Texas Brides Collection (63 page)

She realized he’d backed her into a corner. No way out but to ask Colt to escort her. “All right. I’ll ask him first thing in the morning.”

“No need. I’ll do it when I head back to the bunkhouse.”

Barking orders seemed the easiest way for Anne to cope with trouble. “Don’t go out with the men tomorrow. Stay here and keep Rosita and the girls company.”

“I did toughen you up, didn’t I? Before Will died, you’d have packed up the girls and left for the city.”

“Times change.” Her voice softened. “I love you like a father, don’t you know that?”

Clancy nodded. “I’m a bit partial to you, too.” He peered at his shoulder. “The aloe is helping a lot. In another day it’ll be fine. I only asked for you to take a look at it ’cause I can’t see what it looks like. You don’t need to go to all this trouble.”

She forced a smile through her weariness. Clancy’s shoulder just added to more of her worries—like a stall no one wanted to clean. At least she could do something about Clancy in the morning.

Spending the day with Colt tomorrow would cause her a sleepless night tonight. A handsome man had no room in her head or her heart.

Colt had given up on any sleep tonight. If he hadn’t enough on his mind, now he had to ride into town with Anne. She made him nervous with all the men around. What would happen during the several hours alone? He’d most likely fall off his horse.

He glanced at Clancy and doubted if he slept, either. His shoulder probably throbbed each time his heart beat. And it had to hurt powerful bad for him to ask Anne for help.

Lord, would You heal Clancy’s shoulder? He’s an old man who works hard. I’d rather him go see You years from now
.

Colt nearly jolted out of bed. Was he praying? When did this happen? His heart pounded like thunder rumbling on the prairie. Taking a deep breath, he eased back onto the bunk. He must believe in God, or he wouldn’t have prayed. When he thought through the last few days, he realized his trust in God had grown while trust in himself had slipped away.

This must be what Clancy had been talking about. God would reach out and snatch him when he least expected it. In the middle of frettin’ over Anne and the ranch, Colt had shaken off his independence and depended on God—not his rifle, his mind, or anyone around him.

Do I feel any different?
He touched his chest as if God might have made him a new heart. According to what he’d read in the Bible and from listening to Clancy talk, if he believed and died this very minute, he’d live with God.

Heaven was a whole sight better than the other place, and he’d been real close to that. Reuben would be real pleased about this, but his other brothers would laugh good and hard about this one. Colt didn’t care what any man thought. Strange how his mind had moved from thinking on himself to thinking about God.

He’d been hooked like a fish on a line and didn’t mind a bit. He thought men found God when trouble had them next to death—like in the middle of a shootout or with a body full of holes lying next to ’em. This was an ordinary night. Nothing special, except Clancy’s shoulder needed doctoring.

Telling his friend crossed his mind; Clancy would want to know. And Anne…wonder how she’d take the news? Or was he supposed to keep quiet?

Guess he should pray a little more and do it right. From what he’d read, Jesus took the blame for his ornery soul, and he needed to thank Him and ask Him to take over his rotten life.

C
olt took a glimpse at Anne’s saddle to see if she’d brought two canteens of water. The day promised to be another scorcher. Once assured she’d be fine, he swung up onto the saddle.

“This will be a hot one,” he said. “Sure you don’t want me to take care of business in town? You could stay here and tend to Clancy.”

Anne shook her head. “I’d feel better if I could talk to the woman who knows herbs. Could be we’re doing all we can for Clancy, but I’m hoping for a remedy to bring down his temperature and stop the infection.” She turned in the saddle to view Rosita. “It’ll be late when we get home. The horses will need to rest a bit in this heat before pushing them the fifteen miles back.”

“We’ll have a good day.” Rosita wrapped her arm around Nancy’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “Expect a berry pie when you return.”

Anne adjusted her hat beneath her chin and nodded at Colt.

He waved at the girls and Rosita, but Nancy threw him a kiss and giggled. That little gal sure had his heart—just like her mama. Sammie Jo, on the other hand, looked like she’d just as soon blow a hole through him.

They’d ridden for about thirty minutes at an easy gallop when they slowed the horses in the heat. Colt considered some kind of conversation, but his tongue wouldn’t form the words. This was hard. Real hard. He wanted to tell her about makin’ a decision for the Lord, but the words stayed in his head.

“Do you see storm clouds gathering, or is it my imagination?” Anne finally asked, relieving Colt of the worry of talking.

He peered to the north and studied them. “Sure looks like it, and we sorely need the rain.”

“I don’t mind getting wet.”

“Me either. But I hate riding out in the open during a thunderstorm.”

She laughed—that musical ring that sounded like a sweet song. “Why, Colt Wilson, have I found something you’re afraid of?”

“If you’re referring to thunder and lightning, then you’re right. I don’t relish the thought of getting fried up like a slab of bacon.”

She laughed again. “So what are you going to do when we’re caught in the middle of it?”

“Pray.” The moment the word slipped from his mouth, Colt thought better of it.

