Rose and Granny exchanged a look when they saw Stevie walk away from the stable. They continued to stare out the window until Stevie was out of sight. They saw Morgan walk to the garden and start working on the fence.
The women finished cleaning the kitchen, and decided to sit on the porch and chat while they waited for Morgan, who had finished the garden fence and moved on to work on the stable. Rose couldn’t keep her eyes off of him as he worked, and she was disappointed when he walked inside the stable. They could hear him sawing wood, and about thirty minutes later, he exited the barn and walked toward the porch carrying some wood and tools. “Ladies,” he said as he started digging a hole in the dirt by the front porch.
“Morgan, it’s going to be dark soon. What in the world are you doing?” Granny asked.
“Putting up a handrail.”
Granny was so moved by his thoughtfulness that she found herself near tears.
Rose couldn’t believe Morgan had been so considerate. “Thank you. I was thinking this morning that Granny needed a railing for those stairs.”
“I really appreciate this, Morgan. It will make climbing those stairs a lot easier,” Granny said as she stood. “I’ll put on some fresh coffee to go with that cobbler. If you two young people don’t mind, I’m a bit tired and I think I’ll go to bed. The new pastor was kind enough to say he would come out early to pick me up for his first sermon. Are you going to church in the morning, Morgan?”
“No, ma’am, I have a lot of work to catch up on tomorrow.” Morgan wondered if Rose was going to church with Clay and Granny.
“Remember, tomorrow is the day of rest, Morgan. Your work will wait until Monday. But I told Rose she should stay home tomorrow and rest instead of riding in the buckboard. She’ll probably be feeling more like herself next week.” She stood and kissed Rose’s cheek. “Keep an eye on the coffee.”
Morgan stopped digging long enough to say, “Thank you for dinner.”
Granny surprised him when she walked to the edge of the step, leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You’ve earned enough dinners for a month. Good night.”
“Night.” Morgan watched her walk in the house. Granny made him feel like a little boy who had done something good. He saw Rose watching him, and he said, “She’s some lady.”
“Yes, she is.” She waited for him to say more, but when he didn’t, she asked, “Where did Stevie go?”
Morgan scooped up another shovelful of soil. “I don’t know. But I wouldn’t let him take that horse out tonight. He’s in bad shape. And if you have any say over Stevie, don’t let him take that animal out for a few days. Stevie doesn’t need to be on a horse until he learns how to respect them.”
Rose never expected her brother would abuse an animal. But she didn’t doubt Morgan’s word. “I’ll speak to him.”
It was dark by the time Morgan finished his work. Rose had kept the coffee warm, and when he came inside, she placed a huge piece of cobbler in a bowl.
“Does coffee keep you awake at night?”
“No, ma’am. After a full day on the ranch, nothing could keep me awake.”
She placed a steaming cup in front of him. “You must be tired.” After spending time on the road with him, she’d noticed he was up before dawn each morning and went to bed late.
“I won’t have trouble sleeping tonight.” He took a bite of cobbler. “This is really good.”
“Thank you.” She sat across from him.
He noticed she wasn’t eating. “Aren’t you going to have a piece?”
“No, I get tired of eating my cobblers.”
Morgan raised his brows at her. “Really?” He didn’t know how anyone could get tired of eating something so good.
Once Morgan finished his dessert, he stood and reached for his hat. He hated to leave, but it was late and he needed to get home.
Rose walked outside with him, hoping he might kiss her again. “Thank you for everything, especially for the rail.”
“Thank you for the cobbler.” Morgan told himself to step off the porch and put some distance between them because he really wanted a taste of her for dessert. He didn’t listen to his little voice; instead he turned to face her. “How are the ribs feeling?”
“I’m already moving much better.”
“Good.” He took a step closer. She looked so pretty in the moonlight. Why couldn’t he listen to himself and stay away from her? He stepped back and settled his Stetson on his head. He removed his Stetson again. “Rose.”
She looked up at him. “Yes?”
