Rosemary Opens Her Heart: Home at Cedar Creek, Book Two Read Online Free PDF Page A

ewes. I’ve had real gut luck with their lambing and with selling
     their meat and wool. They’re devoted mothers, too.”
    “Mine are Montadales and Corriedales. The traits of the three breeds would cross well,
     most likely.” A tiny spark lit Titus’s eyes. “This is the best idea I’ve heard in
     a gut long while. I lost track of a lot of things this past winter, and it’s time
     to come out of hibernation, if you know what I mean.”
    “A fella always feels better when the snow’s gone and he can get out of the house,
     into his fields.” Matt signaled for his dogs to come across the pasture. “You might
     like to meet my assistants, Panda and Pearl,” he said. “Between the two of them, it’s
     like having a hired hand when it comes to moving the sheep. They made friends with
     your granddaughter Katie before dinner.”
    As the two black-and-white collies loped toward them, a slowsmile spread across Titus’s face. “Katie’s at an age when she thinks everything with
     four legs could be her pet. Hope she didn’t make a nuisance of herself.”
    “She just wanted to meet them. Not one bit afraid of them, either.” Now that Titus
     was talking about his granddaughter, he seemed brighter, so maybe it was a good time
     to wander onto another subject Matt was eager to know more about. “It must’ve been
     hard on Rosemary, losing her man when she’s got such a young child.”
    “She’s tougher than she looks. Has to be, to put up with an old coot like me.” Titus
     let out a short laugh and stooped to rumple the dogs’ ears. “Truth be told, Rosemary’s
     the only thing that got me through this past winter. Don’t know what I’d do without
     her.”
    Matt bit back his next question. Clearly, this lonely old man wasn’t in the right
     frame of mind to suggest what a fellow might do to attract Rosemary’s attention. “Jah,
     there’s a lot to be said for having a cook in your kitchen—and a little one in your
     lap,” he added. “We Lambrights are already wrapped up in Harley, and he’s only three
     weeks old.”
    Titus continued stroking the dogs. “Ezra filled me in on some of the tribulations
     you folks have been through,” he said softly. “But it all worked out, ain’t so? Treva
     and even Sam—not a man to tolerate any nonsense—looked mighty excited today.”
    Titus glanced up at Matt then. “Rudy Ropp’s come a long way, too,” he remarked, mentioning
     Jonny’s father. “Always was as prickly as a porcupine, but he and Adah have pulled
     their family together again…got their boys back into the fold after that house fire
     and Rudy’s heart attack last Christmas. Hearing their story makes me dare to think
     I might make something of my life again, if I put my mind to it.”
    “No doubt you will, Titus.” Matt was glad he’d called his dogs over, for Titus couldn’t
     seem to stop running his hands over their soft coats. “It took my grandmother a while
     to get past losing ourgranddad Leroy, but now she’s thinking to expand her greenhouse business—maybe add
     another glass building soon. She says she’s gotten her energy back and feels like
     taking on new projects now.”
    Titus’s smile made the lines around his eyes crinkle. He glanced behind them, gazing
     at the building made of glass squares, which sat alongside the two-story mercantile.
     “Leroy and Treva made a fine pair. They got married the same November Alma and I did,”
     he reminisced. “Your granddad turned the Cedar Creek Mercantile into the best general
     store in this part of the state. He treated folks fair—Plain and English alike. He
     listened to what they wanted and made sure he carried it for them.”
    “My dat’s mighty busy these days,” Matt agreed. “Folks from all the towns hereabouts
     say they’d rather do business with him than go to a big discount store. That’s a fine
     compliment, when you consider how those places can price a lot of their merchandise
     lower