One Night With a Sweet-Talking Man

by Ana Leigh

  “No. These old bones will be aching for a couple of days, but it wasn’t as bad as getting tossed from a horse.”

  “What about Caroline?”

  “She was just scared about Garrett. She got over her pain when she saw the boy on his feet. It was all my fault—I never should’ve given him those reins. I’m beholden to you, Jed. You saved my grandson’s life.”

  “Don’t give me the credit, sir. If it was his time to go, he would have been killed. How bad is the buggy?”

  “I didn’t even look at it yet. Reckon a rear wheel must have rolled off to make it tip over like that.”

  “And how far is it to the house?”

  “Just over the next rise.”

  “Good. We’ve got two horses, so we can ride double. If we can wrench Garrett out of Caroline’s arms, you and he can ride my mount since it has a saddle. Caroline and I can ride bareback on Belle.”

  “Since she’s grateful to you right now, she most likely won’t give you an argument. But there’s sure going to be hell to pay when she’s over her scare.”

  After Nathan and Garrett rode away with Buffer beside them, Caroline asked, “Would you mind if I walk a while? I’d be more comfortable.”

  Jed slipped off Belle. “I’ll walk so you can ride on ahead. The sooner you get into a hot bath the better your aches will feel.”

  “I think if I stretch my legs, I can walk off some of the stiffness.”

  Jed lifted her down. “All right, but if you tire, let me know. We can always rest for a while.”

  “We only have about a mile to go.”

  “Do you ride very often, Caroline?”

  “No, I’m not comfortable astride a horse. I find it very awkward.”

  After walking a short distance more, Caroline stopped to rest. “Just give me a minute.”

  “Do you want to sit down?”

  She shook her head with a smile. “If I sit down, I probably won’t be able to get up. Besides, this gives me the opportunity to thank you, Jed. If you hadn’t been here, Garrett would have been dragged….” She choked back her words. “I don’t know what I would have done if he’d been killed.”

  Jed slipped an arm around her shoulders and drew her to his side. “It’s over, Caroline. It didn’t happen, so don’t dwell on the thought.”

  “How do you expect me not to?” she said. “Twice today my son could have been killed, and you prevented that from happening. I’m frightened—something feels very wrong.”

  “I can understand your anxiety, but I doubt Garrett would have been killed in that explosion this morning. More likely he would have suffered a minor injury, like I did.”

  “Father told me you threw your body across him as a shield, so I can’t believe he wouldn’t have been seriously hurt.”

  “I can imagine how you must be feeling, Caroline. But growing up with brothers as I did, there were more times than I can remember when one or another had close calls.”

  She glanced aside at him. “If I recall correctly, you Fraser boys often seemed to be in trouble. How did your poor mother endure it?”

  He laughed. “With patience and faith. I have to admit, I initially thought you were overly protective of Garrett, but now I see why. He’s like a cat with nine lives.”

  They resumed walking. “If so, he used up a couple of them today. Nothing like today’s events has ever happened before,” said Caroline.

  “Does he have any playmates his own age?”

  “No, our house is pretty isolated. My uncle owned the property originally, and this was where we came when we left Virginia. Uncle Frank died five years ago and Father was his only heir. When the war ended, my father put himself in ‘dry dock’ as he says, and joined my mother and me.”

  “So Garrett hasn’t had an opportunity to be around children his own age. What about schooling?”

  “I tutor him.”

  “You’ve done a great job. He’s a smart little boy.”

  “And he’s not completely without companionship; he and The Buffer are inseparable. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t had any narrow escapes—Buffer has always looked after him.” She grinned at him. “He’s even more protective of Garrett than I am.”

  “So The Buffer lives up to his name, is that what you’re saying?”

  “Exactly. He’s not only my son’s best friend and dearest companion, but also a buffer between Garrett and any danger. He’s always been a buffer for me, too: I always had peace of mind knowing that he was always looking out for Garrett.”

  “I seriously suspect that this is leading into that Providence conversation again,” Jed said.

