Luke considered her for a long time before shaking his head. “Ma’am, is that all you ever think of?”
“It’s not just that,” she said defensively. “Surely you can see that you are different from us.”
He shouldn’t have been disappointed with her comment, but he was. “Because I’m a half-breed, you mean.”
“No, I don’t mean that,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “May I ask you a question?”
“Why not?”
“Do you have a home? Permanent ties to anyone?”
“No.”
She nodded. “Just as I thought. You are a wanderer, coming and going as you see fit. To a child of seven, your life is an exciting adventure. You are free, with no responsibility to tie you down. I mean no criticism to you when I say I want more for Case. I want him to have a normal life.”
Deborah got up and started to clear the dishes from the table. “I’m sure you’ve noticed Case is not like other children. He’s been lame from birth—his left foot is misshapen and his leg oddly turned. In addition, he has a weak constitution. He is often ill and tires easily. Since we lost our parents, I have been responsible for him.”
“I thought you said you had people.”
“We have an aunt, Aunt Mimi, my mother’s sister, back in Louisiana.”
“Ah, the aunt with the peach preserves.”
Deborah returned to her chair, looking around to be certain Case could not hear. “We lived with her for a time, but I couldn’t bear it. She’s a good woman, very kind to take us in, but she could not abide Case’s infirmity. She was embarrassed by it, and while she tried not to show it, she often slighted Case. She kept him hidden, refusing to allow him to play with other children his age or even to attend church. Case was unaware of her feelings, but I believed that should we have stayed with her, eventually her careless cruelty would damage Case. He’s so full of life and spirit; I couldn’t bear to see them crushed.
“Several months ago, we received a letter from Cyrus telling us he was leaving his land and home in Texas to move out West. The letter was addressed to my father. I guess Cyrus hadn’t received the news of his death. When I read the letter, I believed it to be a direct answer to my prayers.
“It was difficult to persuade my aunt to let us go. When at last she relented, Case and I traveled here to Texas to begin a new life. A normal life.” As they locked eyes he noted hers glowed with the fire of pure determination. “And I’ve already invested too much in establishing our new life to allow your influence to ruin it.”
Luke understood her position. Now it was time to establish his. “Place needs work,” he said. “Barn needs work, too.”
Deborah frowned. “Once we’ve had a chance to settle in, I plan to hire a man to come do some of the repairs.”
“I’m your man.”
His offer obviously took her by surprise. “I hardly think—” she sputtered.
“You said yourself you needed to hire someone. Who better than me? I know the place, heck, I built the place. And I’ve got the time. Since I’ve got a clear understanding of your feelings on touching, seems a shame to let good labor go to waste.”
She looked at him hard, as if somehow she could see past his flesh to his innermost thoughts. “I don’t understand you, Luke. You’re young and healthy. Why aren’t you working to make a place for yourself? Why waste your time with Case and me? You have nothing to gain.”
Luke didn’t think he’d go into the honor bit. He didn’t have a real good handle on it himself. “A long time ago, Cyrus looked after me. He had nothing to gain. I owe him. I figure you and the boy are payback,” he said simply.
“That’s a lovely sentiment, but completely ridiculous. I release you from any debt you feel you owe to my uncle.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “Can’t.”
“There’s nothing I can say to dissuade you?”
The pained expression on her face brought a grin to his. “No, ma’am.”
She sighed in resignation. “Well, then, you’re hired. You can take your meals with us and live out in the lean-to. You’ll have the Sabbath off.”
“Seems fair.”
“Let me reiterate. You are to stay away from Case. If at any time I feel your influence on him becomes a stumbling block to his normal life, I will insist you leave, debt or not. Have I made myself clear?”
“Completely.”
“Then we have a deal.”
He couldn’t resist one last jab. He extended his hand to her. “Shall we shake on it?” At her horrified expression, he chuckled. “Didn’t think so.”
