The Tracker (16 page)

Annie sniffed and shook her head. “My mother always said that one day I would understand how she felt when I left home. Now I do.”

Ellie laid her hand on Annie’s arm, which felt cold. “And one day Rose will leave me and I know I will come here and cry on your shoulder. It is the way of the world.”

The women hugged.

Ellie pulled back. “Now stop, you are going to make me cry and I have a cake to bake.”

“What can I do to help? I have never been much of a baker, but I want to help.”

Ellie smiled, grateful that they would share this simple task. “Stoke the fires in the stove and bring me that tin of cinnamon.”

The women worked side by side for the next hour. Neither spoke of Ellie’s impending move, but the changes that would soon come to their lives weighed heavily on their minds.

Annie finally retired just after midnight, but Ellie stayed up until the cakes baked to a golden brown. She set them on the kitchen table and, as they cooled, she mixed the brown sugar icing. When she’d finished, she couldn’t help but admire her work. The cake was one of the best she’d ever made and pride welled inside her.

Rose woke and Ellie mixed a bottle and fed the girl. She held her close, savoring the soft scent of milk and the sound of the baby suckling.

When Ellie finished feeding the baby, she crawled into bed just after two in the morning. The cabin smelled of warm cinnamon. Her muscles ached but her mind spun.

Nick had become such a part of her life in such a short time. And soon he’d be gone.

What would she do without him?

N
ICK KNEW
the instant Ellie shut off her lantern downstairs. Wide awake, he lay in his bed, his hands tucked behind his head. For the past couple of hours he’d stared at the shadows slashing across the ceiling while he’d listened to Ellie move around the kitchen.

He’d also heard everything she’d said to Annie.

Sighing, he rolled on his side. He closed his eyes but knew sleep wouldn’t claim him for hours.

N
ICK WOULD HAVE LEFT
at first light, but hard rains had kept him pinned in the barn until almost nine o’clock. As soon as the sky cleared, he headed for the corral. He’d stayed clear of the cabin. There seemed to be no need to say goodbye to anyone.

Mike and Annie would be happy to see him go—there’d be no tearful goodbyes with them. And Ellie, well, they’d said all that needed to be said yesterday. And, in truth, he wasn’t sure if he had the strength to say goodbye to her.

The idea of leaving her saddened him beyond words, but it was best to make a clean break now. He’d see she got the reward money and that she and Rose would be taken care of.

Nick was draping his saddle blanket over his mare’s back when an old man rode up to the coach stop on a gray gelding. Drenched, he wore black and sported a white beard that grew into a point.

The stranger rode toward the corral and dis
mounted. He shook the rain from his hat. “You the groom?”

Nick turned toward his saddle, hanging over the fence. “Nope.”

“A guest?”

“Not exactly.”

“Ah, not an employee and not a guest. A man who defies description.”

The hint of humor in the newcomer’s voice had Nick smiling despite his foul mood. “Something like that.”

The other man didn’t press. He placed his hands at the base of his spine and arched his back. “There was a time I could ride for days and feel just fine. Now I’ve got to stop every half day to stretch my legs and empty my bladder. Getting old is a damnable curse.”

Nick glanced down at the stranger. Despite his complaints, his eyes were bright. “My name is Nick Baron.”

The old man held out his hand. “Reverend Shaun Johnson. I’ve come here to marry Annie and Mike.”

Nick nodded. “They are expecting you.” He felt cut off, out of touch with news in the area. Frank Palmer could be over the rise, for all he knew. “I’ve been here over a week. Pick up any news in the area?”

The minister shrugged. “No more than the usual. I hear from a couple of cowhands on the trail that they captured a fellow a few days’ ride from here. He’s wanted for murder and a railroad robbery.”

Nick’s interest sharpened. “He got a name?”

“They say it’s Palmer. But you never can tell. When the reward is high, folks would turn their mother in to the jailhouse.”

Damn, could it be that easy? Could it be over with Frank? He felt no relief, only an anxious need to see Frank face-to-face. “Where they taking him?”

“Word is Butte.”

Butte. It made sense that Frank would be headed that way. Perhaps he’d figured out where the gold was without the map.

Nick put his saddle over the horse. He’d soon find out.

“You staying after the wedding?” he asked the minister.

“No. I’ve got to be moving on.”

“Where you headed?”

“Butte, as a matter of fact.”

“I’m heading in the same direction myself.”

“If you wait until after the ceremony, I’ll ride with you. The trail is a might more tolerable with company.”

Nick wanted to get away from here while he still had the strength to leave Ellie. But as he looked at
the old man’s hands, bent by arthritis and time, he knew the pastor would fare better if he traveled with him. “How long you going to be?”

“An hour, maybe two. Just long enough to hitch these two folks and get me a bite to eat.”