  Caroline’s eyes lit with triumph. “Ah-hah! I think I’ve made a believer of you.”

  “Not quite, madam. Where was The Buffer when Garrett walked into the path of that explosion? If I remember right, Garrett was calling out for him.”

  “I’m afraid I’m to blame. I put Buffer into the office while Garrett was in the privy and called to Garrett to come to the office when he was through. I had heard that Bomber was going to blow stumps and wanted the two of them someplace where I knew they’d be safe. I guess Garrett didn’t hear me. I should never have taken Buffer away from the privy door.”

  “This is all ridiculous. Your father takes the blame for the buggy accident, and—”

  “Maybe he should! Father knew I think Garrett’s too young to drive it,” she declared.

  “Just the same, he’s no more responsible for the buggy accident than you are for the other one. For someone who believes in Providence, you sure are contradicting yourself.”

  Caroline looked confused, and they continued on in silence until they reached the house.

  After Garrett bathed and had his hands properly bandaged, and Caroline’s and Nathan’s aches and pains had been soothed in hot baths, all the Collinses opted for an early bedtime.

  Jed lingered downstairs for a smoke and walk in the garden before retiring. Now that the Collinses were all tucked away safely in their beds, he had a chance to reflect on the day’s events. This family had come to mean a lot to him in this short time.

  He sensed that Caroline still distrusted him, though. Why? Despite her recent attempt at friendliness, there was still an undercurrent of wariness toward him.

  You can’t win them all, Fraser. Too bad, because he found himself looking forward to being with her. Or was it just the challenge to win her over?

  Well, he was leaving tomorrow so what in hell did it matter? But not before he spoke to this local attorney, Vincent Calhoun, as he had promised Nathan he would. Something about this railroad buyout smelled like three-day-old fish.

  Jed ground out his cigarillo and went up to bed.

  CHAPTER

  5

  Bright morning sunshine streamed through the ruffled curtains of her room, teasing Caroline awake. She opened her eyes and lay remembering the previous day’s activities.

  It had been a frightful day and she couldn’t help fearing what the outcome might have been—and that was the rub. From the moment Jed Fraser had entered the picture, she had wanted him gone. Yet if he hadn’t been there…She fought back tears of relief.

  Despite the threat Jed presented, she had to admit she found him interesting; she enjoyed the quiet conversations they had together. Given her dangerous attraction to him, it was a good thing he was leaving today.

  At the sound of voices outside, she got out of bed and crossed to the open window. Her father and Jed were preparing to depart in the buckboard. Was he leaving so early? And without even saying good-bye? Garrett would be devastated.

  As if feeling her stare, Jed glanced up and saw her. He smiled and tipped his hat. “Good morning, Caroline.”

  “Good morning.” It was embarrassing being caught in the act of spying.

  “I apologize for waking you.”

  “I was awake,” she said. “Are you leaving so early? At least let me make breakfast before you depart.”

  “We’re just riding out to see if w
e can salvage any of the buggy,” Nathan said.

  “Oh, then you’ll be back.” Her heartbeat quickened.

  “Of course!” Jed exclaimed. “Do you think I’d leave without saying good-bye to you or my little pal?”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I’ll have breakfast ready by the time you get back.”

  Caroline turned away and started to dress. As she brushed her hair, her thoughts continued to dwell on Jed Fraser.

  He was an incredibly handsome man. All those Fraser brothers were handsome and personable. That was the trouble—and the downfall of any woman who met them.

  She congratulated herself for not having buckled under that smooth charm. Within a few hours, he’d be out of her life forever. Caroline lifted her chin. “Told you I could do it,” she said to her image in the mirror, but her alter ego just stared back at her despondently.

  Caroline tied her hair back with a ribbon, then went to wake Garrett.

  Jed wore a worried frown after examining the shattered buggy.

  “What’s bothering you?” Nathan asked.

  “It all happened so quickly, but let’s go over the chain of events. It began with the rear of the buggy collapsing, right?”

