One well-meaning woman suggested Taylor give the little girl a good smack on her backside, but Taylor couldn't imagine what hitting would accomplish, and she didn't believe in corporal punishment anyway. She simply stepped over her writhing daughter, paid for her purchases with all possible haste, and then scooped up the screaming child in her arms and carried her outside to the waiting vehicle. Georgie wore herself out in no time at all. She fell asleep the minute the carriage was in motion.
Taylor learned a valuable lesson about two-year-olds. One couldn't always reason with them.
Early that evening, she and Victoria took the children downstairs for supper. Daniel kept nodding off during the meal. Taylor all but hand-fed him. The twins were blessedly subdued. They were hungry, yet still managed to get more food on their dresses than in their mouths. Their table manners were deplorable. Taylor made a note to herself to start training them tomorrow in the proper use of utensils. They were too sleepy to listen to her instructions tonight.
The twins demanded to be carried back to their room. Victoria carried Georgie and Taylor carried Allie. Daniel held onto her hand. They were all so weary, their feet dragged.
Victoria offered to help get the children ready for bed. Because she looked dead on her feet, Taylor told her to go on to her own room.
"Sleep well, Victoria. Tomorrow's going to be another long day."
"Then we're leaving tomorrow?"
"If we can get everything ready in time."
"Should I pack tonight?"
"We're all too sleepy. We'll pack tomorrow."
Taylor happened to look down and catch Daniel's expression. The child looked terrified. She guessed the reason immediately. "Daniel, wherever I go, you go. I would never leave you or your sisters behind. We're always going to be together."
"Do you promise?"
Lord, he looked solemn. "Yes, I promise."
His nod told her he was convinced. "Where are we going?" he asked her in a whisper.
Taylor gave him only a partial answer. She told him they were going on a train.
Daniel was thrilled. She handed him the key to their room and let him undo the lock. Victoria handed Georgie to her but didn't immediately leave.
"Where did Hunter and Mr. Ross go today?" she asked.
"They didn't tell me," Taylor replied. "I imagine they had errands of their own."
"Will we ever see Hunter again?"
"I imagine we will," Taylor answered. "He and Lucas have been friends for a long time. I believe Hunter lives near Redemption. Why? Do you want to see him again?"
Victoria shrugged. "He hasn't said more than ten words to me. Have you noticed how he frowns whenever he looks at me?"
Taylor smiled. "You threw up all over the man," she reminded her friend. "I think he's just being cautious around you. Besides, men of few words are the best men."
Victoria laughed. "I don't believe Shakespeare was right about that."
She started to go to her room, then stopped. "I told him I was married and that my husband only just passed away. I didn't mention the baby."
Daniel had the key turned upside down. Taylor helped him get the key into the lock, then turned back to her friend. Georgie had put her head down on Taylor's shoulder, and Allie was playing with her hair.
"Why didn't you mention the baby?"
"He didn't seem at all interested in anything I had to say. He's quite rude."
Taylor wasn't given time to argue in Hunter's defense. Victoria went hurrying down the hallway. Daniel finally got the door unlocked and ran inside. Taylor followed.
The twins were more than ready to sleep. They were both sucking on their thumbs and rubbing their eyes. She got them ready for bed, gave them their new baby dolls to sleep with, and then tucked them under the covers.
Daniel had placed his wooden horse on the window seat near the head of his bed. He was already under the covers, waiting for a story. She told him two. Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett were going to get equal attention.
She realized he was still wearing his boots when she went to tuck the covers around him. She made him take them off and put them on the floor next to his bed. When she returned to the room an hour later to check on the children, she found Daniel sound asleep with his boots wrapped in his arms. He appeared to be hugging them.
She stood there a long while staring down at the child. She tried to imagine what his life had been like before he'd been taken from the streets by the Border monsters.
Lucas whispered her name. She turned around and found him leaning against the door, watching her. She didn't know how long he'd been standing there. She walked over to him. The rustle of silk was the only sound in the room.
"Is something wrong with the boy?" Lucas asked.
"No, he's fine. Could there be someone looking for him?"
"It's doubtful," he answered. "He doesn't remember any family, and he lived on the streets a long time. If a relative had been searching, probably he or she would have found the boy by now. It might be a good idea to let the authorities know he's with you, though," he added.
"I won't let any official take Daniel away from me."
"You're afraid that might happen if you make out a report?"
She nodded. He let out a sigh. He didn't know what advice to offer her. "Let's think about this," he suggested. "With the number of children left on their own out in the cold…"
"Are there many?"
"Too many." He sounded disheartened.
They had been talking in whispers. One of the twins muttered in her sleep and rolled over. Lucas didn't want to wake her. He took hold of Taylor's hand and turned around. He pulled her along behind him across the main room and into the alcove housing their bed.
She was ready for sleep. She'd washed and put on a pale blue nightgown and robe. The back of Lucas's hair was wet, she noticed. He'd obviously bathed as well. He was dressed in day clothes, though, a pair of black pants and a white shirt. The collar was crooked in the back. It was half turned up. She resisted the urge to straighten it.
When they reached the side of the bed, he turned to face her. His eyes, their color so wonderfully intense, mesmerized her. The way he was looking at her made her breath catch in the back of her throat.
He stared down at her a long minute, then shook his head. "This was a bad idea. We should go back in the other room to have our talk. I didn't want to wake up the children, but I can't discuss anything important here."
"Why not?"
"The bed's too close."
"Oh."
Neither one moved. Lucas still held onto her hand. He couldn't seem to make himself let go.
"I have to leave tomorrow," he said.
The jolt of pain she felt took her by surprise. She had expected him to leave. Her own plans depended upon his going away. Why then did she feel as though her heart were breaking?
He waited for her questions. After a minute standing there staring down at her, he realized she wasn't going to ask him any. He'd already decided he wouldn't tell her much. He'd give her only a few details. She'd worry about him otherwise. She had enough to think about. He didn't want to add another problem.
In his entire life no one had ever worried about him. Until Taylor. Every time he'd left the hotel to search for the twins, she'd whispered her order for him to be careful. She didn't want anything to happen to him because she was relying on him to find her nieces. But there was another motive for her concern. She was softening toward him, and in time she might begin to love him. Family. Worrying was all part of this family business, he decided. He was now accountable to her for his actions, just as she was accountable to him.
She cared about him all right. She was appreciative and thankful and even beholden to him. He wanted more.