With that settled, Abigail let them toss around ideas of how to celebrate her coming marriage to Matthew. She had not yet gotten used to the fact that he loved her let alone that he meant to marry her. That was going to take a while. There was such a bubble of happiness inside of her, she was afraid she would break into a song or dance around the room if she did not keep herself in tight control.
Noah slipped up beside her and squeezed onto the seat next to her. He looked a little fretful and she tried to see this news from his viewpoint. She knew she always had to remember that he was a boy who had lost his entire family. That had left a few scars on his heart. She brushed his hair off his face and looked at him.
“What is the matter, Noah?”
“Are you leaving this house?”
“Oh, not for a while, darling. It is just something we thought would be good because we are already a family of four. Me, Matthew, you, and Jeremiah. And your puppy. And my cat,” she added in a whisper, and heard Emily giggle.
“I will still stay with you?”
“Yes, me and Matthew.”
She could almost see the tension in his small body leech away. He smiled at Matthew who nodded back then hopped down and rejoined the other children. She heard him tell the others that he was sure the new house would have a secret passage. She glanced at Matthew and he was staring at his plate as his shoulders shook with laughter.
“I’m sorry,” she said, laughter tinting her voice. “I will have a little talk with him.”
“Nay, dinnae bother. I think we will try to put one in.” He glanced at Iain who grinned and nodded.
She jumped a little when arms surrounded her from behind then glanced up at her brother’s grinning face. “Come to wish me congratulations or to punch him in the face?”
“Just wondering how I should feel that you are marrying a blue belly.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize that you might have become a true Rebel.”
He laughed. “Not by a long shot. The men who took me weren’t either. Not to worry, although you are stealing my traveling companion.”
“You can’t go riding about with a four-year-old.”
“I am five!”
“Five-year-old.”
“With big ears. Good luck, sis. Pleased to see you settled. Da would have liked him.” He glanced around the table. “All of them.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Robbie and I will leave soon after the wedding and start setting up to see what the chance is of having a cider mill.” He sat down beside her. “We have nearly all that is needed back on the land. The orchard, and the water.”
“Is this what you truly want to do?”
“I think it is, but we’ll see how it goes. Have to take a chance. It will work or it will fail. That’s life. And that is what I am really looking for. A life. This may well be it.”
“I will hope that it does and that it makes you happy.”
“No more than I do, darling.” He kissed her cheek and went back to his seat.
Matthew leaned nearer to her. “I think there is a plan already to build them a good shelter. Need to have something they can at least get cover in for when the weather turns harsher. Finishing might take longer.”
“It is a lot of work.”
“So was this. So was Mrs. O’Neal’s home. And the cabins for the Jones brothers. We have become quite quick and learned some shortcuts. And dinnae forget, when it isnae shearing time there are seven to twelve of us.”
“That is a good-sized crew.”
“It is, and a skilled one. There used to be a few men from town who’d lend a hand now and then too, kenning that we would return the favor if they needed it. Might not get ours until next year.”
“That is fine.” She lowered her voice. “I think Reid is more in need of a place.”
