The ride back wasn’t as warm because the coals had cooled, but Judith didn’t mind, not with Luke’s arm around her. She kept her eye on the pair in the front of the sleigh. When they appeared completely engaged in a discussion, Judith shifted her face and nuzzled Luke’s neck, meaning to tease him like he’d done to her.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice gruff.
When she pressed her lips to his chin, she’d expected him to lean away. Instead, his mouth found hers, and he pulled her close. Suddenly Judith came alive in ways she’d never dreamed possible. She lost all sense of the surrounding cold, overcome by the sense of rightness his warmth brought her.
“Um, y’all better stop that,” Nick said with a touch of humor. “I’d sure hate to have to report this to Mr. Breckinridge.”
“Don’t forget who you work for, Reynolds,” Luke said, straightening, mortified at his lack of control as much as having been caught at it.
“I’ll bet Mr. Breckinridge would hire me if you fired me in this situation.” Nick grinned and faced the front again while Frances laughed.
“I can’t believe I forgot myself. And I promised Marshall.” Luke glanced at Judith and heaved out a breath. “You are a dangerous woman. Please don’t do that again. I really am a man of my word, and your brother has a right to be protective.”
“I agree.” Judith couldn’t help feeling a little smug, but she was coming to understand just how powerful her attraction was to this man and, evidently, his to her. “Just remember turnabout is fair play.”
“I will.” He said the words like they were a vow.
12
With school out until the beginning of the year, Doris had taken to visiting the homes of those in need of food or comfort. The only problem was she insisted on bringing Judith with her. It was fortunate Reverend Pearce was a widower, or his wife might have thought Doris was usurping her duties.
“But I have so much yet to finalize for the Christmas Fair,” she said when Doris wanted Judith to accompany her to visit Mary Teague whose baby was due any time.
“It won’t take long,” Doris promised as she wrapped the scarf around her face that served to hide her identity as much as to keep her warm. “She sent word one of the cowboys dropped by a drawing for the displays. She said it’s quite good, but she’d like your opinion on it.”
“I’ll come then,” Judith said with a sigh and left to get her coat and hat.
The need to hide Doris’s appearance whenever she went outside complicated and lengthened the visits. They’d drive into the Lucky L barn, and then she’d sneak into the house, change her coat, so she could then appear to leave through the front door. Judith doubted they’d have gotten away with it if the weather had been milder.
Once they finally arrived at the Teague home at the back of the dry goods store, Judith was ready to pull out her hair, worried about all she still needed to do for the fair.
Luke teased her about putting too much store in doing things perfectly, but he didn’t understand. He said he was willing to overlook her dishonored family, but what if it began to wear on him? What if it impacted his business? What she brought might not be enough to compensate. If she failed at something as simple as the Christmas Fair, might he decide they didn’t suit?
When she spent time with him, Judith didn’t doubt. At night, however, her dreams came as variations of the day Teddy had cast her aside. Only it was Luke who did it instead. Judith had fallen deeply in love with him. If he rejected her now, she would never recover.
“Miss Doris,” five-year-old Devon cried when he opened the door.
“Are you helping your mother?” she asked, carrying a soup tureen into the house.
“Yes, ma’am.” He hurried over to where his siblings were playing, leaving the door wide open. Judith closed it.
“How are you today?” Doris asked, setting the food on the table and going to the sofa where Mary lay.
“It’s been an uncomfortable morning.” Her face pinched in pain, and she put her hands to her bulging abdomen.
The woman seemed pale to Judith, the whiteness of her skin almost translucent.
“Is the baby coming?” Doris asked, her voice full of alarm.
“I’m afraid it’s begun. My babies take a long time to come, so I haven’t been worried about it.”
“Where’s your husband?” Judith asked.
“Stephen had to go to Worland and won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Have you notified the doctor?” Doris asked.
“I tried this morning,” a boy of about seven said. “He got called away to one of the farms near Greybull.”
