The Devil's Boneyard
Page 29
“I certainly wouldn’t want to hurt my lips,” she said, “when I have such an important use for them.”
“Oh? And what would that be?”
Meagan stood up and came toward him, a sensually shaped blond beauty. Because of the unseasonably warm weather, she wore a lightweight dress today that hugged her figure, instead of being bundled up.
“This,” she said as she put her arms around Duff’s neck and lifted her face so he could kiss her. He did so with passion and urgency.
After a very enjoyable few moments, Duff stepped back and said, “I have some news this morning. Elmer and I stopped at the post office on our way t’ the mercantile, and a letter was there waiting for me.”
“Well, don’t keep me in suspense,” Meagan said. “Who is it from?”
“My cousin Andrew. Ye’ve heard me speak of him many times.”
“Of course. He’s the famous actor. He and his twin sister, both.”
Duff nodded and said, “Aye, Rosanna. The pair o’ them were actually the first of my American cousins I ever met, when they came to Glasgow to perform in a play called The Golden Fetter. Andrew had written to me then, introducing himself and asking me to come see the play and meet him and Rosanna. Fine people they are.”
“Being MacCallisters, how could they be anything else?”
“Aye, ’tis true, we are a fine clan. I’ve seen them a number of times since then, in New York and elsewhere, and back in the summer, I wrote to Andrew and invited him and Rosanna to spend Christmas at Sky Meadow if they could arrange their schedule to make it possible. In his letter I received today, he says they’ve been touring, but they’re ready t’ take a break from it and pay me a visit for the holidays.”
“Duff, that’s wonderful news,” Meagan said. “I’m looking forward to meeting them. When will they be here?”
“Andrew is no’ sure yet, but ’twill not be for another few days, at least. He assures me they’ll arrive before Christmas.”
“And what about your cousin Falcon? Didn’t you tell me that he’s coming for Christmas, too?”
Duff grinned and said, “Falcon told me he would try to make it. Wi’ Falcon, ye never can tell what wild adventure might come along an’ drag him away. So if he shows up, I’ll be mighty glad t’ see him, of course, but I willna be surprised if circumstances prevent that.”
“Well, I hope he’s able to come,” Meagan said. “It would be almost like a family reunion. Isn’t he Andrew and Rosanna’s brother?”
“Aye, youngest brother. Falcon is the baby of the family, although I doubt he’d appreciate bein’ referred to as such. Andrew and Rosanna are ten years or so older than him.”
“Aren’t there other brothers and sisters?”
Duff waved a hand and said, “Aye, spread out all over the country, they are. One o’ these days, they need to have a proper MacCallister family reunion.”
“I’ll bet that would be exciting,” Meagan said with a smile. “There’s no telling what might happen.”
“Och, lass, are you for sayin’ that th’ MacCallisters attract trouble or some such?”
“Well, now that you mention it . . .”
Duff chuckled and pulled Meagan back into his arms for another hug and kiss. He stroked a big hand over her blond hair and said quietly, “’Tis something else I’d rather be attractin’.”
“Oh, you do, Duff. You definitely do.”
He was about to lower his lips to hers for another kiss when gunshots suddenly rang out somewhere down the street. The sounds shattered the warm, peaceful day and made Duff jerk his head up again.
Those shots were concrete proof of what Meagan had just said. No MacCallister could go very long without running into a ruckus.
“I’ll be back,” Duff said over his shoulder as he charged out of the dress shop.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
WILLIAM W. JOHNSTONE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 300 books, including the bestselling series Smoke Jensen, the Mountain Man, Preacher, the First Mountain Man, MacCallister, Flintlock, and Will Tanner, Deputy U.S. Marshal, and the stand-alone thrillers The Doomsday Bunker, Tyranny, and Black Friday.
Being the all-around assistant, typist, researcher, and fact-checker to one of the most popular western authors of all time, J. A. JOHNSTONE learned from the master, Uncle William W. Johnstone.
The elder Johnstone began tutoring J.A. at an early age. After-school hours were often spent retyping manuscripts or researching his massive American Western History library as well as the more modern wars and conflicts. J.A. worked hard—and learned.
“Every day with Bill was an adventure story in itself. Bill taught me all he could about the art of storytelling. ‘Keep the historical facts accurate,’ he would say. ‘Remember the readers—and as your grandfather once told me, I am telling you now: Be the best J. A. Johnstone you can be.’”
Visit the website at www.williamjohnstone.net.