Promises Kept (18 page)

“Colt,” he reminded her.

After tossing the water out, he came back into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. He noticed some papers on the table, and he thought it looked like someone had been drawing, so he picked them up to see what they were. They were beautiful drawings of various kinds of flowers and birds. One drawing looked like the roses at the side of his house. It had been his mother’s favorite flower, and Helen had saved them when the old home burned down and planted them at his new home. “Did you draw these?”

“Yes.” She saw the drawing he held in his hand. “I saw those roses at your house.”

“It was my mother’s favorite,” he said. “These are really good.” Actually, better than good, he thought.

“Thank you. Cream, sugar?” she asked.

I’d like some sugar
. “Black.” Forcing his eyes and his mind away from her nightclothes, he turned his attention to the kitchen. He’d been in Chet’s kitchen before, but he didn’t remember it feeling so comfortable. Like her, the room smelled delicious with the aroma of cooked apples lingering in the air. She’d added feminine touches that made the room more inviting. There were flowers in the center of the table and on the windowsill. Pretty white curtains with yellow daisies hung in the window. A colorful needlepoint hung on the wall with the words
God Bless Our Home
beautifully stitched. She’d placed a pallet for Bandit beside the stove where he now rested on his back with his legs in the air, her tattered blue hat underneath his head. He even had his own food and water bowls. He figured a man could be as content as her dog, and she’d probably have him following her around, lapping at her heels just like Bandit. Lucky dog.

“It smells good in here,” he commented.

“I baked an apple pie. Would you like a slice?”

He was making headway; she’d offered him pie without looking like he was sending her to the hangman’s noose. He gave her that heart-stopping grin again. “That sounds great. I didn’t have dinner.”

“Then let me fix you a sandwich,” she offered. If he hadn’t eaten dinner she knew he must be starving; she’d seen how much food he could consume. It was the least she could do for him after the kindness he’d extended her since she arrived in Promise.

“Don’t go to any trouble.” He hoped she knew he was just being polite. He wanted to stay right where he was for as long as possible.

“No trouble.” Within minutes Victoria placed a plate holding two large sandwiches in front of him along with a steaming cup of coffee.

“Thanks.” Polishing off one sandwich quickly, he said, “I must have been hungrier than I thought.” After finishing the second, Victoria gave him a huge slice of pie and refilled his coffee before she took a seat across from him. Nervously, she fiddled with the buttons at her neck, making sure she was buttoned up over every square inch of skin.

Colt watched her run her fingers over the buttons as if she feared one might pop open while she was sitting still. He really wanted to ask about Gage Hardy. Was she running from Hardy, or someone else? Was that the reason she was looking for a husband so far from St. Louis? He didn’t think she would trust him enough to tell him. Hardy was convinced Victoria was Delilah, and if he was right, and he’d tried to rape her, he could understand her fear of men. At the same time, she had obviously overcome her fear at some point since she did have two children. That circled him back to the notion that maybe she was on the run from an abusive man. Could she be running from the father of her boys? With men like Hardy lurking about, he really didn’t want her staying alone with no protection. He had two men riding her property at night, but if something happened at the house, they might not be able to get there on time.

“Why don’t you have Bartholomew move in here with you for a few weeks?”

Logically she told herself that Bartholomew was not a threat, but she didn’t want any man living in the same house. “That wouldn’t be proper for an unmarried woman to live in a house with a man. What would everyone think?”

“Nobody would think anything about Bartholomew living here, because he’s an old man. Besides, there’s been some trouble around here, and I’m worried things might get worse. I’d rest easier knowing you had someone close in case trouble comes calling.”

“Is this about the land?”

“Yes.” He hesitated before he added, “If things don’t settle down there’s going to be a range war.”

“Range war?”

He didn’t want to frighten her any more than she already was, yet he wanted her to be aware of what was happening around her. He wouldn’t be helping her by keeping her in the dark. “Some of the ranchers are hiring gunslingers instead of cowpunchers. The other ranchers will be forced to defend what’s theirs when trouble starts.”

She found the courage to ask, “Are you one of the ranchers who want this farm?”

“Every rancher around wants this land because of the water,” he told her honestly. “I’m no different. But if you don’t want to sell, I wouldn’t force you.”

