Lariats, Letters, and Lace Read online

  ****

  "Why, thank you, darlin’. I'm sorry, but I haven't been to town and didn't get you a card."

  "That's okay," she said softly. "After all, just being your favorite girl is enough—for now." As she walked away, Kitty turned her head with her hand on her hip and said, "But mark my words, Brady Wells, someday I'm going to marry you.”

  A wave of guilt washed over him. At sixteen, and as pretty as Kitty was, Brady hadn't seen one beau come courting her. Maybe she'd taken his teasing about her being his girl a little too much to heart.

  "Kitty," he said, a serious note in his voice. His gaze took in the small-checkered, blue dress, with a low neckline edged in lace and puffed sleeves. It cinched in at her trim waist and whispered down to the ankles of the kid boots she wore. The soft, white wool shawl she wore covered her arms and kept the chill of the late afternoon air away. Her wheat-colored hair was pulled up at the sides with jeweled combs, and then left to trail down her back.

  "Yes," she answered breathlessly.

  For a moment, his words lodged in his throat. How could he tell her he had no plans of marrying her—or anyone else, for that matter? No. He had his life planned out and it didn't include a wife, or some love-struck kid.

  He gentled his voice and then said, "You know, Kitty, I'm ten years older than you. Why, I'm nearly half dead. What's a fine looking young woman like you want with an old man? Someday, you'll want a home and babies—and by then, I'll be bald and toothless… or six feet under."

  "I won't mind if you're bald and toothless, Brady. True love doesn't pay no mind to how one looks. Momma says love comes from the heart, and when two people find each other, well, that's all that matters."

  The look of hope and pure love flashing in her clear blue eyes had him feeling like the biggest heel ever. He waited a minute before he spoke.

  "I'll tell you what, Kitty. If you aren't married by the time you're twenty–one, I'll marry you."

  "Oh, Brady!" she cried, rushing into his arms.

  "Hey, hold on." He gently pushed away. "Now, I said when you're twenty-one. You're how old now—sixteen?"

  She nodded.

  "Well, now, it seems to me we got some years to get through, first."

  A smile broke over her lips. "But promise, we will! Pinky-swear it!"

  She reached for his hand and wound her small pinky finger around his.

  "I pinky-swear it," he answered, smiling. "When you turn twenty-one, we'll discuss this again."

  Not sure if he'd made things better or worse, judging by the way she was gazing up at him. He added, "I best get on with my chores."

  Kitty watched him walk away. She hugged her arms around herself. She all but burst with excitement.

  Brady Wells said he was going to marry her!

  Chapter Two

  Kitty finished school and had taken a job in town helping Wilma Ross with her seamstress business. She'd been anxious all day long to get back to her daddy's ranch to give Brady his Valentine's Day card.

  Last year on Valentine's Day, she'd made him pinky-swear he'd marry her if she wasn't married before she was twenty-one. He'd chuckled as her pinky finger encircled his, and then he said, "I swear I'll marry Little Bit if she isn't married by the time she’s twenty-one."

  He had made the promise not thinking for one moment that it would be remotely possible that a young woman as beautiful as Kitty wouldn't be snapped up by some fella in the next year or two. If he wasn't so dead-set against marriage, he might have taken her vows of loving him forever more seriously.

  Kitty had sent away to Chicago for a special Valentine's Day card for Brady. She'd been half sick with worry when, week after week, it hadn't arrived in the mail.

  Valentine's Day was here, and still no card for Brady. She crossed her fingers. "Please, God, let it be there," she whispered as she stopped her buggy in front of the post office.

  "Good afternoon, Miss Kitty," Miss Pruett called out as Kitty stepped through the door. "Land sakes, I'm happy to see you," said the woman as she looked at the young girl through the spectacles that had come to rest on the bridge of her nose. Without her glasses, the poor woman was all but blind.

  "Funniest thing happened. Weeks ago I got this package wrapped in a brown wrapper. For the life of me I thought the name on the package was to Miss Katy Lark."

