Brianna wasn’t so sure about that. Though Ace wore no weapons, his stance and air were of a man who could look death in the eye a thousand times and never blink. Brianna didn’t miss the way he assessed her from head to toe with his dark eyes. His fiery-haired wife came down to stand at the left of the front steps with him, and Joseph and his wife took their positions to the right. It was almost as if they’d rehearsed the greeting and stood off to each side to make way for a queen.
And then she appeared, an older lady in a lavender housedress with perfectly coiffed blond hair shimmering with streaks of silver. Brianna froze, staring at her with fascinated incredulity. In another fifty years, it could have been Daphne standing on that porch. The resemblance was astounding. No, no, Brianna corrected herself, it was downright unbelievable. Little wonder David remained so fully convinced that Daphne was his. The little girl truly was the spitting image of his mother.
Dory Paxton remained on the porch for a moment, her slender hands pressed to her heart. Even from many feet away, Brianna saw her blue eyes, the same color as Daphne’s, go bright with tears. Then, with her skirt lifted in one hand and exquisite grace of carriage, she came down the porch steps and cut across the patchy front yard, her gaze never wavering from the child still sitting in the buggy. She bypassed David and Brianna, stepped between the iron wheels, and lifted her arms.
“Hurry, hurry,” she said with a laugh. “Come give your grandmother a hug.”
Daphne launched herself into the woman’s arms. Dory Paxton caught the child fiercely close, swayed side to side for a moment, and then beamed a smile at David, her lovely face streaked with tears. “She looks just like me. I can’t believe it! Just like me! What a lovely gift to bring home to your mother!”
“Ain’t she something?” David laughed and curled an arm around Brianna’s shoulders. She stiffened under the weight of his hand on her upper arm. Not my imagination, she decided. He was letting everyone present know that she belonged to him. “I almost fainted when I first saw her.”
Dory stepped over to touch Brianna’s hand, then leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “Forgive my appalling lack of manners, dear, but a grandmother does have her priorities.” She cricked her neck to study Daphne’s face again and beamed another smile. “My, my, such a grown-up girl you are, Daphne.” She turned so the child could see her other relatives. Pointing, she introduced them. Daphne seemed particularly taken with Little Joe, Joseph’s son, who would celebrate his first birthday in only a few weeks.
Little Ace ran up to tug on Daphne’s slipper. “Get down, Daffy, get down! Come see our kittens! We got lots and lots!”
“Hold on for just a moment, Little Ace,” Dory said. “First let your uncle David introduce his wife to everyone.”
The introductions passed in a blur for Brianna. The famous Ace Keegan stepped forward first, gave her a firm hug, and said, “Welcome to our family.” To Brianna, he seemed as tall and sturdy as a tree. Next she was being embraced by Caitlin and treated to a wet, open-mouth kiss on the cheek from Dory Sue. Upon closer inspection, Brianna confirmed that Joseph was indeed a dead ringer for David, his mannerisms and speech nearly the same. He hugged her with a clench of strong arms, then set her back a step to survey her face. “She’ll do,” he told David with a smile. Rachel, still holding Little Joe, gave Brianna a shyer greeting, but it was nonetheless welcoming. She was a lovely woman, diminutive of stature, with large blue eyes, corn-silk blond hair, and an angelic countenance.
“Now can we go see the kitties?” Little Ace cried.
Dory laughed and set Daphne on her feet. “Mind the cow and horses, Little Ace! I don’t want you getting kicked!”
The warning fell on deaf ears. The little boy was already racing toward the barn with Daphne following in his dusty wake. Caitlin handed Dory Sue to her husband. “I’d better go supervise.” She settled sparkling blue eyes on Brianna. “Would you like to come along to see our kittens?”
Brianna felt David’s palm at the center of her spine, nudging her forward. The heat of his hand gave her a start. As she fell into step behind Caitlin, who was hurrying to catch up with her son, she heard Joseph’s wife, Rachel, say, “You take Little Joe. I want to see the kittens, too.”
