Indulgence (162 page)

“I just don’t understand your father hiring him,”

Albert began. “He had to know his criminal history and to
just ignore all of that. . .”

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to talk about either of
them. When do you have to leave, and when will you return?” Anne questioned.

“Day after tomorrow, and I’ll be back as soon as the bill of
sale is signed. I still don’t feel right leaving you,” Albert explained.

“Nonsense, you must go. Your father is depending on you.
I’ll stay busy and it will be fine. You can’t be with me every minute of every
day, Albert. I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself,” she declared.

Pulling her to him, he told her, “That’s my point, I want to
be with you every minute of every day, and I don’t want you having to take care
of yourself anymore. I want that job, to see to your every need and want. When
I get back, I want to announce our engagement. Then I won’t worry about you as
much once we’re married.”

Anne hadn’t told Albert of the heated exchange she’d had
with her father that morning. “I don’t know what has happened to you, Father.
You were always against hiring people with a criminal record and now you’ve
gone and hired a man with a very questionable past,” she told her father.

“It’s not your decision Anne, it’s mine. Albert Stuart might
influence your thinking, but not mine. I resent the fact he seems to assume his
word is law where you are concerned. If he continues, I’ll be forced to speak
to Thomas,” John replied.

“Albert is not a child, and neither am I. You have no need
to run to Mr. Stuart. He holds the same opinion of Young as Albert,” she told
him.

Two days later, she and Thomas saw Albert off on the stage.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Albert told her. “Henry and Ben have promised
they’ll check on you until I get back.”

“Please, Albert, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Just
hurry back and be safe,” she told him, kissing his cheek.

She watched asAlbert reluctantly climbed into the stage
after their goodbyes. fe

“He won’t be gone long, Anne. I’m sorry he had to go right
now. I know he’s upset with me, but it couldn’t be helped,” Thomas told her.

“I know, Mr. Stuart; he worries about me far too much. I’m
always afraid he’ll wake up one day and decide I’m too much trouble to bother
with,” she explained.

“That, my dear, will never happen,” Thomas said, smiling.

The first day Albert was gone was a long one for her. She
had declined Thomas’ invitation to dinner, telling him she had things that
needed her attention. A lie, but she hadn’t wanted to burden the elder Stuart
with the job of watching over her, knowing Albert had made his entire family
promise to do so.

Joe Young had been making himself scarce lately. So after
returning home, Anne busied herself in the house. She decided to straighten her
father’s office. Never one to pry before, Anne felt there was something in her
father’s office that might lead her to understand the drastic change in him
over the last six months.

As usual, nothing was on his desk, except a small notation
on a pad of paper about her birthday. She had almost forgotten about it, more
engrossed with Albert’s and her relationship, and now the problem of Young. She
tried opening his desk drawers and found them locked.
That’s odd,
she
thought.
He never used to lock his desk. Perhaps he doesn’t trust Joe Young,
either.

“I don’t believe the judge would appreciate you going
through his things, missy,” Young’s voice came from behind her.

Startled, she railed, “What do you think you’re doing,
coming into this house without being invited?”

“Settle down. I’m the foreman here, and I’ve got a few
questions for the judge. Guess he ain’t here,” Young replied.

“You know he left early this morning, now get out of this
house!” The man did frighten her, but she was not about to let him know this.

When he didn’t attempt to leave, she added, “Do not make me
tell you again, Mr. Young. You are not allowed in here. Now go about your
duties, or I shall tell my father about this.”

“You do that, missy, and see how far it gets you. Don’t
threaten me, you won’t like my reaction,” he told her.

This response infuriated Anne. “I’m not easily intimidated.
Now I’m not going to tell you again to get out. If it were up to me I’d fire
you on the spot for your insubordination.”

In two long strides, he was beside her, grabbing her arm in
a vice-like grip. “You can say what you will, but you’re scared. Good, remember
that feeling, and don’t ever order me around again. You have no say over me.”

Anne jerked her arm away, glaring at the man. “How dare you
touch me? I warned you before to stay away from me,” she said with more
conviction that she felt.

