A Cowboy Worth Claiming (23 page)
“I…I’ve decided to do something…for you and for me.” She paused and nibbled on her lip. Chance waited with ebbing patience. “I told the father of my child the truth yesterday. He loves me. He wants to marry me but—”
“But?” She’d caught him off guard. He hadn’t expected this.
“It’s who he is that’s stopping me. Alistair will never forgive me when he finds out about him. He’ll probably disown me, but I’m willing to risk it now. If I lose his love, well then, so be it.”
Chance was wary and too smart to begin to hope. “What made you change your mind?”
“You did, actually. Tell me, Chance. That woman you were living with in Red Ridge? Do you care about her?”
“Lizzie?” Chance furrowed his brows. “Why does that matter?”
“It may not matter at all. But I know one thing, the way women know other women. Lizzie gave you up to protect you. To keep you out of prison. She risked it all to save you from Alistair’s wrath.
I saw it in her eyes, Chance.
She was terrified for you. She would have said and done anything to make sure you left with me. She knows you’re not my child’s father. She believes in your complete innocence. I saw that in her eyes, too. She’s a brave woman. Fearless. And I’m hoping to learn something from her…and you. I’ve been a coward long enough. I need to tell Alistair that I’m in love with Brenden Groves.”
“Groves? He’s the child’s father?” Chance couldn’t believe it. Ten years ago, sixteen-year-old Brendan Groves had shot Alistair in the shoulder during an argument about a heifer that had crossed their border through a faulty fence. Alistair had nearly died and the hotheaded boy was headed for jail for a long time, when suddenly Alistair dropped all charges against him. Rumor had it that Alistair blackmailed Brendan’s father, a rival cattleman, garnering enough land and cattle out of the deal to make the Dunston spread the biggest in the territory. As a result, the bad blood between the two families had become common knowledge in Red Ridge.
“So now you can see why I did it,” she said.
Chance shook his head. “I’ll never see justification in that.”
She sighed. “I know you’re right. But I did tell my mother the truth today.” She paused. “She wasn’t happy with me though she finally gave me her support. Tomorrow,” she said on a deep breath, “Brendan and I are going to face Alistair together. We’re going to tell him the truth.”
“It’s the right thing to do, Marissa.”
“I’m scared. But I’m determined. I’ll make sure Alistair knows you’re innocent. My mother and I will see to it that nothing becomes of those trumped-up charges.” She walked over to Chance with tear-filled eyes and brushed a soft kiss to his cheek. “Maybe it will, in some way, make up for the trouble I’ve caused you.”
Chance was truly amazed at this turn of events and proud of Marissa for the first time in his life.
She gazed into his eyes. “We can’t go back, but from now on, I’d like to think of you as my brother. Is that alright with you?”
Chance struggled with the notion of letting go of his anger and hostility. It was another sort of prison to him and once he managed to finally give Marissa the benefit of the doubt, he felt truly free. She’d just given him his life back. “From this day forward… You’re my sister.”
Marissa smiled and so did Chance.
* * *
Chance tied Joyful’s reins to a tree branch and strode over to the shore quietly, watching Lizzie practice her swimming techniques in the middle of the lake. The girl didn’t have the skills needed to be graceful in the water. She dove in several times and splashed around much like a hooked fish, before surfacing to tilt her face toward the sun. Her dark luxurious hair floated on the water’s surface spreading out around her.
Seeing her again lifted his heart and made him grin.
Her clothes sat on a rock five steps from the shore. He grabbed her dress, the pretty blue one he’d given her in Prescott, and tucked it under his arm then leaned against a slender mesquite tree in the shade. She turned toward the shore and swam until her feet could touch the lake bottom. Bright sun beamed down and pristine waters glistened. As she walked out of the lake, the cotton bloomers and thin chemise she wore hid little of her body underneath. Chance sucked in a breath. His heartbeats quickened.
He stepped out of the shade and into view.
She stopped just at the water’s edge. Her bluer-than-blue eyes went wide with surprise. “Chance.”
The sound of his name on her lips gladdened his heart. “Elizabeth.”
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Chance saw everything so clearly then. The body he’d come to cherish—the face, lit by eyes more beautiful than the summer sky—a pure and honest spirit that would sustain him until the end of time.
A shiver ran through him.
“What are you doing here?” Her voice was guarded. Her gaze snapped to the dress draped over his arm.
