Free Whispers on the Wind by Brenda Jernigan Page A

course, there was
her adopted brother Billy. She had been sweet on Billy since she’d
first come to the orphanage. They had done everything together,
even pranks, like cutting up Brandy’s clothes. But as they grew
older and had more responsibilities, Mary realized that Billy had
grown away from her. He started thinking of her as a sister and
nothing more.
    It took Mary a long time to
realize that Billy was right—they would always have a special bond
that no one could break, so she finally accepted him as just her
brother.
    But it also hurt Billy had
been Mary’s first love, no matter how lopsided it had been. What
would it be like to be loved and have someone love her back? An impossible dream. She
sighed. Maybe someday ... She could always hope.
    Mary blinked. She realized
she was still brushing her hair, which now glistened like golden
threads. Placing her brush on the table, she pulled her hair up on
both sides and secured it with gold-colored combs. She peered into
the mirror again and pinched her cheeks. That was better, she
thought. Satisfied with her appearance, she headed
downstairs.
    Upon entering the main
living quarters, Mary noticed everyone waiting for her. The men
stood up as she approached them. Refreshing, Mary thought At home
it would be a race to see who got to the table first.
    Rick smiled at Mary. Carter
nodded. Evidently he wasn’t as happy to see her, or maybe the man
never got excited about anything. He’d had the same expression on
his sternly handsome face every time she saw him. And it wasn’t an
expression of pleasure. He was much too serious.
    However, Rick looked very
glad to see her as he stepped forward and offered his arm. “You
look so much healthier since the last time we saw you.”
    Mary smiled at him. “Judith
has taken good care of me.” She placed her hand on Rick’s arm. She
couldn’t help but like him, even if he was a lawman. He was just as
big as Carter—well, maybe an inch shorter—but Rick seemed to have
an open way about him, while Carter ... well, he seemed to be
Carter. She did feel that she understood Carter a little better
after talking to his mother, but she still didn’t know how to talk
to the man.
    Judith stood. “It has been
a pleasure. I’ve enjoyed Mary’s company very much. It feels good
to have another woman in the house.” Judith swept her hand toward
the dining room. “Shall we?”
    Carter had been a little
startled to see Mary looking nothing like the woebegone creature
he’d brought here, but he snapped out of his bumfuzzlement and
escorted his mother to the dining room. He wasn’t a man who could
have his head turned by a lovely female. However, he couldn’t help
noticing how much younger his mother seemed, and he knew the
reason. Mary was good for his mother, so maybe he hadn’t made such
a bad decision in bringing a strange woman here with them, though
he still wondered why he had.
    But what would happen once
Mary regained her memory? He didn’t want his mother slipping back
into the melancholia she had been in since his sister died. It hurt
him every time he saw the pain in his mother’s eyes, and he felt
responsible. He should have protected his sister better.
    Once they reached the
table, Carter paused and held the chair out for his mother, who sat
at the head of the table, and then he took his chair to her right.
Rick seated Mary to Judith’s left and right across from Carter, and
then Rick sat beside Mary.
    However, Rick was sitting
much too close to Mary, Carter thought He’d been smiling and acting
like a jackass ever since the woman had walked into the room.
Carter would have to have a talk with him about fraternizing with
the pris—Wait! Mary wasn’t a prisoner. Damn if he knew what she
was.
    Well, no matter, it would
be better for them to keep their distance until they knew who Mary
really was. He frowned again. Did Rick have to laugh at everything
the woman said?
    Carter wouldn’t deny how
beautiful Mary was now that