Turning, Young gave her a once over look, smiled, and left
the house.

When he left, Anne sat in her father’s chair, shaking.
Trying to quiet her nerves, she wished Albert was there.
I have to talk to
father, he just threatened me, and I believe he can be violent. Surely, he will
do something about Young now once I tell him about this,
she reasoned.

Anne made the decision to go for a ride over to Sky Valley
after all. She hated having to leave her own home, but with him lurking around,
she felt like a prisoner. Changing into riding clothes, she waited until she
saw Young ride away and went to saddle her horse. When finished, she led the
horse into the courtyard, mounted, and began her ride to Sky Valley.

I hate feeling this way. I’ve never had to depend on
anyone but me before, and now I feel as though I’m not capable of dealing with
this thug. Albert will be gone for another four days, so I best figure out a
way to handle Young. At least now I’m away from him,
she thought. Little
did she know, Young was following her as he did every time she left the ranch.

Arriving at Sky Valley, Thomas greeted her, “Anne, good to
see you. I was just thinking about you. I’m glad you changed your mind and
joined us. Henry and Ben should be back soon. Get down, and sit a while with
me.”

Dismounting, she tied her horse to the hitching post and
walked to the porch, taking a seat with Thomas. Knowing by her face that
something was wrong, Thomas looked into her eyes asking, “What’s wrong, Anne,
did something happen?”

Shaking her head, she began, “It’s nothing, Mr. Stuart. Joe
Young just makes me nervous. Every time I turn around, he’ watching me. I had
to get away from the house. I don’t like to be there alone when he’s the only
one around.”

“Anne, I think the time has come that I speak with John
about this. I know he got angry with Albert the other day when he tried to talk
to him about Young. But he just may listen to me,” Thomas said.

“I don’t think so, Mr. Stuart. Father is not listening to
anyone right now. It seems he’s determined to keep Young on no matter what.
I’ve told him how the man makes me feel, and he just laughs it off. After I
tell him what happened today, perhaps he’ll change his mind,” she explained.

Alarmed, Thomas asked, “What happened today, Anne?”

Knowing she had made a grievous mistake in letting that
slip, she tried to cover it up. “Nothing, really, he just makes me nervous.”

“Anne, tell me,” Thomas instructed.

“He came into the house. I was in Father’s office, and he
snuck up behind me. When I told him to get out, he grabbed me,” she explained.

Thomas’ anger soared. “I’ll talk to John today,” he told
her.

“Please don’t. I believe it will only make matters worse.
Let me try to handle it, and don’t tell Albert. I’m convinced Young wants
nothing more than a confrontation between him and Albert.” she pled.

“Anne, I can’t promise that. I need to speak to John anyway.
I will just bring up the subject of Young and see what his response is. I won’t
tell Albert, for now,” Thomas said.

“Young is just trying to intimidate me because I’m a woman
and there alone. If Father were home, he wouldn’t behave in such a manner,” she
told him.

*****

Thomas, not so sure of John anymore, was concerned for her
well-being. John was not the man he had known, nor was he the least bit
concerned about his daughter. More information had come in from the attorney in
London and Thomas’ feeling of uneasiness grew with each report.

These same thoughts were going through Albert’s mind. He had
been troubled all the way to San Francisco about Anne being alone at the ranch
with Young. He thought back to their last conversation,
“Stay away from him,
Anne, even if you have to stay at Sky Valley. When I return we’re going to get
this matter settled, once and for all.” I should not have left her. There is no
telling what could happen if I’m not there. Surely, her Father will see no harm
comes to her,
Albert thought.

If only Albert had known the dark thoughts John had
regarding his daughter, he never would have felt confident that he would take
care of her.

Back at Sky Valley, Anne had relaxed being with Thomas.

“George is making lunch, Anne. When the boys get back, we’ll
eat,” he told her.

“I really shouldn’t stay, Mr. Stuart, there are things I
could be tending to at home,” she told him. “I miss Albert. I feel closer to
him when I’m here,” she said simply.

