stayed on her as she smiled down at Delia. Guilt hit him when he once again noticed the dirt on her skirt from her earlier fall. He knew she’d been angry with him, but he reminded himself it really wasn’t his fault she’d fallen. If she’d have waited until he’d come to a complete stop and helped her down, it wouldn’t have happened.
“Well, in that case, you can stay with her, Delia, as long as you promise not to bother her and to go to bed on time.” His daughter was already squealing with excitement as she ran toward the stairs to go up and get the things she would need.
Miss Reeves looked out the window, and Colt followed her eyes to where Owen was out feeding the horses in the pen.
“I hope he doesn’t think I’m favoring his sister by letting her stay with me. I mean, he could come and stay too, but I wouldn’t have any place for him to sleep and I’m sure he wouldn’t want to anyway.”
Colt walked over and took his hat off the hook by the door, pushing it down hard on his head. “He’ll be fine. In fact, he’ll likely welcome a break from his sister for a bit. They’re together all the time, so this will be a good chance for him to just have some time to himself.”
“And I promise I’ll sit him down to do his homework after he’s finished his chores.” Mrs. Hammond walked over to give Kathryn a hug. “Delia might try staying awake a little longer than she’s supposed to, so you’ll have to be firm with her. She’s quite taken with you, though, so I’m sure she’ll listen to anything you tell her to do.”
The little girl bounded down the stairs with her nightgown and school dress for tomorrow folded neatly in her arms. Her reading book was placed on top, along with a well-loved stuffed bear. “I remembered my good dress to wear tomorrow. I didn’t want to have to wear my dirty old chore clothes to school.”
Miss Reeves laughed and took Delia’s outstretched hand. “No, that would never do. Although I have to say you look quite beautiful in any dress you wear.”
Colt was grateful for her words to Delia. Sometimes, he felt such guilt knowing his kids might not have all the finest clothes to wear, as his wife had been so quick to point out all the time. But, around here, most children made do with what their parents could afford so it wasn’t something people thought much about.
He knew that people from the cities, especially women like Arlene and Miss Reeves, didn’t understand the hardships and sacrifices people out here on the frontier had to make. He wondered what she would say if she knew the “chore dress,” as Delia called it, was made from a flour sack.
They walked outside and down the steps, with Delia skipping along beside her teacher, still holding her hand. Something inside of Colt clenched at the sight, and he knew how much his daughter had missed having a mother. Anger at his wife started to bubble just beneath the surface and he quickly looked away before anyone noticed.
A little girl shouldn’t have to grow up without a mother to care for her. His eyes found Owen who was throwing hay out for the horses in the small pen beside the barn. He knew his son was having a hard time too, but Colt just didn’t know how to bring it up and talk to him about it.
“You really don’t have to walk me home. I’ve got Delia to keep me company, and it’s not far. I’m sure we would be all right.”
“I said I’d walk you home, so that’s what I’m going to do.” Immediately he regretted how angry his words had come out. He clenched his jaw and looked straight-ahead, hoping no one else had noticed.
The silence that accompanied them as they made their way down the path toward the cabin assured him they had.
He looked over at Miss Reeves and offered her an apologetic smile. “Sorry about your dress. I’m sure you’ll be able to get the dirt out of it when you wash it. Ma always does her washing on Monday’s down at the creek, but I can ask her to do some things on Saturday so she can show you how.”
He hoped she’d understand his apology was for more than her dusty dress. Her eyes met his for a moment