To Tame A Texan by Georgina Gentry Page A

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    â€œAce, did you ask your friends to sign my dance card?”
    She sounded almost timid, and he felt sorry for the poor little thing. “You’ve got it wrong, Lynnie; they were askin’ my permission to sign your dance card.”
    â€œNow, why would they do that?”
    Ace sighed. “Because I’m your escort.”
    â€œI’m perfectly capable of making that decision myself. Why should they have to ask your permission?”
    â€œLordy, girl, you do carry this women’s rights thing too far. You’ll never get a husband if you keep this up.”
    She stopped in the middle of the floor so suddenly that Ace tripped over her feet. “A husband? Do you think that’s all girls think about?”
    â€œObviously, not you.” He led her off the floor, thinking he was going to be in the debt of his friends forever more. Well, he’d let them win at poker next time.
    â€œWould you like some more punch?” He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face.
    â€œYes, please.”
    Lynnie watched him amble over to the punch bowl. Just then, an older student in Lynnie’s one-room school, Penelope Dinwiddy, spotted her and hurried through the crowd. Penny was tall, sweet, and blinked a lot. Tonight she wore a cream ball gown that contrasted nicely with her dark hair. “Oh, Miss Lynnie, are you really going to go through with it?”
    â€œShh! Penny, you’ll spoil the whole thing.” She put her finger to her lips. “Yes, I’m just waiting for the grand march.”
    Penny giggled. “My stars, you’re so brave. Let me help the cause.”
    Lynnie shook her head. “You’re only seventeen, Penny, and you’re my student, so that makes me responsible for you. Besides, there’ll probably be some trouble.”
    Penny blinked and looked at Ace, standing by the refreshment table visiting with friends. “They say Ace Durango is a devil with the ladies.”
    Lynnie sniffed. “I’m sure I wouldn’t know about that.”
    â€œAll the girls are talking about him being your escort. How’d you manage that?”
    Lynnie smirked. “I prevailed on my sister to help me. She was so excited that I actually wanted to attend the ball, she never questioned anything. I think the whole family’s afraid of being stuck with a spinster.”
    Penny sighed as Ace sauntered toward them in an easy, relaxed gait, carrying punch cups. “But the one and only Ace Durango . . .”
    Lynnie made a noncommittal noise. “I just needed him to get here; that’s all.”
    â€œDoes he know?”
    â€œThunderation, no, Penny. You think he’d have come if he’d known? Ace Durango is the last man who’d favor women’s rights. What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were spoken for.”
    Penelope sighed. “My brother-in-law escorted me, hoping to find me a new beau.”
    Lynnie smiled at a passing acquaintance. “They don’t like Hank?”
    â€œNo.” Penelope shook her head. “I love Hank Dale and he loves me, but my Pa doesn’t think Hank has good enough prospects—owns only a few acres, and the land’s so poor, it would take three people to raise a fuss on it. That sticky oil is seeping up out of the ground and killing the grass, so it’s no good for cattle.”
    Lynnie nodded sympathetically. “Sooner or later, they’ve got to find a use for that black stuff besides greasing a few buggy wheels.”
    Ace joined them just then, and Penelope grinned like an idiot and blinked again. “Good evening, Mr. Durango.”
    â€œAh, Miss Penelope, and how are you?” Ace smiled a little too warmly, Lynnie thought.
    â€œMiss Penelope was just leaving,” Lynnie said, and warned the younger girl with her eyes. She didn’t want her student caught in the middle of what might happen soon.
    Penelope looked up at Ace and giggled.