  The woman continued to grin. "Well, the Lark family lives out west of town and very rarely gets mail from anyone; in fact, come to think of it, I can't remember a time when they got a piece of mail. Anyway," she added shaking her head. "I saw the name and thought, well maybe they have a daughter by the name Katy, and," she said, picking up the package so Kitty could read the writing, "you see here where the K is just barely visible, and the C? Well, now that I'm looking at it, I can see the letters—but for some reason that day I didn't see them. Anyway, I put it up on the shelf for the Lark family.

  "Well,” she continued, “I ran into Phyllis Lark, that's the mother, or should I say wife of Henry Lark. I was in Miller's Mercantile picking up some flour and sugar when I heard Mr. Miller wish Mrs. Lark a good day. I had never met her, so I rushed up and introduced myself. While we were conversing, I told her I had a package for her daughter, Katie. You should have seen the look on her face—turned out they have no children. In fact, she was barely old enough to be married, let alone be having babies, and all. I'll wager you she was barely fourteen years old. Turns out she married old Henry—why, he’s old enough to be her granddaddy! So, I reckon this is the package you've been waiting for."

  She handed the brown package with the faded writing to Kitty. With gentle fingers, Kitty opened the package. A beautiful heart-shaped card fell into her hands. The tiny wisps of satin and lace shimmered in the late afternoon sunlight. A blue-green, brown, and black eye of a peacock feather was glued to the card, along with tiny seed pearls and ribbons. Never had Kitty seen anything so lovely.

  "Oh, thank you, Miss Pruett! I had feared it was lost forever!"

  "Just happy I found the rightful owner. This ah–present—must be for some very special feller," replied Miss Pruett.

  "It sure is! Well, I've got to git on home! Thank you!" called Kitty as she rushed to the door and out into the cool afternoon air, leaving Miss Pruett gaping after her.

  The scent of fresh-baked sugar cookies filled the air as Kitty stepped into the house. She picked up a beautifully decorated heart-shaped cookie to add to Brady's present. Once in her room, she quickly stepped out of her work dress and took the new pink satin dress with tiny hearts out of her closet. The soft material had cost nearly a month's wages. Kitty and her mother had spent their evenings cutting out the pattern and sewing it together.

  She slipped the dress over her head, loving the feel of it as it glided over her body. With fingers that trembled with excitement, she laced up the burgundy corset that tied in the front. When she was finished, she walked over to the cheval mirror in the corner of her room and looked at herself. She looked beautiful. Picking the sides of the long skirt up, she twirled in front of the mirror, trying to see the view from the back. It was perfect. Never had she owned anything so lovely.

  She took care with styling her hair, pulling it up into a soft knot on top of her head and making loose finger curls to run down her back and at the sides of her face. She tied the piece of black velvet ribbon with her mother's cameo pinned to it at the back of her neck. Going over to her dressing table, she picked up the perfume atomizer she had received as a Christmas gift and spritzed on a bit of perfume. The scent of roses filled her room. She brushed on just a touch of her mother's rose colored lip paint. She stepped back and looked at herself in the mirror. She barely recognized herself; she looked every bit of her eighteen years. Brady would have to notice she was a woman now—fully grown.

  She walked through the house and out onto the front porch. She stopped and gazed out to the paddock. Brady wasn't there. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen him when she came in from work. She'd been so busy thinking about her
dress and how to do her hair, she'd plumb not noticed he wasn't about the yard.

  She lifted the skirt of her dress, careful not soil it with the wet winter grass that had yet to turn green, as it would in the coming weeks. A chicken clucked its welcome to her as she walked around the buggy she'd driven home. The horses were still tethered to it. Where was Brady? He always unbridled her horses and saw to them for the evening feed of oats and hay.

  A man stepped from the barn. For just a moment, Kitty thought it was Brady. But as she took a closer look, this man wasn't nearly as tall as Brady and had quite a bit of girth around his middle. It was Old Jasper, a hand that had been on the ranch since her daddy had first come to Iowa to homestead. If anyone would know where Brady was, it would be Old Jasper. He'd been Brady's best friend since he'd come to work for her daddy.

