Читать книгу Honor-Bound Lawman - Danica Favorite - Страница 15
ОглавлениеWhy hadn’t Owen told her about his family? Even though his explanation about not sharing his family matters in work situations made sense, Laura would have liked to think that their friendship had meant something to him. But, as she’d seen throughout the day, that friendship had only been an illusion. She’d thought of him as a friend; he’d seen her as a case.
How was she ever supposed to trust her feelings about people when she hadn’t been able to get that right?
They approached a sign announcing Fairweather Ranch, hay and livestock for sale, Robert C. Dean, owner.
“Is Robert C. Dean your uncle?” Laura asked when they slowed up.
“Was.”
With Owen so near, Laura could feel his long sigh.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” she said.
Owen didn’t respond as a house and barn came into view. The occupants of the house must have been watching out the window because the door flew open and two little girls, with hair matching Owen’s but in long braids, came running out.
“Papa!”
The tension in Owen’s body eased, such a dramatic physical change that Laura nearly lost her balance.
“Steady,” he said, a gentler tone in his voice. “Let’s not have you falling off with only a few yards to go.”
Laura almost made a comment about it being the change in him that would have made her fall, but with his obvious happiness, it seemed wrong to spoil things.
They stopped near the barn, and Owen got off his horse. His feet had barely hit the ground when the two girls wrapped their arms around him.
“You kept your promise,” the girl in the green dress said.
The other girl, wearing blue, looked exactly like her sister, and without the different dresses, Laura wasn’t sure she’d be able to tell them apart.
“I always keep my promises.” Owen bent and kissed his daughter on top of the head, then kissed the other one.
Though Laura had always known Owen had a tender side, seeing him greet his girls, and the obvious affection among them, made her realize that there was a great deal of depth to him she hadn’t known. True, she hadn’t known many facts about him, something she was becoming more and more ashamed of, but she’d been so certain of his character.
The harsh way he’d dealt with her earlier today had surprised her. It had seemed so unlike the man she thought she knew. She also hadn’t expected him to be such a doting father. All of her confidence about what a good man he’d been seemed based on her imaginings, not the reality of who he was. Once again, Laura wasn’t sure how to decipher the man.
Who was Owen Hamilton?
And would she even know it was the real him?
“All right, girls,” he said, laughing. “Let’s get Mrs. Booth off the horse, so you can properly meet her.”
His formality was just one more unexpected twist to the man she’d thought she’d known.
When her feet were touching the ground, Laura said, “Please, call me Laura. I don’t want to stand on ceremony here.”
The girls smiled at her shyly, hiding behind their father.
“Girls, please introduce yourselves.”
The one dressed in blue stepped out from behind Owen. “I’m Anna.”
“And I’m Emma,” the girl dressed in green said. “We’re very pleased to have you here.”
Laura gave the girls a friendly smile. They were miniature versions of their father, only in feminine form. She could almost see Owen as a child in them. Though she’d always considered the fact that her and James’s not having children had been a blessing in disguise, something about seeing Owen with his daughters created a longing in Laura that she hadn’t expected.
She would never have children of her own, a fact she’d thought she’d accepted, but somehow, these children reminded her of her lost dream. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to spend too much time with them while she was here at the ranch. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to spend much time here at all. She needed to get back to her boardinghouse. But also, having realized how little she knew about Owen had made her come to see that she was a poor judge of character indeed. People wondered how Laura could have trusted a man like James. She’d thought that her poor judgment had been a onetime mistake. However, Laura was starting to wonder if perhaps she trusted too easily and saw things in people too readily where perhaps she should be more cautious. She’d read too much into Owen’s care for her. And now she felt like a fool.
Owen had turned to the girls and was giving them the doll Laura had found. Her heart ached at the sight, and Laura started to turn away.
