“I suspect he was more interested in having you in the palm of his hand,” Brace said, disagreeing with her theory. “Although he might have been trying to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Though I have a notion getting his hands on you was his first priority.”
“Maybe so. He wanted me before he married Sierra. I told you that already. I suppose he thought I’d fall into his hands once she was gone. I think that’s why he let me take Stephen after Sierra’s death. I kept him during the day, at home with my folks.”
She crawled into the bed and covered herself with the sheet, and then watched Brace as he approached her. “I can’t believe you’ve never owned a nightshirt,” she said. “I’d be glad to make you one, you know.”
“I’d only keep it in my drawer, anyway,” he said with a grin. “I like being ready for anything, sweet. And you feel better when I hold you without a bunch of material between us.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’ve got on a gown,” she pointed out.
His smile held a trace of triumph, she thought, and his words emphasized that as he reached for her, his voice rough with anticipation. “Not for long, baby. Not for long.”
Chapter Nine
“You weren’t just making conversation when you spoke of a horse for Stephen, were you?” Sarah asked. She sat perched on the buggy seat, midway between the two men in her life, her smile dazzling, Brace thought. Of course, Sarah in any situation dazzled him. But right now she was especially pretty.
Dressed in a light cotton frock, her hair pulled up to her crown in an arrangement that cascaded dark waves and curls past her shoulders, she looked like a princess. At least queen of her domain, a position she occupied with dignity and grace. He felt a surge of pride looking at her, recalling the preferred attention he received from her hand. The woman had somehow learned the gift of keeping a husband happy. From where, he had no idea, but learn it she had. His life overflowed with loving, and a sense of laughter and excitement filled his days.
“I meant it, Sarah. Our boy has earned the privilege of something special in his life. If that something is a horse, or maybe a dog—”
“Or maybe both,” Stephen said in a low tone, one filled with hope.
“Maybe both,” Brace returned agreeably. “We’ll talk about it. First thing is to find a dog somewhere.”
“Lin said there was a stray in their corncrib. She thinks it might be one of Wolf’s lady friends. We can check that out. She told me it’s a likely prospect, anyway, a female about to have pups.”
“Wow, old Wolf is a dandy dog, all right,” Stephen said enthusiastically. “If she’s gonna have his pups, they’d be beautiful.”
“And what do you know about all that?” Brace asked, glancing quickly at Sarah.
“I know if you have a male and a female dog, sometimes they have a family, but in this case they call it a litter of pups.” Stephen boasted his knowledge with a superior air, and Sarah was hard put not to laugh aloud.
“It seems your son is well versed in such things,” she said to Brace. “And he’s right about Wolf. I saw him one day when he rode into town on the wagon with Nicholas and Lin and their family. Rather a dangerous-looking animal, but Amanda was trying her very best to hold the beast on her lap, and he seemed to be enjoying it tremendously.”
“He’s a good dog—a great watchdog, and that may be what we need. I almost wish they had a litter of pups closer to full grown. Training a puppy will be a full-time job. And since you’re the one who’s at home all the time, Sarah, it’ll fall to you to do the training.”
“I’ll help her, Pa. Right after school I’ll take him for a walk and feed him and—” His mind searched for more promises to make, and Stephen wrapped his arms around Sarah’s waist as he mumbled his words against her arm. “We can build him a doghouse, too,” Stephen said. “Or he could stay in the barn with the horses.”
“Horses?” Brace asked, lifting his brows as he repeated the word that suggested more than one animal would be living behind their home on the acreage that begged for expansion. “You know I’ll have to find someone to come in and put up fencing, don’t you, son? You can’t have animals without providing for them.”
“Can we afford that?” Stephen wanted to know.
“I’ll need a corral built, anyway, so might as well just extend the fencing out back and make a decent-sized pasture there.” Joy colored his words as Brace extolled the virtue of his plans. “It’ll be good to improve the property. I’ve needed to use that land for something beneficial. There’s five acres of hay out back, too. I’ll have to have it cut and brought into the barn, come the end of summer.”
