Much Ado About Mavericks (39 page)

“Maybe you don’t want one of them to leave you alone.”

She shrugged, hoping he didn’t know how close to the truth he was.  Truth be known, she wished Ben didn’t have to marry Patience Morris—or that he’d never dipped his wick in her.  Somehow, knowing he’d done that to her, then made love to Jake, well, she felt creepy about it all, besides making her second fiddle.

Suzanne sat between her and Whip.  “Can’t you stop them, Jake?  They’re liable to hurt one another.”

“Can’t stop a man who’s got a burr up his butt.”

Sighing, Suzanne conceded, “I suppose you’re right.”

“She ain’t never wrong,” Teddy declared.

“Just this once, I hope I’m wrong.”

“There, you see!  If they stop the fight, you’ll be right anyway, because you hoped you was wrong.”  He nodded and crossed his arms.

Jake wondered what the world would be like if grownups could have the same confidence in each other as the strays did.  But that was pie in the sky.

Suzanne wrung her hands.  Lines of worry creased her face.  “I do love Reginald.  I just hope my brother doesn’t hurt him.”

Patience hurried to the side of the fighting area.  “Did I miss anything?”

Jake didn’t think she should mention that Patience had missed out on a whole wagonload of brains, so kept her silence and watched Ben.

He and Reginald glowered at one another.  Ben snarled, “First blood?”  Reginald nodded once, then turned sideways and pointed his sword at Ben, who walked toward Reginald, and positioned himself the same way.

The cowhands all looked baffled at this strange way of battling, but were always game for a fight.  They stood quietly, waiting for the first man to make his move.

The two men crossed their swords and yelled, “
En garde
!”

Teddy patted her leg.  “Are they gonna poke each other with them sharp sticks?”

When she nodded, he said, “You told me and Homer not to ever do that.”

“That’s right.”

She watched the flurry of motion, amazed that any man could move that fast without tripping over himself.  Ben thrust his sword as Reginald used his to block the stab. 
Clink
!  Then Reginald thrust and Ben blocked.  Over and over and over, they moved in and out, so quickly, she couldn’t keep track of the blades. 

The swords moved so fast, the air whished around them, clinking like a woodpecker on a tin roof.  Both men’s footwork was so intricate, Jake was impressed even though she didn’t want to be.  The fight seemed more like a dance, only each of them waved a sharp poker around.

The cowhands oo’d and ah’d each time the man they’d bet on looked to be at an advantage, but as far as Jake could see, they were both damned good.

Ben worked up a sweat as he leaped over Reginald’s swing, then spun around and thrust, only to be blocked again.  Reginald looked to be tiring—his movements more deliberate and a little slower.  Ben hadn’t slowed down a bit.  Jake would’ve put her money on him.  If she had bet.

No handsomer man could ever have been born, she thought, watching his powerful legs propel him forward in that strange sideways fashion.  Finally, he connected with Reginald, stabbing him in the shoulder. 

Suzanne screamed, and Jake put her hand over the girl’s mouth.  “Hush, you’ll distract him.”

Leaping back, but still ready, Ben yelled, “That was first blood, Reginald.  Do you cede?”

“I’m marrying your sister.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Then I don’t cede.”  He lunged toward Ben for another flurry of clinks and whooshes, along with a few grunts. 

Reginald showed more signs of tiring and blood began to seep down his shirt, but he kept up with Ben’s prancing and thrusting.

Burying her face in her hands, Suzanne whimpered, “I’m marrying him, Jake, whether he wins or loses.”  She sobbed, and Jake patted her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, they can’t do much harm with them pig-stickers.”

Jake saw that Reginald had worn down fast.  His cheeks were dotted red and his arms, once full of spring, seemed sluggish.  Ben took a swipe at him, creasing him in nearly the same spot on his shoulder.

“Second blood,” he said, backing away. “Cede?”

Bending over to catch his breath, Reginald glared at Ben.  “I’m marrying your sister.”

“Stop it,” Suzanne cried.  “Just stop it!”

Jake shushed her again.  “They can’t back down, Suzanne.  When a man agrees to something, he’s got to see it through to the end no matter what.  Reginald’s proving he’s a man.  Even if he loses, he’s giving it all he’s got—you gotta admire that.  Now let him be.”

The two men launched fast and furious attacks on each other again, and this time Ben took a cut on his forearm.  He glared at Reginald.  “It’ll take one more to get even.”

“I’m marrying Suzanne.”

“No, you’re not.”

Reginald bent over and panted.  “You’ll have to kill me, then.”

“No.  Go back to
Boston
and use those girls like you always did.  Leave my sister alone.”

“She’s not like those girls, Ben.  I love her.  I’m going to marry her.”

Ben, looking puzzled, lowered his sword.  “What?”

“I said, I love her.”  He lowered his voice, “and she loves me.”

Cocking his head and frowning, he asked, “Are you sure of that?  You love her?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.  I want to live in
Owyhee
County
with your sister as my wife.  We’ll buy a ranch.  Raise cattle.  And babies.”  He wiped the sweat off his brow.  “More than anything in the world, that’s what I want.”

Ben stood, head cocked, staring at Reginald.  Finally, he threw his sword to the side.  “Well, then, congratulations.”  He offered his hand.  Reginald straightened up and smiled.  “Thanks,” he said, and they shook. 

“I wish you good luck in your marriage.”

“And I wish you luck, too.”

Ben walked off toward the junipers, leaving his sword on the ground and not looking back. 

“He won, but he’s so sad,” Suzanne whispered, a tear in her eye.  Then she jumped up and hugged Reginald.  “Let me see to your cuts.  Come to my tent.”

