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“What’s wrong?” Portia asked with alarm.
“Old Man Blanchard died sometime during the night. I sent Farley for the doc and...” She paused to wipe the tears. “He’s gone,” she whispered.
Portia went to her and held her close. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
Eddy got up from the table. “Let me go get Rhine.” After placing a solemn kiss on Regan’s cheek she hastily left the room.
Kent wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do but watching Portia console her sister made him feel like an intruder. Since he was done with his breakfast, he stood and picked up his plate and carried it into the kitchen. When he came back out, the room was empty. He figured everyone would probably be gone for at least a little while. The table still held their dishes and what was left of the food, so he cleared the settings.
When Portia reappeared thirty minutes later, he was washing up the dishes. She stopped and stared.
“How’s Regan?” he asked.
“Doing okay. She rode back over to Old Man Blanchard’s place with Uncle Rhine and Aunt Eddy.”
He nodded and set a clean cup in the dish drain.
In a voice filled with wonder, she asked, “What are you doing?”
Guessing he’d surprised her again, he smiled inwardly. “Washing the dishes.”
“But why?”
“You and your family have a death to deal with. Thought I’d help out. Men around here don’t do dishes?”
“You’ve met some of the men around here. What do you think?”
He chuckled. “You always so blunt?”
“It’s my Carmichael blood.”
He faced her. “Last night after you cut Day to the quick and went into the kitchen, he said you needed a man to rid you of what he called your uppity mouth.”
“Really?” she replied in a tone that let him know she wasn’t pleased.
“Mr.Blanchard came to your defense, though.” He set another plate in the drain. “How long has Day been trying to court you?”
“About a year and a half.”
He looked her way. “Personally, I like your uppity mouth.”
She swayed for a split second. He liked that, too.
She stammered, “I—I was coming back to clean up, but you seem to have everything in hand.”
“For the most part, but I’ve no idea where some of these things go.”
“You can just leave them in the drain. I’ll—put them away later.”
It didn’t make a whole lot of sense for her to come back later when all she had to do was direct him now, but he didn’t push. She seemed slightly rattled and he was enjoying that as well. “Okay. So since you hold the reins here, do you know what my job will be?”
“No. Uncle Rhine will handle that.”
“Anything you need done in the interim?”
She hastily shook her head.
“Fine. I’ll go say good morning to Blue, maybe go for a ride, and wait for Rhine to return.”
