McCrory's Lady by Shirl Henke Henke Read Free Book Online

Picking up his boots, he held them up, saying, “Put a little polish on these, will you, Eden, my darling?” A harsh, mocking smile curved his lips.
           Knowing refusal would only earn her another beating, she gave him no satisfaction by refusing or showing any emotion as she walked over and took the boots.
           “What do you want me to do? We have no polish,” she said tonelessly.
           He chuckled wickedly. “Use one of your pretty under things that I tore off you the other night for a rag. Spit-shine them. You've seen the old saddler at your pa's place work leather before.”
           Eden turned away, her face scarlet with shame as several of the men chuckled at the mention of her shredded lacy under drawers.
           “When you gonna share her with us, boss?” Haywood asked petulantly, rubbing sleep from his puffy little pig's eyes.
           “Aw, I couldn't do that, could I darling?” Lazlo asked Eden with mock solicitude. “This fragile little flower belongs to me. Why, it would really hurt her feelings if I was to lose interest in her so soon. After all, she's in love with me, aren't you, Eden?”
           “I hate you! I wish you were dead,” she ground out, wanting to fly at him with teeth and nails. Instead, she stood clutching the boots, trembling with fear and fury.
           Lazlo shook his head in mock reproof. “You sure are a fickle one, miss high and mighty Eden. A few weeks ago you were singing a different tune, sneaking off from Crown Verde to meet me, telling me how we should go to your pa and ask his permission to get married.”
           She could not deny his words. Shame rushed over her in choking waves as she replied, “I was a lovesick schoolgirl. That was before I found out what a lying, deceitful, cold-blooded bastard you are!”

 
     
    Chapter Three
     
     
           Lazlo's expression darkened as several of the men began to chuckle. One sweep of his cold green eyes instantly quelled the laughter. Then, he turned back to Eden. “Polish my boots.” His voice was deadly.
           Still shaking, she turned and walked across the camp to where his saddlebag lay, filled with all the pretty under things and the fancy dress in which she planned to be married. She had run off to meet Judd Lazlo, thinking they were going to Tucson for a wedding. She had lied to Eileen, telling her she was visiting neighbors while her father was gone. Her father would never have been so easily fooled, nor would he have let her ride alone.
           Of course, she had been deceiving Colin for weeks. Almost from the start. She could still remember the day Judd Lazlo rode to Crown Verde. He had a sly, sexy smile and dazzling green eyes. He was a handsome, mysterious stranger who lived by his guns.
           Her father had hired him to stop the trouble at the lumber mill. Judd was dangerous and forbidden and exciting. Everything Edward Stanley was not.
           Although Eden had pretended aloofness at first, Judd had subtly pursued her, being careful to keep his interest in her a secret from Colin McCrory. Soon he was stealing kisses that left her breathless and telling her that he loved her, but that if they went to Colin, her father would refuse to let them marry. After all, Judd was just a hired gunman, no one to compete with her rich, influential fiancé. He had led her down the path to destruction one small, clever step at a time until that moonlit night two weeks ago when he despoiled her of her maidenhead.
           There had been a dance at a neighboring ranch that night and Edward was unable to squire her because of pressing business in the capital. She had been a petulant, spoiled child, disappointed and angry. After the whole house was asleep, she had sneaked out to meet Judd, who insisted she drink from the unmarked bottle he had brought. He said it was “cordial” but it tasted much stronger, enough to get her