She caught her breath on a rising note of fear. “You’re just tired, Benteen.” She made a desperate attempt to dismiss his remarks as exaggerations. “Things will look better after you’ve rested a couple of days.”
“Yeah.” But he didn’t sound convinced as he patted her hand and moved away toward the bedroom.
2
Most of the time, Webb took Ruth’s existence for granted. It seemed she’d always been there in the shadowy background of his life, never seeking any attention and not expecting it. She was so quiet that it was easy to forget she was even around.
At the dinner table that evening, Webb had noticed the determined way his mother had drawn Ruth into the conversation, soliciting comments from her when none were forthcoming. It seemed impossible that a girl with blond hair and blue eyes could appear plain. Her features were comely, and her figure was adequately rounded, yet she wasn’t at all striking. Her fair coloring seemed muted, fading into nothingness, like her personality.
Still, there was a subtle difference about Ruth. She seemed more feminine tonight. Webb wasn’t sure whether it was the pink gown with its softly ruffled neckline or if it was the pale curls of her hair. With a faint degree of cynicism, he suspected it was more likely six weeks with cows as the only female company.
It was his mother’s initial prompting to take notice of Ruth’s appearance that centered his attention on her, but it was the air of vulnerability in her blushes and shyly dropped gaze whenever he said something nice to her that finally claimed his interest. There was no coyness in her actions; they were purely natural. Perhaps that’s what prompted Webb to want to put her at ease with him.
When they left the dining room after a long, leisurely meal, Webb allowed his parents to lead the way to the hotel stairs while he followed with Ruth. Nate and the boys were waiting for him to join them at a saloon down the street. With dinner over, he had a perfect excuse to take his leave of Ruth and let her retire to her room for the evening as his parents were doing, but he didn’t use it. He curved her hand along the inside of his arm and let his gaze slide down to study her profile.
“Would you like to step outside and get some fresh air?” Webb was surprised by the invitation he voiced.
Her startled glance revealed a similar reaction, but her eyes were brighter. He felt the slight tremor in her hand where her fingers touched his arm.
“Yes, I’d like that,” Ruth accepted and kept her eyes directed straight ahead.
“It will be chilly outside. You’ll need a wrap,” Webb advised.
“I have one in my room. It will only take me a minute to fetch it.” She sounded anxious, as if afraid he might change his mind and withdraw the invitation.
“I’ll wait here for you.” Webb paused beside the newel post at the base of the staircase to the rooms as she picked up the front of her skirts and rushed up the steps, trying not to appear unduly hurried. For Webb, it was a novelty to be with someone who demanded so little from him. She seemed to have no expectations for him to live up to. That was rare indeed. If it wasn’t his father, then it was some local cowboy wanting to test his skill with a rope. Even whores expected more from him because he was a Calder, whether it was money or sexual prowess.
As he glanced up the staircase, wondering how long it would take her, Ruth appeared at the top of the steps. A drab-looking coat of brown wool covered the pink gown, nearly destroying the feminine illusion he’d formed, but the anxiety he briefly glimpsed in her face was wiped away by relief when Ruth saw him waiting for her. She came quickly down the stairs to his side, a little breathless.
“That didn’t take long.” His glance strayed to the incongrous brown coat, an un flattering choice for an evening wrap.
“This is the only warm thing I brought with me.” She offered the explanation almost apologetically, aware it wasn’t appropriate.
A smile broke the hard line of his mouth. “At this time of year, you’ll need the warmth of that coat. I was just thinking it was a shame that anything has to cover that pretty pink dress.” He attempted to make her feel less self-conscious about her appearance and tucked her hand along the inside of his arm to escort her outside.
Night shadows crowded close to the edges of the gaslit streets, lurking near the corners of buildings and spilling onto portions of the sidewalks. It was relatively quiet, most of the muted noise coming from saloons down the street. There was a sharp bite to the cold air that turned their breath into vaporous clouds.
“Will you be returning to the ranch tomorrow?” Ruth inquired.
“I expect so,” Webb responded absently.
“You’ll probably be glad to get back after being on the roundup for so long,” she murmured.
“That’s for sure.” His glance ran over her, noticing the way she had burrowed her chin so deeply into the collar of her coat to keep out the cold, “Are you warm enough?”
“I’m fine.” But her teeth chattered a little.
Their strolling pace had carried them a block from the hotel. Webb suspected Ruth wouldn’t complain even if she were freezing.
“I think we’d better turn back anyway. It’s colder out here than I realized.” He guided her into a wide turn without increasing their pace.
“Yes, it is,” Ruth admitted.
“What are you going to do now that you’ve finished school?” He didn’t mention the recent passing of her mother.
“I thought about teaching some of the younger children at the ranch. Mrs. Calder—your mother—mentioned that maybe we could turn one of the smaller cabins into a day school.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”