Before Brianna knew quite how it happened, she was in the barn with two just-met women who called her by name and acted as if they’d known her forever. It was the oddest experience of her life. No sidelong looks of disapproval, no uncomfortable questions, no sense of separateness. Brianna felt overdressed, for both of her sisters-in-law wore cotton, not silk. She comforted herself with the thought that their simple gingham dresses were far nicer than the one she’d worn the day before yesterday, and she was glad David had insisted on buying her new outfits, inappropriate for the surroundings though they might be. At least she didn’t feel humiliated beyond bearing.
Feeling absurdly overdone, Brianna removed her hat and hooked it over a stall post. The dim interior lacked the rank odor of manure that had always assailed her nostrils in Ricker’s barn, which told her that Ace, like David, took excellent care of his stock. Lifting her skirts, she sat on the scattered hay with the other two women to watch the children admire the kittens. Daphne’s face glowed as she lifted a tiny bit of tabby fluff to her cheek.
“Oh, Mama, I’ve always wanted a kitten!”
Caitlin, strikingly beautiful with her glorious red hair, refined features, and vibrant eyes, laughed musically. “Take your pick. When they’re old enough, I’ll send one home with you!”
Rachel interjected, “Oh, no, you don’t! Daphne can come to my house and take her pick now. Mine are already old enough to leave their mamas.”
“I offered first!” Caitlin cried. Then, grabbing Little Ace by the backs of his hands, she said, “No, no, you be gentle. Ears are to hear with, and eyes are to see with. If you poke, I’ll give you a swat.”
Little Ace immediately lightened his hold on the kitten and, following Daphne’s example, held the bit of fur to his cheek. “Can I have one, too, Mama?”
Caitlin rolled her eyes. “I’m afraid you can have all of them except for the one Cousin Daphne picks. Papa says we’ve plenty of milk, cream, and rodents to have a hundred cats. Aren’t you a lucky little boy?”
“I am.” Little Ace smiled at his mother. “I want this one. It’s soft and smells good.”
Caitlin ruffled his hair. “Mind that you are gentle, then.”
Rachel lifted the mewling feline she held to admire its markings. “I stand corrected, Daphne. This is the one for you. A baby girl with a diamond shape on her forehead. If you take her, you’ll always have baby kittens to love, too. Just make sure your papa approves and commits himself to supplying plenty of milk and food for your cat family.”
Daphne took the kitten, her blue eyes round with wonder. Looking up at Brianna, she whispered, “Do you think Papa will let me have her, Mama?”
In that moment, Brianna would have believed anything was possible. “He might.”
“I’m going to call her Diamond!” Daphne cried.
Dory entered the barn and came to sit on the hay with them. The circle was now complete. She admired Daphne’s kitten. “I don’t think Diamond is the right name for her,” she said thoughtfully, her brow creasing in a thoughtful frown just the way Daphne’s did. “See how the diamond shape is up between her little ears? I think she should be called Tiara.”
Daphne took the kitten back to study her markings. “Like a princess, Grandma?”
“Absolutely,” Dory said, dimpling her cheek. “My granddaughter deserves nothing less than a cat with royal blood.”
Brianna stared stupidly at her daughter and Dory Paxton. The resemblance between the older woman and little girl wasn’t only physical. They shared mannerisms and facial expressions. Watching them together and knowing that the two were not related by blood, Brianna could scarcely believe her eyes. Dory even had the same strawberry mark on her neck.
“Well,” Rachel said, springing to her feet, “
we can no longer count on Grandma Dory to be watching over dinner. I’d better get back before the men take over.”
“Oh, lawzy.” Caitlin jumped up, too. “Ace will start playing with Dory Sue and forget all about my bread.”
Little Ace started to cry because he didn’t want to leave the kittens. Caitlin quickly dispensed with his tears by saying, “Run, Daphne! I bet Little Ace can’t catch you!”
And the race was on. Brianna fetched her hat. As she departed from the barn in the company of David’s female relatives, she swatted at her silk skirts to dispense with the hay. “I think I need to visit the dress shop for some more practical gowns. I can see right now that silk will never do for everyday wear.”
“The dress shop? You needn’t do that.” Caitlin grinned impishly. “Rachel and I both sew, and our husbands have supplied us with the loveliest sewing machines you’ve ever clapped eyes on.”
