“Yes.”
They started for the door and Anna called back, “Mama, tell Papa I love him and that I’m still glad he’s home.”
“I will, sweetheart. Have fun.”
Around noon, Regan was on the back porch leafing through one of the readers she’d taken from the crate of school items when Colt stepped outside. “Good afternoon, lazybones,” she said to him.
“I woke up with all my clothes on.”
He looked so confused, she stifled her grin. “You went to sleep that way.”
“I don’t remember taking off my boots though.”
“That’s because I did the honors.”
He shook his head and ran his hand down his unshaven face.
“Did you sleep well?”
“I did. Still tired though.” He still looked tired, too.
“You were snoring before I left the room.”
“Sorry.”
“No apologies needed. Hungry?”
“Very. Where’s Anna?”
“With her beloved Aunt Spring. They went into town for piglet feed. She’ll bring her back by suppertime. Anna said to tell you she loves you and is still glad you’re home.”
He smiled. “She’s something.”
“Yes, she is.”
Regan cooked him a hearty breakfast and sat with him while he ate. “Tell me about Dun,” he said.
She gave him the details and saw his anger as he asked, “Does he think talking about Anna that way is something we’d laugh about?”
“He was deliberately trying to provoke me.”
“I’ll kill him if even looks at her.”
“I let Spring know before she and Anna left.”
“Good.”
“I don’t think he wants to tangle with any of us.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
To take his mind off Dun for the moment, she said, “Tell me about Rock Springs.”
“Lieutenant Levi Spalding was there.”
She stilled. “Did you use your scalpel on him?”
He grinned. “No. Told me to tell you he was sorry he lied.”