CHAPTER 1
The pond was covered with a glaze of ice on this miserable December day. It wasn’t frozen solid—not by a long shot. But…it looked like it could be. Devlin Campbell stared at it, his eyes narrowed against the blast of snow the wind kicked up into his face.
Probably looked just this way when Heather ventured out on it…
He shook his head, clearing away the haunting memories. His daughter, gone two years, now. It had been his fault. He’d given her too much freedom. But, she’d known better—
No. She was just a kid. Didn’t children always believe they were safe? That nothing so horrible—so final—would ever happen to them? Five years old wasn’t really old enough to understand…even though the pond looked solid enough to walk on—it wasn’t.
Now, his little girl was gone, and her mother had lasted only a few months beyond her death—long enough to give birth to the baby boy she carried and see him through his first half-year. Then, she, too, had passed.
Dev turned his horse around and skirted the pond in search of another mother and baby—the cow he’d spent the better part of the day searching for—fearing she may be in distress. The calf she carried had been conceived at an odd time, but Daisy had always been contrary.
That thought brought a smile. Dev would find her, and if he knew Daisy, she and her newborn—if it had been born, yet—would be safe and sound. But with the blizzard moving in, that wouldn’t last long unless he could get them back to the shelter of the barn.
Tomorrow, the new nursemaid would arrive—Mrs. Julia Jackson. He wrinkled his nose. Julia. Such a stately name. There would be no joy in that one, he was certain. But, at least, he wouldn’t have to hear any more false complaints from Elmer or Pete, or any of the others, about taking their turn caring for baby Jamie. Woman’s work, they said. And, maybe it was. Maybe he should’ve found someone months ago—
The faint bawling of a cow came to Dev on a blast of icy air.
“C’mon, Red,” he muttered to the big buckskin he rode. Heather had named him. Red was her favorite color. Dev’s smile was grim at the memory. He should’ve known what Heather’s choice of a name might be.
But what was done was done. He sighed. “You’re sort of red,” he said, giving the horse a pat on the neck.
The bawling sounded louder, and then Daisy and her new baby came into view, huddled together by a stand of trees.
Relief surged in Dev’s chest, and Red picked up the pace to get to them as quickly as possible.
“Well, you’re a sight, little lady,” Dev told the calf softly as he dismounted and made a quick assessment of mother and baby. “Let’s get y’all home.”
Dev took his slicker off, turning it inside out, then wrapping the calf in it. He knew Daisy would follow. Swinging up into the saddle, he held the shivering calf close and started back toward the ranch.
• ♥ •
Charlie came toward Dev quickly as he rode into the yard close to the barn. Jack opened the barn door and greeted Daisy as Charlie took the calf from Dev’s arms and, without a word, headed toward the relative warmth of the barn.
Dev dismounted and followed, noting a wagon parked near the side of the structure he didn’t recognize. As he led Red inside, he saw two black horses put up in clean stalls at the far end of the building.
“Jack?” he questioned, giving a nod toward the animals.
Jack looked up from where he stood beside Daisy as she settled down with her baby in the straw. “She’s here,” he responded bluntly. “The new nursemaid you hired. She and the little girl.”
Little girl? There’d been no mention of her having a child. Dev scowled. If he’d known that, he might not have given her the position. He didn’t want to be reminded every waking minute of what he’d lost. Another child was something they didn’t need at the Flying C!
“Thought they weren’t comin’ ’til tomorrow.” Dev began to loosen the cinch, but Jack came toward him and took over.
“You best git on inside, Dev. Make the new nursemaid feel at home.” He gave an appreciative nod, then sobered, seeing Dev’s black look. “You could-a done worse. Miss Julia Jackson is one helluva lady, through and through.”
For some reason, Jack’s reassurance didn’t put Dev at ease.
• ♥ •
Julia Jackson held little Jamie Campbell close as he snuggled next to her. And no wonder! Being held by a passel of rank cowboys couldn’t have been as comforting as—well, as being cuddled by a woman.
Jamie would never know his mother. But, he would know love as long as Julia remained employed here!
Oh, and what a dear he was! When he had looked up at her with those big chocolate eyes as she took him from the cowboy who was tending him, her heart was lost. She hoped…well, she hoped that she and Lauralee would have a home here forever.
She allowed herself a brief moment of relaxation, letting her spine touch the back of the settee as she sat holding Jamie.
What choice did she have in her life? Despair gripped her. She was trapped—a woman past marriageable age with her niece in tow…most men wouldn’t be interested in a twenty-two-year-old spinster who was the sole caregiver for her five-year-old niece. The life of a nursemaid or governess would be all she’d ever have—and she’d be fortunate to enjoy what small comforts that existence might provide.
She had Lauralee to think of now. She must provide for her as well as she could.
I hope Mr. Campbell will forgive my deceit in not mentioning Lauralee. Surely, he will. No decent man would expect me to turn my back on my sister’s child.
