Tyler glanced across at the fire and saw that his posse members, easily outnumbering the gang, had each of the outlaws well under control. The whole incident had passed quickly but, as Tyler had expected, surprise and superior numbers had given him and the posse an unbeatable advantage.
Before he had a moment to feel any sense of victory, Tyler heard a soft groan from the other side of the gorge. Looking across at the woman, Tyler saw that she was lying on her side.
"Ray. Take care of this man," Tyler ordered. Holding his pistol, Ray went to the gang member who was starting to regain full consciousness. Tyler raced across the gorge floor. He sank down onto his knees alongside the woman. She was lying on her side, her hand clutching her middle. Her face was hidden from Tyler but he had a bad feeling that one of the stray shots had hit her. He heard the woman groan.
"Miss Hardesty," Tyler said urgently. "Have you been hit?"
The woman glanced up at Tyler, a puzzled expression on her face. Her mouth opened and Tyler was sure she was about to say something. But then a fresh wave of discomfort seemed to hit her and she gasped. Her face was etched with pain. Tyler felt something heavy sink in his middle. He tried to move Miss Hardesty, but when she cried out, Tyler hesitated.
One of the posse members, Ryan came to Tyler's side. "Has she been hit?" Ryan asked.
Tyler nodded. "Looks like it. Bring a horse. We need to get her back to town as soon as we can."
Ryan raced off and Tyler leaned forward, speaking quietly. "Miss Hardesty. Can you sit up?"
He heard the woman draw in a deep breath. She nodded. "I'll try," she declared, her voice quivering with emotion.
Tyler held onto her shoulders and helped her sit upright. Miss Hardesty's features were set in a grim expression. She was breathing heavily and fast. Tyler glanced down at where her hand was holding her middle. He saw the dark stain of blood on her left side.
"You've been hit," Tyler told her. "One of those bullets went astray."
It was bad luck, Tyler reflected. He'd heard only three shots. But one of them had probably ricocheted off the stone walls of the gorge.
Tyler met the woman's gaze. "You're a sheriff?" she asked as she glanced at the badge pinned to his jacket.
"From a nearby town," Tyler explained. "We trailed the gang after they robbed the train you were on."
As if the mention of the train had pushed away all her pain, Miss Hardesty's eyes widened with panic. "The children! They were on the train."
Tyler rested a hand on Miss Hardest's shoulder. "They're safe. We took them to a nearby ranch."
Emotion moistened Miss Hardesty's eyes. "They didn't stay on the train?" she asked incredulously.
Tyler shook his head. "I figured we could take care of them for a while. At least until we got you back."
Miss Hardesty gasped disbelievingly. Then she said quietly: "Thank you." Tyler heard the outraged curses of the gang members as the posse were tying them up. He turned and watched them for a few moments. When he turned back to face her, Miss Hardesty gazed past Tyler's shoulder. "Looks like you got the gang," she observed.
Tyler nodded. "We did. All in a day's work."
Miss Hardesty groaned and clutched at her side. "Have I been shot?" she muttered disbelievingly.
"You got hit by a stray bullet. Don't worry ma'am. We're going to get you to a doctor," Tyler replied.
Tyler stayed with Miss Hardesty until Ryan brought the horse. He and Ryan worked for a while to get Miss Hardesty safely up onto the horse. Once the gang members were tied up securely it was time to go back to town.
There was an exit from the gorge which led out onto the flat plain at the foot of the hills. By the time they emerged from the gorge darkness had fallen. The light of a full moon illuminated the trail back to Testament Creek. Tyler rode next to Miss Hardesty. By the dim light he could see how hard she was working to deal with the pain of the gunshot wound. They'd done all they could to cover it before setting out on the journey back to town. Tyler could only hope that Miss Hardesty would hold out until they reached the town doctor.
