Читать книгу A Cowboy Christmas - Janette Kenny - Страница 6

Ellie settled into the sleigh beside Reid Barclay, more than happy to put distance between herself and the nosy marshal. Heavenly days, the last person she’d expected to get trapped in a conversation with was the man who’d sworn to hunt down her pa and bring him in—dead or alive.

If her mind hadn’t been focused on the mysterious glint in Reid Barclay’s eyes and the jolt of sensual awareness his mere touch evoked in her, she would’ve paid attention to her surroundings. As it was, she’d rushed to the end of the boardwalk for a breath of bracing air and nearly bowled the marshal over.

Goodness, was Marshal Tavish always lurking in the shadows?

He certainly had been in Denver when her fiancé learned she was an outlaw’s daughter and ended their engagement. He knew her secret. But had he guessed her true reason for coming to the Crown Seven?

Ellie bit her lower lip as worry nipped along her nerves. She couldn’t botch this up, not when her pa’s life was at stake.

Her pa. She’d grown from being a little girl who adored her daddy to a young woman ashamed of what he was. But because she’d loved him with a daughter’s devotion, him staying away from her had hurt that much more.

He’d done it to protect her reputation.

But the truth came out anyway.

It stripped her of her dream of a family and cost her the coveted position in Denver she’d worked hard to achieve.

It forced her to seek a position across the country where nobody knew her. And it brought her here where she’d stepped into the role of another lie.

She could honestly say she didn’t regret it overmuch. It seemed unbelievable that she’d see her pa again after so many years of just hearing of his exploits. She’d be able to talk to him. She’d be able to spend a holiday with him.

As Reid Barclay guided the sleigh toward the depot, she inhaled the crisp, cold air and embraced this rare opportunity that had been offered her. Or she tried to, at least.

Mrs. Leach had assured her that Mr. Barclay was an equitable boss. But she hadn’t mentioned that he was a virile gentleman as well.

His nearness in the saloon had unsettled her to the point of distraction. But the occasional brush of his shoulder against hers sent warmth coursing through her body.

She was beset by a powerful urge to inch closer to him. That was highly improper conduct!

Why, she’d never been smitten with a man.

She’d been as intimate with her former fiancé as a woman could be with a man, yet he hadn’t roused such raw yearnings in her with just a look or casual touch.

This illicit reaction to a stranger had her cheeks burning with embarrassment and her mind cluttered with confusion. In fact she wasn’t able to draw a decent breath until he stopped at the depot and left her while he fetched her baggage.

Too soon he returned to torment her with his virility.

Heavenly days, she knew the perils of succumbing to one’s torrid desires. She’d not fall victim to that again.

As Reid settled her bags in the sleigh, she focused on what brought her to the Crown Seven. Despite what was printed on the wanted posters, her pa was a horse thief—not a cold-blooded killer. She had to stop him from making a deadly mistake and she didn’t have the luxury of time to make him see reason.

Even if she succeeded, this could very well be their last chance to be together as a family. She had to do this right.

She certainly knew how a household should be run, how to entertain frugally or lavishly. She knew what constituted proper meals.

The only problem was she didn’t know how to cook.

Mrs. Leach had assured her there was nothing to it. She wasn’t convinced of that then, and she wasn’t so sure now.

As she tried and failed to recall the first thing about preparing something as simple as stew, she gave in to a shiver. What if she couldn’t cook one edible meal?

“You chilled, Miss Cade?” Reid asked as he slid back into the sleigh beside her and his broad muscular shoulder settled against hers.

Heat blazed at his touch, sending flickers of warmth to dance within her. “Nothing more than a passing tremor. I’m sure the heavy blanket will stave off the cold.”

“I hope you’re right.” He flicked the lines and the sleigh smoothly glided forward. “One more stop to make and we’ll be on our way.”

“Good. It’s been a tiring journey and I long to—” Ellie bit her tongue, close to admitting she wanted to do nothing but rest. “I long to get settled and busy myself in the kitchen.”

“Reckon you do. Your quarters aren’t large, but you’ll find them above adequate.”

“I’m sure I’ll be comfortable.”

And even if she weren’t, she wouldn’t be at his ranch that long to suffer from a bit of discomfort.

