She spun around, her gray eyes wide. He figured the South had dressed her men in gray because of Taffy's eyes.

'Taffy, about that picnic we were planning. I know this real nice spot, but it's too far to walk to so I

thought I'd pick you up in the wagon in about an hour."

A smile lit her face, and Lucian figured the pain her father was about to deal him was going to be worth every blow. "Mr. Lang, you might as well pound your fist into my face now because I aim to call on your daughter."

"Oh, Pa wouldn't hit you. Would you, Pa?"

When Taffy touched her father's arm, Lucian thought he could actually see the man's heart melt. "I reckon not."

Taffy's smile grew, and she squeezed Lucian's hand. "I'll be waitin'."

Lucian nodded and hoped his smile didn't look as silly as it felt Jamming his hat on his head, he walked

backward. He bumped against someone. "Sorry, Robert."

Quickening his pace, he headed toward the wagon. Clay flicked the reins, and Lucian started running.

The twins were laughing and yelling by the time he dove into the back of the wagon.

"Well?" Clay asked over his shoulder.

Lucian looked at the blue sky. "I'm gonna spend the day near heaven."

Meg had not lost her mind.

Last night while her father guided the wagon home, she'd lain in the back staring at the stars. Somewhere along the rough road, her good sense had tumbled out.

After her father and Daniel went to sleep, she tiptoed to the kitchen and baked until dawn. Carefully, she packed all but one cake into a wicker basket. The cake was her decoy so her family wouldn't wonder why the warm kitchen smelled of cinnamon, sugar, and butter at dawn.

She hid the basket in her room. When they returned from church, she feigned a headache, went to her bedroom, climbed out the window, and saddled her horse. Picnic , basket tied precariously behind her, she headed toward the stream where she hoped Clay would again spend the afternoon with his brothers.

She knew she was courting danger, but the twins' loyalty to Clay had touched her deeply. She dismounted within a copse of trees near the river's edge. She heard no gaiety or laughter. She heard only the birds and the wind whispering through the branches overhead, teasing the leaves. She heard a small splash, the sound of a fish returning to the water before it was ready.

Clay had left Cedar Grove before he was ready; he'd returned before the people of Cedar Grove were prepared to accept him.

Silently, she wended through the trees until she saw the river bank clearly. Beyond it, no naked boys rollicked. No grown man fully clothed, soaked to the skin, made threats, then proceeded to carry them out.

She sighed heavily. If they weren't here, where could they be?

"Howdy, Miz Warner!"

Meg jumped, spun around, and pressed her palm against her chest, grateful to find her heart could still pound. "You frightened me," she said to the grinning twin.

His grin widened. "Yes, ma'am, I could tell. You pertI near looked like a bird tryin' to protect its nest."

He glanced around. "You got a nest round here?"

She planted her hands on her hips. "Which twin are you?"

He studied the ground for a moment, then peered up at her, suspicion showing clearly in his brown eyes.

"Joe."

"Well, Josh, are you alone out here?"

"I said I was Joe."

"And I think you're afraid I'm going to tell how you frightened me so you gave me your brother's name."

He scrunched up his face. "Are you gonna tell? Clay said we was always to treat ladies kindly, even

when they was bothersome. Reckon scarin' you wasn't treatin' you kindly. You gonna tell?"

"Are you Josh?"

Slowly, he nodded.

"Should I tell him?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I'll tell him. He says we gotta own up to the things we do-good or bad."

"Well, I don't think it's truly necessary to tell him anything. Is he out here?"

"Yes, ma'am. We was fishin' down yonder, but the fish ain't bitin' so I come lookin' for some pecans." He withdrew his hand from a pocket to display his finds. "We didn't bring nothin' with us, figurin' we'd have fish for our noonday meal, and my belly done started rumblin'. Clay said it was so loud, it was scarin' the fish away."

"Actually, I was looking for a place to have a picnic."

"You can share our spot if you don't mind shelling your own pecans."

"I sure as heck hope Josh brings back a bunch of pecans," Joe said as he toyed with his fishing line. His

stomach growled, and he glanced over at Clay. "They can't hear that"

"You'd be surprised what they can hear." Lying on his back, his hands folded beneath his head. Clay watched the clouds roll by. Like Josh before he went in search of pecans. Clay had stuck his fishing pole in the muddy bank.

"I think Josh is right," Joe said. "I don't think Lucian is family, else he woulda invited us along on his picnic with Taffy."

"Lucian is family. It's just that he didn't want his brothers butting in while he was courting."

"He's really and truly courting her?"

"Reckon so."

"Is he gonna marry her?"

Clay shrugged.

Joe stuck his pole into the mud, scooted back, and rolled onto his stomach, his elbows perched so he could rest his chin in his hands. "You ever gonna marry?"

Clay pointed to a bank of clouds. "Look, there's a buffalo."

Joe twisted his head and squinted against the sunlight. "I don't see it."

"Just to the left of that cloud that's a little darker."

"You reckon Pa's up there carving them clouds?"

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised. Seems like a good thing to do. Reckon I might do that when the time

comes."

"I bet you'll carve out some fancy clouds."

Clay smiled. "Yeah, I imagine I will."

Joe dropped his elbows, pressed his palms flat on the earth, and rested his cheek on his hands. "So are

you?"

"What?"

"Gonna get married sometime."

The emptiness engulfed Clay. He respected honesty and was trying to teach the twins to be honest in their dealings with people. He just wished he hadn't taught them to speak quite so much of what was on their minds. "No, I don't reckon I will."

"On account of you not fightin' in the war?"

"That's got something to do with it."

Joe scooted over until his arm knocked against Clay's shoulder. He lifted up on his elbows and looked