They had their coffee and cake, and Charlie hung around the group seated at the table in the dining room, listening

to their talk. She hoped to have her own chance at talking. Maybe not in front of Burl, but at some point to Murdoch, and Scott,

and Mr. Val.

Burl definitely looked different than he had earlier. He looked clean, and, his hair was slicked back. Jelly's clothes fit him

well, though the length of the pants were a bit long. He still seemed confused, though.

When Val got prepared to head back to town, Murdoch told Charlie to take Burl outside, while the rest of them talked.

Charlie wanted to hear what they were going to talk about, but-said that way by Murdoch, she didn't have much choice

but to obey.

She took Burl's hand, and gently began to lead him towards the door.

"Can't Burl stay here tonight, again?" she asked, quietly.

"We're going to discuss things," Murdoch told her.

"Well-he can have my bed," Charlie said. "That way, you don't have to give up yours, Murdoch-and I don't mind. Really,

I don't."

"That's generous of you, darling," Murdoch said. He smiled at Charlie slightly.

"It is," Scott agreed, quietly, but then added, "Go on now, Charlie. Don't go far, though."

Charlie took Burl outside. She'd dropped his hand, and once they were outside, Charlie asked him where he would

like to walk to.

"Just walk," Burl said.

The two pups were coming around the side of the barn, running and playing together.

Charlie went to scoop up her favorite one, the one she wanted to keep.

"Here's the pups," she told Burl. "You know-the ones that you said I could have."

"I did?" Burl asked, reaching out to smooth the fur of the puppy Charlie held.

"Yes."

"Where are my dogs?" Burl asked then, seeming to be upset. "There were three of them-they're large, all of them-"

"Yes. I know," Charlie said, wondering what she should say. Burl seemed to be getting more agitated.

"Where are they?" he asked, again.

"We'll ask Scott, and Murdoch about it," Charlie said, grasping at the first thing to come to her mind.

She took Burl over to where the Rose of Sharon grew along the side of the hacienda. He smelled the sweet

fragrance, and seemed content to sit there, on one of the iron benches.

"Lettie had Rose of Sharon, growing near her window-" Burl said, his hands folded, and looking peaceful and in

faraway thought.

Charlie had learned, thru time and observation, that sometimes it was possible to keep Burl talking and telling stories, if she

responded and encouraged him in a certain way.

So she asked, softly, "Did she like the scent of it?"

"Oh, my, yes, she did," Burl said. "Sometimes she would wear it in her hair-her hair was long, you know-"

"Was it?" Charlie asked.

"Yes. So long that if she let it down, it would hang nearly to her knees," Burl said, his eyes soft in memories.

"She must never have cut it," Charlie said.

"No. She never did. Until she became ill-" Burl said, and his voice trailed off. He looked suddenly sorrowful, as if the

happy memories had transformed into sadness.

Charlie felt her chest constrict. She didn't want to make Burl feel sad. She didn't. But, he'd never revealed that detail before in

his ramblings. Is that what happened to the mysterious Lettie? She become ill-had she died?

"She got sick?" Charlie asked, softly, hesitantly.

"The doctors-they cut her hair. They said it was because of the fever," Burl said. He turned to look at Charlie, and said,

"She thought she was ugly when they cut her hair, did you know that?"

"But, she wasn't, was she?" Charlie asked, to keep him talking. "She was still beautiful?"

Burl's gaze drifted off, as did his story-telling. "Where's my dogs? Do you know?" he asked, again. And, just like that,

Charlie knew he was done telling stories. At least for the time being.

Lancer

After a few more minutes, in which Charlie sat beside Burl on the bench, and they were both silent, Scott came around

the corner of the hacienda.

Immediately, Charlie sat up straighter, looking at Scott hopefully. "What did you all decide?" she asked.

Scott gave a slight shake of his head. Meant, Charlie knew, to signify that she should hold her questions.

With an ease that Charlie admired, Scott took Burl inside, with Charlie following. Burl was left in the

care of Teresa, and Val stood outside, with Murdoch and Scott. Charlie infiltrated herself on the edge of their circle to listen.

Val started by saying, "Well, we'll how it gets along, then. Send me a message if you need any help, otherwise I'll

ride back out in a day or so to check on the old fella."

Murdoch nodded in agreement. "We'll talk more when you come back out," he said.

Val said his goodbyes, and tapped Charlie on the nose. When he'd mounted his horse, and was riding out, Charlie looked

up at Murdoch and Scott.

"Burl's staying here?" she asked, feeling excited, and tugging at Scott's hand.

"For a few days, at least," Murdoch said. "We'll see how it goes."

"But, if it goes well, he can stay?" Charlie persisted.

