An Enduring Love to Heal Her: A Historical Western Romance Book

by Lorelei Brogan

  “It is. I thought you’d want it right away.”

  “Thank you, Lily. How is everyone? Was Aunt Carolyn terribly mad at you? What about George? Did they come back yet?”

  Lily nodded. “They did come back. I already talked with George. He isn’t mad at me. I know you probably already guessed this, but George and I have feelings for each other, or at least I think we do. Are you okay with that?”

  She held her breath until Emilia nodded. “You know, I was really harsh with you because I didn’t understand, but my experience with Derek has made me realize that maybe love and marriage isn’t such a bad thing.”

  Lily grinned. “I’m glad you see that now. Can you tell me again how worried he was when he found out I was missing?”

  Emilia giggled and gave her arm a little shove. “Maybe you should ask him. You know, his reaction did change my mind about him. It made me think that I was probably wrong.”

  Lily smiled, glad Emilia was all right with George. For some reason, it made everything feel as if it was just like it should be.

  “If you’re feeling up to it, I’ll let Ma and Derek know that you feel well enough to go home now.” Lily waited eagerly, hoping Emilia would want to come home. She couldn’t wait to get back to the cabin. It wasn’t that she had anything against the city, it was just that she preferred to be on their family’s ranch.

  “I’m ready whenever you all are.” Emilia sat up a little straighter in bed.

  “I’m going to go tell them,” Lily stood and hurried towards the door, pausing for a moment to turn back. “Emilia? Thank you again for everything you did for me.”

  Before Emilia could answer, Lily hurried out into the parlor. She would never be able to express how much Emilia really meant to her but telling her was a start, at least.

  Chapter 36

  Derek blinked several times in rapid succession. His eyes ached with exhaustion. He realized that it had been more than twenty-four hours since he’d gotten more than a few moments of sleep.

  He had helped the Carsons get Emilia settled in at the ranch and then headed straight back home. He needed a bath, a fresh change of clothes, and some rest. Now that he knew his future wife was safe, he could focus on himself for a while.

  Despite being tired, he took his time getting his horse situated in the barn and greeting his dog. His horse was exhausted. He was sure of it.

  He led the animal to his stall and gave him a good brushing down, then laid a light blanket over its back for the night.

  Once he was sure that his horse and the other animals were safely put away, he trudged toward the cabin. He had a feeling he might not wake up until the next day.

  He opened the door and stepped into the cabin. In the parlor, he froze. There, in one of the chairs, was a dark figure, sitting as if it belonged there.

  It took a moment for him to realize who it was. Luke was staring back at him. Derek’s exhaustion and the experiences from the day got to him a bit. “What in tarnation are you doing here?” he demanded angrily.

  “I stopped by the day before yesterday and you weren’t here, so I came back today and decided to just wait for you.”

  Derek shook his head and sank down into a chair opposite Luke. He didn’t want to be standing for the argument he knew was about to ensue.

  “What do you want, Luke? Haven’t we gone over this enough? You’ve lost. You know, I caught up with Emilia. I told her everything that was happening; I told her about you. When she’s feeling better, I’ll tell her about my past. There is nothing more that you can hold over my head.”

  “That’s too bad. You know, it almost worked. When I talked to her when she was leaving your ranch, she really believed I was you.” Luke gave a lamenting look.

  “Of course she did, until I told her otherwise. Then, she believed me. You know, you are so focused on the bad side of people, you never stop to think about the good.”

  “Nonsense—one day, she will turn against you.You just have to wait for it to happen. It may take longer than I’d like, and I might not be around to see it, but it will happen. It always happens, like it did with your Janie.”

  “It’s not going to happen. We are getting married.”

  “Married?” The surprise on Luke’s face was satisfying. “She agreed to marry you? Congratulations, at least you’ve found someone who is just as cowardly as you are.”

  “What in heaven's name are talking about? I’m not cowardly, I’ve never done anything cowardly.”

  “You are cowardly.Always choosing to take the road that looks right to other people, not what is right for you.”

  Derek’s exhaustion was slipping away as it was replaced with anger. “There isn’t a right and wrong for each person, Luke. There is a right and wrong for everyone. If you choose to follow it or not is the question.”

  “See what I mean? You will never be brave enough to subject yourself to all the possibilities out there. Because of that, you will always be a poor rancher with no money and no real life. You ignore the opportunities that come your way just to look good to other people. Why do you care so much what other people think? You could be wealthy. You could be famous.”

