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Authors: Lynn A. Coleman
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elder MacKenneth’s farm, but he missed spending time with her and the family at Urias’s. The way her face lit up when she played with her nephews made his heart soar.
I think we should have a large family.
“Whoa,” he said out loud, quickly reining in his thoughts.
Kehoe pulled to an abrupt stop. Shelton clicked his tongue to encourage the animal to continue. “Sorry, boy. I wasn’t talking to you.”
He chided himself for allowing his imagination to stray into foolish territory. He couldn’t convince her to open up to him, let alone kiss him, and here he was picturing having children with her.
When he arrived at Urias’s barn, he removed Kehoe’s saddle, brushed him down, and carefully washed the wound on the horse’s neck. Then he checked on Kate. He gave the mare a good brushing.
“Do you always spend this much time with them?” Katherine asked.
Startled, he raised his head suddenly and nearly crowned it on the side of the pen. “What are you doing here?”
“I was invited to dinner, and Urias sent me out to fetch you to join us. The children have all eaten, but Urias is getting hungry and cranky.”
Shelton chuckled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were holding dinner on me. I had to tend to Kehoe’s injury.”
Katherine came up to the stallion. “What happened?”
“A frisky mare bit him.”
“Oh.” A gentle blush covered Katherine’s cheeks. “Is Kate almost ready to foal?”
“Any time now.” Shelton put down the brush and washed his hands at the pump. “I have some good news.”
Katherine smiled. The glow of her green eyes and the gentle rose pink of her lips warmed Shelton deep within.
He switched his focus back to the ice-cold water from the pump. “Mr. Reynolds at the bank said that if my references and facts concerning my bank records in Hazel Greene check out, I’ll be approved for a loan to purchase a farm in the area.”
“Oh Shelton, that’s wonderful news.” Katherine wrapped her arms around him, then immediately pulled away.
He knew he couldn’t pressure her to show affection, but inwardly he rejoiced that she had reached out to him. “I sent a letter to my parents and let them know it won’t be much longer before they can plan on moving here.”
All the energy in Katherine’s face disappeared. “I’m happy for you.”
If that was happy, what would describe her earlier reaction? “Katherine, Father’s changed. He’s a humbled man.”
She gave a weak smile and a nod. “Dinner is ready whenever you are.”
Shelton watched her walk off toward the house. He kicked the pump with his foot. His toe throbbed. That would teach him to take out his anger on an immoveable object.
“Father God,” he prayed, “am I so blinded by love for Katherine that I’m ignoring the problems our union would create for my parents? And for her?” Shelton sighed. “Your will, Father, not mine.” He hoped he meant his prayer, because he knew his heart would be destroyed if he and Katherine would never be together.
Katherine sat numbly through dinner. Shelton’s news flooded the conversation. Urias spoke of some farms in the area that might be available for a good price. Shelton mentioned one where a woman was recently widowed. Having lived with Grandma Mac for a short time, Katherine realized how hard it would be for an elderly woman to live alone and maintain a farm, even a small one such as Grandma Mac now owned. Rather than a farm, Shelton wanted a ranch, where he could breed horses.
The conversation moved on to other news from the area, but the lively chatter didn’t engage her. She wondered how big a ranch he would have. And whether he would feel so compelled to provide for his parents that they would live on the property with him.
Urias’s voice broke through her jumbled thoughts. “I read somewhere they moved Daniel Boone and his wife’s bones to Frankfort on September thirteenth. The town had a parade and everything.”
“Seems odd to move a
I think we should have a large family.
“Whoa,” he said out loud, quickly reining in his thoughts.
Kehoe pulled to an abrupt stop. Shelton clicked his tongue to encourage the animal to continue. “Sorry, boy. I wasn’t talking to you.”
He chided himself for allowing his imagination to stray into foolish territory. He couldn’t convince her to open up to him, let alone kiss him, and here he was picturing having children with her.
When he arrived at Urias’s barn, he removed Kehoe’s saddle, brushed him down, and carefully washed the wound on the horse’s neck. Then he checked on Kate. He gave the mare a good brushing.
“Do you always spend this much time with them?” Katherine asked.
Startled, he raised his head suddenly and nearly crowned it on the side of the pen. “What are you doing here?”
“I was invited to dinner, and Urias sent me out to fetch you to join us. The children have all eaten, but Urias is getting hungry and cranky.”
Shelton chuckled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were holding dinner on me. I had to tend to Kehoe’s injury.”
Katherine came up to the stallion. “What happened?”
“A frisky mare bit him.”
“Oh.” A gentle blush covered Katherine’s cheeks. “Is Kate almost ready to foal?”
“Any time now.” Shelton put down the brush and washed his hands at the pump. “I have some good news.”
Katherine smiled. The glow of her green eyes and the gentle rose pink of her lips warmed Shelton deep within.
He switched his focus back to the ice-cold water from the pump. “Mr. Reynolds at the bank said that if my references and facts concerning my bank records in Hazel Greene check out, I’ll be approved for a loan to purchase a farm in the area.”
“Oh Shelton, that’s wonderful news.” Katherine wrapped her arms around him, then immediately pulled away.
He knew he couldn’t pressure her to show affection, but inwardly he rejoiced that she had reached out to him. “I sent a letter to my parents and let them know it won’t be much longer before they can plan on moving here.”
All the energy in Katherine’s face disappeared. “I’m happy for you.”
If that was happy, what would describe her earlier reaction? “Katherine, Father’s changed. He’s a humbled man.”
She gave a weak smile and a nod. “Dinner is ready whenever you are.”
Shelton watched her walk off toward the house. He kicked the pump with his foot. His toe throbbed. That would teach him to take out his anger on an immoveable object.
“Father God,” he prayed, “am I so blinded by love for Katherine that I’m ignoring the problems our union would create for my parents? And for her?” Shelton sighed. “Your will, Father, not mine.” He hoped he meant his prayer, because he knew his heart would be destroyed if he and Katherine would never be together.
Katherine sat numbly through dinner. Shelton’s news flooded the conversation. Urias spoke of some farms in the area that might be available for a good price. Shelton mentioned one where a woman was recently widowed. Having lived with Grandma Mac for a short time, Katherine realized how hard it would be for an elderly woman to live alone and maintain a farm, even a small one such as Grandma Mac now owned. Rather than a farm, Shelton wanted a ranch, where he could breed horses.
The conversation moved on to other news from the area, but the lively chatter didn’t engage her. She wondered how big a ranch he would have. And whether he would feel so compelled to provide for his parents that they would live on the property with him.
Urias’s voice broke through her jumbled thoughts. “I read somewhere they moved Daniel Boone and his wife’s bones to Frankfort on September thirteenth. The town had a parade and everything.”
“Seems odd to move a
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