"Charlie," Scott said, and laid his hand on the back of her head. A quiet caution for her to simmer down.

As Murdoch went back inside, Scott looked at Charlie.

"Time I was getting out to help Johnny," he said. "And time for you to get on with your day, too."

"Teresa will probably want me to help with Burl," Charlie said, still holding onto his other hand.

"Probably. You have other things to do, too, though," he reminded her.

"I'll do my chores first," Charlie said.

"And, you've got your lessons to do," he added.

"I'll bet there aren't many of the kids who are doing lessons while we're out of school," Charlie said, regretfully.

"Maybe not," Scott said, giving her a half-smile. "But you do yours, just the same."

Charlie sighed. "Alright," she said.

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Charlie did her regular chores, and then spent the next little while helping Maria to hang laundry on the line.

After lunch, which consisted of only she and Teresa and Burl, eating at the kitchen table, she took Burl out walking.

Teresa cautioned her not to go far, and Charlie objected, "I thought we'd go towards the creek."

"I don't think you should. Not with him, by yourself," Teresa said.

"Why?"

"He was restless this morning-I think he might be too much for you to manage by yourself, if he were to become

upset," Teresa said.

Charlie thought seriously about arguing, but held her tongue. She and Burl ended with just walking down the long lane

leading to the hacienda, and then back again.

Charlie gathered some wildflowers, and Burl seemed to enjoy looking at them.

Always curious about the mysterious Lettie, Charlie asked Burl what her favorite color had been, hoping that would lead

him to talk of her.

"She was partial to all the bright ones-" Burl said. "She wore a lot of yellow-her governess used to tell her it was

too bright to wear for everyday, but she...once she had a ball gown made of yellow-" His voice trailed off a bit.

"Did she?" Charlie prompted, anxious to keep him talking.

"She said no one else could make it for her-I worked on it for two weeks to get it just right."

"Did you make dresses for other girls, too?" Charlie asked.

"I did," he acknowledged. "But-that was for my pay-when I made something for Lettie, well, it was special. I didn't do

it for money."

There was still the most important question of the Lettie mystery. Had Lettie been a friend, or a relative, or

Burl's true love?

As was usual, after he had talked for a while, sharing his memories, Burl became silent. And withdrawn. He seemed

nearly sullen.

Charlie had learned not to push at him when he became like that. She kept still, as they continued walking back towards

the hacienda. She saw Johnny and one of the newer ranch hands riding up from the pastures. Johnny waved, and Charlie

waved back to him.

"There's Johnny," she said, in conversation.

Burl's watery eyes seemed to fasten on Johnny's figure in the distance. "Johnny," he said, as if considering something.

"Yes," Charlie said, thinking that Burl must be trying to get his thoughts straight. "You know Johnny-he's got dark hair, and-"

"No one truly knows him," Burl said.

"What?" Charlie asked, confused.

"He has secrets," Burl said. "Deep."

Charlie hesitated. There was something disturbing about the way Burl said that.

"What secrets?" Charlie asked, feeling breathless with discovery. It wasn't right-asking Burl that, and hoping to hear

something about Johnny. Charlie knew it wasn't right. And, how would Burl know anything for certain about Johnny's past,

anyway? Still...

"Things that disturb him," Burl said, still watching Johnny in the distance. "Things that keep him from sleeping."

Charlie felt her stomach rebel at that. It made her feel badly, thinking of Johnny being so bothered.

Teresa was coming out of the hacienda, standing in the front, shading her eyes against the sun, and looking for

the two of them.

"Come in for a cold drink!" Teresa called out.

As they walked up closer, Teresa put a hand on Burl's shoulder. "How would you like some lemonade?" she asked.

"I'd like it fine," Burl said.

In the kitchen, Maria poured glass of cold lemonade. Charlie sat, sipping at her drink, and watching Burl.

"What's wrong?" Teresa asked.

Charlie shrugged, not wanting to say anything just then, with Burl sitting right there. Burl was talking of his dogs,

and Maria was listening, and making occasional responses to him.

"Come help me change the sheets," Teresa told Charlie. They left Burl in Maria's capable care, and

went upstairs, where they put clean sheets on Charlie's bed, and then on the spare bed in Teresa's bedroom.

It had been decided that Burl would sleep in Charlie's bed, and Charlie would share a room with Teresa for

a bit.

"Sometimes, it seems as though Burl knows things," Charlie said, as they spread the clean sheet across

the spare bed.

"Knows what?" Teresa asked.

"Well-things about other people, things that would be hard for him to know."

"Like what?"

"Well, he said that Johnny has secrets," Charlie said.

