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brother, but at least he's offered to do the honorable thing. After the dark deed was accomplished,
instead of before, when he should have! Quinn glared at his friend. And how is it that you were all
but engaged to Darcy Valverde and now you're mixed up with my sister in a way no gentleman ever
should be? King shrugged broad shoulders. I was saving Alan from your sister, he said slowly,
and looked down at Amelia with eyes gone suddenly soft. She threw a carafe of water at me, he
added with a faint smile. Sadly, I missed! she shot back. Next time, I'll lay your hard head open
with a brick bat! In spite of himself Quinn's eyes began to twinkle at the byplay. With their father
gone, Amelia was beginning to sound like her old self. Oh, yes, she would be more than a match for
fiery King when she was back on her feet. He had a mind to feel sorry for the man.
Darcy would never threaten me with a brick bat, King assured Quinn. You can give her away.
We'll have a church wedding with all the trimmings. We will not, Amelia said weakly, sick at the
thought of going into a church when she'd broken a sacred law by anticipating marriage with King.
What happened was hardly your fault, King reminded her gently. Church is the very best place to
be when we have smudges on our conscience. She shifted restlessly. I suppose so. Mother would
be upset if you suggested a civil service, he persisted. I'm not suggesting a service of any sort.
You're the one who's insisting that we get married, she reminded him hotly. Which wouldn't have
happened if you hadn't decided to start arranging everybody's lives for them! King grimaced and
looked away, a ruddy flush on his high cheekbones. I agree, Quinn said coldly. But the thing is,
you have to make it right. This gossip can't be allowed to continue. It will ruin Amelia's good name.
I contacted the minister this morning, before I drove Amelia out here, King said, shocking her.
We've arranged the ceremony for Sunday after church, pleading that her father's death leaves her in
such dire need of housing that a quick marriage is a necessity to prevent her being homeless. She
doesn't have to marry you, Quinn said angrily. She can live with me. King's eyebrows arched. In
the Ranger barracks with the men? I can see how this idea would stem gossip about your sister, he
said with a mocking smile. Don't be absurd. I meant that I could get a house, he countered. On a
Ranger's pay? King moved forward, confronting the younger man. He looked just a little dangerous
as he stared Quinn down with glittering silver eyes. I'm not letting her out of my sight. Not when she
could be carrying my heir. If that doesn't suit you, you know what you can do. Anytime, Quinn
returned immediately. Amelia sighed loudly, glaring at both of them. Do you never think of anything
except fighting? she raged. Her fists clenched at her side. Physical violence will solve nothing.
Then why did you throw that damned carafe at me? King asked conversationally. She bit back more
furious words. Her face colored with high temper as she glared at him. The wedding will be
Sunday, he told her firmly, and then looked back at Quinn. If you object, we can settle it right here.
Quinn wanted to hit him more than he wanted to eat. He bristled with bad temper and vengeance. My
father would be alive but for you... I know that, King said quietly. I'll have to bear the burden of it
for the rest of my life.
Quinn, he would have died anyway, Amelia said wearily. She looked at her brother with sad,
wistful eyes. He would have suffered more, and as the doctor said, he might actually have killed me.
He almost did that because of what King told him! I'm not defending what King did, she replied.
But you know that anything could have, and did, set Father off. He slapped me on the way home from
Latigo after the hunting trip, because I protested a charge he made against me. You didn't tell me
that, King said angrily. He had become more violent in the past few weeks. She unclenched her
hands. I mourn for the father I knew as a child. She stared at the lonely grave. But I rejoice for the
tortured man who died, because he was spared more pain. Which still doesn't solve the problem of
Amelia, Quinn muttered. I told you, King returned, that we're getting married on Sunday. That
will certainly solve her problem. My parents dote on her. Well, you don't, Amelia said, her temper
rising all over again. If I made a list of the insults you've heaved at me since I came out here the first
time, it would stretch all the way to El Paso! I didn't want you being tempted to marry Alan, he said
easily. He's afraid of her now, by the way, he added with a smile at Quinn. When she loses her
temper, he runs for cover. It would never have worked. She'd have him henpecked by the end of the
first week they were married. Amelia knew that, but she didn't like hearing it in that smug drawl.
Perhaps I loved Alan, didn't you think about that before you started spinning your vicious web? He
smiled lazily. If you had, you'd never have let me touch you in the first place. You... you... ! She
couldn't find one single adjective that was adequate to describe him. Calm down, he murmured.
You're not recovered enough for war, even verbal war. He bent and lifted her gently off the ground
in his arms. Come on back to Latigo with us, he told Quinn. I expect you came straight here when
you got to town. You could probably use a good meal. Do stop struggling, Amy, it's so undignified.
Don't call me... Amy! She gasped, pushing at him. Why not? It suits you. He turned and walked
back to the buggy with her, enjoying the soft warmth of her in his arms. She subsided, because she
didn't want to be dropped on the hard ground, she told herself. But when he put her in the buggy and
his dark, lean face came momentarily too close, she went breathless and boneless. He looked straight
into her eyes and sparks seemed to leap between them. The unexpected longing he felt prodded his
temper. He moved away from her with undue haste, his face like stone. She clenched her hands
together. So now he couldn't bear to touch her. What had she expected? He was being forced by honor
into a marriage he didn't want. He would make the most of it, but he certainly didn't love
Amelia. He could offer her none of the feelings she had for him, which she would now have to
keep carefully hidden. There must be some way out of this dreadful situation. I could go back East...
You'll go nowhere, except to the church on Sunday, he said, his voice deep and cutting. He moved
around to the other side of the carriage, lighting a cigar as he went. Quinn had mounted and rode up
beside Amelia, who was smoldering quietly in the buggy. I do not wish to marry him. You must save
me, she told her brother firmly. He pulled his hat low over his eyes, commented that he thought it
was King who needed saving, and rode on ahead of them. Amelia took one last look at her father's
sad, lonely grave, and turned her attention toward Latigo. The announcement of King's marriage to
Amelia had predictable results at Latigo. I couldn't be happier, Enid said with tender enthusiasm as [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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