Page 48

“B limey! What’s that!”

Austin’s fingers tightened around Loree’s hand, and she knew he was cringing at his eight-year-old son’s choice of words.

He leaned forward slightly to look out the window of the passenger car as the train rumbled over the tracks.

“A cow,” he told Zane. “But it’s got such long ‘orns.” “That’s why we call it a Longhorn.

If we could see its backside, we’d know from its brand who it belongs to. ”

“I’ll wager it belongs to Uncle Dallas,” Grant said. At ten, he was the authority on all things.

“Father, can I ride one of Uncle ‘Ouston’s ‘orses?” six-year-old Matt asked.

“Sure can. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gives you one.”

“To keep?” Matt asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. “To keep.”

“I’m going to name ‘im ‘Is ‘Ighness,” Matt said, his blue eyes gleaming.

Austin leaned toward Loree. “Please tell me that somewhere in all our luggage you packed their H’s.” Laughing, she squeezed his hand to offer reassuranee. “I’m sure they’ll show up once our sons have spent some time with their cousins.”

“We shouldn’t have stayed in London as long as we did.”

“Does that mean we’ll never go back?”

“Sugar, if you want to back, we’ll go back. I’ll give you whatever you want. You know that.”

Yes, she knew that. In the passing years, he had given her the world—Rome, Paris, London, among others—his hand within hers more often than not, and five sons.

Joseph slipped out of his seat, crossed the short expanse, and placed his small hands on Austin’s knee. Unlike his brothers who had inherited Austin’s long slender fingers, Joseph had Loree’s short stubby fingers. “Can I be a cowboy?” he whispered.

Austin lifted him onto his lap. “You can be anything you want to be.”

“I don’t play music so good,” he said as though sharing a secret.

“You play better than I did when I was four.”

Joseph’s golden eyes widened as the sun glinted off his blond hair. “Truly?”

“Give you my word.”

Loree flashed her husband an appreciative smile. At four, Austin had never played the violin, but she knew he would never mention that fact to Joseph. He loved Joseph because the boy favored Loree. He loved all his other sons because they resembled him in looks, temperament, and talent.

The train whistle pierced the air.

“I see the town!” Zane cried, and the boys scrambled to the window and pressed their noses against the glass.

Austin took Mark from Loree’s lap and held him up so he could see over his brothers’ heads.

“Is that big building Aunt Dee’s theater?” Zane asked.

“Yep.”

“Are we going to perform there?” Grant asked.

“We might. We’ll have to discuss it with your Aunt Dee.”

“I’ll wager that she’ll let us,” Grant assured him.

The train lurched to a stop. Giving the other passengers time to disembark, Loree gathered up the boys while Austin reached for his violin case. Along with the instrument nestled within it, it had gained a few scars to remind them of its journeys over the years.

With two-year-old Mark firmly placed on her hip, she allowed Austin to herd the boys onto the wooden platform. He reached for her hand.

“Not nervous, are you?” she asked.

“It’s been a long time.”

“Uncle Austin?”

Austin turned at the deep slow drawl. Loree watched recognition and surprise dawn in his eyes as he stared at the tall, lanky man dressed as though he’d just come in off the range.

“Good God! Rawley?”

The man smiled and extended a hand. “Yes, sir.”

Austin jerked him into his embrace. “Good Lord, boy. You grew up.”

Rawley stepped back. “Yes, sir, I reckon I did.” He removed his hat and gave Loree a warm smile. “Aunt Loree.”

Austin took Mark from her. She stood on the tips of her toes and wrapped her arms around Rawley. “It’s so good to see you.”

He hugged her close. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, that’s for sure.”

He released his hold on her. “Ma said the platform would break beneath the weight of the whole family so everyone else is waiting in the ballroom at the hotel.”

“Blimey! Are you a cowboy?” Zane asked.

A slow smile tugged at the corner of Rawley’s mouth. “I reckon I am.”

“Have you got a gun?”

“Yep, but I can’t wear it into town on account of the city ordinance that prohibits guns.”

“And a ‘orse?”

“Yep.” Rawley reached for the violin case. “I’ll carry that for you.”

“Thanks,” Austin said as he handed it over.

Rawley jerked his thumb back. “We’d best head to the hotel before Ma sends the posse out lookin’ for us.”

“You ever seen a posse?” Zane asked as he hurried to keep pace with Rawley’s long strides.

“Once I rode with one. Some men held up the bank here in town, and that didn’t sit well with us.”

“Did you catch them?” Zane asked.

“Nope. Last I heard they were hiding out in some hole in the wall.” Rawley stepped off the platform and hit his thigh. “Two-bits!”

The dog eased out from beneath the shade and trotted to his side. Loree knelt in the dirt, laughing with the delight as the dog licked her face.

