‘‘What do you think’s going on?’’ Jamie asked as she leaned over the sink.
‘‘I don’t know, but we’re not going back to the dugout with that man,’’ Kora said. ‘‘We were better off in Bryan with me working at the mercantile and you riding the mail runs. If I’d known he wasn’t going to die, I never would have signed that paper Karen Noble threw in the trash.’’
‘‘Looks like he’s leaving, which I’d say was a real good plan if he wants to stay healthy. Win must have bought you lock, stock, and barrel from husband number one.’’ Jamie lost interest as Andrew Adams climbed into his wagon. ‘‘I was hoping for a fight, though it wouldn’t have been much of one. Win would probably just knock him down and Adams would crawl off. He’s a sorry pick for a husband, Kora. Even bleeding and dying, Adams wouldn’t have attracted me.’’
‘‘I wasn’t attracted to him. I simply saw a way out,’’ Kora answered.
‘‘Appears you went a ways too far.’’ Jamie giggled. ‘‘It’s costing old Win dearly. But when you said ‘please don’t make me go,’ I could tell by Win’s eyes that he’d die before Adams made you go. Or more likely kill the man.’’
Kora didn’t want to discuss what Winter had done or might have done. She needed to talk to him alone, but Jamie seemed to be settling in as if waiting for the second act. Kora had to get rid of her or risk hearing about everything she should have said for days. ‘‘Go ask the gambler to breakfast.’’ She tried the first thing she could think of to be rid of her sister.
‘‘Are you kidding? Win will shoot him on sight!’’ Jamie shouted. ‘‘You think he dislikes your first husband, you should see how he feels about Wyatt.’’
‘‘I’ll talk to Winter. Go.’’
Jamie rushed past Winter when he opened the door. For a moment he just stood in the entrance staring at Kora. ‘‘What’s your name, your real name?’’
Kora swallowed. ‘‘Kora Anderson. My mother didn’t think it was important to give girls middle names. I’m just plain Kora Anderson.’’
He stared at her as if weighing every word. ‘‘Don’t lie to me.’’
‘‘I’m not.’’
She wished she could follow Jamie, but she had to face Winter and all his anger. She asked, ‘‘Is he gone?’’
‘‘He’s gone. At least for now. He seemed more interested in getting the money you took than in having you return home.’’
‘‘You paid him?’’
‘‘I did.’’
‘‘I’ll pay you back, I swear.’’ She couldn’t believe after all the pain she’d caused this man she was now in debt to him.
‘‘You don’t have to pay me back, Kora.’’ Winter moved a step closer. ‘‘My guess is Andrew Adams is the drifting kind. He’ll probably move on and you’ll never see him again. If you do, he’ll have a hard time proving a proxy made out to Karen Noble and signed by Kora Anderson is legal. The way he was waving it in my face I doubt he could read the difference.’’
‘‘But by law am I married to him?’’
Winter laid his hand on her shoulder, and she fought not to pull away. His eyes were guarded now, unreadable. The granite man was back.
‘‘I don’t think so, but I have to know something more important than what the law will say,’’ he said with the formality of a judge. ‘‘Do you love the man? Or did you ever love him?’’
‘‘No.’’
‘‘Does he love you?’’
‘‘I don’t see how he could,’’ Kora answered. ‘‘If it turns out that I’m his wife, I’ll leave, but I won’t go back to him. I’ll run. I never want to see the man again as long as I live.’’
Winter gripped her other shoulder and turned her to face him directly as he lowered his voice. ‘‘I still expect you to hold to our agreement. At the end of six months from our marriage I’ll buy your tickets to California.’’
Kora looked confused. ‘‘Our bargain still stands?’’
‘‘It does.’’ His grip loosened.
‘‘All of it?’’
Win refused to act as if he misunderstood what she was talking about. ‘‘All of it. As far as I’m concerned you’re my wife, just as before; but the marriage bed doesn’t have to be part of the bargain. I’ll stay in the study. But as far as everyone knows, you’re still my wife, my true wife.’’
‘‘But I lied to you.’’
‘‘I figure you had your reasons.’’
The lines in his face were hard and unyielding, but he’d settled her toppling world once more with his words. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t love her; he was offering her a harbor, a solid ground she’d never known. A shelter from the witchin’ luck if only for a while.
‘‘Thank you,’’ she whispered, wondering how a man so kind could seem so cold. She’d never love him, or any man, but she’d be his wife if he wanted. She’d stay here until the house was legally hers forever, and then she’d give it to him. Not because he paid Andrew, but because he was willing to fight for her. No one had ever done that. ‘‘I was so frightened,’’ she whispered. ‘‘Not of Andrew Adams, but that you’d make me leave.’’
Winter’s arms closed around her shoulders and pulled her suddenly against him. He should have, he told himself. The one thing he couldn’t stand was a liar. But he couldn’t make her leave, and he didn’t even want to think about why.
She hugged his waist as if holding on for life. Neither said a word as they held each other.
Closing her eyes, she pressed her cheek against the wall of his chest. With her lie, she’d ended what they’d started between them, but he would still stand at her side.
THIRTEEN
‘‘MORNIN’, WYATT.’’ WINTER DROPPED HIS ARM FROM Kora’s shoulder as Wyatt Mitchell stepped through the back door. His greeting was short of friendly, but Kora’s nearness managed to take the edge off his anger. He couldn’t very well start swearing at the gambler when Kora’s arm still rested around his waist.
Dear God, he thought, does the woman have any idea of the effect she has on a man? Just as she’d misjudged the amount he’d offer for marriage, she’d mismeasured on how much he’d forgive to keep her. He’d been angry with her lie last night, but all it took was one look at her eyes this morning, and he knew he wanted her to stay.
He told himself she belonged to him. She’d made the deal for six months, not him. And he never gave up anything that was his. But Win knew it was far more. Just the thought of Andrew Adams getting close enough to touch her made Win furious. He’d keep her from the man even if he had to send her out of Texas.
‘‘Mr. McQuillen.’’ Wyatt nodded nervously as he twisted his hat in his hands. ‘‘Mrs. McQuillen.’’ His expression left no doubt that breakfast was the last thing he thought he’d be doing with Win McQuillen after last night. ‘‘I’d like to apologize, sir. I assure you the stop Jamie and I made on our way back from town wasn’t planned. We just thought to rest the horses a few minutes and enjoy the stars.’’
Winter fought the urge to say that he didn’t know it was necessary to remove one’s clothing to enjoy the night sky. But, again, Kora’s nearness stopped him. She probably had no idea of what went on with Jamie and, it appeared, any man Jamie could hold still long enough to undress.
As Wyatt and Jamie moved to the table, Kora stepped away from Winter. She gave him the ‘‘be nice’’ glance males learn to recognize from a woman’s eyes by the time they walk until they’ve settled into their graves. Winter wasn’t going to be fool enough to ignore the look.
Kora lifted the platter of bacon and eggs from the warmer above the stove. ‘‘I’m glad you could join us for breakfast, Wyatt. Since it’s only the four of us this morning, I thought we’d sit in the kitchen, like family.’’