Gloriana stopped mid-step and slowly turned back to JT. “A house? No, I didn’t know.”

“I guess that means maybe he’s going to stay a long time. Wouldn’t that be great? But I don’t know why he has to move away. You didn’t tell him he had to go, did you?” Jack rose up on his hind legs and tried to reach JT’s cake. JT pushed him down. “No, Jack.”

“Of course I didn’t.” Gloriana looked at her brother and shook her head. “He’s welcome to stay in the cottage as long as he likes.” She went to prepare his milk. Had she somehow made Luke feel that he needed to go?

“Well, Jacob said it’s going to be a big house up by where they’re building Robert Munger’s mansion.”

She stirred the milk in a pan and nodded. Of course. Luke was used to luxury and beauty. A small fishing cottage wasn’t going to please him for long.

“It’s going to be just as big as Mr. Munger’s house too. Jacob said it was huge.”

The Munger house was a mansion and was talked about constantly as the pride of the area. Once completed, it was rumored it would have fifteen rooms. Of course, the Mungers could afford such a place. Mr. Munger owned a flour mill, sawmill, and coal dock, just to name a few. He was also the head man pushing for the building of a canal. He had big plans for Duluth.

It seemed only right that a wealthy man like Luke might follow suit. Gloriana had no idea what his future plans were beyond seeing the railroad completed this summer, but maybe he wanted to stay. She knew he was also involved in the Northern Pacific’s creation, so perhaps he had agreed to work for Mr. Cooke in a more permanent capacity that would see him become a long-time resident of Duluth. She could only hope so.

After testing the milk, Gloriana poured it into a mug and then put a tiny bit on a saucer for Jack and brought both to JT. “Here you go. I’m sure this will be more to your liking.”

JT put the saucer down for Jack and laughed as the puppy plunged his nose into the milk.

The wind whined against the house. There was a definite leakage of air, but Gloriana wasn’t sure where it was coming from nor how to fix it.

“I wonder, brother of mine, would you have time to help me with something?”

“I was going to play with Jack and the soldiers Luke gave me.” He put the mug aside and devoted his attention to the cake.

“Well, this was something Papa would have taken care of, but I suppose I can ask Luke when he visits later.”

“No, I’ll help,” JT said, finishing off the cake. “I’m the man of the house now.”