A woman came around the other side of the horse and smiled at her. Had Laura not been aware that Owen had a sister, she still would have immediately known that they were related. Lena and Owen had the same sandy shade of blond hair and the same warm blue eyes that made a person want to believe in them. But Laura didn’t know who to trust anymore. Though she still believed that Owen was credible when it came to upholding the law, when it came to their personal relationship, she had to remember that to him it was just a job. A fact she would also keep in mind when it came to Lena.
“Welcome. I’m Lena. You must be Laura. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you. We’re very glad to have you.”
Lena’s friendly smile made Laura feel like she’d known her for years. Of course, Laura had felt the same way about Owen.
“Thank you. It’s so kind if you to have me.” Laura returned the greeting with an equally friendly expression. “Owen says I’m not putting anyone out, but please let me know if I’m inconveniencing you in any way. I’m also happy to help with any chores you might have. I like to pull my own weight.”
The girls ran off with their doll, and Owen joined them. The look Lena gave Owen appeared to be one of doubt. She wondered what Owen had told his sister about her. Did Lena think of Laura as the spoiled socialite she’d once been? Or had Owen been more generous in his descriptions of her?
“You’re company,” Lena said. “You just make yourself at home, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
Laura smiled pleasantly. “I insist on being helpful. It’s the only way I could possibly feel at home.”
Owen looked at her like she was being difficult again. She supposed that as much as he tried her patience, she probably tried his. Funny that they hadn’t had such a battle of wills before. Perhaps it would convince Owen that Laura was a different woman now. It irritated her that she cared so much. Why should she care when Owen didn’t?
“If that’s what you want,” Owen said. “As long as Lena doesn’t mind. She’s the real boss around here.”
“Ha!” Lena glared at her brother. “Don’t listen to a word he says. Owen never did anything anyone ever told him to do unless he already had it in his head to do it.”
Owen grinned, a carefree expression Laura had never seen on him before. “I learned everything I know about being stubborn from you, big sis.”
Watching the siblings tease each other in such a familiar way made Laura feel even more like an outsider.
“Don’t you start,” Lena said, shaking her head. “None of us have time for your nonsense. You’ve still got the evening chores to do, and I need to get Laura settled. Supper will be ready soon, so stop your yammering and get to it.”
Owen gave Laura a look as if to say, See what I mean? then walked to the back of his horse, where he untied Laura’s small bag from the saddlebags. As much as she’d resented Owen picking over her choices of articles of clothing that he felt were too nice, now that she knew she was staying on a working ranch, she felt a little better about his heavy-handedness.
“I’ll just take this into the house for you,” Owen said, sounding a little gruff.
Laura smiled at him. “I can do it. It’s not that heavy, and Lena says you have work to do. I told you, I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”
He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but Lena shot him a glare, and he closed it again. Laura would have to learn how she did that.
“That’ll be just fine,” Lena said, taking Laura by the arm. “You’ll want to freshen up after your journey.”
They paused so Laura could take her bag from Owen, and Lena led her into the cabin. The porch was wide and inviting, with a pair of rocking chairs and a porch swing that looked like the family spent many pleasant evenings sitting here. Inside the cabin, the space was larger than it first appeared.
With a formal parlor and dining room, the front of the house looked like it would fit in with any of the nicer homes in Leadville or Denver. Certainly, it had the feel of the home she’d grown up in. She hadn’t expected Owen to be so domestic. One more piece to the puzzle.
“What a lovely home you have,” Laura said, smiling as she took it in.
“Thank you. Our uncle built it for his wife, hoping that such a fine place would make her happy, being so far from the city. Plenty of room for entertaining guests.”
It seemed there was far more to the story, but Lena turned abruptly and gestured to the stairs. “Your room is up here.”
Apparently, being close lipped was a family trait. At the top of the landing was a wide window, giving Laura a clear view of Leadville across the flat valley between the mountain ranges surrounding the area.
“It’s magnificent,” she said, staring. “You don’t realize what a beautiful city it is when you’re there, do you?”
Lena made a noise. “Too much commotion, if you ask me. All that noise, the smells and, oh, the mud. The city’s much better from a distance. But I do agree that it’s a nice view. Sometimes I like to sit here with my sewing. You’re welcome to join me.”
