LITMIR.BIZ

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she blotted each blister. Twice. But it was of little use. She still looked awful. Dreadful. Frightful.

      “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she muttered. “What does it matter? I’m not here to impress Gabe Callaway in any way.”

      She set the handkerchief on the dresser, took a deep breath and walked out the door.

      The front staircase led to the foyer, and she took a deep breath while holding on to the newel post before taking the final step off the steps and turning toward the parlor. He was in there, sitting in one of the leather upholstered wing-backed chairs flanking the fireplace that took up a good portion of the inside wall.

      With her head held high, she entered the room. The glint in his eyes as he glanced up was easy to read. So be it. A few minutes of waiting didn’t cause any damage. Other than in his attitude toward her, which had been as black as a thunderhead since she’d arrived.

      Slow and meticulously, he folded the newspaper he’d been reading and set it on the table beside his chair.

      She waited, but when it was clear he wasn’t going to invite her to take a seat, she crossed the room and sat on the sofa that faced the fireplace and his chair.

      The borrowed dress she wore was made of common cotton and dyed a pale blue and fitted her well enough, but she certainly would have been more comfortable in one of her own creations. She took pride in everything she sewed, and that sense of pride also gave her courage. Something she needed right now. Changing into one of her outfits would have taken more time, but it would have been worth it. She should have realized that. Her pistol that fitted perfectly in all her dress pockets would have been comforting, too. As it was, it was in the bottom of her bag upstairs.

      It would also help if her neck hadn’t started to itch again.

      “How much do you want?”

      Lifting her gaze to meet his very serious one, she asked, “Excuse me?”

      “How much do you want?”

      “How much what?”

      He leaned forward and propped both hands on his knees. “There is no need to pretend, Miss Parker. We both know you are here so I will give you money. The question is how much?”

      Janette planted both hands on the sofa cushions beside her thighs to keep from jumping to her feet. After drawing in a breath to quell her anger, she blew it out slowly and pulled up a snide smile. “I assure you, Mr. Callaway, the last thing I’m after is money.”

      Never taking his eyes off her, he leaned back in his chair. “I find that doubtful.”

      He must also find it doubtful that she had plenty of her own money. Money she’d earned by sewing seven days a week for the past ten years. She couldn’t say why it irritated her like it did. Men were the ones after money. Isaac Fredrickson certainly had been. Recalling his name made a lump form in her throat. Drawing in a breath to settle her nerves, she asked, “Why would you find that doubtful?”

      “Why else would you be here?”

      In order to keep from snapping, she bit the inside of her lip until it stung. Then, calmly, she said, “I’m here so Ruby could meet her uncle.”

      “Ruby is three and had no say in where you chose to take her.”

      “That is true,” she admitted. “However, Anna knew how much Max wanted you to know about Ruby. To meet her. She mentioned that in every letter she wrote to me. Therefore, I felt obligated to bring her here for you to meet.”

      “And to request funds to raise her.”

      “No—”

      “Please don’t insult me, Miss Parker.”

      Before she could stop herself, she’d jumped to her feet. “Insult you? And exactly what, Mr. Callaway, are you doing to me? Insulting me. That’s what you’re doing.” Unable to stand still, she crossed the room, gulping in air to ease the anger flaring bright and hot inside her. “I am not—let me repeat that—am not here to request money from you.” Spinning around, she marched back toward him. “Although it is none of your business, I have more than enough funds to raise Ruby.”

      He stood, but his stone-cold expression hadn’t changed. “Are you saying you’re a wealthy woman?”

      She stopped near the sofa and eyed him directly. “That would depend upon your definition of wealth. My home is not nearly as extravagant as yours, nor my business as broad, but I have more than enough to provide for a child.”

      “Providing for a child takes more than money, Miss Parker.”

      He was so cold, so unemotional, she almost laughed. Only because he was making her that nervous. And angry. “Do you think I don’t know that?”

      “I think you didn’t do a very good job the first time around.”

      Momentarily taken aback, she had to contemplate his answer. “Are you referring to the poison ivy? That wasn’t my fault, and—”

      “No, I’m referring to your sister. Anna.” Lifting a brow as he gave her face and neck a rather scrutinizing examination, he held his tongue until their gazes met again. “As I recall, you didn’t do a very good job raising Anna. You drove her away.”

      “I—” Her mind couldn’t work this fast. Her heart was still racing, thudding so hard it echoed in her ears, so it took a moment before his statement hit her brain. “What are you talking about?”

      “Anna told me about working for you.”

      “Anna didn’t work for me, we worked together,” she corrected. When his brow lifted again, an uneasy sensation rippled her spine.

      “Don’t you mean she worked while other things occupied your time?”

       Chapter Four

      The look of utter shock on her face told Gabe he might have gone too far. His comment had sounded insulting. He’d meant it to be. He’d been insulting her since she’d walked into the room. He didn’t like being kept waiting, and she’d done so on purpose. However, perhaps for the first time in his life, his stomach curdled at his own behavior. Actually, it wasn’t his behavior that had turned his stomach inside out. She had when she’d said that stuff about Max wanting him to meet Ruby.

      Not impressed by how deeply that affected him, he said, “Let’s get to the point, shall we?”

      A sneer of disgust covered her face as she asked, “And exactly what is the point, Mr. Callaway? To see how rude one person can possibly be to another?”

      She spoke her mind. He’d give her that. Anna had, too. It had been part of what had drawn him to her. Not drawn this time, he moved back toward his chair. “Ruby,” he said. “If what you are saying is true, that you aren’t here to ask for money.” He paused while turning about and sitting down. “Then I will offer you my hospitality until you’re prepared to return to Kansas City.”

      “How kind of you,” she said with more arsenic than a chemist’s cupboard. Smoothing her skirt over her knees as she sat down, she continued, “You can rest assured we will not overstay our welcome. I believe there is an eastbound train stopping near here tomorrow. If it won’t be too much trouble, Ruby and I will merely require a ride to the station in order to board the locomotive.”

      Good. The sooner she left, the better they’d all be. “One of my men will give you a ride.”

      Her smile was starchy and snide at the same time. “Thank you.”

      Needing to be sure she understood fully, he said, “You, a ride. Ruby will be staying here.”

      The smile faded as she shook her head.

      “Yes, Miss Parker. Ruby, my niece, will be remaining with me, here at the ranch that she will one

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