Linda Ford - A Daddy For Christmas

He turned and regarded her with narrowed eyes. “Are you laughing at me?”

She nodded. “But no more than at myself. I was just as leery about sitting here, though I have no idea why.”

He sucked in air and slowly relaxed until he sat against the back of the pew. “Nor do I.” He shifted a little. “The pew is quite comfortable.”

“Yes, it is.”

The girls got down and hurried over to the sawdust with broom and dustpan.

Blue and Clara remained on the pew. For a pair so reluctant to sit they showed no sign of being in a hurry to get up.

Clara told herself it was simply that it felt good to rest for a few minutes. When was the last time she felt so relaxed? She tried to think. Certainly not since she’d left her father’s house. Not while she was living there, either. Maybe when she’d lived in the house Rolland had provided. Her own little domain. Would she ever have such a thing again?

Blue shifted to glance at her. “That was a mighty big sigh.”

“I didn’t even realize I sighed.”

He continued to study her.

She met his eyes and saw the questions and uncertainty there. Likely he hoped she would explain what she was doing in Edendale. But she dared not. She suspected that if Father showed up, Blue would feel it his duty to turn her and the girls over to his authority.

She sprang to her feet and hurried to the piece of wood on the sawhorses. “I’ll help you measure this.”

He pulled the tape measure from his pocket and handed her one end.

She ducked her head and concentrated on the task, giving it far more attention than it required.

For a moment, she’d let her guard down. It must not happen again. If she didn’t keep her wits about her, keep her goal firmly in mind and her senses tuned for danger, she could end up losing her daughters.

A tiny groan escaped her lips. She felt Blue’s silent question but would not look at him. Good thing he was a loner. Equally good she didn’t want anything from him but a chance to feed herself and the girls until she could leave this town.

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