Chapter 5

When he was finished, he gathered up the pails and carried them back to the house. A light knock on the kitchen door brought Christian to the step, and she might have been smiling again. Her hair was damp and clung to her face and neck in sweaty strands. Mal wanted to gently pull it away from her skin and give her the chance to cool off. Soot marked her face, and spots of flour colored her apron white.

“I thought you might want these back.”

Mal didn’t exactly expect her to respond, but she nodded and took the empty pails from him

“Can I get some water?”

Her dark eyes lingered on his face for a few moments before she stepped back and allowed him to enter the kitchen. The temperature rose several degrees, and fresh beads of sweat rolled down the back of his neck. The smell of baking bread nearly brought him to his knees, despite his full stomach. She gestured at a low chair near the table. A pile of potatoes was nearby, waiting to be peeled and sliced for that night’s dinner.