A Contract Bride's Triple Surprise (44 page)

“I apologize.” Rosa clenched her hands, huge compared to delicate Amelia. “I haven’t been in someone’s home for so long.”

“And I apologize for weeping in the arms of your man. He held me like I wish my father would have.”

“He’s not my man!”

Amelia smiled and winked. “He seems to think so.”

“The way he looks at you…”

Rosa turned away, sudden tears threatening. She never cried. Ever. Tears only made them want to take more from you, laughing at your pain.

“I’m sorry,” said Amelia quietly. “It’s just that he always seems sad. Today he looks like he could almost fly with joy. Whatever happens, you’ve brought that to him.” She cleared her throat. “Now. My carpetbag is in the trunk in the corner. My unmentionables are in there as well. I had to hide them under the quilts so my husband wouldn’t take them.”

Rosa followed directions for the next few minutes. She quickly realized that Amelia wore no corset, though she had a few layers under her dress. She herself wore undergarments that disguised her shape, making her more straight and bulky than she really was. It was a habit from so long ago, she wasn’t sure she could ever be comfortable without the layers.

The trip back to Tanner’s Ford was quite different than the drive up. Rather than two shy people testing the waters of friendship, there was a lot of laughter. George Henley teased her with a life that could never be hers.

She insisted George drop her off at Lily’s on the way past. She had supper to get ready, after all. She saw Amelia look wistfully across the street to the jail, then harden her face and turn away.

Rosa worked long into the night, both to catch up on her work and because she couldn’t settle. She couldn’t get the thought of a different life out of her mind. Was such a life possible for her?

Chapter Forty-Three

“Therefore, Ross MacDougal will not be charged with any offence regarding the man known as Zeb and”—Sheriff Chambers looked at the paper in his hand—“Octavius Browne.” He folded the sheaf of papers listing the evidence he’d read out and stuck them back in his pocket.

“I come here for a hangin’, dang it, and I want one!” The yell came out of the crowd. Others shuffled their feet and nodded in agreement.

Ross, standing beside the sheriff, caught the eye of the complainant. He quickly looked away, but other complaints were shouted. He glared back at them, confident now that his knives were back in their places. A bath and his most comfortable vest, hat, pants, chaps, and boots also helped.

The townsfolk on the boardwalk were outnumbered by visitors. From the jail to the mercantile, the street looked to be filled with scum eager for a rumble. Luckily, the wind was at his back, blowing their stench toward the jail. Miss Lily and a few of her modestly dressed painted ladies fluttered fans on the west fringes of the crowd. Some of Baldy’s prettiest gals did the same on the eastern end of the crowd. They fluttered eyelashes and swished their skirts, cut well above their ankles.

Everyone was here. Everyone but Amelia.

“We come here for fun,” yelled a gap-toothed yahoo. He lifted his pistol in the air. “If ya cain’t give it, we’ll make our own!”

“You shoot that and you’ll be looking at life from the wrong side of the bars, buster,” called out Frank. “Mrs. McLeod has a special dinner prepared at the hotel for anyone who’s clean, decent, and has four bits to spend on good food.”

Ross noticed Baldy hurrying his girls down the street and into the saloon. Gillis and Nevin were setting some boards over upturned barrels in front of the saloon. He turned back to the crowd’s rumble when he heard Charlie Newton swearing as he cleared the way for Orville Rivers. The mayor walked up the steps and held up his arms.

“Welcome to Tanner’s Ford, gentlemen. Since the sheriff says there won’t be a hanging,”—he waited for the boos and complaints to settle down—“we put a little something together for you.”

Cheers for the mayor broke out. He nodded regally as if it was all his idea. Far down the street, men rolled barrels into place behind what Ross realized was a temporary saloon.

