Wildest Dreams - By Rosanne Bittner Page 0,10

no. But Luke had already decided he would not take no for an answer, even if he had to forgo his plans to go to Montana for the time being and follow her all the way to Denver. He would keep after her until she gave in to what he knew were her true feelings.

"What is it, Luke?" MacBride asked him.

Luke drew in his breath, watched Lettie a moment longer before meeting Henry's gaze. "This seems like a strange time to tell you, but it won't be long before I'll be heading on north," he told the man. "I want to marry Let-tie, Mr. MacBride, take her to Montana with me. Do I have your permission?"

The man's eyebrows moved into a frown. He looked as though he had expected the question. "I'd say that was up to Lettie, son. She's a woman with a child now. It's her decision. But there are things you need to know."

"I already know about the rape. She told me during the storm while I was holding her." He felt a little embarrassed then, ran a hand through his hair and turned away. "Damn it, Henry, I love her. I told her so, and she burst out and told me how Nathan came to be." He looked back at the older man. "I don't care, Henry. It doesn't change my feelings for her. In fact, I admire her for her courage, and for keeping the boy and loving him like she does. Any man who would blame a proper young woman for something like that is wrong. All I see when I look at your daughter is a beautiful woman, capable of a lot of love, a woman of strength and courage and stamina. She's the kind of woman a man needs where I'm going."

Henry rubbed at his neck. "My Lettie is used to a very comfortable life, Luke. I imagine it would be anything but that where you're going."

Luke leaned closer, towering over the much shorter Irishman. "You have my word that I'll give her everything she could want, just as fast as I can manage it. Yes, it will be rough at first, but I think Lettie has the strength for it. In time I intend to be a rich landowner, Henry. I'll build her a nice, big home. Some day she'll be one of the wealthiest women in Montana, I promise you that. We'll write as often as we can—maybe not at first, because I don't know where we'll settle, how easy it will be to get word to you. But we'll find a way, so you'll know she's all right. We'll write the general post office in Denver. You can check there until you get settled yourself and send us a proper address."

Henry sighed, putting his hands on his hips, his cotton shirt still soiled from the mud under his own wagon during the storm. Luke also still had not changed out of his damp denim pants, but he kept a canvas slicker around his shoulders.

"It isn't just the danger in Montana I'm thinking about, Luke. It's Lettie herself." Henry rubbed at his chin. "What happened... well, she was a virgin. A thing like that is horrifying enough for any woman, but at fifteen, knowing nothing about men—"

"I don't intend to push her into anything, if that's what you're thinking. I'm not a fool, Henry. I've seen the fear in her eyes, but there's love there, too. I kissed her under that wagon, and she wanted me to kiss her. I think it surprised and scared her. Once she learns she can trust me and realizes how much I love her..." He sighed. "I'd never hurt her or do anything to bring back that terror. Surely you know me well enough to trust my word by now."

The old man's eyes teared. "We love her so much, Luke. The thought of being parted from our Lettie hurts, but considering her circumstance, maybe you're the best thing for her now. The boy takes to you like a bear to honey, and he needs a father. He's got too much energy for this old man to keep up with." He grinned. "You don't need my permission, Luke. You just need to get Lettie to say yes. She thinks she's not good enough for any man now."

Luke shook his head in exasperation. "She's too good for most men as far as I'm concerned, probably too good for me."

Henry put a hand on his arm. "You