Beth heard footsteps on the stairs. Then Landon walked into the room. Beth's heart leaped. She was glad the heat of the fire would be an excuse for the sudden color she felt rising to her cheeks. "Landon," Beth said standing. "I thought you were resting after dinner."
Landon ambled toward the fireplace. Max and Katie looked at one another and smiled. "I got restless. Thought I'd come down and see how things were." He glanced at the fireplace and sighed. "Sure is warm in here."
Beth stood and gestured to the seat opposite her. "Why don't you sit down for a while."
Landon shook his head. "I was figuring you and I could talk." He flicked his head. "Out on the porch. Take some cool night air."
Beth saw disappointment on the faces of the children. Thinking they might prefer her to stay with them she said: "Maybe some other time."
Katie stared up at Beth. "Me and Max are fine here, mama," she said.
Surprised that she'd misjudged the children, Beth looked at Landon and saw him shrug. "There you have it," he said casually.
Beth thought for a moment and then decided. "You need to get ready for bed, soon," she told the children. Seeing their brows furrow, she quickly added: "But you can stay here until I come back in." She glanced at Landon. "I won't be long."
She saw a skeptical look on Landon's face. What did he have in mind? She asked herself if he'd been planning what to say to her while he'd been lying down after dinner. She had to admit he looked better. His face wasn't pale-looking. And his eyes shone with a natural brightness which she found impossible to ignore.
Following Landon outside, they walked slowly across the yard. Darkness had fallen an hour ago. The sky was peppered with brightly shining stars. A full moon hovered low over the distant mountains. The light from the ranch house cast a warm glow across the yard. From out in the darkness, Beth could hear insects filling the air with a whispering wall of sound. Beth folded her arms as she walked. She glanced at Landon. Somehow, being so close to him, and alone, she sensed the strength of his physique like never before. Maybe it was the confident swagger of his walk; or perhaps the easy grace of his movements. He held his shoulders back and his chin lifted. The rest had done him good, she told herself.
They reached the corral fence. Landon leaned back against it and propped his boot against the lowest part of the wooden fence. Beth leaned her side against the fence. For a moment, she was lost for words.
As if sensing her awkwardness, Landon filled the gap in the conversation. "That was a tasty dinner we had earlier."
"Sally is a great cook," Beth said.
"How did you find her?" he asked.
"I didn't," beth replied. "Luke put an ad in the Billings Chronicle, looking for a housekeeper and Sally answered. Luke took her on just before the accident. Sally wasn't in the stagecoach. She was already here, on the ranch, getting things prepared."
Landon's eyes took on a sad expression. It was almost impossible to talk about any aspect of running the ranch without referring to the tragedy. "What were they like?" he asked softly.
"Luke and Jenny? They were wonderful people. They loved one another so much. I felt so privileged to know them. To see their happiness." Beth wrapped her arms around herself, feeling emotion sweep through her body. She hadn't really talked much about Luke and Jenny. Apart from some brief conversations with Sally, Beth had kept her feelings to herself. Bottling things up had seemed to be the only way to cope. For some reason, she felt she might be able to open up to Landon. There was something about the way he made her feel which told her she could tell him things she hadn't said to anyone else.
"Those children in that house must be missing them something awful," Landon said glancing over at the ranch house.
"I've had plenty of long nights in their rooms," Beth explained. "They cry themselves to sleep sometimes." Beth sighed. "It's going to take a long time for them to get over this." She saw Landon flinch as she said those words. Gazing at him, she realized he was a man who could feel the pain of others. Deep sympathy lived in Landon's heart. She guessed part of that came from family. And part of it came from his faith in the Lord.
Landon nodded thoughtfully. "Building a new life is difficult enough. Doing it without your mother and father must be hard. I can't imagine how they must feel."
Beth knew what he'd meant by that statement. What he'd been trying to say to her. Even if his choice of words hadn't been exactly what she would have preferred. Of course Katie and Max had a mother. Beth was their mother now. And she always would be.
As if sensing the mistake he'd made, Landon leaned closer. "I didn't mean that to sound the way it did, Beth," he explained quickly. He ran a hand around the back of his neck and shook his head. "Sometimes I can be really stupid." He gazed tenderly into her eyes. "Of course they have a mother." His eyes narrowed and she felt her heart quicken. "You're their mother. And I don't think there's anyone else in the whole world who could look after them better than you do."
Beth felt butterflies tumbling in her middle. Whatever reservations she'd felt a moment ago had been swept away by Landon's kind words. "Thank you, Landon. That's kind of you to say so."
"I meant what I said," Landon insisted. And then he said something which set her back on her heels. "Maybe God is using you to look after them. To protect them. Perhaps you're the way He's going to save them."
