Chapter 20

Chapter 20

All right, it was making him uncomfortable. Since he’d returned from town, Luna had been far too nice. She wanted to talk to him. Be by his side. Ask him questions about his life and how he lived it.

Now, Luther would admit, he liked this side of her. He enjoyed talking with her and telling her the things he wanted to do around his home. He had ideas for helping the people of Dead Man’s Crossing that had never crossed his lips because... well. No one wanted to know. So, of course, it was a rarity for him to speak of these ideas without another person questioning why he was talking so much.

Unfortunately, he also had to question why she spent so much time with him suddenly. She was almost clinging to him the past couple of days and the entire effect had become unnerving.

He needed to get them both out of the house before he did something foolish. Like press her against the wall, slide her arms up over her head, and take what he wanted from her.

No.

He couldn’t.

They were friends, just like she’d told him before. Friends didn’t kiss each other until they couldn’t breathe and friends certainly didn’t want to do more to each other. He needed to get control over himself or he’d never focus on anything else again.

Which was why he stood outside the manor, waiting for her to come out. He’d sent a servant to ask her to come into town with him, like the coward that he was, hoping she’d say no again. Although, the longer he thought about her avoiding going with him last time, the more suspicious it seemed. She’d always portrayed herself as a curious woman. Why else would she become a thief, after all?

Curiosity had to always get the better of her. Otherwise, she was a cruel woman who wanted to take rather than to explore. And he refused to think ill of her.

The doors to the manor opened, and out stepped the woman who had grasped hold of his mind in an iron fist. She’d dressed for an outing, although the dress didn’t quite fit her. The brown fabric was dull, but it made her hair appear even more bright. Almost as though even the worst of dresses couldn’t dim the fire in her very soul.

“So you are coming,” he called out to her. “I thought today might be a repeat of the last time I went into town.”

“I’m feeling much better.” She strode toward him, and he marveled at how she walked. Some might say she moved like a man, but he knew better than to think that. She moved with intention, broad shoulders and loose hips. Not at all like a lady, but like a woman who knew what she wanted.

If only he could say that she wanted him. Luther might have to shove his tongue back into his mouth or it would dry out.

Clearing his throat, he gestured to the carriage. “Come on, then! We have a busy day ahead of us. Hopefully I won’t tire you out too much.”

“Tire me out?” She lifted a red slash of a brow. “Luther. I think we both know that wouldn’t be possible.”

Oh, wouldn’t he love to accept that challenge? He’d give anything to prove to her how easily he could tire her out if she would only give them the chance.

No, he couldn’t think like that. Damn it! He had to get his head out of the gutter and focus on helping the people he needed to help today. Otherwise... well. He’d not help anyone, and that wasn’t the point.

He helped her into the carriage and then struck the roof with his fist. They ambled into movement, the horses at the front of the carriage protesting having to work today. He felt the same, honestly. But responsibility never slept. Even if he wanted to.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Into town.” Perhaps he was being vague on purpose, but he wanted to see how she’d react once they got to their destination. And it didn’t take long to arrive at Farmer Barren’s home.

Thankfully, the old man hadn’t been one of the few plagued by the wolf. He’d expected Barren to know something about it, at the very least. But the old man kept his mouth shut on the entire matter and merely shook his head, then pointed to the field. This was all the last time Luther had seen him, of course, and things changed rather quickly in Dead Man’s Crossing.

Hopping out of the carriage, he turned around to help Luna out. Except his outstretched arm was offered to air as he realized she’d already gotten out.

Luna hopped down, planted her hands on her hips, and asked, “So what’s all this, then? It sure looks like a farm to me.”

“That’s because it is,” the elderly voice echoed from behind the carriage. The black behemoth moved and revealed the haggard farmer on the other side.

“There you are, my old friend!” Luther strode over to him and clapped a hand to Barren’s shoulder. “I wanted you to meet someone.”

He noticed the moment Barren started sizing Luna up, and also knew the moment that the old man put two and two together.

Barren sniffed, obviously disappointed, and grumbled, “I think you would have done better with my granddaughter than this one. She’s like all the others, Luther. Meek and too fragile.”

Just like that, Barren dismissed Luna. He turned around and walked away from the two of them toward the field, shuffling and grumbling about women who thought they were strong enough to marry men like that.

Luther’s jaw dropped.

“I assume that’s not how you thought this meeting would go?” Luna asked as she stopped beside him.

“Not at all.”

“Just what were you supposed to be doing here? This is a farm, Luther. You’re an earl.”

“Yes I know that.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I’ve been coming out here to help Barren with his work ever since his son died. He’s a good man, and he wouldn’t have survived the winter if I didn’t. Let alone the rest of his family. He has enough mouths to feed, and his body is failing him faster than I’d like to see.”

She nodded, then turned her attention to Barren. “So you’re the one who plowed that field?”

“I did.” Was she walking away from him already? Luther had to rush to keep up with her as she walked over to the fence where Barren was already setting up his chair. “Why does it sound like you’re judging me?”

