Panic and confusion warred for the upper hand as Maggie’s words hit Alice’s muddled mind. Hadn’t Lizzie said something similar? People coming to meet her, even a minister.
“Call? But we’re on a ranch away from town.”
“Folks are friendly hereabouts.” Lizzie gazed at her sister. “Isn’t that right, Sister?”
Maggie chuckled. “And curious. By now, half the county knows Zach has a fiancée and an adopted son staying here.”
“Reckon I was pretty sick when we arrived, but I thought we were far away from town.”
“We’re a couple of miles, but Joel probably passed the word. Being sheriff, he’s in the center of local going’s on.”
Alice gave a start. Sheriff?
Maggie grabbed the tray before it slid off Alice’s lap.
She’d had no idea Joel was a lawman. No wonder he was suspicious after Seth’s remark about a disguise.
Alice’s insides turned to lead. “Zach’s brother...that Joel is the sheriff? I thought he was a rancher, like Zach.” Why hadn’t Zach told her? No wonder Joel appeared suspicious about Seth’s disguise comment. Did Joel know about the two men chasing her? He had made that comment about no one following the wagon.
“He has a small ranch, but he’s also the sheriff in Radford Crossing. Used to be a Ranger like Zach was. And he’s a good lawman. ‘Course, we’re partial, seeing as how he’s our nephew.”
Rangers and sheriffs? Why hadn’t Zach said he had been a Ranger? Or maybe he had and she’d been too sick for his words to lodge in her muddled brain. Good heavens, she’d landed in a nest of lawmen. What would happen if they knew the truth about her? Likely they’d toss her out into the weather.
Her panic ebbed. Former lawman or not, Zach Stone was a kind man. No matter what he thought of her, he’d keep his word and let her stay until she healed enough she could travel
Lizzie smoothed the covers. “Easy now, dear, you’ve gone all pale. Eating must have tired you out. You just rest a bit more before we get you out of bed.”
With sympathetic smiles, the two women left, softly closing the door behind them.
Joel Stone the sheriff? A new worry gripped her mind. She was safe, but now must be ever vigilant.
Dear Lord, this is your faithful servant Alice Price. Have You brought me into captivity like the children of Israel? I don’t understand, Lord, why I’m here where the sheriff will know my every move.
Slowly, peace settled on Alice. With a sheriff checking in every day, her stepbrothers weren’t likely to be prowling around Zach’s ranch. She smiled. The Lord does work in mysterious ways, and she felt bad for doubting Him. Hadn’t He taken care of her so far, even with her getting lost and all? Hooking her up with Zach Stone was like bluffing with a pair of dueces in a high stakes poker game...and winning.
***
A week later, Alice was polishing a walnut table in the parlor when Zach came in and stood in front of her.
She said, “Thank goodness, we’re alone and I can talk to you. I found the clothes you brought to my room...I mean the room where I’m staying. Where are my other packs?”
“The heavy ones are locked in a trunk in the barn.” Curiosity showed on his face. “What’s in the heavy packs, Alice?”
“Just things Pa gave me. Things I’ll need in Atlanta.”
He crossed his arms and glared at Alice. “You’re not carrying out your part of the bargain. You’ve had over a week and all you’ve done is act pleasant. Instead of disliking you, my aunts are singing your praises.”
His words came quietly so only she could hear, but his frown meant shouting.
She set down her cloth and tin of beeswax. “I aim to make them dislike me. It’s not my fault your aunts see good in everyone.” She rubbed her hands against her apron to rid them of waxy residue. “Thank heavens, they got that green out of my hair while they still like me.”
“You’re supposed to make them think you’re selfish and shallow, not help them.” He glared at her cleaning supplies. “And I have a housekeeper to do this sort of thing.”
Alice had agreed to play along with Zach’s idea, but she could only do so much. And laziness wasn’t in her.
“Listen here, Zach Stone. If you think I’ll lay abed and let two women who are older than my mother would have been wait on me, going up and down stairs, you had better think again. And Mrs. Harmon has all she can do to take care of this big house and now extra people.”
She exhaled and closed her eyes. Opening them, she said. “I know I’m supposed to make your aunts tell you to send me away. I’m trying.”
He looked at the rag and wax she’d placed on a table. “Not so I can see. Looks to me like you’re pitching in to help.”
Embarrassment filled her. Zach might be the most handsome man she’d ever met, but he could be stubborn as any mule. “Yesterday after I gathered eggs, I deliberately tracked mud on the clean floor Maggie had just mopped.”
