Free A Walk in Heaven by Marie Higgins

the chimney and out a window. My daughters! Panic coursed through him and set him into action, his brothers following.

Chapter Four
     
    Careen stood back, coughing, gasping for air, as she stumbled to the bed. She’d tried to start the fire in her hearth, but for some reason, the smoke decided to come into the room instead of going out the chimney. Betsy dashed down the hall, calling for the Graysons . Careen hurried to the window, threw back the curtains and pushed the pains wide open.
    Within seconds, William rushed in with a bucket of dirt and poured it on the fire. Taking the poker, he moved the logs around, trying to break them up. Elizabeth ran in the room, holding two plates. She hurried to the window and helped circulate the smoke using the objects in her hands.
    “Oh, Mr. Grayson,” Careen said then coughed as she moved back to the bed. “Please forgive me. I thought –” She coughed again. “I thought I knew how to start a fire.”
    “You did a good job, so I wonder why…” William reached inside the chimney, then a second later the screech of metal grinding ripped through her ears. “The flue wasn’t open properly.”
    Groaning, Careen covered her face as embarrassment filled her. She hadn’t even been at the ranch a full day and already she had caused mayhem. Because of her mistake, she could have burned the house down. Or at least her bedroom.
    She should have realized she needed help, but building a fire shouldn’t have been hard since she’d watched her parents’ servants – then her aunt’s servants – start them all the time.
    Elizabeth turned from the window and smiled. “Are you all right, dear?”
    Careen nodded. “I’m not hurt, except for my pride.”
    “Now, now,” William said. “There’s nothing to worry about. Things like this happen.”
    “Thank you for trying to make me feel better, but things like this don’t usually happen.” She shrugged. “Then again, Betsy usually starts the fire for me in the hearth. Today I didn’t want to trouble her. I definitely learned my lesson, didn’t I?”
    Both Mr. and Mrs. Grayson chuckled.
    From down the hallway, heavy boot steps clamored up the staircase and within seconds all three of Matthew’s brothers were inside her room. Careen’s face grew hotter than the fire she’d tried to start.
    “What’s wrong?” Joshua asked, his gaze moving from one person to the other before ending at the fireplace.
    “Nothing to worry about, son.” William nodded toward the hearth. “The chimney flue wasn’t opened.”
    Peter rushed to Careen’s side and touched her arm. “How are you? Did you get burned in any way?”
    She smiled at him for this thoughtfulness. “Thank you, I’m fine now that your parents are here, and no, I didn’t get burned.”
    “Boys, there is no need to worry,” Elizabeth said. “We have this under control.”
    Careen chuckled. “And you don’t know how much I appreciate that.”
    “Is there anything I can get you?” Peter asked her.
    She stared at Peter. Matthew’s face flashed through her mind. She shook her head, vowing not to get too close to this particular brother. It felt too strange. Since she had arrived at the Grayson Ranch, Peter had watched her closely, and he always had to stand by her. Joshua, on the other hand, kept himself as far as he could get, it seemed. That suited her just fine!
    “No, thank you, Peter.” She moved away from him and to the window beside Elizabeth, taking one of the plates from her hands. “Here, let me do that.”
    “We can both do it.” Mrs. Grayson winked.
    “Well, if everything is under control here, then we’ll be getting back to our branding,” Joshua said, turned and followed his brothers out of her room.
    “Joshua, hold up a minute, please.” William stopped his son with a hand on his shoulder.
    “Yes, Pa?” Joshua leaned against her bedroom door, hooking his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans.
    “Son, I’ll need your help with moving