  "Jasper, you seen Brady about?" she asked, walking toward him. She couldn't help but notice the cowboy hat he wore had seen better days, as well as his dusty, brown boots. The jacket he wore to ward off the chill of the afternoon could use a good washing. He was in need of a haircut and a shave, as well. His hair and beard had both gone to a gray-silver color. Although he looked a bit unkempt, his blue eyes still sparkled and his smile was wide and encompassing. Kitty had never heard the man say a mean word to anyone.

  "Ah, good afternoon, Miss Kitty. My, don't you look pretty? Is that new dress?"

  Kitty smiled and turned. "It sure is. Momma and me just finished it last night. I made it special for today."

  When he looked at her and scratched his head, she giggled up at him. "It's Valentine's Day, silly."

  "Oh, yeah, that. Well, you sure look pretty."

  A smile filtered over her lips. "So, Jasper, have you seen Brady?"

  "Umm," he cleared his voice nervously. "Last I saw him, he was in the tack room in the stable."

  "Thanks, Jasper. Happy Valentine's Day," called Kitty as she turned and walked quickly toward the stables.

  "Yeah, you too, miss," he shook his head sadly and walked away.

  She walked to the stable. Opening the stable door, she stepped into the near darkness. The smell of hay, horses and leather filled the air. She heard a soft rustling in the back of the tack room, and walked toward the sound.

  In the near darkness she called out, "Brady? Brady is that you?"

  ****

  Brady stopped placing the saddle on his horse, Cash's, back at the soft sound of her voice.

  "Damn!" he muttered to himself.

  He'd all but made a clean get away. Darn chores had taken longer than he thought. He thought for sure he'd leave and not have to say goodbye to Little Bit. It was the only thing that had him feeling a might guilty. He'd sworn her Pa to secrecy about his leaving. Not wanting to hurt her. Everyone on the ranch knew she had a crush on him. Her Pa had agreed it was time for Brady to move on and let his daughter start concentrating on a future husband. The way things were, she hadn't brought a single prospect home. Why, he'd even thrown in a few cattle and horses to help Brady get his herd started. Some of the finest bloodlines around.

  ****

  Kitty stopped in front of the stall. Brady stood with his horse's saddle in his hands. Her gaze took in the black, calf-length duster he wore, his go-to-church, black, Stetson hat with a red feather tucked into the band, his good pair of cowboy boots…and, as her gaze traveled further down, the bedroll and brown carpet bag by his feet.

  "Where are you going Brady?" she asked on a strangled breath. An ache went from her head to her toes and then settled around her heart. "You're not leaving?" she cried, unshed tears welling up in her eyes.

  "Aww now, Little Bit, you knew I'd have to leave someday. I can't stay on here forever," he answered, his voice taking on a soothing tone.

  "And just why not?" she asked, her chin jutting out in defiance and her voice full of desperation.

  "Because I can't stay. I've got to be on my own. Live my dreams. I've hung around till I knew your dad's place was set and all, and now it's time for me to move on."

  Kitty's bottom lip started to tremble. "But you promised," she whispered. "You promised to marry me."

  "Ah honey, I was just joshing with ya. You knew that, didn't you, Little Bit? You never really thought I'd be marrying you, did you?"

  A single tear slipped down her cheek.

  Brady walked over to the gate and opened it. Taking the few steps that separated them, he reached for her.

  "Now, honey, don't you cry," he said putting his arms around her. For just a moment his fingers lingered on the soft material of her dress. The scent of her perfume filled the air around them. When she looked up at him, their eyes met; hers, blurred with tears.

  For a moment, Kitty knew he was going to kiss her. Her heart filled with hope. But when she felt him stiffen, fear raced through her. No, no…he had to kiss her…he had to realize he loved her, too! Taking the situation into her own hands, she stood on tip-toe and placed her warm lips against his—at first, just letting them drift softly over his. His arms tightened around her. She heard the deep intake of his breath as the kiss deepened. For just a moment, she was lost in his arms, totally immersed in his kiss—in a place she had never been before, and one she never wanted to leave.

