Page 27

L oree glanced at her reflection in the mirror. The yellow ribbon at the end of her braid looked incredibly childish, even if it had been a gift from Austin. She yanked it from her hair and dropped onto the bed, pulling the ribbon through her fingers, over and over.

Austin had gone to Houston’s as soon as he’d seen Dallas and his family arrive in their buggy, leaving Loree to finish getting dressed on her own.

She didn’t want to embarrass him by looking like a little girl when they attended the play at the theater.

Only she had no idea how to make herself look grown up.

She heard the soft knock on her door. “Come in.”

Dee poked her head around the door. “How’s it coming?”

Loree held up the ribbon. “I just need to figure out what to do with this ribbon. I don’t want to hurt Austin’s feelings by not wearing it.”

Dee stepped into the room, and Loree wished she could come up with a plausible excuse to get out of going to this affair.

Dee’s red gown complimented her pale complexion, black hair, and brown eyes, leaving her devastatingly beautiful.

“Oh, I’m sure we can think of something to do with it. Don’t you think, Amelia?”

Smiling warmly and holding a large box, Amelia waltzed in behind Dee. Amelia’s golden hair was swept up into a graceful bouquet of curls. The green of her dress emphasized the green of her eyes. She looked radiant.

Dee pulled out the chair in front of the mirrored vanity. “Loree, why don’t you sit here?”

“Why don’t we put on the gown first?” Amelia suggested.

Incredibly embarrassed, Loree glanced at her best dress. “I am wearing my dress.”

Amelia walked to the bed, set the box down, and ripped off the lid. “I thought you’d want to wear the gown Austin ordered for you.”

Loree took a hesitant step forward. “What gown?”

With a flourish, Amelia pulled a rustle of lace and silk out of the box and held it up for Loree to see. “This one.”

Tears stung Loree’s eyes. The pale yellow bodice dipped down to form a V. Lace decorated the area between the V and ran up along the shoulders. A top skirt was split down the middle and pulled back, held in place with yellow ribbons, to reveal a pleated lace skirt beneath.

“Austin ordered this gown?” Loree asked, touching the soft material with awe.

“In a way,” Amelia admitted. “He told me you needed something to wear. He insisted it be yellow because you look beautiful in yellow—”

“He said that?” Loree asked. “That I looked beautiful?”

Amelia smiled warmly. “He said that. But not knowing how his taste in women’s clothing runs … and having had an unfortunate experience with Dallas’s tastes in women’s attire, I oversaw the dress maker’s efforts.”

“I had no idea—” Loree began.

“I think he wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Oh, it is.” “Why don’t you slip it on,” Dee suggested, “and then we’ll see about arranging your hair.”

Loree grabbed her braid. “I don’t suppose we could pile it on top of my head.”

“We can do anything you want.”

Austin sat in Houston’s parlor, sprawled in the chair, gazing out the window, wishing he could think of a way to get out of his family obligation.

The way Rawley was crunching his face, Austin figured he was searching for an excuse, too. Rawley dug his finger behind the collar of his starched white shirt, looking like he might choke at any minute. Then his face brightened. “I should probably check on the herd.”

Dallas shifted his gaze from the window and nodded slowly. “You probably should.”

Relief washed over Rawley’s face as he strode for the door.

“If the herd means more to you than your mother does,” Dallas added.

Rawley stumbled to a stop and glanced over his shoulder.

“The theater is one of your mother’s dreams. She’s a little nervous about tonight,” Dallas said.

Rawley took a deep breath. “Then I reckon I oughta be there.”

“Reckon so.”

Rawley reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a sarsaparilla stick. Daintily, Faith walked up to him. “Gimme.”

“It’s my last one,” Rawley said, even as he broke it in half and handed a piece to her. Then he glared at Maggie as she sat in the corner, watching over her three sisters. “Reckon you want some, too.”

She held up a bag. “We still have the lemon drops Uncle Dallas brought.”

“If those women don’t hurry, the girls are all gonna have belly aches before we get out of here,” Houston said.

“As long as they’re riding in your wagon, that’s not a problem for me,” Dallas said.

“What’s keeping them?” Austin asked.

“Hell, you never know with women,” Dallas said.

Austin heard the patter of footsteps on the front porch.

The door swung open. Amelia and Dee rushed in, looking like little girls trying to hold in an enormous secret.

Then Loree stepped through the doorway and Austin felt as though a wild mustang had just kicked him in the chest. Sweet Lord, the little darling he’d married was going to catch the eye of every man in town.

Slowly he came to his feet. Loree’s smile faltered and she touched her gloved hand to the nape of her neck.

