Brother Beloved is Margo Hansen’s third book in her Tall Timber Trilogy. The Dunns, the Blackmores, and Katya all discover that being a part of a family means so much more when God is your heavenly father.
“He said to tell you he didn’t mean it.”
Shawn knew his pa was talking about Dylan, but that didn’t change the fact that there was a rift between the two men. Once brothers, they were now barely speaking to one another.
Shawn knew the real reason and knew there was no choice for him but to get away, leave the farm and his troubles behind him. Joining up with a logging camp far from everyone seemed like a good idea until he realized that his troubles came along with him.
But Shawn wasn’t the only one who had struggles in life. The camp cook had a niece who worked with him and she was a mystery to the men. Why did she stay hidden away in the woods, working from sunup to sundown, never conversing with anyone?
Katya saw the young logger stare at her when he caught her off-guard. She thought that would be the last she saw of him, but hadn’t counted on his getting hurt and having to care for him. When the tables turn and she has to depend on him to take her out of the woods, she has to find a way to face people again.
Excerpt
1
Dunn Farm, 1908
Shawn felt the sweat roll down his back as he walked behind the plow. He stopped before rounding the corner to begin another row and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. The fall colors were beginning, but the warm weather held and that meant there were still a lot of chores to tend to on the farm, so he made sure he put in his fair share of time at them. His younger brothers worked just as hard, but Duane was back in school, so that left more work for David and Pa and Shawn.
Shawn loved the farm. When he was eight years old, his life turned upside down when it was discovered that he had been raised by the Blackmore family but he really belonged to the Dunn family. The Dunns had raised Dylan, who was really the Blackmores’ son. Thankfully, the families found a way to share the boys, and he and Dylan spent time at the farm together for a while then they stayed together at the Blackmores’ home, an extravagant mansion built only a couple of miles away.
But as nice as the Blackmore home was with its comforts and servants, Shawn gravitated toward the farm. Maybe it was the animals or the open fields, the river, or the thick forest that drew him, or maybe it was the family life, something the Blackmores hadn’t really been able to give him. The man he called Father had always been too busy to spend much time with the family, and Mother, as sweet as she was brought in nannies and tutors to care for her sons. His brothers, or those he still thought of as brothers—Flynn and Ben—were much older than him and they didn’t have much of a relationship.
Finding his real father—Pa—changed Shawn. He found he didn’t have to perform to a certain standard to win approval or commendation with him. Pa gave him attention, taught him how to work beside him, disciplined him when needed, and always provided unconditional love. Mercy, who he called Mama now, was not his real mother, but she treated him as if she were.
And the families were now united, in a way. Delaney, Shawn’s sister, was married to Ben, who was Dylan’s real brother, making Ben, who Shawn once believed to be his brother, now his brother-in-law.
There was a commotion coming from the yard and he squinted his eyes to see who had just arrived on horseback. From the squeals of happiness that reached his ears it had to be a welcome visitor, but only one.
Wouldn’t be Ben; he’d come in a buggy with Delaney and the kids.
Anyone else who lived nearby wouldn’t receive such a boisterous welcome, so it had to be someone they hadn’t seen in a while.
Shawn took a deep breath.
He’s back.
He heard his name being called but he hesitated to answer. He wasn’t ready to face him yet. His feelings were hard to define. After all, it wasn’t really Dylan’s fault, but if Shawn was honest with himself, he had to admit he still felt resentment.
“Shawn! Hey, Shawn!”
Still they were brothers—sort of—and he had missed him.
“You’re back.”
Dylan was out of breath from racing across the plowed field. The younger members of the family weren’t far behind him, so there were only a few moments to speak alone. Shawn quickly took in the fine cut of Dylan’s suit, the once highly polished shoes now dusty from travel, and the citified edge to his demeanor. In contrast Shawn’s sweaty bib overalls and manure spattered work boots were evidence of the vast difference now between them.
Dylan threw his arms around Shawn despite Shawn trying to ward him off.
“I’m dirty.”
“No matter. It’s good to see you! I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed being home.”
“Home?”
Shawn didn’t mean to make the word sound sarcastic, but he couldn’t help letting his feelings show.
Dylan’s face revealed his bewilderment as his brows drew together, but the others were upon them and Shawn watched as Dylan was tackled by David and Duane who told him that Mama wanted him to come to the house.
“Pa says to tell you to come in too, Shawn.”
Dylan looked over his shoulder once more at Shawn as he was led away by the younger Dunns, but Shawn didn’t hold his gaze. He turned back to the plow and instead of unhitching it from the horse, he snapped the reins and continued with his plowing. He needed to think and there was no better way to think than behind the plow.
