Heart of a Texan by Leigh Greenwood

know what tale Grady would carry to Russ, but she was sure it would send the foreman galloping over to the farm as fast as possible. She knew the doctor would second her opinion, so she was actually looking forward to the encounter. Somebody needed to take Russ down a notch, and she was feeling in the mood to do it.
    She knocked lightly on the bedroom door.
    “Come in.”
    Roberta entered the room but left the door open. “I’ve got your breakfast.”
    Nate had propped himself up in bed. He looked surprised, but not displeased, to see Roberta. “Russ is supposed to be sending my meals. What happened?”
    “He sent food, all right, but it was indigestible.”
    “What was it?”
    Roberta recited the menu.
    “I like all those things.”
    “I have no intention of letting the doctor arrive to find you can’t keep down your food or have developed a fever. I brought you something that’s nourishing and will sit well on your stomach.”
    Nate eyed the eggs on toast with disfavor. “That looks like food for a sick child.”
    “It’s suitable for a sick man as well. Now stop scowling and eat.”
    Nate transferred his gaze from his breakfast to Roberta. “For an unmarried woman, you’re awfully bossy.”
    “I guess it’s a good thing I’m not looking for a husband.”
    “You like yourself the way you are?”
    Roberta set the plate of food in Nate’s lap, seated herself in the chair next to his bed, and fixed her gaze on him. “I can’t think of anything that would make me more perfect.”
    “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
    “Do you like yourself the way you are?”
    From Nate’s reaction, she guessed he’d never been asked that question. “I guess so. Yes,” he added as though his answer was unexpected.
    “Then there’s no reason I can’t like myself. I don’t spend half the year trying to kill anyone.”
    “Laveau deserves to die.”
    “Succeeding will make you a killer. Is your revenge worth that?”
    “You don’t understand.”
    “No, I don’t. And I won’t, even if you try to explain it, so let’s not talk about it.” She picked up the plate of food. “Do you feel up to feeding yourself today?”
    Nate looked at the eggs. “Not if I have to eat that.”
    “Will it taste better if I feed you?”
    Nate’s grin was teasing. “Of course. Being fed by a beautiful woman would make any food taste better.”
    Roberta forked some eggs and toast into Nate’s mouth. “You’ve got to stop telling me I’m beautiful. I might start to believe you. Then where would I be?”
    Nate started to answer, but Roberta fed him another mouthful.
    “It’s not becoming for a woman to go around thinking she’s beautiful. Outside of it being stupid to ignore the evidence of her mirror, she would arouse the scorn of other women of superior attractions and the envy of those less blessed by the caprice of Nature.”
    She prevented Nate’s response with another mouthful.
    “Any woman so caught up in herself is likely to believe all sorts of things said to her. That could lead to very unfortunate circumstances. Some men will say anything to win a woman’s favors.”
    Nate pushed aside the next mouthful.
    “I’ve never heard such nonsense. Do you always talk like that?”
    “Only when attractive men try to fill my head with empty flattery.”
    Nate held the hovering fork at a distance. “Saying you’re beautiful is not empty flattery. It’s only a statement of fact. By the way, thanks for saying I’m attractive.” He pulled the fork toward him and took the food.
    “This whole conversation is ridiculous,” Roberta said. “I’m not beautiful, and you know you’re attractive.”
    “Not half as attractive as my brother. I have that on the best authority. My mother’s.”
    “That was a cruel thing to say. I’m surprised it didn’t make you dislike your brother.”
    “No one could dislike Caleb. He was always spilling over with fun. It was all our captain could do to keep him quiet when we made a