Under a Texas Star (19 page)

He couldn't imagine Marly fitting in with them.

Nor did he want to.

"Please, take a seat," Egan said behind them.

"I've saved you a place, Marshal," Aunt June said, patting the seat beside her on the settle.

While he struggled to keep from falling into the plush cushions, Marly picked an ornate, delicate-looking chair. She fidgeted, trying one position and then another, unable to get comfortable. Jase was more practiced at sitting still, no matter what the circumstance. But that didn't make him any more comfortable.

"Sherry?" Egan offered.

"That's a fine treat," Aunt June said. "Amabelle, you may have one small glass."

"I'd prefer whiskey," Jase said, especially if it's that fine Scotch in the cut glass decanter."

"I'll have a beer," Marly said.

Jase flicked her a tight smile. "No you won't."

"Surely, Marshal Strachan," Aunt June said, "if the young man is old enough to be a sworn deputy, he's old enough to have a little beer."

"That's all right, ma'am," Marly assured. "I don't need anything right now."

"I'm not sure Marly is old enough to be deputy," Egan said.

"Now that's funny, Matt," Aunt June said. "Just a few days ago, you were telling Gabe Baker that you thought Mr. Landers was a fine deputy."

"Well, yes, but..."

Jase's mouth twitched and Marly's face reddened. He suspected that it wasn't embarrassment but the effort not to laugh that raised her color.

Egan turned to Jase. "Surely even you, Marshal, must admit that Marly shouldn't be facing the likes of Tyson and his ilk."

"But Deputy Landers
did
face him," Amabelle stated proudly, "and he faced down Gabe Baker when the man would have drawn on him."

Dead silence followed her announcement.

Egan's eyes flared in shock. "What? Is this true, Marshal?"

Aunt June stood up, ruffling her skirt like a hen might ruffle her feathers. "You must be mistaken, Amabelle. Gabriel would never do such a thing. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse us, Amabelle and I shall finish the preparation of supper."

Jase rose to his feet. Marly and Egan quickly followed suit.

When the ladies had gone, Egan went to the sideboard and fetched the whiskey. Without a word, he topped up his glass and Jase's.

"Gabe is an excellent shot," Egan said in a dull tone. "Not fast, but accurate. We used to compete against each other. For marksmanship, we were close to evenly matched. And I consider myself a sharpshooter."

"Rifles or revolvers?" Jase asked, sipping the whiskey.

"I used both."

"I meant Baker. What did he use when you competed?'

"Rifles. Why?" He gave a slow nod. "Oh, I see what you mean. At that range, he wouldn't have to be too accurate, would he?"

Conversation lapsed into awkward silence.

Jase ignored Marly's stare, while Egan appeared anxious.

Aunt June's call to the table was greeted with relief by all.

Chapter 15

When Marly had supped with the Egans before, they had eaten in the kitchen and sat around the table after the meal, sipping coffee, munching on cookies and talking comfortably. She hadn't even seen the parlor and dining room. Tonight, she was treated not only to the company rooms, but also to the company china, silver and napery. Without a doubt, the Egans were out to impress.

As Jase held Aunt June's chair for the woman, Marly just beat Egan to Amabelle's chair and forestalled him from pulling out the young lady's chair.

"Aren't you the gentleman," Aunt June cooed, making Marly blush. "You've picked a good one this time, Amabelle."

Marly sneaked a glance at Amabelle.

Except for a tight smile, she didn't react.

"So sad to be al
l alone in the world," Aunt June said, heaping Marly's plate with potatoes, summer squash and three thick slices of roast beef.

"Not all alone," Jase corrected.

"Not anymore," Egan added. "I've told Marly that if her relative in El Paso doesn't pan out―and even if he does―she always has a place here."

"Oh, yes," Aunt June said. "Of course, we all hope you'll stay too, Marshal. If you can't, perhaps Mr. Landers will stay on as deputy. I suppose he's a little young to take the job of marshal."

Marly choked on
a bite of beef. Egan and Jase stood quickly, but she waved them off. "I'm all right."

The meal seemed to take forever. Miss June was a chatterbox. Amabelle alternated between being embarrassed and egging her aunt on whenever the woman tried to get information from their guests. Egan competed with everyone for Marly's attention, while Jase tried to distract the elder Miss Egan's determined attempts to delve into Marly's background.

Marly couldn't have been more grateful for his efforts.

As awkward as supper was, there was worse to come.