Good time to pray too. Pa’s words rang in his mind. He took a deep breath. He was going to need lots of prayer.
XXXXX
Dylan’s excitement at being back with his family was shadowed by the odd reception from Shawn, still he felt the love of everyone else flow over him and he knew he was home again. The Dunn farm had been his home until he was eight years old and it was discovered that he and Shawn had been switched as babies. The Blackmores were Dylan’s real family and when they showed up in Grand Rapids, the truth came out and a decision had to be made as what to do with the boys who were now firmly implanted with the families who raised them. Sharing them seemed the best option, so the Blackmores built a home near the Dunn farm and the boys took turns staying at either house, often together.
“Delaney is going to be so excited to hear that you’re home, Dylan. Oh! So much has happened since you’ve been gone. What’s it been? A whole year? And we hardly got any letters from you.” Mercy talked on and on while Dylan soaked up the attention. Mercy raised him those first eight years along with Delaney and his other sisters. He glanced over at Daniel who was grinning as he listened to his wife. Daniel was “Pa” to him and always would be even though he wasn’t his father and the Dunns weren’t his family.
“You’ll find out all our news soon enough. What’s been happening in your life, son? Did you enjoy school?”
Dylan knew his enthusiasm was showing as he talked about his adventures the last year, telling them about his time in Chicago and the education he received. “I missed everyone here and the farm and all, but I have to tell you that it was a great experience. I only wish Shawn would have come too.”
“Where is Shawn, by the way?” Daniel walked to the kitchen window. “Didn’t you boys tell him to come in?”
“We told him, Pa.” David acknowledged. “I can go take over for him if you want. I just wanted to see Dylan.”
Daniel turned back from the window. “No, he’ll come in when he’s ready.”
“Hey, where’s my little sister?”
Mercy patted Dylan’s hand. “Doreen’s not so little any more. She’s taking a buggy ride with Herbert Reed. She’ll be home soon though, and she’ll be so excited to see you.”
“Sparkin’, is she? Well, that reminds me that I should tell you about Rosalie Hodge.”
“Oh, yes?” Mercy cocked her head to one side.
“I met her in Chicago, and I’ve talked her into coming out for a visit. I’d like you all to meet her.”
“Sounds serious.” Daniel rejoined them at the table.
Dylan was careful with his answer. “I think it could be, but I want to give it more time to see how it goes. She may not care for Minnesota, and you know I’m planning to live here. I’ve enjoyed my time away, but this is definitely home for me. Father has plans for me to negotiate some deals with the logging camps, and I may be working on his mining endeavors as well.”
Dylan was surprised at the silence that met his words. The expressions on the faces around him suddenly froze.
“I thought you were going to farm with us.” It was Duane who made the innocent statement.
“Duane.” Mercy shook her head at her son.
They were all startled when the door slammed, and Dylan caught sight of Shawn striding away from the house.
“Excuse me.” Dylan rushed out the door after Shawn, leaving the other family members in painful silence.
“Shawn! Shawn, wait up.”
Shawn turned on his heel, his fists balled at his sides.
“Wait? You want me to wait? How long this time, Dylan?”
Dylan stopped short, more puzzled by Shawn’s anger than afraid of it.
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s been a year! A year!”
Dylan’s hands went to his hips. “Okay. I know I said I’d go to Chicago for the summer, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunities while I was there. Father said—”
“You promised to help.”
“I did. I will. Well, I can’t right now because I promised Father I’d work with him first. He spent a lot of time and money on me to prepare me. I can’t let him down now.”
Shawn stared hard at Dylan.
“And what about the promise you made Pa and the rest of us? What about what you promised me?”
“Look, Shawn, I can’t help it that you didn’t want to come with—”
“Grandpa died! Or did you forget that too?” Shawn threw up his hands and walked away from Dylan to the barn. “You wouldn’t understand.” The words were thrown over his shoulder.
Dylan didn’t follow him. It hurt to be reminded of something he had been trying to forget, something he had been making excuses to himself for over the last year.
“He didn’t mean it.”
Pa put his arm around Dylan’s shoulder and led him away toward the river path. Dylan remained silent until they stood by the shore and watched the wind make gentle ripples over the water. He drew in a deep breath, savoring the freshness of the air.
“I’ve missed this.” His words meant more than just the view. He had longed for the farm and the people he loved here. Somehow he had buried in his mind the guilt he felt at leaving when he did, leaving Shawn to carry the load.
As if reading his thoughts, Daniel spoke. “Shawn was given the same offer you were. It’s not your fault he didn’t take it.”
“No?”