CHAPTER 6
She’d made a mistake, Deborah thought as she swept wide arcs with the broom across the grayed plank porch. Allowing Luke to stay on, to serve as handyman, was an error in her normally good judgment.
Not that she could complain about his work. For the week since she’d hired him, he’d put in a full day every day. He toiled tirelessly from sunup to sundown, breaking only for the noon meal.
From her current vantage point, she could admire the fruits of his hard work. The front door now hung squarely on its frame. The split-rail fence encircling the house was repaired and the gate restored to usefulness. From the hammering sounds coming from behind the house, it sounded as though he’d moved on to the barn.
She could not fault his work or his behavior. As she’d requested, Luke gave her and Case a wide berth. The only time she saw him was during meals.
Case wasn’t satisfied with such short visits and often gravitated toward the place where Luke was working, but even then Deborah observed Luke did nothing to encourage the child.
Yet, in spite of his exemplary work and behavior, Luke made her uneasy. For one thing, he moved too quietly. It was just plain unnatural for a big man like him to be able to walk without making a sound. Several times he’d come up behind her unseen and frightened the daylights out of her. He didn’t seem to do it purposefully; it appeared to be a habit he’d developed. An Indian thing, she guessed. Still, she didn’t like it.
And she didn’t like the way he looked at her. She couldn’t put her finger on why exactly it disturbed her, but it was unnerving. Not that he treated her with anything less than respect, but his dark, brooding eyes seemed always to be measuring her, studying her. If he were a suitor, she supposed she would have been flattered by his undivided attention, but as he was only the hired man, the direct, searching gazes unsettled her.
On the positive side, she’d slept better since he’d arrived. The knowledge that the front door now bolted securely and that Luke slept in the lean-to just outside the back door allowed her to relax enough so when her head hit the pillow each night, she fell into a deep, untroubled sleep.
Still, she’d be glad when he finished up the work and moved on.
“I could help you with that, ya know.”
Luke didn’t look up from the board he was measuring. “No.”
“I could carry boards for you,” the squeaky voice persisted. “I’m pretty strong.”
“No, thanks.”
“Maybe I could just sit here and watch you,” Case said hopefully. “I won’t talk or anything. And if you get thirsty, I could get you a drink.”
Luke’s patience had worn thin. “Don’t you have something else to do?” he snarled. “Lessons? Chores?”
Unfazed, Case took a wobbly step forward and raised his freckled face to Luke’s. “You don’t like me, do you?”
Luke’s head snapped up. Too stunned to speak, he stared at the child. He felt the force of the softly spoken words like a sharp blow to the gut. There was no reproach in the innocently direct question, no anger in the words. And for some reason, that made them all the more painful.
He didn’t dislike the boy, though he could see where the child had gotten the idea. He hadn’t had time for him. Whenever possible, he’d avoided him.
Not that it had been easy. From morning till night, the kid was underfoot.
A smi
le pulled at the corner of Luke’s mouth when he remembered the way Case had pestered him while he’d repaired the fence. And talked constantly. Could he help? Had Luke noticed that weed leaves had jagged edges? Did he have any brothers? Why was the sun so hot?
Case’s requests to be allowed to help were interspersed with chatter about his life and family. Luke had paid only slight attention to the child. He’d given his word to Deborah not to influence Case, and he would honor it.
“It’s okay if you don’t like me,” Case reassured him, laying a small white hand on top of Luke’s dark one and nodding with patient understanding. “I understand.” He flashed a brave smile. “I’m different. Crippled. Lots of people don’t like cripples.” His wide-eyed gaze locked with Luke’s. “I’m not mad or anything. I still like you a lot.”
Luke’s throat constricted painfully as he looked into those earnest green eyes and saw the resignation and wisdom of a child too old for his seven years. It wasn’t difficult to picture the condemning looks Case had faced or to hear the jeering calls. Cripples and half-breeds had that in common.
