A Lady for Luke

by Donna K. Weaver

  He scooped her up and blew on her belly, making her squeal with delight.

  Judith refrained from huffing, as she would have done when she’d first arrived. Whenever her brother interacted with his daughters, he forgot he was a man of dignity, a prosperous landowner. A Breckinridge of New York City.

  He would have nothing of her reprimands, and she was slowly coming to appreciate the difference in the atmosphere in his home compared to the home of their youth. Was living in Lilac City going to tear down all her beliefs? Would the day come when Judith would don split skirts and go riding with the men like Frances?

  “Let me get my hat and coat,” Judith said.

  Except for church, she hadn’t seen Luke Hamblin since the disastrous lunch. She made sure not to look at him, and he made no effort to get her attention. Why had she spoken so disparagingly of Tom McDaniel’s artwork? The man was truly gifted. It was almost as though she wanted people to assume the worst about her.

  “I’m so glad Lydia was able to talk you into coming,” Doris said, giving Judith a quick hug. “Wait, Florence. Your hat isn’t tied right, and your ears will freeze.”

  While the others chattered happily, Judith sat in the back of the sleigh with her nieces, making changes to her mental list of things needed for the Christmas Fair, which the schoolchildren had begun to call it. Marshall had been able to help with a few scheduling questions she’d had since they’d made the initial list. She wasn’t sure how to move from the more boisterous activities into a reverent telling of the Christmas story by the children at the end.

  When the sleigh came to a stop in front of the Hamblin home, Judith was pulled from her musings. She actually found it quite an attractive house. It was more rustic than Marshall’s, though the difference was a subtle one. Both suited their purposes, however, as they also served as the lodging for the dude ranch guests during the summer.

  “Let me give you a hand,” Luke said when Judith stood and prepared to step from the sleigh.

  She hesitated only a second before taking his offered hand, and she didn’t pull back when he tucked her hand in his arm. He patted it, his expression full of approval. The complete contrast to his response at the hotel made her wary.

  “That was a wonderful thing you did for Tom,” Luke said. “I’ve never seen the man so excited. And adding a book of instructions on watercolor painting was perfect. Thank you.”

  Judith stared into his dark eyes. Never in her life had a man looked at her with such admiration. It would be easy for her to lose herself in them. She was suddenly aware, as she had been the day of her brother’s wedding to Doris, of how attractive he was. Judith wondered again what it would be like to be kissed by him.

  “I’d like to talk with you about it,” Luke said, his voice low, “when we have some time.”

  She blinked. He couldn’t mean the kiss she’d been imagining. Judith’s chest tightened. Of course not. Only in her dreams would this man ever consider kissing her.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she said.

  They’d reached the house. Judith released his arm and stepped forward to greet Maude and Charles.

  “Well, get inside and shut the door,” Mrs. McDaniel called from inside. “You’ll freeze us out.”

  Everyone did as she bade and, in the chaos that followed, Judith made sure to keep far away from Luke Hamblin. Once she’d removed her coat and hat, she hurried over to Mrs. McDaniel to assist with putting the final touches on the table.

  “It smells wonderful,” Judith said to the housekeeper. “My brother mentions often how he’s tried several times to steal you away from the Lucky L.”

  “As if I’d be likely to jump ship when Luke Hamblin’s been like one of my boys.” The plump woman chuckled. “You don’t abandon family. For too many years, we were all he had.”

  The others had entered the dining room, so Judith didn’t say anything more. The housekeeper’s comment stayed with Judith as she moved to take a seat at the table.

  “Here, Judith,” Luke said, pulling out a chair near the end and indicating she should sit there.

  Chagrined to find it was the chair on his right, she paused. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, she took it. Having spent so much time out here in the wilderness, had he forgotten the significance of placing her in the seat of the guest of honor? Her brother wouldn’t have missed it, but she dared not glance his way.

  “I’d like to thank everyone for joining us for supper tonight. It’s actually a celebratory meal.” Luke glanced at Charles expectantly, and the man gave a little nod as he took his wife’s hand. Luke said, his chest puffing, “I’m finally going to be an uncle.”

  The adults offered congratulations while Maude’s face turned a bright red.

  “Are you going to write to Aunt Hortense about this?” Doris asked. “I think you should.”

  “But what about me?” six-year-old Florence asked, tugging on Luke’s sleeve and pulling him from the conversation.

  “And me. Aren’t you our uncle?” Lydia’s sweet little face grew confused, and her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t we count?”

  Realizing what he’d done and not knowing how to fix it, Luke shot Judith a terrified glance.

  “My guess is he meant he would be an uncle again,” Judith said. “You have to remember he’s still getting used to being an uncle at all.”

  “Exactly so.” Luke gave each of them a quick hug. “It’s a great honor to have such lovely young ladies be my nieces. And what good examples you can be to your cousins.”

  Both of the little girls grinned happily.

  “Whoa,” Luke said softly, leaning closer to Judith. “That was a close call. Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

  There was something endearing about a man who cared about the feelings of little girls. Her father never had.

  “You’re doing remarkably well, considering how changed your life is,” Judith said. “Do you ever compare the beginning of this year to now?”

