“Some lady from Arizona wasn’t leaving Maine without it,” Winter told him. “I swear she made her husband buy that moose its own airline seat for the ride home. She wouldn’t even trust it to be shipped, afraid an antler might get broken.”
Tom stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Can you find a way to get my money from that moose to the Dalton family without them knowing where it came from? I want those kids to have some toys under their tree this Christmas.”
“I can find a way,” she whispered back.
“Good,” Tom said with a nod. “Sam Dalton needs the help, but it can’t look like charity.”
“I’ll use the same method I used with the Greeleys.”
Tom suddenly turned to Matt, who had mounted up and was frowning at them. “You’re going to need a road built, Gregor,” Tom told him. “And I know just the man to build it.”
Matt lifted one brow. “You?” he asked.
Tom shook his head. “A guy by the name of Sam Dalton. He busted his leg up pretty badly a couple of months ago, but his head still works fine. He used to be on the paper mill’s road crew. Sam knows construction.”
“Then I’ll look Dalton up, once Winter decides where I’m going to build.”
Tom nodded and stepped away from Snowball. “Get going then,” he said to Winter. “The sun’s setting.”
But it was Megan who led the way out of the clearing with a final wave to Tom, taking the path that wove through the woods along Pine Lake. Winter fell into step behind Megan and Matt, looking back just as the forest started closing in on them. Tom was standing in his clearing, his arms folded across his chest and his feet planted wide, watching them leave. Winter turned back around and stared at Matt’s broad shoulders as she contemplated the old hermit’s expression with growing alarm.
Aye. Tom had been looking much too smug, she decided.
They reached the main street of Pine Creek just as the setting sun washed the sky in a glow of purple and red twilight. Winter stopped Snowball in front of her gallery and was just dismounting when her cell phone rang.
“Hello,” she answered as Matt helped Megan dismount.
“Where are ye?” her papa said without preamble.
“I’m standing in front of my gallery. Megan, Matt, and I just rode into town. Where are you?”
“We’re still on the mountain,” her papa said. “I’m calling to tell ye we’re spending the night up here.”
Winter frowned. “You are? Why?”
Greylen chuckled. “Because yer mother wants to.”
“But it’s supposed to get below freezing tonight. And you didn’t take camping gear.”
There was a heartbeat of hesitation on the other end of the phone before her papa softly drawled, “I believe I still remember how to keep my wife warm.”
Despite his humor, Winter heard the strain in her papa’s voice, and her frown deepened. “I’m sure you do. I’m just surprised, is all. Is everything okay?” she asked. “Can I talk to Mama?”
There was another, longer hesitation. “Nay,” her papa said softly. “She’s having a nap.”
“But—”
“I’m just calling to let ye know we’re staying the night,” he said, cutting her off. “So ye won’t worry. We’ll be back tomorrow. Ye lock up tight tonight, and if ye girls need anything, call Robbie.”
“But—”
“We’ll see ye tomorrow, baby girl,” he said gently, cutting her off again.
Winter could only stare at the tiny phone in her hand when the connection suddenly went dead.
“Was that Papa?” Megan asked. “What did he want?”
“They’re staying up on the mountain tonight,” Winter told her, still frowning. “He claims it was Mama’s idea, yet he wouldn’t let me talk to her because he said she was napping. But I was sure I could hear her in the background, and it sounded like she was…sobbing or something.”
“Sobbing?” Megan repeated, stepping closer. “Are you sure it wasn’t an animal you heard? A squirrel, maybe? Or the wind?”
Winter blinked at her sister, then shrugged. “It could have been, I suppose. But they hadn’t planned on spending the night, and don’t have any equipment. And when they left this afternoon, Papa was…well, he seemed preoccupied. Like something was bothering him.”
“It’s a little late in the season to be camping out, isn’t it?” Matt asked.
“Not really,” Megan said, turning to him. “Not for our family. We’re used to camping out in all kinds of weather.”
Matt nodded, though he still seemed concerned by Winter’s and Megan’s obvious worry. He suddenly smiled. “Then I guess you ladies are at loose ends tonight. Why don’t I take you both to dinner at the resort?”
Megan immediately shook her head. “Thank you,” she said, “but I’m babysitting tonight.” She looked past Matt and broke into a wide smile. “And here’s my ride now.”
Winter turned just in time to be swept up in a firm hug. “Hello, baby girl. Been out painting pretty pictures today?”
Winter could only mumble into the chest against her face. Her attacker laughed, kissed her on the forehead, then let her go and turned to Matt. “Robbie MacBain,” he said, extending his hand. “Have these two outlaws been giving ye a private tour of TarStone Mountain?”
Winter stilled in the act of brushing a strand of loose hair off her cheek, alarmed by the expression on Matt’s face as he stared at Robbie. What the heck was going on? Matt Gregor looked angry enough to chew nails.
Still keeping his hand extended, Robbie reached out with his other hand and pulled Winter up against him in another possessive embrace. “Did I hear ye asking my girls out to dinner tonight?”
Winter reached under Robbie’s jacket and pinched him quite hard in his side, just above his belt. He didn’t even flinch, but he did squeeze most of the air from her lungs.
“I should warn ye, this one isn’t a cheap date,” Robbie continued, still holding out his hand, still waiting for Matt to shake it. “She might be tiny, but my cousin has the appetite of a moose.”
Matt Gregor’s shoulders suddenly relaxed and his eyes went back to their warm harvest gold as he finally reached out and firmly shook Robbie’s hand. “Matt Gregor,” he said. “And I think I can afford to feed her.”
Winter wiggled free and stepped away, trying to decide if what had just happened was a good thing or not. Had Matt really been jealous? And had Robbie really been goading him?
Curses, men were confounding.
“Megan and Winter have been giving me a tour of my land,” Matt continued. “I own Bear Mountain, and I’ve commissioned Winter to help me choose a building site.”
Robbie folded his arms over his chest and studied Matt. “Did ye meet Talking Tom?” he asked softly.
Matt studied him back. “Tom’s taking me up Bear Mountain tomorrow afternoon, to watch the sunset from the meadow.”
The door to Winter’s gallery opened and Robbie’s step-grandmother, Kate, came out onto the sidewalk, drawing everyone’s attention. The elderly woman leaned down to fit the key in the lock, and Winter rushed over to her. “Here, let me get that, Gram Katie,” she said. “How were sales today?”
Kate straightened and handed Winter the key. “Booming,” she said. “I sold the painting of the mother deer and her fawns you had hanging in the window. They’re waiting until tomorrow to pick it up though, because they want to meet the artist. And one of Tom’s carvings sold. It was the wolf standing on the bluff, howling at the moon.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I think it was underpriced, Winter. You could have gotten twice what you asked. It’s a very intricate piece.”
“Tom sets the prices,” Winter explained, checking the doorknob to make sure it had locked as she smiled at Kate.
Kate shook her head. “Then you need to have a talk with Tom. He’s practically giving his stuff away.”
Winter linked her arm in Kate’s and led her over to Robbie and Megan and Matt. “Gram Katie, I’d like you to meet Matt Gregor. He bought Moon Watchersand By a Hare’s Breadth.”