Read Online Claiming the Cowboy's Heart by Linda Ford - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Linda Ford
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peaceful.”
Mercy and Jayne exchanged looks and silently agreed to let Sybil enjoy a quiet moment. They sat on the grass behind her and waited for Sybil to be ready to move on. Finally, with a sigh that came from deep inside, she pushed to her feet. “It’s very restful to watch the water gurgle past.”
They continued onward and spent a pleasant couple of hours wandering along the river.
Jayne glanced at the sky. “We should get back.”
As they retraced their steps, the sun shone hotter. They stopped and splashed cool water on their faces before they reached the ranch.
When they stepped into the open and headed for the bridge, Jayne looked toward the house. Seth still sat in the chair beside the door. He must be bored. The joy of the morning faded slightly. She should have offered to keep him company. Perhaps read to him again. How selfish of her.
As quickly as the thought came, she dismissed it. He surely wouldn’t want her company. After all, she was but a silly woman who needed him to guide her. Or so he thought.
She sighed. She certainly was acting foolish. She didn’t care about his opinion one way or the other and was grateful he’d offered to give her shooting lessons. Never mind how the offer came.
Mercy saw him, too. “Let’s ask Seth about where the river comes from.”
As they drew closer, Jayne saw Smokey curled into a ball on Seth’s lap. The cat opened one eye as the ladies approached then closed it again and ignored them.
At least Seth had the cat to keep him company.
“To what do I owe this honor?” He glanced about the circle of friends but directed his question to Jayne.
She answered before Mercy could. “We want to know where the water from the river comes from if the snow is all melted.”
He blinked then widened his eyes. “That’s a strange question.”
“Do you have an answer?”
His eyes dipped into a smile. “I could say the water comes from lakes.”
Mercy snapped her fingers. “Lakes! I should have thought of that.”
“That isn’t the whole answer, is it?” Jayne asked, caught by the darkness in his hazel eyes.
“There are glaciers up there and melted water comes off them throughout the summer. I’ve seen them. Even walked on some of them.” He closed his eyes as if thinking of a time when he had done so. “Imagine cold ice on a hot summer day. And it’s really cold.”
Jayne sighed. “I wish I could see it.”
“Before I leave I will take you to the mountains. Maybe not to a glacier but to one of the beautiful lakes. There isn’t anything quite like the views.” He again closed his eyes and sighed.
“I’d like that,” Sybil said.
“Me, too,” Mercy added.
Seth opened his eyes and looked directly at Jayne. He lifted one eyebrow. “How do you feel about it?”
She widened her eyes. Did he really care what she thought?
His gaze held hers. His eyes darkened, tinted now like the forest trees. She could almost hear the birds singing.
She blinked, as if to sever the spell they’d cast on her. “I enjoy seeing the country. It’s beautiful.” Her words came out in a breezy rush. She grabbed the girls and pulled them toward the door. “Let’s help Linette.”
“Bye,” Seth called.
Jayne added her goodbye to that of the others.
“I thought he was anxious to leave the ranch,” Mercy murmured as they headed down the hall. “Don’t see any evidence of it. You sure you haven’t batted your eyes at him a little too much and made him forget everything but your charming company?”
Jayne blew her breath out in a protest. “I’ve done no such thing.” She hoped Seth hadn’t overheard Mercy’s comment. A hot blush raced up her neck and she prayed the others wouldn’t notice and ask about its cause. She’d never admit that a moment ago she’d gone on a flight of imagination all because the color of his eyes reminded her of the forest.
If either of them noticed and commented on it, Jayne would pretend it hadn’t happened. He was
Mercy and Jayne exchanged looks and silently agreed to let Sybil enjoy a quiet moment. They sat on the grass behind her and waited for Sybil to be ready to move on. Finally, with a sigh that came from deep inside, she pushed to her feet. “It’s very restful to watch the water gurgle past.”
They continued onward and spent a pleasant couple of hours wandering along the river.
Jayne glanced at the sky. “We should get back.”
As they retraced their steps, the sun shone hotter. They stopped and splashed cool water on their faces before they reached the ranch.
When they stepped into the open and headed for the bridge, Jayne looked toward the house. Seth still sat in the chair beside the door. He must be bored. The joy of the morning faded slightly. She should have offered to keep him company. Perhaps read to him again. How selfish of her.
As quickly as the thought came, she dismissed it. He surely wouldn’t want her company. After all, she was but a silly woman who needed him to guide her. Or so he thought.
She sighed. She certainly was acting foolish. She didn’t care about his opinion one way or the other and was grateful he’d offered to give her shooting lessons. Never mind how the offer came.
Mercy saw him, too. “Let’s ask Seth about where the river comes from.”
As they drew closer, Jayne saw Smokey curled into a ball on Seth’s lap. The cat opened one eye as the ladies approached then closed it again and ignored them.
At least Seth had the cat to keep him company.
“To what do I owe this honor?” He glanced about the circle of friends but directed his question to Jayne.
She answered before Mercy could. “We want to know where the water from the river comes from if the snow is all melted.”
He blinked then widened his eyes. “That’s a strange question.”
“Do you have an answer?”
His eyes dipped into a smile. “I could say the water comes from lakes.”
Mercy snapped her fingers. “Lakes! I should have thought of that.”
“That isn’t the whole answer, is it?” Jayne asked, caught by the darkness in his hazel eyes.
“There are glaciers up there and melted water comes off them throughout the summer. I’ve seen them. Even walked on some of them.” He closed his eyes as if thinking of a time when he had done so. “Imagine cold ice on a hot summer day. And it’s really cold.”
Jayne sighed. “I wish I could see it.”
“Before I leave I will take you to the mountains. Maybe not to a glacier but to one of the beautiful lakes. There isn’t anything quite like the views.” He again closed his eyes and sighed.
“I’d like that,” Sybil said.
“Me, too,” Mercy added.
Seth opened his eyes and looked directly at Jayne. He lifted one eyebrow. “How do you feel about it?”
She widened her eyes. Did he really care what she thought?
His gaze held hers. His eyes darkened, tinted now like the forest trees. She could almost hear the birds singing.
She blinked, as if to sever the spell they’d cast on her. “I enjoy seeing the country. It’s beautiful.” Her words came out in a breezy rush. She grabbed the girls and pulled them toward the door. “Let’s help Linette.”
“Bye,” Seth called.
Jayne added her goodbye to that of the others.
“I thought he was anxious to leave the ranch,” Mercy murmured as they headed down the hall. “Don’t see any evidence of it. You sure you haven’t batted your eyes at him a little too much and made him forget everything but your charming company?”
Jayne blew her breath out in a protest. “I’ve done no such thing.” She hoped Seth hadn’t overheard Mercy’s comment. A hot blush raced up her neck and she prayed the others wouldn’t notice and ask about its cause. She’d never admit that a moment ago she’d gone on a flight of imagination all because the color of his eyes reminded her of the forest.
If either of them noticed and commented on it, Jayne would pretend it hadn’t happened. He was
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