“I think God calls us to honor them. But He’s given us the Ten Commandments all at the same time. When you consider how many of those commandments our fathers have broken. Have sneered at every day of their lives. God, well, He wants honor. He wants a soul turned to Him and a life lived faithfully and honorably. I will pray about this, and I will continue to show honor to my father, but only as an example to him. I will live with honor myself. I hope it’s with God’s understanding and support that I admit I will never trust him. I know him too well.”

Kevin reached out. He was on the same side as the bruised cheek, so she had to uncover the bruise to take his hand.

Their hands clutched each other. Their eyes met with love and trust.

It was a private moment, an intimate one. Cheyenne felt as if she was intruding by watching them.

She turned back to her driving, glad to be home.

Glad to have her family together.

Twenty-One

I want to see that arm.” Wyatt stood in front of Molly like a couple hundred pounds of stubborn.

“Wyatt, I am not going to expose—”

“Go upstairs and put something on so you’re not exposed. Cheyenne has a short-sleeved shirtwaist if you don’t. Put hers on.” Wyatt crossed his arms. “We do nothing more until I see how bad he hurt you. And you haven’t told us what he did, either.”

Wyatt’s eyes narrowed as he studied her. “I can see he said or did something that really frightened you. We’re trying to be honest here, to clear this up. Molly, don’t keep secrets from me.”

Molly thought of the terrible secret she was keeping from everyone, even Kevin, secrets that had nothing to do with Oliver Hawkins. A tiny niggling deep inside whispered that maybe, just maybe, this family would help her find a way past the guilt, the nightmares that still jerked her awake at night.

If ever there were people who knew what it was to have trouble with a father, it was this group.

Rachel had stirred when they were lifting her out of the wagon. She insisted on walking up to bed on her own. Falcon humored her until her knees gave out, then he carried her upstairs. Cheyenne had gone up with him, and Molly followed. Cheyenne and Falcon went back down, and Win came up. She stayed with Rachel while Molly decided what needed doing and went downstairs for supplies, only to face a formidable group all lined up.

Kevin, whom she trusted completely, which made her years of lying worse because he deserved better. But honestly her deepest lie was in part to protect him.