Sweet Words of Love

by Betty Brooks

  "I need no thanks, Rainey," he said gently, his gaze roving over her dear face. "From the moment we met I sensed a need in you and I tried to fill that need."

  "And you was a stranger, too," she mused. "You saw something in me other folk didn't even know was there. Or maybe they saw and just plain didn't care."

  "Of course they cared."

  "Us folks on Thunder Mountain spend a lot of time keeping out of other folks' business," she said. "You mighta noticed that."

  He smiled tenderly at her. "Yes, I did notice. And I respect that. It's one of the reasons I came here. The people here expect . . . and allow, privacy. That's not the way of it back home, though."

  "Folks there make a habit of messin' in other folks' business?"

  "A lot of them do just that."

  "Why's that?"

  "I guess it's because in St. Louis society there isn't much to do except wonder about your neighbors."

  "Nothing to do? I can't hardly imagine that. It's all a body can do around here to keep food on the table. There's always huntin' and fishin' and runnin' trap lines and skinnin' the varmints for their hides and runnin' the bee lines and cookin' and cleanin' and runnin' to town with the hides and honey . . . so much work to do to keep body and soul together."

  "It's different there . . . in society anyway."

  She frowned up at him. "And this society. Do you think that's where Robert come from?"

  "Robert Golden?" Now, what had made her think of that man again? "Yes. His family are society people. They have old money from way back."

  "Old money? Well, I guess that's better'n no money at all."

  He smiled down at her. "Yes. It's a good thing, having old money there."

  "You know so much about what interests a man like him, Thorne."

  Thorne could see the way her mind was working. "You could help me if you would. I know you could. Please, Thorne. I'm a beggin' you to help me. Say you will."

  "I can't, Rainey," he said hoarsely. "I don't want you hurt. As you're bound to be."

  "I ain't gonna be. I'm gonna get that man for myself."

  "To be so determined." He shook his head. "You don't know him really. You only see what's on the out side, not the inner man."

  "A man that looks so good on the outside has got to be that way on the inside, too. And I just know if I could learn what he likes, then I could get him for myself."

  His eyes fell to her lips, and he wished he dared to lay his own over them. The desire was so strong that he had to force a rigid control to keep himself from grabbing her. By God, he thought. He wasn't about to allow Robert Golden to have her! Thorne wouldn 't have cared if Golden had been a saint. He wasn't about to turn his back and allow the woman he loved to be taken by another man without a fight.

  But what in hell was he going to do to convince Rainey that the teacher wasn't the man for her?

  Six

  On Saturday afternoon, at ten minutes past four, Thorne arrived at the Watson cabin to escort Rainey to the dance.

  Having been waiting anxiously for his arrival, Rainey hurried outside when she heard the sound of approaching hoof beats. Thorne was just emerging from the forest, and he looked magnificent, dressed in his black suit, atop a black gelding with a white star marking its forehead. Loping along beside him, its lead reins held firmly in his right hand, was a bay mare.

  "Oh, Thorne! You brought Lightfoot," she exclaimed.

  She hurried down the porch steps and stopped beside the bay. Then, reaching out a slim hand, she stroked the mare's velvety nose, then lifted her gaze to Thorne. "Are you gonna let me ride her to town?"

  "Of course." He dismounted and took her hand, his gaze traveling the length of her. "You look beautiful, Rainey. I'll be the envy of every man there."

  "Sadie come over and helped frill my dress up some more," she said. "This flounce on the front of it was her idea. See how the lace is sewed along the edges? Sadie done that." She fingered the delicate lace. "Done it up real fine, too, with little bitty stitches and all. And she put my hair up in these big curls atop my head and twined the ribbons and flowers through 'em."

  He studied her hair for a moment, then met her gaze again. "She did a beautiful job, Rainey. You look quite elegant in your finery."

  "You do, too, Thorne," she said. "Real elegant. Right pretty, too, with them fancy britches and shirt and coat and all. But you don't hardly look like yourself. It's gonna take some gettin' used to." She arched a dark brow at him. "Do you 'spose Robert's gonna like me this way?"

