Clayborne Brides Series - book 1 - For the Roses by Julie Garwood

[Dalyia]

He braced himself for disappointment and stepped off the wooden walkway. The gleam of metal caught his attention. He half turned to look back down the walkway and saw what looked like a shotgun barrel protruding from an alley about fifteen feet away. Whoever held the weapon had it trained on the group of people standing in front of the general store.
Harrison recognized Henry and Ghost and Dooley* but there were three other men he'd never seen before standing in a circle on the opposite walkway. A man with light yellow hair stood next to Henry* but when he took a step back* the barrel of the rifle came up. Yellow Hair moved again almost immediately* however* and Dooley inadvertently blocked him from ambush. The barrel of the rifle* Harrison noticed* lowered once again.
He decided he would interfere. The group of men filed inside the general store. Harrison removed his coat on his way across the road* tossed it over the hitching post in front of the walkway* and then went inside.
The scent of leather and spices filled the air around him. The store was large* about the size of one of Elliott's stables back home. There was a wide aisle that ran the length of the store* and two other smaller aisles on either side. Weighted-down* bowed shelves were lined with jars of food* piles of clothing* leather goods* picks and shovels* and so much more the eye could barely take it all in. The entire store was built out of several different kinds of wood* though mostly pine* just like the rest of the buildings in town.
Harrison had never seen such a disorganized* stuffed-to-the-rafters establishment in all his life. His obsession with discipline and order made him mentally blanch at the chaos before him. Bolts of colorful fabric were haphazardly stacked into a lopsided pyramid on top of a round table in one corner of the store* next to three giant-size pickle barrels. He watched an unkempt man reach down and take out a large pickle from the brine* then wipe his wet hand on the edge of a lace fabric that drooped down from a bolt over the side of the table. The material fell to the floor* barring the man's path* and so he simply stepped over the bolt on his way back to the front of the establishment.
Working amid such chaos would have driven Harrison out of his mind. How in God's name did the proprietor ever find anything? Harrison let out a sigh* put the matter out of his mind* then moved to the side of the entrance where he planned to stay until he spotted Yellow Hair in the crowd.
Where in thunder was the man? Harrison was at least a head taller than everyone else inside the store* yet still couldn't find Yellow Hair. He couldn't have disappeared into thin air* though in this mess Harrison guessed anything was possible.
Dooley waved to him from the left side of the store. The old man stood in front of a counter* talking in a whisper to a pretty brown-haired young lady. She had to be the owner's daughter* the one named Catherine Morrison. Dooley motioned for him to come over to the counter* but Harrison shook his head and stayed right where he was. He didn't want to take the chance of missing Yellow Hair. If Dooley thought his behavior was rude* Harrison neither minded nor cared.
A few minutes later he heard Dooley say something about "being shy." Since Dooley was looking at him when he made the comment*
Harrison assumed he was referring to him. The notion was ridiculous.
The Morrison woman caught his attention when she waved at him. She leaned halfway over the countertop and gave him a provocative* come-and-meet-me smile. He didn't smile back. He wasn't in the mood to be social right now* for he felt that warning the stranger was more important.
He didn't normally interfere in another man's affairs* but he fervently believed in equal treatment and fair play. Ambushing an unsuspecting man was a damned cowardly thing to do* and Harrison could never abide a coward.
He ran out of patience. He decided he was going to have to go find the man* but just as he started to move* Yellow Hair appeared at the end of the main aisle* carrying a sack of wheat or flour he'd hoisted up on one shoulder. While Harrison waited for him to get to the entrance* a young woman skirted her way around Yellow Hair and came hurrying toward Harrison.
Dear God* she was Lady Victoria. The beautiful young woman walking toward him had to be Elliott's long-lost daughter. She was the spitting image of the man's late wife. At the first sight of her high cheekbones and her brilliant blue eyes* Harrison took a deep breath and forgot to let it out. Astonishment paralyzed him. His heart started thundering inside his chest until it became painful* and he was finally forced to breathe again.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The lovely woman looked as if she had just stepped out of the oil portrait of Lady Agatha that hung above the fireplace in Elliott's library. The clothes were different* yes; yes* of course they were* but by all that was holy* even the spray of freckles across the bridge of her nose seemed to be identical. Harrison suddenly didn't care how many brothers she had. It was just as Mrs. Middleshaw had said. No one could look this much like another without being related.
Mary Rose Clayborne. The closer she got to him* the more subtle differences became discernible. Her eyes were a little paler in color than her mother's in the portrait of her as a young woman. Harrison let out a sigh of frustration. The exotic* almost almond shape of her eyes and her facial bone structure seemed to be the same as her mother's; yet* now that she was coming closer to him* he couldn't be absolutely certain. Hell* she even looked a little bit like Yellow Hair. She had the same color of hair. No* the color wasn't quite the same. Hers was a lighter yellow streaked with honey-colored strands throughout. God* she was beautiful* but she could still be Yellow Hair's younger sister* and hell and damnation* how could that be possible when she looked so much like Elliott's wife?
He'd been too young when he'd last seen Lady Agatha to remember significant details now about her physical appearance. He had been only ten when she and her husband left for America to attend the grand opening of their plant near New York City. He remembered foolish little-boy things about her* such as the wonderful way she smelled* like flowers after the rain* and the way she smiled at him* with such love and kindness in her eyes. He remembered the warmth and tenderness of her hug* but all of those memories* treasured though they were by a boy who had lost his own mother* weren't going to help him.
He had never seen Lady Agatha again. After her return to London* she'd stayed in her bedchamber day and night* clothed in black* he'd been told* and closeted away in darkness while she mourned the disappearance of her four-month-old daughter.
Was the woman walking toward him Lady Victoria? God help him* he didn't know.
His mind frantically sought for a way to find the truth. Then he remembered what Dooley and the other men had told him about Mary Rose Clayborne. She was the champion of the weak. Hadn't Dooley also told him that she drove her brothers crazy because she was constantly dragging misfits home with her? Harrison suddenly had a new plan.
He was no longer going to be the meanest son-of-a-bitch who ever hit town. That charade had gotten him the information he needed and acceptance by the men in the saloon. The pretense wouldn't work now* at least not with Mary Rose Clayborne. She liked odd ducks* and so he decided to become just that. He was going to be a bumbling* naive city boy who didn't have enough common sense to stay alive. He only hoped he could pull the deception off.
Mary Rose Clayborne noticed the stranger almost immediately. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest and was leaning against the ledge of Morrison's window. He was a giant of a man* impossible* really* not to notice* with dark brown hair and wonderfully expressive gray eyes. He was handsome* she supposed* in a rugged* outdoors way* but appearances weren't important to her. He certainly looked unhappy to her. Honest to heaven* he looked pale enough to make her think he'd seen something very distressing.
Like a ghost* she thought to herself. She smiled then* because it was such a silly notion. Only Ghost ever saw spirits from the other world* and only after he'd dipped into his homemade brew that guaranteed visions. A ghost* indeed.
Still* she wished he didn't look so unhappy. She decided to introduce herself to him. Perhaps he would tell her what was worrying him. She might be able to help.
Just as quickly as the idea to meet him came to her* she decided against it* because she'd finally noticed he was wearing one of those fancy gunbelts around his hips. A six-shooter was neatly tucked into the holster. Mary Rose realized the stranger could very well be just another gunfighter in town for the sole purpose of antagonizing her brother into a gunfight* and* by God* if that was the case* she wasn't about to be gracious or helpful. Why* she might even shoot him herself.
She knew she was jumping to conclusions. She decided her best course of action was to ignore him. She reached the entrance and tried to open the door for her brother. Cole was right behind her* but his hands were occupied holding the sack on his shoulder.
Harrison quickly moved to block her exit. He leaned against the door and waited for her to look up at him.
She took her sweet time.
"I wouldn't go outside just yet* ma'am."
"You wouldn't?"
He shook his head. "No* I wouldn't."
She stared stupidly up at his face. He finally smiled. She almost smiled back. She stopped herself in time. She stood only a foot away from him and* therefore* had to tilt her head all the way back so she could get a close-up look at his eyes. There was a definite sparkle there* she noticed. She couldn't imagine what he found so amusing. His color was back as well* and he smelled quite nice to her. Like the outdoors and leather* she decided* and because his skin was so bronzed* she knew he spent a good deal of time in the sun.
Mary Rose shook herself out of her stupor. "Why don't I want to go outside?" she asked.
Harrison knew he was going to have to quit staring at her so he could answer her question. God* she was pretty. He noticed her scent* so light and faint* very like the scent her mother used to wear* and* hell* he knew he was behaving like a schoolboy* but he couldn't make himself stop. He couldn't stop smiling down at her either* because she was so damned lovely* of course* but also because it was both possible and impossible for her to be Elliott's daughter.
Reality was quick to bring him back to the present.

[Dalyia]

"Open the door* Mary Rose*" Yellow Hair ordered. He was staring at Harrison when he muttered the impatient command.

"This gentleman doesn't want us to leave just yet*" she answered. She turned to her brother and lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "I don't know why."

Cole glared at Harrison. His tone was scathing when he said* "Look* mister* there are easier ways of getting an introduction. If you want to meet my sister* wait until I unload this. Then maybe I'll let you talk to her."

Mary Rose couldn't let the stranger be misled. "He won't let you talk to me though*" she explained. "My brother never lets me talk to strangers. My name's Mary Rose Clayborne. And who are you* pray tell?"

"Harrison Stanford MacDonald."

She nodded. "I'm pleased to meet you* Mr. MacDonald. May I go outside now?"

"I'd like to talk to your brother first*" he said.

She backed up a space and stepped on her brother's foot. "Are you a gunfighter?"

She made the question sound like an accusation. She didn't give him time to answer* having obviously concluded that he was. She frowned up at him and shook her head.

"You can just forget about getting my brother into a draw. He isn't at all interested. I suggest you leave Blue Belle* sir. You aren't welcome here."

