dismounted in front of Haskell’s and stepped up on the boardwalk. People wove around him, moving down to the street for a place near the action. Children’s laughter punctuated the buzz of adult conversation. Hurrying feet and restlessly stomping horse hooves stirred up the smell of dirt and animals. It looked as if the whole town had turned out. Riley squinted against the glare of the sun. Occasionally a stiff breeze shot through the crowd, bringing a crispness to the sunny fall day.
Susannah looked warm enough in a navy coat, which made her eyes even more blue than he remembered. A soft, becoming blush highlighted her cheeks, and a wisp of blond hair blew across her face. She was so pretty his whole body hummed. She looked fresh and … in the family way.
Her condition had become evident in the week since he’d last seen her.
“Good day, Susannah.” He touched the tip of his hat. “Russ, Matt.”
“Hey, Riley,” Matt said.
“Riley.” Russ grinned.
Susannah nodded primly, her gaze on a point past his shoulder.
“I didn’t expect to see you here today,” he said.
Rather than look at him, she smiled at both Baldwins. “I couldn’t say no to two such charming invitations.”
Matt switched the parasol to his other hand. “Even though I asked first.”
“Did not,” Russ said pleasantly, arms crossed over his chest.
“Ever been to a horse race before?” Riley asked her.
“No.”
“I thought you didn’t like horses—”
“She’ll like the race,” Matt interrupted with a grin. “I promised she would.”
Susannah’s lips curved as she glanced at the big man, who was standing a little too close to her for Riley’s liking. So far she hadn’t looked at him once.
“They’ll start down by the church, race through town and around twice,” Matt explained. “The winner takes home a money prize, the total of the entry fees.”
Riley was starting to feel like a spare wagon part. He glanced around. “Where’s Cora?”
“She isn’t feeling well.” Susannah finally looked at him, her blue eyes concerned. “I think she’s missing Ollie.”
Riley nodded, his gaze meeting hers in sympathetic understanding. “What about J.T.? Surely he’s around. He doesn’t miss a race.”
“He’s on watch at the other end of town.” Russ hooked a thumb toward the smithy. “Your brother needed another deputy.”
On his way into town, Riley had seen Davis Lee at the smithy, and had stopped. Since the McDougals had hit so close to town, Davis Lee wasn’t taking any chances. He’d posted a guard at either end of town for the race today.
“Are you racing today, Riley?” Matt asked.
“Yes.”
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