  “Every day.” Luke’s throat worked. It took a minute before he could speak again. “The Good Lord’s blessed me this year beyond anything I could have dreamed. I’m sorry it’s at the expense of my sisters losing their father, but I’m still grateful they came to me.”

  Judith nodded, wishing she could tell him how much he impressed her. Unlike Luke with his sisters, Marshall hadn’t been pleased when she’d arrived at the Circle B. He was a gentleman, however, and just like when their cousin Edgar had arrived last fall, her brother had made her welcome anyway. Their first few weeks had been rocky, and she had no one to blame but herself. After having associated with the kindhearted Doris for so long now, Judith found herself looking back on her immature behavior with dismay.

  She was trying to do better, but it was more difficult than she would have expected. What was she to do when her deepest desire was to be in New York, once again secure in her status as a lady of substance? She’d grown weary of praying for God’s mercy, and He had surely tired of her pleas for her old life.

  Not that she’d take Teddy back, the snake.

  “Does something not taste right?” Luke asked softly, watching her with concern.

  Judith blinked, caught in unhappy daydreams again. “The food is delicious. Why do you ask?”

  “Because you made a face like you’d bit into something bitter.”

  “I was merely thinking.” She picked up her glass and took a sip.

  Luke waited until she put it down before saying, “A penny for your thoughts then.”

  Judith’s heart gave a little lurch. She rarely spoke of personal things and certainly not with a man. Not even Teddy. The weight of all she’d lost that year struck her forcefully, causing her eyes to burn. She dropped her gaze, lest the handsome rancher see her distress.

  “I’m sorry, Judith.” Luke covered her hand with his, causing her to meet his gaze. “It’s only been recently I’ve realized how much you’ve been hurt.”

  Her shoulders hunched. It made her father�
�s behavior real whenever it was spoken of aloud. The tingle of his lingering touch provided a mild distraction, but she didn’t want pity from Luke. She wanted his regard. And not as a sister.

  “Haven’t we all been hurt at one time or another?” Judith asked, stiffening as she had learned to do to protect herself. “It cannot have been an easy thing for you to be cast out of your mother’s home.”

  A flash of hurt crossed his face, and his hand on hers twitched. When he moved it, she especially regretted her attempt to shift the topic of conversation. Why must everything she said or did go wrong? She hadn’t used to be so socially inept.

  Luke didn’t speak to her for the rest of the meal.

  4

  “In order for us to pull our fair together in time,” Mary Teague said at the beginning of the next Ladies’ Improvement Society meeting, “we’re going to need to bring in a man to help us with their events.”

  While the other ladies offered differing opinions on the statement, Judith sat silently in her seat. She might have known bringing in the men last week would result in something like this. So much for the Ladies’ Improvement Society. What was it going to be now, the Lilac City Improvement Society? It might have a nice ring to it, but she would hate to see the ladies surrender their autonomy to be railroaded by pushy men. In her experience, members of the male sex always assumed they knew best about everything.

  “Who did you have in mind?” Judith asked during a lull in the conversation.

  “It can’t be Charles,” Maude said.

  “Or the sheriff,” Edith added. “With winter coming early this year, there’s been some problems with animals going missing.”

  “Have others suffered losses too?” Maude asked. “I hadn’t heard about any but at the Lucky L.”

  “Those are the only ones I’ve heard of,” Edith said.

  “Marshall said they can’t tell if it’s wild dogs or wolves,” Doris said, looking queasy. “Or rustlers. He said everyone will have to be on special alert when they’re traveling.”

  Judith frowned. She remembered her brother’s comment, but she hadn’t been listening closely. Just when she’d begun to feel less like she was living in the wilderness, something like this had to happen. She would never have survived as one of those pioneer women.

  “What man do you suggest serve on our committee?” Judith asked, pulling them back on topic.

  “Mr. Hamblin.” Mary Teague said his name forcefully, as though she expected the others to argue, but no one did.

  As long as Judith didn’t have to work with him, she was fine. He unsettled her, and she always managed to say the wrong things, something that didn’t please her at all. What good were her years of training if she had so little self-control?

  Often over the last week, Judith had wondered what a terrible impression he must have of her after she’d lashed out at him at dinner. And after he’d honored her. And why had he done that? She rubbed her temples; she thought too much.

  “Are you not well?” Edith asked softly, leaning closer to Judith.

  “I’m fine. Why?”

  “You’ve not been yourself the last few meetings. Are you losing heart with the society? I hope not because I can always count on you.”

  The sheriff’s sister said the words so simply and yet with such heart that Judith was warmed by the compliment.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve just been distracted of late.”

  “I’m sure even with someone as sweet as Doris there must be some adjustment when another woman moves into your home. What would I do if Abe were ever to marry?” Edith let out a deep breath. “I’d have nowhere to go.”

  “Wouldn’t you continue to live with him?” Judith asked.

  “I’m not sure. My brother’s place isn’t all that large. It wouldn’t be as easy to have my own space as it is for you at the Circle B. What if he married someone who didn’t want me around?”

  “That would be terrible,” Judith said. “I’m beginning to understand just how fortunate I’ve been to have Doris as my sister-in-law.”