"For God's sake* Mary Rose. I can talk for myself. You a gunfighter* mister?"

Harrison shook his head. He was thoroughly bewildered by the turn in the conversation. "No*" he answered. "I'm not a gunfighter." He turned back to Mary Rose. "Exactly what is it you think I'm here to draw?"

Her eyes widened. "Cole* he doesn't know what a draw is. Where are you from* Mr. MacDonald?"

"Scotland."

She frowned over his answer. "Why are you in Blue Belle?"

"I'm looking for a place to settle down."

"Then you aren't here to fight my brother?"

She stopped frowning at him* but her voice was still filled with suspicion. It was apparent she wasn't completely convinced.

He decided to answer her question with one of his own. "Why would I want to do that* ma'am. I don't even know your brother."

She let out a happy sigh. "Well* then*" she whispered. She brushed her hair back over her shoulder* in an action he found utterly feminine* and smiled sweetly up at him.

"I didn't think you were a gunfighter* but I couldn't be absolutely certain. When I think…"

Cole wouldn't let her finish the complaint she was about to make. "For God's sake* Mary Rose. Open the door."

"But I haven't introduced you to Mr. MacDonald yet*" she protested.

"I don't need to meet him*" Cole muttered. "Douglas is waiting out front with the wagon. Just open the door."

Mary Rose didn't seem to be at all affected by her brother's surly tone of voice. She continued to smile up at Harrison and acted as if she had all the time in the world to talk to him. "My brother's name is Cole Clayborne. He has a middle name* but he's sensitive about it* and he'd kill me if I told you what it was. Cole* I'd like you to meet Mr. Harrison…"

"Mary Rose* I swear to God I'm gonna drop this heavy sack of flour right on top of your head."

She let out a sigh. "My brother's really very nice* sir* once you get to know him."

Harrison wasn't convinced. Cole didn't look like the sort who could ever be nice. The scowl on his face seemed to be a permanent fixture. Only one thing was certain. Mary Rose's brother wasn't going to wait much longer. Harrison decided he'd better hurry up and tell him about the ambush before the impatient man went storming through the closed door. He looked strong enough and irritated enough to do just that.

"There's a rifle trained on you*" he began. He kept his voice low so the other customers wouldn't overhear him. "Whoever wants to shoot you is hiding in the pass-through across the street. I thought you might want to know."

Cole immediately lost his irritation. "You get a look at the fella?"

Harrison shook his head. "I considered trying to shoot the rifle out of his hands* but the truth is* I only just purchased this gun and I haven't tried it out yet. I probably would have ended up hurting someone."

"That's the general idea*" Cole told him* his exasperation obvious in his tone of voice.

"Sorry I couldn't help you out*" Harrison said then. "But until I learn how accurate…"

He let the sentence trail off uncompleted. He would let Mary Rose and her brother draw their own conclusions.

He didn't have to wait long. Mary Rose let out a little gasp. "You're wearing a gun and you've never used it before?"

"Yes* ma'am."

He hadn't had to lie to her again* but he hadn't told her the truth either. He deliberately withheld pertinent information* knowing full well she would be led down the path he wanted her to take. The way he was manipulating her didn't sit well with him. Still* he would do what was necessary in order to gain her confidence so he could find out what he needed to know* and since she took in the misfits* he concluded he would have to become one. "Are you out of your mind?" she asked him then. "I don't believe so*" he answered.

"Dear God* don't you know any better than to walk around town armed? As big as you are* you're bound to get into a fight. You'll get yourself killed in no time at all. Is that what you want* Mr. MacDonald?"

Her hands moved to her hips* and she was looking at him as though she thought he didn't have a lick of sense. She reminded him of a teacher reprimanding one of her students. He never had any teachers who were this young or pretty though. Most were old and dusty and as dry as dead leaves.

She was obviously concerned about him. Odd* but he liked the attention she was giving him. Being a misfit wasn't going to be so terrible after all.

Harrison tried to look worried. "No* ma'am. I don't want to get killed. I want to learn how to use my new gun. I can't do that* can I* if I keep it packed away."

Cole let out a loud sigh. Harrison immediately turned back to him. "Would you like me to carry that sack outside for you? I could put it in your wagon and go find the sheriff."

"We don't have a sheriff in Blue Belle*" Mary Rose explained.

Harrison didn't have to pretend surprise. "Then who keeps the order here?"

"No one*" she answered. "That's why this town is such a dangerous place for someone like you. You were raised in the city* weren't you* sir?"

He tried not to chafe over the pity he heard in her voice. "Yes* as a matter of fact I was raised in the city. Please call me Harrison. Sir and mister are too formal for out here."

"Fine*" she agreed. "I'll call you Harrison. Please take your gunbelt off. You really shouldn't be wearing one. I'll bet someone told you it was fashionable attire in our territory* didn't he? Or did you read that it was?"

"I read that it was necessary equipment."

She let out a sigh. "Oh* dear."

Cole had waited long enough. He leaned over* propped the sack of flour against the wall* stood back up* and then rolled his shoulders like a bear to get rid of the crick in the side of his neck.

Harrison and Mary Rose moved out of his way when he reached for the door. Cole didn't seem to be overly concerned about the ambush. He nudged his sister further away from the opening* took his gun out of his belt* and then opened the door just enough to let a crack of sunshine in.

Douglas was waiting out front. Cole's brother stood on the street* next to their wagon* leaning against a hitching post. He appeared to be sound asleep. Cole whistled to get his attention.

Harrison watched Mary Rose. Her behavior puzzled him. The second her brother reached for his gun* she covered her ears with her hands and stared up at the ceiling with a resigned expression on her face.

"Douglas* hit the ground."
Cole barked the command a scant second before he leaned out the doorway* took aim* and fired three rapid shots. The sound of
exploding gunfire ricocheted around and around the store. The glass window shivered from the noise.

As quick as lightning he put the gun back in his holster. "That ought to do it."

[Dalyia]

