This Calder Range (Calder Saga 1)

“Benteen, please don’t do this.” He had no cause to be jealous, but she couldn’t seem to convince him of it.

His fingers dug into her shoulderbone to pull her the rest of the way to him. There was a fire in his kiss, as if he wanted to sear his brand on her lips and mark her the way he marked all the rest of his possessions. When he lifted his head, her breath was coming quickly. She was angered and aroused at the same time. The contradiction showed in the fiery sparkle of her eyes and the swollen softness of her lips. Pivoting, Lorna turned to survey the damages in the mirror.

“There isn’t time for that,” Benteen said. “The carriage was approaching when I came in.”

She whirled around, furious with him for destroying her calm when their arrival was imminent. There was a satisfied glint in his eye as he studied her. Closing her mouth tightly, Lorna brushed past him to walk swiftly to the door. She could hear the rattle of the wheels outside.

The carriage was just pulling to a stop when Lorna opened the door. An inner sense told her that Benteen was a step behind her. She squared her shoulders against him as she walked out from the cabin to greet her special guest. The boys were already running forward to meet the visitors. When Lorna noticed the grass stain on the seat of Webb’s short pants, her irritation increased.

Bull Giles swung down from the driver’s seat, his gaze running over Lorna. She was conscious of it, but she wasn’t able to meet his eyes, not when she knew that Benteen was keenly observing both of them. It created a strain in her manner when she wanted to make a good impression on her afternoon guest.

She called Webb and Arthur to her side as Bull Giles moved to open the carriage door, offering his hand to assist the woman seated in back. When Lady Crawford stepped out, Lorna was struck again by the woman’s regal bearing, an effect made more dramatic by the sheer silk blouse and long satin skirt, both jet-black. She looked older than she had the last time Lorna had seen her—age lines showed around her dark, nearly black eyes—but oddly no less beautiful.

As Lady Crawford moved gracefully forward to greet her, Lorna’s instinct told her to curtsy, but Benteen’s hand closed on the curve of her waist as if to check the movement. She stiffened slightly under his firm grip and remained erect.

“It’s a great pleasure to see you again, your ladyship.” Lorna welcomed the woman with a proffered hand that was briefly taken and released.

“Please. Let’s dispense with the formalities on this meeting. I would like you to call me Elaine,” she requested as her gaze swung pointedly to Benteen. “This is your husband?”

While his wife made the introductions, Elaine watched her son’s face closely but she saw no recognition there. It wasn’t surprising really, considering how small he had been and how much she had changed from a simple Texas girl to a member of England’s ruling class. He showed a marked disinterest in her, yet she sensed a tension coming from him and wondered at its cause.

The two little boys were introduced to her. The heritage of Calder blood showed strongly in both of them, and Elaine remarked on it. Inwardly she was uncomfortable with the idea of having grandchildren. Growing old was something she fought, and the children were proof of her advancing age, regardless of the lies the mirror told.

“Mr. Giles.” She partially turned to address the guide. “Would you fetch me the two presents on the carriage seat?” Certain of his obedience, she kept her attention focused on the couple, her glance straying more often to Benteen. “I brought you each a little something to show my appreciation for your hospitality today. I wasn’t aware of your two children or I would have included a small gift for them.”

“You shouldn’t have brought us anything,” Lorna protested.

“My wife is right. We must refuse,” Benteen stated with a show of that stubborn Calder pride Elaine remembered so well.

“Nonsense.” With an autocratic gesture she motioned for Giles to hand them their gifts. “They are merely token presents. A jar of lotion for your wife and some cigars for you. Mere trifles, I assure you.”

Benteen grudgingly accepted the gift while his wife was much less reluctant. But Elaine’s interest was caught by the glance he shot the guide, Giles. It was dark with suspicion and mistrust when Giles presented his wife with her gift. Elaine was quick to note the way his wife avoided looking directly at the guide. It seemed they were not quite the happy family unit that they had first appeared to be.

“Would you like to come into the cabin?” Lorna invited. “I fixed some tea and cakes.”

“I should like that,” Elaine accepted, then paused to glance at the house being constructed on the rise of the plains. “I couldn’t help noticing that you’re building a new home. It’s a very imposing structure. Perhaps later you might show me through it?”

“The carpenters are just starting work inside, so there isn’t very much to see, but I’d be happy to give you a tour of it,” Lorna agreed with an air of pride. “The cabin is going to seem very small and crude in comparison.”

“Mommy, please, can we sit in the c’raige?” Webb-pleaded, unable to contain his eagerness a second longer.

Lorna tried to distract him. “Wouldn’t you like to come inside and have one of those fancy cakes I made?”

“I wanta sit in the c’raige,” he insisted stubbornly.

When Lorna hesitated, Lady Crawford spoke up. “If the carriage can survive the journey over this rough country, two little boys aren’t likely to harm it.” Children had always been more of a nuisance to have around than anything else, so she wasn’t sorry that they were more interested in the carriage than her.

“I know the boys wouldn’t intentionally do anything—” Lorna began.

Bull Giles interrupted her. “I’ll watch the boys for you, Mrs. Calder, and see that they stay out of trouble.”

A brief but awkward silence followed his offer as Lorna glanced uneasily in Benteen’s direction, but he said nothing. The corners of her mouth trembled with the effort it took to smile.

“That’s very kind of you, Mr. Giles. Thank you,” she accepted.

“Come on, boys. Let’s go see the carriage.” The two hurried to join him.

Lorna had been concerned about entertaining someone of Lady Crawford’s class and breeding, yet the woman made her feel remarkably at ease over tea. The conversation flowed smoothly, except for the way Benteen held himself aloof from it. Lorna was conscious that Lady Crawford had noticed it, from the many times she l