moment?”
Verna McGill then turned, grabbed her valise and walked out of the hotel, leaving Ty standing there staring at her and fingering the diamond wedding band he had in his pocket. The band he’d hoped to put on her finger. At that moment, Ty swore he’d never love another woman. Especially not a white woman. He’d use them for his pleasure, and he’d never mistreat one, but as far as he was concerned women were only born to serve him and give him pleasure when he wanted it. Nothing more.
That day, he cemented his vow on the way home to the ranch by throwing the diamond ring into the deep canyon on the edge of his property. That happened five years earlier, and until he met Xenia Poindexter, he’d not once questioned his decision. Now, she’d reinforced it by trying to tell him what to do.
Chapa’s voice interrupted his memories. “Ty Eldridge. Are you deaf tonight?”
He looked at her. “I’m sorry, Aunt Chapa. Did you say something to me?”
“No, but Xenia has asked you a question twice and you’ve ignored her.”
He looked at Xenia. “My mind was elsewhere. What did you want?”
“I just asked if you’d take me to town in the morning. I need to see if I can locate our uncle. We came to Arizona to help him, and we’ve done nothing yet.”
This was good. He needed to get her out of his house so he wouldn’t have these crazy thoughts about her. “Sure. I’ll get you to town.”
“Thank you. I’m sure Uncle Seymour will be happy to see me.”
Ty lifted an eyebrow. He only knew one man named Seymour and he was sure he was the type Xenia would never be connected to. “I might be able to help you find your uncle. What’s his name, Xenia?”
“Seymour Longstreet.”
Wilt frowned and Ty knew his cousin was as shocked and surprised as he was. He figured they were both thinking the same thing, and that was—what in the world did the Poindexter sisters have to do with the notorious saloon owner?
****
“I’m sorry Mea Ann sprained her ankle while gathering the eggs this morning and wasn’t able to come with me. I’m sure she wants to help Uncle Seymour as much as I do,” Xenia said, as Ty helped her into the buggy after breakfast.
“It was probably best she stay at the ranch. She needs somebody to help her with Johnny, and you couldn’t get better help than Aunt Chapa.”
“Of course, you’re right, and I agree that Chapa will be a wonderful help. She’s a special woman, and Mea Ann knows it’d be hard for her to look after Johnny when she can barely walk.”
“She’ll be fine in a few days.” He came around and climbed into the buggy beside her.
“Thank you for taking me to town this morning, Ty. I know I’m probably taking you away from work you need to do on the ranch.”
“Wilt can handle it. Besides, I need to turn in this buggy. It’s the one we rented to bring you and Mea Ann here the other night.”
“Oh, I see.”
He glanced at her. “Don’t you think you’d be more comfortable in the seat behind me?”
“Not really. Besides, we couldn’t talk if I rode in the second seat.”
He wondered what she wanted to talk about, and decided to ask her.
She answered with, “I didn’t say anything at supper last night, but when I told you Uncle Seymour’s name, there was a strange look on your face. You know him, don’t you?”
“I know who he is, yes.”
“Tell me about him. Is he a good man? Does he live in Deer Meadow? Is he married, and does he have children?”
“You don’t know anything about him, do you, Xenia?”
“Not really. He’s my mother’s brother, but they’ve never been close. The last time I saw him I was a young girl, but I remembered I liked him. He told funny stories.” She paused and took a breath. “Mea Ann wants to help him, too, but the rest of the family tells me he’s a no good scalawag who is probably dishonest and isn’t worth bothering with. It’s hard for me to believe that.”
“He does have a reputation
Verna McGill then turned, grabbed her valise and walked out of the hotel, leaving Ty standing there staring at her and fingering the diamond wedding band he had in his pocket. The band he’d hoped to put on her finger. At that moment, Ty swore he’d never love another woman. Especially not a white woman. He’d use them for his pleasure, and he’d never mistreat one, but as far as he was concerned women were only born to serve him and give him pleasure when he wanted it. Nothing more.
That day, he cemented his vow on the way home to the ranch by throwing the diamond ring into the deep canyon on the edge of his property. That happened five years earlier, and until he met Xenia Poindexter, he’d not once questioned his decision. Now, she’d reinforced it by trying to tell him what to do.
Chapa’s voice interrupted his memories. “Ty Eldridge. Are you deaf tonight?”
He looked at her. “I’m sorry, Aunt Chapa. Did you say something to me?”
“No, but Xenia has asked you a question twice and you’ve ignored her.”
He looked at Xenia. “My mind was elsewhere. What did you want?”
“I just asked if you’d take me to town in the morning. I need to see if I can locate our uncle. We came to Arizona to help him, and we’ve done nothing yet.”
This was good. He needed to get her out of his house so he wouldn’t have these crazy thoughts about her. “Sure. I’ll get you to town.”
“Thank you. I’m sure Uncle Seymour will be happy to see me.”
Ty lifted an eyebrow. He only knew one man named Seymour and he was sure he was the type Xenia would never be connected to. “I might be able to help you find your uncle. What’s his name, Xenia?”
“Seymour Longstreet.”
Wilt frowned and Ty knew his cousin was as shocked and surprised as he was. He figured they were both thinking the same thing, and that was—what in the world did the Poindexter sisters have to do with the notorious saloon owner?
****
“I’m sorry Mea Ann sprained her ankle while gathering the eggs this morning and wasn’t able to come with me. I’m sure she wants to help Uncle Seymour as much as I do,” Xenia said, as Ty helped her into the buggy after breakfast.
“It was probably best she stay at the ranch. She needs somebody to help her with Johnny, and you couldn’t get better help than Aunt Chapa.”
“Of course, you’re right, and I agree that Chapa will be a wonderful help. She’s a special woman, and Mea Ann knows it’d be hard for her to look after Johnny when she can barely walk.”
“She’ll be fine in a few days.” He came around and climbed into the buggy beside her.
“Thank you for taking me to town this morning, Ty. I know I’m probably taking you away from work you need to do on the ranch.”
“Wilt can handle it. Besides, I need to turn in this buggy. It’s the one we rented to bring you and Mea Ann here the other night.”
“Oh, I see.”
He glanced at her. “Don’t you think you’d be more comfortable in the seat behind me?”
“Not really. Besides, we couldn’t talk if I rode in the second seat.”
He wondered what she wanted to talk about, and decided to ask her.
She answered with, “I didn’t say anything at supper last night, but when I told you Uncle Seymour’s name, there was a strange look on your face. You know him, don’t you?”
“I know who he is, yes.”
“Tell me about him. Is he a good man? Does he live in Deer Meadow? Is he married, and does he have children?”
“You don’t know anything about him, do you, Xenia?”
“Not really. He’s my mother’s brother, but they’ve never been close. The last time I saw him I was a young girl, but I remembered I liked him. He told funny stories.” She paused and took a breath. “Mea Ann wants to help him, too, but the rest of the family tells me he’s a no good scalawag who is probably dishonest and isn’t worth bothering with. It’s hard for me to believe that.”
“He does have a reputation
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