AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Joseph giggled and nodded.
Victoria held out a hand to the lad. “Shall we go in and have some of those lovely tea biscuits, Joseph? I’m quite sure I saw a plum cake on the tea tray, as well.”
“Can we give some cake to the dogs?”
Angus chuckled. “Aye, we can. The laddies love plum cake.”
As Victoria led Joseph off to the drawing room, Logan snagged Angus by the sleeve.
His grandfather raised a hoary eyebrow. “What’s amiss, lad? Ye are happy to see yer son, aren’t ye?”
“Of course I am, you old goat, but why the hell did Marie agree to this? We agreed—weallagreed—that Joseph should remain with his grandparents, especially since you, Royal, and Ainsley were there in Halifax to help, too.”
Angus pulled a letter from the inside pocket of his coat and handed it to Logan. “Times change, lad. Times always change.”
Chapter Thirteen
Logan slowly descended the staircase, the letter from his mother-in-law in his hand. The news had rocked him so profoundly that he’d sat on his bed for fifteen minutes, choking back emotion.
Joseph Pisnet was dead.
It wasn’t a complete surprise. His father-in-law’s health had been fragile after he’d suffered a stroke some years ago. Still, he’d seemed quite hale when Logan was in Halifax last year. But the old man had been stricken with another stroke a few months ago, one that had killed him.
Joseph had been his first friend in Canada, a wise counselor and excellent business partner. Without his guidance, Logan probably would have died that first winter, a victim of his own arrogant stupidity. But the Acadian trapper had taken him under his wing and taught him how to survive in the wilderness, and how to navigate a cutthroat business.
More importantly, he had saved Logan from the worst of himself by believing in him and accepting him into his family. Because of Joseph, Logan had met Marguerite, the kindest lass God had put on this green earth. She’d been the saving of him, too.
And now they were both gone, taken from those who loved and needed them most, especially Logan’s little boy.
No wonder his son had been so solemn. Little Joseph had adored the man who’d been more of a father to him than Logan ever had. Under the circumstances, he worried that separating the boy from the only life he’d ever known could be a disaster. But Marie had been adamant in her letter that it was time for Joseph to be with his father, and it was time for Logan to get off his backside and start acting like a proper parent. His mother-in-law had a knack for making a man feel guilty, and in this case she’d taken no pains to spare Logan’s feelings.
Well, it was time to own up to his mistakes and redress the ones that he could.
He was halfway across the hall when Angus slipped out of the drawing room.
Logan frowned. “Is Joseph all right?”
“Aye. Kade and the dogs are playing with him. Graeme came home a few minutes ago. He was that surprised to see us, and I—” He had to stop and clear his throat.
Logan squeezed his grandfather’s shoulder. “I know you missed the twins, and Kade especially. I’m glad you’re home.”
“I missedallof ye, ye ninny.”
“Thank you for taking care of Joseph. I’m indebted to you.”
“That lad is as quiet and good as ye can imagine, but too quiet now. He’s missing his grandfather, ye ken.”
Logan glanced at the letter in his hand. “They were very close.”
“Pisnet was a fine man, and Marie is a fine woman. But she was feelin’ the loss and wanted to return home to her people in Cape Breton.”
“Still, I can hardly believe she would wish to be separated from her grandson. She all but raised him.”
Angus poked him. “Shedidraise him, and now ye need to take over.”
“Believe me, she made that clear, especially since Royal and Ainsley have another baby on the way.” He smiled. “Royal must be happy about that.”
“Over the moon, the pair of them. But the Halifax house was feelin’ a wee bit crowded already.”