  Derek shook his head. “You know, Luke, your words don’t tempt me. I know who I am. I am a rich person. Maybe I don’t have as much money as Ma or Pa or even you, but I have better things than money.”

  “Like what?” Luke scoffed.

  “Like a family who treats me as I were the most valued man in the west. I have a friend who would do anything for me, and a beautiful young woman who wants to be my wife.”

  For a moment, Derek thought that he saw a look that might resemble jealousy on his brother’s face, but it quickly disappeared. “I could have all of those things if I wanted them, but I know what is really important in life.”

  “No, you don’t know what’s important. At any moment, the bank could go under and Pa could lose all his money. At any moment, something could happen to you and you could be a cripple for the rest of your life. Without your money, you would be lost. People who really love you are what make you rich.” Derek paused. “And you know what? Materialistically, I’m not doing so bad, either, and I know that I did that alone. No one helped me, except for people I can depend on.”

  “You may be all high and mighty now, but what about the past? What have you done to fix that? You’re just like me, Derek. You are ready to stand on your high horse and tell everyone what to do, but you’ve done nothing to set your wrongs right.”

  Derek realized with a start that his brother was right. It was something that plagued him every single day. He wished that he could go back in time and undo what had been done. He hated to think about the families who had been affected by his own family’s bad choices.

  “I don’t know what I will do or what I can do to fix the past, Luke, but I swear that if I find something that is possible for me to do, I’ll do it. Can you say the same?”

  Silence stretched between them for several moments and Derek was sure that he could have heard a pin drop.

  “This isn’t a competition of who is the better person. I am sure we will see who is most successful in the years to come. I am sorry that you couldn’t see the light.We would have made a great team, you and I.” Luke stood and dropped his cigar to the floor, putting it out with his boot and leaving it there, a smudge on the otherwise clean wooden slats.

  Derek refused to look at it, as angry as it made him. He just needed his brother to leave. As he watched Luke walk to the door, sadness filled his heart. There was a connection, deep down, that would always tie them together—not only as brothers, but as twins.

  “Luke, I do wish you the best,” Derek said softly.

  Luke turned around. “You know, even though you turned out a total failure, you’re not the worst brother a man could ask for.”

  A small smile tugged at Derek’s lips. He knew that it was as close to a compliment that his brother would ever offer. “Thanks, Luke.”

  “Mother and
Father will be disappointed in you. I doubt they’ll even call you their son anymore.”

  Derek huffed out some breath. There was the sarcastic brother he knew, who didn’t pass up an opportunity to put him down.

  “Tell them hello for me, especially Ma. I know she has it hard sometimes.” For a moment, understanding passed between them.

  Maybe they were two different people with different morals and a different code for life, but they both understood their mother’s dilemma and how torn she was between her family and the right thing to do.

  Somehow, Derek had turned out to be like their mother and Luke like their father. Although there were occasionally traces of good in Luke, Derek knew that his heart had been darkened somehow. He just hoped that, one day, his brother would find those traces and bring them to the light, where they should be.

  “Till next time, brother,” Derek called as Luke mounted his horse.

  Luke rose his hand in a half-wave before turning his horse and riding off down the road. Derek watched him go with bittersweet feelings in his chest. Since his brother had set foot into this town, he had wanted Luke to leave.

  He had wanted to see his brother’s back for the last time, but now that he knew Luke was leaving for good, he was overwhelmed with guilt and sadness.

  Luke was his brother. Luke had been raised in the same home as he had. Their father had never shown them love, and it was clear to both of them that he had never loved their mother.

  Their father had turned their brotherly bond against them, pitting them against each other at every turn. Derek wondered if their relationship would have been more like Eddy and Eli’s, should they have been given the chance.

  Derek shook his head. He promised himself that, one day, he would find his brother and try to set things right. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope for the future. He could only dream of such a thing right now.

  Stepping back inside the cabin, he shuffled to the parlor and sank into one of the chairs, staring at the empty spot where his brother had sat a short time ago. Luke’s words haunted him. What could he do about his past?

  Was there something that he could do to right his father’s wrongs?

  Chapter 37

  “Are you sure he didn’t say when he was coming?” Emilia asked Eli as she set down a platter full of freshly baked bread that smelled heavenly.

