Texas splendor, p.14
Texas Splendor, page 14
part #3 of Texas Series
Dee strolled to Dallas and placed her hand on his arm. “Light their lamp for them, then give them a little privacy while I warm some milk.”
When she left his side, Dallas walked to the bedside table and lit the lamp. “Need anything else?”
Shaking his head, Austin settled down on the bed, carrying his wife with him. Dallas heard her stifling sobs and Austin’s repeated words of comfort. He strode back to his own room, jerked open the door to the balcony, and stepped into the night. He was trembling almost as much as he imagined Loree was. Taking several deep breaths, he stared at the canopy of stars overhead.
Long moments passed before he heard Dee’s soft footsteps. She joined him on the balcony and rubbed her hand up and down his bare arm. “Loree’s sleeping. Come back to bed.”
“Did you see his back? They beat him in prison.”
It wasn’t a question, but she answered anyway. “It looks like it.”
“When we find the man who killed your brother, I’m gonna string him up from the nearest tree.”
“You need to let the law handle—”
He spun around. “The law sent my brother to prison.”
“The law isn’t perfect, but you have to trust it to serve justice. You have to let the law send the real murderer to prison.”
“They had better damn well hang the man, and I want a front row seat.”
Austin held Loree as she sipped on the warm milk Dee had prepared for her. She was trembling so hard that the bed shook.
After all she’d lived through, he wasn’t surprised she still had nightmares. On the journey, he’d heard her whimper a few times in her sleep. It seemed the farther they traveled from Austin, the more restless she was when she slept. He hoped bringing her here wasn’t a mistake, but he’d feared she’d continue living as a hermit if they’d stayed at her home.
She gave him a shaky smile and handed the empty cup to him. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He set the cup aside, and with his thumb, he wiped the milky mustache away from her lip. “You’re welcome.”
She released an awkward chuckle. “I am so embarrassed. Your brother must think—”
“He doesn’t think anything,” he assured her, lying her down and tucking her against his body. Lord, she fit so nicely, even though she was beginning to swell with his child. As it rested against his chest, her hand curled like the petals of a flower closing for the night. He wrapped one hand around it, while the other lazily stroked her back. He kissed her forehead. “Were you dreaming about your family?”
She moved her head up and down against his chest.
“And the man who killed them. There was so much blood,” she whispered hoarsely.
“What did he look like?”
He felt the shiver course through her body.
“I don’t want to talk about him.”
“While I was in Austin, I talked with a detective about hunting the man down—”
She jerked away and stared at him, fear reflected in her eyes. “What?”
“I thought it would put your mind at peace if the man was found and hanged for what he did to your family. But I couldn’t give the detective enough information. If you tell me what you know about him—”
She shook her head violently. “No, no, I don’t want him looking.”
“Sugar, I’m not gonna let the man hurt you—”
“No!” She buried her face against his chest. “It’s been over five years. Please just let it be.”
“It’s not right that he murdered three people and got away with it.”
He felt her tense within his arms as she shook her head. He drew her closer. “I won’t press you on this, Loree, but think about it. What if he’s out killing others?”
Loree squeezed her eyes shut. She should have told Austin everything before they were married even though she might have sacrificed any affection he held for her. But she’d wanted what he was offering for her baby.
Strange how a little one, not yet born, could bring so many responsibilities with him. She had to do what was best for the baby. She had to put him first. So she held her silence.
A detective searching for the man who had killed her family was a worse nightmare than the one that had woken her up screaming. If anyone tracked down the man who had killed her family, he’d no doubt discover things about her father that Loree wanted to remain a secret.
The only peace of mind she found resided in the fact that she knew the murderer wasn’t going to kill anyone else.
“Loree? Is that short for Lorena?” Dallas asked.
Austin watched his wife jerk to attention and glance down the breakfast table at his brother. Shadows rested beneath her eyes. He wished he had the power to rid her of the nightmares.
