Thirteen

Later ended up being right after supper, to which Luke had wrangled an invitation. That Glory didn’t deny his request for a walk afterward tied his tongue in knots. The dying twilight created its own brand of magic in her beautiful features.

“I’m going to miss Hope’s cooking,” he managed weakly.

“Does your leaving have anything to do with the people who might’ve framed you?”

“I’d rather not say.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Can’t for certain reasons.”

“You said you’d be back though?”

“Would it make any difference?” Luke watched her closely. Dare he construe the slight pause, as if breathing had become a command rather than a reflex, as proof?

“Just asking. No reason.”

This bouncing-ball exchange appeared to have more of a dodging nature. He wished for courage to ask the direction of her desires. Except he couldn’t bear spoken aloud what he already knew. She didn’t desire him in the same way he desired her. And should he not return? His heart pounded, protesting the thought of never seeing her again.

He propped his boot heel on the fence rail and stared up at the North Star. He’d found his, but notwithstanding some miracle, he couldn’t tell her so. She didn’t feel that way about him—and he had nothing to offer her.

“I delivered Perkins’s remains to Bailey. He asked more questions than your newspaper friend.”

“Folks are bound to wonder. Can’t fault them for that.”

“I can when they base the opinions they’ve already formed about me on mere speculation.”

“Human nature, I suppose.” She grew pensive. “Hanging must be a terrible way to die.”

“I’ve seen plenty enough to know I never want to find out firsthand.” Including some near rope parties in his sister-in-law’s case. Duel’s appearance that night saved him from having to put some lead into half the town of El Paso—at least the part intending to lynch Jessie.

Glory lifted Miss Minnie, stroking the soft fur. “I sometimes think about what happens when a body reaches the end of his life.”

Did she refer to herself or her father? It frustrated the hell out of him that he couldn’t make all her worries disappear. At least he had it in his power to help with one small thing after tonight. The sacrifice would end everything. So be it.

“Do you ever give any thought to what you’d want as an epitaph, Glory?” Saying the name that occupied his waking moments more and more gave him pleasure. If she noticed he’d started dropping the “miss” of late, she hadn’t objected.

“Hell’s bells! What a morbid subject!”

“I take that as a no.” He settled his shoulder against hers, enjoying the intimate touch. “Don’t tell me you haven’t at least considered death when you’re lying in bed at night with nothing but the sound of your own breathing for company.”

“My day is filled with too much work to waste with idle thoughts.”

“But what about the nights?” He let his tone drop to a bare whisper. “Are they filled as well?”

She tensed and Luke kicked himself. That was something no gentleman should ask a lady. An apology formed in his mind, but never reached his lips. Glory jerked away and kicked a clump of dead grass with her toe. The rising full moon behind framed her livid features.

Her angry words were clipped. “She lived. She died. End of story. That’s all.”

Despite knowing trouble when he saw it, he pressed. “You don’t expect anyone to care, do you? Or is it you’re too afraid to find out there’s more?”

The tremble of her chin sent jolting pain through him. He wanted to hold her in his arms and prove life held passion and happiness and time for laughing. Ha, such boldness for a man who could offer nothing other than wispy daydreams. He couldn’t even bring Perkins in alive.

He leaned forward and clasped his hands together to keep from reaching for her. “This is what I want—Here lies Luke McClain, he was one hell of a lawman. He fought injustice and crime wherever he found it. He gave generously of himself to make the world a safer place. He lived well and loved hard. He will be missed.”

“My stars, Luke! A tombstone only has so much room. You can’t write a darn book.”

That didn’t matter a hoot to him. He had her smiling again. Did she realize what she’d said? He liked the sound of “Luke” on her lips.

“It is a little long-winded, isn’t it? How about just the ‘lived well, loved hard, and will be missed’ part?”

She shrugged. “Don’t make any difference to me. It’s your epitaph.”

Her brusque tone didn’t fool him. He began to suspect a thing or two about Miss Glory Day.

“You won’t miss me even a bit?”

“Oh my goodness, look how late it’s getting. I’d better go in before—”

“Wait.” His plea stopped her. “Please, a minute longer?”

“Make it quick, McClain.” She turned to face him.

“Do you have a problem seeing?” he blurted.

The sharp intake of breath told Luke he’d hit a sore spot.

Her voice was tight. “I would think a fellow in your shoes would keep his nose from where it didn’t belong.”