“Why were you gathering eggs? That’s Seth’s job. Besides, Maggie said you cleaned up the tracks, so how does that make them not like you?”
“Seth was out with you. I deliberately dropped the basket of eggs on the floor and did a poor job of wiping up the mess, but then Lizzie wanted to bake a cake. I went out to look for any eggs Seth had missed, and I found three, which is all Lizzie needed. Maggie fussed about the floor and looked so tired, I couldn’t let her clean up after me.”
Alice saw Zach’s jaw clenched tight. She knew by now he would never hit a woman, but she figured that sure didn’t keep him from wanting to pound on her.
He stepped closer. “I’m reminding you again, you agreed to help me in exchange for a place to stay and recover. You’re here,” he gestured at the large main room, “but you aren’t keeping your part of the bargain.”
“I-I’ll try harder. But I don’t like lies. All this is hard on a body. Mama taught me to be considerate of others and tell the truth. Going against a lifetime of teaching isn’t as easy as you think.” She willed her lips to stop quivering. She would not cry in front of anyone, especially not this man.
He grasped her shoulders. A fire like none she’d ever known shot through her straight to her womanly parts. “I apologize for griping at you. My being such a sore loser got us into this.”
His kind words were her undoing. No man had ever shown her such kindness or treated her like a delicate lady. Tears gathered in her eyes and she ducked her head so he wouldn’t see them.
“Alice,” he murmured. He pulled her against his chest, sliding his hands gently across her back in soothing motions. His lips brushed her hair. “You’re a fine woman, Alice, and I admire your pluck.”
She clung to his shirt, savoring the sensation of being in his strong arms. If only she didn’t need to go away, hadn’t made her plans, didn’t have men gunning for her. She could stay right here with Zach’s arms around her forever. Something inside her needed his touch, the sound of his voice, and the knowledge he was nearby.
He stepped away from her, his beautiful eyes less attractive because they held censure. “Please, no more of this helping out. Be disagreeable.”
To hide her disappointment, Alice convinced herself she wanted to punch him. Such a sweet moment and he had to go and ruin it by telling her to be disagreeable. She set her mouth in a grim line. All right, then. She’d put aside all those girlish thoughts and show him how exceedingly disagreeable she could be.
Chapter Fifteen
Three days later, the minister, Reverend Mr. Billings, took the chair nearest the fireplace and smiled at Alice. “So nice to meet you. I came to admire Mrs. Fraser and Mrs. Gamble while they were visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Micah Stone. I’m very happy they’re here as well.”
He sent a reproving glance toward Zach. “I haven’t had as much occasion to get acquainted with you, Mr. Stone, since you’ve been here, but of course I know the third Stone brother. Our sheriff attends services regularly.”
Zach tugged at his shirt collar. “I’ve
been traveling a lot, what with getting the ranch going again and working with the Rangers.”
Amused at Zach’s discomfort, Alice smiled at the minister. “But he’s finished with the Rangers, so I’m sure he’ll be a regular in church very soon. You’re kind to come all this way to call on us.”
Zach frowned at her with a shut-up glare. Heavens, he was handsome even when he frowned.
Lizzie poured coffee for the preacher. “Alice is just recovering from pneumonia. She won’t rest as much as she should. Why, she even made this cake for us. Smells heavenly.”
When everyone had been served, Alice daintily poked at her cake and waited on the edge of her chair.
Zach took a man-sized bite, swallowed, then spluttered. He reached for the coffeepot. “Coffee. Need more coffee.” He gulped several swallows before he sent Alice a glare.
Reverend Billings coughed as if he’d choked. Then took a big gulp of his coffee.
Alice blinked innocently and pretended shock. “Oh, dear. I’ve made a terrible mess of the cake. It’s all wrong.”
Seth wrinkled his nose. “This is awful. Miss Price, I figured you knew how to cook.”
“I do believe you confused the salt and the sugar, dear.” Lizzie wiped her eyes.
“Nevermind.” Maggie collected everyone’s plate. “We have pie left from ones Sister made yesterday. I’ll just get some.” She carried the plates toward the kitchen.
“I’ll help.” Alice stood. “Since Mrs. Harmon is off each Sunday, I’ll assist Maggie.”
Zach held out his hand, holding her back. “You’ve helped enough.”
She flashed her sweetest smile. “No, I don’t think I have.”
