“It’s not the clothes that make the man. You know that as well as I do.” Ace stepped forward and thrust out a hand to Matthew. “I’m Ace Keegan. If what Eden said is true and you saved her life, I reckon we owe you our heartfelt thanks, not a kick in the teeth.”
“He dallied with our sister!” Joseph cried. “Shake the bastard’s hand if you want, but I’ll be damned if I will.”
“That’s up to you,” Ace said. “The way I see it, Eden’s not a child anymore. She’s made her choice, and we have to accept it.”
“Not that long ago, her choice ended their engagement, defamed her reputation, and broke her heart. Now I’m supposed to believe she knows what’s best for her?”
“John Parrish isn’t a pimple on this man’s ass,” Ace replied. “That citified mama’s boy wouldn’t stand up to you like Coulter has. He’d be pissing his pants right now. I’ll also point out that our sister would probably be dead if she’d had to count on John to rescue her from those low-life skunks.”
Matthew grasped Keegan’s outstretched hand. “I apologize for getting the cart before the horse, Ace. Feelings took over, and there was no preacher handy.”
Ace searched Matthew’s gaze. “I like your grit, Coulter.”
“Just know this,” David interjected. “If you don’t do right by her, we’ll hunt you down and see that you do.”
Matthew smiled. “I’ll do right by her.”
Joseph spun on his heel and cut across the incline to where he and his brothers had left their horses. Esa and David stood there for a moment and then decided to follow him. Clearly Ace had the final say over Eden’s future.
Over his shoulder, Joseph yelled, “If you marry her, you’d better treat her good. Lay a violent hand on her, and I’ll kill you.”
Matthew bit back a grin. He and Joseph Paxton hadn’t yet seen eye to eye, but he had a feeling he’d one day like the man. He was loyal, loved deeply, and valued his family. Those were Coulter traits, ones Matthew understood and admired.
“Do you know how close you just came to getting your ass shot off?” Ace asked. “Joseph isn’t all bluster.”
“I’d rather risk getting shot than marry into a family of men who have no respect for me.”
Ace chewed on that for a moment and finally nodded as if he understood the sentiment. “How did you happen along to save our sister?”
“The Sebastians killed my first wife, and I’ve been tracking them for three years. Eden was the one who happened along.”
“Most men don’t talk about a first wife unless they’ve already got a second one. Please don’t tell me you’re married, or I may have to kill you myself.”
Matthew shook his head. “I’ve never been threatened so much in my life.” Noting the murderous glint in Ace’s eyes, he quickly added, “For all intents and purposes, I do have a second wife now. She’s sitting on that log down there.”
Ace glanced down the hill at Eden.
“She’s not a woman a man trifles with if he’s got a shred of decency,” Matthew went on. “I knew from the start that she needed a ring and promises, and that’s what I aim to give her, God and Joseph willing. Maybe you don’t see it the same way, but to me, the wedding will be nothing more than a formality. The actual marriage took place the first time I touched her.”
Ace smiled slowly. Matthew noticed then that one side of his face was scarred and that the corresponding corner of his mouth didn’t move. It was like looking in a mirror. “I like you, Coulter. Don’t take that to mean I’ve given you my blessing. Before that happens, I need to know more about you—what kind of folks you come from and how you plan to provide for my sister, but now isn’t the time for that discussion.”
Matthew wholeheartedly agreed. He was too exhausted and worried about Eden right then to think straight, let alone present himself in a favorable light to the head of her family.
When the youngest of Eden’s brothers reached the log where she sat, David and Esa immediately took charge of the horses and went hunting for the creek, which could be heard but not seen. Eden suspected that was a calculated gesture to give her and Joseph some privacy. She was in no mood for a quarrel, but she could tell by Joseph’s body posture that he might not be in the same frame of mind.
He said nothing at first. He just sat beside her, jerked off his hat, and ran the brim through his hands. “I’m sorry for going off half-cocked.”