  "A man would be out of his mind not to like you," he said huskily. His gaze lingered on her mouth for a long moment, and his head lowered slightly, then halted mere inches from hers.

  Feeling suddenly nervous, she pulled back slightly. "Do you want to come in and say howdy to Grandpa afore we leave?"

  Thorne straightened quickly. "We need to be moving along," he said brusquely. "I was later getting here than l intended."

  "Then I'll say a quick goodbye to him," she said with a wide smile. "Sadie's keepin' him company for a while. Her boy, Frank, is comin' after her afore dark."

  She'd barely uttered the words when George Watson strode through the door, followed closely by the buxom Sadie Thompson. George spoke to Thorne for several minutes, passing the time of day until Thorne reminded him they would have to be going along.

  After helping Rainey onto the bay, Thorne mounted his horse, and they rode down the mountain and took the road leading into town. They arrived at the Meeks' homestead near the edge of town shortly after dusk. Although the house was lit, they passed it by, knowing the dance was being held at the barn.

  Light streamed through the wide doors, which had been left open. And through those doors Rainey could hear the lilting sound of music. Excitement caught at Rainey and she curbed the impulse to leap from the bay and run into the barn. She forced herself to wait quietly instead. Thorne would help her down, and her gown wouldn't be as wrinkled as if she just slid down from the horse.

  No sooner had the thought occurred than Thorne's hands circled her waist and he lifted her from her mount. But instead of setting her on her feet, he pulled her close and let her slide down against him. His grip was firm, strong, and his eyes glittered as they locked on hers. For the briefest moment her heart stopped beating. She stared at him, her breath caught, and she felt completely mesmerized by the look in his eyes, while butterflies took wing inside her stomach.

  "You're beautiful, Rainey." His breath whispered across her forehead, stirring the fine tendrils of dark hair curling there.

  ''Hey, Thorne!" The voice was male, and it came from somewhere nearby. "Who you got there with you?"

  Rainey's head jerked back as though she'd been struck. She felt a flush creeping up her neck and she stepped away from Thorne quickly. What was the matter with her anyway? She'd been feeling such longing, so darned hungry to feel his arms around her, to feel his body pressed hard against hers that it shocked her. This man was Thorne Lassiter, the man who'd been friend to her for so many years. And inside that barn some where was Robert Golden, the man she'd set her mind to have for a husband. Robert would be the man to share her future . . . not Thorne. And she must never lose sight of that fact.

  "I wonder if Robert is here yet," she said.

  Thorne's gray eyes darkened until they resembled the storm clouds that so often gathered over the mountain. "I have no idea," he said abruptly. "But I'm sure if he is, then you'll find him soon enough."

  A tall, brown-haired man approached them, and Rainey recognized Keith Larson. "I don't believe I've met this young lady before," he said, his admiring eyes traveling the length of her before lifting to her face again. He studied her for a long moment, then his jaw dropped. "Rainey?" he gulped. "Is that you, Rainey Watson?"

  She laughed up at him. "Don't look so stupefied, Keith. You don't look much like yourself, neither. That fancy suit you got on makes you look like a drummer. Didn't know you had such fancy riggings. Thought you might be stuck permanent
-like to them buckskins of yours."

  He grinned down at her. "I may be a trapper, Rainey, but I ain't so ignorant that I'd wear buckskins to a shin­ dig like this. Looks like you had the same notion since you left your britches and shirt at home." His gaze turned to Thorne. "I don't suppose you'd let me squire her inside?"

  "Rainey's a free agent," Thorne said shortly. "She can do as she pleases."

  "It really don't matter to you?" Rainey asked Thorne. When he shook his head, she curled her fingers around Keith Larson's arm. "Then I'd be mighty pleasured to go inside with you, Keith."

  Thorne grunted. "Then I'll see you both later." He strode away from them toward a group of men who were talking among themselves. Oddly enough, Rainey felt hurt that he'd been so willing to turn her over to Keith. She knew she was being unreasonable, though, and turned her attention to the barn.

  The moment they entered the brightly lit room they were surrounded by curious people. Many compliments

  came her way from both men and women. But soon the crowd drifted away to greet other arrivals, leaving Keith and Rainey alone.