  ****

  Coming to his senses, Brady pushed her away. His hand went to his mouth. His lips burned from the heat she had culled from his very soul. For a moment he was lost to her charms, so ready to make her his.

  "I've got to go!" he hissed, his voice coarse from the emotions whirling inside him.

  "No! Please stay, Brady. I love you! You've got to know that," she cried, reaching for him.

  He shook her hand away and turned his back to her. He picked up the saddle he'd set on the floor of the stable. Funny, he didn't remember doing that.

  "I'm leaving!" he roared at her.

  When he saw the hurt that flashed through her eyes, his voice gentled. "Can't you see I've got to go? I have plans, dreams…dreams you have no part in!"

  Kitty looked down at the Valentine's Day card she held in her hand. "Here," she said softly. "I brought you a Valentine's Day card and a cookie. Just like I have since the first day you came here." A small smile wobbled on her lips. "Remember? You promised to marry me when I turn twenty-one."

  He snatched the card from her. "Well, you ain't twenty-one yet!"

  He smirked, trying to put an end to their conversation. Maybe if he was nasty with her, she'd leave. Already, his heart was trying to tell him he did love her—he did care about her.

  "But I will be someday…and when I am, I will come looking for you, Brady Wells!" She turned and ran out of the stable.

  Chapter Three

  When her mother, Betsy, found her daughter weeping hysterically, and cradling a broken, heart-shaped cookie in her hands up in her room, she'd made a beeline to her husband, demanding answers. When she found out Will had made a bargain with Brady to leave and he'd bribed him with a good start on his herds of cattle and horses, she was mortified.

  "Our daughter loved that man with every inch of her being!" she'd stormed at him.

  "He was nothing but a half-breed drifter; my daughter deserves better!" William had roared back.

  Hearing the sound of raised voices, Kitty walked from her room to sit quietly on the stairs, something she had done as a child when her parents argued. Hearing her father's words about Brady cut deep—like a knife going straight through her heart. Kitty made her way soundlessly down the stairs and into the room.

  "What did you say father? What did you call Brady?" Her voice started to rise.

  "I called him a half-breed drifter, because that's all he'll ever be!"

  "Oh, I see," answered Kitty. She walked over to stand in front of him. Never in her life had she ever questioned anything her father said or did. His word was law in their home.

  "But he was good enough to go out in forty below weather and bring in our horses and cattle. I seem to remember Mother doctoring him for frost bite."

  She
turned to her mother. "Didn't he nearly lose a few toes, Mother?"

  Betsy nodded her head.

  "So actually, while you sat before a warm fire, sipping your brandy, Brady, the worthless half-breed drifter, was out saving your rear! We would have been ruined if he hadn't saved what was left of our herds and you know it, Father!"

  William winced as her words hit home. Being a man not accustomed to having anyone questions his actions, including his daughter and wife, he bullied back. "Well, if anyone is to blame for this situation, it’s you, young lady! Did you ever once bring a gentleman caller home? Oh no! Instead, you mooned around waiting for that piece of trash to marry you! As if that would ever happen," he sneered, crossing his arms across his chest. "Why, he wouldn't know what to do with a lady. He's used to whores—and squaws, for that matter."

  Every word he spat at her felt like a spike being driven through her heart. Maybe Brady didn't love her…but she loved him. And her heart, foolish or not, wouldn't let any other man near it.

  She whirled on him. "Well, I promise you this, Father. I will leave here when I'm twenty-one and I will find Brady! And if he isn't married by then, I will marry him. He promised me he would marry me, and I am holding him to that promise."

  With that said, she turned and walked away, leaving her father to stare after her.

  ****

  Once off Clark land, Brady pulled Cash to a stop. He still held the card Kitty had given him. Although dusk was falling, he could still see the card in the twilight. It was very pretty with all of the lace, bows, and peacock feathers. He looked down at the signature. Love, Little Bit, it read, with two little hearts drawn with their initials written inside. Kitty had written a small note at the bottom. Just three more years.

  A sad smile crossed his lips. Never in his life had anyone told him they loved him. Just this little slip of a girl. With a heavy sigh, he folded the card up and placed it into the pocket of his jacket.