He consciously avoided trouble, but his mind was on the swaying skirts of Lily Brown and not the people watching him enter. It didn't take two steps into the barn to realize his error.
Ollie Clark stepped into his path, blocking Cade's view of Lily. Instantly on the alert, Cade felt the watchful attention of several of Ollie's cohorts on the sidelines. He hadn't intended to make trouble, but he certainly didn't intend to run from it either. Directing his gaze questioningly to the tall man in front of him, Cade waited.
"Indians ain't allowed in here. We've got white ladies present."
Ladies, whores, and creatures of indeterminable sex or status, but Cade didn't point that out. He merely waited.
Irritation flared in Clark's eyes. "I'm askin' you to leave, red man."
A hissing intake of breath behind him was all the warning Ollie received. Before he could spin around, a furious virago in blue gingham swirled past him and grabbed Cade’s arm. Blue fire shot sparks from her eyes as she spoke.
"Cade is my escort, and I'll be damned if either one of us leaves, Mister Clark." Reducing him to the status of "mister" after his hard-won promotion to "Ollie" wasn't sufficient. Lily glared at him. "And for your information, Cade has more of a right to be here than anyone else in this town. Both Mexicans and Indians were here before us. You'll be lucky if they don't run you out of Texas before this is all over."
Realizing Cade had no intention of budging from this battle, Lily threw him a sharp look, released his arm, and lifted her skirt in imminent departure. "I am in need of a lemonade, gentlemen. I trust you'll find a way to settle your differences amicably."
She stalked off, daring either of the two men to follow her. Cade was swifter on the uptake. With a nod to Clark, he turned and followed in Lily's direction. He had never escorted a lady before, but he had the vague impression he was supposed to see to her needs. Lemonade had a certain appeal.
When the long arm reached around her and through the crowd at the refreshment table to produce two cups of lemonade, Lily breathed a sigh of relief. Cade wasn't thoroughly thickheaded, then. For the first time, she relaxed enough to listen to the music.
The noise of the crowd almost drowned out the tinny notes rising from one end of the barn. Under Cade's guidance, Lily watched as the young pianist picked at the notes while following the lone fiddler's directions with anxiety. The dancers seemed oblivious to the lack of inspiration in the piano player. As long as there was noise and drink, they laughed and clapped and swung through the motions of the dance. Perhaps there was something to be said for hard liquor after all.
Cade watched the disappointment in Lily's eyes and was angry at himself for bringing her here. Jim Brown had the right idea after all. A gentle lady accustomed to the finer things in life had no place here. Already she had been rudely insulted and disappointed. The rest of the night would only bring worse.
Perhaps he could correct the situation in some small way. Because of his size, people weren't much inclined to argue with him. He was fully confident that he could do almost anything he wanted within reason. Playing a flute seemed purely reasonable to him.
Leaving Lily wistfully watching the piano, Cade found a bale of hay near the fiddle player and pulled his instrument from his back pocket. He'd heard the tune before; while it wasn't one he was inclined to play in his moments alone, the notes were easily learned. In a minute or two, he added his music to theirs.
The high, lilting notes of the flute caught Lily's ear before she even realized Cade was no longer by her side. Looking up in surprise, she saw him sitting on a hay bale, leaning against a post, piping the tune with a vigorousness that would have shamed a concert musician. His own music was much more beautiful than this simple song, but she had to admit that his leadership was already inspiring the
Ollie Clark stepped into his path, blocking Cade's view of Lily. Instantly on the alert, Cade felt the watchful attention of several of Ollie's cohorts on the sidelines. He hadn't intended to make trouble, but he certainly didn't intend to run from it either. Directing his gaze questioningly to the tall man in front of him, Cade waited.
"Indians ain't allowed in here. We've got white ladies present."
Ladies, whores, and creatures of indeterminable sex or status, but Cade didn't point that out. He merely waited.
Irritation flared in Clark's eyes. "I'm askin' you to leave, red man."
A hissing intake of breath behind him was all the warning Ollie received. Before he could spin around, a furious virago in blue gingham swirled past him and grabbed Cade’s arm. Blue fire shot sparks from her eyes as she spoke.
"Cade is my escort, and I'll be damned if either one of us leaves, Mister Clark." Reducing him to the status of "mister" after his hard-won promotion to "Ollie" wasn't sufficient. Lily glared at him. "And for your information, Cade has more of a right to be here than anyone else in this town. Both Mexicans and Indians were here before us. You'll be lucky if they don't run you out of Texas before this is all over."
Realizing Cade had no intention of budging from this battle, Lily threw him a sharp look, released his arm, and lifted her skirt in imminent departure. "I am in need of a lemonade, gentlemen. I trust you'll find a way to settle your differences amicably."
She stalked off, daring either of the two men to follow her. Cade was swifter on the uptake. With a nod to Clark, he turned and followed in Lily's direction. He had never escorted a lady before, but he had the vague impression he was supposed to see to her needs. Lemonade had a certain appeal.
When the long arm reached around her and through the crowd at the refreshment table to produce two cups of lemonade, Lily breathed a sigh of relief. Cade wasn't thoroughly thickheaded, then. For the first time, she relaxed enough to listen to the music.
The noise of the crowd almost drowned out the tinny notes rising from one end of the barn. Under Cade's guidance, Lily watched as the young pianist picked at the notes while following the lone fiddler's directions with anxiety. The dancers seemed oblivious to the lack of inspiration in the piano player. As long as there was noise and drink, they laughed and clapped and swung through the motions of the dance. Perhaps there was something to be said for hard liquor after all.
Cade watched the disappointment in Lily's eyes and was angry at himself for bringing her here. Jim Brown had the right idea after all. A gentle lady accustomed to the finer things in life had no place here. Already she had been rudely insulted and disappointed. The rest of the night would only bring worse.
Perhaps he could correct the situation in some small way. Because of his size, people weren't much inclined to argue with him. He was fully confident that he could do almost anything he wanted within reason. Playing a flute seemed purely reasonable to him.
Leaving Lily wistfully watching the piano, Cade found a bale of hay near the fiddle player and pulled his instrument from his back pocket. He'd heard the tune before; while it wasn't one he was inclined to play in his moments alone, the notes were easily learned. In a minute or two, he added his music to theirs.
The high, lilting notes of the flute caught Lily's ear before she even realized Cade was no longer by her side. Looking up in surprise, she saw him sitting on a hay bale, leaning against a post, piping the tune with a vigorousness that would have shamed a concert musician. His own music was much more beautiful than this simple song, but she had to admit that his leadership was already inspiring the
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