Texas Mail Order Bride (13 page)

Clapping his middle brother on the back, Cooper had a hard time trusting himself to speak. After several tries, he managed, “You have everything worked out at the saloon?”

“Yep. Even if I didn't, though, you can bet all the tea in China I'd be right here beside you.”

“I know. And that means more than you'll ever guess.”

Sheriff Strayhorn ambled over to join them. “I hope all this pays off. Coop, you never told me exactly why this bunch of riffraff wants to kill you.”

Here was the question Cooper feared. To come clean about everything now was impossible. He ducked his head and mumbled, “A long-standing grudge. Happened a while back before Rand, Brett, and I came to Battle Creek.”

“Well, if they show up tonight, they'll find themselves locked in my jail.”

One of the ranch hands strolled over to speak to Strayhorn. Cooper breathed a sigh of relief when the sheriff moved off.

Along about five thirty, Mack Malone came, toting all kinds of large pots full of food on a wooden contraption he pulled with ropes. Bandit trotted happily beside him. “Thought you fellows would want to fill your bellies before the shootin' starts.”

The cook had barely taken the lids off before he had a flock of hungry men swarming him.

Bandit lay down beside Cooper and promptly rolled over to get his belly scratched.

“Hey, boy, glad to see you.” Cooper rubbed the dog's soft underside. “I still say you're not fit for crow bait.” He laughed when Bandit squirmed and flailed his legs. One thing was clear—he loved the mutt. The hound carried on like the world was ending and looked downright pitiful when Cooper told him he had to go back with Mack. He almost relented when Brett picked him up and stroked the pointed ears. He didn't know who was grinning bigger, the dog or Brett.

“What are you doing, little brother? Don't be spoiling my dog,” Cooper growled, knowing full well that it was Bandit who was doing the spoiling.

Brett's easy smile lacked the usual warmth. “Anytime you want to get rid of him, he has a home with me at the Wild Horse.”

“He has a home right here on the Long Odds, and don't forget it. Find your own dog.”

By the time darkness fell, they had silenced their growling stomachs and settled in for the long, uncertain night. Bracing himself against the chilly night breeze, Cooper pulled the collar of his jacket around his neck.

From out of nowhere, Delta's face crossed his mind. The last thing he'd expected to see that morning was her, framed in that second-story window. He'd been startled at first and wondered if he'd simply conjured up her image because he thought of her so often lately. She looked quite a sight, standing there bathed in golden light from the early sunrise. Her lips were parted as though eagerly awaiting a lover's kiss, and those sparkling green eyes made something turn over inside him.

Even now the image clung to him like sweet nectar to a honeysuckle vine.

The urge to change the direction of his feet had almost won out. But he'd had a serious task to tackle, so he'd given her a smile and a wink and went on his way.

One of these days he'd do more than that. Much more. He'd show her what she did to him. Then she'd know without a doubt that he wanted her.

However, would she want him? He wouldn't blame her for running the other way. Lord knew, he was no prize.

Shaking his head to clear it, he checked his rifle and pistol one more time to make sure they were loaded, then propped himself against a tree trunk to wait. He prayed the raiders would return. He had a bullet with Tolbert Early's name on it and he itched to use it. Nothing would bring more satisfaction than finishing the job he'd started when he was just a boy. This time he'd do it right. They hadn't started this fight, but they'd damn sure finish it.

The thing that had him puzzled was why hunt them down now after all this time? Unless it had taken the man this long to find him. Possible. Tolbert must have a powerful lot of hate inside.

But why couldn't he let sleeping dogs lie? Why jab them with a sharp stick and dare them to do anything about it?

He took comfort in the fact that Brett had faced the news calmly and directly when they'd told him about Tolbert. Wasn't any emotion, just a flicker of pain in his eyes and then it was gone. His baby brother wore courage and honor like the colorful headdresses of his ancestors.

At least Cooper knew beyond a doubt that Tolbert Early had taken a bullet in the leg. Too bad it hadn't been between his eyes.

Justice would come. He didn't know how or when, but it would come as surely as the sun rose each morning.

