Nelson's Brand

Back at the Nelson place, Gene had just gone into the house to find his half sister, Marie, glaring at him from the living room. She looked like Dwight, except that she was petite and sharp-tongued.

“Dale’s been calling again,” she said irritably. “She seems to have the idea that she’s engaged to you.”

“I don’t marry one-night stands,” he said with deliberate cruelty.

“Then you should make that clear at the beginning,” she returned.

His broad shoulders rose and fell. “I was too drunk.”

Marie got up and went to him, her expression concerned. “Look at what you’re doing to yourself,” she said miserably. “This is your home. Dwight and I don’t think of you as an outsider, Gene.”

“Don’t start,” he said curtly, his pale green eyes flashing at her.

She threw up her hands with an angry sigh. “You won’t listen! You drink, you carouse, you won’t even pay attention to the lax discipline that’s letting the men goof off half the time. I saw Rance with a bottle in broad daylight the other day!”

“If I see him, I’ll do something about him,” he said, striding toward the staircase.

“And when will that be? You’re too busy having a good time to notice!”

He didn’t answer her and he didn’t look back. He went upstairs, his booted feet making soft thuds on the carpet.

“What about Dale? What do I tell her if she calls again?” she called after him.

“Tell her I joined a monastery and took vows of chastity,” he drawled.

She chuckled. “That’ll be the day,” she murmured as she went back into the living room. At least he had been sober when he got home last night, she thought. And then she frowned. Not his usual style on a Friday night, she pondered.

It wasn’t until later in the morning, when Dwight told her about his meeting with Allison, that his behavior registered.

“You mean, he looked at her and put the shot glass down?” Marie asked, all eyes.

“He certainly did,” Dwight replied. Gene had gone out to check on the branding. Considering the size of the ranch and the number of new calves, it was much more than a couple of days’ work. “He couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off her.”

“Is she pretty?” Marie asked.

He shook his head. “Nice. Very sweet. And a passable figure. But no, she’s no beauty. Odd, isn’t it, for Gene to even notice a woman like that? His tastes run to those brassy, experienced women he meets at rodeos. But Allison seemed to captivate him.”

“If she influenced him enough to keep him sober on a Friday night, I take my hat off to her,” Marie said with genuine feeling. “He was like his old self last night. It was nice, seeing him that way. He’s been so different for the past few months.”

“Yes. I know it’s hurt him. I never realized how much until I saw him coming apart in front of my eyes. Knowing about his real father has driven him half-mad.”

“We can’t help who our parents are,” Marie said. “And Gene wouldn’t be like that man in a million years. Surely he knows it?”

“He mumbled something about never having kids of his own because of his bad blood, one night when he was drinking,” Dwight confided. He sighed and finished his coffee. “I wish we could find some way to cope with it. He has no peace.”

Marie fingered her coffee cup thoughtfully. “Maybe he can find it with our Miss Hathoway,” she mused, her eyes twinkling as they met his. “If she had that effect from a distance, imagine what it could be like at close range?”

“Except that she isn’t Gene’s kind of woman,” he replied, and began to tell her all about the quiet Miss Hathoway.

Marie whistled. “My gosh. Poor kid.”

“She’s an amazing lady,” he said, smiling. “Winnie’s very fond of her. So fond that she’ll discourage her from even looking at Gene, much less anything else.”

“I can see why. The angel and the outlaw,” she murmured, and smiled gently. “I guess I was daydreaming.”

“Nothing wrong with dreams,” he told her as he got up from the table. “But they won’t run a ranch.”

“Or organize a barbecue,” Marie said, smiling. “Good luck with the books.”

He groaned. “I’ll have us in the poorhouse in another few months. If Gene was more approachable, I’d ask him to switch duties with me.”

“Could you do that?”

“No reason why not,” he said. “But he hasn’t been in a listening mood.”

“Don’t give up. There’s always tomorrow.”

He laughed. “Tell him.” He left her sitting there, still looking thoughtful.

Chapter Two

“Are you sure this looks all right on me?” Allison asked worriedly as she stared into the mirror at the low neckline of the strapless sundress Winnie had loaned her for the barbecue. They’d spent a lazy day at home, and now it was almost time to leave for the Nelsons’ Triple N Ranch.

“Will you stop fussing? You look fine,” Winnie assured her. “You’ve been out of touch with fashion for a while. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly proper. Even for Pryor, Wyoming,” she added with a mischievous grin.

Allison sighed at her reflection in the fulllength mirror. The young woman staring back at her looked like a stranger. Her long, dark hair was loose and wavy, framing her lovely oval face to its best advantage. She’d used mascara to emphasize her hazel eyes and she’d applied foundation and lipstick much more liberally than usual. Too, the off-the-shoulder sundress with its form-fitting bodice certainly did make her appear sophisticated. Its daring green, white and black pattern was exotic and somehow suited her tall, full-figured body. The strappy white sandals Winnie had loaned her completed the outfit.

Winnie modeled dresses for a local department store, so she was able to buy clothes at a considerable discount. She knew all sorts of beauty secrets, ways of making the most of her assets and downplaying the minor flaws of face and figure. She’d used them to advantage on her houseguest. Allison hardly recognized herself.

“I always knew you’d be a knockout if you were dressed and made up properly.” Winnie nodded, approving her handiwork. “I’m glad you finally gave in and let me do my thing. You’ll have the bachelors flitting around you like bees around clover. Dwight has a friend who’d be perfect for you, if he just shows up. He’ll be bowled over.”

“That’ll be the day.” Allison laughed softly, but she was secretly hoping that one particular bachelor named Gene might give her at least a second glance. She didn’t know what kind of problems he had, but knowing that he’d been hurt, too, gave her a fellow feeling for him. It wasn’t good to be alone when you were in pain.

“You’re a late bloomer. Trust me.” Winnie dragged her out of the bedroom and down the hall to the living room, where her mother was waiting. “Mom, look what I did to Allie,” she called.

Mrs. Manley, a tall, graying woman, smiled as she turned to greet the two young women. “My, what a change,” she said. “You look lovely, Allie. I wish your parents could see you.”

Allie sobered. “Yes. So do I, Mrs. Manley.”

“Forgive me,” the older woman said. “Your mother and I were best friends for thirty years. But as hard as it is for me, I know it must be ten times harder for you.”

“Life goes on,” Allie said. She sighed, spreading her long, elegant fingers over the full skirt of the dress. “Isn’t this a dream? I don’t know how to thank you and Winnie for letting me stay with you. I really had nowhere else to go.”

“I’m sure you have plenty of friends besides us, even if they are spread around the world a bit,” Winnie chided. She hugged Allison. “But I’m still your best one. Remember when we were in seventh grade together back in Bisbee and we had to climb the mountain every day after school to get to our houses?”

“I miss Arizona sometimes,” Allison said absently.

“I don’t,” Mrs. Manley said, shaking her head. “I used to have nightmares about falling into the Lavender Pit.” She shuddered delicately. “It suited me when Winnie’s father changed jobs and we moved here. Of course, if I’d known he was going to have to travel all over the world, I might have had second thoughts. He’s gone almost all the time lately.”