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  Much to his relief, she turned to him suddenly, changing the subject. “Have you ever been to New York, Mr. Ainsworth?”

  “I have,” he answered reluctantly, wondering where she was going with this question. He wasn’t going to find out, though, because they were suddenly interrupted by Ross calling to them.

  “You two need to hurry up. We’re never going to get there.”

  With a laugh full of joy, the woman beside him spurred her horse into a faster gait and left him behind, watching after her with doubts filling his mind. She was not exactly how he had thought she was. In fact, if he allowed himself to dwell on it, he was probably going to start thinking she was pretty great. That just would not do, so he shoved such thoughts to the back of his head. There was no way he could be attracted to a Morley socialite from New York city! He too urged his mount to a faster pace and quickly caught up with the others — the boys were laughing and once again vying for Miss Morley’s attention.

  Chapter Eight

  T he boys’ chatter helped distract Cassie’s mind from the conversation she had been having with Mr. Ainsworth. It rattled her to realize how hurt she was by his obvious judgment of her. She couldn’t help who her family was, and she made every effort not to be like them. She was reasonably certain she was no longer anything like them, in fact. But Mr. Ainsworth had judged her nonetheless. Frustration simmered in her chest, but with a slight huff she pushed the restless thoughts from her mind and focused her attention on the boys’ chatter.

  “And then the kittens licked me and I laughed so hard I almost fell out of the haymow and Mr. Charles said I wasn’t allowed up there anymore.” Ross’ mixture of joy and dismay was almost palpable and made Cassie’s heart constrict with the desire to hold onto the young boy and never let him go.

  “Well, the good news is, the kittens will probably soon be big enough to leave the haymow, so you won’t be separated for long.”

  Ross shrugged, trying not to look upset. “Yeah, that’s what Mr. Charles said.” He looked at her with wide, eager eyes. “But what if he’s wrong? What if they forget me in the meantime?”

  Cassie almost choked on her own gasp. She had the exact same concern about the boys. What if they forget me after I’m gone? Pasting what she hoped was a reassuring smile to her face, Cassie wished she was on the ground so she could hug the small boy. Instead she said, “I’m sure if you love them enough they’ll remember you no matter what.” When he still didn’t look convinced, she continued. “Even if she does, you can get reacquainted as soon as she leaves the hay, can’t you?”

  This, at least, the boy could accept. They were quickly interrupted by the other boys, and the conversation flowed away from the touchy subject. But Cassie’s heart still felt achy after those thoughts. It took some effort to keep a smile on her face and to pay attention to the boys’ banter. Despite her melancholy, they soon had her captivated once more.

  She was a little surprised when Tony urged his horse as close as he could manage to hers. Glancing over at him, she could see he was eager to speak without being overheard. She had to stifle her grin. She so loved these boys, she thought; her heart felt as though it was swelling in her chest. Cassie was quite certain the boy’s furtive glances were not going unnoticed by anyone, but she managed not to make eye contact with anyone else and thus succeeded in holding back her laughter.

  “It’s not very interesting around here, is it?” Tony whispered.

  Cassie wasn’t sure what she had thought the boy had wanted to discuss with her, but this certainly wasn’t it. She could no longer hold onto her amusement and a quickly stifled laugh erupted from her. His disgruntled glower helped her get her amusement under control.

  Looking around, she assumed the boy meant the scenery since the three youngsters had not ceased talking about all that had captivated them on Mr. Ainsworth’s ranch. They were following a trail that had been worn into the landscape, although Cassie wouldn’t be able to tell why they were following it. As far as the eye could see there wasn’t a single building, just gently rolling, grass-covered hills, with a few trees dotting the landscape. The lushness of the greenery told Cassie that it was most likely very productive soil, and she was sure Mr. Ainsworth was successful in his agricultural endeavors. But she could imagine that would not interest the city-bred boy overmuch.

  “Why are you whispering?” she needed to ask.

  “I don’t want to insult Mr. Charles,” he answered as a dull blush crept into his cheeks.