Ross Blackmore offered to take both boys to Chicago and give them equal education opportunities even though Dylan was his real son and Shawn the son he thought was his until the mix-up was revealed. But Shawn had refused. Grandpa Crane, Mercy’s father, had passed away, and Shawn said he couldn’t leave because he was needed on the farm. But Dylan didn’t think that was the real reason. Unfortunately, he suspected he knew the real reason.
“I should have been here to help after Grandpa died.” Dylan finally spoke the words out loud that he had carried inside him for the past year.
Daniel didn’t answer right away, making Dylan wonder if he agreed. Then Daniel chuckled, surprising Dylan.
“Grandpa Crane was a character, wasn’t he? He took in my family and loved them as if they were his own and then he took in Shawn too, but he never let go of you just as we never did and never will. He would have wanted you to go with your father and make the best life possible for yourself. He wanted that for Shawn too.” Daniel paused and his tone became serious. “You’ve found what you want to do with your life, but Shawn still has to work out some things for himself. Give him time. Pray for him. It will work out.”
Dylan nodded. It always felt good to talk with Pa. “I don’t know that I’m sure about what I want to do. I mean, I thought I wanted to work with Father, but being here…I don’t know…I love this place.”
Daniel patted Dylan’s shoulder. “Guess we’ll just keep praying for both of you. Why don’t you head back to the house? I’m going to see how Shawn is doing.”
“Pa?
“Yep?”
“Tell him…tell him I didn’t mean it.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow in question.
“He’ll know.”
2
Dunn Farm
Shawn worked with a vengeance as he cleaned out the stalls in the barn. Seeing Dylan again brought back memories of the last day they had talked and he was still infuriated, so much so that he suddenly threw the shovel against the wall.
“That didn’t work well for you when you were ten, it won’t help much now.”
Shawn heard Pa behind him and took a moment to take a deep breath. He was ashamed at being caught venting his anger. As he bent down to pick up the shovel, he masked his feelings and managed to grin at Daniel.
“Still makes me feel a bit better.”
Daniel propped a foot up on a milk stool. “Tell me what’s going on. Something’s been brewing in you since Dylan left.”
But Shawn shook his head. “Can’t, Pa. It’s between Dylan and me.”
“And maybe the Blackmores?”
Shawn hesitated. Pa always seemed to know what was in his mind. Did he know what had happened?
“What do you mean?”
“Look, son, I don’t want to pry. You’re a man now and have to work these things out, but I want you to know that Mama and I are here for you if you want to talk, and you know we’re praying for you. The only way to get through whatever is troubling you is to take it to the Lord.”
Shawn’s sigh was indication of his remorse.
“Okay, I’ll leave you to your thoughts, but Dylan wanted me to tell you something.”
Shawn crossed his arms in front of him, waiting.
“He said to tell you he didn’t mean it.”
Daniel waited a moment to see if Shawn had anything to say, but when he kept silent, Daniel turned to the house.
“Supper will be soon. Thanks for all you worked on today, Shawn. I really appreciate you.”
Part of Shawn wanted to race after Pa and tell him he was sorry for the way he was acting, but the other part wanted to turn away from the kindness he was being shown and dwell on his anger.
He knew he was wrong.
He looked at the house where the lamps had been lit. No electric lights had made their way into the old farmhouse yet, and he was kind of glad about that. Things were changing too much, too quickly. He could see Mama move about in the kitchen, laughing as she looked over her shoulder, probably talking to Dylan.
He couldn’t go in there.
He couldn’t sit across the table from Dylan and act like everything was all right between them.
He looked around the barn and then down at his dirty work clothes. He couldn’t go anywhere like this, but he had to get away.
It was time.
He looked at the house again and felt a lump in his throat, but he pushed his emotions back. He stepped back into the shadows of the barn when he heard the jingle of a harness as a buggy came into the yard. He knew it was Doreen coming home from her ride with Herb.
And late too. Pa won’t like that.
He shrugged off his thoughts and waited until Herb had walked Doreen to the house before he made his move. He ran through the trees lining the drive to the house until he was out of sight of any of the buildings. Then he waited. Before long he heard Herb coming his way.
“Herb!” Shawn stepped out of the trees and hailed his sister’s friend.
“Whoa! Who’s there?”
“It’s Shawn. Can you give me a ride to Ben and Delaney’s?”
Herb frowned at Shawn. “Why don’t you just ride over yourself?”
“I’m picking up one of Ben’s horses to train. You don’t mind, do you?”
The younger man shrugged. “I guess.”
As Shawn climbed in the buggy Herb made a face. “You smell like barn!”
Shawn laughed. “Laney won’t care. Come on, let’s get going.”
XXXXX
Dylan wanted nothing more than to be out in the barn with Pa and Shawn and talk this thing out, but he wanted to give Pa time to handle it. Pa always knew best what to do, but unfortunately this time Dylan didn’t think Pa could straighten out the mess between the two boys.
