LITMIR.BIZ

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nodded. “Yep.”

      Just as he’d thought, Laura Lee was a woman who believed in cleanliness. Thank the Lord! He had noticed that Grace had begun to smell a little ripe but hadn’t wanted to be the one to give her a bath. He didn’t know how the little girl could manage it, but every time he’d given her a good scrubbing, he’d come out of the ordeal almost as wet as she did.

      With a lighter step, he turned toward the house. “Thanks, Richard. I’ll see that you get a piece of Mrs. Murphy’s dessert tonight.”

      “Don’t know what I did to deserve that, but I’ll take it. Thanks, boss.” Richard whistled as he disappeared into the barn.

      Clint was happy Grace had received her bath but wasn’t sure it was time for him to start whistling just yet. He’d skipped lunch, and his belly gave a growl of displeasure at the missed meal. Thankfully, Mrs. Murphy hadn’t stopped cooking good meals, but after their meeting tonight, she might. He couldn’t let her continue to treat Laura badly. The young woman had done nothing to warrant the older woman’s mean spiritedness.

      Laura’s soft laughter drifted through the open window as he approached the house. The little girls squealed their pleasure and then he heard the Irishwoman. Was she telling them a story?

      Clint opened the door and entered the house.

      Mrs. Murphy chased the little girls about the sitting room, saying in her thick Irish accent, “I’m gonna get you!”

      Hope’s little legs toddled, and a big grin filled her face. Grace squealed and ran for her father’s legs. His daughter grabbed him and turned to Mrs. Murphy with a squeal. Hope grabbed the other leg and plopped down on his boot.

      The Irishwoman stopped and looked at him, confused. She then turned to Laura. “Goodness, we’ve let the time escape us. Come help me get supper on the table, Laura. Clint, you take care of these squealing children.” With her head held high, Mrs. Murphy hurried from the room.

      Since when had Mrs. Murphy started asking for Laura’s help? His gaze moved to the schoolteacher. She shrugged her shoulders at him and followed his housekeeper to the kitchen.

      Grace babbled against his leg. He scooped her up and gave her a quick squeeze. In a very low voice he confided in her, “Well, seems a lot has changed since I left this morning.”

      The child took his face in her little hands and babbled seriously.

      Clint couldn’t help but laugh. “Child, I’m looking forward to the day when I can understand you.”

      His gaze moved to the silent Hope. She stood rested against his jean-clad leg, watching them with big eyes. Where was her pa, and why had he and Hope’s ma left her on Laura’s porch?

      Grace pushed against his shoulder, a clear indication that she wanted to be released. He lowered her to the ground and gently picked up Hope. “Hey, sweetie. How are you doing?”

      Her finger went straight into her mouth. Hope’s eyes widened, but she didn’t push away.

      He gave her a squeeze much like the one he’d shared with Grace. Hope grinned around her finger and then laid her head on his shoulder.

      Clint lost his heart. Now what was he going to do?

      Laura stuck her head around the door to the kitchen and called, “Supper’s ready. Send the girls in here and go wash up.” Her head disappeared around the corner.

      Hope raised her head and pushed away from him much like Grace had done moments earlier. He sat her down beside Grace, who had been leaning against his leg.

      With his heart in his throat, Clint watched as Grace took Hope’s hand in hers and walked toward the kitchen. Just as she got to the door, Grace turned, looked to him and babbled something before going into the kitchen where the other ladies waited.

      Once more he felt the pressure of living with four females. They had begun to boss him around and steal his heart. This wasn’t good. Not good at all. If Hope could get into his heart so quickly, Clint knew he needed to stay away from Laura. He’d vowed not to fall in love again after his wife’s death. That was one promise Clint intended to keep. No matter how pretty the nanny looked tonight.

      * * *

      They’d been on the ranch now for a week and still no news about Hope’s family from the sheriff. Laura couldn’t get the image of Clint cuddling Hope close to his shoulder out of her mind. He’d looked genuinely happy to be holding the little girl, and Hope’s expression had been one of pure bliss. They seemed to just go together. She’d been trying to push the image out of her mind for days.

      Even now, Laura tried to think of something else. But when she did that, her mind would turn to Hope’s future. What was going to become of the little girl?

      Where were Hope’s parents? How could they stand to be away from her for so long? She was a sweet child. Thanks to Grace and her chattiness, Hope now whispered what Laura knew were the beginnings of words.

      It was time for Laura to take a trip into town and see if he’d learned anything. She dreaded the thought that Hope’s parents could be there, waiting for her to return the child.

      “You seem deep in thought.”

      Laura looked up at Clint. She’d not heard him come up onto the porch. “I was thinking about Hope and the sheriff.”

      He sat down on the step and leaned his back against the railing. “I’ve been thinking about them, too.”

      She looked down at the bowl of potatoes she’d been peeling before her mind had wandered. “You have?”

      Clint took his hat off and rested it over his bent knee. He nodded. “Seems to me, you should have heard something from the sheriff.”

      A slight breeze lifted the hair from his brow. Laura looked away once more. She stared out at the three horses that had been put in the corral closest to the barn. “I think so, too.”

      He cleared his throat, then said, “If the sheriff doesn’t come out soon, would you like to take a trip into town?” He played with the brim of his hat.

      “Honestly, I’d rather hide out here, but I suppose I’ll need to go talk to him sooner or later.” She peeled the potato in her hand and sighed. “I never knew I was such a coward, but where that little girl is concerned, I am.”

      “What are you afraid of?”

      Laura tried to smile at him but failed miserably. She swallowed before answering. “I’m afraid that he’ll tell me her ma and pa have been looking for her, and I’ll lose her. If only we could stay out here forever and I’d never have to give her up.”

      “I wish that were possible, too, but the sheriff knows you are out here.” He shook his head. “By now, the whole town knows you are out here.”

      “True.” She dropped the last peeled potato into her bowl and stood. “So, I’ll face the inevitable.” Laura realized he must have had a reason for coming to the house midafternoon. “Did you want to talk to me?”

      Clint grinned up at her. He stood also. “I am headed out to the west pasture and thought maybe the girls would like to take a swim in the stream while I check on the fence line.”

      His grin and the sparkle in his eyes set her heart to doing flip-flops. What was it about this man? Her breath quickened, and she nodded. Thanks to an overly hot spring this year, the water should be perfect for the girls to splash about in. “I’ll need to get them up from their afternoon nap. Can you give us a few minutes?”

      At his nod, she turned to enter the house.

      “Laura?”

      She turned back to look at him. “Yes?”

      “If you don’t want to go, I’ll understand. Not all women like roaming around a ranch.” A frown replaced the smile. Was he thinking of Grace’s mother?

      She

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