The Whippoorwill Trilogy - Sharon Sala Page 0,304

but the knowledge she was coming to accept. Eulis was gone, but he’d given her the one thing she’d believed was beyond her.

“Thank you, Eulis… thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

She never heard the sounds of someone approaching on horseback, or the thump of his boots hitting dirt as he dismounted on the run. It wasn’t until someone began pulling her upright that she realized she was no longer alone.

Robert Lee had awakened with Letty on his mind. It wasn’t anything unusual, because she haunted his thoughts during the day, as well as his dreams at night. Still, for some reason, today felt different.

He’d purposefully kept his distance over the last few weeks, knowing that it was safer if she was angry with him, than if she was overly sympathetic regarding his gunshot wound. Yet for some reason, his need to see her today was stronger than his fear that he would reveal too much of his feelings. And so he’d saddled up after tending his chores and ridden into town. He’d killed time at the saloon, bought some needed supplies, and ridden by the blacksmith to have a loose shoe replaced on his horse’s right hoof. Each time he stopped for a task, his gaze was drawn to the fine house just visible on the hill above Denver City. It was almost noon. He knew if he rode in during mealtime, they would invite him to eat. It would be a good excuse to spend some time in Letty’s presence, but with the distraction of all the other women to keep his manners in place. Once his horse had been shod, he headed for the road that led to Letty.

He’d smelled fried chicken as he was riding up to the front of the house. The windows were open and the curtains were blowing in the breeze. He could hear the sound of laughter and recognized little Katie’s voice, as well as Alice’s. He knew Mary Whiteside only slightly, but was getting to know her better with each trip. He knew Miss Delilah all too well, but in deference to her new lifestyle, pretended she was a new acquaintance.

However, despite the surfeit of females living in this house, his interest lay with only one. It was the fierce warrior-woman with the long brown hair and clear blue eyes that haunted him, and it was her he’d come to see.

He was about to dismount when he realized that T-Bone was standing at the corner of the house, watching him in a strange, quiet fashion. Usually the dog came running, anxious for a pat on the head, or a piece of jerky.

“Hey, boy,” he said softly, and clucked his tongue, thinking that the dog would come.

Instead, T-Bone turned around and disappeared around the corner of the house. He thought nothing of it until the dog re-appeared, again with that watchful stare. This time, Robert Lee remembered that wherever T-Bone was, Letty wouldn’t be far away. He settled back into the saddle and rode around the corner of the house, thinking he would find Letty at some job in the back yard.

At first, he didn’t see her, but then when he did, his heart came up in his throat. She was face down on the ground at Eulis’ grave, and from where he was sitting, appeared to be unconscious.

He spurred his horse forward, riding toward her at a lope. By the time he dismounted, he could tell she was crying. The sound tore straight through him as he ran toward her. Without a word, he lifted her up into his arms.

Letty was startled to find that she was upright and being cradled against Robert Lee’s broad chest.

“Robert Lee?”

He carried her to the stump and sat her down gently before dropping to one knee.

“Are you hurt? Did you fall?”

Without thinking, she cupped the side of his face.

“I didn’t fall. I suppose you could say I was indulging myself with a good cry.”

The touch of her hand on his face struck him dumb. For a moment, he couldn’t think—couldn’t speak—couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t until she dropped her hand in her lap that he came to his senses.

“Oh,” he said awkwardly, then stood up and stepped back. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll just ride on—”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Letty said, and held out her hand. “Help me up,” she said, and then grabbed his hand before he could think to pull back and hefted herself upright. “Lord, I’m shaking like an aspen.”

“Are