Comanche Haven (The Loflin Legacy: Book 1) (31 page)

“
She’s not my Comanche
woman.” Grinding hard on the words, Seth’s mood grew more
agitated.

“
Right,” Charles said
without missing a beat. “And you want me to come up with an
injunction or some legal document to keep them from forcing your
young lady to do their bidding.”

“
She’s not my young lady,”
Seth insisted.

Unperturbed, Charles drummed his
fingers on the table while he considered. “Have they threatened her
with bodily harm or accosted her in your presence?”

“
No, no nothing like that.”
He raked his hand through his hair again. Exhausted warred with
exasperation at having to backtrack and explain the situation over
and over as if Charles were simple. “First of all, she’s not my
young lady and secondly, she only met him once.” Shaking his head,
he tried to clear the vision of how close she’d come to danger.
“Well twice, I guess if you take into count the other night in the
street.”

“
In the street. Good lord.
He didn’t make improper advances toward her did he?” Charles leaned
forward in his chair at the kitchen table. “Because if he did, we
can detain him for questioning. He’d have violated her rights under
the Hawkins Treaty.”

“
No, he was drunk and
disorderly, so Cole threw him in the cell for a night.” Finally
dropping into a chair, Seth waved away the possibility before
resting his head in his hands. “He probably didn’t even remember
her defending Casey during the attack.”

Charles shot out of his chair and
gripped Seth’s arm across the table, his soulful brown eyes full of
alarm. “He attacked Casey?” Charles’ words cut the air cleanly. “Is
she hurt? How bad. That son-of-a-bitch!” His eyes glowed with
anger. “I see him hang.”

Seth waited a beat until his friend
regained his some of his composure. “Sit down, Charles. Casey’s all
right. Banged up some, but resting. You can come by later, if you
like. I’m sure she’d enjoy the visit.” He couldn’t keep the
petulance out of his voice. With great effort, he watched Charles
consider the suggestion and then had to clear his throat in order
to get his best friend’s attention once more. “Like I said, Cole
told me his name is Brannon, Texas Ranger. He was tanked last night
when he got in the fight with Casey but apparently sobered up by
this morning. Cole must have released him, cause he showed up in
the mercantile and confronted Celia this afternoon. I suspect he
overheard her asking questions about Red Bear at the sheriff’s
office this morning.

“
You took her with you to
press charges at Cole’s?” Charles’ question held a degree of
accusation mixed with disbelief that grated on Seth’s already
frazzled nerves.

“
Yes, I took her with me.
She wouldn’t have it any other way.” Seth shook his head over a low
string of curses. “You don’t know her. She’s different, head strong
and stubborn as a mule.” With an audible sigh, he picked up where
he’d left off. After the scene in the street last night, he’s
demanding that we turn her over like she’s some sort of baggage or
something. He’s requested she meet with him to answer some
questions. I don’t trust him and I’m not going to sit back and let
him ride out of here with her either. I don’t give a rat’s ass if
he is a Texas Ranger or not. She’s under my roof and that’s where
she’s going to stay. To hell with the law!” He shoved back in his
chair and yanked the Stetson off his head, letting it sail across
the table before landing with a thump on the floor. He could see
the humor in Charles eyes. “I need a way to keep her safe, short of
locking her up.” He blew out a breath, slumping back in the
chair.

“
Well now, if he’s following
her, that changes things some.” Charles said. “Did anyone see him
confront her at the mercantile?”

Seth scrubbed at his face. “Ty said he
confronted her at the mercantile, today! Then Smitty and Rose came
by and confirmed the incident.. They were worried about her. Said
it appeared he had indecent intentions.”

Charles soberly absorbed the
information. “I see…” He leaned forward and looked deep into the
coffee in his cup. “But, you say, he hasn’t accosted her or
threatened her.”

Seth shook his head.

