Whispers of Moonlight Read Online Free Page A
Author: Lori Wick
were as artless as a child's, and in those eyes he suddenly saw a shyness. But he also saw that she liked what she saw in him as much as he did in her. His heart was misbehaving again.
"I think you're going to surprise your father," Travis spoke, having slapped the reins. He worked at keeping his eyes on the road.
Rebecca turned to look at his profile for a moment and then dutifully put her gaze back to the street.
"Why is that?"
"He never once mentioned your age. I've been waiting for a little girl to get off the stage."
Rebecca laughed, a light, fun sound, her heart soaring because she had heard the compliment and pleasure in his voice.
"I was just a child when he left," she said softly. "He must still think I'm eight."
Travis had to force himself to keep from looking down the length of her. She was anything but a child now, and for the first time in many years the cowboy's thoughts turned to hearth and home. The images didn't last long. Other thoughts were crowding into his mind. For starters, the way Rebecca had come so easily with him. With nothing but his word for who he was, she had climbed into the buggy. Could she really be that trusting? He didn't think he'd been working for the Double Star long enough for Mr. Wagner to write about him. It was something of a mystery.
"Did you say how far it was, Mr. Buchanan?" Rebecca suddenly asked.
"No, but it's five miles, and you can call me Travis."
"Oh, all right. Are there other homes around?"
"No," Travis answered, amazed that she didn't know. "The ranch sits on acres of open range." As he told her this, his heart grew troubled. From the way
Lavena had talked, father and daughter were in constant communication.
He fell silent, and it was some time before he glanced at his passenger. She was literally drooping in the seat. Travis slowed the horse just slightly, bringing the reins to one hand and putting the other hand on her arm.
"Lean back. Miss Rebecca, and get comfortable. We have a way to go."
She turned vague eyes to him.
"Put your head back," he instructed her. A moment later she turned slightly toward him, her left cheek against the leather seatback. They hadn't gone 100 yards before her face bounced forward and her forehead lay against his arm. Travis kept the horse's pace slow and steady. He knew Mr. Wagner would be having apoplexy, but right now he had a lovely passenger to see to, and Travis refused to do anything that would disturb her. He also had no trouble admitting to himself that the feel of her against him, even just her forehead, was much too wonderful for words.
3
"Miss Rebecca," Travis called very softly as the house came into view. "Rebecca," he tried again. She stirred, dislodging the hat completely to tumble at her feet. Travis' face was turned to her, the horse well-knowing the way home, and he watched as she looked up into his eyes and blinked slowly. He was very aware of the way her shoulder leaned against his arm, but Rebecca had only just noticed. Her face red, she pushed upright and looked at the road and beyond. Travis heard her gasp.
The ranch house at the Double Star was a sight to see. They were within 100 yards now, and the lovely home seemed to rise up abruptly out of the prairie. It was painted white, two stories high with an attic, and grand to any eye.
A deep porch with round wooden pillars stretched across the entire front of the house and wrapped around the east side. A large balcony extended from the second floor, and Rebecca instinctively knew this would be off her father's bedroom. The roofline was punctuated by several gables. The roof itself was finished in cedar shakes. Her father's love for the mountains was evident in the large windows that rose from seemingly every room, both upstairs and down.
"This is my father's home?" she questioned softly.
"Yes. This is the Double Star ranch house."
The bunkhouse, cook's shack, and mess hall were all in sight as well, but Rebecca didn't focus on them. She was silent
"I think you're going to surprise your father," Travis spoke, having slapped the reins. He worked at keeping his eyes on the road.
Rebecca turned to look at his profile for a moment and then dutifully put her gaze back to the street.
"Why is that?"
"He never once mentioned your age. I've been waiting for a little girl to get off the stage."
Rebecca laughed, a light, fun sound, her heart soaring because she had heard the compliment and pleasure in his voice.
"I was just a child when he left," she said softly. "He must still think I'm eight."
Travis had to force himself to keep from looking down the length of her. She was anything but a child now, and for the first time in many years the cowboy's thoughts turned to hearth and home. The images didn't last long. Other thoughts were crowding into his mind. For starters, the way Rebecca had come so easily with him. With nothing but his word for who he was, she had climbed into the buggy. Could she really be that trusting? He didn't think he'd been working for the Double Star long enough for Mr. Wagner to write about him. It was something of a mystery.
"Did you say how far it was, Mr. Buchanan?" Rebecca suddenly asked.
"No, but it's five miles, and you can call me Travis."
"Oh, all right. Are there other homes around?"
"No," Travis answered, amazed that she didn't know. "The ranch sits on acres of open range." As he told her this, his heart grew troubled. From the way
Lavena had talked, father and daughter were in constant communication.
He fell silent, and it was some time before he glanced at his passenger. She was literally drooping in the seat. Travis slowed the horse just slightly, bringing the reins to one hand and putting the other hand on her arm.
"Lean back. Miss Rebecca, and get comfortable. We have a way to go."
She turned vague eyes to him.
"Put your head back," he instructed her. A moment later she turned slightly toward him, her left cheek against the leather seatback. They hadn't gone 100 yards before her face bounced forward and her forehead lay against his arm. Travis kept the horse's pace slow and steady. He knew Mr. Wagner would be having apoplexy, but right now he had a lovely passenger to see to, and Travis refused to do anything that would disturb her. He also had no trouble admitting to himself that the feel of her against him, even just her forehead, was much too wonderful for words.
3
"Miss Rebecca," Travis called very softly as the house came into view. "Rebecca," he tried again. She stirred, dislodging the hat completely to tumble at her feet. Travis' face was turned to her, the horse well-knowing the way home, and he watched as she looked up into his eyes and blinked slowly. He was very aware of the way her shoulder leaned against his arm, but Rebecca had only just noticed. Her face red, she pushed upright and looked at the road and beyond. Travis heard her gasp.
The ranch house at the Double Star was a sight to see. They were within 100 yards now, and the lovely home seemed to rise up abruptly out of the prairie. It was painted white, two stories high with an attic, and grand to any eye.
A deep porch with round wooden pillars stretched across the entire front of the house and wrapped around the east side. A large balcony extended from the second floor, and Rebecca instinctively knew this would be off her father's bedroom. The roofline was punctuated by several gables. The roof itself was finished in cedar shakes. Her father's love for the mountains was evident in the large windows that rose from seemingly every room, both upstairs and down.
"This is my father's home?" she questioned softly.
"Yes. This is the Double Star ranch house."
The bunkhouse, cook's shack, and mess hall were all in sight as well, but Rebecca didn't focus on them. She was silent
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