Page 8 of Heart of Stone
“Then stick to the basics,” Luke suggested. “Say howdy, ask ’em how they are, and say ‘that’s good to hear’ or ‘I’m sorry to hear it’, dependin’ on what they say back. Most folks will start jawin’ at you on their own after that, and all you got to do is listen and nod like it’s the most fascinatin’ thing in the world. When you get tired of listenin’, you say, ‘Well, it was nice seein’ you’, and that’s all there is to it.”
Stone felt his mouth drop open, and he shut it with a snap. “It can’t be that easy, can it?” he asked, shaking his head. He’d spent years fumbling around, looking for words, or, more often, just looking to escape. Then Luke came up with a solution like it was the easiest thing in the world. “I’ll be damned.”
Luke grinned. “It ain’t about the talkin’, it’s about the listenin’, and you’re good at that. Most folks are happy to talk your ear off, and if you run up on another quiet one, well, you can both be quiet after you get through the ‘how are you’s, and I reckon you’ll both be relieved the socializin’ is over.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Stone muttered. Then he was distracted as the first of the buildings came into sight, indicating they’d reached Serenity.
The town was decent sized, though of course not as big as a city like Reno or Abilene. Luke had told him there were nearly five hundred people, not counting the hands on the ranches who came into town looking for entertainment. There were two general stores, three banks, several small shops, a schoolhouse, and at least four saloons. Stone frowned at the sight of those, but he turned his attention to the big white building coming up on their right, its tall steeple setting it apart from the shorter buildings nearby. Buggies and wagons were pulling up around it, and Stone swallowed hard at the sight of all the people.
“Just smile and say howdy,” Luke murmured, clapping him briefly on the shoulder before guiding the horses up to a free space at a hitching post. “They’re goin’ to gawk, but you just let ’em. It won’t hurt nothin’. They want to see the new owner of Copper Lake ranch, that’s all.”
“It was easier bein’ a cowboy,” Stone replied grimly. He could feel the weight of eyes on him, and he tilted his chin up. If they were going to look, there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. But he’d not hang his head; when the nasty, cutting comments about his parentage came, he’d ignore them as he always had.
He got out of the buggy, straightened his coat and resisted the urge to fiddle with his tie while he waited for Luke to tie up the horses. Then he moved to Luke’s side, doing his best not to frown as they approached the steps of the church and the large knot of people milling around inside.
“Stick close,” Luke murmured, and then he began navigating the crowd, tipping his hat and smiling as he greeted the townspeople he knew.
Somehow, he managed to introduce Stone and keep them both moving toward the door at a steady pace, deftly avoiding any clutching hands or nosy questions that would have dragged them into conversation. It seemed like no time at all before Luke was steering him toward a pew near the front, and Stone had just enough time to notice the little brass plaque on the side that read ‘In loving memory of Daniel Rivers’ before they were seated.
“That wasn’t so bad, now was it?” Luke gave Stone a beatific smile, offering no clues as to how he’d worked that particular bit of magic.
Stone forced himself to relax back against the wooden pew back, easing the tension knotted in his shoulders, and looked at Luke gratefully. “I suppose not. You’re goin’ to have to teach me that trick, though. Seems like it would come in handy.”
Luke’s smile turned mischievous. “If I teach you all my tricks, you might not have any reason to keep me around, and I’m of a mind to stay.”
There was the teasing again, and Stone shook his head, giving a long-suffering sigh. He didn’t respond as tartly as he might have, however, given that he was sure there were judgmental eyes watching his every move.
“Minds can change,” he replied, focusing his attention on the pulpit as the rest of the congregation filed in and took their seats.
“So they can,” Luke agreed amiably. “But mine tends to stay made up when I know what I want.” He glanced sidelong at Stone with an enigmatic smile. “Just so you know.”
A part of Stone wanted to ask what Luke meant by that, but this certainly wasn’t the time. Especially since the choir was rising to their feet, and he stood along with everyone else as a piano began to play the opening hymn.
As church services went, Stone decided Reverend Cole’s was about middle of the road. He wasn’t a fire-and-brimstone type of man, but he wasn’t a complete mouse, either. Instead he exhorted his congregation to hard work, soberness, and charity, and managed to wrap up his preaching about five minutes after Stone was beginning to wonder how much longer he’d be able to keep his eyes open.
Then it was time to try to get back out of the church, so he pasted a smile on his lips, murmured politely in response to the comments directed at him, and made for the door as quickly as humanly possible, hoping Luke could work his magic if Stone got bogged down. Fortunately it seemed that most people were as anxious to escape as he was, probably looking forward to getting home to Sunday dinner and a little relaxation before the week started up again.
He made it to the door, shook hands with the preacher, clapped his hat on his head, and started down the steps, counting himself lucky for having escaped cleanly. Unfortunately, that was when his luck ran out.
“Mr. Harrison!” Stone turned at the sound of his name and fought the urge to beat a hasty retreat as he saw a large, determined matron step out from around the bush she must have been hiding behind. She was smiling widely at him, and Stone was oddly reminded of a big dog that looked friendly until just before it bit you.
“Ma’am,” Stone said, trying to glance around for Luke without being too obvious about it. Unfortunately the man didn’t seem to be around just when Stone needed him the most.
“Lovely to meet you,” the matron said, holding out a plump hand for Stone to take. “I’m Mrs. James Wilson. My husband is the doctor here in town. Your dear aunt was such a good friend of mine. We were almost like sisters.”
Stone took her hand, shaking it briefly. “Pleased to meet you.” He didn’t know what else to say, seeing as he hadn’t known his aunt at all.
“I know it must be hard, you being new in town and all,” Mrs. Wilson continued, apparently unperturbed by Stone’s terse greeting. “I’d be remiss in not inviting you to Sunday dinner with my family. Dear Priscilla would probably haunt me! And you wouldn’t have to worry about being with a couple of stuffy old people, either. My daughter Agnes still lives at home, and I know she’d be delighted if you’d join us.”
Stone’s eyes widened in horror at the thought of having to take a meal with complete strangers and try to make small talk as they’d no doubt expect him to do. Mrs. Wilson seemed the type to try to worm his whole life story out of him, and he could only imagine how well tales of his drunk father would go over.
Fortunately, Luke appeared at his side and spoke up before he had to. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Wilson.” Luke gave the formidable matron an apologetic smile. “I’m sure Mr. Harrison would love to have dinner with you and your family, but I already made him promise to go over the books with me right after church. I’ve been awful hard on him, I know, deprivin’ him of such good food and good company, but I’m tryin’ to do right by the ranch.” He captured her hand and kissed the back of it, flashing a winning smile at her. “You understand, I’m sure.”
“Well, I can hardly drag a man away from business when he’s just getting settled in.” Stone watched in amazement as Mrs. Wilson, who had to be in her late fifties, simpered at Luke and actually batted her eyelashes at him like she was some coy miss in her teens. “And we all know how well you took care of dear Priscilla and watched out over the ranch. Perhaps another time, then?” She looked at Stone. “Next Sunday?”
Eyes wide, Stone looked at Luke. If the man could rescue him from this one, he’d owe him in a big way.
Luke gave her dimpled hand a squeeze, and his smile turned beguiling. “I’m awful sorry, ma’am, but I’m goin’ to be keepin’ Mr. Harrison right busy for a while to come. He’s never run a ranch before, and I want to teach him right. It’s what Mrs. Harrison would have wanted,” he added with a hint of piety. “How about if Mr. Harrison lets you know when I’ve finally freed him from his shackles?”