Wild Texas Hearts by Tracy Garrett

Author:Tracy Garrett [Garrett, Tracy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prairie Rose Publications
Published: 2017-09-06T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Pa? Did you hear me?”

Wolf stayed where he was, leaning against the bedroom doorframe. He wasn’t sure his legs would hold him if he tried to walk. “I heard you, son.”

“Well, are we going? I want to see Raymond and Orville.” Cal looked from his father to Lizzie. She stayed quiet. The decision was Wolf’s to make, though he would welcome her input. Maybe she’d tell him what he wanted to hear. Stay home. No need to run into all those people who will remind you of Emily.

But staying home would be for him. Calvin needed to see his friends, needed something to return to normal. And the clawing of panic in his belly shamed him. “You’re right, son,” he gave in. “I guess I lost track of the days. Want to help me bring in the water for our baths?”

“No need.” Lizzie tapped a full bucket with her toe. “There’s probably enough here to get started, unless you want to fill a whole tub.” Lizzie pushed to her feet. “I’ll go check on the horses while you...”

Calvin took off his shirt and tossed it aside. Wolf caught her eye and reached for the buttons of his pants. A becoming peach flush climbed Lizzie’s neck. “Would you mind checking Scarlett’s shoes? She was favoring her right front hoof a bit this morning.”

“Happy to do it.” The look on her face clearly said anything to get me out of here before the bath-taking starts. She grabbed up her rifle and slid through the door as Wolf loosened his belt and let his trousers hit the floor.

Wolf went looking for her after the last bucket of murky water had been emptied. He found her sitting behind the barn, measuring the darkness and smoking a small ivory-stemmed pipe. The smoke-stained bowl was carved and decorated, the partial silhouette of a ship in full sail showing around her fingers.

“Where’d you find that?” He leaned against the rough wood, inhaling the night blended with the acrid scent of tobacco.

“Only thing besides my boots that Black Jack didn’t take and you didn’t cut to ribbons.” A soft, red glow lit her features, flaring with each hiss of air. “It was in the pocket of my buckskin jacket. Just lucky they didn’t smash it when they left their boot prints on my ribcage. I didn’t remember it until tonight.”

“How could you forget? Most folks I know keep better track of their tobacco than they do their money.”

She shrugged. “I’m not most folks.”

“True enough.” He declined her offer to share the pipe. “I didn’t know you smoked.”

“Don’t much. Only when I’m circling something in my mind.”

He couldn’t help wondering what she was gnawing away in that head of hers. None of his concern, he decided. “You plan on going into Civil with us in the morning?”

“Nope.”

He gave her time to elaborate, but she kept puffing in silence.

“Do you want me to pass any greetings along?”

“Nobody but Harvard knows I’m here. And probably Black Jack.” She took one long drag and held the smoke inside for a ten count.

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