Page 55 of Texas Splendor
“Figured he knew since he told me if anyone dared to look at your wife with anything but admiration, they’d answer to him.”
The knot in Austin’s throat tightened a little. “I wasn’t sure how he felt—”
“You’re his baby brother. He would have sheltered you from the world if he could have, and that’s probably where he went wrong. Some lessons have simply got to be learned the hard way.”
Loree folded the blanket, placed it in the box, and lifted her gaze to the woman standing on the other side of the bed who was doing the same thing. “I hope we haven’t hurt your feelings.”
Dee glanced up. “Of course not. Why ever would you think that?”
Loree shrugged. “You made me feel so welcome, and here we are, after only one night, moving out.”
Dee smiled with understanding. “I’m glad that Amelia and Houston offered to let you live in their vacant house. I know it’s difficult to marry someone you’ve only known a short time. I didn’t know Dallas at all when I married him. If my family had been underfoot, I don’t think I ever would have gotten to know him.”
“I feel badly taking the furniture from this room.”
“It’s always been Austin’s. I often thought of replacing it, but I wanted him to come home to something familiar. I was afraid all the other changes would overwhelm him.”
Loree picked at a loose thread on the blanket. “You must love him very much to accept what he did.”
“I understand why he did it. I hated to see him go to prison, but the decision was his to make, and I respect that.”
Understanding, respect, acceptance. She wondered if Austin would give those as easily to her if he knew the entire truth about her past. She supposed one had to build a foundation of love before one’s faults could be laid bare and accepted.
“Dallas and Austin should have the table moved out of the shed by now. Do you want to run outside and let them know that we’re almost finished here?” Dee asked.
Loree nodded, walked to the doorway, and halted. “Dee?”
Dee glanced over at her, and Loree nibbled on her lower lip. “I appreciate that you don’t seem to be sitting in judgment of me.”
Dee’s brown eyes widened. “Because of the baby?”
Loree jerked her head quickly.
A wealth of understanding and sympathy filled Dee’s brown eyes. “A child is a gift, Loree, regardless of the circumstances. And Austin’s child at that. We will spoil the baby rotten, I promise you.”
Loree didn’t doubt it. She’d already seen evidence that every child in this family was considered precious.
She walked into the hallway and down the wide sweeping staircase. The discordant notes of a piano traveled from the front parlor. She ambled toward the room, the off-key chords grating on her nerves before they fell into silence. She peered into the room.
“Did you practice one hour every day like I told you?” a rotund woman asked Rawley.
He shrugged.
“Stand up, young man,” she ordered.
Slower than ice melting in winter he slid off the bench and stood.
“Hold out your hand.”
She saw Rawley tense as he extended his hand, palm up. The woman picked up a thin wooden stick and raised it.
“Don’t you even think about striking him,” Loree snarled as she stormed into the room.
Rawley spun around so fast that he lost his balance and dropped onto the bench. The woman’s eyes protruded farther than her nose.
“How dare you interfere with this lesson—”
“I’m interfering with your cruelty, not the lesson.”
