Part 5 (1/2)
”Mr. Sutton?” The soft voice made him think of angel voices urging himtoward sleep.
Not so much as a twitch betrayed the fact that he had heard her. Her shoes made light taps on the floor as she came closer to the bed. He ought to lether know he was awake. Somehow, it would have taken more energy than hecould muster.
She pulled the blanket more snugly over his chest. The part of his mind thatwas still conscious was praying she would go, but she seemed to hover overhim. Cautiously, gentle fingers touched his beard with one slow movementfrom his cheekbone to his chin. It brought him fully awake, but he didn't move. Her skirts rustled as she turned quickly away. She took the tray andleft the room in a matter of seconds.
As Winn fully gave in to sleep, he was trying to decide what meaning toattribute to the gentle touch.
Chapter Three.
q^vs^q L-^ynthie was in the garden carefully pulling the gra.s.sthat had come up along with the carrots. It would have been smarter to have done this earlier in the morning while it was cooler, but she had needed totake a look at the books. In less than an hour she had realized she was wasting her time.
She gave a young weed a vicious shake before tossing it away, as if pullingit up might not be enough. Why hadn't Victor let her help with anything?
Why hadn't he at least talked to her about his businesses? She knew the answer; it wasn't ”her place.” Well, now it was her place, and she was lost.
The freight company she thought Victor had created to give her fathersomething to do had expanded into something more, much more than she hadrealized. The books were filled with records of loans and foreclosures on half a dozen farms. Ott sloan was the only one Victor had ever mentioned.
Cynthie had found the ledger where he kept the cattle records, but by thattime her mind had been so full of figures warring with one another that shehad set it aside for another day. She had come out to the garden to try to clear her mind, but it hadn't worked. She stood up, brushed the dirt off her ap.r.o.n and stretched to ease the achein her back. She had weeded nearly half the garden. The rest would have to wait until tomorrow. Her back had taken about as much as it could, and shehad a son and a patient to check on.
Inside the kitchen she found Greg on a chair trying to reach the cookie jar.
”I'm packing a lunch,” he said quickly.
”Winn and me's going to eat on the porch. Can you slice us some bread and
cheese?”
”It won't be shady on the porch until almost noon,” Cynthie lifted Greg off the chair and moved the cookie jar to the table where he could reach it.
”The clock already chimed twelve times.”
Cynthie laughed.
”You can't count past seven.” She lifted a basket from a hook in the ceiling
and set it on the table.
”Winn told me.” Greg ate a cookie from one hand as he set more aside withthe other.Cynthie hadn't realized it was so late. She cut thick slices of bread and cheese and wrapped them in pieces of cloth.”Can I come to this picnic?”They heard a door open and close and looked at each other in surprise.Greg ran to the doorway. ”We're in here, Winn,” he shouted.”My hearing's fine. Just tell me if there's anything between us. I'll head for your voice.”
”Naw, you're all right. You just come on. Mama wants to know if she cancome to the picnic.” Greg's tone made it clear that he had not invited her.”Of course she can,” Winn said. He had reached Greg and stood with one hand on the door frame.
”A gentleman's always glad for a lady's company.”
Greg didn't look like he agreed but his face quickly brightened.
”Will you make lemonade?”
Cynthie smiled.
”Fetch some cold water from the well,” she told him and he ran to comply.
”Would you care to sit down, Mr. Sutton?” Cynthie offered as she went to the cupboard for the pitcher and gla.s.ses.
”No, ma'am,” he said.”I would like to ask you if you know where my friends are.””Mr. Grady and Mr. Jackson? I understand they returned to the herd.”She sliced a lemon in half and the tangy fresh scent made her breathe deeply.”I love the smell of lemons.””Do you know when they left?”Cynthie stopped squeezing the lemon and regarded him thoughtfully.”I'm sorry, Mr. Sutton, I thought they would have told you. They left yesterday, about the same time you came here.” Cynthie watched bothdisbelief and anger flash across Winn's face. She spoke softly, hoping torea.s.sure him.
”They promised to return for you after they got the herd to Abilene.””Why would they leave unless...” He seemed to be talking to himself.Cynthie came around the table toward him. She stopped short of touching him as he spoke again.
”Did the doctor say how long before I can see again?”
”When the swelling goes down you'll probably get your sight back,” she said
kindly, ”But that could take several days.”
He seemed to brace himself against the door frame. She reached toward him, wanting to comfort him, to
let him know he wasn't alone, but she heard Greg struggling with the back door and turned toward him.
While Cynthie held the door, Greg came in and set the half-filled bucket on the floor.
”That's heavy!” He scrambled onto a chair and reached for the cookie jaragain, only to have Cynthie s.n.a.t.c.h it away and put it back on the shelf. Shereturned with the sugar canister.
”Help Mr. Sutton to the front porch, young man,” she half scolded.
”I'll be along with the lemonade in a few minutes.”
Winn turned when the child took his hand. He hadn't seen the attemptedcookie theft, but he had heard the mother's tone. When Greg whispered,”She's mean,” on their way to the front door, he didn't know what to think.She seemed to change too quickly.