Counterfeit Courtship Read Free Page B

looking right at us. Smile.”
    This was ridiculous. He urged Dixie across the side yard and to the front hitching post, although he didn’t exactly want to advertise the fact he was home. He didn’t need any more women showing up. “Now what?”
    â€œHelp me down.” She gave Dixie a good pat on the head and then held on to Graham as she slipped to the ground, her white hoopskirts twirling.
    He dismounted and secured the horse. Then they ambled up the walk, Ellie clasping his arm as Susanna had done earlier. “I’m surprised you can stand being this close to me,” he said.
    She looked up at him, her eyes blue as the sky and almost as wide. “You’re not that bad.”
    â€œI was referring to my hygiene—or lack of it.”
    â€œI admit you don’t smell like a crape—” She cut herself off and lowered her head, a flush across her cheeks.
    But he knew what she was going to say. Crape myrtle. He’d wanted to cut down that tree eight years ago, and he would have, if Father hadn’t stopped him.
    She remembered too. And since he didn’t know what to say to break this sudden, awkward silence, he let it remain.
    Actually, after the first few seconds, it wasn’t so bad. Quiet was a rare thing around Ellie.
    On the gallery, he opened the door for her as he had for those girls. And the quiet stopped.
    â€œGraham, how nice of you to give me a ride. I’d been counting the days until your return.” Ellie tugged at his arm and pulled him along with her until they stood outside the parlor doorway. Then she looked up into his face and batted her lashes at him, smiling like a debutante. “I can’t believe you’re finally home. Now we can—”
    She pulled her gaze from him and turned to the parlor. “Oh, dear. You have guests.”
    Graham ventured a glance into the parlor. If Ellie was trying to get their attention, she’d accomplished her goal. They all sat motionless as sharpshooters, and a few had their mouths open.
    Then, before he could figure out what she was doing, she took his hand and nudged him toward the parlor. Now what? Holding Ellie’s hand in front of these girls was more awkward than the silence had been.
    â€œGraham was on his way upstairs to freshen himself after his journey.” She looked at him with those big eyes again. “Go ahead, honey. I’ll serve refreshments.”
    This time she pushed him toward the stairs. Whatever she was trying to do, at least he’d get a quick sponge bath. Nothing else was going the way he wanted today, so why shouldn’t he take ten minutes to get cleaned up? It would have taken a lot longer than that if he’d had to wait for those women to decide to leave. Come to think of it, he couldn’t very well go out to look for Noreen as long as he smelled like a horse. A dirty, sweaty, dust-covered horse.
    Although it was hard telling what he’d have to deal with when he got back down here.
    * * *
    â€œLadies, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll fetch some cookies and tea.” Ellie started for the hall, knowing full well she wouldn’t get out the parlor door, acting the hostess this way in Graham’s home. Immediately, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see the group rushing toward her, hoopskirts dancing with the motion.
    â€œWe appreciate the offer, but we must decline,” Susanna Martin said, making the decision for the whole group as usual. “We came to see the colonel, and since he will be occupied for a time, we’ll come back another day.”
    Ellie moved farther into the room and perched on the edge of a gold damask settee. She took a white lace handkerchief from her day-dress pocket and flicked an imaginary fleck of dust from the gas lamp next to her. “Whatever you say, Susanna.”
    She needn’t have wondered about the effect of her actions. The girls, all from her Pearl