Free Nora by Diana Palmer Page B

terrible need. Ithad been a long time since he’d had a woman; surely that was the reason he reacted so violently to her!
    He let go of her hand abruptly and moved back. “It is late.”
    â€œYes. Good night, Mr. Barton.”
    He nodded. He turned and walked away, leaving her staring after him.
    Aunt Helen was standing on the porch, looking worried when Nora came up the steps.
    â€œNora, you should not be outside so late,” she said gently. “It looks bad.”
    â€œI was only getting a breath of air,” Nora said, avoiding the older woman’s eyes. “It is so warm….”
    â€œI see.” Helen smiled. “Indeed it is. My dear, there was the most terrible story in the paper today, about a family of missionaries massacred in China, with their little children. What a terrible world it is becoming!”
    â€œYes, indeed,” Nora replied. “How nice that we are safe here in southern Texas.”
    Â 
    T HAT S ATURDAY there was a storm. Cal and the other men were out getting the livestock seen to, while the water rose to unbelievable levels and tore down fences. They were kept busy all day, and when they came in late that afternoon, they looked like mud men.
    Cal came up onto the porch, apologizing to Helen and the women for his appearance.
    â€œChester wanted you to know that he’s all right,” he said without preamble, wiping a grimy sleeve over his dirty face. “We had to pull cattle out of the mudall afternoon, and we lost a few head in the flood. Chester’s gone with two of the other men over to Potter’s place, to see if he and his wife are all right. Their house is close to the river.”
    â€œYes, I know,” Helen said worriedly. “What an odd storm, to come out of nowhere like this. They have said that in Arizona there have been unusual changes in the weather, causing many people to become ill. Imagine, and it is only the tenth of September!”
    Cal looked uneasy. “The weather has been very odd,” he agreed. “I’d like to know if things are this bad along the coast.” He didn’t add that his brother was there and he was concerned.
    â€œWe will know soon enough, I suppose,” Helen said. “Do go and have your meal, Mr. Barton, you look so tired.”
    He smiled wanly, glancing at Nora. “None of us has had much rest. Chester will be home soon, I’m certain.”
    â€œThank you for coming to tell us.”
    He nodded wearily and turned toward the bunkhouse. Nora had to bite her lip not to call after him. If she had the right, she would tuck him up in bed and look after him. Imagine, she told herself, how silly it would sound if she voiced such a longing. She moved back into the house without saying a word.
    It wasn’t until Monday that the news reached Tyler Junction about the incredible tragedy in Galveston. A hurricane had come ashore in the seaside city about midmorning the previous Saturday, submerging theentire city underwater. Galveston was almost totally destroyed, and early estimates were that thousands of people had been killed.
    Â 
    W HEN C AL HEARD THIS , he was on his horse and gone before anyone had a chance to question him. It was assumed that he was going to Galveston to help with rescue efforts. No one knew that he had a brother visiting there or that he was terrified that Alan might be among the dead. He didn’t cable home on the way. If no one in El Paso heard about the tragedy for a few days, he might have something to tell his family before they knew of Alan’s danger.
    He managed to get on a train heading toward Galveston, but when he got to the city, all lines were down and the tracks were destroyed. He had to borrow a horse from a nearby ranch to get into the city. What he saw would give him nightmares for years afterward.
    It wasn’t until he saw the devastation firsthand that he realized how impossible it would be to find his brother among