“How could anyone force me to sell if I didn’t want to?”

“The Taggart ranch was sold for taxes after Ken Taggart was found dead,” he told her honestly. “Wallace bought the place.”

“But doesn’t that mean he got it legally?”

“It would have been legal, if other ranchers had been informed of the sale. Taggart had no family to contest the sale, and then there’s the fact that the banker and Wallace have a
special arrangement
. He was the only one who knew about the sale.”

“You think Mr. Wallace is behind all of the trouble?”

Colt gave her a steady look. “We didn’t have problems before he came here. It seems likely. He’s made no secret he wants as much land as he can get.”

She left the table and grabbed the coffeepot to refill his cup. “Does the sheriff suspect Mr. Wallace?”

“Let’s just say Sheriff Parker is on Wallace’s payroll.”

Victoria didn’t like the sound of that. Was she bringing the boys to a place where they wouldn’t be safe? “What do you mean?”

Colt finished his pie and put his fork down. “Just before Wallace bought the Taggart place, the previous sheriff was killed. Wallace gave Seth Parker a recommendation, said he’d known him for several years, and no one had reason to be suspicious of him at that time. It wasn’t long after that when the ranchers started having problems with rustlers and with cattle being shot. Parker has done nothing to find the culprits. Things have escalated, like the fire the other night. To make matters worse, I had planned on talking to the territorial judge about what’s been happening, but I just found out he was killed on his way into town. Shot in the back.”

“Has Mr. Wallace had any problems on his land?”

Leaning back in his chair, Colt stretched his long legs in front of him. “He says he has. Nobody but his own men can vouch for that.”

“Couldn’t it be coincidence that these things happened after he came here?”

It was a long moment before he responded. Gage Hardy’s words flashed through his mind. He said he knew Delilah from Abilene. He remembered Wallace mentioning a ranch he owned in Abilene. Seth Parker had been in Abilene.
Interesting. Coincidence?
Colt gave her a long look with those coal-black eyes. “I can’t say I’ve ever believed in coincidences.”

A moment later he stood and reached for his hat. “I think you should let me get Bartholomew.”

“There’s no need, I’ll be fine with Bandit. He lets me know when someone is coming.” She stood and led the way to the front door with Bandit trotting beside her.

Colt made a detour to the fireplace, where he spotted a rifle resting on a rack. It was so high off the ground that if she needed a gun in a hurry she wouldn’t be able to reach it. He pulled it down and checked to make sure it was loaded. “Do you know how to handle a rifle?”

“I’ve never used one.”

He gave her a quick lesson in the basics. “Keep it by the door in case you need it. But don’t let a man get too close or he’ll more than likely take it from you.” He placed the rifle to the side of the front door and turned toward her. One side of his mouth tilted in a grin. “It’s sure to do more damage than that derringer.”

Her blue eyes widened. So he had felt the derringer in her reticule that day. “But I know how to use that,” she retorted.

Colt chuckled. “You sure you aren’t afraid to stay here alone?”

“I’ll be fine.” She felt anything but certain, but she managed to give him a reassuring smile all the same.

He looked into her eyes before he took a step closer. He was crowding her again and he wasn’t sure of the reason. To her credit, she didn’t step back this time. He expected his next move was going to shock her to her toes. Picking up a long curl dangling over her shoulder, he wrapped it around his long forefinger and tugged her closer to him. He leaned to her ear and whispered, “You can trust me, Victoria. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is let me know.”

Her heart felt like it might pound right through her chest. The man had an uncanny way of moving too close for comfort, and those piercing eyes of his seemed to worm their way into her thoughts. She pulled her hair from his finger and turned to open the door. “Thank you,” she stammered. Her nerves were so frazzled she was surprised she managed to say a word.

Colt leaned down to give Bandit a good-bye rub. “Take care of her, boy.”

Chapter Eighteen

With some maneuvering Victoria managed to position herself between Bandit and the front door. She knew by the dog’s low growl that it wasn’t Colt knocking hard enough to chip wood. Cracking the door open a few inches, she was surprised to see it was Euan Wallace standing on her front porch. “Mr. Wallace, what are you doing here so early this morning?”

