Will looked up, his entire face brightening as he took in her words. “Coffee? That sounds real good.”
She and Rosie headed out to retrieve the supplies she’d need. When they returned, the others were perched on mounds of furs. While the men talked, she and Rosie set to work by the fire. Rosie began the batter for johnnycakes, while Faith prepared the coffee.
Will was saying, “I’m makin’ do. I hunt and trap. There’s plenty of game on the river.”
“What made you come west?” Grant’s voice sounded calm and interested.
“Wanted to see what all those people comin’ through St. Louis were talkin’ about.” His grin lingered in his voice.
Did he like living so far away from the rest of the world? She wouldn’t mind settling in a cabin on the river with so many majestic mountain views, if only it weren’t quite so far from her family.
She positioned the coffeepot in the coals as Will spoke again. “Started off with trappin’, then kept movin’ until I found this place. Gives me a shelter from the weather. Plenty of food around. A good life.”
A slight pause lingered, and she worked to keep from turning to see what the men were doing.
Grant broke the quiet, his voice lower than before. “I’m sorry it took me so long to find you. I looked in St. Louis when I could. Never knew where you lived. Then when I was grown, well...”
Her heart ached for all he’d gone through, and she held her breath to see how much he would share.
“Things were busy for a while. But last winter, I finally had a chance to search in earnest. I found Mr. Sheldon. He told me you’d gone west in the spring. I’d missed you by less than a year.”
Silence settled between them, awkward and clumsy. As she held the frying pan for Rosie to pour circles of batter, she glanced back at them. The brothers were staring at each other. From this angle, she couldn’t read their expressions.
Let this be a time of healing for them both, Lord. Give Grantwisdom and strength.
Even with the warm reception they’d received, this might be hard on Will, having his brother show up out of the blue. Maybe he’d thought Grant dead. Or that Grant had given up searching for him. Orchosennot to find him. He might have thought he’d been utterly abandoned.
Tears burned her eyes as that possibility took hold.
Grant spoke again. “I’m glad I found you, finally. We have time to catch up.” Then his voice changed to a lighter tone. “Faith and her sisters own a ranch near the Green River. Have you seen it?”
Those words lightened the tone, and by the time the food was ready, Ol’ Henry and Dragoon had filled in the details about the ranch and Tanner’s trading post. As they ate, Will asked them questions about their journey and the men from Parson’s group he’d met before. Then came the news about Steps Right, and the concern in his gaze made her love this little brother of Grant’s even more than she’d hoped to.
Thank you, Lord.He’d answered her prayers even more abundantly than she’d allowed herself to hope.
TWENTY-FIVE
As the last rays of the sun shone through the open cabin door that evening, Grant sat with his brother at the table in the cabin. Faith and Rosemary had cooked another hearty meal, and now they’d gone with Dragoon and Ol’ Henry to the river to wash dishes and enjoy the sunset. Probably they’d stayed gone so long to give him and Will time alone.
It still didn’t quite seem real that he was sitting here across from Will. Across from a man who looked enough like him to strike a chord but was his own man. His little brother, now grown enough to live by himself in this cabin so far away from the rest of the world. Will no longer needed a big brother to protect him.
Grant let out a sigh. He’d missed so much of Will’s life. But he was here now, and he would make up for lost time.
He followed his brother’s glance out the door, where he had a perfect view of the flowing water. “This river reminds me of the one near the old house.” He looked over at his brother, recalling the story Will told Steps Right. “Do youremember that mill? We used to go there every day in the summer, swimming and fishing till the sun went down.”
Lines creased the edges of Will’s eyes. “I remember being scared of that river.”
Grant studied him, squinting as he tried to recall that. “Really? Maybe. I remember pushing you in. Mayhap that’s what it took to get you over your fear.”
Will chuckled, but then his expression turned sober. “So ... what are your plans now? You said you came west to find me. It seems like you might have found more than you’d been looking for.” He nodded toward the open doorway, likely meaning Faith and the others beyond it.
A knot formed in Grant’s throat. “You’re right.” He’d not wanted to face this so soon, but they did need to make some decisions. “Faith and her sister need to get back to their ranch. We left Steps Right and her son, White Horse, at the waterfall, but they’ll ride with us to the ranch.” He fought to keep from fidgeting as he asked his question. “Would you want to go too? I hate to part with you so soon. It’d likely be about a week’s travel, then I hear the ranch is in a pretty valley. I think you’d be welcome to stay as long as you like. Or just a few days if you felt you needed to get back right away.”
His brother’s eyes had taken on an expression Grant couldn’t decipher. Longing? Memory? Indecision? Should he offer to stay here with Will and let the others ensure Faith returned home safely?
Everything in him revolted at the thought. White Horse, Ol’ Henry, and Dragoon could likely ensure Faith reached the ranch with little problem, along with Rosemary and Steps Right.
And God. God was the only one who could keep any of them truly safe.
