In the afternoon, after the time together in the library, the family went about their own jobs the rest of the day.

Teresa began making another pie, and Murdoch rode off with Johnny somewhere. Charlie followed Scott outside as he prepared to

go with two of the other hands to gather calves.

At the edge of the corral, Charlie hung near to Scott. "Can I go with you?" she asked him. She found that she didn't want to

be away from him.

Scott paused in the cinching of his saddle to look down at Charlie.

"Maybe you should stay at the house. Help Teresa. Aren't you ready to relax, after the morning we've had?" Scott said.

Instead of telling Scott that she didn't want to stay and help Teresa, or that she didn't think that she could just sit and relax, or that

she just wanted to be with him, Charlie said, only, "Please, Scott?"

Scott looked at her, and seemed to understand what it was that she was not saying. He gave a brief nod.

"Get your horse," he said.

Charlie ran to do that, and hurried to saddle Gurth, and rode with Scott and the other men. For the next couple of hours, Charlie

stayed beside Scott on her horse. Once when Scott nodded towards two calves that needed to be brought down a hill to

join the others, he asked Charlie, "Do you think you can get those two?"

Charlie looked at him in surprise, and then nodded, eager to make him proud.

"I can," she said.

"Go on, then," he said, with a slight smile.

Charlie galloped up the hill, and, trying to copy what she'd seen Scott, and the other men do, she herded the two calves

together, and then directed them down the hill. One calf scattered at the bottom of the hill, and Charlie went to retrieve it, again.

When she'd completed her task, she looked towards Scott, and felt herself bursting with pride in herself, and happiness.

7

When they rode back to the ranch and the calves had been released into another pasture, Scott said,

"I'll take care of your horse. You go on and get into the bathtub before supper."

"Okay," Charlie said, and slid down from Gurth's back. As Scott dismounted his own horse, Charlie said, hesitantly,

"Why did you fight?" in a small, quiet voice.

Scott's gaze flicked to Charlie. He gave a sigh. "That's a fair question. I'm not sure I have an answer for you right now."

Charlie wrinkled her forehead, puzzled.

"Being an adult doesn't mean you don't make mistakes, Charlie," Scott said, slowly.

"You mean you think it was a mistake, fighting that man?" Charlie asked. She wasn't sure what she wanted him to say. But, she knew

she would be disappointed if he said it had all been a mistake on his part. Because part of that had been his standing up for her, claiming her,

coming to her defense in such an impassioned way.

"I don't know that I think that, no," Scott said. He met Charlie's eyes."I tell you what. You go and get your bath, and we'll have supper, and then,

later on, I'll have an answer for you. Alright?"

"Okay," Charlie said, and she went to take a bath. By the time she was finished bathing, and was ready to step out of the

bathtub, the water was decidedly dirty.

Teresa knocked on the washroom door, and when Charlie answered, Teresa poked her head in.

"Do you want me to rinse out your hair?" she asked.

"I think I got it all rinsed," Charlie said, reaching up to push back her wet curls.

"Do you want me to check?"

"Yes. Okay," Charlie said.

Teresa came in and said, "Goodness, look at the water, Charlie."

"I know."

Teresa took a cup of fresh water, and rinsed Charlie's hair.

"There you go," Teresa said, standing up, and wiping her hands on her dress.

"Where's Murdoch?" Charlie asked.

"He's just come back in," Teresa said. "Alright, you're finished. Hurry. Supper's nearly ready."

Supper was cold roast beef sandwiches, with tomatoes and corn, and then Teresa's second successful pie. A peach pie.

When they were all sitting in the library again, after the evening meal, Murdoch gave a deep sigh, from where he sat

in his chair, Charlie beside him.

"It's been quite a day," he said, sounding tired.

"That it has," Scott said, in agreement.

Charlie risked a look up at Murdoch. "You're not mad at Teresa, are you? I don't want you to be."

"No. I'm not angry with Teresa," Murdoch said, and smiled in Teresa's direction.

"Or me?" Charlie asked, a bit wary.

"No, darling. Not with you, either," Murdoch said, and gave Charlie a squeeze with his arm that was around her shoulders.

"How about Scott?" Johnny spoke up, and he laughed.

