A Heart's Blessing - Linda Ford Page 0,23

knew Mr. Holmen back in Broadstone, Manitoba—that’s where we all came from. They were sweet on each other, but when the boys’ mother died when the four boys were young, Audrey stayed to help her father raise them. Imagine her finding the love she’d given up all these years later. He’d married and had three children, but his wife passed away. He was looking for someone as housekeeper and instead, found Audrey. I think it’s a sweet story.” She sniffed, as if moved by the tale.

“Too bad all disappointments couldn’t end so well.” He knew the minute he’d spoken the words that she saw them as indication of something more in his life. Her eyes narrowed. She studied him.

“You said your brother was declared innocent. Seems that’s a good ending for your trials.”

He liked how she acknowledged that it wasn’t only Cody’s legal trial that had affected him. “It was, of course.” Ezra, now would be a good time to get agitated. But the man lay still as a rock.

Miss Morton tipped her head to one side as she considered him. “I’m thinking there’s more to your story than you’re telling me.”

He pressed his lips tight. No way was he saying more.

She lifted a hand dismissively. “But we are all entitled to our secrets.”

He eased his breath out, feeling like he’d dodged a bullet.

Ezra, thankfully, picked that moment to grow restless. Ryder retrieved the Bible from where it had slipped from the preacher’s hand and put it in the searching fingers.

Miss Morton sang softly, again calming the man.

The night deepened, broken by the preacher’s heavy breathing and the yapping of a dog somewhere in the distance. An owl hooted.

Miss Morton’s head sank to her chest and she jerked up.

“Why don’t you go to bed?” Ryder said. “I’ll stay with the preacher.”

She opened her mouth as if prepared to argue then nodded. “I’ll sleep an hour or two then come and waken you. If you need anything, tap on the far bedroom door.” She hobbled away, covering a yawn as she left the room.

Ryder settled himself on the hard chair, not expecting to get comfortable as he planned to stay awake, not only to take care of the preacher but to listen for any sound of intruders.

Delcie tiptoed from her bedroom before dawn. She’d planned to get up hours ago and relieve Mr. Remington at the preacher’s bedside, but her plans had been swallowed up by her need for sleep. How was the preacher? How had Mr. Remington coped?

She lit a lamp in the kitchen. Laura followed.

“I’ll start the bread,” Laura said. “How’s the patient?”

“I’m just going to check.” She’d found she could put a little weight on her injured ankle. She limped into the sickroom.

The lamp had been turned so low it barely gave off any light, just enough she could see that the preacher lay in the exact position as when she’d last seen him. Whether that was a good sign or not remained to be seen.

She smiled as she looked at Mr. Remington. He had tipped his chair against the wall and slept with his head back.

“Ahem.”

He jerked awake. The chair crashed to all fours. He looked at the preacher, glanced around the room as if to orient himself, and then his gaze rested on her. In the dim light, with sleep still clouding his eyes, he looked different. Younger. More relaxed.

“Everything all right?” His voice was thick with sleep.

“It’s fine. How has the preacher been?”

“In and out of consciousness, I would say. Restless when he comes to.”

“Did you try singing to him?”

He chuckled. “Don’t think he’d find that soothing.”

She grinned. “My pa, God rest his soul, said he had a voice that scared even the frogs. But still, he would sing to me at bedtime when I was young. I enjoyed it.” Her throat tightened with missing.

“Are both your parents gone?”

“Yes. And Sophie’s parents as well. I’m all the children have left. Except their uncle on their father’s side, and they would be better off if he didn’t exist.” She couldn’t keep the fierceness out of her voice. “I will not let anything, or anyone take them from me.”

“Nor should you.” He rose and stretched. “I need to slip out for a moment.”

“By all means.” She expected Mother Nature had called. She busied herself with tidying the bedclothes. That done she turned out the lamp and drew back the curtains to let in the dawn. A movement in the backyard caught her eye, and she leaned closer