One Texas Night (21 page)

“How much is it worth?” Laurel tried to keep her tone bland as if simply making conversation.

“A small fortune, I’m guessing. They say the water’s good. In the right hands, it could be a great addition to my holdings.” He shrugged. “Since the young Darnell didn’t win best all-around, I’m thinking he’ll be needing money to move on and will take my first offer no matter how low I make it.”

Laurel fought to swallow. “How do you know he won’t win?”

“I heard he was hurt last night.”

She couldn’t say a word without giving away far more than she wanted her father to know.

He patted her pale cheek, seeing only her frailty. “Don’t worry, Laurel. When I buy the place you can still ride over there if you like. I might even have a gate cut in the fence so you could cross through.” Then as if he’d rationed out all his kindness for the day, he walked away yelling for his other daughters to get downstairs immediately.

A few minutes later, she silently climbed into the wagon. Her father rode his horse, making one of the men handle the surrey’s team. Laurel sat alone on the backseat trying to figure out how her father had known Rowdy was hurt. Of course it was possible his men saw Dan carry him into the barn. Maybe the man who almost tumbled over Rowdy in the mud told someone, who told someone. Only they weren’t in town that long after she’d visited the barn and, as far as she knew, both her father and his men had been working on the ranch all day.

She walked around and around the obvious answer, hoping to find another reason for her father knowing than that he somehow had ordered the attack.

When they reached the town square and her family hurried off to watch the children ride lambs and rope pigs, Laurel lay her coat over the small traveling bag she’d used when she went back and forth to school. With her head high, she walked directly to the hotel.

When she found Bonnie Lynn, she asked, “Do you have somewhere you can store this for me?”

Bonnie didn’t ask questions, she just nodded and took the case.

“I may be needing a room later.”

“We’re full,” Bonnie Lynn said, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if some folks don’t head home tonight after the rodeo’s over. Don’t you worry about your things. I’ll put them in my room. They’ll be safe there and I’ll make sure you get the first room that comes open.”

Laurel smiled, silently thanking the girl for asking no questions. “One more favor. Do you know where Rowdy is?”

Bonnie winked. “That is no favor. He’s sitting in the bar with my Dan having a piece of my pie.”

Laurel took a breath. “I need to talk to him alone.”

“I’ll have him meet you in the parlor. It’s always empty this time of day.”

While the maid went to put up her case and tell Rowdy, Laurel stood in the front room and stared out dirty windows at the circus atmosphere outside. Everyone for a hundred miles around seemed to be in town. She watched as people walked only a few feet beyond the window and didn’t notice her. That seemed to be how life in this town had always been for her, no one noticed her. She was invisible, or she had been to everyone but Rowdy.

Just as she saw Jeffery Filmore turn up the steps of the hotel, she heard Rowdy’s voice.

“Good afternoon, Miss Laurel,” he said. He stood politely with his hat in his hand, but she didn’t miss the devil of a grin on his face.

When she nodded slightly, he added, “You’re looking quite lovely this day.”

She heard the front door open and knew within a few seconds Jeffery Filmore would be near enough to see them.

Shoving past Rowdy, she whispered, “Don’t sell your ranch.”

He’d raised his arms to hold her, but she was already in the doorway.

“Promise me!”

Jeffery’s voice boomed. “I thought I’d find you here, Laurel.”

Rowdy nodded and backed away so that the banker couldn’t see him standing behind her.

“I’m not much for the nonsense on the streets,” Jeffery complained. “In fact, I’ll be glad when this whole thing is over and we can go back to normal.” He was getting closer. “I thought I’d come in and have a cup of tea with you. Your father and I have been talking and there are a few plans you need to be working on.”

“No.” Laurel held up her hand, trying to think. “No tea. Not now. Since you’re here I’m sure it would be all right for me to have tea in the café.”

“It’s more of a bar. No proper place for you.”

Rowdy moved behind the door so that he wouldn’t be seen until the banker was well into the room. And he couldn’t step inside with Laurel blocking the door.

“I’ve heard,” she said. “But I understand they serve pie in there and I’d love a piece, dear.” The endearment tasted sour on her tongue, but she had to get him out of the way before he noticed Rowdy.

Filmore frowned at her as if he thought she had taken ill. “All right,” he finally said, more in answer to the pie than her.

“I might have a slice myself.”

Laurel tugged the door closed as she followed the big man.

A moment before she let go, she felt Rowdy’s fingers reach for hers, but she couldn’t take the chance of ruining their dream now. He didn’t know what was going on or how her father planned to cheat him, but she prayed he trusted her enough to follow her advice.

