“Let's just say, I'll believe it when I see it. She's much too young to handle my rascals.”
“And too pretty,” Maria added.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
She shrugged. “Perhaps she makes you uncomfortable.”
“That's bul-- uh, nonsense,” Luke shot back.
Maria looked at him for a long moment. She had worked for Señor Luke a very long time, ever since he'd built his home. He was a good man, but he'd changed so much since his wife’s death, blaming himself for her passing, turning a deaf ear to his children’s needs and the love they so desperately needed from him.
Guilt was a heavy burden to carry, and the sad part was that Ruth had been too frail for this country to start with, plus she didn’t want to be in Texas. But she’d loved Luke, and where he went, she followed, hating the thought of being apart from him more than she did leaving behind the comforts of her childhood home. Maria knew she’d never be able to convince Señor Luke that Ruth’s death hadn’t been his fault. It was something he had to work out by himself.
Señorita Shannon was nothing like Ruth, of that Maria was certain. The young miss hadn’t been appalled by the children’s disheveled appearance, or had she frowned upon bathing them, hinting that laborious chores and lack of comfort didn’t rattle her.
Noticing Señor Luke waited for her to comment, Maria finally said, “I guess we'll have to wait and see who wins.” She smiled. “Shall I serve dinner?”
Astonishment shown on Luke’s face for a brief moment, but he hid it quickly. “I'm heading to the dining room now. Where are the children?”
“I called them a few minutes ago. They should be in their seats waiting for you.”
Luke made his way to the dining room expecting to see a frazzled nanny and children who looked pretty much the same as when he’d left. Maybe a little cleaner, God willing, and nothing more. However, when he entered the room, he had to stop a moment and stare. He wasn’t even sure he was in the right house.
Swallowing back his surprise, he joshed, “What did you do with my children?” He resumed his stride toward the table. They were clean and, better yet, dressed in their Sunday best. He hadn’t seen them so clean and neat since before Ruth became sick, and he had to admit he liked the improvement. Maybe he should have bathed himself before dinner.
“It's us, Pa,” Toby said.
“So it is. Both of you look mighty fine,” Luke said as he sat down at the head of the table. “And what a lady you are, Miss Molly.”
His daughter brightened at his compliment then said, “You really think so?”
“Yes, ma'am, I do,” he told her. “I forgot what you looked like under all that grime. I think that I like you all dressed up.”
“We don't have to stay like this, do we, Pa?” Toby asked.
“No, not all the time, but it’s a nice change for dinner. Speaking of which,” Luke glanced around the room. “Where is your nanny?”
“She said she was very tired. S--so she went to bed,” Molly said, glancing furtively at her brother for help.
“Yeah, she looked real tired,” Toby agreed, unsuccessfully hiding a smirk.
“Well, I guess she did have a long trip, and then bathing you two must have done her in.”
Both children giggled as Maria entered carrying the platter of beef. Ada was right behind her with the bowls of potatoes and carrots slathered in butter.
“Let's go ahead and eat and let Miss Shannon rest,” Luke instructed after Maria and Ada left them to dine. “Miss Shannon can join us tomorrow night.” He served his children and himself then lifted his fork and knife when his gaze fell on the empty place setting to his left. Unbidden, a stab of regret moved through him. A Scottish brogue sounded in his ears, and he frowned upon realizing the meaning behind the sadness twisting in his gut. He realized that he'd been looking forward to seeing Shannon at dinner. And he was none too sure why.
Giving himself a mental shake, Luke cut into his meat. “What do you two think of your new nanny?”
“She's mean,” Molly said.
Luke raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
“She locked us in the bathing room and told us we couldn't leave until we had a bath,” Molly informed him. “I didn’t like that.” She set her fork down and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.
“She locked you in there alone?” Heat crept up Luke’s neck.
“Not exactly,” Molly hedged. “She was in there with us.”
“She scrubbed my face real good,” Toby complained, his chin jutting stubbornly. “I bet my face was plum red when she’d finished!”
