Texas Brides Collection Read Free Page A

prepared her words. “Mr. Wilkinson—”
    “Chet. My friends call me by my given name.”
    She took a ragged breath. “All right, Chet. I did a bad thing to you last night, and I am truly sorry.”
    “Naw, it’s me who wronged you.” He shook his head. “Funny how a man can earn a reputation as a Texas Ranger or a preachin’ ranger or a big talker and still make a fool out of himself in front of a woman. Leastways, I never meant to hurt your feelings.”
    “I know.”
    “So can we go back to being friends?”
    How could she refuse? Masking her sinking spirits with a flair for teasing, she eyed him suspiciously. “Aren’t you afraid I might poison your coffee?”
    “Would you do that to me?”
    She lifted the pot from the fire, and he held out his mug. “A skinny little girl like me has to fight back any way she can.”
    He grinned and it eased her ruffled feelings.
    She slid the coffeepot back onto the burning embers. “You know what Pa used to tell me?” she asked, poking at the fire with a thick stick and sending sparks into the slowly lifting blanket of night.
    “Hard to tell with the cap’n.”
    “He told me if Indians attacked the cabin while he was gone, that I could hide myself behind a fence post.”
    Chet laughed heartily. At least she could lighten his morning with a little humor.
    “Be back in a minute. Got to get my eggs.” Serena headed toward the cabin.
    “I can tote ’em out here for you,” he called after her.
    “No, sir. I don’t want them broke before I fry them.”
    He chuckled, and she felt better since supper the night before. A lot of truth in freeing a body from sin.
    Inside, Serena found Ma bustling about the kitchen, placing plates and cups on the table. She stopped and watched Serena. “Honey, you don’t need to be fixing breakfast all by yourself.”
    “I told Pa I wanted to last night.”
    “I know, but I slept a mite longer than I intended.”
    “Good,” Serena said. “You don’t rest well when Pa’s gone.” She picked up the egg basket along with a platter to pile on the meat and eggs.
    “Serena?” Her questioning voice sounded soft and tender.
    She glanced up into Ma’s face in reply.
    “Why didn’t you tell me you had feelings for Chet?” she asked, placing a hand on Serena’s shoulder.
    Avoiding Ma’s eyes, she shrugged. “Seemed like a secret thing, and I needed to keep it to myself.”
    “But we’ve always been able to talk.”
    For a moment, Serena felt like releasing all of her pent-up emotions in her mother’s arms. “I didn’t mean to hold anything from you. It just seemed too personal to tell anyone—not Moira or even you.”
    “Can we talk after he and your pa leave?”
    Serena felt unsure of her answer. Talking about it wouldn’t change a thing. “Are you going to tell Pa?”
    “Not unless he asks, and he’s said nary a word.” She offered a smile, and Serena returned the gesture. “Certain things only a woman can know.”
    Only a woman can know
. She spoke the right words. “All right, Ma. We can talk.” Serena turned and opened the door. She gasped. In the pale daylight, a huge, wild boar stood between Chet and the cabin.
    Instantly, she set the basket of eggs and the platter on the rough-sawn table and reached for Pa’s rifle leaning against the fireplace. Pulling it up to her shoulder, she rushed outside.
    “James, come quick,” her ma said. “Serena, wait on your pa.”
    Chet waved his hands above his head. “Serena, don’t come any closer. It’ll tear you apart.”
    Ignoring first her ma’s warnings and now Chet’s, she knew exactly what to do. Suddenly, the boar took an unexpected turn in her direction and barreled forward.

Chapter 3

    T he boar raced straight toward her. Serena faintly heard her mother’s cries and another shout from Chet, but she had her focus dead center between the animal’s eyes. She squeezed the trigger. Rifle fire echoed and the boar fell six feet in front of her in a puddle of