Finding Promise (29 page)

That didn't make her feel a lot better. “How do you think I would have felt if something happened to any of you?”

“We knew nothin' was going to happen to us, and that was why we didn't tell you. You woulda been frettin' over nothin' all day.”

“Now Jake has gone off again, risking his life because of me.”

Shorty saw her teary eyes. “You quit worrying about Jake. He can take care of himself. You should know that by now.”

“I know he already got shot once.”

“That just goes to show you that he's too dang mean to die. Those lily-livered cowards don't stand a chance against him.”

Promise couldn't help but smile at Shorty's nonsense.

“There you go. Let me see that beautiful smile,” Shorty urged.

Promise hugged the little man she'd grown so fond of over the months. “Just don't ever take another chance like that,” she whispered in his ear.

When Promise released him, Shorty stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a bandanna. “I almost forgot. Jake told me to give you this.”

Promise recognized it as one of Jake's. “Why?”

He thrust it at her. “Look inside.”

Taking the bandanna from his hands, she felt something wrapped inside. When she unfolded the cloth she was stunned to see her matching comb, the one she thought was lost forever. She looked at Shorty. “Where did he get this?”

“He said he got it when he was playing poker at the saloon.”

She started getting teary-eyed again. Maybe in some small way Jake still cared, she told herself. She wrapped the comb in the bandanna and held it close to her heart. “That was so thoughtful of him.”

Thoughtful, but stupid, Shorty decided. If Jake couldn't see how this gal cared about him, he didn't deserve her.

Some of the horses ambled over to them, hoping for an ear rub or something to eat. When one of the horses sniffed Promise's hair, she laughed.

Just as Shorty figured, watching horses could cure just about anything ailing you. He scratched the ears of one mare, and said to Promise, “Jake will be okay. I know the Good Lord has big plans for Jake McBride.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Jake didn't really expect to find a trail leading to Newcombe unless the man was lying in wait for an ambush, which was his specialty. That fact alone kept them on high alert at all times.

“Why do you think he wasn't with the rest of the gang?” Cole asked.

“I can't really figure that out. Maybe he wanted the men to get the job done and get the money. He might be thinking to ambush them and keep all the money for himself, but that kind of man doesn't usually have the courage to do anything alone.”

“That's what I thought. But I don't think he's the kind of man who would trust them to come back with his money,” Cole added.

“Yeah, I know.”

“Do you think he just told them to kill Promise, and if she happened to have the money with her, so much the better? Maybe he's given it up and is going down to the border to see his woman and hide out for a spell. He had to know Promise was well protected, so maybe he didn't like his odds.”

Jake tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. “Promise did put most of the money in the bank in Denver. Maybe that information got back to Schott, and he mentioned it to Newcombe.”

“That son-of-a-buck wouldn't think twice about taking a job and not seeing it through if he knew there was a better-than-even chance he was going to get killed.”

“If he knew the money was in the bank, I can guaran-damn-tee you that he didn't tell his gang,” Jake replied.

“I think that's a safe bet.”

“It's possible Newcombe just wanted the gang to kill Promise and never planned on meeting up with them. He's probably hightailing it to Mexico for some señorita, thinking no one will chase him down there,” Jake mused.

“So he wanted them to save his hide by killing Promise.”

“Yeah, but I have a hard time believing he would give up without getting something for his trouble,” Jake said.

“It's possible he realized he was running on borrowed time, and as long as Promise wasn't around to put a noose around his neck, he'd settle for that,” Cole said. “It wouldn't be the first time that a man double-crossed everyone when he was itching to see his woman.”

“That's the truth. We'll still go on to Denver to see if he happens to show up there.”

 

 

Two weeks had passed with no word from Jake and Cole. Promise could see the worry was taking a toll on Colt. Victoria confided to her that most nights she would awaken to find him pacing the floor. Promise understood his desire to do something, but with Victoria's condition, he felt his hands were tied. Victoria rarely came downstairs for dinner because she was so uncomfortable most of the time, so Colt always ate with her in the bedroom.

Every morning before dawn, both Colt and Luke left the house without waiting for breakfast. Promise would put together a basket of food for Charles to take to them when he rode out in the mornings. Charles had become so enamored with the ins and outs of running a large, successful cattle ranch that he would spend time daily with Colt, asking dozens of questions. His family owned two large estates, but they paled in comparison to the McBride ranch. Shorty told her Charles took to ranching like a man takes to good whiskey. She had to admit, Charles was a changed man. He'd developed an appreciation for the rugged beauty of the West, telling her he now understood why she wanted to come here.