As she’d told Mrs. Leach, headmistress Halsey expected her at the Falsmonte Academy in San Francisco the first of the new year. Ellie must not be late or she’d lose the once-in-a-lifetime chance to teach at the prestigious school for discerning young ladies. She’d lose the only job that’d come her way since the scandal.

“Mrs. Leach ordered holiday gee-gaws and reminded me several times that I was to pick them up while I was in town,” he said as he stopped the sleigh before the mercantile. “I trust you know how to dress the house up with them.”

“I’ve been told I have an artistic eye for such,” she said, relieved to be in her element again. “Do you usually decorate the entire house?”

“Nope,” he said. “Never celebrated the occasion before.”

“Surely you’re exaggerating.”

He shook his head. “I was reared in an orphanage, Miss Cade. There was scarce enough funds for food and clothing.”

How sad! Christmas had always been her favorite holiday, for it was the one time throughout her life that her pa made an effort to visit her, if only briefly.

He’d always bring her some small gift and regale her with wild stories of the West. He’d tell her he’d missed her and loved her and that he’d stay in touch.

But he never had.

She hadn’t seen him for three whole years. She’d feared he’d died. Then Mrs. Leach’s letter arrived out of the blue and gave her hope.

“Last chance for shopping, Miss Cade,” Reid said as he extended a gloved hand to assist her.

She rested her hand in his and secretly thrilled at the power encased in those supple leather gloves. This man might be a wealthy gentleman but he certainly was no dandy.

“If I may be so bold to ask, what has spurred you to celebrate the season now?” she asked as he escorted her to the door of the mercantile.

His handsome features took on a hard, distant expression. “We’ll be hosting a wedding at the ranch,” he said without a lick of excitement in his voice. “Seems fitting that the house look festive.”

A wedding. Another detail Mrs. Leach had neglected to mention.

“Who’s getting married?” she asked.

“Me. My fiancée will arrive in a week.”

That was the last thing she expected to hear. But it was just the shake of reality she needed to put a stop to these inappropriate thoughts of Reid Barclay.

“When will the wedding take place?” she asked.

“Christmas Day.”

One week from now! A bone-deep worry settled into Ellie.

Mrs. Leach hadn’t mentioned she’d have to decorate the house and prepare a wedding feast. What else had the woman kept from her?

“After you,” he said, holding the door open for her.

Ellie bustled into the warmth of the general store that overflowed with all manner of goods, as well as a goodly clutch of customers milling about. All paused to stare at the new arrivals, though the women barely paid her a passing glance.

He tipped his hat to a grinning trio of ladies huddled near the confectionary counter. Their soft, telling giggles had Ellie wondering if he’d captured the heart of the entire female population of Maverick.

He’d surely caught their interest, but then how could he not with those incredibly broad shoulders and long legs dressed entirely in black? And those eyes—

She’d never seen such an arresting blue that reflected her emotions back at her instead of revealing his own.

A robust woman bore down on them, her kindly face wreathed in a smile. “Good afternoon, Mr. Barclay. What can we do for you today?”

“Mrs. Leach said there was a parcel waiting here for me.” He nodded to Ellie. “Anything Miss Cade wants, just add it to my bill.”

“With pleasure,” the woman said, giving Ellie a critical eye this time before flouncing off into a back room.

Without another word, Reid took himself off to the section sporting all manner of leathergoods. Ellie appreciated his broad back and firm backside before moving over to a table laden with fine hand-knit items.

“Can you tell us about the latest fashions in England?” one of the trio asked as she sidled over to Ellie.

She considered that a moment. “It’s the cutting edge of hauteur, but as to specifics, I’m woefully unaware of what is in vogue there.”

One of the trio frowned. “But you just came from there.”

It was Ellie’s turn to don a mantle of confusion. “No, I just came from Denver where I’ve lived most of my life.”

The trio exchanged confused looks. “But aren’t you Mr. Barclay’s fiancée?”

“Heavens no,” Ellie said, stunned they’d assume so. “I’m a friend of Mrs. Leach’s and I agreed to assume her duties on the Crown Seven Ranch while she’s away helping her sister.”

Instead of understanding, the trio took a collective step backward in perfect synchronization that would make a chorus line proud. The censure in their eyes was as unsettling as the sudden hush that fell over the store.

“Have you and Mrs. Leach been friends long?” one of the women finally asked.

Ellie hesitated for a suitable reply, for speaking the truth would surely rouse Reid Barclay’s suspicions. She decided to expand minimally on a passing remark she recalled in one of Mrs. Leach’s letters.