For a moment, she was lost for words. Emotion slammed into her. Was that what he really believed? She blinked back the moistness in her eyes. Dragging in a deep breath she turned away from Landon and started to walk alongside the length of the corral fence. Landon followed by her side. He said nothing for a minute.
Needing to change the subject, she halted and turned to face Landon. "What were you and Doyle talking about today?"
Immediately she said the words, she saw a wall rise in front of his face. "We were just talking ranch business."
"Was that all?" she asked, sensing that wasn't the whole story. "Doyle looked annoyed about something." She narrowed her eyes. "He didn't say anything about me, did he?"
Landon turned his head and glanced at the corral. "He seems to think you and him are good friends," Landon said softly.
"We are," Beth replied."He's been very loyal to me."
Landon turned and looked at her again. This time there was a seriousness in his gaze which she hadn't seen before. "No. He meant you and him are more than just boss and foreman." His eyes narrowed. "Much more."
Beth felt heat rush across her cheeks. "That's not true," she snapped. Indignation pulsed inside her. "Doyle's talking out of turn. I'm his boss. Maybe he doesn't like that."
Landon shook his head. "I think he likes being on the Circle D," Landon said calmly. "I think he likes it a whole lot. Maybe he's thinking he can stay here for good."
Beth's throat tightened as she thought about Doyle talking about her in those terms. As if she might one day be much more than just his boss. All those casual looks he'd given her; all those compliments; all the attention he'd given to the children. It all made sense now. She'd suspected it, and now Landon was confirming it to her.
Beth cleared her throat. "Doyle should know his place a bit better than he does," she declared. She squinted at Landon. "I'm surprised he'd say such a thing to you. Why would he do that?"
Landon shrugged. "I don't know." Landon's eyes became an unreadable blank. He seemed determined not to come out and say what they both knew to be true. "I really don't know why Doyle even brought the subject up," Landon added.
But Beth knew. Doyle was beginning to think that Landon might well be a rival for her affections. And the thing which shocked Beth the most was the fact that, even though she'd only just met Landon, she was beginning to harbor feelings about the handsome Baxter brother.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Late the next morning two visitors arrived at the Circle D. Landon was up in his room, following Doc Clanton's orders to rest, when he heard the rumble of carriage wheels from down in the yard. Rising from bed, he went to the
window and looked down. A broad grin stretched across his face when he saw who was arriving. "Well, I'll be a son of a gun," Landon exclaimed. From the carriage his sister-in-law Lauren Baxter waved up at him. Holding the reins next to her sat his older brother, Gabe. Waving back enthusiastically, Landon suddenly realized he was underdressed and leaped back from the window. He was wearing only white long-johns from shoulder to ankles, so he quickly got dressed in his jeans and plaid shirt. Checking the bandage in the mirror, he tightened some edges. There was no bloodstain on this freshly changed dressing. At least he wouldn't scare Lauren and Gabe, he told himself. He should have guessed he'd get a visit from one of his family. Doc Clanton must have told them what was happening over at the Circle D. Maybe they'd come just to check up on him.
Briefly, Landon thought about his conversation with Beth the previous night over by the corral. He'd done his best to avoid talking about Doyle, but she'd insisted. She'd seemed shocked that Landon understood that the ranch foreman had an interest in Beth. She'd denied it, of course. And, when he'd seen the strength of that denial, Landon had believed her. From the way she'd spoken about Doyle, it seemed Beth had already been thinking over her association with the man. She'd declared emphatically that Doyle was an employee and nothing more.
The problem was that, even if Beth believed Doyle was merely a foreman, the man himself definitely had other ideas. That made for some complicated times ahead for Beth. And maybe for himself before he did eventually go back to the Baxter ranch, Landon reflected. As he mulled over that fateful day, Landon felt something deep inside himself. The thought of leaving made him feel uneasy. Asking himself what could be the cause of that unease, he concluded he was beginning to form an attachment to the beautiful and very feisty owner of the Circle D. Beth was certainly beautiful. More than that, he told himself. All night, he'd awakened frequently, unable to get the image of her pretty features out of his head. Out of his dreams. From the moment he'd opened his eyes after hitting his head down at the creek and gazed up into her gorgeous eyes, she'd burrowed her way into his heart. He couldn't deny it any longer.
"Landon. You've got visitors," Beth called up from downstairs.
Landon raced out of his room, slamming the door behind him. He pounded down the stairs and saw Beth standing at the open door. Gabe and Lauren were standing right next to her. There was no sign of the children or Sally. Gabe was dressed in one of his best gray suits and wore well-polished brown boots. The Stetson on his head was set at a jaunty angle. Gabe looked elegant.
Landon strode to Gabe and hugged him. "Gabe. It's good to see you," Landon stated. He smiled at Lauren. "And you too, Lauren. You really didn't have to come all the way over here."
