Her Motherhood Wish

Jasper gazed at her with boyish admiration. “Really? How big was it?”

Chip’s lips twitched, a telltale sign of his disbelief. “Yes, Miss Callie. Tell us. Just how big was this frog you befriended?”

Since she’d gotten Jasper’s attention focused on something pleasant, she might as well finish the tale with a flourish. She suppressed a shudder at the memory of that dreadful experience, shifted a yawning Ruby to a more comfortable position and forged ahead.

“It was a spring day much like today, clear and warm, with not a cloud in the sky. Recent storms had filled the creek, and it was burbling over the rocks. I tossed stones in the creek just so I could hear the satisfying plops. I reached for a nearby stone, but I saw something else.” She paused for dramatic effect.

“What was it?” Jasper asked.

A strangled sound from Chip stopped her. She recognized it for what it was—a cough covering a chortle. He was laughing. At her.

So be it. She wasn’t going to let his amusement ruin Jasper’s fun. “It was a big ol’ bullfrog with bulging eyes. That fellow was huge. Why, he must have been as big as my hand. Or bigger.” Definitely bigger. And very ugly.

Jasper trembled with excitement. “And you picked it up?”

“I sure did. He didn’t like being disturbed, though, so he took a flying leap out of my hand.” If she wasn’t embellishing the tale for the boy’s benefit, she might have mentioned that the slippery creature didn’t have much choice, not when she’d flung him as fast and as far as possible. She could happily live the rest of her life without seeing another frog.

“Miss Callie is a brave woman, isn’t she, Jasper? Now that she’s finished her exciting tale, we should be going. I have to make sure everything’s ready before the rest of the children arrive. How would you like a piggyback ride?” Upon receiving a nod, he hefted Jasper onto the bench and presented his back. The young fellow climbed up and wrapped his arms around Chip’s neck. Chip galloped across the dining room, bringing forth peals of laughter.

Chip stopped at the doorway and turned. “The honorable knight and his trusty steed can’t ride off and leave the pint-sized princess and her lovely lady’s maid behind. It’s our job to protect the ladies—and the realm.”

There it was again—that edge of concern to his voice. Why was he so convinced that the children were in danger? And if he was, why had he cut her off earlier when she attempted to reassure Jasper? Those were questions she’d ask him as soon as she could get him alone, but with their two young chaperones present much of the time, opportunities to have Chip to herself could be few. Which could be a good thing. He might exasperate her on occasion, but his charisma and magnetic personality drew her to him.

Since she didn’t know him as well as she’d thought, she would be wise to keep her distance, for the time being anyhow. But there was nothing to stop her from inviting the attractive carpenter to have a cup of hot cocoa with her after they got the children in bed later that evening, was there? They did need to make plans, after all, and admiring him over the streaming beverage would be a nice way to end the day. If their time together led to her having sweet dreams, so much the better.

* * *

Carving with an audience wasn’t something Chip had done very often. The few times he’d attempted it, he’d had a handful of adults looking on. Mindful of his need to concentrate, they’d remained silent. Carving with a group of curious children watching and calling out their guesses would test his ability to remain focused on his work, but he thrived on challenges.

He stood in the middle of the large space that would become the new playroom, with Tess by his side. She surveyed the setup. “Do you think this arrangement will work?”

“I do.” The older boys, assisted by their group leaders, had carried in benches from the dining hall and arranged them in a U shape, three rows deep, with a sturdy table in the middle.

“Very well. Then I’ll leave you to finalize your preparations.” She headed out the door just as Callie walked in, with Ruby by her side.

Apprehension clamped a vise around Chip’s chest. “Where’s Jasper?”

Callie responded with a casual shrug. “Outside.”

“Where?”

“I’m not sure exactly, but he’s fine.”

The vise squeezing Chip’s chest tightened. “How do you know that, if he’s not with you?”

“He’s with Spencer and Luke. I believe they’re capable of looking out for him, don’t you?”

She didn’t understand how important this was. He lowered his voice so Ruby, who was walking between the rows of benches, wouldn’t hear them and become alarmed. “I know you don’t think the children are in danger, but based on the facts, I believe they could be.”

Her words were hushed but forceful. “If they are—and I’m not convinced that’s the case—I see no need to alarm them.”

