"Yes, ma'am."
"And I suspect, Ben Hunter, that you knew exactly what you were doing." She cut him off as he opened his mouth to reply. "Don't try to charm your way out of this. Everyone in this room knows you saw this afternoon as a convenient shortcut to having your way, and you didn't hesitate to take advantage of it. Well, I don't have to pretend I approve of your methods of getting what you want. It was ruthless and inconsiderate to gamble with Adeline's reputation as you did today, and I hope for her sake you don't make a habit of it."
"I don't intend to," Ben said evenly, and Addie realized that suddenly he was not amused anymore. He was taking May's words seriously, listening to her with a remarkable absence of mockery. He'd always been respectful to May, but Addie would never have guessed he would allow her mother to lecture him like this.
"I'm her mother," May continued. "I have a right to speak my piece, and it's your obligation to listen. There's nothing I can do to stand in your way, and I don't intend to fight the three of you any longer. The important thing is, Adeline thinks you're going to make her happy. I suppose you think that too. But you won't if you continue to treat her with so little consideration. She is not to be made a public spectacle, ever again. She is to be treated with gentleness and respect. Her welfare should be considered first, above your own needs. "
As Addie heard May's admonition, she looked down at her hands, her cheeks burning. It was terribly disconcerting to hear herself being discussed as if she weren't even there. She wanted to interrupt, but there was nothing she could say on her own behalf, or Ben's. Only Ben could calm May's anxiety.
"Her happiness, not to mention her welfare, is my foremost concern," he said. As she saw his steely expression, not even May could doubt what he said. "That's why I want her as my wife."
"You know my objections to a marriage between the two of you," May snapped. "You know I didn't approve of the idea. And so you put us all into an intolerable situation. It's impossible for me to refuse your marriage now. In fact I have to insist on it."
Ben's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "I'll make her happy."
"You haven't even bothered to apologize for your behavior."
"I apologize for that. But with all due respect, not for the result."
Sensing the grudging apology was all she was going to get from him, May switched her glare from Ben to Russell. "You haven't said one word during all of this."
Russell assumed an authoritative glower, standing up and motioning to Ben. "I'm gonna have a man-to-man talk with him. Just because he's gonna marry my daughter doesn't mean he c'n get out of a good dressin’-down when he deserves one. C'mon, Ben-into my office. "
"Yes, for a drink and cigar and a good slap on the back," May said acidly.
Addie couldn't help snickering.
There was a definite tinge of whiskey on Ben's breath when he came out of Russell's office. He smiled at Addie as he saw her outside the door, and followed her silently as she pulled him out to the front porch for a few minutes of privacy. His color was high from strong drink and a sense of well-being.
"Poor thing," she said. "I can tell he ran roughshod over you."
Ben smiled, settling his worn felt hat on the porch rail. "He said it was the happiest day of his life."
"I'm glad someone feels that way," she said pertly.
"I would've stayed in bed this morning if I'd known what today was going to be like."
He flexed his shoulders and winced. "I feel like I've been through a cattle stampede."
"How dare you complain? You're to blame for everything that happened. First the fight, then the kiss-"
"Please, darlin', I listened to a good hour of that from your mother."
"Than what should I say? You took your punishment like a man. Bravo."
"You're pretty feisty tonight," he observed, walking leisurely to the edge of the porch and bracing his hand on the railing. "Hey, Watts," he called into the darkness, and the cowboy who was patrolling the area answered softly.
"Yeah, Ben?"
"Why don't you do a little checking around back for a couple of minutes?"
There was the sound of a smothered chuckle. "I was just plannin' on doin' that."
"Get a move on."
Addie squinted through the shadows, her head turning to follow Watts's movement around the side of the house. She caught only a glimpse of his stocky shape. When the sound of his feet had died away, she looked at Ben with a mild frown, remembering the night when Watts had cried drunkenly on Ben's shoulder after finding out his sister was a prostitute.
"Is his sister still working in that dance hall?" she asked, and Ben shrugged.
"Far as I know."
"You were going to offer him money to get her out of there."
"I couldn't get him to take it."
"Too proud?" she mused out loud. "What about offering him more work and paying him extra-"
"I've already tried that, and no, he doesn't want to work more. I think everyone's reconciled to what his sister is, honey. Now, stop trying to fix everyone else's problems and start worrying about me for a change. "
"Worrying about you is all I've been doing lately!"
Addie put her hands on her hips as Ben sauntered over to her. She'd been through a terrible day, all because of him, and a little accounting was in order. "Stop right there." He paused a few feet away, his eyebrow arched in inquiry. "I have no intention of letting you near me, Ben Hunter. You've been awful to me all week. Rude, bad-tempered… you've ignored and insulted me-"
"I've gone through hell. I've wanted you so damn badly I couldn't see straight, and I've had enough work and worry to make a saint cuss."
"And you think I've had it easier? How do you think I felt when I saw you and Jeff fighting in the middle of the street like a bear and a bull? It didn't accomplish anything except to make matters worse between us and the Johnsons."
Ben scowled, his playful mood vanishing. "I couldn't help it. When I saw him looking down at you like that-Jesus, you'd think you were the only woman in Texas, the way he looked at you-and when he touched you-"
"For heaven's sake, he wasn't exactly going to ravish me in the street! The whole town was there."
"He was acting as if he owned you," Ben said moodily, folding his arms across his chest and shifting his weight to one leg, the other propped out in a masculine stance. "He damn sure seems to feel he has a claim on you, Addie. Why is that?" There was a flicker of jealousy in his eyes.
"What are you asking?"
"Just how far did you go with him?"
She was amazed at his bluntness. "When he and I were courting?"
"Yes."
"Oh, for heaven's… you don't really expect me to answer that."
No reply. He stared at her obstinately.
"You do," she said slowly. "After all you and I… Oh, I'd never have expected this from you! How far do you think I went with him? You know you're the first and only man I've ever made love with. Isn't that enough to satisfy your precious ego? It's just too bad if it isn't, because I'm not about to tell you the intimate details of my relationships with any other men not unless you're prepared to tell me what you've done with other women!"
"It's not the same."
"Not…" Addie started to repeat, and stopped in aston-ishment. Sometimes she forgot that although Ben was less chauvinistic than most men around here, he still had his moments. Suddenly she wanted to laugh. "Why isn't it the same?" she demanded. "If you have a right to know about my past experience, then I have a right to know about yours."
"We're not equally accountable for such things. A man is supposed to have experience. And a woman-"