Heart Of Texas (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon Page B

this afternoon, and how they tried to avoid you?
They don't want to be your friend."
    The child laid her head against her sister's
shoulder and wiped her eyes. "I wanted them to
like me."
    Sam stood on the step, feeling helpless but
wanting to help Casey. "She's right about them,
Jenny. They don't make good pets. They're raised
for food."
    His comment brought a fresh burst of tears
from jenny.
    Gabe moved off the porch and knelt down beside them. "Do you like dogs, jenny?"
    The child raised her head, her little face
creased in a frown. "I never had one. But Mr. Fletcher back in Virginia had one, and he'd let
me pet it sometimes. And Letty Marton had one
on the wagon train, but she wouldn't let me pet
it at all."

    "Let's ask your sister if you can have a dog. And
if you can, I'll see if I can find one for you. Would
you like that?"
    Gabe was taken totally .by surprise when the
child propelled herself into his arms. "I want a
puppy of my very own. Can you get it now?"
    Casey smiled at Gabe, who looked like he didn't
know quite what to do with the bundle of energy
that hung around his neck. He smiled when she
planted a kiss on his cheek. Casey wished at that
moment that she were in jenny's place. She would
love to - She dipped her head and blushed.
    "I like you so very much, Gabe. Really I do."
She pulled back and frowned. "Even if you
wouldn't let me put a flower in your hair that day
when I got lost."
    Laughter rolled out of Gabe. This child was enchanting, and he had never known anyone as precocious as she was. She made such outlandish
statements, and she made him smile. "What do
you say, Casey-can jenny have a pup if I find her
one?"
    Casey's heart softened at the sight of her sister
in Gabe's arms. When his gaze met hers, she was
hit by a sensation that felt something like falling
over a cliff. "I think that would be very nice,
Mr.... Gabe."

    "No. Not mister just Gabe," he reminded her.
    Jenny leaped out of Gabe's arms and ran into
the house so she could tell Kate about her good
fortune, and Sam trailed along after her, glad
about her happier mood.
    Gabe stood and leaned against the porch post.
"Do you think she will ever eat fried chicken
again?"
    "Knowing my sister like I do, I doubt she will."
She gave a deep sigh. "Jenny can sometimes be a
real trial.-"
    "I imagine you were much like her as a child."
    "Papa said I was very much like her." She
clasped her hands in her lap. "Jenny never knew
our mother, since she died the night Jenny was
born. So I probably indulge her more than I
should. But Papa said you can't spoil a child with
love."
    "That's probably true. And then you have Sam,
who wants to be a man so he can take care of
both of you."
    "Yes." She glanced up at him with a worried
frown. "He's just a boy, and yet he has so much
to worry about."
    He had never known a woman like Casey. She
was soft and gentle with her family, but she could
turn into a raging storm if she thought her
brother or sister was threatened in any way. She
had something that he had never seen in a
woman-she had forbearance and patience. "And you guide both Samuel and jenny in the right
direction."

    She was quiet for a moment, pondering her answer. "I do try, but sometimes..." She fell into
silence and met his gaze. He was so near she
could see the pores in his skin, feel the heat of
his body. His broad shoulders looked inviting,
and she wanted to lay her head there and have
him make her troubles go away.
    "Most of the time I don't even know what I'm
doing, so it's difficult to guide my brother and
sister."
    He offered her his hand. She hesitated only for
a moment before she allowed him to draw her up
beside him. Her breath caught in her throat, and
her heart pounded erratically. Something was
happening to her, and she didn't know what it
was. There had been beaux who had come calling
back in Virginia, and one of them had even stolen
a quick kiss, but none of them had stirred