“He called himself Fred Anderson, and he’s not someone I’d want to tangle with.”
Savannah jerks in recognition. “He’s the editor from the publishing house in Washington! What’s he doing here?”
“Publisher?” Kristin asks. Savannah quickly explains how she met Oliver and about the bags of tintypes.
“I see, so you brought Oliver’s bags home. That is very kind of you.”
“I needed to close that chapter of my life, and I guess selfishly I wanted to make sure they would honor Oliver’s work. I don’t understand why the editor would come here.”
“Let me explain.” Savannah listens as Kristin explains and gasps in shock as she gives her the details of the evening. “He was very drunk and babbling about a Senator and tins and finding you!”
“None of this makes sense,” Savannah says. “I don’t understand why they would go to this trouble. I would have sold them to him.”
“I don’t know, but I drew him a map to an abandoned farm to lead him away. “But judging from his condition, I’d say you have a two-day window before you have to worry. I love this family, Miss Ward, I’d hate for trouble to find them.”
“I’ll take the first train home tomorrow. Thank you for the warning. I’m not sure what this is all about, but I would hate to be the cause of more pain. Promise me that you’ll avoid him at all costs,” Savannah demands. “I will talk to Eli about this before I go.”
“Good, because he wouldn’t listen to me. He told me in no uncertain terms that I have nothing left to say to him. No matter, Lucas is my world now. I wouldn’t risk his life for anything or anyone.”
“That’s as it should be, and Kristin, I hope you that you and Eli find a way back to each other.”
“I’m not sure that possible. Who could learn to love someone else’s child?” she glances out the window with a sniff.
An image strikes Savannah of a baby in a manger.
“I can think of a man, a lowly carpenter, who loved a child that wasn’t his own and in doing so saved us all.” Kristin’s turns back in surprise to look at Savannah.
“I’d almost forgotten…” she murmurs.
“We tend to do that when life gets busy. I imagine working two jobs and raising a child is hard work.”
“It was simpler before my husband died, but I’m working for our future.”
“I’m working on strengthening my walk with the Lord. A friend told me we have to purposely carve out time for our faith.”
“That sounds like excellent advice. I think God had a bigger purpose in bringing you here, Miss Ward. Thank you for reminding me to trust and seek him first.”
“It would seem I needed the reminder too,” Savannah says with a smile.
Chapter 20
Eli is working in the stall, trying to blot out the pain of watching Kristin walk away from him, again. Gone is the young girl and it her place is a strong, beautiful woman, and God help him, he wants her more. Childish laughter has Eli turning just as Rooster walks in with her son.
“This is one of our barns, we keep the workhorses here.”
“It stinks,” Lucas says with a giggle.
“Yep, poop has a way of doing that,” Rooster teases.
“What’s that man doing?” Lucas asks pointing at Eli.
“That man is Mr. Eli Irwin, this is his farm, and he’s throwing fresh hay down for the horses, so they can rest after a long hard day,” Rooster explains.
“That’s nice.” Lucas watches carefully, observing how Eli finishes up the stall. A large brown head leans over the booth to listen carefully and nudges Eli, causing Lucas to jump in shock.
“Knock it off, Cash,” Eli grumbles.
Cash throws his head up and bares his teeth as if laughing. “He’s laughing at you,” Lucas informs him.
“Yeah, he does that.”
Lucas steps closer.
Eli sets the pitchfork in the corner and turns to look at the child. “You have your Mama’s eyes,” he smiles. “You ever rode a horse, Lucas?” Eli asks.
“Yep, but Mama says I gotta wait to ride by myself. Do you think I gotta wait?” Lucas asks.
Eli grins at the obvious plea for help. “I’d say, always listen to your Mama.”
“Sound advice,” Rooster says with a chuckle.
“My Mama’s the best.” Lucas swings his stick while the men look on in amusement.
“I need to check on one of the horse’s legs, I’ll be right back,” Rooster says. “Keep him out of trouble.”
“Sure,” Eli says hoarsely.
“See you later, kiddo,” Rooster says and hurries out before Eli changes his mind.
They stare at each other and Eli sighs. The kid is adorable.
“We’ve got some new piglets, Lucas. You ever hold one?”
Lucas’s eyes grow huge. “No, Sir.”
Eli holds out a hand and waits for Lucas to decide if he trusts him. When the little hand grabs his, Eli’s heart trembles. “Let’s go catch some piglets.”
“I gotta catch one?” he gasps.
“My Dad told me when I was your age, if I could catch one, I could keep it.”
“He did? Did you catch it?”
Eli grins, “Of course, I did,” he laughs out loud at the memory as they walk through the barn to the pigpen in the back. “My brother Oliver and I, we ran and slipped and slid in the mud, but we both caught one that day.”
Lucas jumps up and giggles in excitement. “That sounds fun. Where’s your brother?”
Eli jerks, but allows the good memory to beat back the pain.
“Oliver died during the war,” Eli says softly. The child’s hand tightens on his for a second.
“I’m sorry. My Daddy died too,” Lucas rubs his nose with the back of his hand. “But Mama says he’s in
