Free WM02 - Texas Princess by Jodi Thomas Page B

communicated silently with a brush of his arm, or a touch on her shoulder, she sensed no anger. No hostility.
    “Miss?” Joy greeted Liberty at the door and fel into step. “Wil you be wanting a bath?”
    “Yes,” Liberty said, “and lunch in my room.” For the rst time in days she was truly hungry. “Then I’l need an hour’s rest before my next lesson.”
    Joy, as always, hurried to take care of Liberty’s needs.
    “Captain Buchanan said you would, so I’ve already got the tub ready.”
    Liberty slowed on the stairs. She resented his comment to her maid but did not bother to point it out. Joy, she knew, idolized the captain and thought he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen.
    “Is my father here?” Liberty asked.
    “He’s in a meeting,” Joy said as she opened the door to Liberty’s room. “And we al know what that means.”
    “He’s not to be disturbed.”
    “Right,” Joy agreed. “Captain told me this morning that the senator had a mountain of troubles to deal with today.”
    Liberty’s shoulders drooped slightly. She understood. No one had better bother the senator unless the house was on re.
    “I’l catch him later,” Liberty said as she pul ed off her clothes and slipped into a soft robe.
    “What did you do to your hair?” Joy asked.
    “I braided it.” Liberty didn’t want to tel Joy that a man had done the task.
    The maid shook her head. “I’l comb it out for you.”
    “Al right, but then braid it back.”
    Joy raised an eyebrow but fol owed orders without comment.
    Liberty closed her eyes as the maid twisted her hair back into a thick braid. She could almost imagine it was Tobin McMurray’s hands working through her hair and surprised herself by thinking how much she might enjoy that.
    Despite her worries, Liberty slept soundly after she ate. The day grew cloudy and the promise of rain whipped in the air. By the time she crawled out of bed and dressed, she was late for her next riding lesson.
    Tobin McMurray stood holding the reins of two horses as she ran into the barn. He raised his eyebrow in rebuff, then walked the mounts past her without saying a word.
    He certainly hadn’t mel owed since this morning, she thought, as she fol owed him out.
    In fact, now his mood seemed as dark as the clouds gathering on the western horizon.
    Liberty stood a few feet away, her arms crossed.
    Tobin messed with the horses, adjusting, checking until he nal y had to look at her.
    She waited.
    He grumbled, “The next time you’re late you’l saddle your own horse.”
    “I’m sorry,” she raised her chin slightly. “I was unavoidably detained.” If he had any comment, she planned to remind him that he worked for her.
    “We’l be lucky to make it back before the rain,” he answered, then closed the distance between them. “I got you something.” He dug into his vest pocket.
    Taking the tiny paper sack, she pul ed out a thin strip of blue ribbon. “What is it?” she asked, more aware of his nearness than the ribbon.
    “It’s for your hair,” he said.
    “Oh.” She didn’t know what to say. She had a hundred ribbons upstairs. She certainly didn’t need this stranger buying her a piece. An engaged lady should never accept a gift from a man, but a penny bit of ribbon surely didn’t count. “Thank you,” she said awkwardly.
    He looked embarrassed. “I just thought it would look better than the leather.”
    She tied it to the end of her braid. “You’re right. It does. Shal we start the lesson?”
    When she moved beside Sunny, she felt Tobin’s hands go round her waist. He lifted her up onto the horse, then brushed the calf of her leg as he shoved her boot into the stirrup.
    “Aren’t you getting up behind me?” Liberty fought to keep panic from her voice.
    “No,” he answered. “This time you ride alone, but I’l be close if you need me, miss.”
    She started to tel him to cal her Liberty. She couldn’t even remember why she’d insisted on Miss