She saw an image of him in Emily’s frightened eyes now and it made her heart ache for him and for his child. What was the cause of the pain she’d seen in both father and daughter’s eyes? They shared so much love, yet a shadow of sadness seemed to hang over them both.
She felt a sudden longing to be able to lift Emily from Becky’s arms and cradle her to her own breast. The child looked angelic in her little white cotton gown, her chestnut hair curling down her back in a tangled mass. How confusing and scary all of this commotion must be to her, Katlyn thought, looking down into Emily’s innocent face.
“Your daddy is taking good care of all of us,” she said softly, hoping to soothe Emily’s fears. “He’s a very kind, brave man so there’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Bucky pulled a quilt over himself and snuggled down into the warmth of it. “Yeah, well, he didn’t look so nice tonight when he was starin’ at that Gar fella,” he said, his voice warm with respect. “He’d a taken on all those cowboys tonight, every last one of ’em, if they’d a gave him any more lip. They’d a found out they were foolin’ with the wrong man but fast. He had that look in his eye.” He rose up on one elbow and glanced at Becky. “Know what I mean, Beck?”
Becky nodded. “Yep. We seen him get riled a couple a times. Believe me, Miss Rose, you don’t want to.”
Her image of Case, looming over Gar, the threat in his eyes a warning without words, backed Bucky’s claim. “You’re probably right about that. But at least he managed to avoid a confrontation tonight.”
“Let’s hope he can do it again tomorrow,” Becky said.
“I’m sure he can and will.”
Bucky gave a mighty yawn and Katlyn bent to brush his wild hair out of his eyes. She kissed him lightly on the forehead, smiling at his grimace at what he considered womanly fussing, and pulled the quilt back up around his chin.
“I think we all could use some sleep,” she said.
“I know I can. I’m tuckered out,” Becky said. She shifted Emily in her arms and headed for the stairs. “’Night, Bucky.”
“’Night, all,” Bucky answered, dousing the lamp at his bedside.
Katlyn followed Becky and Emily to the stairs. She smiled when Emily offered Bucky a little wave over Becky’s shoulder.
“Emily,” she ventured, keeping her voice cautious and low, “I can carry you up to bed, if you’d like. Becky’s arms may be getting a little tired.”
Becky stopped at the foot of the stairs. “You are gettin’ to be an armful, you know that, little girl?”
Emily lifted her head from Becky’s shoulder and brushed the hair from her eyes. She stared through the semidarkness, searching Katlyn’s face. Katlyn held her breath, hoping with some inexplicable desperation that the child would give her this chance to open her arms to her. She smiled and held out her hands.
Emily started to reach back, then, as though someone or something silently forbade her, she shied away, clinging instead all the more to Becky’s neck.
Why her heart sank, Katlyn couldn’t have said. She knew Emily never responded to strangers, and she was little more than that to the girl. But the rejection hit somewhere deep in her, in a place where she longed to give the kind of warm, tender love her mother was never able to give to her.
“Are all of you still here?” Case said, coming up from behind them. Immediately Emily wiggled around in Becky’s hold and stretched out her arms for Case’s neck.
“Come here, you little scamp.” Case reached for his daughter and pulled her against his broad chest. “You should be in bed, you know that?”
Emily nodded, then squeezed his neck as if she’d never let him go. “It was noisy and everyone was shouting and I wanted you, Daddy.”
Katlyn looked down at her toes, blinking back tears.
The child in her, who never knew even her father’s name, felt the emptiness of never having had that kind of love. The woman in her longed to give it.
Case kissed Emily. “It’s all quiet now, honey. Don’t worry, everyone in the hotel is sound asleep. Just as you two should be,” he said, ruffling Becky’s hair, making her smile, and then herding her up the stairs ahead of him and Emily.
Becky chattered at him all the way, telling him about some game she and Emily had played that day. Katlyn marveled that the episode in the lobby only a short half hour ago seemed to have already fled Becky’s mind. Emily giggled a little when Case appeared to disapprove upon hearing of her sneaking into his bedroom and making his wardrobe her pretend castle, but he couldn’t keep up his stern expression for more than a minute.
