Free Dorothy Garlock - [Dolan Brothers] by With Hope Page B

for me, at the present time, to be away from home for any length of time—”
    “I understand. If you take on the job, we could tow her out to your place.”
    “All right. I’ll take a look the next time I’m in town.”
    “I’d be obliged.”
    The sound of happy, childish laughter reached Tom and made him turn and look back over his shoulder. His son was hugging the neck of an old shaggy dog. Miss Henry was kneeling beside him and the dog. The dog shook his head and licked Jay’s face. His son laughed and patted the dog’s face with his small hands.
    Tom couldn’t tear his eyes from the woman, the child, and the dog. He was awed by the power of the feeling that washed over him. He had never before heard such spontaneous laughter from his son.
    As he watched, Miss Henry stood and took Jay’s hand. The pair walked toward the chicken pen, the dog following along behind. Inside the pen a big speckled rooster, unhappy about being penned for the day, was strutting around with ruffled feathers. Suddenly, squawking and flapping his wings, he ran at a lazy hen. Jay’s childish laughter rang out. He clapped his hands.
    There was a shining pain in Tom’s eyes as he watched Miss Henry and his boy.
With a mother like Emmajean, the child was missing so much.
    “Henry Ann has a way with children.” Reverend Wesson followed Tom’s gaze to the pair beside the fence. “She should have been a teacher.”
    “Why isn’t she?” Tom turned to look at him.
    “I’m not sure. Ed would have sent her to college if she’d wanted to go. She’s going to have it rough for a while. Every single man in the county will be after her thinking to get his hands on this farm.”
    “She . . . doesn’t have a regular . . . fellow?”
    “No one special.”
    “That’s strange. She’s a good-looking woman.”
    “But an independent one. She’ll not take a man unless she loves him with all her heart.” The minister stood. “I’d better collect Karen and head back to town. There’s choir practice again tonight. Come by anytime, Mr. Dolan.”
    “Thank you, I will. I need to get home, too. I’ll say good-bye to Miss Henry.”
    Henry Ann watched Jay run to his father, be snatched up and tossed in the air. The child giggled happily and wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. The loving look on the man’s face as he hugged his son disturbed Henry Ann so profoundly that she felt a tingling travel down her back.
    “We’ve got to get along home, son. Can you tell Miss Henry good-bye?”
    “Goo-bye.”
    “Good-bye, Jay. Come see us again.”
    “I’d like to talk about trading work, but I’ll not bother you now—”
    “I’m not sure there’s anything I could do for you.”
    “If Johnny would give me a hand, I’ll pay back—”
    “Johnny?”
    “An able hand as far as I can see.”
    “I’m not sure that he’d be willing.”
    “I’ll be by one day soon, and we can ask him.” He pressed his son’s head to his shoulder. “This fellow’s had quite a day. He’ll be asleep before I get him home. If there’s anything I can do, let me know.”
    His eyes locked with hers, and she knew that he was thinking of Pete Perry.
    “Thank you, but I’ll be able to handle it.”
    “The offer is there if you need it. I know quite a bit about car tires, and I’m still looking for the car that drove into your field and carried out the steer meat.”
    “I reported it to Sheriff Watson, but I’m not expecting much help from him. He has the whole county to patrol.”
    Henry Ann watched as Tom placed his son on the seat, backed his car out of the yard, and drove slowly away.
    The Austins and the Newmans were the last to leave. When Christopher returned for the Austins, Henry Ann had to endure the gushing of Mrs. Austin, and had to ward off the offers to have Christopher come over to give her a hand. Christopher stood, hat in hand, while his mother did the talking. Henry Ann looked at him with pity.
Didn’t he have enough gumption