  Nathan nodded. “I was pitched off it when we bounced off a rock, the buggy slammed down, and the rear collapsed.”

  “That’s how I remember it, too,” Jed said. “Then the front of the buggy was dragged a few feet, tottered, and then tipped on its side, causing the tongue to break off and the harness to snap. So if all the resulting damage occurred after the rear collapsed, what do you think caused the rear end to collapse to begin with?”

  “I assumed one of the rear wheels rolled off,” Nathan replied.

  Jed shook his head. “That was my assumption at first, too. But take a look—both of them are bent or smashed from the crash. That means neither one rolled off, which means the rear axle splintered and caused the collapse.”

  “I would say,” Nathan said.

  “I took a closer look at the rear axle, and the broken ends are smooth—not splintered. That axle was sawn through almost entirely, and when the rear hit that rock, the axle snapped and broke before the buggy bounced back. Then it tipped over and the tongue broke off.”

  After a brief examination, Nathan looked up at Jed, his eyes wide with shock. “My God, man, you’re right! Who would do such a thing? I can’t believe even Vincent Calhoun would be a party to such a dastardly deed. And who would even have access to do so?”

  “Didn’t you stable your horses and the buggy in Napa when you went to San Francisco?”

  “That’s right. Fortunately, we use the buckboard more than the buggy, so the axle didn’t snap until it hit that rock.”

  “I think I’ll take a look at the underside of that buckboard,” Jed said. “Whoever did it to the buggy may have done the same to the buckboard.”

  He slid under the buckboard, and when he was satisfied the axles hadn’t been tampered with, he crawled out from under it.

  “Everything looks fine,” he said, dusting himself off. “I think we should leave the buggy as is and bring the sheriff out here to see it.”

  “He took a prisoner to Sacramento. He won’t be back for another week.”

  “Then we might have an additional problem to deal with. But if I were you, I’d still report this to the law. You all could have been seriously hurt—if not killed.”

  Nathan looked so downcast that Jed went over and squeezed his shoulder. “There’s nothing more we can do here now, sir, so we might as well get back to the house.”

  He salvaged the blanket and picnic basket from the buggy’s ruins and put them in the buckboard. “You realize, sir, for the sake of Caroline’s and Garrett’s safety, you’re going to have to make her aware of the danger.”

  Nathan sighed deeply. “Yes, I see that now. I was hoping I could avoid alarming her, but I’ll have to tell her what’s happened.”

  “Have you considered leaving the area until this issue with the railroad’s been resolved?”

  “No. This is my property, and I won’t allow a weasel like Calhoun to drive me off it. And knowing Caroline, I think she won’t consider leaving, either.”

  “Not even to secure Garrett’s safety? After all, Calhoun threatened both of them.”

  “That might convince her, but even if she agreed, I don’t know where I could send them.”

  “I could take them to my brother’s home, sir. They’d be safe there. But before we do anything, I’m talking to Mr. Calhoun. I’d like to sit in on this pot and find out what kind of hand is being dealt. And if it ends up a bust one, you’re all coming with me.”

  Caroline clearly wasn’t thrilled when Nathan insisted she and Garrett accompany them to Napa.

  “There’s no reason why we can’t say good-bye right here,” she declared. “I’m still aching from yesterday, and the thought of being jostled about in a buckboard is not appealing.”

  “Caroline, there’s a very good reason for going with us,” Nathan said.

  “What reason?”

  “Do you mind if I talk to her privately, sir?” Jed asked.

  Nathan took Garrett by the hand. “You come with me, and we’ll feed the stock and saddle Liberty for Jed to ride.”

  “I don’t keep any secrets from you guys,” Garrett grumbled as his grandfather led him away.

  “Jed, what’s going on here?” Caroline asked.

  “Let’s take a walk.” He put his hand on her back and guided her out into the garden. “Your father and I discovered something very disturbing about that buggy accident. It wasn’t an accident.”

  She stopped short and looked at him, confused. “What do you mean?”

