ROMANCE: Regency Romance: Fated to His Kiss (Historical Victorian Romance) (Historical Regency Romance Fantasy Short Stories) by Eva Madden Page A
Authors: Eva Madden
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sky.
“I fear I have something to confess.” He began, clearing his throat. “I am not proud of this, but you must know.”
Louisa shook her head. “That is a shame. I had a more favorable impression from you from your act of courage yesterday. I suppose if you must say something upsetting, it would be best if you do so and do it quickly.”
“Thomas wasn’t so keen to write, so it fell to me. I wrote the letters.”
“I see.” She breathed in sharply, then let it all out in a single rush of air. “Fine. You were the one with whom I wrote. That which is done is done and there seems little point in dwelling upon it.”
Despite her words, he could sense the disappointment and hurt in her voice. He didn’t understand why in the short time he had known her that it had already begun to regret his part in the matter.
He apologized once more. “Had I realized how much it would wrong you, I’d have never agreed to it.”
“I only ask that we never speak of it again. It’s past.” She let that sink in and then took his arm. “I’ve had to let a lot of things from the past go, Jeb. I don’t choose to live there anymore. I’m here, and I’m ready to see what my future holds.”
“That’s a good way of seeing things.” He agreed, feeling warm and comfortable in her presence. The nervousness passed and he instead he felt he was right where he belonged. “You have, if you don’t mind my saying, Miss Louisa, the proper attitude about life.”
“I do try.” They walked for some time before each of them had to get back to their work.
As Jeb rode out on the range to check up on the livestock that evening, he thought back on the afternoon with Louisa. “I have to see her again,” He said to himself with a smile. He tried to think of a way to make that work.
He was deep in thought as the riders crossed the plain, keeping close to the shadows.
*****
Curly thought he had the drop on Jeb and lowered his rifle.
“Not yet, you idiot.” Brock muttered. They were still a long distance away from their target. The sun was beginning to set. From long experience as a gunman, Brock knew he wanted to catch Jeb in the perfect light, from the right, safe distance. There were no heights from which he’d be able to shoot adequately; otherwise, he’d have chosen that approach.
“I got him, though” Curly complained.
Brock gritted his teeth. He wasn’t pleased to be working with these local guys. Johnny, the lean man to his left on the pinto, might have half a brain, but Curly and Ike were pure morons. He wished that Frank had let him work on his own.
“You got him? Great. Wait until I give the word. If you miss him, it’s going to be your ass Frank takes it out on. Not mine.”
“Yeah, okay.” Curly glumly agreed.
“In fact, ride on the hell out of here. You’re getting on my last nerve. We’ll do this ourselves. You boys just follow my lead.”
Curly turned his horse angrily and left. The man wouldn’t normally take guff from anyone, but Brock had a reputation as a skilled killer. None of them wanted to cross him.
The three remaining men watched as Jeb rode along and finally stopped and got off his horse. The man was checking something on a sheep, possibly its hoof. Brock judged the light to be just right.
“All right boys. Draw on him. After you take your shot, ride in and finish him if he don’t go down. We
“I fear I have something to confess.” He began, clearing his throat. “I am not proud of this, but you must know.”
Louisa shook her head. “That is a shame. I had a more favorable impression from you from your act of courage yesterday. I suppose if you must say something upsetting, it would be best if you do so and do it quickly.”
“Thomas wasn’t so keen to write, so it fell to me. I wrote the letters.”
“I see.” She breathed in sharply, then let it all out in a single rush of air. “Fine. You were the one with whom I wrote. That which is done is done and there seems little point in dwelling upon it.”
Despite her words, he could sense the disappointment and hurt in her voice. He didn’t understand why in the short time he had known her that it had already begun to regret his part in the matter.
He apologized once more. “Had I realized how much it would wrong you, I’d have never agreed to it.”
“I only ask that we never speak of it again. It’s past.” She let that sink in and then took his arm. “I’ve had to let a lot of things from the past go, Jeb. I don’t choose to live there anymore. I’m here, and I’m ready to see what my future holds.”
“That’s a good way of seeing things.” He agreed, feeling warm and comfortable in her presence. The nervousness passed and he instead he felt he was right where he belonged. “You have, if you don’t mind my saying, Miss Louisa, the proper attitude about life.”
“I do try.” They walked for some time before each of them had to get back to their work.
As Jeb rode out on the range to check up on the livestock that evening, he thought back on the afternoon with Louisa. “I have to see her again,” He said to himself with a smile. He tried to think of a way to make that work.
He was deep in thought as the riders crossed the plain, keeping close to the shadows.
*****
Curly thought he had the drop on Jeb and lowered his rifle.
“Not yet, you idiot.” Brock muttered. They were still a long distance away from their target. The sun was beginning to set. From long experience as a gunman, Brock knew he wanted to catch Jeb in the perfect light, from the right, safe distance. There were no heights from which he’d be able to shoot adequately; otherwise, he’d have chosen that approach.
“I got him, though” Curly complained.
Brock gritted his teeth. He wasn’t pleased to be working with these local guys. Johnny, the lean man to his left on the pinto, might have half a brain, but Curly and Ike were pure morons. He wished that Frank had let him work on his own.
“You got him? Great. Wait until I give the word. If you miss him, it’s going to be your ass Frank takes it out on. Not mine.”
“Yeah, okay.” Curly glumly agreed.
“In fact, ride on the hell out of here. You’re getting on my last nerve. We’ll do this ourselves. You boys just follow my lead.”
Curly turned his horse angrily and left. The man wouldn’t normally take guff from anyone, but Brock had a reputation as a skilled killer. None of them wanted to cross him.
The three remaining men watched as Jeb rode along and finally stopped and got off his horse. The man was checking something on a sheep, possibly its hoof. Brock judged the light to be just right.
“All right boys. Draw on him. After you take your shot, ride in and finish him if he don’t go down. We
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