Rhett Butler slunk out from beneath the bush.
“What in the world are you doing out here, you ornery cat?” she asked. “You’re usually tucked in tight with Aunt Gertie at night.”
As soon as the words were out, Reba grew concerned. She scooped up the cat, ignoring his hiss of annoyance, and hurried down the path toward the back door of the boardinghouse. She found Aunt Gertie sitting on the pathway with her walker toppled over in some rosebushes.
“Aunt Gertie!” She rushed over, but her aunt waved her away.
“Don’t go gettin’ hysterical. I’m fine. I just can’t get up.”
Reba put Butler down and crouched by her aunt. “Don’t move. I’m going to call an ambulance. You could’ve broken something when you fell.”
“I didn’t fall. I was worried about you and that intruder and got to goin’ a little too fast down the pathway and the damn walker took off and drug me down. So what happened? Did you run him off?”
“Actually, it was Valentine Sterling. And I’m still calling an ambulance.”
“No, you’re not. It’s my body and I’ll tell you if you need to call an ambulance. What was that man doing lurking around? I thought we were well rid of that Double Diamond boy.”
Valentine appeared out of the darkness. “Not quite yet I’m afraid, Miss Gertie.” He held out Grandpa Dix’s Colt .45 to Reba. “You left your gun in my room.”
“His room?” Aunt Gertie turned to her with accusing eyes.
Reba quickly got to her feet and took the gun. “Thank you, Mr. Sterling. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get my aunt inside and make sure I don’t need to call an ambulance.”
“I’ll help you.” Valentine leaned down and, effortlessly, scooped Aunt Gertie up in his arms.
“What are you doin’, you bounder?” Aunt Gertie swatted at his shoulders. “You don’t manhandle a woman without asking permission.”
“Would you have given me permission?”
“Hell, no. I can walk just fine.”
“And take away my opportunity to impress two beautiful ladies with an act of chivalry?” He glanced at Reba. “Where to?”
Like her aunt, Reba wanted to refuse his help. The last thing she needed was to be even more beholden to Valentine. But it was awfully nice to have her aunt fussing at someone else besides her.
“Take her to her room.” As soon as he headed toward the back door with her still fuming aunt, Reba untangled the walker and scooped up Butler. The cat didn’t look happy about it, but at least he didn’t hiss this time. As soon as they got to Aunt Gertie’s room, he jumped out of her arms and up into his spot on the window seat while Valentine placed her angry aunt on the bed.
“You are just like all the Double Diamond boys,” she snapped. “None of you bad boys have ever taken a woman’s desires into consideration. You just do whatever you please.”
“Now, Aunt Gertie,” Reba said as she placed the heavy gun on her aunt’s dresser. “Quit being so ornery when someone is only trying to help you.”
“I don’t need help. I could’ve walked just fine by myself. You can sell that chivalry hogwash to someone else, young man, because I’m too old to fall for it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her aunt a slight bow before he turned to Reba. “She seems like she’s fine to me, but if you decide to call an ambulance and need me to drive you to the hospital or keep an eye on things here, just let me know.”
She wasn’t used to Valentine being nice so it took her a moment to be gracious. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you at breakfast.” He smiled. “Ten o’clock on the dot.”
As soon as his words were out, Reba closed her eyes and cringed.
“Ten o’clock?” her aunt jumped in. “We don’t serve breakfast at ten o’clock. We serve it at eight-thirty, which explains why you’ve missed it the entire time you’ve been here. If you don’t want to miss it again, you’ll need to be in the dining room at eight-thirty and not a second later.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He winked at Reba before he walked out of the room.
Aunt Gertie snorted. “I hope you’re not fooled by that Double Diamond charm, Reba.”
“I know better than to be charmed by any man, Aunt Gertie.” But even as she said the words, she couldn’t help feeling a little charmed by Valentine’s chivalry.
Before she went back to the cottage, Reba checked her aunt over to make sure she was really all right. Besides two