children played nearby and Daisy watched her.
Cassie forced a smile to her lips and hoped it looked real. She did not allow herself a glance toward the house site but heard the thud of earth hitting the ground.
Sucking in a deep breath she squared her shoulders and headed for the store. Macpherson would be pleased with her work.
Work was the antidote to foolish emotions. She needed to keep that in mind and focus on what she could do.
A short time later, Cassie rushed back from the store. “Macpherson said he expects a stage before the day is out.” It was already late in the day but a rider had seen the stage on its way. “Says he’ll direct the travelers this way for a meal.” She laughed, hardly able to contain her excitement. Her dream would soon be fulfilled.
Her words brought Neil and Roper from the cellar hole.
“Do you need any help getting ready?” Roper asked.
Cassie sobered. She didn’t want him hanging about making her remember things put to rest. Besides, she meant to manage on her own. “I have things under control.” Then she remembered her manners. “Thanks.” Her grin returned as she hurried to the shack. She ripped the bandages off her hands and turned her palms to examine them. They’d be fine. She didn’t have time to worry about a little discomfort.
Daisy insisted on helping and Cassie allowed it. The girl needed to know she pulled her weight.
An hour later a cake stood ready to ice. A meal was cooked and pushed to the side of the stove to stay warm. The rumble of a stagecoach brought her from the shack and she stared toward the store. She watched the passengers disembark—three men and a woman. As the driver tossed down packages, a cowboy reached out to lend a hand.
Roper joined Cassie. The children clustered around. The boys bounced on the balls of their feet. Pansy ran round and round in front of them. Daisy, ever vigilant, continually darted glances at her baby sister while observing as much of the activity around the stagecoach as she could.
Cassie wanted to join Pansy in making happy, flapping circles but instead, crossed her arms and waited. “Everything is ready.” Her voice seemed high, as if she worried. Well, of course she did. Her future depended on providing meals that satisfied. Word of mouth would build her reputation.
Roper draped an arm across her shoulders. “You’ll do fine.”
She didn’t need his encouragement. Of course she’d do fine. She’d done her best.
But her stubborn defiance couldn’t block the echo of her grandfather’s words. Too slow. Sloppy. You forgot —even when nothing had been forgotten. She pushed away the uncertainty the words brought. She was in charge now. She jumped for no one unless it pleased her to do so, but for a few seconds she let the weight of Roper’s arm on her shoulders anchor her to her land.
A dusty man with a ragged beard and equally ragged hat headed in their direction. She recognized Petey, the driver. Behind him came the two men then the woman clinging to the arm of the third man. Cassie could tell by the curl of the woman’s lips that she wasn’t pleased by her circumstances. Behind her strode the cowboy.
Cassie stepped forward, leaving Roper’s strengthening arm behind. “Welcome. The meal is ready. Seat yourself.” She waved toward the table. She and Macpherson had discussed a price for the meal and she’d accepted his advice on setting a fee. She held a tin can toward the guests and they each dropped in their coins.
“Where can I wash?” the woman asked, her voice demanding.
Cassie hesitated to point to the basin perched on the butt end of a log, a bucket of water beside it. She’d put out a stack of clean towels. It was the best she had to offer and totally adequate. “The washbasin is over there.”
The woman looked as if Cassie had offered swamp water in a slop bucket. Cassie knew that look, though it had normally come from above a mustache. She bristled.
“It’s perfectly
Cassie forced a smile to her lips and hoped it looked real. She did not allow herself a glance toward the house site but heard the thud of earth hitting the ground.
Sucking in a deep breath she squared her shoulders and headed for the store. Macpherson would be pleased with her work.
Work was the antidote to foolish emotions. She needed to keep that in mind and focus on what she could do.
A short time later, Cassie rushed back from the store. “Macpherson said he expects a stage before the day is out.” It was already late in the day but a rider had seen the stage on its way. “Says he’ll direct the travelers this way for a meal.” She laughed, hardly able to contain her excitement. Her dream would soon be fulfilled.
Her words brought Neil and Roper from the cellar hole.
“Do you need any help getting ready?” Roper asked.
Cassie sobered. She didn’t want him hanging about making her remember things put to rest. Besides, she meant to manage on her own. “I have things under control.” Then she remembered her manners. “Thanks.” Her grin returned as she hurried to the shack. She ripped the bandages off her hands and turned her palms to examine them. They’d be fine. She didn’t have time to worry about a little discomfort.
Daisy insisted on helping and Cassie allowed it. The girl needed to know she pulled her weight.
An hour later a cake stood ready to ice. A meal was cooked and pushed to the side of the stove to stay warm. The rumble of a stagecoach brought her from the shack and she stared toward the store. She watched the passengers disembark—three men and a woman. As the driver tossed down packages, a cowboy reached out to lend a hand.
Roper joined Cassie. The children clustered around. The boys bounced on the balls of their feet. Pansy ran round and round in front of them. Daisy, ever vigilant, continually darted glances at her baby sister while observing as much of the activity around the stagecoach as she could.
Cassie wanted to join Pansy in making happy, flapping circles but instead, crossed her arms and waited. “Everything is ready.” Her voice seemed high, as if she worried. Well, of course she did. Her future depended on providing meals that satisfied. Word of mouth would build her reputation.
Roper draped an arm across her shoulders. “You’ll do fine.”
She didn’t need his encouragement. Of course she’d do fine. She’d done her best.
But her stubborn defiance couldn’t block the echo of her grandfather’s words. Too slow. Sloppy. You forgot —even when nothing had been forgotten. She pushed away the uncertainty the words brought. She was in charge now. She jumped for no one unless it pleased her to do so, but for a few seconds she let the weight of Roper’s arm on her shoulders anchor her to her land.
A dusty man with a ragged beard and equally ragged hat headed in their direction. She recognized Petey, the driver. Behind him came the two men then the woman clinging to the arm of the third man. Cassie could tell by the curl of the woman’s lips that she wasn’t pleased by her circumstances. Behind her strode the cowboy.
Cassie stepped forward, leaving Roper’s strengthening arm behind. “Welcome. The meal is ready. Seat yourself.” She waved toward the table. She and Macpherson had discussed a price for the meal and she’d accepted his advice on setting a fee. She held a tin can toward the guests and they each dropped in their coins.
“Where can I wash?” the woman asked, her voice demanding.
Cassie hesitated to point to the basin perched on the butt end of a log, a bucket of water beside it. She’d put out a stack of clean towels. It was the best she had to offer and totally adequate. “The washbasin is over there.”
The woman looked as if Cassie had offered swamp water in a slop bucket. Cassie knew that look, though it had normally come from above a mustache. She bristled.
“It’s perfectly
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