Free Dakota Father by Linda Ford Page B

into her mouth. She’d revealed far too much eagerness. Allowed herself too much interest in the ranch. In the man who owned the ranch.
    With firm determination she forced her thoughts back to her purpose—settling Meggie. She needed to find out about the fiancée and encourage Burke to go ahead with his plans so Meggie would have a suitable home.
    But they arrived at a long low building—the bunkhouse.
    â€œI should show Meggie the inside.”
    Jenny wondered at the hesitation in Burke’s voice. She was curious to see Burke’s quarters—where the men lived, she corrected herself. “I’d like to see, too.”
    Burke hesitated. “I warn you, it’s the home of a bunch of cowboys.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” She pictured beds covered with brightly colored blankets, saddles at the end of each bed, bridles hung from hooks on the wall between them. Likely a stove in the middle of the room with a table nearby and chairs circling it.
    A slow release grin started and made its way across his mouth and deep into her heart. The man had a smile to melt every one of her good intentions. “I guess I’ll let you discover for yourself.” He opened the door and waved her in.
    â€œCome and see where Uncle Burke sleeps, Meggie.” Holding the little girl’s hand made Jenny feel less like she’d entered forbidden territory.
    The first thing she noticed was the mess. No colorful blankets—only tangled bedcovers. No saddles. No neatly hung bridles. Instead a jumble of tools and ropes as if things had been tossed aside and forgotten.
    The second thing to hit her senses was the smell. It was all she could do to keep from gasping. She tried to control her breathing but couldn’t contain a cough.
    Burke chuckled. “Some of the men are so familiar with the smell of animals they claim they can’t sleep without it.”
    â€œI’m surprised they can sleep in here. Period.”Jenny could have bitten her tongue. When would she learn to keep her thoughts to herself?
    Burke shrugged. “I guess you get used to it.”
    She spun on him, her vow of self-control forgotten. Again. “Do you enjoy these conditions?”
    His eyes grew wary. “I tolerate them.”
    â€œWhy do you sleep here when you have a perfectly good house?”
    â€œYou and Meg are in one bedroom.”
    â€œOh come on. No one has slept in there for ages.” There was another room across the hall. She hadn’t opened the door, expecting the same disarray.
    â€œIt’s only been a few months.”
    â€œReally. I’d have said at least two years.” Her curiosity raged. “Why did you move out?”
    They had moved away from the bunkhouse to the clear, fresh air of the nearby pasture and stopped to lean on a rail fence. Burke’s gaze sought the distance but Jenny directed her attention to him. She was not just curious; she wanted to know why things were not as she expected. Something was wrong here, hidden under a current of secrecy and more. For Meggie’s sake she needed to find out what it was.
    Burke sighed and slowly brought his gaze back from afar. He stared at the grass at his feet. “I suppose Lena told you about Flora?” He glanced at her.
    â€œYour fiancée?”
    â€œShe was.”
    Was? But before she could shape or voice the questions roaring through her like wildfire, he sucked in air.
    â€œFlora stayed with a lady in town most of the time. Circumspect, she said. But she came for visits, staying a few days at a time. I gave her the third bedroom and moved out here.” His voice was soft, as if he had gone back to his memories.
    Jenny sensed that to say anything, ask any of her burning questions, would make Burke stop talking so she forced herself to remain quiet. But after a few minutes she decided he wasn’t going to say more. “But you said no one has stayed there for months. What happened? What