Marshal of Hel Dorado by Heather Long Page B

     “Marshal.” Her voice was the same, low,
throaty whisper he recalled from their ride, but it seemed softer, gentler
somehow in the warm afternoon sun.
           Miss Annabeth and Lena bustling into the
room preempted further conversation. As if on cue, all three Kane men rose to
their feet. When a lady stood, so did the Kanes, it didn’t matter who the
ladies were. Scarlett watched the pageantry of the meal being served with a
bewildered expression.
           Miss Annabeth set a plate in front of her
first, loaded up with hot chicken, mashed potatoes and greens. She set a basket
of fresh bread in the center and Lena placed two more plates in front of Jed
and Micah, a fourth was quickly fetched for Sam.
           The men remained on their feet until the
plates were settled and the women smiled. Miss Annabeth paused to give Sam an
affectionate buss on the cheek. “Is good to have you home, Mister Samuel. Now,
all of you eat. My Lena’s made some fresh apple pies and I’m of a mind to let
you each have a slice if you do our meal justice.”
           “Will you be joining us Miss Annabeth?” Sam
didn’t have to pretend the desire for the older woman to share their table.
Like his mother, Miss Annabeth hailed from Virginia. She’d come west with Molly
when Molly married Jed Kane. But as a wedding present, his father had purchased
Miss Annabeth and granted her freedom. Still, the woman insisted on coming west
with Molly, she’d been a nursemaid to Molly her whole life and when Molly
passed, she’d raised Molly’s boys as though they were her own.
           “Not today, sweet boy.” She patted his
cheek. “Our Lena has been sparking with one of the new hands and they’ve a mind
for a picnic.”
           Lena coughed, dropping her eyes as Sam
looked at her with interest. Lena was a fantastic cook and a sweetheart.
Unsurprisingly, Jed simply nodded. “I’ve already had a word with the boy, his
intentions are honorable.”
           Miss Annabeth smiled and gave Micah a
similar affectionate head pat as she circled the table. “I know you did, Mister
Jed. He was plum quaking when he came calling this morning.”
           “Good.” Jed gave Lena an indulgent look.
“You make him court you proper, young lady.
           Your momma is a wise woman, she put me
through my paces with Miss Molly, you let her do the same for you.”
           “Yes, sir.” Lena all but fled the room,
embarrassment trailing behind her. Annabeth chuckled as she watched her
daughter go.
           “This Vincent is a good man, yes?” She
paused to give Jed a long look.
           “He’s a fair one. Good with the animals, a
hard worker and doesn’t carry a grudge. I expect a good year of working his way
up to it and he could be building a cabin for our girl.”
           “Thank you, Mister Jed.”
           “Well, you go look after her and don’t
hesitate to let me know if the boy needs a thrashing or two to see some sense.”
Jed waited for Annabeth to sail out of the room after her daughter before the
three men took their seats.
           Sam glanced across the table and saw the
questions on Scarlett’s face. He reached for the basket of biscuits and held it
out to her generously, feeling the reluctant pluck to explain. “Lena lost her
beau in the war. She’s been grieving for five years now. So we’re a might
particular about the boys that come calling.”
           She took one of the biscuits with careful
fingers and set it down next to the food on her already heavily laden plate.
“That’s very sweet of you.”
           “We look after our family,” Sam held her
gaze before nodding his head at his father and brother meaningfully. “We’re not
going to let anyone hurt them.”
           Scarlett’s sunny disposition slipped
further as she received his message and Sam nodded to himself, ignoring the
darker looks his father and brother sent in his