"I don't want to hear any of that kind of talk again. This is your family, and you must always treat them with kindness and respect."
Nathan's eyes shifted to Sam, apparently waiting for him to intercede on his behalf. Sam sat silently, watching.
"Nathan?" Emma's voice softened. "Do you understand?"
Nathan lowered his eyes. "Yeah," he muttered.
"Then apologize to your sister."
"What?"
"Tell her you're sorry you spoke so unkindly to her."
Nathan sighed loudly, but did as Emma asked. "Sorry, Beck. I didn't mean nothin'."
Becky smiled up at Nathan, and held out the sugar bowl. "Lellow."
Nathan grinned. "Yeah, Becky, lellow," he repeated with a chuckle. “This is blue," he said, pointing to the checkered pattern on Becky's dress. "So which do you want?"
"Lellow ... and blue."
"Why don't we decide when we get there?" Emma suggested. "Now finish your breakfast so we can go."
Silence descended on the room as the children gobbled down their breakfast, anxious for the trip into town.
"You shouldn't have promised Becky a new ribbon," Sam said a few minutes later when they were alone in the kitchen.
"Why not?"
"Because money is tight right now. There isn't any extra for frivolous things."
"I don't expect you to pay for it."
"You don't?"
"No. I have my own money, Sam."
Sam's expression darkened. "I'll support this family. It might not be in the style you're accustomed to, but I'll be damned if I'll take charity." Catherine's family had never let him forget his roots, and there was no way in hell he was going to let a woman make him feel like a failure again.
"It's not charity."
"What would you call it - using my wife's money?"
"I assumed that since we're a family, we would share whatever we have."
"I'm not taking money from you."
"I'm not giving you money. I'm buying a ribbon for Becky's hair."
"I forbid it."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I won't allow it."
"Is it your pride, Sam? You'd rather see your children do without than allow me to share what I have with my family."
"It's not pride, dammit!"