Sunrise Ridge (Redemption Mountain Historical Western Romance Book 3) (15 page)

“It wouldn’t surprise me. When they worked for Abby’s father, Drake and his men came in here several times. I knew they were different from the rest of us.” Suzanne’s brows knitted together as she sipped her coffee. “I heard them joke about the wagon train of pioneers who’d been attacked by Indians—the group Ginny Pelletier was a part of before settling here. They laughed about the couple who died and the stupidity of the settlers.”

“Did they come into the restaurant this week?” Noah asked.

“No, although I thought I saw Drake ride out of town with some other men a few days ago. Monday or Tuesday, I think. I didn’t get a good enough look at the time, but now I know it must have been them. What can I do to help?”

“Nothing right now, except stay away from them if they come to town.” Gabe didn’t want Suzanne, Abby, or any of the townspeople coming to harm because of Drake. He glanced at the men sitting around the table. They needed to find him before he harmed anyone in Splendor.

“Are you certain you can’t close the restaurant for one afternoon and ride to the Pelletier ranch with me and Doc Worthington?” Abby asked once more in hopes Suzanne would give her a different answer.

“I can’t today. The place is full with boarders who’ll expect supper. Perhaps another time when there are fewer people.”

Abby noticed Suzanne didn’t look too disappointed. The last year had been rough for her after the new restaurant opened at the other end of town. Now people had a choice. She imagined Suzanne appreciated the additional income the boarders provided.

“I’d better leave before Doc leaves without me. I’ll see you tonight.” Abby stepped outside, enjoying the feel of the midday sun on her face. The ride would be short if the weather held. She looked across the street to see the livery closed tight. She suspected Noah had gone to his cabin and felt a twinge of guilt he’d be riding back early to escort her to her father’s ranch for supper. At least Sunday meals were early. She’d be finished in enough time to meet Noah and make it back to Splendor before dark.

“Well…hello, Miss Tolbert. I understand you’ll be going with me to visit Rachel.” Doc Worthington had pulled the wagon to the front and finished tossing a couple bags into the back as Abby stopped beside him.

“Thank you for taking me.” She grabbed his outstretched hand and climbed onto the wagon seat.

“Believe me, it’s my pleasure. I enjoy having company.” He settled beside her, grabbing the reins, glancing behind him at the sound of approaching horses. “It appears we’ll have others riding along with us.”

Abby turned to see Gabe, Cash, Beau, and Noah rein up alongside the wagon.

“I hear you and Miss Tolbert are heading to the same place we are.” Gabe nodded toward Abby.

“If you’re going to the Pelletier ranch, that would be correct. You men ready?” Doc asked, then slapped the reins. “Seems Rachel invited half the town to supper.” His voice sounded a little rough, even as a smile appeared. “She does like having a houseful.”

Once they started out, Abby continued to cast quick looks behind her, watching Noah keep pace with the wagon. He’d smile at her each time he caught her looking his way, sending a wave of heat through her.

As if he’d found a way into her thoughts, he pulled alongside the wagon. “Good afternoon, Abby.” He touched his finger to the brim of his hat.

“Hello, Noah. It seems you won’t be making it to your cabin this weekend.”

“No, ma’am. I’ll have lots of time to spend up there.”

“Is it far? Your cabin, I mean.”

Noah grasped the saddle horn with one hand, keeping the reins in the other, and leaned back. “Depends on the weather. An hour’s the longest, but even then, the ride is beautiful. Some nights in the middle of summer, I have light all the way. It’s worth the trip to wake early in the morning to witness the stunning sunrise. Yellows, oranges, reds, and pinks—it’s a sight.”

She listened to him go on and on about the beauty of his home and wished he’d invite her to share it with him. And not just the sunrises. She wanted to see what he’d accomplished with the land the Pelletiers had given him for helping free Rachel, the doctor, and the Frey brothers from outlaws bent on killing them. She shuddered at how close they’d come to losing the four about a year ago. At first, Noah had turned down the gift of the land, but neither Dax nor Luke would give up. It was either the land or they’d deposit money into Noah’s account at the bank. He finally took the land, building a cabin with a small amount of help from Gabe. She yearned to see it.

“Perhaps you’ll take me there some day.” Her low, wistful voice tore away at Noah’s commitment to never let her see his home.

As proud as he was of it, Noah never intended it to be a place to bring a bride and raise a family. Until recently, he’d never believed he had any real chance with Abby. Even if he could change her mind and allow him to court her, the cabin wasn’t fit for a lady. At least he’d been telling himself that for almost a year. Her leaving the ranch, living in the boardinghouse, and working at the bank opened his mind to the possibility they could have a life together.

“It’s not a place for a lady, Abby.”

It was all he could get out, yet Abby saw it as an opening. “How do you know if you’ve never had a lady visit?”

A low chuckle rumbled from Doc Worthington’s chest. He’d stayed silent during the exchange, guiding the wagon toward the entrance to the Pelletier ranch.

“She’s got you there, Noah.” He cast an amused glance at Noah, believing the man daft for continuing to put off such a prize as Abigail Tolbert.

Gabe, riding on the driver’s side of the wagon, watched Noah shift in the saddle. The situation with Abby seemed to be coming to a head and he sure hoped he’d to be around to see it.

“She has a point, Noah. No reason not to take her up the mountain, get her opinion of the cabin. Didn’t you say you wanted some ideas on curtains or some such thing?” Gabe braced his face at the lie he spoke.

