A Texan's Luck (6 page)

Lacy had finished most of her plate of food when he finally stopped talking. She leaned back and took a long drink, letting the warm coffee slide down her throat and warm her all the way to her toes. She thought of telling him to go away, but he was as much trapped here with her as she was with him. The sheriff had made sure of that with one letter. If he thought it was his duty to guard her, surely she could put up with him for a few weeks. Though following a schedule would be impossible.

"Is there any point you would like me to repeat? Everything should be clear between us from the first."

"Once your leave is over, you'll go away?"

He looked up from his coffee. "Are you aware that everything you say is a question?"

"You'll leave?" She had to know there would be an end. In her life she'd learned one hard lesson. Even hell could be endured as long as she knew that one day it would end.

"I'll leave." He took a breath as though he'd thought a great deal about his next words. "I'll also sign this building and the business over to you to do with whatever you like. I want no part of it or have any wish to ever return to this town. You took care of my father. By right it should be yours."

Lacy would have argued, but she didn't believe him. Men don't hand over their inheritances. Captain Walker would be gone in a month, and her life would go on. He had no reason to keep his word to her, but she planned to be prepared when he decided he wanted the newspaper back. Many times she'd heard promises when she'd been a child. This was one of those kinds of promises, good only until he needed money or times got hard.

"Just as long as you'll leave when the month is over. That's all I ask. I'll even try to follow your rules."

"I swear," he answered simply as if they agreed on terms.

"Two other small things I'll ask while I'm here." He set his cup down and paused.

To her surprise, the cold captain looked uncomfortable.

She twisted her hair into an untidy bun and waited for the two requests. He'd already destroyed her peace. What more could he want?

"One, I think you should leave your door open at night. I half expected to find you frozen solid this morning." When she didn't agree, he added, "I give you my word not to cross that threshold during the night, so you've nothing to fear. You can even take that cannon you call a gun to bed with you if you like."

Lacy had no intention of leaving her door open, but she waited for the next small thing he planned to bring up.

"Two." He stopped staring at her hair and added as if finishing off a minor point. "You'll get rid of those two cats within the hour."

"But—"

"The subject is not open to debate," he snapped without giving her time to even think of what to say.

Walker wasn't sure what he expected,
but all-out war hadn't crossed his mind. She stood up from the table, thanked him for the meal, and ordered him out.

"I've only one request, one term, one rule: leave," she yelled. "Not within the hour, but now. I don't need your protection."

He didn't stand or lower his cup of coffee until she finished; then he said as calmly as he could, "You think two dumb cats are going to save your life if that old buffalo hunter comes after you?" The woman was making no sense. "They won't save you, I will. They'll only get in the way."

She'd made it to the door before his words seemed to register. She turned suddenly, her wild hair breaking free of the few pins and flying around her shoulders. Her eyes blazed in anger.

He almost dropped his cup and reached for his Colt. Warring Apache had looked at him with less rage.

"I think," she said several times louder than he felt was necessary, "that I'd rather be here with my dumb cats and take my chances than with you. So take your guns and rules and be gone."

This wife of his was clearly not in her right mind. He'd never seen anyone so quick tempered. "I've orders to—"

"I'll write you a note excusing you from making my life hell. I'm not a child, and I'm not one of your men. And, as of right now, I'm not your responsibility!"

She was out the door before he could move. By the time he reached the landing, she'd scrambled down the steps.

Walker swore as he grabbed his hat and hurried to catch up to her. This month with her might be a blessing, he told himself. If he'd known her for more than fifteen minutes, he wouldn't have wasted so many hours thinking about her. She might have a pleasant face and a body he couldn't forget, but she had the temperament of a wounded mountain lion. The woman took fire like dry kindling when all he'd been doing was laying the ground rules so their time together would go smoothly.

That was a plan he'd best abandon, he thought as he watched her storm down the alley and onto the street.

He almost laughed, giving up all hope of routine and deciding his next plan should be one of survival.

He fell into step with her as she hurried down the street. He reached for her arm, then he thought better of touching her. After all, years ago she had confessed to killing a man. She'd yelled just now as if he were near deaf, and last night she had looked like she was considering shooting him when he first entered. There was no telling what the woman would do if he touched her.

"Go away!" she whispered.

"No," he answered as he smiled at two women passing by.

They crossed the street with her skirts flying, but Walker stayed right in step. "You forgot your coat."

"I'm not cold." She stepped on the walk but left no room for him to join her. If Walker wanted to stay beside her, he'd have to march through the mud.

Polished black boots stomped in the mud as if it were his choice of path. "Lacy, this is foolish. You have to talk to me."

She stopped suddenly and turned on him. "Correction: what you meant to say is I have to listen to you. Well, I listened, and I've heard enough. I'm not a child, Captain, so I'll thank you to stop talking to me as though I were."

She twirled before he could answer and marched into the sheriff's office. He paused, considering her words. He knew she wasn't a child. He knew that fact very well.

Walker followed her. When he stepped inside, Riley looked like he'd been caught sleeping in one of the cells. The potbellied stove warmed the room, and the smell of burned coffee filled the air. The old sheriff scrubbed his face with a tobacco-stained hand.

Before the old guy could think of anything to say, Lacy stormed toward Riley. Walker watched the sheriff's eyes dart from side to side as if looking for cover. Judging from his behavior, the old man had seen Lacy on the warpath before.

Walker stopped halfway across the room and leaned against a desk loaded with papers. He couldn't help but notice Riley didn't seem the least surprised by her anger as he tucked his shirt into his trousers and adjusted his suspenders. "Now, Lacy," he mumbled as though he'd said the words a hundred times before.