The first overture of friendliness from the Hamilton siblings since this ordeal began. Laura supposed it was just as much of a shock to them, having their lives upended so.
“Thank you. That would be lovely. I often sew with the women from church.” Laura paused, wondering about this woman she knew nothing about, yet felt like she should have. How could she have known Owen all this time and not met his family? Not even heard references to them?
“I wonder why we haven’t met socially before. I’ve seen Owen a few times in town at church, but you aren’t familiar to me,” she said.
A dark look crossed Lena’s face. “Owen is very protective of his family. We only go to small, intimate gatherings where all the parties are already known to Owen.”
She looked like she had more to say, but then she turned away.
“Your room is here.” Lena opened the door nearest to them. “The girls are across the hall, and I’m next to them.”
Stepping aside to let Laura pass, Lena pointed to another room. “That there’s a bathing room. One of our uncle’s attempts at pleasing his impossible bride. Has all the fancy gewgaws and gadgets rich folks pride themselves on. Let me know if you want a bath, and I’ll show you how to work it. We only bathe once a week, but you’re welcome to use it anytime.”
Laura stifled a smile at Lena’s disdain for the room. Or maybe it was the wealthy people Lena didn’t like. In particular, this hard-to-please bride she’d mentioned. Laura’d had a bathing room in Denver, but it had seemed too much of an extravagance to install one in her boardinghouse in Leadville.
When Laura stepped into her bedroom, she found it to be well decorated and a very pleasant space. Someone had put a great deal of effort into the quilt on her bed, and a beautiful cross-stitch hung above it. Lena’s work? Laura was almost afraid to ask more questions of her hostess. “This is wonderful, thank you. I’m sure I’ll be quite comfortable here.”
As she looked around, Laura realized that Lena hadn’t mentioned where Owen slept. And that all of the rooms upstairs appeared to be taken. “But where is Owen’s room? I haven’t put him out of his bed, have I?”
That could account for Owen’s sour mood toward her.
“Not at all. His room is downstairs, off the kitchen. Our uncle used it as a study, but Owen likes the location for making sure everyone is safe.”
Laura nodded. That sounded like Owen. “He’s very concerned with safety, isn’t he?”
“He has a right to be,” Lena said stiffly. “I’ll leave you to unpack. The water in the pitcher is fresh.”
Before Laura could respond, or even thank Lena for her hospitality, she was gone. Lena might have encouraged Owen to invite her to stay, but it seemed like Lena was just as closed off as her brother was when it came to answering Laura’s questions. So many secrets, and even though Laura was curious about them, she wondered if she’d be better off not knowing.
She’d already developed feelings for Owen once, and clearly she’d been mistaken there. What heartache would she face if she learned all the things about him that he’d been keeping private, and he once again didn’t return her regard?
* * *
Owen didn’t turn around when he heard Lena enter the barn. “Hand me that liniment over there, will you? Troy’s leg feels hot.”
A few moments later, Lena handed him the jar. They had a good routine, and it was comforting to know he could always count on his sister.
“She seems nice,” Lena said.
“They always seem nice.” Owen rubbed the sore spot on Troy’s leg. He shouldn’t have pushed him hard that last mile. He’d seen signs that Troy was tiring, but he’d been so eager to get home. Owen just hoped he wouldn’t regret that decision later, which he would if his horse went lame.
“She had a lot of questions.”
“She is a woman.” Owen looked up at Lena and grinned. “You should understand that better than me.”
“You care for her, don’t you?” Lena’s probing expression made him turn away.
The trouble with Lena was that she knew him too well. He couldn’t keep a secret from her if he tried.
“Of course I do. That’s my problem. I care too much. About everyone. I can’t care about the victims. You know the trouble it’s gotten me into before.”
Lena sighed. “I know, but you’re a good lawman. A good man. You and Sadie were happy for a time.”