“You could say that,” Ellie Jo said and affected a secret smile as if she were fondly recalling the past. “Mrs. Leach lived in Denver for a good many years.”

Two of the young women raked her with a condemning look before walking away. The woman that tarried pulled her lips in a thin line of disapproval.

“There’s no need to say more,” she said, and turned up her nose and joined the small klatch that had formed near the rear of the store.

How rude! Ellie was a heartbeat from launching into a lecture on the merits of gainful employment for women when the storekeeper stepped in front of her.

“Pay them no mind,” she said in a hushed tone. “They have nothing better to do than spread gossip, and would delight in causing trouble if you argue with them.”

Ellie couldn’t afford trouble, not now when so much was at stake. She turned her attention to the handmade woolens and gave the thick muff a longing look before crossing to the window.

Sunlight streamed through the panes and kissed the glass ornaments hanging on a small fir tree. She adored everything about Christmas. The carols sung with fervor. The gaily-decorated trees and sinfully delicious sweets.

The gilded and silvered Dresdens her aunt had imported from Germany were the rage among the upper class in Denver, but the homemade strings of cranberries and popcorn, and clusters of pinecones and berries dangling from ribbons brought back fonder memories of her youth.

She could just barely remember watching her mother sing as she decked the tree, but the mental picture was growing fainter as the years passed. She dreaded losing those precious memories, so the past few years she’d attempted to recreate them by stringing popcorn and cranberries—even if she hadn’t had a tree to drape the garlands around.

She’d had Mama’s cornhusk angel and her memories.

This year would be different. This would be a Christmas to remember for she’d have her pa to share Christmas with.

That was all the incentive Ellie needed to go forward with this deception. Even though she wasn’t what she claimed to be, she’d do her best for Mr. Barclay.

Ellie sought out the shopkeeper again. “Pardon me, but I’d like to buy popping corn and fresh cranberries.”

“There’s a bag of cranberries in with Mrs. Leach’s order. I’ll add a pound of popping corn to it,” she said.

Ellie rummaged in her purse. “I’ll pay separate for it.”

“No need,” Reid said.

She whirled to face him. How could such a big man, made to look bigger in that heavy sheepskin coat, come up on her without her hearing him? And why did she have to be so aware of him as a virile man?

“I don’t expect you to purchase my personal items,” she said and laid her coins on the counter.

One black eyebrow hiked up. “You aim to eat all that popcorn yourself?”

“Well, no. But I’ll use a good deal of it to decorate.”

“Toss another pound of popcorn in our order,” he said as he scooped up her money and handed it back to her. “I’m partial to popcorn, Miss Cade.”

She knew she’d been bested, so she held out her palm. “Then popcorn you’ll have, Mr. Barclay.”

He smiled a wolf’s smile that made her insides quiver with awareness, but when he dropped the coins in her hand and covered her palm with his in a time-honored gesture of affection, a jolt of sensual heat passed from him into her. She couldn’t stop her tremor anymore than she could ignore her body’s awareness of Reid Barclay.

In just the short time she’d been in his company, he’d made her feel more alive and desirable as a woman than she’d ever felt before. Surely he could hear her heart thundering.

He stepped back almost immediately, but the devilish twinkle in his eyes let her know he was aware of the effect he’d had on her. A new worry settled over Ellie, for the last thing she should do was court Mr. Barclay’s favor that way.

Yes, technically she had nothing to lose but her pride. But that had taken a serious beating lately. Surely a respectable rancher such as Reid Barclay would boot her off his ranch if he knew of her shady past.

Never mind she was deceiving him as well. No, she’d go to her grave with this secret, for the ramifications involved not just her, but Mrs. Leach and her pa as well.

“Fill a bag with licorice whips and peppermint candies,” he said to the shopkeeper.

“You’re spoiling that boy,” the shopkeeper said.

Reid snorted. “Not likely.”

Ellie glanced around the store, but she didn’t see hide nor hair of a child. Until she glanced outside.

A boy of ten, if he was a day, stood on the boardwalk looking in, his sack coat hanging on his thin frame and his bare hands fisted up in the sleeves. His cheeks were red from the cold, but his light eyes were fixed on the tall cowboy inside the store.

“Word got out that you’ve been helping him and his ma,” the shopkeeper said. “There’s been more talk.”