She started, and a wide smile spread over her face. “When did this happen?”

He sensed his face heat up. “Last night, thinkin’ on Clancy.”

“Does he know?”

“Naw. Not sure if a man’s supposed to tell folks about these things. Like I was bragging or trying to look religious.”

“Colt, I’m so happy for you.”

She sounded like she was going to cry, which made Colt more nervous than before.

“Huh, thanks.”

“Do you want to talk about it? Did it happen after we talked?”

What had he gotten himself into? “It happened later, and I do feel right uncomfortable. I have to get used to this a bit.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I am proud of you, and Clancy will be so happy.” She took a glance at him. “All right. We’ll talk about something else.”

Good. He’d rather get caught with bolts of lightning jabbing on all sides of him than talk about finding God in a smelly bunkhouse.

“Are you going to tell me who you and Clancy suspect? It’s making me crazy not knowing which one of my men is a thief and a murderer.”

He wished she’d run out of words. “No. Can’t do it.”

“Even if it makes me so mad I can’t see straight?”

“Yep.”

Long moments followed, but he refused to give in.

“How about your thoughts on bringing in some fine quarter-horse stock?” she asked.

For the next several minutes, Colt told her everything he knew about horses, anything to keep her off the subject of God and the trouble at the Double L.

“Nancy sure likes you,” Anne said.

He chuckled. “She asked me to marry her when she grows up.”

“Oh, my. What did you tell her?”

“That we’d wait and see how she felt then.”

“She said to me, ‘Mama, Mr. Colt is right handsome; don’t you think so?’ ”

He sensed her peering at him.

“Colt, you’re blushing.”

“No, I’m not.” But he felt plum silly, even if it was little Nancy making the claim. Truth be known, he wondered if Anne thought he was pleasing to look at. Not that it mattered.

“Colt.” She spoke quietly as if something might be wrong.

“Yeah.”

“Have you been avoiding me lately? I mean, I said some ugly things to you last night, but for days now you’ve acted like I offended you.”

He scratched his jaw. “Well, some of the others were saying a few things that weren’t, uh, proper.”

“Like what? You and me together?”

Had she not heard the jeering? “Yes, ma’am.”

“I appreciate your gentlemanly ways, but I wish you’d have said something to me about it instead of acting like I’d made you mad.”

“You’re my boss.”

“I’m still a woman.”

Colt whipped his attention her way. Tears were streaming down her face. What had he done wrong? “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“I can’t figure out why I’m crying anyway.”

What was he supposed to say now? “Do you need my handkerchief? It’s a clean one.”

She shook her head and pulled out one from her shirt pocket. “Sorry. This is new to me.”

What’s new to her? Him finding God? What the others were sayin’?
“I don’t understand. What the ranch hands were saying made you cry?”

She glanced at him and blinked. In the next instant, she spurred her horse and raced away.

For sure Anne had him confused. He hesitated and hurried to catch up. The remaining miles into town were spent in silence, and that made him real glad.

The longer Anne and Colt spent in town, the darker it grew until thunder cracked and lightning flashed in the distance, but Anne sensed it was coming closer. Within minutes a torrent of rain pelted the dusty streets.

“Sure glad I already have the herbs for Clancy.” Anne pulled her slicker over her head as they stood under the overhang of the general store. “I’m ready for it to rain like this for three days, but I want to get back to the ranch, tend to Clancy, and make sure my girls are fine.”

Thunder crashed down around them, and lightning streaked across an angry sky. They were dry, but water poured off the roof in buckets.

“We’re staying right here until the storm lets up,” Colt said. “It’s moving toward the ranch, and we can be right behind it.”

“I hope the girls’ outing didn’t get ruined.”

“I thought you were keeping them close to home.”

His voice held a twinge of alarm. She appreciated this man; he reminded her of Clancy in many ways. Since Colt had found the Lord, he’d taken on more of those traits. Her heart was betraying her, and if she didn’t mask her feelings better, he’d know for sure.

“Don’t worry. Rosita took the girls berry-picking, and I sent Thatcher Lee along to keep them safe. Rosita won’t hesitate to tell Sammie Jo to keep her distance from him.”

Colt punched his fist into his palm.

“What’s wrong? They’re probably within shouting distance of the Double L.”

“Who’d hear? Clancy? The rest of ’em took feed to the cattle.”

“Why are you so upset?” Suddenly realization hit her hard. Anne’s stomach churned. “It’s Thatcher Lee,” she whispered.

“We only suspect him.”

“But you have to be wrong. He’s always been a hard worker, and he and Clancy tried to stop Hank and Thomas from running off with my cattle. And…and what about when you and Clancy were shot? He rode in and saved you.” By now, she fought the sobs choking her throat.

Another clap of thunder shook the roof above them as if a bad omen had taken root in her fears.

“I don’t have proof.” He lingered on every word as if trying to convince himself.

“Tell me why you think it’s Thatcher Lee.”