Free Texas Mail Order Bride by Linda Broday Page A

to the ranch.” The words rumbled in Cooper’s throat before finding their way out. “With luck, I can nurse him back to health. It’ll take time to undo the damage.”
    The dog gazed up at Cooper with its big brown eyes and licked the rancher’s hand, his tail feebly wagging.
    â€œIt might mean trouble for you.” She glanced at the bloody man who was slowly coming around. “He’ll come after you.”
    â€œLet him. I’ve got a bullet waiting for him if he sets foot on my land. I don’t tolerate anyone who mistreats animals. I’d like to chain him up and starve him . See how he likes it.” Cooper smoothed the dog’s short fur, which was bare in spots. “What brought you here, Miss Delta?”
    When his gray gaze swung to her, she forgot everything except how much she wished things could’ve been different between them.
    Finally, she managed to say, “Lunch. Mr. Abercrombie relieved me so I can eat.”
    John Abercrombie had been quite different since he read the valentine that his wife had left in the book. Never before had he allowed her time to eat a bite of anything, not even an apple. She burned to know what the card said, but he hadn’t offered that information. Whatever it was, he seemed more at peace now.
    Cooper gave her a crooked smile that made her stomach dip and her pulse race like a herd of runaway wild horses.
    â€œWell, I’d best let you get to it. Don’t want to put you on the wrong side of John again.”
    â€œThank you for rescuing the dog. I had wondered if anyone even cared. It broke my heart to see him so mistreated.” Delta held the dog while Cooper mounted, then handed the animal up to him.
    â€œGood day, Miss Dandridge.”
    â€œMr. Thorne.”
    For a moment, she stood watching him ride toward his ranch. He sat tall and straight in the saddle, his body as one with the handsome buckskin.
    It appeared no one sat a horse quite like this big Texan. Cooper Thorne was indeed a man to be reckoned with.
    Her estimation of him had risen considerably after witnessing him with the unfortunate animal. The belligerent, bloody man in the yard began to stir. She turned and hurried inside the boardinghouse before he caught her gawking.
    ***
    Zeke ambled from the barn as Cooper rode up. “Where’d you find this little fellow, boss?”
    â€œIn town.” He passed the dog to Zeke and dismounted. “He’s had a hard life so far.”
    â€œYep, ain’t disputin’ that. Poor thing.”
    â€œThis place needs a dog after Rowdy died last year. See if you can round him up some food while I find him a place to sleep.” He took the animal from Zeke and walked toward the barn.
    It didn’t take long to make a warm bed on a mound of fresh hay. He added an old blanket and gently lowered the dog. Then he got a pan of water. The dog drank thirstily.
    â€œYou look like a bandit.” Cooper examined the critter and didn’t find any broken bones. He got some salve and rubbed it on the raw place around the dog’s neck where the chain had been. “Yep, Bandit will be a fitting name for you.”
    The dog gave a sharp bark and licked Cooper’s hand as though in agreement.
    Zeke entered just then with some food. “I like that. Bandit’s a mighty good name. How old you reckon he is?”
    â€œI’d say about six months old.” Cooper put down a piece of salt pork left from breakfast. For a while they were going to have to go slow, feeding Bandit four or five small meals a day. Too much too quickly would make the dog throw up.
    â€œMack had a fit when I asked him what he had to feed a starved dog.” Zeke laughed. “The fool man started gettin’ out his pots and pans and doodads, all set to whip up a meal for the little feller. I ’spect Bandit will be fat and happy before you can hum ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic.’”
    Cooper sat