To Love and Cherish (2 page)

“When our ‘engagement' is over,” he said soothingly, “I know a lovely lady who wears a ring just that size that I intend to give it to one day. Fair enough?”

She sat back, shaking her head. “I just don't understand.”

“You will,” he said with a smug grin. “You will.”

 

Skylance was a throwback to trail-driving days in Texas. Located on the old Chisolm cattle trail, it was in the heart of cattle country, a massive working ranch in the center of a wealth of dude ranches that catered to Eastern tourists who wanted a look at the “real” West without any of the discomforts of “roughing it.”

The ranch stretched for thousands of miles, and was rich in oil as well as cattle. Shelby sighed, her eyes drinking in the lush green fields that stretched over the softly sloping landscape where herds of Santa Gertrudis grazed, their distinctive red coats readily visible in the bright sunlight. Those fields which, in springtime, were covered with bluebells and
brown-eyed herds of Texas longhorns in the old days when they were driven to market over the famous Chisolm Trail to northern and western markets. Unlike West Texas, where scrub brush and mesquite and cacti and desert stretched for miles toward the Mexican border, this part of Texas was lush and green and fertile. Huge pecan trees, the state tree, lay in groves along the road they traveled, shaded houses far off the highway. Of course, there was mesquite around here, too, with its infinite roots trying to take over the pastures. It was as pesky to the rancher as morning glories were to a Georgia gardener.

“Missing the city?” Danny teased.

“Oh, terribly,” she returned laughingly. Her eyes closed and she sighed. “I'd love to live here,” she murmured. “Just endless fields and horses to ride and peace and quiet. I
wouldn't even mind seeing a camera again.”

“Peace and quiet you won't find this particular weekend,” he warned her. “There's a fiesta. And a barbecue. Even a river race.” He glanced at her. “And a square dance.”

Her big, dark eyes lit up. “I'd love the square dance if I can find a partner.”

“Don't look at me,” he said in mock terror. “You know how fumble-footed I am.” He glanced at her strangely. “King knows the steps.”

She turned her oval face toward the car's window and the smile left her lips.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly.

“It's all right.”

“I wish the two of you got along better.”

“It doesn't matter. Anyway,” she recalled with a smile, “he won't be there.”

Danny looked guilty. “Uh, Shelby, there's just one thing I forgot to mention….”

Before he could finish the sentence, there was a roar behind them and the sound of a horn. Danny glanced into the rear view mirror and a wild, daredevil light came into his green eyes.

“Looks like a race,” he murmured, and Shelby recognized the private road that led to Skylance as Danny jerked the steering wheel and turned the small sports car off the main road onto the ranch road.

Danny's hand worked the gearshift feverishly, the force of speed throwing Shelby back against the cushy leather seat. The roar behind them got louder and the low-slung black Porsche came alongside, hesitated, then shot forward like a black bullet giving an insolent long honk as it easily outdistanced the little Jaguar and van
ished around a curve into the grove of towering oak and pecan trees.

Shelby had recognized the other car, and her accusing dark eyes met Danny's as he pulled up in front of the 19th century Victorian house that was the Brannt homeplace.

“Sorry,” Danny said genuinely. “But I knew you wouldn't come with me if I leveled with you, and I needed you here with me. I'll tell you the real reason later.”

“What makes you think I'll be speaking to you later?” she asked half-amusedly as she watched Kingston Brannt emerge with cat-like grace from the black Porsche.

H
e was as intimidating as ever. Tall, lean, whipcord muscled, and as elegant as any male model in the brown slacks and cream colored sports shirt he was wearing. He approached the car lighting a cigarette, but his fingers froze on the lighter as he looked into the Jag and spotted Shelby sitting next to his brother. His face went harder than stone, but his eyes even
at the distance began to catch fire. Shelby stiffened instinctively and fought down an urge to get out of the car and run. She was more afraid of King than she'd ever been of any human being. She'd never understood why, but the fear was real and definite. Especially after her last visit here.

“Hey, calm down,” Danny said gently, noticing the rigid set of her slender body, the wide-eyed panic in her flushed face.

King finished lighting his cigarette and pocketed the lighter with ill-concealed violence. He watched Danny get out of the car and greeted him warmly, but his eyes were still on Shelby, never wandering even when Danny came around to help her out of the little car.

She moved away from the door stiffly, hanging onto Danny's hand as if salvation depended on it.

“Hello, Shelby,” King said quietly.

She couldn't meet those smouldering dark eyes. Her gaze went no higher than his firm, hard mouth.

“Hello, King,” she replied.

“We weren't expecting you,” he persisted, with a sharp glance at Danny.

“Mom and Dad were,” Danny corrected with a smile. “We came down to tell them about our engagement.”

King's eyes seemed to explode at the statement. “You and Shelby?” he asked curtly, as if the idea was ridiculous.

