The staff was lined up on the drive when they reached the front door, and after Lucie jumped from her pony, ran to greet Cloudy with a big hug, and immediately disappeared with her into the house, Adam whispered, “You’re about to lose two hundred dollars.” As he lifted Flora from the saddle, Mrs. O’Brien immediately launched into a highly charged recital of Isolde’s visit to the ranch.
Adam politely stopped her after several moments when she paused to take a breath by asking, “How many wagons did Isolde take when she left?”
“Ten, sir. We couldn’t stop her. Well, short of shooting her, which Montoya said wouldn’t please you, but I wasn’t so sure—sorry, sir, but you know how she is … screaming at everyone and as rude as a mule skinner with a half-dozen bottles of whiskey in him, and, well, come in and see for yourself, sir. There’s nothing left.”
A short time later when Mrs. O’Brien had been soothed and the staff dismissed with thanks and appreciation for taking care of the ranch in his absence, Adam and Flora stood hand in hand on the threshold of his looted home. Surveying the large, empty foyer, the sitting room and reception room, to the left and right of the entrance hall, similarly devoid of furniture, Adam softly whistled in astonishment. “She even took the drapes. I thought Isolde hated them,” he murmured, then added, “Maybe she didn’t want you to have them.”
“Drapes?” Flora said with a casual disregard, noticing the bare windows for the first time.
“You mean we’re not going to have a decorator out here before you can draw an easy breath? And the shape of the bathtub won’t cause you any sleepless nights?”
Flora smiled up at him. “Well, it might if I’m lucky.”
Adam laughed and drew her close, so their bodies touched and she could smell the sweet sage from the prairie in his hair. “Perhaps we should take a look at it now.” His dark eyes promised her pleasure.
“What a perfect host.”
“Western hospitality,” he murmured.
“I’ve heard of that. How long do you think this hospitality might last?”
His grin was pure seduction. “As long as you want.…”