A Long Way to Love: A Historical Western Romance Book

by Lorelei Brogan

  Others saw them as heroes, cleaning up the street and making the world a safer place to live in.

  “Well, one time, I was after a young criminal. His bounty wasn’t that large because his crime wasn’t that bad. I thought it would be an easy job.”

  “It wasn’t?”

  “No. It turns out that this young man knew who I was. There was a gang that I had history with. See, I put a few of their members away behind bars. They weren’t happy about it and had a price on my head. This young man I was tracking laid a trap for me, and the next thing I knew, I was the one who was being hauled off in restraints.”

  “What did you do?” Elise leaned forward, concern and adrenaline pumping through her. Even though Ronan was safe and sound in front of her, this particular story sounded like it could end up very badly for him.

  “I waited for my chance, and I got free. The young man wasn’t exactly experienced. I was able to overpower him, and then things were right with the world. I took him into the local sheriff, and I collected my payment. But I do have to admit that for a short while it seemed like it was not going to end in my favor, but I never gave up. I have stories that are probably worse, but I won’t scare you with those right now.” Ronan smiled mischievously.

  “Wow. I am glad you are okay.” Elise bit her lip as soon as she said the words, startled at the rush of warmth she felt for Ronan. When had her mistrust and worry turned to care and even a tinge of admiration and maybe more? Did she care for Ronan differently than just friendship? And if she did, what did that mean? She couldn’t allow herself to fall for him. What if he left her again? He had done it before. Would he do it again? The thought made her sad. She didn’t want to end up in California alone. Now she wondered if she really even wanted to go to California anymore.

  “Come on; it’s time to go. We have a long way in front of us. Don’t drink too much water. I’m sure you realized from this morning that it makes it hard to walk. It’s like a double-sided sword.”

  Elise nodded, pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind as she drank water and watched as Ronan took a drink too. She was not looking forward to their next section of walking, but there was nothing they could do to escape it, and Elise wanted to get it out of the way.

  The sooner they found the trail, the sooner they would find a town and be safe from the many dangers of the open country.

  Chapter 22

  Ronan glanced over at Elise. He could tell that the long walk was wearing on her. She was becoming slower, and her cheeks were a bright red. The sun was doing them no favors and was beating down mercilessly.

  Ronan stepped closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

  “How are you doing?” he asked.

  “I- I’m fine.” Elise’s voice was weak, and her step faltered. She stumbled forward, and Ronan put a hand out to catch her.

  “Whoa, whoa. Slow down. Let’s stop a second.” Ronan wasn’t sure if stopping was going to help. It was so hot out, and there was no shade to cool them. Even on horseback, this stretch would have been a bad one. Ronan had chosen to take them on a rough path, avoiding the main trail in hopes of evading the Indians, should they be searching for them in this direction. The rocks would prevent them from leaving tracks to follow.

  “I feel dizzy.” Elise looked up at him. There was fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

  “It’s all right. I feel a bit dizzy myself. We need to find more water.” Concern shot through Ronan. He wasn’t about to let Elise die out here. He could see a line of trees in the distance. He was hopeful that the thin line of trees meant more water and possibly the wagon trail.

  But he knew that it was little comfort to Elise, who was having a terrible time of it. She was much smaller than him and was a lot more fragile. She wasn’t used to this sort of thing, this sort of walking on rough terrain without food or water in the sun.

  Her hair was tumbled into a crazy mess, and her eyes were searching about, looking for a way of escape from the heat. Even in her state, he couldn’t help noticing how pretty she was. She took his breath away in a way that he never expected to happen after his experience with Veronica.

  “Let’s keep going,” Elise said weakly.

  “Are you sure?” Ronan touched her forehead. It was hot, much too hot. She was probably getting sick from the sun. Even though he was much larger and more experienced in these conditions, he felt the heat of the sun. He felt the terrible effects that it was having on his body. It was shutting him down. He could only imagine how much faster it was working on Elise.

  “We can’t stop. We have no choice.” Elise looked as if she would cry if she had any water in her system to make tears.

  “Come on.” Ronan put a supporting hand on her back and led her forward. He noticed that her breathing became shallower as they pushed forward. When she began to crumple to the ground, he was barely fast enough.

  He put his arm around her waist. “Elise? Elise, look at me,” Ronan demanded, almost frantically.

  Elise’s head fell against his shoulder, and she looked up at him, her lips parted slightly.

  “I- I feel so hot,” she said before her eyes closed. Ronan knew by the deep red in her cheeks that she was indeed too hot. The sun was burning her up. She had fainted.