For a moment, Teresa looked nonplussed. Then, she said, "Well, he probably does. Everybody has some sort of

secrets, Charlie. Johnny's a grown man, and he hasn't had the easiest life. So, he's bound to have things that he doesn't

necessarily talk about. It doesn't have to mean that they're secrets."

Charlie gave Teresa a look as if to say, 'typical grownup talk'.

"Try not to take everything Burl says so literally," Teresa said.

"What does that mean?" Charlie demanded.

"It means-that he may not mean exactly what he says," Teresa tried to explain. "Or, he may mean it a different

way."

At Charlie's quizzical look, Teresa shrugged. "It's hard to explain," she said. "It really just means don't read so much into

what he says. It's just his way to talk in riddles."

Shortly after that, Burl was ensconced on the sofa in Murdoch's library, covered with a quilt, and taking a nap.

Charlie went back outdoors, to wait for Scott to come back from wherever on the ranch he'd been working. She spent

her waiting time playing with the two pups.

When Scott did arrive back near the barns, he was with Murdoch, and Charlie went to greet them, the dogs at her heels.

"How was your morning?" Scott asked her, dismounting.

"It was good," Charlie responded. "I took Burl for a walk, and he ate lunch, and now he's taking a nap."

"Good," Scott said, looking faintly amused.

"He keeps asking about his dogs, though," Charlie relayed. "I wasn't sure what to tell him. So, I just said that we'd ask

you both about it."

"Well, it sounds as though you handled it just right," Murdoch told her.

"I think he's going to keep asking, though," Charlie said. "Do you think he could see them soon, maybe?"

"We'll see," Murdoch said.

"Teresa and I got my bedroom all ready for him," Charlie chattered on.

Scott paused, pulling off his leather gloves. "That's fine," he said, and he and Murdoch exchanged a look. "It's not

definite how long Burl's going to stay, Charlie."

"But, why?" Charlie asked, looking up at Scott, distressed. "He's doing real fine!"

"It's been one night and one day," Scott pointed out. "That's not enough to judge a long-term stay by."

Charlie's face was lined with disappointment.

"No need to get upset," Murdoch said. "We'll finish up having him here, until Val gets back, and then we'll talk

again with him and with the doctor."

"But, I can help with him, every day," Charlie continued to protest.

"School will begin again soon," Scott reminded. "And then you won't be here, all day, every day. It's not necessarily fair

to expect Teresa and Maria to manage him during the days. They have their own things to do."

Charlie knew he had a good point. Still, it was hard to hear.

"I'll tend to your horse," Scott told Murdoch.

"I'll see you inside," Murdoch told Scott. "I'm ready for one of Maria's good meals."

He tapped Charlie on her nose, and went towards the hacienda.

"Want to help me?" Scott asked.

"Yes," Charlie said, and Scott handed her Murdoch's reins. They led the horses to the gate, and untacked them, rubbing them

down, and then turning them out into the pastures. Charlie had been watching Scott, covertly, while they'd done their task.

Now, he paused, and looked down at her. "What is it, Charlie?" he asked.

When Charlie only nibbled at her lip, he said, "I can tell you have something on your mind."

"How do you always know?" Charlie asked.

Scott gave her an indulgent smile. "I guess I've gotten to know you fairly well," he said. He made it sound as though it

was a good thing. Special.

Charlie pressed herself against him, wrapping her arms around his middle.

"You do, don't you?" she asked him. "Know me well, I mean?"

"I think I do."

"And, I know you well, too, don't I?" she continued.

"I'd say so," Scott said, running his hand over her braid.

When Charlie smiled at him, he asked, "So, what is it that's on your mind?"

"If Burl was to stay for awhile, I could stay home and help out. Just until he got more settled. I could do my

lessons at home-"

"We've had this discussion before," Scott reminded her.

"Yes. But, it's for a real reason this time. I'd keep up with my lessons-"

"Have you finished the ones I assigned to you last night?" he asked.

Immediately, Charlie's expression changed. "Not yet," she said. "But, there's still lots of the day left, and I've been

busy."

Scott raised an eyebrow at her and Charlie hurriedly tacked on, "I'm going to do them, though!"

"You like school, don't you?" he asked her.

"Yes, I do," Charlie admitted.

"You'd miss seeing your friends if you were at home every day," he added.

"I suppose," she said.

Scott patted her hair. "You're going to have some real snarls to brush out of this hair tonight."

"Are you finished with work?" Charlie asked.

"I think so, for today."

"Good," Charlie said, with satisfaction. As they walked towards the house together, Charlie squeezed his hand.

"Will you play a game of Whist with me?" she asked him.

"I imagine I could be talked into it," he said, smiling at her.

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