“Neither do I.”

“Really? Then why did you stop me at dinner when I tried to assure Jasper that they’re safe here?”

How had she come to that conclusion? “I didn’t—”

“Cut me off? Yes, you did. Jasper asked about the ‘bad people’ and was concerned that God wouldn’t know where he and Ruby are and be able to watch over them. All I was going to say was that he didn’t have anything to worry about, and you interrupted me.”

“But there is cause for concern. Surely you can see that.”

She huffed out a breath. “Of course I do. Life is fraught with dangers, but the children don’t have to worry because we’re here to see that they’re safe, just as their father did and God does. The last thing they need right now is to sense any anxiety on our part. They need to feel safe and secure so they can deal with their grief. Surely you can see that.”

“I’m not the enemy, Callie. I care about the children, too. I’m just trying to protect them, the same as you are. It would be easier if we could work together on this. Can’t we do that?”

He must have said what she wanted to hear because the tension in her lovely face eased. “That’s what I want, too.”

“Good. Then we’re a team.”

“Miss Callie?”

“What is it, sweetheart?” She sat on one of the benches and pulled Ruby into her lap.

“Where’s Jaspy?”

“He’s outside with Luke and his papa, but he’ll be here soon.”

“Where’s our papa?”

Callie lifted sorrow-filled eyes to Chip. Her compassion knew no bounds. She shifted her gaze to the darling girl and spoke with such tenderness that his chest tightened. “Oh, sweetheart, he’s gone, just like your mama. But Mr. Chip and I are here. Mama Tess and Papa Spencer, too. We’ll take good care of you.”

Ruby’s chin quivered, and tears ran down her cheeks. “But I want my papa wight now.”

“Of course you do. Losing a mama or a papa hurts in here.” Callie placed a hand over Ruby’s heart. “I know. Mine went away when I was a girl, too, but some nice people took me in. Someday, you’ll have a new family, too, and they’ll love you, but right now this is your home and we’re your family.”

Her sentiment was well-intentioned, but circumstances didn’t create a family. You were born into one, and they loved you from the start. No matter what you did or how many mistakes you made, they were there for you, just as his had been there for him. Hoping for that same level of love and acceptance from someone else was foolhardy. He’d learned that lesson the hard way.

But Callie was right about one thing. The children would be well cared for. And they’d be safe. He would see to that.

“Let’s dry your tears before the other children arrive.” Callie pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve, dabbed each of Ruby’s cheeks and kissed them. “That’s better, isn’t it?”

The little girl nodded. “You’re a nice lady.”

Callie smiled. “And you’re a lovely girl. Now, shall we see if Mr. Chip needs anything?” She held out a hand, and Ruby took it.

They slipped between the benches and joined him.

Ruby gazed up at him. “Do you need help, Mr. Chip?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. I could use someone to make sure I have all my tools lined up just right.” He swept a hand to where he’d laid out his knives, chisels, gouges and the mallet. “All the handles need to be facing the edge of the table so I can grab them quickly. Could you tell me if any of them are backward?”

The adorable girl bobbed her head and started down the row, lifting her doll so she could see, too. He leaned against the bench, blocking Ruby’s view of the final tools, reached behind his back and spun the wooden mallet around. She approached, and he stepped out of the way.

“Oh! This one’s upside down.”

“Why, look at that! You’re right. Would you turn it around for me? It’s not too heavy.” And it wasn’t sharp, as the other tools were.

Ruby righted the mallet and looked to him for approval.

He squatted, smoothed a strand of her blond hair behind her ear and cupped the side of her soft face in his work-roughened hand. “You did a great job, princess.”

Callie sighed. He looked her way, and his breath caught. Minutes before she’d been irritated with him, but now her entire countenance shone with admiration. And it was directed at him. He wasn’t sure what he’d done to bring about such a transformation. He hadn’t changed his position on the need for safeguarding the children, but he would enjoy being in her good graces while it lasted.

She caught him staring at her and smiled. “You’ll make a fine father one day, Chip.”

So that was it, was it? She was pleased with the way he’d handled Ruby’s offer of help. He hadn’t done anything special, but Callie’s approval meant a great deal to him.