Wallace took his hat off and bowed politely, but kept a wary eye on the dog she was holding by the scruff. “Miss Eastman, I’ve come to invite you to the church picnic this afternoon.”

She had never been to a social event in her life, and she hardly knew what to say. Even though Colt’s suspicions about Wallace had been on her mind all night, she couldn’t find any reason to rebuff him. The immaculately dressed man on her porch, who was so obviously afraid of her dog, appeared perfectly harmless. Actually he was not nearly as threatening as Colt McBride with his powerful form, wearing that pistol that was as much a part of him as his Stetson. Still, she was reluctant to accept his offer. “That is kind of you, but I have so much work to do here,” she responded loudly, trying to be heard above Bandit’s growling.

“I’m embarrassed to say I had forgotten all about the picnic, or I would have asked you when we met. Surely you can spend a few hours at a picnic since you must eat dinner. This will be the perfect occasion for you to meet your new neighbors.” Wallace glanced down at Bandit again, hoping she had a good hold on the vicious animal. He would have to take care of that dog.

Victoria did want to get acquainted with her neighbors and become a part of the community. She wanted the boys to belong here, make friends that they would have all of their lives. Her only hesitation was the ride into town alone with Wallace.

Seeing her hesitation, Wallace added, “You won’t have to do one thing. I’ll have my cook prepare the dinner and I will pick you up later.”

“I’m sure Bartholomew will be attending and we could meet you in town,” she said, not at all sure Bartholomew planned on going to the picnic, but she knew he wouldn’t object taking her.

Wallace waved away her suggestion. “Nonsense, I shall be more than delighted to pick you up. If Bartholomew would like to ride into town with us, he is more than welcome.” He intended to pick her up in his buggy and not a buckboard, ensuring there would be no room for another passenger.

Relieved that Bartholomew would be welcome helped her make the decision. “Thank you. In that case, it would be our pleasure to join you. Tell your cook I will bake a pie.”

“Delightful.” Wallace made another polite bow before settling his hat back on his head. “I will see you in a few hours. Good day.”

“Are you two going to the picnic?” Tate asked Colt and T. J. as they rode back to the stable.

“I’m going,” T. J. responded.

Both of them looked at Colt. They had been unsuccessful engaging him in conversation all day; his mind was obviously elsewhere. His dark mood was understandable considering they’d just found thirty head of cattle slaughtered on the range.

Only half listening to their conversation, Colt realized they were awaiting his response. “I had forgotten all about it.”

“I wouldn’t miss it. Since I came home early last night, I reckon I can take a couple of hours for some dancing. About ten of the men can go, but the rest will be working.” T. J. glanced back at Colt. “I thought you might have asked Victoria to go?”

Hearing Victoria’s name, Colt’s mind drifted back to how luscious she had looked last night in that yellow robe. If he had remembered the picnic last night, he would have invited her. Any man would be proud to have her on his arm and show her off. “No, I didn’t. Maybe we’ll stop on the way to see if she wants to go.”

“You do that and you’ll get your ears boxed. No woman would be ready on the spur of the moment to go to a shindig like that.”

“She doesn’t need to do anything to look beautiful,” Tate added.

Colt and T. J. looked at the young man, both surprised at his insight. “Are you going, Tate?” Colt asked.

“Heck yeah, he’s going. We’ve been working on his dance steps for weeks so he can ask Alice Detrick to dance,” T. J. said. “Now mind you, he still can’t hold a candle to me, but he’ll do okay.”

“You just wait, I bet more of the ladies will want to dance with me,” Tate countered.

Colt smiled at their teasing. Having Tate around always lightened his mood. At sixteen he hadn’t outgrown his boyish charm.
Sixteen
. His smile faded when he thought about Tate’s age. He remembered what he was like at that age. Now that he thought about it, he had noticed Tate talking to Alice after church every week. Had something been developing there and he hadn’t paid attention? Tate was of an age when his urges could get the best of him. He figured it was up to him to give him some fatherly advice. “Make sure all you do with Alice Detrick is dance. Stay away from the sparkin’ corner. I don’t want to give old man Detrick anything else to complain about. I’ve seen how he keeps a close eye on his girls. And let’s pray Alice is not as wild as her older sister.”