Free Sundown by Jade Laredo

felt like kicking himself.  If only he had not held up that last stagecoach. 
    He would never have met Arabella Gentry. 
    Now things seemed complicated beyond reason.
    “Something the matter?”  Matt asked, removing his apron. 
    Luke forced a congenial smile. “Nothing as wrong as a good home cooked meal.”
    “You’re a lucky man.”  Matt’s eyes suddenly turned soft.  “Tell Miss Jenny I said hello.”
    “Will do.”  Luke nodded his head.  Turning to his horse, he mounted in the saddle and gave a conspirator wink.  “You should come by for supper some time.”
    The other man laughed. 
    “Don’t mind if I do.”
     
     

CHAPTER FIVE

     
     
    Luke mounted his horse and rode home as fast as he could.  He sauntered through the front door.  As he suspected, supper was waiting on the table, and the boys were already digging in.  Taking his seat, he listened as Sam rattled on about his first day at the schoolhouse.
    “Miss Gentry says Momma should be very proud I know all my letters.”
    “Your Momma taught you those letters.”  Jake scoffed, piling a stack of peas on his fork.  Taking a bite, he chewed before continuing.  “You should be proud of your Momma.”
    “You know I am.”  Sam chortled, rolling his eyes at his uncle.
    Jake looked over at Jenny and smiled.
    “What else did you do with Miss Gentry?”  Luke asked, reaching for a basket of biscuits, he plopped one on his plate.
    “We read some books, and then I did some counting on the aba … aba … whatever you call that thing.”
    “It’s called an abacus.”  Jenny encouraged.
    “Sounds like you had a good time.”  Luke replied, grabbing for a piece of fried chicken.
    “Yeah.”  Sam returned looking down at his plate.
    “You do n’t sound very certain.”  Trig chuckled, tearing into his piece of chicken.
    “What’s the matter, honey?”  Jenny asked, putting down her tin cup.
    Sam looked up and shrugged.  “There weren’t any other children to play with …”
    “And?”  Luke stared at his nephew who fiddled with his fork, stirring the peas on his plate.
    “I heard Miss Gentry crying when I was eating my lunch outside.”
    “Are you sure, Sam?”  Jenny posed.
    “Yes’m” Sa m replied, shaking his head.  “I asked her what was wrong.”
    “What did she say?”  Luke asked, staring down at his plate.
    “She just said she missed her friend, that’s all.”
    Luke looked up and found Jake staring at him with derision.  It took all the willpower in the world not to get up and knock the living tar out of his brother.  He swore to himself the boy was lucky since Jenny and Sam were sitting beside them at the table.  Pushing himself away, he gathered his plate, and marched toward the front door unceremoniously slamming it behind him.
    “What the hell did I say?”  Jake feigned innocence.
    “You didn’t have to say squat.”  Trig shuffled a pile of mashed potatoes, dripping with gravy into his mouth.
    “Really Jake?”  Jenny frowned.  Standing to her feet, she marched toward the front door and pa used.  “Just for that you’re clean ing up the dishes tonight.”
    Stepping outside, she found Luke bent over the porch with his half empty plate sitting to one side, and his arms flailed over his knees, while he stared toward the distant town of Sundown.  A cool breeze whipped at her dress, flouncing her skirts.  She gathered the folds of her gingham dress and then sat down beside him.
    “What’s the matter with you?”
    Luke turned his head and stared at Jenny.  His eyes seemed soft, almost reticent. 
    “Don’t you miss the old days, before the war?”
    Jenny smiled.  “Of course I do.”
    “We hadn’t a care in the world.”  Luke murmured.
    “It seems almost like a lifetime ago.”
    “You the daughter of a rich seafaring merchant, and I the son of a gentleman planter, how genteel and languid our life was back then.”
    “Those days are gone forever.”  Jenny reminded him,