“You ‘ave a dog?” Zane asked as the boys began petting Two-bits.

“Nah, he’s your ma’s dog. I’ve just been taking care of him.”

“Does that mean ‘e gets to live with us?” Matt asked.

“Reckon it does,” Rawley said.

Loree rose to her feet. “Won’t you miss him?”

Rawley glanced over his shoulder. “We really need to get to the hotel.”

“Is Two-bits going to live with us, Mother?” Zane asked.

“I don’t think so. I think he’d miss Rawley too much.” Rawley turned his head, and she saw the relief in his eyes. “But I’m sure we can find another dog somewhere.”

“That’s if we decide to stay,” Austin reminded her and the boys.

“I want to stay,” Zane said, “if it means we can have a dog.”

“And a ‘orse,” Matt chimed in.

Austin slipped his hand around Loree’s. “Come on.”

The town had grown, and Austin couldn’t help but feel that his brother had done himself proud. And any man would have busted his buttons to have fathered the young man who patiently answered the boys’ questions as they entered the hotel.

Rawley threw open the door to the ballroom. Tightening his hand around Loree’s, Austin took a deep breath and stepped beneath the archway. Screams and cheers resounded around him. Tiny bits of paper and ribbon flew in front of his face.

More than his family welcomed him home. It looked as though most of the damn town had crowded into the room.

“Uncle Austin!”

Turning, Austin felt as though he’d been thrown back in time—over twenty years—looking at Amelia again, smiling and radiant … only he had never been Amelia’s uncle. “Maggie May?”

She nodded briskly and threw her arms around his neck. “I missed you so much,” she cried.

“I missed you, too,” Austin said hoarsely.

Rawley leaned close. “Watch what you say to her. She thinks she’s smarter than all of us now that she’s going to that university in Austin.”

“You could go, too, Rawley,” Maggie said, a daring glint in her green eyes.

“Not on your life, Brat. I got cows to watch.”

“You and your cows.” She looked at Austin’s sons. “Are you boys gonna help Rawley take care of his cattle?”

All his sons bobbed their heads excitedly.

“Good God, don’t you know how to make girls?” Houston asked.

Austin smiled at his brother. “You don’t look like you’ve changed at all.”

“It’s just not as noticeable when a face is as unattractive as mine.”

Austin saw tears spill from the eyes of the woman standing beside Houston. Her hair wasn’t as blond as it had once been, but he thought it still looked as though it had been woven from moonbeams. He held out his arms. “Amelia.”

She hugged him closely.

“You started all this you know,” he whispered. “You were the first, the one who taught us that we didn’t have to be so strong.”

She patted his back. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

“I need a hug.”

Austin looked over Amelia’s head and smiled at Dee. “Who would have thought you’d turn out to be

so bossy?”

Her arms came around him in a fierce hug. “You haven’t seen me be bossy yet. I have you scheduled for three performances at my theater.”

“Dee—”

She wagged her finger at him. “I am not going to have a world-famous violinist in our town and not have him play in my theater.”

“I don’t know how world famous I am—”

“Loree sent us all your newspaper clippings—”

He glanced at his wife, who simply smiled at him.

“Of course, we can’t read most of them what with their being written in a foreign language and all—”

“I can read the ones from France now,” Maggie said.

Rawley rolled his eyes. “See, I told you she thinks she’s smarter than us—”

“Not smarter, just more educated,” she said.

“Experience is the best educator,” Rawley said. “Dallas taught me that.”

“And here I didn’t think you were paying attention.”

Austin turned at his oldest brother’s booming voice.

The years had turned Dallas’s hair silver and shadowed his mustache with varying shades of gray.

The creases had deepened around his eyes and mouth.

Dallas’s gaze slowly roamed over Austin, and he hoped with all his heart that his brother didn’t find him wanting.

A slow smile eased onto Dallas’s face. “I always knew your dreams would take you away from us. Just didn’t expect them to keep you away so long.”

“Well, we’re home now.” He hadn’t known the words were true until he embraced his brother. He had given Loree the world … and now he wanted to give her and their boys a home.

Rawley stepped out of the ballroom onto the veranda. “Faith, Uncle Austin and Aunt Loree are here. Aren’t you gonna come in and welcome them home?”

She spun around, tears brimming in her eyes. “Oh, Rawley, I don’t want him to see me like this, not after all these years.”

He looked her up and down. He didn’t understand ladies’ fashions, but he thought she looked beautiful in the red gown. “Nothing wrong with the way you look.” “I’ve got no bosom.”

His gaze fell to her chest, flat as a well-sanded plank of wood. Irritation surged through him because he’d looked. “Jesus, Faith, you’re only thirteen. You’re not supposed to have a bosom.”