The changes in Charles didn't end there. Probably the thing that surprised her the most was he had stopped asking her to marry him. She didn't know if he'd had a change of heart about his feelings for her, or if he was just giving her a reprieve in view of the circumstances. Either way, their relationship was less strained. She liked the changes in Charles, and had even allowed herself to think that one day she might be able to develop deeper feelings for him once they were back in Charleston.

Like Colt, the stress of worrying about Jake was getting to her. To keep from driving herself crazy imagining every dire thing that could befall Jake and Cole, she filled her days with cooking and household chores. When the boys were inside, she'd find time to play games with them. She wasn't sleeping well either, but instead of pacing, she spent the long nights painting in her room. Painting helped to take her mind off Jake, and at the same time complete the Christmas gift she had planned for Victoria and Colt.

 

 

The mood around the ranch could only be described as glum. Too many days had gone by with no word from Jake. Even the boys had picked up on the adults' concern about Jake and Cole, and were not their usual chatty selves. That changed early one morning when they awoke to the first snowflakes of November. The boys were as excited as if they were opening presents on Christmas morning, and their excitement was contagious. Promise's enthusiasm was tempered by the stories she'd heard of the harsh winters in this part of the country, and that added to her worries. By nightfall the flurries had turned into a full-fledged snowstorm, followed by more snow and freezing temperatures for a full week. Promise and Charles learned the difficulty of ranch work in the extreme conditions.

Colt chose that weekend to go to town to see if there was a telegram from Jake. He knew it would be difficult for anyone to make it out to the ranch, but he couldn't wait for better weather. It took him twice as long to get to town and back, but the trip was worthwhile. Luke and Rodriguez were walking from the bunkhouse when Colt came riding in.

“We were just talking about going to look for you,” Luke said.

“That snow is really coming down,” Colt responded as he dismounted and led his horse to the stable.

“Any news, señor?” Rodriguez asked.

Colt handed his reins to one of the men in the stable. “Come on in the house so I can tell you all at once.”

Promise and Charles were in the kitchen when the three men walked through the door. Colt hustled to the stove, removed his gloves, and Promise was instantly beside him with a cup of coffee.

“Thanks,” Colt said, holding the cup with both hands to warm his fingers.

“Let me take your coat,” she said.

Before he handed Promise his coat, he pulled the telegram from his pocket and read it aloud. “‘In Denver. No sign of him. Talked to Hollister. Headed to Mexico. Jake.'”

“Mexico?” Promise shrieked. “What does this mean?”

“He must think that is where he'll find Newcombe,” Colt said.

“But won't that take a long time?”

“Yes, but Jake and Cole won't let it go,” Colt said. “They will follow him to hell if necessary.”

Luke walked over and put his arm around Promise's shoulders. “Don't fret, honey. They know what they're doing.”

Promise's mind was going in a dozen different directions at one time. At least she knew Jake saw her aunt and uncle while he was in Denver. She was thankful she'd written a letter to her aunt over a week ago. She felt certain her aunt would write about Jake and Cole's visit.

Luke directed Promise to a chair, and Colt sat down beside her. “Luke's right. We wanted to know what was going on, and now we do. It has to be enough to know that they are alive and well. Let's not borrow trouble.” He was heartbroken that Jake would be away another few months, but he was determined not to let that show.

Promise knew that was one of Colt's favorite sayings,
let's not borrow trouble
. In this instance she agreed it was sound advice. Colt did look relieved now that he'd heard from his brother. She smiled at him. “I think you're right, this is wonderful news to know they are well. Now go tell Victoria. I know she's worried too. I'm going to see to the boys, then prepare dinner.”

When she left the room, Rodriguez said, “I will go to Mexico. They may need my help. They may need someone who speaks Spanish fluently.”

“You don't even know where in Mexico they are headed,” Luke replied.

“And I don't know if you can catch them now,” Colt said.

Rodriguez laughed. “As slow as you gringos ride, I will catch them before they reach New Mexico. Don't forget, this is my part of the country. I know all the trails, and my father has many friends. Gringos often find themselves in trouble across the border.” He shrugged. “If they don't need my help, I need to see my family anyway.”

Colt appreciated his offer, particularly since he couldn't do anything to help his brother. He wasn't going to reject the idea if it would help Jake. “Thanks, Rodriguez. I'm indebted to you.”

