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Walt nodded and looked with pride at Earl. “Walt did most of the work himself. He’s good at milking cows!”
Charlotte smiled. “He’s always been such a good helper. I’m glad he’s milking cows now.”
After they’d put him to bed—together—Earl and Charlotte went into the parlor, but Earl was already yawning. “Ranching isn’t harder work than farming, but it’s different enough that I’m having to think more and use different muscles.”
“I can see that. You can go on to bed right away if you want to.”
Earl shook his head. “I want to ask about Walt’s speaking. He giggles, so he’s not mute. He just doesn’t say anything. Has he ever said anything?”
She nodded, looking sad. “He’s never been what I would call talkative, but he was saying a few words before Howard died. Since he passed, he hasn’t spoken at all. I hate it, but there’s not much I can do. I was really worried about it when Howard was alive, but things like that just couldn’t take precedence when I had so much else to do. I try to work with him while we’re out on the range, but he doesn’t seem to want to talk anymore.”
“Do you mind if I try to work with him on it as well?” Earl asked. He wanted to be able to help the boy. He already loved him and felt responsible for him.
“I don’t mind at all. If you can get him to talk, I’ll be thrilled. It’s been so long since I’ve heard his voice,” Charlotte said, a lone tear sliding down her cheek.
Earl moved to sit beside her on the sofa, his arm going around her shoulders. “You’ve had to bear so much on your own. Someone should have been there helping you.”
“Like who? No one thinks anything of me.”
“I do,” he said softly. “I’ll be by your side, carrying as much of your load as I can for the rest of our lives. I promise you that.”
She turned to him, her head resting on his shoulder. “I think you actually mean that, don’t you? I don’t know why you’re taking on Walt as if he’s your own.”
“Because heismine now. He was the moment I married you. Even before. The instant he giggled when I tossed him in the air, he was mine as well.”
She sighed. “Thank you for taking us on.”
“Thank you for giving me a place to call my own. You’ve given my life a purpose it never would have had back in Massachusetts.” He looked at her. “I think this marriage is in both of our best interests. Not just yours.”
She smiled at that and nodded. “I think you may be right.”
Chapter Five
Charlotte woke up before the sun the following morning and was surprised to already hear Earl humming in the kitchen. The man was definitely more of a morning person than she was.
She stumbled into the kitchen to see him leaned against the counter, drinking a cup of coffee. “Good morning,” he said.
“Morning.” She knew better than to say too much before the first cup of coffee was in her system. She tended to be very grumpy in the mornings.
“Do you want me to cook breakfast?” he asked. “I’ve milked the cow and gathered the eggs already.”
“That would be wonderful,” she said. “If you don’t mind. I don’t do well in the mornings. Not until I’ve had my first three pots of coffee anyway.”
He chuckled. “I don’t mind at all. I saw some potatoes in the cellar, and I thought maybe some fried eggs with fried potatoes. I haven’t had fried potatoes in ages.”
“That sounds good to me. And bacon. I do love bacon.”
“It should be against the law to not love bacon. I cannot imagine how I would be if my religion forbade me from eating bacon. I know I would be terribly sad.”
She laughed softly, taking a sip of her coffee. “You make your coffee nice and strong. I approve.”
“I approve of a lot of things about you,” he said. Her hair was still back in a braid to keep it from tangling during the night, but there were some tendrils falling, framing her face. “I really like your hair first thing in the morning.” He tucked a strand behind her ear and kissed her cheek.
“What was that for?” she asked.
“For looking beautiful. I need no other reason.” Earl stopped and looked at her for a moment. “Unless you’d rather I not touch you.”
She shook her head. “No, small touches will get us used to each other quicker.”