CHAPTER SIX
Grace was nervous. She'd been waiting in the parlor of the Circle T ranch house since the sun had set a few hours ago. Still there was no sign of Tyler. She'd assumed that if had gone well, he'd come to the ranch and tell her he was okay. Nerves twisted in her middle as she paced the carpeted floor in front of the fireplace. There was no chance she would sleep tonight. Lucia had stayed with Grace until an hour ago, trying to calm Grace's nerves. Grace had been grateful for the housekeeper's concern. Lucia and her husband Pedro lived with their young son in a small cabin at the rear of the ranch house. Eventually Lucia had made her way there, leaving Grace on her own.
Hope was upstairs in her room. The children had been put to bed after supper. The house was quiet. At any other time that would have been a blessing. But not tonight, Grace told herself. She was desperate to know what had happened with Tyler and the posse.
Grace had been mulling over what had happened today. It had been a momentous day. That much was certain. She hoped Miss Hardesty would be found safe and unharmed. Hopefully, she would be able to continue her journey with the children.
For their part, the children seemed confused and unsettled. That was entirely natural as far as Grace was concerned. They'd endured a terrible ordeal, lost their only trusted companion in the world, and had been thrown into a strange environment. All in one day.
One thing was for sure. The children were resilient. Grace figured they'd probably learned how to survive the hard way. Both being orphans, their lives would have been a daily struggle. Lacking family would also have been extremely hard on the children.
Grace had shown the children around the ranch house and its grounds this afternoon. They'd seemed fascinated by the horses and by the sheer size of the ranch. She wondered what kind of place the children had been used to living in. Back in Kansas City, where Grace had grown up, orphanages could be forbidding and harsh places. She guessed the children hadn't seen much of the open spaces of Texas. And the Circle T sure had plenty of open space, Grace reflected.
Grace tried to think about the legal situation with the children. They'd been given over to Miss Hardesty for the duration of the journey. Although neither of the children had spoken about it, Grace was sure the intention had been to place the children with a family somewhere out west. Strictly speaking, the children were still unplaced orphans. They hadn't yet been given over to their new family. Miss Hardesty would be the one person who'd be able to give Grace more information about the arrangement.
If she didn't return, then Grace knew she'd have to make inquiries with the agency which had been responsible for the children before they'd set out with Miss Hardesty.
Grace sighed. It was all very complicated! The care of two orphans had been thrust upon her and, frankly, she wasn't sure what would be the right thing to do. Still, there would be time to sort things out.
Grace heard the sound of a horse in the yard. She raced to the window and peered through the window. By the light from the ranch house she saw that it was Tyler.
"Tyler!" she exclaimed and strode to the front door. She threw it open and went outside. The night air was cool. Grace wrapped her arms around herself and watched silently as Tyler halted his horse and dismounted. Grace searched Tyler's features for a clue as to what had happened. His expression was blank and unreadable. The simple fact that he had come to the ranch so soon after leaving could be a good sign. Or even a bad one, Grace admitted.
Tyler gazed at Grace. Her heart was thumping. Her breath was tight in her chest. And it wasn't simply because she needed to know the fate of Miss Hardesty. It was also because she felt relieved that Tyler was safe.
"We found Miss Hardesty," Tyler announced.
Grace stared at Tyler for a long moment. "And?"
"She's safe," he said softly.
Grace exhaled and hurried across to Tyler. "That's wonderful," she exclaimed and threw herself into Tyler's a
rms. She felt his arms sweep around her, enclosing her in his embrace. Grace rested her head against Tyler's broad chest. She felt his steady heartbeat; felt the warmth of his body; inhaled his wonderfully intoxicating scent. It was so good to be with him again. The worry had been terrible.
Grace lifted her head back and gazed up into Tyler's eyes. "I was worried."
Tyler lifted a brow. "So I can see." There was a hint of approval in his voice.
Grace glanced over Tyler's shoulder. "Where is Miss Hardesty?"
"You see, that's the thing," Tyler replied. "We found the gang in a gorge. Some shots were fired."
Grace gasped. "No-one was killed were they?"
Tyler shook his head. "No. But one of the stray bullets hit Miss Hardesty."
"No!" Grace exclaimed. "Is she hurt bad?"
