One Pink Rose; One White Rose; One Red Rose by Julie Garwood Page B

insisted that Emily sit in the corner next to him with her back against the wall. One-Eyed Jack straddled the chair across from them, but he kept nervously glancing behind his shoulder to make certain no one was trying to sneak up on him.
    John came to his senses before his wife did. He hurried to the table, his shotgun cradled in his arms, and stopped when he reached Travis.
    â€œIt’s good to see you again,” he remarked with another quick glance in Hanrahan’s direction. “Millie, quit twisting your apron and come meet Travis’s woman. Did you go and get yourself hitched?”
    â€œNo, Jack. I didn’t get married.”
    He introduced Emily to the older couple and then suggested they both join them.
    As soon as Millie had gotten over her reaction to seeing Jack smile, her attention moved to Emily. She seemed mesmerized by her, nervous too; Travis noticed the way she was fiddling with her hair and smoothing her apron.
    When Millie was younger, she was quite attractive, and her good looks helped to soften her abrupt way with people. Age had made her features more angular and harsh, but the sparkle was still in her eyes.
    â€œWe might as well eat with our guests, Millie, seeing as Travis is a friend,” John said. “If you can stop gawking at his woman long enough to fetch our supper.”
    Millie didn’t budge. She gave her husband a look Travis interpreted to mean John was going to catch hell later for teasing her.
    â€œMy hair used to curl the way hers does,” Millie told her husband. “Might be it still would if it weren’t so long.”
    â€œExpect you’ll cut it, then?” John asked
    Millie didn’t answer her husband. She simply continued to give Emily her close scrutiny.
    â€œMr. Perkins, are you expecting trouble?” Emily asked, pretending not to notice that his wife was watching her every move.
    â€œI always expect trouble,” he replied. “That way I’m never taken by surprise.”
    â€œJohn started carrying a shotgun when he married Millie because he knew men would try to steal her away from him,” Travis said.
    â€œThat was years ago,” Millie interjected. “I was pretty then.”
    â€œYou’re prettier now,” Travis told her. “John’s still carrying his shotgun, isn’t he?”
    Millie blushed with pleasure and hurried out of the room.
    â€œWhat are the two of you doing up in high country?” John asked with yet another worried glance at One-Eyed Jack.
    â€œI’m escorting Emily to Golden Crest. She’s meeting someone there.”
    Emily was relieved he hadn’t given Mr. Perkins any other details.
    Travis couldn’t stomach looking at One-Eyed Jack’s infernal grin another second.
    â€œEmily, tell Jack to stop smiling. He’s giving me the chills.”
    â€œI think his smile is charming,” she replied. She reached across the table and patted Jack’s hand. “Don’t pay any attention to him, Jack. He’s just in a contrary mood.”
    â€œWant me to shoot him for you, Miss Emily?”
    The question didn’t faze her this time. “No, Jack, but thank you for offering.”
    Travis decided to ignore both Emily and Jack. He turned to John again and remarked, “You’re light on guests tonight.”
    â€œWe won’t be light for long,” John replied. “Ben Corrigan stopped by on his way home from River’s Bend to visit with Millie and me for a spell, and he told me five men from Murphy’s outfit are headed this way. They’ll expect to spend the night, but if they give me any back talk at all, I’m tossing them out. They’re all low-down, thieving troublemakers.” He turned and raised his voice so his wife could hear him in the kitchen. “Millie, you’d better hide the money you’ve got tucked inside the cookie jar.” Turning back to his guests, he said, “Travis,