Free The Cowboy's City Girl by Linda Ford Page B

head. “She’s such a good kitty.”
    Dolly nodded again.
    Beatrice hoped the child hadn’t decided to never talk again. She took Dolly’s hand and together they crossed the sitting room and into the kitchen, where Levi stood over the stove and the smell of coffee filled the air.
    Maisie looked up at their approach. “I heard we have a little visitor. You must be Dolly.” She held out her hand, but Dolly pressed to Beatrice’s side.
    Maisie wisely ignored the behavior and spoke to Beatrice. “I trust you had a good sleep.”
    â€œYes, fine.”
    Levi had turned from the stove and watched them.
    Beatrice brought her gaze to his, felt the power of his dark eyes and something more. As if their shared experiences of the previous day had drawn them together. She tried to pull her gaze from his, to right her thoughts from thinking that the day had signified anything special. Not that she desired anything special.
    He looked away first, then drank his cup of coffee and set it down. “I have to look after chores. Can you manage in here?”
    The fragile feeling of the moment lay shattered at her feet. He saw only her inadequacies. She drew back her chin. He would not see another failure in meal preparation. “I can manage just fine, thank you.”
    * * *
    Levi had meant his question to be helpful but she’d taken it as uncertainty about her abilities. He strode through the door. Well, if supper last night was any indication, she’d given him good reason to have doubts.
    Charlie moseyed from the bunkhouse, still adjusting his shirt. His eyes were shadowed, his hair mussed, but he quickly donned his hat to hide it. He saw Levi and shifted his direction, as if he wanted to avoid meeting him.
    Levi changed direction, too, and fell in at his side. “Charlie, I got to say you look like you were trampled by a herd of buffalo.”
    â€œYeah? Feel like it, too. What was you up to last night? I heard you riding in way after dark. Sure makes it hard for a man to get a good night’s sleep.”
    â€œSorry.” He told of finding Dolly and her dead parents.
    Charlie ground to a halt, all annoyance gone from his expression. “Ah, that’s hard. So the little girl is staying here until her aunt comes.”
    â€œThat’s the plan.”
    â€œA pretty young woman and a little girl. Cousin, it sounds to me like you’re growing domesticated.”
    â€œI have no such intentions.”
    â€œStill missing Helen?”
    Levi ignored the hard tone in Charlie’s voice. Nor would he ask why Charlie made it sound like Levi was foolish to still be missing her. He would never tell anyone that his pain from missing her was but a fraction of the pain he felt at being rejected for being a half-breed. Though if anyone would understand, it might be Charlie.
    â€œTime you got over her and looked for a decent woman.”
    Again that hint that Helen had not been the sort of woman Levi deserved. But then, what sort did he deserve? Certainly not a city girl like Beatrice. Or any white woman. And the native ladies considered him too white for their liking.
    He’d come to accept it wasn’t necessarily his heritage, but he himself that was the problem. “We best get the chores done and head on in for breakfast.”
    Charlie whooped with laughter.
    Levi cringed. Sometimes Charlie was so loud.
    â€œDo you guess we’ll have raw eggs and burnt toast?” Charlie asked.
    â€œAll that matters is that Maisie stays off her feet.”
    â€œCan’t say as I agree. A man can only do so much work on poor food.” Charlie managed to sound regretful, but Levi suspected he would welcome the excuse to get out of the menial chores he considered beneath him.
    â€œYou get the cow milked and I’ll check the stock.” He strode away before Charlie could voice the argument Levi saw building. As it was, he heard his cousin muttering as Levi rounded