“I don't call that being mean,” Luke told them. He reached for the gravy. “Sounds like she’s doing her job to me. You both know you were filthy and needed a bath. Your mother would never have let you get so dirty.”
“Well, Miss Shannon talks funny,” Molly complained.
“Aye. That she does,” Luke mocked.
“Oh no, Pa!” Toby rolled his eyes. “You're doin’ it too.”
Luke chuckled. “Just because someone doesn't talk the same as we do is no reason to not like them. Look at Maria. She doesn’t speak like us, and we all like her.” He smiled. “I have a feeling you could probably learn something from Miss Shannon.”
Unexpectedly, he realized he was speaking up for the woman he didn’t want around. He quickly changed the subject before he convinced himself to let her stay. “Now eat up. It's been a long day for all of us, and we need to get some shut-eye.”
Once the children settled down, Luke enjoyed his meal. Tonight, he noticed, that they talked more than usual at dinner. Each child told him their own version of the story about playing with the piglets, and how Miss Shannon had done this and that.
Luke tried to listen to them, but his mind kept drifting off to his new employee. He wanted to hear the sound of her voice, the lilting tones of her strange accent. He found her brogue very appealing, probably because it was so different from anything he’d heard around these parts. He really couldn't say he disliked the woman even if she had lied about her age. But she certainly didn't appear sturdy enough for this country. A flicker of apprehension coursed through him, thinking of his frail wife. Guilt tightened his throat as it always did when Ruth was foremost in his mind, and he sighed heavily. Would there ever come a day when he’d think of Ruth and not feel guilty?
Shoving her to the back of his mind, he turned his thoughts to Shannon. His nanny had thirty days to prove him right or wrong. Even if she was as stubborn as a mule, she’d see that he was right. In the meantime, he would have help with his children, something he desperately needed.
Miss Shannon had certainly made an improvement in their appearance, and she hadn't yet been here an entire day, Luke reluctantly admitted to himself. What would a full day with the feisty Scot be like?
“What you smilin' about, Pa?” Toby asked.
Caught in his daydream, Luke felt his face grow warm. “I was just thinking how nice both of you look tonight. I'm real proud that you’re my children.”
They both beamed at the compliment. Molly looked so much like her mother. Ruth would be pleased with the way they were growing up. And with that thought Luke’s smile faded. “Time for bed,” he announced abruptly.
Wasn't this what he'd employed a nanny for? Luke thought wryly as he followed his children to their rooms. Just like he thought, the woman wasn't strong enough to hold up out here; she hadn’t even made it a full day before she’d taken to her bed. He supposed he could cut her some slack this time, since she'd made such a long journey. However, the minute she began to look sick, he was carting her back to town.
After Luke had gotten his children settled, he went to his wing of the house and straight to the bathing room attached to his bedroom. The tub had already been filled in anticipation of his needs, and he was glad that the staff was on the job.
“Damn, my shoulders are tight,” he grumbled as he sank down into the steaming water. Hot wa
ter was exactly what he needed. Luke could remember how foolish he’d thought bathing rooms were when Ruth had suggested building them. Now he realized that he appreciated this small luxury more than he'd been willing to admit.
Following his bath, Luke dried off, wrapped the towel around his waist then strolled to the door connecting to his bedroom, thinking how quiet the house was tonight. It was quite a contrast to the normal atmosphere in his home. He wondered why the children had gone so willingly to bed this early. Normally, they fussed. Whatever the reason, he was glad for the quiet. It gave him a chance to think.
His thought also strayed to the situation in the Texas Territory. The political atmosphere in Texas had gone from peaceful and quiet to a general state of discontent. He had a feeling that there was going to be bloodshed before long. Santa Anna had made himself a dictator, and the Texas settlers were talking about freeing themselves from Mexico. Luke didn’t want fighting near his home, but he would fight to protect it if he had to.
It had taken a lot of hard work to build the ranch up into what it had become, and he’d be damned if he’d let the Mexicans take it over. Maybe his brother would have some news on what was happening once he arrived.