That was the last thing Eden expected him to say. “Did I just hear you apologize?”
He sent her a disgruntled look. “When I’m wrong, I’m wrong. You’ve been through hell. I should have been thinking about that. Instead I lost my temper.”
Eden smiled and looped her arm around his to rest her head on his shoulder. “It’s a flaw of ours. When the day comes that you don’t go off half-cocked, Joseph, I’ll think you’re sick and check you for a fever.”
He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. “I’m afraid for you, sweetheart. You can’t know that fellow very well, and I don’t like the looks of him.”
“He cleans up nice, and I know everything I need to know about him.” She hugged his arm. “How long did it take for you to fall in love with Rachel, Joseph?”
“How is that important?”
“How well did you know her?”
“Well enough. I don’t see how that has anything to do with anything.”
“As I recall, you only knew Rachel for a month or so. You got married so fast that Mama and I couldn’t make it to the wedding, but as far as I know, it’s worked out well. You’re both very happy, right?”
“Right.”
“Well, then? Don’t stand in judgment of me for falling in love with a man I’ve known for a little over a month.”
“I married Rachel before we—” He broke off. “I didn’t take a bite of the bread before it was buttered. Coulter did. What if you’re with child, and he backs out?”
“He won’t.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I just am. Countless times during the past weeks, he’s put his life at risk to keep me safe. Do you think a man like that would break his word to me and back out?”
Joseph sighed and slipped his arm free of hers to hug her shoulders. “No, I guess not. Sounds to me like I owe the bastard an apology.”
Eden curled her arm around his waist. “Yes, but Matthew probably doesn’t expect that. He loves his sisters as well. In the same situation, he might have lost his temper, too.”
“What other times besides today did he risk his life for you?”
Eden told him about that first night when Matthew had entered the Sebastians’ camp and carried her out, about how he’d then returned to steal the bay and spook the gang’s horses. “He’s been risking his life for me every day since. The Sebastians are crazy. The fact that they’ve hunted us so relentlessly proves that. Sane men would have cut their losses after a couple of days and fled for the border. Not the Sebastians. Perhaps it was a matter of pride to them, but they couldn’t allow Matthew to get the best of them and let it go.”
“I’m going to kill them, you know.”
Eden tightened her arm around him. “No, Joseph. Matthew has already wasted three years of his life trying to catch them. You have a wife and a beautiful future waiting for you. Don’t allow a misguided need for revenge to rob you of that.”
“Misguided? They hurt you. I can’t let them get away with it.”
“I’m fine now. They’ll be caught, and when they are, they’ll hang. Let the law deal with them. You have more important things to worry about.”
Joseph said nothing. Like Matthew, he had a score to settle with the Sebastians now, and he wouldn’t turn loose of that easily. Eden knew nothing she said was likely to change his mind, so she fell quiet, too.
Matthew and Ace arrived a moment later. Joseph pushed to his feet. Apologizing had never been easy for him, so he made fast work of it. “I was out of line earlier, Coulter. Thank you for protecting our sister.”
“No thanks are ne
cessary.”
The two men shook hands.
Eden yearned to go to Matthew. She wanted to be near him, to feel the strength of his arms around her again. The time wasn’t right for that, though. Her brothers were trying their best to accept that she’d been intimate with a man they didn’t know. It would be a mistake to press the point and rub their noses in it by clinging to Matthew. So instead she left the three men to get better acquainted while she went to find the creek. Her throat was as dry as parchment paper.
At the stream, she found both her younger brothers, David sitting on a rock, Esa sprawled on the bank to get a drink. The six horses, two loaded with packs, were downstream from them, slurping water.
“You got Joseph’s hot fanned down to warm yet?” David asked.
Eden smiled at the question. “Yes. Now I’ve come to work on you.” She crouched beside Esa to cup water in her hands. After drinking her fill, she dried her palms on her pants and joined David on the rock. After telling him the same things she’d just told Joseph, she said, “I know it isn’t easy for you, David, but I hope you’ll give Matthew a chance. He’s a fine man. I think you’ll like him once you get to know him.”
