Charlene Sands by The Law Kate Malone Read Free Book Online

get it out of his head, her body pressed against his, her lips warm and giving, as if she’d been born to kiss him. She’d grown up to become a beautiful woman. Strong willed and spirited, but beautiful just the same. Cole hoped he could talk her out of her fool notion to defy the town ordinance. But if it came right down to it, Cole knew he’d have to stop her. The law was the law. And he couldn’t bend the rules, not even for Kate.
    “Don’t you agree, son?” Edward asked pointedly, driving thoughts of Kate from his head instantly.
    Cole straightened in his seat. “What’s that, Mr. Wesley?”
    “That if the South hadn’t wanted those Federal troops out of their cities, putting an end to Reconstruction, Hayes wouldn’t have ever taken office?”
    “Father,” Patricia interrupted, “enough political talk for one evening, please. We don’t want Meggie getting bored.” Patricia smiled sweetly and reached over, adjusting the napkin on Meggie’s lap. “How are you enjoying the meal, Meggie? You haven’t touched your vegetables. Don’t you like them?”
    Meggie put her head down. “No, ma’am.”
    “They’ll put a shine to your pretty hair. Just a bite or two each day will do.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Patricia glanced at Cole. “Your daddy ate all of his vegetables,” she said, her light brown eyes sparkling.
    She did look pretty tonight, Cole thought, watching the candlelight put a glow onto her creamy complexion. And she sure knew her manners. A woman like that would be perfect to help him raise Meggie all proper-like.
    “Won’t you take one bite, Meggie, for me?”
    Meggie shifted her attention to cast Cole an expectant look. He nodded, encouraging her. Where his daughter got her picky eating habits, he’d neverknow. The Bradshaws had all been healthy eaters. “Go on, Megpie, have a taste of the carrots.”
    His obstinate child twisted her lips into a pout. “Only if I hafta.” Meggie took a tiny bite, chewed it quickly then put down her fork.
    Edward let out a big belly laugh. “The child sure knows what she wants, doesn’t she? I like her spirit, Cole.”
    “She’s got the Bradshaw nature, that’s for sure, Edward.” Cole stroked Meggie’s head, both amazed and grateful at the powerful feelings he had for the child. She filled a hole in his life left by Jeb’s death. He and his wife, Lydia, had been Cole’s only family.
    “She just needs a woman’s influence, Cole,” Patricia said, rising from her chair. “A girl’s got to understand the subtleties in life. There are certain things she can’t learn from a man.”
    “I’m sure you’re right, Patricia,” Cole said, feeling himself being backed into a corner. He got enough lectures on the subject from Mrs. Gregory.
    He rose slightly, the gentlemanly thing to do and watched Patricia come around the richly grained burl-wood table to reach for Meggie’s hand.
    “Would you like to help me serve the dessert? We’re having peach cobbler. I’ll show you how to spoon on the cream.”
    Meggie nodded. “’Kay,” she said, taking Patricia’s hand and giving Cole a long sour look as she walked by. Cole silently chuckled at his daughter’s behavior. Mrs. Gregory would have been appalled,and although the elderly woman tried to teach Meggie right from wrong, she had enough to do keeping the house and tending to Meggie’s needs. Cole couldn’t expect any more of her. Right now, Cole found Meggie’s antics amusing, but he knew, eventually, he’d have to do something about it. Meggie needed a full-time mother. It was time Cole took a wife. He was tired of sleeping in a cold, lonely bed.
    “I hear that Malone woman is planning on opening up the Silver Saddle again,” Edward said, after Patricia and Meggie left the room.
    “That seems to be her plan,” Cole replied cautiously. He didn’t like discussing Kate with anybody, much less the man she blamed for pushing her out of town.
    “Well, I hope you know what your duty is, son.