WM02 - Texas Princess by Jodi Thomas Page A

their wedding and his plans immediately after. “We’l have our honeymoon on the road to my new post,” he’d said as if she would have no objection. “I want to get there as soon as possible, and I know your father wil want to get back to Washington.
    Once he’s back it wil only be a short time before he misses you and I’l be transferred.”
    Liberty nibbled on her meal as he changed the subject to horses. “I know that fel ow in the barn probably has no idea how to act around a lady like you, but I don’t have time to teach you to ride. In the few days we have left before the wedding, he can start and I’l nish your lessons later. Right now I’ve more important matters that draw my attention.”
    He nished the last bite of food on his plate and stood. “I think I’l go to the parlor for a cigar.”
    Liberty saw her chance. “I think I’l retire. I’ve a headache.”
    Samuel walked her to the foot of the stairs and kissed her on the cheek. “Good night.
    Get some rest, dear, you look tired.”
    Liberty had to force herself not to run up to her room.
    She knew with al the houseguests Samuel wouldn’t fol ow her, but she needed to put as much distance as possible between them. He’d been obnoxious al evening. Since their kiss in the garden, he seemed to believe that he had a rm grip on his bride-to-be.
    “Wel , he has another think coming,” Liberty mumbled as she climbed out of her clothes and tossed them aside. She wasn’t one of his men and she didn’t have to fol ow orders.
    Joy, her maid, fol owed behind her, picking up. When Liberty stepped behind her beautiful china silk screen to remove the last of her clothing, Joy handed her a night shift.
    “Is everything al right?” Joy whispered.
    “It’s ne,” Liberty lied. “Go on up to your room. You’ve got to be as tired as I am.”
    Joy yawned. “It’s been a long day and tomorrow we have to start packing. Stel a said she would help me. She’d like my job, I fear. Would like to move upstairs, if you know what I mean. Thinks she’s too good to be in the kitchen al the time.”
    Liberty didn’t want to think about the staff. “Good night,” she said as she took the warm cocoa from Joy and waved her farewel .
    After the maid closed the door, Liberty strol ed to the window and stepped out on her tiny balcony. The back of the house was dark. The barn only a shadow. Most of the guests had long ago gone to bed. This quiet time of night usual y calmed her. She loved listening to the wild sounds of the night on the rare trips to Texas. Everything seemed so untamed, so free. Everything but her.
    Liberty’s thoughts grew dark. She could almost feel the cage that was being built around her. Her father already had too many worries; he didn’t need to know hers. In a few days Samuel would control not only her, but al the money, she had. In a few days the cage would be completed and the door locked and she’d have no choices left . . .
    no life to cal her own.
    Samuel said once that as the senator’s son-in-law he would natural y inherit al the Mayeld support if he wanted to run for Congress one day. Liberty didn’t think it worked that way, but that might explain why Samuel spent most of his time with her father.
    “In a few days,” she whispered, trying to think of some way she could change her fate.
    Al her life she’d dreamed of freedom, but for her there never seemed to be more than a few moments in time when she could slip away from her obligations. Every hour of every day she was surrounded, protected, pampered.
    The horses in the corral circled, rustling the night with their stomps and whinnies.
    She leaned over the railing, listening as if they were whispering to her. If she knew how to ride a horse, she could run away.
    Even the possibility frightened the breath from her. If she could ride, she could escape.
    She stared at the corral. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw the lean shadow of a man. He stood with his