Give Me Tonight

'I will,' Addie said uncomfortably, ducking her head and looking away, unable to repress a short sigh.

'I don't understand why you married Daddy, if he wasn't the kind of man you wanted.'

May's expression was infused with bitterness. 'Your father went east to find a wife and bring her back to Texas. He courted me in North Carolina. I didn't know what kind of life he'd be takin' me to, and didn't much care at the time. I thought love alone would be enough to make me happy. A woman in love makes foolish choices, Adeline. And I don't imagine you'll be any different from me in that respect.'

As was common for any large social function, the crowd was served plenty of good liquor, which helped to fuel the general carefree spirit. Some of the men conglomerated in small groups and proceeded to slap each other on the back heartily, talking about their land and businesses with seeming carelessness. Others freely admired the women, who were beautiful in their brightly colored dresses and masses of ruffies.

The younger people, who had eagerly awaited the night of music and dancing, busied themselves making new acquaintances and behaving as they thought grown men and women should. The steps they knew were not fancy or intricate, and the music provided by the cowboy band was not exactly elegant, but it was played with enthusiasm.

Addie found to her annoyance that she was keenly aware of Ben's absence, in spite of being claimed for every dance by a different person. What was wrong with her, that she couldn't keep herself from comparing Ben to every man she met and finding them all wanting? The most handsome ones here were unremarkable when compared to the memory of a man with black hair and vivid green eyes. No one else could stop her heart with his flashing smile, no one else dared to contradict and tease, and taunt as boldly as he did. She thought about him more while he was gone then she would have had he been there.

Occasionally Addie saw Jeff's face in the crowd among the lanterns and shadows, and she stayed as far away from him as possible. Occasionally he would ask someone to dance, but he kept his eyes on Addie as she was whirled around in time to the music. Her bluegreen dress emphasized the whiteness of her skin and the rich dark blond of her hair, attracting many a masculine eye.

When Addie wasn't dancing, she stayed close to Russell, finding comfort in the fact that a silent truce seemed to have developed between them. She had no intention of apologizing for the argument they'd had, and neither did Russell, but they'd made an unspoken decision to go on as if it hadn't happened. So far they'd managed to recapture some of their former easiness with each other.

Well into the evening Addie's feet were aching from the fast round-dancing, and she was relieved when the music slowed down to a pace that the less spry members of the gathering could enjoy. She managed to wheedle Russell into a dance, pestering him with questions as they moved around the floor.

'As far as I can tell, no one's mentioned anything about the fences to you,' she said, and Russell chuckled, both annoyed and admiring of her daring in bringing up the subject.

'Not at a weddin' dance, honey.'

'But that's just for tonight. What about after the wedding's over and we're all back home again?'

Russell shrugged, deciding not to answer. Addie took it to mean he expected trouble later on, and a chill of premonition stole over her. 'Daddy, I've been thinking about some of the things Ben had to say about that barbed wire.'

'What kinda things?' Although his voice was quiet, there was a menacing note in it. 'Ben been talkin' against me behind my back, talkin' against my decisions?'

'No, no,' she said hastily. 'Just explaining to me. I didn't understand why everyone's so stirred up about your fences. It's because you've enclosed the water supply, isn't it? All the nearby grassland that the Double Bar owns isn't worth anything without the water rights. I didn't realize that before.'

'It's my water. I was here long before Big George Johnson and all the rest of them. Before the war started, 'bout twenty-five years ago. I couldn't get a town job, so I came out west and claimed the land on both sides of it-which means all the range around it is mine. It always has been. But folks like the Johnsons started movin' in, pushin' in the boundaries of my ranch, expectin' half the water rights, when the river was always mine to begin with.'

'I've heard you started out as a mavericker,' she said, and he chuckled.

'Nearly everyone got his start that way, with a runnin' iron and a reata, Everyone did a little rustling, even the first sheriff of these parts. It was more respectable then. They didn't hold it against a man like they do now. But the price of cattle's gone up, and now a lot of folk think mavericking should be punished same as horse stealin'.'

'They say that Ben-'

'Yeah, he was a mavericker, Almost got himself strung up for it by a vigilante committee before I hired him.”

'Really?' Addie's eyes widened in fascination. 'I don't remember that.'

'You were away at the academy.'

'What made you decide to off him a job?'

'Ben came ridin' up to the main house with a hot-tempered crowd not ten minutes away, all of 'em bent on stretchin' his neck as soon as they caught up to him. I gave him two minutes to speak his piece. I'll bet he's never talked so fast before or since.'

Addie grinned. 'I wish I could have seen it. He must have been sweating bullets.'

'Little cat. Don't you have any kindly feelin' for him a-tall?' Russell demanded, laughing richly.

'Yes, but he's always so in control of everything. I just like the idea of seeing him a little shaken up.'

'He is every time you're around, punkin. I reckon you're the only woman who…' Russell stopped suddenly and looked at her as if a brand new idea had occurred to him. He opened his mouth and closed it, as if he wanted to ask something but didn't know how.

'What?' she prompted.

'Oh, nothin'.' He shrugged with elaborate carelessness. 'Just wonderin'… what do you think about Ben, honey?'

Startled, she stared at him with a sagging jaw. He'd never had that particular gleam in his eye when mentioning Ben to her before. Hurriedly she collected herself. 'I think he's a good foreman-'

'As a man. You ever think about him that way?'

She shook her head hastily. 'Daddy, what a silly question. And don't you dare think about asking him what he thinks about me. There's absolutely no chance of that kind of feeling developing between us.'

'Don't see why not. Less you don't like his looks?'

Addie turned even redder. 'There's nothing wrong with his looks.'

'Nice-mannered and smart too.'

'Y-yes-'

'And he's the kind women take to.'

'Yes, but… Daddy, stop this. I don't want to talk about him.'

'S' all right with me. Just askin'.' Russell appeared to be satisfied now that the subject had been brought to her attention. The music ended, and he walked her back to where they'd been standing before. Addie couldn't help noticing Jeff watching from several feet away, his eyes locked on her, catching her every movement and expression. Russell noticed too. 'That Johnson boy's eyes are gonna fall outta his head,' he remarked grimly.

Addie surprised him by laughing lightly. 'He's the kind who never wants something badly until he knows for certain he can't have it.'

'You still sweet on him?'

'I never was, in that way. He's never been anything but a friend to me.'

'Then why the hell did you get so mad when I told you not to see him anymore?'

'Because I don't like to be ordered around, by you or anyone else.'