“Watching you swim. You still haven’t gotten the hang of it.”
She narrowed her eyes, jutting out her chin. “I keep afloat.”
His gaze traveled over her body once again and powerful yearnings swelled inside. “Not that well.”
She took a step forward. “Can I have my clothes now?”
He lifted the gown to admire it. “Sure is a pretty dress.”
“I’d like to get into it.”
Chance grinned. “I sorta like you outta the dress. But I’ll give it to you if you answer one question for me.”
She trembled when a breeze blew by. Goose bumps broke out on her arms. “Ask it.”
“You were never gonna marry Hayden, were you?”
She went still.
“Were you?” he pressed.
She blinked then ducked her head slightly. “No.”
“Why?”
Slowly, she took the steps necessary to face him. Her gaze locked with his. “That’s two questions.”
Gently, she took the dress from his grip. He released it easily and watched as she stepped into it and covered herself, straightening and smoothing out the material. She pushed wet hair from her face before lifting her eyes to him again.
“Okay, I’ll answer for you. You were protecting me, just like I’d thought. You didn’t want me to go to jail. You were afraid for me and pretended to believe Marissa’s claims. And you lied about marrying Hayden to get me to leave. You
lied
to save me. It’s all right to tell me the truth now.”
“W-why…is it all r-right?” Her voice shook as she gazed deeply into his eyes.
“Because Marissa finally owned up to the truth and revealed the true father of her child. She’s come clean about it and now everyone knows I’m innocent. Alistair is furious with her, but he’s not a threat to me anymore.”
“Oh, thank heaven.” She shuddered visibly with relief then confessed, “I never stopped trusting in you, Chance. It’s plagued me all this time, letting you believe that I did. I never, for one instant, thought you were the father of Marissa’s baby.”
“I know that now. Believe it or not, Marissa helped me understand why you sent me away.”
“It was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life,” she admitted.
He took her hand in his, entwining their fingers. “I love you, Elizabeth. With all my heart.”
Tears welled in her eyes. He waited for her response, hoping he wasn’t too late, hoping for a second chance with her. He’d do whatever it would take to get her back. “Marissa said you love me. That’s why you sent me away. Is that true?”
She nodded and whispered on a rush of emotion, “I love you, Chance. More than you know.”
“I know that now, darlin’. I know.” He took her face in his palms and brought her mouth to his in an eager, long-awaited kiss. She was all he would ever need in life. She made him whole and happy and as long as he could do the same for her, he would never want for anything else.
“I missed you, Chance,” she said between kisses.
“I’ll never leave you again.”
“Promise?” she asked, searching his eyes.
“I promise. Now, close those pretty eyes and keep them closed.”
“You’re not going to dunk me in the lake,” she asked with a little giggle.
“Not today, darlin’. Go on, close your eyes.”
And once she did, he stepped behind her and carefully fastened the ruby necklace around her slender throat. It graced her with brilliance, looking altogether perfect. He set his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him. She opened her eyes and fingered the ruby necklace with a delicate touch.
“Oh, Chance,” she breathed out, her voice incredibly humbled.
Swamped with overpowering emotion, Chance cleared his throat. “Only a true lady deserves this necklace. My mother wore it before you and no other woman shall ever wear it as long as we’re both alive. I hope you will accept it, and the love I have for you. Marry me, Elizabeth, and have my children.”
Lizzie’s heart burst with joy. She’d known heartache and pain in her life. She’d lost so many people, but now, all she saw was a bright future with the man she adored. She couldn’t possibly love anyone from the deepest part of her soul the way she loved Chance Worth.
She’d staked her claim on him from the moment he’d rescued her from this ever-loving lake. “Yes, yes. I’ll marry you, Chance. I’ll be your wife and we’ll have babies together.”
“We’ll build the ranch to what it was. One day, you’ll have your dream again. I promise.” Chance kissed her and folded her into his embrace. Together they turned to the lake that had nearly swallowed her up—the lake that had brought them together, so many months ago.
With reverence, Chance said quietly, “From now on, we’ll call these waters, Elizabeth Lake…in your honor, sweetheart.”
She beamed and thought it proper and fitting somehow. “Yes, I’d like that. It’s a place where all things are possible.”
“And all things are beautiful…just like you.”
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Mitchell looked out onto the glistening waters.
Life in Red Ridge was going to be good again.
Of that, she had no doubt.
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459226197
Copyright © 2012 by Charlene Swink
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