“He’s got guts. I’ll give him that,” Esa said. “Not many men will stand up to Joseph when he’s riled.”
David sighed and nudged up the brim of his hat to look her in the eye. “If he saved your life, like you say, I reckon I’ll have to give him a chance.”
That was all Eden needed to hear. “This morning, when the Sebastians ambushed us, Matthew cut the horses and mule loose. I don’t know how far they may have wandered.”
“You want us to go look for them?” Esa asked.
“Would you, please? I’m sure Matthew’s worried about them. It’s been a long day, and I’d hate to see him go searching for them on foot.”
Matthew expected Ace to take him aside so the two of them could talk privately, but instead he drew a flask of whiskey from his saddle pack, passed it around, and began asking Matthew personal questions with Joseph present. Matthew answered each query candidly, telling the two men about his home, his family, and his financial prospects, which he feared might count against him. The Coulters were honest and hardworking people, but they weren’t rich by any stretch of the imagination.
To his surprise, Ace shrugged. “Money doesn’t guarantee happiness. All that matters to me is that you can keep a roof over my sister’s head and plenty of food on the table, and make her happy.”
“I can do all that. You have my word on it.”
Ace smiled. “Then you have my blessing.”
“Does Eden know you want to take her to Oregon?” Joseph asked.
“We’ve talked about it. I was worried she might not want to leave Colorado, but she says living in Oregon will be better all around.” He glanced at Ace. “Her resemblance to your wife poses a problem. Eden’s afraid someone will figure out that she’s Connor O’Shannessy’s daughter and that people will shun your mother because of it.”
“She may be right,” Joseph said. “Most of the folks in No Name have good hearts, but that’s no guarantee. People can be quick to judge about things like that.”
“When will you leave for Oregon?” Ace inquired.
“As soon as I can,” Matthew replied. “I have some unfinished business to take care of first. Once that’s settled, I’ll come back for her.”
“Unfinished business?” Joseph arched his eyebrows. “The Sebastians, I take it.”
Matthew nodded. “They murdered my wife and put Eden through pure hell. I can’t let that go.”
“We have a score to settle with the bastards, too,” Joseph said. “Once we get Eden safely to Denver, we’ll ride along with you.”
“I appreciate the offer, Joseph.” Matthew looked the other man directly in the eye. “And I understand how you feel, but this is something I need to do alone.”
Joseph’s jaw muscle started to tic. Ace curled a hand over his brother’s shoulder. “Joseph, we have to give our sister safe escort home. That can be our only concern right now.”
“You can get her safely home with Esa and David riding drag. It’d be three against three, with Eden as backup.”
“No,” Ace said firmly. “We’ll all escort her home. I’m not taking any chances with her safety, period, not with the Sebastians at large.”
“Damn it, Ace.”
“Grumble all you like, but I won’t change my mind. You’ve also got a wife at home with a bun in her oven. You can’t go haring off after outlaws and get yourself shot.”
Joseph looked startled. “What?”
“Rachel’s expecting. She told Caitlin right before we left.”
“Why the hell did she tell Caitlin and not me?”
“Women whisper to each other about things like that. Rachel planned to tell you, but then we got word about Eden, and she decided to wait until you came home. She didn’t want to worry you or make you feel guilty about leaving her.”
“She’s pregnant?” Joseph looked as if he’d just been poleaxed.
“Yes. You’re about to become a father. If something happens to you, what will Rachel do? She can’t operate that ranch on her own. I know you want to kill the sons of bitches for what they did to our sister. I feel the same way. But this is something we should let the authorities handle.” Ace settled his dark gaze on Matthew. “The same goes for you. Taking the law into your own hands isn’t the answer. Eden loves you. You’ve been intimate with her. What if it turns out she’s pregnant? If you’re bent on going after the bastards, I’ll understand it, but you’ll at least marry her first. I won’t have my sister giving birth to a child out of wedlock.”
