The Whippoorwill Trilogy - Sharon Sala Page 0,276

yours. If I say no, then you’ll most likely feel obliged to make changes, which are unnecessary as far as I’m concerned.”

“Good answer,” Letty said, and then laughed. “Pour me a cup of coffee when you get down there. I’ll be right along.”

“Sure thing,” Eulis said, and winked at her before he left the room.

Letty dressed quickly, choosing a clean pair of pants and a shirt and quickly braided her hair. She sat down on the side of the bed to pull on her boots, then stomped each one firmly as she stood. A quick trip to the outhouse and she’d be ready to face the day.

Until the arrival of Letty’s fancy cookstove, they were still cooking in the parlor, but the hand-made table and benches made serving meals much easier.

“Good morning, Alice,” Letty said, as she came striding into the room.

Alice smiled and then glanced at Katie, who was playing beneath a window on the east side of the room.

Sunbeams danced around her in the new light of day, making it appear as if she were surrounded in gold dust. It seemed an appropriate sight in this place where gold was worshiped more highly than God.

But Letty knew different. She was rich—richer than even her wildest dreams—and yet she could not buy respectability. Most of the time she didn’t care, but once in a while it might have been nice to know she wasn’t constantly being judged and found wanting. She’d been so conscious of living a life that was not proper, that she didn’t realize most of the dislike from the citizens of Denver City was based from jealousy, not a lack of respect. However, the world within these walls was where she felt safe, and she took none of it for granted.

“Morning, Letty,” Alice said. “Breakfast is ’bout ready. I made some flapjacks, but it’s the last of our flour.”

“If you’ll make a list, I’ll see about filling it later this morning.”

Alice glanced toward Katie again, before returning to her cooking.

Letty saw the look and was happy. Taking in this child had been the saving of both Alice and Katie. They were getting strength from each other’s presence.

“I’m going to the outhouse,” Letty said. “Be right back.”

“Okay,” Alice said.

Letty strode out of the house with purpose, enjoying the early sunlight and the fact that the long-sodden earth was finally beginning to firm. She side-stepped a couple of puddles at the door to the outhouse and then went inside and quickly did her business.

When she came out, she saw Eulis leading his horse from the shed. He’d already saddled him up, and was moving toward the back porch, obviously led by the scent of Alice’s flapjacks.

When he saw Letty coming across the yard, he tied the horse to a porch post and started toward her.

T-Bone was lying on the bottom steps, but when he saw Letty emerge from the outhouse, he jumped up to follow Eulis.

Letty smiled at the sight of her two favorite males, and was thinking what to do with her day when the first shot rang out.

T-Bone yelped, tucked his tail between his legs, and ran for the porch.

Letty saw the shock on Eulis’ face, then the blooming stain of red appearing on the front of his shirt.

She screamed out his name and started running.

Halfway there, another shot rang out, hitting him in the arm. When she was less than ten yards from where he stood, the third shot burned past her head and hit Eulis right above the knee.

His leg buckled as he was reaching for Letty.

Letty kept screaming his name as she watched him drop. Within seconds, she threw herself across his body in a futile effort to protect him, while scanning the boundary of the trees.

Eulis clutched her arm.

She looked down, and in that moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion. The tears in his eyes were startling. She’d never seen Eulis cry. His lips were moving, but he wasn’t making any sounds.

“Eulis! Eulis! Don’t you die,” Letty cried. “Don’t you die on me!”

He blinked—so slow that she thought he’d never open his eyelids again—then he looked straight into her eyes. Her face was the last thing he saw.

Letty heard the breath leave his body, and wanted to go with him. This wasn’t right! It wasn’t fair! Just when she’d found a good man to love he was taken away.

She lowered her head, and for a moment, they were touching, cheek to cheek. She could feel the stubble of whiskers on