Sheriff.”
Usually the woman had a cheerful disposition, so Cole braced himself. He could see she had something serious to discuss with him. “Now’s a good time, Mrs. Gregory. Why don’t we sit in the parlor?”
“That’ll be fine.”
He followed her into the parlor and waited until she sat down on the horsehair sofa. He took a seat in his favorite chair and gave her his full attention. “What is it that you’d like to say?”
She heaved a heavy sigh and began with a small smile. “I love working here, Sheriff. It ain’t that. And lord knows I love that little child with all my heart, but I’m afraid I’ll be leaving you soon. You see, myyoungest daughter Caroline is expecting her third child. She’s asked me to come to live with them on their homestead after the baby is born.”
“Well, you can hardly refuse such an offer. I know you miss seeing your own grandchildren.”
Mrs. Gregory truly looked regretful. Tears misted up in her eyes. “I’ve given this great thought. At times, it’s perplexed me so. That little child of yours needs a woman about. I know that, but I am getting on in years and would like to spend my remaining days with my children.”
Cole rubbed his jaw and furrowed his brows. He’d become accustomed to having Mrs. Gregory about the house. He had hired her just after Jeb’s death, when Meggie was two and a half. They’d come a long way together, but he could understand her wanting to live with her children.
Family was everything.
“I understand. Meggie and I will surely miss you.”
“I’m not rushing out on you, Sheriff. I’ll agree to stay on for several months. Until you can find a replacement for me.”
“Thank you. I don’t know if anyone can replace you, but we’ll try to find someone suitable.”
Cole didn’t know where. It had been a stroke of luck, like being dealt an ace-high straight, finding Mrs. Gregory when he did. He’d really come to rely on her.
“If I might add something. It’s nothing you ain’t heard me spouting about before, but you should findyourself a wife. A young man like yourself and that lovely child. I’m sure there’s more than one lady who’d like to fill that position, if you get my meaning.”
Cole chuckled. Mrs. Gregory oftentimes surprised him with her blunt accounting of things.
“Meggie should have some brothers and sisters, don’t you think?”
Cole’s brief amusement vanished at the mention of his duty to his daughter. Yes, Meggie should have siblings to play with. He’d often thought her a lonely child, being raised by a father who struggled hard to make time for her. And how Meggie would love a little brother or sister in the house. Hell, he’d always wanted a house full of children. The woman he married would have to want the same. And not have ideas of building a saloon, he thought wryly. He’d find another housekeeper to help with Meggie before he made a mistake in marriage. “I’ve given that some thought.”
“Well,” she said, sitting straight up on the sofa and looking him dead in the eye, “thinking isn’t what’s needed here. You got to listen to your heart. Why, before my dear husband Samuel passed at the age of sixty, I’d still get a warm feeling every time that man walked into the house. That’s what I’m talking about…listening to your heart never steers you wrong.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And I won’t be abandoning you. I’ll stay onthrough the spring. I’m hoping you’ll have found someone by then.”
Cole nodded. “Me, too.”
“And if you don’t mind, I’d like to be the one to tell the little miss about my plans, when the time is right.”
“That’s fine by me.” Cole had faith that Mrs. Gregory would know how best to tell Meggie of her leaving. Hell, he didn’t relish the thought of taking yet another person away from the child. She’d already lost so much.
Kate hopped up into the wagon, ready for the trip back to town. She was thrilled with her
Usually the woman had a cheerful disposition, so Cole braced himself. He could see she had something serious to discuss with him. “Now’s a good time, Mrs. Gregory. Why don’t we sit in the parlor?”
“That’ll be fine.”
He followed her into the parlor and waited until she sat down on the horsehair sofa. He took a seat in his favorite chair and gave her his full attention. “What is it that you’d like to say?”
She heaved a heavy sigh and began with a small smile. “I love working here, Sheriff. It ain’t that. And lord knows I love that little child with all my heart, but I’m afraid I’ll be leaving you soon. You see, myyoungest daughter Caroline is expecting her third child. She’s asked me to come to live with them on their homestead after the baby is born.”
“Well, you can hardly refuse such an offer. I know you miss seeing your own grandchildren.”
Mrs. Gregory truly looked regretful. Tears misted up in her eyes. “I’ve given this great thought. At times, it’s perplexed me so. That little child of yours needs a woman about. I know that, but I am getting on in years and would like to spend my remaining days with my children.”
Cole rubbed his jaw and furrowed his brows. He’d become accustomed to having Mrs. Gregory about the house. He had hired her just after Jeb’s death, when Meggie was two and a half. They’d come a long way together, but he could understand her wanting to live with her children.
Family was everything.
“I understand. Meggie and I will surely miss you.”
“I’m not rushing out on you, Sheriff. I’ll agree to stay on for several months. Until you can find a replacement for me.”
“Thank you. I don’t know if anyone can replace you, but we’ll try to find someone suitable.”
Cole didn’t know where. It had been a stroke of luck, like being dealt an ace-high straight, finding Mrs. Gregory when he did. He’d really come to rely on her.
“If I might add something. It’s nothing you ain’t heard me spouting about before, but you should findyourself a wife. A young man like yourself and that lovely child. I’m sure there’s more than one lady who’d like to fill that position, if you get my meaning.”
Cole chuckled. Mrs. Gregory oftentimes surprised him with her blunt accounting of things.
“Meggie should have some brothers and sisters, don’t you think?”
Cole’s brief amusement vanished at the mention of his duty to his daughter. Yes, Meggie should have siblings to play with. He’d often thought her a lonely child, being raised by a father who struggled hard to make time for her. And how Meggie would love a little brother or sister in the house. Hell, he’d always wanted a house full of children. The woman he married would have to want the same. And not have ideas of building a saloon, he thought wryly. He’d find another housekeeper to help with Meggie before he made a mistake in marriage. “I’ve given that some thought.”
“Well,” she said, sitting straight up on the sofa and looking him dead in the eye, “thinking isn’t what’s needed here. You got to listen to your heart. Why, before my dear husband Samuel passed at the age of sixty, I’d still get a warm feeling every time that man walked into the house. That’s what I’m talking about…listening to your heart never steers you wrong.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And I won’t be abandoning you. I’ll stay onthrough the spring. I’m hoping you’ll have found someone by then.”
Cole nodded. “Me, too.”
“And if you don’t mind, I’d like to be the one to tell the little miss about my plans, when the time is right.”
“That’s fine by me.” Cole had faith that Mrs. Gregory would know how best to tell Meggie of her leaving. Hell, he didn’t relish the thought of taking yet another person away from the child. She’d already lost so much.
Kate hopped up into the wagon, ready for the trip back to town. She was thrilled with her
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