Trent's Montana Bride (Sweet, clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides series) (2 page)

Trent moved on quickly and mingled amongst the townsfolk of Helena, glad for the anonymity of a crowd.

The truth was, he needed time to consider. Again.
 

What was he thinking of?

Back at Billings everything had seemed so easy, so simple. When he'd explained things to Devlin Cooper, his fellow rancher, on the darkened streets of the town the night before, it had all seemed so straightforward.

But not now. Not here. The woman who was going to be the object of his attention was upstairs, above the mercantile. And she had no idea of the real reason he had come to see her. She couldn't know. That had been a secret known only to Trent and Lucas.

Trent felt his stomach sink at the thought of his poor friend lying in the earth, his life ended prematurely. A good man. That was what Lucas Wilder had been. The best man Trent had ever known. And now he was gone, leaving behind a wife and baby.
 

And a promise.

Trent paused outside the saloon and considered whether a drink might just take the edge off how he was feeling. He shook his head.
 

He'd never been a regular at the saloons in Billings and he wasn't about to start doing anything like that here in Helena. The booze was for the men who couldn't handle reality. Ranch life had taught Trent how to manage the harsh truths of life. And he wasn't going to turn up stinking of whisky on such an important occasion, especially given what he had to say to Chloe Wilder.

The harsh truth was that his best friend was gone. Trent swallowed as the emotion rose up, drying his mouth, tightening his throat. How cruel life out here in Montana could be. Sure, it was a beautiful country and most of the folk who'd settled here wanted to build, to create, to start anew and make the place fit for families. But there was always going to be that minority of men who were determined to ruin it for everyone else.

The rage and sadness that had warred within Trent started up again. He strode on, back toward the mercantile.

Trent examined the faces of the people of Helena. They were mostly all good people. He couldn't imagine any of them wanting to ruin the lives of a beautiful young woman and her newborn.
 

But, Lucas had taken a bullet, and paid the ultimate price. Chloe would tell him all about it, he was sure. In her own good time.

For now, the only thing Trent could think of was the promise.

The commitment.

When he'd made it everything had seemed so certain, so sure. He'd given his word to Lucas at the wedding reception, and when he'd done it, there had been no thought in Trent's mind that he'd ever have to keep that promise.

But here he was and the unthinkable had happened. Trent now faced a future very different from the one he'd anticipated for himself.

How could he keep such a promise?

The answer that came to him as he strode ever nearer toward the mercantile was the same one that had kept him awake all of the previous night.
 

A man was nothing if he didn't keep his word.

It was as simple as that.

Did Trent regret having told Lucas that he would do what his friend had asked of him? The answer to that question lay like a stone in the middle of his gut. Trent didn't regret for one moment giving his word, even if it meant that his life would never be the same.

But what if Chloe refused? What if she simply denied the power of her late husband's wishes? Trent ran a hand through his thick dark hair at the thought of Chloe Wilder. When he'd first known her she was one of the fresh faced regulars at the Billings' socials. He recalled seeing her. He'd thought she was a mighty fine looking young woman, with her thick blonde hair, fine figure, delicate, even features and piercing blue eyes. She was truly one of the beauties of Billings.
 

At that time Trent'd had no time for permanent ties, no matter how attractive and tempting. So when his friend Lucas had told him one day that he was going steady with Chloe Wilder, Trent had simply congratulated his friend on his good fortune and cautioned him about the dangers of giving up the life of an unattached man.

But Lucas had been smitten. He'd fallen head over heels in love with Chloe. As Lucas and Chloe had spent more time with Trent on the ranch, Trent could see why his friend had become so infatuated with her. She was a spirited, firm minded, graceful young woman who seemed older than her years. Trent had begrudgingly conceded that Chloe would make a fine wife, and he hadn't been surprised when Lucas had announced their engagement.

By the time of the wedding the three of them had become friends. Such close friends that, when Lucas had told Trent that the newlyweds were moving to Helena, Trent had been genuinely saddened at losing his friend and his beautiful wife as a friendly presence in his daily life.