“Let their tongues wag. They need help, and I can give it. Simple as that,” Reid said.

“God will surely shine on you, Reid Barclay,” the shopkeeper said.

“He’ll likely send me straight to hell.” He hefted the large box of provisions and caught Ellie’s rapt gaze, but he simply nodded to the door. “Time we got on our way.”

“Of course.” She opened the door for him, then preceded him through when he chose now to stand on manners.

But she stepped aside in time to see him pass a small sack to the street urchin. “Make that last you, boy.”

“I will! Thank you, sir,” the boy said.

“There’s provisions in the store for your family,” Reid said. “You see your ma eats her fill.”

“She will, Mr. Barclay,” the boy said. “Ma is cooking up a storm on that new range.”

“That’s good.” He tousled the boy’s sandy hair. “Get on inside with you and collect that parcel.”

“Yes, sir.” The boy barged inside without a backward glance.

“That was a wonderful thing you did,” she said.

He slid her an impatient nod toward the sleigh. She sensed he didn’t want accolades for doing a good turn.

As he stowed their provisions in the sleigh, she was tempted to get in on her own. But he surprised her again.

Strong hands bracketed her waist, the thumbs pointing up to graze the underside of her breasts. Fire licked through her and she gasped as if truly burned by his touch.

He picked her up as if she weighed nothing, taking his own sweet time. Or at least time seemed to stand still for her before she felt the footboard beneath her.

Ellie was rendered speechless with the strength in Reid’s hands. Hands that could bring pleasure to a woman. Hands that weren’t immune to fighting. Hands that had known work.

The sleigh dipped as Reid climbed up and sat beside her. He surprised her by spreading a heavy buffalo robe over his lap and hers.

Those knowing midnight-blue eyes held a mixture of censure and amusement. But Ellie wasn’t fooled.

Pa was from the old school. Why if he knew the liberties Irwin had taken with her, he’d likely track down the man she’d planned to marry and give him jesse. If he saw the way she was comporting herself with Reid Barclay…

His long, strong thigh stretched alongside hers like a fire-warmed log, and his hotter-than-an-ember hip pressed to hers. A delicious heat spread through Ellie.

She had absolutely no trouble imagining how well they’d fit together as man and woman. But what shocked her was how much she wanted to feel Reid’s body pressed to hers with nothing between them.

Those were dangerous thoughts that could destroy her plans to start a new life in California. She’d never considered her wayward wants would be the obstacle to overcome.

She caught herself from leaning into the heat of him. Adhering to propriety would be a challenge around this man, especially since her thoughts seemed to stray into the dangerous and forbidden and he was a deliciously warm temptation she longed to cuddle up to.

Ellie listened to the steady ring of sleigh bells and focused on the reasons she’d agreed to take over Mrs. Leach’s position. Nothing like reality to chill these inappropriate thoughts of her boss.

“How long will it take to reach the ranch?” she asked as they left the town of Maverick behind them.

“Better part of an hour.”

Sixty minutes of sharing a buffalo blanket with Reid would test her endurance. There was nobody but her and Reid and miles upon miles of unbroken snow. Nobody would know if they held to propriety. Nobody but her conscience.

She’d failed to listen to it before. She vowed not to make that mistake again.

Though sitting close to him warmed her, she shifted to keep a respectable distance between them.

“You all right?” he asked.

She was chilled and nervous and so very lonely. “Just fine, Mr. Barclay,” she said, and willed her teeth not to clatter.

“You can call me Reid,” he said in that low, sultry tone that made her insides tingle.

A twinge of unease passed through her. He likely thought she’d offer him the same freedom to address her informally. But dropping those strictures could lead to loosening of other principles.

She’d made that mistake once. She wouldn’t do it again.

Still, she had to trot forth a suitable reply that wouldn’t offend. “Perhaps once we become better acquainted.” Which wouldn’t happen because she’d be leaving after the holidays.

“Fair enough.”

They lapsed into an easy silence after that. Ellie fairly bubbled with excitement over seeing her pa again. But she carried a good case of nerves as well. She only hoped that the recipe book she’d purchased would guide her should Mrs. Leach’s receipts fail her.

She fixed her gaze on the snow-packed plains stretching out toward the bruised ridge of the mountains in the distance. It seemed she’d been staring at the same vista for ages.

