She followed him back to the blanket, disappointed. Marti was making repairs toher lipstick, and Skip looked thoroughly kissed. For a moment, Anne felt a sharp twinge of envy. If only Morgan felt that way about her.
“We need to saddle up,” Morgan told Skip.
“So soon? Marti has the whole night off.”
“Well, I don’t,” Morgan said, forcing Anne to believe that he was making up an excuse to be rid of her.
Skip touched Morgan’s shoulder and whispered, “Is it because of what her old man said?”
Anne heard his words and whipped around in time to catch the warning glare Morgan shot to Skip. Skip shuffled self-consciously and began folding the blanket. Flabbergasted, she stood rooted to the ground. She felt shock, then humiliation. Had her father
dared
to go to Morgan behind her back? Had he actually said something to him about her condition?
Her fingers were stiff as she saddled her horse, but once they were all on the trail, she couldn’t keep silent. Skip and Marti were lagging behind them this time, and once Anne was sure they were out of earshot, she said, “I heard what Skip said back there.”
“I figured you did. He’s got the tact of a skunk.”
“Don’t be mad at him. I’m glad I overheard. What did my dad say to you?”
“It’s not important.”
“It is to me.” Her heart was pounding, and her hands trembled on the reins.
“He didn’t threaten me or anything. I know he’s only concerned about you.”
In the dark, she couldn’t make out his expression. “He didn’t threaten you?”
“He asked me to leave you alone, that’s all.”
Her anger flared, but she bit it back. “I wasn’t aware you were bothering me.”
“All right.… he doesn’t want us spending so much time together. He doesn’t want me to get too involved.”
“Why?”
“It’s a fact of life, Anne—fathers who bring their daughters out to the Broken Arrow for a summer vacation don’t want them to get sidetracked by some dumb cowboy who’s got nothing to show for his life. I’m not well educated. I’m not wealthy. I’m not any of the things fathers want for their daughters. I understand his feelings.”
“Well, I don’t! He had no right—”
“He had every right.”
“My dad and I don’t have that kind of relationship.” How could she explain it to Morgan, who had no father and who argued with his uncle about control of his life? “My father’s always given me space to make my own choices. He’s never imposed his will on mine. And he’s always trusted me. It’s just now that …”
“Let’s just forget it,” Morgan said. He clucked to his horse, urging it to a canter.
Anne balled the reins in her fist in total frustration. She broke out in a cold, clammy sweat. She dug her heels into Golden Star’s side and rode in a slow gallop all the way back to the ranch.
Ten
“D IDN’T WE HAVE a ball?” Marti asked.
“Sure. A great time was had by all.”
“Maybe you were right about my giving other guys a chance. Maybe I deserve to see what there is beside Peter. Maybe we can do this again soon.”
“Maybe so. I’ll catch you tomorrow.”
“Sure …” Marti’s voice trailed off as Anne hurried toward her cabin. She didn’t want to be rude to Marti, but she had plenty to tell her father.
Her father was sitting outside on the steps when she arrived. “Did you have fun?” he asked.
Anne felt betrayed and didn’t bother to hide it. “Waiting up for me? You haven’t done that since I was thirteen.”
“Whoa … wait a minute. I’m just breathing in all this wonderful fresh air you’re always telling meabout. What’s the problem? You sound as if you’re indicting me.”
She crossed her arms and stood in front of him. “I know that you told Morgan to leave me alone.”
“How do you know that?”
“It came out in conversation.”
“It simply ‘came out’? Did he tell you?”
Anne recognized her father’s attempt to put her on the defensive. She
“We need to saddle up,” Morgan told Skip.
“So soon? Marti has the whole night off.”
“Well, I don’t,” Morgan said, forcing Anne to believe that he was making up an excuse to be rid of her.
Skip touched Morgan’s shoulder and whispered, “Is it because of what her old man said?”
Anne heard his words and whipped around in time to catch the warning glare Morgan shot to Skip. Skip shuffled self-consciously and began folding the blanket. Flabbergasted, she stood rooted to the ground. She felt shock, then humiliation. Had her father
dared
to go to Morgan behind her back? Had he actually said something to him about her condition?
Her fingers were stiff as she saddled her horse, but once they were all on the trail, she couldn’t keep silent. Skip and Marti were lagging behind them this time, and once Anne was sure they were out of earshot, she said, “I heard what Skip said back there.”
“I figured you did. He’s got the tact of a skunk.”
“Don’t be mad at him. I’m glad I overheard. What did my dad say to you?”
“It’s not important.”
“It is to me.” Her heart was pounding, and her hands trembled on the reins.
“He didn’t threaten me or anything. I know he’s only concerned about you.”
In the dark, she couldn’t make out his expression. “He didn’t threaten you?”
“He asked me to leave you alone, that’s all.”
Her anger flared, but she bit it back. “I wasn’t aware you were bothering me.”
“All right.… he doesn’t want us spending so much time together. He doesn’t want me to get too involved.”
“Why?”
“It’s a fact of life, Anne—fathers who bring their daughters out to the Broken Arrow for a summer vacation don’t want them to get sidetracked by some dumb cowboy who’s got nothing to show for his life. I’m not well educated. I’m not wealthy. I’m not any of the things fathers want for their daughters. I understand his feelings.”
“Well, I don’t! He had no right—”
“He had every right.”
“My dad and I don’t have that kind of relationship.” How could she explain it to Morgan, who had no father and who argued with his uncle about control of his life? “My father’s always given me space to make my own choices. He’s never imposed his will on mine. And he’s always trusted me. It’s just now that …”
“Let’s just forget it,” Morgan said. He clucked to his horse, urging it to a canter.
Anne balled the reins in her fist in total frustration. She broke out in a cold, clammy sweat. She dug her heels into Golden Star’s side and rode in a slow gallop all the way back to the ranch.
Ten
“D IDN’T WE HAVE a ball?” Marti asked.
“Sure. A great time was had by all.”
“Maybe you were right about my giving other guys a chance. Maybe I deserve to see what there is beside Peter. Maybe we can do this again soon.”
“Maybe so. I’ll catch you tomorrow.”
“Sure …” Marti’s voice trailed off as Anne hurried toward her cabin. She didn’t want to be rude to Marti, but she had plenty to tell her father.
Her father was sitting outside on the steps when she arrived. “Did you have fun?” he asked.
Anne felt betrayed and didn’t bother to hide it. “Waiting up for me? You haven’t done that since I was thirteen.”
“Whoa … wait a minute. I’m just breathing in all this wonderful fresh air you’re always telling meabout. What’s the problem? You sound as if you’re indicting me.”
She crossed her arms and stood in front of him. “I know that you told Morgan to leave me alone.”
“How do you know that?”
“It came out in conversation.”
“It simply ‘came out’? Did he tell you?”
Anne recognized her father’s attempt to put her on the defensive. She
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