“A few more hours won’t make a difference to me.” If Frank was in jail, a day or two wouldn’t make any difference. And he couldn’t resist one last look at Ellie. “How about we leave at noon?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Nick decided then that this hunger he had for Ellie had turned him into a fool. “Go on inside and I’ll unsaddle your horse and turn him loose in the corral.”

“Appreciate it. I hear Miss Annie has hired a new cook who cooks like an angel.”

“Very true.”

The minister hesitated a second as he looked at Nick. Recognition flickered in the pastor’s eyes. “Have we met before?”

“No.”

“But I have heard about you.”

Tensing, Nick pulled the saddle off his horse and hung it on the corral fence again. “Most people have.”

The pastor grinned. “Not all the stories were bad. I know a family that was brutalized by that outlaw Ramsey. The little girl didn’t start sleeping at night until you locked that outlaw up in jail.”

The information caught Nick by surprise. He never looked back after a job or stopped to think how his actions affected others.

Reverend Johnson laid his hand on Nick’s arm. “You’re an avenging angel,” the minister said. “And a real blessing to many people.”

Nick felt his throat tighten. An unseen weight lifted from his shoulders. Perhaps he was still one of the good guys. “That’s a first for me.”

“You’ve done more good than you realize.”

Nick nodded. “Good to know.”

“Well, let me get some breakfast so we can get this marriage ceremony going.” The old man walked inside the house.

Nick stayed with the horses. He unsaddled the pastor’s horse and took the blanket off his own. Like it or not, he’d be here for a few more hours.

He heard the women greet the minister. Ellie’s voice mingled with Annie’s. It bothered him that the last time he’d seen Ellie, she’d had red-rimmed eyes. Her pale face would haunt him for years to come.

Nick sighed. There was no changing the truth. He loved Ellie.

E
LLIE WAS SURPRISED
when Nick didn’t leave, and secretly glad. However she kept her emotions in check. The reverend had said Nick had agreed to wait so that
they could travel together. Ellie did her best not to read any more emotion into Nick’s action.

Reverend Johnson’s easy manner and kindness helped ease her frayed nerves. She liked the old man. He possessed a youthful spirit.

As the minister ate, the sun broke through the lingering clouds. By the time he’d finished his coffee, the sky was clear, as though it had never rained. Annie and Mike could be married outside after all, just as they’d hoped.

The minister and Mike left the cabin so that Ellie could help Annie dress in a lovely yellow calico that set off her blond hair and blue eyes just right. She fixed Annie’s hair in a neat chignon that accentuated her high cheekbones.

Annie sat fidgeting with the trim on her cuff as Ellie fed and changed Rose. By the time she was done, there was barely time to brush her own hair and dust the flour from the skirts of the store-bought blue calico. She’d loved to have taken more time with her appearance, especially since Nick was staying for the ceremony. But the time simply wasn’t there.

As she headed toward the door with Rose, she took one last glance at the wedding cake, which sat in the middle of the table. The two-tiered cake was adorned with fresh white and blue flowers. Around
it, newly scrubbed plates, dishes and spoons waited for the guests. Fresh coffee simmered on the stove.

Everything was perfect.

Almost.

“Ladies,” the minister called. “We’re ready for you.”

Annie stood at the threshold of the front door, her eyes wide. “This is it.”

Ellie, with the baby on her shoulder, smiled. “You look lovely.”

Annie smoothed her hands over her dress. “Do you think so? I feel kinda foolish dressed like this. I’m used to my buskins and chaps. Mike picked the dress out for me while we were in town.”

She’d never seen her friend so nervous. “It looks lovely. You look lovely.”

“I never thought that I would be so agitated when we got married. I mean, we made our pledge in front of my father’s people and, well, we’ve shared blankets. It’s not like there are any surprises left.”

Ellie envied her friend. She was marrying the man she loved. “I think every time we pledge our love, we open ourselves up. A marriage ceremony, no matter how many times it’s done, is much the same.”

She swallowed. “I’ve never been good about speaking my emotions.”

Ellie look Annie’s hand in hers. Despite the warm day, her fingers were as cold as ice. “It’s okay.”

Annie lifted her shoulders. “I think the menfolk are getting impatient.”

“Then let’s not keep them waiting.”

The women moved outside to the front porch.

Annie’s gaze went directly to Mike. Ellie’s gaze went to Nick, who stood by the corral.

His eyes were partially shadowed by the brim of his hat, but she could see that he was staring at her. His gaze traveled over her like a caress. Every muscle in her body quivered. She wanted nothing more than to reach out to him. Sadly, there was no going back.

Her throat felt raw as she faced Annie and Mike.

The minister held a large book. Its black leather was well worn, the spine cracked in two places. The book flopped opened directly to the marriage ceremony.

He peered over his glasses at Mike and Annie. “Ready?”