“I’m thinking that becoming a husband and father is an expensive proposition for you,” Sarah said quietly. “You were doing just fine without us to clutter up your life.”
“But he’s havin’ more fun with us around, Aunt Sarah,” Stephen said with confidence. “He likes takin’ care of us.”
“Stephen’s about got it right,” Brace told her, with an aside toward the boy who watched him with his heart in his eyes. It was daunting to be so admired, Brace decided, but good for his own confidence. He’d never expected to have a ready-made family, but the reality seemed sent from heaven just for his benefit.
“Well, now that we have the dog issue settled,” Sarah said firmly, “what do we do about a horse? Do we just have Nicholas look for one, or do we wait till the stall can be built and the fencing in before we take the plunge?”
“We’ll find out today,” Brace said firmly. “I sent Jamie out last night to alert Nicholas to our visit. Lin is expecting us for dinner.”
“You didn’t tell me that,” Sarah said, looking down at her simple dress. “I’d have gotten myself in order a little better if I’d known we were going to actually be company.”
“There’s sort of a family thing with Nick and Lin,” Brace told her. “They won’t treat you like visiting royalty, sweetheart. You’ll be just one of the family. And I need to talk to Nicholas about some business. I thought I’d let him know the latest news about Lester and his plans.”
“Well, that’s reassuring,” she said. “You’ll have to tell me one day about the family connection.”
“One day,” he said, shooting her a look that puzzled her a bit. “But for now, just enjoy yourself and plan on having a nice day.”
The ranch was tidy, with whitewashed foundations on house and barn and a pasture full of horses. Nicholas, indeed, had several horses ready for riding, and Stephen was in the throes of delight when Nick steered him toward three sleek specimens that came to the fence, as if the boy’s presence called to them.
A blood bay, her coat rich brown and accented with sleek black legs, took his attention. Tall at three years old, the mare nuzzled at Stephen’s hand, accepting the bit of carrot that Nicholas placed there for Stephen’s pleasure and the horse’s enjoyment.
“They like to get treats,” Nicholas told the boy. “We try to keep them to a minimum, but it’s hard to resist a pretty little thing like Sugarfoot.”
“Sugarfoot?” Stephen asked, as if questioning the reason behind the mare’s name.
“Lin named her when she was still pretty small. She pranced around here making a pet of herself, and Lin, especially, fell hard for her. Said the mare was sure to be an easy ride, her movements were so smooth. As sweet as sugar, she said. The name stuck, but you can change it if you like this one best, Stephen.”
“The gray is bigger,” the boy said. “But he doesn’t seem as friendly.”
“He’s going to be tall,” Nicholas said. “I think he’ll need a man’s hand to control him. But if you like him better, we can see how it goes.”
With a nudge of her nose, Sugarfoot snuffled at Stephen’s chest, seeming to fuss at being passed over for a superior choice. Her low-pitched snuffle made him laugh, and he rubbed his hands on her neck, causing her to nudge even more. He caressed her ears and petted the soft underside of her throat, bringing the mare deeper
in thrall to him.
“She’s just a baby,” Stephen said, his cheek rubbing against that of the mare.
“She’s a three-year-old, Stephen. Not a baby, but certainly an animal who will return your affection. If you treat her well, you’ll have the chance for a fulfilling relationship with her. Animals seem to know when they’re loved.”
“The gray is pretty and looks strong, and the golden horse is like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Stephen said, “but I like Sugarfoot the best.”
“Well, the palomino isn’t for sale,” Nicholas said, “so it’s just as well you didn’t decide on that one. This golden creature is a special horse, one I was given by a special friend, and both Lin and I are firmly attached to this beauty.”
Stephen clambered up on the corral fence and sat on the top rail, seemingly comfortable with his perch. Behind him, Nicholas smiled at Brace and the two men shared their pleasure at the boy.
“He’ll do you proud,” Nicholas told the lawman, nodding at Stephen. “He’s got a good touch with the horse, and seems more than ready for the responsibility.”
