A Texan's Honor Read Free Page A

harder than anyone else in the firm. His uncle
had
to recognize his value to the company.
    Frustrated, Bret turned his attention to his surroundings. The train was coming in to Fort Worth. Established as an army fort in 1849, it had turned into a thriving commercial town supplying cattlemen and buffalo hunters. He would be met by one of Sam Abercrombie’s ranch hands. It was a two-day ride to the ranch. Though he’d rarely been on a horse since leaving Texas, he was looking forward to it.
    There wasn’t much of interest to look at in Fort Worth, so he tried to wrap his mind around the task ahead—convincing a woman to do something she didn’t want to do. Isabelle would have told him it was easier to brand a steer by himself, but Uncle Silas didn’t care what people wanted. If they didn’t do what
he
wanted, they had to be convinced. Bret told himself he might be making too much of the situation. It was possible Emily Abercrombie
did
want togo to Boston but was afraid. Maybe she thought she wasn’t pretty enough, rich enough, smart enough, confident enough to be accepted there. It wouldn’t be easy for someone reared in Texas to make the transition to Boston. He’d been trying for years. Without his grandmother’s support, he probably wouldn’t have made any progress. But he couldn’t forget his uncle’s parting words.
    What if I can’t bring her back?
    Then don’t come back yourself.
    It was useless to plague himself with those words. He was relieved when the train came to a halt. A whole tribe of little boys suddenly materialized, competing with each other to carry luggage, to help ladies down from the coaches and across the street to the boardwalk, to recommend the best hotel and the best restaurants. Bret was startled when his suitcase landed at his feet, barely missing his toes.
    â€œSorry,” the porter said without pausing as he tossed one piece of luggage after another from the train. A grimy-faced urchin grabbed up Bret’s suitcase.
    â€œWhere’re you going, mister? I’ll take you to the best hotel for two bits.”
    â€œI’m being met,” Bret replied.
    The boy looked Bret up and down. “Probably a good thing. You don’t look like you’d last the night by yourself.”
    Bret had a very good idea of what he looked like to that urchin—just like city slickers had looked to him when he was a kid.
    â€œI’ll manage,” he told the urchin. “Have you seen any cowhands you didn’t know hanging around like they were waiting for someone?”
    â€œHalf the people in this town are waiting for someone. Can’t you tell me any more about the fellow?”
    Kids. Isabelle would have tanned his backside ifhe’d talked to her like that. “I’m looking for someone from Sam Abercrombie’s ranch. The brand is an interlocking S and A.”
    â€œI ain’t seen no cowhand with that brand, but I seen a lady ride into town yesterday on a horse wearing that brand.”
    â€œDo you have any idea where she went?”
    â€œNo, but I know where she is right now. Give me two bits and I’ll tell you.”
    Bret knew he was being hustled, but he just wanted to find the
lady
. He fished a quarter out of his pocket. “Here. If you don’t know where she is, I’m taking it back.”
    â€œI ain’t no cheat,” the kid said, backing out of reach as he put the quarter safely in his pocket. “She’s standing right over there in front of that dress shop. Where else would you expect a pretty lady to be?”
    â€œYou can bring my suitcase,” Bret said. “If you’re right, I’ll give you another quarter.”
    â€œGee, you’re some big spender.” But the kid grabbed the suitcase and followed Bret. Two other kids rushed up to carry his trunk.
    Bret wondered why a woman should be meeting him and what connection she could have to the