Their togetherness made Katlyn feel like an extra wheel on the wagon. She so wanted to be a part of their lives, more than just the singer they relied on to bring in business. I might as well wish for a fairy godmother, she told herself. She could never forget it was Penelope Rose everyone wanted, not Katlyn McLain.
On the landing she turned to her room then paused before going inside and looked to Case, making herself smile. “I want to tell you how impressed I was with the way you handled those cowboys. It could have been—” thinking of the children she hesitated “—much worse.”
A low rumble of laughter rose in Case’s throat, never quite leaving his lips. “It’s hardly the first time, the girls can tell you that, although I’d like to make it the last.”
He shifted Emily so her head rested on his shoulder. “Are you tired or can you come with me to tuck these ladies in?”
Before Katlyn could think of what to say to his unexpected offer Becky pleaded, “Please, Miss Mc-Lain?”
“This has been an upsetting night,” Case added. “Maybe we could talk you into a singing lullaby.”
At that, Emily’s head came up off Case’s shoulder bobbing enthusiastically, her hair flying every which way. Becky echoed her with a beaming smile.
The sight lifted Katlyn’s spirits instantly, easing her sense of not belonging. “I’d love to.”
Side by side, Case and Katlyn walked to Emily’s room and helped the girls back into Emily’s bed. Katlyn kissed Becky on the cheek, but hesitated before moving to Emily. The little girl was so skittish and shy, would a kiss frighten her? When she turned to Case for guidance, she found him watching her with an intent expression on his face.
As though he read her thoughts, Case kissed Emily on the forehead and motioned for Katlyn to come near. “Miss McLain likes good-night kisses, too, sweetheart. Do you think we could share ours with her?”
Emily studied Katlyn for a moment then looked back at her father. “You first.”
“Happy to oblige,” Case murmured.
“Oh, that’s not—” Katlyn began.
Words deserted her when Case put his hand against her hair and gently pressed his lips to her temple. His mouth lingered against her skin just long enough to become a caress rather than a brief touch.
Katlyn hoped the dim lamplight hid the flush warming her face. Equally, she prayed it disguised the longing welling up in her at Case’s nearness. If he looked closely, she was sure he could see it in her eyes and she didn’t want to humiliate herself by letting him see how much he affected her.
“And now it’s your turn,” Case said to Emily.
“If she wants to,” Katlyn added quickly, determined she wouldn’t press the little girl into doing something upsetting to her.
“Okay,” Emily said in a small voice.
Her heart in her throat, Katlyn stepped close to the bedside and brushed a kiss on Emily’s cheek. When she pulled away, she saw a tiny smile.
“Can she sing now?” Emily asked. “I want to hear the princess song.”
“Oh, that’s my favorite, too,” Katlyn said. “I was hoping you would like it.”
Case sat back in a nearby rocking chair while Katlyn perched at the foot of the bed and began to sing. Silver moonlight from the window behind him coupled with the diffused gold from the lamp and cast Katlyn in a heavenly glow. It wove through her hair and warmed her skin, and lent her a serenity that enhanced the clear b
eauty of her voice.
Watching her for a time, he eventually found himself leaning back in his chair and simply listening to her song, feeling the tensions in him ebb. When Katlyn sang like this, from the heart, Case wondered how anyone could be unmoved.
Katlyn finished the last of the lullaby on a whisper. Glancing around the room, she smiled, finding she’d put her entire audience to sleep and for once, was glad to find it so.
After checking to see the blankets were tucked around Emily and Becky, she walked silently to where Case sat, his chair still rocking slightly. Eyes closed, his face was turned toward the moonlight so that the angles of his cheek and jaw radiated in the pure excellence of their forms. He dwarfed the chair, looking almost ridiculous with his long legs stretching far out over the rug at the foot of it.
She hated to have to waken him but she couldn’t leave him sleeping in a chair all night. Reaching for his shoulder, her hand slid to his cheek instead. She stroked the bristled side of his chiseled jaw, hoping her light touch would waken him before he realized the cause.
