Texas Twilight (22 page)

By the time the kettle was whistling John was
just coming back down the stairs.

“Harriett seems less shaky today and even a
little stronger. I want you to keep giving her the molasses and
iron elixir to build up her blood.”

Lily reached for the teacups, needing to do
something to keep from staring at him. “I will.”

“Good.” He seemed as if he was stalling,
looking for something to say.

She glanced at him as she poured the heavy
kettle, holding it with two hands and a potholder. “Is there
anything else? “

“Guess not.” He headed for the front
door.

“She is beautiful. Emmeline, I mean.”

He turned back, nodding. “Yes, she is.”

What on earth had possessed her to say that?
She shrugged, feeling like an uncertain child looking for
reassurance from her mother. “Just wanted to tell you.”

As if understanding her motives completely,
he nodded.

His smile was as warm as his gaze and her
glance strayed to his wound. “It is so much better this week.
Pretty soon it will just be a little line.”

“Not quite, but the wonder salve Doc Bixby
makes is working better than anything I’ve ever seen. I think he
should bottle it up and send it all over Texas. Heck, maybe even
farther. I think he’d be a rich man if he did.”

“Who’ll be a rich man?” Emmeline said,
stepping though the door and looking around. “You took so long,
John, I wanted to come find you. This is your patient?”

Lily smiled the best she could.

“No,” John replied. “She’s upstairs. I’ve
just finished up and was heading back over to the office. How do
you feel? Are you still dizzy?”

“I’m fine, you silly worrywart. I’m sorry
about fainting. Just the thought of a big snake makes my knees go
weak,” she directed her answer to Lily. “You know what I mean?”

Lily nodded.

“This is Lily Anthony,” John said quickly.
“And this is Emmeline Jordan.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Lily said,
taking the opportunity to look more closely at the beautiful fabric
of Emmeline’s skirt. It was expensive and finely made. A beautiful
piece of clothing.

“The pleasure is all mine.”

“Doctor Bixby mentioned that you and your
aunt are new to town also. How do you like Rio Wells so far? I can
say I’ve never been anywhere so hot and dusty before.”

John stepped over to Emmeline, taking her by
the elbow. “Let’s get you over to the hotel and settled. I’m sure
you’re worn out by your long trip getting here. There’ll be time
later for talk.”

“Actually, I’m famished. There was so little
food at the stage stops I feel as if I’ve not eaten anything
substantial for days. Do you think we could go and get a bite to
eat first?”

“Absolutely. The hotel has a fine dining
room.” They stepped to the door and John tipped his hat.
“Lily.”

“Good day,” she replied, knowing the hard
part of meeting Emmeline was over, but also that the pain of
watching the two of them together would never, ever be any
easier.

***

Finished for the day, Charity walked down the
street toward the hotel. Teaching was hard work, mentally and
physically. As soon as she was back in her room she was going to
remove her boots and put her feet up. She’d never really stood in
one place before for so many hours at one time.

The moment she’d said class was over, Harland
Shellston had taken off without a by-your-leave or even a glance
over his shoulder. The boy unsettled her. Usually there was a
reason for such incivility. Perhaps she could win him over and be
his friend. Surely, he wasn’t all bad.

She glanced back as the Coles’ buckboard left
town with the children chattering away to their father. After
class, she’d waited with Jedediah and Jane for him to pick them up.
The snake was still fresh in her thoughts and she didn’t want to
trust that the children would keep a keen enough eye out for it

As she drew near to the Cheddar Box
Restaurant, Lector Boone stepped from the interior. He tipped his
hat as she approached. “Miss McCutcheon. How was your first day of
class?”

Something inside Charity told her to keep
walking, to ignore him, but that would be out and out rude. Several
people were inside the restaurant and she didn’t want to seem
impolite being the new teacher.

“Fine, Mr. Boone. Thank you.” That was until
the snake decided to show up for class, she thought to herself
causing her lips to tip up in reflection. Seemingly encouraged by
her smile, he swung into stride next to her and took the books she
was carrying from her hands.

