“Thank you, Mr. Whiteside,” the oldest girl—Gwynnie? Or was it Sarah?—said politely on behalf of her little sister.
“Levi,” he replied. “That’s what you should call me. All of you.” It came out more gruffly than he meant it to, but none of the children seemed upset at his tone. In fact, little Emmy gave him another big smile.
“Well.” He nodded at them. “We ought to get going.” He held out a hand to help Rebecca into the wagon.
The children chattered among themselves for the ride out of town to the farm. Now and then, Levi glanced at Rebecca. Most of the time, her gaze was on the towering mountains to the west, but when she met his gaze, he looked away quickly.
What were they to talk about? He ran through potential topics in his mind. The weather. The crops he and Edward had planted last year. His plans for the winter. The house.
Yes, the house. That must be something she’d be curious to know more about.
“The house is—” he started.
“How much—” Rebecca said at the same time.
Her face tinged pink, and he had the oddest desire to reach over and take her hand. But then she clasped them in her lap, clearly thinking something entirely different than Levi.
“Go on,” he said, trying not to look at her hands.
“I only mean to ask how much further the drive was,” she said in a quiet voice as one of the smaller children shrieked from the rear of the wagon.
“Not much longer. Perhaps another thirty minutes. Would you . . .” He cleared his throat. “Would you like to hear about the house?”
Her face lit up. “Oh, yes, please!”
Her expression warmed his heart, and Levi was glad he’d chosen the house over the change in weather for discussion. “I’m afraid it’s rather small, but we should all fit comfortably.” He went on to describe the single large room downstairs that held a kitchen area and enough space for a parlor and beds for the children. “My brother had the foresight to add a loft room upstairs. I’ve been using that as a bedroom.”
She blushed again, and Levi wondered if he’d ever say anything thatdidn’tmake her go red in the cheeks.
“It sounds lovely,” she said.
The compliment bolstered his confidence, and he went on to tell her about the barn, the livestock, and the little springhouse Edward had built at the creek. Rebecca asked questions here and there, and by the time they arrived, Levi was eager to show her around.
Thankfully, the oldest girl—Gwynnie, he reminded himself—helped little Emmy down from the wagon, saving Levi the awkwardness of needing to help again.
“Is it all right if the children visit the animals?” Rebecca asked. They’d been awfully excited to hear there were chickens, a milk cow, and a couple of barn cats.
“Of course.” He led the way up the porch steps as the children ran toward the barn. Opening the door, he stepped back and gestured for Rebecca to step inside.
She stopped just inside the door and glanced around.
Levi tried to see the place through her eyes. It wasn’t the prettiest, but he was tidy enough for a fellow on his own. The furnishings were simple but sturdy, and he was especially proud of the stove in the corner of the kitchen area, which he and Edward had acquired just before Edward’s passing.
When Rebecca said nothing, he turned his gaze toward her—and then almost wished he hadn’t.
Her mouth was slightly open, and her eyes were wider than a jackrabbit facing down a mountain lion.
Levi’s heart sank. All of his pride in this place, and all of the work he’d done—it wasn’t enough to impress his new wife.
