forever. They hadn't shown up at her wedding, but she'd be hanged if she'd let them control her comings and goings in town or her attendance at her place of worship.
A few syrupy bites of a skillet cake remained on the plate he stared at. "I'll come if you ask me to."
Was it unfair of her to ask this of him? No. She wasn't about to leave Tye behind like one of the ranch hands. "I'm asking."
He stood, his long legs pushing back the chair. "I'll change."
----
Chapter Five
« ^ »
H e stood near the wagon when she exited the house. He wore the same dark trousers and white shirt and tie he'd worn for their wedding, his revolver holstered to his hip and his hat pulled low. But even with his eyes shaded, she knew his gaze followed her from the back steps appreciatively. It warmed her to know he was looking at her in a way no man had looked at her for a long time. But it startled her that she liked the feeling.
"I'll take a step up," she said, when he appeared uncertain of how to assist her.
Immediately, he made a step of his laced fingers, and she pulled herself up to the seat. Tye brushed his hands together and seated himself beside her.
They didn't have much to say to each another, but she soon learned that theirs could be a comfortable silence if she relaxed her thinking. As man and wife they would have many rides like this, plenty of time together, and all the years ahead to get to know one another.
Tye pulled the wagon into a shaded area in the lot near the church, and this time she allowed him to place his hands around her waist and lower her to the ground. Her gloved hand touched his upper arm briefly, and the thick, corded muscle beneath the shirt made her sharply aware of his reserved strength. She glanced up.
He released her and didn't meet her eyes. His tight expression revealed his stoic determination to go through with this. Because she'd asked it of him.
Harnesses jingled, and Meg turned to see the Telfords ' leather-upholstered buggy drawn into the lot. She started toward it, then realized Tye wasn't beside her, and paused. He joined her, reluctantly, and she continued toward her family.
"Good morning!" she called.
Harley assisted Mother Telford from the buggy, then turned for Gwynn. The children jumped to the ground and ran ahead with noisy enthusiasm. Wilsie hung behind Gwynn, her cautious stare fixed on Tye as if he were going to suddenly pull his gun and blast them all full of lead.
Edwina adjusted her stiff black skirts, cast a reproachful eye on Tye and said to Meg, "I don't know what you're doing, bringing him here like this. As if you haven't disgraced us enough, Meg Telford, now you're flaunting this shameful alliance before the whole town!"
Meg recovered from her shock immediately. "I'm coming to church like I do every Sunday morning. It just so happens that this particular Sunday I've brought my husband with me."
"Husband!" The way she spat the word indicated she didn't consider Tye any such thing. "Joe is your husband and don't you forget it. This man is trouble, mark my words. I never thought my Joe married a stupid woman."
Edwina gathered her skirts and made a wide circle around the couple. "Joe wouldn't have worn his holster to church," she continued, looking Tye up and down with scorn.
"Joe wouldn't have been expecting one of the brethren to shoot him in the back," Tye said with an audacious grin.
Harley ignored him, took Gwynn's arm and led her behind his mother. Gwynn cast a regretful glance over her shoulder.
Wilsie scampered to join them.
Meg stared at the empty buggy, hurt and anger warring in her breast. Beside her, Tye waited in grim silence. Finally, she turned and met his gaze.
The hard blue stare beneath his hat brim revealed no emotion. He'd been expecting it. Had been braced for it. If a person bore insults a thousand times over, did the barbs lose their sting?
"Still want to go in there?" he asked.
Resolutely, she laced her arm though his and headed toward the
A few syrupy bites of a skillet cake remained on the plate he stared at. "I'll come if you ask me to."
Was it unfair of her to ask this of him? No. She wasn't about to leave Tye behind like one of the ranch hands. "I'm asking."
He stood, his long legs pushing back the chair. "I'll change."
----
Chapter Five
« ^ »
H e stood near the wagon when she exited the house. He wore the same dark trousers and white shirt and tie he'd worn for their wedding, his revolver holstered to his hip and his hat pulled low. But even with his eyes shaded, she knew his gaze followed her from the back steps appreciatively. It warmed her to know he was looking at her in a way no man had looked at her for a long time. But it startled her that she liked the feeling.
"I'll take a step up," she said, when he appeared uncertain of how to assist her.
Immediately, he made a step of his laced fingers, and she pulled herself up to the seat. Tye brushed his hands together and seated himself beside her.
They didn't have much to say to each another, but she soon learned that theirs could be a comfortable silence if she relaxed her thinking. As man and wife they would have many rides like this, plenty of time together, and all the years ahead to get to know one another.
Tye pulled the wagon into a shaded area in the lot near the church, and this time she allowed him to place his hands around her waist and lower her to the ground. Her gloved hand touched his upper arm briefly, and the thick, corded muscle beneath the shirt made her sharply aware of his reserved strength. She glanced up.
He released her and didn't meet her eyes. His tight expression revealed his stoic determination to go through with this. Because she'd asked it of him.
Harnesses jingled, and Meg turned to see the Telfords ' leather-upholstered buggy drawn into the lot. She started toward it, then realized Tye wasn't beside her, and paused. He joined her, reluctantly, and she continued toward her family.
"Good morning!" she called.
Harley assisted Mother Telford from the buggy, then turned for Gwynn. The children jumped to the ground and ran ahead with noisy enthusiasm. Wilsie hung behind Gwynn, her cautious stare fixed on Tye as if he were going to suddenly pull his gun and blast them all full of lead.
Edwina adjusted her stiff black skirts, cast a reproachful eye on Tye and said to Meg, "I don't know what you're doing, bringing him here like this. As if you haven't disgraced us enough, Meg Telford, now you're flaunting this shameful alliance before the whole town!"
Meg recovered from her shock immediately. "I'm coming to church like I do every Sunday morning. It just so happens that this particular Sunday I've brought my husband with me."
"Husband!" The way she spat the word indicated she didn't consider Tye any such thing. "Joe is your husband and don't you forget it. This man is trouble, mark my words. I never thought my Joe married a stupid woman."
Edwina gathered her skirts and made a wide circle around the couple. "Joe wouldn't have worn his holster to church," she continued, looking Tye up and down with scorn.
"Joe wouldn't have been expecting one of the brethren to shoot him in the back," Tye said with an audacious grin.
Harley ignored him, took Gwynn's arm and led her behind his mother. Gwynn cast a regretful glance over her shoulder.
Wilsie scampered to join them.
Meg stared at the empty buggy, hurt and anger warring in her breast. Beside her, Tye waited in grim silence. Finally, she turned and met his gaze.
The hard blue stare beneath his hat brim revealed no emotion. He'd been expecting it. Had been braced for it. If a person bore insults a thousand times over, did the barbs lose their sting?
"Still want to go in there?" he asked.
Resolutely, she laced her arm though his and headed toward the
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