Read Online Against the Rules by Linda Howard - Free Book Online

wryly. “Rick asked me if I wanted to try for a girl next time, and I told him that if there was a next time we’d have a parting of the ways. Good Lord, what if I had another boy?” But in spite of her words she was laughing, and Cathryn had a moment of gentle envy. She and David had discussed having children, but put it off in favor of a few years alone; then they had learned of David’s illness and he had refused to burden her with a child to raise alone. She didn’t understand how he could have imagined that his child would ever be a burden to her, but she had always thought that making a baby should be a mutual decision, so she hadn’t pressured him. He had been under enough pressure, knowing that his life was slipping away.
    Wanda led the way to the nearest table and dumped everything onto the shiny surface. “Have a seat and let me buy you a soft drink to welcome you home. Rule told us that you’re home to stay this time.”
    Slowly Cathryn sank into an empty chair. “When did he say that?” she asked, wondering if she looked as cornered as she felt.
    â€œTwo weeks ago. He said you’d be home for Memorial Day weekend.” Wanda went behind the counter to get two glasses brimming with ice and fill them with fountain cola from the machine installed there.
    So Rule had let it be known two weeks ago that she was coming home to stay? Cathryn mused. That was when she had called to let Monica know that she was coming home for a visit. Just like that, Rule had decided that she’d stay this time and had spread the news. Wouldn’t he be surprised when she got on that plane tomorrow?
    â€œHere you go,” said Wanda, sliding the frosted glass in front of her.
    Cathryn leaned over to take an appreciative sip of the strong, icy drink, sharp as only fountain cola could be. “Rule’s changed a lot over the years,” she murmured, not certain just why she said it, but wanting for some reason to hear someone else’s opinion of him. Perhaps he wasn’t out of the ordinary; perhaps it was her own perception of him that was at fault.
    â€œIn some ways he has, in some he hasn’t,” said Wanda. “He’s not wild anymore, but you get the feeling he’s just as dangerous as he always was. He’s more controlled now. But the way most folks think about him has changed. Rule knows ranching and he’s a fair boss. He’s president of the Local C.A., you know. Of course, to some people he’ll always be as wild as a mink.”
    Cathryn managed to hide her surprise at that information. In some parts of the West, the Cattlemen’s Association was the inner circle of the elite; in other parts, such as here, it was a working group of not-so-big ranchers who tried to help each other. Still, she was stunned that Rule had been elected president, because he wasn’t even a ranch owner. That, more than anything, was a measure of his move from scandalousness to respectability.
    She gossiped with Wanda for the better part of an hour and noticed that Ricky’s name wasn’t mentioned at all, an indication of how completely Ricky had alienated the local people. Had Wanda been on friendly terms with the other young woman, she would have asked after her, even if it had been only a day or two since she had seen her.
    Cathryn finally noticed the time and began gathering up the items she had scattered over the table. Wanda helped her manage them and walked with her back to the cash register, where her father-in-law checked Cathryn out. “We still have a dance every Saturday night,” Wanda said, her friendly eyes smiling. “Why don’t you come next time? Rule will bring you if you don’t feel like coming on your own, but there’s plenty of men who’d like to see you walk in without an escort, especially without Rule.”
    Cathryn laughed, remembering the Saturday night dances that were such an integral part of the