his personal effects and ordered his soldiers to report to Fort Randall, farther upriver. With them, he sent the letter of resignation that he had penned the night before.
At last, all was set. He was just waiting for the women to finish with their tasks. In the midst of pacing impatiently, Zac, Zeb and their younger brother Zeke—he had waited for his brothers’ return at the fort—shuffled up to him. His heart grew heavy at the thought of saying goodbye to them.
They’d been together for many years now—ever since he’d rescued Zeke from what could have been a torturous death at the hands of the Blackfeet. Since that day, the three brothers had followed him from one wilderness post to another. With a start, Grady realized they’d become a substitute family.
Zac, Zeb and Zeke looked as miserable as he felt. Zac, the eldest, scratched his ear. “If it’s all right, Colonel, we thought we’d go with ya to St. Louie. Ya might need some help protectin’ them women, ya know.” He broke off and stared at the ground.
“And mebbe ya might need some help gettin’ settled, or…somethin’,” Zeb added, pulling at his beard.
Zeke kicked a rock. “Truth is, Colonel, it won’t be the same out here without ya. We promise not ta get in yer way.”
The sight of the three—men who looked as though they sprang from the mountains and could tackle a bear and emerge the victor—wearing woebegone expressions, touched Grady deep inside.
Truth to tell, he liked the idea of having these three devoted men to help watch over Star and the girls. Space was not a problem, either. He’d had his home built a few years after Emma’s birth with the hope of filling the vast number of empty rooms with the sound of children’s laughter. But that had never happened.
Now his house sat empty, much as his heart had been all these years. But surrounded by friends and his daughters, the barren cavity of his heart was slowly filling. Apparently, so was his house.
Realizing that the three brothers were anxiously awaiting his answer, he grinned. “You are all welcome to come with me and to stay as long as you like.” He vowed to help the men find employment in St. Louis for as long as they wanted to stay. Surely he had connections that would be helpful in doing so.
The men gave hoots of relief, and they hastened off to gather their piles of possessions.
“That was generous of you, Papa,” Emma said from behind him, making him start. She approached, and he could see tears trailing down her cheeks. Was she really going to miss him so much?
Grady opened his arms.
She ran to him. “I’m going to miss you.”
“And I you, my sweet Emma. My princess…thank you for coming to look for me.” He tightened his hold, his fingers buried in her hair at the back of her head as she sobbed on his shoulder. After a moment, he gently held her away and wiped her tears with a clean handkerchief. “You’ll never have to do that again. I’ll be back. I promise, I’ll be back.”
“Oh, Papa, I know you will.”
“Emma, are you sure this is what you want?” He knew the answer, that she belonged here with her husband, but he needed to hear the words one last time.
Emma smiled, her eyes softening. “Yes, Father. I’m sure. Very sure.”
He nodded. “I will take good care of your sister.”
At this, Emma’s lips curled into an amused grin. She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and chuckled. “She won’t make it easy for you.”
Grady sighed at the truth of her words. Renny would continue to test him. Lord only knew if he would pass or not. For the past week, whenever he felt he was making headway, she had turned on him. The return of Captain Billaud halted their conversation.
“Miss Emma. Miss Emma!” The young woman was pulled into a hug by the Frenchman.
“Captain, I am so sorry for the worry I caused you.” She pulled away. “And for the coach that was destroyed.”
The riverman waved aside her apology. “Not to
At last, all was set. He was just waiting for the women to finish with their tasks. In the midst of pacing impatiently, Zac, Zeb and their younger brother Zeke—he had waited for his brothers’ return at the fort—shuffled up to him. His heart grew heavy at the thought of saying goodbye to them.
They’d been together for many years now—ever since he’d rescued Zeke from what could have been a torturous death at the hands of the Blackfeet. Since that day, the three brothers had followed him from one wilderness post to another. With a start, Grady realized they’d become a substitute family.
Zac, Zeb and Zeke looked as miserable as he felt. Zac, the eldest, scratched his ear. “If it’s all right, Colonel, we thought we’d go with ya to St. Louie. Ya might need some help protectin’ them women, ya know.” He broke off and stared at the ground.
“And mebbe ya might need some help gettin’ settled, or…somethin’,” Zeb added, pulling at his beard.
Zeke kicked a rock. “Truth is, Colonel, it won’t be the same out here without ya. We promise not ta get in yer way.”
The sight of the three—men who looked as though they sprang from the mountains and could tackle a bear and emerge the victor—wearing woebegone expressions, touched Grady deep inside.
Truth to tell, he liked the idea of having these three devoted men to help watch over Star and the girls. Space was not a problem, either. He’d had his home built a few years after Emma’s birth with the hope of filling the vast number of empty rooms with the sound of children’s laughter. But that had never happened.
Now his house sat empty, much as his heart had been all these years. But surrounded by friends and his daughters, the barren cavity of his heart was slowly filling. Apparently, so was his house.
Realizing that the three brothers were anxiously awaiting his answer, he grinned. “You are all welcome to come with me and to stay as long as you like.” He vowed to help the men find employment in St. Louis for as long as they wanted to stay. Surely he had connections that would be helpful in doing so.
The men gave hoots of relief, and they hastened off to gather their piles of possessions.
“That was generous of you, Papa,” Emma said from behind him, making him start. She approached, and he could see tears trailing down her cheeks. Was she really going to miss him so much?
Grady opened his arms.
She ran to him. “I’m going to miss you.”
“And I you, my sweet Emma. My princess…thank you for coming to look for me.” He tightened his hold, his fingers buried in her hair at the back of her head as she sobbed on his shoulder. After a moment, he gently held her away and wiped her tears with a clean handkerchief. “You’ll never have to do that again. I’ll be back. I promise, I’ll be back.”
“Oh, Papa, I know you will.”
“Emma, are you sure this is what you want?” He knew the answer, that she belonged here with her husband, but he needed to hear the words one last time.
Emma smiled, her eyes softening. “Yes, Father. I’m sure. Very sure.”
He nodded. “I will take good care of your sister.”
At this, Emma’s lips curled into an amused grin. She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and chuckled. “She won’t make it easy for you.”
Grady sighed at the truth of her words. Renny would continue to test him. Lord only knew if he would pass or not. For the past week, whenever he felt he was making headway, she had turned on him. The return of Captain Billaud halted their conversation.
“Miss Emma. Miss Emma!” The young woman was pulled into a hug by the Frenchman.
“Captain, I am so sorry for the worry I caused you.” She pulled away. “And for the coach that was destroyed.”
The riverman waved aside her apology. “Not to
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