Worried eyes peered at him from a pale, round face. “I’m quite aware of that.”

Hearing a defensive note in her voice, he set his cup down. He didn’t want to make her feel bad, but neither did he want to miss the opportunity to help Ginny.

“My wife is concerned about her lack of formal education.”

“You don’t understand.” Peggy Sue wrung her hands together, a look of despair on her face. “That will only put ideas into her head. Had Mrs. McKnight not—”

“The ideas are already in her head.” Surprised by the fierce need to defend Emily, Chase began again in a gentler tone. “What my wife is tryin’ to do is teach her how to put those ideas to good use. Left on her own…well…” He lifted his shoulders. “Ginny’s likely to get into more trouble.”

Peggy Sue clenched her hands to her chest. In the dim gaslight, she looked no more than a child herself. She had only been sixteen when she had Ginny, but her usual stoic demeanor often made her look older than her twenty-five years. This morning, she looked both young and scared.

“I…I don’t know what to do,” she said, her voice thick with despair.

Chase felt sorry for her. It couldn’t be easy raising a child like Ginny by herself. He had given her a job and a place to live, but he felt guilty for not offering more in the way of support. Until Emily had mentioned it, he’d not given a thought to Ginny’s education. At the very least, he should have insisted upon hiring a tutor.

“Let my wife help her,” he said gently. “Don’t try to do it alone.”

Peggy Sue looked away, but not soon enough to hide her tears. “I…I’ll let you finish your breakfast.” With that, she turned, her rapid footsteps fading away.

Chase glanced up to find Cookie leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed. “What?”

Cookie dropped his arms to his side. “Do you think she’ll take your advice?”

“Don’t know.” Chase pushed his still unfinished breakfast away. “For Ginny’s sake, I hope she does.”

28

The following week passed uneventfully. Kansas Pete had made a full recovery. Ginny was back to her old self, and calving season was progressing on schedule.

Emily had resumed working with Ginny, with one significant change—she now had four pupils. The twins, Eddie and Adam Benton, were a year older than Ginny. Alice Riley was Ginny’s same age.

At first, Peggy Sue had been opposed to the arrangement, but when she saw how much Ginny liked her new friends, her reservations vanished.

Between teaching and keeping the ranch’s books, Emily’s days began passing more swiftly. For that, she was grateful. She now had a purpose.

Still, doubts and worries haunted her. There really was no reason to feel unsettled and on edge, but she did. She felt like she was waiting for the next shoe to drop, and the feeling grew stronger with each passing day. Why she felt that way, she couldn’t say.