Rachel nodded. “I have some yellow gingham that would look fabulous on you! I thought it would work for me, but when I got it home and held it up in front of a mirror, I looked like a yellow blob.”
“And I have a length of pink!” Caitlin exclaimed. “I’ve always wanted to wear pink, but it simply isn’t usually possible for me. It clashes with my hair something awful.”
“You both sew?”
Dory, trailing slightly behind them, answered that question. “Sew? They are masters of the art.”
“I have heaps of patterns,” Rachel cried. “Just wait until you see. I’ve got all the latest fashions.”
Brianna was delighted to have sisters-in-law who shared her passion for creating gowns. “Uh-oh. That won’t bode well for a dress shop. David mentioned buying me the one in town. It doesn’t sound as if I’ll get much business.”
Caitlin’s eyes lighted up. “Are you a designer?”
Brianna considered the question. Normally she would reply with modest understatement, but these women made her feel as if she was one of them, and it didn’t seem wrong to state the truth. “It is my aim to one day become famous for my originals. I’ve only had the opportunity to design a few gowns, with cost always a drawback because it was in a small town, but with what I had to work with, I feel that I created some smashing successes.”
“Truly?” Dory stepped forward to lock arms with Brianna. “How lovely! The dressmaker in No Name is older and doesn’t keep up with the trends. If I want something high quality and fashionable, I must go back to Frisco for fittings. It would be so much easier if I could do that here. Are you really that good?”
Brianna thought about it for a moment, and deep in her heart of hearts, where impossible dreams had taken root, she did believe she was. “Well, it’s all very subjective, isn’t it? What I can definitely say is that I’m talented at sketching and producing what I draw. So perhaps we could spend a day creating some lovely gowns on paper to see if we share the same vision.”
“Oh, lands!” Rachel planted a hand over her breasts and spun in a circle. “I must ask Joseph to fill out a blank draft so I can go a little crazy. I’m due for at least two really fabulous gowns. My aunt Amanda is in Paris right now! She sent me some pamphlets of the fashions there. How lovely would it be to greet her when she gets home wearing an eye-popping Parisian look-alike?”
In that moment, Brianna felt as if she was truly a part of this family. It was a heady, wonderful feeling. There was only one fly in her ointment: the inescapable fact that she didn’t truly belong.
The early supper, which Brianna helped to prepare, was mind-boggling to both her and Daphne. So much food for only one family! There was fried chicken and pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, canned corn swimming in butter, fabulous yeast rolls fresh from the oven, two huge pitchers of chilled milk, and salad, all the ingredients of which Dory had collected from the grasslands around Ace’s house. Little Ace was perched on a stack of books on the side bench of the long plank table. The toddlers each sat at a corner in elevated chairs with swing-around eating trays that Ace had made.
Just as the family surrounded the table to say the blessing before sitting down, the front door swung open, and another man who greatly resembled David stepped inside, dusting his jeans with a brown Stetson and stomping his boots on the threshold rug.
“Sorry I’m late. Had a heifer go down while calving. She almost didn’t make it.”
David unfolded his hands and went to hug his brother. As he turned back to the room he said, “Brianna, my baby brother, Esa. Esa, my wife, Brianna, and my daughter, Daphne.”
Esa, with his David-like face and blue eyes, pushed at his short blond hair and whacked his hat against his leg again. “I’m too dirty to shake hands, but I’m glad to make your acquaintance, Brianna.” His mouth relaxed into a grin. “Hey, Daphne. It’s good to finally meet you.”
Ace, who loomed like a dark sentinel behind his chair at the head of the table, said, “Between kittens and dinner preparation, I’ve barely met them myself.” Inclining his head at the one empty place setting, he added, “Go wash up. We’ll wait for you if you hurry and don’t let the food get cold. Just remember to scrub behind your ears.”
“Jesus, Ace, I’m not a pup anymore.”
Dory spoke up. “Another word like that, young man, and I’ll be scrubbing your mouth with lye soap. You’ll not take the Lord’s name in vain in front of the children.”
Brianna jerked her gaze to David’s. His lean cheeks went a bit pink; then he winked at her. She ducked her head to hide her smile.
