The Texan (3 page)

“We’ll have to see. We still have a while before we have to make the plans for your trip.” Sarah couldn’t understand why anyone would want to go out west. Haunted by memories of the bloody Comanche raid she’d survived, Sarah still found it painful to let Emmie go every year.

T
he following afternoon Emmie was in her room getting ready for Kenneth’s visit when she heard a carriage pull up in front of the house. She assumed it was Kenneth, arriving a bit early. So she quickly finished dressing, gave herself one last look in the mirror, and started from her room to go downstairs to greet him.

Emmie was surprised when she got halfway down the staircase and found it wasn’t Kenneth at all, but an elderly gentleman who looked vaguely familiar, and was speaking in very serious tones to her mother in the foyer. Her mother’s expression was most troubled as she listened to the man, and Emmie immediately grew worried.

“What is it, Mother?” Emmie asked, glancing between them as she approached.

Sarah looked over at her daughter. “Let’s go into the sitting room, shall we?” She led the way into the elegantly appointed room. “Please, Mr. Gallagher, have a seat.”

Les waited until both ladies were settled on the
sofa and then sat in the chair facing them. He hadn’t seen Emmie in several years and couldn’t help admiring what a lovely young woman she’d grown into.

“Emmie, this is Mr. Gallagher. He’s from Shotgun—he’s your father’s attorney” Sarah explained.

Emmie realized then that she had met the attorney on one of her trips to the ranch and that was why he looked familiar. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Gallagher.”

Les inwardly grimaced at her polite welcome. He doubted she would feel it was good to see him after he broke the news of her father’s death. He’d known how close Hank had been to his daughter. “I’m glad to see you, too, Emmie. I just wish it were under different circumstances.”

“I don’t understand.” Emmie tensed at his words, realizing something must be wrong for him to have traveled all this way to see her and her mother.

“Mr. Gallagher has brought us some news from your father,” Sarah explained. Ever since she’d answered the door, she’d been feeling most uneasy about the attorney’s reason for coming to Philadelphia. “What is it? Is Hank having some kind of trouble at the ranch?”

“There’s no easy way for me to tell you this.…” He paused, looking pained. “Hank…” He looked at Emmie. “Your father…is dead.”

Shock and horror radiated through Emmie. “What!”

“No!” Sarah stared at him in disbelief. “There must be some mistake.…”

“I’m sorry.” He’d known it was going to be hard to witness their pain.

“Mother…” Emmie looked at her in complete devastation and then began to cry.

Sickened by the news, Sarah reached out to Emmie and took her in her arms. She held her daughter close as they wept, her fury with her husband nearly uncontrollable. He should have come back east with her when she’d left. If he had, he would still have been alive. Her hatred of the ranch grew even deeper.

Les waited in silence, for there was nothing he could say or do to make the loss of Hank any easier for them.

“What happened?” Sarah finally asked as Emmie regained some of her composure and they moved slightly apart.

“Hank was out working stock and there was a stampede,” he explained.

“Oh, God…” Emmie sobbed, thinking of what her father must have suffered in his last minutes.

Sarah held her again as she looked at the lawyer. Her relationship with Hank had been distant, both emotionally and physically. She had no idea what was going to happen to them now. “What are we going to do?”

“That’s why I came here to see you and explain everything,” the lawyer continued.

“I don’t understand—”

“Your husband did have a will. It was drawn up several years ago, and there are certain…” He paused, trying to find the right words to explain what Hank had done. “Certain requirements that need to be met, so we can take care of the estate.”

“What kind of requirements?” Emmie asked, suddenly afraid of what else the lawyer might have to tell them.

Les looked at Sarah. “You know how much Hank loved the Rocking R. The ranch was his life.”

“I know,” Sarah said bitterly. She had never forgiven him for choosing to stay on the ranch rather than save their marriage.

“And because he worked so hard to make the Rocking R the successful ranch that it is, he was very clear about how he wanted things handled in the event of his passing.”

“What is there to handle?” Sarah asked. “With Hank dead, we’ll sell the ranch and be done with it.” She wanted to sever any and all connections to the nightmare of the Rocking R.

Emmie’s heart was breaking even more as she listened to her mother. She always looked forward to her annual trip to the ranch, and she loved the time she spent there with her father. The Rocking R was her second home, and now it was all lost to her.

Les remembered Hank’s warning on the day they’d drawn up the will. He’d accurately predicted his wife’s reaction. “I’m afraid selling the ranch is not a possibility.”

“What?” Sarah was taken aback by his declaration. “I don’t understand—”

“Hank had other plans for the Rocking R, and he made certain they were spelled out in detail.”