“Me and Shelby,” Danny nodded. “Well, aren't you going to congratulate us?”

The older man took a long draw from his cigarette, studying Shelby's flushed face. “Where do you plan on living? San Antonio? I can't see
Shelby settling for life on a ranch when she's so used to night life,” he bit off.

Shelby bit her lip and turned her face into Danny's shoulder, hating her own weakness, the tears that threatened. Danny's hand contracted on her arm.

“Do you have to attack her before she gets her feet on the ground good?” Danny challenged hotly.

“I'm not attacking her,” King said mildly. “I just can't see her fitting in here,” he added darkly.

Danny put his arm around Shelby's thin shoulders. “Let's go tell the folks, honey,” he said gently. “Come on.”

She pressed close against Danny's side, not looking at King as they walked past him.

“Shelby…” King began.

She kept her eyes lowered. “I'll only be here for the week, King,” she
said in a voice that was little more than a whisper. “I won't get in your way.”

“Oh, hell!” King growled. He turned on his heel and stalked away toward the ranch office just down the road from the house.

“Buck up,” Danny told her with a brotherly hug and grin. “The worst part's over. It'll be downhill now.”

Kate Brannt came into the hall to greet them, hugging her son and then Shelby with a warm affection that made her feel part of the family.

“You look lovely, my dear, but far too thin,” Kate teased, shaking her silver head with a smile. “Modeling is causing you to waste away.”

Shelby smiled. “At least I don't have to worry about getting fat,” she laughed.

“I think she looks fantastic,” Danny said. “By the way, Mom, we're getting married.”

Kate's face froze, and Shelby saw a curious hesitation, and something like pain, touch the thin patrician features. It wasn't that Kate didn't approve of her, Shelby knew, but something was definitely wrong.

The older woman recovered quickly, placing an affectionate arm around Shelby to draw her into the living room with its brown and beige decor. The air-conditioning felt delicious after the taste of southern Texas heat that was unusual for this time of the year.

“I'm delighted that we can finally get you into the family,” Kate said, and there was genuine feeling in her voice. “It just comes as a bit of a shock. You and Danny always seemed more like brother and sister to me.”

Danny chuckled and sent a knowing wink at Shelby. “Did we, now?” he asked, tongue-in-cheek.

Kate sat down on the dark brown brocade sofa, motioning Shelby to a seat beside her.

“Have you told Kingston?” Kate asked hesitantly.

So that was it, Shelby thought, she was worried about how her eldest son was going to react to the engagement. The whole family must know about his prejudice….

“We told him,” Danny said with a heavy sigh. He plopped down in an armchair across from the sofa.

“And?” his mother probed gently.

Danny shrugged. “He made some sarcastic remark about Shelby not adapting to ranch life, and when she promised to keep out of his way while she was here, he threw out a cuss word and stomped off into the sunset.”

Kate's eyes closed briefly. “I see.”

“I wish I did,” Shelby said. “I don't understand him.”

“I do,” the older woman said quietly. “I only wish I could help.” The pained look left her face and she smiled. “Enough about that. Tell me all the news. It's been weeks since I've been in San Antonio!”

 

Shelby was just finishing an anecdote about her latest modeling assignment when Jim Brannt came in, his silver hair gleaming in the light, his dark eyes smiling as they lit on Shelby and his son.

“Well, well, I hear champagne's in order,” he said with a grin. “King just told me.”

“Speaking of old grumpy,” Danny grinned, “where'd he go?”

“To help Handy fix a fence.”

Danny blinked. “In his street clothes?”

Jim shook his thick thatch of silver
hair out of his eyes. “Seemed kind of strange to me, too,” he said.

“I made him lose his temper,” Shelby said in her soft voice. “As usual, I'm afraid,” she added wryly. “I rub him the wrong way.”

“Nothing unusual,” Jim chuckled deeply. “Everything's been rubbing him wrong for months. I guess it's his age—he's restless. I know how he feels, too; when I hit thirty-two, I wanted to throw up my hands, get out of the cattle business, and go fly hot air balloons.”

“Have you made arrangements to let the men off tomorrow for the fiesta?” Kate asked her husband.

“All but three, who swore they couldn't care less about chili cookoffs and river races,” he laughed. “Older hands, you know. Old Ben Ballew was one of them, and you know how he hates parades and crowds.”

“We'll enjoy it, though,” Kate said with a smile at her ruggedly attractive husband. She reached out and patted Shelby's hand. “So will Shelby. She's never been here for the fiesta before.”

“I'll look forward to it,” Shelby said. She smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. She was already wishing she'd never come. King was going to give her hell again, she just knew it.

 

He didn't come in for supper, and it wasn't until the elder Brannts had gone up to bed, leaving Danny and Shelby alone in the living room, that King finally came back to the house.

