Fortune's Legacy by Maureen Child Read Free Book Online Page A

help those behind, while always reaching forward.
    He’d built a proud family. He’d increased the legacy left by his own father, and knew that his children would do the same.
    And still it wasn’t enough.
    He wasn’t ready to go. At sixty, he should have lots of years left. He should be able to sit on a damn rocking chair on the front porch of the Double Crown and watch his great-grandchildren playing in the sun.
    Hell, only a year ago he’d had grand dreams and plans, and now…he only wished he and Lily could stop and watch a sunset together again. He wished he had thestrength to run his fingers through her hair, to kiss her, to make love to her one more time.
    Ryan’s eyes closed and a soft smile crossed his face as he remembered what his daddy used to say. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
    â€œYou’re right, Dad,” he whispered, as if Kingston Fortune were there in the room with him. Who knew, maybe his spirit was there, getting ready to escort Ryan’s soul on its trip to…wherever.
    Funny. His mind kept drifting. Never used to be like that. Used to be able to concentrate. Focus. Now… “No more wishing,” he whispered into the silence of his room. “Instead, I’ll just remember what I’ve had.” More than most, that was for damn certain, he assured himself.
    He’d loved and been loved by two women in his life. He’d raised children and known the love of family, which when you came right down to it, was all that meant anything.
    He frowned and gave a short sigh—all he could spare. He’d made mistakes; all men did. He regretted some, but others had caused good things to happen in the end, so it was hard to be sorry about them. Still, he’d tried to do his best. Tried to make a difference—not only for his family, but for the world. He’d tried. Damn, he’d tried.
    He only wished he knew if he’d succeeded.
    â€œRyan, honey?”
    He opened his eyes and turned his head on the pillow, following the voice that he knew would be with him through eternity.
    â€œStill beautiful,” he whispered, and watched his wife’s luscious mouth curve into a smile.
    â€œSilly man,” she said, and unnecessarily straightened the sheet and light blanket covering him. Smoothing, running her fingertips across the fine linen, she avoided looking at him.
    She did that so often these last few days.
    Ryan knew why. There would be tears in her amazing dark eyes. There were always tears now, and oh, how he wanted to be able to stop those tears for her. He wanted to grab her up, tumble her onto this wide, now lonely bed and bury his body deep within hers.
    Strange how the hunger for life didn’t ebb as death drew near.
    In his mind, he was still the strong young man who’d seen a teenage Lily Redgrove and lost his heart. It didn’t matter who or what had come between that time and this. There’d always been that slender thread connecting their two hearts. It had taken a lifetime for them to finally come together—and when they had it had been well worth the wait. But oh God, they were being cheated out of all the years to come.
    â€œStop,” he whispered. “Sit.”
    She did, perching on the edge of the mattress as if she were a bird gingerly landing on a live electrical wire. “Do you want anything, honey? Can I get you something?”
    â€œTime,” he said, finding a smile for her. “Give me more time, Lily.”
    â€œWe’ll have time, honey. We will.” She picked up hishand and held it gently between her own, as if she could somehow transfer her health, her vitality, to him.
    Sunlight splashed across the big room and backlit Lily until her dark hair looked gilded. A strong woman, Lily. She’d been through a lot in her life and she’d never been broken. She’d faced up to tough situations and stood her ground. Yet now she was deliberately trying to