And then he picked up the sack of flour and strolled outside. His casual attitude was a little surprising* of course* but what most amazed Harrison was the fact that the majority of patrons inside the establishment weren't showing the least bit of curiosity. If they thought it was peculiar for Cole Clayborne to fire his weapon out the doorway* they certainly weren't letting it show. Did this sort of thing happen every day? Harrison was beginning to think that maybe it did.
"Cole* you forgot to thank Harrison*" Mary Rose called out.
"Thanks for the warning*" Cole dutifully called over his shoulder.
His gratitude sounded shallow to her* but she didn't take issue with her brother. She knew it was difficult for him to ever say thank you to anyone* and he must have found it grating indeed to know a stranger had saved his life.
"Who was trying to ambush you* Cole?" she asked.
"You're welcome*" Harrison called out at the very same time.
Cole tossed the sack of flour into the back of the wagon with the other supplies they'd already purchased* then turned to answer his sister's question.
"It was probably Webster. The son-of-a…" He stopped himself before he completed the rest of his dark opinion of the vermin waiting to ambush him. "He was sore because I wouldn't fight him last week. Guess I should have killed him then. He'll only try again. I winged him though* so he'll have to mend first. You about ready to leave* Mary Rose?"
"In just a minute."
She turned back to Harrison. "It was very kind of you to warn my brother. He's really very appreciative. It's just difficult for him to show it. He doesn't like owing anyone anything* even gratitude."
"Your brother doesn't owe me gratitude. Anyone would have done what I did."
"I wish that were true*" she replied. "Perhaps in Scotland one neighbor helps another* but around Blue Belle* things are different."
He nodded* accepting what she told him as fact* and continued to stare at her while he tried to think of something else to talk about. It didn't take him long to start feeling like a simpleton. She was slipping right through his fingers* but he couldn't think of a single thing to say to keep her near him. for just a few more minutes.
The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him. He was a lawyer* for God's sake* a man who spent his days debating* cajoling* and arguing in order to make a living* yet now he was speechless. If that wasn't a contradiction* he didn't know what was.
Lord* she had lovely eyes.
The second the thought popped into his head he realized he was in trouble. The young lady smiling so sweetly up at him was turning his mind into mush. He was thoroughly disgusted with himself. He knew better than to let a physical attraction get in the way of his plans.
Mary Rose supposed she had lingered long enough. She didn't want to go home just yet* however* and she told herself it was only because she was concerned about the kindhearted stranger.
"I was wondering…"
"Yes?" He blurted out the word like a little boy about to receive a gift.
"Why do you want to learn how to shoot?"
Hell* he was going to have to lie to her again. It was becoming difficult for him. Perhaps if she hadn't been looking at him with such trust and innocence in her gaze* it would have been easier.
The truth wasn't going to help him now* because he knew that if he admitted he was actually quite skilled with a gun* she'd go sailing out the doorway and never look back.
It was galling to his pride to pretend to be inept. He'd won awards at university for his accuracy on the range and in the field* and while he'd served in the military* he'd learned how to be fast. Six-shooters were the common man's choice of weapons* however* and as much as he disliked the gun* he had still made it a point to learn how to use it. He had to admit the gun had come in handy* and his speed had saved his hide more than a few times.
"Please tell me* why do you want to learn how to use a gun?" she asked him again.
"I'm thinking about becoming a rancher*" he told her. "I believe the weapon will be useful."
"We have a ranch a few miles outside of town. It's called Rosehill. Have you by chance heard of it?"
It was a ridiculous question* and she was sorry she'd asked it as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Of course he hadn't heard of Rosehill. The man had only just arrived in town. Still* the inquiry was all she could come up with to keep him talking* and* Lord* how she loved hearing him speak. His unusual accent was almost musical to her* with its deep* vibrant burr.
"No* I haven't heard of your ranch*" he answered.
They continued to stare at each other for another minute before Mary Rose once again turned to leave. She had made it all the way out the front door when she stopped.
Cole and Douglas were both watching her. Her brothers were leaning against the back of the wagon. Both men had their arms folded in front of their chests* and each* she noticed* had one booted ankle crossed over the other. They had resigned expressions on their faces.
They were used to Mary Rose lingering.
She smiled at the two of them before turning back to Harrison. She was happy to see he'd followed her outside. He was looking at Douglas and probably wondering who he was* she supposed. She would have to remember to introduce him after she finished telling him her plans for his immediate future.
She simply had to do something to help the man. He looked so alone and lost.
"I simply cannot leave you here on your own."
She gained his full attention with her announcement. "You can't?" he asked.
She glanced over her shoulder to see if her brothers were still watching her and saw that both weren't only watching* they were also frowning with obvious disapproval. She smiled at them* just to let them know she was quite happy to be talking to the stranger* and then she took hold of Harrison's arm and motioned for him to walk with her away from the entrance. She wanted to put some space between the two of them and her brothers. She also needed privacy for their discussion* because she knew her brothers would try to interfere if they had any idea of what she was planning to do.
"No* I certainly can't leave you here. You're going to get into trouble if I don't do something."
"Why do you think I'll get into trouble?"
"Why?" she repeated.
She couldn't believe he needed to ask. Still* she could see how puzzled he looked. Heaven help him* the poor man didn't even realize his own jeopardy. It was her duty to explain his circumstances to him* she decided.
"You've all but openly admitted you don't know how to defend yourself. I'm certain several customers inside the store heard you. Everyone in town seems to make it their business to know what everyone else is doing and saying. Word will get around* Harrison* and as much as it pains me to admit it* our lovely town does have a fair number of mean-headed bullies. As soon as they hear you're vulnerable* they'll come after you. You won't be safe here."
"Are you suggesting I'm inept?" He looked astonished. She decided she was going to have to be blunt with him. Even though she was probably going to hurt his feelings* the truth was for his own good. "You are inept."
He had to remind himself he was pleased by the way things were progressing. She was making him her responsibility. Dooley and Henry had been right about her. She really did take to the weak and the vulnerable.
Still* his pride was taking one hell of a beating. It was damned grating for any woman to think of him as a weakling.
He decided to make a fainthearted protest just to appease his own ego. "Ma'am* I don't remember telling you I couldn't take care of myself."
She pretended she hadn't heard him. "I'm afraid you're really going to have to come home with me."
He tried not to smile. "I don't believe that's a good idea. I'm bound to get the hang of using this new gun of mine. I paid a lot of money for it. I'm sure it's accurate."
She looked exasperated. "Guns aren't accurate. Men are. Coming home with me is a sound solution. Please try to understand. You're such a big man* and you're therefore a fair target. People here have certain expectations."
He didn't know what she was talking about. "What does size…"
She didn't let him finish. "It's expected that you'll fight to protect yourself and your possessions* and if you don't learn how to use your fists and your gun* you'll be killed before the end of the week."
She deliberately softened the truth so he wouldn't become overly alarmed. Actually* she didn't believe he'd last a full day on his own. "I'm certain my brothers will be happy to teach you everything you need to know. You did save Cole's life* after all. He'll be pleased to offer you instruction on shooting so you can take care of yourself."
Harrison had to take a deep breath before he spoke. He knew his own arrogance was getting in the way of his plans now* but God help him* he couldn't stop himself from arguing with her. He was certain he could act a little vulnerable. He wasn't about to pretend to be completely inadequate. Damn it all* there had to be an easier way.
"I really can take care of myself. I'm not certain how you got the idea I couldn't. I've used my fists before and I'm…"
She didn't want to hear it. She shook her head at him* added a pitying expression* and then said* "Thinking and doing are two different kettles of fish* Harrison. It's dangerous to believe you're skilled when in fact you aren't. Have you ever been in a gunfight before?"
He had to admit he hadn't.
"There* do you see?"
She acted as though he should have figured everything out by now. He wondered if being in a gunfight was some sort of ritual required before she would believe he was adequately prepared to live in Blue Belle.
"Have all the men who live here been in gunfights?" He sounded incredulous. He couldn't help it. A lawyer should never be led around in circles* and Harrison had never had it happen to him before* but this delightful woman was doing just that* and he was in a quandary trying to figure out exactly how it had happened.
"No* of course not*" she answered.
"Then why did you ask me if I'd ever been in one?"
She gave him an exasperated look.
"Surely you noticed that the men inside the store weren't wearing gunbelts*" she said. "Most don't. A message goes right along with the weapon* Harrison. If you wear a gun* you have to be prepared to prove you can use it. I'm pleased to know you haven't been in any gunfights* and I sincerely hope you never have to kill anyone. Guns shouldn't be used for sport or vengeance. We kill snakes and other vermin* not men. Unfortunately* some of the people living here* and others drifting through* well* they don't seem to know the difference."
"I noticed your brother was wearing a gun."
"That's different*" she insisted. "Cole has to and you don't. Gunfighters looking for a reputation pester my brother all the time* because they believe they're faster than he is. Their arrogance eventually gets them killed* though not by Cole's hand. He hasn't killed anyone in years. He's not a gunfighter*" she added in an emphatic tone of voice.
She seemed to want him to agree with her. "I see."
"He has to wear the gun to protect himself."
"I understand."
"He only became proficient so he could keep all of us safe. It wasn't his fault he was fast. You're going to have to learn how to defend yourself too* if you want to settle down out here. Besides* if you're serious about wanting to learn how to ranch* Rosehill is the ideal place for you. You'll have wonderful teachers. Adam might even pay you to work for us* and you can learn as you do."
"Adam?"
"My oldest brother*" she explained. "I have four. I'm the youngest in the family* then Travis* Cole* Douglas* and Adam."
Since she was being so open with him* he decided to ask her as many questions as he could.
"Are you parents still living?"
"My mother is*" she answered. "She lives in the South right now* but she'll be joining us soon. You should go and get your things. If you like* I'll walk with you."
"Don't you think you should ask your brothers before you offer their services?"
From past experience* she knew that asking their permission wasn't a good idea. "No* I'll ease them into agreeing. Do call me Mary Rose* or just plain Mary* like everyone else in town does. Do you have a horse and wagon* or did you ride into Blue Belle on the stagecoach?"
"I have a horse."
"Shall we go then?"
She was obviously through discussing the matter. She stepped off the walkway* smiled at her brothers as she passed them* and headed for the stables. Harrison must have taken a minute or two to make up his mind* because he didn't catch up with her until she was halfway down the road.
"The gentleman next to Cole is my brother Douglas*" she told him. "I believe I'll wait a little while before I introduce you to him. His mood is bound to improve."
"He does look irritated about something*" Harrison remarked.
He'd given the man a close inspection when he strolled past him. Harrison walked by Mary Rose's side* with his hands clasped behind his back* while he considered a delicate way to ask her about Douglas.

[Dalyia]

"Is Douglas a stepbrother?" he asked in what he hoped was a casual tone of voice.
"No. Why do you ask?"
"He doesn't look like you or Cole. I never would have guessed he was related. He reminds me of a friend of mine named Nicholas. He was born and raised in Italy."
"I don't believe Douglas is Italian. He might be Irish. Yes* I believe he is."
"You believe he is?"
She nodded but didn't offer any additional information. Harrison was thoroughly confused. "Did your father marry a second time?"
"No. Cole and I are the only ones in the family who resemble one another."
He waited for her to tell him more. She didn't say another word about her brothers* however* and* in fact* turned the questioning around on him.
"Do you have any brothers?"
"No."
"Any sisters?"
"Afraid not."
"What a pity*" she concluded. "Being an only child must have been terribly boring for you. Who did you fight with while you were growing up?"
He laughed. "No one."
No wonder the poor man didn't know how to defend himself. It was all making perfectly good sense to her now. He didn't have any older brothers to teach him all the necessary things he needed to know.
Harrison glanced back over his shoulder to get yet another look at Douglas.
His conclusion didn't change. He still didn't believe Douglas was related to Mary Rose. Everything about his physical appearance was different from Cole's. Douglas had curly black-brown hair and dark brown eyes* a square chin* and wide* yet pronounced* cheekbones. Cole's facial features were more patrician in structure* and his nose was almost hawklike. Harrison couldn't tell which one was older. Odd* but they appeared to be about the same age. Perhaps only a year separated their births* he reasoned* and perhaps too* Douglas was simply a throwback to one of their ancestors.
Anything was possible* he knew* and damn but he was anxious to find out if he was wasting his time or not.
"You don't look Irish."
"I don't?" She smiled up at him and continued walking. She was obviously unwilling to discuss the matter further.
"Mary Rose* where in thunder are you going?"
Her brother* Douglas* shouted the question. She turned around. "I'm going to the stables*" she answered in a near shout of her own. She hurriedly turned around again* quickened her pace* and only then called out the rest of her explanation.
"Mr. MacDonald will be joining us for supper."
The two brothers watched their sister all but run away from them. Cole waited another minute and then put his hand out* palm up* in front of his brother.
Douglas let out a low expletive* reached into his pocket* and pulled out a silver dollar.
"Never bet against a sure thing*" Cole advised.
Douglas slapped the piece of silver into his hand. His gaze stayed on the stranger. "I don't get it*" he muttered. "He looks fit enough to me. He towers over Mary Rose. Hell* he's over six feet tall* and he's got muscle* Cole. You can see he does."
"I see*" Cole replied* laughing.
"He moves like you do* I noticed right away* and his gaze doesn't miss a thing. Honest to God* I can't understand what she sees in him. He looks kind of normal."
Cole was gloating because he had won the wager. Douglas found his behavior irritating.
"Damn it* he's wearing a gun. I'd be wary of him if I met him in a dark alley."
"It's a new gun."
"So?"
"He's never used it."
"Then why is he wearing one of those fancy new gunbelts?"
Cole shrugged. "I guess he figured he should. There isn't a single nick on the leather. It's got to be brand-new too."
"Is he stupid then?"
"Seems so."
Douglas shook his head. "He's gonna get himself killed."
Cole's smile widened. "And that's why our sister is bringing him home."
Douglas wanted his money back. "You knew all this before you made the bet?"
"You could have asked. You didn't."
Douglas accepted defeat. His gaze went back to the stranger. He watched until he disappeared around the corner of the stable.
"Dooley told Morrison he's from Scotland. Said he was book-smart too."
"Then he's a city boy?"
Cole nodded. "Seems so*" he agreed. "He can't shoot his new gun* and I don't think he can fight. You didn't see any scars on his face* did you?"
"No* I didn't see any scars. I guess he'd have some if he'd been in any knife fights."
"My point exactly*" Cole said. "I talked to him for a couple of minutes. He sounds educated* but he doesn't seem to have any common sense. He told me he was afraid to shoot at Webster. Said he was worried he might hurt someone."
Douglas laughed. Cole waited until he'd calmed down* then said* "If he had any sense at all* he wouldn't be wearing a gun. He's giving everyone the notion he's qualified."
"It's a shame*" Douglas remarked. "Someone that big ought to be able to fight. He could be a real mean one if he only knew how."
Cole agreed. "It's a crying shame all right."
"What did Mary Rose say his name was?"
"MacDonald*" Cole replied. His grin was wide when he added* "A-Crying-Shame MacDonald."



