Читать книгу Her Honor-Bound Cowboy - Linda Ford - Страница 6

Chapter Two

Emily fed the baby. It was a job that couldn’t be rushed. Then she clutched her little daughter to her shoulder and left the bedroom with her marriage certificate firmly in hand.

Mr. Joshua Baxter perched on the edge of the horsehair couch. She stuck the paper in his face. “Here’s your proof.”

He studied it at length then stared at her.

His hat balanced on his knee. His hair was the same brown as Cody’s had been, only thick and wavy. The dark brown eyes regarding her could have been Cody’s. No doubting this was the long-absent brother whom she’d prayed would never come claiming his rightful share of the place.

“I don’t understand.” He shook his head.

Poor man. He had a lot to take in. The shock of losing his brother, the surprise of discovering he had a widowed sister-in-law and a week old niece.

She could feel sorry about the first. “My condolences on the loss of your brother.” She really should have let him know but every time she picked up a piece of paper to write to him she changed her mind. If he didn’t know, he’d have no incentive to come.

“What happened?”

She sank to the rocking chair across from him, still holding baby Cathy. The baby nuzzled Emily’s neck providing comfort and strength as she faced her memories. Never had she expected her marriage to end so abruptly, and within months of saying ‘I do.’

“They found him in a coulee. His neck was broke. The Mountie said his horse had stepped in a hole and thrown him.” Her voice seemed to come from far away. “They said he died instantly.” She shuddered and forced herself to look at Josh.

He stared at her, his eyes full of shock and horror. “Who found him?”

“One of the Eden Valley cowboys.”

He let out his breath. “At least you weren’t the one. That’s good.”

She opened her mouth to reply and closed it again, too surprised by his comment to find words. Why would he care? Shouldn’t he be more concerned with his own loss?

“Where’s he buried?”

“The Gardiners have a little grave yard on their ranch. They own the Eden Valley Ranch. They suggested his remains be placed there and I gladly accepted.”

“Did he have a proper burial?”

“There’s no preacher in the area but Eddie Gardiner spoke some nice words over him and prayed a nice prayer.”

He twisted the brim of his hat and studied the floor in front of his dusty boots.

“It’s a lot to take in,” she offered. She turned Cathy toward him. “This is your niece, Cathy. She’s a week old today. Cathy,” she smiled down at her infant daughter who opened her eyes as if knowing she was about to meet her uncle. “This is your Uncle Josh.”

The man dragged his attention toward the baby and a smile slowly lifted his mouth. “She’s mighty small.”

She laughed then looked hard at Josh. For her daughter’s sake she meant to hang on to her share of this ranch.