“First, all gunbelts must be left at the jail.” They grumbled, but it wasn’t unusual. “Baldy’s got extra barrels and bottles, the ladies are ready to provide entertainment and—” whistles and catcalls covered up the rest of his words. Others hushed up the noisemakers. “Thanks to generous donations, beer is free from four to six o’clock. After that, dances are half price for an hour.” He lifted his pocket watch from his vest and flipped open the lid. “It’s quarter of the hour now, so you might want to stop by the jail and—”

As one, the crowd turned and fought their way to the jail. Trace and his brothers, along with the men of the Double Diamond and Circle C, waited to take the guns. Once unloaded, the men ran down the street to be first in line. The mayor watched them with a look of distaste. Never one to miss a good meal, he turned into the hotel. Ross and Frank moved to the far end of the verandah as others followed.

“Damn good idea that Trace came up with,” said Frank quietly to Ross. “His idea, but the MacDougals are providing the gold to pay for it.” He tilted his head and looked up at Ross. “Might be cheaper than holding a funeral and wake for your sorry hide.”

“Where’s Amelia?”

“Upstairs. You think she wants to see you?”

“Nope, but I have some groveling to do. Maybe after that, she’ll look at me.”

“You got a hankering for humble pie, son?”

Ross shook his head. “I want my wife in my bed again. If I have to chew iron and spit nails, I will.”

“Been there myself now and then. Hurts like hell at the time, but a happy woman makes up for it pretty darn quick.”

Ross grunted. He didn’t know if Amelia would let him in the room, much less listen to his apology. He had no idea what he would say, just that he had to try.

“She’s in the honeymoon suite, as Sophia calls it,” said Frank. “You got a key?”

“Nope.”

“What if she won’t open the door?”

“Sheriff, there ain’t a door or window within a hundred miles that can keep me out of somewhere I want to be.”

“How’ll you climb the brick to get to the second floor?”

“Rope the chimney and haul myself up. Might have to break a window.”

“You remind me of myself, going after Mary. Her papa thought I was lower than a skunk. I’ve still got buckshot in my ass from that man. But I married her. Thirty years, five children living, and eight grandkids so far. Damn, I miss that woman.” He settled his hat and cut across the street to the jail.

“Mr. Ross, have you seen my pa?” The voice came from the shrubs beside the hotel porch. Ross peered down to find Daniel, crouching with his arms wrapped around his knees. Ross shook his head.

“I want to see Billy! I know he’s here somewheres.”

Ross looked around. He saw Paddy O’Keefe helping with the gunbelts at the jail.

“Billy’s father is helping at the jail. He might be there, too.”

Daniel gave him a wide smile. He crept out of the bushes and peered across the road. He stepped out just as a trio of whooping riders raced into town.

“Ernie Thompson!”

Daniel stopped and turned to the voice. His father raced down the street toward him, facing the horses. Daniel shivered with eyes wide, unable to move. Ross, standing on the porch, saw everything. He leaped over the railing and ran toward the street, knowing he was too late.

Daniel’s father reached the boy first. He grabbed him up and threw him toward Ross on the boardwalk. Ross caught Daniel and turned his back as the horses raced past. He heard the high-pitched screams. Daniel struggled to get away, to see. Ross pressed the boy’s face into his chest.

“Don’t look, Daniel.” He held him tight until the only sound was the gasps of the crowd.

“Is my pa dead?” Ross turned his head to check.

“Yes.”

Daniel burst into tears. Ross carried him into the hotel and up the stairs to Gillis’s room. He glanced at the bridal suite, where Amelia waited, as he passed. Gillis was next door. Daniel cried from the bottom of his ten-year-old heart.

He couldn’t pick the lock while carrying the boy, so he sat cross-legged on the floor. He held his new son and waited for the storm to pass. Some storms were bigger than others, but they all eventually passed.

With all the excitement outside, the wide hall was deserted. As Daniel’s cries slowed, Ross listened for a sound from Amelia’s room. He heard nothing. Perhaps she was asleep or staring out the window at the excitement below.