The cowhands were arguing who had won—some arguing that Reginald lost because he was cut twice, some countering that Ben had laid down his sword, so he lost.  Jake let them have at it.  In ten minutes, though, they better be on their way back to the herd.  They had work to do.

Patience turned on her heel and announced, “Well, that’s that.  I’ll be in my tent.”

As if anyone cared
.  Jake spat on the ground and went after Ben.

Chapter 20

“Move ‘em out!” Jake ordered.  The cowhand took their positions and pointed the lead cow home.  The last few days had been the hardest of her life, and the sooner Ben was gone, the sooner she could start putting herself back together again. 

The preacher had never shown up, and Ben, not unhappy about that, had sent Patience, Suzanne, and Mabel back to the Bar EL with Reginald.  A roundup was no place for a woman, so Jake was glad they were gone, especially Patience. 

But Jake nearly melted at the way Ben gazed at her in the three days since.  She wouldn’t give in to temptation, though.  An honorable man would marry the mother of his child, and he was an honorable man.  She wouldn’t give him any reason not to do what he knew he should.

He rode along side her.  “Arm hurting?”

“Nope.” 
But my innards buzz anytime you’re near.

“Then why are you frowning?”

She ignored the heat he caused deep inside her.  “When are you headed back to
Boston
?”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”  He would.  He
should
.  Patience was waiting with his babe in her belly, and her father was waiting with his promotion.  But, oh, how Jake wished things could be different.

“I’ll straighten this out, then you and I will be married.”

Jake didn’t answer.  Couldn’t.  Her throat tightened and her eyes watered.  But she damned well wouldn’t let him see that.  She had to be strong.

“You’re riding drag.”  She spurred her horse and galloped to the front swing position.

Just before nightfall, the first cows crossed into Bar EL land.  Half an hour later, they’d been driven to the east pasture.  Jake turned to the men.  “You all done a fine job.  I’ll have your pay ready at the bunkhouse in a few minutes.”

The men let out a holler.  Jake knew that within an hour, every single one of them would be at the Silver Sage Saloon.  Hell, in years past, she’d been with them.

She rode over to the strays.  “The three of you go on home to the Circle J and wash off a few layers of grime.  I’ll be there in an hour.”

“Aw, Jake,” Henry whined, “we’ll miss the party.”

“Ain’t no party tonight fitting for young’uns. Not till you’re twelve.”  She pointed down the lane.  “Now, git!”

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison.  Jake chuckled at their hang-dog expressions.  They were good kids—every one of them.

She rode up to the house and dismounted, dread in her gut and sadness in her heart.  Ben would be in there.  And Patience.  Just the thought of seeing them together tore her innards apart.  But the men earned their pay and the money was in the house.

She flopped the reins over the hitching post, took a deep breath, and climbed the stairs.  The door seemed like an invitation to torture, but she rapped three times and waited for someone to open the door.

No one answered, but she knew they were in there because she heard voices.  Angry voices.  Ben’s and Patience’s voices.  “I’m staying,” she heard him shout.

“But Daddy wants you now!” Patience shrieked.  Jake felt sick at the very sound of her voice.  Such a spoiled, selfish brat.  She didn’t deserve a fine man like Ben.

“Tell your father to take that senior partnership and stick it up his ass.  I’m staying here.”

Jake rapped on the door again, louder.  They could argue all the wanted, but the men were waiting for their pay and she damned well would get it for them.  She waited, but the two of them still argued, so she opened the door and went in.

“I come for the boys’ pay.”  She strode into the office and opened the safe.  Grabbing the case of envelopes, each holding thirty dollars cash, she slammed the safe shut and gave the dial a spin.  When she turned to leave, Patience stood in the doorway.  Her eyes were reddened from crying.

“You have ruined my life,” she snarled.

Jake shrugged and walked past her.  Ben caught her by the arm and said, “I need to talk to you.”

The touch of him scorched her right down to her boots and her breath caught.  But he belonged to Patience.

Looking him in the eye proved to be a big mistake.  Her throat tightened and she had all she could do not to fling her arms around him in a big bear hug.  He was hers and she was his.  That was the fact, no matter what happened.  They both knew it.

But Patience had her claws in him, and he wouldn’t be an honorable man if he left her with child and alone.  They both knew that, too.

“I got work to do.”  She shook him off and left him standing in the doorway looking as brokenhearted as she was.

“Jake.”

She didn’t want to look back, but couldn’t help herself.

He stood there,
eyeing
her like she was a peach pie with cream on top.  “We
will
be married.”

Staring
back, she finally came to her senses
, then
bounded down the stairs and headed to the bunkhouse.

*   *   *   *   *

“That’s not much for two day’s riding,” Yawning, Mabel said to Ben.  “Here, you better take this cheese, too.”

“Thanks.”  He shoved the hunk of cheese into the flour sack along with the dozen pieces of jerked meat.  “I’ll stop in Oreana for dinner, and I should be in
Silver
City
in time for supper.”  He tried not to be short with his mother, but his temper was frazzled.  Unfortunately, he had more serious matters to worry about than meals.

Like what to do with Patience.  She had lied, but no one would even listen to the truth.  He tied a knot in the bag, musing that if he had been stupid enough to have lain with her, he’d have taken his medicine without protest.  As it was, he’d been trapped in her deceit and he damned well wasn’t going to stay that way.  Once he took care of business in Silver, he’d clear himself—somehow or another—and marry Jake.

“I said, when will you be home?”

Ben gazed at his mother.  “Day after tomorrow.”

“Are you . . . bringing a preacher?”

“Yes, there’ll be a wedding.”  His and Jake’s.  “We’ll have it Friday afternoon.  Make arrangements for the preacher to stay somewhere Thursday and Friday nights.  More than likely, he’ll go home Saturday.”

“Have you told Patience of these arrangements?”