Dorothy Garlock Read Online Free Page A

might not ort to of said it jist like that.” Lottie’s face softened just a fraction. “What I mean is, you ort to give the little gal more rein. It’s her what’s causin’ the ruckus. Let ’er try ’n fix it.”
    For the second time that day tears sprang to Tucker’s eyes. What Lottie said made sense. All these years she had been so protective of Laura she hadn’t stopped to think that Laura was a grown woman.
    She sniffed. “I think I’m going to like you, Lottie.”
    “Humph! Mebbe. Mebbe not. Come on ’n let’s figger out the sleepin’. You’ll be stayin’ the night anyhow.”
    The longer Laura was away, the more anxious Tucker became. She was almost to the point of taking action of some kind when she saw her, her hand on Lucas’s arm, moving toward the wagon. Lucas was looking down and his face was unreadable, but Laura was beaming and talking as usual. Tucker stood with her hands clenched behind her and waited for them to approach. Lucas looked up and pinned her green eyes with his gray ones. He looked at her long and deeply. Laura couldn’t know, so she kept up her breathless stream of chatter.
    “We hadn’t been in the coach an hour when a man moved over by Tucker. He said she sure was pretty and then he said did we want to look at what was in
his case, ’cause he was a drummer—you know, a peddler—and he had things that would sure be pretty on Tucker. I heard him get down the case and open it, and then Tucker slapped him. He fell back in the seat and later she told me that he—”
    “Laura!” Tucker was almost choking with embarrassment.
    “Tucky, are you there? Are we back already?” She held out her hand and Tucker took it and drew her close, as if together they would face the enemy.
    “Are you settled in, Miss Houston?” Tucker opened her mouth to say something, but Lucas turned and said, “Lottie, I told Mustang to come over and put some wire around that spoke. Glad you told me. It might mean the difference between having to put in a new one.” The sound of a shot rang out and Tucker was startled. “That’s the call to supper.” Lucas looked amused, and the sight of his lips twitching caused her to grind her teeth. He walked away after saying, “Take care of big sister, Laura.”
    Tucker’s back stiffened at his knowing tone.
    Laura waited to speak until the quick pressure on her hand told her they were alone. It was a signal they had used since childhood.
    “It’s all right, Tucky. He knew anyway. He said he knew when he met us in Fort Worth, but was waiting for us to tell him. He said I would be expected to do whatever I could and that he’d have no one lazying. He’s got a friend in California who’s blind, and he said he’d take me to meet him when we get there.
He’s like me. The friend, I mean. He’s not always been blind. He’s married and has two little boys.”
    “Oh, Laura, honey!” Relief was all the emotion Tucker could feel. “I was so scared. I didn’t know what we’d do. But whatever possessed you to go to him alone? I said I’d talk to him.”
    “You always have to do everything, Tucky. You’ve taken care of me for eleven years. I want to make things as easy for you as I can. I may not be able to do a lot of things, but I can talk.”
    Tucker hugged her briefly. “Yes, you can, you blabbermouth! What were you telling him about that traveling salesman for?”
    “I like to talk to him. He’s interested in everything, and he listens. Not many people really listen, but he does. I like him, Tucker. I like him a lot.”
    “Well, I can’t say that I really like him, but as long as he lets us go with the train to California, I guess I like him better than I did.”
    Lottie handed each of the girls a granite plate, a tin cup, and a spoon. She jerked her head toward the other end of the camp and started off at a brisk walk. Tucker decided that Lottie knew no other way to move. They followed her. Women were coming out of the wagons in front of and