“Aunt Julie, I’m hungry,” Lauralee said, breaking into Julia’s thoughts.
Julia gave her niece a bright smile. “I’m sure Mr. Campbell will be here soon, Laura. Then, I’ll start a good supper—maybe we’ll have breakfast for our meal tonight.”
“Biscuits?” Lauralee clapped her hands.
“Well…maybe. We’ll see what Mr. Campbell likes for his supper.”
“Who wouldn’t like breakfast?”
Jamie gave a baby-snort as if he completely agreed.
Julia laughed aloud. “You think we should have a breakfast-supper, Jamie?” She kissed the top of his head.
The door banged open behind the three, a gust of icy wind howling in before the tall man who’d entered could get it shut.
Lauralee hugged herself and shivered, then ran to the blazing hearth to the warmth. She eyed the man warily as she crouched before the fireplace.
Julia turned the baby away from the cold, until she heard the door shut behind her.
“What the devil—” the man bit out savagely.
When Julia’s gaze shot to his, her heart sank. This must be Mr. Campbell, her employer. And he was bending the fiercest glare she’d ever seen on Lauralee, who cowered by the fireplace.
• ♥ •
Julia quickly gathered herself. Over the past few years, she’d had more than her fair share of life-changing surprises. Her parents had been killed in a runaway carriage accident when she was ten. Her older brother, Jerome, and sister, Helena, had tried to hold onto the family’s holdings, but Jerome’s penchant for gambling had ended up landing them all on the street.
It hadn’t been too much longer before Jerome had been found in an alley with his throat cut—and Helena had had to marry quickly to give herself and Julia a home. Now that Helena was gone, Julia knew she could never be parted from her niece. Helena had provided for Julia when there’d been no one else—now, Julia would keep Lauralee safe from the world—including the likes of the very unpleasant Mr. Devlin Campbell!
“I assume you are Mr. Campbell?” Julia asked uncertainly, as she stepped toward him, extending one hand. She shifted Jamie to her hip. “I’m Miss Julia Jackson,” she continued primly, “up from Savannah way—your new nursemaid for young Jamie, here. And this—” she stepped to the side as Dev took her hand— “is Miss Lauralee Redmond.”
Lauralee, it seemed, had recovered, as well. She had risen to her feet, and stood glaring at the man, her hands on her hips.
He glared right back at her, barely sparing Julia a glance.
“We’re not the Debbil! You are!” Lauralee said, pointing at him with an accusatory finger.
Oh, Dear Heavenly Father… Julia’s throat constricted as she stepped forward. They were going to be tossed out into this blizzard for sure! “Lauralee—” Julia began, her heart pounding.
But silence filled the room as her employer took a step forward, causing Julia to lose her voice completely and forget that she needed to chastise Lauralee for her insolence to an adult.
Perhaps she’d been too lax on the child during the time Helena had been ill, and subsequently passed. It hadn’t been that long. Just a few months. First, Helena’s much-older husband, Zion Redmond, had taken ill with the influenza. Then, Helena had contracted it. Zion had passed quickly, but Helena had lingered. Julia had taken heart that perhaps her older sister might be spared, but in the end, Helena had passed, as well.
Mr. Campbell hunkered down on the floor in front of Lauralee, studying her. Jamie kicked and smiled, holding out his arms to his father, but the man ignored his son, watching Lauralee intently.
“Well…I supposed you might be right about that, Miss Lauralee,” he finally allowed.
Lauralee took an uncertain step back—but from the defiant thrust of her little chin and the challenging fire in her blue eyes, she wasn’t afraid of him. Julia’s heart clenched. The girl was loyal…so loyal…and so fierce in her defense of Julia.
Swiftly, the rancher stood to his full, towering height and turned to face Julia once more. Her heart skipped a beat at the serious, sad look in his dark eyes.
They had not gotten off to the best start.
She smiled uncertainly as Jamie tried to hurl himself toward his father. “If you want to warm up by the fire, I’ve got fresh coffee made. Jamie’s so glad to see you.”
But he turned away from her and Jamie with a harshly bitten-off curse, rapidly brushing at his blue shirt before the snow could melt. It was already managing to do a fine job of it from his near proximity to the fire, turning to wet spots on the warm, woolen material. Julia could have sworn he was making a show of brushing off the snow to divert her attention from the scalding greeting he’d give them when he came in. Maybe he regretted it. Maybe he was too proud to say so.
“Where’s your coat?” Julia asked, surprised that he’d be out in this weather without the protection of outerwear. “You must be frozen—”
“Coffee would be welcome, Mrs. Jackson. I’d appreciate it.” He finally reached for his son and took him from Julia’s arms without meeting her eyes, and her earlier suspicions were confirmed. He was not a man given to being rude.
“It’s Miss,” she corrected softly as she turned away to go for the coffee.