widened. "Aye, he is," he answered proudly, as if he'd something to do with the natural growth spurt of a young bull.
Kathleen shook her head in exasperation. "Ye better get out ta the field. Da's lookin' fer ye."
The boy sighed and brushed his unruly blond hair from his eyes. "Guess yer right, sis." He waved at the calf. "See ye tonight, Caleb," he offered before pushing away from the partition and heading for the door.
From outside, their mother's voice could be heard. "Kathleen!"
"Ah, I'm in trouble again," the girl grumbled. Her eyes flashed angrily at her brother's laugh.
Stewart patted her gently on the arm. "When aren't ye in trouble, lass?" he asked. "Ye've been on the wrong side of mum's temper so long, I don't think ye'd know what 'twas like ta not be." And then he scampered off before she could smack him.
Growling, Kathleen watched him go and wondered why what he said was so true.
"Kathleen Sarah McGlashan!"
"Aye, mum! I'm comin'!" She lifted the hem of her dress and jogged back around the house.
"I don't understand why I have to get all cleaned up, mum!" Kathleen complained from the wooden tub she currently occupied.
Rachel bustled about the main room of their home, putting the final touches on the cookies before popping them into the small dutch oven in the fireplace. "I've told ye, lass. We're havin' comp'ny fer supper."
The blonde frowned. "Does Stewart have to clean up, too?"
"Aye. He'll have ta clean up some as well," was the vague reply.
Somethin's not right here , Kathleen mused. Who could be comin'? The only neighbor near is the widower Stevens
. And I never did this the last time he came ta eat here. The teenager worried the problem as she finished her bath.
"Here, love, let me help ye wash yer hair," Rachel interrupted her daughter's thoughts.
Now I know somethin's fishy! Mum hasn't helped with my hair in... well, in ferever!
"I've always loved yer hair, lass," Rachel murmured once she'd begun lathering the blonde tresses with soap. "It's so much thicker than my own."
Uncertain, Kathleen murmured, "Thank ye, mum."
"Ye've grown to be such a beautiful young woman, too. Every day ye look more and more like my ma." There was a comfortable silence. "Do ye remember yer Gram?"
"Aye, mum. She had white hair and taught me to play the tin whistle."
Rachel smiled at the memory. "Good. I'm glad ye do. She was a wonderful lady."
Despite herself, Kathleen closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, the strong fingers massaging her scalp feeling so nice. "What's really going on, mum?"
The older woman debated with herself for a moment. "Widower Stevens is comin' ta dinner."
"But why'm I gettin' all cleaned up then?"
"Kathleen," her mother started, "he's a lonely man. His wife passed away two years ago and he's out there on that farm by himself with no sons to help out."
The teenager's brow furrowed as she considered this statement. For some reason, she wasn't understanding what her mum was trying to tell her.
When there was no response, Rachel continued. "And yer not goin' ta find many other choices out here in the wilderness for a husband, Kathleen."
Blue eyes flew open as the full weight of her mother's comment hit her. Marry him! She wants me ta marry him! "But.... But, mum," she sputtered, pulling away and turning to peer in horror over her shoulder. "He's an old man!"
Rachel's mouth pinched together in irritation. "He's not that old, lass. He's only twenty-eight." To forestall further comment from her eldest child, she held up her soapy hands in warning. " And a good provider. Why, he's got a good ten acres of land in seed now, and it's growin' every year!"
"I don't care how much land he has!" the teenager yelled. "I'll not marry him!"
The older woman sighed explosively and rose to her feet. She picked up a nearby towel and wiped off her hands, speaking all the while. "It's not like we're tryin' to marry ye off today, Kathleen! We're only invitin' him to break bread with us, give the two
Kathleen shook her head in exasperation. "Ye better get out ta the field. Da's lookin' fer ye."
The boy sighed and brushed his unruly blond hair from his eyes. "Guess yer right, sis." He waved at the calf. "See ye tonight, Caleb," he offered before pushing away from the partition and heading for the door.
From outside, their mother's voice could be heard. "Kathleen!"
"Ah, I'm in trouble again," the girl grumbled. Her eyes flashed angrily at her brother's laugh.
Stewart patted her gently on the arm. "When aren't ye in trouble, lass?" he asked. "Ye've been on the wrong side of mum's temper so long, I don't think ye'd know what 'twas like ta not be." And then he scampered off before she could smack him.
Growling, Kathleen watched him go and wondered why what he said was so true.
"Kathleen Sarah McGlashan!"
"Aye, mum! I'm comin'!" She lifted the hem of her dress and jogged back around the house.
"I don't understand why I have to get all cleaned up, mum!" Kathleen complained from the wooden tub she currently occupied.
Rachel bustled about the main room of their home, putting the final touches on the cookies before popping them into the small dutch oven in the fireplace. "I've told ye, lass. We're havin' comp'ny fer supper."
The blonde frowned. "Does Stewart have to clean up, too?"
"Aye. He'll have ta clean up some as well," was the vague reply.
Somethin's not right here , Kathleen mused. Who could be comin'? The only neighbor near is the widower Stevens
. And I never did this the last time he came ta eat here. The teenager worried the problem as she finished her bath.
"Here, love, let me help ye wash yer hair," Rachel interrupted her daughter's thoughts.
Now I know somethin's fishy! Mum hasn't helped with my hair in... well, in ferever!
"I've always loved yer hair, lass," Rachel murmured once she'd begun lathering the blonde tresses with soap. "It's so much thicker than my own."
Uncertain, Kathleen murmured, "Thank ye, mum."
"Ye've grown to be such a beautiful young woman, too. Every day ye look more and more like my ma." There was a comfortable silence. "Do ye remember yer Gram?"
"Aye, mum. She had white hair and taught me to play the tin whistle."
Rachel smiled at the memory. "Good. I'm glad ye do. She was a wonderful lady."
Despite herself, Kathleen closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, the strong fingers massaging her scalp feeling so nice. "What's really going on, mum?"
The older woman debated with herself for a moment. "Widower Stevens is comin' ta dinner."
"But why'm I gettin' all cleaned up then?"
"Kathleen," her mother started, "he's a lonely man. His wife passed away two years ago and he's out there on that farm by himself with no sons to help out."
The teenager's brow furrowed as she considered this statement. For some reason, she wasn't understanding what her mum was trying to tell her.
When there was no response, Rachel continued. "And yer not goin' ta find many other choices out here in the wilderness for a husband, Kathleen."
Blue eyes flew open as the full weight of her mother's comment hit her. Marry him! She wants me ta marry him! "But.... But, mum," she sputtered, pulling away and turning to peer in horror over her shoulder. "He's an old man!"
Rachel's mouth pinched together in irritation. "He's not that old, lass. He's only twenty-eight." To forestall further comment from her eldest child, she held up her soapy hands in warning. " And a good provider. Why, he's got a good ten acres of land in seed now, and it's growin' every year!"
"I don't care how much land he has!" the teenager yelled. "I'll not marry him!"
The older woman sighed explosively and rose to her feet. She picked up a nearby towel and wiped off her hands, speaking all the while. "It's not like we're tryin' to marry ye off today, Kathleen! We're only invitin' him to break bread with us, give the two
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