Sarah watched as the lawyer carefully took an envelope out of his coat pocket and opened it to remove the will. As he unfolded the document, she grew cold inside, fearing what she was about to hear.

Les began to read her the terms her husband had set down. “‘I, Hank Ryan, being of sound mind and body, do hereby bequeath all my worldly belongings to my daughter, Emerson Ryan, on the one and only condition that she return to live at the Rocking R and take over running the ranch for a period of no less than two years.’”

Emmie had been quiet until that time, but she was completely caught off guard by the news.

“What?” She looked up at the lawyer in shock. “Papa wanted me to run the ranch?”

Les looked at her proudly. “He most certainly did. He believed you loved the Rocking R as much as he did.”

“I do, but…” The thought of going to live on the ranch permanently was startling to her. Her life was mainly in Philadelphia. Her mother and all her friends lived in the city.

“I can’t let this happen.” Sarah was almost hysterical as she interrupted them. She knew her daughter was actually considering following the dictates of her father’s will, and she had to stop it. She looked at Emmie. “You are not going back there to live. I don’t know what your father was thinking.” She turned a cold-eyed glare on the lawyer. “Did Hank
do this deliberately to hurt me? Was he still trying to get back at me for leaving?”

The lawyer returned her icy glare, defending Hank’s motives. “This has nothing to do with you. It is all about Emmie and her inheritance.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You have no voice in this matter.”

“I most certainly do!” she countered heatedly.

“No,” he emphasized, “you do not. Hank made sure of that. According to the terms of his will, Emmie inherits everything as long as she agrees to return to the Rocking R and take over the ranch.” He turned to speak directly to Emmie as he went on. “However, if you choose not to follow your father’s wishes, you and your mother will no longer have any access to Hank’s funds.”

“Papa would do that to us?” Emmie was shocked.

“Yes.”

“Hank really would leave us penniless?” Sarah had always known Hank was a hard man, but she’d never thought of him as cruel.

“That’s right,” Les affirmed. “Hank was very careful about how he set this up. He knew you would object to his plan, and for that reason, he made it perfectly clear that you both will lose everything if the will is not followed.”

Emmie now understood what her father had done. She spoke up before her mother could say anything more. “Is my mother required to travel with me and live on the ranch?”

“No—only you.”

She was relieved by that news. She looked the
lawyer straight in the eye as she told him, “All right, I’ll do exactly what he asked of me.”

“No! You can’t!” Sarah couldn’t let Emmie put herself in danger this way it was troubling enough when Emmie went out west to visit every summer, but the thought of Emmie moving to Shotgun permanently tormented her. “I won’t let you!”

Emmie knew there was no real choice. She had to do what was required of her. Even as she thought of how changed her life was going to be, she found she was honored that her father had believed she was capable of handling such a great responsibility. She looked at her mother. “I’m going. It’s what Papa wanted.”

“But, Emmie…” She was outraged that her daughter cared so much about Hank’s wishes. What about her own? She had raised Emmie! She had protected her! She had kept her safe from harm!

Emmie could tell her mother was angry, and she didn’t let her finish. She turned to the lawyer. “Who’s been running things since Papa died?”

“Josh Grady.”

Emmie nodded. Her father had written her and told her that Josh Grady was the new foreman on the ranch. “How soon do you have to head back?”

“I didn’t make any plans. I was waiting to see what you decided to do.”

“I’ll need a few days.” She was overwhelmed as she considered all that had to be done.

“Take as long as you like.” Les stood up to go. “And if you need anything from me, just send word.” He told them the hotel where he was staying.

“I will,” Emmie assured him.

Sarah was devastated. She remained sitting on the sofa while Emmie saw the lawyer out. When Emmie came back into the sitting room, Sarah looked up at her, all the pain she was feeling mirrored in her expression.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked in a tight voice.

“Yes.”

“You don’t have to. We can find some other way,” Sarah insisted.

“There is no other way. You heard Mr. Gallagher. If I don’t go back, we’ll be left with nothing.” Emmie went to sit beside her mother and took her hand reassuringly. “Papa believed I could do this. I have to prove he was right—for both our sakes.”

Sarah lifted a gentle hand to touch her daughter’s cheek. “I want you to be safe.” Her words revealed the agony in her heart.

“I know.” Emmie hugged her mother. Needing some time alone to deal with her own heartbreak, she said, “I’m going up to my room for a while.”

“I understand. What about Kenneth?”

In her grief over losing her father, Emmie had momentarily forgotten Kenneth was due to arrive soon. “Have Mary tell him I can’t see him today.”

