Kelly adjusted the length of the stirrups, then hoisted herself up to Xander’s back. He pranced a bit, but she leaned forward and stroked his neck. “Calm down. I’m not Adam showing off. Let’s go for a walk.”

There was woodland between the crop fields and she knew it well. There was an old wagon trail, but it had too many potholes to risk running on. A quiet stroll would do them good.

Thirty minutes later, they halted at a stream. She dismounted, tied Xander loosely since rabbits tended to make him run off, checked the area for poisonous plants, found none and let him graze.

She wanted time to think. The last couple of years had been relatively peaceful. Well, sort of. Vera had been like Xander and wanting to run, but she’d done her duty. She took care of her mother, her sister, the farm, and held down a part-time job in Kansas City. It would have been too much for most people, but not Vera. She could do anything!

Kelly ran her hands over Xander’s neck, then leaned against him.

“Can I do her job?” she whispered. The minute Vera left, everything would be handed over to Kelly. Nella Exton was a “taken care of” woman. She did her canning, freezing and baking, and she expected others to do the rest. First it had been her father, then her husband, then Vera. It would soon be her youngest daughter’s turn to do the things that Nella didn’t.

Kelly sat down on a patch of grass by the stream.

“Adam will stay for Robbie,” Kelly said to Xander. “Everyone knows that it wouldn’t be safe to leave Robbie alone for a whole summer. He’d do nothing but party. A deputy sheriff would have to move in with him.”

She sighed. “And of course Vera will wait for me.” Xander nudged her with his head and she leaned into him. “She just might stay here to wait for, you know, my wedding.” She stroked the horse’s head; he gave a snuffle, then went back to eating.

Kelly lay back on the grass, her hands behind her head, and looked up at the sky. This plan was all about the future of her with Paul.

He had entered her elementary school when they were in the third grade—a small, quiet boy, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was the son of the woman Dr. Carl had recently married and they were all curious. But Paul didn’t reply to their questions, just stared at them in silence.