hid.
“Ready or not, here I come.” Sally giggled, but he made a big show of trying to find her. “I can hear her. Where is she? Has she turned invisible?” He paused beside her hiding place and she touched his leg.
“Here I is.”
He jumped as if startled. “Goodness, you frightened me.” He lifted the giggling girl and perched her on his hip.
“I scared you?”
“You sure did. My heart is still pounding extra hard.” Mostly it was pounding with enjoyment of this child. Both children. The pair had helped him see that his heart still had room to love another child. “Do you want to help me find Kent?”
She nodded.
They tiptoed around the room. He indicated Sally should go one direction around a table, and he went the other, silent as the shadows. Kent saw Sally and drew back under the table. He didn’t see Ryder. Ryder got close then reached under and caught the boy.
Kent was at first startled then laughed and threw his arms around Ryder’s neck. “That was fun. Let’s do it again.”
Sally joined her brother and now both children were attached to his neck. He put his arms around them and got to his feet and joined Miss Morton, who watched from the kitchen.
“I got something stuck to me,” Ryder said. He shook himself, sending the pair into giggles. “Can’t seem to get it off. Can you tell me what it is and what I should do?”
Sally shouted, “It’s us, Auntie. Tell him it’s us.”
Miss Morton’s look softened, and she smiled. “They might let you go if you promise to play with them again.”
He held her gaze hoping she would see that he would gladly play with the children and always protect them.
She looked away, focusing on Kent’s head.
He spent another half hour playing with the children. Then Miss Morton said it was bedtime. The children clung to him.
“I no wanna go to bed.” Sally stuck out her lip and got a stubborn look not unlike her aunt’s.
“Everyone is going to bed.” He thought his argument sounded convincing.
Kent, clinging to his other side, gave him a disbelieving look. “Are you going home tonight?”
“Not tonight. Preacher Peabody still needs someone to watch over him.” But the biggest reason was he didn’t intend to leave these people unguarded while danger lurked nearby.
“But where do you sleep?”
“In Preacher Peabody’s room.” He hoped his calm statement would soothe the boy’s concerns.
“But he’s hurt. He won’t want to share his bed. You can have my bed. I’ll sleep with Sally. We done that before.”
Ryder didn’t dare look at Miss Morton. Or Miss Fisher for that matter. But he didn’t want to make the boy uncomfortable. “That’s very generous of you, but I tell you what. I’ll sleep on the floor beside the preacher. That way I’ll know if he needs me in the night.”
He saw a protest building in Kent’s eyes. “I’ve slept on the floor many times. Cowboys do it a lot.”
Kent nodded. “I guess so. Maybe Auntie will let me sleep on the floor too.”
Ryder lifted his fingers to signal Miss Morton to let him answer that request. “Most cowboys would sleep in a bed when it’s available. Besides…” He leaned closer to whisper loudly to Kent. “I think your aunt would worry if you slept on the floor when there is a bed there. You don’t want her to think you don’t like the bed she’d provided, do you?”
Kent shook his head hard. He gave her a wide-eyed look. “Auntie, I like the bed.” He rushed to her and hugged her.
Ryder smiled at the pair. Either there was moisture in Miss Morton’s eyes or in his own. He blinked, put a hand to Sally’s back, and urged her toward her aunt. “Away you two go. Good night. Sleep tight. May angels watch you through the night and wake you with the morning light.” It was the prayer of blessing he had said so many times to Myra. His throat clogged with emotion.
Taking care not to appear too hurried, he crossed the floor and ducked into the preacher’s bedroom.
Delcie read the children a short passage from the Bible and heard their prayers.
To their customary requests, Sally added, “Bless Mr. Rem’ton. I likes him. Does you?”
Delcie didn’t know if Sally meant the question for her or for God, but she had no intention of answering it. Not even to herself.
His words of good night and blessing were so kind and generous. She couldn’t help but notice that he choked up at