With a sigh, Charles stared into his
coffee again. “I don’t really think there’s much we can do. I’ll
get in touch with the representative for Indian Affairs. Maybe he
can offer her some protection against this Captain Brannon and his
men.” He looked over at Seth. His voice softened. “You’ll need to
get her out of here, perhaps to the territory or back east where
she came from.”

Seth scowled. “She came from here.
Besides, they’d follow.”

“
Yes, you’re right of
course. Being Texas Rangers, they have authority all over the
country.” Charles returned to staring into his cup. “Civil law is
another matter though.” Charles glanced at Seth with a gleam in his
eye.

Unsure if he liked the light that
reflected out of Charles face, Seth waited for whatever his friend
had to tell him.

Leaning over his cup, Charles peered at
Seth closely. “You know, there is one sure fire way to keep her
legally safe from the likes of Brannon.”

Charles’ reaction had Seth’s nerves
dancing. He was hesitant to ask, but he had to consider every
option and there were few at this point. “How?”

Charles rose and let out a war whoop.
He’d gotten up so fast his coffee cup tipped, sending coffee across
the table. “Damn! Sorry, I’ll get it.” Grabbing a linen napkin, he
began to mop up the mess.

“
Well, what is it?” Seth
asked, his face reflecting his impatience. Apparently, the idea
proved to be a good one because his friend continued to grin like
an idiot.

“
I just might be able to
help you after all…” Charles said.

***

“
Marriage!!!” Ty’s face held
a mix of confusion and shock. He shook his dark head to clear his
brain. “I’m not sure I understand. You’re going to marry Celia? But
why?”

“
Because, it’s the quickest
way to make sure she’s safe. As my wife, she will be under my care
and I’ll have the say on what she can and can’t do. I’ll have the
last word.” Seth blew out a breath and the stream of smoke from his
cheroot floated upward into the night air.

“
Wanna bet?”

Seth refused to be baited by Ty’s jab.
It was a good plan. The plan had some minor flaws, but they were
minor. She’ll see the sense of the plan. Being an educated woman
and understanding the laws of Texas, she’d realize marriage was
merely a means to an end. Keeping her safe was his responsibility
and as Charles had said, this was the only way.

“
Are you sure about this?”
Ty stuffed his hands in his front pockets and huffed out a
laugh.

“
What is that supposed to
mean?” Seth glared sideways at his brother all too aware that he
was treading a very thin line with this scheme.

“
I would bet money on her
refusal to go along with this, but I don’t want to take your
money.” With his legs crossed at the ankles, Ty stretched out in
the chair he occupied next to Seth’s.

His smirk didn’t set well with Seth’s
view off the balcony outside their room.

Lying back, Ty supported his head with
his hands as he ideally watched the night sky darken. “When are you
planning on telling her?”

“
Tonight...”

“
Tonight! Holy mother of…”
Ty cut the oath short and shook his head again.

Seth rose and paced like a caged cat.
“Charles can marry us tomorrow.”

“
Are you sure this is what
you want to do?” Ty had sat up and stared at him now with concern
for his older brother.

Seth glared at the sliver of a moon
overhead. “Yes… Maybe…Hell, I don’t know, Ty.” He slapped the
papers in his hand against the balcony rail. “What choice do I
have? She needs my protection. I can’t let the likes of Brannon
take her.” Stopping near the window again, he fought the low-grade
need for a drink. “Besides, it’s simply an arrangement. When the
threat moves on, we’ll get a divorce.”

Ty let out a low whistle. “Man. I’m
sure glad I’m not you. This whole thing smells. What makes you
think she’s going to go for this?”

“
Celia’s a sensible woman.
She’ll understand the necessity of the plan.” Seth rubbed at the
spot just under his heart where a dull pain kicked up. “Besides,
it’s an arrangement like buying cattle. We can get a divorce when
the threat of trouble is over,” he repeated to no one in
particular.

