She gave his amusement no mind. “I’d pay you if I could.”
“You take care of the kids.” He tipped his head toward the quartet. Neil had joined the others and they regarded her warily. “I want nothing more.”
“Good. So long as you understand completely.”
“You’ve made yourself more than clear. Now about the children...”
“Of course.” She had no idea how she could manage until they had some sort of shelter and a stove, but she’d keep her part of the bargain and care for them. She squared her shoulders as she joined them. “When was the last time you ate?”
“We’re not hungry,” Daisy said but the way Billy’s eyes widened with hope and little Pansy stopped sucking her fingers, Cassie knew Daisy did not speak for the others. “I’ll make tea.” She headed for the tent to retrieve her stack of dishes. She lifted the canvas and crawled inside, fighting the billows of rough material. A moment later, she backed out with her hands full.
Billy giggled.
“Shh,” Daisy warned.
He sobered but the way his lips trembled tickled the inside of Cassie’s stomach.
“I feel like a bug crawling out from a hole.” She grinned and ran her hands over her hair.
“Pretty big bug.” Billy’s smile flickered and sputtered to an end as Daisy poked him in the back.
“He doesn’t mean anything bad. He just hasn’t learned to think before he speaks.” Daisy’s stare dared him to say anything more.
“Have, too.”
Cassie chuckled. Obviously the boy didn’t seem inclined to listen to Daisy’s warnings, silent or otherwise. To distract him, she said, “Billy, why don’t you gather up some firewood?” There was plenty of it lying about. Neil had gone back to helping Roper so she asked Daisy, “Could you help with these things?” She indicated the kettle and the box of supplies.
Daisy jiggled Pansy farther up on her hip and grabbed the kettle.
It was on the tip of Cassie’s tongue to suggest that Daisy put her sister down but she wondered if either of them were ready to be separated and decided to leave it be.
It didn’t take long to get a fire going and hang the kettle over it. Roper paused from his work to drag logs close.
“Benches,” he explained, and she thanked him.
She took the biscuits and jam out of her provisions and when the tea was ready she called Roper and Neil. The other children hovered beside the fire, Pansy still riding Daisy’s hip.
Roper hung the hammer over the board walls he had started and squatted to begin a mock fistfight with Neil. “You hungry, boy, or do you want to stay here working?”
“I’m hungry.” Neil batted Roper’s harmless fists away and tried to jab Roper’s stomach.
Roper bounced away on the balls of his feet, still throwing mock punches.
As Neil laughed, the other three watched, their expressions relaxed, the guardedness gone from their posture.
Cassie studied them. Strange how the kids seemed to feel comfortable with Roper. Maybe because he was always laughing and teasing. Didn’t he know there were times to be serious? Times to think about the future?
The pair reached the campfire.
“I haven’t a cup for everyone until I unpack some boxes.” She indicated the crates nearby. In one of them were dishes purchased from Macpherson that she planned to use when she served meals to people passing through in need of a feed and willing to pay for it.
“We’ll share,” Daisy said and offered a drink to Pansy from her cup. “Neil and Billy can share, too.” Her look ordered them to agree without fuss and they nodded.
Cassie dipped her head to hide her smile. Daisy had taken on the role of mother. She didn’t have much choice but Cassie wondered how long it would be before the others, especially Neil, decided otherwise. Still smiling she lifted her head and encountered Roper’s gaze. He darted a glance at the kids and winked at her.
Winked! Like she was a common trollop he found on the street. Her cheeks burned. Her heart caught fire. How dare he?
He left his perch by Neil and plopped to the log beside Cassie. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend you. I meant only to signal that I understood the way you’d read the children.” He kept his voice low as the kids shared their drinks. “Neil and Daisy are both strong. So far they work together for the good of all. I hope it continues until their uncle arrives.”
Cassie stumbled over her thoughts. She’d misread his action and now she was embarrassed and uncertain how to undo it. Best to simply face it honestly and move on. “Apology accepted and please accept my own regrets for being so quick to jump to offense.”
He nodded but the air between them remained heavy with awkwardness.
“Those biscuits for eating?” Billy asked, eyeing the plate of biscuits and jam.
“Billy.” Daisy grabbed his arm. “Mind your manners.”
Neil watched Cassie with a look of uncertainty that made her forget any lingering embarrassment. How well she understood that look. Even more, she knew the fluttering in the pit of one’s stomach that accompanied it. She wanted more than anything to put a stop to the kids feeling that way—and equally as much to lose the memory of that sensation.
“Billy, you’re right. I’ve forgotten my manners as the hostess. Thank you for reminding me.” She grabbed the plate and handed it around. “Take two,” she insisted. She stopped in front of Neil. “We don’t know each other and you might not be here long enough that we ever do but while you are here, you are safe. I expect each of you to be cooperative and polite but I’m not about to change my mind when you slip up. I won’t kick you to the curb.” She chuckled softly and glanced toward Macpherson’s store. “Guess it might be a little hard seeing as there isn’t even a street let alone a curb.” She returned her gaze to Neil. “What I’m trying to say is you can trust me.”
Neil held her gaze for a heartbeat then took two biscuits. “Thank you.”
She didn’t expect to win his approval overnight but it was a start. She held the plate and the remaining biscuits out to Roper.
He shook his head. “Give them to the kids. I’ll go out early tomorrow and rustle up some more food.”
Seems she would be depending on him far more than she cared to. Her whole goal had been to be free of obligation and debt. She ached to say it again but not while the children were listening.
The kids finished their food, handed Cassie their cups and quietly thanked her. They sat on their crude log benches, fingers twitching, their gazes darting about and long sighs escaping their lips.
Their restlessness made her skin tingle. “Go ahead and play while we have some more tea.” She refilled Roper’s cup and they watched as the kids hurried away to the other side of the walls Roper had constructed. As soon as they were out of sight, tension grabbed Cassie’s muscles. This was a far cry from what she’d planned. Her agreement to work with him felt like a walk back into the very thing she meant to escape. “How long do you think it will take to contact the uncle?”
“I wouldn’t venture a guess. Why? You already wishing I was gone?”
“You make me sound rude and ungrateful. I’m not. I just have plans. Goals. Don’t you?”
He stared off in the distance for a moment, his expression uncharacteristically serious. Then he flashed her a teasing grin. “Now that you mention it, I guess I don’t. Apart from making sure the kids are safe.”
“I find that hard to believe. Don’t you want to get your own ranch?”