“Yes, of course, I’d love to meet them.”
Her ready response warming him as much as her soft smile, Seth steered the carriage toward a side street though he regretted they had to pass by the Red Dog Saloon on the corner. He imagined his uncle was occupied with Beatrice Dubois, the flame-haired madam of the brothel upstairs, any allusion to business a well-worn pretense that most everyone in town understood.
When Uncle Caleb wasn’t at the ranch, he could be found at the Red Dog, drinking, gambling, and engaging in more decadent pursuits, but there was no sense in revealing the sordid side of her father’s existence to Kari right now. Seth held his breath as they passed by the imposing structure with an ornate balcony that ran the full length of the second floor, several brightly dressed women leaning over the banister.
“Why, Seth Davis, you’re looking mighty handsome today!” called out one, causing Kari to draw in her breath beside him.
“When are you going to fall off your righteous high horse and pay us a visit?” added another, both women laughing as Seth tipped his hat to them.
“Ladies, a good day to you.”
He could feel that Kari stiffened beside him, but to his surprise she wound her arm through his and twirled her parasol as if not bothered one bit by the exchange. Only when they were past the building did she start to withdraw her arm, but he caught her hand and met her eyes.
“I’m not a man to frequent saloons, Kari, never have been and never will. My uncle’s the owner, not me. I’ve lived here my whole life so it’s no surprise they know me by name—”
“I’m sorry, it’s just that you tipped your hat…” Flushed with embarrassment, Kari tried again to pull her arm from Seth’s, but he held onto her. What must he think for her to have grabbed his arm so possessively? It had happened so fast, her one thought to show those women that she and Seth were together…why, he was courting her, after all!
She saw it then, understanding dawning on Seth’s face, his low chuckle making her shake her head at herself and give a small laugh, too.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m quite pleased by your reaction, Miss Hagen. Quite pleased.”
His voice held teasing, but he drew her arm against him as if possessively, too, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering and dancing again. She couldn’t deny that things were progressing between them more swiftly than she could have ever imagined, Seth greeting more passersby as the phaeton rumbled past a row of neat, white clapboard houses.
Just as he’d said, everyone seemed to know him, but of course that made perfect sense. He was Caleb’s nephew, after all—oh, no!
She must have sucked in her breath for Seth glanced at her with concern.
“Kari?”
Tears had jumped to her eyes, the butterflies scattering as quickly as they had returned as she blurted, “How can you possibly court me? We’re first cousins—not by blood, I know, but surely that’s how everyone will look at us!”
“Most folks around these parts know I’m adopted and won’t think twice about it, and least of all the ones that matter most. Look, there’s my mother now.”
Chapter 6
Kari did look, blinking away any tears and smiling as a striking woman with honeyed hair so much like hers waved to them from the porch of a house larger than the others they had passed. It appeared an office of some sort adjoined the main structure, and then Kari saw the sign that read “Charles Davis, Physician.”
“Is this the young lady the whole town is buzzing about?” Molly Davis called out, rushing down the front steps as Seth nodded and helped Kari from the carriage.
He kept hold of her hand, too, squeezing her fingers as if to reassure her though she didn’t feel nervous at all to see such a friendly smile. Molly hastened toward them to envelop Kari in a warm embrace, her hazel eyes alight.
“A niece, my very own niece! I’m so happy to meet you!”
“Ma, this is Kari.”
“Such a lovely name, come in, come in!”
It seemed within the blink of an eye Kari found herself ushered inside the comfortable home where she wasn’t seated in the parlor, but propelled by Molly into a bright kitchen smelling of cinnamon and cloves.
“I just baked an apple cobbler and left it on the front porch to cool. Have you eaten lunch, Kari? Seth?”
When they both shook their heads, at once Molly gestured toward the table and then slipped an apron over her head, briskly tying it around her waist. Kari didn’t know what to make of the surprising sight, Molly’s blue silk dress a fine one with a small bustle at the back, but the apron a simple white homespun. Seth’s mother bore a flour smudge on her cheek, too, and a dusting in her upswept hair as if she’d pushed some strands out of her face while baking.
Kari couldn’t help smiling, never before having been made to feel so welcome so quickly. It seemed in no time at all the table where she and Seth had obligingly sat down was laden with fresh wedges of cornbread, thick-sliced ham, and pickled green beans, the appearance of each item punctuated by lively questions.
“Such a long trip from Minnesota to Texas! How did you manage all by yourself?”
“I kept to myself mostly, though sometimes I dined with mothers traveling with their children.”
