The Outlaw Takes A Bride (The Burnett Brides) (21 page)

“Drat! Now I’m going to have to pull these out,” Rose said, her eyes never leaving the yarn. She flopped down the yarn and needles. “Practice, that’s all it takes. I may not be much good at needlework, but I can read your palm; or give me a set of tarot cards and I’ll give you a reading.”

“You can read palms?” Beth questioned.

“That’s how I used to earn my living.” She laughed and wiggled her brows. “I met Travis at a séance I was having. He came to warn me to stay away from Eugenia.” Beth smiled. “You two seem very happy.”

“We are, but we didn’t start out that way.”

“Oh?” Beth said.

“No, Travis thought I was cheating his mother, and the Burnett men are very protective of Eugenia. No one gets away with mistreating Mama Burnett.”

“I bet they had interesting childhoods, living here on the ranch, three boys growing up together,” Beth said, the image of her own children playing out in front of the house a warm thought.

“I’m sure they did.” Rose tilted her head and gazed at Beth. “So, what do you think of Tucker?”

Beth bit her lip, her gaze sliding to the door to make sure no one could overhear. “Tucker seems very nice. He appears to be a good, hardworking man. He’s handsome, everything a girl could want in a husband.”

Rose looked at her strangely. “But how do you feel about him? Does he make your heart pound, or do you get goose bumps when he touches you?”

No, but his brother makes me feel that way.

She had to bite her lip to keep from saying the words out loud. She was surprised they came so easily to her.

“I don’t know. I haven’t noticed. But we’ve only been alone once, and we didn’t...”

“You mean he hasn’t kissed you yet?”

“Oh, no. I mean it’s not like we’ve had time to get to know each other.” Beth fiddled with brushing a piece of lint from her skirt, feeling uncomfortable with Rose’s questions.

She didn’t know how she felt about Tucker Burnett yet. She was trying to remain open-minded, but he didn’t appear very demonstrative of his feelings. Yet how many men really were.

“Did he hold your hand or put his arm around you?”

“He sat beside me in the swing the other night. We talked,” Beth acknowledged, feeling anxious about confiding in Rose.

Rose frowned. “Hmm. What you two need is some time alone. Some time to figure out if you’re meant to be together.”

“I guess so,” Beth answered, feeling extremely awkward speaking to Rose about Tucker.

“You just don’t seem very excited about him,” Rose observed.

“I ... I like Tucker. I think he’ll make an excellent husband,” Beth said, suddenly afraid Rose would tell the others.

Rose shook her head. “But you’re not tripping all over yourself to find a preacher.”

Beth glanced at her future sister-in-law, trying to answer as honestly as she could without giving her thoughts away. “I think these things take time. I’ve only known him now for two days, and I hardly think that’s enough time to bring a preacher into the picture.”

“You’re smart to wait.” Rose leaned forward in her seat and gazed at Beth, her expression sincere but stern. “I didn’t like Travis, but I felt such a physical attraction and an overwhelming need to be with him even when we were fighting.”

“I don’t want to rush into this and then both of us spend our lives regretting what we did.” Beth looked anxiously at Rose. “Tell me more about how you knew that your husband was meant for you.”

Rose laughed. “Those were tough days.” She sat back. “All I knew was that when Travis kissed me, nothing else mattered. Whatever dreams or goals I’d had for the future went right out the window. I had planned on going to New York to become an actress, but Travis filled in the empty spaces in me. He made me realize I was reaching for someone else’s dream, not my own. I don’t regret marrying him in the least. Hopefully, I’ve loosened him up some and been a good mate for him, too.”

Beth watched the young woman and marveled at how happy and at peace she seemed. She knew from watching her interact with Travis that the couple were desperately in love. But was Tucker the man that Beth was supposed to marry, really? Why did it feel as if she were choosing the wrong brother?

“Was there someone else that you cared about, that you left behind?” Rose asked.

“No. There was no one in Georgia. I’ve waited for a husband for a long time,” Beth said. “I want to be married to have a family. I’ve spent the last few years taking care of everyone but me. Now there’s no one.”

Rose nodded her head. “Did you leave your family behind?”

“My mother and father are both dead.”

“I know that feeling. You’re all alone in the world.”

“Yes,” Beth said.

Rose glanced at her, a quizzical expression on her face. “Well, take your time and get to know each other before you make a decision. Tucker is a very sweet man.”

“Does Tucker want to marry me?” Beth asked suddenly concerned about their future or lack of one.

“I’m sure he must be feeling anxious just like you are. The two of you need to spend some time alone, getting to know one another.”

Beth glanced at Rose, feeling awkward but wanting information from her just the same.

“So you knew fairly soon you wanted to marry your husband?” Beth asked, going back to their earlier conversation.

Rose smiled. “I was all alone in the world except for a servant who had grown up with me. I ran a séance parlor and read palms on the side. I was trying to earn enough money to go to New York to become an actress when Travis entered my life in a sudden, unexpected way.”

“Will you read my palm?” Beth questioned, looking for answers anywhere. She wasn’t certain that marrying Tucker was the right thing, but she didn’t see any other option. Maybe Rose could give her a clue.

“I’d love to.”

Rose took Beth’s right hand in her own; she grasped her palm and closed her eyes. Then she turned Beth’s hand over and opened her eyes, staring at the lines that she saw on the inside of Beth’s hand.

“Hmm. Your fate line shows you’ve had serious financial problems recently.”

Beth laughed, the sound sarcastic and filled with pain.

Rose traced a line that ran beneath her index finger, across her palm. “This is your heart line. See how long and deep this line is etched into your hand? That shows you are passionate and loving.”