Murdoch gave Johnny a mock stern eye, and said, "I think emotions were high with everybody today. I'm just glad neither Teresa or

Charlie were hurt."

Then Murdoch's tone grew stronger. "Though I do think there were errors in judgement."

No one in the room raised an argument with that statement.

Charlie grew sleepy, sitting there, and she closed her eyes, leaning against Murdoch's shoulder.

She didn't even realize that Murdoch eventually got up from the chair. She curled up in the big chair, until she felt a hand

gently shaking her shoulder.

"Charlie, go up to bed," Scott said. "I'll be up in a few minutes."

Charlie stood up, stretching. "Can I have another piece of pie?" she asked.

"Charlie, for Heaven's sake," Teresa said, "Where do you put it?"

"You've got a hollow leg, haven't ya?" Johnny said, jokingly, to Charlie.

"Maybe so," Charlie said, and Johnny dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"Go and get your pie and milk," Scott said, and Charlie scurried off to the kitchen.

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After they'd read together, just a short part of a chapter, Scott closed the book. Charlie had been eating her pie while he

read, and now she set the plate on the night table, and scooted back closer to Scott's side.

"Today, I lost my temper, Charlie," Scott said, as she looked up into his face. "I try not to do that often. But, today, I did. I

don't think it was right of Chet Foster to put his hands on you or on Monte. He should have taken his complaint to Val before he

even thought to approach two kids the way that he did."

"But you stood up for me," Charlie said. "Nobody ever did that for me. Not like you did."

"Well, that part I don't regret," Scott said.

"But you're sorry that you fought with him?" Charlie asked, her eyes wide and hopeful.

There was a small hesitation on Scott's part, and then he said, "I wouldn't say that I'm sorry for it, no. He had no right to

do what he did. And he didn't seem regretful about it."

It was the answer that Charlie had inwardly hoped for from him. She took his arm and squeezed it.

"That doesn't mean that I was in the right," Scott said, slowly. "And, it doesn't mean that I would approve of you doing any

fighting at school or anywhere. My action isn't a free pass for you. You understand that, don't you?"

"I understand," Charlie said. She squeezed his arm again.

"Did you pay him? For the pelts?" Charlie asked.

"I paid him what Val figured to be fair. Wasn't as much as he wanted, but he knows it to be done. He's been warned to steer

clear of both of you kids," Scott said.

"What about the money?" Charlie asked, hesitantly.

"You mean what do I expect from you?" Scott asked, guessing her meaning correctly. "I think you should pay at least some of it back."

"I don't have much money saved," she said.

"Well, it's a bit of money," Scott said. "It would take you a good while to save it up."

"Are you going to take my allowance away?" Charlie asked. She hoped that he wouldn't, but she felt she had to

make it right somehow.

"I don't think I need to do that," Scott said. Charlie felt glad at his words, but still wondered how he thought she

could pay him back. In sudden inspiration, she said, "What about the money at the bank, that I get when I'm older? You could use some of that."

Scott straightened, and gave Charlie a long look. She felt the change in his demeanor. He loosened Charlie's arm from his,

and lifted her down to pull her in front of him.

Scott said, "We've talked about this before. What is that money for?"

"My future," Charlie said. "But-"

"No. No buts. It won't be touched for anything until you're of age." His eyes were stern. "Let's settle that now. Are we clear?"

"Yes," Charlie said, subdued. "We're clear."

"The money I paid for the pelts isn't going to cause me any money hardship, Charlie. I just think that it's important for you to

understand that you own a part of the responsibility of it. If we did take it from the money from your grandfather, then you wouldn't really learn

anything from it. Would you?"

Charlie gave a reluctant shake of her head.

Scott settled his hands at her waist and studied her face. "I think an extra two chores a week for a month is about right."

"What chores?" Charlie asked.

"I haven't thought that far ahead yet," Scott said. "But, I will. Alright?"

Charlie nodded, and Scott tucked her into bed. Charlie caught at his hand.

"Will you sit with me for a little while?" she asked.

"For a while," Scott said, and reached over to turn down the lamp so that the room fell into semi-darkness.

Still holding onto his hand, Charlie suddenly remembered. "This is your sore hand, isn't it?" she said.

"It's alright. You can hold my hand," Scott said.

Charlie smiled in the darkness.

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