“Yes, it is,” she said. “My father told me it was a favorite song around the campfire during the war.”
“Not in my unit,” Dallas said. “I forbid my men to play it, sing it, or think about it.”
“How come?” Rawley asked.
“Because it made the men miss home so much that they’d end up deserting. Can’t tolerate a man shirking his responsibilities.”
Loree flicked her gaze to Austin, and he noticed the crimson fanning her cheeks. He gave her wink. Dallas tolerated less than most men, and Austin was glad Loree hadn’t shared her father’s military history with his brother.
“Can I add taking care of Aunt Loree’s dog to my list of chores?” Rawley asked.
Austin sipped on his coffee, watching Rawley wait expectantly for his father’s permission.
“Don’t you think you got enough chores?” Dallas asked as he scooped up his eggs.
“But I like taking care of dogs, and I don’t have one to watch over since Ma’s went to live with her friends.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Austin saw his wife lean forward and glance down the table at Dee.
“While she carried her litter, she got a bit testy, so I thought it was best to set her free. She still comes up to the house, but not as often,” Dee said.
Loree shook her head. “I don’t understand why you set if free—”
“It was a prairie dog,” Dallas said with disgust.
Loree blinked, confusion mirrored in her eyes. “You had a prairie dog as a pet?”
“Yep,” Austin said, grinning broadly. “Dallas even made it a leash. Carved the dog’s name right into it.”
“Me ‘n’ Wrawley wanna dog,” Faith piped in from her high chair beside Dee.
“Maybe you can borrow your Aunt Loree’s for a spell,” Dallas suggested.
“Can we, Aunt Loree?” Rawley asked. “I’ll take real good care of him.”
Loree smiled softly. “I’d appreciate the help.”
“Now that that’s settled,” Dallas began.
Austin listened with half an ear as Dallas rattled off all the things that Austin needed to tend to that day. He remembered a time when he’d handled his chores and still had time to go into town and visit with Becky.
Right now, it seemed his list of responsibilities would leave him with little time to visit his wife. He watched as she sprinkled two spoons of sugar into her coffee and began to stir. Austin reached across the table and took her cup from her. When she started to protest, he silenced her with a lifted brow. Then he scooped four more spoons of sugar into the brew before handing it back to her. “There’s no shortage of sugar around here.”
Her cheeks took on the hue of a sunrise. “Most people don’t use as much sugar as I do.”
“Maybe if they did, they’d be as sweet as you are.”
Her blush deepened and she lowered her gaze to her plate.
“Have you heard a damn word I’ve said?” Dallas asked.
Austin shifted his gaze to the end of table. “Heard every word. I want to take Loree over to Houston’s this morning so she can pick out a horse.”
Narrowing his eyes, Dallas rubbed his thumb and forefinger over his mustache. “Reckon Amelia will have your hide if you don’t take Loree out and introduce her.”
Austin gave his brother a nod. “I figured the same thing. I’d rather face your wrath than Amelia’s.”
Dallas leaned back in his chair and laughed.
Austin drew Dallas’s buggy to a halt, unable to do little more than stare at the huge unfamiliar house. A balcony jutted out from a room on the second floor. Some sort of fancy railing circled the porch that circled the house. One side of the house eased out into a half circle. Bright yellow curtains billowed out from large windows.
“What’s wrong?” Loree asked.
“Houston has always preferred solitude. I just never expected to see him with neighbors.”
“It certainly is a fancy house,” Loree said.
“Yep,” Austin responded, apprehension taking hold of his gut. He slapped the reins, sending the two black mares into a trot. Beyond the corral where Houston worked with a palomino mustang, Austin saw the house he had helped to build. It appeared abandoned. Austin shifted his gaze back to the larger house.
A woman stepped onto the porch and waved, a tiny girl planted on her hip, another girl clinging to her skirt.
“Good Lord,” Austin muttered.