“I know, my dear, and I regret he had to go to San
Francisco, but Albert is the one who had brokered the deal, and the army would
deal with no one but him,” Thomas explained again.

“I know that, Mr. Stuart, and I don’t want him to neglect
his duties in any way because of me. I’ve never felt so foolish in my life.
I’ve pretty much taken care of myself since I was fourteen. Now, for the first
time in my life, I feel vulnerable. It’s not a good feeling,” she told the
older man.

“Anne, you’re a strong woman, and I’m confident you will be
fine. I just have questions I need answers to, and those answers can only come
from your father. I would like you to stay here while I go into town to speak
to him,” Thomas told her. “I will leave when Henry and Ben return.”

“Mr. Stuart, please don’t do or say anything on my account.
Father can be rather hostile when he feels someone is questioning him. I don’t
want to be the cause of any problems between the two of you. I especially don’t
want Albert to know of any of this. I hate to appear weak. I swore I would
never be that way, and here I am running to Sky Valley the first time I feel
uncomfortable,” she told Thomas. “I never want Albert to feel I’m a burden.”

“Anne, you are not weak and Albert would never think of you
as a burden. He loves you, young lady, and wants to marry you. When he gets
back, you’re going to be hard-pressed to be rid of him. You have made my son a
happy man, and he’s not about to let anything happen to you. However, you’re
going to have to be patient with him. Albert is going to do what he thinks best
where you’re concerned, even if it angers you or your father,” Thomas
explained.

As they were talking, Ben and Henry rode up. Both men
greeted Anne as they got down from their horses. Thomas explained to his sons
that he had errands to run in town and asked if they would look after Anne.

“Sure, Father, we’ve got orders from Albert to see to her
and it will be a pleasure,” Ben said.

“I don’t want to be a bother for anyone,” Anne began. “I
know you two have other things you’d rather be doing than entertaining me.”

“Naw, Anne,” Henry began, “being around you is much more fun
than being with Ben. You make sense when you talk. Something little brother
here don’t.”

“Well, thank you both, I really don’t want to go back home .
., I mean it’s more pleasant being with all of you,” she said.

“We know, Anne,” Henry said, gently smiling at her. “Me and
Ben will see to everything.”

Thomas Stuart tried to arrange his thoughts of what he would
say to John on his ride into Carson City.
I do not want to alienate him
right away, but I have to get to the bottom of what he’s up to. The longer this
goes on, the more I’m convinced he’s up to no good.

Confident Anne would be safe in Henry and Ben’s care, he
went directly to the courthouse and found John in his office. Looking up from
papers spread on his desk, the judge greeted him. “Hello, Thomas. What brings
you to town?”

“I had some errands and thought I’d drop by and see you.
Since you moved into your house, I haven’t seen much of you. Perhaps we could
have lunch?” Thomas asked, smiling.

“I’d enjoy that, Thomas. I’m tired of dealing with
criminals. I would like to have a conversation with an honest man for once
today,” John replied.

“I would also like to talk to you, John. I’m concerned about
Anne,” Thomas said.

“Anne?” John asked. “Why are you concerned with Anne?”

“I’ve been hearing about her uneasiness with Joe Young
around. I know Albert told you of our experiences with him, and I’d like to
understand why you’ve engaged him,” Thomas said.

“Thomas, I’ll tell you what I told Albert. Whom I hire is my
business, not Anne’s, not Albert’s and certainly not yours. I don’t tell you
how to run Sky Valley, and I would appreciate it if you would give me the same
consideration,” John replied.

“John, if Anne were my daughter, I would not allow Young
near her. He’s not to be trusted and capable of just about anything,” Thomas
told him.

Thomas now saw first-hand the irrationality of the man he
had considered an old friend as John exploded in rage. “Thomas, this is none of
your business! Anne may have deceived you and Albert into believing she is
frail and unable to take care of herself, but believe me, she is more than
capable of handling any situation.”

Trying to reason with John, Thomas began, “John, she’s your
daughter, to be protected and cared for. She shouldn’t have to fear for her
safety. She’s terrified of being alone with him around.”