Agnes and the Renegade (Men of Defiance) by Levine Elaine

Author:Levine, Elaine [Levine, Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Sioux, Historical Western Romance, Wyoming, Lakota, Western, Defiance, Men of Defiance, Indian Wars
Publisher: Elaine Levine
Published: 2014-02-18T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Sarah sat in the shade of the front porch, which was perfectly situated to receive the afternoon breeze. Unfortunately, today that breeze was as hot as an oven, shade or no shade. White Bird paced with an excess of nervous energy. They’d come outside to read while they awaited the arrival of Chayton’s grandmother, Ester Burkholder.

The household had been in an uproar since yesterday when they received her telegram that she’d arrived in Defiance and would set out for the Circle Bar the next morning. They’d laundered all the bed linens, swept the entire house, beat the carpets, and washed the windows. And then Sarah and White Bird had set about baking fresh bread, pies, and cookies so that they’d have something delicious to offer Mrs. Burkholder.

“White Bird, do you think you could try to sit quietly? It’s far too hot to be so agitated.”

Her foster daughter turned from the railing and gave her such a soulful look that Sarah opened her arms. “Come here, child.” At nine years old, she was too big to sit on Sarah’s lap, but still small enough to slip onto the seat next to her. “What has you so distraught this afternoon?”

She looked up at Sarah with her big brown eyes. “What if my great-grandmother doesn’t like me?”

Sarah felt a little frisson unsettle her nerves. Her worry was not if Mrs. Burkholder wouldn’t like White Bird—for who could resist the little girl’s kind eyes or sweet temperament? Her greater concern was whether Chayton’s grandmother would insist on taking over fostering her.

She gave White Bird a little hug. “If she doesn’t like you, or your dad, or anyone, then we will politely ask her to leave. We don’t need to give hospitality to anyone who comes here merely to judge us. But consider this situation from her shoes. She spent long years looking for her daughter—your grandmother—only to learn that her child passed away. And her daughter’s only surviving child—your father—wants nothing to do with her. I don’t think she even knows about you. I know you’re nervous to meet her, but she must be equally worried about what she’ll be met with here. How brave she is to face this head on.”

“Do you think my até is truly her grandson, Sarah-m'amá?”

“I don’t know if your father’s her grandson. I’m not sure it could be proven one way or the other. Perhaps it’s something they’ll know when they meet each other. Perhaps he’ll remember some detail about your grandmother that could only be if she was Mrs. Burkholder’s daughter.”

“Look!” White Bird pointed toward a dust cloud rising on the hill above the house. “She’s here!”

Sarah tensed, then forced herself to appear calm. “Go get Logan. Ask him and Sid to wait for us in the living room. Then stay with Maria until I call for you.”

Logan stepped out to the porch about the same time the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the house. He wrapped an arm around Sarah’s shoulders and gave her a reassuring smile.

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