Where There's a Will

by Brenda Sinclair

  Adam’s heart had almost stopped when he heard Willow and the horse thief arguing. If he hadn’t been so worried about her, he would have found her verbal exchange with the man amusing. He’d remained hidden, not wanting to surprise the man, fearing he might discharge his weapon by mistake. And hit Willow!

  The two of them had been so engrossed in their disagreement, they hadn’t heard him approach and dismount some distance back before sneaking closer on foot. He kicked himself for not coming armed, but thankfully, his pa and Simon had figured on running into trouble. They’d come across the other horse thief and Pa realized he still remained deputized since an incident last year. Using the element of surprise in his favor, Pa succeeded in arresting the man. Leonard headed back to the ranch with the Double M geldings, while Adam’s father escorted the thief to Milestone to place him in Sheriff Robertson’s custody. Waiting and watching some distance away, Simon headed after the other man when he’d finally ridden off, leaving Willow be. Adam didn’t doubt his brother would find the fool amateur horse thief soon enough, and through some inventive means take back possession of the last stolen gelding and tie up the thief to boot.

  Meantime, Adam needed to rescue Willow and Shadow. He’d overheard enough of her conversation with the thief to learn that she’d been following them on the mare. How could he have believed for a moment that she’d stolen one of their horses? And he’d heard her question whether they would think she’d stolen their horse to carry out her plan to run. Which he hated to admit had been his initial supposition.

  She’d promised she wouldn’t run, and she’d stuck to her word. The fact that he could trust her meant everything to him. Considering his growing feelings for the pretty horse wrangler.

  Willow sat on Shadow. Riding bareback! The woman never ceased to amaze him. Those Thoroughbreds could run like the wind, and for Willow to remain seated on Shadow, especially during those few moments when she’d spooked, spoke volumes about the woman’s experience and training as a wrangler and an all-around horsewoman. The spooked mare probably would have dumped him on his backside. His respect and feelings for Willow grew every day. That thought constantly wormed its way into his mind when he wasn’t paying attention. But he couldn’t argue the point. He suspected again that he was falling in love with Willow.

  He stepped out from the bushes. “Decided yet whether or not you’re following that fellow?” he drawled.

  Willow turned, catching her balance before toppling off the mare when he’d startled her.

  “Adam!” she shrieked, causing the mare to crow hop and almost deposit her rider on the ground. Willow easily caught her balance again, blinking furiously as if convinced she’d conjured him up in her mind.

  Adam reached for Shadow’s halter, allowing the mare to briefly sniff his hand first. “I’m here. Pa, Simon, Leonard and I came looking for you and the missing horses.”

  “I didn’t steal Shadow, Adam. Honest, I—”

  “I heard everything. You followed those horse thieves. We caught the other fellow and Pa’s taking him into Milestone for a chat with Sheriff Robertson. Leonard headed back to the ranch with the three geldings the thief was watching over while his partner dealt with the woman who’d been foolishly following them.” Adam wagged a finger at her. “Simon raced after the other man when he finally rode away from you. By now, Simon has probably hog-tied him, tossed the man over his own saddle, and he’s heading back to the ranch with our last missing gelding.”

  Willow’s shoulders slumped. “It’s all over?” she whispered, with a sigh.

  “Yes. Except for the dressing down you’re due.”

  Willow’s jaw dropped and her eyes filled with tears. “I… I tried my best. I didn’t hand Shadow over to him. I planned to go with them and rescue the horses at the right moment, when they weren’t watching.”

  “And that’s precisely the problem! What were you thinking? Those men could have killed you! Or done despicable things to you!” Adam gazed up into her eyes, reached up and helped her off the mare, allowing her to slide down his body in the process. “Don’t you ever do something like that again. My heart won’t survive it.”

  And then he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly.

  Willow wilted in his arms, leaning into him as if absorbing his strength and warmth. She shivered in his embrace. Had the horse thief frightened her more than she’d admit? Or was being held so close by Adam causing the reaction? She kissed him back with a passion that surprised and pleased him. He never wanted to let her go. Did she share similar feelings for him? Her response certainly would lead anyone to consider it possible.

