Free LeClerc 03 - Wild Savage Heart by Pamela K Forrest Page A

said quietly as he ate the meal Nora and Molly had cooked. Adam and Gary listened attentively while Molly helped Nora settle the children.
    “The land’s been partially cleared and we should be able to get a garden in without much trouble. There’s several good homesites, you just need to decide where you want to build your cabin.”
    “Are you sure the land’s for sale?” Adam asked, excitement threaded through his voice.
    “A neighbor said it was, but we’ll go into town and make sure. If not, we’ll see what else is available, there may be something better than this but I have my doubts.”
    As soon as they finished their breakfast, the men saddled their horses and headed for town. Molly watched them ride down the trail until they were swallowed by the forest. Trying to hide her disappointment that she had been left behind with Nora and the children, she gathered up the breakfast dishes for washing. She knew Adam would have taken her if she had expressed her desire to go along, but she would have felt guilty leaving Nora alone. Hawk intended to return by nightfall and if the children had gone along, it would have been impossible to make the trip in a day.
    It was easy for Molly to stay busy, helping Nora with the numerous chores that needed to be done. They took advantage of the warm spring morning and washed their dirty clothes. The river was just behind the unfinished cabin but it was several feet down a steep hill. Carrying the heavy buckets of water back up the hill was a tiring chore and the two women took turns until they had enough water to complete their wash.
    Nora seemed untiring as she completed one chore and went immediately to the next. By midafternoon, Molly was exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to sit down and could only groan when Nora grabbed an ax and headed for the felled logs.
    Nora heard Molly’s soft groan and turned to the other woman. “You can sit and talk with me while I do this, if you’d like.”
    “Nope.” Molly grabbed an ax and walked over to a waiting log. “I can’t just sit back and watch you work.”
    “You wait,” Nora said as she swung the ax, removing the branches from the log. “When it’s your cabin and you know the harder you work the sooner it’ll be done, you’ll be findin’ all kinds of energy.”
    “I’ll have to take your word for that,” Molly mumbled as she tried to match Nora’s ability with the ax.
    Nora cleaned three logs for Molly’s one while the older children pulled the branches away. Later the larger branches would be cut up for firewood and the smaller pieces neatly stacked for kindling. Even the leaves would be used as mulch for the tender plants in the garden.
    Molly sighed with relief when Nora called a halt. They all walked back to the house where Nora soon began the preparations for supper.
    “What do you think about me taking the older kids down to the creek and let them play in the water?” The afternoon had grown warm and Molly relished the thought of the cool breeze that would be found down at the stream.
    “Sounds good. I’ll put the baby down for his nap and get supper cooking. You take your time and have some fun.” She admonished the children to behave and waved them off with her usual smile in place.
    The water was still too cold for swimming but the children stripped down to their drawers and played noisily at the edge. Molly removed her shoes and stockings and raised her skirt enough so that it didn’t get wet as she waded. Her thoughts drifted to the plans she and Adam had made for their future home.
    At the beginning it would be a one-room cabin but Adam would add rooms as their family grew. They’d have a big garden and Molly would put up the fruits and vegetables for winter. Someday they’d have a big home filled with lots of love. Her face warmed at the thought of the children her love for Adam would create.
    “Molly?” a tiny voice interrupted her daydream.
    “What, sweetheart?” Molly asked, looking