The Fire in Ember - DiAnn Mills [83]
John cleared his throat. “Wirt, why don’t you give Mama a hand with the dinner bell? Sometimes it’s a bit of a chore since she’s short.” He peered at the platter of tomatoes and cucumbers on the table. “I’ll help Bert if you two will bring another tomato from the garden. I’ve got a real taste for fresh tomatoes. Could eat two of them by myself.”
Leah stared at her oldest son. Why did he want her and Wirt alone? Understanding flashed. John wanted to spend a few minutes with Ember. She snatched up the garden bucket. “I’ll make sure there are plenty.”
John and Evan must have talked about Ember. She loved it when her sons behaved like grown men.
Once outside, Wirt rang the dinner bell and carried the bucket. Together they walked toward the garden. “Thank you for allowing those two to spend time alone,” she said. “Looks like John has decided to get to know Ember better.”
“What?” Wirt’s widened eyes caused her to laugh.
“John and Ember. He must want to talk to her privately.” She gasped. “I hope he hasn’t discovered bad news.”
“The only bad news I know about is Oberlander has decided to form his own posse to find the cattle thieves.”
Trouble always came in threes, but lately it came in fours and fives. “Is there anything you can do?”
“Free country, Leah. Victor Oberlander has the right to meet like the rest of us. Only when he breaks the law can one of us step in. But Bob told me something this morning that might help. One of those ranch hands has a sister who lives in Estes Park. She might know his whereabouts.”
Leah nodded. “I wish John wasn’t a deputy, but that’s like asking the sun not to shine.” She glanced back at the house, and a shiver rose on her arms. “Is John questioning Ember again?”
Wirt coughed. “No. Not to my knowledge. He’s giving me time to talk to you.”
Leah stopped at the beginning of the row of tomatoes. “Talk to me?” But she knew. She really did.
“I asked him if I could come calling on you. If you don’t mind.”
Leah’s gaze flew to his face. Oh, such a finely chiseled one too. He had the grayest eyes and a dimpled smile. She shivered again. Heat raced up her throat. “Wirt, I’m forty-one years old with five sons. You’ve never been married.”
Wirt set the bucket down onto the ground and took both her hands into his. “Leah, you know I care about you. I want to court you proper. I want us to be married.” He pressed his lips together. “I’m not saying this right. I love you, Leah. I want to marry you and take care of you for as long as God keeps me on this earth.”
Leah’s heart fluttered, and for a moment she thought it might burst from her chest. “Wirt, are you sure? I’m not sure I can give you children, and you — ”
“I can think of nothing finer than helping you with your sons.”
She wanted to scream yes, but was it possible to have a life with Wirt? What if God said no? “I suppose I should pray about this.”
He smiled, a sweet caring upturn of his lips. “I’d expect you to.”
She wanted him to kiss her. Years had passed since Frank had sealed his love on her lips. Was she betraying him?
No, she thought not. Leah stood on tiptoe and brushed a kiss across Wirt’s mouth.
A grown woman of forty-one had every right to steal a kiss from the man she loved.
John believed if a stone wall stood between him and Bert, he could break his way through. But the problems separating them were thicker than a mountain of rock. He’d set out to earn her trust, and he’d done a fine job of ruining any hope of having her confide in him. He wanted to end her fears of whoever had frightened her, but how could he when she avoided him?
“What can I do to help you with your fine supper?”
She peeked inside the oven. “Nothing. I’ll finish up as soon as everyone gets inside.”
He propped his weight on one leg and then the other. “I’m really sorry for the way I acted … when you were with Evan.”
“I haven’t thought any more about it.”
He wanted to think that she had fretted about his accusations. “Guess