“You don’t like it?” she asked.

“I like it just fine,” he said, wondering where that raspy voice had come from.

“Amelia said you purchased the gown.”

“I did. I just didn’t know it was gonna look like that.”

“I could change—”

“No!” three male voices sounded at once.

Loree had seen the outside of the theater from the hotel, but she had never imagined the opulence that had been hidden inside.

Candles flickered within crystal chandeliers.

A thick red carpet with designs running through it covered every inch of the floor.

Gilded mirrors adorned the walls. Wide sweeping stairs on either side of the foyer led to the balconies.

At one end of the foyer was a room where parents could leave their children in the capable hands of women paid to care for them. As far as Loree could determine, Dee had thought of everything and designed the theater to give the people of Leighton a night they’d never forget.

It seemed everyone within a thousand miles had come for the opening performance. Loree had never been in one room with so many people.

Austin took her elbow and leaned low. “They’re serving champagne over there. Do you want some?”

“Do you think they have some water?”

Smiling, he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “If they don’t, I’ll find some. Why don’t you wait here with Rawley until Dee and Dallas get back from taking Faith to that baby room?”

She nodded slightly.

“Rawley, I’m leaving your aunt in your care. You watch after her, now.”

Rawley straightened his shoulders. “Yes, sir.”

Loree’s heart swelled as she watched her husband make his way through the crowd. Tall, lean, he looked incredibly handsome in his black jacket and white starched shirt.

“How long is a play anyway?” Rawley asked, drawing her attention away from Austin.

“A couple of hours I imagine.”

“Think there’s any chance Romeo and Juliet is a story about a boy and his dog?” Rawley asked.

Loree fought back her smile. “No, it’s a love story.”

“A boy could love his dog,” he said hopefully.

Loree’s smile broke free. “In this story, he loves a woman.”

Rawley grimaced. “They ain’t gonna do any kissing, are they?”

“Don’t you like kissing?”

“Ain’t never tried it, but can’t see where it’d be much fun. From what I can tell, looks to me like the two people are just swapping spit. I’d rather swap marbles.”

“Rawley!”

Loree turned just as Maggie plowed into Rawley. Breathless, she squeezed his arm. “Rawley, one of the actors is over there showing people his sword. His honest to gosh sword! Come on!”

She tugged on his arm, but Rawley pulled back. He cast a quick glance at Loree, and she saw the longing in his eyes. “I can’t. Told Uncle Austin I’d stay here with Aunt Loree.”

Maggie wasn’t as discreet in her disappointment. “Heck fire, Rawley, we won’t be that far away.”

Rawley hesitated, then shook his head. “Can’t do it. Gave my word.”

Loree placed her hand on his shoulder. “Go on. I’ll be all right.”

“Uncle Austin might not like it.”

“I’ll explain it to him so he does.”

“Suppose I could just run over and take a quick look-see.”

Maggie grabbed his hand. “Come on, Rawley. You won’t believe how shiny his sword is. Looks like it’s sharp enough to cut the head off a Longhorn.”

Loree watched them work their way through the crowd. Her brother had been around Rawley’s age when he’d died. She couldn’t remember if he’d ever looked at a sword.

She felt a light tap on her arm and turned. Her stomach dropped to her knees at the sight of the man and woman standing before her.

“Hello,” Becky said smiling warmly. “I didn’t know you were still in town.”

Loree gave her a jerky nod. “Yes. Yes, I live here now.”

“How wonderful! You’ll have to come visit some Sunday when the store is closed. Did you find the gun you were looking for?”

“Why would she need a gun?” Austin asked from behind her.

Loree’s heart pounded so heavily she was certain he felt it as he clamped his hand possessively onto her waist. “Here’s your water,” he said quietly.

With a trembling hand, Loree took the glass from him. “Thank you. I was already beginning to miss you.”

Austin smiled warmly, dipped his head, and brushed a quick kiss across her lips. “I was missing you, too.”

Loree shifted her gaze and watched as understanding dawned in Becky’s eyes and the blood drained from her face.

“Austin, it’s so good to see you again,” Becky said, her voice faltering. “How are you?”

“Wiser.”

“Cameron told me you’d gotten married … I just … I just didn’t realize … I’d met your wife,” Becky stammered.

“She mentioned meeting you. Loree, Sugar, did you meet Cameron?”

“I saw him, but I don’t think we actually met.”

“He’s Dee’s brother. I’m not sure I ever mentioned that,” Austin said.

“No, you didn’t. You only mentioned that he’d been your best friend.”

Cameron looked as though he might fall ill at any moment. “Austin—”