  He almost told her he was falling in love with her, but he stopped himself in time. Would she believe him? He’d only known Willow for a few weeks, and a good deal of that time he’d thought she was a boy. No, he’d best bide his time and confess his feelings for her when the ideal opportunity presented itself. If he managed to wait that long.

  “Let’s go home, sweetheart,” he murmured in her ear. “It must be close to suppertime. And I want Mrs. Sheridan to check and make certain you’re all right.”

  “I’m fine. Not so much as a bruise. But I never want to face a man with a pistol pointed at me ever again.”

  “Won’t happen, if I have any say.” Adam mounted Major, and then reached for her hand, pulled her up, and settled her in the saddle in front of him. “Shadow should follow us back to the ranch. She’ll be looking for her feed. And she’ll as likely as not figure she’s in a race with Major.”

  Willow leaned back against him and he wrapped one arm around her to ensure she remained in the saddle should she doze off on the way home. Major would cover the distance in record time with his feed waiting in his stall. Adam buried his face in her hair and inhaled the heady lavender scent of her soap. It amazed him how he hadn’t realized Willie Hughes was a girl. At least, he knew the truth about Willow now, and he couldn’t be more pleased.

  What would he have done if she’d been hurt today? Or worse?

  He couldn’t bring himself to even consider such a thing. He needed Willow safe and sound, and in his arms forever. Only one way to ensure that happened. Since he wasn’t going to learn anything from Willow or Leonard, Adam needed his brother, the Pinkerton, to discover what Willow and Leonard were running from. And he was convinced they were running from something.

  And no matter what Daniel learned, surely it wouldn’t come between Adam and the woman he cared for.

  Chapter 10

  June

  Willow wandered up to the main house for Sunday luncheon after church, wearing a pretty yellow frock she’d discovered in the box of dresses she’d been gifted by Adam’s sister. At church this morning, several ladies had complimented her on how lovely she looked, and she truly appreciated how the community had accepted a female horse wrangler in their midst.

  Willow asked Adam to meet her up at the house, since she wanted to check on one of the mares due to deliver soon. She always erred on the side of caution, vowing never to lose a mare during a birthing. Of course, everything was fine in the barn.

  Willow opened the front door and entered as she’d been instructed by AJ. No need for knocking. Just come on in anytime.

  “Willow, you’re here, finally!” Amanda exclaimed, dashing into the entryway to greet her.

  “Yes, I am. And I’m looking forward to Mrs. Sheridan’s potato salad.” Willow had become good friends with Adam’s sister and especially Jackson’s wife, Lily. Since Lily was the only other young lady living on the ranch, they’d spent several evenings together out for a walk or sitting in the backyard chatting. Lily had complained about being the size of an elephant and moving as slow as a turtle, but her baby was due any day now. Everyone assured Lily that she looked beautiful, especially Jackson, who doted on his wife.

  “I have something to show you,” Amanda whispered, grabbing Willow’s arm and tugging her into the parlor.

  Willow entered the room, prepared for almost anything. Lily
sat on one of the sofas, holding a tiny bundle wrapped in a white blanket in her arms. Willow gasped. “Did you have the baby?”

  Lily smiled, wearing a loose-fitting housedress. She whispered, “Come and see for yourself.”

  Willow tiptoed over to the sofa and Lily pulled aside the blanket, revealing a tiny little person with just a hint of springy blonde hair and a slightly wrinkled face. With eyes tightly closed, the baby slept peacefully. Willow peeked up at Lily who was smiling broadly, the picture of the content mama. “Boy or girl?”

  “Meet Edward Alexander McLennon.” Lily gazed at the sleeping baby. “Seven pounds of future trouble for his father.”

  Willow chuckled. “Especially if he tries riding his papa’s horse.”

  “Oh, don’t even think it. Nobody rides Dixon but Jackson.” Lily grinned.

  Willow settled onto the sofa. “How are you feeling? Did you have any problems? Shouldn’t you still be in bed?”

