Adele (Angel Creek Christmas Brides #18) - Cynthia Woolf Page 0,42

be mean, because I’m not your mama and because I’m taking some of your time from your father.”

Lissa turned her head and put her arms around Adele’s neck. “I’m sorry.”

Adele grasped her and stood, holding her close. “No, don’t be sorry. You were doing what any child would do when a parent remarries.” She pulled back and grinned. “It’s okay. I love you, anyway.” She kissed Lissa’s forehead.

“I hate to break up this reunion,” said Edward. “But we have to finish our chores this morning. Men have to be fed and work has to get done. I’ll milk Elsie. Adele can gather the eggs. Lissa, you can help her, okay?”

Lissa nodded her head and grinned. “Okay. I’ll get the basket.” She took off into the house.

“She’s a wonderful child. Thank you for sharing her with me.”

Edward took her hand and kissed the top. “Anytime. I’ll always share my children, as long as you share them with me.”

Adele laughed. Her heart was light…lighter than it had been in years. Apparently, all she needed was to fall in love…really in love.

Edward took her arm and walked her to the chicken coop. With a quick kiss on the lips, he went on toward the barn.

Lissa ran close with the egg basket. “I’m back. I’ll hold the basket and you can get the eggs.” She frowned. “The hens don’t like me. They always peck at me.”

Smiling, Adele nodded. “They don’t like anyone. Come on, let’s get this task done so we can fix breakfast.”

When they’d gotten all the eggs, twenty-four in all, Adele took the basket. Full, it was too heavy for Lissa to carry. She and Lissa walked to the house.

When Edward came in with the milk, Adele stood by the sink, having just finished washing the last egg. She smiled as he walked toward her.

He got the cheesecloth from the drawer in the pantry and strained the milk removing the curds and anything else they didn’t want in it.

Ruama put two large sheets of biscuits in the oven and bacon was frying, the scrambled eggs were cooking.

The morning seemed so normal now. She could hardly believe how it started.

Turning from the stove, Ruama put her hands on her hips. “Well, don’t just stand there, girl. We’ve got breakfast to cook and hungry men to feed. Just because you nearly died this morning is no reason to stop working.”

As she looked at her friend, Adele’s mouth fell open.

Ruama began to laugh.

Edward joined in.

And Lissa, too.

Adele gazed from one to the other and found her mouth twitching, then she was smiling and finally laughing. “All right, I get the idea. This is Montana and people come close to dying every day. I understand.” She turned looking at each of them again. “So what are you looking at? Let’s get cooking.”

Between her and Ruama, the food was cooked in time for the wranglers to eat.

Lissa set the table.

Edward took the fresh milk to the ice house and returned with yesterday’s milk.

Everything was normal again.

Edward pulled her aside. “We need to go into town and take Richard to Dr. Walker and then to Quinn.”

Bile rose in her throat at the thought of seeing Richard again. “Should we do that now? I don’t want to leave him too long.”

“I agree. I’ll hook up the buggy. I want to take Lissa with us. I feel safer having her with me…with us. You get her ready, please.”

“Of course.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek before he left through the back door.

Adele took Lissa’s hand and patted it. “We’re going into town this morning and you’re coming with us. Let’s get your coat. Where did you leave it?”

“In the living room.”

She walked into the room, holding Lissa’s hand.

“I’m so glad you could finally join me.” Richard stood holding a pistol pointed at Lissa.

CHAPTER 11

Gasping, Adele quickly pulled the child behind her. “How’d you get loose? We left you tied in the barn. And how did you get by Cookie? We sent Charley to town, but that still left Cookie.”

“First, you left me with a knife in my boot. That’s all I needed to get free. As to your man…an old man, right? Well, he was easy enough to sneak up on and bash on the head with the butt of my pistol.”

“You’ve signed your death warrant. Edward won’t have any choice but to kill you now.”

“He doesn’t know I’m here anymore than you did. Now, first you’ll get me something to press on this wound. It’s not as