Read Online Lisa Plumley by The Honor-Bound Gambler - Free Book Online
Authors: The Honor-Bound Gambler
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father are, I won’t know how to proceed. Please, isn’t there anything you can tell me about their whereabouts?”
With panicky eyes and a quarrelsome expression, the boy glanced at Cade. His whole demeanor seemed a plea for help—a plea for rescue from Violet’s questioning. Tobe seemed either unwilling or unable to answer her...at least right now.
“Can’t we leave now? I done ate everythin’ I got given.”
“And then some.” Mustering a courteous smile, Cade pushed back his chair. It was just as well Tobe had spoken up. Cade suddenly felt less than cozy here himself...especially with Tobe’s entreating gaze—so much like Judah’s—fastened on him that way.
His brother wasn’t as tough as Cade was. He never had been. Their orphan life had been harder for Judah than it had been for Cade. That’s why Cade, as the eldest brother, had taken it upon himself to settle the discontent he knew Judah must feel.
He’d taken it upon himself to help Judah feel whole again.
For himself, Cade figured, it was already too late.
“I guess we’d better get going.” Signaling as much, Cade rose. “Thank you for dinner, Violet. Everything was delicious.”
“You’re welcome.” Violet gawked at him, seeming entirely taken aback. “But you’re not really leaving already, are you?”
“It’s time.” Cade summoned Tobe with a nod, rescuing them both from further questions. “I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to see Reverend Benson again. I would have liked to say hello—and to get this deal squared between us, of course.”
“‘Again’?” Violet repeated, seeming stuck on the word. “But when did you and my father ever—” She broke off, her gaze sharpening. “Did you help Papa cheat, too, like you did Tobe? Is that how you knew Papa won at cards the other night?”
Beside her, Tobe rose from his seat. Taking advantage of Violet’s distractedness, he swiped a butter knife. He slid the utensil’s long silver handle up his shirtsleeve for safekeeping.
Cade raised an eyebrow. The little troublemaker was on his way to becoming a full-bore criminal, the way he was behaving.
“I may have slipped your father an improving card or two,” Cade acknowledged. Reverend Benson had been on the verge of losing his clerical collar and his shirt in the game they’d played together. “But whether he used it or not, I can’t say.”
“Oh, I can say.” Violet folded her arms. “You’ll be happy to know that those winnings of his went to the church collection basket, though. My father is completely incorruptible.”
Cade frowned. “I’m not trying to corrupt anyone.”
Her raised eyebrows suggested otherwise. “Even me?”
That was easy. “ Especially you.”
“Oh.” Paradoxically, she seemed almost disappointed.
That made no sense. At a loss to understand her—and wondering why he wanted to—Cade deepened his frown. Who cared what pious Violet Benson thought or felt? By the time the first snowfall blanketed Morrow Creek, he would be gone from here.
He would be gone from her life, likely for the better.
Tobe wriggled impatiently. “Are we pullin’ foot or not?”
“Yes.” Cade headed for the entryway. “It’s time to go.”
Tobe and Violet trailed after him. So did an odd sense of disappointment. He’d been having a nice time...until Violet had kicked off her damn reformer routine and ruined everything.
He should have known that taking up with a do-gooder was an endeavor doomed to failure. The two of them were like oil and water. Trying to put them together was like trying to glue down dice and expecting them to still produce a win. It didn’t work.
“You can’t leave yet,” Violet protested. “What about our...” She cast an aggrieved glance at Tobe, plainly hesitant to speak openly in front of him, then finished, “agreement?”
She meant his reckless offer that she behave as his lucky charm, Cade knew, in exchange for his pretense of a courtship.
“I reckon that’s
With panicky eyes and a quarrelsome expression, the boy glanced at Cade. His whole demeanor seemed a plea for help—a plea for rescue from Violet’s questioning. Tobe seemed either unwilling or unable to answer her...at least right now.
“Can’t we leave now? I done ate everythin’ I got given.”
“And then some.” Mustering a courteous smile, Cade pushed back his chair. It was just as well Tobe had spoken up. Cade suddenly felt less than cozy here himself...especially with Tobe’s entreating gaze—so much like Judah’s—fastened on him that way.
His brother wasn’t as tough as Cade was. He never had been. Their orphan life had been harder for Judah than it had been for Cade. That’s why Cade, as the eldest brother, had taken it upon himself to settle the discontent he knew Judah must feel.
He’d taken it upon himself to help Judah feel whole again.
For himself, Cade figured, it was already too late.
“I guess we’d better get going.” Signaling as much, Cade rose. “Thank you for dinner, Violet. Everything was delicious.”
“You’re welcome.” Violet gawked at him, seeming entirely taken aback. “But you’re not really leaving already, are you?”
“It’s time.” Cade summoned Tobe with a nod, rescuing them both from further questions. “I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to see Reverend Benson again. I would have liked to say hello—and to get this deal squared between us, of course.”
“‘Again’?” Violet repeated, seeming stuck on the word. “But when did you and my father ever—” She broke off, her gaze sharpening. “Did you help Papa cheat, too, like you did Tobe? Is that how you knew Papa won at cards the other night?”
Beside her, Tobe rose from his seat. Taking advantage of Violet’s distractedness, he swiped a butter knife. He slid the utensil’s long silver handle up his shirtsleeve for safekeeping.
Cade raised an eyebrow. The little troublemaker was on his way to becoming a full-bore criminal, the way he was behaving.
“I may have slipped your father an improving card or two,” Cade acknowledged. Reverend Benson had been on the verge of losing his clerical collar and his shirt in the game they’d played together. “But whether he used it or not, I can’t say.”
“Oh, I can say.” Violet folded her arms. “You’ll be happy to know that those winnings of his went to the church collection basket, though. My father is completely incorruptible.”
Cade frowned. “I’m not trying to corrupt anyone.”
Her raised eyebrows suggested otherwise. “Even me?”
That was easy. “ Especially you.”
“Oh.” Paradoxically, she seemed almost disappointed.
That made no sense. At a loss to understand her—and wondering why he wanted to—Cade deepened his frown. Who cared what pious Violet Benson thought or felt? By the time the first snowfall blanketed Morrow Creek, he would be gone from here.
He would be gone from her life, likely for the better.
Tobe wriggled impatiently. “Are we pullin’ foot or not?”
“Yes.” Cade headed for the entryway. “It’s time to go.”
Tobe and Violet trailed after him. So did an odd sense of disappointment. He’d been having a nice time...until Violet had kicked off her damn reformer routine and ruined everything.
He should have known that taking up with a do-gooder was an endeavor doomed to failure. The two of them were like oil and water. Trying to put them together was like trying to glue down dice and expecting them to still produce a win. It didn’t work.
“You can’t leave yet,” Violet protested. “What about our...” She cast an aggrieved glance at Tobe, plainly hesitant to speak openly in front of him, then finished, “agreement?”
She meant his reckless offer that she behave as his lucky charm, Cade knew, in exchange for his pretense of a courtship.
“I reckon that’s
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