Page 78 of The Ranger
He knelt in front of the bins. “If we work together, it will not take as long as you think.”
She knelt next to him. “Okay then.” She picked up a can used to scoop out nails and screws and tossed nails into the can. “One, two, three, four, five, six...” This was going to take forever, but at least she was getting to spend more time with Markhel. She just hoped that when he finally did bring her home, Pa didn’t bust a gut.
* * *
Colin returnedto the house after putting his gelding in the corral. He was tired, but it was the good sort of worn-out feeling he enjoyed at the end of the day. It meant a hot meal, a little reading time, then bed. He sighed in contentment as he headed up his porch steps, then noticed Major storm out of his house toward the barn, Harrison on his heels. “I say,” he called to them. “But is something amiss?”
Harrison stopped. “We could use your help.” He resumed walking.
Colin went after them. “Whatever for?” He noted the way his brother’s shoulders were set. He was mad as a rattler, and Major didn’t look much different. “What’s going on?”
“Maida’s not home yet,” Major said as he pulled his saddle from the tack room. He set it on a bale of hay then grabbed a rope. “She should have been home hours ago.”
“Oh, that,” Colin said casually.
“That,” Harrison said. “Is a problem. She should be here, not galivanting around town withthatman!”
“I beg your pardon?” Colin’s jaw slackened. “Are you talking about Markhel?”
“Who else?” Major said. “Honoria told me they were working a banner to announce the dance. But that shouldn’t have taken this long. He’s not right for her, and I’ll not have my daughter getting sweet on the likes of him. I don’t know why she never took a shine to any of the other young men in town.”
Colin crossed his arms and leaned against a post. “What other young men?”
Major stopped fiddling with a saddle blanket. “Any young man other than the one that breezed through here with the Bergs.” He headed for the corral. Colin let him go and focused on Harrison who’d just brought his saddle out of the tack room.
“There’s no need to get upset,” Colin soothed. “Grandma’s with them.”
Harrison blanched. “Grandma! She’s the worst chaperone in town!”
“I’m sure she’s not alone with them. Belle told me the last she saw of them they were heading to the mercantile to get supplies from Irene for the banner. Thus, Irene, Wilfred, and who knows who else will be involved.”
“I don’t care. Major’s right, she shouldn’t be allowed to be in that man’s company.” He shook a finger at him. “I have eyes, and I saw the way those two were looking at each other last night at dinner.”
Colin let his arms drop. “Vale and Makama?” He shouldn’t joke, but Harrison often blew things out of proportion when he was riled.
“I’m referring tothat man, and you know it!”
He sighed. “Thatmanas you call him, has helped the town, and especially the Wallers.”
“All he did was deliver things for the MacDonalds,” Harrison huffed.
“And helped with Tillie White and that whole business.”
“What business? She got married!”
“She got more than that.” Colin heaved another sigh and kicked at a few pieces of straw. “Brother, I’ve been meaning to talk to you for a long time about something, and now I have no choice.”
Harrison smoothed out the reins of his horse’s bridle. “About what?”
“Markhel and Maida.”
His eyes rounded to saucers. “Don’t tell me he’s sweet on her too! Oh, I knew it! He could hardly take his eyes off her at dinner.”
“Would that be such a bad thing?”
Harrison gasped. “Think of what you’re saying! I’ll not have my granddaughter associating with a wild man!”
Colin put a hand on Harrison’s shoulder. “He’s not wild brother, he’s Muiraran.”