Free White Nights by Susan Edwards Page A

were so full of energy, just watching them left her feeling exhausted. But witnessing their carefree abandon gave her hope that over time, the memory and effects of their father’s abuse would fade into oblivion.
    Reassured her children were fine for the moment, she put out the fire, then turned her attention to the tent. She ran her hands down over her swollen middle and grimaced. Dealing with the tent was the one chore she dreaded each day. Getting down on all fours was hard enough but getting up again was another matter. With a resigned sigh, Eirica gathered the blankets and quilts and arranged them on the floor of the wagon, near the front to form a padded sitting area for her three children.
    Minutes later, the tent lay in a heap on the ground. Huffing and puffing, Eirica rolled it up. Using the wagon wheel to hold on to, she struggled to her feet. But before she could bend back down to pick up the heavy rolled canvas, two voices stopped her. She turned to see Alberik, Anne and Lars’s eldest son, and Dante, Sofia’s grandson, standing there. They eyed each other, their stances competitive.
    “Excuse me, Mrs. Macauley, but I’d be happy to load your tent for you.” Red crept up Alberik’s neck. “You really shouldn’t be doing this in your, um, condition.”
    Eirica smiled gently at the eldest Svensson boy, marveling at how nicely his parents had raised him. A woman’s “condition” had never stopped her father, brothers or husband from making their demands on the women in her family. It was life as normal, before the birth and after. She liked this concern on her behalf, believed it good for the young man to help others, though she warned herself not to get used to it. “Thank you, Alberik. I’d appreciate your help.”
    She watched the nineteen-year-old heft the tent effortlessly into his arms and load it into the back of the wagon. Without asking, Dante, three years older than Alberik, took charge of her supply boxes and sacks. Both boys reached for the tailgate at the same time, neither willing to give in to the other. Eirica swallowed her laughter as they both placed her tailgate back into the slots. Alberik managed to grab the strings and draw the canvas cover closed to secure the load so nothing could bounce out of the back while traversing the rutted and rocky trail.
    Eirica plucked at her apron. “Thank you, again, Alberik, Dante.”
    Alberik blushed again. “I’d be happy to come every morning and give you a hand with anything heavy.”
    For the first time on the trip, Eirica realized that Anne’s eldest was only a few years younger than herself. She felt so much older. The last thing she wanted to do was encourage him. “I don’t want to impose or take you from your own chores.”
    He glanced up at her, giving her a shy smile. “It’s no trouble.”
    Not to be outdone, Dante shuffled his feet. “Same here.”
    Anne joined them, her eyes alight with amusement. “I can’t believe I haven’t thought of you needing help loading up in the mornings, Eirica. I feel terrible.”
    Eirica smiled. “I’ve managed just fine, Anne, though I must admit, it’s getting harder to deal with that tent.” Wanting to be fair to the two young men—each vying to be the one to help her, she had an idea. “With two of you offering to help, I wouldn’t feel as though I were taking so much of your time.” And now she wouldn’t be quite so beholden to James, either. The thought made her feel both good and guilty.
    Anne nodded, met Eirica’s eyes. “What a good idea. Alberik can help you in the mornings. I have his father and brothers to load our wagons and can do without him.”
    Dante grinned. “And I’ll take the evenings.”
    Nodding to each other, the two men left, each with shoulders thrown back and swaggering steps. Eirica had misgivings. She didn’t want to cause any trouble between them. “I hope I’m not encouraging either one of them, Anne.” Realizing belatedly how it must sound to her