  “With Judith and Mr. Hamblin working together to organize the event,” Mary said, marking the paper before her, “it’s sure to be a success. It’s settled.”

  “What was that?” Judith asked, barely biting back a yelp of surprise.

  “Were you woolgathering again?” Maude asked with a grin but didn’t wait for an answer. “You were already coordinating the different events. My brother will simply assist you. Since we’re all coming to your house for dinner on Sunday, you’ll have a chance to talk about it. It’s the one day he really takes a break.”

  She and the other ladies rose. Judith remained in her chair, trying to settle her emotions.

  The smell of popping corn pulled Luke from his office where he’d been going over his inventory. Those dratted wolves had managed to get another one of his calves and injured its mother. He might lose them both. They sometimes had problems with wolves but not normally until later in the season when the animals were hungry.

  Luke found a comfortable scene in the parlor where Frances had insisted on putting up the Christmas tree she and Nick had cut down that afternoon. They and Tom McDaniel, with his youngest son Junior, were stringing popcorn.

  “It’s a little early for that, isn’t it? How are you going to keep that thing watered?” Luke asked. “It’s two weeks before Christmas yet.”

  “Tom built a clever basin.” Frances held a needle as though it were an odd contraption. Nick twitched beside her, obviously wanting to show her how to do it but not daring.

  “Well you’d better keep that basin full. I don’t want my house to burn down.” Luke sat next to his housekeeper and examined her strand of cranberries. “Where did you get these?”

  “Doris said Mr. Breckinridge always orders some in from Washington for his Christmas tree,” Mrs. McDaniel said. “She had him get some for us too.”

  Luke made a face. “We’re going to have rotting fruit on our tree?”

  “I’m told they dry nicely. You can use a needle. How about you help me?” She pushed the bowl of cranberries toward him and indicated some thread.

  Before he could come up with an excuse not to, the sound of bells approaching the house brought him to his feet. Charles had recently invested in a sleigh, and Luke wondered if it might be him. When Luke opened the door, he found his brother-in-law helping Maude up the steps.

  “I’ll put this in the barn and be right in,” Charles said.

  “Don’t worry,” Luke said offering his sister his arm. “I’ll make sure she gets inside safely.”

  “That man,” Maude said with a sigh as she clasped his elbow. “He’s driving me mad with his protectiveness.”

  “I’m not sure what else you’d expect from a man who’s going to be a father next year. Everyone’s decorating the tree in the parlor,” Luke said, helping her with her coat.

  “Oh, lovely. Charles has been so busy we haven’t been able to go looking for ours yet.” Maude hung up her hat and turned as though to go to the parlor when she paused and looked at him instead. “Mary asked me to tell you what your assignment is for the Christmas Fair.”

  “What?” Luke took a step back. “Why do I have an assignment?”

  “Because you had so many great suggestions for the men’s events. You’ll be working closely with Judith, but Mary is quite concerned that the two of you get right on it. We need Mr. Hawkins at the newspaper to get the word out. Mr. Teague has agreed to accept sign-ups for the different events at the dry goods store.” Maude didn’t wait for Luke to say anything but hurried toward the parlor.

  He wanted to follow and tell her he wouldn’t do it. Luke had his own plans with Judith Breckinridge and serving on a planning committee that was likely to put them at odds with each other wasn’t one of them.

  As he took a step toward the parlor, he thought again of Gypsy. He was a man used to identifying problems and fixing them. He understood how to handle a mistreated horse, but not a complicated and
caustic woman. Especially a beautiful one. Was this a way for him to get closer to her?

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and headed back to his office instead.

  “You’re quiet tonight,” Marshall said to Judith at dinner that evening.

  “Are you not well?” Doris glanced up from ladling stew for Florence. “You have been looking a little peakèd since the meeting today.”

  “I’m just tired,” Judith said.

  It wasn’t quite a lie. She was tired, but it was because she kept having dreams about Luke Hamblin, and now she’d have to work with him until the event was over. And that on top of the two families now sitting together at church and alternating having Sunday dinners together at each other’s homes.

  “Judith will be working with Luke to coordinate the Christmas Fair,” Doris told Marshall.

  “We’re going to have a Christmas Fair?” Lydia asked, clapping her hands to her chest, her expression turning dreamy.

  “Yes,” Judith said, unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice, “because bringing culture to Lilac City must include men doing rope tricks and shooting their guns.”

  “You mustn’t forget the cowboy poetry.” Marshall chuckled.

  “Don’t you start too,” Judith said with a scowl.

  “I had a talk with Mrs. Teague the other day,” Doris said. “It seems Hank Knox was misbehaving in her Sunday school class, and she wondered if it might be best if he stayed home.”

  “And what words of wisdom did you have for her, my love?” Marshall asked.

  “That he needs chances to practice paying attention and demonstrating he has good manners.” She shook her head. “The boy has a good heart, but except for his grandmother he doesn’t have good examples in his home. The only place he can learn civilized behavior—” Doris glanced at Judith. “—is at school and at church.”

  “The rowdy cowhands of Lilac City are not schoolboys,” Judith said, “if that’s what you’re trying to imply.”