Free Rustler's Heart (A Kinnison Legacy Novel) by Amanda McIntyre Page A

Richardson.”
    Betty’s jovial expression sobered. “Oh, I heard she was here. Liberty seemed a trifle upset.”
    Shit . She’d heard the scathing comments. He knew it in his gut. Rein released a heavy sigh. “I’m afraid Caroline said some things, and it sounds like Liberty might have overheard her.” And I did little to defend her . “Did you see where she went?”
    Betty tipped her head toward the main house. “Last I knew, she was up at the house, helping Wyatt put together some concoction to help Aimee’s queasiness.”
    “Thanks, Betty.”
    “You’re welcome.” She started on down the lane and stopped. “Rein?”
    He rolled his eyes, not figuring she’d let him off that easy. Betty had her opinions and often would share them, like it or not. “That Caroline.”
    “Yes, what about her, Betty?”
    “Is she still full of herself, like I remember? Not that she ever set foot out here very often. Never really fit in, as I recall.”
    “Point taken, Betty.”
    “And one more thing.”
    “Uh huh.”
    “I think you should stop being so hard on Liberty. She’s a good girl deep down under all that stuff she hides behind.”
    “Maybe she’s not hiding at all, Betty. Maybe that’s just who she is.” Rein marveled at his comment, defending this woman against the very thoughts he’d been fighting for the past week.
    Betty’s smile shimmered like a Cheshire cat in the shadows. “Well now, that’s a switch. I take it you didn’t completely agree with Caroline’s assessment?”
    He was treading on shaky ground. Caroline had hurt him, and he’d survived it. But, he hadn’t realized how cruel she could be to others until tonight. While Liberty’s lifestyle choices were not his, Caroline had no right to speak as she had. “She doesn’t always think before she speaks. It appears all her European travels haven’t changed her much. She’s still a snob. I just never realized how very different she and Hank are in their personalities.”
    Betty tipped her head. “Sounds like you care more than just a passing interest in how Liberty feels.”
    Rein shook his head, exasperated by the notion that everyone seemed bent on throwing him together with this young woman. “I just want to make sure she knows that Caroline can be insensitive and everyone knows it. Besides, Betty. She’s just a kid.” God knows he’d been trying to convince himself of that fact even as he fantasized what she might be wearing under that form-fitting dress.
    “Not in that dress, she isn’t.” Betty laughed as though reading his mind. “Good luck with that.” She continued on, her laughter taunting him as he headed to the main house.
    He ran into Wyatt coming out the front door. He had one of the thermos bottles they normally took on cattle drives in his hand
    “Hey.” Wyatt stomped across the porch in his polished boots.
    “Hey” Rein paused, his hand on the railing.
    “Aimee felt queasy. She had Liberty mix up this stuff that she swears is a wonder drink for morning sickness. Seems as though Aimee has these bouts of sickness both day and night. Doc says its normal, but it bothers the hell out of me.”
    “It’s been a long week. Doc also told her not to overdo, and if I know Aimee, she didn’t listen. It’ll get better once you guys get away for a few days alone.”
    Wyatt tromped down the steps. He slapped Rein on the shoulder. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to this wedding stuff being over and getting on with our life.”
    “Yeah, listen, is Liberty still inside?”
    Wyatt stopped in his tracks and looked at Rein. “She said she’d be down in a few minutes. Now that I think about it, she seemed a little, I don’t know…upset about something. She didn’t appear to want to discuss it with me.”
    “Yeah.” Rein looked at the ground.
    “You know something about this?”
    Wyatt took a step back toward him and rested his foot on the bottom step.
    Rein scratched the back of his neck. “Maybe. I think she might