Read Online Her Captain's Heart by Lyn Cote - Free Book Online

beckoned him to remain. “I’ll think of something,” he rumbled. He left her, his mind churning as he thought of Alec. And of how much longer he’d have to wait for the telegram that would whisk this woman—so dangerous to his peace of mind—out of his life.
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    Matt and the widow and her family stared at the telegram sitting open on the breakfast table. A military courier stationed at the railroad and telegraph depot had brought it just as they were sitting down to breakfast.
    The telegram had been short and to the point. “Mrs. Hardy stay and start school wherever possible STOP Ritter move forward with school construction STOP Signed, The Freedman’s Bureau.” Matt had wanted to say STOP himself and had tried to hide his irritation, but he didn’t think he’d done a very good job. The widow had merely read it aloud and then made no comment. Clearly she wasn’t a gloater.
    Then he thought to ask about Alec. “Is our visitor staying for breakfast?” The telegram had made him forget momentarily that there were more important things to deal with. His will hardened. An honorable man couldn’t just ignore what had been done to the young boy—he had to act today.
    The widow looked strained, glancing sideways at her little girl. “Our visitor left before I was able to invite him to stay for breakfast.”
    Beth glanced up at her mother with obvious curiosity. “We had a guest?”
    â€œAlec stopped by for a bit, but he had to get home.”
    â€œOh,” Beth said, sounding disappointed.
    Matt didn’t like that Alec had left. Would he suffer for running away?
    â€œI was wondering, Matthew, if we should drop by and visit Alec’s parents.” The widow gave him a pointed look.
    â€œI don’t think that’s something we should do,” he replied, aware that she didn’t want her daughter to know of Alec’s situation. Orrin would lash back unless the right person spoke to him. Men like Orrin only listened to those they dared not disregard, those they feared. And there was only one man in Fiddlers Grove Orrin might fear.
    â€œBut something should be…” Her voice faltered.
    â€œPerhaps we should talk about this later,” Matt said, nodding toward her daughter.
    â€œYes, we’ll discuss it later.”
    Beth looked at both of them and then went back to eating her oatmeal.
    Matt cleared his throat. “The surveyor will be here this morning to survey the school site before we start building, so I’ll be busy with that today. Have you had a chance to hire us a housekeeper?”
    â€œI will attend to that today,” the widow replied, offering him a second helping of biscuits.
    It was hard to stay annoyed that Mrs. Hardy was remaining. She brewed good coffee and made biscuits as light as goose down. He might as well just get over the aggravation of having someone—this woman—working with him. We’re here for the duration. He forced a smile. “Good biscuits, ma’am.”
    She smiled her thanks and offered him the jar of strawberry jam.
    He took it and decided not to hold the excellent jam against her, either. She couldn’t help it if she was a good cook. All in all, it could have been worse. She wasn’t much for nagging. He’d just go about building the school and signing men up for the Union League of America, and she’d start teaching school. They need meet only for meals.
    He let the golden butter melt on the biscuit and blend with the sweet jam, and inhaled their combined fragrance. Army rations weren’t even food compared with what Mrs. Hardy put on a table. He hoped she was as good at hiring a housekeeper as she was at cooking.
    He wondered briefly where she was supposed to start the school in Fiddlers Grove. Did the Freedman’s Bureau think the locals would rent her space? Not a chance. Well, that was her job. He had enough on his plate, starting