My sister and her husband died. I’m now Meggie’s guardian.”

“Sorry, boss,” the three mumbled in unison.

He joined them in staring toward the house. “A young woman brought her out.”

The men shuffled but no one spoke, as if waiting for Burke to say more.

“Name’s Jenny and she’s staying to get Meggie settled in.”

Dug took a straw from his pocket and picked at his teeth. Mac crossed his arms and stared at the house, his expression dour. Burke didn’t bother glancing at Lucky. He felt again their reluctance to voice their concerns about another young woman visiting the ranch.

“She won’t be here long.”

A couple of grunts.

“She hauled all the junk out of the second bedroom and piled it in the middle of the yard on the other side of the house.”

Cautious nods.

“Guess we best haul it away.” He strode across the yard, the men in his wake. They rounded the corner and viewed the pile of junk.

“Boss, all this was in a bedroom?”

“Yup.”

“What was ya thinking?”

He shrugged. “Had no need of another bedroom. Paquette only needs one.” He didn’t say the bedroom had been meant for him and Flora. Suddenly the men figured it out and shut up. Except Mac.

“You say this young woman hauled all this out by herself?”

“I came from cleaning out the spring and found it here.”

The men grabbed armloads. “Where you want it?” Dug asked.

“I don’t know. In the barn. Beside the barn. Wherever you think it should be.”

Lucky paused at Burke’s side, his arms loaded with lengths of lumber. “Must be a right spunky gal to drag this all out by herself.”

Spunky? Huh. He didn’t know about that. “All I seen was her stubbornness.”

Mac chuckled softly. “A bird of a different feather maybe.”

The men seemed cheered by that thought as they moved the pile of stuff.

Burke didn’t care what sort of feathers she wore so long as she nested them far away from here. As soon as possible.

Chapter Three

Jenny held Meggie’s hand and led her to the kitchen. Her job at the present was to get Meggie settled and that included introducing her to the house and its occupants.

“Meggie, say hello to Mrs. Paquette.”

“It be only Paquette.” The woman bent forward even more until she was almost eyeball to eyeball with Meggie. The beaded necklace she wore hung within easy grasp. “Pretty baby.” She patted Meggie’s head.

Meggie chuckled and reached for the necklace.

“Don’t touch, Meggie,” Jenny warned.

“Baby not hurt it.” Paquette slipped the necklace over her head and hung it around Meggie’s neck. “You play with.”

“Paquette, are you sure? She might break it or lose it.”

“Not break. Leather string. Not lose. Too big.”

“Thank you. Meggie, tell the lady thank you.”

Meggie looked up from patting the beads. “Pretty. Thank you for pretty.”

Paquette seemed satisfied and turned back to her chores.

“What can I do to help?”

The woman grew very still, her back to Jenny. “I not need help. I be strong as bear.”

Jenny immediately realized the woman felt challenged, as if Jenny had suggested she couldn’t manage. “I’m sure you do very well but I can’t sit around and watch you work. I intend to make myself useful while I’m here.”

Paquette turned slowly and studied Jenny with bottomless eyes. Finally she nodded. “Set de table.”

“Great. How many?”

“Burke and three men. Me.”

She hadn’t included Jenny and Meggie. Was it intentional? Was she not going to be allowed to eat with the others? That wasn’t going to work. Not if Meggie were to feel at home with whomever lived here. Her mind made up, she nodded. “With myself and Meggie that would be seven places.”