Free Mona Hodgson - [Hearts Seeking Home 01] by Prairie Song

longer journey if she and Boney weren’t able to clear the air between them. It would already be plenty long with Mr. Reger questioning her every move.
    “More, Mr. Caleb. More.”
    Anna turned toward the squealing voice. About twenty yards away, near the creek, a passel of children followed Caleb Reger and his chestnut Pacer. Little Gabi Wainwright sat strapped in the saddle, with Mr. Reger’s hand cradling her back. Like a shepherd, Blair Kamden herded the younger children, including her siblings, Mary Alice Brenner’s twins, and the three Zanzucchi boys.
    If Anna didn’t have Mutter to look after and supper to fix, she’d be tempted to take Molasses from the pasture and offer rides. That was, if she weren’t concerned about doing something wrong within Mr. Reger’s line of vision and inviting another of his smoldering speeches.
    This evening, he hardly resembled that strict taskmaster. His hat nowhere to be seen and his hair tousled, he sidestepped alongside the horse. His baritone chuckle carried on the air along with the giggles of the children, and the infectious sound caused a surprising burst of laughter from Anna.
    Looking up, he smiled at her. One of the oxen jerked the rope, catching her off guard and causing her to lose her footing and her balance. When her attempts to regain stability failed, Anna fell to the ground. Hardly missing a beat, she scrambled to her feet and grabbed the lead rope, embarrassment burning the tips of her ears.
    Mean or nice, Caleb Reger was now, officially, an unwelcome distraction.
    “Are you all right?” he called.
    “Yes.” Except that her pride had taken another fall, and any bruise on her backside wouldn’t prove nearly as painful.

    “Miss Caroline.”
    Caroline looked up from Maisie’s tangled hair. Lyall stood beside the stool.
    “When are you going to the creek?” he asked.
    She sighed. “Not now, Lyall.” Could he not see how busy she was? How busy she’d been all day?
    “But my leg hurts worser. And
Mither
said we can’t go without the sun.”
    Caroline glanced up at the purple rays of the sun settling behind clouds near the horizon.
    The afternoon walk hadn’t been much different from their morning walk, except that she’d run out of games to keep the children occupied. If Angus wasn’t helping his father grease wheels and Blair wasn’t helping Maren prepare supper, she’d be tempted to have them take the younger children to the creek after the mint for a poultice. Still, it was best she went herself. They didn’t need to add poison ivy to their list of complaints.
    “Aaaackkk!” Davonna Kamden jumped back and stared at the rope that had suddenly appeared around the butter churn.
    Duff gasped as he darted toward her. “Oh no. Gran.” Contrition creased his forehead as he quickly retrieved the rope. “I didn’t mean to throw it so hard.”
    His grandmother huffed. “I’ll have no cowboys in my kitchen.”
    “Yes ma’am.”
    “Miss Caroline?” Lyall asked.
    Caroline drew in a deep breath and turned to face Duff’s brother. “Lyall.”
    “The captain said to get polcy at the creek.”
    “He said I’d find the mint for the poultice at the creek.” Caroline’s fingers chased a knot to the end of a lock of Maisie’s light brown hair.
    “My legs hurt too.” Maisie squirmed.
    “Be still,” Caroline said.
    “Miss Caroline?”
    She didn’t bother to look at Lyall. The way this was going, come morning, she’d still be untangling Maisie’s hair.
    “Lyall.” Rhoda stood behind a sizzling cast-iron skillet.
    “Yes ma’am.”
    “Whose idea was it that your sister follow you through the trees?”
    He looked at the ground. “Mine.”
    “It’s no small wonder that the limbs went after her braids.” Rhoda stirred the potatoes. “Miss Caroline and I are too tired for your nagging. I’ll send your father for the mint when he returns from the pasture.”
    Rhoda wasn’t one to have much color in her face, but she seemed even more