LITMIR.BIZ

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against her ankle, startling a squeak from her. A moment later her heart returned to normal rhythm as she realized who the culprit was. “Does it count if I catch Daffy?” she called out.

      “Cats can’t play.”

      So, Viola was straight ahead. Her eight-year-old niece hadn’t been ‘it’ yet. Sadie took a couple of confident steps, straining to catch any sound that might indicate her target was on the move.

      Then she caught the sound of a heavier footstep, coming from the direction of what she judged to be the hallway. It wasn’t Cora Beth. Uncle Grover, then. Thank you, Father.

      All she had to do was tempt the good-humored older gentleman to enter the room and she’d have an easy capture. And the sooner she could remove this blindfold, the easier she’d breathe.

      Moving as quickly as she dared under the circumstances, Sadie headed in the direction of the hallway. “Would you step in the dining room for a moment,” she called out in her sweetest tone.

      Sadie’s hand connected with a sleeve and she latched onto her quarry’s arm with an iron grip. “Gotcha!” She smiled in relief. “Sorry, Uncle Grover, but I caught you fair and square.”

      Why was his sleeve wet?

      “Not exactly.”

      Uh-oh. She recognized that stern tone at about the same time she realized the arm beneath her grip was much too firm and muscled to be Uncle Grover’s.

      Sadie released his arm as if it were a snake, then yanked off her blindfold. She looked up into the disapproving gray eyes of the much too proper Mr. Eli Reynolds. His censuring stare made her feel smaller than her five-foot-three height.

      The man disapproved of her—for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why—but this was no doubt going to add another entry to his list of her shortcomings. “I’m so sorry.” The heat climbed in her cheeks. “I thought you were Cora Beth’s Uncle Grover.”

      “So I gathered.” He didn’t raise his voice and his tone was conversational. So why did she feel as if she were being scolded?

      “You’ve obviously found an enjoyable way to pass the afternoon,” he continued. “Much more enjoyable than, say, chores would be.”

      Oh yes, there was definitely a barb buried in that smooth-as-corn silk tone. “Most of the chores are done,” she said. “The kids and I were just having a bit of fun while supper simmers on the stove.”

      “How pleasant.” He gave her a pointed look. “I wonder how Mrs. Collins is faring? Perhaps I should send Penny to check on her.”

      And to think she’d thought him interesting and in need of a friend when she’d first met him a week ago. “Cora Beth is resting at the moment.” Not that she owed him an explanation.

      Then a smile twitched her lips as an impudent idea took root. “But it is time for me to check on things in the kitchen.” She handed the blindfold to Audrey. “Looks like Mr. Reynolds is ‘it’ now. Y’all have fun.”

      With that, she swished past the suddenly disconcerted gentleman and headed toward the kitchen.

      That should give the too-stuffy-for-his-own-good Eli Reynolds something new to frown over.

      Chapter Two

      Sadie felt quite pleased with herself—for all of about five seconds. Putting him on the spot that way had been a petty move on her part. No matter what his demeanor, she was convinced his intentions were good and he didn’t deserve such treatment. But the man really did have a way of getting her back up. Did he even know how to have fun?

      Poor Penny. What would that little girl’s life be like once she moved out of the boardinghouse and had only her brother for company?

      Shaking off that thought, Sadie pushed open the kitchen door and immediately forgot the Reynolds siblings.

      “Goodness, Cora Beth, what do you think you’re doing? You’re supposed to be resting.” Sadie had come here a week ago to lend a hand while her brother’s sister-in-law recuperated. Though she’d only met Cora Beth twice before, she’d jumped at the opportunity to do this. Not because she’d felt charitable, but because she’d been feeling restless and purposeless of late. Coming here and pitching in was supposed to make her feel useful, but so far things hadn’t exactly worked out as planned.

      Cora Beth was too polite to say anything, but Sadie knew her domestic skills had not lived up to the challenge of running a boardinghouse. Rather than trying to lend a hand herself, she would have done better to have hired some competent help. In fact, Sadie was beginning to wonder if she’d ever find a place where she served a real purpose.

      Cora Beth smiled over her shoulder. “I’m tired of resting. Thought I’d check on the stew.”

      Sadie pushed her much-too-maudlin thoughts aside and marched across the room, glad Eli Reynolds wasn’t here to see that his fears were well-founded. “Dr. Whitman said you weren’t to use that hand any more than you had to for another week.”

      “It only takes one hand to stir a pot.”

      “Still, that’s my job for the time being. I may not be able to cook as well as you, but I can make do. And I didn’t travel eighty miles just to watch you defy doctor’s orders.” Sadie held her hand out for the spoon. When Cora Beth hesitated, she added “We may not know each other well, but you should’ve learned enough about me by now to understand I can be downright stubborn when I’ve a mind to have my way.” Having been raised on a cattle ranch in a mainly masculine household, Sadie had spent most of her life surrounded by folks who tended to either underestimate her abilities or treat her as if she were still a child.

      One thing this trip had accomplished was to give her an opportunity to show her mettle among these relative strangers and she aimed to take full advantage of that.

      Cora Beth held onto the spoon a moment longer but Sadie stood firm.

      “Oh, very well.” Cora Beth surrendered the spoon and moved away from the stove. She gave Sadie an exasperated look. “And there’s nothing wrong with your cooking.”

      Sadie gave her an unconcerned smile, deciding to be gracious in victory. “There’s no need for you to sugarcoat things—I know my shortcomings as well as my talents. Out at Hawk’s Creek the kitchen has always been Inez’s domain and I’m happy to leave her to it. About the best you can say for my cooking is that it’s edible. But we’ll all muddle through for the next few days while you take care of yourself.”

      Heavenly Father, please let me do well enough not to embarrass Cora Beth in front of her boarders again. I’m asking not for myself, You understand, but for the folks who have to eat my cooking. Sadie struggled with her conscience a moment, then added a postscript to her silent prayer. All right, it would also save me a bit of embarrassment, as well.

      “A commendable attitude.”

      It took Sadie a moment to realize Cora Beth was responding to her comment—not her silent prayer.

      “Did I hear Mr. Reynolds come in?” Cora Beth added.

      Sadie tried to keep her tone light. “Yep. Walked smack-dab into the middle of our blindman’s bluff game.” Funny, though, that even when she was irritated with the man she could notice how the rain had darkened his pecan-brown hair a couple of shades and caused it to curl up slightly at the ends.

      “Oh dear.” Cora Beth gave a rueful smile. “I take it he didn’t approve.”

      An understatement. Sadie sighed. “I don’t know what I did to curdle that man’s cream but it’s plain to see he doesn’t think much of me.” It was a shame, really. Her first impression of him had been positive, and it wasn’t just because she liked the lean, broad-shouldered look of him. He was a bit too somber, perhaps, but he had a certain air of quiet confidence mixed with respect for others that she admired. What had really drawn her to him, though, was the hint of suppressed

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