LITMIR.BIZ

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need to ponder on this awhile.”

      “Unfortunately, my time is short.” She hesitated a heartbeat, then spoke up again, keeping her voice oh-so-casual. “There’s actually a third candidate I’m considering.”

      “And who might that be?”

      “I met a newcomer to town while I was at the livery. He just arrived on today’s train.”

      “A newcomer? And you’re just now telling me about this? You know good and well part of the reason I hired you is to have someone to bring me the latest bits of news.”

      Cassie Lynn laughed. “And here I thought it was for my cooking.”

      “Don’t be impertinent. I want to hear everything. How did you meet him? Is he a young man or more mature? Is he handsome? Is he traveling alone.” She waved impatiently. “Come on, girl, answer me.”

      She decided to respond to the last question first. “He’s traveling with two children, a niece and nephew. I met the little boy first. Noah is about seven and such an endearing child—intelligent, curious, outgoing. The little girl, Pru, seems shy and quiet.” Cassie Lynn searched her memory for all the little descriptive details, relating these tidbits as vividly as she could, knowing Mrs. Flanagan loved getting these glimpses of the outside world she was missing.

      After a few minutes of that, however, her employer interrupted her. “Enough of the kids,” she said with a grumpy frown. “Tell me about the uncle.”

      Cassie Lynn paused a moment to pull up Mr. Walker’s image in her mind. “He has hair the color of coffee with a dash of cream stirred in, and his eyes are a piercing green.” A glorious shamrock-green that she could still picture quite vividly. “He’s lean but muscular, if you know what I mean, like he’s used to doing hard work.”

      “And his age?”

      “I didn’t ask.”

      Mrs. Flanagan made a disapproving noise. “Don’t be coy with me, Cassie Lynn. Take a guess.”

      She hid her grin. “I suppose I’d put him around twenty-four or twenty-five.” Though there was something about the look in his eyes that spoke of experience beyond his years.

      “How did you come to meet him?”

      Cassie Lynn explained the circumstances as she crossed the room to retrieve an apron that hung on a peg near the stove.

      “I can see the man has obviously impressed you.”

      Cassie Lynn stopped midstep and glanced over at her employer.

      “Don’t look so surprised, girl, I’m no simpleton. If he hadn’t caught your eye, you wouldn’t have put him on your list.” Then she leaned back. “So what was it about him that made you decide after only ten minutes in his company that he might be the husband you’re looking for?”

      “I only said he might be worth considering.” Then, under Mrs. Flanagan’s steady gaze, she shrugged. “I suppose it was the fact that he had two young children in his care—it made me think he might be a man in need of a woman’s help. And it was also the way he interacted with them. He obviously cares about them.”

      It made her think about her relationship with her own father. He’d never been very affectionate, but when she’d been Pru’s age she felt he’d had a little more time for her.

      “I agree with you there,” Mrs. Flanagan said. “A single man in charge of two young’uns sounds like a gentleman in need of a wife if there ever was one.” Dapple had wandered into the kitchen and, with a graceful motion, leaped into Mrs. Flanagan’s lap. The woman stroked the cat’s back, her eyes remaining fixed on Cassie Lynn. “So tell me about these newcomers. Who’d they come here to visit?”

      “According to Noah, they don’t know anyone in Turnabout.”

      “Humph. That’s strange. Not many folks come to Turnabout unless they have some purpose.”

      “I’m sure they have a purpose, it’s just not to visit someone they know.” Cassie Lynn hadn’t given the reason for their visit much thought until now. She hoped that, whatever it was that had brought them to Turnabout, it would keep them here for a while. Mr. Walker had taken a job, after all.

      “If I am to advise you, then I think it’s important that I meet this young man and his charges.”

      Cassie Lynn nodded in agreement, pleased that Mrs. Flanagan had given her the opening she wanted. “We could invite them to have supper with us tomorrow evening. Sort of as a neighborly gesture, welcoming them to town.”

      “Excellent idea.” She stroked Dapple’s head absently “In the meantime I’ll think on what other men might also meet your requirements.”

      Cassie Lynn smiled as she pulled the cast-iron pot from its hook above the stove. Having the Walkers over for supper would do more than give her an opportunity to get to know them better.

      It had surprised her that Mrs. Flanagan never had anyone, other than Dr. Pratt or Reverend Harper, drop in to see her since her accident. The woman apparently didn’t have any close friends.

      Cassie Lynn had been trying to come up with a way to remedy that. But how did she invite people to come by and visit a flinty widow who’d never made any effort to make friends with her neighbors?

      And now she would be able to do just that. Having Mrs. Flanagan help her find a suitor wouldn’t just benefit her, it would give the widow purpose, as well.

      And wouldn’t it be nice if Mr. Walker turned out to be the one.

      From a purely expedient perspective, of course.

       Chapter Four

      Cassie Lynn exited the Blue Bottle Sweet Shop the next afternoon with a spring in her step. Eve Dawson had sold all four fruit tarts she’d delivered to her this morning, and was very happy with her customers’ reactions to them. It had been the same story with Daisy Fulton over at the restaurant. Both of them had placed additional orders for her goods.

      If the worst happened and Cassie Lynn ended up back at her father’s farm—though she still wasn’t ready to surrender to that possibility—she would have the pleasure of knowing that folks enjoyed her baked goods well enough to pay for them.

      Of course, if she was being entirely honest with herself, part of the reason for the lightness of her mood was her current destination, the livery. She was looking forward to visiting Scarlett and Duchess again, of course. But she was hoping she might also run into Mr. Walker. He was working there, after all.

      When Cassie Lynn arrived at the corral she saw Scarlett and Mr. Walker’s horse, River, penned there. But Duchess wasn’t anywhere in sight.

      Scarlett trotted over to the fence, nickered and tossed her head.

      “And hello to you, too,” Cassie Lynn said as she reached into her basket for one of the carrots she’d brought for just that purpose.

      To her delight, River wasn’t far behind. “Well hello, boy. Ready to be friends.” She held out a carrot and the horse took it as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

      “So where is our friend Duchess?” she asked as she rubbed the horse’s neck. “Did she get the chance to leave the livery today?”

      “She did indeed.”

      At the sound of the male voice, Cassie Lynn turned to see Mr. Walker leading the mare into the corral. Her pulse immediately kicked up a notch.

      “She and the buckboard were rented out to a Mr. Hendricks to transport a load of lumber.” Mr. Walker gave Duchess a final pat before removing the lead and closing the gate to the corral.

      Cassie Lynn smiled. “I understand you’re working here now?”

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