The amazing thing was that instead of becoming hardened and withdrawn from the rejection, Case had somehow remained unspoiled, rising above his circumstances.
“Why?” Luke asked. “Why aren’t you mad? You have every right to be.”
Case shook his head in the slow understanding way of a parent to a child. “I’m not angry because of my friend Jesus. He says I’m so special to Him that I don’t have to feel bad about other people not liking me.”
This guy Jesus came up a lot in conversations with the kid. Must be somebody from back home. No matter. Ol’ Jesus might like little Case, it was hard not to like the kid, but even Jesus wouldn’t like a part Indian.
“I bet Jesus doesn’t think half-breeds are special.” Luke spoke the words without thinking.
Case’s face grew solemn. “Oh no, you’re wrong, Luke. Jesus loves you, I’m sure of it. Half-breeds can’t be any worse than Samaritans, and I know Jesus loves Samaritans.”
Luke had to chuckle at the boy’s confidence. Likely misplaced, but somehow just hearing Case say it lifted Luke’s heart. “Think you could bring me that board over there? The one leaning against the first stall?”
Case’s eyes lit up like a lantern in the dead of night. “You mean it? I can help?”
Luke reached over and ruffled the boy’s silky curls. “You bet. Now get busy. We’ve got lots of work to do.”
Deborah pushed open the front door and stepped inside the house. The pot of soup she’d put on to cook earlier smelled wonderful. She entered the kitchen and leaned the broom against the wall. She lifted the lid on the bubbling pot and stirred twice. After checking the pan of corn bread in the oven, Deborah walked to the back door to call Case and Luke for lunch.
As always, the transition from the shadowy hall to the bright Texas sun was blinding, and Deborah blinked several times to adjust her vision. When it cleared, the first thing that met her eyes was Luke—naked to the waist—standing just outside the door of the barn, nailing a board in place. For a fascinated instant, she watched his powerful shoulder muscles ripple beneath bronze skin as he held the board in place with one hand and swung the hammer with the other.
Having had two older brothers, she was not completely ignorant of the male physique, but to see it displayed so prominently…. Of course, being a savage he was probably unaware that appearing in such a state of undress was completely unacceptable. It was up to her to set him straight.
Even as she deliberated over the best way to instruct him, another sight met her eyes, this one more astonishing than the first. Case limped out from the shadows of the barn dragging a three-foot section of board behind him. And, like Luke, Case was naked from the waist up.
“Case,” she shouted as she strode purposefully across the dirt yard. “Case, what are you doing?”
Case paused to look up toward her, his pale face flushed, his green eyes bright with delight. “I’m working, Debs. Luke said I could.” If possible, the smile on his face widened. “Luke said he needed me.”
“Oh, he did, did he?” She flicked a stormy glance at Luke before kneeling in front of her brother and taking his thin shoulders in her hands. “Case, dearest, where is your shirt? You’ll catch your death out here.”
Case frowned. “Debs, sometimes men need to work without their shirts. Hard work makes us powerful warm. Besides,” he added angelically, “I didn’t want to get my shirt all dirty and make more washing for you.”
She kissed the tip of his nose. “I thank you for your consideration, but I must insist you fetch your shirt and put it on immediately.”
Case looked from Deborah to Luke and back to Deborah. “Aww, Debs.”
She hardened her heart against the pleading in his voice. “No, sir,” she said firmly. “Shirt now. And then you hurry on inside and wash up for lunch.”
The announcement of food didn’t earn its usual squeal of delight. “Okay, Deborah.” He retrieved his shirt from the post where he’d hung it, pulled it on, and began to button it up as he headed for the house. “Aren’t you two coming?” he called back over his shoulder.
“In a minute, dearest. Luke and I have something to discuss.”
The instant her brother was out of earshot, she whirled on Luke. “How dare you? How could—?” she broke off and turned her back on him. “Would you please have the decency to put on your shirt?”