Jase could hardly blame Marly for trying to help the ladies with the dishes, even though it was out of character for a young man. Her offer was firmly turned down. They had a girl for that and the deputy was a guest. Miss June did let Marly help clear the table, but it wasn't long before she was dismissed to join the gentlemen in the parlor.

After a brief glance at the chair she had sat in before, Marly chose to sit next to Jase on the settle. He gave her a welcoming look, though it caused a responsive frown to flit across Egan's face.

This didn't go unnoticed by either of them.

Minutes later, Amabelle appeared with a tray laden with fine china cups and a coffee pot. She poured, while her brother dispensed the brandy. When Egan went to open the window, Jase tipped a bit of his brandy into Marly's cup. Amabelle caught him in the act and let out an involuntary giggle.

"Best go back and help your aunt," her brother said.

Amabelle gave a sarcastic curtsy before complying.

Egan shook his head. "That girl."

He offered Jase a cigar from a humidor he kept beside his chair. Jase glanced at Marly. "Fuegos are an expensive brand. No thanks."

Egan fetched a second humidor. "Want one of Gabe's cigarillos?"

"Not one of my vices. That Baker's brand?"

"I keep them on hand for him. We're good friends, as you know. There have been times when we spent more time together than not."

"Then he probably keeps the cigars you like at his place," Marly suggested.

"Of course, though I imagine by now they're getting pretty stale. These days, Gabe usually comes here. "

"Maybe he's giving them to someone else."

Jase wondered the same thing.

Egan's brows pulled together, puzzled.

"I don't imagine many smoke your brand of cigar," Jase said.

"Not many. What's your point, Marshal?"

"Someone smoking your brand of cigar was watching your sister. I suspect the same man laid in wait for Marshal Strothers."

Amabelle returned to the parlor.

Egan opened his mouth to snap at her, but saw Aunt June.

Standing for the ladies, Jase checked to see that Marly did the same. She was already on her feet, giving Miss June a polite bow.

Marly had once told him she'd learned the mannerisms of a boy from schoolboys. Had she learned the manners of a gentleman from young men courting her?

After a half hour of idle chatter, Jase said, "We best be headin' back to town. Thank you for your hospitality."

"I'll see to the horses," Marly offered.

Amabelle offered her arm. "I'll take you to the stables, Deputy Landers."

Jase had every intention of following right behind the pair to save Marly from embarrassment. Miss June had other ideas.

"Let's give the young folks a few minutes, Marshal. Come, I have some leftovers in the kitchen. You can take them home with you."

With a glance in Marly's direction, he allowed the woman to lead him back to the kitchen.

Marly would have to fend for herself.

Outside, Marly buckled on her gun belt and took several deep breaths of the cool night air. Then she swung her arms, stretched her cramped calves and worked the cricks out of her neck and shoulders.

"We aren't usually that stuffy," Amabelle said.

"Your Aunt June seems to like the formality."

"Well, yes, but this was my brother's idea, not hers. I don't know why he wants to impress the marshal so much. He never cared about Marshal Strothers' good opinion."

"Is that why you let Marshal Strothers court you, because your brother didn't care for him? Or did he not care for Strothers
because
he was courting you?"

Amabelle's pace slowed. "Marshal Strothers was different from the men around here. More polished. And he was more flattering in his attentions."

"From my experience, flattery is like gravy over bad meat. Makes the worst seem good until you dig into it."

"You think Marshal Strothers was 'bad meat'?"

The girl's question was sincere. Marly hadn't been thinking of Strothers particularly when she made her observation. Now she did.

"I don't know that he was really good meat or really bad."

"Maybe just a bit overdone?" Amabelle suggested, mouth twitching.

Their laughter was cut off by Amabelle's gasp of surprise when Egan appeared out of the shadows.

"Matthew!" Amabelle thumped her brother on the arm. "Don't do that." She turned to Marly. "He knows I hate it when he does that. You wouldn't think such a big man could walk so softly."

Cursing herself for being caught off guard, Marly didn't comment lest her voice betray how shaken she was. She was more sanguine facing Baker than having to deal with Matt Egan.

"You go back to the house now, Amabelle," Egan said. "I'll see Mr. Landers off."

"Sometimes you are so stuffy," Amabelle complained. She gave Marly a curtsey. "Deputy Landers."

"You don't have to stick around, Mr. Egan, I can manage on my own," Marly said, closing the distance to the barn at a brisk walk.

"I'll bet you can. Do you really want to? Wouldn't it be much better to have someone to take care of you?"

Marly found Trouble and led the horse out of the stall. She smoothed his back before placing a blanket over him and securing the saddle.