Lucas and Chloe had left and Trent had resumed his former life of hard work and hard play. In spite of the happiness he'd seen in Lucas, Trent knew that the married life was not for him.

But now he was here, faced with the most difficult challenge of his life. Next to this, starting and building a ranch up from nothing seemed easy.

There was going to nothing easy about what he was about to do.
 

Trent reached the mercantile and paused outside the front door. He took a deep breath, opened the door and stepped inside the store.
 

CHAPTER THREE

"He's here, Chloe," Harriet said bursting into the sitting room.

"Oh my!" Chloe said turning to the mirror. "Harriet. How do I look?" she asked urgently. All of a sudden Chloe thought her hair looked dishevelled, her choice of pale green dress inappropriate, and the shadows under her eyes seemed even more pronounced than earlier.

Harriet placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "You look lovely, my dear."

Chloe smiled at Harriet. "Thank you."

"Let me go and fetch Mr. McIntyre," Harriet said turning.

Chloe took a seat on the sofa and tried to compose herself. Her mind was a whirl of spinning thoughts. What could she say to Trent? He'd want answers. No doubt he'd need to know how Lucas had met his end. Chloe wasn't sure she was ready for such a conversation, but she knew that it was the least that Trent deserved, given how close he and Lucas had been.

Maybe he'd want to visit Lucas' resting place in the cemetery on the edge of town. Trent would have to do that on his own. Chloe couldn't think of bringing little Evan to that place again. Not so soon.
 

She was sure that Trent would be gentlemanly and sensitive to her situation. He might even be able to offer Chloe some modest assistance. As Lucas' friend she was sure that Trent would feel some obligation to help out in whatever way he could.

Chloe told herself she would thank him, but politely decline any offers of help he would make. Although she hadn't quite figured things out, she felt keenly that she was on her own, and that no matter how, she was going to have to stand on her own two feet. She had a baby to care for and she wasn't about to let him start a new life on the wrong foot.

Chloe didn't know yet what she was going to do. She had no relatives in Billings. Her parents had passed years ago. Before she had married Lucas, she and her sister Louise had lived together in their small home on the outskirts of town. After the wedding Louise had gone back East to live with relatives. Chloe hated back East. For her, there was nowhere else like Montana. It was the only place she would consider suitable for bringing up Evan. The East wasn't for her. And especially not for her baby.

Chloe heard voices and footsteps. She shifted nervously on the sofa, straightening her back and loosening her collar which suddenly seemed unnaturally tight.

She heard Harriet talking animatedly. Trent's familiar deep voice punctuated Harriet's rapid chattering.
 

Chloe took in a deep breath and raised her head, striving for poise and grace.

Then the door opened and Harriet and Trent walked into the room. Chloe felt the breath catch in her throat. In the confines of the small room Trent seemed so large, so wide. He was taller than she remembered. His boots made a heavy sound on the wooden boards. He held his hat in both hands. His eyes locked on Chloe with an expression of the deepest sympathy.

"Trent. It's so good to see you. Thank you for coming to see me."

Trent's shoulders dipped and he leaned his head to one side as he spoke. "Chloe. May I express my deepest condolences for your loss."

Chloe smiled politely. "That's kind of you, Trent. Lucas was a good man."

"The best." Trent's voice was tight. "I've been mightily touched by the news of his passing, I can tell you."

"We all have," Chloe concurred.

"A very sad thing indeed," Harriet said.

Trent seemed to examine Chloe "How are you bearing up Chloe?"

"It's been difficult, Trent," she answered. "I won't deny that. But I have to be strong. For Evan."

Trent's eyes lit up. "How is the little one?"

"He's fine. He's strong, I can tell you," said Chloe proudly.

"Just like his father," Trent said slowly.

"Indeed. He might have some of my looks, but he's sure got his father's fighting spirit," Chloe said.

Harriet spoke up. "I'm going to fetch some tea. Have a seat Mr. McIntyre," she said gesturing to the sofa.

"Trent. Just call me Trent, ma'am."