He did what he had to do to keep his town well and healthy. If that meant he had to roll up his sleeves and help, then so be it. She had no right to judge him for actively trying to assist the people who needed him most.

Barren snorted again, then turned his face away from Luna. He focused on Luther, pointing at the field. “You can start in on them again, boy. The ground needs to be turned before we plant any of the bulbs for the winter.”

“Again?” He flicked his gaze back to Luna, returning his attention to the conversation at hand. “Luna, I don’t understand your tone and I must request that you explain yourself. Of all people, I didn’t expect you to judge me for being capable of dirty work.”

That caught Barren’s attention. The old farmer focused on the two of them with a gleeful expression on his face. This would be the talk of the town. The Earl and his so-called “wife” were fighting in the middle of the field like commoners.

“I’m not judging you for working in the field.” She pointed at his rows. “I’m judging you because that’s shoddy work. He’s not making you do it again because the ground needs to be shifted. He’s doing it because your lines are about as straight as a child’s drawing.”

Well, it wasn’t like he had any guidelines to keep him going straight!

“So?” If there was a hint of anger in his response, then it was only because she had a tone as well. Not because the sad fact that his lines weren’t straight embarrassed him.

“So you’re making it damned hard on your friend here to get anything out of the ground next year. You’ll grow a labyrinth of food but you won’t be able to pick any of it.” She pressed a hand to her mouth, then gave up trying to control her laughter. Instead, she tossed her head back and let the mirth fly out. “Oh, Luther, I know you think you’re helping this man, but I think you’re doing more harm than good!”

He looked over at Barren for any help. The old man should know how to control a harpy like this. But he watched the expression on Barren’s face turn from one of disapproval to one of utter shock.

The farmer waited until Luna stopped laughing before he asked, “You know how to tend a field?”

“I know a thing or two,” she replied, still grinning wildly. “Now it would be my greatest honor if you would let me fix what this man has done to your poor ground.”

“You want to what?” Now it was time for Barren’s jaw to fall open as he watched Luther’s young woman kneel in front of his chair.

“I know this winter is going to be hard. I’ve seen it in the eyes of the snowy owls returning too early. The woodpeckers are sharing nests, which I’m sure you know means a long, cold winter coming. Please. Let me do this so that Luther will stop fearing that you and your family will go hungry.”

“We’ve already gotten our food for this year,” Barren said, though the man was clearly dumbfounded.

“Then I’ll make sure you have enough next year.” She patted her hand on his knee and stood.

Luther put his hand on Barren’s shoulder and the two of them watched as she pulled her skirts up between her legs, tucked them into the waistband, and then walked over to the plow. Like she knew what she was doing. Like she didn’t care at all that ladies didn’t do this. Ladies shouldn’t know how to do this.

Farmer Barren opened his mouth, closed it, and then let it drop back open as she strapped herself onto the plow. “She’s not going to do what I think she’s going to do.”

“I think she is,” he murmured.

There she went. Surprising him again.

Luna leaned into the metal shoulder pieces of the plow and off she strode down the field. As if the plow hardly weighed anything. She walked along the darkened earth, pulling it behind her, and Luther knew first hand how difficult that was. He’d been sweating profusely by the end of the first row that he carved, and she was moving twice as fast.

“Who is this woman?” Barren asked him, looking up at Luther as though he’d seen a ghost. “This isn’t some young thing you found at a dinner party. Not like the town people are making it seem.”

“That’s a story and a half, old man.”

“Well, you’d best be telling it to me. Because the rest of the people here think you’ve gone soft and I expected her to be a glass figurine that had latched her claws into you. Good lord, Luther. You’ve found an ancient warrior for a wife and you never once told me about her.”

He didn’t know what to say about that, but he knew he could trust the old man. Of anyone in this town or even in his household, he was the one that wouldn’t let any of Luther’s secrets slip.

Well, all but one.

Still, if he could tell Farmer Barren the entire story, then that was one last thing he had to worry about. The weight would lift free from his shoulders and, for once, he would be a little lighter.

So Luther sat down beside his old friend and he let the entire story spill from his tongue. He spared no detail, even the most embarrassing part, which was that his lie had spun into a truth. He found her to be one of the most amazing women he’d ever met. A life without her now seemed boring, and he didn’t know how to tell her that.

Not really, at least. He’d wooed women before, but this wasn’t just any woman. This was the first one he actually wanted to keep.

Once Luther finished the story, Barren shook his head and then looked back to the young woman who had almost finished plowing. “All that for a girl like her? I can see why you’re all twisted up into knots, my boy. But I think you know the answer to this one.”

“Which is?” He desperately wanted someone to tell him the answer. And no, he didn’t know the right thing to do.

“I’d do whatever it takes to keep her, Luther. She’s the kind of woman you don’t find again. If you lose this one, she’s gone forever.”

Damn it. He’d hoped the answer wouldn’t be something like that.

But as he watched her unclip herself from the plow and wave to the two of them, sun bouncing off the red curls on her head and the slick sweat that covered her arms, he knew the old man was right.

Whatever it took to keep her. He’d do anything.