Four rings of the dinner bell, the signal for a special event, brought the brief encounter to a close. She swept in to pick up Ruby and stood in one of the open corner areas between the benches. “We’ll have a good view from here, sweetheart. I’m looking forward to watching Mr. Chip work, aren’t you?”

Callie’s enthusiasm eased the tension in Chip’s shoulders.

A young boy about seven years old bounded in ahead of everyone else and plopped down in the middle of one the front row benches, facing Chip.

“You were fast.”

“I ran,” the boy said, breathless. “I wanted to get the best seat so I can see everything you do.”

“You should be able to. What’s your name, son?”

“Freddie. I got one of those animals you made. I wanna see how you do it.”

“Ah, yes. You’re the one who asked Mama Tess what I’ll be making.”

Callie walked down the row behind the lad and leaned close. “If you like working with wood, we can ask her to let you come help us one day. You’ll learn a lot from Mr. Chip. He’s very good.”

Admiration and compliments? Was Callie sincere, or was she teasing him?

He had no time to ponder the question because the other children entered the large room and took their seats on the benches. Jasper squeezed in next to Luke. A group leader had to settle a minor scuffle as two young fellows vied for the same spot, but as soon as Tess stepped into the center and clapped, everyone quieted.

The tall woman smiled. “Thank you all for seeing to the after-dinner chores so quickly. Now you’ll get to watch Mr. Chip make something special. He won’t be able to finish it tonight, but he’ll get as far as he can. I’m sure you’ll have lots of questions, but he’ll need to concentrate, so you’ll have to save them until the end.”

Freddie’s eagerness to learn had overcome Chip’s concerns about keeping the children quiet. “I remember having a hard time holding questions inside when I was a boy, so, if you’re agreeable, they can ask their questions while I’m working.”

“Very well.” Tess turned her attention back to the children. “You may raise your hand to ask a question just as you will when you make a guess about what Mr. Chip’s making, but wait for me to call on you before speaking.”

Freddie’s hand shot into the air.

Tess chuckled. “He hasn’t even begun yet, Freddie. What do you want to know?”

“That chunk of wood on your table is really big, Mr. Chip. How can you make a little animal out of it?”

“This—” he patted the large round of white pine “—is for the statue I’ll be carving. I use small pieces of wood and different tools when I whittle a toy.”

Callie spoke up. “Would you be willing to show us, if it wouldn’t take too long?”

“Sure. I could whip out a small figure in no time.” And he knew just the one he’d make. He grabbed a scrap of white pine and his knife and set to work, sending chips flying.

“I have another request.”

He paused and looked at Callie. “Yes?”

“If you could talk as you work, we’d all understand what you’re doing.”

Talk and carve at the same time? He’d never done that, but he could give it a try. “I’ll do my best.” He kept his hands moving as he explained the process. “I’m using a knife to remove all the wood that isn’t part of the figure. That sounds simple, but that’s really what it’s about. I keep the image in mind and shave off everything that doesn’t belong.”

He continued, describing and demonstrating the four basic cuts as he worked. The children sat quietly with not a single hand going into the air. He was finished in no time. “Since Miss Callie asked me to make this little fellow, I’ll give it to her, but I’m sure she’ll pass it around so you can all see it.” He handed her the creature.

She laughed. “Why, thank you, Mr. Chip. I’ll think of you every time I look at this bullfrog.”

One of the boys who’d been involved in the scuffle piped up. “Why’d ya make a frog for her? Ladies don’t like ’em.”

Jasper rushed to her defense. “Miss Callie does. She even picks them up.”

Chip hurried to take the focus off Callie. She was likely to bend his ear about his choice later. If he was correct, she’d had absolutely no intention of touching a frog that day and had mistaken it for a stone. He looked from Jasper to the other boy, who’d also spoken out of turn, and attempted a scowl, but he couldn’t stifle his smile. “Gentlemen, I didn’t see any hands go up, did I? I hope to soon, though, because I’m ready to start on the wood carving, and I look forward to hearing your guesses.”

He began by tracing faint lines that wouldn’t be visible to those on the benches and explained how they would be his guides. With his mallet in one hand, he tapped the handle of the chisel he held in the other. As before, he kept up a running dialogue.

A scant three minutes had passed when the first hand went up and Tess called for the guess. All he’d done so far was round off the top corners. “Is it a mountain?” a girl about Jasper’s age asked.