Luke grinned. “Actually, I’m not as curious as my sister. Victoria can ask more questions than anyone I know. And then there’s Bart, a good friend down El Paso way. He’s a regular—”

“It isn’t any of your business if I am…which I’m not!” she spat.

“Mind if I see for myself? Bet you can’t nick that chopping block over there.”

“I can too.” She accepted his Colt, tested the weight, took aim, fired.

And missed.

Luke lifted an eyebrow. The unfamiliar fear fanning out in his chest was different from the way he had felt when he had to arrest Jessie for murdering Jeremiah Foltry. In what manner he couldn’t tell. Though he’d watched Glory stumble on occasion and have trouble reading, he laid it to a number of reasons.

He hadn’t wanted the confirmation.

One more thing he couldn’t fix.

“If I had my Winchester…if it wasn’t almost dark.”

The door to the house flew open. Hope and Patience stood on the porch.

“Glory, did you have to go and shoot him again?” Squirt called.

He glanced at his flustered companion. “I’m all right, Punkin. She was only practicing so she could do a better job next time.”

“Go back inside. If I decide to put another hole in him, I’ll sell tickets,” she told her sisters.

His grin died a quick death when she cocked the hammer, lining up another bullet in the chamber. He held up his hands. “Hey, hold it. I’m an unarmed cripple.”

In reply, she steadied her arm and sent another chunk of lead toward the offending target.

And missed again.

“You want me to move the blasted thing closer?” He tried to joke away the look of devastation that reminded him too much of his father’s grief when he laid their mother into the ground.

The withering glare left no need for words.

“How long did you think you could keep this secret?” he asked quietly.

“Long as I had to. I hope you’re satisfied.” She handed the weapon back to him, the quiver of her chin betraying the struggle for control.

“It’s all right if you cry.” He prayed his calm gentleness soothed her in some way.

“Tears are for weaklings, a luxury I can’t afford.”

Luke pulled her against him. “I wouldn’t want it getting around, but I’ve been known to shed a few on occasion.” Hell, he’d cried when Jessie rode off with his brother. He sure felt like it again right now. “Despite saying the only reason you tracked me was the reward—”

“I admitted nothing of the sort. And supposing I did, would it alter anything?”

That settled it. She had no use for a man without means.

“Probably not,” he said low.

“That’s what I thought.”

“But if I could change… Marry me, Glory. Let me take care of you, of your family.”

Shocked silence. Not a good sign and not something he expected to his first proposal of marriage. It made perfect sense though. She didn’t exactly have anyone knocking down the door to help. Unless you counted the new doc.

She leaned back to look up at him. “Why? Because you think I can’t see good enough? Damn, I can think of better excuses to marry someone.”

“I’ll take your load if you’ll let me.” He traced her proud jaw with a fingertip and lifted a silky strand of her hair.

“And what happens when you get tired of being saddled with a useless wife and three extra mouths to feed?”

“How do you know how much I can handle?”

“I’m not about to find out. And that’s final. I won’t let you smother your lifelong ambitions…not for me, not for my family, and not because I’m going blind.”

“A man’s destiny can change.” His gentle rebuke fell on deaf ears…if he’d even spoken the words aloud. Could be his heart voicing the need to switch directions. “Anyhow, you don’t know you’ll lose total sight. Maybe a pair of spectacles would fix you right up.” Besides, he had trouble picturing proud, stoic Glory Day as useless. It’d never happen.

“I won’t speak of this again.”

“I’ll keep the offer open should you reconsider.” He launched the request toward her backside, for she’d moved in the direction of the house.

“I won’t.” Glory stopped and turned. “If you have no place to bed down for the night, you’re welcome to use the barn.”

* * *

“Here she comes.” Patience let the curtain slide into place and scurried into the parlor a split second before the back door opened. “They didn’t kiss or anything.”

“Patience Ann! It’s none of your business. And you don’t have to sound so heartbroken.”

“He wanted to though.”

“He wanted to what, Squirt?” Glory asked innocently, closing the door.

“Kiss you.”

“How would you know anything about that?”

“Mr. Luke is your beau and that’s what beaus do.” By her slowly measured words, Patience let Glory know that only someone who arrived on a broomstick from the moon would be so ignorant. “Besides, you’re sweet on him.”

