American Dream by Colleen L. Reece

Author:Colleen L. Reece
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-60742-534-2
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.

CHAPTER 4

A Splendid Idea

I’ve decided I’ll cut little pieces of soft flannel and stuff it in my ears,” Maggie said to Evan. She watched as he poured grain for the horses. She knew Hannah probably needed her in the kitchen, but she’d escaped for a few minutes before company arrived.

“Are you saying you don’t enjoy the chatter of three little boys?” Evan asked with a chuckle.

“Four, counting Caleb. And chatter is hardly the word for the noise they make.”

Evan slapped one of the horses on the flank to make him move over. “Henry’s but a toddler,” he countered.

“He’s learning to chatter quite well and will soon be taught plenty of mischief by both Adam and Burke.”

Evan took the wooden hay fork from its hook on the wall and crawled up the ladder to the loft, pitching down loose hay stored there from the summer. Maggie stepped back to avoid a coating of dust on her clean dress. Their father loved fine horses and kept a stable full of them. Maggie’s delight was to assist with the spring colts.

“Take care that you don’t say a careless word about the boys around Hannah,” Evan warned her. “She dotes upon all her nephews—Jacob included.”

“Of course I wouldn’t do that. That’s why I’m talking to you out in the stable.”

“Tell you what.” Evan descended the ladder and then leaped from the halfway point, hitting the floor with a thud. “I’ll suggest to Father that you and I and Jacob go for a ride following supper. How will that be?”

“But there’ll be dishes to clean.”

“Judith is always willing to lend Hannah a hand.” He shrugged. “Do you want me to ask or not?”

Maggie wasn’t sure what she wanted. What she’d really wanted was to ride with the girls that afternoon, but it wasn’t to be. She walked over to Amaryllis and patted the mare’s soft nose and felt the warm breath on her hand.

“Are you feeling all right?” Evan asked.

“I wish people would stop asking me that,” she said sharply and regretted the outburst the moment it came out. “I’m sorry, Evan. Hannah asked me the same thing this very afternoon.”

“I can well imagine why. You’ve been acting differently the past week or so.”

“Different how?” Maggie laid her face against Amaryllis’s velvety cheek. She knew she sensed strange things going on deep inside her, but she didn’t know it showed.

“I can’t describe it,” Evan replied. “Sort of dreamy-eyed.”

Just then, Hannah was calling from the dooryard. The guests had arrived, and there was work to be done. Maggie didn’t take well to being called “dreamy-eyed,” but there was no time to talk it over.

“A houseful of Pierces” is how Hannah described a visit from her younger brother and his family. Maggie could tell from the tone of Hannah’s voice that she was proud of all of them. Since Hannah had never married, she enjoyed doting on Ben’s children almost as much as she did the three Baldwins.

Hannah set a separate smaller table for Caleb and the younger Pierce boys in the sitting room.

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