Dashing Druid (Texas Druids) Read online

  “Tye, I need a word with you,” he said, motioning toward a scrub oak a short distance away.

  “Aye.” Rising, Tye followed him to the tree. It wasn’t big enough to provide much shade, but some was better than none.

  Arms crossed, David peered at him. “You had words with Del Crawford, I hear.”

  “That I did.” Tye sighed in disgust. He should have known someone would tell the boss.

  “Look, I don’t want trouble with Del.” Glancing toward a second fire, where the Crawford brothers worked, David added, “I’m hoping they’ll go partners with me on the spring trail drive. Besides, there’s enough bad blood between us already.”

  Tye scowled. “I meant what I told the man. I’ll stay clear of Lil as long as that’s what she wants.” He started to leave, but David’s stern voice halted him.

  “One more thing, Tye. Don’t hurt her.”

  “Like you did, ye mean?”

  Surprise and anger swept across David’s face. “Since you know so much, or think you do, I won’t bother to deny it. But I repeat, don’t hurt her.”

  “I’ve no intention of hurting her.” Tired of being warned away from Lil, Tye strode back to the branding fire. Everything in him rebelled at David’s meddling and Del Crawford’s angry threats. Still, he would keep his word so long as Lil wished him to.

  After their talk, he and David treaded lightly around each other for several days. Mornings, Tye rode circle. Afternoons, he helped brand late calves, holding them down while someone else applied the hot iron, cut earmarks and castrated the bull calves – all but every tenth one, needed for breeding. Through it all he avoided contact with Lil. However, nothing could keep him from glancing her way when she was near.

  He admired the flash of her brown eyes beneath upswept brows, the soft indentation of her cheeks, and the way her enticing lips blossomed into a glorious smile on rare occasions. God, how he longed to kiss her at such moments! When he thought of caressing her sleek curves, his longing became a physical pain. He was torturing himself but couldn’t seem to stop.

  * * *

  The cool breezes of October arrived as the roundup neared its close, for which Tye was grateful. This morning the heat of the branding fire actually felt good.

  Lil and her father were out with the herd, helping to separate cattle still in need of a brand. David stood by the chuck wagon with Jeb Crawford, drinking coffee while they made plans for tomorrow. Tye grinned when Jeb had to repeat himself again. Jessie was due to give birth any time now, and David was growing more distracted and jumpy each day.

  Minutes later, a distant shout rang out. Tye turned his head and saw Sul Smith approaching camp at a hard gallop. Left to look after the homestead – Reece being unable to do much due to his bad leg – Sul had orders to come after David should Jessie’s pains begin.

  “Jessie!” David cried. Tossing his cup aside, he ran to his appaloosa stallion and vaulted into the saddle. The horse danced under him, sensing his agitation.

  “It’s started!” Sul gasped as he dragged his lathered mount to a skidding halt. Man and horse were breathing hard.

  “How long ago?”

  “Dunno. She didn’t say.”

  David shot a wild glance at Jeb Crawford. “I’ve gotta go! Jessie’s having the baby!”

  “Well, what are you waitin’ for? We’ll handle things here.”

  Giving a yell, David spurred his horse into a flat-out run.

  Sul shook his head. “He took on thataway . . . the first time, too,” he said, still winded. “Damn near paced a hole in the porch ’fore it was over.”

  Tye considered following David but reasoned Jessie wouldn’t want to see anyone but her husband right now. So he waited and rode back to the homestead later with Luis. The vaquero had spent most nights under the stars during roundup along with Tye and the others, but he wanted to be with his children tonight since their mother would be tending Jessie.

  They arrived shortly after dusk. Nearing the corral, Luis pointed to the house, where light from the parlor window showed David pacing the front porch just as Sul had described. “It is good I came. Maria is busy. She was midwife also for Noracita’s birth, and it took many hours.” Reining in, he dismounted beside the corral gate.

  Tye shook his head, eyeing his brother-in-law. “Looks like he could do with some tending, too,” he said in amusement, alighting from his saddle.

  Luis grinned. “Sí, perhaps you should go and keep the patrón company. I will see to your horse.”

