Six White Horses Read Online Free Page A

gave his wife. The look brought a stab of jealousy that cruelly twisted its blade in her heart. What a striking couple they make, she thought dejectedly. The thought didn't stop her from wishing that she had been the recipient of that glance.
    Her grandfather's hand guided her along the edge of the dance floor. The chin that had begun drooping was jerked up as Patty looked into a pair of thoughtfully mocking blue eyes. She had been so intent on Lije that she hadn't noticed Morgan Kincaid among the dancers on the floor. But he was there, partnering Jill Van Wen, a tawny-haired barrel racer who followed the rodeo circuit just as the professional cowboys did. The pair had paused directly in their path.  
    "I see you've changed your mind," Morgan observed dryly.
    "Yes, I did," Patty agreed with cold arrogance. "It looks as if you lose."
    His metallic gaze flickered to her grandfather. "I guess so."
    "Lije has just come in, Patty," Jill Van Wert inserted with a faintly catty edge to her tongue. "He's seated right over there—with his wife. Have you seen him yet?"
    Patty'smouth tightened. She had never liked Jill very much. The girl was an excellent barrel racer, but Patty had always had the impression that it wasn't the competition that had prompted Jill to follow the rodeo, but the cowboys—in the plural sense.
    "Yes, I did notice him," she answered stiffly. "Gramps and I were just on our way over to say hello."
    "We mustn't keep you, then." Morgan smiled crookedly, his eyes openly laughing at the stiff, defensive expression on her face. "See you later."
    "What I wouldn't give to dance on that man's grave!" Patty muttered in a savage underbreath as Morgan Kincaid guided his attractive partner onto the dance floor again.
    Everett King clicked his tongue at her in a reproving manner and started moving her toward Lije's table.
    That spurt of anger at Morgan seemed to have eased some of her tension and brought the color into her cheeks. Gathering her courage, she commanded a bright expression to appear on her face as they neared the table.
    "I'm still kicking myself for not buying that red horse of yours two years ago, Lije, when you sold him to Tod," Blako Williams was grumbling. "If I had, I'd be the one raking in the dough off him instead of Tod."
    "Horses, horses, horses!" Patty forced herself to laugh. "It seems as if that's what you were talking about the last time I saw you, Lije."
    "Hello, Patty, Everett." Lije rose to his feet to welcome them to the table. "It's good to see you again."
    With a sinking heart, Patty noticed the easy warmth with which he greeted them. The cool aloofness was gone, no doubt melted by the ardent glow that was in his wife's eyes whenever she looked at him.
    "Are you going to introduce me to this lovely lady, Lije?" her grandfather asked after shaking hands.
    "Of course," Lije smiled. "This is my wife Diana." Patty wanted to cry at the catering way he spoke her name. "Diana, I know you've met Patty King. This is her grandfather, Everett King."
    The vacant table and chairs, were pulled closer to include Patty and her grandfather in their small group. Patty found herself sitting next to the silvery blonde, who seemed more beautiful than Patty remembered. She felt like the ugly duckling next to the swan.
    "That was a stunning performance you gave tonight," complimented Diana Masters with obvious sincerity. "I really envy your horsemanship, Patty."
    Patty wondered what Diana's reply would be if she said that she envied Diana her husband. The fleeting glimpse of compassion that flickered through the blonde's luminous blue eyes gave Patty the impression that such a statement would not surprise Lije Masters's wife, The last thing she wanted was Diana's pity.
    "Thank you." Her mouth moved stiffly into a smile, so Patty turned her face away from the woman. "Actually my grandfather deserves much of the credit since he helps me with the training and perfecting the stunts."
    "She's just as modest as she