"We took her to Doc Clanton in town," Tyler revealed. "He says she's taken a bullet in her side. He's with her now, trying to fix her up." Tyler's brows furrowed. "The doc says we'll have to wait and see. Hopefully the wound won't get infected. But Miss Hardesty will need to stay at the doc's house for a while."
Grace stepped away from Tyler and clasped her hands at her middle. "That's terrible. Poor Miss Hardesty."
Tyler came to Grace and took her hands in his. He was clearly trying to reassure Grace. "The bullet didn't damage any vital organs. I'm not saying it's a superficial wound. But at least she has a chance to recover." Tyler gave Grace a firm look. "That's got to be good news, isn't it?"
"The children will be happy she's been returned safely," Grace admitted. A troubling thought drifted into her mind. She peered at Tyler and thought for a moment. She knew she'd have to word her next question carefully. "The gang members didn't hurt Miss Hardesty in any way, did they?"
Grace saw that Tyler understood what she was hinting at. He shook his head firmly. "The doc asked her that same question. Miss Hardesty told him the only thing they did wrong was take her away from the children in her charge."
Grace sighed with relief. At least that was something positive, she told herself. The fact that Tyler had acted so quickly and decisively had probably spared Miss Hardesty from suffering at the hands of her captors.
She looked up into Tyler's eyes. "And you?" Grace asked.
"What about me?" Tyler replied.
"You didn't take any unnecessary risks, did you?"
Tyler glanced down at his silver star. "In case you've forgotten, taking risks is part of my job."
Grace frowned at Tyler. "I was worried," she said again, this time more insistently.
Tyler came to Grace and wrapped his arms around her. Once again she was enveloped in his warm embrace. "Don't you go worrying about me Grace. I won't let anything come between us."
Then Tyler dipped his head and kissed Grace. Sensation flamed into life as Tyler's warm lips claimed a kiss. Her body flooded with relief and she softened against Tyler. The kiss seemed to last an eternity. Finally, he lifted his head and smiled at her. "I'm glad to see you think about me when I'm not around."
There was a mischievous look in his eyes now. She recognized that look. Playfully, she softly thumped her fist against his broad chest. "Don't you go taking crazy risks, Tyler Smith."
"You know I won't do that," he murmured. He grinned. "Have you forgotten?"
"What?" she asked.
"I'm the best sheriff in Texas," he announced jokingly.
She frowned at Tyler. "Says who?"
He lifted his gaze to the dark sky and then back down to her. "Everyone in Testament Creek keeps telling me that the town has never felt safer."
Grace shook her head and sighed. "How long do you reckon it'll take for Miss Hardesty to get back on her feet?"
Tyler looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't know. It depends on how bad that wound is. Maybe it'll take a few weeks."
"That means the children will have to stay here at the ranch," Grace said. For some surprising reason, Grace felt her spirits lift at that prospect.
"It sure does," Tyler added, also seeming pleased about it. "We'll need to tell them about Miss Hardesty."
Grace nodded. "They're in their beds, now. I'll tell them tomorrow morning."
"I'll be here when you do that," Tyler said decisively.
Grace understood why Tyler would want to be around when the good news was given to Jack and Katie. He'd been spending more time at the ranch recently. And, Grace wasn't about to turn down any opportunity to be with Tyler.
"I need to be getting back into town," Tyler said. "We've got those robbers locked up in the jailhouse. And I've made sure the deputy has some extra hands in case there's any trouble."
"What'll happen to the robbers?" Grace asked.
"They'll be sent to Austin for trial. Hopefully that'll be the end of it." Tyler frowned. "They'll be charged with robbery and abduction. Serious charges that call for stiff penalties."
Grace didn't press Tyler for more details. She guessed what he was hinting at. He just didn't want to go into the unpleasant details.
One last time, he pulled her closer. "I'll be back in the morning." Then he leaned his head down and kissed her. After a long time, he released Grace and went to his horse, mounted up and rode off.
Grace watched him ride into the darkness. Soon he was lost to sight. Grace made her way back into the house. She wasn't in the least surprised when she saw Hope standing at the foot of the stairs. She was dressed in her robe and she looked like she hadn't slept since going up to her room two hours earlier.
