Page 70 of Texas Destiny
Stunned, Amelia stared at Austin. “He’s deaf?”
“Only on the left side. When he was wounded during the war, he lost his sight and hearing on that one side. Always figured that was why he sat with his right side to us, since his hearing ain’t so good.”
Austin’s reasoning made sense, but Amelia didn’t think it was correct. Near the end of their journey, Houston had never turned his face away from her. But she had whispered her heartfelt endearment near his left ear. She realized now that he hadn’t been ignoring her. He simply hadn’t heard her words, although she now understood that his hearing them would not have altered the journey’s end.
As they neared, Houston turned slightly and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. The morning was cool, but he wore no duster or hat. She was certain he’d expected no company.
“What brings you out?” he asked as he stepped off the porch.
“Dallas took the men to the south. He told me to watch Amelia. She wanted to see your place,” Austin said as he dismounted.
“Oh, she did, did she?” Houston asked, his lip curved up slightly on one side as he placed his hands on her waist and helped her dismount.
The warmth of his touch shot clear down to her toes. His hands lingered, his fingers flexing as though he knew he should let her go, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. She wanted to step forward, lean against him, and feel his arms close around her.
As though reading her thoughts, he shook his head slightly and stepped away from her. “Not much to see. House, corral, shed. Nothing fancy.”
“A woman doesn’t always need fancy,” Amelia said softly.
“But she should have it just the same.”
“You gonna let Amelia watch when a stallion mounts a mare?” Austin asked.
Houston turned swiftly to grab Austin. Austin ducked just as quickly, backing off, his fingers splayed before him. “What’d I do now?”
“You don’t talk breeding around a lady,” Houston said, his voice low.
“Makes no sense. You can’t say nothin’ around a lady. What’s the point in sharing your life with her if you can’t speak what’s on your mind?”
“I’m not gonna marry her and neither are you. And you need to call her Miss Carson.”
“Why? Dallas told me last night that she’ll be my sister by marriage. I wouldn’t call my sister Miss Leigh.”
Houston reached to pull down a hat that wasn’t on his head. Then he spun around and faced Amelia. “What do you want him to call you?”
“I’m hoping Austin will come to think of me as a sister so I’d truly prefer for him to call me Amelia.”
“Fine.” He waved his hand in the air. “Fine. Call her Amelia.”
Austin released a whoop. “Hot diggity damn! That’s the first time I’ve won an argument!”
Houston pointed his finger at his brother. “No swearing!”
Wearing a broad smile, Austin raised his palms as though warding off an attack. “I just forgot. Won’t do it again.”
“See that you don’t,” Houston mumbled.
“Can I ride Black Thunder to the bluff and back?” Austin asked.
“Black Thunder?” Amelia asked.
“Yeah, he’s over here,” Austin said, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward a distant corral, leading their horses behind him. “He ain’t gelded, so Houston has to keep him apart from the mares.”
The black stallion threw his head back and trotted around the enclosure. In a separate enclosure nearby, the palomino stallion whinnied.
“He’s beautiful,” Amelia whispered. The horse’s black coat shimmered in the morning sun.
“I named him,” Austin said.