Harriet nodded. "Trent. I'll leave you two for a while. I'm sure you've got so much to say to each other."

Chloe gave Harriet a puzzled look which was completely ignored by Harriet as she strode out of the room.

When they were alone Trent followed Chloe's gesture and took a seat next to her on the sofa.
 

Now that he was next to her Chloe was struck by both the strength and the weariness of Trent's presence. Up close she could see that he looked tired, exhausted even. His eyes were moist and filled with barely contained emotion. Trent laid his hat on the nearby table and turned to Chloe.

"How are you really bearing up? I know what you said in front of Harriet. But tell me the truth."

Chloe's shoulders sank and she felt suddenly heavy. What could she tell him? Could she really tell him about her nightmares, the terror she felt at the prospect of being alone with a baby in the wilds of Montana? There was only so much she could do to put a brave face on everything. Surely he would see through that. It seemed he already had seen through some of the appearance of coping she was trying to summon up from deep within herself.

"It's been mighty difficult, Trent. You know that Lucas left me and Evan with virtually nothing."

Trent's eyes narrowed. "How could that have happened? What went wrong?"

Chloe sighed. "Lucas had some scheme he was getting involved in. You know him. He was always coming up with some scheme or other. He told me that if it worked out we would be set up. We could even buy a house on the edge of Helena. It had something to do with transporting cattle."

"He should have come to me," Trent offered. "I would have helped him out."

Chloe shook her head. "You know he was a proud man."

Trent nodded. "He was that."

Chloe continued. "Lucas just wanted to strike out on his own. He sank virtually everything we had into that venture."
 

Trent's brows furrowed and his gaze became distant, preoccupied. Chloe wondered what he was thinking about.

"Tell me how it happened," he said after a long pause. And then he asked the question she knew he would have to ask. But it was the one she dreaded. "How did he die?"

Chloe's mouth suddenly went dry. For a moment she thought her throat had seized up. Trent deserved an explanation. He had a right to know the details even if it caused her heart to burn in the telling of it.

Chloe composed herself as best she could. "Lucas left me and Evan one night. Said he'd be back before midnight. When he didn't come back by the morning time I alerted the sheriff and he went looking. Later that day, the longest day of my life, the sheriff came here and told me they'd found Lucas. He'd been shot and left in a ditch."

Trent's face paled when Chloe uttered those words. Chloe saw his jaw tighten and his lips draw into a narrow, tight gash. Trent's fists clenched into white knuckled knots. She hesitated before continuing. Eventually Trent seemed to calm himself. "Go on. Who did it?"

"They don't know. All they know is that there was some sort of argument over money. One of the men involved was questioned but released."

Trent's eyes widened. "No-one's been arrested?"

Chloe couldn't answer that. The thought of the man who'd shot her husband still being free made her shake with fury. Trent looked at her. His dark, brown eyes fixed on her, seeking answers, searching her face for any signs of emotion. She got the distinct impression that, right here in this very moment, he was intensely concerned for her well being.

"So you've been living in this place and the guy who killed Lucas is still at large?"

Trent's voice was filled with incredulity.

Chloe shifted nervously. "I haven't felt in any danger. Harriet and Marcus have been more than kind in allowing Evan and I to stay here for the moment."

Trent huffed. "For the moment. But this is hardly a safe place for you to stay. Especially with a baby. Whoever killed Lucas might decide to take an interest in you."

Chloe hadn't even considered such a possibility. Surely Trent couldn't be right. Could he? After all, she had nothing in this world except her precious baby. There was no money. She had scarcely any possessions.
 

Trent shifted and leaned closer to Chloe. She caught his scent, which was a curiously attractive mixture of leather and soap. Trent smiled and she noticed that his teeth were white and even.

"May I explain the real purpose of my visit?"

Chloe regarded Trent carefully. "I believe you have come to pay you respects to Lucas. Am I not correct in that assumption?"

Trent nodded thoughtfully. "Of course you're right in assuming that I'd want to do that. That I'd need to. And I'm so very sorry for all of this. I cannot imagine how you must feel."