"Well?" Hope asked, lifting a brow.
"Tyler got Miss Hardesty back," Grace told Hope.
Hope smiled broadly and came to Grace. "That's wonderful."
"She got hurt during the rescue attempt. But it looks like she'll be fine."
Hope's nurse training made her ask Grace for more details. After Grace had recounted what Tyler had told her, Hope declared she'd go into town the next day and offer her services to the town doctor.
Then it was time to go upstairs. Grace went to her bedroom door, quietly wished Hope a good night in the semi-darkness of the corridor and then made her way into her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, Grace leaned back against the door and sighed.
She was glad the day had finished. Tomorrow, the children would be given the good news about Miss Hardesty; Tyler would arrive to share in that moment; Hope would visit the doctor in town. Then they would all try to get on with their lives.
There was only one problem as far as Grace could see.
Now that the children had come to live temporarily at the Circle T; now that she'd seen how happy they could be; now that she'd felt that delight and happiness in herself, Grace had to admit something truly surprising.
She wanted Jack and Katie to stay for a very long time.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Tyler left the jailhouse early next morning. As he closed the door behind him he heard the shouting and name-calling from inside the building. Just like he'd been doing all morning, he ignored the loud taunts from the men locked up inside the jail cells. The six men weren't happy being locked up, and that was fine as far as Tyler was concerned.
Tyler had told his deputy, Clint, that he'd be back later, near midday. Clint was young and capable. Tyler knew he could trust Clint to do a good job of making sure the robbers stayed in their cells.
Tyler mounted up and rode down a side street toward the west side of town. At the end of the road he came to a white-fronted, two-level residence surrounded by a garden and picket fence. This was Doc Clanton's home, and the place where he carried out his medical duties.
As he tied up his horse, Tyler noticed a buckboard parked near the corner of the garden fence. Tyler made his way to the front door and knocked softly. The door opened and Tyler lifted his brows in surprise. Hope Paterson stood in the hallway.
"Hope? What are you doing here?" Tyler asked, wondering why she'd come from the Circle T ranch house this early in the morning.
"I came to offer my help to the doctor," Hope explaine
d as Tyler made his way into the house. "Have you forgotten? I am a nurse."
Tyler nodded and felt momentarily embarrassed. Grace must have told Hope about what had happened to Miss Hardesty, he assumed. It was only natural that Hope would have decided to come and see if there was any way she could help.
Doc Clanton emerged from a side room down at the far end of the corridor next to the staircase. "Tyler? I thought I heard your voice," the doc said. "Come on down here. I suppose you're here to see how Mary is doing?"
"Mary?" Tyler asked and glanced at Hope.
"You can't keep calling her Miss Hardesty forever, can you?" Hope said and shook her head. Tyler followed Hope down the corridor. Last night, during the ride back to town, Miss Hardesty had been silent, which was understandable given her injuries. Tyler hadn't had a chance to speak with the woman. And when they'd arrived at the doctor's residence she'd been drowsy. Tyler had stood aside and let the doctor do his job.
Hope made her way through the open door at which the doc was standing. With a shift of his eyes in the other direction, the doc made it plain he wanted to speak with Tyler in private. The doc led Tyler further down the corridor until they were a distance away from the open door.
Doc Clanton was in his fifties. He was white-haired and possessed a stocky physique. Even at this time of the morning he was dressed in a dark suit and white shirt. In the soft light of the corridor his bushy brows were furrowed with concern.
"What's the news, doc?" Tyler asked. "How is she?"
The doc frowned. "She's as good as can be expected. I gave her something to help her sleep last night. And something for the pain."
"Is the wound bad?"
The doc sighed. "Luckily it didn't harm any major organs. But it passed perilously close to doing so. The bullet went through her left side. It just about missed her lower lung. If it had damaged that, I don't think we'd be talking this morning."
"She's going to take a while to heal?"
The Texas Sheriff's Family Blessing (Testament Creek Book 2) Page 4