Eli smiles down at the child and feels a bit of his heart heal.
“Thank you, Lucas, for reminding me.”
“Your welcome.” Lucas grins up at him, “So how do I catch a piglet?”
Eli laughs and grins, “You gotta run, hard, and fast!”
Kristin follows the sound of her son’s laughter through the barn and is shocked when she finds him inside a pigpen surrounded by Eli, Rooster and a group of stable hands all cheering him on.
“Lucas Taylor! What in the world are you doing?” She picks up her skirts and runs to the side.
Eli laughs and walks over to her side. “He’s just having some fun, Kristin, it’s a rite of passage.”
Kristin stares at her son covered in mud, laughing and running with the piglets and smiles. “Easy for you to say.”
“Don’t worry, he’ll never catch one,” Eli chuckles.
Rooster calls to Lucas from the sidelines, “Faster boy, that’s it, grab him!” Lucas leaps, and to everyone’s astonishment, he’s able to grab the back leg. Instinct kicks in, and he curls his body around the little pig and screams in excitement.
“I got him! I got him!” Cheers erupt, and Kristin laughs glancing up at the shock on Eli’s face.
“Never doubt a child of mine!” she smarts. His eyes drop to her full lips, and flushed cheeks and desire strikes.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Eli quips. Lucas jumps to his feet, struggling to keep hold of the squirming, wriggling, piglet.
“Mama look at my new pig. I’m gonna name him Chuck.” Rooster jumps inside to help Lucas with the piglet.
Kristin jerks in a panic and looks at Eli who roars with laughter. “Well, what now, Mama?”
“You told him he could keep it?” She squeals. “I don’t have anywhere to keep an animal, Eli!”
Rooster rinses Lucas off at the water barrel by the barn while Kristin watches closely. They wrap a big shirt around him to keep him warm and send him running back to his Mama.
“Your family had enough land as I recall it,” Eli snaps.
“It’s time for us to go home,” Kristin says, ignoring his comment and marching over to Lucas. “Our picnic waits, Lucas. Tell everyone thank you for a wonderful time.”
“What about Chuck, Mama? I can’t just leave him,” Lucas says, and his chocolate eyes fill with tears.
“None of that now, Son. We promise to take care of Chuck until you come back and visit him,” Eli promises.
“I can come back?” Lucas asks with a teary smile.
“Of course,” Rooster teases.
Lucas smiles a wobbly smile and reaches out for his Mama’s hand. “You take care, Kristin,” Rooster says as he turns to looks at Eli.
“Should I saddle Cash?” Rooster asks.
Eli nods and turns back to Kristin and Lucas.
“Thank you, Eli, for a stimulating day,” Kristin stoops to lift Lucas only to stop in shock when he turns to Eli and reaches for him.
“Can you lift me, Mr. Eli?” Lucas asks with a smile.
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough,” Eli tries to pick him up and struggles, groaning and making Lucas giggle. “What’s in your pockets, rocks?” Pain rips through Kristin at the sight of the two of them playing and laughing.
“No, Mr. Eli, nuffin’ but mud,” Lucas shakes with laughter and Kristin turns to mount.
“We really need to go, Eli, it’s getting late.”
Lucas is lifted quickly and with little effort, and she wraps her arms around him. “Again, thank you.”
Rooster returns with his mount and Kristin frowns, “That’s not necessary, Eli. We are stopping on the way home for our picnic. I’m capable of taking care of my son.”
“Yes, but…”
“No!” she says sharper than she intends. “It will only make it harder on all of us. Thank you, gentlemen.” She kicks the horse and leaves without looking back.
“That’s one stubborn lady, you two are perfect for each other,” Rooster teases.
“Yeah, I used to think so.”
“Bye, Pidgeon!” Lucas shouts, and both men roar with laughter.
Chapter 21
Dayton jumps train three more times. Through rain, crowds, and less than comfortable situations, he is finding his way to Savannah. The next stop will bring him to Iowa and a certain redhead who is haunting his dreams. Glancing around the railcar, he’s struck by how miserable everyone looks and smells. He didn’t have the luxury of stopping at a hotel, and he wonders what Savannah will think of him now.
He chuckles thinking about how she will receive him with his wrinkled, moldy clothing, beard, and unkempt hair. No doubt she will not recognize him, which could be unsettling, but he imagines as a nurse during the war she had seen much worse the way he looks right now.
Hopefully, his prayers have worked, and he will find her safe and sound. Perhaps irritated with him for trying to take care of her. Dayton frowns and pushes back the fatigue and anxiety. Multiple times he’s asked himself on this journey, ‘What am I doing?’ Each time he hears the Lord say, Trust me, and I will make your path known. He’s never doubted that voice, and he sure isn’t about to start now.
It got him through the war, and it will bring him to Savannah. Then he will finally be able to put a stop to Senator Buren and perhaps along the way get to know Miss Ward.
Chapter 22
Savannah shields her eyes from the setting sun. Today was busy and meeting Felicia was unexpected. A hawk floats on the breeze, drawing her eyes upward. She jumps when it suddenly swoops down, dropping something from its claws. It floats to the ground but before she can step off the porch to claim it a cat leaps from his hiding