“Thanks,” Brace returned. “It’s not my doing that he’s such a prime young man, but his aunt Sarah has had a big part in his growing up.”
“She can be proud of him,” Nicholas said firmly. “I’ll feel at ease if you choose to take Sugarfoot back to town for him.”
“We need to work on the shed first,” Brace told him. “I’ll get some wood delivered and begin putting together a stall this afternoon. I’ve thought about asking Joe Castorman to come out and put up the fencing for me.”
“This is gonna run you a nice piece of change, Sheriff,” Nicholas said with a laugh.
“Nothing good ever comes cheap,” Brace told him. “Now, let’s take a look at the dog I hear you’ve got living in your corncrib.”
“She’s not alone,” Nicholas warned him. “Had herself six pups just a week ago. They’re all carbon copies of our dog, Wolf, and he’s claimed ownership. Keeps a close eye out for them.”
“Can we see them?” Brace asked, noting the stillness that possessed Stephen as the two men discussed the dogs.
“I don’t know why not. Their eyes should be open in a couple of days, and they’ll be ready to leave home by the time they’re six weeks old.” He turned from the corral fence, and Stephen reluctantly climbed down from his perch to walk beside Brace.
“Will they be large?” Brace asked, dropping one hand to Stephen’s shoulder, almost, he thought, as a sign of possession. It seemed that the boy was more and more a part of his life, and he felt stirrings of ownership as he looked down at the youth.
“Pa?” Stephen spoke his title readily, and Brace bent to hear his words. “I don’t care if the pup is big or small. I just think I’d like to have a boy dog if that’s all right.”
“I think we can talk about that,” Brace told him.
“They’ll be good-sized dogs, male or female,” Nicholas said. “The mother is not small, and our Wolf is just about the size you’d expect. Although he doesn’t resemble a wild animal. He can be very protective, though, and we’ll have to wait for him to decide to let us close to his offspring.”
“Protective is good,” Brace said, slowing his pace as the dog lying in front of the corncrib got to his feet. With a soft woof, the dog approached and sat down politely in front of Nicholas, silently announcing that the man was allowed to go no farther. And then, from the house, two women approached, and the behavior of the animal changed radically.
With a sharp bark of welcome and a burst of speed, Wolf approached the pair of women and one of them, Nicholas’s wife, Lin, crouched quickly to welcome the animal. Wolf lay on the ground, rolling to his back as Lin spoke to him, her hand scratching beneath his chin, her words extolling his virtues.
Beside her, Sarah laughed aloud and the dog transferred his attention to her. She bent to him and he sniffed at her hand. Then his tail began wagging in a rapid movement and his tongue lolled from one corner of his mouth.
“Now, that dog recognizes a beautiful pair of women, I’d say,” Brace told their host. “I suspect he’s Lin’s dog, isn’t he?”
“How could you tell?” Nicholas asked, his fond gaze centering on his wife. “Wolf likes women. Always has. Amanda is his private property. She doesn’t go anywhere without her shadow.”
“Well, I think you’ve sold a dog, and we haven’t even seen them,” Brace said. “If the pups are anything like their daddy, I’ll be proud to give one space in our house.”
“I think his bloodlines will run true,” Nicholas said.
The corncrib door was opened and Stephen stepped inside, Wolf close behind. The boy squatted beside the large box, wherein lay a large female dog, looking like a mixed breed, mostly shepherd. The female sniffed at Stephen’s hand and allowed him to pet her, then lay back, as if allowing him access to her family.
The largest of her offspring nursed busily, but at Stephen’s touch, released his hold on his mother and turned his head in the boy’s direction. “I like this one,” Stephen said quietly, one finger caressing the tiny bundle of fur.
“That’s a male, all right,” Nicholas said. “Probably the pick of the litter. You’ve made a good choice, son.”
“When can we have him?” Stephen asked.