“
Like buying cattle…” Ty
shook his head balefully. “Jesus, Seth, do you really think she’s
gonna see it that way?” His younger brother flicked Seth an
incredulous smile that belied his young years. “She’s a woman, for
Christ sake, not a steer!”

“
Haven’t you got something
you could be doing right about now?”

“
All right, all right,
Geez...” Ty got up and stalked to the door. “First, you want to
talk to me, and the next minute you’re telling me to mind my own
business,” he grumbled as he flung the French door wider. “Will you
do me one favor.”

“
What?” His words shot with
impatience.

“
Just don’t use that
comparison about the cattle when you invite her to be your wife.
Okay?” Ty disappeared through the door, his laughter resounding off
Seth’s nerves like fingernails racing down a chalkboard.

He waited for the latch to click before
he released a slow breath along with the smoke from his cheroot. He
couldn’t blame Ty for not wholeheartedly agreeing with him. Smoke
from his cheroot wound its way upward in a sinister looking coil
while he wallowed in the past.

Having to give her up all those years
ago had been the hardest thing he’d ever done. There was no way in
hell he would allow such a thing to happen again.

She’d brought new light to his
existence within the short time she’d been back. Confident and
independent to the point of being difficult, she fascinated him in
ways he couldn’t begin to explain. She wasn’t simply beautiful, but
enchanting and it frustrated his already exhausted mind to figure
it out. After the other night, there was no way of knowing how much
damage he’d done by almost taking her like a rutting pig. He cursed
low. Now forced to impose himself on her again with the
hair-brained idea of marriage, he came up short. The laugh that
escaped his mouth had a hard edge to it. It was ludicrous to
consider that she would understand. Why should she? He’d done
nothing to warrant her trust. Instead, he’d shown her nothing but
what an ill-tempered tyrant he could be. Well, that would have to
change. Didn’t his insides cramp in painful knots with just a look
from her? Didn’t his chest ache with the mere mention of her name?
His fingers burned even now with the need to touch her.

Seth sat back, once more, in
the chair and considered the consequences of what he was about to
do. Ty had been right when he had said Celia probably wouldn’t go
along with the idea. At the very least, she’d put up one hell of a
fight, he mused. What would he do if she refused
–
let her go? He set his
jaw and considered his choices if she refused his protection. Well,
they’d just see about that. With his mind made up, he flung the
cheroot into the spittoon. He was a Loflin, wasn’t he? It was gonna
be a hard fought battle, there was no doubt about that. But he
would win this war.

There was a gentle knock at the
door.

“
Come in!” He glanced up as
Celia appeared. His nerves did a little dance in the pit of his
gut.

“
Have you eaten? I was about
to go down and get a bite. I can bring you something
back.”

He found he couldn’t breathe. When
faced with her, he simply couldn’t take a breath. She had him
wrapped and it hit him like a fist to the chest. She didn’t even
realize that she held his heart in the palm of her hand.

Tonight, she wore her regal, aloof
face. The one she’d forged over time as a defense against the
cruelties of the white man’s world, he realized.

He thought of their first encounter all
those years prior. She’d been so innocent with no clue about
prejudice or sanction. Now, because she was seen as the property of
the United States instead of a human being with rights, he was
about to ask her for her hand in marriage as a means of protection,
a ruse to protect her for certain, but also to protect his selfish
ass as well. Because, he knew without a doubt, he was falling for
her again and falling hard. His gut churned.

“
Seth?” She stood in front
of him with a quizzical look in her eyes. She rested her slender
hand on his shoulder and shook gently. “Are you all right? Where
did you go?”

Shaking off the dregs of his musings,
he looked up and into those wonderful, green eyes for the first
time since she’d entered the room.

A frown creased her brow.

“
What?”

“
I asked if you’d eaten yet.
I won five games of poker against your sister and she cried
“enough” so Maggie relieved me to get a bit to eat. Would you like
to join me?”

“
Sure.” Grinning, despite
himself, he got to his feet and followed Celia out the door toward
the stairs.