Win grabbed Kevin’s wrist. “Maybe you should ride beside her on the way home and have a good long talk.”

Kevin nodded and kissed her.

Wyatt headed out, dreading Cheyenne’s cooking. Especially when she was in a bad mood. He should have told her they’d just eat bread and butter. Molly was ahead with the baking. Cheyenne seemed to cook at a full gallop with little care for charred edges and rare innards. Sometimes, after her more rushed meals, he felt like he had charred edges and rare innards.

Win was a decent cook. She wasn’t a patch on Molly, but she was decent. He hoped Win could manage Cheyenne and hog-tie a meal.

Six

Molly had a job.

They had hired a new schoolmarm after Win, but she’d worked through a six-week stretch of school and was already quitting to get married. It was hard keeping a teacher in a town with five men to every one woman. Or was it fifty to one?

Molly had gotten hired on the spot, and the school board had walked her over to Parson Brownley’s home.

Parson and Mrs. Brownley had acted delighted to have a new person to live with them. They seemed like lovely people.

She’d unpacked her satchel and washed thoroughly, and was out in time to help Ida Brownley with supper. She oughta make these two a custard. They’d be glad they’d had her come to stay.

The evening meal was a fine experience. Casual and friendly, not a gunshot victim to be seen anywhere.

The Brownleys were good company. Older but not elderly by any means. By the time they were done eating Ida’s tasty ham steaks with mashed turnips, Molly had learned all about their three grown children. Two sons and a daughter, all married with children of their own and moved away.

The two seemed interested in adding someone younger back into their household. Why, they looked willing to adopt her.

Molly was just preparing to insist on clearing the table and washing the dishes when someone knocked on the front door. All right, it was pounding. Someone was slamming the side of their fist into the wood.

“Mercy.” The parson rose quickly. “Someone must be badly in need of a parson.”

He rushed to the door and swung it open.

Wyatt stood there, glowering.

Molly’s stomach twisted. “I think they’re here for me, Parson.” Her voice rose so the Hunt brothers—all three of them—could hear her. “They must have doubts about allowing a self-supporting, intelligent, adult woman to make her own decisions and live her own life.”

Mrs. Brownley arched one brow at her. Molly had no doubt her tone wasn’t lost on Ida Brownley.

She saw Kevin looking worried. Probably because he had to leave his wife behind for more than ten minutes.

Falcon didn’t look overly upset.