desk.
Loretta frowned at her. “Would you like a small glass of wine? You look a little pale.”
Esme shook her head. “No, thank you, Loretta.”
Luke leaned toward Esme and spoke softly. “You and I need to talk.” He drew her from the table, leading her down the hall and out the door. Outside, the moon cast a soft glow upon the trees. The cloudless night was calm and still. Amidst the chaos of her thoughts, Esme reveled in the feel of his hand enveloping hers. Rough, warm, his touch reminded her of the kiss they’d shared.
“My father told me years ago you were married and had children,” she tried to explain. “I never doubted him.”
Luke turned and dropped her hand. His face was a mask of fury, an expression Esme remembered from years ago when he fought everyone who crossed his path.
“I’m not married,” he shot back. “Your father lied to you. He told me to stay away from you or he’d disinherit you.”
Esme shook her head. “My father won’t give me any inheritance. He never intended to leave me anything at all. I think that’s why Simon left me the ranch. My father says he doesn’t want his money to go to the man I marry.”
Luke crossed his arms over his chest. “So that explains why you were so hot under the collar with me. You thought I had a wife waiting for me at home?”
Esme turned away from him, not wanting to relive the strange mixture of desire and humiliation she’d felt. She closed her eyes and shuddered at the absurdity of it all. The years of misspent anger and resentment, waiting for word from him when he’d been warned away, even the dress she’d picked for tonight seemed ridiculous; a choice she’d made to give a woman who didn’t exist some sort of set down. Esme thought of the scandal this would cause amongst her family and friends in San Antonio. She, Esme Duval, living with Luke Crosby.
“I can’t stay here,” Esme said softly. “As an unmarried woman I can’t remain under the same roof with an unmarried man.”
“This is exactly where you should be if your father comes looking for you.”
“He won’t look for me until the school year is over in late May. I gave him every indication that I would wait until then to come to the ranch.”
Luke shook his head. “He’s looking for you now. Consuelo told me four men were by last night asking for you, a few of your Daddy’s boys. They said Mr. Duval would pay for information about you.”
Esme shrank away. “No!” It wasn’t possible that her father could have found out she’d left San Antonio so quickly. Months would pass without her hearing a word from her father or mother, even though they lived in the same town. Her thoughts reeled. If he knew, he could come riding up at any moment and put an end to her plans.
Luke shook his head. “I wonder just how much old Randolph is willing to shell out for his little girl.”
“What do you mean?”
Luke shrugged. “I suppose he would pay a pretty penny to keep you out of harm’s way. I could use a little extra cash.”
Esme gave him an indignant look. “You wouldn’t sell me out.” She stared at him in disbelief.
Luke gave the impression of mulling over the idea of a windfall. “I could do a few nice things for the boys. Henry needs a pony, him being so short and all. He’s a little skittish about the horses we have. I suppose I could get him a pretty nice one for whatever your daddy’s willing to hand over.”
“I’m being traded for a pony?” Esme folded her arms across her chest and gave him a sideways glance.
Luke shrugged. “I don’t necessarily want to part with you now that I have you, but he never said I had to hand you over. He just wants news of your whereabouts.”
Esme leaned against the railing and studied him. “You think for one minute my father would allow me to stay here with you? You truly believe that?”
Luke’s expression softened and he gazed at her for a moment before speaking. “I know what would solve
Loretta frowned at her. “Would you like a small glass of wine? You look a little pale.”
Esme shook her head. “No, thank you, Loretta.”
Luke leaned toward Esme and spoke softly. “You and I need to talk.” He drew her from the table, leading her down the hall and out the door. Outside, the moon cast a soft glow upon the trees. The cloudless night was calm and still. Amidst the chaos of her thoughts, Esme reveled in the feel of his hand enveloping hers. Rough, warm, his touch reminded her of the kiss they’d shared.
“My father told me years ago you were married and had children,” she tried to explain. “I never doubted him.”
Luke turned and dropped her hand. His face was a mask of fury, an expression Esme remembered from years ago when he fought everyone who crossed his path.
“I’m not married,” he shot back. “Your father lied to you. He told me to stay away from you or he’d disinherit you.”
Esme shook her head. “My father won’t give me any inheritance. He never intended to leave me anything at all. I think that’s why Simon left me the ranch. My father says he doesn’t want his money to go to the man I marry.”
Luke crossed his arms over his chest. “So that explains why you were so hot under the collar with me. You thought I had a wife waiting for me at home?”
Esme turned away from him, not wanting to relive the strange mixture of desire and humiliation she’d felt. She closed her eyes and shuddered at the absurdity of it all. The years of misspent anger and resentment, waiting for word from him when he’d been warned away, even the dress she’d picked for tonight seemed ridiculous; a choice she’d made to give a woman who didn’t exist some sort of set down. Esme thought of the scandal this would cause amongst her family and friends in San Antonio. She, Esme Duval, living with Luke Crosby.
“I can’t stay here,” Esme said softly. “As an unmarried woman I can’t remain under the same roof with an unmarried man.”
“This is exactly where you should be if your father comes looking for you.”
“He won’t look for me until the school year is over in late May. I gave him every indication that I would wait until then to come to the ranch.”
Luke shook his head. “He’s looking for you now. Consuelo told me four men were by last night asking for you, a few of your Daddy’s boys. They said Mr. Duval would pay for information about you.”
Esme shrank away. “No!” It wasn’t possible that her father could have found out she’d left San Antonio so quickly. Months would pass without her hearing a word from her father or mother, even though they lived in the same town. Her thoughts reeled. If he knew, he could come riding up at any moment and put an end to her plans.
Luke shook his head. “I wonder just how much old Randolph is willing to shell out for his little girl.”
“What do you mean?”
Luke shrugged. “I suppose he would pay a pretty penny to keep you out of harm’s way. I could use a little extra cash.”
Esme gave him an indignant look. “You wouldn’t sell me out.” She stared at him in disbelief.
Luke gave the impression of mulling over the idea of a windfall. “I could do a few nice things for the boys. Henry needs a pony, him being so short and all. He’s a little skittish about the horses we have. I suppose I could get him a pretty nice one for whatever your daddy’s willing to hand over.”
“I’m being traded for a pony?” Esme folded her arms across her chest and gave him a sideways glance.
Luke shrugged. “I don’t necessarily want to part with you now that I have you, but he never said I had to hand you over. He just wants news of your whereabouts.”
Esme leaned against the railing and studied him. “You think for one minute my father would allow me to stay here with you? You truly believe that?”
Luke’s expression softened and he gazed at her for a moment before speaking. “I know what would solve
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