He stopped thinking about why he shouldn’t do what he wanted to do, and took her in his arms and kissed her. He purposefully kissed her in a way that let her know she was his, in a way he didn’t think the wonderful pastor would kiss her. It wasn’t a first-kiss kind of kiss, and her response to him numbed his mind. Just like that day at the way station, she threaded her fingers in his hair, and held him to her as tightly as he was holding her. They were so caught up in the sensations of their bodies melded together that they were oblivious to the world around them. With some difficulty, and fighting against his own desire to continue, Morgan forced his lips from hers. He needed to put a halt to what was happening before he couldn’t stop.
His mind was struggling against his desire, but a sound behind him brought him to his senses. He heard someone walking near the porch. In one quick motion, he pushed Rose behind him and pulled his gun. His pistol was aimed directly at Stevie’s nose.
Stevie smirked. “Looks like I interrupted something.”
“Yes, you did,” Morgan said, holstering his gun. “That’s a good way to get shot.”
Stevie didn’t move. He stopped on the step and stared at them with undisguised hostility.
Morgan saw the hate in his eyes. Ignoring Stevie, Morgan turned back to Rose. “Thank you for dinner, Rose. I especially liked dessert.”
“Thank you for all of your hard work,” Rose said. She was sorry Stevie walked up when he did. Not only did she want more of Morgan’s kisses, but she felt things were left unsaid between them.
Morgan started to step off the porch, but Stevie didn’t move. Morgan brushed against Stevie’s left arm and saw he noticeably winced. He’d just taken a few steps from the house when he heard Stevie say to Rose, “What are you cozying up to him for? You better be doing it to keep the rope off Frankie’s neck. Aren’t you smart enough to know he’s just hanging around to get what he can off you, and to get to Frankie? Or don’t you care about Frankie anymore?”
Morgan turned around and stalked back to Stevie. “Whatever happens between us is our business, not yours. If you have any questions or comments, you can say them to me. But I better never hear you speak disrespectfully to your sister again.”
“You like to give orders, don’t you?” Stevie said.
“If that’s how you want to take it, that’s fine. Just remember what I said.” Morgan turned around and walked away. He heard the door open and close, but he knew it was Rose who had walked inside. There was no doubt in his mind that Stevie was still watching him. He didn’t like leaving Rose alone with Stevie, but he couldn’t exactly pick her up and cart her off to his ranch. He didn’t know Stevie well, and that was what troubled him. Rose had been away so long that she didn’t know him either. Morgan had a feeling Stevie could be every bit as dangerous as Frank, but not as overt in his actions. He wondered if Granny was afraid of her grandsons.
Granny said she was going to church in the morning, and Morgan figured Stevie wouldn’t be going with her. That meant he’d be in the house alone with Rose if he didn’t take off to look for Frank. Morgan didn’t like the thought of Rose being alone with him.
* * *
Pulling aside the lace curtain on her bedroom window, Rose saw Morgan light the lantern by the stable door. He led Stevie’s horse inside before he saddled his horse. She’d been so shocked by Stevie’s outburst that she didn’t remember if she’d even said good-bye to Morgan. She could see Stevie standi
ng on the step, so she wouldn’t go back outside. She didn’t understand what was wrong with Stevie, but tomorrow morning she planned to have a talk with him. If his attitude today was an indication of what she would face come morning, he probably wouldn’t stand for her butting into his business. But one thing was certain: She was going to demand he help Granny on the farm, whether he liked it or not. He wasn’t going to come and go without a by-your-leave, not offering a fair day’s work. He was a man, and it was time he started acting like one and assume some responsibilities. Obviously, Frankie would never be around again to lend a hand. Granny had cared for all of them in their time of need when she could have easily sent them to an orphanage. Now Granny was the one needing help, and Rose was going to see to it that her life was easier now. She deserved to enjoy her waning years. It was difficult for Rose to believe her brothers cared so little for Granny and didn’t respect the sacrifices she’d made for them.
The light by the stable was extinguished, and Rose saw Morgan ride in the direction of the pines. It didn’t surprise her that he wasn’t afraid to ride through there even in the dark. It occurred to her she’d never asked him what he heard when he rode through the trees.
