Linda Ford (13 page)

He raised a brow and she felt her face warm. That hadn’t come out quite right. “I mean, it gave me a chance to spend a little time here at Hawk’s Creek. And it’s every bit as nice as you described it. I can see why you’re so proud of it.”

He nodded, obviously pleased with her comment. “There’s no other place on earth like Hawk’s Creek.” Then he cocked his head to one side. “Have you seen much of the ranch itself?”

She shook her head. “I’ve stayed close to the house.” To be more specific, she’d been staying pretty close to the sickroom—sightseeing had been the furthest thing from her mind the past few days. “But I like what I’ve seen of it.”

“If you’ve stayed close to the house, then you haven’t really seen Hawk’s Creek. I’ll have to take you for a ride across the place when I get my strength back.”

“Oh, I’d enjoy that. But it may be a few days before you’re up to a ride.”

“You said yourself you didn’t have to be in Tyler by any particular date. Or are you in hurry to get there after all?”

“Well, I…” Ruby paused. Was she? She’d lingered here because she wanted to satisfy herself that he was going to be okay. It appeared that was no longer an issue so there wasn’t anything to keep her here now.

But, truly, her main goal hadn’t been to get to Tyler so much as to get out of Cleebit Springs. And she’d accomplished that. The rest of her fresh start could wait a bit longer.

Ruby smiled. “No, I suppose not. Establishing a new home for myself by Thanksgiving is my only goal. So, as long as I reach Tyler by then, I’m happy to stay here for a few days.”

“Then consider yourself our guest for the time being.” He pointed his spoon her way. “And none of this ‘earning your keep’ business, either.”

She had no intention of sitting idle for the next few days, but there was no point in getting him agitated by saying so. “Thank you kindly for the invitation.” Then she stood. “Now, it looks like you’ve scraped the bottom of that bowl, so I’ll take your tray and let you get a little more rest.”

“Rest.” He snorted. “I’ve been
resting
since I got here.” But even as he spoke she saw him stifle a yawn.

“You’ve been fighting a fever since then, which is not at all the same thing as resting. You need to get some real rest if you want to get your strength back. And since you now owe me a tour of the place, I insist.” She placed the tray on the chair and reached for the pillows behind his back. “Now, slide down and try to sleep.” Not that she figured it would take much trying. He’d probably be asleep before she and Patience made it to the kitchen.

Griff watched her disappear into the hallway, then settled deeper under the covers. He wasn’t sure exactly why he’d invited her to stay—gratitude, he supposed. After all, she’d gone through a lot to get him here, and Inez had mentioned how much help she’d been since her arrival.

Ruby Tuggle had to be one of the most deliberately agreeable people he’d ever met. Always trying to please the people she was with, always apologizing when she thought she’d failed, always looking for the bright side of bad situations. Nobody could be that pleasant all the time. What was her story?

He shifted, trying to get more comfortable. Inez hadn’t been far off when she pronounced him to be as useful as damp laundry—definitely unfamiliar territory for him. He hadn’t been lying when he told Ruby he never got sick. It was embarrassing to realize he’d been laid so low while she was supposed to be in his charge. Seems she’d managed okay on her own,
though. She was either very lucky or more resourceful than he’d given her credit for.

Well, he’d make it up to her once he got his strength back. And then he’d personally see her settled safely in Tyler, and by Thanksgiving if that’s what she really wanted. He still didn’t understand her reasoning, but if life there was her goal, then he aimed to see she got off on the right foot. Perhaps he should even go so far as to look in on her from time to time. Whenever he was already in Tyler on business, of course. After all, with what she’d done for him, he owed her that much.

This was about paying his debts, he told himself. Nothing more.

I
nez looked up from peeling carrots as Ruby entered the kitchen. “So how’s our patient doing?”

“He ate all of his soup and now he’s resting.” Ruby unloaded the tray of dishes into the sink. “He claimed to be all rested up, but from the looks of him he’ll fall back asleep in no time.”

Inez gave her a surprised look. “You got him to settle back down, just like that?”

Had she done something wrong? “I thought sleep was what he needed right now.”

“Oh, it is. But that doesn’t mean Griff will be sensible about it.” She shook her head. “I guess you haven’t been around him long enough to understand just how stubborn that boy can be.”