  He couldn’t just leave her there and come back for her. He hoped that she was going to be all right. He knew that people died from being in the sun for too long. Texas was brutal that way.

  He put his other around under her legs and scooped her up easily against him. She fit across his chest perfectly; her tiny frame fit in his large arms like a child. She was so light, reminding Ronan of just how fragile she was. How had he allowed himself to fail so miserably at protecting her?

  Her father would be even more disappointed with what he had done than if he had done nothing. Ronan looked down at her face. She looked peaceful, even though she was unconscious and had no idea what was happening around her. He was going to make sure that things were better after he got her to a town. They were going to get safely to California one way or another. Now it wasn’t just Mr. Herrin that he owed her safety to; it was also Elise.

  He owed her an apology, and he needed to make things better for her. He should have known they needed another horse. He should have known that it was necessary. And yet, here they were, walking across Texas without even a canteen for water.

  Even though Elise’s form was slight and her weight little, it slowly wore on Ronan. His shoulders drooped, and his arms burned. His feet ached, and his legs felt as if they would give out. A six or eight-hour walk was nothing to him usually, but the elements and the lack of water made it terribly difficult.

  He forced himself to keep going. He placed his eyes on the tree line and willed it to get closer. He was not going to let Elise down. He was going to get Elise safely to town, and then they were going to come up with a new plan.

  ***

  When the trees were finally over Ronan’s head, he carefully laid the unconscious Elise down on the grass. He was relieved to see the wagon tracks next to the tree line and even more thankful to see a pile of supplies sitting along the trail up ahead. There were some chairs and a small table, and a few other unnecessary items.

  The most valuable thing that had been left behind was a small barrel of water. Many people on the wagon trail had to leave water behind. Even though it was a necessary supply, it was also a heavy one. He hefted it to his shoulder, carried it back to Elise, and set it on the ground nearby. He managed to get the lid off, poured some of the precious liquid in his hand, and wet her face with it, causing her to stir. After a minute or two, her eyes fluttered open, and she looked dazed and confused.

  “Hey. Are you alright?” Ronan asked with concern.

  “Where are we? What happened? I don’t know what …”

  “Shh … it’s OK. We found the wagon trail, and I think I know where we are. I think we are only about an hour away from Overport, where we stocked up when we were with the wagon train. Here. Take a
drink. There were a few supplies left here along the trail. It’s almost evening. We will be there soon if we keep walking. Let’s just rest a minute.”

  It was ironic that one of the leads Ronan had found in Faircrag that might lead him to the criminal he was tracking would have led him to Overport. Maybe there was still a chance that the criminal he had been tracking could actually be in Overport or somewhere in the area.

  He helped her sit up and gave her more of the water. She drank it slowly and breathed in the cooler air in the shade of the trees but still looked ill. He laid down on the grass next to Elise, relieved they were almost back to civilization. Now if they could just get to the town, they could rest and recover and then make a plan for their next move. After they’d rested for a bit, they both started walking. He knew that Elise wouldn’t be able to make it far.

  After a short distance of walking, she looked like she was about to faint again. Ronan ignored her protests and scooped her up once more. He needed to make sure that Elise made it safely to Overport. People died from overheating in the sun. He wasn’t about to let that happen to Elise.

  As they walked the final stretch, Elise was in and out of consciousness. When Ronan was finally walking up the hotel’s steps with Elise in his arms, it felt too good to be true. He could hardly believe that he was finally there. They had made it. And he had managed to carry Elise for the time she’d needed him too.

  Despite her efforts, it had not been possible for her to continue. The heat and sun had made her sick, and she needed rest more than anything.

  He told himself that it was because he owed her father, but he knew that it was more than that. He was starting to care for her, to want to make sure she was safe and happy.

  He had never felt that so strongly for anyone before.

  As he rushed into the hotel, he nearly tripped over his own feet. To his relief, there weren’t many people in the hotel as they came in.

  “Ronan?” Mitchel, the man running the hotel, looked up from behind the counter. Ronan always seemed to have a friend or two in the hotels. That was where he stayed when he passed through towns when they had a hotel.

  Mitchel was an older man. He had to have been over sixty. His greying hair was a telltale sign of his age, and his round belly jiggled when he rushed around the counter.

  “Ronan, my goodness, I haven’t seen you in almost a year. What are you doing here?” Mitchel’s eyes were wide as they bounced from Ronan to Elise in his arms.

  “I know it’s been a while, Mitchel. Could you get me a room and her some water? Then we can talk.” Ronan motioned to Elise with his chin. He didn’t mention that he wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold her without his arms giving out.