When it did, God willing, he'd be there.

Delta helped Jenny get ready for bed that night after supper. She shared that she, Mabel, and Violet had finished up at Granny Ketchum's house. She told Jenny how grateful and touched Granny had been. They'd found all manner of items that she had accused some unnamed person of stealing.

“As everyone suspected, they were in her house all this time,” Delta said.

“She's a mite on the cantankerous side but has always been very good to me and Ben.” Jenny pulled her nightgown over her head and gave a growl of frustration. “If I have to be cooped up in this house, in this bedroom, for one more day, I'm going to scream. I feel so useless. I want to be out doing things, breathing some fresh air for a change.”

“I'm sure it's very difficult for you.”

“You don't know the half of it.”

“If you feel up to it, we could take a short ride tomorrow. I don't know where we'd go, though.”

“Oh, I would dearly love it. Would you take Ben and me out to Cooper's ranch?”

“I'm not—”

“He told me we were welcome anytime.”

What could she say? That Cooper would probably be less than thrilled to have Delta show up unannounced? She recalled when Rand had taken her out there. Lord, Cooper was fit to be tied. “I'm sure you are. It's just that they're in the midst of branding.”

“We won't get in the way. And if he's too busy, we'll drive back to town. At least I can look at the sky and breathe the fresh air. Please?”

Delta couldn't bear to disappoint the woman who'd become a dear friend. “All right. I'll rent a buggy in the morning and take you out there.”

Jenny squealed and threw her arms around Delta. “Thank you. It means the world to me.”

What exactly did it mean to Jenny? Or to Cooper? Delta wondered as she crawled into bed. Again, she let the question of Ben's true father cross her mind. Could Ben be Cooper's child? If so, why didn't he claim the boy? Ben had a right to know. It was clear that Cooper loved Ben, and the youngster him. It was all so perplexing.

She snuggled deep under the covers, remembering Cooper's lips on hers. The thought of seeing him again stirred the embers that smoldered just beneath the surface. Her last conscious memory was of the bold wink in broad daylight. She fell asleep imagining herself in his arms, inhaling his scent, which was as wild and open as this Texas land.

***

The next morning, Jenny was already dressed and had her hair combed and neatly braided when Delta knocked on her door. Ben had his hair slicked down and wore a goofy grin.

“I'm ready to go,” he announced. “Mama is too. How soon can we leave?”

She put her arm around his skinny shoulders. “Hold your horses, young man. We're not leaving until we've had some breakfast.”

“Do we hafta? I'm not even hungry.”

“Your mother and I are, though.”

“Can you eat really fast?”

Jenny stepped forward. “That ranch and Mr. Cooper aren't going anywhere. We have all day.”

“But—”

“No buts, young man. Now, march downstairs.”

They set out for the Long Odds an hour later. The day seemed perfect as far as weather went. The closer they got to the ranch, the more the shivers of anticipation built. Delta set her jaw, determined that she wouldn't let him ruin their outing, no matter what kind of mood he was in this time. Lord only knew.

About a mile away, a sign on a post got her attention. She stopped the buggy and stared.

For Sale: 120 acres. See Banker in Town.

Her mind raced. If only she had the money. She could own something lasting, something that would stand long after she left this earth.

“Jenny, would you mind if I look at this property?”

“I'm in no hurry.”

Ben's huge sigh of frustration erupted as Delta pulled onto the narrow trail that led to a large stand of trees. A white frame house stood in the midst of all that lush greenery. She could see herself living there, learning how to survive off the land. It was a piece of heaven if she ever saw one.

Only one teensy problem—she didn't have ten cents to rub together and wasn't likely to have it anytime soon either.

“Do you know who used to live here?”

Jenny replied, “The Zacharys. I heard they left everything and moved back East because of poor health.”

“That's too bad.”

“Mr. Jenkins at the bank would be the one to talk to.”

Disheartened, Delta returned to the road. Still, she couldn't get that property out of her head.

When they arrived at the crossbars of the Long Odds, they received a shock. Someone had put wagons end to end across the entrance, blocking it.