Ruby smiled. It seemed strange for anyone to call such an impressive man “that boy.” “Actually, I did get a taste of that side of him during our ride.” She cleared her throat. “I hope you won’t mind having me
and Patience around a little longer. Mr. Lassiter invited me to stick around for a few more days.”

Inez gave her another of those surprised looks, then wiped her hands on her apron. “Good for him. It’s been nice to have another female around the place and I’m right pleased to know you’ll be staying awhile longer.” She moved to the stove with her peeled carrots. “And now that we know he’s on the mend, you and I can relax a bit and get to know each other better.”

“I’d like that.” Feeling as if her world was finally coming to rights after so many years, Ruby began washing the dishes. “But I aim to help out while I’m here. You just let me know what needs doing.”

The next time Griff opened his eyes, there were lamps lit and the corners of the room were in shadow. Evening, then—but was it the same day? He turned toward the sound of movement and found Inez rather than Ruby near his bedside.

Surely that was curiosity and not disappointment he felt?

“I thought you might be ready for some supper.” Inez nodded toward a tray on the bedside table.

“You thought right.” Griff pulled himself into a sitting position. “How long did I sleep this time?”

“About six hours.”

At least he hadn’t lost another day.

Inez started fussing with the pillows at his back. “You’ll be pleased to know there’s a bit of substance in your bowl this time. You can thank Ruby for that.
I was going to give you another bowl of plain broth but she seems to think you’re ready for something a little heartier than that.”

Another point in the girl’s favor. “Speaking of Miss Tuggle,” he said casually, “how is she this evening?”

“I made her sit down a few minutes ago and eat her own supper. That girl has more energy than a wild mustang.”

He frowned. “I told her she’s a guest here, that she doesn’t need to earn her keep.”

Inez shrugged as she placed the tray on his lap. “I told her the same thing but she claims she likes to keep busy. Besides, I enjoy the company.” She took a seat beside him and pulled some mending from her sewing bag.

Had that been in here earlier? He couldn’t remember.

“She tells me you invited her to stay on for a spell.”

Griff resisted the urge to squirm under his housekeeper’s probing gaze. “The fool girl is planning to move to Tyler all on her own,” he explained, “and she doesn’t know a soul there. I figure I owe it to her to make sure she gets settled in okay.” He swirled the spoon through his soup. “To do that, I need to keep her here long enough for me to get back on my feet so I can take her there myself.”

“I see. That makes sense.” Inez kept her eyes focused on her sewing. “She also tells me you climbed a tree to rescue that cat of hers.”

For some reason Griff felt a touch of heat climb into his cheeks. Was his fever returning? “I didn’t
have much choice.” Why did he feel so defensive? “Ruby wasn’t going to leave without her pet and I didn’t have all day to hang around waiting for that stubborn critter to come down on its own.”

“Well, whatever the circumstances, she’s convinced you’re quite the hero.”

Hero! Of all the foolish, schoolgirl notions. “I’m nobody’s hero.” Especially after the way he’d fallen apart during the last leg of their trip. Still, there was something about the notion that she’d actually said that…

He caught Inez looking at him with a twinkle in her eye and decided to change the subject. “I guess I was a sorry sight by the time she got me here.”

“Mercy me, yes. Wet as a drowned cub and half out of your mind from the fever. I don’t know how that girl managed to keep hold of you and handle that buggy in the pouring rain.”

Griff paused with the spoon halfway to his mouth. Keep hold of him? So he hadn’t imagined that arm around his shoulder. “Seems there was more to this little adventure than I remember,” he said slowly. “Want to fill me in?”

Inez didn’t look up from her stitches. “Well, the rain had turned from a drizzle to a downpour and it was miserable cold. Not a fit day for man nor beast. We all figured you’d taken shelter somewhere like any
sensible
person would have.” The look she gave him was that of a schoolmarm confronting a truant.

Griff felt compelled to explain himself. “Can you blame me for wanting to get back here as soon as
possible? After all, no one can take care of me like you can.”

“Don’t go trying to smooth-talk me, Griff Lassiter. I know your tricks.” But her expression had softened considerably.