She gave him a moment before turning to face him once again. By then he’d buttoned the first three buttons, obscuring the sight of his broad bronze chest that was making it difficult for Deborah to think.
“What is the meaning of recruiting my brother to do your work?” she demanded.
“I was helping you give the boy a normal life.”
“You were—” She slammed her hands on her hips and advanced on Luke. “Do not presume to excuse your actions.”
Luke hitched up the brim of his hat a fraction. “No, ma’am. No excuses. I was doing the very thing you told me about. Giving the boy a normal life. What could be more normal than having chores to do around the house?”
“Case has chores.”
“Case has women’s work. Chores like collecting sticks and dusting furniture are fine for a young child, but a boy of seven needs to be learning men’s work.”
“Case is not a typical boy of seven. He’s… he’s—”
“He’s crippled, ma’am, not to put too fine a point on it. But are you gonna let his having a bad leg cripple his whole life?”
“How dare you insinuate such a thing! You don’t know what you are talking about.”
“I know that when he grows to manhood he’s gonna need to be able to repair a barn or a fence. Dusting tables isn’t going to prepare him to live independently or raise a family.”
“Raise a family?” she repeated, her voice trailing off to an awed whisper. “Case raising a family?”
“Why not? I’ve seen plenty of men make a good life for themselves and their families without the use of an arm or leg.”
In all the years she’d been responsible for Case, she’d never once considered his growing up to be a man, a man with a family of his own. It made sense of course; she’d have seen it for herself if she’d looked out that far into the future. Deborah chewed her lip. If that was true, then perhaps Case would benefit from additional training. She wouldn’t want to hold him back.
Her eyes hardened. But if that man, that Indian, thought he was going to decide what was best for her little brother, he had another think coming.
“I will concede that perhaps my brother could use a broader range of skills; however, in your ill-advised attempt to help me provide him with a normal life, you have exposed him to danger.”
Luke cocked an ominous brow.
“Case has a delicate constitution, always has. He tires easily and is highly susceptible to colds. He is never subjected to either early morning or late night air, and I’m very careful to restrict his
physical activities to a minimum. It’s my responsibility to prevent him from overexerting himself.”
“No wonder the boy’s frail. You’ve weakened him with all that cosseting.”
“I’ve protected him.”
“I’m sure you believe that—”
“What makes you the expert?” Deborah scarcely recognized the screaming voice as her own. “Have you ever been completely responsible for someone you love?”
Luke opened his mouth, then closed it.
Complete silence marked the abrupt end to their shouting match.
Luke’s dark eyes looked blacker than ever. Cold. Shuttered. “No,” he said at last, “never.”
Her anger evaporated with his hopeless syllables. He continued to tower over her, tall and fierce, yet at that moment, she wasn’t frightened for herself. She was frightened for him.
CHAPTER 7
The April sun shone warm and bright on Luke’s face as he led the ox across the yard.
“Hey, Luke, I’m almost as tall as you,” Case chirped from his perch on the ox’s back.
The kid had been hinting around that he’d like to ride since they walked out to the barn after breakfast. Luke couldn’t see any harm in it, and it meant an awful lot to the boy. Fact was, it would be good for Case to build up his strength, besides giving him a working knowledge of handling an animal.
Luke had settled the boy securely behind the ox’s bony neck and looped a thick leather strap around Case’s waist and tied it to the ox’s harness. No way the kid was in any danger.
Still, Luke shot several nervous glances toward the house as they plodded along. He didn’t figure Deborah would take to the sight too kindly.
Case, however, was in raptures.
“Look, Luke,” he squealed. “I’m controlling him. I really am. You can let go of the lead. I won’t let him run off.”
Luke grinned. The ox, Esau they called him, wouldn’t run off if they set fire to his tail. Wasn’t in his nature. He was so mild-mannered you could let him loose in the house.
Didn’t seem right to remind Case of the facts. He was having too fine a time.
The Brides of the Old West: Five Romantic Adventures from the American Frontier Page 59