“Oh my goodness, what on earth is going on?” Jenny sat up straighter, gripping the side of the buggy.

A young cowboy galloped toward them.

“I don't know, but we're about to find out,” Delta murmured.

“Howdy, ma'am.” The lanky ranch hand gave them a wary smile.

“We've come to visit Cooper Thorne,” Delta explained.

“Sure thing. Let me move these wagons.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“What do you suppose happened?” Jenny wrung her hands.

“He mentioned to Mr. Abercrombie that he's having some sort of trouble out here. I didn't know it had gotten this bad, though.”

They waited patiently for the path to clear and soon drove under the huge crossbar. From out of nowhere appeared several riders. Cooper sat astride his magnificent buckskin. The lines of his face had settled into a dark scowl.

“It's dangerous for you out here.” His voice had a cold edge to it.

Ben scampered out of the buggy before his mother or Delta could stop him. “Hi, Mr. Cooper. You said I could come out anytime. So we picked today.”

The stiff contours of Cooper's face relaxed. “Well, son, you're a welcome sight.” He pushed back his Stetson. “Hello, Jenny. Glad you're feeling well enough to ride out. I wasn't expecting you. Thought you'd still be laid up.”

Jenny smiled. “Me and that bed have had enough of each other. I couldn't take another minute, so I twisted Delta's arm and persuaded her to drive us out. Please don't be angry.”

“Simply worried about your safety.” Finally, he spoke to her. “Hello, Miss Delta.”

“Cooper.” Delta met his unnerving stare. She refused to let him see her apprehension. “I see this is not a good time. If you'd prefer we leave…”

“No, you're already here, so you might as well stay.” He reached down and lifted Ben into the saddle.

Delta followed behind in the buggy. At the house, she set the brake and climbed down, intending to help Jenny. Cooper beat her to it. Delta watched him gently lift the battered woman to the ground. She couldn't say that she could read anything into his care other than that he was solicitous of her condition. Yet she remained convinced that there was more to it than mere friendship.

Bandit scampered from the side of the house and stole the attention. Ben scooped up the excited dog and let the wriggling ball of fur cover his bruised face in dog kisses. Delta swallowed the lump in her throat. He deserved to laugh and play and do all the things little boys his age did. He'd missed out on so much.

“Mr. Cooper, he likes me.”

“Of course, son. He's been dying to meet you. Gotta make up for lost time.” Cooper had a thick huskiness in his voice that brought an ache to Delta's chest. He might be big and tough as shoe leather, but he seemed to melt when Ben was near.

“Can I ride a horse?”

“Yep, but first let's get your mama inside so she can rest. Looks like she's about to keel over.”

Leaning heavily on Cooper, Jenny made her way inside to the parlor. Memories swarmed as Delta followed them into the room. She wondered if Cooper had forgotten the kiss. Most likely he had. The rancher probably had more things crowding his mind than an event that was best erased from memory. After all, he didn't even want to discuss it.

Yet when his gunmetal eyes met hers as he lowered Jenny into a comfortable chair, she had her doubts.

A second later, his lips twitched and he gave her a full-out sinful grin, the kind that crinkled the corners of his eyes. She knew the scamp recalled that kiss with perfect clarity.

Her face burned as she took a seat on a worn leather settee while Ben plopped down on the floor with the pup. The two began rolling, and laughter filled the small room.

“Can I get you ladies something to drink?” Cooper seemed to be playing host to the hilt. “Mack makes the best lemonade.”

“That sounds heavenly,” Jenny said.

“Miss Delta?”

“Yes, I'd love some, thank you.”

He left the room and returned a few minutes later with two glasses of the sweet liquid.

Jenny took a sip. “That's so good. Now, tell me why you have the entrance to the ranch blocked. I want to know what's going on, and don't skimp on the details.”

“Having trouble keeping trespassers out.” He told them about the raiders and the flying bullets that led up to the decision to block the road.

Delta suspected he left out a lot. It was likely ten times more dangerous than he admitted. Even so, why would those men do such a thing? Why didn't people mind their own business and let others do the same?

