Wild Texas Rose Read Online Free PDF

pull up nonexistent covers. Slowly she awoke as she became aware she wasn’t in her room in the new wing of the ranch headquarters.
    She realized immediately that Duncan had disappeared—as usual. Part of her wondered if he’d come to pester her or help. With him, she was never sure. He might be a lawyer, but he still loved riding with the Texas Rangers. Though tall and broad in the shoulders, he sometimes seemed more boy than man. Most of the time she felt a hundred years older than Duncan. They were playing a game they’d played since meeting. Because he was wild and did whatever he pleased, she had to be the sensible one who kept everything in order, everything grounded. He had all the adventures and she listened to his tales.
    Rose stood and shook the dust from her skirt before putting it back on. There was something improper about two adults taking a nap together, but it didn’t seem to bother either one of them. From the time they were small, she and Duncan had taken naps together under the big trees behind the house. As they’d grown older they’d sometimes met in the same spot, both with a book to read. Often they didn’t even talk; they just didn’t seem to want to be alone.
    As she began unpacking, a knock startled her. It couldn’t be past midmorning, far too early for Victoria to be back from her fitting. If Duncan came back, he probably wouldn’t bother to knock.
    Rose opened the door to the maid Tori had employed since they were in school. Betty Ann was ten years older than Rose and Victoria, but she followed around after Victoria, picking up like a mother hen, and never saw her job as one of guidance to the young girls. If Tori wanted to jump off a bridge, Betty Ann’s responsibility was simply to make sure she was dressed properly.
    “Hello, Betty Ann.” Rose stepped back so the maid could enter. “Good to see you again.”
    “Morning, Miss McMurray. I brought your dress for the wedding.”
    Rose grinned. That was about as friendly as Betty Ann had ever been and Rose learned a long time ago that she’d only fluster the maid if she tried to engage her in any conversation.
    Betty Ann carried a bright yellow dress, with white roses of lace curled along the sleeves. Without a word, she crossed the sitting room and laid the gown on the bed. “I was told to bring this over as soon as I knew you were here.”
    Rose stared. She guessed Betty Ann thought her overwhelmed by the bridesmaid dress, and she was, though not by its beauty but by the message it delivered.
    Betty Ann marched to the door. “I got things to do. If you need anything else, you might want to hire your own maid. I ain’t hired to pick up after no one but Miss Chamberlain.” She looked pointedly at Rose’s open trunk. “You’ll be needing someone to help you once the wedding party starts. The major doesn’t let his daughter show up less than perfect and I don’t think he’ll be too happy with you all wrinkled. He told Miss Victoria that he plans to dine in style every night until the wedding.”
    “I understand.” When Tori and Rose had shared a room in school, Betty Ann would pick up Victoria’s dresses even if she had to step on Rose’s to get to them.
    Rose stepped closer to the yellow dress, fighting to slow her breathing. Her friend was in trouble. Deep trouble. Though she had no idea what was going on in Tori’s life, she knew one fact: Victoria Chamberlain did not want to get married.
    As young girls going to their first parties and dances, they laughed and swore against two things. Rose promised she’d never wear yellow, not even to her own funeral, and admitted she hated roses. Any kind of roses from fresh real ones delivered with notes that read,
A rose for my Rose
, to paper ones in cards or even lace curled to look like the flower. Tori had said she’d never wear purple or shoes taller than one inch. She loved being petite and said purple was a color sensible women wore when they weren’t brave enough to