February 11* 1861
Dear Mama Rose*
We got into a little trouble in St. Louis. I was carrying Mary Rose on my hip and a troublemaking man came along and tried to bother us. The baby's got curls now* all over her head* and she's right friendly to anyone who looks at her. Well* she smiled at the man* showing off her four front teeth and drooling down her chin* and he starts in wondering in a loud voice how come she don't look nothing like me. He kept trying to take her from me too* but Cole came along and of course he looks just like little Mary Rose's brother what with the same yellow hair and blue eyes. Anyways* he snatched our baby up in his arms and tells the mister to mind his own business.
The troublemaker got us all thinking we should keep on going until we find us a place where people mind their own business. Adam's thinking the prairie might be far enough away from folks* so we're packing up our lean-to and heading out tomorrow. It's a shame you can't write back to us yet* but just as soon as we get ourselves situated* we'll send you our whereabouts.
Adam's looking over my spelling now and he says to tell you we got to get us a proper cabin. Mary Rose is crawling everywhere and the dirt we call a floor inside the lean-to is sticking to her hands and knees. She tries to eat the dirt when we aren't looking. None of us know why she does that. She sure is a happy little thing though. We all got to take turns putting her down for her nap. She sleeps with one of us every night and I got to tell you* I'm getting sick of waking up with her piddle on me. She wets through everything we put on her. Guess that's usual though* isn't it?
We sure wish we could see you so we'd know what our mama looks like.
Love*
Your favorite sun* Douglas

[Dalyia]

Chapter 3
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Douglas was vastly amused by his brother's nickname for Mary Rose's latest charity project* but his mood drastically changed when he got a good look at Crying-Shame's stallion. He suddenly wanted to kill the man. It didn't matter to him that MacDonald might not be able to defend himself. If the son-of-a-bitch was responsible for the mount's pitiful condition* then* by God* he deserved to die.
Cole had ridden down to the stables in the wagon with his brother. The owner* a red-haired* potbellied giant of a man named Simpson* told them Mary Rose and the stranger were out back by the corral. Cole was going to collect his and Mary Rose's horses* but Simpson kindly offered to saddle the gelding and the mare and bring them out* and so Cole rode with Douglas around the corner to where MacDonald's horse was being housed. They'd only just rolled to a stop when Douglas tossed Cole the reins and reached for his shotgun. The weapon was propped on the seat between the two men. Cole was quicker than his brother. He snatched the shotgun out of Douglas's hand and threw it into the back of the wagon.
He knew what his brother was thinking. "Find out first*" he suggested in a low voice. "Then you can kill him."
Douglas agreed with a curt nod* then jumped to the ground. He stormed over to the corral* where Mary Rose and MacDonald stood watching the animal.
She had been stunned speechless at her first sight of the horse but was quick to recover. She kept her attention on the stallion while she tried to understand why anyone would treat him so maliciously. White* puckered scars covered almost every inch of his coat. She couldn't imagine how the poor thing had managed to survive.
She decided she'd better get the particulars. "How long have you owned the horse?" she asked in a voice strained with worry.
"Almost three weeks now."
"Thank God*" she whispered. She was going to ask him another question* but then she spotted Douglas coming toward them and she immediately hurried to put herself between the two men. She could see rage on her brother's face.
"He's only owned the horse three weeks* Douglas. Just three weeks."
Harrison found her behavior puzzling. "Why are you shouting?"
"It was important for Douglas to hear me. I didn't want him to kill you."
If he was startled by her bluntness* he didn't let it show. His attention turned to her brother. He noticed how red and mottled Douglas's face was and immediately understood. Douglas was staring at the stallion* enraged on the animal's behalf.
"Douglas has become an expert in the care of most animals*" Mary Rose said. "Ranchers come from miles around just to get his advice. My brother has a particular fondness for his horses. He's also extremely protective* and when he saw the scars on your animal…"
"He only saw the scars."
"Yes*" she agreed. "Someone used a whip on him* didn't he? Do you know* I thought his coat was white until I got closer* then I could see a hint of gold. Who did this to him?"
Douglas had reached the two of them and now stood with his hands fisted at his sides while he studied the animal and listened to the conversation. He was trying to get rid of his anger and finding it an almost impossible task.
"I don't know who was responsible*" Harrison replied. "I asked* but no one knew. I forget about the scars. I just see MacHugh."
"MacHugh? What a peculiar name*" she said before she realized she might be insulting him. "I mean to say* what a fine name*" she hastily corrected. "Peculiar and fine*" she ended* with a nod so he'd believe she was sincere.
She was going to great lengths not to injure his feelings. He smiled in reaction. She really was a sweetheart and appeared to be completely unspoiled. If that was the case* then she was going to be a refreshing change from all the other women he'd known in the past.
He wondered if she realized how incredibly lovely she was.
He pulled himself back to the topic at hand. "I named him after a crusty ancestor of mine. I saw certain similiarities."
"You did?"
"That's one damned ugly horse."
Cole made the judgment from behind. Harrison didn't turn around when he answered him. "Get past the scars and you'll see he's one damned fine horse."
"You think he's fine?" Mary Rose whispered the question.
"Yes."
She let out a barely noticeable sigh. She could feel her heart melting. Harrison was a good and decent man. It was such a rarity for any man to ever look beyond the surface* at least that was the conclusion she'd come to after having to fend off several arrogant* opinionated suitors* and she could really name only four other men who had conquered the ability to look deeper* into a person's heart. Her brothers were all good and decent* even when they didn't want to be* and perhaps Harrison was too. Lord* she hoped she was right. Good men were so difficult to find these days* especially in Montana Territory.
They also tended to die young. Their high standards and their values got them killed. But not this one* she vowed. Come heaven or purgatory* she was determined to help him learn how to get along in the wilderness. Besides* it really wasn't all that difficult once you got the hang of it.
MacHugh was busy putting on a show for his audience. He was rearing up and snorting and acting as if he had just been fed a bucket full of crazy weed. Harrison was used to his theatrics. He knew MacHugh was trying to intimidate them* and from the worried look on Mary Rose's face when the stallion came charging toward the fence* he concluded she was duly impressed. She moved toward her brother Douglas* seeking his protection without even realizing it.
Harrison found himself wishing she'd moved toward him.
"Does he let you ride him?" she asked.
Douglas had calmed down enough to join in the discussion. "Why would he buy him if he couldn't ride him* Mary Rose? Use your head* for God's sake*" Douglas instructed her.
"I would have purchased him anyway* even if I couldn't ride him*" Harrison said.
"Well* now* that's plain stupid*" Cole remarked.
Harrison didn't take offense. "Perhaps."
"Because of the similarities you saw?" she asked.
He nodded. "Tell me what they were*" she said then.
"The horse is every bit as stubborn as my ancestor was reported to be*" Harrison said. "There was fire in his eyes* but something else too. Patience* I guess* for the men who didn't understand him."
She sighed again. "Patience*" she whispered.
Harrison nodded. He couldn't imagine what had just come over her. Her eyes had taken on a dreamy* faraway look. He wondered what she was thinking about.
She thought she might be falling in love. It was a fanciful* schoolgirl notion. She didn't care. As long as she didn't tell anyone what she was daydreaming about* it was all right* wasn't it?
"I figured I could learn a few things from him*" Harrison told Douglas. "I'm short on patience."
He really would make a wonderful husband* Mary Rose decided. He wanted to be patient.
"He's got strong legs*" Douglas said. He moved closer to the fence. "Actually he's quite sound. Did you look him over? In his mouth?"
"Yes."
"No diseases you know about?"
"None."
"Where did you get him?"
"Right outside of Hammond* at Finley's place. Have you heard of it?"
Mary Rose's eyes widened. "You went to Finley's? Dear God* he only buys horses he's going to kill for the meat he sells. How much did you pay for him?"
"Twelve dollars*" Harrison answered.
"Then you were robbed* MacDonald." Cole happily volunteered his opinion.
Douglas disagreed with his brother. "I'm not so sure he was* Cole. He might have gotten a bargain."
"I did get a bargain*" Harrison insisted. "And I was extremely fortunate. If I'd been an hour later* MacHugh would be dead."
"And that is why you would have purchased him even if you couldn't ride him."
Mary Rose was smiling over her conclusion. She turned to Cole. "Isn't he sweet?" she whispered.
"He's stupid*" Cole whispered back.
Harrison heard the exchange. He shrugged and then walked around to the gate. MacHugh followed him. The horse acted as if he wanted to tear Harrison from limb to limb* yet when he walked inside the corral* MacHugh gave him only a hard nudge before settling down.
He stayed meek and willing until Douglas tried to get near him. Harrison grabbed hold of the bridle and soothed the panic away.
Mary Rose's brother shut the gate behind him and walked forward. The horse immediately started fussing again.
"Stand where you are*" Harrison called out. "Let him come to you. If you don't move* he won't hurt you."
Douglas agreed with a nod. He stood with his legs braced apart and waited to see what the stallion was going to do.
He didn't have to wait long. As soon as Harrison let go of the bridle* the stallion came charging across the corral. Mary Rose was certain MacHugh was going to kill her brother. She wanted to scream a warning* and it took all her discipline to keep quiet. Cole was sure he could see fire in the stallion's eyes and immediately reached for his gun. By God* he'd shoot the damned thing before he'd let it trample his brother to death.
"Don't you have any sense* Douglas?" Cole whispered.
MacHugh stopped a few inches away from Douglas. He wasn't through with his terror tactics* however* and had to rear up twice before he finally decided to behave.
Mary Rose's knees had gone weak. She moved closer to Cole and leaned against him.
"You can touch him now* if you want to*" Harrison told Douglas. He walked over to stand next to the stallion. "I told you he wouldn't hurt you. He just likes to put on a show. Are you all right?"
He added the question when he noticed how pale Douglas's complexion was. Mary Rose's brother had to swallow before he could answer. "You forgot to mention he was going to scare the hell out of me."
He reached out to pat the stallion. MacHugh promptly shoved him back a good foot. Douglas let out a hoot of laughter. Then he tried again. "Up close* I can see how fine he really is. You just have to get past the scars first. He's one of the soundest animals I've come across in a good long while." There was grudging admiration in his voice when he added* "You chose well."
Harrison couldn't take the credit. "I didn't choose. He did."
He didn't elaborate* and Douglas didn't ask. He seemed to understand.
"He's almost seventeen hands* isn't he?—and surprisingly gentle for a stallion*" Douglas remarked.
"We've got bigger in Scotland*" Harrison replied.
"Is that where you're from?"
Harrison nodded. "I understand you're Irish*" he said* hoping to get Mary Rose's brother to talk about his background.
Douglas looked surprised. "Who told you that?"
"Your sister."
The brother smiled. "Then I guess I am… sometimes."
What the hell was that supposed to mean? Harrison wanted to ask* but he wisely chose to turn the topic back to the stallion* for he could see the brother was already closing up on him. The flash of a smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He looked wary now.
"Don't let MacHugh fool you. He's only gentle when he wants to be. He can be deadly* especially when he's feeling cornered."
Douglas filed the information away. "A lot of men feel the same way."
He introduced himself then and told Harrison he didn't mind having him come home for supper. A tenuous bond formed between the two men. Douglas's love for all animals and Harrison's obvious affection for MacHugh had given them something in common.
Cole had stood idle for as long as he was going to. He wasn't about to let his brother one-up him. If Douglas could get near the hellish animal* then he could too.
A few minutes later he had suffered through the same godawful ordeal that Douglas had gone through. It took Cole a little longer to get his color back.

