“Why were you so rude to Jacob?” Elise asked when she and Rosa were alone. “He's a friend of ours. We've known him for over ten years.”

Rosa didn't have an answer ready. She wasn't even entirely sure herself. “I suppose it was something in his eyes,” she said lamely. “He looked at me too eagerly.”

Elise laughed a little under her breath. “Oh, so because he found you attractive, you felt you had to put him down to prevent him from saying so?”

Crinkling her forehead, Rosa gave a singular nod. “Perhaps I've known too many men who thought their fine words would get them into my good graces.”

“No chance of that with Jacob now.”

Feeling fully recovered, Elise had insisted on getting up and making the children a treat for their after-school snack. By the time they arrived, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of oatmeal raisin cookies.

“Mama! Mama!” they all exclaimed as they pushed through the door.

“You'll never believe what happened at school today!” Anthony started.

“Let me tell it!” Laura shrieked. “It happened to my friend!”

“No, me!” Samuel chimed in.

“Children!” Rosa shouted to be heard above the noise. “Hello! I am your Auntie Rosa, and I am so very glad to meet you all, but your mama has a terrible headache, so please, let's speak quietly.”

All four children were speechless and stared at the woman they had overlooked when they first burst through the door.

“You're Mama's sister?” the eldest one asked. “I'm Angelina.”

“Of course you are, cara. I could tell right away. Now, since you were the only one not to scream and shout, would you like to tell your mother what happened?”

She blushed at the praise but shook her head. “Laura's right. She should say since it happened to her best friend.”

However, Laura was still struck dumb by the sight of her aunt.

Samuel was less so. “You look like Mama!” he almost accused.

“Yes, that is so. Just like you look like your brother, no?”

The two boys gave each other skeptical looks, then shook their heads. “I don't think so,” Anthony declared. “Sam's nose is much bigger.”

Rosa had forgotten how lovely and entertaining children could be. Elise merely smiled at their antics, but Rosa allowed herself to laugh.

“Well, maybe one day you will. Now, have you washed your hands? There is a delicious snack baking in the oven made by your loving mama. Perhaps after you wash, it will be ready.”

All four headed out the door, presumably to wash in the rain barrel that Rosa had spotted earlier.

“They certainly liven up the place, don't they?” she joked, but then was alarmed to see the wan look on her sister’s pale face.

“I love them, of course, but I don't know if I can handle their noise today. My headache has come back for sure.”

“Go lie down,” she ordered. “I will bring Laura into your room to tell you the story in a little while. For now, rest.”

It was clear Elise was reluctant to do as her sister directed, but when Rosa practically forced her out of the chair, she gave in.

“Alright. I'm going. You don't have to drag me.”

“Maybe I do.” Rosa's face said she was up to the task in any case.

By the time the children had finished their snack, they had warmed up to their aunt enough to relay all the events of the day. They also had a hundred questions to ask, many of which she answered.

“That's enough for now,” she finally said, kindly but firmly. “Laura, peek in your mother's bedroom. If she's awake, you can tell her about the frog getting loose in the classroom.”

Apparently, someone had put a frog in the desk of her friend, and it had gotten loose and jumped around the classroom for several minutes before being caught.

“The rest of you, what do you usually do now? Go outside? Do homework? Chores?”

They nodded each time, so she got the idea that all of those things were part of their after-school activities. She had Angelina relay the details and then dispersed the bunch to their individual tasks so that she could get started on dinner.

She'd managed to find all she needed to make a roast chicken and had it roasting in less than an hour. By that time, the children had finished their chores and homework and were playing in the yard. John came in around five o'clock and immediately went to see his wife.

Rosa sighed, happy that her sister had found love, but downhearted that her life lacked such a thing. She knew it would never happen for her now, though. She was far too old.

Then her mind flitted back to this afternoon and the visitor they'd had. Jacob had been too charming and too handsome for her taste. Such young men were usually not sincere and only looked to their own interests. So, she'd been surprised when he brought Elise all the way back to the house without the slightest protest, and even more surprised when he volunteered to get the doctor. Maybe there was more to him than what she imagined, not that it mattered. She was far too old for marriage now and probably more than five years his senior.

She was the spinster aunt, and she was fine with that.

The ride around the Falls Creek area hadn't disappointed Jacob. It was exactly as he remembered, and now, with a bit of direction from Cole and Alex, he was able to find the houses they'd built. He'd never noticed them before since they were built near the tree line, probably to offer shade in the summer. He suspected that the creek ran behind the houses as well, therefore making it convenient to haul water.

As he rode around the land, roughly marked off by posts, he tried to imagine where he'd put a house for himself. He liked Cole and Alex, but he didn't want to be too near. And as much as he would like to be close to the river in order to have easy access to water, he thought that he could dig a well if need be.

The area he liked most was closer to the mountains. The house could be cool with their shade, and he loved the idea of looking out the front windows and seeing them right there. He would ask if they were okay with his plan to build there.

His mind wandered from thoughts of the house and ranch to the exquisite and fierce woman he'd met that morning. She certainly wasn't shy about letting him know where she stood. Clearly, she didn't want to invite any advances, and she'd succeeded. He wasn't intimidated by her, but he knew he'd have to keep his distance and not show too much interest, but the truth was, he was very interested.

