Monroe, Marla - Their Border Lands Gift [Men of the Border Lands 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (14 page)

“Okay.” She smiled back. She would let him show her and pretend that everything was normal when in fact, there was nothing normal about anything in the world anymore.

Chapter Eleven

Kate finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes as the men discussed what their plans were for the day. Mike was dozing again after having eaten a fairly good plateful. His color was better, and he didn’t act as if he’d heard a thing the night before. Either he had been sound asleep or he was a great actor. Kate figured he had been asleep. He had never been able to lie very well.

“You about ready, Kate?” Marcus asked.

“Yes, I just need to get my coat and gloves on.” She pulled on her coat and searched in her pocket for gloves.

“Where are you taking her?” Bruce asked.

“I thought I would introduce her to the animals while I get the milk and the eggs this morning.” Marcus wound a scarf he’d gotten from somewhere around her neck.

“You do exactly like Marcus tells you. There are dangerous wolves out there. Don’t leave his sight for any reason at all.” Bruce was holding her upper arms in his hands.

“I’ll be careful, Bruce.” She tugged at her arms.

He seemed to realize he was holding her and released her after rubbing his hands up and down her arms. Then he donned his own coat and walked out the kitchen door.

“He’s worried about you, baby. Just stay with me and everything will be fine.”

Marcus took one of her gloved hands and led her through the kitchen doorway and out into the swirling snow. He grabbed a shovel and shoveled a path for them after handing her the egg basket and milk pail. When they reached the chicken coop, he had her stand back while he opened the door. Nothing happened. He grinned and nodded for her to follow him inside.

The hens were all clucking and sitting on their nests. When Marcus slipped his hands beneath them and pulled out their eggs, they squawked but didn’t put up a fight.

“Your turn.”

Kate tried to mimic his method but got pecked for her effort. She managed to grab one egg out of three tries.

“What am I doing wrong?” she said after a particularly vicious attack by one hen.

“One thing is you have to be confident. The other thing is don’t ruffle their feathers when you pull out the egg.” He grinned. “It takes time. In the summertime, I still end up with peck marks on my hands and wrists.”

“Well, don’t expect me to get the hang of it too quickly. I don’t like to be pecked with gloves on, much less without.”

Marcus laughed and finished gathering the eggs. Again he had Kate wait behind him while he opened the coop door and stepped out. When nothing happened, he held out his hand for her to follow him. This time, he led her to what looked like a barn. Inside, it was a little warmer than outside since there was no wind and there were several animals in the barn to keep the heat up some.

“Why were you so careful around the chicken coop?” she asked.

“A woman was attacked last year while she was gathering eggs. Wolves love chickens, so we have to be careful around them to be sure they aren’t waiting around.”

“Oh.” She shivered at the thought of wolves waiting for her to come out and get eggs.

“Okay, here is Sunshine.” He indicated at large cow chewing on some hay.

“Hi, Sunshine.” She shrugged. “Does she know her name?”

“Yeah, but she doesn’t know you yet, so she’s ignoring you. Right, girl?”

The cow turned her head and swished her tail.

“Now watch what I do.” He placed the pail beneath the cow’s udder and using two fingers from each hand began pulling on the cow’s teats. Milk began to spray into the bucket. “It’s all in how you squeeze, and the rhythm. Now you try.” He started to get up.

“Oh no. Not this time. I’ll try next time. I want to watch you and let Elsie here…”

“Sunshine.”

“Sunshine get used to me.” She walked over to where the cow was chomping on hay and reached out and patted the cow’s head. The heifer just chewed and ignored her.

Kate walked back to where Marcus was steadily filling the bucket and watched how his hands worked. They were strong hands, but they were so gentle on the cow. They had been gentle with her the night before. She drew in a deep breath and tried to put the night before out of her mind. It wasn’t easy after Bruce had taken her that morning. Still, she had so much more to think about other than sex. It might be a big part of their lives, but it wasn’t the most important part. At least it shouldn’t be.

“What are you thinking so hard about there, Katie girl?”

“Nothing really. Just wondering what it’s going to be like this winter. I’ve never lived anywhere that got so much snow. You’ve been here for what, six years now? Tell me about what you do in the winter.” Kate couldn’t imagine staying inside the entire time.

“Winters are hard here, Kate. It snows in feet here, not in inches. We have to keep the path to the chickens and the barn shoveled. We also have to keep the one out to the fence line so we can keep hay thrown over the fence for the cattle to eat.” He continued milking the cow in the strangely hypnotic rhythm.

“Staying warm is the hardest thing during that time. You’ll help by keeping wood in the fireplace for us so that we can warm up between trips outside.”

“I can do that. I’ve kept a fireplace before. We had one at home. Too bad you don’t have gas logs, though. That would mean less work for you chopping wood.”

