The Texan's Reward (36 page)

“You’re a good man, Rand. She could do a lot worse than marrying someone like you.”

The bookkeeper nodded. “Thanks. Coming from you that means a great deal.”

“So, what’s your first advice?”

“Be slow and gentle with her. No matter what happens, don’t get upset and start going off half-cocked.”

Harrison frowned as if he were trying to get through to a bear. “Try being polite to her for a change. Don’t rush

her into anything.”

“I can do that. How hard could it be?” Jacob ignored Rand’s raised eyebrow and continued, “No matter what she

says, I’ll be nice. I’ll be so damn nice she’ll probably think I got brain damage from that bottle of whiskey

colliding with my scalp.”

Harrison looked like he had his doubts. “It won’t be easy.”

“I can do it. Bet you.”

“What?”

Jacob realized having a wager might strengthen his resolution. He’d lost few bets in his life and none where he’d

bet on himself. “A week of your pay against a week of mine.”

“Fair enough.” Harrison offered his hand. “With an extra week’s pay I could buy another suit.”

Jacob shook the bookkeeper’s hand. “And I could get another Colt. Pearlie thinks mine is lost in the mud in the

alley.”

They walked to the house and went in the rear entrance. Jacob slipped up the back stairs to see Hank. He had to

know the boy was all right before he made any plans about getting him to Fort Worth. Harrison said he looked

pretty bad after the last beating.

Mrs. O’Daniel was guarding the attic door. “About time you showed up, Ranger. You missed all the excitement

last night.”

Jacob didn’t want to talk about where he’d been. “How’s the boy?”

Mrs. O’Daniel’s face turned from anger to worry in a blink. “He’s not doing so well. Oh, near as I can tell his

wounds will heal, mostly bruises and a few cracked ribs, from what I can tell. But I can’t get him to eat anything.

He won’t even take a drink unless I threaten to hold his nose.”

“What’s wrong?”

“He’s hurting from the beatings, that’s for sure, but it’s more than just physical pain. I don’t think he cares to live anymore. He lost his mother a while back, and the father who came after him didn’t do anything but beat him

down in body and spirit.”

Jacob nodded. He’s seen it that morning by the outlaw camp. Hank had fought to free himself, but not for his

life. And when he’d come back with Jacob, the ranger knew it was more running from his pa than thinking he

was heading toward safety. Hank saw Jacob as the lesser of two evils, and now he must think even the ranger let

him down.

“What do we do?”

“If I can get him to eat, he’l heal enough to ride in a week or so. But why should he? What’s he got to look

forward to? A hanging. Life in prison. My guess is he’d have been a dead man if he hadn’t helped with the

robbery, and now he’s a dead man because he did. Not much reason to keep breathing. I think, one way or the

other, he believes fifteen is as old as he’s going to get.”

Jacob’s head felt like a few thousand buffalo were stampeding across it, and now he had to figure out how to

make a boy want to live. “Can I take a look at him?”

Mrs. O’Daniel nodded. “He won’t open his eyes or even answer you.”

Jacob nodded and slipped into the room. Wednesday was sitting in a rocker beside the bed. She rocked her baby

and sang a song about the green hills of Ireland.

Jacob touched his finger to his lips and indicated for her to continue. He sat for a while, listening to the song and

trying to figure out what to do. According to the law, he should take the kid in. Let the jailer worry about

keeping him alive until the trial.

But why lock him in a cell? If he were dying, maybe all Jacob could offer him was a place to do it quietly. The kid

deserved that much. Mrs. O’Daniel had a point. If his pa and the others were planning a robbery around the kid,

they probably would have felt the need to kil him if he hadn’t gone along.

Jacob studied Hank. He wasn’t even shaving yet, though a few whiskers sprouted on his chin and upper lip. If he

lived, he’d have a few scars from the beatings. The ranger wished he knew which men had done such a thing.

He’d teach them a lesson they’d carry into hel .

Frowning, Jacob realized he was getting mad. He’d better start working on his temper before he even talked to

Nell. There were lots of things that made him angry, but Nell always seemed to know where to light the match,

and he swore she pestered him sometimes just to see how long it would take her to make him start yelling.

