Free Betrayal by Robin Lee Hatcher

“The both of you. Come inside.”
    Peter dismounted and secured his horse. Hugh waited on theporch, then followed Peter into the house. Julia was already setting the coffeepot on the stove by the time the two men sat at the kitchen table.
    “What brings you to Sage-hen, Peter?”
    “Rose sent me to ask you to dinner next Sunday.” His gaze shifted to Hugh. “Your hired man too, if he wants to come. The more the merrier, like they say.” He held out his hand. “Sorry. I didn’t get your name when we met outside.”
    “Hugh Brennan.”
    The two men shook hands.
    “Pleasure,” Peter said. “I guess that was you I saw with Julia on your way to town last week.”
    Hugh nodded.
    “You’ll be staying on?”
    Julia answered before Hugh could. “Just until after I take the cows to market. Mr. Brennan is on his way to Idaho.”
    “Oh? Sorry to hear that.” Peter turned his gaze from Hugh to Julia. “You could use some help here year ‘round.”
    “Can’t afford it,” she answered with a patient smile. “But never mind that. What can I bring when we come for Sunday dinner?”
    Peter chuckled, obviously knowing when a woman wanted to change a subject. “Not a thing. Rose has got it all planned out, and you know how she is. Likes to do things her own way.”
    Smiling, Julia settled onto a chair. “Yes, I know.”
    This was the most relaxed and at ease Hugh had seen Julia since the first day he rode in. That she and Peter were trusted friends was apparent, and it made Hugh feel envious.
    Looking at Peter, he said, “Are you sure your wife will want me included? I don’t mind if—”
    “She’ll want you. Rose loves herself a chance to sit down withother adults. More than just me, that is. Most days she’s surrounded by a bunch of little ones, so she does love havin’ company.”
    Julia laughed along with Peter, and the companionable mood inside the kitchen chased away the envy and began to warm the lonely places in Hugh’s heart.
    Peter hadn’t lied when he said Rose liked to have company over, but he might have stretched the truth about her being glad to have Hugh Brennan join them. Not when his wife’s purpose for the Sunday dinner was to introduce her brother to Julia. Rose was a romantic, and she had matchmaking in mind. Peter had tried to tell her she was wasting her time. Julia Grace wouldn’t be interested in his brother-in-law. She wouldn’t be interested in another marriage to anyone. Not any time soon, at least.
    His gaze shifted to Julia’s hired hand. Hugh Brennan was a difficult man to read. There was a wariness that never left his eyes. Even when he laughed, he held something back, as if he didn’t quite trust the others at the table. Still, Peter found himself liking the younger man. His wife said he had the gift of discernment. He hoped she was right. His instincts at the moment said there was no reason to wish Hugh gone from Sage-hen.
    Julia’s next words jerked him from his thoughts. “I reckon Abigail will be getting engaged soon.”
    “Engaged?” Peter felt his eyes go wide. “Who to?”
    She was silent a moment and then laughed again. “Are you telling me you haven’t noticed the Kittson boy coming round your place all spring?”
    “Mark Kittson? He’s been helping me with the planting. I’m paying him to be there.”
    Julia shook her head, the laughter remaining in her eyes. He knew the look. Rose gave him the same one when she thought him obtuse.
    Come to think of it, maybe he was being obtuse about Mark. The boy did tend to spend a lot of time hanging around the front porch before he left for home at day’s end. And Abigail did always seem to be present. But engaged? She was too young for that. Just seventeen.
    Seventeen. That’s how old Rose was when he’d asked her to marry him.
    “Great Scott,” he whispered beneath his breath.
    Julia was still smiling as she waved goodbye to her neighbor before he rode out of sight. His visit had been the perfect tonic for her