“Seems to me,” Blue added, “if your father is that determined, he’ll find you.”
“I’m hoping winter will prevent him from traveling, and then perhaps by spring he’ll reconsider. By then, I hope I’ll have proof I can manage on my own.”
“And if he doesn’t accept it?”
She brought her fierce gaze to him. “I hope and pray I can stay one step ahead of him.”
He smiled. His eyes filled with compassion. “Clara, are you going to run forever?”
“I will never let Father take the girls from me.” Tears clogged her throat.
He pulled her to him, and she buried her face against his broad, strong chest.
He patted her back gently. It calmed her fractured nerves, and she released a heart-easing sigh and sank deeper into his embrace. Oh, if only she could find this safety in her entire life, not just in a moment of crisis.
“You deserve better. You and the girls.”
His voice rumbled beneath her ears. “Better would be nice, but Father is a stubborn, prideful man.”
His chuckle bounced his chest, and she smiled.
He said, “I’d say it was a strong family trait.”
She felt a faint desire to argue, but it quickly faded. Instead, she smiled against his shirtfront. “The only thing I’ve ever been stubborn about is keeping my girls.”
“Then perhaps you need to accept help.”
She reluctantly pushed away from his arms. “But don’t you see? The only way I can hope to convince my father I am responsible enough to take care of the girls is to prove I can manage on my own.”
His hands rested on her arms, enticing her to return to his embrace. But she stepped back.
Like she’d said, she had to prove she was strong and capable, and that meant not leaning on any man. Physically or emotionally.
She put the distance of two more feet between them. Far enough that she could resist the temptation of his arms. “You’ve been very kind to us, and I’m afraid I’ll never be able to repay you.”
He made a protesting noise, but she continued. “Perhaps one day you will be able to move forward into a new life. That would please me.”
Unable to remain in the small space and resist all he offered, she returned to the larger room and went to the girls. “Have you named your doll?”
“Mary,” they said in unison.
“Good choice. Now you have a friend again.”
She spent the rest of the morning trying to work without looking at Blue, without giving him a chance to say anything more about her decision. If once or twice she caught herself watching him when he was otherwise occupied, she excused it as regret over having drawn him into her problems.
It was time to rebuild the walls around her life—walls she’d never meant to break down in the first place.
Chapter Twelve
Blue’s brain filled with a hundred thoughts. He tried to sort them into some kind of order. Certainly he was pleased that the girls had welcomed the doll and Clara had allowed them to keep it. But the feeling paled in comparison to his worry about their safety. There must be something he could do.
He pressed his hand to his cheek; then he realized it was the same spot Eleanor had kissed when she offered to be his girl. A smile tugged at his mouth and warmed his eyes. He’d like two little girls. He’d like to be able to take care of them and their mama. Their stubborn, proud mama.
His smile faltered. His chest tightened.
Could Clara’s father take the children? Blue wasn’t sure what the law would say, but it seemed those in authority often measured a person’s worth by the size of their purse, which left Clara with little defense.
He should take them to the ranch. They’d be safe there.
“Clara, can we talk?” Surely he could persuade her. He’d tell her of the others who’d been threatened and how they’d found safety at the Eden Valley Ranch.
“Do you need me to help measure?”
“No, I have a suggestion.”
She shook her head.
“You don’t need to run,” he whispered hoarsely.
She ducked her head and ran her finger up and down the piece of wood she worked on. “You don’t know my father, so how can you say that? You know what it’s like to lose your children. Do you think I’m willing to risk losing mine?”