Thinking of the many hours she’d searched for the people who sang the songs she’d heard as a child brought a smile to her lips. She wondered if she would still hear the songs these many years later.
Rose dropped the curtain, walked to her bureau, and picked up her Bible. Granny said Stevie no longer read his Bible and that troubled her. Hopefully, she could find a way to get through to him. She prayed it wasn’t too late to keep him from following in Frankie’s footsteps.
Chapter Fourteen
By the time Morgan got home and finished taking care of Faithful, it was near midnight and he was yawning. He still needed a bath, so once in the kitchen he warmed some water and filled the tub he’d carried from the back porch. He relaxed in the water and sipped his glass of whiskey. When he almost fell asleep in the water, he knew it was time to finish up and go to bed.
He walked upstairs in the buff with his holster slung over his shoulder, carrying his boots and hat. If he ever got married, he figured he wouldn’t be able to walk around as he pleased anymore. Small price to pay to have a family. As he hooked his gun belt over the bedpost, he glanced out the window. It was a cool night, so he opened the window and looked out at the bright stars lighting up the dark sky. Everything looked peaceful, and the only sounds came from cattle lowing in the distance, and the occasional hoot of an owl.
When he climbed into bed, he stretched out on the feather mattress, appreciating the comfort it provided. He wondered if the bed would be large enough for two people. Why was he thinking about that? He knew why. He couldn’t stop thinking about how Rose’s body felt pressed to his tonight. He envisioned her snuggled up to him in his bed. The cold winter nights would be more enjoyable with her beside him.
He closed his eyes, willing himself to stop thinking about how it would feel to have Rose next to him. Problem was, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. He was driving himself crazy. When he was finally able to get his mind off of Rose, he thought about Frank and Stevie. He was aware of Frank’s ruthless character, but it came as a surprise that Stevie was an exact replica. He’d always thought of Stevie as a young boy, but he had to be about twenty-two by now. No longer a boy, but a man. And he was a man Morgan found wanting in character, just like Frank. He’d never spent much time around Stevie, but he seemed to harbor a man-sized animosity toward him. It wasn’t much of a stretch to think Frank had poisoned his brother’s mind against him.
Morgan thought he should have paid more attention to Stevie over the years. It may not have made a difference, but there was a chance a man could have made a difference in his life. Now that he was paying attention, he didn’t like what he saw. After the way Stevie spoke to Rose, Morgan feared he could be a danger to her.
By four in the morning, Morgan knew sleep was a lost cause tonight. He figured if he wasn’t sleeping, he might as well be working. He got out of bed and walked to the kitchen to make some coffee. He wished he had some of Rose’s blackberry cobbler to go with it. When his coffee was hot, he poured a cup and carried it to his desk. It was a good time to catch up on his ledgers while he waited for daylight. His work required concentration, and maybe it would take his mind off of Rose.
He was on his third cup of coffee, and adding a column of numbers in his ledger, when out of nowhere, he remembered it was Sunday morning. And Mr. Wonderful was going to be at the Langtry farm this morning to take Granny to church. The pastor had made it a point to meet Granny when he first got to town. Probably thought he would get in good with her to make some headway with Rose. He wondered if Granny had invited the pastor to breakfast. He envisioned Clay sitting in the same chair he’d sat in last night. Rose would probably give him some blackberry cobbler. His cobbler. Granny said Rose had made it for him.
Morgan threw his pencil down and watched it skitter across his desk. He glanced at the clock. Time to feed the animals. He walked out the door and saw some of his men already at work. When he walked inside the stable, Murph and Joseph were opening the stalls, and he nodded his good morning.
Murph took in Morgan’s haggard appearance. He thought his boss looked like he wanted to chew through nails this morning. Normally, Morgan was cheerful in the mornings, so he knew something was wrong. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Morgan headed to the first stall. “Just got an early start this morning.”
“You might not scare the men if you shaved,” Murph teased.
