long as she's on this ranch, and I take her into town as often as I can. Within another couple of years I'm going to build her as wonderful a house as she could have in Denver or anyplace else, and I'm going to have a piano shipped out here. She'll have fine furniture, all the trimmings. She's forming a ladies' circle, and between that and the kids, she doesn't suffer the kind of loneliness she did when we first got here. I promised you I'd make a good life for her, and I'm doing everything I can to make that happen. The ranch is getting bigger all the time. This last trip I made good money on the beef I took to Cheyenne. The buyer already told me he wants five hundred more steers next year. We're doing okay."
Katie smiled. "I don't doubt that, Luke. We didn't come here to question how you take care of Lettie. I just wanted to see my daughter and my grandchildren." She reached out and put a hand over his. "Just don't let the things you have to do to defend this place and your family make you too hard. Don't lose sight of compassion and fairness, Luke."
He squeezed her hand in return. "That won't happen. You just have to understand that out here, with some men, you have to make the first move or you won't be alive to make the second. If a man wants to protect his own, he has to shut off his feelings and do what must be done. That's just the way it is, Katie."
Kenneth smiled nervously. "You're quite something, Luke." He studied the faint scars left on Luke's face by the grizzly attack. "Listen, if you ever need a loan to expand, you let me know. I'll gladly lend you the money from my own bank. Just wire me in Denver. I think you're going to be quite a wealthy man someday. You've done a heck of a job, considering what little you had to start with."
"Thanks, Kenneth. I'll remember the offer." Luke glanced at Lettie, knew she was as anxious as he was to get this meal over with and be alone. He was grateful for her family's visit, overjoyed to see them himself. He knew how much it meant to Lettie. Still, he and Lettie had been away from each other for nearly three months. He longed to be alone with her.
"How about dessert?" Lettie asked. "I have apple pie that's still warm."
Luke watched her lovingly. It felt so good to be home, to be surrounded by softness and love again. What a contrast this was to a trail drive and buffalo hunters. Kenneth peppered him with more questions about ranching as they ate their dessert, and after supper the women cleaned up while Luke and Kenneth sat smoking and talking. All five Fontaine children clamored to sit in their father's lap, giving him hugs and kisses, asking a thousand questions. It seemed forever before Lettie's family finally returned to their own quarters and the children were all tucked into bed. Because of the extra visiting, it was nearly midnight before the house was finally quiet and Luke and Lettie were alone in their bedroom.
"My God, it's been a long day," Luke muttered, yawning and removing his shirt.
Lettie's heart tightened at the sight of bruises on his ribs. "You killed someone today, didn't you, Luke?"
He hesitated as he unbuttoned his pants, then sighed deeply. "He pulled a gun on me. They were a bad bunch, Lettie. One of them threatened to get back at me through my family. Nobody threatens me that way, especially when they're standing there roasting a hindquarter of my own beef over their fire and squatting on my land."
She walked closer to him. "I wonder if the day will ever come when I can stop worrying about you every time you ride out of here." She ran her hand over the scars on his chest.
"That day will come," he promised. He pulled her into his arms, then took the combs from her lustrous hair and let the deep auburn locks fall down her back. "I'm sorry, Lettie, about the things I've had to do. The Luke you know and love is right here with his arms around you, and right now all he cares about is being home with his woman. I miss you more every time I leave."
Luke Fontaine had changed, she thought. No longer did he agonize over