hands with Paul first. “I don't think Julia's brothers will give you too hard a time, because I think you could take them in a fair fight. Well, maybe separately.”
“You're optimistic,” Paul said drily. “I doubt brothers fight fair. I'm sure I wouldn't!”
“Be brave,” Spencer joked. He kissed Julia. “Make sure I get an invitation to the wedding.”
He embraced Mama and Papa, standing close to them in a tight circle by the open door. When the front door closed, Paul put his arm around Julia.
“He'll always be your brother-in-law, won't he?” he whispered.
“Always. Nothing changes that.”
“Even if he remarries?”
“We hope he does. But, no, he will always be my brother-in-law.” She turned her face into his shoulder. “I could have wished a longer life on earth for my sister, but as you pointed out yesterday, nothing happens by coincidence.” She chuckled. “Which reminds me: I'm so sorry I whined about… well, you know, a few months ago.”
To her surprise and then her profound gratitude, he looked genuinely puzzled. His expression changed, and he touched her neck. “I'd forgotten.”
“I'm forgetting, but I'm not perfect yet,” she said, kissing his cheek and then detaching herself, because he was getting all too comfortable. “Come on, cowboy, dishes await. We'll wash them in cold water, and you'll keep your hands in the sink.”
He did as she said, and Julia glanced into the dining room as Papa sat with James. In a few minutes, the boy was showing her father how to build an elevator. Paul looked too, when he finished washing the dishes. “It appears we have an engineer on our hands. Two of them, maybe.” He grabbed the dish towel she had draped over her shoulder and snapped her with it. “James and I will talk on the train ride home. He's already said that the bunkhouse isn't a good place for either Meccano set, what with overcrowding. I think I can convince him that the Shumways have plenty of room.”
“It's going to be hard for you.”
“Not as hard as Spencer has it. I can endure a little temporary heartache.” He rested his arm on her shoulder. “Maybe the Shumways will let James spend some time with us on the Double Tipi during summer, when school is out.”
“Maybe they will.” She patted his chest. “And he'll be safe in Cheyenne, no matter what McAtee thinks.”
“I hope you're right. I think—not certain, mind you—that all McAtee knows for sure is that I'm a liar, and a bad one, at that.”
Julia read to James that night from one of the many books Mama had given him for Christmas. At her request, one of the books Mama had purchased was The Children of the New Forest . As James settled himself in Iris's bed, she glanced through the pages, nodding.
“James, we've struck gold,” she said, aware in the deepest part of her heart how much she loved this boy that Paul was going to have to give away, for his own safety. “I had my suspicions, and now I know it: This is that whole book that Mr. Otto used to read to you and then make up endings, because so many pages were missing.” She turned to the last page. “Look. There's the ending. What do you say we start at the beginning?”
The wary look returned, but she knew his natural curiosity would triumph. James nodded and made himself more comfortable, snuggling down in the quilt Mama had made years ago. “Do it, Mr. Darling.”
She kissed him. “I'll read a chapter, and then Mr. Otto will read to you tomorrow night on the train.” And after that, it might be Cora Shumway , she thought. Comfort me, Jesus .
She put her finger in the book. “One thing more, James. I think you understand that Mr. Otto is going to marry me.”
“High time.” He grinned. “That's what Doc says.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Surprised, Julia looked around to see Paul standing in the door, holding a tape measure. “Mine too,” she told the boy. “If you call him Mr. Otto, maybe you could call me Julia, instead of
“You're optimistic,” Paul said drily. “I doubt brothers fight fair. I'm sure I wouldn't!”
“Be brave,” Spencer joked. He kissed Julia. “Make sure I get an invitation to the wedding.”
He embraced Mama and Papa, standing close to them in a tight circle by the open door. When the front door closed, Paul put his arm around Julia.
“He'll always be your brother-in-law, won't he?” he whispered.
“Always. Nothing changes that.”
“Even if he remarries?”
“We hope he does. But, no, he will always be my brother-in-law.” She turned her face into his shoulder. “I could have wished a longer life on earth for my sister, but as you pointed out yesterday, nothing happens by coincidence.” She chuckled. “Which reminds me: I'm so sorry I whined about… well, you know, a few months ago.”
To her surprise and then her profound gratitude, he looked genuinely puzzled. His expression changed, and he touched her neck. “I'd forgotten.”
“I'm forgetting, but I'm not perfect yet,” she said, kissing his cheek and then detaching herself, because he was getting all too comfortable. “Come on, cowboy, dishes await. We'll wash them in cold water, and you'll keep your hands in the sink.”
He did as she said, and Julia glanced into the dining room as Papa sat with James. In a few minutes, the boy was showing her father how to build an elevator. Paul looked too, when he finished washing the dishes. “It appears we have an engineer on our hands. Two of them, maybe.” He grabbed the dish towel she had draped over her shoulder and snapped her with it. “James and I will talk on the train ride home. He's already said that the bunkhouse isn't a good place for either Meccano set, what with overcrowding. I think I can convince him that the Shumways have plenty of room.”
“It's going to be hard for you.”
“Not as hard as Spencer has it. I can endure a little temporary heartache.” He rested his arm on her shoulder. “Maybe the Shumways will let James spend some time with us on the Double Tipi during summer, when school is out.”
“Maybe they will.” She patted his chest. “And he'll be safe in Cheyenne, no matter what McAtee thinks.”
“I hope you're right. I think—not certain, mind you—that all McAtee knows for sure is that I'm a liar, and a bad one, at that.”
Julia read to James that night from one of the many books Mama had given him for Christmas. At her request, one of the books Mama had purchased was The Children of the New Forest . As James settled himself in Iris's bed, she glanced through the pages, nodding.
“James, we've struck gold,” she said, aware in the deepest part of her heart how much she loved this boy that Paul was going to have to give away, for his own safety. “I had my suspicions, and now I know it: This is that whole book that Mr. Otto used to read to you and then make up endings, because so many pages were missing.” She turned to the last page. “Look. There's the ending. What do you say we start at the beginning?”
The wary look returned, but she knew his natural curiosity would triumph. James nodded and made himself more comfortable, snuggling down in the quilt Mama had made years ago. “Do it, Mr. Darling.”
She kissed him. “I'll read a chapter, and then Mr. Otto will read to you tomorrow night on the train.” And after that, it might be Cora Shumway , she thought. Comfort me, Jesus .
She put her finger in the book. “One thing more, James. I think you understand that Mr. Otto is going to marry me.”
“High time.” He grinned. “That's what Doc says.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Surprised, Julia looked around to see Paul standing in the door, holding a tape measure. “Mine too,” she told the boy. “If you call him Mr. Otto, maybe you could call me Julia, instead of
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