more wee brablins than you can count in a day!”
A chorus of hurrahs followed the toast. Caitrin glanced around, wondering who would stand up for Rosie. Sheena—though happy to speak her mind in private—would never have the courage to make a public pronouncement. And then Caitrin noticed that everyone’s eyes were trained on her . Flushing, she realized that she was Rosie’s close friend, and by all good grace she should offer a toast.
She stood, lifted her mug, and prayed hard for words to form on her tongue. “Rosie has brought the light of happiness to many here on the prairie,” she began. “And I count myself blessed to be among those her life has touched. Not only is she good and kind, but she bears witness to the joy of Christian love that flows from her heart. In marrying Seth, our Rosie has found a partner … a friend … a true love …”
Caitrin squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. “Rosie has found all the happiness she so richly deserves,” she finished quickly. “Rosie and Seth, may your marriage be one of tenderness and everlasting love from this moment forward.”
Sinking onto the bench, Caitrin buried her nose in her mug and took a deep drink. Oh, it had been a poor toast … unplanned and awkwardly spoken. Just when she meant to be strong, her own silly woes had swarmed out to engulf her. She must move past this self-pity. She must stop dwelling on a man who had been barely a flicker in her life. And she would. Truly, she would. God help her!
“Me now!” Chipper cried, climbing up onto the wobbly bench. “Who’s gonna talk about me?”
The child looked around the crowd. Caitrin’s heart went out to him. Perhaps Will would stand up for his little friend. She glanced down to the end of the table to find Sheena’s son deep into a slice of cherry pie.
Chipper turned in a circle on his bench. “Does anybody have a speech about me? ’Cause I gots a new mama today, an’—” He paused and his face lit up. “Oh, look everybody! Here comes somebody to talk about me. It’s Uncle Jack!”
CHAPTER 6
J ACK rode his horse to within five paces of the nearest table, and the crowd broke into screams of terror. Women covered their children’s heads. Men threw protective arms around their wives. A blond giant of a fellow leapt to his feet and came at the intruder. Heart hammering, Jack jumped to the ground and held up both hands.
“I’m unarmed!” he shouted over the roar. “I come in peace.”
Head down, shoulder butted forward, the giant kept coming. Jack kept his hands up as long as he could. When he realized the fellow meant business, he went for the shotgun in his saddle scabbard.
“Stop, Rolf!” a woman’s voice cried out. “Rolf, no!”
The giant skidded to a halt. Caitrin Murphy materialized at the man’s side and grabbed his arm. “No, Rolf!” she said. “Look. Mr. Cornwall holds no weapon. You must let him speak.”
Breathing hard, Jack waited in tense silence as the giant assessed the situation. “You not fight Seth?” the man growled, pointing a beefy finger. “Not little boy to take?”
Jack held out his empty hands. “I’m unarmed,” he repeated. “I’ve come in peace.”
“What do you want with us, Cornwall?” Seth called across the clearing. One arm clamped around Chipper, he rose from the wedding table. “You know you aren’t welcome here.”
Jack stepped forward, determined to keep his attention away from Caitrin. “I came to talk to you, Seth,” he said. “You and everybody else.”
In the wary hush, a child’s voice rang out. “Hi, Uncle Jack! Guess what! Me an’ Papa an’ Rosie got married today.”
“Hey there, Chipper.” At the sight of the little blue-eyed boy, Jack’s defenses faltered. This was his sister’s son, the baby he had cuddled on his lap and rocked to sleep a hundred times. Oh, Mary. If only you could see your child one more time. If only you could hold him … sing to him … Jack swallowed at the knot
A chorus of hurrahs followed the toast. Caitrin glanced around, wondering who would stand up for Rosie. Sheena—though happy to speak her mind in private—would never have the courage to make a public pronouncement. And then Caitrin noticed that everyone’s eyes were trained on her . Flushing, she realized that she was Rosie’s close friend, and by all good grace she should offer a toast.
She stood, lifted her mug, and prayed hard for words to form on her tongue. “Rosie has brought the light of happiness to many here on the prairie,” she began. “And I count myself blessed to be among those her life has touched. Not only is she good and kind, but she bears witness to the joy of Christian love that flows from her heart. In marrying Seth, our Rosie has found a partner … a friend … a true love …”
Caitrin squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. “Rosie has found all the happiness she so richly deserves,” she finished quickly. “Rosie and Seth, may your marriage be one of tenderness and everlasting love from this moment forward.”
Sinking onto the bench, Caitrin buried her nose in her mug and took a deep drink. Oh, it had been a poor toast … unplanned and awkwardly spoken. Just when she meant to be strong, her own silly woes had swarmed out to engulf her. She must move past this self-pity. She must stop dwelling on a man who had been barely a flicker in her life. And she would. Truly, she would. God help her!
“Me now!” Chipper cried, climbing up onto the wobbly bench. “Who’s gonna talk about me?”
The child looked around the crowd. Caitrin’s heart went out to him. Perhaps Will would stand up for his little friend. She glanced down to the end of the table to find Sheena’s son deep into a slice of cherry pie.
Chipper turned in a circle on his bench. “Does anybody have a speech about me? ’Cause I gots a new mama today, an’—” He paused and his face lit up. “Oh, look everybody! Here comes somebody to talk about me. It’s Uncle Jack!”
CHAPTER 6
J ACK rode his horse to within five paces of the nearest table, and the crowd broke into screams of terror. Women covered their children’s heads. Men threw protective arms around their wives. A blond giant of a fellow leapt to his feet and came at the intruder. Heart hammering, Jack jumped to the ground and held up both hands.
“I’m unarmed!” he shouted over the roar. “I come in peace.”
Head down, shoulder butted forward, the giant kept coming. Jack kept his hands up as long as he could. When he realized the fellow meant business, he went for the shotgun in his saddle scabbard.
“Stop, Rolf!” a woman’s voice cried out. “Rolf, no!”
The giant skidded to a halt. Caitrin Murphy materialized at the man’s side and grabbed his arm. “No, Rolf!” she said. “Look. Mr. Cornwall holds no weapon. You must let him speak.”
Breathing hard, Jack waited in tense silence as the giant assessed the situation. “You not fight Seth?” the man growled, pointing a beefy finger. “Not little boy to take?”
Jack held out his empty hands. “I’m unarmed,” he repeated. “I’ve come in peace.”
“What do you want with us, Cornwall?” Seth called across the clearing. One arm clamped around Chipper, he rose from the wedding table. “You know you aren’t welcome here.”
Jack stepped forward, determined to keep his attention away from Caitrin. “I came to talk to you, Seth,” he said. “You and everybody else.”
In the wary hush, a child’s voice rang out. “Hi, Uncle Jack! Guess what! Me an’ Papa an’ Rosie got married today.”
“Hey there, Chipper.” At the sight of the little blue-eyed boy, Jack’s defenses faltered. This was his sister’s son, the baby he had cuddled on his lap and rocked to sleep a hundred times. Oh, Mary. If only you could see your child one more time. If only you could hold him … sing to him … Jack swallowed at the knot
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