“I will.”

Emmie disappeared upstairs as her mother sought out the maid to tell her they wouldn’t be accepting any visitors for the rest of the day.

Emmie entered her bedroom and shut the door behind her. Alone at last, she fell across her bed and
gave in to her sorrow. Heartrending sobs tore from the depths of her soul and racked her as she mourned the loss of her father. The pain of her grief was overwhelming as she realized she would never see him again.

He was lost to her forever.

And she had never even had a chance to tell him good-bye.

K
enneth was looking forward to seeing Emmie, and he was smiling as he climbed down from his carriage and made his way up the walk to her house. He was surprised when the maid answered the door.

“I’m here to see Emmie,” he said, ready to step inside.

“I’m sorry, sir, but Mrs. Ryan and Emmie aren’t seeing anyone today.”

“She’s expecting me.” He wasn’t accustomed to being denied or put off, especially not by a mere servant. Arrogantly, he demanded, “Tell her I’m here.”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, “but Miss Emmie gave me instructions that she wasn’t to be disturbed.”

“I don’t understand.” Kenneth was growing even more irritated—with the maid and with Emmie.

“There’s been a family emergency.”

“What happened?”

“They just received word a short time ago that Mr. Ryan has passed away.”

“Oh, that’s terrible news.” Kenneth was shocked
to hear of their loss and immediately changed his attitude. “Please offer them my condolences, and if there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

“I’ll tell Emmie, sir.”

“Thank you.” Kenneth turned away and started back to his carriage, lost in thought. He knew how much Emmie loved spending time with her father, and he wondered what would happen to the ranch in Texas. Logic said the family would sell it, and he knew that would give Emmie a very nice inheritance.

That thought alone made him smile as he climbed back into his carriage.

It was late that afternoon when Emmie recovered enough to write a short note to Millie. She gave it to the maid to deliver to her friend, and it wasn’t long after the girl returned from her errand that Emmie heard a soft knock at her bedroom door.

“Come in,” Emmie called out.

The door opened and Millie rushed in. She went straight to Emmie and hugged her tight.

“Oh, Emmie, I got your note!”

“I’m so glad you came,” Emmie said in an emotion-choked voice, struggling to keep from losing what little control she had.

They sat down together on the side of the bed while Emmie told her all that had happened.

“I don’t believe it.” Millie gasped when Emmie explained the terms of the will.

“I do.” She looked at her friend. “The Rocking R meant everything to my father. He worked his whole
life to make it the success that it is, and he wanted me to love it, too.”

“But can you do this? Can you just move away and never come back?”

The look in Emmie’s eyes was haunted as she answered, “I only have to live there fulltime for two years, and I can still come back and visit, just like I did with my father.”

“What did your mother say?”

“She’s upset. She doesn’t want me to go, but I told her I was going to do what Papa wanted me to do. The lawyer’s staying in town to make the trip back with me. I’ll probably be ready to leave by the end of the week.”

As feisty as ever, Millie gave her friend a conspiratorial smile. “Well, you’re not making this trip alone.”

“No. I told you, the lawyer’s going with me,” Emmie repeated, frowning at her.

“And so am I,” Millie declared. “I was planning to go with you for your regular visit this year, so we’ll just move up the date. I’ll be ready to leave when you are.”

“But, Millie, are you sure?” Emmie’s spirits brightened considerably at the thought of having her friend along. She was going to need all the moral support she could get once she arrived at the ranch. It wasn’t going to be easy, living there without her father, and she wasn’t sure just how the ranch hands were going to react to taking orders from a woman.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” Millie replied loyally. There was no way she
would let her friend face this life-changing challenge alone.

“What will your parents say?”

“They’ll say yes, of course,” she said with a grin. “Have you ever known them to deny me anything? Of course, they might be concerned about a chaperone, but I’ll think of something.”

Emmie gave her friend a warm hug. “Thank you.”

Millie returned her hug with heartfelt emotion, for she could well imagine just how sad and alone her friend was feeling.

It was early in the evening five days later when Kenneth arrived at the Ryan house. He hadn’t seen Emmie since she’d learned of her father’s death, and when he’d received a note from her letting him know that she was leaving for Texas the following day, he’d made arrangements to stop by.

“I’m glad you could come,” Emmie told him as she welcomed him in the front hall.

“I couldn’t let you leave without seeing you again. This has all been so sudden,” Kenneth said.

“There are times when I don’t believe what’s happening either,” she said sadly as she led the way into the sitting room.

Kenneth followed her and was disappointed to find her mother there. He’d hoped to have some time alone with Emmie. He’d wanted an opportunity to continue his courtship. “Hello, Mrs. Ryan.”