  “Aye, I suppose I’d better.” Thanking Luis, Tye headed for the house. As he climbed the porch steps, he noted David’s haggard appearance.

  “Good evening,” he said.

  “Evening,” David muttered. He strode back and forth, never missing a beat.

  Tye removed his hat and slapped it against his pant leg to knock off some of the accumulated dust. “How’s she doing?”

  “How the hell should I know? Maria won’t let me in there.” Halting abruptly, David plowed a hand through his hair. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bark at you. But Maria only allowed me a few minutes with Jessie, and now . . . . Christ! I hate this waiting and not knowing!” His voice sounded ragged with worry.

  Tye laughed. “Well, you’d best resign yourself before ye end up with apoplexy. I should think you’d be used to the wait, having gone through it before.”

  David shot him a fierce glare. “Someday, you’ll learn how it feels to stand by helpless while your wife fights to bring your child into the world. I promise you won’t be laughing then.”

  Nonplussed, Tye stared at him, imagining Lil Crawford with a dark-haired infant cradled against her breast. Saints above, she truly had bewitched him! He was not looking for a wife or children, he firmly reminded himself. Then he thought about how dangerous childbirth could be. Women died from it all the time. That wouldn’t happen to Jessie. Surely not!

  “You’re right,” he said unsteadily, dropping onto a cane-bottomed porch chair before his knees buckled. “I ought not to make light of the situation, but I can’t bear to think of something going wrong.”

  The fire in David’s gaze died back. “I know. God, I know.” He sighed heavily and resumed wearing a path in the floorboards.

  Steadying his voice, Tye asked, “Where’s the wee colleen and your father? I’m surprised he’s not keeping vigil with ye.”

  “He’s looking after Nora. She wanted her mother, and I couldn’t make her understand. I don’t have the patience right now.” Pausing again, David stared hard at the door, as if willing Maria to appear with the news he waited to hear. He pinched his eyes tiredly. “Damn, why does it have to take so long?”

  This time Tye held his tongue.

  His stomach growled a moment later. He and Luis had left camp before supper. “Uh, are ye hungry, by chance?” he asked, ashamed of his ravenous appetite at such a time.

  David was on the move again. “No. But I . . . I think Maria left something out if you want to eat.”

  “Mmm. Well, maybe I’ll just have a bite or two.” Excusing himself, Tye followed the main corridor through the house to the patio out back. He washed up quickly at the well and went to scrounge what he could from the kitchen. The old cookhouse still stood in a far corner of the patio, and Maria used it when cooking for the ranch hands, but David had installed a kitchen for Jessie when the ranch house was rebuilt. Recalling how proud she was of her fancy six plate cook stove and other conveniences, Tye prayed she’d be enjoying them for a long time to come.

  Once he’d filled his belly he rejoined David, finding him with his hand braced on the porch railing, staring into the night. Tye watched him for a moment, then turned and strode back into the house, heading for the liquor cabinet in the parlor. Within moments, he returned carrying two glasses half-filled with amber liquid. He offered one to David.

  “Whiskey. Drink it.”

  David eyed the glass undecidedly, then took it and swallowed the contents in two hefty gulps. “Thanks,” he ga
sped.

  Another round, and Tye convinced him to sit for a while. By then Reece had joined them, finally having gotten Nora to sleep. Tye brought another glass from the parlor and they engaged in sporadic conversation, trying to keep David calm while the night air turned chill.

  Not much later, they heard Jessie cry out. David uttered a strangled oath and sprang to his feet. A newborn’s plaintive wail reached their ears. Standing near the railing, Tye sighed in relief and sagged against the roof support at his back while David collapsed in his chair again.

  “By golly, I’ve got another grandchild,” Reece crowed, slapping his good leg.

  They went inside to wait, and Maria finally walked into the parlor holding a small, blue-swaddled bundle and smiling broadly.

  “A boy, Señor,” she announced as she laid the infant in David’s arms.

  Tye recalled Jessie proclaiming she would have a boy this time. Had she foreseen it in one of her visions? Quite possibly.

  “Jessie was right,” David said hoarsely, gazing at his son, who stared back at him with wide, baby-blue eyes. “He’s a big boy.”

  “Sí, like his padre and his abuelo,” Maria said, drawing proud grins from both men.