Shrugging off his worries, Luke blew out the candle and opened the door to his bedroom, the pitch black of night surrounded him. Evidently, the maids had forgotten to leave a lamp on for him. Stripping off his towel, he pulled back the bedcovers. They didn’t slip back as they normally did, but he didn’t pay it much attention. The cool sheets felt good as he slipped beneath them, and . . . whoa, something heavy was on top of the covers. As he reached out to feel what the object was, his hand brushed across warm flesh. “What the hell?” he muttered, springing from the bed so fast it was a wonder he didn’t break his fool neck. He stubbed his toe and saw stars as he fumbled to light a lamp.
He wasn’t quite prepared for the sight that met his eyes.
Red hair fanned out across the white covers, Miss McKinley was lying across his bed sound asleep. What the blazes was the woman doing here in his bed? The sight of her scantly clad body made his blood run hot. She was in her drawers for Christ sake.
Slowly, Shannon’s eyes flickered opened. She rubbed them, confused. Then she saw Luke standing before her, naked as the day he was born. She bolted straight up in bed and screamed.
Luke leaped across the bed and clamped a hand over her mouth. “For Christ’s sake, woman, quit that screeching. You’ll wake the entire house!”
Wild-eyed, she looked at him over his hand.
“If you promise not to scream, I’ll remove my hand. I’m not going to attack you, so you can get that fool notion out of your head.” When she nodded he uncovered her mouth and slid back off the bed.
“Fool notion, indeed!” she said, her voice indignant, though she wasn’t looking at him. “What are ye doin’ in my room?”
“Your room? What the Sam Hill are you doing in my room?” Luke barked back.
Shannon finally looked at him, her eyes widened, before she put her hands to her flaming cheeks and said in a lower voice, “I’m not that kind o’ woman, I’ll huv ye know. Put yer clothes back on, mon,” she added primly as she averted her eyes.
Luke glanced down and only then did he remember that he wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothes. “Shit!” He snatched up the towel from the floor and wrapped it around himself. “So what are you doing in my room?”
Shannon’s head was reeling. The man was stark naked, and had the bloody nerve to yell at her. She peeked between her fingers to find that he had, at least, covered himself. Slowly, she let her hands down, but in doing so loosened the shoulder strap of her chemise, exposing a breast. She squealed, yanked the strap back up, and grabbed the afghan that had fallen off her, then covered herself.
“’Twas my understanding that this was my room,” she said, her brow rose as she tried to look haughty.
Luke couldn’t keep his gaze from where her breast had been showing. Shaking his head to rid himself of unwanted thoughts, he said, “I don’t know where you got such a fool notion like that. Your room is in the other wing of the house with the children. That’s where the nannies sleep.” Luke came around to her side of the bed and stopped in front of her.
In spite of his anger and surprise, his body was acting quite the opposite. There was something damn strange about this woman. Why was he so attracted to her?
Well, hell. It was obvious.
With her hair hanging loose around her shoulders, Shannon appeared much younger than she had this afternoon. And quite beautiful in a way he’d not noticed earlier. “Just how young are you?”
“’Tisn’t a question one usually asks a woman. And if asked at all ‘tis how old are ye, not how young,” she retorted primly.
Luke raised a brow. “You did everything but answer my question. How old are you?”
“I’m one and twenty.”
At least she was a little older than he’d first thought. However she didn’t look it. “I should have left you in town.”
“Well, ye dinna, so yer stuck with me until the next stage comes,” she retorted in that sassy style he was coming to love -- and hate. Luke wondered if the woman knew how lovely she really was.
After a moment, Shannon calmed down. “Apparently, I made a mistake tonight by thinkin’ this was my room.” She wasn’t going to let him know that his little imps had tricked her. “If ye like, I’ll get dressed, and ye can show me tae where I do belong.”