“I’m afraid not.”

He worked steadily but couldn’t help stealing glances at Callie. Her interest rivaled Freddie’s. She’d taken a seat on the end of a bench, with Ruby beside her, and was leaning forward, just as the curious boy was.

With Callie’s lips parted like that, Chip thoughts wandered into dangerous territory, which wouldn’t do. All it would take was one slip of the blade, and he could do irreparable damage. He dragged his gaze from her and returned his attention to the creation taking shape.

The guesses continued, none of them close. He’d been hard at work for a good thirty minutes when another hand shot up, this one belonging to Luke’s oldest sister. “It’s going to be a cowboy sitting on a fence, isn’t it?”

“You’ve come the closest so far, Lila. I’m impressed.” Both Tess and her daughter beamed at his praise.

Another five minutes passed with not a single guess. He stopped and scanned the benches. With the children, their group leaders and a curious ranch hand or two, some sixty-five pairs of eyes were trained on him. The room was so quiet he could almost hear the children thinking.

He reached for a smaller gouge on the table behind him and turned back to his creation, stealing another look at Callie as he did. She smiled her encouragement and mouthed the words keep going. Her eagerness spurred him on.

As he began the telltale cuts that would reveal a key part of the sculpture, he anticipated more guesses coming soon. Sure enough, Freddie’s wildly waving hand caught his eye. And was that Jasper with a hand raised, too?

Tess chuckled. “It appears we have a tie. I’d like you both to come up and tell me what you think it is.” They joined her, taking turns whispering in her ear. She straightened and smiled. “We have two winners. I’ll count to three, and you boys can say what it is together. One. Two. Three.”

“Humpty Dumpty,” they shouted in unison.

Callie began clapping, and the others joined in. Pride radiated from her, reminding him of Tess’s response when he’d complimented her daughter earlier. He and Callie had only been caring for the children for several hours, and yet it was clear they’d already come to mean a great deal to her. She’d make a fine mother one day.

The Plan didn’t call for him to find a wife to fill that role for three years yet, a fact he must keep in mind. But no harm could come from enjoying the company of his lovely assistant over the next few weeks, could it?

Chapter Four

Ruby sneezed.

“God bless you, sweetheart! Here. You can use my handkerchief, if you need to.” Callie pulled the lace-edged square from her sleeve.

“I’m all wight. My nose just tickled.” The little girl rubbed it with the back of her hand.

“Sawdust can do that, and there’s plenty of it in here. Mr. Chip has been working very hard.”

Callie looked around the large woodshop. Stacks of boards rested in neat piles. Some were waiting to be cut, others had been planed and a fair number were sanded and ready to be oiled before being assembled into bed frames.

Her gaze lingered on the handsome carpenter as he kept his saw busy—and his muscular biceps flexing. The steady rasp as he sliced through the pine planks kept time with the rapid beating of her heart. At the rate Chip was going, he’d have the first order of furniture for the new dormitory built in no time. She wasn’t in any hurry. He was fun to be around, and he was so good with the children. She dragged her attention from him.

Jasper raced up to her on a stick horse. He’d whooped and hollered when Tess had dropped by with it the day before. He stroked the horse’s cinnamon-colored yarn mane. “I know what I’m gonna name him. Gingersnap, ’cause he’s the same color as one of them cookies we had after lunch. Do you like it?”

Callie smiled. “It’s a fine name.”

Chip paused, saw in hand. “I like it, too. You could call him Snap for short.”

Jasper tilted his head. “Like a nickname?”

“That’s right. Miss Callie has one. Her full name is Caroline.”

Callie seized the opportunity to learn what his name was. “What is Chip short for? Christopher, Charles or something else?”

Chip shook his head. “None of those. My name is really Sebastian. The first carpenter I worked for when I was a boy of ten, a Scotsman, said it was too much of a mouthful for a laddie like me since I was no bigger than a wood chip. He called me Chip, and the name stuck.”

“It suits you. Thanks for telling me. We’re keeping you from your work, though.” She held out a hand to Ruby. “We should find something else to do while Mr. Chip gets the next batch of boards cut. Let’s see if Mr. Isaac has time to lead you around on the pony, shall we?”

