She doesn't hear town gossip. But she will eventually. Kids aren't stupid." Ridgewell's jaw tightened. "I know.
I'm trying to protect her from it as long as possible." "Maybe I should stop the cooking lessons, just to remove any ammunition. Absolutely not. His voice was sharp enough that Evelyn flinched. Those lessons are the happiest I've seen Lily in years.
She talks about them all week, practices in between, actually smiles. I won't take that away from her because some people can't mind their own business. It might make things easier. I don't care about easier. I care about what's right.
He stood up and walked to the window, his back to her. My daughter lost her mother before she was old enough to remember her. She's growing up in the middle of nowhere with no other children, no female influence except Mrs. Chen. You're teaching her things she needs to know. You're giving her something to look forward to.
That matters more than gossip. Evelyn swallowed against the sudden tightness in her throat. I care about her, too. You should know that. She's a good kid.
She is. He turned back around and his expression had softened slightly. Which is why I'm asking you not to pull away from her because of this situation. She's already lost too many people. I won't.
I promise. The word hung between them for a moment, weighted with more than she'd intended. Good, Ridgewell said finally. Now, get some rest. You've had a long day.
But rest was impossible. Evelyn lay in her narrow bed that night, listening to the sounds of the ranch settling down for sleep, and thinking about impossible things. The way Ridgewell had looked at her in his office, the way her name sounded in his voice, the dangerous warmth that spread through her chest when he defended her. She couldn't afford those feelings, wouldn't let herself have them. She was the cook and he was her employer and that's all they could ever be, no matter what the gossips thought or what her traitorous heart wanted.
The next morning, a young ranch hand named Peter knocked on her door while she was starting breakfast. Miss Harper, there's someone here to see you. Her heart sank. More confrontation, probably. Someone from town come to continue what Sarah had started.
But when she walked into the yard, she found Thomas standing beside Coop's wagon looking haggard and nervous. Thomas? She barely recognized her own brother. He'd lost weight and his eyes were clearer than she'd seen them in months. What are you doing here?
I needed to see you, to tell you He twisted his hat in his hands. The debts are paid off. All of them. The house is ours again. Evelyn felt the world tilt slightly.
What? The money you've been sending, I used every penny for the debts like you said. I didn't drink it, didn't waste it. I swear. The words came out in a rush.