  Cassie had to bite her lip to prevent her laughter from returning. “I don’t think he’ll take it personally, Tony. I think it will just take a bit of time for you to get used to the scenery around here.”

  “But what if I don’t get used to it? What if I’m completely bored?”

  The poor boy seemed genuinely concerned. All trace of laughter left Cassie as her heart went out to him. “You are a smart boy, Tony. While it’s true that life out here is going to be very different from your life in New York, that doesn’t mean it will be boring. There are so many new things you will have to learn about your new home, especially if you’re going to help Mr. Ainsworth with his animals and land. I don’t think there will be a shortage of things to do. And while it will take longer to get to school or to visit your neighbors, at least you will get to ride a horse in order to get there.”

  The boy grinned at that. “That’s true. That will be great.”

  “And you can run and jump and play with your brothers so much better here than in the city, since there is so much more space. There won’t be anyone yelling at you or the chance that you’ll get run over by a passing carriage, either.”

  He was nodding slowly, listening closely to her words. She continued, “I think you will come to love it out here. Most of the other children that arrived on the train with us are near enough that you might even go to the same school with many of them, so you will have plenty of opportunity to stay in contact with them.”

  “I hadn’t even thought of that. That will be good. Walter and Ross will be particularly happy about that, I think.” He paused, thinking the matter over some more. “I guess you’re right, Miss Cassie. It probably won’t be boring once we get used to being country mice.” They exchanged grins before he sobered again and added, “But you won’t be here, so there will still be something missing.”

  Tears welled in her eyes and she had to look away so the boy wouldn’t see. At first she was staring sightlessly off into the middle distance, but then motion caught her attention. Blinking away her tears, her eyes focused on what she was seeing.

