“He might, at that. He’s a character.”
Lani snorted. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Which one is Rance?”
“This one.” Sara pointed to the next to the last in the lineup. “He and Lucky, the one at the end, are the same age, the two youngest boys. Rance is Desiree’s biological son and Lucky was adopted. I haven’t heard the story behind that. Mom, have you?”
“I haven’t. When I heard they were the same age, I assumed they were fraternal twins since they don’t look alike. Then somebody told me Lucky’s adopted, but that’s all I know.”
“Oh, well. Not important right now. Here’s one of Desiree and her husband Andy, although at the time they weren’t married yet.”
“Then he’s not the father of that lot?”
“No, he?—”
“Ah, their father died, then.” He studied the handsome copper-haired woman in the photograph.
The fella was looking at her like she was the last biscuit on the plate, while she smiled at the person taking the picture — who would be Sara. He saw confidence in her eyes and strength in her posture. “I’ll wager she doesn’t put up with plonkers.”
Vanessa chuckled. “I can guess what a plonker is and you’re right. She doesn’t put up with them. When she’s in the room, there’s no doubt who’s in charge.”
Sara leaned toward the front seat. “Mom, should we tell him about the fathers?”
“Sar-a.” Lani sighed. “You can’t say something like that andnottell him.”
He rose to her defense. “Yes, she can. If it’s best not to tell me, then don’t worry about it, Sara.”
She glanced back at him. “It’s just that you’re under the impression there was only one father.”
“And I know better, now. You saidfathers,which tells me she had more than one husband, not counting the current one. Now the ten children make more sense.”
“She didn’t have any husbands. Not until Andy.”
“None? Then how did she?—”
“Let me handle this.” Vanessa twisted around in her seat so she could make eye contact with him. “Desiree loved the idea of kids but had issues with marriage. She chose men who weren’tkeen on tying the knot and would give her custody of the child they conceived together.”
That set him back. “Nine different fellas?”
“Seven. She has a set of twins and one of the men fathered two boys about a year apart.”
“And they all disappeared once they’d done the deed?”
“Only one cut off contact. Two passed away. The other four have kept in touch with their kids and last I heard, three of them have moved back to Wagon Train so they can be closer to the family now that grandchildren are being born.”
“That….” He shook his head. “I’ve never heard of anything so….”
“Hard to imagine?”
He nodded. “Makes my head explode.”
“And here’s the kicker. Despite her non-traditional lifestyle, she’s a pillar of the community, admired by everyone. The McLintocks are the most respected family in Wagon Train.”
“Amazing.”
“Even more incredible, her bestselling books were essential to her pulling it off, but until a couple of weeks ago, only her immediate family and a small group of female friends knew that she’s M.R. Morrison.”
“Why unmask herself now?”
