Blue laughed. “Sort of reminds me of someone.” He’d tried to make Clara see she couldn’t keep running, that she needed to let people help her, but she stubbornly insisted she had to do it her way. He waited for her to understand who he meant and grinned when her eyes flashed a protest.
“I’m certain I don’t know who you mean.”
He lifted his eyebrows, just as certain she did.
She ducked her head and looked directly into Libby’s eyes. “I’m grateful you’re safe, but please don’t do anything so foolish again. There might not be anyone around to pull you out.”
“It was awfully cold.”
Clara held her close again and wrapped her tightly. She brought her gaze to Blue. “Are you sure you’re warmed?”
He nodded. Maybe the cold had affected his brain because he couldn’t seem to extricate himself from this situation. More like he couldn’t think why he should. It felt good to be sitting by a warm stove holding a little girl with a woman and another child at his side.
“I once—” He broke off. Did he mean to tell the girls about his children? He got to his feet and deposited Eleanor on the chair. “I best be going.” And he rushed back to the church with even more haste than he had left it.
He could not let himself be drawn into another family.
* * *
“Mama, why did Mr. Blue leave so suddenly?” Eleanor asked.
“Maybe he was cold. After all, he got all wet in the river.” Though he hadn’t seemed cold at first, she realized. And what had he been about to say? I once—Once what? Once had a family? Once had a home and children?
A groan tore through her insides. It must hurt him deeply to have been able to save Libby but not his own children.
What could she do to make it up to him? Likely he’d say he only wanted to be left alone for he’d confessed he was stuck in the desert of his life. The desert had to be a lonely, unhappy place. If she could get him to see he could leave such desolation, she would feel she’d paid her debt of gratitude.
How was she to do that? She considered her options, which were few. Would he join them for supper?
She slipped her hand under Libby’s blanket. “You feel warm now.”
Libby nodded.
“Then it’s time you got dressed.”
She helped her daughter into dry clothes and hung the wet things to dry. “You two stay here. I’m going to ask Bonnie if she can give us supper.” She had no money and could offer no services in exchange for the food, but this time she had something more important to consider than her pride.
She went next door and knocked. When Bonnie answered, she explained how Libby had fallen in the river but was okay. “I don’t want to bring her out so soon after her soaking. Would you mind—” It was harder to ask than she imagined. “Could I—”
“That poor child. I’m grateful she’s okay. You must certainly keep her good and warm. It would be dreadful if she took a chill. Why don’t I send over enough food for your meal?”
“Thank you. You’re a generous woman.”
“Nonsense. In this country we help each other. We never know when we might be the one in need of assistance. Wait right there, and I’ll dish up enough for you.”
Bonnie ladled thick, savory-smelling stew into a smaller pot. Clara was grateful to see how generous she was. Bonnie cut half a dozen thick slices of bread and wrapped them in a towel. She tucked dishes and silverware into a sack. “Can you manage everything?”
Clara held the items easily. “Thank you ever so much. I will be sure to pass the kindness on every chance I get.” And she’d start by sharing the food with Blue, showing her gratitude by letting him remember what it felt like to be part of a family circle.
Bonnie smiled. “That’s the way to do it.”
Carrying the pot of food carefully, she made her way to the shack. “Girls, I am going to invite Mr. Blue to have supper with us to thank him for rescuing Libby.”
The girls grinned.
“Eleanor, would you go ask him?” He’d have a harder time saying no to her than to Clara.
Libby headed for the door. “I want to go, too.”
“You can’t. Your coat is wet.”