father, who had rejoined the family not quite as promptly as he had promised, standing with Nathan near the fence of one of the corrals, examining a beautiful team of shire draft horses. For a moment Joshua almost moved over to join them. The animals were the personal property of Zachariah Stoneman, who owned the blacksmith shop and a stable. Standing nearly six feet high at the shoulder and weighing over a ton each, these magnificent animals were descendants of the great war horses of medieval Europe which had carried the heavily armored knights into battle. They were a dramatic contrast to the two ill-tempered mules the Steeds kept, and it was something to just stand and admire their grace and power.
But he was hardly in a mood for his father either, and finally he turned back to watch Lydia, brooding as he watched her over the top of his mug. Two other dandies had now joined the first. The sound of her laughter floated across to him on the still night air. She turned, seeming to sense his gaze, flashed him a smile, and then gave a helpless little shrug of her shoulders. He gave a short bark of disgust. Near as he could tell, she was not suffering too much under all the attention. And in fact, it seemed to Joshua she was giving each and every young man who gathered around her exactly the same treatment she was giving Joshua.
At that moment something else caught Joshua’s eye. Three young men were moving away from the huge bonfire which lit the area. As they passed by him, he recognized the stocky figure and wild thatch of hair that belonged to Will Murdock. He also identified Mark Cooper, and he was pretty sure the one on the far side of the group was Will’s brother, David. As they passed, he saw light glint off a heavy jug. He also saw two or three of the women shoot disapproving looks in their direction.
Curious, Joshua watched them as they left the circle of firelight, passed the corral, and moved behind the dark mass of the barn. He glanced over to where Lydia was keeping her three young men totally engrossed. Again she glanced at him, and with a slight motion of her head, invited him to come over. He turned away, angry. He wasn’t about to stand in line for her attentions. With sudden determination he emptied the last of the stout, deposited his mug on a table, and moved swiftly toward the barn, keeping one eye on his mother, the other on his father and Nathan standing near the corral.
As he came round the barn, there was a burst of laughter. Will Murdock had the jug propped up on one shoulder and was taking a deep swig from it. He swung the jug down and then across to his brother in one smooth movement, then started at the sight of Joshua. The others fell silent, instantly wary. For a moment Will peered at Joshua in the darkness, then slowly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Steed, isn’t it?” he finally asked.
“Yes. Joshua Steed.” Joshua stepped forward and stuck out his hand.
Beneath the heavy brows, and in the deep shadows of the barn, Murdock’s eyes seemed like two black pits, and there was no way to read his expression. But finally he stuck out his hand and shook Joshua’s; then he turned slightly and spoke to the others. “You remember the Steeds. Bought the Jenningses’ land up next to the Harris farm.”
There were nods and murmured greetings, but warm cordiality hardly filled the air. David Murdock, his eyes never leaving Joshua’s face, lifted the jug of rum and drank noisily. Joshua guessed he was three or four years younger than Will, but it was obvious he was trying to emulate the hard exterior of his older brother. He lowered the jug, mouth pulling back into what was half a grin, half a grimace, then extended it slowly toward Joshua. “Have some rum,” he leered.
For a second Joshua hesitated, keenly aware of each set of eyes on him, particularly Will Murdock’s. He fought the urge to look over his shoulder and see if his mother or father had followed him. With
But he was hardly in a mood for his father either, and finally he turned back to watch Lydia, brooding as he watched her over the top of his mug. Two other dandies had now joined the first. The sound of her laughter floated across to him on the still night air. She turned, seeming to sense his gaze, flashed him a smile, and then gave a helpless little shrug of her shoulders. He gave a short bark of disgust. Near as he could tell, she was not suffering too much under all the attention. And in fact, it seemed to Joshua she was giving each and every young man who gathered around her exactly the same treatment she was giving Joshua.
At that moment something else caught Joshua’s eye. Three young men were moving away from the huge bonfire which lit the area. As they passed by him, he recognized the stocky figure and wild thatch of hair that belonged to Will Murdock. He also identified Mark Cooper, and he was pretty sure the one on the far side of the group was Will’s brother, David. As they passed, he saw light glint off a heavy jug. He also saw two or three of the women shoot disapproving looks in their direction.
Curious, Joshua watched them as they left the circle of firelight, passed the corral, and moved behind the dark mass of the barn. He glanced over to where Lydia was keeping her three young men totally engrossed. Again she glanced at him, and with a slight motion of her head, invited him to come over. He turned away, angry. He wasn’t about to stand in line for her attentions. With sudden determination he emptied the last of the stout, deposited his mug on a table, and moved swiftly toward the barn, keeping one eye on his mother, the other on his father and Nathan standing near the corral.
As he came round the barn, there was a burst of laughter. Will Murdock had the jug propped up on one shoulder and was taking a deep swig from it. He swung the jug down and then across to his brother in one smooth movement, then started at the sight of Joshua. The others fell silent, instantly wary. For a moment Will peered at Joshua in the darkness, then slowly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Steed, isn’t it?” he finally asked.
“Yes. Joshua Steed.” Joshua stepped forward and stuck out his hand.
Beneath the heavy brows, and in the deep shadows of the barn, Murdock’s eyes seemed like two black pits, and there was no way to read his expression. But finally he stuck out his hand and shook Joshua’s; then he turned slightly and spoke to the others. “You remember the Steeds. Bought the Jenningses’ land up next to the Harris farm.”
There were nods and murmured greetings, but warm cordiality hardly filled the air. David Murdock, his eyes never leaving Joshua’s face, lifted the jug of rum and drank noisily. Joshua guessed he was three or four years younger than Will, but it was obvious he was trying to emulate the hard exterior of his older brother. He lowered the jug, mouth pulling back into what was half a grin, half a grimace, then extended it slowly toward Joshua. “Have some rum,” he leered.
For a second Joshua hesitated, keenly aware of each set of eyes on him, particularly Will Murdock’s. He fought the urge to look over his shoulder and see if his mother or father had followed him. With
Similar Books