From the beginning Shawn and Dylan had been inseparable. Maybe it was because they felt threatened at losing what they both had in their families. At one point they had even tried to run away together so that the families wouldn’t fight over them. That’s when Ben, Dylan’s brother, and Delaney, Shawn’s sister, announced they were getting married, and from that time on the families united and the boys felt like they belonged to both.
They almost always stayed together at one house or the other. It wasn’t until they got older that they started taking turns. Dylan had always called himself Dylan Dunn, the name he was known as since birth, but he was really a Blackmore and it was Ross Blackmore, his father, who started referring to him as a Blackmore and started training him to become a part of the family business. Dylan didn’t realize it at the time, but it was about then that Shawn began staying more at the Dunn farm and asked to be called Shawn Dunn.
Pa came in and gave Dylan a quick nod before walking over to Mama and kissing her cheek. “He’ll be in shortly. Need any help?”
Dylan hesitated before he joined the others in getting the table ready for supper while they talked and shared what had happened in the last year. It had been a long time since he had helped out in a kitchen. The trouble with Shawn was pushed aside as Dylan reveled in being part of the family again.
Pa tilted his head to one side, listening. “That must be Doreen now.”
“She’s awfully late, Daniel. Perhaps you need to speak with Herbert.”
Daniel nodded. “We’ll talk to Doreen first. She knows our rules.”
“She should,” Dylan agreed with a laugh. “She’s watched you go over them time and again with Darby, Daphne, and Didi.”
“Now, Dylan, the girls minded us well and you know it. I’m so thankful they have found such wonderful husbands and I have so many lovely grandchildren.” Mercy smiled. “Wait until you see everyone, and you haven’t even met the newest babies. I’ll plan to have them all over after church on Sunday.”
The door banged as Doreen stepped inside.
“Sorry I’m a little late, Mama.” She called out as she hung her shawl on the hook near the door. “I’ll help with supper as soon as I wash up. Bye, Herb. Thank you for a lovely ride.”
Dylan listened with a grin. He could just imagine his little sister out on a ride with a boy from school. Doreen probably took over the reins and gave her escort the ride of his life! She was always a little tomboy, chasing after her brothers and getting into trouble with them. He didn’t know how many times Mama had to scold her for tearing her dress or dragging mud in the house on her boots.
The others in the room motioned for him to keep quiet while Pa went to the entry to greet the couple and see Herb on his way. Dylan could just imagine Doreen’s squeal when she saw him. He steeled himself for one of her crushing hugs.
“Oh, Pa! We’re not all that late. We just forgot that the sun sets earlier now and the time got away from us before we knew it.” Doreen talked over her shoulder to Pa as they entered the kitchen. “Hi, Mama. Sorry to keep you waiting.” She stopped at the expression on her mother’s face. “What?”
“Surprise!” Duane blurted out the word.
Doreen swung around to the table and her eyes widened when she saw Dylan.
“Dylan!”
He got to his feet and as expected she rushed to him and threw her arms around him, but even as he enjoyed her surprise, he felt an unexpected shock of his own.
“Doreen?”
He looked down in amazement at the woman in his arms and then up at the others. “Who is this?”
“I told you she wasn’t a little girl anymore.” Mercy’s eyes twinkled as she looked at her daughter.
Dylan managed to release Doreen’s hold on him and held her at arm’s length. “Goodness, girl! You’ve grown up!” He stared at the golden blonde beauty in front of him until Doreen made a silly face at him.
“I am eighteen. You look older too and so handsome. Doesn’t he look handsome, Mama? Are you home to stay? How was Chicago? Do you have a lady friend?”
The others were laughing as Dylan continued to stare.
“She still talks a lot.”
Doreen gave him a playful punch then hurried to put on an apron to help her mother, all the while questioning Dylan about what he had done in his absence.
“Supper’s almost ready. David, would you ring the bell for Shawn, please?” Mercy stepped over Duane’s long legs to set a dish on the table.
“I’ll go out and see if he needs a hand to finish up,” David grabbed a coat as he pushed his way out the door.
“Well, I don’t want this getting cold,” Mercy mumbled as she hurried back to fill more dishes.
They were all seated when David returned, panting from running to the house. “He’s not out there, Pa!”
“What?”
“He wasn’t in the barn. The chores are done, but I couldn’t find him.”
Pa rubbed a hand over his chin. “He probably went for a walk to clear his head. Why don’t you ring the bell and we’ll get started without him.”
“Okay, Pa.”
Dylan met Pa’s gaze across the table before they bowed their heads to pray.
Something’s wrong and it’s because of me.
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