Well, no more. He would take Harrison’s advice and be polite. He’d be gentle and not raise his voice. Hell, he

thought, I’l be so calm, she won’t even recognize me.

Hank moved in pain, shifting slightly beneath the sheet that covered his bandaged body.

Before Jacob could react, Wednesday laid her free hand on his shoulder and patted as softly as she patted her

baby’s back. “Hush now. Don’t you cry. Hush now and rest.”

Hank seemed to relax, and Wednesday went back to singing.

Jacob watched them. Both were little more than children who’d had their share of trouble for a lifetime. In the

few hours they’d bonded, probably with very few words. He’d known Nel over half her life and he didn’t

understand her half as wel as Wednesday seemed to understand what the boy needed.

He slipped from the room, figuring Hank was getting the best of care already. There was nothing Jacob could do

for him.

He wandered down the hal way to Nel ’s room and was surprised to see her silhouette against the window. For a

moment he watched her. When had she turned from the ugly duckling he’d known a few years ago? When had

she grown from pretty to beautiful?

“You looking for someone?” he said in a low voice.

“Jacob!”

For a blink he thought she might rise and run to him. He almost opened his arms to catch her. He’d twirl her

around with her skirts and hair flying.

Only she didn’t move. She waited.

Jacob walked to her and knelt on one knee. “You’re looking quite fair today.” He smiled as her hand reached out

to touch his face.

“I was worried about you.”

“So was I,” he admitted. “Not so much about myself but about what I didn’t do that needed doing. I got knocked

cold in a dark alley. I thought I’d let Hank down. Thanks for rescuing him for me. Harrison told me what you did.”

He didn’t want to think about what would have happened if she’d fal en or been caught taking Hank from jail.

“It was nothing,” she lied. “Only a few steps.”

He stood and offered his hands. When she gave him hers, he pul ed her slowly to her feet. He’d forgotten how

tall she was, half a head or more above most women. But she still seemed small to him. He leaned down a few

inches and touched his lips to hers.

Nell circled her arms around his neck and let him take her weight against his heart as she kissed him back.

He loved holding her like this, standing as if they could face all the world had to offer. But he was all too aware

that he couldn’t hug her too tightly or sway more than a few inches without feeling her stiffen in pain. She

kissed him with warmth and the hunger of a woman, but he could never forget that he was holding glass.

Harrison had been right; if Jacob couldn’t be gentle, he could never have her. He lowered her back to the chair.

“We have to talk.”

Jacob didn’t miss the sadness in her eyes. “I know.”

“What you did last night was a major crime. Folks just can’t go into a jail and take someone out.”

“We had your paper, signed and fil ed out.”

“I know, and if it gets down to it, I’l swear I was with you, but I don’t like lying, so try to stay within the general letter of the law from now on.”

She nodded. “Just so you can always tel the truth, I’l try.”

“Thanks. Now, no one besides that army downstairs is to know that I even came here. Is that clear? You have to

act like you have no idea where I am. It’s the only way to keep Hank safe. If anyone thinks I’m staying here, or

even stopped by, they might be back, and this time the search wil be complete.”

She shrugged. “Who would I tell? If anyone asks, you were never here. Hank isn’t here. Wednesday’s not here.

In fact, I’m not so sure I’m here anymore.”

“Be serious.” He scolded with a smile.

“I’ll try, but I’m so glad you’re home I accidentally forgot about being mad at you.”

“Good. I’ve been thinking maybe we could start over like we’re fresh out of the chute. I’l stop trying to make

you marry me and start trying to be your friend.” He smiled, proud of himself. “Would you like that?”

“Are we friends who kiss?”

He started to say, Hell yes, then thought about it and said, “If that’s the way you want it.”

She nodded. “And touch. Are we friends who touch?”

“I wouldn’t mind that, if the opportunity came up. The feel of you is a pleasure that surprised me.”

“All right. We’ll start over as very good friends. Would you carry me downstairs before Mrs. O’Daniel comes in

and insists I fight the stairs again today?”

