Whispers of Moonlight (52 page)

"Oh, that's right."

"Do you think they'll really like me, Travis? I mean, I don't go to your church and—"

"Rebecca." He said her name only once, but his serious tone and the way he took her face in his hand stopped every word.

"Robert and Eddie Langley are my closest friends," he said as he looked into her eyes. "They were thrilled when they learned you had come back to
me. You've already met Robert, and Eddie is very sweet. There is nothing to worry about."

Rebecca nodded but didn't look convinced.

"What if my dress is all wrong?"

"Your dress is almost as lovely as you are."

"You're just saying that," Rebecca told him.

Travis had to laugh and shake his head. "What am I going to do with you?" He kissed her before going back to his tie.

"Can we eat now?" Wyatt interrupted from the door.

"No," Rebecca told him, glad to have the subject changed. "You'll spoil your supper."

"What is Eddie serving?"

"Eddie? Do they call her Eddie, Travis?"

"No," Travis said easily, and then frowned. "At least I don't think they do."

This seemed to make Rebecca more nervous than ever. She had forgotten that the boys were acquainted with the Langleys. Travis said it didn't matter about church, but was that true? He felt that way, but did the Langleys share the feeling? It continued to be a worry. By the time they arrived at the Langley home, Rebecca had made herself good and sick.

"Why didn't you tell me she was expecting?" Rebecca whispered almost two hours later.

"Who, Eddie?" Travis' voice was just as low.

"Of course, Eddie. I can't believe you failed to mention that."

"I must have forgotten."

Rebecca looked exasperated. They were making their way from the dining room to the living room for coffee and had just a few moments together. Travis had thought he would need this time to ask if Rebecca was all right, but there was no need. She and Eddie had taken to each other instantly.

Not until they arrived did Travis see how low a view of herself Rebecca had. Eddie had wanted to know all about pregnancy and raising babies. At first Rebecca had been too surprised to say much, but Travis could see a change in her when she realized how much she had to offer.

"This house is beautiful," Rebecca commented as she and Travis became comfortable on the settee.

"Yes, it is." Travis' head tipped back as he looked around. "It has more of a feminine touch than our house."

Rebecca nodded in agreement.

"You could make changes, you know."

Rebecca turned to him. "At the ranch?"

"Sure. I think it will always be on the rustic side, but it would be just as easy to display teacups as guns."

Rebecca chuckled. The face he had made to accompany his statement struck her as funny. With the laugh, Travis wanted to kiss her. He was pulling her close when they were joined by their host and hostess. Rebecca's face flamed, and she took several moments to adjust the skirt of her dress.

"Where did the boys head to?" Travis asked, trying not to laugh at his wife's chagrin.

"They wanted to eat dessert in the kitchen. Robert put some old wooden toys out there. I'm sure they'll be busy for hours. Rebecca, did you say you like tea?"

" "Yes.

"So do I. I put the kettle on, so it will be a few minutes. Do you want coffee, Travis?"

"If I pass, will I still get dessert?"

The question made Eddie laugh, and Rebecca saw again how close the three of them were. They did nothing to keep her out, but there was a connection among them that she couldn't quite be a part of. She couldn't put a name to it, but she could feel it.

"Were you born in Colorado, Rebecca?" Robert asked. It was the first of many questions. Rebecca asked dozens of her own, loving the romantic way Robert and Eddie had met. They talked for the next hour, enjoyed dessert, and then talked on until way too late. The boys were drooping by the time they left, and Rebecca knew they would be crabby in the morning.

"Thank you," Rebecca said to Eddie as her hostess saw them to the door. "It was a wonderful evening."

"Let's do it again."

"I'd love to. Why don't you come to the ranch?"

"Name a day."

"Two weeks from tonight?" Rebecca asked the question tentatively, but Eddie jumped at it.

"It's a date. Let me know if I can bring something."

"I'll do that," Rebecca said, sounding so pleased that Eddie impulsively hugged her. Rebecca so welcomed the embrace that she wanted to weep for Angel and the friendship they no longer shared. Rebecca left, asking herself if Eddie would ever be that type of friend. Not that Rebecca could honestly say that Angel would be there through thick or thin; after all, she had refused to take the boys. Already the letters between them had tapered off to nothing. Still Rebecca's question lingered: Would she ever feel as close to Eddie as she had to Angel?

"You're quiet."

"I was thinking," she admitted.

"Want to share?"

Rebecca thought about it. Where would she start? She finally shook her head. "No, I don't think so, Travis." She tucked her arm in his. "But thank you for asking."