Before his eyes opened, his hand moved from his lap to capture hers. Katlyn swallowed a surprised gasp.
“I needed to wake you, you can’t sleep here all night,” she whispered, very aware of the pressure of his fingers against hers. “But I didn’t know how.”
Ever so slowly, Case opened his eyes and moved her palm to his lips. “Yes, my songbird, you did.”
Chapter Eight
Katlyn sat on the stage next to the piano and stretched out her legs. After nearly two hours of practicing with Jack, she nearly gave in to her yearning to yank off her shoes and fling them aside.
“Not a very ladylike position for the famous Penelope Rose,” Jack observed. He sat at one of the card tables, slouched in a chair, boots propped up on the table’s edge, flipping through one of the monte decks.
Katlyn made a face at him. “You should talk.”
“Ah, but I’m no lady.”
“No, you’re incorrigible,” Katlyn said, laughing.
Jack grinned back at her. “All part of my charm, ma’am.”
The door to the saloon creaked out a few inches and both Katlyn and Jack tensed at the sound, turning quickly to look.
Normally, they took any interruption of their practicing in stride. It wasn’t unusual for one of the other staff or hotel guests or even Case to stop and listen. But for the past two days, since Gar and his companions had arrived, everyone at the St. Martin had been on edge.
Sleep had eluded Katlyn since the other night when after singing Emily and Becky to sleep, Case had simply walked her to her door and bid her good-night with a chaste touch of his lips to her forehead. Her nights had been unsettled, disturbed by disjointed dreams of Case, of her mother, of Emily, of her own childhood and of dangerous outlaws.
The unwelcome visitors had already caused two minor scuffles in the saloon, had Becky in tears with their crude remarks, and disrupted Katlyn’s singing with their rowdiness and demands she sing several bawdy tunes. When she refused they joined in to sing them loudly and off-key, driving away several other guests.
Last night Case had finally demanded they leave before noon today, and Katlyn hoped they would be gone by the time she and Jack finished this morning’s practice.
The door edging open brought Jack to his feet, but before either he or Katlyn could react, Emily peeked around the corner. She froze when she saw them looking at her.
“It’s all right, Emily,” Katlyn said as gently as she could. She went to the door and knelt beside the little girl. “Did you come to hear us practice?”
Emily hesitated a moment, then nodded.
“Well, come inside. I was just about to sing our favorite song, the one about the princess and the prince and the dragon. I know you like that one.”
Getting to her feet, Katlyn stepped back to let Emily edge her way into the saloon. Emily seemed reluctant to go any farther than just inside the door.
Katlyn only smiled and moved back to sit on the stage.
“You know,” she said, not looking at Emily and keeping her voice deliberately nonchalant, “I taught Jack this song and he’s pretty good at making the dragon sounds on the piano.”
Emily looked doubtfully at Jack and back to Katlyn, who shrugged, barely glancing at Emily. “It’s true, even the fire-breathing sound.”
“You’re a good teacher, Miss Katlyn,” Jack said.
“Mmm…I don’t think she believes me. I suppose we’ll have to show her.”
Shaking his head at her none too subtle enticement, Jack started playing the melody to Katlyn’s princess song. As she sang the words, pausing from time to time for Jack’s dragon sounds, Katlyn noticed with delight that Emily began to move a little closer to the stage.
The little girl kept her back to the wall, but by the end of the song, she’d crawled under one of the tables near to where Katlyn sat, watching intently.
“I do like that song,” Katlyn said. “You know, I’ll bet you have a pretty voice, Emily. Maybe one day you’ll let me teach you a song and we could sing together.”
Emily said nothing but looked hard at Katlyn as if giving the idea serious consideration.
Encouraged, Katlyn started slowly singing a little Irish tune about a mischievous leprechaun, giving Emily time to learn the words and melody. Even though the little girl didn’t join in, Katlyn had the impression she wanted to, except fear or shyness, or a combination of both kept her silent.
Katlyn thought she even glimpsed the start of a smile on Emily’s mouth as she and Jack laughed over Jack’s mistake with the chorus when the saloon doors shoved open and Gar and one of the men with him swaggered into the room.