  “None at all. Mrs. Sheridan helped with the delivery.” Lily smiled at her baby as she spoke. “Everything couldn’t have gone more smoothly. He arrived last night shortly after midnight. And I’m not an invalid, just a new mother. I’m fine and no one is keeping me in bed.”

  Willow blew out her breath. She’d been concerned someone would come fetch her when Lily went into labor. Although quite experienced with delivering colts and fillies, she hadn’t any experience with bringing human babies into the world. She prayed if the need arose, Doc Bennett would be summoned, not her. “Was the pain horrible?”

  “Already forgotten,” Lily whispered.

  Adam stepped into the room. “You’re here, Willow. How’s Lacey?”

  Willow felt her jaw drop. He’d known all along she intended to check on the mare. “I suppose she’s fine. No one has summoned me that she’s in labor.”

  “Don’t play innocent. I know you checked on that mare before coming up here.” Adam shook his head. “No one could ever fault you on thoroughness.”

  “Stop pestering her,” Amanda scolded her brother, swatting his arm. “She’s excellent at what she does. So, leave her to it.”

  “Mrs. Sheridan asked me to warn you lunch will be ready in ten minutes.” Adam gazed at Willow while he spoke. “And she prepared potato salad especially for Willow, being that it’s her favorite.”

  “She spoils me too much. But I bless that German lady who introduced it to her.” Willow recalled the day the housekeeper discovered her secret. She’d been so understanding and her remedy for cramping worked perfectly. The two of them had become as close as mother and daughter.

  “She likes you,” Adam reasoned.

  “We’ll be along in a minute,” Lily whispered.

  Adam smiled at Willow. “I’ll just go ahead.” Probably fearing the womenfolk were talking babies and women business, he high-tailed it out the door without another word.

  “Do you need help to stand up?” Amanda hurried over to Lily’s side.

  “Hold Edward for a moment, please.” Lily handed her baby to Amanda, scooted to the sofa edge, and then stood up. “There.”

  Amanda handed the baby back to his mother and then turned to Willow. “I noticed that look you gave my brother when he was here.”

  “I did, too,” Lily whispered. “And he looks at her the same way. I believe Amanda once called it ‘cow eyes’.”

  Amanda burst into laughter. “I do recall saying that about you and Jackson.”

  Lily nodded. “Perhaps one day Willow will become our sister-in-law.”

  Willow gasped. “No! You’re… that’s…” she stammered.

  “If you ask me, that’s an absolute certainty,” Amanda added.

  “That’s utter silliness. You two are definitely counting chickens!” Willow felt her face reddening.

  “One chicken, two chickens, three…” Lily teased. “Still adds up to a new sister-in-law for us.”

  Willow shook her head. “The two of you are impossible.” She hurried out of the parlor and headed for the kitchen. Having ‘sisters’ who teased her was a completely new experience for Willow, but she silently admitted to herself, she wouldn’t mind if their prediction came true.

  She would love nothing better than having the two of them as sisters-in-law.

  And she would love being Adam’s wife even more. Provided he never learned her secret. No one could predict what would result should that happen.

  But he’d never agree to marry her until she confessed that secret. Could she ever risk everything by telling him? Thankfully that day seemed far in the future.

  Chapter 11

  The next evening, Willow startled when Davie charged into the cabin she shared with her brother. “Willow, come quick. Lacey’s finally in labor. Appears for some time now, but I don’t think she’s doing too well.”

  Willow leapt off the sofa and grabbed her old battered hat. “Let’s go.” She thanked the laboring gods that for some reason she hadn’t changed into a dress that night. Davie hadn’t bothered to knock, which was testament to how worried he was about the mare. She didn’t like the sound of this, but since she arrived on the ranch every birth she’d attended had gone along without a hitch. Apparently, her lucky streak had run out.

  Willow ran from the cabin and arrived at the barn a second behind Davie.

  “Lacey is in the second stall on the left.” He led the way down the aisle of the Morgan horse barn.

  “How long has she been laboring?”