“Fair enough,” Matthew said. “Is there a town near here where we might find a justice of the peace? If I take the time to ride clear to Denver, the Sebastians’ trail will get cold.”
“We’ll look at a map this evening.”
David and Esa returned with the horses just then and heard the last of the conversation. “If you’re going after the Sebastians, cut us in,” David said. “Nobody harms our sister and lives to tell about it.”
Ace held up a hand. “None of us are going after the Sebastians. If Coulter chooses to, that’s his business, but the rest of you are going to use your heads for something besides hat racks. We have to get Eden home in one piece.”
“But we should all go after them,” Esa objected.
“No. This is something for the law to handle.”
“I’m the law,” David inserted.
“Yes,” Ace retorted, “and the people of No Name pay you a good wage to protect them. You’ve already been gone for over a month. You have responsibilities there, not here. It’s not your jurisdiction.”
“We can’t just let them go!” Esa cried.
“Yes, we can. You have a ranch to run. Joseph has a pregnant wife. David has a job to do. I have a wife and kids to think about. As the head of this family, I’m making the call. The law doesn’t condone vigilante activity, and self-appointed doers of justice can end up in jail. You want to hang for killing a bunch of white trash? We’re going to keep our heads and let the proper authorities handle it.”
David muttered something unintelligible under his breath.
“No more discussion.” Ace rummaged in his saddlebag and drew out a spade. “Right now we’ve got graves to dig.”
“Graves?” Joseph shook his head. “I’ll be damned. Let the buzzards have at them.”
“No,” Ace said quietly. “We’ll do the decent thing and bury them. No matter what they did in life, they’re still human beings.”
“That’s debatable,” Joseph retorted.
“You can argue the point with me while we dig.”
Joseph threw up his hands.
“Esa and I need to hunt up Coulter’s horses and mule,” David said.
“If you’ll lend me a horse and some bullets for my revolvers, I’ll go find them,” Matthew inserted. “My gelding, Smoky, doesn’t take kindly to
strangers. He may not let you catch him.”
Eden never intended to eavesdrop. She’d just been following her brothers up from the creek and had come within earshot to hear the last of Matthew and Ace’s conversation. What she heard stopped her dead in her tracks. Matthew still meant to go after the Sebastians? No! The very thought made her start to tremble. They’d come so very close to dying today. It had been a miracle that her family had shown up when they had. A miracle. Against all the odds, she and Matthew had gotten another chance to build a life together, and now he meant to toss that away to go after three men who might very well kill him.
She couldn’t let that happen, wouldn’t let it happen. She’d always understood Matthew’s determination to avenge Livvy, and in the beginning, she never would have dreamed of trying to stop him. But things had changed now. She loved him so much she ached. How would she live without him? It was time for him to stop living in the past and look toward the future. It was time to let go of the hatred and yearning for vengeance. He had Eden in his life now, and she had needs and desires and dreams that only he could make come true. Going after the Sebastians after their close call today was not only crazy but reckless.
Trying to stop trembling, Eden stepped around a tree and into view of the five men. “If you don’t mind, Matthew, I’ll go with you to find the horses. I think we need to have a talk.”
He gave her a questioning look. “About . . .?”
“I’ll tell you as we ride.”
She went to collect two of her brothers’ horses.
Once Eden and Matthew were away from the others, she couldn’t think how to tell him what was on her mind. What she said and how she said it might make all the difference. Somehow she had to convince him not to leave. How could any woman who loved a man calmly watch him go on a mission that could end with his death? She didn’t have that strength. The mere thought sent her into a panic.
Scanning the ground ahead of them for horse or mule tracks, Matthew asked, “What do you need to talk to me about, honey?”
She took a deep breath and slowly released it. “I heard the last of your conversation with Ace and Joseph, Matthew.”
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