Bittner, Rosanne (30 page)

Almost? Nial followed her to where Luke stood. Was the man well enough to make love to his wife again? Oh, how he would love to have that pleasure himself. He greeted Luke with a smile and a handshake. "You'll have your cattle by July, Luke," he told the man. "I just received correspondence from my Wisconsin ranch two days ago. They'll be shipped out by rail in May, then herded to Billings, where your men can take over. It's costing me a fortune for the twenty rail cars it will take to carry them all, and I'll make no profit, but it's worth it to get someone to try the breed. If it's a success, I'm sure I'll get the other ranchers to buy in."

Luke glanced at Lettie, then set one crutch against a table and used his free arm to put around her shoulders. "Maybe we can let the other ranchers know when they'll arrive so they can be there to see the stock."

Nial noticed Luke's possessive gesture. "Yes, I'll see about that. There are others interested, but the heavy snows this winter kept them from coming to my ranch to see for themselves. The men you sent last fall to have a look seemed very impressed. I'm sure you were relieved when you heard their opinion."

"I take it your Herefords made it through the winter with no problems?" Luke was asking.

Nial kept his smile. He liked Luke Fontaine, yet part of him hated the man for being married to the only woman he had truly wanted since his own wife died six years ago. "No problems," he answered. "I do hope you and your wife will come visiting this summer. I have a building crew there that I hired back in Wisconsin, who started constructing my new home last fall. It will be made completely of stone, which they are bringing in from the mountains by the wagonful. It is quite a project. You really must see it. I am fashioning it after my family home in England—bringing a bit of my country to Montana, you might say, although this lonely man certainly does not need such a big home. Still, it helps relieve my homesickness." He realized perhaps he could impress Lettie Fontaine with his money and the castle of a home he was building. Her husband was rich enough in his own right, but not a man who could dip into the almost endless old money that he could. What did he have left to impress her with besides his wealth? "Fifteen rooms and a ballroom," he added. "When it is finished, I intend to hold some sort of gala event there every summer, perhaps a big cookout and a dance for everyone for miles around who wishes to come."

His eyes rested on Lettie on the last words.

"Do you miss England, Nial?" Lettie asked.

"Oh, yes, but as I told you last fall, this country is as beautiful as anything I have ever seen, and so big! I could never be completely happy in England again after this. I have decided to make this my permanent home, which is why I'm building my 'stone castle,' as some of the men call it."

The little band struck up a waltz, and the wife of one of Billings's new arrivals, Sidney Greene, a lawyer, came up and grabbed Nial's arm. Mrs. Greene introduced him to her sixteen-year-old daughter, Chloris, a modestly pretty girl who looked very embarrassed when her mother insisted that she dance with Nial, who kindly obliged.

Luke pulled Lettie closer then. "Every mother with a marriageable daughter within two hundred miles of here will be trying to hitch them up with the wealthy Lord Bentley," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

Lettie smiled, turning to face him. "He never said he was a lord."

Luke scowled, setting his other crutch aside and leaning on her for support, putting both arms on her shoulders and bending closer. "Whatever he is, he's still infatuated with you. You sure you wouldn't like to go and live in that fancy castle and be the wife of an Englishman?"

Lettie laughed, grasping hold of his powerful forearms. "If I did, I would be a terribly unfaithful wife." She studied his blue eyes, a surge of desire rushing through her with such intensity that she had to draw in her breath. Her smile faded. "I'd be constantly running off to sleep with another man, a big, strong, handsome man with blue eyes, who doesn't have to build me a stone castle to keep me in his bed. If being with the man meant I had to go back to living in that shack we use to store feed now, I'd do it."

Luke studied her lovingly. "I believe you would." He kissed her forehead. "How about if I ask Will and Henny to keep the kids tonight and we go back alone to that room I rented at the hotel?"

Lettie blushed. "Will and Henny would know why we asked, and I would be embarrassed to death."

He grinned. "They'd understand. They'd tease us unmercifully, but we're used to them." His smile faded. "It's been a long time, Lettie. I've never seen you look more beautiful than you do this evening."