  “I’m not certain.” Davie yanked his hat off and scratched his head. “Earlier this evening, she hadn’t been showing signs of labor starting, but something just told me I should come and check on her. I found the poor mare like this.”

  Willow peeked over the half door and her heart stalled in her chest. She slipped inside and dropped to her knees in front of the mare. “Dang it.”

  Davie stood to the side. “Is something not right?”

  “There could be a whole lot of something not right,” Willow muttered. The mare appeared exhausted and yet there wasn’t evidence of progress being made with the contractions.

  “I’m going to go fetch Adam.” Davie raced down the aisle and she heard a door slam.

  “Oh, Lacey. Why are you lying down? You should be pacing. Or rolling to move your foal into position.” Willow leaned her forehead on the mare’s side, fighting back tears. Something was terribly wrong.

  Willow tried coaxing the horse to stand, but the mare seemed too weak to even attempt it. Willow hadn’t any idea how long the mare had been laboring, but there wasn’t any sign her membrane had broken, no evidence of fluids lost. Willow felt along the mare’s side and silently cursed in a very unladylike manner. She couldn’t tell if the foal had even turned. A breech birth was the last thing she wanted to deal with. And if the placenta had detached prematurely, the foal would be dead at birth. And with the mare too exhausted to stand, this was not looking good at all.

  “What’s wrong?” Adam called, running down the aisle and sticking his head inside the stall through the open doorway.

  “Lacey’s foal could be a breech birth.” Willow stood and gazed down at the mare. “She’s exhausted and refuses to stand. I don’t know if we can convince her to roll so the foal will position itself properly. Or maybe she’s done that already. I just don’t know.”

  Adam cursed colorfully. “Sorry, Willow, that just slipped out.”

  “Nothing I haven’t silently said myself the last few minutes,” she admitted. While disguised as a male, she’d learned a colorful new vocabulary. “Frankly, I don’t know what our options are? Lacey needs to stand up.”

  Adam glanced over at his barn hand. “Davie and I can’t lift the mare to her feet.”

  “How far away is the closest horse doctor?” Willow met Adam’s eyes.

  “You don’t want to know.”

  Willow gasped. “How far away?”

  “Almost to Butte,” Adam informed her.

  “What?”

  “It would take a couple hours to fetch
him. Another two hours back.” Adam paced the stall. “I don’t think Lacey can wait that long.”

  “No chance at all,” Willow confirmed. “Not in her exhausted state.”

  “Our neighbor’s son is training as a vet, attending school in Ohio. He dreams of opening a vet clinic here in Milestone after he graduates, but that’s not doing us any good right now,” Adam informed her.

  “What are we going to do?” Davie’s voice rose an octave higher than normal.

  Willow shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  Adam dragged his hand down his face. “Five brothers. You’d think one of us could have trained as a vet!”

  “Now’s a good time to consider that. Especially with all the animals on this ranch,” Davie scoffed.

  “Right now, I’d be delighted if Amanda had taken vet training.” Willow paced for a moment. “Davie, go find Leonard. Get him over here now.”

  Davie lit out of the building like the barn was afire.

  She glanced up at the rafters. “Adam, how strong do you figure those beams are?”

  Her boss studied the barn roof’s wooden supports. “About as sturdy as any, I suppose. Why?”

  “Maybe I’m grasping at straws.” Willow needed to think. But it all came down to one thing… saving this mare.

  Leonard stormed down the aisle and stepped into the stall. “Dang it, sis. Why did you send for me? I just folded with a full house.”

  “Forget your card game,” Willow blurted. “I’m worried this mare is going to die and the foal also unless we do something!”

  Leonard’s jaw dropped. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m guessing the foal hasn’t turned. We’re looking at a breech birth at best. Two dead animals at worst.” Willow stomped around the stall, then realized she would frighten the exhausted animal with her momentary display of temper. “I… I don’t know what to do.”

  “Well, we need to try something.” Leonard grabbed her arm and halted her pacing.

  “I know. I know.” Willow glanced up at the beams again. “Do you suppose those beams would hold Lacey’s weight?”