“How do you keep from getting lost out here?” she asked.

The ghost of a smile teased his ruggedly handsome face. “As long as it’s not snowing, there are landmarks to guide me.”

She glanced at the sky that threatened more snow and prayed it would hold off. “What if it starts snowing again?”

He caught her gaze with his solemn one. “Then we hope my instincts are right.”

Not a terribly reassuring answer, especially when the first fat flakes began falling. When the wind gusted and blew the snow right at them, she squirmed with the beginning twinges of panic.

She huddled into her hooded cloak and stuck her gloved hands up her sleeves. Still the chill seeped into her bones, for the brick at her feet had grown cold and the miniscule space between her and Reid seemed larger.

Out of necessity, she scooted close until the solid length of his body bumped hers. She saw nothing ahead but a wall of white. Even the sleigh bells sounded dull.

Just when she feared they were lost and would freeze to death, the snow stopped. The sun broke through the clouds as the sleigh popped over a rise and the ranch spread into view. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it certainly wasn’t the patchwork of corrals and buildings of various sizes and descriptions.

The two-story stone house was far grander than she’d expected to find in Wyoming, let alone a ranch. The design was distinctly Italianate, reminiscent of the mansions in Denver.

Bathed in the afternoon sun, it looked like a square-cut topaz set amid a stark white cloud. A true jewel of the high prairie, fitting for a prosperous rancher.

Ellie straightened from her huddled pose as Reid angled the sleigh around to the back porch. This must be the servants’ entrance, though the open terrace was larger than the front porch hanging on her uncle’s home and looked twice as inviting. Wouldn’t that man have a conniption fit if he knew what she was doing here?

She wouldn’t be here long enough for her uncle to ever know. Which was just as well.

Her uncle would like nothing better than to see Ellie’s pa hang, for he believed his sister deserved better than marrying a Missouri farmer. When her pa turned outlaw, her uncle’s dislike turned to abhorrence. If she lived to be an old woman, she’d never understand such hatred.

Ellie welcomed Reid’s help down and hoped her numb feet and legs would carry her inside. She took the satchel he handed her with fingers that were stiff with the cold.

Reid grabbed her trunk and carried it up the steps. “Hubert will see that you’re settled in, but if you need anything, just ask.”

“I will.”

She followed, leery of accepting anyone’s help so soon after arriving. Until she spoke with her pa, she didn’t know who she could trust.

The half-glass back door swung open, and a small wiry man of advanced years glanced from her to Reid. “Who, may I ask, is this woman?”

“E.J. Cade. Mrs. Leach’s friend.” Reid inclined his head the old man’s way. “This is Hubert, butler and all-around nosy parker.”

The butler’s face remained impassive as he treated her to a quick inspection. So much for being friendly.

“This way, Mrs. Cade,” Hubert said.

“It’s miss,” she said.

“Of course. Do forgive me for addressing you as one does the elevated female staff in England.” An odd smile flickered over Hubert’s face as he turned and walked into the house.

Ellie expected she would be given the room off the kitchen, but Hubert strode down the hall to a narrow rear staircase into the kitchen. She caught a glimpse of Reid pounding up the stairs with her trunk on his back as if it weighed nothing.

She wanted to follow now, for Reid would surely deposit her trunk and be gone about his own business. She wasn’t ready to part company with him so quickly, though she should. But Hubert moved at his own pace which was slower than slow.

To dart around him would be horribly rude. So she schooled her eagerness and waited in the hall that was at least warm.

“This way,” Hubert said at last, his features curiously benign as he stood at the bottom of the stairs.

“After you,” she said when she heard heavy boots pound down steps on the other side of the wall—likely Reid going about his business.

Hubert hesitated a moment, then mounted the stairs in that same metered cadence that chafed her nerves. He opened the first door they came to and stepped aside to wave her in.

“Your chamber, Miss Cade.”

“Thank you.”

Ellie stepped into a compact room complete with a bed, dresser and armoire. Reid did an injustice by calling it adequate.

Why, it was far larger than the room she’d grown up in at her uncle’s house. It was far more welcoming than her cramped garret room at the boarding house. And all this light!

Windows on two walls gave her a good view of the ranch outbuildings and lent the room a spacious feel.

She set her satchel down beside her trunk and crossed to the windows, thinking this vista surely rivaled any Christmas postcard she’d seen. “It’s a beautiful sight.”