“Bruce has been talking about maybe running a pipe and putting a gas stove in. We don’t want to mess up the fireplace in case we ever have to do without gas. Right now we trade a cow a year for the use of the gas, but that could change.”

“I can’t imagine how we would survive without gas. How would we cook?”

“We’d manage, Kate. Don’t worry about it right now. We have gas for the stove, so you don’t need to worry about it.” Marcus stood up and picked up the bucket of milk.

“Think you can do it tomorrow?” he asked.

“You’re kidding, right? I don’t think I can ever do it.” She frowned. “Am I really supposed to be able to do it after one day?”

Marcus chuckled. “No, Kate. It will take some practice, but that means you have to actually
try
to milk the cow next time.”

“I will. Just don’t expect much.”

“Grab the eggs, and let’s get you back to the house so I can help Bruce with the cattle.”

“Can I make a snowman? Marcus?”

“Not without one of us with you. I’m serious about the wolves, baby. You can’t mess around with them.” Marcus opened the door to the kitchen and they bustled inside out of the cold. They pulled off their boots to keep from tracking in the snow.

“Kate! Is that you?” Mike’s voice carried from the living room.

“Is something wrong, Mike?” She sat the eggs on the counter and hurried to the living room.

“No, I just didn’t know who it was. I’m ready to get off this couch. Think I could sit up in the kitchen with you for a while?”

Marcus walked in. “I don’t see why not. You’re doing pretty well. I’ll help you in there.”

Kate smiled at her brother. “Great. You can keep me company while I cook.” She stood aside as Marcus helped Mike walk into the kitchen and settle into one of the kitchen chairs at the table.

“How do you feel now?” Marcus asked.

“Much better, thanks.”

“I’m going to go now, Kate. We’ll be in around noon for an hour or two then go back out after that.” Marcus stepped back into his boots and kissed her on the cheek before hurrying back out the door.

“Let me get a blanket to go around you. You’ll get sick again if you don’t stay warm.” She hurried back to the living room and grabbed his blanket. Then she wrapped it around him and looped it under his socked feet to keep them off the cold floor.

“Thanks, sis.”

“You haven’t called me that since third grade.”

“Do you miss Mom and Dad?”

“Of course I do. Every day.”

“I worry sometimes that I’m not handling things like I should be.”

“You’re doing the best you can, Mike. I know I’ve given you a hard time, but I still love you.”

“They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

Kate felt heat pour up her neck and cheeks. He had heard and no doubt felt helpless to do anything about it. For his sake, she would have to pretend that she was completely happy. Maybe in time she would be, but right now, she needed him to believe she was.

“No, Mike. They didn’t hurt me.”

He sighed and turned his head to look out the window. Kate recognized that he wouldn’t bring it up again. She would have to if she wanted to talk about it, something she never would do with her brother. It wasn’t something you talked about between brothers and sisters.

“I’m thinking chili tonight. What do you think, Mike?” She busied herself at the sink.

“That sounds great. What are you going to fix them for lunch?”

“I was thinking about making a shepherd’s pie. It will fill them up, and there will be plenty for all of us for one meal.”

Mike kept a constant chatter with her as she set about making the pie. She used potatoes, carrots, and deer meat for the insides and mixed up a pie crust for the outside. She was just pulling it out of the oven when the men walked inside bringing a swirl of snow and cold air with them.

“Pull off your boots at the door,” she reminded them.

They dutifully removed their boots as they pulled off their coats, hats, and gloves. Bruce nodded at Mike and walked over to wash up in the sink.

“Use the washroom sink. I just cleaned that one up from the last time you used it.” Bruce frowned but did as she asked. Marcus followed behind him.

“Kate, maybe you shouldn’t fuss at them in their house,” Mike suggested.

“Either I’m their wife or not, Mike. If I am, then the kitchen is my domain and I want it kept clean.”

“I heard that, Katie girl,” Bruce said.

“Good. Don’t forget it.” She smiled and carried the dish over to the table where she had already set the table for their lunch.

“Smells good,” Marcus said.

Bruce walked over and took a seat next to Mike. “How are you feeling?”

“Much better now that I’m sitting up. I was beginning to get sore from lying on the couch so long. I want to walk around some tomorrow.”

“Don’t push it, man. You’re welcome here as long as it takes. You won’t have Kate at home to help you once you go back.”

Kate hugged Mike lightly. “Are you already tired of me?”

Mike leaned his head back against her waist. “No. I just figure you’ll do better once I’m out of your hair.”

“No I won’t. I don’t want you to go, Mike.” She felt something inside of her tearing.

“No one’s going anywhere yet,” Marcus said as they all sat down to eat. “This smells delicious.”

The three men managed to eat every crumb of the meal and still have room for dessert. She pulled out one of the apple pies she had made and divided it up three ways. Once she had served it, Bruce grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her over to him.

“Where’s yours?”