“These look heavy,” he drawled. He boldly
reached over and swept a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.

“There’s no need,” she said, jerking back.
She reached for her books but he held them from her reach. Out of
the corner of her eye she saw Theodore, who was sweeping off the
walk in front of the livery across the street, stop and stare.

“Have you seen the hot springs?” Lector
asked, pointing down Spring Street to the rocky area a few hundred
feet away. There was a bridge that spanned the swampy area of
bubbling water and mist.

“No. And I’m not interested in seeing them
with you.” His forwardness had her blood boiling. “Now, if you’d
hand my books back, I’d like to be on my way.”

He let out a sharp laugh. “I guess that
answers my next question.”

Charity was still facing Main Street where
her brother’s office and Lily’s shop were now only a block away and
plainly in view. A rider coming down the middle of the street
snagged her attention and her heart did a summersault of
excitement. There was no mistaking who it was as the rider made a
straight line to her with the intent of an eagle after its kill. He
was now within thirty feet, and the anger around his mouth and his
dark shuttered eyes made her want to run for cover.

B
randon Crawford
reined up next to her and Lector Boone. “Charity.” His tone was
curt. “I’d like a word with you.”

“The young lady is busy.” Lector took a step
toward the street and closer to Brandon on his horse.

Charity bristled at Brandon’s tone but knew
it was warranted. He had every right to be furious with her. It
looked as if he’d been riding hard for days and his horse appeared
spent. Several days’ growth of beard covered his normally
clean-shaven face and his clothes were dirty from living on the
trail. His gaze raked Lector from head to toe. Knowing Brandon as
she did, she realized if she didn’t act swiftly things could get
dangerous. Reaching for her books, she took them from Lector and
stepped back.

“Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Boone. I
can manage the rest of the way on my own.” She started to step into
the street to cross, hoping to separate the two large men, but
Lector took her arm, stopping her.

Brandon swung from his saddle and stepped
forward. He pulled Lector’s hand from her arm, causing Boone to
throw a punch that Brandon dodged.

“Stop this instant,” Charity shouted. She
stepped between the men and pushed on Brandon’s chest with both her
hands, but he didn’t budge. Boone’s hot breath scorched the back of
her neck and a mad bull, wanting to charge, came momentarily to her
mind, unbidden. “I said stop!”

“You know this man?” Lector said from behind
her.

“You’re damn right, she knows me,” Brandon
answered for her in a low, dangerous tone. His unreadable gaze left
Boone only for a moment to singe her to her toes.

“The two of you stop this foolishness and
calm down.” Charity stomped her foot in an attempt to make her
point.

When she felt Lector step back, she thought
it safe to turn around and face him. “Again, Mr. Boone, I thank you
for your help. Now, I’d appreciate it if you’d please leave. I
never asked you to take my books in the first place. I’ll thank you
to leave me alone in the future.”

She stepped into the street and marched
toward the hotel, all the while praying the men would turn and go
their separate ways. When she’d seen Brandon riding down the street
toward her, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She’d
wanted to run to him. The way she used to do when they were kids,
and throw herself into his arms. He was her knight in shining
armor, always showing up at the exact right moment. He’d taken the
blame for childhood pranks for her sake, more times than she could
count. He’d lifted her spirits when she felt sad. Dried her tears
if she cried. Just a glance from Brandon could cause her heart to
float like a snowflake or melt with desire.

Then,
when he’d taken the job as the sheriff of Y Knot four years ago,
her adoring heart believed it was his way of staying close to her
until she was old enough to marry. Well, she was eighteen now and
it had been one misunderstanding after another, and all the while
her doubt that he wanted to be part of the family—more than her
husband—grew until it was all-enveloping. She’d seen the desire to
belong lurking behind his eyes, more times than she’d to remember.
Everyone loved Matthew, Mark, Luke
and
John. Her parents, the ranch hands. Everyone. Brandon was
the fifth brother and was loyal to the McCutcheons to a fault.
Problem was, she wanted to be loved for who she was, not for the
family she came from. Doubt was always in the back of her mind,
gnawing away at her confidence.

