Fate's Intervention (60 page)

“
I don
’
t really claim much as far as relation to that man back there, but seeing as how Nancy spent her savings to locate and notify me of what was happening, it seems only fair that I take that money and give it to her. You going to be at your office any time soon?

“
I
’
ll be heading out shortly. I just need to get these men started on cleaning up the mess
down there.
”

Matthew nodded,
“
The
n I
’
ll wait for you at your office before heading back to the ranch.
”
Without waiting for a
reply,
he turned and started back down the lane with Marcelle on his arm. Peter appeared at the end of the thoroughfare
–
horseless.

“
Couldn
’
t find
‘
em?
”
Matthew asked.

“
Nope. The Indian must have taken them with him when he bolted.
”

“
Damn
!
”
Matthew muttered.
“
That
means he may have spotted my horse and taken it too.
”

“
Problem, Mr. Daragh?
”
The sheriff asked, riding up to them.

“
Did you happen to see a horse on the other side of that rise?
”
Matthew asked, but didn
’
t hold out any hope.

“
Can
’
t say that I did.
”

“
Damn
!
”
Matthew muttered again.
“
So
rry sweetheart,
”
he said, placing a light kiss on the top of Marcelle
’
s head.
“
I know I shouldn
’
t be swearing, but it appears that we haven
’
t any mounts.
”

“
I think I might be able to help in that department after all,
”
the sheriff smiled,
“
a
nd
it
’
s the least I can do after not heeding Miss Nancy
,
putting you folks in a world of danger.
”

“
You don
’
t have additional mounts, as I recall, Sheriff,
”
Peter said.

“
Not here I don
’
t,
”
the sheriff said,
“
but my brother lives about a half-hour
’
s ride west of
here. I
’
ll be happy to ride over and bring back some mounts for you.
H
e isn
’
t going to let them go unless he
’
s paid something.
”

“
Brixton has one-hundred-fifteen dollars in coin on his person. That should cover two mounts, don
’
t you think?
”
Matthew offered.

“
Don
’
t need three?
”
The sheriff asked, a twinkle in his eye.

“
Nope.
”

The sheriff laughed.
“
I
’
ll go let the men know what
’
s going on and be back soon with those mounts.
”

When the
s
heriff turned and rode away, Matthew drew Marcelle closer to his side and kissed her forehead,
“
T
hink we can finish the conversation we started before I left, once we get back to the house?
”
He smiled at the blush that stole into her cheeks.

“
A
s I recall, there wasn
’
t that much talking going on,
”
Marcelle grinned,
“
A
h! The man blushes!
”

“
Enough teasing, you little devil!
”
Matthew scowled and slapped her bottom-end gently.

“
S
he
’
s a handful, Matthew,
”
Peter said, laughing softly at their antics.
“
You sure you want to put up with that for the rest of your life?
”

“
I
’
m looking forward to it. If she
’
ll have me,
”
Matthew said, looking at Marcelle expectantly.

“
Well, what the bloody hell took you so long to ask?
”
Marcelle said, landing a solid punch
to Matthew
’
s upper arm.

“
Well, I
’
ll be,
”
Matthew smiled, rubbing his arm.
“
Mom was right.
”

“
The
y
’
re coming,
”
Nancy
yelled, running across the yard and bursting into the house.
“
The
y
’
re coming! Matthew
’
s brought
‘
em home!
”

“
Oh, thank God above,
”
Lilith said, closing her eyes briefly against the onslaught of relief that flooded through her body.
“
Come, let
’
s go greet them everyone!
”

Matthew stopped his horse at the end of the drive
at
o
p a small knoll
,
and looked down in astonishment at the sight that met his eyes.

“
What is it, Matthew?
”
Marcelle asked, following his gaze.
“
Well, I
’
ll be!
”
She exclaimed.

“
What
’
s got you two so
flustered
?
”
Peter asked, pulling his mount alongside his daughter.
“
Well, I
’
ll be!
”

“
That
’
s
what she said,
”
Matthew grinned.

“
I didn
’
t know we were so well liked,
”
Peter laughed, looking at the stream of people
exiting his small home.
“
How in blue blazes did all t
hose
people get in my house, is what I want to know
,
and
where in tarnation did they all come from?
”

“
What did
Nancy
do, put an ad in the newspaper, explaining our plight?
”

“
Word travels fast
‘
round these parts, remember?
”
Peter said.
“
Well, however they found out, it
’
s nice to know that so many people care about what happens to us, doesn
’
t it?
”

“
Or what happens to their future horse stock, or haven
’
t you noticed yet that
a majority of them people down there
are
our clients,
”
Matthew laughed.

“
A
nd
a bunch more seem to be Stanharbor
’
s,
”
Peter said in surprise.
“
Wonder if they
’
re interested in switching purchasers.
”

“
Well, since Clifford is moving to
New York
soon, it
’
ll be a sure bet that they
’
ll be in the market.
”

“
Clifford
’
s moving?
”
Marcelle asked in astonishment.
“
When did all this happen?
”

“
A
fter
his trip to
New York
,
”
Matthew said and laughed at the continued surprise that adhered to their faces.

“
Clifford was in
New York
?
”
Peter asked.

“
I
’
ll explain as soon as everything settles down, fair enough?
”
Matthew laughed.

“
Deal,
”
Peter laughed.

“
Let
’
s just hope that those people down there are willing to part with a bit more of their money
. Our
mounts are not going to s
ell
cheaply, because they won
’
t be cheap mounts. Isn
’
t that
right,
d
ear
heart?
”

“
That
’
s
right,
d
arling.
”

“
I
’
ll break the jump in price to them another time. Right now, what
’
s say we go celebrate our homecoming.
”
With a whoop and a holler,
Peter
dug his heels into his horse
’
s haunches and started toward the crowd, waving his hat in the air and shouting
‘
whoopee
’
.

Marcelle laughed gleefully and spurred their horse so that they could follow, but Matthew pulled back on the reins.

“
Not so fast, Madam,
”
he said scowling.
“
You still have to pay for that teasing comment you made back at the fort.
”

“
Really
, Matthew,
”
Marcelle sighed dramatically,
“
A
m I going to have to pay every single time I open my
mouth
, w
hen you know full well that
you
’
ll misconstrue
most anything I say as teasing? Can
’
t we just let it slide this time?
”

“
Not on your life, woman,
”
Matthew growled and turned to pull her onto his lap.
Matthew
’
s mouth on hers cut
Marcelle
’
s gasp short. He kissed her long and hard before finally allowing her to come up for breath.
“
I
’
ve been waiting to do that since I left for
New York
.
”

“
You know,
”
she said breathlessly,
“
if you consider kissing as a form of payback, I may be tempted to tease you more often.
”

“
That
’
s
the idea,
”
Matthew said, and kissed her again.

“
Hey, you two!
”
Lilith shouted,
“
How about you join us down here?
”

Matthew reluctantly released Marcelle
’
s lips again,
“
W
e
’
ll be there in a minute, Mother!
”
He shouted back,
“
I just need to talk to Marcelle a moment more.
”