He stood and looked at her, then recapped the liniment. “Were we? I don’t remember. I was so busy trying to keep her alive, and she said she loved me, and I loved how that felt. Being the hero. Which is all it is with Laura. I know how she looks at me. A man would be a fool not to notice. But it’s just misplaced gratitude toward the man who took her out of a bad situation and was the first man to be kind to her in a long time.”
Finished with taking care of Troy, Owen looked around the barn to make sure he’d gotten everything else done.
“Maybe if you didn’t push people away, they could get to know the real you and figure out if it’s love or not.” Lena gave him that stubborn look of hers. When they were kids, he’d have shoved her and then they’d have wrestled until someone yelled at them to cut it out.
But they were adults now, so he shook his head instead. “I thought we’d agreed we weren’t going to do any matchmaking for one another. I have my reasons for not seeking out another wife, and you have yours for not finding a husband. So let’s try to get through the next few days of having a single woman under our roof without your planning a wedding. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to ask my various single male friends out for a visit to meet my charming sister.”
“You wouldn’t.”
Owen grinned. “I would, and you know it.”
The long sigh escaping Lena’s lips told him that he’d won. Then she said, “I just think that you can’t let your bad experiences keep you from a potentially wonderful future.”
Owen picked up the saddle from where he’d hung it on the stall. “Great advice, sis. Let me know if it works when you follow it yourself.”
He was needling her, but she’d started it. Some of their childish ways would never be broken.
“I just came to tell you that dinner’s ready. Since we have a guest, I will be on my best behavior, and I expect you to be, as well.”
Lena winked at him, and he grinned. His arrow had hit its mark, and even though Lena was aching to meddle in his love life, she wouldn’t. Not now.
That was sometimes the trouble with being so close to his sister. It made it harder to be close to others who didn’t understand that a man’s best friend could be his sister. He and Lena had been through a lot together, been each other’s rock when they’d had nothing else.
Among other problems in their relationship, Sadie had been jealous of Lena. To the point that Owen and Lena spent a good year without speaking. The hardest year of his life. And, it turned out, Lena’s hardest, as well.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Owen said. “Let me get this put away.”
“Don’t take too long or else I’ll eat your dessert.”
She stuck her tongue out at him as she left the barn, and he knew she was giving him his space before having to go in and deal with Laura. His first time protecting her had been so much easier when she wasn’t questioning his every move and he could ignore the calf eyes she made at him. But now she acted as if he owed her something.
And maybe he did. He’d promised he’d keep her safe from James, which is what he’d been trying to do. But she was making it really difficult.
He put his tack away, then stepped out of the barn. The ranch was positioned so that they could see a rider coming for miles. On a night like tonight, with so much cloud cover and not much moon, a man would have to be crazy to ride out here with all the rocks and shrubs in the way. But James wasn’t a sane man.
Still, as Owen scanned the area and could see the lights from town dotting the distance, he felt a sense of peace. James wouldn’t be coming tonight.
When he went into the house, the family was already seated at the dining table, eating.
“I told you we weren’t going to wait,” Lena said before taking another bite.
“I didn’t ask you to. I’ll just go wash up.”
He could feel Laura’s eyes on him as he left the room. Not just her eyes, but the weight of those questions in her eyes. His appetite fled as he thought about having to sit at the table with her and make small talk about things he didn’t want to discuss.
When he returned to the table, the girls had nearly finished, and the ladies appeared to be eating more slowly to give him time to catch up. Presumably to give him company so he wouldn’t have to eat alone.
“Papa, did you know Miss Laura doesn’t have any children?” Anna smiled at him like she had a whole day’s worth of conversation to catch him up on. And she did, he supposed, since he’d been gone most of it.
“I do know that. And that’s probably not a polite thing to say about a lady. It might hurt her feelings,” he said gently.
Anna turned her attention to Laura. “Did it hurt your feelings that I asked if you had children? Papa says I ask a lot of questions that I shouldn’t, but how do you know things if you don’t ask?”
