Page 56 of Texas Splendor
“Mr. Leigh is paying me good money—”
“To teach his son, not to beat him.”
“He is lazy and irresponsible—”
“Irresponsible? What time did you get out of bed this morning?”
“I don’t see that that’s any of your business.”
“This child was up before the sun tending to his chores, and he’ll sneak in a few more after everyone thinks he’s in bed, so don’t tell me he’s irresponsible. You are irresponsible.” Loree snatched the stick out of the woman’s hand and snapped it in two.
The woman’s jowls shook. “How dare you! Wait until Mr. Leigh hears about this.” She stormed from the room.
Loree slid onto the bench beside Rawley, gave him a warm smile, and began to play “Greensleeves.”
“Mr. Leigh! Mr. Leigh!”
Standing in the wagon, holding one end of the heavy table, Austin glanced over his shoulder to see something that looked like the beginnings of a dust storm hurling toward them.
“Drop it!” Dallas ordered, and Austin gladly obliged, hearing the wagon groan beneath the weight.
The banker’s wife staggered to a stop. “She broke my stick!”
“Who did?” Dallas asked.
She pointed her finger at Austin. “I believe she’s his wife.”
Austin settled his butt on the side of the wagon. “If Loree broke your stick”—he swallowed his laughter—“I’m sure she had good reason.”
“I will not tolerate interference from that hoyden when I’m teaching,” the woman said.
“I’ll talk to her,” Dallas said.
“The hell you will,” Austin said. He glared at the woman. “And she’s not a hoyden.”
“She’s married to a murderer—”
“My brother’s not a murderer.”
“I was at the trial—”
“That’ll be enough, Mrs. Henderson. Why don’t you head on home, and we’ll take this up tomorrow?” Dallas suggested.
She stuck her nose in the air. “I don’t think I can teach Rawley. That boy is as lazy as his father—”
“I’m his father.”
“Not by blood—”
“By all that matters.” Dallas shoved on the table and sent it crashing against the back of the wagon. “Jackson!”
A tall lanky man hurried out of the barn. “Yes, sir?”
“Escort Mrs. Henderson home.”
Leaving the woman to huff and puff, Dallas strode toward the house. Austin leapt off the wagon and caught up to him. “You gotta pity poor Lester being married to that.”
Dallas just snorted.