[Dalyia]

Mary Rose wanted to be next. Both brothers ordered her to stay outside the corral.
"MacHugh is partial to women."
Harrison's casually mentioned remark didn't sway Cole or Douglas. They were both diligently shaking their heads when their sister came marching inside.
"She never listens to us*" Cole muttered.
Douglas thought he should defend her. "She's got a mind of her own*" he told Harrison.
"I can see she does."
Mary Rose stopped right inside the gate and tried not to look afraid. She wanted to close her eyes* but she didn't dare. Her brothers would laugh then* and she'd be mortified because Harrison was watching.
The stallion ignored her. She waited several minutes before she finally moved closer.
MacHugh finally trotted over to her. She patted him and cooed to him and treated him very like a baby* and he responded in kind. It was obvious he liked her scent* and he seemed greedy for her affection.
"You're going to like Rosehill*" she whispered. "You might even want to stay with your friend* Harrison* for a long* long time."
She knew she was daydreaming about impossible things. She'd only known the man for twenty or thirty minutes* and one of the first things he'd told her was that he was only thinking about settling down in the area. He could decide the life was too harsh here and pack up and leave before winter set in.
She peeked around the stallion to look at Harrison. Then she became a little breathless again. She couldn't imagine what was the matter with her.
She didn't believe her bizarre reaction to the man was due to the fact that he was handsome. Granted* she did find him attractive* but that wasn't what made her breath catch in her throat.
It was because he was such a nice man. It hadn't taken her any time at all to come to that conclusion. He was extremely kind-hearted as well. MacHugh was living proof of that fact.
She couldn't stop staring at him. Could an infatuation strike this quickly? All the girls at boarding school insisted that it did* but she hadn't believed their foolishness.
Now she wasn't so certain. Her brothers had insisted that eventually she would get married* and in her heart* she knew they were probably right. Yet until today* the mere possibility of being saddled with the same man day in and day out for the rest of her life had always made her feel nauseated. She wasn't feeling at all sick to her stomach now* however. Everything was suddenly different. No man had ever made her feel breathless. She thought the condition might very well be a requirement one had to suffer through when one was caught up in an infatuation.
The way she would feel if and when he ever kissed her was another requirement* she supposed. She had been kissed only a couple of times. The experiences had been as pleasant as being kissed by jellyfish. She had been completely repulsed.
Mary Rose decided she would have to find out how Harrison kissed. She let out another little sigh just thinking about it. She knew she was being shameless. She didn't care.
She gave MacHugh one last pat and then turned around and walked out of the corral. The stallion meekly followed.
Both brothers had noticed their sister gawking at Harrison. He had noticed too and was now trying to understand what had come over her.
Then they all heard her singing.
"What the hell's the matter with her?" Cole asked his brother.
"She's daydreaming*" Douglas speculated.
Harrison didn't say anything. He continued to stand in the middle of the corral and watch Mary Rose. She was acting peculiar all right. When she was staring at him* she had a bemused expression on her face. What had she been thinking about? It bothered the hell out of him that he didn't know.
She was beginning to show signs of being unpredictable. Harrison didn't like seeing that trait in anyone.
Knowing what others were thinking was essential in his line of work. Granted* he wasn't a mind reader* but he was a good judge of character and could usually predict reactions.
"Give it up* MacDonald*" Cole said before heading for the stables. He had waited long enough for old man Simpson to get off his rump and saddle his horse. He would take care of the chore himself.
"Give what up?" Harrison asked Cole.
Douglas was walking toward his wagon. "Trying to understand her*" he called over his shoulder. "You're never going to figure Mary Rose out."
Cole turned around when he reached the back door of the stable. "Harrison* don't you think you'd better catch up with your horse? He's trying to follow my sister home."
Harrison let out an expletive and started running. What in thunder was the matter with him? He hadn't even noticed MacHugh had left.
From the surprised look on Harrison's face* Cole knew he hadn't noticed. He had a good laugh at Crying-Shame MacDonald's expense* and he didn't particularly mind at all that he was being downright rude.
Cole certainly hadn't been surprised by MacHugh's turnabout in loyalty. The stallion wasn't acting any different from most of the other creatures who roamed the area. They knew a good thing when they spotted it.
Man or beast* it didn't seem to matter. They all followed Mary Rose home.
She lived in the center of paradise. Harrison stopped when he reached the rise above the Clayborne property. He stared down in fascination and wonder at the valley below. Lush spring grass covered the floor of the valley and swept upward into the mountains beyond. The green was so brilliant and intense* it was almost more than the eye could take in* and he found himself instinctively squinting against it. It looked as if the sun had fallen to the earth and turned itself into emeralds. Everywhere he looked* the grass sparkled with leftover dew. Splattered against the glorious carpet were pink and yellow* red and orange* and purple and blue wildflowers* so plentiful in number it wasn't possible for anyone to count them. All the flowers were ablaze with their own rich hues. Their sweet perfume mingled with the clean fresh air of the valley.
Mountains as old as time stood regal and proud on the north and west sides of the valley* and a wide* clear blue stream meandered down the eastern slope.
The land was breathtakingly beautiful and so much like his glen back in the Highlands* he was suddenly melancholy for Scotland and the home he'd been forced to leave.
How could one piece of heaven remind him so much of another? He wouldn't have believed it was possible* yet there it was* spread out before him like one of God's exquisite robes.
The melancholy vanished as quickly as it had come* and he was suddenly feeling tremendous peace and contentment.
Tranquility wrapped around him like a warm* heated blanket. He was comforted and soothed and replenished. His hunger for home abated with each breath he drew.
He could stay here forever.
The realization jarred him. He immediately forced himself to block the traitorous thought. His heart belonged to Scotland* and one day soon* when he was wealthy enough and powerful enough* he would go back and take what belonged to him.
He finally turned his attention to the Clayborne ranch. He had imagined they would live in a log cabin* similar in style to all the others he'd seen on his travels* but the Claybornes lived in a two-story* white clapboard house. It was quite modest in both proportion and design* yet he still found it quite regal.
A veranda* supported by white posts* circled the house on three sides. Everything appeared to have been freshly painted.
There were two large barns behind the house* though still some distance away. The buildings stood about fifty or sixty yards apart and were surrounded by corrals. He counted five in all.
"How many horses do you have?"
"It seems like hundreds at times*" she answered. "Our income depends on our horses. We raise them and sell them. We really never have more than sixty or seventy* I suppose* and sometimes as few as thirty. Cole brings in wild mustangs every now and then. We also have cattle* of course* but not nearly the number Travis thinks we should have."
"And Travis is the youngest brother?"
She thought it was terribly sweet of him to try to keep everyone straight in his mind.
"Yes* he's the youngest brother."
"How old was he when you were born?"
She gave him a curious look. "He was nine* going on ten. Why do you ask?"
He shrugged. "I just wondered*" he replied. "Does Travis look like Douglas* or does he resemble you and Cole?"
"He looks like… Travis. You ask a lot of questions* Harrison."
"I do?" he replied for lack of anything better to say.
She nodded. "What do you think of my home?"
He turned to look at the landscape once again before answering her. Simply telling her that her valley was beautiful wouldn't adequately describe the feeling the wondrous area gave him. He didn't understand why it was so important for him to find the right words* but it was important somehow* and he was determined to be as exact as possible. Paradise deserved more than a moment's reflection. It demanded recognition.
And so he ended up speaking from his heart. "Your land reminds me of Scotland* and that* Mary Rose* is the highest praise a Highlander can give."
She smiled with pleasure. The look in Harrison's eyes indicated his sincerity. She suddenly felt like sighing again. Dear heavens* how she liked this gentle man.
She leaned to the side of her saddle so she could get a little closer to him. "Do you know what I think?" she whispered.