“Several weeks,” Nicholas said. “He has to learn to eat on his own and be big enough to be independent. Not that he won’t need lots of love and attention from you. In fact, he’ll probably be a demanding little fella, if I know anything about it.”
“I think we can give him a good home.” From the doorway Sarah spoke, and the three menfolk looked her way. “We’ll make him a bed in the kitchen,” she said, “and when he’s older, he can sleep on a rug by Stephen’s bed.”
“No doghouse?” Brace asked with a grin.
“We’ll see.” Sarah’s tone was agreeable, as if she would consider the idea, but it was obvious to her audience that she’d already made up her mind about the pup.
Dinner with the Garvey family was a treat, Sarah decided. Their housekeeper and cook, Katie, showed off her superb skills in the kitchen, and Sarah gave her lavish compliments as the women shared the task of setting the table.
“You can’t have her,” Lin said, one arm around Katie’s middle. “She’s like a mother to me, and we couldn’t do without her in our family.”
“If you find her twin sister somewhere, let me know,” Sarah said with an admiring look at the older woman. “Although I wouldn’t want to give up cooking for my family. They’re so appreciative.” She cast a knowing glance at Brace as she spoke, and he moved from the window to stand beside her.
“You could give Katie a run for her money,” he said. “I’ve eaten at both tables, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were taught by someone with Katie’s talents, sweetheart.”
“My mother,” Sarah said in an undertone.
“Mothers are the very best teachers,” Katie vowed. “That’s where I learned to make bread and pies and all that goes along with them.”
The meal was superb, the company enjoyable and the trip homeward was filled with chatter and the laughter of three people who’d spent a happy day. Stephen immediately went to the kitchen table to begin drawing a sketch of what the stall should look like, and an outline of the area they would fence for pasture.
Brace rode off on his gelding to see someone at the lumberyard about having wood delivered, and Sarah set about looking at their closets to be sure their Sunday clothes were ready for morning.
Brace, upon his return to the house, approved Stephen’s plans, explained to the boy the logistics of stall building, and together they walked beyond the shed to look over the property in order to best situate the corral.
Supper consisted of leftovers from the day before, along with fresh cinnamon rolls Sarah had set to rise early in the morning. Redolent of sugar and raisins, the scent of cinnamon accompanied the rolls to the table, and the icing ran thick and creamy onto the plate
s as she served them.
“A fitting end to a wonderful day,” Brace said quietly. “Have you had a good time, Stephen?”
“Oh, yes, sir,” the boy answered. “It’s been the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”
“You didn’t know you could fulfill his dreams so readily, did you?” Sarah asked. “He’s an easy child to please, but I’ll have to admit that the prospect of both dog and horse in one fell swoop would be enough to delight any child.”
“Well, we’ll all enjoy having the dog, I think,” Brace said. “And one day we’ll get a mare for you, too, Sarah. I think you’ve done your share of riding, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” she said quietly. “In fact, the mare I rode into town has been a fine addition to the stock at the livery stable. I’d had her just a short while when I arrived here, but she’s a splendid animal.”
“Do you want me to bring her here?” Brace asked quickly. “That wouldn’t be any trouble at all.”
Sarah shook her head. “I think not. I really thought I wouldn’t need her,” she said. “Right after we got married I sold her to Amos.” Her mind worked back through the day to the horses they’d seen at the Garvey ranch. “I just may go out to visit Nicholas myself one day and see what his corral has to offer.”
“Say the word and we’re halfway there,” Brace told her.
“You’re a good man, Sheriff,” she said with a smile.
Brace rose from the table and cleared the dishes quickly. “If you wash, I’ll dry,” he offered, dipping into the reservoir at the side of the stove for hot water. Splashing it over the dishes, he watched as soap bubbles rose to cover the plates and silverware. Then another trip to the stove produced enough hot water to rinse the dishes in a second pan.
“I’ll wash the table, Aunt Sarah,” Stephen said cheerfully. “I don’t mind helping.” He looked at her wistfully. “Do you think we could read some more later on? I like it when you read to us.”
Texas Lawman Page 13
