and eased back into bed. "Louise Downe."
"How did you get from Louise Downe to Low Down?" The instant he asked the question, he knew he didn't want to know the answer.
"Well, you remember how I told you about Mrs. Olson?" She covered a yawn. "When I was little she used to shout at me. She'd say, come here you low-down, good-for-nothing little piece of … well, you can guess the rest. I got it in my head that Low Down was my name. Then, after I ran away, I heard a man from Washington talking about being low down on a totem pole. That seemed to fit, too. And so—"
"I don't want to hear any more." After a minute he opened his arms. "Come here."
"What?"
There wasn't much he could do to make up for a performance that had been perfunctory at best, but he could end an intimate act in a more honorable fashion than rolling away from her as if he'd paid for her favors.
Reaching, he guided her head to his shoulder, sensing her surprise and hesitation. At length she relaxed against him, and eventually he felt the soft rise and fall of her magnificent breasts against his side and knew she'd fallen asleep.
He finished smoking the cheroot, his thoughts a dark kaleidoscope of shifting images. Philadelphia . His summer in the mountains. The ranch. The period in the schoolhouse when he had believed he would die.
And the stranger in his arms, his wife.
There was no way out of this mess. No way to set things right with Philadelphia or her father. No way to shield his family from scandal and shame. Tonight he and Low Down had sealed their misfortune by beginning a marriage neither of them wanted.
But he'd done his duty. Preacher Jellison and the men at Piney Greek must be laughing their butts off.
CHAPTER6
«^»
A rough spot on the wooden wagon seat snagged Low Down's skirt when she twisted around to peer back at the Belle Mark. She had arrived there yesterday as one person and departed today as another.
She looked different; she felt different, and maybe she was. Maybe she was pregnant. Her heart lifted at the possibility. On the other hand, he who lived on hope dined on scraps. It was better not to hope too much. Just wait and see.
When Max headed the team north and she could no longer make out the green-and-white-striped awning, she turned her attention to the items packed in the wagon bed.
"Mostly provisions and supplies for the ranch," Max explained. "And a few gifts for the family."
"What kind of gifts?" she inquired, anxiously smoothing her skirts before she checked on the hat pin that anchored her hat to her hair. A person had only one chance to create a good first impression, and she wanted Max's family to approve of her. On the other hand, why should they?
Max glanced back to make sure he wasn't driving too fast for Marva Lee and Rebecca who were tied to the tailgate.
"I bought Gilly's husband, Dave, new strings for his guitar and a hatband. My brother, Wally, gets a silver belt buckle and a book of house plans in case he decides someday to build on his quarter. The bolts of cloth are for Gilly and my mother."
"What kind of material did you choose?"
"Velvet."
Low Down whistled. "Son of a bitch. That must have cost a pretty penny!" When he turned his head to frown, she lifted her hands. "I'm sorry. I'm not swearing as much as I used to." Changing herself was not easy. Old habits died hard. "What else did you buy?"
"I bought Ma a new set of account books." Max kept his eyes on the twin ruts in front of the team.
Learning what gifts he'd chosen gave her a small glimpse of her new family. "What did you buy Gilly and her daughter?" she asked. She had been especially interested in Gilly and Sunshine since Max had told her about them.
"There's a doll for Sunshine, and a box of lace-edged handkerchiefs and a book of sheet music for Gilly."
"Sheet music?" She considered for several minutes, then finally decided to confide in him. "I collect songbooks myself."
Surprise lifted his eyebrows. "Then the piano wasn't as
"How did you get from Louise Downe to Low Down?" The instant he asked the question, he knew he didn't want to know the answer.
"Well, you remember how I told you about Mrs. Olson?" She covered a yawn. "When I was little she used to shout at me. She'd say, come here you low-down, good-for-nothing little piece of … well, you can guess the rest. I got it in my head that Low Down was my name. Then, after I ran away, I heard a man from Washington talking about being low down on a totem pole. That seemed to fit, too. And so—"
"I don't want to hear any more." After a minute he opened his arms. "Come here."
"What?"
There wasn't much he could do to make up for a performance that had been perfunctory at best, but he could end an intimate act in a more honorable fashion than rolling away from her as if he'd paid for her favors.
Reaching, he guided her head to his shoulder, sensing her surprise and hesitation. At length she relaxed against him, and eventually he felt the soft rise and fall of her magnificent breasts against his side and knew she'd fallen asleep.
He finished smoking the cheroot, his thoughts a dark kaleidoscope of shifting images. Philadelphia . His summer in the mountains. The ranch. The period in the schoolhouse when he had believed he would die.
And the stranger in his arms, his wife.
There was no way out of this mess. No way to set things right with Philadelphia or her father. No way to shield his family from scandal and shame. Tonight he and Low Down had sealed their misfortune by beginning a marriage neither of them wanted.
But he'd done his duty. Preacher Jellison and the men at Piney Greek must be laughing their butts off.
CHAPTER6
«^»
A rough spot on the wooden wagon seat snagged Low Down's skirt when she twisted around to peer back at the Belle Mark. She had arrived there yesterday as one person and departed today as another.
She looked different; she felt different, and maybe she was. Maybe she was pregnant. Her heart lifted at the possibility. On the other hand, he who lived on hope dined on scraps. It was better not to hope too much. Just wait and see.
When Max headed the team north and she could no longer make out the green-and-white-striped awning, she turned her attention to the items packed in the wagon bed.
"Mostly provisions and supplies for the ranch," Max explained. "And a few gifts for the family."
"What kind of gifts?" she inquired, anxiously smoothing her skirts before she checked on the hat pin that anchored her hat to her hair. A person had only one chance to create a good first impression, and she wanted Max's family to approve of her. On the other hand, why should they?
Max glanced back to make sure he wasn't driving too fast for Marva Lee and Rebecca who were tied to the tailgate.
"I bought Gilly's husband, Dave, new strings for his guitar and a hatband. My brother, Wally, gets a silver belt buckle and a book of house plans in case he decides someday to build on his quarter. The bolts of cloth are for Gilly and my mother."
"What kind of material did you choose?"
"Velvet."
Low Down whistled. "Son of a bitch. That must have cost a pretty penny!" When he turned his head to frown, she lifted her hands. "I'm sorry. I'm not swearing as much as I used to." Changing herself was not easy. Old habits died hard. "What else did you buy?"
"I bought Ma a new set of account books." Max kept his eyes on the twin ruts in front of the team.
Learning what gifts he'd chosen gave her a small glimpse of her new family. "What did you buy Gilly and her daughter?" she asked. She had been especially interested in Gilly and Sunshine since Max had told her about them.
"There's a doll for Sunshine, and a box of lace-edged handkerchiefs and a book of sheet music for Gilly."
"Sheet music?" She considered for several minutes, then finally decided to confide in him. "I collect songbooks myself."
Surprise lifted his eyebrows. "Then the piano wasn't as
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