Mike squeezed Annie’s hand. “We are.”

In the background, majestic mountains touched a crystal-blue sky. A gentle breeze brushed the tall grass. It was a perfect day.

Annie smiled up at Mike. “Yes, we are.”

Ellie patted Rose on the back. They couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful day to marry, she thought.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to
join this man and woman.” The minister’s deep voice floated over Ellie’s head. There’d been a few fleeting moments when she’d pictured herself standing in front of a minister with Nick at her side. The fact that she never would broke her heart.

Rose started to fuss and she shifted the baby to her other shoulder. She’d love to slip away from this ceremony and have a good cry.

“I do,” Mike said.

His clear, strong voice brought Ellie back to the moment. She blinked away tears and watched as Annie recited her vows.

Suddenly she was aware that Nick was standing directly behind her. She sniffed, praying she’d not blubber like a fool and make a spectacle of herself. He placed his hands on her shoulders. Her muscles tensed. Then the warmth of his fingers seeped into her, dashing away all the fear and the tension.

He pressed his lips close to her ear. “Marry me.”

She didn’t dare look at him. But her body was very aware of him. His touch. His scent. The rise and fall of his chest.

The minister completed the ceremony and pronounced Annie and Mike husband and wife. Only when the newlyweds kissed did Ellie turn around and look up into Nick’s eyes.

“You said you never wanted to see me again,” she said.

He sighed. “I was angry. And I also said hurtful things. I am sorry.”

“We both made mistakes.”

He squeezed her shoulders. “Marry me,” he said again. “Let us build a life together.”

She stared, shocked by his proposal. “What about Frank and the gold?”

“I’ll have to deal with both. We’ll have no peace until that problem is resolved. But after I am done with him, it’ll be just you, me and Rose.” He cupped the child’s small head in his large hand. “I’ll be a good father to her.”

Tears did stream down her face at that. “Nick, are you really sure about this? I lived at the Silver Slipper all my life. People don’t think the best of me for it.”

“We’re making a fresh start here. The past doesn’t matter.”

She hugged him close. “I will make you a good wife, I swear.”

He kissed her on the lips. He tasted so good.

Nick pulled away from Ellie with some effort. “Reverend Johnson.”

The old man, who’d been talking to Annie and Mike, looked at him with expectant eyes. “Yes?”

“We got one more ceremony for you to perform.”

The minister grinned. He reached into his breast pocket and retrieved his book.

Annie and Mike looked shocked.

“Are you sure about this, Ellie?” Annie asked, going to her.

Ellie glanced up at Nick. Her heart swelled with love. “Never more sure of anything in my life.”

Annie shook her head as she met Nick’s gaze. “Oh, this mothering business is more upsetting than I thought. Take good care of my girls, Mr. Baron, or my Arapaho brothers and I will hunt you down.”

Nick nodded, his eyes full of respect.

Ellie felt mortified. And loved and cherished by Annie. No one had cared about her like this before.

The minister turned back the pages of his book. “Well, let’s get started.”

Nick took Rose from Ellie and laid the child on his shoulder. The baby cooed and sucked her fist. He patted her on the back. Ellie knew then that she’d never love another man like she loved Nick Baron.

“Dearly beloved, again,” the minister said, smiling. “We are gathered here on this glorious day to join Nick and Ellie in holy matrimony.”

Nick wrapped his hand around Ellie’s. Warmth and a sense of security radiated through her body. She’d never seen a man more handsome.

It didn’t matter that her dress wasn’t fine or that he wore mud-splattered chaps. She didn’t need special lace or a white dress. Nick was all she wanted.

“Do you, Nick, take Ellie to be your wife?” the minister asked.

“I do,” he said in a confident voice.

Ellie’s heart swelled. Annie sniffed back a tear as Mike wrapped his arm around his new wife.

“Ellie, do you take Nick as your husband?”

“I do.” Lord, but her heart felt as if it would burst. Ellie would be a good wife to Nick. She swore it to herself and before God.

There were no rings to be exchanged. The minister declared them husband and wife.

Nick didn’t hesitate. He faced Ellie and leaned forward. Gently he kissed her on the lips. “We will make a fine team, you and I. It will be good between us.”

“I know.”

They all retired to the house. Ellie laid a sleeping Rose in her cradle. Nervous excitement bubbled inside her as she moved into the kitchen to eat the luncheon she’d prepared. She had outdone herself with the offering for her friend’s wedding. She’d put so much love and care into its making, never realizing that the cake would also celebrate her own marriage.

“The cake is so lovely,” Annie said. “You’ve a gift with food, Ellie.”

“You make cooking sound special. It’s not.”

Annie shook her head, her eyes quite serious. “You nurture the soul. Your cooking brings happiness and life to an otherwise sad and lonely house.”