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always.
    â€œI know that’s how you all feel, son.”
    â€œDon’t call me son .” Paul stepped back a bit to make the circle less closed.
    Raising his right hand as if in surrender, Dare said, “My problem is, I need Ruthy to not help us today, and I can’t think of a way to stop her.”
    Furrowing her brow, Glynna said, “Why don’t you want Ruthy’s help? She’s the best worker on that whole ranch.”
    Dare smiled. “That’s the honest truth, Mrs. . . . uh . . . ma’am.” His smile shrank.
    Glynna had asked him not to use the name Greer and it was rather familiar of him to call her Glynna.
    â€œAnyway, the thing is . . .” A very faint blush appearedon Dare’s cheeks, which in no way went with anything she knew about this overactive, confident man. What could make him blush? “The thing is, I think Ruthy . . . that is Mrs. Stone . . .” Dare’s eyes slid between all three of them again. “I expect that . . . just from my knowledge of doctoring . . . there might be a . . . a . . . that is . . . the Stone household may be . . . w-welcoming a young’un before long.”
    Glynna gasped. She might’ve blushed herself a bit. In truth, the same thing had crossed her mind when Ruthy had rejected a cup of coffee for no reason. Paul’s belligerence faded. Janny even perked up and looked interested.
    â€œMrs. Stone is going to have a baby?” Janny smiled. One of the first genuine smiles Glynna had seen on her daughter’s face since they’d come to live with Flint Greer.
    â€œSee, that’s the trouble.” Dare ran his hand deep into his unruly dark blond hair. “I don’t think she’s found out yet.”
    â€œWhat?” Glynna couldn’t make sense out of that statement.
    â€œI thought, from a few things I observed yesterday, that she might be with . . . with child.” Dare blushed. The man looked like the conversation was causing him considerable embarrassment. “But I don’t think she knows it yet.”
    Glynna couldn’t really blame him. He worked with few women and now he spoke of his friend’s wife in a most personal way.
    Now that he’d gotten the personal part out, he began talking faster, as if he could leave it behind. “I know Ruthy well enough to be sure she’ll be right beside us today, hoisting stones. I don’t think she should. I don’t feel quite right suggesting her condition to her before she’s figured it outherself. But I don’t know what to say to stop her from spending the day working like a man digging a tunnel for the railroad. I thought if you folks could come along, it would force her to take you into the house and act as a hostess—maybe she’d do it for me. Because I’m wounded. I was going to just go along and try that, but something tells me she’d just send me inside with orders to lie down, and then keep right on working. Then I thought maybe if your family came too, she’d almost have to stay with you. Paul, if you’d prefer, you can stay with the men and dig. I suspect I’ll be doing little or nothing, but you could help if you’ve a mind to.”
    â€œDr. Riker . . .” Glynna tried to use his formal name as was proper, but then she insisted he call her Glynna. She had to get going and name herself. “I think—”
    â€œI know you don’t like that house.”
    Glynna was pretty sure he was talking over her to prevent her from saying no. “It’s not—”
    â€œI can’t say as I blame you.” He cut her off again. “But this wouldn’t be about you going home; this would be about you helping a friend.”
    She didn’t really blame him for thinking she’d kick up a fuss about going. It’d taken most of a