Part 2 (1/2)
His breath hitched in his chest. She'd remembered his eyes all this time? He couldn't help wondering what else she remembered-if she resented his intrusion in her life-if she'd been humiliated over the scene at her party? Afterward, he'd tried several times to get close enough to speak to her. He'd even taken another licking from Burdell. But nothing had daunted his unexplainable captivation with the girl.
Even now, after all these years, he wanted to take her for a ride-buy her ice cream-do anything that would bring joy to her expressive face.
He reached the wagon and lowered her to the pallet of blankets in the back. She arranged her skirts, deliberately avoiding looking at him. He returned for her chair and a.s.sisted Miss Renlow up to the wagon seat. With a giggle, Annie's cousin waved to her friends.
Miss Marples' wasn't very busy that afternoon, and the pudgy woman herself waited on them. After taking Charmaine's order, she asked, ”And what will she have?” indicating Annie with a nod.
”Well, I don't know, why don't you ask her?” Luke replied. ”She's in a wheelchair, but she's not deaf or stupid.”
Miss Marples recovered quickly, her round cheeks pink. ”No, of course not. Uh-what will you have?”
”I'd like a dish of peppermint ice cream, please,” Annie replied, her own cheeks aflame. Being treated as though she were an idiot because she couldn't walk was one of the most irritating things about her life situation. And usually, her parents ordered for her, making the matter even worse.
No one had ever addressed the situation bluntly in her presence before, and secretly, she took delight in Luke's words.
Returning with their orders, Miss Marple fussed over them. Luke had asked for black walnuts for his vanilla ice cream, and she supplied him with a bowlful. He shared with the ladies.
”My Daddy says you're quite a businessman, Mr. Carpenter,” Charmaine said, delicately nibbling a walnut meat. ”He says that's a right fine livery you built there and that you know your horses.”
”Your daddy would be the one to know,” he replied, pleased with the compliment from a man he respected. ”He takes good care of his animals and runs a fine ranch.”
Charmaine giggled as though he'd complimented her. He couldn't help but smile at her obvious flirtation.
Annie, with cheeks as pink as the peppermint swirls in her ice cream, kept her gaze lowered to the frosty dish. She wasn't as flattered by his attentions as her cousin, and he wondered how to rectify that.
”Do you still live on your Uncle Gilbert's ranch?” Charmaine asked.
”No. I have a couple of rooms in the back of the livery for now.”
”For now?”
”Eventually I'll build a house.”
”In town?”
The silly girl was full of questions, while he was still trying to think of something to say to Annie. ”Probably just outside town,” he replied distractedly.
”Do you still have Wrangler?”
The softly spoken question came as a surprise. Even Charmaine turned to look at Annie.
Luke jumped on her first sign of interest and nodded in reply. ”He's at Gil's.”
”Do you still ride him?”
”Yes. He's fifteen now, but I still take him out for exercise.”
Her lashes rose. She looked right at him. And smiled. Her gray eyes were filled with a pa.s.sionate yearning he wanted to fulfil. If only he knew how. If only her family didn't think of him as the scourge of the earth.
Maybe he hadn't been born under the same affluent circ.u.mstances as the Sweet.w.a.ters, but he'd worked long and hard to save and start his own business. As soon as he rebuilt his savings, he would build a house-a home. One he could bring a wife to.
But money was only a secondary reason for her family to scorn him. He'd lost their favor the day he'd taken their little girl for a ride.
He had never decided if it had been worth it or not.
She didn't say she'd like to see his horse-or that she'd like to ride him again. Her disturbing eyes said the words for her. She lowered her lids as if to hide the longing reflected in their depths.
”I could bring him out to your cousin's,” he offered.
Annie blanched at his suggestion. ”Oh, no, you mustn't!”
”Wouldn't you like to see him?”
”Yes, but, I couldn't-I mean, you shouldn't-well, it's just not possible.”
Annie folded her hands in her lap and looked down at them. She couldn't bear for him to endure any more harm because of her. That one time had been enough to give her nightmares for years. ”No,” she affirmed, with a certain shake of her head.
Luke's name had been an unmentionable profanity in her home for as long as she could remember. She didn't want to imagine what would happen if her family discovered she'd encouraged him.
The last bites of ice cream sat melting in the bottom of her bowl. Annie didn't look up to see Luke's expression.
After an awkward stretch of silence, Charmaine piped up, ”Will you be at Lizzy and Guy's wedding, Mr. Carpenter?”
”I wouldn't miss the event of the season,” he replied, his tone still good-natured. ”We're having a little prewedding celebration at the Red Garter tonight, as a matter of fact.”
”What do gentlemen do on those occasions, anyway?” she asked, curiously.
”Would your mother want you to know?” he asked.
Annie couldn't help looking up to catch the mischievous lift of his ebony brow.
”Probably not,” Charmaine said with a matching grin. ”Tell me anyway.”
”We drink whiskey and smoke cigars and tease the groom mercilessly.”
”That doesn't sound like much fun.” Charmaine's forehead creased.
”I'd say it's as much fun as sipping punch and giving feminine presents is for you ladies.”
”Now, that's a lot of fun.”
”It wouldn't be fun for the men unless you spiked the punch and pa.s.sed out stogies.”
Charmaine laughed and Annie couldn't help joining her at the thought of their prissy girlfriends smoking smelly cigars.
”I'd better see you on your way now,” Luke said, standing. ”I promised that you'd be home in time to help with the meal.”
”This was a delightful idea,” Charmaine said. ”Thank you for the invitation.”
”My pleasure.”