  The twins had informed them that Derek and George were coming over for dinner, and that Derek was coming specifically to call on Emilia.

  Emilia had felt giddy ever since she had found out. She couldn’t get the grin off of her face.

  “He didn’t say what he had in mind.He had just said he was coming for dinner. You are getting married to him. I’m sure you will have plenty of time with him then.” Eli cracked a mischievous smile and, to her surprise, Eddy joined in.

  “Will you be leaving to live with Derek? I don’t want you to live anywhere else,” Eddy put in, his smile melting.

  “I don’t know yet, Eddy. But if I do leave, it won’t be for some time. We aren’t going to get married tomorrow or anything. And he doesn’t live that far away.”

  “How do you know? I heard the minister is going to be in town for church this weekend. Maybe you should get married then.” Lily gave her a coy look. “Who knows, maybe we can have a double wedding with George.”

  “Nonsense! Both of you leaving me at the same time? I’m not sure my heart could bear it.” Carolyn bustled into the kitchen, setting a large pitcher of cool milk on the table.

  Emilia laughed along with Lily and Carolyn. She could tell her aunt was teasing in good fun. Though she didn’t expect that Lily and George would move as quickly as all that.

  While George had made it clear that he now only had eyes for Lily, Emilia suspected he would need more time to adjust to their new relationship.

  “I think they’re here!” Lily squealed, running into the parlor to look out the window.

  “Are you going to kiss Derek? I don’t think that would be very nice.” Eddy’s eyebrows were scrunched, and he appeared to be trying to imagine what that would look like. “He has whiskers. Those would be like a porcupine’s quills,” he added.

  “Eddy, don’t talk about such things. That will be up to Emilia and Derek once they are wed,” Carolyn scolded.

  “But are they? I think we should know. After all, we are like her brothers, aren’t we?” Eli passed a very somber look between his mother and Emilia.

  Emilia tried to keep from laughing. It was one of the kindest things anyone had ever said—the brother part, not the kissing part. “Don’t worry your minds about it. I certainly think of the two of you as brothers, and even when I do get married, I will make sure to be around enough to drive the two of you crazy.”

  Emilia smiled at the boys fondly. It was true. She had never felt closer to anyone outside of her family as she did to her aunt’s family, but then again, they were technically still her family, too.

  “It smells delicious in here!” Derek’s loud voice boomed through the house from the living room.

  Emilia brushed her apron off and tucked a few strands of rebellious hair back where they belonged. She hoped she looked presentable after helping with the cooking.

  “You look lovely,” Carolyn said softly from behind her, so that only Emilia could hear.

  Emilia blushed. Her aunt had become like a second mother to her. Sometimes, she almost forgot that Carolyn wasn’t her mother.

  With a deep breath, Emilia stepped into the parlor. Of course, she was nervous. She hadn’t seen Derek since they’d talked at the doctor’s office. The last real conversation they’d had was when she had agreed to become his wife.

  She’d had so much time to think about it since then, and every little bit of time that passed made her even happier about it.

  She looked up to find him staring at her. His square shoulders and kind eyes were even more captivating than usual. He crossed the room in large strides until he was standing right in front of her.

  He took her breath away. She wasn’t sure why. Her heart hadn’t pounded this hard and her breath hadn’t come this quickly when she was around him before.

  “H-how are you?” Emilia asked, realizing how awkward and terrible her words sounded as soon as they left her lips.

  “Very nice, now that I’m here with you. Would you like to go out on the porch for a bit?”

  Emilia nodded. She could tell that Eddy and Eli were glaring at them from the entrance to the kitchen, and she knew that everyone was secretly watching them. The pressure and nervousness left her unable to speak.

  She followed Derek out to the porch and they sat down together on the log chair. “Did your brother go back home?” Emilia asked. It was one of the things that had been bugging her, ever since she had found out that it had been Luke she had spoken to at Derek’s ranch.

  “He did, the day before yesterday, actually. I doubt I’ll be seeing him again anytime soon.”

  Emilia gave a little shiver. She remembered his cold eyes and his horrible words. She hoped she would never have to see him again.

  “He isn’t all bad, you know. The things he does are, but deep down, I know there is some good left.” Derek looked convinced of the words he spoke, almost as if he needed to believe them.

  Emilia only nodded, not saying anything about it. She didn’t want to create a rift between Derek and his brother more than already existed, but she was sure it would be a long time until she was ready to give Luke a second chance.