Stands a Calder Man Read Free Page B

friend. Since pneumonia had claimed Mary Stanton’s life last winter, she had taken Ruth under her wing. Benteen suspected it filled a void in both lives, easing their grief. As a surrogate mother to Ruth, Lorna had acquired the daughter she had always longed for, while Ruth had an older woman to act as adviser and role model.
    Ash was building on the end of his cigar. Benteen tapped it off. It was either his movement or the smell of cigar smoke, or both, that suddenly attracted Lorna’s attention to the side of the room where he was sitting.
    â€œBenteen.” Lorna set the blue hat atop the packages as she crossed the room to greet him, her dark eyes radiant with delight. “No one at the desk mentioned you were here. Why didn’t you say something when we came in?” Bending, she brushed her lips against the roughness of his cheek, then straightened, letting her hand rest on his shoulder to maintain contact.
    â€œI knew you’d notice me sitting here sooner or later.” A smile touched the corners of his mouth. “It looks like the two of you bought out the town.”
    â€œWe tried.” Lorna winked at Ruth in mock conspiracy.
    An attractive girl with curling blond hair and quiet blue eyes, Ruth Stanton was innately shy. Even though Benteen had been the closest thing to an uncle all herlife, she wasn’t able to directly meet his gaze. Her glance skipped quickly back to Lorna.
    â€œI’d better take these packages to my room.” She almost pounced on the excuse to leave.
    â€œWe’ll meet you in the dining room at six.” Lorna didn’t attempt to detain the girl. “Webb will be there, too. Why don’t you wear your new pink dress?”
    â€œYes, I will.” The suggestion brought a flush of pleasure to Ruth’s cheeks. With a circumspect nod to Benteen, she slipped out the door to cross the hallway to her room.
    When they were alone, Benteen tipped his head back to eye his wife. “Are you sure Webb’s joining us for dinner?” With the roundup over and the cattle on theirway to market, most of the Triple C riders would be doing the town. And Webb counted himself among them.
    â€œHe’ll be there if I have to drag him out of the saloon myself,” Lorna stated with a determined gleam in her eyes.
    His mouth crooked in a wry line. “Maybe it won’t be a saloon he’s in,” he suggested dryly.
    â€œIt won’t make any difference.” She moved away from his chair, recrossing the room to the table with the packages. “Do you mind if I ask you something?” She sounded too casual.
    â€œWhat?” Benteen was instantly alert, prepared for almost anything.
    â€œIs it true that Connie the Cowboy Queen had a dress embroidered with the brand of every outfit from here to the Platte?” When Lorna turned to look at him, there was a beguiling innocence about her expression that made Benteen shake his head.
    â€œWhere do you hear about these things?” Even after all these years, she still managed to surprise him now and again. Connie the Cowboy Queen had been one of the more notorious prostitutes in Miles City in its heyday.
    â€œWomen do talk about things other than sewing,cooking, and children. I promise that I looked properly shocked,” she assured him with a mocking glance. “Was the Triple C brand embroidered on her dress, Benteen?”
    â€œHow should I know?” Amusement glinted in his eyes.
    But she wasn’t buying his attempt at ignorance. “A man can frequent such establishments without sampling the wares. Or maybe you just never saw her with a dress on?” Lorna pretended to accuse him of infidelity.
    â€œWhen I had more woman than I could handle at home?” Benteen countered with a lift of one eyebrow; then it straightened to its natural line. “As for the dress, there was such a thing. And it wouldn’t have been complete without the Triple C brand on