The year 1877 arrived during a snowstorm, but by the end of the month, the snow was melting fast and everyone had the impression of an early spring, Moods were high, and romance filled the air. Travis and Rebecca fell a little more in love every day, and Colin North was becoming a regular fixture in the Buchanan kitchen. Lavena was still very much herself, short and to the point, but Colin was clearly fascinated with her. Lavena wasn't around to do as much as she had been, which meant more work for Rebecca, but she honestly didn't mind.

Lucky, Margo, and Margo's mother, Yvonne, had become regulars at church, and Margo had just recently shared with Eddie how she had taken the Scriptures to heart and made Christ the Lord of her life. Lucky still peppered Travis with dozens of questions, but his heart was tender and he continued to stay open to the truth, something for which Travis prayed daily concerning Rebecca. The Buchanans and Langleys had not seen as much of each other as they had hoped, but Travis also prayed that a friendship would grow between his wife and Eddie. He trusted God wholly for her faith.

The first Sunday of February she surprised him and the boys.

"Mama." Garrett was the first to see her.

Up and dressed in her best gown, Rebecca had come to the kitchen door. Travis left his breakfast and went to her. He'd already pulled her close and kissed her in bed, but this was even better.

"Good morning," he said as his arms went around her. "You look beautiful."

Rebecca cuddled against him in an attempt to make her heart feel lighter. "I thought I would go with you this morning."

"I'll enjoy that," Travis said, working hard to keep his emotions at bay. He held Rebecca out in front of him and then bent to kiss her. He wanted to ask when she had changed her mind but was afraid of pushing too hard. For the most part they got along very well, but there were times she became angry with Travis and he didn't know why. The subject of God or church was rarely brought up because Rebecca did not seem comfortable with either.

"Breakfast?" Travis asked.

"Some toast, I think, and coffee."

The boys were thrilled to have their mother present for the meal, and Rebecca had a good time even though she was swamped with guilt. She knew very well what Travis' church attendance meant to him, but she was not going just to please him. Last week Wyatt had come home and talked again of the pretty lady at church. That he was infatuated was very clear. For some reason Rebecca was overcome with curiosity and jealousy. She was certain that Travis thought her best dress was for church, but it wasn't. She had worked for ages on her hair and dress in an attempt to look her best.

You're a fool, Rebecca,
she said to herself.
You know Travis loves you. There is no other woman.
But it was no use. She had to go. She had to
see who this woman was and whether she should be worried about her husband's attentions straying.

"Ready?" she heard Travis ask. She had been wool-gathering and barely remembered to drink her coffee. With rushed movements she went to retrieve her coat, and then she saw it. Travis had a Bible in his hand. What should have been the real reason for attending church jumped at her.

"I don't have a Bible," she said quietly, but Travis only smiled tenderly.

"You can share mine."

Rebecca smiled weakly, feeling more guilty than ever. Thinking she was nervous, Travis prayed that her heart would be calm and that she would enjoy the morning. But the tense look never left Rebecca's face, and Travis prayed for her all the way to town.

You're a fool, Rebecca Rose Buchanan. An absolute fool!

She had said the words to herself a dozen times, but it didn't stop the pain. She hadn't heard a word of the sermon. Instead she had spent that entire time looking for the woman who turned out to be Eddie's sister, Jackie. And of course there had been no mystery. Jackie had come up to them as soon as the sermon ended.

"Travis," Jackie said. "Clayton tells me your wife is here."

"That she is," Travis' voice told of his pleasure.

"Help me now." Her hand went out, and Travis reached for Rebecca in order to bring them together.

"This is Rebecca," he said to Jackie when his wife had offered her hand. "Rebecca, this is Jackie Taggart. She's married to Clayton, who teaches at the school. She's also Eddie's sister."

"Hello," Rebecca managed quietly, her hand still in Jackie's tight grasp-Jackie's smile was beaming. "I'm so glad to meet you. I'm sorry I haven't been out to visit. Have you gotten settled?"

"Yes."

"That's great. We love your little boys," Jackie told her. "Wyatt comes and talks to me every week." "They love you too," Rebecca told her honestly. She looked down to see Wyatt staring at her.

"They're charmers," Jackie said, laughing good-naturedly. "I would love it if the three of you could visit sometime. We live right by the school, and I'm home most days."

"Thank you." Rebecca barely remembered her manners. "We'll have to do that."

"Great. Will we see you here next week?"

Rebecca heard herself say yes but thought it must have been another person talking.