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Aaron said, “You want to stay for lunch, Ben? You know ma fixed enough for half the town to eat.”
Ben glanced at Morning Dove again before shaking his head. “Thanks, but I can’t. I have to get into town. Hugh is opening up the blacksmith shop so I could get a part Holden ordered. He needs it first thing in the morning.”
When Ben’s gaze flicked to Morning Dove again, Betsey realized the two hadn’t been introduced. “Morning Dove, this is my brother, Ben. Ben, this is Aaron’s friend Morning Dove.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Ben said. When the two of them looked at each other, Betsey wondered if anyone else had felt the charge that seemed to pass between them. She’d never seen her brother look at anyone the way he was looking at Morning Dove. Not that she could blame him. The girl was stunning.
He seemed to realize he was staring at her and turned hisattention back to Betsey. “A man came to the house looking for you. Said his name was Harrison McBride.”
Betsey felt the blood drain from her face. “He did? What did he say?”
“Nothing much. Just asked if you were there. Who is he?”
A lump formed in her throat and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to talk around it. Thankfully, Sophie Ann called them in to eat and she didn’t have to. As if he hadn’t even asked, all questions about Harrison McBride were forgotten.
The four of them headed back to the house, Ben and Aaron taking the lead. Betsey and Morning Dove walked quietly behind them all the way, neither one of them saying a word. It felt rude not to speak to her but she honestly had no idea what to say. Would asking her about her heritage be insensitive? Aaron had told her they’d searched for her people and never found them not to mention, her parents had been killed. Bringing it up may make her feel worse.
Ben waited outside by the door when they reached the house, trying hard not to look as if he was watching Morning Dove. Betsey hurried inside and found the money pouch tangled in Samuels blankets, just as he’d said. Poor Samuel. How had he laid there all the way out here with that bulky pouch underneath him?
She looked across the room. Noah was holding Samuel and she wondered what her own pa would have thought of his grandson. Would the expression on his face when he looked down at him been filled with so much love? An odd ache pulled in her chest. No, it wouldn’t have. If anything, he would have been too drunk to even notice and if he did, more than likely he’d just complain about Samuel crying.
She sighed and handed Ben the pouch.
“What’s wrong?”
Betsey shook her head. “Nothing. Just thinking.” She looked back over at Noah, then glanced into the kitchen and diningroom where Sophie Ann and Keri were busy setting out platters of food. “Do you ever feel cheated that we missed out on all this?”
Ben looked around the room, then shook his head. “Big families are overrated.”
“I meant living in a home where you know you’re loved.”
He looked down at her and smiled. “You are loved, Betsey. You’ve got me and Samuel.” He nodded his head in Aaron’s direction. “And probably that one too.”
“Aaron doesn’t love me.”
“Why would you say that? He’s been to the house more since he found out about Samuel than he did in the past three years.”
“That’s because of Samuel. It has nothing to do with me. He left, remember?”
“He left because he’s a hot-headed little shit who acts before he thinks.”
She grinned. “Maybe.”
“I know.” He chucked her under the chin with one finger. “Stop looking so glum. Whatever his motives, he’s here. He’s taking responsibility for what happened and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hasn’t set his mind to marry you.”
Her pulse leaped. “What makes you think that?”
“Why else would you be here?”
“Because he wanted his family to spend time with Samuel.”
“And his family knows where we live. You’re here because he wants you to be, Betsey. He’s spending time with Samuel but he’s also spending time with you. He could have easily kept coming to the house and bringing his ma with him but he didn’t. He brought you to them.” He glanced down at the basket and smiled. “And what man goes to the trouble of picking flowers for a girl if all he was interested in was his baby?”
“The flowers are bound with a ribbon. If I had to guess, I’d say Sophie Ann probably picked them.”
“Maybe, but he didn’t have to give them to you. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s a good sign he’s courting you. As mad as I amabout how things happened between the two of you, as long as he makes things right, then I can forgive him. I still don’t like what he did, but we all make mistakes. Some of us more than others.”
He kissed her cheek, said his goodbyes and left. When Keri called them to the table, she watched Aaron as he took Samuel from Noah. Was he courting her? Was that what this was? She glanced down at the small bouquet of flowers in her basket. He’d given her those flowers and a kiss that made her heart race. Courting men always brought flowers, didn’t they?