  Rainey's gaze continually roamed the room as she searched for the man she'd come to see. Keith, having noticed her lack of attention, watched her curiously. "Looking for anyone in particular?"

  "Yeah," she replied. "I come here special-like to see Robert Golden, the new teacher." She turned her wide eyes on him. "Have you seen him?"

  The grin that curved his lips was slightly caustic. "I should have known. Half the women in the room are waiting for him. Not all of them are single, either. He'll have to watch his step around the married ones, if he don't want that pretty nose of his busted."

  Rainey felt horrified. "They wouldn't mess him up! Would they?"

  "Damn right they would." He looked beyond her to the refreshment table. "Do you want some punch, Rainey?"

  "That'd be right nice, Keith," she replied, shaking off her feeling of horror. Keith had been fooling. He must have been. "I'll set myself on the long bench over yonder with the other womenfolk and wait for you." She'd chosen that particular spot because it allowed her a clear view of the wide door.

  Rainey tried to put Keith's words out of her mind as she hurried to the bench and seated herself beside a woman wearing a purple gown. It was Bessie Howard, the local seamstress. "Hello, Bessie," she said. "That's a mighty pretty gown you're wearing."

  "Why, thank you, Rainey," Bessie said. "So is yours. Did you make it yourself?''

  "Most of it," Rainey replied. "I made it to wear when Robert Golden, the new teacher, come to dinner last Sunday."

  "You've done a wonderful job, Rainey. I never knew you could sew such a fine seam."

  "Sadie Thompson come over last night and done the fancywork," Rainey admitted. "So it would look right for the dance." She fingered the deep flounce decorating the front. "I don't know much about such things," she said slowly. "Not havin' been to parties and such before."

  "You look lovely," the woman said. Her velvet-brown eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled. "Did you come with Keith, dear?"

  "No. He only brought me inside. It was Thorne, who brought me to the dance."

  "Thorne Lassiter?" The woman's dark eyebrows raised slightly. "I don't know why that surprises me. The two of you have been like glove and hand since he came to the mountains. I remember my man, Silas, sayin' you followed him around everywhere he went. I knew you were good friends, but I guess I never thought of him as a suitor for you."

  "Oh, he ain't that!" Rainey felt flustered at the thought. "He just brung me so I wouldn't have to come by my ownself."

  "Oh? Are you sure that was his only reason, my dear?"

  Rainey frowned. "Sure enough. Thorne ain't never thought of me thata way. He's been my best friend for years, Bessie. An' this is his way of watchin' out for me. I wanted to come here so he just naturally offered to bring me. They ain't nothing more betwixt us."

  "I guess you would know."

  Rainey realized the other woman wasn't entirely convinced, but rather than continue to argue the point, she fell silent. Bessie would realize soon enough how wrong her suspicions were. She watched the fiddler as he tuned up his instrument. As though it were a signal, several more musicians climbed on the makeshift stage and plucked at the strings of their instruments. As couples who'd remained outside began to stream through the barn doors, the caller took his place in the center of the platform and raised his hands to quiet the crowd.

  "Gather around, folks," he said in his strong carrying voice. "We're about to start off this shindig. Everybody choose your partners."

  Rainey anxiously scanned the crowd. Where was Robert? He was late in arriving, and she'd so badly wanted the first dance to be with him.

  A wiry form separated from the crowd, and she recognized Willis Johnson. He approached her. I'm claiming you for the first dance, Rainey."

  Rainey shook her head at Willis. "Not now," she said abruptly, continuing to scan the crowd for the one man she'd come to see.

  She was aware of Zeke joining his cousin. His eyes glinted as they ran the length of her. "You're mighty pretty tonight, Rainey. You been waitin' for me?"

  "No, Zeke," she replied shortly. "I ain't been waitin' for neither of you." Suddenly she saw Thorne, who stood almost a head above the crowd.

  Curious about what had caught her attention, both Willis and Zeke followed her gaze to see Thorne approaching. Hurriedly, they merged with the crowd, intent on choosing another partner for the dance.