  On a small rise, not that far away, three men on horseback were watching them. A shiver of apprehension shimmied up her spine. They did not strike her as fine, upstanding citizens. She would have thought that in such a sparsely populated area, if one encountered others, they would at least wave, but the three men seemed to be scowling at them. They put her in mind of some of the more unsavory characters that she had had to watch out for around the orphanage back in the city. She wondered if they had followed them here. She turned to Mr. Ainsworth and was just about to ask him about them when he spoke up before she could say anything.

  ~~~

  “Let’s turn off here and head down to the river. The horses could use a drink, and it will be a good place for us to have our lunch.”

  Charles had to concentrate so as not to squirm under her searching gaze. In that moment, he wished Miss Morley was the simple-minded socialite he had been convinced she was, but it was obvious to him that she was far from stupid, even if she was shallow. He watched as her gaze flicked between his face and the three ruffians watching their group. Then she glanced at the boys, and a smile bloomed on her face. It seemed to him that it wasn’t as natural as usual, but he was glad when she began talking.

  “Oh, I do look forward to seeing the river. I am quite certain my poor horse is nearly parched.”

  “Why do you think that, Miss Cassie?” Walter asked predictably.

  “Wel
l, I’m very thirsty myself, and I haven’t had to carry anyone around all morning.”

  Her droll tone drew laughter from the boys and even the ranch hands that were accompanying them. Charles felt his lips tip up in the corners in appreciation of her quick thinking, but he was too preoccupied with his own concerns to join in the conversation. He was surprised, though, to realize how reassuring he found her voice as she carried on conversation with the boys.

  “Have you been to the river before, Ross?” She was always so careful to involve all three boys in most conversations.

  “Not yet, Miss Cassie. Mr. Charles has been quite busy since we got here, and we haven’t been on any long rides before today,” Ross explained.

  Tony interrupted. “It wasn’t just ‘cause he was busy, remember? He said we would be too sore if we went too far before we got used to riding.”

  “Well that was very thoughtful of Mr. Charles, wasn’t it? I’m sure he’s right. I’ve been quite used to riding, but after sitting on the train for so long I got out of practice and I felt it after my first day on a horse once we got here, let me tell you. Since you lads have never ridden before now, it is good that you work up to it.”

  The youngsters were listening to her as though she were an oracle, he thought sourly. He ought to be grateful that she wasn’t contradicting him. He should even be glad that she was complimenting him. But it wasn’t to his face, he acknowledged before returning his attention to watching for danger. He WAS glad that she was keeping the boys occupied, but her chatter was a distraction to him and he had to concentrate to maintain his focus, as part of his mind enjoyed listening to her conversation.

  “Do you find that you like riding on horses, now that you are a little more used to it?”

  This was met with resounding enthusiasm.

  “Absolutely!”

  “It’s the best!”

  “Yes!”

  All three answers came simultaneously, resulting in her rich laughter ringing out. “Well I am certainly glad of that. You would be in a fine mess if you didn’t like to ride.”

  There was a pause. The boys were still laughing, but Charles felt her assessing gaze flicker towards him again. He hoped his expression was as bland as he was trying to make it. He didn’t meet her eye, so he wasn’t sure how convincing he was. It didn’t matter. She resumed her chatter with the boys.

  “Did you name your horses or did they have names already?”

  “They already had names, and Mr. Charles said they know their own names so it would confuse them if we tried to call them something else.”

  “That makes sense, doesn’t it? You would probably think it was really strange if Mr. Charles started calling you something other than your names, right?”

  “I guess so,” Walter answered.

  “You still sound disappointed,” she pointed out. “What name did you want to give your horse?”

  “Scout,” came his quick reply.

  “That sounds like a good name for a horse,” she answered. “Maybe you can just save it until you get a chance to get a young horse that doesn’t have a name yet.”

  “That’s what Mr. Charles said. He said we can name all the animals that get born on his property from now on, but we have to take turns.”

  “That sounds very generous of him. I’m sure the three of you will have a great time naming all the animals as they come along.” She paused for a moment before asking, “Do you think Mr. Charles knows how grateful you are that he is letting you use his horses and he is taking his time to teach you so many things?”

  This earned her puzzled glances from all three boys before they all glanced back at Charles with sheepish faces. Charles was sure they were hoping he wasn’t listening to the conversation. He tried to remain impassive but the urge to laugh was strong. He was glad when they quickly shifted their focus back to her.

  Tony spoke up. “He might not realize it since I just realized it myself.”

  “That’s alright, Tony. Now that you know, you’ll remember to tell him next time he does something nice for you, I’m sure. It seems to me that he has done plenty for you. People usually appreciate hearing thank you once in a while.”

  Charles was curious how long she was going to drag that out but was surprised when she allowed the matter to drop. Of course, what the boys said next could have caught her attention.

  “See, Miss Cassie, this is why you should stay here with us. How will we know about things like this without you here to teach us?” Tony was obviously trying to sound reasonable, but his tone shifted to wheedling.

  Miss Morley laughed, although to Charles it sounded more forced than usual. “You boys will do just fine with or without me.”

