Rio by Georgina Gentry Read Free Book Online Page B

snapped, his words bitten off.
    “Of course.” She ducked her head as he took her arm and led her out of the ballroom. She heard the buzz of conversation behind them.
    The night air seemed cool as they waited on the steps for their carriage. Uncle Trace said nothing as he helped her in, nor did he speak until they were in their suite at the hotel.
    “What a night!” He folded his arms behind his back and marched up and down the plush carpet. “The citizens of Austin will have something to talk about for months now.”
    “I’m sorry.” She sat down on the edge of a chair. “I didn’t know who he was and I don’t think he knew who I was either. I had to tell him.”
    Trace paused before her. “What did he say to that?”
    She bit her lip. “He seemed to shrug it off. Honestly, Uncle Trace, he came to my rescue. I didn’t know I had to have a society bachelor walk me off the stage and no girl offered a relative.”
    He ground his teeth. “That’s what you get for tryin’ to move into snooty society.” His tone was full of irony. “The gringos don’t want anyone with Mexican blood—”
    “But aren’t you half-Spanish?”
    He nodded. “It’s nothin’ to be ashamed of, as you seem to be. Your father must be turnin’ over in his grave.”
    “That’s the problem—my white face and my Mexican name.” She’d never had the nerve to bring this up with any of the Durangos.
    “Oh, to hell with the old gossips.” Trace shrugged.
    “And the dress”—she looked down at the gaudy turquoise silk—“I had no idea I would look such a fool….”
    “We were both ambushed,” Uncle Trace snapped and ran his hand through his black hair. “That bitch who runs the La Mode Dress Shoppe must have recognized us as a pairof bumpkins who didn’t know anything. You want me to deal with her?”
    Turquoise shook her head. “I want to take care of that myself.”
    He flopped down on a chair and sighed. “I’m sick of this uppity town. Maybe we can go home early.”
    She flinched and walked to the window, looking out at the gas lights of the streets. She could still hear Edwin’s voice and feel his embrace. She wasn’t ready to go back to the ranch yet.
    Uncle Trace loosened his collar. “And of all people for you to hook up with, Edwin Forester.You know we are enemies of that family.”
    “
Si,
but I don’t know why, and he acts like he doesn’t either.”
    Trace merely snorted.
    She shook her head. “I know the two families are both rich and powerful and it’s an ancient feud.”
    Trace pulled out a cigarillo and tapped it against the arm of the chair. “It goes back to our grandfathers. The Duran-gos have business principles, but the Foresters are ruthless and cutthroat. Why, they’d steal the milk from a baby calf’s bucket.”
    She bit her lip, thinking maybe he exaggerated. “The senator didn’t seem so terrible.”
    “Neither do tarantulas,” Trace snapped, “but they sometimes bite. Remember the Foresters are notorious in that they are willin’ to do anything, and I do mean anything to get what they want. How do you think he became a senator? And what were you doin’ out on the veranda with him?”
    That made her think of Rio and the way he had been treated. “We—we went out for a breath of air and—”
    “Turquoise, I’m going to tell you something about theForester men. They’ve always had a bad reputation when it comes to women.”
    She looked into Trace’s eyes. “You think because I am Mexican and obviously a simple country girl who showed up dressed inappropriately that he would try to take advantage of me?” She began to cry.
    “I didn’t say that.” Trace put the cigarillo back in its silver case and walked over to pat her shoulder. “Frankly, I don’t know what he is capable of and I don’t want to have to kill him. His father—”
    “Uncle Trace, times are changing. You can’t just go around getting in a gunfight with every man you don’t like.”
    “More’s