Ben hadn't seemed to pay them any mind. All of a sudden he glanced up with big tears in his eyes. “But they can't hurt you, can they, Mr. Cooper?”

Until that moment, the thought never hit her that Cooper could be injured…or killed. Her breath hitched painfully. She couldn't imagine life without the man who could arouse a whole slew of tingles with nothing but a glance. He made her mad enough to spit sometimes, but he could kiss like a saint.

On second thought, better make that like a sinner, because his warm mouth on hers was quite sinful.

“Don't you worry, Ben. It'll take a sight more than a bunch of cowards to get me.” He ruffled the back of Ben's head.

“Did they come back last night?” Delta set her glass down.

“Nope, and we were ready for 'em. Maybe they moved on, now that we made it harder for 'em.” Cooper stood. “That's enough about that. Who wants to go riding?”

“Me!” Ben scrambled to his feet. “Oh boy.”

“Young man, pay attention to Mr. Cooper and do what he says,” Jenny said sternly.

“I will, Mama.”

“Cooper, you won't let—”

“No, Jenny, I won't let anything happen to your boy.” His quiet promise seemed to ease Jenny's fears. He lifted Ben onto his broad shoulders and they marched out into the brilliant sunshine.

He returned a little while later, saying Zeke had taken Ben out to see the creek that ran through the ranch. “Took a couple of poles along in case they wanted to drown a worm or two.” He must've seen Jenny's concern because he added, “Ben is fine. Having a good time, so relax. Tell me what's happening in town.” He settled his long frame in a chair and propped his legs out in front of him.

“Delta and I are organizing a women's club,” Jenny announced proudly.

Cooper lifted an eyebrow. “That so? A club to do what, pray tell?”

Delta met his piercing charcoal stare, aware that her chin raised a notch. “We're going to improve Battle Creek, bring in a schoolteacher, and maybe start a seed library. You know. Things that women are interested in.”

“If you men can have an old bachelors' club, then we can have a garden club,” Jenny said.

“So you'll be gardening?”

“No. Our first order of business is to clean up the town. Paint, fix up buildings that need it, and make it where new businesses will want to come in,” Delta explained.

Cooper's face darkened. “Folks won't take kindly to change. They like things the way they are. And frankly, I agree with them. I hear it's pretty much been this way in Battle Creek since the first settlers.”

“All the more reason to do something. Progress stops in its tracks when towns grow stagnant,” Delta argued. “A rosebush withers and dies when it doesn't get proper care. A town needs tending to in order to thrive and be vital.”

“And you think you can accomplish that.”

Delta glared. “It's worth a try.”

“You're just opening up a can of worms and meddling in something you know nothing about.” He glared back.

“We're going to try to get the mayor on our side. Maybe talk to him about passing an ordinance and fining those who let their establishments run down,” Jenny said, breaking into the heated discussion.

That just added fuel to the fire.

“We?” he snorted. “This sounds like Delta's doing.”

“And what's wrong with that?” Delta huffed. “Someone has to step up. I care too much for Battle Creek to let it die. Besides, what does it matter to you anyway? You don't even live in town.”

“That's beside the point. You're gonna start a war, is what's fixing to happen.”

“They might not like it much at first, but they'll warm to our plan when they see how much better it looks.”

“Why do you want to change things?”

“Why do you want to keep everything the same?”

“Hey,” Jenny said. “This isn't a war, where only one side is right. Cooper, Delta loves Battle Creek and wants to deck it out in its best clothes. And, Delta, Cooper doesn't mean that he's against change. He's just concerned that you and I will get our noses bloodied.”

When both glared at Jenny, she ordered, “Now hug and make up. We're all friends here. I've had enough angry words and squabbling to last a lifetime. Do it for me if not for yourselves. I've learned life is too short to harbor grudges.”

Hug? Get up close and let him put his arms around her? She'd never had a hug from a man before and found the idea of sharing one with Cooper enticing, but scary. He didn't much seem to be in the mood for such things. What if he pushed her away? His rejection would hurt too much.