“Sorry, Ma.” Esa paused before heading up the hall to the washroom, which Brianna had visited and knew held a commode, a sink, and a tub, all with piped-in hot and cold water. To her, those were incredible luxuries. Glancing at the children, Esa said, “Jesus and I are best friends, so I say his name real regular during prayer. I meant no disrespect.” He plucked a small, leather-bound book from the waistband of his jeans. He wore a hand-tooled belt and also a gun belt much like David’s, which sported a holstered Colt revolver at each hip. “My Bible,” he said. “I plan to be a preacher someday soon.”
“A what?” Ace asked.
Esa drew up his shoulders, met his older brother’s gaze with eyes that suddenly sparked like flint, and said, “You heard me. I’m going to be a preacher.”
“Jesus H. Christ,” Ace whispered.
Dory said, “Caitlin, where is your lye soap?”
“Ma,” Ace said with a warning note in his voice. “This is no time for that. He’s serious.”
“The two of you are talking like sailors, and I won’t have it in front of the children.”
Brianna totally agreed and was mentally applauding Dory for speaking her mind when David broke out with, “For Pete’s sake, Ma, Esa just said he’s going to become a preacher.” He gestured toward his younger brother with a spread hand. “You can’t blame us for questioning his sanity. He’s a gunslinger, same as we are. How in the hell does that make sense? He can’t read from the Good Book and tell people how to live their lives when he’s packing six-shooters.”
Esa took a step back into the dining area. “Why the hell can’t I? I can believe in the Good Lord and still wear guns. Where does it say I can’t defend myself against violence and still be a Christian? You need to read the Bible, David. Jesus was no pansy ass. I’ll wear my Colts and quote Scripture, and I’ll reach people who are struggling to survive in this harsh country, carrying a rifle in one hand and a shovel in the other.”
“I don’t think defending myself is wrong,” David retorted. “But given the fact that I do defend myself and will continue to do so when I’m threatened, I don’t think I’m fit to be a man of the cloth, and neither are you.”
Brianna glanced at her daughter. Daphne’s eyes were as round as supper plates. Returning her attention to the Keegan-Paxton family, Brianna decided that her arrival as a fallen woman, with a heretofore illegitimate daughter in tow, had just taken second seat. Bless you, Esa. He’d drawn all the attention away from her.
The next instant, Brian
na wasn’t so sure Esa was a godsend. Joseph, David, and Ace all surged away from the table in a wave of formidable masculinity to confront their youngest brother, who stood with his worn Bible clutched in one brutal fist. Brianna feared there might be a physical clash. Just the possibility had her racing around the table, grabbing up her daughter, and retreating to a far corner of the front room. To her amazement, Rachel and Caitlin never moved from behind their chairs, leaving their children in harm’s way. Their only concession to the heated debate was to place their folded hands on the backs of their chairs, as if they were still waiting for a reverent blessing and eats.
“You don’t have what it takes to be a preacher, Esa,” Ace intoned firmly. “I’m with David. What the hell are you thinking?”
Joseph chimed in, “For God’s sake, Esa, you cuss worse than I do. Some impression you’d make.”
David capped it all by saying, “Son of a bitch. I bring my wife and daughter here for a first family dinner, and what does Esa do but make the announcement of the year and ruin everything! Do you always have to be the center of attention?”
Dory sent Caitlin a pointed look. Caitlin hurried into the kitchen and returned with a bar of soap in her hand. Dory caught hold of it, straightened her narrow shoulders, and to Brianna’s horror, waded right into the middle of the fray, with men towering around her. She looked each of them directly in the eye.
“Enough! You’re behaving like ill-mannered galoots!” She held up the bar. “You can continue with this foolishness and eat lye soap, or you can return to the table, bow your heads for the blessing, and dine like the gentlemen I raised you to be.”
With a bit of groaning, the men returned to the table while Esa went to the water closet for a quick scrub. He returned with dampness darkening his blond hair. His face, ears, neck, and hands were free of dirt. Brianna repositioned herself and Daphne in their former places, and Ace, at the head of the table, commenced with the blessing.