[Dalyia]

He leaned toward her. "No*" he whispered back. "What do you think?"
"You and I are very much alike."
He was instantly appalled. She was out of her mind if she believed they were anything alike. Why* they were complete opposites in his estimation. He'd already figured out she was all emotion. He sure as hell wasn't. He rarely let anyone know what he was thinking or feeling. He was also extremely methodical in everything he undertook. He hated surprises; in his line of work they could be deadly* and so he carefully thought out every plan of action before he made any decisions. He demanded order in his life* and from what he'd heard about Mary Rose* he could only conclude that she thrived on chaos. She was also sweet-tempered* terribly naive* and openly hospitable to strangers. And trust—good God Almighty* the woman seemed to trust everyone she met. It hadn't taken her more than five minutes to make the decision to take him home with her. For all she knew* he could have been a cold-blooded killer.
Oh* no* they weren't anything alike. He didn't trust anyone. He was a cynic by nature and by profession.
She couldn't possibly understand how she'd misjudged him* however* because she didn't know anything about him. She had innocently accepted what he had told her* and as long as he continued to pretend to be an unsophisticated city boy who wore a gun only because he thought he was supposed to* then she was going to continue to believe they really were soul mates.
"Don't you wonder why I think we're alike?" she asked.
He braced himself. "Why?"
"You look at things the same way I do*" she answered. "Do quit frowning* Harrison. I haven't insulted you."
The hell she hadn't. "No* of course not*" he agreed. "Exactly how do we look at things?"
"You see with your heart."
"I learned a long time ago to put logic and reason above emotion*" he began. "My philosophy of life is really very simple."
"And what might your philosophy be?"
"First with the mind* then with the heart."
She wasn't impressed. "So you never allow yourself to just… feel? You have to think about it first?"
"Of course*" he agreed. He was pleased she understood. She would do well to follow his rule* he thought.
"How exact you are* Harrison."
He smiled. "Thank you."
"And rigid."
"Yes."
She rolled her eyes heavenward. "Adam's going to like you*" she predicted.
"Why is that?"
"My brother shares your philosophy. I believe I drive him crazy sometimes. I'm sorry he worries so* but I can't help the way I am. When I look at my valley…"
She suddenly stopped. And then she started to blush.
"Yes?" he asked.
"You'll think I'm crazy."
"I won't."
She took a breath. "You may laugh if you want* but sometimes I feel a bond with the land* and if I'm real quiet and just let myself listen and feel* I can almost hear her heart beating with life all around me."
She watched him closely. He didn't smile* but she thought he looked as if he wanted to. She felt the need to defend herself.
"I thought you felt it too* Harrison. I'm still not so certain you…"
"Mary Rose* will you get moving? Honest to God* I've wasted the entire day waiting on you."
Cole bellowed the order from behind. Mary Rose immediately nudged her mount forward.
"My brother doesn't have much patience for dillydallying. He's really very easygoing. He just likes to hide it."
That had to be the contradiction of the year. Harrison didn't think Cole had any patience at all. He found himself wondering why someone hadn't killed the man by now. Her brother wasn't just hot-tempered; he was also the most abrasive individual Harrison had ever come across.
And that seemed to be his better quality.
The youngest brother met them outside of the main barn but had to wait for an introduction. Harrison had already dismounted and was busy trying to talk MacHugh into going inside the stable. The stallion wasn't in the mood to cooperate. He reared up several times and then started snorting and stomping and slamming his head into Harrison's shoulder.
Harrison ordered MacHugh to behave. The animal must not have liked his tone of voice. MacHugh pushed him again* but put more muscle into it. Harrison landed on his backside in a cloud of dust.
His lack of control over the animal was damned humiliating. Mary Rose was sympathetic. She kept pleading with her brothers to do something to help. They were smart enough to stay away from the beast. Douglas was smiling. He was polite enough not to laugh* even when Harrison landed on his backside a second time.
Cole wasn't as reserved. He laughed until tears came into his eyes. Harrison really wanted to kill him. He couldn't* of course* at least not if he wanted to stay for supper and find out who the hell these people really were. He had already figured out the redheaded brother standing behind Mary Rose was either Adam or Travis.
Cole's laughter caught his attention again. Perhaps Harrison could just put his fist through the obnoxious brother's face and* hopefully* break a few bones. What was the harm in that? It took all Harrison had not to give in to the urge. Reason prevailed. Mary Rose would probably get upset if he beat the hell out of her brother. She'd also realize he could take care of himself.
God* he hated that deception* and right this minute* he hated Cole Clayborne just as passionately.
Harrison had had enough of MacHugh's temper tantrum. He let the stallion win. He let go of the reins and walked over to the corral. MacHugh let out another loud snort* stomped around a bit* and then followed him.
The horse trotted into the center of the ring and stood as still as a stone while Harrison stripped him of his gear.
"If you jump the fence* MacHugh* you're on your own. You got that?"
"Harrison* come and meet Travis*" Mary Rose called out.
"What kind of name is Harrison?" Travis asked in a voice loud enough for Harrison to hear.
"A family name*" Harrison called back. He draped the saddle and the blanket over the fence* shut the gate behind him* and walked over to meet the youngest of Mary Rose's brothers.
"What kind of name is Travis? Irish?"
Travis smiled. "Could be*" he replied in a gratingly cheerful tone of voice.
What the hell kind of answer was that? He couldn't ask because Mary Rose had already jumped into an explanation of how she had met Harrison and how kind and thoughtful he was because he'd warned Cole of an ambush.
Harrison watched Travis during her lengthy explanation and one thought kept running through his mind. No way in hell. This man couldn't possibly be a relative. He didn't look anything like any of the others* though the more Harrison thought about it* not looking like the others seemed to be the one trait they all shared. Hell* Travis looked more like MacHugh.
The comparison made Harrison smile. Travis had reddish brown hair and green eyes. His face was square shaped. Mary Rose had a perfectly oval face. Travis was about the same height as Douglas* but he didn't have his bulk. The youngest brother was reed thin* and he lacked Cole's muscle.

[Dalyia]

Harrison decided nothing more could surprise him. If she tried to tell him Travis happened to have a twin brother who was a full-blooded Crow* he wouldn't bat an eye. He might even be able to keep a straight face when he asked the twin if he happened to be Irish too.
He started paying attention to the conversation when Mary Rose told Travis that he would be staying for supper. Her brother didn't look irritated by the announcement. In fact* he looked resigned.
Harrison had only just decided this brother wasn't nearly as abrasive as Cole* but the man quickly changed his mind.
"You've got guts to ride such an ugly horse."
"Travis* don't be rude*" Mary Rose ordered. "I wasn't being rude*" he replied. "I was giving Harrison a compliment. It does take guts." He turned to his guest. "Sorry if you took offense."
"Harrison* are you gonna saddle up MacHugh tomorrow?"
Cole shouted the question from the back of the wagon.
Harrison was immediately suspicious. "Why?" he shouted back.
The brother lifted the sack of flour onto his shoulder before answering. "I want to watch."
Harrison knew he would regret it if he said anything at all* and so he forced himself to keep silent. It almost killed him.
He watched Cole cross the veranda and go inside the house and only then noticed the tall* black-skinned man leaning against the pillar. The stranger was quite impressive looking* with wide shoulders* silver-tipped hair* and round gold-framed spectacles that made him appear scholarly. He wore a muted red plaid shirt open at the collar and dark brown pants. He looked very relaxed and thoroughly at home.
Harrison wondered if he was another lost soul Mary Rose had taken under her wing and invited home for dinner. If that was the case* the man had obviously decided to stay on.
"Don't pay any attention to Cole* Harrison. He likes to tease. That's all. He doesn't mean to hurt your feelings. He's actually a very gentle* understanding man."
She smiled up at him to let him know she really expected him to believe that nonsense. It took a good deal of willpower not to laugh right in her face.
"For heaven's sake* Mary Rose* Harrison's a man* not a little boy." Travis gave the brotherly criticism and fell into step beside their guest. "You'll get used to my sister* but it's gonna take a while. She's always worried about everyone's feelings. She can't seem to help it. Just ignore her. We do."
After giving him that sage advice* he ran on ahead.
"Just one more brother to meet* and then you'll know everyone. Hurry up* Harrison. Adam's waiting for us."
Mary Rose ran up the steps* but stopped next to the stranger. Harrison assumed she wanted to introduce the other guest to him before they went inside to meet Adam.
He was mistaken in his assumption.
"Adam* I'd like you to meet my friend* Harrison MacDonald. He's from Scotland."
Adam moved away from the pillar to face Harrison. "Is that right?" he replied. "Welcome to Rosehill* Mr. MacDonald."
Harrison was too stunned to speak. He glanced down at Mary Rose* then looked back at Adam. He didn't know what he was supposed to do or say now* and neither one of them was giving him any clues. They simply stared back at him and waited to see how he was going to react to the announcement.
He would have loved to have had a detailed explanation as to why the black-skinned man was calling himself her brother and why she was accepting him as such.
He finally gathered his wits about him. It wasn't his place to ask any questions* and they certainly didn't need to explain. He just wished to God someone would.
"It's a pleasure to meet you* sir. Your sister very kindly invited me to stay for supper. I hope it won't be an inconvenience." Harrison extended his hand in greeting. Adam seemed surprised by the gesture. He hesitated for a second or two* and finally shook his hand.
"It won't be any bother at all. We're quite used to Mary Rose inviting strangers home for supper." He paused to smile at his sister. "Scotland's a long way from here."
Harrison agreed with a nod. "Supper's waiting*" Adam announced. "You can wash up inside."
He led the way. Mary Rose followed. Harrison stood where he was and tried to sort out all the wild possibilities rushing through his mind.
He couldn't get anything to make any sense. How in God's name had she ended up with four such diverse* couldn't-possibly-be-related brothers?
Mary Rose held the screen door open and patiently waited for him.
He finally shook himself out of his trance.
"About Adam…" she began.
"Yes?" He braced himself for another one of her surprises* fully expecting to be flabbergasted again.
"You haven't asked yet* but I thought I would tell you anyway."
He felt like cheering. Finally. He was going to get some real* honest-to-God explanations.
"Yes?"
She smiled up at him. "He isn't Irish."