  “We discovered the rear axle of the buggy had been sawn nearly through. It took just a bad jolt to make it break apart.”

  “My God, who would do such a thing?”

  “Your father suspects Vincent Calhoun.”

  She looked incredulous. “Why would he think that? I know Father has always distrusted Mr. Calhoun, but I can’t believe the man would endanger our lives. Is this related to the railroad wanting to run that line through our property?”

  “Yes. Nathan said Calhoun threatened that something might happen to you or Garrett if he didn’t agree to it.”

  She paled in shock, and he led her over to a bench. “I intend to speak to this Calhoun before I leave today, and the Captain’s afraid to leave you and Garrett alone here. That’s why he insists you come along.”

  “Why didn’t Father warn us? When I think of how we let Garrett run free with only Buffer as protection…”

  “That hound is as good a protection as an army would be. And don’t blame your father. He had no way of knowing if Calhoun was merely bluffing, so he didn’t want to alarm you unnecessarily. And with the sheriff out of town, he didn’t know who he could trust. I trust your father’s judgment, Caroline. I’ve seen him in battle before.”

  “He still should have warned me. I would have kept a closer eye on Garrett. Look at yesterday’s accident at the mill—”

  “We can’t blame Calhoun for that, Caroline. Garrett just wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  Seeing her pallor and fear, he gathered her hand between his own. “Honey, he’s still got a lot of growing up to do. You can’t protect him from genuine accidents.”

  “I know, but I can’t help trying.”

  “Then come with me. I believe the railroad should be informed of Calhoun’s threats. If he’s done it to you, he’s most likely done it to others, too. I suggested to your father that the three of you come with me to my brother’s. You’ll be safe there until this situation is resolved.”

  Surprisingly, she looked even more distressed. “What did my father say?” she asked.

  “He refuses to be driven from his land, but he’s concerned about your and Garrett’s safety.”

  “I’m remaining with my father.”

  “That will be keeping you and Garrett at ris
k, Caroline.”

  “I’ll make certain we remain close to the house.”

  Jed shook his head. “For how long? You have no way of knowing the amount of time it will take to resolve the situation.”

  “It can’t take much longer; it’s been an issue for almost a year now.” She drew a deep breath. “Look, Jed, I appreciate your concern. If necessary, we’ll hire a couple of men to protect us. We can use the help anyway—the barn and fences need some repairs. We’ll be just fine.”

  “Your father’s showing more common sense than you are, Caroline. At least he acknowledges the danger.”

  “I’m not making light of the danger, but we can hardly go hide without knowing how long it will take to resolve it.”

  “And you’d risk your life or Garrett’s waiting to find out? You’ve got more common sense than that.”

  “Exactly. I was shocked and frightened when you first told me, but the more I think about it, the more outrageous it sounds. We’re assuming Calhoun’s behind it all, but the buggy accident might have had nothing to do with the railroad issue.”

  “Get your head out of the sand, Caroline; it wasn’t an accident,” Jed exclaimed, exasperated.

  “I’m not implying it was. But it could also have been caused by a disgruntled employee Father fired, or a spiteful suitor that I turned down.”

  “Do you have anyone particular in mind?”

  “Yes. Gabe Ryan was furious when Father fired him for drunkenness that almost cost the life of one of the loggers. He told Father that he hadn’t seen the last of him. And when I turned down a marriage proposal from a former neighbor, Ben Slatter, he said an ‘ungrateful whore’ like me was making a big mistake and that I’d be sorry when I didn’t have my ‘daddy’ around to take care of me and my ‘bastard’ son.”

  “I’d like to meet this Slatter,” Jed said grimly.

  “It no longer matters. The bank foreclosed on his land, so he’s no longer a neighbor. He’s just a bigmouth drunk.”

  Jed nodded thoughtfully. “Do you believe either one of those men would seek revenge by harming a child?”

  “I don’t know. But anyone familiar with us knows that we don’t allow Garrett to drive the buggy or buckboard. So if Garrett wasn’t their target, damaging the vehicles would make sense.”