"What about your leg? Maybe you still aren't well enough—"

"Oh, I'm well enough," he said with a wink. "Watching that damn Englishman put his hand on you gave me a little boost."

"Hear! Hear!" Will's voice interrupted their conversation, as he handed Luke another glass of whiskey. "Henny says to tell you you're needed over at the food table," he told Lettie. "Sorry to interrupt!"

Luke kept his eyes on Lettie for a moment. "No more whiskey for me," he told Will. "Just bring me some punch or whatever they've got over there."

"No whiskey? Why, Luke, you—" He hesitated, then burst into laughter. "I get it! There's times when a man's better off not takin' down too much alcohol!" He gulped the whiskey himself. "I've got a feelin' me and Henny should watch the little ones tonight."

Lettie blushed even more, handing Luke his crutches. "I'm going to join Henny." She left him standing there, shivering with desire as she headed back to the food table. She could hardly concentrate on watching the children and serving food after that, and every time she glanced at Luke, he was watching her, which only brought more color to her cheeks. People danced and ate and celebrated until dark, and to Lettie's delight, Chloris Greene kept Nial Bentley occupied most of that time. Whenever he was alone, a couple of women of questionable reputation insisted on dancing and conversation, flirting outrageously with the rich Englishman. Still, neither diversion could keep him from coming to her after several hours of imbibing and asking her again to dance, this time grabbing her hands and half pulling her onto the dance floor to join him in a square dance. Lettie obliged only to keep from making a scene. Nial's face was flushed with too much liquor and too much desire, and whenever the man who called the dance asked the men to put a hand to their partner's waist, he pulled her much closer than necessary.

"How sad that you are taken, Lettie," he told her. "I would be so proud to present you to my family in England as my wife and tell them what a magnificent, brave woman you are. They would be fascinated by your beauty and the adventures you have known out here!"

Lettie pulled away. She noticed Luke was up on his crutches again and talking to the two prostitutes who had been flirting with Nial earlier. A rage of jealousy moved through her when they laughed and flirted with him, but when the dance ended, she realized why he had been talking to them. They both came over and grabbed Nial, giggling and flirting and both insisting on having the next dance. "You are ours for the rest of the night," one of them told him seductively.

Lettie sighed with relief, saw Luke watching her. She knew he had deliberately sent the two women to get Nial away from her. For the first time since hours earlier, he held another glass of whiskey in his hand. She quickly and gladly left the dance floor, walking close to Luke. "I thought you weren't going to drink any more tonight."

Luke glanced over at Bentley, who was prancing around the floor again with both prostitutes. "It helps the pain in my leg," he answered. "Besides, some things call for a little whiskey, like when one man tries to move in on another man's property." He met her eyes.

"Luke, the man dragged me out there. I didn't want to make a scene." She stood close so that others could not hear their conversation. "And please don't
you
make a scene. The man is drunk."

Luke finished his own whiskey. "Nothing like alcohol to force a man to reveal his true feelings."

Lettie could see the burning anger in his eyes. He nodded to Will and Billy, who walked over to Nial and started a conversation with him, suggesting they go outside for some fresh air and talk about Herefords. When they got him to the door, she saw that Tex stood quietly at the entrance. He followed the other three men out.

"Luke, what is going on?"

Luke braced himself on his crutches. "I'm just going to have a little conversation with Lord Bentley."

"You aren't going to hurt him, are you? Don't get in a scuffle, Luke. Your leg!"

"Don't worry. Everything will be just fine."

"Don't let the men gang up on him. That would be so unfair."

He scowled. "Jesus, woman, don't you know me better than that? Nobody is going to hurt him, and nobody fights Luke Fontaine's battles for him. I'll take care of this in my own way. I intend to set Bentley straight very calmly, that's all." More people had joined the celebrating over the course of the evening and in all the commotion no one noticed what was going on. "You get the kids together. Will and Henny are going to take them home with them in a few minutes. I'll be right back."

