Two Brothers Read Online Free PDF Page A

because it was unquestionably as lethal as the gun on his hip. “You’re right,” he said, with a touch to the brim of his hat. “I’ve been remiss in my peacekeeping.” He was chewing on a matchstick, and he rolled it from one side of his mouth to the other as he pushed away from the saloon doorway to approach. “I’ll escort you wherever you’re going. Make sure you get there all right.”
    Aislinn felt her neck heat up, and hoped the flush wouldn’t climb into her face. “No, thank you,” she said. “I’m fine on my own.”
    “I’m afraid I can’t take no for an answer, ma’am,” hereplied, with a note of genial regret. “Why, how could I sleep at night, knowing I’d let a poor, helpless little thing like you walk past a saloon without the full protection of the law?”
    She expelled a sigh. “Helpless? Believe me, Marshal, I can look after myself.” If he only knew, she thought, and was tempted to enlighten him, as to all she’d survived in her life. All she’d overcome.
    “I reckon if that were the case,” he said, showing no inclination to retreat, “you wouldn’t have felt compelled to mention your concern about the safety of our female citizens.”
    The end of the alleyway was in sight; the graveyard next to the Presbyterian church was just ahead, set apart from the scourge of commerce by a split-rail fence. Beyond the church was a spring-fed pond, and a big, sunbathed rock where Aislinn loved to sit, dreaming and dangling her feet in the water.
    Her patience was hard-won, but she managed to speak calmly, and with dignity. She turned and looked up into McQuillan’s face. “You have made your point,” she said firmly, and she knew her eyes were flashing. “Now, kindly let me go my way. There are those of us who work for a living, and our free time is precious.”
    He laughed, swept off his hat and struck himself in the chest with it, as if to stanch a bleeding wound. His hair was the palest gold and at once ruffled and sleek, though in need of trimming. It glinted in the sunshine, like stuff spun from a sorcerer’s spindle, while his eyes were so dark a blue as to seem almost purple. She’d been serving him meals most every day for a year. Why hadn’t she noticed, in all that time, just how devastatingly, dangerously good-looking he was?
    “I can see I’m going to have my work cut out for me, ma’am,” he said, “but I’m determined to win your confidence. Yes, indeed, I am determined.”
    Aislinn turned, hoisted her skirts as far as she dared,and started up the cemetery fence. “Please don’t trouble yourself,” she said, perched astride the top rail. “Good day, Marshal.” Having so spoken, she made to jump down on the other side, caught her dress on a splinter or some such, and landed in the grass in an ungainly heap, her skirts over her head.
    Face aflame, heart pounding with humiliation, Aislinn scrambled to her feet, just as the lawman vaulted over the fence. He was making a downright heroic effort not to laugh, but she was in no position to appreciate the sacrifice. “Are you all right?” he asked, touching her cheek with the backs of his fingers in a curiously gentle way.
    Aislinn busied herself, brushing off her skirts and smoothing her hair, which had begun to come loose from its careful braid. When she looked at him, her eyes were full of angry tears, and she would have choked if she’d tried to speak.
    “You are hurt,” he said, and he sounded genuinely worried. He shifted, so that they were very close, and she felt the heat and easy, restrained power of him. For one wonderful, dreadful moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. Then, in the next instant, he stepped back. “Guess it’s mostly your pride that’s smarting right now.” He put his hat on, and she saw a wicked humor in his eyes, though he had the decency not to grin. “I’d best be getting back, I suppose.”
    Back to the saloon, Aislinn thought ungenerously, but at the same time she