Deadly Texas Rose by Lenora Worth

Author:Lenora Worth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2008-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

NINE

Julia woke with a start, her breath coming in shallow gulps. Her heartbeat hit against her temple like a mallet and her skin felt clammy and hot. Had she been dreaming?

Sitting up, she checked the dainty clock on the bedside table: 2:00 a.m. The vast upstairs bedroom of Cat’s house was lit by moonlight, the shimmer of the night filtering through the white lace sheers. Hurrying across the hall to check on Moria, she grabbed a lightweight robe and padded barefoot toward the open door between their rooms.

And that’s when she noticed the eerie glow in the sky.

Rushing to the window, Julia let out a gasp. The cottage was on fire. Turning to grab the phone, she called 911 then hurried to wake Cat, fear gripping her with a terror that seemed to suck the breath right out of her lungs.

What if she and Moria had been inside that house?

After quickly glancing in on her sleeping daughter, she rushed down the hall toward Cat’s bedroom. The door was open, so she hurried in. “Cat, Cat, wake up.”

Cat groaned, then rolled over, squinting toward her. “Jul? What’s wrong?”

“Fire,” Julia said. “The cottage. I’ve called 911. Get up, Cat!”

Cat rolled out of the bed with a precision that lived up to her name, landing straight up on both feet. “Oh, no. The cottage? But—” She grabbed at Julia. “Mercy-me, somebody set your house on fire?”

“It looks that way,” Julia said. “I didn’t have much left and this will take care of what I did have. Thank goodness we stored some things over here.”

Cat grabbed a pair of pink fuzzy slippers and a chenille robe, then searched for her cell phone. “Let’s get down there.”

“I’m calling Eric,” Julia replied, shock washing over her.

“What about Moria?” Cat asked. “We can’t leave her alone.”

Julia pulled Cat toward Moria’s room. “I’ll get her. I’d rather she was with us.”

“This will upset her,” Cat said as they jogged up the hall.

“I know, but I’m afraid to leave her here,” Julia replied. With shaky hands, Julia managed to get on her sleepy daughter’s slippers and robe, the scent of burning wood permeating the air as she urged Moria up.

“What’s wrong, Mama?” Moria asked on a groggy wail.

“Just a problem, honey. We have to get up now. It’s okay. C’mon, Mommy will hold you tight.”

Moria didn’t protest anymore. She fell into Julia’s arms and held on to her neck as Julia and Cat rushed down the long stairway toward the front door.

They could hear the sirens shrilling into the night, but Julia knew it was too late to save her home. The tiny cottage was engulfed in flames. Sparks and ember floated up into the night all around the house. “Oh, Cat, I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” Cat huffed as they reached the gate to Julia’s yard. “Forget the house. I’m so thankful you and Moria were with me.”

Julia looked at her cousin, seeing the bright tears in Cat’s eyes. “Me, too.” She hugged Moria tight, trying to shield her daughter from the brilliance of the fire.

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