Karlee rested her hand on the kitchen door. “You forgot our house guest.” She pushed, and Gerilyn came into view.

“How could I forget?” he mumbled against her ear. “We'll wait and leave after the house is quiet. You will go with me?”

She wasn't at all sure why he wanted her along, but she nodded.

The twins ambushed him, drawing his attention as Karlee set the table. No matter how tired or what troubles he thought he had, his daughters lightened his load. Starlett filled the room with stories she'd dreamed up, and Cinnamon managed to hug him more times than he could count.

He hardly noticed Gerilyn complaining and was thankful when Wolf appeared at the kitchen door and drowned her voice out completely.

When the hairy man was invited to stay for supper, Gerilyn looked aggravated, as though she'd been asked to dine with dogs. Her irritation seemed to jolly up everyone else in the room.

Wolf made an effort to be the gentleman, doing his best to show her that he'd been raised with proper Kentucky manners. But she didn't seem interested.

Before the bread was done and on the table, Gerilyn had reverted to her favorite pastime of belittling Karlee. She even tried to enlist Daniel and Wolf in her endeavor.

“Have you ever seen a woman with such hair?” Gerilyn chimed into the men's conversation. “Unbelievable color. Simply unbelievable.”

Wolf growled at her, knowing there was an insult to his friend, but unsure where it lay hidden in her words.

Daniel didn't care what his sister-in-law said. What mattered was the way Karlee reacted. He watched as she pulled her hair back as if trying to hide it.

Gerilyn continued, “It's quite unfair, being blessed with a far from petite body and hair like that as well. Sometimes I think our Maker has no mercy. Don't you agree, Reverend?”

Daniel remained silent. He simply watched and remembered how he'd thought her hair had looked like velvet fire at dawn when he'd seen her standing outside in the wind.

Wolf wrinkled his brow and stared at Karlee as though it had been he whose opinion were sought. “I always thought red hair was pretty, different from the run-of-the-mill. As for her size. She seems the right size to me. At least she's not skin and bones.”

When Karlee glanced toward the hairy man, he winked.

Gerilyn looked down at her plate paying Wolf's praise no mind. “What is this, my dear cousin, a biscuit or a coal? I can't tell.”

Wolf reacted immediately. “Why, that's a biscuit, Miss Gerilyn. You must be getting where you need glasses. That happens when a woman gets to your age. There's nothing to be ashamed about. Now look closely. It's a biscuit, nice and done, just the way I like them.”

He leaned so close his shoulder brushed Gerilyn's. “If you ain't going to eat it, ma'am, I'll take it off your plate. I can't get enough of Karlee's biscuits.”

He said it so convincingly, Gerilyn's jaw dropped in a very unladylike manner.

Daniel saw the game. He grabbed a handful of the hot dough-centered rocks and laughed. “Wolf's right. Karlee makes the best biscuits I've ever eaten.” He'd pray later for the lie.

Karlee looked as surprised as Gerilyn as the two men almost fought over every dish she set on the table. They bragged and ate as if kings at a royal feast.

At one point, Wolf closed his eyes and moaned as he chewed a bite slowly. “This is the best fried ham I've ever tasted.”

“No,” Daniel argued. “I think the one she made a few nights ago was better. Though I'll have to have another slice to tell for sure.”

Gerilyn kept nibbling at her food, at first convinced they were mad but slowly, like a first-year student among masters, she tried to see what the men saw in Karlee's work of art.

By dessert, the men had put on quite a show. They both asked for a large slice of pie.

As she stood to oblige, the door flew open and Valerie blew in with the damp rainy air. Her black hair circled her like a cape and she carried a bundle half her size.

“Evening,” the girl said with a wide smile. “Ida's son told me you'd like me to spend the night with the twins tonight.”

“If you'd like,” Karlee grinned at the wonderful little girl who had become almost part of the family.

“I'd love to. Madre says she can teach me to cook, but I'm to ask you to help me with my sewing if you have a few minutes. I'm working on my graduation dress. I'll be finishing the eighth grade in a few months. At the rate I'm working on this dress I'll have to wear it at my wedding. Madre and Ida agree that you've got the finest stitch they've ever seen.”

