Page 162 of The Ranger

“Oh, yes, there is that,” Preacher Jo muttered and scratched his head.

Maida gasped. “What?”

Markhel shifted and pulled his arm from around her. “I must stand, little one.”

“Oh, sure.” She scrambled away, then took him by a hand and helped him to his feet. Preacher Jo stepped back, then glanced between Markhel and her father. “What about the day of the dance? That gives you two days to get a few things ready, and as the whole town will be here anyway...”

Her eyes rounded to saucers. “What? no! If anything is going to make people question my reputation, it would be that.”

“Maida,” Pa said. “You were sparking with this man in front ofeveryone! The whole town probably knows already!”

“So, he kissed me! Does that make it the end of the world?”

“It does in this family,” Pa shot back. “And he didn’t just kiss you!”

She gasped. Had something else happened? But no, her memory was hazy. They’d kissed a few times, then... oh, yes. She smiled.

“See!” Pa blurted. “Shameful!”

Preacher Jo turned to him. “You’re beginning to sound like Fanny.” He sighed. “Very well, once you’ve figured things out, let me know and we’ll get this taken care of.”

“Josiah King,” Markhel said. “May I have a word with you?”

“Yes, of course.” He nodded at the barn doors and headed for them.

Markhel pulled his hand from Maida’s. “I will return shortly.” He looked into her eyes, cupped her face with a hand, then kissed her other cheek. Maida closed her eyes as warmth permeated her bones. And that was just a peck on the cheek!

“Gahhhh!” Pa said then paced as Markhel left to speak with Preacher Jo.

Maida staggered to the right, and Pa caught her. “Are you okay? Maybe you ought to sit.”

She plopped onto the row of hay bales. It was warm where she and Markhel had been sitting. She smiled again.

“Stop doing that,” Pa said.

Duncan came into the barn and stuck his hands in his pockets. “Ma says dinner is ready.” His shoulders slumped as he studied her. “You okay?”

She nodded. “You?”

He laughed. “I don’t know.”

She held out a hand. Duncan took it and sat next to her. “Everything’s going to be fine. You’ll see.”

Duncan’s eyes flicked to their father and back. “Pa says they’re going to take you away. We’ll never see you.”

“That’s not true. Pa!”

Her father took a deep breath. “It’s not fair, darlin’. And I don’t like it.”

Her heart went out to him, to both of them. “Markhel will make sure you get to see me.”

“Will we get to visit you?”

She shrugged. “Maybe. I hope so.”

Pa took a deep breath. “We’ll discuss this later. In the meantime, that man of yours had better propose. Then you’re getting hitched, young lady and that’s that.” He turned on his boot heel and marched out of the barn. “Come along, Duncan!”

Her brother sighed. “You coming?”