He took off his ranch hat and tossed it unerringly onto the rack in the hall. His boots were dusty and his once-immaculate pale yellow shirt had traces of dust and grease on it. King looked unspeakably weary. His face was heavily lined, his step
slower and less spirited than usual as he came into the living room. His face was proof of the iron control that was part of him, showing no trace of emotion. His dark eyes were equally unreadable as they flashed from Shelby to Danny as he walked to the bar. He splashed bourbon into a glass and added ice to it before he dropped into a deep leather armchair by the fireplace and lit a cigarette.

“Get the fence fixed?” Danny asked with raised eyebrows.

“Um hum,” King murmured. He lifted the cigarette to his chiseled mouth and gazed piercingly at Shelby, who dropped her eyes rather than try to survive that intense scrutiny.

“Lose any cattle through it?” Danny persisted.

“No.”

“Did it take long to fix?”

“Yes.”

“God, you're talkative tonight!” Danny said, exasperated.

“What would you like me to say,” King asked thinly, “Congratulations?” He made the single word sound like an insult.

Before Danny could answer him, the phone rang and seconds later Mrs. Denton, the housekeeper, stuck her head in the door to call Danny.

“It's for you,” she told him, smiling at Shelby. “Hello, Miss Kane. I saw your mother in a movie on television just last night. She's such a good actress!”

“Thank you,” Shelby said automatically.

“Well, I'll say goodnight.” Mrs. Denton turned and ambled away, leaving Danny to close the door behind them on his way to the phone.

King didn't speak, but Shelby felt the heat of his eyes as she sat rigidly on the sofa, her hands gripping each
other painfully. She didn't want to be alone with King. The room was suddenly too small and stifled with smouldering emotions.

“Afraid of me, Shelby?” he asked, shattering the silence with the low, cold question.

“No,” she said softly.

“Then look at me.”

She raised her elfin face slowly, her huge brown eyes meeting his across the distance. His eyes darkened, narrowed. He lifted the cigarette to his lips without releasing her from the penetrating gaze that suddenly, inexplicably made her heart cut cartwheels.

“This engagement is rather sudden, isn't it?” he asked finally in a conversational tone. “You and Danny have known each other for over two years; time enough to spare for getting engaged.”

“It…uh, it just…happened like that,” she said helplessly.

He studied her in a smouldering silence. “You'll never make him happy,” he said. “He needs a sparrow, not a peacock.”

She tore her eyes away. “I'm not a peacock.”

“Hell,” he swore impatiently, “you know you're beautiful, I don't have to tell you. But looks don't matter much in marriage. There are more important things; common interests, caring, commitment. I doubt seriously that you're capable of any of them.”

“You don't know me, King,” she said quietly.

“Like mother, like daughter,” he said harshly. “How many husbands has ‘mama' gone through—five, six? All that beauty, and every bit of it's surface. She's like you, butterfly—delicate, ornamental, and utterly use
less. You'd take to ranch life as easily as you'd take to shooting white water on the river.”

She felt her face going red at the cold insolence in the remarks. As if he knew anything about her! He'd never taken the time or the trouble to find out what she was really like, avoiding her presence at the ranch for the most part as if she'd been invisible. She bit her lower lip to still its trembling. “Danny won't live on the ranch,” she hedged softly.

“Hell, no, he won't, as long as he's got this misguided passion for you!” he lashed at her, his dark eyes narrow and burning. “Why don't you just let him get it out of his system?”

She went, if possible, redder. Her whole body trembled as she got to her feet. It was worse than a beating, having to sit and be degraded with those cold insults.

“You'll never marry him,
Shelby,” he said as she reached for the doorknob. “I promise you. No matter what I have to do to stop it, I will.”

She held onto the doorknob with fingers that went white under the strain.

“Nothing to say, Shelby?” he growled.

She opened the door and went out of the room, closing it gently behind her.

Danny came out of the den with a worried frown on his smooth face.

“Oh, there you are,” he said abruptly. He stuck his hands in his pockets. “She's coming tomorrow to go to the festival with us,” he grumbled. “It was King's idea, I'd stake my life on it. She said he rode over to talk to her father this afternoon. Probably he went to sic her on me.”

She smiled at the exasperation she read in his face, calming now that she
was away from King's disturbing influence.

She laid a hand on his sleeve. “She?”

His lips made a thin line. “Mary Kate Culhane,” he said shortly. “She's two years younger than I am, and blonde, and she can outrope most any cowboy. Her father owns the ranch that adjoins ours. What a great merging of empires there could be. And all we have to sacrifice for the merger is me.”

“To Mary Kate Culhane?” she probed with a grin.

“Exactly.” He sighed, glancing at her sheepishly. “Now you know why you're here, and why we're engaged.”

“Would King really do that?” she asked solemnly.

“Sure! So would Mom and Dad.”

She drew in a quick breath. “I can't believe it!”