“Anyway,” she continued, “we weren’t really looking for you to arrive until the next day. Thank goodness, or I should say thank the good Lord, Red just happened to be looking out from the barn when he spied the wagon coming up the drive. Didn’t recognize it, of course, but he figured it had to be something important to bring anyone out in that weather, so he ran out to meet it. Good thing he did, too. Poor Ruby was just about at the end of her stamina what with trying to handle the reins and hold on to you at the same time.”

Inez’s hands stilled. “It’s a wonder that poor child was able to see the gate, much less turn the horse onto the drive.”

Griff had given up all pretense of eating. “I didn’t realize—”

“Of course you didn’t. Thing is, you may have been bad sick, but that didn’t keep you from fighting off everyone who tried to help you, mumbling incoherent protests. Red and the boys had a terrible time getting you inside.”

Griff groaned. Sounds like he’d made quite a spectacle of himself.

“Poor Ruby was soaked to the skin and her lips were practically blue with cold. I was worried for a while that I would have two patients on my hands.”

“She seems okay now.” No thanks to him.

“Oh, she’s fine. That girl is a lot stronger than she looks.” Inez patted his arm. “But there’s no reason for you to be too hard on yourself. You were sick and that likely clouded your thinking a mite.”

Was that supposed to make him feel better?

“Besides,” she continued, picking her sewing back up, “Ruby doesn’t blame you. And it all turned out well enough in the end.”

Ruby might not blame him but that didn’t mean he was blameless. He’d have to find a way to make it up to her.

Ruby looked up guiltily as Inez entered the kitchen. She’d been down on the floor, slipping Patience a sliver of meat from her bowl of stew. But either Inez didn’t notice, or didn’t care.

“So was he awake?” Ruby asked as she straightened.

“Yep. And he ate every last bit of his supper. At this rate he’ll be up and about in no time.”

Inez sounded in remarkably good spirits. Griff must be doing well indeed. Would it seem impertinent if she checked in on him herself?

“The only fly in the ointment,” Inez continued, “is that he’s feeling restless now. I’m worried he’ll try to get up before he should.”

“Is there something I can do to help? Would you like me to sit with him for a while?”

Inez gave her a bright smile. “That’s a wonderful
idea. Actually, why don’t you see if there’s something more active you can do to keep him occupied?”

That sounded interesting. “Such as?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps a game of checkers, or there’s a flute in the study if you play, or maybe get a book and read—”

Ruby’s pulse quickened. “Do you have many books here?”

“A fair number.” She must have noticed Ruby’s excitement because she gave a help-yourself-to-them smile. “They’re in the study, which is right across the hall from the room where we put Griff. You’re welcome to borrow any of them any time while you’re here.”

“Thank you. That sounds lovely.”

“For now, why don’t you see if you can find a book you might both enjoy?”

“Do you know what kind of books he likes?” Ruby was already headed toward the hall.

“As far as I can tell, when it comes to books he likes just about everything.”

A man after her own heart. Ruby glanced back at her pet. “Coming, Patience?”

But Inez waved her on. “Leave the cat, she’ll keep me company. And I’ll pour her up a saucer of buttermilk to keep her happy.”

A few moments later, Ruby entered the study, then stopped in her tracks. Being in the possession of her father’s three books had made her an exception of sorts in Cleebit Springs. Sure, there were newspapers and catalogs, but other than Bibles and schoolbooks,
few of the families had access to very many actual bound books.

But here, in this room, were literally hundreds of volumes. Two entire walls were lined with tall bookcases and all of them were laden with volume upon volume of various sizes and colors. She’d never seen so many books in her entire life. Ruby approached them almost reverently, running her fingers across the spines, reading the titles, imagining the hours she could spend here blissfully lost in such a wealth of information and imagination.

She wasn’t sure how long she stood lost in the grandness of it all, until she finally remembered the mission Inez had set her on. She was supposed to be selecting something appropriate to read to Griff.

A few minutes later she hesitated at his doorway. What if he had already fallen asleep? Or worse yet, what if he wished to be alone and saw her visit as an intrusion? What was that he’d said that day on the road—
sometimes a fellow just liked to hear his own thoughts for a while.

Then again, if he was lying there bored, he might be tempted to get up, and that would never do. She squared her shoulders and gave the door a light tap.

She received an immediate “Come in” reply. Pulling her shoulders back, she tried to decide if she was more nervous or excited by the prospect of visiting with him again.

And decided that it was perhaps a bit of both.