Free A Texan's Honor by Leigh Greenwood Page B

crazy about horses, and you know everything about them.”
    Bret winked at Joey. “You weren’t supposed to tell her that. Now she’ll expect me to chase cows.”
    That led to a few more jokes at Bret’s expense before Charlie took him off to smoke and talk about the ranch. He sent the boys to make sure all the stock was fed and watered for the night, and told Clara and Becky to help their mother clear the table.
    Ida ordered Emily to sit down and enjoy her coffee. She started putting food away while the girls cleared the table. “What do you think of your young man now?”
    â€œEvery time I think I know him, he surprises me,” Emily said. “I would never have guessed he had a sense of humor.”
    â€œI think he’s wonderful,” Clara pronounced as she spun around, a beatific smile on her face.
    â€œYou won’t feel so wonderful if you spill those peaches,” her mother said as she rescued the bowl from her daughter.
    â€œHe makes me laugh,” Becky said as she deposited two dirty plates in the dishpan. “I want to live in Boston when I grow up.”
    Emily got up from her chair. “I’ll help your mother with the washing up.”
    â€œYou don’t have to do that,” Ida said.
    â€œI can’t sit here drinking coffee while you work. Besides, I can’t talk in front of the girls. They’re certain to repeat the one thing I don’t want anybody to know I said.”
    Ida laughed. “I have to bite my tongue every time Charlie makes me mad. I know one of them will tellhim everything I’ve said, because they tell me everything
he
says.”
    They both laughed, but Emily sobered quickly. “Do you and Charlie fight?”
    â€œNo. If one of us is impatient or tired, we might get snappish.”
    â€œBut you do love Charlie, don’t you?”
    Ida washed the dish in her hands, rinsed it with cold water, then laid it on the sideboard. “Why do you ask that? You’ve known us most of your life.”
    Emily concentrated on the plate she was drying, then set it on the table. “I can hardly remember Mama when she wasn’t sick. I never got the chance to see a normal marriage.”
    â€œYou don’t think my marriage is normal?”
    â€œI was too young, too preoccupied with taking care of the house, and too worried about Dad to think about it. I never remember you and Charlie even getting upset with each other.”
    â€œYou really didn’t pay attention, did you?”
    â€œI guess not.”
    Ida turned back to the dirty dishes. “You’re a young woman now. It’s time to be thinking of such things.”
    â€œBut why am I doing it now? I don’t have time to worry about something like that with Dad being sick.”
    â€œBeing captivated by a man doesn’t follow any timetable. In fact, it usually happens at the most inconvenient times.”
    â€œI’m not captivated by Bret.”
    Ida directed a penetrating look at her. “Aren’t you?”
    â€œNo. I didn’t want him here. I told Daddy to tell Mr. Abbott not to send him, but he’d already left Boston by then.”
    Ida’s smile was broad and knowing. “That’s not what I’m talking about. Aren’t you interested in
him
? The man, not his mission.”
    â€œI’m not
interested
in him, but I am curious about him.”
    Ida laughed. “It could be the same thing.”
    Emily paused with a serving bowl in her hands. “I probably wouldn’t be so curious if I didn’t keep making so many mistakes about him. I thought I knew all about men, but he’s not like any I’ve known before.”
    â€œI thought I knew all about men, too, when I was your age,” Ida said, rubbing hard to remove the berry juice cooked onto the pie pan. “All I had to do was marry one to find out I didn’t know anything at all. I love berry pies,” she said as