Glory stared. “You’re fibbing. Take it back.”

“No, and you can’t make me.” Patience squealed, running when Glory leaped for her.

Hope blocked her way. “Quiet. You’ll wake Mama.”

“Tell that to our little sister.”

* * *

Through the first rays of dawn, Luke paused on a little knoll. He glanced back at the darkened Day house, which loomed like a silent, gray ghost by Red Bank Creek. The idea of the overstuffed banker taking the one thing the family had left filled him with rage. He meant to keep that from happening by whatever means necessary. The way he saw it, only one answer came to mind—he’d have to take matters into his own hands. No other way. He couldn’t break his promise to a little girl.

Or the one he made silently to himself.

Foreboding threaded a trail from his gut, stopping only when it wound itself around his heart. Glory could barely see to the family’s basic needs now. How long did she have before blindness stole it all?

At least he could do this one last thing.

He wheeled toward his destination and that’s when he first saw the gaping holes every hundred yards or so.

“Damn! Soldier, I’m glad we waited for light or you’d have broken your fool neck falling into one.” He smoothed the ripples in his faithful companion’s neck. “Can’t be gophers. Never saw one that could make a hole that big.” He edged closer. Shovel marks. “Nope, a man dug these.”

If they were fresh graves, someone intended to bury half of Texas and was working on the other half. Luke carefully guided Soldier around them. Just beyond a clump of scrawny post oak trees he discovered the culprit in the act.

“Mister, digging all these holes is dangerous, not to mention a lot of work.” Luke made sure he had a clear path to his holster in case the lunatic attacked him with the shovel. He didn’t trust anyone crazy enough to dig up half the countryside.

“Morning.” The man wiped his brow before resting on the shovel handle. He squinted up at Luke. “Tolerable hot day to be so early. Say, ain’t you that young feller been staying over at my sister’s? The one who got hisself shot?”

Cotton-pickin’, the whole blamed state appeared to know about his accident.

“Are you referring to the Day family?”

“Ruth Day is my sister. Them nieces o’ mine are pretty girls.” The hole digger winked as if they shared a confidence. “Don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure. I’m Pete Harvey.”

“Luke McClain.” He leaned down to shake the man’s hand.

“I seen you riding into town with Perkins. You the one what stretched his neck?”

“Nope.” He glanced curiously at the field of holes. “Mind if I ask what you’re doing, Pete?”

Glory’s uncle swung his gaze right and left to make sure they were alone, then whispered loudly, “Looking for treasure.”

“Ah, I see.” Luke didn’t need a second opinion to confirm that the man had bats in the belfry. He whispered back, “Having any luck?”

“Ain’t no need to lower your voice, sonny, not a soul out here but us. Haven’t found anything, but I ain’t giving up.”

“That’s the spirit. Don’t want to keep you. Guess I’ll mosey on.” He ordered Soldier forward, muttering out of earshot, “Sure hope his brand of madness is confined only to the males in the family.” What were the odds?

* * *

The next few days brought a flurry of exciting changes. Alex O’Brien began calling on Hope, which brought a pleasing bloom to her middle sister’s cheeks, and Patience found a friend in Josie Sagen. Yet, Glory could see little reason for cheer in her own world. Her missing journal hadn’t jumped from its hiding place yet, the foreclosure date on the farm kept moving closer, her father continued to die, and…

It positively had nothing to do with Luke. He could go and stay gone for all she cared. She didn’t give him a fleeting thought. Other reasons caused this black mood.

She jerked open the kitchen door, put a foot down as usual, and cleared all three porch steps before landing with a thud on the ground.

Hell’s bells!

A mound of feathers wouldn’t make her trip unless…

From her vantage point it resembled a big bird. Holding her backside, she got to her feet. Since her flight over the top hadn’t budged the thing, it must be dead. She grabbed the feet and lifted. A turkey, sure enough. Puzzled, she glanced around for signs of visitors. Nothing but the sudden stirring of a barn owl marred the early stillness.

The bullet hole pretty much ruled out death from natural causes. Now who in their right mind would put a freshly killed turkey on their doorstep?

Her thoughts automatically flew to Luke. He did think them a charity case after all.

In his not-so-subtle attempt to take charge of the family’s empty cupboards, he’d stolen her last shred of dignity. She shook her fist toward the road.

Just wait until Mr. Fix-It came back. Would he have a surprise!