Chapter 11

Rowdy moved around the door frame in time to see Laurel disappear with the banker. Filmore laid his hand at the small of her back as if he had the right to touch her and wanted everyone to know it.

Anger washed over him as the scars of five years log-piled in his thoughts.

Who did he think he was kidding? Laurel Hayes was a rich man’s daughter and he had one dollar to his name. She’d been sent away to school and he’d been sent to prison. The chance of her caring for him was about as likely as snow on a summer night.

He couldn’t deny she was attracted to him. He’d felt the sparks fly whenever they were within touching distance. They both liked the game they’d played the past few days, but it was just a game to her. A pastime to make the rodeo more interesting maybe. She’d have no supper waiting for him in a hotel room tonight. There’d be no lovemaking.

She’d called the pig “dear.” That one word kept sparking against his mind, sharpening anger with each memory. He would have thought five years of living with thieves and liars would have taught him not to believe anything anyone said.

He had no idea why she’d told him not to sell his land. Maybe that was part of the game she played also. She and Filmore were probably laughing about it right now over pie.

All he knew for sure was she left him and went with the banker. She could have told Filmore to wait a few minutes because she was busy talking to him. Or she could have introduced them as if they were equals. But she hadn’t. She’d shoved him aside. She’d refused his touch. She kept him out of sight because he was her dirty little secret.

Rowdy hit the hotel door at a run. He stopped by the grounds and took his pick of among the last few wild horses left to ride, then found Dan near the barn.

“What’s wrong?” the big Irishman asked the moment he saw Rowdy.

“Nothing.”

Dan frowned. “I would have guessed that right off.” He slapped Rowdy on the back. “You want to go down to pick out a mount? I’m thinking one of them might look sleepy or tired. That would be the one to ride. All you got to do is stay in the saddle, cowboy, and you’ll win this thing.”

Rowdy didn’t answer or move toward the corral.

Dan watched him closely. “You don’t look like a man who cares if he wins.”

“I care,” Rowdy answered as he checked Cinnamon’s cinch, “but I’m not going for third. I plan to win this event.”

Dan laughed. “Good way to think,” he said. “Then with two first places you’ll have a hundred dollars plus the cattle. That’d make you a fine start on that ranch of yours. You could use the money to rebuild the cabin and fatten up a few of the cattle to sell off this fall to get you through the winter. With two hundred head, you could have three hundred by this time next year.”

“I’m selling all the cattle tonight, and as soon as I find a buyer for the ranch, I’m never coming back to this place.”

Dan played along. “I can understand that. You got a good ranch with water most of us would fight you for and a woman who looks at you like you’re about the grandest thing she’s ever seen. If I was in your shoes, I’d run as hard and fast as I could as well.”

Rowdy’s swear died on his lips as he turned and saw Laurel’s father and two of his men walking up the passage between the pens. The old man was headed straight for him.

He and Dan stood staring as if watching a storm moving in over open land. When the captain and his cowhands were within ten feet, Rowdy thought he heard the jangle of silver spurs. The bright day turned into a stormy night of memories, but he didn’t move a muscle.

“Rowdy Darnell,” Hayes began as if he wasn’t sure which man was which.

“Yes.” Rowdy didn’t offer his hand.

The captain straightened, allowing his years of army service to show. “I’m here, young man, with an offer I think you’ll want to hear.” He gave Dan a look that made it plain the conversation was only between them and the pig farmer should leave.

“We’re listening,” Rowdy said, silently letting everyone know that he wanted Dan to stay.

Dan looked like a bull shifting from one foot to the other. He, like everyone in town, knew the captain carried a great deal of weight, but Rowdy was one of Dan’s few friends.

Rowdy ended his indecision by adding, “Dan, I’d like you to stay. I’ve developed a worry over being alone out here after last night.”

Dan took the hint. He crossed his powerful arms and stood shoulder to shoulder with his friend.

Hayes, surprisingly, looked concerned. “Oh, why is that, Mr. Darnell? Did something happen last night?”

Rowdy looked at the cowhand whose spurs sparkled in the sunshine. “Nothing that mattered.” He lowered his voice. With the hint of a wild animal growling, he added, “Nothing that will ever happen again.”

Hayes seemed bored and drew Rowdy back to him by saying, “I’ve come with an offer for your ranch. Now I know it’s not worth much, never truly been built into anything, but out of respect for your father and my neighbor, I’m here to offer you a thousand dollars more than your father paid for it.”

Rowdy knew Dan would react and he did. “That’s not a fourth what it’s worth, Mr. Hayes, and you know it.”