“It’s good to see you, Kenneth.”

“I’m so sorry about your loss,” he said. But even as he spoke his condolences, he couldn’t help wondering
if she really cared that her husband was dead. True, she was wearing mourning clothes, but from the talk he’d heard around town, she’d rarely spent any time with him after she’d moved back to Philadelphia so many years ago.

“Thank you. It’s been a very difficult time for us, and now with Emmie leaving…” Sarah looked from him to her daughter.

“I know,” he agreed.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to visit,” she announced as she stood up and started from the room.

She could tell just by the way Kenneth was gazing at Emmie that he cared about her, and she wanted to give them time alone, in the hope that he might propose. She knew Emmie liked him, and she prayed he would say something that would convince her to give up this wild notion of following the dictates of her father’s will. She would do anything she could to keep her daughter in Philadelphia, with her. Certainly, if Kenneth proposed, he had sufficient funds to support them both in the style to which they’d become accustomed.

Kenneth remained standing until Mrs. Ryan had gone, then sat down on the sofa with Emmie. He didn’t waste any time getting to the point. “I’m going to miss you,” he declared fervently.

“I’m going to miss you, too,” Emmie said.

“You know, you don’t have to go,” Kenneth suggested.

Emmie looked up at him and saw the ardor in his gaze. It only made the moment harder for her. “Yes, I do. It’s what my father wanted.”

“But what do
you
want?” he asked. Egotistically, he expected her to say she wanted to stay in Philadelphia, to be with him. Ever so gently, he took her in his arms and drew her to him. He kissed her, sweetly at first, and then more deeply.

Emmie accepted his kiss without protest, but she was glad when he finally released her.

“You could stay, Emmie,” he said, his tone coaxing. He’d spent the last several days thinking about marrying her, and how much richer he would be after the ranch was sold.

“Kenneth, please don’t make my leaving any harder than it already is. This is something I have to do.”

“But—”

“You could always come to the ranch for a visit,” she offered.

“Or you could say you’ll marry me and stay here,” he countered.

“Marry you?” She was surprised by his proposal. “Oh, Kenneth…I do care about you, but I can’t even think about marriage now. Not after everything that’s happened. My whole life has changed so quickly.”

His frustration with her turned to anger. He had never proposed to a woman before, and to have her respond to him so halfheartedly was infuriating. She cared more about some stupid ranch than she did about him? Somehow, he managed to hide his anger. “So, there’s no convincing you to stay?”

“No. The ranch meant too much to my father. I can’t just let it go.”

“I don’t understand. Sell it and stay here.”

She hadn’t told anyone but Millie about the unusual stipulations her father had put in the will, but she knew she had to explain to Kenneth. “I can’t.”

“Of course you can. It’s your inheritance.”

“That’s what you don’t understand.” She went on to tell him what her father had done.

“Why would he do that to you?” His anger with her eased as he recognized that she had no choice in the matter. One thing he did know: he certainly had no desire to marry her and go live in Texas for two years.

“Because he loved the Rocking R—and he knew I loved it, too.”

Kenneth nodded, realizing there was nothing more he could say to change her mind. He stood up to go. “Just know that if I can ever help you in any way, all you have to do is ask.”

“Thank you.”

She rose to walk him to the door. They were alone in the foyer, and he bent to kiss her again.

“Good night, Kenneth,” she murmured.

“Good night, Emmie.” He gently touched her cheek, playing the role of ardent suitor perfectly. Then he turned and strode briskly out the door.

Emmie waited in the entrance, watching until his carriage had driven away. Only then did she turn back inside. She wasn’t sure if she was sorry Kenneth was gone or relieved. She’d just started up the staircase when her mother appeared in the foyer.

“Well? How did your visit with Kenneth go?” Sarah asked, trying not to sound too eager to hear the details.

“It was very sweet of him to come over and say good-bye.” Emmie didn’t want to tell her mother that he’d proposed. She knew how Sarah felt about the possibility of her marrying Kenneth, and she dreaded the thought of getting into an argument on the night before she was to leave for Texas.

“Yes, it was,” Sarah agreed. She wanted to ask more, but Emmie had already turned away.

Sarah was disappointed that there was no exciting news of a proposal, and she realized now that there was no way to keep Emmie from leaving her. She felt completely and utterly alone as she watched her daughter go up the stairs to her room. She was overwhelmed by a feeling of bitterness.

Hank had known exactly what he was doing when he’d set up his will.

It was obvious now that he’d never forgiven Sarah for leaving him, and he was taking his revenge from the grave.