not invited by her, he was a guest. She should have taken better care of him. Some of the things they’d done today could have waited, but she’d pushed.
When he stepped up beside her, she was shocked at the change in him. If she didn’t know better she’d think he usually wore western clothes and never a suit. The heavy wool trousers fit his long legs well, and the shirt made his shoulders look broader than the black suit jacket had.
“Thanks for all you taught me today,” he said. “I’ll see you at dawn tomorrow morning.”
“You want to go again?”
“Of course. Unless you’ve changed your mind about letting me tag along.”
“I haven’t,” she said, then added, “I can use the fifty dollars.”
He turned and placed the worn coat on the nail beside the door. Though his back was to her and his voice low, she had no trouble hearing his words.
“I really am sorry about touching your shoulder. I meant you no harm.”
“I know,” she whispered back. She wouldn’t . . . couldn’t talk about what had happened between them. It would mean explaining something that had happened many years ago, and she never planned to talk about that with anyone. Not ever. She forced her thoughts to the present. “If the cut bleeds, have Sumner look at it in the morning.”
Without a word, they walked toward the house. Em could see the lamps being lit.
“Despite everything, M,” he said softly, without looking at her, “I liked riding with you today. I think I felt more alive today then I have in years.”
“Fresh air,” she said.
“And honest company,” he added.
Em swallowed. How could he think she’d been honest? Didn’t he know she’d just taken him alone to show him up?
She waited on the porch as he stepped inside. She didn’t want to go in. It was almost time for supper, but she wouldn’t be joining her sisters tonight. She’d wash up, then go back to the barn until Rose put a light in the mudroom, and then she’d circle the house so that no one would see her entering the sewing room.
Em had a feeling when she finally closed her eyes tonight she’d have trouble sleeping. Her head seemed too full.
CHAPTER 9
L EWT WASHED UP ON WHAT LOOKED LIKE A CLOSED-IN porch, then joined the others for dinner. The meal was excellent, the conversation lively, but he found himself holding back. Part of him wasn’t ready to share with strangers all that had happened to him today. Rose seemed pleased that he’d wanted to take a look at the ranch, but Bethie said she missed him terrible. Lewt didn’t know that he believed either one of them.
He hadn’t lied to M. In a strange way he’d felt more alive today than he could ever remember feeling. He liked breathing air that wasn’t polluted with cigar smoke and cheap perfume. He liked feeling like he was doing some good even though it was hard work. Tomorrow he’d probably be lucky if he could get out of bed.
If he was going to list his likes, he’d have to add liking being with M. She played no games, never flirted with him or tried to manipulate him. He knew she didn’t like him and within a few minutes he’d figured out that if he tried to impress her, she’d probably send him back to the barn. So for the most part, he just tried his best and kept his mouth closed.
Half the time he felt like a bumbling idiot around her, and the other half she was reminding him that his feelings were accurate. He didn’t know how to pretend with her, how to play games. About the time he decided she was more man than he’d ever be, she’d pulled away from his touch. He’d seen the hurt flash in her eyes for a second. All he’d done was touch her shoulder. Her reaction was that of a wounded animal. He’d give a rich pot to know what had made her react so.
“How was your day?” Rose asked as she passed him a basket of bread.
“What?” Lewt had heard the words, but he couldn’t climb out of his thoughts long enough to think of an answer.
Rose smiled.
When he stepped up beside her, she was shocked at the change in him. If she didn’t know better she’d think he usually wore western clothes and never a suit. The heavy wool trousers fit his long legs well, and the shirt made his shoulders look broader than the black suit jacket had.
“Thanks for all you taught me today,” he said. “I’ll see you at dawn tomorrow morning.”
“You want to go again?”
“Of course. Unless you’ve changed your mind about letting me tag along.”
“I haven’t,” she said, then added, “I can use the fifty dollars.”
He turned and placed the worn coat on the nail beside the door. Though his back was to her and his voice low, she had no trouble hearing his words.
“I really am sorry about touching your shoulder. I meant you no harm.”
“I know,” she whispered back. She wouldn’t . . . couldn’t talk about what had happened between them. It would mean explaining something that had happened many years ago, and she never planned to talk about that with anyone. Not ever. She forced her thoughts to the present. “If the cut bleeds, have Sumner look at it in the morning.”
Without a word, they walked toward the house. Em could see the lamps being lit.
“Despite everything, M,” he said softly, without looking at her, “I liked riding with you today. I think I felt more alive today then I have in years.”
“Fresh air,” she said.
“And honest company,” he added.
Em swallowed. How could he think she’d been honest? Didn’t he know she’d just taken him alone to show him up?
She waited on the porch as he stepped inside. She didn’t want to go in. It was almost time for supper, but she wouldn’t be joining her sisters tonight. She’d wash up, then go back to the barn until Rose put a light in the mudroom, and then she’d circle the house so that no one would see her entering the sewing room.
Em had a feeling when she finally closed her eyes tonight she’d have trouble sleeping. Her head seemed too full.
CHAPTER 9
L EWT WASHED UP ON WHAT LOOKED LIKE A CLOSED-IN porch, then joined the others for dinner. The meal was excellent, the conversation lively, but he found himself holding back. Part of him wasn’t ready to share with strangers all that had happened to him today. Rose seemed pleased that he’d wanted to take a look at the ranch, but Bethie said she missed him terrible. Lewt didn’t know that he believed either one of them.
He hadn’t lied to M. In a strange way he’d felt more alive today than he could ever remember feeling. He liked breathing air that wasn’t polluted with cigar smoke and cheap perfume. He liked feeling like he was doing some good even though it was hard work. Tomorrow he’d probably be lucky if he could get out of bed.
If he was going to list his likes, he’d have to add liking being with M. She played no games, never flirted with him or tried to manipulate him. He knew she didn’t like him and within a few minutes he’d figured out that if he tried to impress her, she’d probably send him back to the barn. So for the most part, he just tried his best and kept his mouth closed.
Half the time he felt like a bumbling idiot around her, and the other half she was reminding him that his feelings were accurate. He didn’t know how to pretend with her, how to play games. About the time he decided she was more man than he’d ever be, she’d pulled away from his touch. He’d seen the hurt flash in her eyes for a second. All he’d done was touch her shoulder. Her reaction was that of a wounded animal. He’d give a rich pot to know what had made her react so.
“How was your day?” Rose asked as she passed him a basket of bread.
“What?” Lewt had heard the words, but he couldn’t climb out of his thoughts long enough to think of an answer.
Rose smiled.
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