"You're a stubborn one," Egan growled before fetching Jase's horse and saddling it.

Marly checked Grandee, tightened the cinches a notch and examined the stirrup lengths. When she straightened, Egan was staring at her, pinch-faced.

Good, she thought.

"Is the marshal any closer to solving Strothers' murder?" he asked.

"Closer."

"And then you have business in El Paso."

"Yep."

She led the two horses out into the yard.

"
You
have business or Strachan does?" Egan asked.

"Both."

With a few long strides, he passed her and blocked the way. Trouble didn't take kindly to this and stepped forward, aiming for Egan's foot. Egan glared at the horse and Trouble backed off.

He turned his attention back to Marly. It was all she could do to hold her ground against the intensity of his gaze. It irked her that he could intimidate her as easily as her horse.

"If I must, I'll take matters into my own hands," he warned. "For now, I'll wait. But I won't wait forever."

"Won't wait for what, Mr. Egan?" Jase asked, as soft-footed as Egan.

Marly almost swooned with relief. She took a deep breath and responded as calmly as possible. "Mr. Egan has made me an offer I cannot accept."

"Then Mr. Egan better learn to take no for an answer." Jase turned to Egan. "Landers has a job to do. He's not free to take up any other offers at this time. Thanks for your hospitality all the same."

Jase let Marly lead the way until they were well beyond the ranch house. She was anxious to get away and he could hardly blame her. He had questions, of course. He hoped she would provide the answers without prompting. So, even when they were riding abreast, he let the silence hang between them.

It became clear she wasn't volunteering anything.

"What you have, Marly Landers," he said, "is an embarrassment of riches."

She gave an impatient shake of her head and urged Trouble forward. The horse was happy to oblige.

"Marly!" Jase called.

If she heard, she gave no notice. She was covering ground, reckless of the poor light. He didn't have much choice. He had to catch up to her.

Damned girl.

When he reached her, he grabbed Trouble's bridle, forcing Marly to rein the horse in or suffer the humiliation of him doing so.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

He felt the heat of her anger and realized he had pushed her too far. Bad enough that he teased her, interfering with her handling of the reins was like a slap across the face. Had she been a man, no one would've blamed Marly for taking that as a challenge to a fight.

He let go the bridle and sat back. "I'm sorry."

She lifted her chin, but said nothing.

In silence, they continued along the road at an easy trot.

When they were halfway to Fortuna, Jase said, "I know this is awkward for you. It ain't easy for me either."

"It's more than awkward," she said, sounding tired. "Egan has threatened to reveal my secret, though I think he'll wait for now. In the meantime, what if Amabelle is getting too attached to me? I don't want to hurt or embarrass her."

These were the same arguments she had dismissed a few days ago when he had made them.

"
We've been here too long," she said. "We―
I
should go."

"Where would you go?"

He dreaded the answer.

"I need to be in El Paso soon. I should take the stage when it comes through. I'm only complicating things here."

She bent down to pat Trouble's neck.

Was t
hat for the horse's benefit or her own? Was she regretting her suggestion? Was she waiting for him to object?

He tried to think of an argument against her plan, but she had a point. Even though it felt like she had stabbed him in the heart.

An explosive crack startled Grandee. Trouble bucked in fear, while Marly barely kept her seat.

"Go!" he shouted.

Without hesitation, Marly dug her heels into Trouble's flanks, spurring Jase into a ground-eating gallop. She kept her head down and hugged the horse's neck to reduce her profile. He half willed and half herded them onward, shooting over his shoulder to discourage the riders behind them.

Once he felt they had gained enough ground, he wheeled Grandee around and headed back toward their pursuers. Confused, the men panicked, spreading out in a chaotic pattern.

This gave Jase the advantage.

He counted three men wearing bandanas across their faces.

One man collided with another, their horses jittery. The third man turned in the other direction, then decided to brazen it out. He rode at Jase, firing wildly in his direction. As the man passed, Jase shot him right out of his saddle. The man hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Turning Grandee, Jase pulled out his Winchester. Grandee took this as his cue to stand still.

The first two men had separated. One was still having trouble with his horse, trying to rein the animal in with one hand, while holding a gun on the other. He glowered at Jase and shot wide. Jase raised the Winchester, winging the man and upsetting the las
t of his precarious balance―and his horse's nerve.

The horse bucked and the man dropped to the ground.

Jase turned to the last rider. The man tossed his gun and raised his hands. When he lifted his face, the bandana slid down.

It was Locke.