Barrett's neck colored and he glanced at his uncle again. When his gaze returned to her face, his expression was sober. "I guess because I've never met anyone like you before and I'd like to learn more about you." He hesitated, his face turning red. "I didn't mean that the way it came out. I only meant that you intrigue me."
She stared at him. Intrigue? Was it possible that someone like him would actually be interested in her in a romantic way? He didn't say anything about romance, though. Of course, with everyone standing there gawking at them…
She turned the mule and spoke over her shoulder. "If you want to talk to me, you know where to find me."
She dug her heels into Ol' Ned and he lurched forward before settling into a slow walk toward home. At the last minute, before they were out of sight, she couldn't resist looking over her shoulder. He was still watching her with a puzzled expression. Deep down inside - more than she wanted to admit - she wanted him to come back. That thought troubled her.
She faced forward and nudged Ol' Ned a little faster. Ma would be glad she didn't linger…or would she? She shook her head. She felt confused and vulnerable, as if someone else was in control of her emotions. It shouldn't matter what her parents wanted her to do, and yet, it did.
When she neared the house, she saw Ma on the porch, but she went into the house before Mary Jo got there. Ma had been worried about her.
Mary Jo took Ol' Ned to the barn and unsaddled him. She removed his bridle and gave him some hay. Lightning flashed and immediately a loud crack of thunder rattled the barn. She hurried to the house and got the milk bucket.
She made it back to the barn before the rain started. Rain pounded loudly on the tin roof. She leaned her forehead against the warm stomach of the cow as she milked. The smell of fresh milk and the rhythmic sound of milk squirting from alternate teats against the side of the pail relaxed her to the point that she thought she might fall asleep. It had been a long day. When she began singing Brown Daisy turned to look at her. Large dark eyes studied her while the cow crunched grain between her jaw teeth. Finally Brown Daisy resumed eating her grain.
She finished milking before the cow was through licking every grain out of the trough. Mary Jo put the milk on a wooden shelf and returned as Brown Daisy lifted her head. When she opened the stanchion, the cow pulled her head out and stepped back, turning in the stall so she could exit. As the cow plodded out into the barn, Mary Jo retrieved the pail of milk and headed for the house. It was still raining, but not as hard. She entered the kitchen through the back door and placed the milk on the counter. She washed her hands in the basin and removed a coffee filter from the can in the cabinet. Using a rubber band, she attached the coffee filter to the bottom of the milk filter and opened a clean glass gallon jar. Placing the filter into the opening, she slowly poured the milk into the filter, pausing occasionally to let the foamy liquid go down in the filter before adding more.