She glanced over her shoulder. Boone was
gone, thank goodness, and Brandon just stood there with his reins
in his hand, watching her. She wished fervently she could talk to
him now and tell him how sorry she was for not letting anyone know
she’d left Denver and traveled on to Rio Wells. Her desire to live
told her this was not the right time, however. She couldn’t ever
remember seeing him as furious as he looked at this moment.

John waited a moment before pounding on
Charity’s door again, for the third time. “Open the door, Charity!
I’m not leaving until you do. I know you’re in there.”

The door flew open and Charity flung her arms
wide. “Why not just go tell the whole town what’s going on. My
goodness, you’re loud.”

“Don’t you try to change the subject on me.”
He charged into her hotel room and slammed the door. “Sit,” he
said, pointing to the chair by the window. She did his bidding
without question and waited for what she knew was next.

“I can’t believe you took off without
permission or even telling anyone that you were coming to Texas. My
God, do you know what could have happened? I’ll admit I was more
than surprised when everyone allowed you to travel to Texas alone,
but held my tongue. Now that I know you came without telling
anyone, I’m furious. How disrespectful of you. How thoughtless.
Frankly, Charity, I’m appalled.”

She flinched at his words. Too bad if he hurt
her feelings. What she’d just put the family through was
reprehensible. She’d been getting her way since the day she was
born. It was about time she grew up and realized that actions had
consequences.

“Let me explain.”

“I don’t want to hear it. When I saw the
condition Brandon was in I thought something horrible had happened
back at the ranch. That someone was dead. Hell, I don’t know what I
thought, but it scared the hell out of me. Then he explained that
he’d gone to Denver to check…” He stopped and shook his head. “No.
You’re going to have to hear it from him.” He paced to the window
and then back to where Charity sat. “I think you’ve really done it
this time, Charity. I wouldn’t blame him if he rode out of your
life forever.”

Charity stood, her face as white as a sheet,
and hurried to his side. “Don’t say that. It’s not true. I needed
to see you. Please listen to me. I kept telling everyone that there
was something wrong, since I hadn’t heard from you in so long, that
I had to come and see. Mother and father were away and I knew no
one would agree to my going. So, I made the plan to go to Denver
and then just keep going.”

A tingle of guilt for not writing to her as
he knew he should, jabbed him hard in his conscience, telling him
to ease up, that he was partly to blame. Still, what Brandon had
just gone through was inexcusable.

“Where is Brandon? I want to talk to him, to
explain.”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you just saying that or don’t you really
know.”

“I really don’t know. I’ve never seen him
this upset. Seriously, he is livid.”

She sank down on the side of the bed and
stared at the wall. She looked wretched. If he’d done what he
should have she wouldn’t have taken off. He reached up and ran his
fingertips across the healing and still-tender tissue on his face.
Moments turned into minutes. Finally, he stepped forward and sat
down next to her, sensing her anxiety.

She glanced at him through tear filled
eyes.

“We all make mistakes, I guess,” he
mumbled.

With the back of her knuckle she wiped away a
single tear from her cheek, then slowly shook her head. “No. I
always seem to mess things up. Sometimes I don’t know if I do that
on purpose just because things start to go right.”

He placed his arm around her shoulders and
pulled her over to him. She seemed so small and he was pulled back
in time to when the two of them had had to fend off the older three
siblings. They’d been a pretty good team back then.

“I have a confession,” he said softly. “I
knew I should send word to you, to write, but I guess I didn’t want
you to come out and see this.” He pointed to his scar. “Until it
was healed a little more. I was being vain. I thought about it
several times and kept putting it off. I could have written to you
and eased your mind, but I didn’t.”

He waited a few minutes to let his words sink
in. “So, I’m as much to blame for this mess as you.”