Gerilyn raised her eyebrow at Karlee. “I truly doubt that to be so, Cousin… a fine stitch from such a large hand?”

Valerie might not yet be a woman, but the hot blood of her ancestors thundered in her veins full grown and exploded before Karlee could answer.

“Well, of course, it's so, lady. You don't think my madre is in the habit of lying, do you?” She stood with her hands on her hips, ready for a fight.

Wolf's laughter shook the room. “Now calm down, little Miss Valerie. We usually don't like to scalp guests until after dessert.”

Valerie stood her ground. Gerilyn tried to laugh, but kept the woman-child within her sights.

Daniel stood and pulled out a chair for Valerie near the twins. “Would you like to join us for some of my wife's delicious pie?” He bowed low as though seating a queen.

“No thanks,” Valerie answered politely, her blood cooling to kindness as fast as she fired when insulted. “After living around sweets all the time, I never eat them. Though I'm sure your wife's pie is as fine as her sewing.” She directed the last words to Gerilyn.

Gerilyn was wise enough not to answer.

Karlee opened the pie safe. She was warmed by their lies, but not as easily fooled as Gerilyn. In gratitude to these two wonderful men, she cut them large slices of the last of Granny's pie. Karlee cut Gerilyn a small slice of one she'd made.

This time the men's praise was loud and genuine. They did everything except lick the plate. Gerilyn forced down a few bites, complaining that she must be under the weather for nothing had much of a taste to her tonight.

As the meal ended, Daniel stood and crossed to a small box on the top cupboard shelf. “I've been meaning to give you this, Dear,” he said as he pulled something from the box. “You should have had it from the night we married.”

Gerilyn watched with great interest as he held out his hand to Karlee. A gold band rested in his palm.

“Surely, you're not giving her May's ring?” Gerilyn cried. “Not my poor, dear dead sister's ring? It wouldn't be right.”

“No,” Daniel answered. “I gave May's ring up long ago to save a woman's life.”

Karlee stared at the gift, speechless. Except for the tiny cross a teacher had given her once, she'd never owned a piece of jewelry.

Gerilyn had no such problem with talking. “Well, it's for the best. Karlee could never wear such a tiny ring as May's. Look at the size of her hands. Farm hands, my mother would have called them. Nothing but plain old farm hands. In fact, I'm sure no lady's ring will fit. You're wasting your time to even try putting it on Karlee.”

When Karlee didn't lift her hand, Daniel bent and gripped her fingers. He slid the ring on her third finger. It fit perfectly.

“This was my mother's ring,” he said simply. “She was as fine a lady who ever lived. She'd be happy to know you now have her ring, Mrs. McLain.”

Karlee stared down at the band of gold. Nothing Gerilyn could say would hurt her now. Daniel had just given her all the armor she needed.

TWENTY-FOUR

VALERIE MADE DANIEL TELL THE STORY TWICE about how he'd given away his first wife's ring to save Allie's life. He told her every detail of how his brother Wes had saved Allie from being treated like an outcast because she'd grown up as a captive in an Apache camp. Daniel described how men were at the door, planning to take Allie back to a cage, when he set the ring beside Allie and told her she wouldn't have to go if she were married to his brother.

“Well.” Daniel laughed. “We all know Wes is no handsome catch with that scar running across his face, but Allie must have seen the good within. She picked up May's ring and slipped it on her finger as I pronounced them man and wife.”

Valerie sighed. “How romantic.”

“Don't you miss the ring?” Gerilyn asked. “After all, you gave it to my sister.”

“No. I see it often when Allie and Wes visit. The love she has for Wes shines just like May's love for me did.”

“And Karlee's,” Valerie added. “Tell me about how the two of you fell in love.”

Gerilyn leaned forward. “Yes, tell us. I'd be interested in that story.”

The tightening of Daniel's jawline was so slight only Karlee saw it. She waited along with the others to see what he would say.

“I'm afraid,” he said slowly, “we'll have to save that story for another night. It's long past the twins' bed-time.”