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That was likely part of the reason the boy disliked Gregory’s being there. “I’d wager this entire farm would fall apart without your help. You be sure to let me know if Miss Helene gives me a job to do that you feel ought to fall to you. I’m not familiar with running the place like you are.”

Liam nodded. “That’d work. I can tell you what we need you to do.”

He’d smoothed Liam’s ruffled feathers a bit. Somehow, over the time Gregory would have in Nebraska, he needed to find a way to make his case to Helene, something that would not be nearly so easy.

Chapter Four

“That blasted, no-good soldier.” Liam slammed the kitchen door behind him.

He usually returned from his morning chores in a quiet mood. She knew she oughtn’t find his irritation amusing, but she couldn’t help a small smile.

“Firstly, do not slam doors,” Helene said. “Secondly, you told me just last night that you had decided that Mr. Gregory wasn’t such a terrible person after all. What did he do to change your mind so entirely?”

“He milked my cow!” Liam tossed himself into a chair, absolutely fuming. “I told him last night that I do a fine job with my chores. That I’m a hard worker and don’t need him doing my work. And he said he believed me.” Liam shook his head, lips pulled in tight. “But then he went and did my milkin’ like I’m a laze-about little child. And he’s gathering eggs, meaning Bianca ain’t gonna have nothing to do neither.”

Helene sat in the chair near him. “I would wager he simply doesn’t understand that doing your chores is so important to you.” She didn’t entirely understand why Liam clung to that so much. “I’m certain that once he realizes as much, he’ll not take over your chores again.” She would insist he didn’t.

As if fate meant to force the conversation, the kitchen door opened. It could be no one but Gregory. Helene steeled her resolve— he must be made to understand Liam’s concerns— and looked up in the direction of the door.

It was, indeed, Gregory, but quite a different Gregory than the one who’d worked about the place the day before. He looked like an entirely different person. His clothes were clean, though ill-fitting. The dirt and raggedness were gone. And he’d shaved. Heavens, without the scruffy beard, he looked years and years younger. Bianca had predicted he was a prince beneath his whiskers. Prince or not, he was shockingly handsome.

Only with effort did she tear her eyes away, her gaze settling instead on Liam. He folded his arms across his chest and refused to look in Gregory’s direction. Helene had been too young when her brother was that age to know if unrelenting petulance was a normal thing for a twelve-year-old boy.

“Good morning, Miss Helene,” Gregory said, setting the bucket and basket on the countertop.

Helene rose from her seat. “If you have a moment, I would like to have a word with you.”

Her abrupt and stern request didn’t faze him in the least. It spoke well for him. She’d known any number of men who wouldn’t abide a woman confronting them with any degree of self-assurance.

“Of course, Miss Helene. Would you mind, though, if I speak briefly with Liam first?”

Her eyes darted from Gregory to Liam and back again. She sensed nothing at all threatening in Gregory’s bearing. Liam even seemed the tiniest bit intrigued. And allowing Liam to sort out his own difficulties would serve him well in the future.

“Certainly,” she said and motioned for him to do so.

He turned to Liam. “I realized as you left the barn a moment ago that by milking the cow, I had inadvertently stepped on your toes. I ought to have realized that the chore was yours, or at least have asked. My presence here is meant to be helpful, not disruptive. If you have some time later this morning, I’d appreciate your letting me know which jobs are yours so I don’t make the same mistake again.”

Liam gave him a begrudging look of acceptance. “What about Bianca?”

“Your sister?”

Liam nodded. “She has chores too.”

“As I said, I’m here to help in whatever way is welcome. I won’t take over any of Bianca’s work if she’d rather I didn’t. And I’m certain Miss Helene has plenty of jobs for me to do.” He looked over his shoulder in her direction with a smile equal parts camaraderie and uncertainty.

In that moment, she felt an odd sort of kinship with this man she hardly knew. Gregory’s patience with Liam and his willingness to do what he could to smooth the boy’s ruffled feathers spoke to his kindness.

“There is always work to be done,” she told Gregory. “I’d wager you’ll be sorry you offered to do it all after I put my list together.”

His eyes twinkled with merriment. “I’m not afraid of hard work, Miss Helene. Never have been.”

“Glad to hear it.” She most certainly was glad— more so than she would have expected to be. Wariness had been her characteristic response to most strangers of the male variety. Oddly, almost miraculously, Gregory— Good heavens! She didn’t even know his surname!— didn’t inspire even a drop of worry.

She told herself she’d be quite careful. “Just wait until the fields need constant work,” she warned him amusedly. “We planted a larger crop than usual this year. You’ll be quite busy.”

His eyes held hers for a long moment, neither of them looking away. She’d always been rather partial to dark eyes.

“Well, I’d say between Liam and me, you’ll have quite a bit of help.”