wasn’t dumb. No matter what Em had said to him, she’d wanted him close. Now all he had to figure out was whether she liked him or simply hated night.
“I think I’ll go in and check on everything.” Suddenly Lewt wanted to face Em in the light. He’d always been good at reading people once he could look them in the eye.
Sumner said softly, as Lewt took the first step, “Son, if you hurt Miss Em, every man on this place will take a turn at beating you to a pulp.”
Lewt turned. “None of you even talk to her. I thought you didn’t like her.”
“We like her just fine. She just don’t like to have much to do with nothing but horses. Every man here respects her and gives her the space she wants. If they didn’t, I’d see that they were riding over the bridge heading out by dawn.”
“Does Em know this?” Lewt couldn’t believe she had her own army of bodyguards here.
“She don’t need to know. We know and now you know.”
Lewt reached the porch and turned back. “I’m not going to hurt her, I promise. I’m here to court one of the McMurray girls. That’s all I’m interested in. Miss Em and I can never be more than friends, and until a minute ago, I didn’t even think we were that.”
He stepped inside, not wanting to disturb the bedlam going on in the main room. Shy, pale Emily had been propped up with pillows on the long couch. She looked like she was fighting hard not to cry.
Boyd stood at the end as if on guard, and Davis knelt in front of her telling her the doctor would be here soon. He kept whispering, “Hang on just a little longer,” like her eyes might roll back any second and she’d be heaven-bound.
Mrs. Allender and Mrs. Watson were both there, but Lewt thought it odd that both Beth and Rose were missing. Shouldn’t they be hovering over their wounded sister? Then he realized Em wasn’t there either.
He moved down the hallway leading to the kitchen and found all three women standing near the mudroom whispering. They all seemed to go mute when he stepped into the kitchen.
All he’d heard of the conversation was Rose’s comment that “This has gone on long enough.”
“I just came in to see if I could help in some way.” Lewt said the first thing that came to mind. Emily obviously didn’t need any help, and even if she did, what could he do?
He didn’t miss the way Em looked at Rose before saying, “Thank you, Lewt, for the offer, but we stay with the plan.”
He had a feeling the last words were meant for Rose, because he had no plan. If he could think of one right quick, it might be to try to look invisible. He wasn’t needed in the great room, and he didn’t seem to be wanted in the kitchen.
“Yes.” Rose nodded once at Em. “We stay with the plan. It’s only three more days.”
“Three more days until what?” Lewt wished he hadn’t asked the moment he said the words.
For a long moment the room was silent as a grave, and then Bethie smiled her sweet smile and said simply, “Until the party.”
“Yes,” Rose added. “We were worried that Emily might not get to be at the party if she’s broken something.”
Lewt stared at the three women. He knew they were all three smarter than him probably, but something had dumbed them down to about plant life level. It didn’t make sense that they were in the kitchen worrying about the party when their sister and Em’s friend had been hurt.
Mrs. Watson rushed in to tell them the doctor had arrived. All the girls bumped into Lewt on their way to the great room. Before he could decide what to do, Boyd, Davis, and the reverend had been banished to the kitchen with him.
They were all complaining about how they needed to know what was going on, but Lewt didn’t think that was possible in a house run by women. He kept his mouth shut, though, believing fools should always hope.
The reverend took a seat at the worktable and cut himself a slice of apple pie so hot it fell apart before he could get it to the nearest plate.
Boyd began to pace. “This is all my fault,” he muttered to himself. “I should have been able to control the horse.”
“It’s no one’s fault,” Davis said. “We were all there