The thumping of Jasper’s stick horse on the wooden floorboards as he rode around the room came to an abrupt halt. “Mr. Chip don’t need my help now. Can I go, too?”

“He doesn’t need your help or ours just now, so I suppose you could join us.” She leaned toward him, smiled and adopted a playful tone. “If you’re interested in a riding lesson, that is.”

“Yee-haw!” Jasper galloped over to them, one hand holding the rope reins and the other swinging an imaginary lasso over his head. Ever since Jasper had seen the cattle on the day Chip and Callie brought him to the Double T, he’d been telling anyone willing to listen that he was going to be a cowboy when he grew up.

The room quieted. Chip stood with the saw hanging at his side and an exaggerated pout on his handsome face. “Are all my helpers going to abandon me?”

“Just for a short time. The children have spent the better part of three days in here with us. I understand why, but I thought some time outdoors would be good for them. Isaac mentioned that he would be free this afternoon and hinted rather strongly that he’d like to meet Jasper and Ruby.”

“I see.” Chip crossed the room in a few strides, wearing a smile. “And you’re going to take your brother up on his offer and leave me here to slave away on my own, are you?” He heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Good help is so hard to come by.”

Callie chuckled. “Since we really can’t do much to help at this point, I figured you might appreciate having some time to yourself. Without distractions.”

“Ah, but these are the best kind of distractions.” He ruffled the children’s blond heads. And winked at her.

Chip’s impulsive gesture didn’t mean anything. He was just being his usual engaging self, but even so, a shiver of delight raced up her spine.

His brow furrowed. “Are you cold?”

“Not at all.” With him standing so close, she could smell the masculine mix of wood, linseed oil and sunshine that was Chip. Even better, she had a good excuse to look into his intriguing eyes, a far deeper blue than her own, with golden circles around the centers. Those eyes widened, and she realized she was staring. “You’ll be fine without us for an hour or so, won’t you?”

“No. I’ll miss you something fierce, but I’ll manage somehow.”

She laughed and gave his arm a playful swat. “Oh, you.”

Jasper gazed up at her, his brow furrowed. “Why did you hit him, Miss Callie?”

She’d momentarily forgotten about their young chaperones. “I didn’t hit him. I just swatted him. Mr. Chip was teasing me, and I was teasing him back. That’s all. But you’re right. Hitting isn’t a good thing. We should get on over to the corral. We’ll see you when we return, Chip.”

“You might see me sooner than that. I could use a break myself.”

“We’d like that.” She certainly would, more than he knew.

“Then I’ll definitely join you.” He flashed her a smile that held the promise of an enjoyable time to come. She had to force herself not to skip down the path.

Minutes later Callie stood outside the corral fence watching Isaac lead Ruby around on a pony. Callie’s brother didn’t let his war injury hold him back, but he still had trouble with loud noises or altercations of any kind between adults. He was fine with children, though, because, as he said, they posed no threat. He’d certainly overcome Ruby’s hesitation in a hurry. The little girl was actually smiling.

Jasper waited beside Callie, his feet on the middle rung of the slat fence and his hands gripping the top one. “How long do I gotta wait for my turn?”

“Until Ruby’s done. It won’t be long now.” Footfalls from behind caught her attention.

Tess approached them, with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face. “Since you want to be a cowboy one day, Jasper, you’ll be needing one of these.” She held out a small cowboy hat.

Jasper’s eyes grew as round as wagon wheels. He took the hat and plopped it on his head.

Callie leaned close. “What do you say?”

He beamed at Tess. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it. The Double T is a good place for boys like you. Papa Spencer and his ranch hands can teach you everything there is to know about raising cattle.”

Isaac led the pony up to the fence beside them. “This little lady had a nice ride. It’s her brother’s turn now.”

“Yee-haw!” Jasper cringed and clamped a hand over his mouth.

Tess’s forehead furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

Callie rested a hand on the remorseful boy’s shoulder. “He remembered that we’re not supposed to make loud noises around horses. Isn’t that right, Jasper?”

He bobbed his head.

Isaac passed Ruby to Callie and smiled at Jasper. “Sounds like you’re well on your way to being a good cowboy then, but you need to learn how to ride a horse. Let’s get you on the back of that pony, shall we?”