Outlaw Hearts(223)

Finally she heard the door ringer. She glanced at the mantle clock. It was eleven a.m. She watched the maid walk past the study doorway to go to the front door, heard her greet someone. A man’s voice replied, said he was here to see Mrs. Vogel. Her heartbeat rushed at the sound of the voice. It had not changed a whole lot, a little deeper, maybe. She backed away from the doors, went to stand near the fireplace, and a moment later the maid escorted Lloyd to the study door, taking his hat and jacket.

“Mr. Lloyd Harkner here to see you, ma’am,” she said. The woman quickly left, and Lloyd and Beth just stared at each other for several long, silent seconds.

“Hello, Lloyd,” she finally managed to speak.

He nodded. “Hi, Beth.”

Beth wondered how he could possibly be so much more handsome than he was five years ago. There was a look of deep wisdom in his eyes, an air of grace and power about him as he walked farther into the room, looking hesitant. He was filled out in a more manly way, looking as tall and strong as she remembered his father looking, but even more handsome. He wore black, snug-fitting pants, a simple white shirt that made his skin look even darker. His dark eyes watched her carefully from a finely etched face that was perfect in every line, and his nearly black hair was slicked back from his face and just long enough to fall about the collar of his shirt.

She had not expected these sudden feelings of passion and desire. She planned to just have a talk with him, tell him about little Stephen. She had thought perhaps after all this time she would feel nothing more than a cool friendship toward Lloyd.

Lloyd looked around the room, a little overwhelmed by the mansion of a home she lived in. He noted lovely paintings on the walls, brocade rugs on the hardwood floors, several plants placed here and there, resting in expensive-looking pots. Two deep-green velvet settees sat near the marble fireplace, in which flames flickered softly. He met Beth’s eyes again, astounded by how beautiful she had become. She was a full woman now, her figure showing delicious curves, her lips full and ripe, her eyes seeming a deeper blue. Maybe they seemed that way because of the elegant, lace-trimmed dress she wore, a deep-blue taffeta, perfectly fitted to her lovely form. He thought about her lying with another man, and he had to look away. “This is quite a place you have here.”

She swallowed. “I’d rather be living in a plain little cabin in Colorado,” she answered, surprised herself at the words. She had not meant to say that.

Lloyd looked at her in surprise. God, how those words hurt. “Yeah, well, we can’t always have what we want, can we?”

She saw the hurt then, wished she had not said it. “No, Lloyd, we can’t. That’s why I asked you to come here.”

He frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I wanted to explain. It probably doesn’t help much, and I suppose there is someone else in your life by now. That is as it should be. God knows you have every right to hate me. But there was a reason for what I did, Lloyd, and now that David is dead, I think you should know that I didn’t just desert you because I stopped…stopped loving you or thought you were bad because of your father.” She walked past him to pull a cord, ringing for the maid. “Sit down, Lloyd.”

He walked over to the fireplace. “I think I’d rather stand.” He met her eyes again, trying to keep a look of anger and defensiveness in his eyes, even though all he wanted was to pull her close and tell her he still loved her. He had not expected to feel this way. He thought he was finally over her. “My pa is out of prison, you know. He didn’t do any of the things they arrested him for. Some woman came forward and said he actually saved her that day. He’s a Deputy U.S. Marshal now. So am I. I expect Pa will be a full-fledged Marshal pretty soon. He’s real good.”

“I expect he is,” she answered. “Considering how good he is with guns, and knowing what he knows about outlaws and such, he should be.”

“There are reasons for the things he did, Beth. I want you to know that. I don’t hate him anymore. We’re closer than ever.”

She nodded. “I’m glad.” The maid came in then, and Beth ordered some tea. She looked at Lloyd. “Would you like some kind of a drink? Bourbon, perhaps?”

“No. I don’t drink. I’ll just take some coffee.”

“Fine.” The maid left, and Beth stepped a little closer. “I know all about your pa being a lawman now, but I wasn’t sure about you. I found you by calling the authorities in St. Louis. All I could get was where your father and mother lived. I was hoping you would be there too. I couldn’t be sure.”