Page 16 of Texas Glory
“The bunkhouse. I’ve got twelve men hired on right now. Come roundup, I’ll hire twelve more.”
She wished she knew what to say. She didn’t know if twelve was a lot. She had no idea how many men worked for her father.
“Corral, barn.”
She walked with him until they passed the barn. He stopped and jerked his head toward a wooden lean-to. “Blacksmith works there.”
“Dallas?”
They turned together as Reverend Tucker approached, his long black coat flapping with his movements, revealing the gun he wore strapped to his thigh.
“Dallas, if you’ve no further need of my services, I need to get about the business of searching for a lost soul.”
Dallas smiled warmly, the humor shining in his eyes mesmerizing. For a moment he wasn’t the man her family despised, but a man she thought any woman would happily call husband.
“Did you get something to eat?” Dallas asked.
Reverend Tucker rubbed his stomach. “More than I should have, I’m afraid. Gluttony is a sin.”
“I know of worse sins.”
“Reckon we both do,” Reverend Tucker said.
“You know, Reverend, I was serious about building a church in my town where you could preach.”
“I know you were, and I wish I could take you up on the offer, but I can’t.”
Dallas shook his head, his smile widening. “I imagine we have plenty of lost souls around here.”
“But I’m looking for one in particular.”
Dallas extended his hand. “Then I hope you find him.”
“Her,” Reverend Tucker said as he shook Dallas’s hand. “And trust me, I will. Sooner or later, I will find her.”
He tipped his head toward Cordelia. “Mrs. Leigh, I wish you all the best.”
Cordelia envied him the freedom to leave. “Thank you, Reverend.”
“Would you mind if I had a moment alone with your husband?”
She welcomed the opportunity to escape from her husband’s side. If she could just find Cameron, talk with him, she knew he could lay her fears to rest. “No, of course not. I want to talk with Cameron. Excuse me.”
Dallas watched his wife practically gallop away. He hoped she wasn’t entertaining any notions of leaving with Cameron.
“Things seem a bit awkward,” Reverend Tucker said.
Dallas blew out a quick gust of air. “I can count the number of decent woman I’ve known in my life on one hand. I’m not skilled when it comes to talking to them.”
“You never seemed to have a problem talking to Amelia.”
“Hell, a fence post could talk to Amelia. She has a way about her of making you say things.”
Reverend Tucker smiled. “She does at that.”
“I can’t seem to find the right wording when I’m talking to … Cordelia.” He grimaced. “Where do you think her father got that name?”
“Jewel of the sea.”