Finally, Daniel snuffled in his arms. Ross rocked back and forth, just enough to be a comfort without it being too much like what a mother would do.

“I’m sorry your pa’s dead, Daniel.”

“He were good when he don’t drink,” hiccupped the boy.

“He loved you very much.”

“He hated me.”

“If he hated you, why did he save your life with his own? He saw what was happening and raced to save you. He was there for you when you needed him most.”

“I gots nobody now.”

The small heart beat frantically against Ross’s chest like a bird caught behind a closed window.

“Your pa gave you to me. He saw me catch you and knew you were now my son.”

Daniel pushed back to look up at Ross. He rubbed away the leftover tears. “My pa did that?”

Ross nodded. “He knew I couldn’t save you in time. He grabbed you and looked at me. He threw you to me on purpose. If you couldn’t have him for a pa anymore, he wanted you to have a mother and father who’ll love you forever.”

Daniel leaned his head against Ross’s chest again. He pulled the boy close. His heart slammed hard in his ribs. He would do the same for his child, yet unborn. Would know he was to die but accept it as long as his child lived.

“You’ve lost one set of parents, but you’ve got us now. Uncles and aunts and cousins as well as a new mother and father.”

He kissed his new son’s head.

“Do you want to be my son, Daniel? If not, Gil or Nevin or any of the Elliotts would be proud to have such a brave, helpful boy.”

His hair rubbed on Ross’s bare chest as he shook his head. “I want you.”

“Good. I want you, too.”

“Will I be Daniel Ernest Thompson MacDougal?”

“That’s a pretty big name, but I think you can live up to it, son.”

“Kin I call you Da, like Billy does his pa?”

“I’d be honored. What will you call my wife?”

“I already call her Ma in my head.”

“Then Ma it is.”

Daniel stretched. Ross took the hint and let him go. “If you want in the room, I can pick the lock.”

“You kin do that?” Delight lit up his face.

“Yes, but only when necessary.”

Daniel shrugged one shoulder. “Naw, I’m gonna go find Billy and tell him I’m a MacDougal now.”

Ross raised a finger.

“I’ll look afore crossing the street.”

“You might want to wash your face first. Real men cry, but they don’t let the women know.”

“’Cause it makes them sad?”

Ross nodded. Daniel dashed down the hall and out the back door. After the emotional storm and whirlwind of activity, Ross rested his head against the wall and just sat.

He had claimed a son. The boy was now a part of him.

Nevin would accept it immediately. A statement of claiming was worth more than a piece of signed paper. Gil already wanted to have the boy give fealty to Clan MacDougal. No one would mess with the ten-year-old son of Ross MacDougal.

Daniel had done everything right to help save Amelia. He knew he couldn’t stop two grown men from kidnapping her. He’d followed, discovering where she was, then gone for help. What else could a young boy do?

Fly down a mountain and kill four men?

He failed to stop them when he was a child, but he was not a failure. He was no jackal like his father. He was a warrior.

Grandfather was right. He must let the dead go and take care of the living. He had one son and a baby on the way. If, that was, he could convince Amelia to be his wife. Again.

He looked to his right. His future lay just behind that door. Facing a dozen men was nothing compared to an angry, hurting wife.

Chapter Forty-Four

Amelia rested her foot on a stool as she watched the crowd of men whooping it up in front of Baldy’s Saloon. None of them sent a tingle through her the way that stranger had the first night. Right here, at this window.

Thinking about Ross sent trepidation as well as a tingle. Was her husband out there celebrating his release from jail? Or had he already left on his quest for vengeance? She rested her hand on her flat belly.

“Your papa is too stubborn to see that I love him or admit he loves me. He’s a fool,” she told the speck of life growing in her. “But if he doesn’t want us, then good riddance. Nevin is a fine man, as is Gillis. They’ll raise you just as well as your papa would. You’ll have brothers and sisters to play with, two uncles, aunts, and cousins.”