“It has a certain rustic charm,” Hubert said. “You’ll find the kitchen in relatively good order. When Mrs. Leach was away, I availed myself of the facilities, though I am not adept in the kitchen.”

That made two of them.

“I’m sure I’ll manage.” Though she knew she’d need a good deal of luck when she prepared her first meal tonight.

“If you require meat or game,” Hubert said, “inform me and I’ll send word to Moss.”

“Moss?”

“The mess-hall cook,” he said.

Ellie heaved a sigh of relief as she pulled the pin from her hat and set it on the dressing table. At least she wouldn’t be expected to cook for a crew of hungry cowboys.

“Are you from England, Hubert?”

“Indeed. I was born in the Cotswolds.”

“What brought you to Wyoming?” she asked.

“My former employer, Kirby Morris,” Hubert said, and turned somber. “Would you care to inspect the kitchen?”

“I’d love to.” She tucked up a few stray hairs that had escaped her bun, then followed the little man down the stairs.

The abrupt change in subject confirmed he didn’t wish to say more about Mr. Morris. Ellie understood, for she’d never been one to talk about her past either. She’d divulged her secret once to her fiancé, and that brought about the end of her engagement and got her promptly dismissed from the Denver Academy for Young Ladies.

Still, her curiosity was peaked about Kirby Morris and how his very British butler ended up being in Reid’s employ.

She paused once at the bottom and tried to place the low hum of masculine voices deeper in the house. She couldn’t make out the words, but she recognized Reid’s voice. Who was the other man?

“Your domain, miss,” Hubert said, and she was obliged to join him into the kitchen.

“It’s lovely.” An understatement.

Though Ellie was a virtual stranger in a kitchen, she certainly appreciated the light pouring in the bank of windows. The cooking range was monstrous, larger than the impressive one her uncle had bought for his home. How she’d love to be able to cook appetizing meals on this stove.

Hubert opened a door along the back wall. “The pantry was recently stocked with essentials, though you may find it lacking certain items of import.”

Ellie stepped inside and gazed up at the tins and boxes of dry goods. A large flour bin took up the width along one wall. She ran a hand over the smooth tin surface, marveling it was as shiny as a mirror.

A door banged deep in the house, and a man’s string of curses carried clear into the pantry. “If I get my hands on that sonofabitch, I’ll string him up. Hubert!”

“Coming, sir.” The old man sighed. “Excuse me.”

The butler left, and she stood there gawking at the door as curses continued to fill the house. Reid sounded livid. What in the world had happened?

Ellie hurried across the kitchen and paused at the door that opened onto the main hall. She looked down it, but didn’t see anyone. The torrent of foul oaths appeared to come from a room near the front of the house. Common sense told her that was likely where Reid’s ranch office was located.

She certainly didn’t want to get caught touring the house, and strolling down the main hall would likely do just that. A door to her right stood open, so she stepped inside.

Of course. The servants’ entrance to the dining room. A long, dark table and more chairs than she cared to count dominated the spacious area. Her stomach pitched at the thought of satisfying so many palates.

She walked the length of the room, Reid’s curses becoming clearer. His office must be next to this room, and he must’ve expended his anger because the house suddenly fell silent.

Ellie peeked out the other door into the main hall. Across from her, pocket doors were open to reveal a very formal parlor dressed in the richest looking brocades she’d ever seen.

She cocked her head. All she heard was the pounding of her heart and the metered ticking of a clock. She inched into the hall, her fingers sliding along the smooth paneled walls to the half-shut door. A peek through the crack confirmed this was an office, and a well-appointed library as well. But was it empty?

“I can’t believe this has happened,” Reid said, answering her unspoken question and sounding terribly close.

Ellie crept back toward the dining room door, careful to be quiet. She certainly didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping.

“Did anyone see who took the stallion?” Hubert’s question froze her in place.

“Booth claims Ezra Kincaid was seen riding him hell-bent for thunder,” Reid said. “That old outlaw has got more guts than sense to pull a stunt like this.”

Ellie’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. She ducked into the dining room and flattened her spine against the door. Her mind reeled with what she’d just overheard.

This made no sense to her. According to Mrs. Leach, her pa was here to exact revenge on the cowboy who framed him for murder years ago. Why in the world would he draw attention to himself by doing something as stupid as stealing Reid’s horse?