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Brand’s lungs emptied in a long sigh. “I am relieved to hear that. Thank you.”
“Then it’s agreed,” Linette said. “You’ll bury him next to his father.”
“It’s most generous of you,” Brand said.
“Nonsense.” Linette’s mouth drew a firm line. “Even if Constable Allen hadn’t given us this bit of assurance the offer would stand. I don’t believe in living by man-imposed rules.”
“Do you want to wait until tomorrow?” Eddie asked.
Brand again got that distant, half-disinterested look in his eyes as he glanced at the window. “Guess we should. It’s already dark out. I’ll dig the grave myself.”
Eddie considered him a moment, then nodded. “I’ll get you a shovel.” He rose, signaling the meal was over, and Brand and the Mountie followed him outside.
Linette excused herself to put Grady to bed.
Mercy bounced to her feet. “How romantic.”
Sybil turned to her as she gathered up the dishes and carried them to the washbasin. “I fail to see how knowing your family is a bunch of outlaws is the least bit romantic.” Had Eddie stayed with Brand? she wondered. Or was he alone in the dark digging a hole for his brother’s body?
Eddie and Constable Allen came through the door and went to the library, answering her question. They’d left him alone.
As she moved about the kitchen, she paused to glance out the window. A faint glow of a lantern shone from the little plot. She rubbed at her breastbone. A man should not be alone when dealing with his brother’s death.
Mercy came to her side. “Why don’t you join him?”
“I don’t know if he’d welcome it.” Her heart ached for his aloneness in the midst of his loss. Every so often the light dimmed as if a scoop of dirt had been tossed past it.
“I’ll come with you if you want.”
Sybil shook her head. She didn’t want Mercy to be with her. “I’m sure he’s okay.”
Her friend grabbed her arm and shook her a little. “If you don’t go out there, I will. The poor man has lost his father and brother. He’s been accused of being part of the gang when he wasn’t. Don’t you think he deserves a little sympathy?”
“He deserves it, but will he welcome it?”
Linette returned to the kitchen. “What are you two arguing about?”
Mercy flung about to face her. “I think Sybil should go up there and keep Brand company, but she doesn’t think it’s appropriate.”
Linette joined them at the window. “I thought Eddie should have stayed with him, but he said Brand asked to be left alone. I guess we need to give him space if that’s what he wants.”
They watched in silence for a bit.
“Eddie insisted he spend the night in the bunkhouse. Says with Cal gone no one will give Brand a hard time.”
Sybil tried to picture Brand in a bunk, with the others nearby. “Did he agree?”
“Said he’d think on it.”
Which meant he’d ignore the invitation and find a place on his own.
The distant light grew brighter. Sybil could make out Brand’s shadowy shape as he headed back toward the house. She grabbed her shawl. “I’m going to speak to him.” She slipped out the door.
“Feel free to use the chairs by the back step,” Linette called, as if knowing she wanted to be alone with him.
Sybil caught up to him in a few moments. He’d slung the shovel over his shoulder. His footsteps were weary, heavy. Digging a hole was hard work. Losing a father and brother was even harder.
She fell in at his side. Neither of them spoke. Dawg whined a greeting and she patted his head.
She couldn’t say what the silence meant for Brand, but she felt no need for words. She only wanted to be with him. Let him know he wasn’t alone.
“Sit and visit a spell.” She indicated the chairs along the wall.
He sank down, dropped the shovel to the ground and stared at it, his hands hanging between his knees. Dawg pressed close to his legs, though Brand didn’t seem to notice.
The silence lengthened, but Sybil still could not speak until he sucked in a deep breath and sat up straight. “That’s the last of my family.”