Loree leaned toward him. “What?”
He shook his head. “I never would have believed it.” He brought the horses and buggy to a halt near the corral just as Houston slipped through the slats. Austin set the brake and climbed out of the buggy. “Tell me that isn’t your house?” he ordered.
Houston grimaced. “Disgusting, ain’t it? I wasn’t looking for it, but success found me. Figured the least I could do was give the woman a fancy house.” He rubbed the scarred side of his face. “I hear tell Cupid’s cramp got a hold of you.”
Inwardly, Austin cringed at his brother’s phrasing. Cowboys used it whenever they got an urge to marry. “Yeah, you might say that.” Turning to Loree, Austin helped her out of the buggy and slipped his arm protectively around her. “My wife needs a horse.”
“Not gonna bother with introductions?” Houston asked.
“I figured it was obvious you’re my brother and this is my wife.”
Houston swept his hat from his head. Austin heard Loree’s tiny gasp. He’d grown up with Houston’s scars. He hadn’t thought to warn Loree about them.
“Welcome to the family,” Houston said quietly.
Loree’s lips spread into the most understanding smile Austin had ever seen. “I’m very happy to be here,” she said.
Houston gave her a distorted grin. “You have to be the most forgiving soul on earth to say that after meeting Dallas.”
“I think our announcement took him by surprise,” she said.
“Yeah, you might say it took us all unawares, but then Austin always did have a hard time figuring out when to open his mouth and when to keep it shut.”
“How long were you planning to stay out here with the horses instead of bringing your wife to the house so I can meet her?”
Austin spun around at Amelia’s welcoming voice. She waddled toward him, a girl in each arm. Houston strode toward her and took both girls from her.
“I told you not to carry them,” he said.
“You tell me a lot of things,” she said, her voice laced with teasing.
Austin grinned at her swollen stomach. “I’ll be. When I was home before, Dallas said you had to be carrying another one ‘cuz you weren’t eating.”
Amelia laughed. “I can’t eat anything for the first three months. You’d think I’d get skinny, but I just keep getting more plump with each girl we have.” She turned slightly and smiled. “You must be Loree. I’m so grateful Austin has someone to love.”
Austin watched his wife’s face blush becomingly. “Well, I’m not certain—” she began.
“I am,” Amelia said, interrupting her. She threw her arms around Loree and hugged her closely. “Welcome to the family.”
Then she stepped back, grinning. “And look at this. Someone I can actually reach. Dee’s as tall as a tree, and these men here are no different.” She slipped her arm through Loree’s. “Why don’t you come into the house for a spell? Our other two girls are baking cookies. They won’t be edible, but we can pretend to nibble on them.”
Austin listened to his wife’s laughter as she walked toward the house with Amelia. Amelia had always had a way of putting people at ease. He’d never been more grateful for it than he was now. He glanced at Houston. “Want me to take one of those girls?”
“Sure.” Houston handed the smallest one over.
“Which one is this?” he asked.
“A. J.”
Austin shifted her in his arms. “Hello, A. J. I bet you don’t remember your Uncle Austin, do you?”
She covered her eyes and buried her tiny nose against his shoulder. Lord, she was incredibly small and warm. A knot rose in his throat with the thought that he’d soon have one of these of his own.
“Since you came in Dallas’s buggy, I reckon the two of you mended your fence,” Houston said.
“He told you about that, did he?” Austin asked.
Houston gave him a lopsided grin. “Yep.”
“What’s so funny?”
“The whole world is afraid of Dallas. He’s only been hit twice in his life—and both times the fist was attached to one of his brothers.”
Austin chuckled. “I’d forgotten that you’d hit him. I never knew why.”
Houston shrugged and started walking toward the house. Austin took off after him. “Why did you hit him?”
“He questioned Amelia’s virtue. I took exception to his doubts.”