  "I believe the first dance is mine, Rainey," Thorne said huskily, capturing her hand and pulling her to her feet.

  "Not now," she said anxiously, tugging at her hand, afraid that if she danced with Thorne, she would miss Robert Golden's entry. She was vaguely aware that Thorne had stiffened, and would have apologized to him if she hadn't suddenly spied Robert entering the room. Her heart picked up speed. "There he is!" she

  cried. "He's here, Thorne! Robert has finally come." She hurried across the room toward him, unmindful of the fact that she'd left Thorne standing alone in the middle of the floor.

  "Hello, Robert," she said, skidding to a stop in front of him. "I been waiting for you to come. Now the dancing can commence."

  His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled down at her, and she felt her heart skip a beat. He was so dad­ blamed beautiful that he took her breath away. "Hello, Rainey," he said casually. "It's good to see you again."

  "Come on, Robert," the woman beside him said. She tugged at his arm. "If we don't hurry, we'll miss the first dance."

  Robert smiled apologetically at Rainey. "Susie's right," he said. "Save a dance for me, Rainey." Then he hurried after the woman.

  Rainey felt a surge of anger. Drat it! She'd been waiting especially for him and he'd come with another woman. She watched as they joined the crowd gathered in the middle of the floor and imagined herself in the woman's place. It would have been heaven to swirl around the room with him. And she would! There was no way Rainey would allow the woman to keep him to herself

  Realizing she had no partner for the first dance, she looked for Thorne. But it was too late. He had partnered up with Clara Whitcomb. She'd have to settle for Willis or Zeke after all, if she didn't want to sit against the wall with the old maids. Even as the thought occurred, she saw Willis and Zeke, lined up with the other dancers.

  Dagnabbit! She'd waited too long to get a partner.

  "Hello, pretty lady." The voice spun her around. A stranger, tall and lean, with a long, narrow face, intense green eyes and dark hair-held out his hand. "Dance with me?"

  He had a lupine grace when he moved, and his direct stare seemed almost predatory. He reminded her of a wolf, somehow.

  "Do I know you?" Rainey asked, placing her right hand in his.

  "Not yet," he admitted, "I'm a stranger to these parts. But we're about to remedy that. The name is Cage Larson.”

  "And I'm Rainey Watson." Although she wasn't sure she particularly liked him, she didn't want to be
left sitting with the women lined against the wall. Robert might get the impression that nobody wanted to dance with her. It was for that reason alone that she smiled up at the stranger and allowed him to lead her to the group lined up on the dance floor.

  To her extreme dismay, Cage Larson stopped beside Thorne and his partner. Thorne frowned when he looked at them, then turned his attention to his partner. That nettled Rainey. She studied his partner closely, wondering what she had that Rainey didn't. Granted, she was a pretty girl. And her dress was cut low to show an enormous amount of bosom, but surely Thorne wouldn't care about that. Anyway, most of the dresses were cut embarrassingly low. Except for Rainey's. She looked down at herself. Maybe she should take a pair of scissors to her gown before she came to another dance.

  Suddenly the music started. The caller shouted instructions, and the dancers began to dip and bow and swirl, and Rainey had no more time to contemplate the cut of her gown. She whirled this way and that, trying to follow the instructions while keeping her partner from touching her where he wasn't supposed to.

  When the dance ended, she looked for Robert but he seemed to have disappeared. Even Willis and Zeke­ who were preferable to the stranger-were busy with partners of their own. She saw Thorne and would have gone to him but, catching her eye, he turned away. It was a deliberate snub, and Rainey felt hurt stab through her.

  But she had no time to contemplate her feelings another dance began and she was whirled around the room so quickly that her head began to swim. When the dance finally ended, she felt so dizzy that she swayed unsteadily. She was hot, breathless, and needed some fresh air.

  "It's hot in here," she said, pulling her hand free of her partner 's grip.

  "My thoughts exactly. We'll go outside and get some fresh air." He took her elbow and began to guide her toward the door. When they passed a woman with a punch glass lifted to her mouth, Rainey realized Keith had never returned with her punch.

  What had become of him? she wondered . "I could use some of that punch over yonder," she told Cage Larson.