July 1* 1862
Dear Mama Rose*
We're having an awful time trying to get the baby to quit wetting her drawers. Being boys like we are* we do things different. The baby caught Travis one afternoon* and she's been standing up ever since. We tried to explain to her that girls don't do it that way* but she won't listen to reason* and now we're starting to think maybe she doesn't understand she's a girl. Adam swears she's as smart as a whip* but she's also as stubborn as Cole* and you know how mule-headed he can be. We all figured we needed a woman to help us out with the problem. Adam thought he should take the baby over to Belle's shack* since she's the only woman in the entire area. Cole pitched a fit over the idea. He didn't want little Mary Rose hanging around a whore* but I thought it ought to count for something that Belle was so good-hearted. Besides* everyone knows she hates what she has to do to put food on her table. Why* she hates whoring so much* she tells every man who calls on her how sad and blue she is. It's gotten so folks don't even call her a whore anymore. No* they call her Blue Belle…
Your loving son*
Douglas Clayborne

[Dalyia]

Chapter 4
Contents - Prev | Next
Supper became an interrogation. The tables were neatly turned on Harrison* and while he was pretty certain he could have taken control of the questioning at any point* or at the very least put a stop to it altogether* he chose to go along with the game and be as accommodating as possible. He had an ulterior motive. The questions asked by the Clayborne brothers and their reactions to his answers gave him a good deal of information and insight into the family.
Each man used a different approach. Cole tried to be as blunt and intimidating as possible* Douglas was direct and often offered personal bits of information about the family* and Travis was both methodical and diplomatic. Adam was the most elusive. He maintained a rather stoic expression throughout dinner. Harrison was never given even an inkling of what he might be thinking.
Adam was the antithesis of his sister. Mary Rose was as easy to read as an elementary primer. Her every reaction showed on her face and in her eyes. Harrison had never met anyone quite like her. She was open and honest and wonderfully tenderhearted* and those qualities made him want to get closer to her.
He was honest enough to admit that he was also physically attracted to her. She was a beautiful woman* and he would have had to be dead not to notice. Her eyes mesmerized him* and that sweet mouth of hers made him want to think about things he had no right to even consider. Not even in his dreams.
But* while her beauty made him notice her* it was her heart that kept him interested.
Luckily* his discipline saved him from making a complete fool of himself. He stopped himself from blatantly staring at her during supper.
Her brothers weren't as controlled in their behavior. They stared at him from the minute the food was placed on the table until the plates had been taken away. They were rude* knew it* and didn't seem to give a damn.
They waited until their coffee cups had been refilled to begin their grilling. Harrison leaned back in his chair and let them have at him.
The pecking order in the family had been established as soon as the family took their seats. Adam sat at the head of the table* a position of importance Harrison found both significant and intriguing. Mary Rose sat on his left side and Cole was on his right. Douglas sat down next to his sister* and Travis* the youngest brother* sat down next to Cole. Harrison was seated at the opposite end of the table and faced the man he silently called the patriarch of the Clayborne family.
"Did you get enough to eat* Mr. MacDonald?" Adam inquired.
"Yes* thank you. The stew was excellent. Please call me Harrison."
Adam nodded. "And you must call me Adam*" he suggested. "In England* some men hold titles. Is this true in Scotland?"
"Yes* it is*" he answered.
"What about you* Harrison. Do you have a title?" Douglas asked.
He didn't answer. He felt uncomfortable discussing the topic and had to admit to himself he was even a little embarrassed. A titled gentleman suddenly seemed pompous to him and certainly out of his element in these mountains.
"Well* do you?" Cole demanded to know.
"As a matter of fact* I do*" he admitted. "The title has been passed down from generation to generation* a tradition really."
"What is your title?" Adam asked.
Harrison sighed. There didn't seem to be any way out of the admission. "I am the Earl of Stanford* Hawk Isle."
"That's an awful lot to be saddled with growing up*" Douglas remarked. "Were you born with the title?"
"No* I inherited it when my father died."
"What do people there call you? Sir?" Cole asked.
"Staff would."
"And others?" Cole persisted.
"Lord."
Cole grinned. "Sounds mighty fancy to me*" he remarked. "Do you have lots of money and land?"
"No."
Mary Rose could tell their guest was uncomfortable. She decided to put him at ease by stopping the discussion about titles.
"Adam made the stew for our supper. It was his turn to help Samuel."
"Who is Samuel?" Harrison asked.
"He's our cook*" she explained. "You haven't met him yet. He sometimes sits at the table with us* but he was busy tonight."
"No* he wasn't*" Cole told his sister. He turned to Harrison. "He pretended to be busy. He hates strangers. You won't see him until he's good and ready to let you see him. What made you decide to leave Scotland?"
The switch in topics didn't take Harrison by surprise. He almost smiled over the ploy. He'd used the same technique many times in court. The goal was to get the witness to drop his guard and answer without even thinking.
"I wanted to see the States."
Cole didn't look as if he believed him. Harrison didn't bother to try to convince him. He didn't say another word* but simply stared back and waited for him to ask another question.
"I understand from Mary Rose that you want to learn how to ranch*" Douglas interjected.
"Yes."
"Why?" Travis asked.
"The life appeals to me."
Travis obviously wanted him to go into a more detailed explanation. Harrison refused to accommodate him. He was going to make him work to find out what he wanted to know.
"It's backbreaking work*" Douglas told him.
"I imagine it is*" Harrison agreed.
"What exactly do you find appealing about ranching?" Travis persisted.
"Being outdoors*" Harrison answered. "And working with my hands."
"There are lots of things you could do to get outdoors*" Cole interjected.
"You sound like you've been cooped up in an office*" Travis said.
"Yes*" Harrison replied. "I do sound like that* don't I?"
"Well* were you?" Travis asked. His frustration in not getting a more satisfactory answer was apparent in his tone of voice.
"Most of the time I was in an office*" Harrison admitted. "But lately I've been able to do some traveling on business matters."
"Who do you work for?" Douglas asked.
"Lord William Elliott*" he answered. "I've taken a leave from my duties* however."
"So he's got a fancy title too*" Douglas remarked.
Harrison agreed with a nod but didn't go into more detail.
And so it continued* on and on and on. Harrison would occasionally give an obviously evasive answer or deliberately go off on a tangent just to find out which brother would bring him back to the question they wanted answered. It was curious and surprising to him that Travis* the youngest brother* proved to be the most doggedly determined. He was also quite analytical.
He would have made one hell of an attorney.
"Why didn't you stay in the states?" Travis asked.
"The'states'?" Harrison repeated* not certain he understood the question.
"Montana isn't a state*" Douglas explained.
"Yes*" Harrison said. "I'd forgotten that fact. Do you believe the area will become a state soon?"
"It's only a matter of time*" Douglas told him.
He was going to expound further on the topic of statehood* but Travis cut him off. "So why did you come all this way?"
They had come full circle once again. Harrison could barely hide his smile.
"I wanted to see the land. I believe I already mentioned that fact* Travis."
"Please quit pestering him*" Mary Rose pleaded. She leaned forward then* with her elbow on the table and her chin resting in the palm of her hand* and smiled at Harrison.
"What do you think of our home?" she asked.
Harrison watched Adam while he answered her question. The oldest brother hadn't said a word for quite some time. He looked half asleep* and Harrison was beginning to think he wasn't even paying attention to the conversation* yet the second his sister put her elbow on the table* he slowly reached over and touched her arm with one hand. It was a very subtle reminder. Mary Rose instinctively turned to her brother to find out what he wanted. Adam didn't explain. Harrison knew he didn't want to draw any attention to her breach in manners. He must have applied a little pressure on her arm* however* because she suddenly straightened up in her chair and put her hands in her lap.

