Texas Fever by Donald Hamilton

Author:Donald Hamilton [Hamilton, Donald]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Western
ISBN: 9780449141229
Google: HLF9l4P9DBcC
Amazon: 0449141225
Publisher: Fawcett Gold Medal
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Back home, Jean Kincaid drew the living room curtains against the hot morning sun. Her father did not seem to have returned from the courthouse, where she’d seen him last; at least he didn’t answer her call. She stood in the semi-dusk of the room, pulling off her bonnet and gloves, aware of Will Reese closing the front door and coming towards her. She turned to face him, smiling.

“Well,” she said, “that’s that!”

He didn’t understand what she meant, of course; and he frowned slightly. Then, as she’d hoped he would, he took her in his arms and kissed her instead of asking questions. As always, his kiss was rough and demanding; but then, older women had warned her not to expect much consideration from any man, in this respect. It seemed to be generally agreed that men were all selfish and thoughtless where their pleasures were concerned; and Will, she had to admit, was certainly no exception to the rule. It was clear that her life as Mrs. Reese was going to be no sweet and romantic idyl such as one read about in the books considered suitable for young ladies.

Well, she’d never taken much stock in those silly stories, anyway, having been raised in a country where a story-book young lady who swooned in times of crisis wouldn’t be looked upon with much favor. As a girl, she’d seen her mother die with a Pawnee arrow in her back—had held her on the wagon seat, as a matter of fact, since her father had been too busy urging on the wildly running team. She’d seen too many weak and kindly men broken by the hardships of the frontier, leaving their families destitute, to be cared for by neighbors.

Life was one thing and book romances were another. Will Reese might not be much of a hand at gentle courting, but he was a good man and he would, she’d been assured by the ladies who’d taken it upon themselves to advise a motherless girl, make a fine husband and provider—and if she didn’t snap him up, there were other girls in town both ready and willing.

Anyway, she wasn’t made of glass, and there wasn’t any sense acting as if she’d break, even though she might have preferred a relationship based upon a little more . . . well, respect and dignity.

“Will!” she said sharply. She freed herself, and turned away to rearrange the bodice of her dress. “That . . . isn’t decent,” she said.

He was silent for a moment. She thought he was angry; then he laughed and came up behind her to put his big hands on her shoulders.

“What’s decent?” he murmured. “We’re to be married, aren’t we?”

“Well, wait until we are.”

“Waiting’s hard on a man,” he said, a little sulkily. Then he laughed again, and turned her around to face him. “You’re pretty when you’re mad, honey.”

“I’m not mad,” she said, smiling. After a moment, she said, teasingly: “As pretty as that little Mrs. Bristow staying at the hotel?”

Even as she said it, she’d have given a great deal to recall the words.

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