  “But don’t you want to stay with us, Miss Cassie?” Walter asked.

  “Of course I do, Walter, but that’s not how it works.”

  “You could have the extra bedroom, Miss Cassie,” Ross offered. “Mr. Charles said it’s for when we get comfortable and want our own rooms, but me and Walter can share and you could have it.”

  “That is kind of you to offer, Ross, but Mr. Charles hasn’t invited me to stay.” The boys looked as though they were about to protest, so she carried on. “Even if he did, it would not be appropriate for me to live with a bunch of boys and a man, don’t you think?”

  “Maybe you could marry Mr. Charles,” Walter interjected eagerly. “Then you could be our mother.”

  Tony wrinkled his nose. “I don’t think Miss Cassie is old enough to be our mother.”

  Walter was not to be dissuaded so easily. “Well, if she married Mr. Charles, she would be our family anyway. Mr. Charles said he’s our family now, even if he isn’t our father. So she would be our family, too, and could stay with us forever.”

  Charles could hear every word of the conversation and was trying not to fidget in his saddle. He fervently hoped the woman came up with a suitable reply, although he couldn’t fathom what it would be. He was relieved to hear her tinkle of laughter.

  “Oh, I do love you three so much! Thank you for wanting to keep me with you. I never want to leave you, either, but I don’t know if I can make a life for myself here in Missouri. Maybe I could in Kansas City, but not here in Bucklin. There isn’t much for a person like me to do in these parts.”

  Tony spoke up. “You think we can learn to like it here, don’t you?”

  The young woman blushed as she realized where the youngster was going with his question. “Yes, I do. And I suppose you’re going to say that I could learn to like it, too, aren’t you?”

  The boy grinned and nodded eagerly.

  “The thing is, whether or not I could learn to like it isn’t the issue. My life is back there in New York.”

  “We had a life there, too,” Tony answered quietly.

  She must have been feeling desperate because she finally looked at Charles as though searching for help. Charles wasn’t sure what was written on his face, but she must have realized he didn’t have the answer because she turned back to the boys.

  “For one thing, the three of you still have each other, and you are here all together so it isn’t the same thing.” When they were going to protest further, she quickly continued with a small laugh that sounded forced. “Never mind about it now. I promise that I will give it more thought later. But for now, I am famished, and if my ears are not deceiving me I am almost certain that we have reached the river Mr. Ainsworth promised us. Let us get down and give our horses a rest.”

  Charles watched as she deftly managed to turn the children’s attention away from the uncomfortable conversation. A part of him was offended that she had not coquettishly tried to gain his approval of the boys’ suggestion. But another part was grateful that she had handled it so deftly and he wasn’t left to explain to the boys why he didn’t want their beloved Miss Cassie in a bedroom down the hall from him. He ignored the part that thought the boys’ suggestion had merit.

  While they ate, Charles kept his attention divided between watching for
the men who had been observing them and listening to the boys chatter with Miss Cassie. The hands who had accompanied them had taken their own lunch and spread out to stand guard further away. So far it would seem that they had not been followed.

  He thought back to what the boys had asked her. She was perfectly correct, there was nothing for her here in the wilds of Missouri. The type of women needed here were tough, experienced women, trained in something more useful than how to entertain. A New York socialite wouldn’t survive through the first winter on the plains, let alone the lonely realities of life on the frontier. Just because she was beautiful and the boys loved her didn’t give him any right to even consider keeping her here.

  The rest of the day passed without event, but he could feel Cassie’s watchful gaze touching on him from time to time. He was rather sure that she had noticed the three men and wanted to ask him about them. Charles was surprised by her restraint.

  Chapter Nine

  C assie woke up with a dull ache in her heart that spread to her stomach. She had barely been able to eat the delectable breakfast that Katie had prepared that morning. She had grown closer to Katie and Mel in the few weeks since they’d left New York than she had with any of the friends she had grown up with, and she was dreading saying good bye to them. It amazed her how attached she was growing to everyone she was coming into contact with in this remote part of the world. Perhaps it was the very remoteness that made each relationship so special, she pondered as she rode out of the town once more. She had just one more house to visit. The last of the orphans from the train had been placed and she needed to see for herself that they were well.

  The solitary ride to the small farm where Liam and Henry now lived was peaceful, and Cassie was surprised by how much she enjoyed the fresh air and quiet. She had begun to see the beauty in what had previously seemed monotonous and dull to her city bred senses. Realizing she was on the verge of turning melancholy, Cassie entertained herself for the rest of her ride with thoughts of what she would do with her time once she returned home. Unfortunately, all of her previous pursuits now struck her as shallow except for her time spent at the orphanage, but she had vowed to herself that she could no longer volunteer with orphans. With a sigh, she realized she would have to discover new things to do with her time. Perhaps she could become a teacher, she thought. Getting a little more education for herself would keep her occupied when she first returned to the city, and then being in a classroom would allow her to spend time with children but keep her from growing overly attached. Thus resolved, she set her chin resolutely just as she arrived at the Smiths’ farm.