If not for her night with Tanner, she would never have believed she was a loving woman. It was still odd to think of herself in such a manner, but maybe it was true.

“Your life line is strong and steady, so you should have a long life.”

Rose turned her hand more closely to the light. “Your fate line is the one that concerns me, your life and heart lines are fine. But your fate line tells me you must be careful or you could make the wrong choices in life.”

She traced the lines on the inside of her palm with her index finger. “Your youth was fraught with change, but then your life line indicates you will settle in for a long, happy life.”

Beth stared at her hand, amazed at what Rose had told her. “Where did you learn how to do this?”

“One of my father’s girlfriends.”

“Is it true?”

Rose shrugged. “Can be if you believe it.”

Beth pulled back her hand and glanced down at her palm as if looking for the answers to her questions.

“Tonight, after dinner, I’m going to try to arrange it so you and Tucker may have some time alone,” Rose said with a smile. “I’ll take my husband upstairs, and Eugenia will follow my lead once she realizes what I’m doing, since she’s so anxious to marry her son off.”

“Thanks. I would like to spend some time getting to know Tucker before I make my decision.”

“As you should.” Rose laughed, clearly pleased. “Tonight, then!”

***

Tanner rode down Main Street to the Palace Saloon, one of the many drinking establishments that lined the road. Noise spilled through the open doorways, some of them filled to capacity with raucous cowboys who were passing through town on a cattle drive.

He dreaded this meeting but knew it was inevitable. Though Tanner had left a message at the hotel for McCoy when they suddenly left San Antonio, somehow he knew that he’d not get away that easily. McCoy was known for his tenacity. He would follow Tanner here and demand that he rejoin the gang.

As if he had any other choice. He knew what his responsibilities were, he just hadn’t been in a hurry to see them through. He knew he had obligations, but since Beth had been shot in the botched holdup, he had spent his time taking care of her. Now, because his family was back in his life, that could create more problems. Especially his brother, the marshal.

How was he going to explain that one to McCoy or Sam? Sorry, I forgot to tell you, my brother is the marshal of Fort Worth. Sam would take pleasure in killing him and sending his body back in pieces to his brother. McCoy could make his life a living hell.

He pulled his horse to a halt and swung his leg over the saddle horn and slid to the ground. He looped his reins over the post and walked into the saloon, his boots resounding on the wooden floor.

As he pushed open the door, McCoy sat there sipping a beer at the bar, his head bowed over the drink as if he were praying.

Tanner slid into the chair beside him. “Hello, McCoy. You’re never far behind me, are you?”

“Nope.” The man glanced up, and his dark eyes met and held Tanner’s, his gaze cold and intense in a face that was rugged and weather-beaten. The man unfurled his body to his full six-foot height. Streaks of gray were dispersed among the black strands.

“About damn time, Jackson. I was beginning to think you’d run out on me for good.”

“Nope. Been taking care of business.” Tanner sipped his drink. “So what are our friends up to?”

“Actually, they’re close by,” McCoy said.

“What?”

“Sam Bass has family living up in Denton County. So you don’t have far to go.”

Tanner shrugged. “I don’t want any part of this. Not here in Fort Worth.”

“Why not?” the older man asked.

“Why be in such a hurry? It will only get you killed. Just give me a little time and then I’ll go back. But I’m not willing to take a chance here in this town. The law knows me here.”

***

Sitting across from Beth at dinner that night, Tucker observed the way the light of the candles radiated off her red hair, her eyes sparkled when she smiled.

Beth was a woman who seemed pleasant and sweet, but he wasn’t attracted to her. He didn’t feel a blinding sense of need and though he wanted to help Beth, he didn’t think marrying her was the answer.

Tucker didn’t know what to do about Beth Anderson. So he decided that for now he was not going to do anything. He would just go along with his mother’s plans and see if he could find some way to get out of this terrible mess without hurting Beth. But it was obvious he could never marry her.

Dinner was over; they pushed back from the table, and now Cook was preparing to clear the dishes away.

“All of you scoot on out of here; get out of my way,” the cranky old man said, shooing them out of the dining room as he carried dishes into the kitchen.

The entire family went into the parlor, where they usually gathered.

“Tanner, tell us about your travels over these last few years. I’m sure you must have seen many different places?” Rose asked.

Tanner looked as if he were cornered, his discomfort obvious on his face. “Not much to tell. I’ve been here and there, earning a living.”

“But surely you’ve seen some sights that you can tell us about.”

“Nothing that ladies should hear.”

Rose, obviously disappointed, turned to Beth. “What about you, Beth? Tell us about your home in Georgia.”

Beth swallowed hard, her eyes misting over. She coughed to clear her throat. “Jonesboro, Georgia, is where my family was from. Four generations of Andersons occupied that house until I had to sell it. During the war, we lost all the barns, the slave quarters, and every outbuilding, but somehow managed to keep the main house from being burned.”

“How did you manage that?” Tanner questioned. “Every plantation I came across in Georgia had been ransacked and burned.”

“I... I don’t know. The Yankees used it as a military outpost for a while. At the end of the war, the taxes were high, but I managed to keep the house for a little while,” Beth said, her voice quivering.

“You were damn lucky. Most Confederate families who kept their plantation homes were Yankee supporters or ones that donated something to the government’s cause,” Tanner said, watching her.

Beth’s face turned ashen, and Tucker wondered at her loss of color, though the memory of losing her home must hurt. Being in Texas had kept most of the war at bay, and Tucker had been wet behind the ears when the war started.

“I managed to save our home, but it did me little good, as it’s now in the hands of a carpetbagger.”

Tucker had heard horror stories of people thrown out of their homes by easterners who had come south looking for a quick bargain.