Page 20 of Heart of Stone

“Quit jawin’ and get home to your dinner,” Stone ordered gruffly, but not unkindly, and Brent chuckled and trotted back over to the other cowboys, who were gathering the brands and dousing the fire. Stone raised one eyebrow at Luke. “You done for the day?”

“Yep. Mary sent me to make sure y’all didn’t work too long and miss supper. You know how she is when you let her fried chicken get cold.”

“I sure don’t want to get her riled up.” Stone tied his lariat onto his saddle and took Raider’s reins, walking beside Luke as they made their way to where Mist was quietly grazing beneath a tree. Dusk was falling, but fortunately, the days were getting longer as they headed deeper into March. It had turned into a warm spring after the short but bitterly cold winter, and Stone was enjoying working outdoors again.

He waited while Luke mounted up, and they rode in silence back toward home. For all the awkwardness between them at times, Stone counted it a good thing that Luke hadn’t moved out of the ranch house. That would have been simply too much for Stone to take.

When they arrived, there was a strange buggy with a pair of matched black horses sitting in front of the house. It was a fancy rig, but Stone didn’t recognize it as belonging to anyone from town. He glanced at Luke.

“Seems we have company. Any idea who it could be?”

Luke shook his head, looking as puzzled as Stone felt. “I ain’t never seen a rig as fancy as that around here.”

“Huh.” Stone frowned as he dismounted and led Raider toward the stable. “Let’s get one of the hands to take care of the horses, and we’ll go find out what’s going on.”

After Mist and Raider were turned over to one of the wranglers, Stone and Luke made their way to the house. “Let’s go in through the kitchen,” Stone said, heading to the door. “I want to find out from Mary what’s goin’ on before we meet whoever it is.”

Luke nodded and followed Stone inside. “Good idea.”

Mary rushed over as soon as they entered. “Mr. Harrison, you have a visitor,” she said, keeping her voice low, but Stone could hear the anxiousness in her tone. “I didn’t know what to do, so I put him in the parlor to wait. I hope that’s all right.”

Stone smiled reassuringly at her. “That’s fine, Mary. Don’t worry. Who is it?”

Mary smoothed her hands down the front of her apron, and Stone noticed suddenly that her cheeks were quite pink. “He said he’s your cousin, James. He’s quite the fancy gentleman, ain’t he? And so handsome!”

“Oh.” Stone blinked at that, and then he turned and looked at Luke, not sure what to think. “I ain’t never heard of a cousin James. Did Priss have some other nephew I don’t know about?”

“Not that I know of,” Luke replied, his brows snapping together in a frown. “Not on the Harrison side, anyway. I don’t know much about the Rivers side. Mr. Rivers had already passed on by the time I started workin’ here, and she didn’t talk much about his folks.”

“Huh.” Stone shrugged and hung his hat on the peg by the door. He didn’t bother to wash up; he hadn’t asked for a visitor, and he’d just worked a full day and had expected to come home for his supper. Whoever this James person was could take Stone as he was or turn right around and go back wherever he’d come from. “Well, let’s see what this is all about.” He looked at Luke hopefully. “Mind comin’ with me? You know I’m no good with meetin’ new folks.”

“If you want me to.” Luke glanced down at himself, and Stone could imagine he was thinking he was unfit to meet new folks as well.

“If he expected to take supper with the president, he should have said he was comin’. This is our place. Hold your head up and be proud.” He patted Luke’s shoulder and headed toward the parlor.

“Yourplace,” Luke muttered from behind him, but there wasn’t time to debate the issue before they reached the parlor and this James fellow spotted them, dropping whatever he’d been looking at on the roll top desk and smiling broadly at them.

“Dare I hope one of you fine gentlemen is my cousin Stone?” he asked, stepping forward with his hand outstretched. Stone noticed his skin was lily white, and there were no callouses on his slender fingers.

Stone frowned. “Fine gentleman” was a better description of this man with his fancy clothes and neatly combed hair. He was almost as tall as Stone but with a slender build, and Stone could see what had Mary’s knickers all knotted up. Blond haired and blue eyed, James had the type of elegant good looks that practically shouted “city slicker” to Stone. Still, he couldn’t be rude, since a man couldn’t help where he came from, and Stone nodded as he stepped forward.

“I’m Stone Harrison.” Stone clasped the man’s hand and shook it firmly, unsurprised to find James’ grip was weak, and his skin was as soft as it looked. “And you are?”

“James Rivers,” the man replied, flashing another charming smile. “I’m your cousin, albeit by marriage. My father and your aunt’s husband were brothers.”

“I see.” Stone frowned, not quite seeing how that made them related any more than any other two strangers, but city folk had different thoughts on things. “This is my foreman, Luke Reynolds. Luke ran the ranch for my aunt the last few years.”

“Nice to meet you.” Luke offered his hand, and James took it with less charm and enthusiasm.

“A pleasure,” James said tersely, before turning his attention back to Stone. “I apologize for not contacting you sooner. I would have written to inform you of my arrival, but you know how unreliable the post can be. Besides, family doesn’t stand on ceremony.”

Stone frowned, not caring for the way this James fellow seemed to dismiss Luke as though he wasn’t anyone important. “I wouldn’t know.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Ain’t had no family for a long time. What can I do for you, Mr. Rivers?”

“We’refamily!” James spread his hands and smiled widely. “It’s a sad fact of life that the number of surviving family members dwindles as one grows older, and I’ve suffered too many losses of late. I’d like to cultivate strong relationships with those who remain, and that includes you, of course.”

“Me?” Stone wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He’d never had anyone come and seek him out to claim kinship with him before. Well, other than Priss leaving him the ranch, but that was different. “Oh. Well. That’s nice of you.” He glanced sidelong at Luke, looking for a cue as to how to react to this fine speech.

“Have you found a place to stay yet, Mr. Rivers?” Luke asked, sounding polite, but not the least bit warm and welcoming.

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