Owen closed his eyes for a moment and prayed for patience. Anna was an inquisitive little girl with a zest for life, and Owen didn’t want to kill that spirit totally, but sometimes, she made it difficult.
Fortunately, Laura didn’t seem to mind the impertinent little girl. She smiled at Anna. “It did not hurt my feelings. But thank you for being willing to consider them.”
His daughter preened at being validated in her questioning of Laura. If there were ever someone with enough questions to match Laura’s, it would have to be Anna. But Anna’s questions were easier to answer.
Lena set her fork down on her plate with a clatter. Owen looked up at her, and she smiled sweetly. A little too sweetly.
“Girls, let’s clear the table and let your father finish his supper. Miss Laura can keep him company. I’m sure they have much to discuss.”
She gave him another sugary smile before picking up her plate and leaving the room. The girls followed suit, leaving Owen alone with Laura in the awkward silence.
“You have a very nice home,” Laura said.
“Thank you. My uncle had it built for his bride.”
“I know,” Laura said. “Lena told me.”
He gave a nod, then focused his attention back on the delicious roast Lena had prepared.
“I find it interesting,” Laura continued, “that you both refer to her as his bride and not your aunt.”
Owen set his fork down. Small talk was not something he enjoyed, nor was he capable of it. Especially because nothing about his life involved small talk.
“That’s because we don’t like talking about her. She hurt a lot of people, and my uncle stayed here, hoping that someday she’d come back to him. She never did. He put everything he had into this place, all for her. But she never appreciated it. He was never bitter, so I suppose we’re bitter on his behalf. He was a good man, and he didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”
Something he and his uncle had in common. They both picked women they thought they could save, but in the end, they didn’t have that kind of power.
“I suppose that makes sense, then,” Laura said, sounding a little too cheerful. She was probably hoping this would open him up to more of her questions.
“So the girls’ mother is dead? I believe you said your wife died?”
Owen set his fork down and patted his lips with his napkin. “Yes. And that is all I will say on that matter. Please don’t bring it up again. With me, my sister or my daughters.”
He threw the napkin down on the table. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to—”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Lena said, reentering the room, carrying a pie. “The girls helped bake this, and we’re all going to enjoy a nice family dessert and chat about things.”
Had Lena heard Laura ask about Sadie? Her face was too innocent for him to be able to tell, but he had to think not. Though Lena liked to encourage him in that department, she’d never give a stranger such easy access to his pain.
“Owen, sit,” Lena said. “You don’t get to go off sulking tonight because your perfect little plans got ruined. We’re going to have pie and get to know Laura better, and it’s going to be fun.”
Emma sidled up to him. “Please, Papa. Auntie said you might even tell us a story about life on the trail.”
Owen shot Lena a quick glare. She knew he refused the girls little, and even though those stories were the last things he wanted to tell, especially in front of Laura, he would because the girls asked.
“Of course I will.” He pressed a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head, then he looked over at his sister. “Even though Auntie knows I don’t like to talk about those times, and she exaggerates about what a hero I am. But just as soon as I get this case wrapped up, we’ll invite my old friend Harold out, and he can tell you about life on the range.”
Two could play Lena’s game of torment.
Ignoring him, Lena turned to Laura. “Don’t believe a word he says about not being a hero. You can’t imagine all the wonderful things Owen has done, the lives he’s saved. He’s the best lawman you’ll ever meet.”
The smile Laura gave him made the dinner he’d just eaten turn over in his stomach. Back to the hero worship he detested. That was the trouble with people thinking he was so wonderful. Owen wasn’t that man. Just like Sadie had been all those years ago, Laura was over the moon about an illusion, not who he really was.
As a lawman, he’d made too many mistakes. Enough that he knew he didn’t deserve to wear a badge. Maybe he’d even been too prideful in keeping his promise to protect Laura. Could he keep her safe?
Looking around the table at the shining eyes directed at him, he wondered if he should have brought her here at all.
