The Rancher Takes A Bride (The Burnett Brides Book 1)

smiled. "You know, cowboy, we need to work on your manners. Just today I was thinking I should show you how to have fun. You're much too serious. I could teach you how to bring that smile out for more than just company."
    His complexion turned a delightful shade of red, and his brown eyes darkened. Turning on his heel, he stomped out of the dining room, slamming the door as he went out.
    Rose turned to look at Eugenia, feeling a little anxious. But when she noticed the woman trying her darndest not to laugh, she smiled.
    "I think I made him mad."
    ***
    Travis walked into Tucker's office, the sound of his boots loud as they rapped against the hardwood floors.
    The smell of crime hung heavy, like the odor of too many unwashed bodies crammed into a crowded space.
    Desirée had been forced to spend one night in this pit of humanity because of him, and now he was threatening to return her here.
    God, she deserved it, didn't she?
    Two deputies looked up from their desks as he passed them on his way to his brother's office. Used to his coming and going, the deputies let him pass unhindered.
    Travis strolled into the small office and watched Tucker repeatedly dip his quill into the inkwell and let it scratch against the rough parchment.
    "Morning," Travis called as he took the nearest chair, stretching his legs out in the cramped area.
    Tucker glanced up and grinned. "Heard you were back. Did you get the ring?"
    Travis sighed. "Yeah, well that's what I came to talk to you about. I brought the girl back."
    "Oh?"
    "Yeah, and Mother is treating this woman like she's a visiting princess," Travis said in disgust. "They wanted to come to town and let me bring them shopping. Mother was going to show her off to her friends in town."
    "That's our mother." Tucker laughed, then glanced at his brother quizzically. "So why did you bring her back?"
    "Because of the ring. I just thought that sooner or later she'd hand it over."
    "You could have brought her back to the jail."
    "I wanted to. But Mother told me that if I brought Desirée back to jail, she would just come and bail her out again," Travis said in disbelief.
    "So where does Madame Desirée say the ring is?"
    "She claims she's never seen it. I searched her belongings and still couldn't find the damn thing. It's almost as if that gold band vanished into thin air."
    "And Mother graciously accepted this girl?" Tucker asked.
    "Practically rolled out the red carpet in welcome. You'd have thought she was royalty visiting her subjects."
    "I must say I'm a little surprised." Tucker's forehead drew together in concentration and he frowned. "Watch it, Travis. Mother's up to something. I don't know what just yet, but she's cooking up some kind of scheme."
    "This woman stole her wedding band, and she wants to go shopping!"
    "Maybe the two of them are planning on spending the cash?" Tucker joked.
    Travis shot him a glare, knowing he was only kidding, but unwilling to laugh at this sore subject. "You know how Mother feels about her wedding ring. I expected her to bust the woman in the lip, rather than entice her with shopping."
    "Come on, big brother, you know how Mother works. She's luring her into an unsuspecting trap, and then she'll pounce on her. I tell you, she's planning something."
    Travis rubbed his chin. "So you think this is all a big guise to trap Desirée, then?"
    "Certainly. Mother's almost as extreme as you are about obeying the laws. If she believes Desirée took her ring, the woman won't get away with it."
    Travis sat there a few moments and studied his younger brother. Could he be right about their mother? Was she just pretending to be a good hostess, before she trapped Desirée?
    Something didn't feel right. No matter how he twisted the image around in his mind, his gray-haired mother didn't seem the type. But then again, he'd been wrong about her on more than one occasion.
    "So you don't think I should bring her to jail?"
    "Please, no. She had my jail so stirred up, I thought I was going to have to isolate her." Tucker shook his head. "No, let her hang herself. Keep a close eye on her, and sooner or later, she'll slip up."
    "That's easy for you to say," Travis said, uneasy at the thought of having Desirée so close underfoot
    "Besides, from what I remember of Miss Severin, she wasn't exactly hard on the eyes. In fact, she was a pretty little piece that I would have been willing to try on for a ride."
    Travis bristled at his brother's words. Tucker wasn't saying anything