the man riding toward her. Even in his teens, Evan wouldn’t have left her alone and pregnant, Meg could tell. The ring he’d have placed on her finger wouldn’t have been a promise of a future he might not have, but would have been a wedding ring that would have protected her both socially and financially when he went off to war.
She hadn’t missed the significance of Evan’s father-in-law having placed his daughter’s heart and future in Evan’s hands at such a young age. It was also clear that, though Evan had loved Martha from afar, he’d held her in too high a regard to consider himself good enough for her. It hurt to realize that Wade had not had that same esteem for Meg.
She shook her head. No, there was no sense going there. She couldn’t start second-guessing their love and its result. And she could not wish it hadn’t happened, or she’d be wishing her wonderful son out of existence.
She was, however, sorry she’d broken God’s law. As usual, the Lord in His goodness had taken her regrettable choice and made of it something wonderful. Even though she’d had to go through years of pain to find the prize at the end of that long road her love for Wade had started her on, she was thankful, because Jack was in her life.
“And that’s what a cutting horse does,” Evan said, breaking her train of thought as he and his horse stopped on a dime in front of her.
“There’s a good market for them, you say?”
“Seems to be.”
She forced a smile, refusing to show the path her mind had taken. “Then good for Jack that he saw it. I think I’m going to have to learn that kind of riding. It looked like fun.”
Evan could feel Meg’s restlessness as they trotted along next to each other. They’d ridden out to Half-Pint Spring, where they talked for a spell about their lives. He’d told her about the changes he’d made to the Circle A and about the careful land purchases he’d made to expand it. She had explained that her brother had done the same thing with Laurel Glen, through an inheritance of a neighboring estate when his first wife died and the recent purchase of some land from Adam Boyer.
And now they rode on to Aspen Stand, one of the northernmost man-made watering holes, so she couldsee a windmill in action. He glanced at her. Was she as nervous as she seemed? Why was that? Did she sense his unruly feelings?
No. No way. He was better at hiding things than that. Besides, he’d been a quarter of a mile away earlier and had returned to find these vibes. So what was wrong? Maybe it was knowing they were out of touch with how Beth was doing. Well, of course that was it! Hadn’t she said Beth was like the daughter she’d never had? This ride had probably been torture for her.
“Maybe we should get back.” He checked Apple Boy and they stopped. Meg wheeled Glory to face him after a few paces. Evan looked at the position of the sun, then reached for his watch to confirm the startling fact that they’d been riding for over two hours. Time had simply taken wing. “You can still make afternoon visiting hours if we head in now. Would you like that?”
She seemed to grasp eagerly at the suggestion. “I would, yes. I’m so worried about her. And Jack.”
Meg looked so concerned Evan felt like a fool. Some leisurely ride. He sidestepped Apple Boy. “I’m sorry. If you’d wanted to skip the tour you should have just said.”
She looked startled. “No. I had a nice time. Really.”
He shrugged and started them for home. Halfway there Evan realized Meg might think he intended togo to the hospital with her. That wasn’t going to happen. He knew with a certainty that if he went near that hospital Beth wouldn’t live to see the twins again. Just as Martha hadn’t lived to see her children grow up. It made no sense. He was as certain that it made no sense as he was that he couldn’t go there.
He pulled up when the ranch compound came into view. “You can get there without me along
She hadn’t missed the significance of Evan’s father-in-law having placed his daughter’s heart and future in Evan’s hands at such a young age. It was also clear that, though Evan had loved Martha from afar, he’d held her in too high a regard to consider himself good enough for her. It hurt to realize that Wade had not had that same esteem for Meg.
She shook her head. No, there was no sense going there. She couldn’t start second-guessing their love and its result. And she could not wish it hadn’t happened, or she’d be wishing her wonderful son out of existence.
She was, however, sorry she’d broken God’s law. As usual, the Lord in His goodness had taken her regrettable choice and made of it something wonderful. Even though she’d had to go through years of pain to find the prize at the end of that long road her love for Wade had started her on, she was thankful, because Jack was in her life.
“And that’s what a cutting horse does,” Evan said, breaking her train of thought as he and his horse stopped on a dime in front of her.
“There’s a good market for them, you say?”
“Seems to be.”
She forced a smile, refusing to show the path her mind had taken. “Then good for Jack that he saw it. I think I’m going to have to learn that kind of riding. It looked like fun.”
Evan could feel Meg’s restlessness as they trotted along next to each other. They’d ridden out to Half-Pint Spring, where they talked for a spell about their lives. He’d told her about the changes he’d made to the Circle A and about the careful land purchases he’d made to expand it. She had explained that her brother had done the same thing with Laurel Glen, through an inheritance of a neighboring estate when his first wife died and the recent purchase of some land from Adam Boyer.
And now they rode on to Aspen Stand, one of the northernmost man-made watering holes, so she couldsee a windmill in action. He glanced at her. Was she as nervous as she seemed? Why was that? Did she sense his unruly feelings?
No. No way. He was better at hiding things than that. Besides, he’d been a quarter of a mile away earlier and had returned to find these vibes. So what was wrong? Maybe it was knowing they were out of touch with how Beth was doing. Well, of course that was it! Hadn’t she said Beth was like the daughter she’d never had? This ride had probably been torture for her.
“Maybe we should get back.” He checked Apple Boy and they stopped. Meg wheeled Glory to face him after a few paces. Evan looked at the position of the sun, then reached for his watch to confirm the startling fact that they’d been riding for over two hours. Time had simply taken wing. “You can still make afternoon visiting hours if we head in now. Would you like that?”
She seemed to grasp eagerly at the suggestion. “I would, yes. I’m so worried about her. And Jack.”
Meg looked so concerned Evan felt like a fool. Some leisurely ride. He sidestepped Apple Boy. “I’m sorry. If you’d wanted to skip the tour you should have just said.”
She looked startled. “No. I had a nice time. Really.”
He shrugged and started them for home. Halfway there Evan realized Meg might think he intended togo to the hospital with her. That wasn’t going to happen. He knew with a certainty that if he went near that hospital Beth wouldn’t live to see the twins again. Just as Martha hadn’t lived to see her children grow up. It made no sense. He was as certain that it made no sense as he was that he couldn’t go there.
He pulled up when the ranch compound came into view. “You can get there without me along
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