Luke wasn’t quite sure what had gotten into him, but he reached out and brushed the hair from her shoulder before he could stop himself. She didn’t jump away from his touch, but he couldn’t miss her quick intake of breath. She was much too temping as she was now. For a moment, their eyes met, and he saw Ruth, and he felt as if he’d been doused with ice water.
Immediately, he stepped back, his emotions feeling as if they were tumbling over a waterfall and he had no control of them. And he liked being in control. “Look, you go ahead and sleep in here tonight, and I’ll sleep in your room.”
“Are ye sure?”
“Yeah, it will be easier. In the morning, we’ll get your sleeping arrangements straightened out.”
“Thanks. I was sleepin’ verra wull until ye woke me.”
“Apparently,” Luke said matter-of-factly, but he couldn’t help his slight smile. He headed for the bathing room, stopping to light a candle so he didn’t break his neck on the way to the other wing, but before leaving, he turned and said, “Enjoy my bed tonight. Tomorrow you’ll sleep in your own.”
After he’d left, Shannon pulled the patch-worked quilt back and slipped between the sheets. So this was Luke’s room, she thought as she stretched out amongst the pillows. No wonder it had seemed so grand. She glanced around before she blew out the lamp. The dark furniture was much like its master ... hard ... unmoving.
She could get used to this room. A slow smile touched her lips. She had to admit that Luke was one fine mon. Perhaps, he was a wee bit temperamental, but, she'd wager, with a bit of work, maybe she could loosen him up.
A cowboy of her own? And now she had one within her grasp, Shannon smiled again. He just didn’t know it yet. Of course, she'd have to make sure she could get along with his children. She had already seen they were quite a handful.
The little devils had purposely steered her into the wrong room. They might not have thought far enough ahead to think that their father could have taken advantage of her, but they had known that there would be fireworks. Shannon’s face still felt hot at the thought of the magnificent naked man. Of course, she’d only caught the briefest glimpse . . . but, oh Lord, the mon was muscular in all the right places.
Hadn’t she always said she wanted a husband and children? Now she had the opportunity . . . Well, sort of . . . the children’s behavior was questionable, and their father didn’t appear to want to marry anyone, much less her.
Then again, men didn’t usually know what they wanted when it came to home and family. Shannon s
miled. Unless a woman pointed it out.
She rolled over in bed. She’d felt her body react when Luke was near her and had to admit she wouldn’t mind having strong arms around her. What would it be like to be kissed by Luke? Was he as wild as the west? With such delicious thoughts tumbling through her mind, she closed her eyes and drifted into the land of dreams where she was in control of everything.
The next morning it took several minutes before Shannon remembered where she was, but as soon as she did, she slid out of bed. It was still early, and she wanted a bath before breakfast.
She was pondering just how she was going to accomplish the task when someone knocked on the door. Surely it wasn’t Luke coming to claim his room already.
Since she didn’t even have her robe to dress in, she wrapped herself in the quilt and went to the door. Opening it a crack, she saw a young woman dressed similar to Maria. The woman was more like a girl with long black hair dressed in a sky blue skirt. She had something draped over her arm.
“Good morning, Señorita Shannon. Señor Luke said maybe you like a bath and clean clothes.”
“Aye, ‘twould be wonderful,” Shannon answered gratefully. “Is that my gown that ye huv there?”
“Sí,” she said with a nod.
Shannon opened the door. “Come in.”
The pert girl, who looked about the same age as herself and with dark skin, swept in and placed the gown on the bed. “The trunks, they already are in your room,” she said, “but since you’re not there, Señor had me choose a gown for you. I hope this one is all right.”
The girl had picked out a yellow day dress – one of Shannon’s favorites. “Aye,‘tis fine. But I’ll huv tae put on my dress from yesterday tae go tae the bathing room in the other part of the house.”
“Oh, no,” the girl said, crossing to the door that Luke had opened last night. She opened the door and swept her hand inward. “There is a bathing room,” she pointed, “in here and the tub has already been filled, so you can bathe and dress in private.”
Western Seduction (The Seduction Series Book 2) Page 6