Page 3 of Colorado Bride

He grinned at the baby.

The baby giggled and drooled on Ben’s face.

Jane laughed.

“Sorry about that.He’s teething and drooling on everything,..including his uncle, it appears.”

She tossed a dish towel at her brother.

Ben caught it with one hand, dried his face and Henry’s, as well as Henry’ fist, which the baby promptly put back in his mouth.

“I don’t know how you do it.Keeping track of Jenny and Henry is enough of a job, but then you take care of the house and cooking and cleaning, how do you manage?”

“Naps.”

“Naps?”He was definitely confused.

“Yes, while they take their naps, I do a lot of the cooking and cleaning.”

“Makes sense.”

“Put Henry in his high chair.You can feed him.”

She set a bowl of cooled mashed potatoes in front of Ben and handed him a spoon.

He put the baby in the high chair, tied the tapes around his tummy to hold him still and brought the tray over his head and down in front of him.

“Okay, Henry, are you a hungry boy?”

He loaded the spoon with a small amount of potatoes and fed the baby.

“Thanks for having me over.I’m tired of listening to Mother about how I should try to get Melissa to come back and marry me.”

Jane shook her head.

“Mother’s attitude concerning Melissa disgusts me.Why she would still want that woman in the family after what she pulled is beyond my understanding.”

Ben tried to give Henry the last bite of potatoes in the bowl, but he shook his head and closed his mouth.

“Guess you’ve had enough, huh?”

He patted Henry on the back to get him to burp.

“I’ve asked her why she insists that Melissa is the only woman for me; she just says she likes her.Sometimes I just can’t take the craziness anymore, I end up riding the range looking for strays rather than go home.”

“What do you think she’ll do if you bring home a mail-order bride?”

“What can she do?By the time she meets her we’ll already be married.”

Jane brought the boat of gravy to the table and set it in the middle next to the mashed potatoes.She also put a bowl of salad made from fresh garden greens and a plate of hot biscuits on the table.

“Mother can still make her life miserable.”She looked up and called out, “Curt.Supper’s ready.”

Her husband came in, holding Jenny’s hand.

“I know.”Ben put Henry back in the high chair so they all could eat.“I’ll have to put my foot down with Mother.”

“Good luck with that.”