  “He has his mother’s hair color,” Tye remarked. “I wonder if he’ll have her temper.”

  David shot Maria an urgent look. “The Señora, is she all right?”

  She nodded in reassurance. “She is fine, only tired. She waits for you, Señor David.”

  That was all he needed to hear. Watching him dash from the room with the baby, eager to be with Jessie, Tye wistfully thought of Lil again. Good Lord, the woman truly was driving him mad!

  * * *

  Lil learned the results of the blessed event the next day, along with everyone involved in the roundup. David was proud as punch over his son, who he and Jessie had named Reece Devlin Taylor. Granddaddy Reece must be mighty pleased about that.

  To Lil’s surprise, the envy she had long experienced toward David and Jessie was absent. In fact, she actually felt happy for them. It occurred to her that Jessie’s brother might have something to do with this change in her attitude.

  Nonsense! She didn’t even like Tye Devlin, and she wasn’t about to forgive him for grabbing her and kissing her. Not to mention what he’d said to her. He’d shown he was no gentleman.

  Huh! He was a rude, no-account Irish Yankee! She was glad her father had ordered him to stop pestering her, glad the handsome devil had quit trying to win her over. He might claim he was waiting for her to change her mind and show she wanted his attentions, but she didn’t believe that for a minute. He’d been toying with her, plain and simple. Now he’d tired of his cruel game, just as she’d expected.

  She wasn’t dumb enough to think she could really attract such a man. Sure he’d kissed her, but like he said himself, it was only a kiss. It meant nothing. The same as those kisses David had given her so many years ago, when she was too young to know he was only playing with her. God help her, she mustn’t start mooning over Tye Devlin the way she had over David. She knew where that road led. To heartbreak, that’s where.

  The trouble was, she couldn’t forget the feel of Tye’s body pressed against hers, the strength of his arms around her, the warmth of his lips as he coaxed her into returning his kiss. Thinking of all that as she chased after an unbranded yearling, she was flooded by a desperate longing to be in Tye’s arms again. Furious with herself, she spurred Major onward, determined to rope the tricky longhorn and drive the blasted Irishman from her thoughts.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Ignoring the man at her side, Lil glanced around Fossett Hall’s upstairs assembly room. Folks from all over Bosque County were gathered here in Meridian, the county seat, for tonight’s dance. She saw several blond Norwegians but didn’t spot Arni and Thea Knudson. Maybe they hadn’t arrived yet, or else they’d stayed home.

  “Wish I could’ve,” she grumbled under her breath. She always felt miserably out of place at these socials. She’d have dug in her heels when her folks ordered her to keep Frank Howard company, except for one thing: she hadn’t wanted to get into a battle with them in front of Frank. That would have given him an excuse to poke fun at her again, as he’d done so often in the past. Instead, she was now forced to endure his obnoxious presence.

  She felt his lustful gaze upon her bosom and felt half naked. Right after Frank showed up at the ranch a few days ago, her mother had decided to make her a new dress for tonight. Lil was kind of partial to the dark red color, but she still didn’t like wearing a dress, especially one intended to please Frank Howard. And she sure hadn’t expected the neckline to be cut so low. What had Ma been thinking, for gosh sakes?

  Lil had refused to wear the dress after trying it on earlier, but Ma had badgered her into it. And the moment Frank caught sight of her in the consarned thing, he’d started eyeing her as if he’d never seen her before, in a lewd way that turned her stomach. The way he was doing right now.

  Why were her parents pushing the two of them together all of a sudden? They knew she couldn’t stand Frank. His father, Judd Howard, was her father’s best friend, but that didn’t mean she wanted to cozy up to him. He expected everybody to lick his boots just cuz his pa owned a huge spread up on the Trinity. Not her, no sir. Besides, he had a mean streak she’d seen in action too many times when their families got together.

  His arm snaked around her waist. Twisting out of reach, she glared at him. He was big, with strong, even features and shoulder-length blond hair. In his dark blue shirt with its fancy yellow piping, he was easy on the eyes. He was also vainer than a turkey cock.

  “Keep your hands to yourself, Frank Howard,” she snapped. “I don’t care if my folks told me to be nice to you. I’ll take your arm off at the elbow if you start pawing me.”

