Drew said. “I know,” Cole said. They had finished their meal and were enjoying coffee and brandy. “I will get my revenge.” “I know that, too.” Cole had had a buckboard waiting outside the arena when they finished their act. The minute they reached the hotel she had stalked off to her room without...
For years she had imagined him to be a slim boy with a merry laugh and dancing eyes, only to learn that he had grown into a tall man with a powerful body and an unforgettably handsome face. Yet before she could begin to assimilate the change, she found herself married to a morose and wrathful you...
Toby announced, “then find myself a girl.” After two weeks of hard work, they had finished breaking and branding the horses. Everyone had come to town to celebrate. At Tess’s insistence she had been left to visit with Mrs. Ogden. The little girl could hardly wait to show off her kitten, Fluffy. W...
Danny took up a position at the end of the table close to Ivan, his arms folded across his chest, his mouth set in a hard line, his eyes hooded and smoldering. “Morning, Kesney,” Carla said. “What’s so important that it brings you out before breakfast?” Carla’s voice and expression were so unenco...
Even though Serena hadn’t gotten up until noon, she had immediately sent her off on an errand. Though Delilah had been allowed to take the buggy, she still got behind in her work. Everything seemed to fall to her today. Worst of all, she couldn’t find Priscilla. The young woman had disappeared; n...
I will not invite Ira Smallwood.” “But it’s rude to invite Eliza and not her uncle.” “Next I suppose you’ll tell me it’s just as rude to invite one partner without the other.” “Well, it is, especially since both of them are clients of my bank.” “Then give a party at your bank. You can fill the pl...
Abby asked. “The best way we can help is by getting you back to the fort.” Bryce couldn’t decide whether he was more relieved to see that Abby was safe or angry that she could do something so crazy and suffer no consequences to make her understand how dangerous it was. To keep from thinking of th...
Lucas demanded. “I was merely offering Mr. Bemis a job,” Carrie replied with a self-satisfied smile. This old goat told us you were shooting up the place,” the sheriff said, indicating the wizened old man. “I did fire my pistol, but he’s exaggerating a bit.” Lucas’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “M...
As Naomi gathered their breakfast makings, she wondered what could have turned him suddenly so serious. “Have you changed your mind about me?” he asked. “What do you mean?” “You said the fact that I came to help you during the Indian attack rather t...
She was strongly tempted to stay in the large fourposter, but as she stretched with feline grace, she was drawn to the lifegiving warmth of the sun. Her room, at the front of the house, provided her with an uninterrupted view of the terraces that descended to the sea. It was a breathtaking sight,...
What other reason could he have? She made up her mind to ignore him. He’d soon stop. But he didn’t. He finished one tune and started another. It was bad. He couldn’t carry a tune, and his tone was breathy and unsteady. She didn’t know how he could stand to listen to himself. He must have a tin ea...
Louisa announced when they returned home. “I shall be in my room if you want me. Henry?” “I’m going to bed,” her husband stated succinctly. “Anything you have to say to me can wait until the morning.” Sibyl led the way to the front parlor, but she felt trapped when Burch closed the door behind he...
What a cruel trick of fate that the worst possible person should have been the one to walk through it. He didn’t need to step back from Maria. She’d jumped away from him as though propelled by a hidden force. He turned to see Dolores standing just inside the doorway. “How dare you dishonor my sis...
She’d looked forward to being his wife for the last several months, not only as something she wanted, but as the only way to save herself from her uncle, her chance to be something other than a piece of property to be handed from one man to another, to have a husband she could love, a home and fa...
Edward and Peter waited with him, but Martin had closed himself up in the library with another bottle of brandy, and Brett hoped he would stay there. As Feathers had so succinctly put it, “You shouldn’t have to speak to a cheater, but you can’t ignore the damned fellow when you’re his guest.” “I ...