Austin was relieved to know Loree wasn’t the only one whose virtue Dallas had doubted, but he also knew that Amelia had been long married before she began to swell with a child. Austin swallowed hard. “Loree’s pregnant.”
Houston glanced over at him. “I know.”
“She’s a decent woman—”
“Never doubted that for a minute. Hell, Austin, I took you to your first whorehouse, and you walked out as pure as you were before you went in. Decent women are the only kind that ever appealed to you.”
“Don’t suppose you happened to mention that to Dallas when he came by.”
“Figured he knew since he told me if anyone dared to look at your wife with anything but admiration, they’d answer to him.”
The knot in Austin’s throat tightened a little. “I wasn’t sure how he felt—”
“You’re his baby brother. He would have sheltered you from the world if he could have, and that’s probably where he went wrong. Some lessons have simply got to be learned the hard way.”
Loree folded the blanket, placed it in the box, and lifted her gaze to the woman standing on the other side of the bed who was doing the same thing. “I hope we haven’t hurt your feelings.”
Dee glanced up. “Of course not. Why ever would you think that?”
Loree shrugged. “You made me feel so welcome, and here we are, after only one night, moving out.”
Dee smiled with understanding. “I’m glad that Amelia and Houston offered to let you live in their vacant house. I know it’s difficult to marry someone you’ve only known a short time. I didn’t know Dallas at all when I married him. If my family had been underfoot, I don’t think I ever would have gotten to know him.”
“I feel badly taking the furniture from this room.”
“It’s always been Austin’s. I often thought of replacing it, but I wanted him to come home to something familiar. I was afraid all the other changes would overwhelm him.”
Loree picked at a loose thread on the blanket. “You must love him very much to accept what he did.”
“I understand why he did it. I hated to see him go to prison, but the decision was his to make, and I respect that.”
Understanding, respect, acceptance. She wondered if Austin would give those as easily to her if he knew the entire truth about her past. She supposed one had to build a foundation of love before one’s faults could be laid bare and accepted.
“Dallas and Austin should have the table moved out of the shed by now. Do you want to run outside and let them know that we’re almost finished here?” Dee asked.
Loree nodded, walked to the doorway, and halted. “Dee?”
Dee glanced over at her, and Loree nibbled on her lower lip. “I appreciate that you don’t seem to be sitting in judgment of me.”
Dee’s brown eyes widened. “Because of the baby?”
Loree jerked her head quickly.
A wealth of understanding and sympathy filled Dee’s brown eyes. “A child is a gift, Loree, regardless of the circumstances. And Austin’s child at that. We will spoil the baby rotten, I promise you.”
Loree didn’t doubt it. She’d already seen evidence that every child in this family was considered precious.
She walked into the hallway and down the wide sweeping staircase. The discordant notes of a piano traveled from the front parlor. She ambled toward the room, the off-key chords grating on her nerves before they fell into silence. She peered into the room.
“Did you practice one hour every day like I told you?” a rotund woman asked Rawley.
He shrugged.
“Stand up, young man,” she ordered.
Slower than ice melting in winter he slid off the bench and stood.
“Hold out your hand.”
She saw Rawley tense as he extended his hand, palm up. The woman picked up a thin wooden stick and raised it.
“Don’t you even think about striking him,” Loree snarled as she stormed into the room.
Rawley spun around so fast that he lost his balance and dropped onto the bench. The woman’s eyes protruded farther than her nose.
“How dare you interfere with this lesson—”
“I’m interfering with your cruelty, not the lesson.”
“Mr. Leigh is paying me good money—”
“To teach his son, not to beat him.”
“He is lazy and irresponsible—”
“Irresponsible? What time did you get out of bed this morning?”
“I don’t see that that’s any of your business.”
“This child was up before the sun tending to his chores, and he’ll sneak in a few more after everyone thinks he’s in bed, so don’t tell me he’s irresponsible. You are irresponsible.” Loree snatched the stick out of the woman’s hand and snapped it in two.
