Read Online Orphan Maker by D Jordan Redhawk - Free Book Online

younger kids groaned in simultaneous protest as Gwen opened her eyes. Most of them did, anyway. Kevin didn’t move.
    “Just a little more? Please?” Megan peered up at Loomis.
    “No, baby. It’s time for bed, and our new friends are pretty tired. They need to get some sleep.”
    “I’m not tired!” Terry said.
    “Too bad, so sad, Little Big Man.” Rick stood and went to the fireplace, knocking the ash from his pipe into the fire. He carefully laid the pipe in a rack on the mantel before turning to the boys still at his feet. “Help me get Kevin up to your room.”
    Terry grumbled but conceded. While they woke Kevin enough to get him on his feet, Megan slid from the loveseat, pouting as Loomis did the same and put the book on the mantel. Delia stayed where she was, blue eyes wide.
    “What if there’s a dragon in our room?” she asked.
    Megan’s mouth dropped open. She looked at Loomis for reassurance. “It’s too big. Isn’t it?”
    Delia’s burgeoning fear was quickly replaced with irritation. “It could be a small one!”
    Gwen watched with amusement as the two little girls glowered at each other.
    Cara placed her knitting project in a basket beside her rocker and stood. “I doubt it.” She reached for one of the candles on the mantel. “Dragons horde gold and treasure. Neither of you have any of that in your room.” She lit the candle, and handed it to Rick who had finally pulled Kevin to his feet.
    “I’ve got treasure,” Megan said.
    “Stupid rocks,” Delia muttered, finally leaving the love seat.
    “It is so treasure!” Megan looked around for support.
    Terry snorted. “Rocks in a box. And not even proper arrowheads or anything.”
    Loomis lit another candle, handing it to Delia before scooping Megan up in her arms. “Some people’s trash is other people’s treasure. Don’t know that a dragon would be interested in your collection, though, baby.” She gave the girl an apologetic hug. “Now let’s get you two to bed.”
    Delia led the way to the far corner of the living room. Despite holding a candle, she deftly climbed the ladder that led to their room. Loomis followed, still holding Megan. Rick and the boys disappeared into the kitchen where a similar ladder awaited them.
    “Lucky, you’re rooming with me,” Cara said. “Tonight we’ll put Oscar in a drawer. I know we’ve got a crib somewhere in one of the barns. We’ll dig it out tomorrow for him.”
    “Where am I sleeping?” Gwen forced her sore muscles to bring her to her feet. Damn, she still hurt from that horse ride. Now that she had been off them for a time, the soles of her feet ached from the week’s forced march.
    “You’re in Marissa’s room. Heather can show you the way. There’s only the one bed, so either you share or one of you sleeps on the floor. We’ll talk about getting more furniture from somewhere tomorrow.”
    It took a moment for Gwen to recognize the name. Walker had used it to introduce Loomis at the church. “Why does everybody call her Loomis except you?”
    “Not everybody. Rick sometimes calls her by her first name.” Cara shrugged. “She just prefers to be called Loomis, I guess. Always has.”
    But you don’t care, Gwen thought. Was it a subtle power play between the cousins? Did Cara do it to call attention to the fact that she wouldn’t do what Loomis wanted? Or was it something more, a way to connect with a little more intimacy than everybody else?
    Heather smiled and held out her hand. “I’ll show you your room.”
    Gwen, still wrapped in her blanket, was led through the doorway behind the loveseat, then to a door immediately to her left along a short hall.
    “This is your room now. Rick and I are right next door, and Cara and Lucky are at the other end of the hall,” Heather said. She opened the door, handing Gwen a candle. “Go on in. Loomis will be here when she’s done tucking in the kids.”
    Clutching the candle, Gwen stepped into the darkened room. As an