Brides of Idaho by Linda; Ford Page B

smiling. “He said he’d take care of us and find our pa.”
    Glory shook her head as she turned back to Levi. “Sounds like a mighty big task.”
    He shrugged. “How hard can it be? Besides, I couldn’t leave them there another day. I doubt you could have either.”
    She forced all emotion from her eyes and answered cooly. “I suppose not. After all, they are just children.”
    The boy widened his stance. “I’m Jack Templeton. This is my sister, Emmy. I can take care of her.”
    Glory recognized his determination and admired it. “How old are you?”
    “Ten.” A boy with a tangle of straw-colored hair and brown eyes. “Emmy’s—”
    “I’m eight.” Similar in looks to her brother, only her hair was longer and her eyes wider and filled with forced bravery. And as afraid as any child.
    Glory straightened and met Levi’s eyes. “What are you going to do with them?”
    “Exactly what I said. Take care of them and try to locate their father.”
    She nodded and without another word went back inside. She went directly to the kitchen where Joanna and Mandy waited.
    “What’s going on?” Joanna asked.
    “He found two kids.” She repeated his story.
    Joanna sighed. “Familiar story, wouldn’t you say?”
    Mandy moved to the doorway so she could watch them. “He’s washing them up. The little girl is so tiny. She looks up at him with big trusting eyes.” Mandy’s words choked. “I can’t imagine leaving such a sweet pair behind.”
    Glory snorted. “What? Were we ugly? And even if we were, did that make it all right for Pa to leave us time and again?”
    “I’m sure he didn’t mean to. He just got busy.”
    “Mandy, when will you learn we just didn’t matter to him? Still don’t, if one goes by the evidence.” She waved her hands to indicate the room. “You see him here? Did he tell us where he was going? No. I say forget about him and get on with our lives.”
    “Hush, girls.” Joanna as always played the peacemaker. “We are doing the best we can. All of us. Only time and God’s love will heal some wounds.”
    Glory and Mandy exchanged surprised looks then faced Joanna, who laughed awkwardly.
    “Ma taught us to obey God and trust Him. I guess it’s about time we all did.”
    “I’m trying,” Glory mumbled.
    “I feel close to God when I’m out in the woods.” Mandy sounded confused.
    Joanna patted them both on the back. “We need to look to the future, not the past.” She sniffled and wiped her eyes on a corner of her apron. “Now let’s serve our guests.”
    Glory helped carry in the full platters and mounded bowls. Not until the food was on the table did Joanna signal at the door for the guests to come in. As they filed by, they dropped their coins into her hand.
    Glory watched as Levi dropped in coins for three.
    He looked tired and worried as he found room for himself with a child on each side. But Emmy trembled when a strange man sat beside her.
    Glory caught Levi’s eyes and signaled to him to check the child at his elbow.
    He did so, saw how frightened she was, and changed places with her so she sat between himself and Jack. He glanced to Glory, said a silent thank-you.
    She turned away, pretending she didn’t notice. It was almost more than she could do to watch his tenderness with the children. She forced steel into her thoughts. Would he tell them the same thing he’d told her? That he couldn’t care about them and that he took back his promise?
    She was quite prepared to ignore the three of them. But against her will, her gaze returned to them over and over, watching as Levi cut Emmy’s meat, as he refilled their water glasses. Like a father with his children.
    Determinedly, she closed her eyes. She would not be like Mandy, always hoping Pa would return and somehow be changed into an ideal father. Nor would she look for the tenderness and caring she’d missed from her father in some other man. She understood how even a whisper of that kind of thinking made her