[Dalyia]

Then she smiled at Adam. He winked back at her.
Harrison pretended he hadn't noticed what had just happened.
He moved his cup from one spot on the table to another and shifted his position in the hard-backed chair.
"Your home is beautiful*" he remarked.
"You haven't seen all that much of it*" Douglas protested.
"He saw the first floor*" Cole interjected. "And that's all he's ever going to see. The upstairs is off limits* Harrison."
"There are just bedrooms up there*" Mary Rose hastily added. She frowned at Cole for sounding so rude* then looked at their guest once again.
Harrison smiled at her. "The house took me by surprise. I didn't expect…"
Cole cut him off. "Did you expect us to live like barbarians?"
Harrison had taken about all he was going to take from the abrasive man. He decided to goad him just enough to make him lose his temper.
"Do you believe I would think you live like barbarians because you occasionally act like one?"
Cole started to stand up* but Mary Rose changed his mind.
"He didn't mean to insult you*" she told her brother. "You can be intimidating. Some might even call you a bully."
"They do call him a bully*" Travis said. "At least in town they probably do."
Cole shook his head. "I can't take the credit for something that isn't true*" he said. "People think I'm antisocial* Harrison. Unfortunately I still haven't earned the nickname of bully. I'm working on it."
Cole turned to his sister. "Thanks anyway* Mary Rose."
She let him see her exasperation. Then she explained to Harrison. "Out here* being a bully does have certain advantages. People tend to leave you alone* and Cole likes that. Therefore* your remark that Cole acted barbaric was actually a note of praise. Do you see?"
"Are you telling me I just gave him a compliment?" He tried not to sound incredulous* but knew he'd failed when the brothers smiled at him.
Mary Rose wasn't smiling. "Yes* actually you did*" she said.
He wanted to vehemently disagree. Yet she had sounded so earnest and was now looking so worried he wouldn't go along with her outrageous fabrication to placate her brother* he decided to play along.
"Then I guess I did."
He didn't choke on the words. He thought that was a laudable effort on his part. She looked relieved* and Harrison decided that swallowing his pride had been well worth the effort.
"What surprised you?" Travis asked.
He couldn't remember what they'd originally been talking about. It was Mary Rose's fault* of course. She was so happy he was trying to get along with Cole* she smiled at him. Harrison didn't believe she was flirting with him or trying to act coy* but she was still twisting his mind into knots all the same. She was so damned sweet and pretty. Provocative too. He couldn't stop himself from imagining what she would feel like in his arms.
"Harrison?" Douglas called his name.
"Yes?" he said. "What did you just ask me?"
"I didn't ask you anything*" Douglas replied. "Travis asked."
"If you'd quit staring at our sister* you might be able to concentrate*" Cole said.
Travis told his brother to quit baiting their guest and then repeated his question. "I wondered what surprised you about the house."
"It looks very modest from the outside*" Harrison explained. "Yet inside…"
"It's just as modest*" Cole told him.
"If you aren't really looking* I suppose*" he agreed. "But I always notice the details."
"And?" Cole asked.
"The attention given to the details surprised me*" Harrison admitted. He was careful to keep his gaze away from Mary Rose. He refused to even glance in her direction. "The moldings in the entry are spectacular* and the detail on the staircase is just as impressive."
"Moldings?" Travis repeated.
"The border* or edging* between your ceilings and your walls*" Harrison explained.
"I know what they are*" Travis returned. "I was just surprised you noticed such a detail."
"I didn't expect to find so many rooms. You have a large parlor* this dining room* of course* and a library filled to the rafters with books you certainly didn't purchase around here."
"Cole designed the house*" Mary Rose boasted. "All the brothers helped build it. It took them years."
"He wouldn't let us help with the banister or the walls in the entry though. That's all his work*" Travis said.
"You've just given Cole another compliment* Harrison*" Mary Rose said.
Harrison was sorry to hear it. He didn't want to find anything impressive about Cole Clayborne. The man had the manners of a boar. Still* his craftsmanship was superior* and Harrison knew it must have taken him months of painstaking work. He had to admire the man's talent and his discipline.
"What else surprised you?" Douglas asked.
Harrison wanted to smile again. From the expressions on the brother's faces* he knew they weren't simply curious about his opinion of their home. They seemed eager to hear praise.
"You have a piano in the parlor. I noticed it right away."
"Of course you noticed it*" Cole said. "It's the only thing in there."
"It's a Steinway*" Douglas announced. "We got it when Mary Rose was old enough to learn how to play."
"Who taught her?" Harrison asked.
"The piano came with a teacher*" Douglas explained. He grinned at Travis before adding* "Sort of anyway."
Harrison didn't know what he was supposed to conclude from that odd remark. He decided not to ask. He would save his questions for more important issues.
"How old were you when you began your lessons?" he asked Mary Rose.
She wasn't certain. She turned to Adam to find out. "She was six*" he answered.
"I was seven*" Harrison said.
"You play the piano?" Mary Rose looked thrilled over the notion.
"Yes."
"Of course he plays the piano*" Cole scoffed. "He can't fight or shoot* but* by God* he can play the piano. Well* piano playing isn't going to keep you alive out here."
"He could play in Billie's saloon*" Douglas said.
"And get himself shot in the back like the last one?" Travis argued.
"Why'd he get shot?" Harrison asked the question in spite of his decision not to make inquiries unless the answers gave him information about the family.
"Someone didn't like what he was playing*" Cole told him.
Harrison nodded. "I see*" he said* though in truth he really didn't understand.
"Why did you learn how to play the piano? That seems peculiar to me*" Cole said.
"It was all part of my education*" Harrison explained. He wasn't offended by Cole's attitude. He was actually a little amused. The brother seemed to think that playing the piano was something men didn't do.
"Then you were sorely educated*" Cole said. "Girls play the piano. Not boys. Didn't your father ever take you out back and teach you how to use your fists?"
"No*" Harrison answered. "Did yours?"
Cole started to answer the question* then changed his mind. He leaned back in his chair and shrugged.
"Have you ever heard of Chopin or Mozart* Cole? They were composers*" Harrison said. "They wrote music and they played it… on the piano."
Cole shrugged again. He obviously wasn't swayed by Harrison's argument. Harrison decided to change the topic. "Where did you get this china?"
"There are only six cups* and two don't match. We don't even have plates. I got the cups in St. Louis so Mary Rose could have tea parties."
"I was much younger then*" she said. "Serving tea was part of my education."
"And who taught you?" Harrison asked* smiling over the picture of Mary Rose as a little girl learning how to be a proper lady.
"Douglas did*" she answered.
"We all had to take turns*" Douglas hastily added.
From the look Douglas gave his sister* Harrison surmised he wasn't at all pleased she had told him about their tea parties. Mary Rose pretended she hadn't noticed Douglas's glare.
"Our fascination with your reaction to our home must seem odd to you*" she said. "We don't usually ask our guests to tell us what they think* but you're very worldly and sophisticated."
He raised an eyebrow over her opinion of him. She interpreted his look to mean he didn't agree.
"You are sophisticated*" she insisted. "The way you speak and the way you look at things tells me so. You have obviously been raised in a refined atmosphere."
"You seem the type who would appreciate quality*" Douglas said. He was damned thankful they had gotten away from the subject of tea parties. "Most of the people around here don't care about the finer things in life. I don't fault them. They're busy carving out a living."
"Hammond is becoming refined*" Travis said. "We get the rejects here in Blue Belle."
"Because it's lawless out here*" Cole interjected.
Everyone nodded. "I guess we wondered if you thought we measured up*" Travis said. "Douglas is right. The folks around here haven't even looked inside our library* and they sure haven't asked to borrow any books. Adam would let them* but they don't seem to have the time or the interest."
"Have you read all the books in your library?" Harrison asked.
"Of course we have*" Cole said.
"Travis failed to mention that the majority of our neighbors don't know how to read* and that's why they haven't asked to borrow any books*" Mary Rose said.
Harrison nodded before turning to Travis again. "You asked me if I thought you measured up*" he reminded the brother. "To what standard? Yours or mine? If you filled your house with treasures for the sole purpose of impressing others* then no* in my opinion* you haven't measured up to any standard. But you didn't begin with that goal in mind* did you?"
"How do you know we didn't?" Cole asked.
"Simple deduction*" Harrison replied. "The piano isn't in the parlor collecting dust and admiration. You purchased it with the intent of training your sister. You could have used the money to buy other things* but you chose a piano instead. You all wanted your sister to have an appreciation for music* and that tells me you understand and value education in all forms. Admitting you've read the books in your library is another indication. As for being sophisticated or cultured* well I think perhaps you're far more sophisticated than you want anyone to believe. Without a doubt* you're all well educated. The titles you've chosen to read told me that."
"None of us went to a university the way you did*" Douglas pointed out.
"Going to university is only one avenue to gain knowledge. There are others. A degree isn't insurance against ignorance. Some of my colleagues have proven that."
"You're complimenting us* aren't you?" Travis asked.
"Yes* I suppose I am."
Mary Rose sighed loudly enough for everyone to hear. Harrison turned to smile at her. She immediately smiled back.
"The piano is my favorite possession*" she said. "Did you have one special thing back home you hated to leave?"
"My books*" Harrison answered.
Adam nodded. "I'm partial to my books as well*" he admitted. "It seems we have a common interest."
Harrison was pleased the eldest brother had once again joined the conversation. Adam was proving to be an extremely reserved man* and therefore he was the most difficult to understand. Harrison wanted to draw him out so that he could find out more about him* but he knew he would have to proceed with caution.
"I noticed the meditation you have framed in your library*" he remarked.
"The what?" Travis asked.
Before Harrison could answer* Douglas asked* "Do you mean the poem Adam put up on the wall?"
"Yes* it is one of my favorites*" Harrison said.
Cole decided to challenge him. "You've really read it? I don't know what book Adam found it in* but it took him hours to copy it down just right and put it in a frame. He made sure he wrote at the bottom where it came from so folks wouldn't think he was trying to take credit for writing it."
"Of course I've read it* many times in fact. I probably have it memorized by now."
Cole didn't look like he believed him. "Let's see if you know it by heart*" he challenged. "Recite the poem from start to finish."
Harrison decided to accommodate him* even though he thought it was a bit childish.
"No man is an island…"
He missed only one line. Adam supplied it for him. The eldest brother was still impressed* if his smile was any indication* and Harrison began to think that of all the brothers* he and the eldest were probably the most alike.
Mary Rose was smiling like a proud teacher* pleased with her student's performance.
Harrison felt like an idiot.
"Well done*" she praised. "Adam plays the piano*" she blurted out. "You share that interest as well."
"Now* why'd you go and tell him that?" Cole demanded. He looked as if he wanted to throttle his sister.
She didn't care for his glare or his surly tone of voice. "You've been terribly rude tonight*" she said. "You know better* Cole. Harrison is our guest. Kindly keep that in your mind."
"I don't need you to tell me how to act or what to say* Sidney. Why don't you keep that in mind?"
She let out a gasp. "You're insufferable*" she whispered.