“Ain’t this a pretty scene?” Gar sneered.
“The saloon is closed,” Katlyn said. She deliberately moved to stand by Emily’s table, letting her skirts shield Emily from view.
She met Gar’s leer squarely, determined not to let him intimidate her.
“As long as there’s whiskey here, it ain’t closed.” Gar sauntered up to her and looked her up and down. “Maybe you’d like to join us. A shot of whiskey down that pretty throat might make you a little more friendly.”
From behind him, Gar’s companion sniggered. He was already behind the bar, searching out the whiskey bottles.
“The only thing that would make me feel more friendly is seeing the back of you as you’re leaving,” Katlyn snapped. Emily gave a whimper and Katlyn stiffened against the impulse to sweep the little girl into her arms. “Now get out before someone throws you out.”
“You heard the lady,” Jack said, coming up beside her.
“And who’s gonna throw me out? You?” Before Jack could react, Gar made a quick turn and swung a fist into his jaw.
Jack fell backward over a table. Katlyn, seeing Gar intended to go after him, snatched up a chair and flung it at Gar, hitting him in the ear and shoulder.
He cursed and whirled on her. But he took only one step in her direction, then a shot rang out, stopping him cold.
Case stood in the doorway, his six-shooter aimed directly at Gar. Tuck and Bat stood behind him.
“All of you out, now. Or I’ll be calling the sheriff to haul what’s left of you away.”
Gar returned Case’s unwavering stare and for a moment, Katlyn thought he would refuse and force a confrontation.
But at last, Gar jerked his head to his companion and they pushed out of the saloon. He stopped at the door to glare at Case.
“This ain’t over.”
“If you’re smart, it is. Make sure they leave,” Case said to Tuck and Bat.
When they’d gone, Katlyn let go of the breath she’d been holding, relief shuddering through her. She turned and knelt by the table. “You can come out now, Emily. They’re gone.”
Case strode up to them as Emily scrambled out from under the table and flung her arms around his neck. He gathered her close and asked softly, “Are you all right, sweetheart?”
Emi
ly nodded into his shoulder then lifted her head to look at him. “She hit him,” she whispered. “She’s as brave as the princess.”
“She did better than the dragon,” Jack said, coming up to them, rubbing at his jaw. “You got a pretty good swing, princess.” He grinned at Katlyn then winced.
“You’re going to have a pretty good bruise,” Katlyn observed. Seeing the stony look on Case’s face, she said quickly, “I’m not sure how brave it was. If you hadn’t come when you did—”
“Oh! Are you all right?” Becky dashed into the room and ducked between Case and Katlyn to touch a hand to Emily. Sally followed behind her, shaking her head when she saw the purpling mark on Jack’s face.
“Bat told us what happened,” Becky said. “I sure ’nough will be happy to see the backs of those varmints.”
“Why don’t we go into the kitchen? I think Tuck has some apple cider and cookies,” Sally suggested. She motioned to Jack. “I’ll see what we can do about that jaw of yours, too.”
Emily’s eyes brightened at the mention of cookies and Case reluctantly let his daughter slide out of his arms to take Becky’s hand. Becky led Emily out of the saloon, chattering to the little girl, followed by Sally and Jack.
Left alone, Katlyn and Case looked at each other, her gaze confused, his cold.
Then he abruptly turned and stalked off in the direction of the door.
“Wait!” Katlyn ran to catch up to him. She grabbed at his sleeve, tugging him around to face her again. “I’m sorry about what happened but you can hardly blame Jack and me for the trouble that rustler and his friend caused. You were the one who said they could stay to begin with.”
“I don’t need you to remind me of that. But Emily and this hotel are mine to protect. No one is going to take them away from me.”
“I never doubted that,” Katlyn said, not understanding his declaration. “Jack and I were only trying to help.”
“Well, you and your friend weren’t much help, were you?”
Katlyn pulled back as if he’d struck her. The hectic color in her face left over from the confrontation with Gar suddenly fled, leaving her pale. “That’s not fair,” she said quietly.
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