Keep My Heart

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Millie straddled Hank all by herself on Saturday morning, planning to make it to Casden by noon. She and Clayton had figured to take a few breaks every now and then, what with the baby and all. Trey handed Quinn up to her and she placed him in her lap.

“Ya’ll be careful, okay?” Trey said, looking up at Millie.

“Uh, huh” Millie nodded.

Trey seemed hesitant.

“Stop worrying. I’ll see you Sunday afternoon” Millie said, patting his hand that rested on the front of her saddle.

Trey nodded and stood back. “Take care of ’em Clayton.”

“Will do, sir” Clayton replied.

Two hours had passed and Quinn was beginning to fall asleep in Millie’s arms. His little head brushed against her arm as it slowly lowered itself down. It was just as well that he sleep, anyway.

Clayton hadn’t said much since they had left, so Millie decided to do what she didn’t do well and strike up a conversation.

“So how long have you worked for Trey?” she asked.

Clayton looked up as if startled by her question. “Me? Oh, yes. Well, I’ve known him since I was a young man. I worked as overseer for his father, too.”

“So you’ve known him a long time. Do you know what happened to his wife?” Millie asked.

“I do, but I prefer not to say. That’s a question you’ll have to ask Mr. Shannon,” Clayton said.

“Trey is awful secretive” Millie mused.

“He has good reason to be” Clayton said.

Millie fell silent. There were so many questions she had, and all of them asked ‘why’.

Millie was half-asleep when she heard the sound of wagon wheels turning and people talking. Looking ahead, she realized that Casden was in view. Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. She could hardly wait to see everyone and introduce Quinn and Clayton. She made her horse speed up as they entered town.

“Can we stop by the newspaper office first?” she asked Clayton.

“Up to you” Clayton replied.

Millie grinned and resisted the urge to make Hank run down the street.

As they pulled up to the front of the newspaper office, Millie waited while Clayton dismounted and held his hands out to receive the baby. Millie placed drowsy Quinn into his arms and jumped down. She stood back to look at the small building that held so many memories. This was her father’s price and joy.

Opening the door, Millie smiled at the sound of the old, loud bell that hung over the door.

“Be with you in a minute!” A voice said from the back room.

Millie smiled. She would recognize Cameron’s voice anywhere.

“Take your time!” she called back.

All the movement in the back printing room stopped, and soon both Cameron and Texiss appeared in the doorway.

“Millie!” Texiss rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Millie.

Millie giggled and returned the hug. Cameron smiled as he stood behind his wife. “What’re you doing here?” he asked.

“I brought Quinn into town to see Doc Jacobs” Millie explained.

“Is this the little fellow?” Cameron asked, pointed to the doorway where Clayton stood with Quinn.

“Yes, that’s him. This is Clayton, my employer’s overseer” Millie introduced.