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and
sincerely as only Kathy had spoken to her before.
    “I don’t know what to say, Amy, except thank
you. But how are we going to work this out? I won’t consider
staying in your room for such a long period of time. That’s yours
and Will’s domain.”
    “Will and I thought of that too,” Amy said.
“We’ll section off the end of the parlor with the bookshelves next
to the east wall. Will can get an extra bed for you, and you’ll
have some privacy in the space between the shelves and the wall.
Zack can sleep on the sofa.” She clutched Marietta’s arm. “It will
work, honey. We’ll all be just fine.”
    The men and Zack returned to the parlor.
    “Did you explain everything to her, Amy?”
Will asked.
    She stood and turned toward her husband. “I
did and she accepted. She and Zack will stay with us until the
stage comes.”
    “Not me!” Zack shouted. “I’m staying with
Jase.” He grabbed the cowboy’s hand. “Jase told me I had a home
with him. Didn’t you, Jase?”
    He squatted next to Zack and touched the
boy’s cheek. “I did, but that was right after your ma and pa died,
son.” He drew back his hand. “It was before I knew your aunt was
coming to take you home with her. You belong with Miss Randolf
now.”
    “Not yet,” Zack said. “In Nebraska I belong
with you.” His lower lip quivered as he tried to convince Jase of
his logic.
    Will stepped toward them. “Zack, I’ve got a
job for you to do while you stay here with us.”
    Jase stood and took a few steps back to give
Will some space as he spoke with the child.
    “A mare wandered into the fort during the
storm,” Will said, “and I’ll be blasted clean to Pennsylvania if
she didn’t drop a foal. A filly it is. In cold weather like this,
we have to take extra care in keeping that bit of a horse warm, and
we could use your help. Would you like to see the filly?”
    Marietta could tell Zack was torn between
wanting to see the horse and not wanting to leave Jase even for a
few minutes. Her heart tore apart as she thought of taking Zack
away from Jase. She could see how hard the separation would be for
both of them. As much as she hated the delay in her return to
Chicago, it might possibly be better for Zack. He could ease his
way into leaving Jase by seeing him a little at a time.
    Zack took his time making up his mind, but
when he made his decision, he went with Will.
    “I have a million things to do in the
kitchen,” Amy said when Will and Zack were gone. “I’ll leave you
two alone to work things out about Zack.”
    Jase walked toward Marietta who made room for
him to sit on the sofa.
    “I’m sorry about Zack’s reaction to staying
here with you, Miss Randolf. It isn’t that he doesn’t want to be
with you.”
    “He’s confused, Mr. Kent, but the boy
obviously loves you. He’s lost too many people he loves already. He
doesn’t want to lose you too.”
    Jase wiped his hand over his face and looked
at the hearth on the opposite side of the room. “I’ve known that
boy since he was born. Fact is, I helped Clint bring him when
Kathy’s time came.”
    Marietta sucked in a frightened breath.
“Kathy had no doctor?” Her sister hadn’t told her about giving
birth under such primitive conditions.
    “There are no doctors out here, ma’am,” Jase
replied. “There’s medics at the fort, but they don’t know any more
about delivering babies than the rest of us.”
    “And you were there with Kathy when Zack was
born?” His kindness to her sister touched her heart and soul.
    “Yes, ma’am. My housekeeper, Mrs. Whipple,
was supposed to help Kathy when her time came, but she was away
visiting her son. Zack had a mind of his own even back then, and he
came early.”
    Marietta smiled at Jase’s definition of her
nephew’s independence, but the thought of her sister’s dismal life
wiped the smile away as quickly as it had come. “Kathy had to give
up so much to come here. She had everything in the city.”