He admired Elise tremendously, both her kindness and her zeal for life. She was a devoted wife and mother, and he was sure some of that was due to her upbringing, so he suspected her sister would be a little like her. However, in their demeanor, Rosa was definitely the more passionate one.

The sun started to set, so he turned his horse around and headed back to his brother’s place. Before he had gone too far, he bumped into John.

“Nice evening, isn’t it?” the older man asked.

“Yeah, it sure is. I’m, uh, just on my way back from Great Falls. I might be part owner of the land there before too long.”

John nodded. “That's good news. I'm happy for you.” He paused for a moment and Jacob saw the man blink a few times and swallow hard. “Thanks for your help this afternoon. It's a hard thing to see your wife so weak, but God sent you over at the right time.”

A hard pit formed in Jacob's stomach. “I guess so.” In his mind, he was thinking that God had nothing to do with it. He was the one who had decided to take a ride. There hadn't been some supernatural force pushing him to go for no apparent reason, but he wouldn't say such a thing to a man who was obviously filled with faith.

“Sometimes we don't think so, but He has His ways.”

How had John known what he was thinking? Was it so obvious?

The left side of Jacob's mouth lifted a little in response, but instead of smiling, his mouth turned into more of a grimace. “Yeah, so I've heard.”

Riding astride, the two men didn't speak for a moment. Jacob wondered if he was in for a lecture about God. It was well-known that John Porter, much like many of the men in the area, was a devout Christian and praised God for all his blessings.

“I had something else to tell you.”

“Uh, okay.”

John cleared his throat and Jacob prepared for a lengthy sermon. He would listen out of respect and because he liked John. But what came out of John’s mouth next surprised him.

“Even though I've only just met her myself, I'd like to explain Rosa's behavior. From what Elise tells me, her sister has had to hold off a lot of men, so she's kind of prickly now. She looked after their parents, you see, was real devoted to them and didn't think that she could do that very well if she was married. Now, she doesn't really know how to be around men. So, don't take anything personally. Elise wanted me to tell you that.”

Jacob hadn't expected that. Why was John telling him all this? He decided to respond neutrally. “I see. Well, I'm not easily offended, so don't worry.”

John looked in the direction Jacob had come and then nodded in satisfaction. “I've always liked that area. I hope things work out for you there. Let me know if I can help you out at all, and God bless you.”

Jacob knew that he should be grateful to God for all he had, but on the other hand, he felt he'd worked pretty hard for it all. After saving nearly every penny, he was finally able to achieve his dream, and he couldn't really see what God had done. He'd been the one who had gotten up before daybreak and gone to bed last every night. His brother knew his worth and had paid him accordingly, generously.

If he had to give thanks to anyone, it would be to his brother. He was the one who had helped Jacob, right from the day he arrived ten and half years before, but he would never say so in front of anyone. Pretty much everyone on Triple Range and even over on Crawford Ranch was a staunch believer. Only a few of the ranch hands showed no interest, but he wasn't going to align himself with them and spend all his money in town every weekend.

So, he'd been alone most of the time, and that had suited him just fine until Miss Rosa Romano had shown up. He grinned as he recalled the haughty tilt of her head and her flashing eyes.

Maybe he wasn't destined to be alone after all.

Rosa didn't like her sister's color. Normally, Elise's skin had a golden hue to it, but today, it looked greenish. Although Italians were often described as having an olive complexion, with almost green or yellow undertones, she'd never seen Elise look like this.

“Are you feeling nauseated?” she asked in Italian, not knowing the English word. “Did something you eat disagree with you?”

Elise shrugged and shook her head at the same time. “I do feel queasy,” she replied, also using her native language since there was no one else around. “But I wouldn't be able to say from what.”

The evening meal had been simple because she didn’t want to risk upsetting her sister’s stomach. Roast chicken, potatoes, and beans from the cellar had been the best she could do with American food. However, she had forced her sister to eat the boiled livers of the chicken, knowing that they were good for increasing strength.

“Maybe the beans have gone bad?” she suggested.

“But then others would be ill also. Ah, no, it's me. There's something wrong with me. I almost feel as though I'm pregnant, but...well, I know that I'm not.”

It was on the tip of Rosa's tongue to ask why, but then she realized that her sister must be referring to the obvious way that women knew.

“Then perhaps you have a touch of the flu. Some people move from one sickness to another without much of a break.”

“On and off for over five years? Not likely.” A mirthless laugh escaped her mouth, and Rosa drew back a little in surprise. Her sister was never so cynical. “I'm sorry, sister, for being so snappish. I really don't feel myself today.”

Giving her a pat on the shoulder, Rosa tutted as though she were a maternal figure and not the younger sister. “It's been a lot of excitement, what with my coming and then the fainting. How about if you go to bed now?”

A look of disbelief crossed her features. “Rosa, it's barely dark and even the children haven't all gone to bed.”

The younger ones went at seven-thirty and the older ones at eight.

“Well then, you'll be a child today. Can you get yourself ready, or do I need to call John?”

Now a real smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Well played, sister. No, I'll do it for myself. No need to bother my husband. I don't need him to worry any more than he already is.”

Rosa nearly crowed in triumph, but the drained look on her sister's face held her back. “Well, that's settled. Now, I will get your children to bed, and the only thing you need to think about is resting. Tomorrow, we will begin you on a diet filled with meat and other protein, and I will pray that it helps.”

“Thank you, little sister,” Elise replied, her mouth quivering. “And thank God for bringing you here.”