Morgan ran a hand over his face. Murph was right, he hadn’t even given a thought to shaving this morning. “Dang.” He wasn’t going to go back to the house now. The men always told him he looked like one mean son-of-a-gun when he didn’t shave. Too bad. He’d just have to look mean today.
They finished caring for the horses, and Morgan saddled Faithful. “Murph, I’ll be back in a few hours.”
“I’ll keep an eye on the house,” Murph said.
Morgan was grateful Murph didn’t ask where he was going. He couldn’t explain what he was doing because he didn’t know. Who was he kidding? He knew exactly where he was going. He rode through the pines toward the Langtry farm. He figured he’d get there in time for breakfast.
As Morgan expected, there was a buggy in front of the Langtry house as he reined in. He dismounted and loosened his horse’s girth, and as he passed the buggy, he stroked the horse’s neck. Clay had been here long enough for the horse to cool down. He stood there with his hat in his hand, trying to decide how he could explain being at their door so early in the morning.
Granny opened the door when he knocked. “Good morning, Morgan.”
“Morning.”
“You’re just in time for breakfast, and the coffee is hot.” She motioned him inside as though she had expected him. “Come on in the kitchen.”
Morgan followed her through the house, half expecting her to ask why he’d come by. “Something smells good.”
“Rose and I are cooking flapjacks this morning.”
Morgan’s eyes landed on Clay, sitting in the chair where he’d sat the night before.
Clay stood and stuck his hand out. “Morgan, it’s good to see you again. I’m happy you and Rose arrived safely.”
Morgan shook his hand. “It didn’t take you long to find the best food in the territory.”
Rose turned from the stove and looked at Morgan. She thought his tone sounded abrupt. His appearance stunned her. He looked like he hadn’t slept, and it was obvious he hadn’t taken the time to shave. She wondered why he was visiting so early. Did his visit have something to do with Frankie? “Hello.”
“Rose.” Morgan noticed she was wearing a pretty yellow dress, and her long hair was arranged in a braid hanging down her back. It seemed to him she’d gone to a lot of trouble to look nice for Mr. Wonderful. The way she was staring at him, he thought his scruffy appearance might scare her, or perhaps
she was comparing him to the pastor. Clay definitely looked spit-shined this morning, and he was clean shaven.
Clay thought Morgan didn’t sound too friendly this morning. He wondered if the sheriff had shared his past with Morgan, and that was the reason for the less than sociable greeting. “The sheriff told me Granny was an excellent cook, and Granny just told me Rose is just as good. I couldn’t resist when they invited me to have breakfast this morning. Flapjacks are my favorite.”
Morgan figured Clay arrived so early to pick Granny up specifically to be invited for breakfast. “You arrived pretty early to go to church.” Morgan pulled out the chair next to the one where Rose sat during dinner. Maybe she would sit by him and not Clay. Morgan wondered who invited Clay to have breakfast—Granny or Rose.
Granny placed a cup of coffee in front of Morgan. “Did you change your mind and decide to go to church this morning?” Granny had a feeling Morgan was concerned the new pastor might take an interest in Rose. Good. A little competition for her granddaughter couldn’t hurt.
“No, ma’am.” What could he say? He’d told her last night he had too much work, and now here he was sitting in their kitchen getting ready to share their breakfast. “I’m not dressed for church. I’ve already been working this morning.” He glanced across the table at Clay. “Ranchers have to get up early and work, even on Sundays.”
“The Lord doesn’t care how we come dressed, as long as we come,” Clay told him.
Morgan had no retort; he couldn’t argue with the truth.
Rose was stacking the flapjacks on the plates, and Granny carried them to the table. She placed a huge stack in front of Morgan, and an equally huge stack in front of Clay.
“These look delicious,” Clay said.
“Thank you,” Rose replied, placing two more plates with smaller stacks on the table.
Morgan saw Rose glance at the empty chairs. Instead of sitting, she walked back to the stove and poured two cups of coffee.
When she returned to the table, Granny had taken the seat beside Morgan. Clay stood and pulled out the chair next to him. Morgan could have sworn that Clay pulled her chair closer to his.
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