Noah glared at him, knowing full well he’d never mentioned a word about curtains, or tablecloths, or any of the niceties a woman would expect in a home. “Don’t believe I recall such a discussion, Gabe,” he ground out, wishing Gabe had kept his thoughts to himself.

Abby turned to Noah, her eyes wide in anticipation. “It would be an honor to give you suggestions on the cabin. Running a home was part of my course work at finishing school.” Abby cringed at what she’d said, feeling heat creep up her cheeks. As soon as the words were out, she wished they could be dragged back. “I mean…well…” Her voice trailed off. Anything more and she’d find herself in a deeper hole.

“I’m sure Noah would appreciate any help he could get with fixing up the place. Right, Noah?” Gabe grinned, enjoying watching his friend squirm.

Noah’s jawed worked as he tried to control the fire in his gut at Gabe’s suggestion. Even though he’d known Gabe since they were kids in New York, he never remembered a time he wanted to land a fist to his friend’s face more than right now. It was good the wagon, Doc Worthington, and Abby stood between the two of them.

“It’s all right. I’m sure Noah will reconsider inviting me when he’s ready.”

“Hope we’re not all six feet under by then,” Gabe mumbled under his breath, nudging Blackheart into a gallop as the ranch house came into sight.

Chapter Twelve

“We gonna hole up here forever?” Lem Pruett, one of Drake’s cronies from their war years, sat on his horse, eyeing the cattle milling around the open space they’d found within the walls of the nearby mountain range.

“The cattle are doing fine. There’s plenty of grass and water, and we’re far enough out that no one should find us.” Drake knew there’d be plenty of grass available during the drive south, but he wanted to fatten them up as much as possible before they started out.

“Drake’s right. Those cattle need to feed on the grass several more days or we’ll lose too many on the drive.” Archie Swaggert, another of Drake’s cronies, swung back up on his horse and looked up at the towering valley walls.

 “This is a good spot, south of the Murton ranch. There are no other ranches for miles. Wish it weren’t so far from the Pelletier and Tolbert ranches, though. Once we raid them, we’ll have enough to leave.”

“‘Course, we don’t have to go after more cattle, Drake. We got plenty to move and make a nice profit.” Lem had been pushing to move the herd ever since he’d spotted the men who’d been tracking them ride into Splendor with Sheriff Evans. He’d been headed for the saloon, but hid in an alley before they spotted him, then rode toward camp with the news. If the sheriff, Coulter, and Davis joined forces with the local ranchers, it would be difficult to hide the herd much longer. If they did what Drake wanted and rustled from Tolbert and the Pelletiers, it would double the risk.

“No more discussion on this. We’re going after their cattle.” Drake reined his horse around and headed toward their camp.

For Drake, this wasn’t about stealing cattle as much as revenge against the ranchers whose actions forced him, Lem, and Archie to disappear a year ago, before their plans had been completed. The three had expected so much more than mere wages as ranch hands for Tolbert. They’d hoped to turn local sentiment against the rancher, setting him up as the lawbreaker for the crimes the three committed. As their boss, they believed it would be a simple matter to focus the blame on Tolbert.

With him out of the way, Drake convinced himself it would’ve been easy to force his daughter, Abigail, to go along with their plans. Seen as a soft female with little ranching experience, Drake envisioned marrying her, taking the ranch in the most basic and legal way possible.

It now appeared she’d had a falling out with her father. He’d been shocked to see her behind the teller counter, pretended he didn’t recognize her, and hoped she didn’t recognize him. Drake doubted she had the ability to utter a convincing lie.

He had pondered what to do since that day. The action he preferred included her father dying in a ranch accident, leaving his substantial holdings to a daughter with little skill or interest in running a ranch. He’d step in, take it off her hands or marry her—either worked for him. It wasn’t as if he’d be stuck with her long before she met a similar fate as her father. Drake chuckled to himself. There were a hundred ways to die and disappear on a ranch the size of Tolbert’s. He just needed one.

They arrived at the perfect time for Abby to help Rachel and Ginny with the final preparations for supper. It kept her busy and away from Noah. He’d avoided her after they’d returned to Splendor, spending time at his cabin and not coming to Suzanne’s for meals. After two weeks, she’d grown desperate to get one glimpse of him. She’d seen him in town, and asked him to help when Drake appeared at the bank. Other than stopping at the livery the day before, she’d done her best to give him the space he seemed to need.

His actions at supper last night, on the ride out today, and volunteering to escort her to her father’s tomorrow had her confused. She didn’t know how to react. No matter how much she wanted it, being around him hurt more than she’d imagined. Cutting him from her thoughts hadn’t worked, and now he appeared in agonizing regularity. The man didn’t realize or care about the effect he had on her.

“Abby, would you mind carrying this to the table?” Rachel held out a platter brimming with sliced beef and boiled potatoes. Although she still appeared to have plenty of energy, the pregnancy had begun to affect her movement and length of time she could stand before feeling pain in her back.

“Of course.”

“Oh, and let the men know supper is ready.”

She wanted to protest, ask Ginny to call the men, but knew it would seem petty. Besides, she needed everyone to see her as the grown woman she’d become, making her own way on her own terms. It wouldn’t happen if she looked to others to help her over the many hurdles in life, which was how she saw Noah.

Setting the platter on the table, she turned toward the front door in time to see Dax and the others walking in, laughing. With all the hardships they faced with men like Drake, it was good they could find reason to joke.

“Supper’s ready.” Her eyes met Noah’s before she looked away and turned toward the kitchen, passing Ginny as she set a basket of warm bread on the table.