company."

Meg knew Mama Warner enjoyed any company since her legs had grown weak and she was confined to her house. "Of course I'll continue to visit. I love her dearly. She seems to understand people so well."

"Reckon that's because she's met such an odd assortment during her life. I wasn't going to come here

today. Didn't figure a man with one arm could do much to help build a barn, but then she did some low talking-"

"Low talking?" she asked.

He spread his lips in a smile so similar to Kirk's that Meg wanted to touch her fingers to each corner of his mouth.

"Yeah, when she wants to impart some wisdom on you to ponder, she talks low so you have to strain to hear her. Guess she figures that way you're paying attention."

"It must work. You're here."

"Yeah, but I haven't figured out what I can do to help."

"Well, if you're up to the excitement, you can help me watch the desserts."

He laughed, and Meg realized she hadn't heard a man laugh since the day she saw Clay playing with the twins in the river. The pounding of rushing feet gained Meg's attention.

Breathless, Helen stopped and grabbed Meg's arm for support "I can't believe he came."

Meg didn't have to ask who he was. The red tinge covering Helen's face and the fire in her blue eyes spoke of a hatred that stretched as far as her husband had journeyed.

Meg followed Helen's gaze and watched Clay climb down from the wagon as the twins clambered out of

the back.

"Lucian didn't come?" Meg asked.

"He's been here since dawn. He helped Taffy's father bring the lumber from the mill."

Briefly, Meg wondered if Lucian was sweet on Stick's younger sister. She remembered the summer long

ago when Mary Lang had suddenly grown as tall as her brother and taller than any of the boys her age.

Teasingly, Lucian said she looked as though she'd been stretched out like taffy. Soon everyone was calling her Taffy.

Helen huffed and stomped the ground as though she could cause the earth to open up and swallow Claywhole. "I just can't believe he had the nerve to come here."

"Maybe he just wanted to help."

"We can do without his help, thank you very much."

Meg watched Clay walk toward the barn. The men had already raised the frame. The hammering

stopped, and a heavy silence hovered over the crowd. She wished he hadn't come, but her reasons were far removed from Helen's or anyone else's.

She didn't want him to get hurt

Clay discovered that for some ungodly reason, it had been easier walking to his own execution than walking toward the men gathered beside the unfinished barn. He could feel the men glaring at him. He wished he had left the twins at home. He didn't want them to see the beating he figured he was about to receive. He heard someone bellow, "This is neither the time nor the place!" He thought the commanding voice belonged to Kirk's father. Slowly the men turned their backs on Clay and walked away. Their action should have lessened his anxiety, but it didn't. By the time he reached the side of the bam, Lucian was the only one who remained.

and the hatred that his brother directed his way was palpable.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lucian asked.

"I heard strong backs were needed. I've got a strong back."

"Strong enough to support a yellow streak, but that's not exactly what we need here."

"The Wrights asked the community to help them build a barn, and I'm part of the community."

"But we don't want you."

Clay met his brother's hard glare. How simple it would be to turn around and go home. "I'm going to help

build the barn."

"And what's that gonna prove?"

"To you, probably nothing. To me, everything."

Lucian shook his head. "Stay if you want, but don't expect me to stand by your side." Turning on his heel,

he walked away.

Clay gazed down on the twins' anxious faces. He gave them a smile that he figured probably looked as hollow as he felt. "Well, reckon this is our side to finish up."

"All by ourselves?" Joe asked.

"Reckon so."

"Lucian ain't even gonna help us?"

"Reckon not."

"You ever wonder if maybe Lucian ain't family?" Josh asked. "I'm thinkin' maybe somebody left him on

the doorstep "cuz he was so ornery they didn't want to put up with him."

"I thought all babies was left on the doorstep," Joe said.

"Heck fire, no. There's some kinda magical bird that drops babies down the chimney. Ain't that so. Clay?"

Clay had little doubt that Joe believed babies were left on the doorstep, but he was certain that Josh, with his chal lenging grin, knew the truth. "I think we'd best see to getting our side of the barn finished."

As the boys walked toward the pile of lumber, Clay heard Joe ask what the bird looked like. Josh stopped walking and waved his arms, probably describing in great detail every feather of this imaginary bird. Clay sighed. He'd no doubt just lost his helpers.

"Howdy, Miz Warner."

Meg gazed at the identical faces, knowing Clay could tell them apart, wondering how he did so. "Hello."

With their hands stuffed behind the bids on their coveralls, the boys rocked back on their heels. "Fine

spread you laid out here," one twin said. "Clay said we could look, but we wasn't to ask for nothin'. So we're just lookin'."

Smiling, Meg teased, "Well, the vegetables are on that table over there."

"Yes, ma'am, but me and Joe like to look at the cakes and pies. Been a powerful long time since we ate a piece of cake or pie. 'Course, we ain't askin'. We're just lookin'."

Helen flicked a cloth over the table to chase the flies away. She'd run Robert off just as easily so she and Meg could gossip as they had when they were young girls trying to decide at whom they should direct their warmest smiles. Meg was grateful Helen had avoided talking further about Clay's arrival. Instead, they'd discussed the apparent blossoming courtship between Dr. Martin and Widow Prudence.

Smiling, Helen leaned across the table. "Would you boys like a piece of cake?"

"Obliged, ma'am," Joe said as he reached for a piece of cake smothered in chocolate icing.

"Can we take a piece to Clay?" Josh asked.

The smile eased off Helen's face. "No, I don't think that would be appropriate."

Josh nodded with an understanding that belied his years. "Then I reckon we'll pass on the offer."

Joe froze, the cake nearly touching his lips. He slid his gaze over to his brother. "Surely does smell good."

Josh laid his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You gotta stick with family."

"Lucian don't."

"I done told you somebody left Lucian on the doorstep. He ain't really family. You eat that cake, and I'll

start thinkin' somebody left you on the doorstep, too."

Slowly, Joe set the cake on the table. With woeful eyes, he looked at Meg. " 'Predate the offer but reckon I'd best not." The boys shuffled away from the table.

That's pitiful," Helen said.

"It wouldn't have hurt to let them have an extra piece."

Helen's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "It would have been like giving a peace offering, and I'm not

about to forgive that man for what he didn't do. Not now, not ever."

"There was a time when you saved your warmest smiles for him."

Helen's face burned a deep crimson. "Thank God, he was too shy to notice. I can't imagine anything

more humiliating than having that man for a husband." She visibly shuddered. "It makes me ill just to think