Lettie knew there was no use arguing. She left to gather up the children, and Luke headed outside, taking a moment to adjust to the darkness. There were others outside smoking and drinking, and Luke made his way through the small groups of men, stopping to talk casually to a few of them. He searched for his own men, heard a woman laughing somewhere in nearby bushes. Some young girl had apparently come out here to have some fun out of sight of her parents. Luke moved around to the side of the barn where Tex, Will, and Billy had lured Nial Bentley per his instructions. He did not want this confrontation witnessed by someone who might take it wrong and spread dirty rumors about Lettie. She bore no fault here, and he would not have her talked about. His men had Nial completely at ease, Will handing the man a bottle of whiskey. Nial took a swallow, then noticed Luke approaching.

"Well, Luke!" he greeted. "Join us!" He raised the bottle, then sobered at the look in Luke's eyes.

"Did you enjoy the dance with my wife?" Luke asked.

Nial moved his gaze from Luke to the other three men, smiling nervously. "I was just being friendly." He looked back at Luke. "I thought that since you were on crutches and couldn't dance, maybe she'd like to dance at least once."

Luke raised one of his crutches, and Nial grunted when the end of it was poked against his chest and shoved hard, slamming Nial against the outside wall of the town hall. Nial dropped the bottle. "Maybe you should have asked her husband first if he minded, or asked
her
if
she
minded!" Luke growled.

Nial held up his hands and looked down at the crutch, barely able to breathe from it being pressed so tightly against his breastbone. "I, uh, I apparently took a little too much for granted, probably because of too much whiskey," he answered. "My apologies, Luke."

Luke released the pressure on the crutch but kept it against the man's chest. "Don't think that a bad leg would keep me from stepping in when I see it's necessary, Bentley! You stop bothering Lettie, you hear? It upsets and embarrasses her when you make it obvious to everyone around you that you've got an eye for her." He lowered the crutch and stepped closer. "I didn't ask my men to come out here to fight my battle for me. I fight my own battles. I just wanted you lured out here so we could settle this without others seeing. For reasons you wouldn't even know about, I don't ever want my Lettie gossipped about, you understand? It would devastate her! From here on you won't give her more than a first look when you're in public. You'll stop ogling her and stop drooling your compliments in front of others; and you'll keep your goddamn lily-white hands to yourself! God knows I appreciate her beauty and her worth, and I'm not stupid enough to think other men don't notice; but they know better than to show it in front of me or to try moving in on Luke Fontaine's wife! That's a lesson you'd better learn,
Lord
Bentley! There's a lot more substance to Lettie than you'll ever know, and your fancy suits and your stone castle don't impress a woman like that! Just leave her alone! Understood?"

Nial swallowed. "Understood."

"Good. We're still in business as far as those cattle are concerned, but you remember that your land borders mine, and out here a man can get away with a lot of things in the name of honor and vengeance."

Nial looked him over. "I am aware of that, Luke. Let me tell you, I have only the greatest respect for you and your wife. It's true I... I have allowed myself to become somewhat infatuated, but I would never think of... well, I do apologize for the misunderstanding."

"I don't think there was any misunderstanding at all. I think I understand your feelings and motives
perfectly!
From now on, keep it all to yourself."

Nial nodded. "I lost my own wife six years ago. I've been a very lonely man, especially after leaving England. I have apparently let that loneliness cause me to behave unwisely. Please, I do want to remain friendly neighbors, and continue to do business together."

Luke nodded. "Fine with me, as long as you leave Lettie out of the picture. From now on
I'll
be at the cattlemen's meetings, and
I'm
the one you'll talk to when you come to the Double L. And at occasions like this one, you'll not pay any particular attention to Lettie. I won't warn you a second time. I'll just light into you, and we'll see how far your money and fancy ways get you in a flat-out brawl—no swords, no guns, just fists. I don't really think you want that."

Nial stood nearly as tall as Luke, but he knew he was no match for the man's brawn and ruggedness, let alone the fact that Luke would be defending the woman he loved, the mother of his children. That was enough fuel to fire any man into a bloody match he'd be determined to win. "No. I don't think I do."

Luke nodded. "I'm sorry about your own loss, Bentley, but that doesn't give a man a right to move in on another man's wife." He turned and left, and Tex, Will, and Billy all eyed Nial a moment longer before following.