  He splayed a hand across his chest and tried to look hurt. “Shoot, Lil, I was only bein’ friendly. Can’t yuh be sweet to me? I’m leavin’ tomorrow. Gotta get Lord Stanley home.”

  She eyed him sourly. “How come you stopped here anyway? Seems like you’d want to get that precious bull home to your pa pronto.” If she heard one more time how much Judd had paid to have the purebred Hereford bull shipped over from England, she’d scream.

  Grinning, Frank flipped a hank of hair back from his face. “Fact is, Pa told me to pay a neighborly call on your folks on my way home from Galveston. And I’m right glad I did. Now,” he drawled lazily, gaze dropping to her breasts. “Mm, mm, mmm. Honey gal, I can’t get over how fetchin’ you look tonight. Reckon I oughta feel honored, you shuckin’ your Levis and puttin’ on that purtty dress for me.”

  Lil narrowed her eyes at him and exaggerated her own soft drawl. “I’m only wearin’ the durn thing cuz Ma made me. And if yuh don’t quit eyeballin’ me thata way, I’m gonna shove yore teeth in. I’m not some hurdy-gurdy gal.” She looked him up and down mockingly. “I’m not one of them fluttery females who swoon over yuh, neither.”

  Frank’s lips curled nastily. “Seein’ as how I’ve never seen yuh look like any kinda female before, I figured yuh might wanta be treated like one for a change. Shoulda known better.”

  She couldn’t care less what he thought of her, but his sarcastic remark struck the heart of her secret pain. She hid that pain behind a loathing glare and whirled around, meaning to put the width of the hall between them. But she froze when she sighted Tye Devlin.

  He stood with Jessie and David by the entrance. They must have just walked in. Jessie carried baby Reece, well blanketed against the nippy November night. David held Nora, looking very much the family man in his sedate charcoal frock coat. With his free hand, he helped Jessie out of her wrap. Beneath it she wore a becoming russet dress.

  Drawn like a compass needle, Lil’s gaze swung back to Tye. She hadn’t seen him since the roundup; never had she seen him look so handsome. He wore a white shirt, snug-fitting black pants and a gold-trimmed charro jacket of the same color. Lil wondered if he’d borrowed it from that Mexican wr
angler of David’s. More than likely, because it was short on him. He’d disguised the fact with a red sash that showed off his narrow waist and lean hips. At his corded throat, a black ribbon tie stood out against the snowy shirt.

  In those clothes, with his bronzed skin and raven hair, he was enough to make any woman look twice. Glancing around, Lil noticed several eyeing him right now. However, when she looked at him again, he wasn’t returning any of their hungry gazes. He was watching her. He smiled and her heart skipped a beat.

  “Your ma made yuh get all gussied up?” Frank scoffed in her ear, making her jump. “Liar! Yuh done it for him, didn’t yuh.”

  Seeing Tye aim a scowl at Frank, she pivoted to face her tormentor. He stood much too close. She would have laid into him for crowding her, but she was keenly aware of Tye watching them. She didn’t want him to think she was desperate for his attentions. After all, she’d told him to leave her alone. Goaded by pride, she smiled at Frank. “You couldn’t be more wrong, Frank Howard.”

  * * *

  Across the room, Tye glared at the pair. Delighted to see Lil and encouraged by the way she’d looked at him, he’d been about to walk over to her. Then that yellow-haired stranger had stepped up to whisper in her ear, stealing her attention. From the tilt of her head, she was gazing up at him now. The man grinned at her, and Tye balled his gloved fists, longing to charge over there and knock him flat.

  Suddenly, he resented Lil’s red dress. He’d admired it moments ago, particularly the enticing neckline, but now he realized she wore it for the other man. Seeing how her hair draped in lustrous dark waves down her back, almost to her waist, made him even madder. He longed to run his hands through the silky mass and press it to his face, but it wasn’t meant for him.

  Where were her parents? Why weren’t they watching out for her? Scanning the room, he saw Jeb Crawford among a group of men. Then he spotted Del and Rebecca; they stood talking with another older couple, completely ignoring Lil and her companion.