"I've changed my mind," she said to the sheriff as she pointed her finger at Walker. "I don't want to be married to that man anymore. Send me to jail. Hang me. I don't care."

The old man smiled and tried again. "Now, Lacy, don't get all riled up. You know you're not going to go to prison for confessing to killing a man when that man is still alive, and I told you when you signed the license that you could change your mind if you didn't like the match."

"Well, since I didn't have to get married…" She glared at Walker. "I have changed my mind. I don't want to be married to him."

Riley looked at him.

Walker folded his arms over his chest and shrugged without taking his eyes off Lacy.

The sheriff scratched his chin. "You feel the same way, son?"

Walker nodded. "I never wanted to get married in the first place."

Riley shook his head as if trying to wake himself up. "Well, I don't see any reason why this marriage can't be annulled." He shrugged. "Two out of three's not bad. Bailee loves her Carter, and Sarah's crazy about her man. It's just luck of the draw not to win every time."

He moved over to his desk. "Since the marriage was never consummated, I don't see that there should be any problem ending it. I'll get the lawyer to draw up the papers and talk to the judge when he makes his rounds next week."

He looked up at Lacy, then at Walker. "The marriage is just in name only, right?"

The color drained from Lacy's face.

Walker refused to answer. If she were going to lie, he'd say nothing, but he wouldn't be the one to deny the truth.

The sheriff raised an eyebrow and frowned. "You didn't force yourself on this little lady, did you, Captain?" He reached for the weapon he'd been using as a paperweight.

"No," Walker answered, never removing his stare from Lacy.

The color returned to her face, flooding her cheeks with fire.

"Miss Lacy." The sheriff moved to stand beside her. "Did this man hurt you in any way? Did he force you into his bed? Because if he did, there's a strong likelihood you won't have to worry about an annulment; you'll be a widow before dark."

The silence in the room was so complete Walker could hear his heart beating. All she had to do was tell Riley he'd forced her, and these might be the last beats he heard. The sheriff loved her as if she were his daughter; he'd proved that in his letter to pull Walker off duty to protect her. And from the way he held his gun, he would be willing to prove it again. The old man would take her word against his.

Walker realized a quick-tempered, crazy lady held his life in her hands.

"He didn't force me," she finally said. "I forced him."

Walker closed his eyes, almost wishing she'd lied.

The sheriff's gun rattled back on the desk as he laughed. "Well now, that's different. Why don't you tell me why you don't want to be married after you liked him well enough to take him to bed?"

Walker opened his eyes, wanting to hear the answer as well.

Lacy looked like she might cry; then she lifted her . chin and stared at him. "Never mind, I'll kill him myself, Sheriff."

Walker glanced at the sheriff for help. In that second, Lacy bolted, running past him and back out into the street.

He turned to follow, but Riley stepped in his path. "What did you do, son, to get her so riled up?"

"Me?" Walker was insulted the man would even ask. "Did it ever occur to you that I might be the innocent party here? I've only been in town for a few hours. She's completely insane. If I have to live with her for a month, I'll be volunteering to step in front of a firing squad."

Riley smiled. "Did you figure that out before or after you slept with her?"

"We didn't have time to sleep," Walker snapped before he realized how his words sounded. "All I want is a logical woman to deal with. Is that too much to ask?"

Riley scratched his whiskery chin. "That may be, son. Can you remember the last thing you said to her before she started yelling?"

Walker rubbed the back of his neck. "I asked for a few little changes. I told her she'd have to get rid of her cats."

"That's it." Riley slapped Walker on the back. "Everyone in town knows that Lacy's crazy about animals." He hesitated a moment. "Everyone, it. seems, but her husband."

Walker offered his hand. "Thank you for your time, Sheriff."

The old man gripped his hand. "You wouldn't want to tell me about how the little lady forced you to make the marriage a real one, would you?"

"I would not." Walker turned to leave. "And don't bother asking again."

The sheriff laughed. "Oh, no bother, Captain. No bother at all."

Walker marched into the street with the
Sheriff's words echoing in his mind. "Everyone knows Lacy loves animals," Riley said, as if he should have known how his wife felt.

Strangers knew more about her than he did. If he planned to keep her safe, he'd better start learning … and learn fast. So far today he'd learned she had a temper and, to give her credit, she was honest. She could have lied to the sheriff.

He noticed her talking with a few of the farmers' wives. She was the only one without a jacket. The sun fought its way through the clouds, but the day wouldn't be warm enough to go without a coat for at least another two hours.

Since she didn't seem to be going anywhere soon, Walker crossed to the print shop, hoping to find a shawl or coat for her.

To his surprise, the print shop door stood wide open. So much for security. An old man, wearing a well-worn

apron over ink-stained clothes, greeted Walker with a nod.

"Can I help you?" He whittled the end of a pencil with his pocketknife.

"I'm Captain Larson."

The old man cupped one hand to his ear. "Say what?"

"I'm Walker Larson. Lacy's husband." It sounded strange identifying himself by anything other than his rank.

The old man grinned without the burden of teeth. "Figured that. Somebody said you were in town. Usually don't see anyone in a uniform unless the supply wagon from Fort Elliot comes in to pick up something at the station." The printer's devil offered his ink-stained hand. "I'm Duncan James. Been working here setting type for close to five years. Worked for your pa before Miss Lacy took over. Mighty fine man, your pa, and mighty fine wife you got there, Mr. Larson."