He lifted her and kissed her as he walked across the room. Then he poked his head out to make sure the coast

was clear and carried her downstairs. She was sitting on the couch when Mrs. O’Daniel came down from the

attic.

The nurse frowned at them both, but it was Jacob she attacked. “I’l have a look at those wounds before you’re

off again, Ranger.”

“They’re fine.” He tried to put her off.

“You can strip right here or in the mud room, but I’l check them now.” The stout little woman might only make

half of him, but she’d gotten her bluff in. Jacob swore al the way to the mud room, removing his clothes as he

stormed.

Gypsy held the kitchen door for him. Jacob passed Harrison drinking coffee on the corner of the cutting board.

Marla worked across from him. They both watched as if the ranger was the nightly floor show.

“Haven’t you got some figuring to do?” Jacob snapped.

Rand smiled but didn’t move. “Haven’t you got some outlaws to fight?”

Jacob rattled al the windows on the back of the house when he slammed the mud room door.

Mrs. O’Daniel didn’t hesitate as she opened the door and came right in behind him.

Jacob growled. He needed to move on, he decided. Too many people in this place had lost their fear of him.

MRS. O’DANIEL TOOK ONE LOOK AT JACOB’S WOUNDS and insisted on putting ointment over them. Then she

bandaged the shoulder and swore he’d see more of his own blood if he bothered with the bandages again.

Jacob didn’t complain. He understood the difference between a promise and a threat. Mrs. O’Daniel was making

a promise.

Gypsy poked her head around the door and stared. Sometimes her round, water-blue eyes seemed to take up

half her face.

“Get out,” Jacob ordered calmly, for he knew the old woman wouldn’t listen unless she wanted to. “I’d like to

get dressed without an audience.”

“I’m here to tell you that snake Walter Farrow is back sitting on my clean couch like he belongs. He’s offering

marriage to Nell again while you’re out here getting pampered.”

Jacob shoved to his feet and out of the reach of Mrs. O’Daniel. He took two giant steps toward the kitchen

before he realized he wasn’t supposed to be at Nel ’s house. He couldn’t face the toad of a man, no matter how

much he’d like to. Walter Farrow was the kind of gossip who’d tell half the town all he saw at Nell’s place. He

seemed to gather great delight in sticking his nose into everyone’s business.

Harrison appeared at the mudroom door. “You’d better disappear.” He smiled. “Because I doubt you’l be able

to watch the lawyer without wanting to clobber him.”

“Wait.” Jacob kept his voice low as he slipped into the kitchen. “I have to see if Farrow shows his hand. He has

no idea I’m anywhere close. If he does start waddling toward the kitchen, you can stall him while I slip out the

back. With his width, he’l be lucky to get through the swinging door without a push from the other side.”

“I wouldn’t mind tripping him to see how many times he rol s,” Mrs. O’ Daniel mumbled as she disappeared up

the back stairs.

Jacob motioned for her to be quiet as they moved toward the door leading to the main room.

When Marla looked up and saw Jacob crossing her kitchen, she smiled, really smiled at him for the first time.

“Welcome back, Ranger,” she whispered. “We were al worried about you.”

Jacob winked at her, making her blush. “I only returned for more of your cooking.”

She turned away, but not before Jacob noticed how pretty she looked when she blushed. He’d always thought of

her as plain, but now, he reconsidered.

Harrison moved beside the swinging door and pushed it open slightly, then let it close. “Farrow’s in there, all

right.”

Marla picked up a tray, and Harrison nodded once. When she shoved the door, the bookkeeper stood wel out of

sight.

When Marla returned, Harrison stopped the swing of the wood a few inches before it closed. Walter Farrow’s

back was in clear view.

Jacob shifted so he could see through the opening.

Nel didn’t look happy that Farrow was there, but she wasn’t pointing her gun at him, which surprised Jacob.

“You say you have word about Ranger Dalton?” Nel asked as she poured tea and offered him a cup.

“Yes, I saw him last night.” Walter leaned forward to accept the sweets she held toward him. “It was late, and

we walked together for a time.” Farrow ate two cookies at once, chewing as he talked. “I knew you’d want to