you keep doing the same things after he was gone? I guess I would...both to honor him and preserve the memory.”
“Things changed after he died.” Her grandfather didn’t allow such extravagances. The child is big enough to put herself to bed. I’m not supporting you to spend time coddling her. She pushed to her feet. “I better get to work.” She went to join Daisy at the dishpan. “I’ll dry,” she said to the girl.
Roper strode away in the direction of Macpherson’s store. She wouldn’t watch him go. Nor voice any curiosity about why. But hadn’t he said he’d build her house? Shouldn’t he be doing so? He liked to make everyone happy, did he? She sensed it was more than that. Seems he had a need to make sure people were well taken care of. Well, she silently huffed, she had no need of his help. She’d learned to depend on no one. She had all she needed right here on this little bit of land. She glanced about at the piles of lumber, the neat little shelter Roper had erected. Yes, she’d accept his help in exchange for providing care for the children. But she’d never make the mistake of expecting it nor of counting on it.
Daisy persuaded Pansy to sit on a log at her side as she dried the dishes. “I want to thank you for allowing us to stay here and I promise we’ll do our best not to be any trouble.”
Children are nothing but trouble. The words reverberated through her head in her grandfather’s harsh voice. How could such a coldhearted man raise a son who turned out to be a loving father? Why had the better of the two died? Seemed bitterly unfair in her mind.
She hated that these children should feel the same condemning words hovering in the background and vowed she would not do or say anything to make them real. She dried her hands on the towel and turned to Daisy. With her still-damp hands, she clasped the girl’s shoulders and turned her so they were face-to-face. “I don’t consider you the least bit of trouble. In fact, it would be mighty lonely if I were here by myself.” Yet that was exactly what she intended once the children were gone. “Besides, isn’t it to my benefit? I get help to build my house.”
Daisy considered her steadily, then, satisfied with Cassie’s assurance, nodded. “Still. I wouldn’t want you to regret it.”
“I promise I won’t.” As she returned to her task a flash drew her attention to the side. Roper stood with two spades over his shoulder, so new and shiny the sun reflected off them. He stared as if he’d overheard the conversation. She favored him with a challenging glare, silently informing him not to read anything into her confession of loneliness. It was meant to reassure the children, not give him an argument to pursue.
“What’s with the shovels?” Far as she could figure he needed to wield hammer and saw, not shovels.
He moved closer so she saw the green glints in his eyes. “Got to thinking. Didn’t you say you plan to bake bread for the store?”
She nodded even though he knew the answer.
“And feed travelers?”
She didn’t bother to nod again.
“Seems you might be needing a cellar. You know. To keep things cool in the summer and stop your canned goods from freezing in the winter. So me and Neil are gonna dig you one.”
No way could she hide her surprise and she knew he read it on her face by the way he grinned in satisfaction. He held her gaze for several seconds.
She tried to tell herself she didn’t notice the way his eyes flashed pleasure at coming up with an idea that seemed to please her. Tried to convince herself he was only doing what he always did—making sure people were happy. But try as she might she couldn’t deny a little start of something both sweet and reluctant. It was sweet to have someone appear to care about what might please her. But she dare not let herself think past that. A woman in her situation could do no better than maintain her independence.
Still grinning, Roper called Neil and handed him a shovel. Together they marched to where she’d marked the boundaries of her house and began to dig.
An hour later they’d made little progress.
She began to suspect digging a cellar hole would consume an inordinate length of time.
Had that been his reason for suggesting it? Not concern for her at all but only an excuse to hang around and do for her what she preferred to do for herself?
He’d always balked at her independence.
She glanced about at the children. Daisy brushed Pansy’s hair and talked softly to her. Neil worked alongside Roper trying his best to dig at the same pace as Roper, which was impossible yet Roper told the boy how well he was doing. Billy carried the dirt to the designated area. How could she tell Roper she suspected him of delay tactics?
She didn’t need or want him trying to take care of her.
Chapter Four
As Roper and Neil dug, Cassie turned her attention to other things. First, she had to prepare meals for the children and Roper. With the stove set up in the little shelter, she could bake, using this time to her advantage to start paying off her debt at Macpherson’s. She mixed up a hearty stew of meat and vegetables and as it simmered, she cut lard into flour for biscuits. By noon, she had several dozen baked and cooling.
“This place is steaming hot.”
She turned at Roper’s voice behind her and brushed a strand of hair from her burning face. “I’m baking.”
“Both yourself and biscuits, I presume.”
She grinned at his teasing.
“You need a breeze going through here.” He ducked outside and made a racket on the wall. Then the canvas rolled up and blessed cool air blew through the shack. Roper peered through the opening. “I can roll it down at night.”
“Oh, that feels good.” She fanned herself. “I didn’t realize how hot it was.”
He came in again and eyed the biscuits covering the table. “You’ve been busy.”
“Dinner is ready.” She reached for the pot then realized she had no place to put it.
Roper grabbed a towel and took the pot. “Come see what I made.”
She wrapped a selection of biscuits in a towel and followed him outside. “A picnic table. Perfect. Now we can eat outdoors in comfort.”
He set the stew in the middle of the table. “I thought you could use it for feeding travelers, too.”
“Thank you, but—” Oh, dear. How were they going to manage working together if he constantly took care of her when she was determined to take care of herself?
Though, on her own, it would take a little longer to build a house and get herself organized. Macpherson understood she’d take time to get established.
“Just part of the business deal.” His dismissive tone warned her not to make a fuss about it.
She stifled a sigh. She might as well take advantage of all this arrangement offered. So she tucked away her resistance as Daisy passed around the plates and cups.
Cassie