  “What are you doing here? Last time I saw you, you were after a criminal, as always. I have to say, I am happy to see you,” Mitchel said enthusiastically.

  Ronan nodded, grateful that Mitchel was leading him toward a room as he spoke.

  “I know, it’s a lot to explain, but I promise I will explain as soon as we rest a moment.”

  “Who is she?” Mitchel motioned to Elise as Ronan laid her down on the bed. A young woman appeared behind Mitchel with a pitcher of water and some cups. Ronan realized that Mitchel must have sent her to get it while he was helping Elise up to the room.

  “Don’t worry; she can take care of your friend.” Mitchel motioned for Ronan to leave the young women alone.

  For a moment, Ronan was reluctant to leave Elise there by herself. He didn’t know if he should be worried or not, but he knew that it would probably be more appropriate for the young woman to help Elise than for him to be alone with her in a hotel room while she was unconscious.

  He followed Mitchel out of the hotel room, then down to the dining area of the hotel.

  “Tell me, what happened to you. You look terrible. Who is that woman, and why are the two of you coming in here looking like you’ve been attacked or lost out in the middle of nowhere for who knows how long?” Mitchel sent a look upstairs towards the hotel room where Elise was with both a concerned and a slightly judgmental look on his face as if he blamed Ronan for her condition. He wouldn’t be wrong, but that didn’t make Ronan feel any better about the older man coming to the wrong conclusions.

  “It’s not what you think. She’s the daughter of an old friend. I was trying to help her get to California with the wagon train, and things went wrong. I’m sorry for rushing in here like this after being away for so long.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ve been used to you coming and going ever since you were a young one, just starting out in the bounty hunter business. I am surprised that the two of you are alive, even though I don’t know what happened yet. Where are your horses? Don’t tell me you set out to California on foot. You know how dangerous that trip is.” Ronan could tell that Mitchel was half-joking, but he didn’t find it amusing.

  He sat down with Mitchell at one of the tables and told him everything that had happened while he downed three glasses of water. He spared some of the smaller details, but he covered everything to the point where he and Elise had walked up the steps of the hotel.

  “I see. I can’t believe that all that happened to the two of you. I’ve heard that the wagon train is dangerous. I never knew just how much. It is a miracle that the two of you are here safe.”

  “I know. I never expected all that to happen the way it did. She is insistent on getting to California. I can’t blame her, but there are Indians out there that I am sure are angry at us for escaping. I have no idea if they will still be looking for us or if they will just wait in hopes we run into each other again.” Ronan shook his head and ran his hand through his hair.

  “You have to be careful with Indians. If you make a friend of one, they will be loyal for life, but if you make an enemy, they will stop at nothing to make things rough for you. I mean, I could be wrong.”

  “I hope you are wrong.” Ronan knew that many of the Indians had connections with other tribes, friends, and family. It wouldn’t be hard to have the news of them stealing a horse, although the horse had probably gone back to the village after it escaped, and technically, the Indians had their two horses.

  He only hoped that the chief would realize they had done their best and that they had fulfilled their end of the bargain. The Indians had also kept their things. Maybe they would call it even, or maybe they would just keep from sending every single one of their Indian relatives after them.

  “So, how long are the two of you staying in town for?” Mitchel asked.

  “I don’t know. I was actually hoping to track down Hank Bowen.” Ronan kept the doubts he had about his plan to himself.

  “Hank Bowen? You know there have been lots of people after him these past years. No one has had much luck.” Mitchel looked unconvinced.

  “I heard some rumors that he came to Overport. Have you heard anything recently?”

  “No, not exactly. Though I wouldn’t be the person to ask. There is a man who I am fairly certain used to work with Hank. He works over at the saloon now. I’m not sure if he will talk or not, but it’s worth a try.”

  “Thank you. Mitchel, I know we haven’t seen each other in a while, but I was hoping that I could borrow a bit of money from you and maybe a couple of horses. I would pay you back as soon as I complete my next bounty. You know I am always good for it.” Ronan had borrowed money from Mitchel before, as well as from a few other people. As far as he knew, he had always maintained a good reputation with all of them. He had made sure that he got the money back as soon as he could. To this day, he didn’t owe a cent to anyone. He always paid promptly.

  “Sure. I’ll get you the money. Just tell me how much you need.” Mitchel grinned. “I’ve got plenty of horses out at the ranch. I’ll bring a couple by tomorrow and get you set up. It’s really good to see you again, Ronan. Why didn’t you stop by when you were with the wagon train?”