"Nonsense, Landon," Lauren exclaimed and gave him a good-natured smile. "Ma and pa want to know you're okay. They practically ordered Gabe and I to come." Lauren wore a light brown cotton gown and matching bonnet. The frown on her pretty features betrayed concern. She examined Landon's bandaged head and frowned.
Gabe released Landon and squinted at the bandage on Landon's head. "You been throwing yourself off horses again?" he joked.
Tugging on the bandage, Landon shook his head. "It's not serious."
"That's not what Doc Clanton said when he came to the house yesterday," Lauren replied softly. Landon could hear the concern in her voice.
Landon saw Beth looking expectantly at him. She looked suddenly awkward. Maybe the prospect of meeting some of Landon's family was daunting. Landon took Beth's elbow. "This is Beth Russell," Landon said. "Owner of the Circle D and the woman who saved me."
Beth's eyes widened and she gasped. "On the contrary. Landon was very heroic. He saved me from an awkward situation." When Beth smiled at Landon he felt his heart warm instantly. "I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't been there at just the right time." She shook hands with Gabe and Lauren. "However, he did take a tumble from his horse and he hit his head on a rock by the creek," she added and rolled her eyes.
Gabe laughed quietly. "How many times have I tried to show you how to stay on a horse? You still haven't learned."
Landon knew Gabe was joking with him. "Maybe my instructor didn't know what he was teaching, after all," he countered. Both brothers exchanged good-hearted slaps on the shoulder.
"Doc Clanton said he told you to rest up for a few days before traveling back to the ranch," Lauren said. "Is that true?"
Landon glanced at Beth. Before he had a chance to respond, she spoke, "Landon's welcome to remain here as long as he likes." After what Landon had said to Beth last night, he was surprised at the generous tone in her voice.
Loud footsteps thundered in the hallway inside the ranch house. Katie and Max came tumbling out the open door. They both skidded to a halt and stared at the newcomers. Beth went to Katie and Max and stood between them, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "We have some visitors today, children. This is Landon's brother Gabe. And this is Gabe's lovely wife, Lauren." Beth edged the children forward with a gentle push. "Say hello."
Max and Katie duly offered their greetings to Gabe and Lauren. Both children seemed shocked to see his brother and Lauren. Maybe receiving visitors to the Circle D was a rare event, Landon reflected. Beth insisted Gabe and Lauren come inside to the parlor. Sally appeared and was introduced to the visitors. Then she announced that coffee and cakes would be brought. That drew an excited cheer from the children. They went with Sally to the kitchen to help prepare the things for the guests.
Taking their seat on the sofa, Gabe and Lauren glanced first at Landon and then at Beth who were sitting opposite each other at the fireplace. His brother and his wife smiled knowingly at one another. Landon wondered what they'd said to each other during the three hour carriage ride to the Circle D. Maybe Doc Clanton had been talking about more than just Landon's busted head, he reflected. The doc was a notorious gossip. Even though he'd never betray a confidence about anyone's health, the doc liked to talk about the latest goings-on in town.
"Tell me what happened," Gabe instructed Landon.
Landon glanced at Beth. He wondered if she'd be comfortable if he described the trouble Wes Harding had caused her. As if realizing his uncertainty, Beth started to recount how she'd gotten into an argument with a neighboring rancher. As he listened to Beth describing the events at the creek, Landon reflected on the fact that it was becoming a regular occurrence for himself and Beth to almost read each others minds. It worked both ways. He'd become so used to her that he almost felt like he knew what she was going to say before she said it. Was that an indication of how close they'd become?
There had been an instant chemistry between them ever since he'd come to the Circle D. Was that what Doyle had seen? And was that why he'd tried to scare Landon off when they'd spoken out on the porch yesterday? Maybe it was obvious to onlookers that himself and Beth were getting real close. Real fast. And now, he could see the way his brother and his wife were looking at him and Beth. As if he and Beth were already a couple. That thought made Landon's middle twist with anxiety. Glancing at Beth, and listening to her account of the way they'd met, Landon wondered if she was thinking the same. Last night, out by the corral, Beth had seemed troubled by something. Maybe it was the growing awareness of the attachment she and Landon were forging which was causing her to worry.
Finally, Beth concluded with her account of the happenings at the creek, reaching the point when Doc Clanton had issued his orders for Landon to remain at the Circle D. Landon saw Gabe's brows ridged with concern. Lauren had also been affected by Beth's account, judging by the taut expression on her face.
"You could have really hurt yourself, Landon," Gabe said gravely. "You got lucky."
Landon nodded. "Or maybe someone was looking out for me."
"The Lord was protecting you," Lauren agreed. She smiled at Beth. "And He sent you a guardian angel."
The Rancher’s Frontier Family Page 8