“It’s Captain Hayes,” Laurel’s father corrected.

Dan shook his head. “Changing your handle don’t make any difference in what the ranch is worth.”

The captain looked bothered. “All right.” He smiled at Rowdy. “Your friend may be right. I haven’t priced anything for a while. I’ll up the offer by another two thousand but that is the best I can do. I don’t think you’ll find anyone around who’ll make you a better price.”

Dan huffed. “I would if I had the money.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Rowdy finally spoke, “because the ranch is not for sale at any price.”

“There’s always a price,” Hayes corrected.

“Not this time.” As angry as he was at Laurel, her last words echoed in his thoughts, warning him. He couldn’t make the pieces fit.

The captain didn’t look defeated. “You think about it, Darnell. For most here, you’re a stranger and it won’t be easy making a go of it. For the rest, you’re nothing but a jailbird. They’ll remember and never trust you. You’d be better off to take the money and move on.”

He started to leave, then turned back. “I just heard that you picked the wildest mount to ride today. Rumor is that horse has put more than one cowboy in a wheelchair.”

“A great ride could mean a win,” Rowdy said.

Hayes shook his head. “A good one would have made you the winner with a second or third place. But you picked the hardest to ride. I hear he can buck higher than the fence. If you can stay on, you’re right, you’ll win, but if you don’t make the clock, you’ll lose not only the event but the best all-around.”

Rowdy stared as they turned and walked away. He’d already figured it out and knew the captain was right. If he drew no points in this event and the cowhand with the next best total placed first or second, Rowdy would lose.

Dan leaned close. “You up for it?”

“I can hardly wait,” Rowdy answered.

Chapter 12

Laurel watched for Rowdy until the rodeo started, but she never saw him. She wished she’d had time to explain why she’d told him not to sell the ranch. But how could she tell him that her father was planning to cheat him.

She also felt bad about running off with the banker. She’d panicked and decided the hotel lobby had not been the place or time to cause trouble. There would be enough fireworks Monday morning when her father and Filmore figured out that she was gone. Since they both thought she had little money, they would spend a day, maybe two looking around town for her. Finally, someone was bound to check at the station. Her father would probably send men to bring her back, but she’d be a train ride ahead of them, maybe more. Once she stepped off in a big city, they’d never find her. She could let Rowdy know where to send the rest of her money.

With Rowdy staying in town for a while, no one would suspect him of having anything to do with her disappearance. She knew he’d never tell anyone that he passed half the profit from the sale of the cattle to her.

She wasn’t brave enough to stand up to her father face-to-face. She never had been. The only way she could break free was to disappear completely.

The need to give Rowdy a good luck kiss weighed against the possibility of someone seeing them together. The kiss had always brought him luck, but if her father heard about it, he might look for her tonight or suspect Rowdy had something to do with her leaving. To keep him and their partnership safe, she had to be very careful. If that meant not seeing him until after the rodeo, then she could wait.

Her thoughts turned to what would happen when they were alone. It would be easy to tell her father she was riding home with her sisters, then tell her sisters she was going home early on horseback. Neither would check with the other. She would slip into the back of the hotel and Bonnie Lynn would, hopefully, have a room ready. She’d order supper and wait.

Laurel smiled. Women like her didn’t have lovers, but tonight, for one night, she would. For one night she’d be desired even if he couldn’t love her.

As the sun faded on the last night of the rodeo, Laurel couldn’t sit still in the wagon. She had to pace. In a few minutes the rodeo would be over. She knew win or lose her life had changed. She’d never marry Filmore. If Rowdy lost tonight, she’d still be leaving her father’s house, even if it took a little more planning.

For the first time she knew her own mind and would not live as a child any longer.

Something else had changed. She’d fallen hard for Rowdy. Not infatuation or a warm kind of cuddly loving feeling, but hard, fast, forever kind of love. For once in her life she’d found something—someone she couldn’t resist. If he didn’t feel the same, they’d walk away as friends tomorrow, but he’d never leave her heart. She’d have the memory of one night with him forever.

The first saddleback rider didn’t make the clock. Three more to ride. Every nerve in her body felt like it was jumping.

Laurel paced. Her father was so wrapped up in what he was doing he hadn’t even noticed the changes in her over the past few days. But others did. She saw one of the cowhands who always followed after her sisters studying her as if seeing her for the first time. A stranger had smiled at her. One of the store clerks had gone out of his way to hold a door open for her. She almost felt like “been kissed” was written on her face. Maybe it was, her lips were swollen slightly from Rowdy’s kisses and her cheeks burned each time she remembered the way he touched her.