Home by Morning

Author:Alexis Harrington [Harrington, Alexis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9781612182056
Publisher: AmazonEncore
Published: 2010-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Tell me about my boys. Are they all right? Are they well?”

Emmaline sat across from Tanner Grenfell at her wobbly kitchen table. He made the trip up here to Butler Road every couple of months or so to give her reports about Wade and Joshua. She wasn’t sure if it was a kindness or curse, because listening to him only made her miss them more. But she couldn’t quite bring herself to tell Tanner to stop coming around.

Green wood in the stove made for a smoky fire. The smell seeped into everything, but it cut the chill. Although she was fairly isolated up here, word of the epidemic had reached her. She would allow no customer through her door who so much as coughed once or looked the least bit sick. But she couldn’t afford to stop working completely. Business had dropped off as it was, so today she wore a faded print house dress instead of her faded dressing gown.

“They’re just fine, Em, growing like weeds. The schools are closed so they can’t catch the sickness there.”

“Are they good at their classes?”

“Yes. I know you want them to get their book-learning. I’m not much at helping them myself, but Miss Susannah makes sure they keep to their studies. Since she’s been helping at the hospital, though, she won’t let me or the kids into her kitchen. We’re getting by on my cooking in the bunkhouse.” He grinned. “I’m pretty lousy at the stove, too, I guess. Josh says he’s tired of bacon and spuds, but we’re not starving. And I know she’s just being careful.”

“She still doesn’t know about—well, me?”

“Not as far I know. It’s for sure the boys don’t.”

“Do they ever ask about me?”

He glanced away, plainly uncomfortable. “Not so much anymore.”

She propped her chin on her hand and toyed with her package of Lucky Strikes on the table. “After three years I guess they think I gave up on them, just like their worthless father.”

“No, they don’t. I’ve told them what you wanted me to, that I’m their uncle and you’re in a tuberculosis sanitarium in Colorado.” He shrugged. “It leaves the door open if the day ever comes that you want them with you again.”

Emmaline straightened. “You know damn well that I want them! I just can’t—Tanner, you know better than anyone. You’re the one who found me wandering down the street in Parkridge that night, looking for a doctor after Lambert broke my cheekbone. As much as I hated him, when he left us I didn’t know what to do.”

He held up a hand. “I know, I know, don’t get your hackles up. I’m sorry I put it that way. I know you love them.” Leaning forward, he put his elbows on his knees and looked into her face. “But it didn’t have to be this way. You could have come with me and I’d have taken care of both you and the boys.”

Yes, she could have accepted his offer. He was young—about ten years younger than she was—and kind, modest and reserved in his ways.

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