Mama could pretty much hear everything going on in the old part of the house from this room. Maybe that’s why she made it her sewing room.”
“Maybe so.” Em locked the door behind her sister and settled down to her meal. She could hear voices from the dining room and it didn’t take long to distinguish every person.
The air in the room was still, but grew colder. Em collected three quilts from a corner and curled up in her mother’s soft chair. This was the room the girls would come to at night when the house was quiet. Their mother would be working late if Papa wasn’t home. They’d each grab a quilt and sit around her chair. She’d read to them, or, better yet, tell one of the stories from her favorite books.
Em loved growing up here. The warm memories almost erased her early days when they’d lived in Chicago. The days before Mama came to Papa. Em pulled up the footstool and decided this would make a fine bed for tonight.
“Good night, bird,” she whispered.
The bird didn’t answer.
Within minutes, the voices from the other room lulled her to sleep. With luck the week would pass without the strangers even noticing her. They’d be gone and she’d have peace once more.
CHAPTER 6
LEWT PRETENDED TO DRINK HIS WINE, BUT HE WANTED to be stone-cold sober at all times. Too much was riding on the outcome of this one week. He set his glass down and took in each person around the table. He supposed Duncan had hurt his pride when he’d said Lewt was the last man in Texas that he’d introduce to his cousins. At the end of this week, the ranger would eat those words. Lewt would fit in. He would. He’d play the part of a gentleman. He’d watch the family. He’d learn about ranching.
The food was excellent. He had a feeling the middle daughter of Teagen McMurray had a great deal to do with not only the meal, but the running of the house. She’d been the one to show each man to his room in what she called “the old part of the house.” Rose McMurray was striking with her long black hair and dark eyes, but he’d already guessed she was one of those women who didn’t realize her own beauty or its effect on men. He watched her play the hostess for the evening, making sure everyone was served. He could almost see himself married to her. He wouldn’t have to worry about her skills at running a house, and she’d be most pleasant to take to bed—once they were married, of course.
He almost laughed aloud. All this fresh air was doing him no good. He was starting to believe in his own dreams.
The youngest of the three had introduced herself as Beth, but Lewt noticed the others called her Bethie as though she were still a child and not a woman fully grown. She had wonderful auburn hair that curled about her pretty face. Her green eyes seemed to hold laughter in their depths. Lewt found himself smiling every time she looked at him. She’d give him beautiful children, he decided, since he was imagining. He could see himself dancing with Beth, and she’d be accepted and loved by all. Beth would always be the belle of the ball.
Emily, the oldest, didn’t have Beth’s beauty or Rose’s skills at running everything, but she did have a shy charm about her. Rose said that Emily loved horses. If he chose her, his house would be quiet and probably peaceful. Who knows, they might even build a summer place on the ranch so she could be near the horses she loved. She was also taller than her sisters, and he thought she’d look grand on his arm as they walked through downtown Austin.
As he watched Emily, he noticed she didn’t look up at Boyd when he talked of horses. Either she wasn’t as interested in horses as her sister thought, or she wasn’t interested in Boyd. The latter Lewt found more possible.
Lewt smiled to himself. Who knew, maybe he could outcharm both Boyd and Davis, and then he’d pick which girl would suit him best. He’d pay her compliments and carry her around on a pillow all week and by Thursday or Friday, they’d be making a trip to town to talk to the preacher. Or, if Reverend Watson hadn’t turned in his license when he retired, maybe he’d do the honors in this