Rodriguez really did want to help Jake and Cole if he could, but if they didn't need his help, he would go see his family for the first time in a long time. He was feeling guilty he'd been gone so long. As his father's only son, he knew it was up to him to take over his family's ranch one day, and that day was getting closer. After spending time with the McBride brothers, he finally realized the importance of family.

 

 

Jake and Cole nearly froze to death before they reached Denver. Their provisions hadn't included clothing for colder weather. Cole had gathered their gear when they left the ranch, and the last thing he'd thought about was facing a snowstorm halfway to Denver. They didn't turn back since they were as far from Denver as they were from the ranch. What provisions they did bring lasted a few days, and then they had to eat whatever they could shoot. More than one night Jake had fallen asleep thinking about Promise's biscuits and apple pie. Hunger wasn't the only reason his mind was on Promise. Time in the saddle gave a man time to do a lot of thinking. He replayed in his mind all that had happened from the moment he'd found Promise unconscious in the driving rain. The kisses they'd shared had a way of popping into his mind at the most inconvenient times. To rid his mind of those unwanted thoughts, he kept telling himself Charles was the perfect man for her. She could return to South Carolina and resume the life she'd always known. Wyoming was too rugged for a woman like her.

When they arrived at Hollister's ranch, they didn't know what made them happier, a home-cooked meal or a dry, warm kitchen with hot coffee on the stove. They spent the night at the ranch, and learned from John that a U.S. Marshal had arrived and taken Schott into custody. Schott admitted to bringing in Newcombe to scare off the people on the wagon train, but denied any involvement in the killings. Jake had a feeling that the two men they'd captured would counter Schott's claim.

Before they left for Mexico the next morning, Nettie insisted they sit down to a good breakfast, and they didn't refuse. She placed a heaping plate of food in front of Jake. “I just received a letter from Promise before you arrived. She seems happy at your ranch.”

“Everyone at the ranch enjoys having her there, but I'm afraid we are working her too hard,” Jake replied.

Nettie thought Promise had never sounded better. Even though her niece didn't say outright that she was in love with Jake McBride, Nettie read between the lines. She'd mentioned Jake several times in her letter. “Nonsense. That gal has always been a worker and I think she's enjoying every minute.”

Jake figured before Promise left South Carolina she probably had servants seeing to her every need. “Considering her background, I didn't think she would be accustomed to cooking and cleaning.”

Listening to the conversation, Cole felt he was finally getting a handle on why Jake kept his distance from Promise. Up until now he hadn't understood why he kept her at arm's length. No matter how much he wished Promise cared for him, every cowboy on the ranch knew she had powerful feelings for Jake. Obviously, Jake thought since she was from a privileged background, she wouldn't be happy on a ranch in the long run.

After setting a large plate of biscuits on the table, Nettie took a seat. “They had servants at the estate, but Promise wasn't one to let others wait on her. Don't go thinking she was a spoiled, wealthy young lady, because her life wasn't like that.”

Jake digested that piece of information without comment. Instead, he asked, “Is everyone at the ranch okay?”

“Yes, she said Mrs. McBride wasn't coming downstairs now since she is so far along, but she seems to be doing well. Promise told me about those boys. She's really taken with them.”

“They're good boys,” Jake agreed.

“That's what you two need to do,” she said with a pointed look at Jake and Cole. “Settle down with a wife and have some boys of your own.”

Cole and Jake both laughed.

“I think we have a while before we need to do that,” Cole said.

“Tell me, would you rather wake up on the cold ground for the next five years, or with a warm woman in bed beside you in the mornings?” Nettie asked. “You two are used to riding free, but ranch life can get mighty lonely without a partner.”

John walked into the kitchen, saving the two men from a response. Having overheard his wife's comment, he said, “Nettie, stop trying to marry these two off.”

Nettie jumped up to get him a plate. “You know I'm speaking the truth, John Hollister.”

John kissed her cheek when she leaned over to pour his coffee. “I know I prefer waking up to you any day of the week.”

Jake and Cole exchanged a glance. They enjoyed the couple's banter. Each of them a bit envious of the Hollisters' loving relationship.

“I got a pack horse ready for you. You can drop him off on the way back,” John said.

That was an unexpected surprise. Jake had planned to buy a horse in Denver along with the provisions they needed. “I appreciate that. I'll pay you for the supplies.”

“Not necessary, Jake. I'll always be indebted to you for what you did for Promise.”