Page 32 of Texas Glory
Her father lowered himself into his chair and leaned forward. “Did the bastard hurt you last night?”
It suddenly occurred to her that she had never heard Dallas refer to any member of her family with such loathing. He never called them derogatory names. He never hinted that their parentage might be questionable or that they might not be men of honor.
“No, Father, my husband did not harm me.”
“He didn’t hurt you at all?” Boyd asked.
She glanced up and met Boyd’s baffled gaze. “No, Boyd. Did you expect him to?”
“Did he bed you?” Boyd asked.
Cameron snapped his head up. “I don’t see where that’s any of our business.”
“She came to him a virgin,” Boyd said. “A virgin always feels pain. Did he or did he not bed you last night?”
Cordelia could not believe the words Boyd threw at her as though she had no feelings, no privacy. She had thought her heart would break last night when she’d heard the conditions of her marriage. At this moment, she felt her heart shatter. She wished she had the courage to ask them all to leave.
“Answer him, girl,” her father said.
She stared at these men, wondering if she knew them at all. She didn’t think she could have answered them if her life depended on it.
“Sweet Lord, you better not have denied him his rights last night,” Boyd said.
“Do you think he would have pulled the fence back if she had denied him?” Cameron asked.
“I just want a simple answer, Cordelia. Yes or no,” Boyd demanded. “Did he bed you?”
“That is absolutely none of your business.”
Cordelia jerked her head around. Houston stood in the doorway, his hand resting on the gun housed in his holster. He tilted his head toward Cordelia. “Didn’t mean to barge in. I was looking for Dallas.”
“He … he had to check on the herd,” Cordelia said.
“Well, then, I feel confident in speaking for him. Yougentlemenneed to be headin’ out.”
The way he said “gentlemen” made Cordelia realize he didn’t consider them gentlemen at all.
Boyd glared at Houston. “That sounded like an order. This ain’t your house.”
“I’m gonna do you a favor, McQueen. I’m not gonna tell Dallas what I just heard in this room. Now bid your sister good day and head home.”
Her father stood. “We were leaving anyway.” He patted her head as though she were a trained dog. “We’ll keep in touch.”
Her father shuffled toward the door. Houston moved aside, leaving ample room for her father and brothers to file past.
Cameron stopped at the doorway and glanced at her before leaving. She thought he looked miserable.
Houston crossed the room and took the chair her father had vacated. “Are you all right?” he asked.
Nodding, she pressed her trembling fingers to her lips, fighting to hold back the tears.
“Think there are any lemon drops left in Dallas’s desk?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t think they could take away a sad this big.”
She didn’t know how it happened, but suddenly his arms were around her and her face was pressed against his shoulder.
“Go ahead and cry,” he said quietly.