The rest of the minister’s visit passed amiably. Alice thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. Zach excused Seth to go play with Harry. From Zach’s expression, Alice figured he wished someone would excuse him to leave too. Maggie and Lizzie kept mentioning how sorry they were the minister was served the salty cake. Alice also apologized several times.
Zach frowned each time she spoke to the preacher or he spoke to her. She ignored Zach and smiled at the reverend. She’d never been around nice men like the ones she’d met here. At least not that she could remember, and the experience was enlightening. How pleasant to converse with someone who spoke of interesting things and appeared to value her opinion.
Alice did feel bad about wasting so much flour and salt, but wasn’t this the sort of performance Zach said he wanted? Even if he didn’t look pleased right now, she’d followed his orders.
Finally, the minister rose. “I hate to leave such pleasant company, but I have to get back to town for evening service.”
“I’m right pleased you came all this way to welcome me. Please do come back again.” Alice extended her hand.
When he took her hand, the preacher met her gaze. She was surprised to see his brown eyes twinkling. “This has been a distinct pleasure, Miss Price. I look forward to seeing you again.”
“Th-Thank you.”
Though she tried, Alice couldn’t push the incident from her mind for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Later, she lay propped up in bed, tired but too restless to sleep. She replayed the scene, but ended up more embarrassed and worrying about what she’d fed to the poor preacher, serving cake she knew was terrible. Her door opened and Zach slipped inside.
“You can’t be here.” She tugged the covers under her chin. “Besides which, you couldn’t know if I was dressing or not.”
“Listened at the door. Heard the bed ropes creak.” He pulled a chair close to the bed. “Thought you could cook.” He turned the chair and straddled it.
“You know I can, but you wanted me to make everyone wish me gone. I followed your plan.”
His glare could have blistered a cowhide. “I didn’t mean for you to poison us.”
“A little salt is far from poison.”
He exhaled. “I guess you just did what I said, but you like to have choked me."
“You shouldn’t take such big bites. It’s not mannerly.”
“Believe me, from now on I’m just taking a tiny taste of anything you have a hand in.”
She tilted her head. “Maybe you won’t know what I cooked and what I didn’t.”
“You think I won’t ask?”
“Don’t you need your rest?” She hid a yawn behind her hand. “I’m plumb tuckered out.”
“I guess you are after your fascinating conversation with the preacher. Looked to me like you two were flirting up a storm.”
Was he jealous? Good. Her newfound womanliness ignited power she hadn’t known she possessed.
“Oh? Why would you care? I do believe I remember the Reverend Mr. Billings is single, isn’t he?”
“You know he is. I heard him tell you so. And I saw you smile at him like you thought he was a bee and you were a flower just waiting for him to light.”
She pretended surprise, but her spirits lifted. “Why, Mr. Stone, you sound jealous.”
He ducked his head. “Hell, no, I’m not jealous.” When he raised his gaze to meet hers, his blue eyes appeared to shoot sparks directly at her.
Her heart stood a good chance of catching on fire.
He stood and slid his hands into his pockets. “But you don’t have to cozy up to another man right in my own house.”
“We were hardly ‘cozy’ with him in one chair and me in another and you and your aunts with us. Besides, if I’d had a chance, why shouldn’t I cozy up to him? Wouldn’t that fit in with your plan?” He’d come in to chew her out, but she turned the tables on him. She reveled in exercising her new power. “I’m just following your directions, so don’t get yourself in a huff.”
He jumped as if she’d poked him. “I’m not in a huff."
"Sounded that way to me."
“Men don’t get in a huff. What I’m doing is telling you what I think of you flirting with the preacher in my house.”
“And I’m telling you I wasn’t flirting. You are just overwrought.”
He raised his hands in a surrendering motion. "Why did I even bother coming in here?"
“I couldn’t say, Mr. Stone. Perhaps you wanted to thank me. You ought to be grateful.”
“Grateful you like to have choked me?"
She made a show of assessing him. "You appear fine to me." He certainly did, and she didn't have to lie.
"Good night, Miss Price.” He slipped out the door with hardly a sound. The look on his face said he’d wanted to slam the door. Hard.
Alice clapped her hands to her mouth so he couldn’t hear her laughing. “Well,” she murmured. “We’ll see what we shall see.”
Chapter Sixteen
After a brief dawn visit, Joel walked toward his horse away from the barn.
Zach trailed his brother. “Might as well stay for breakfast. Ham and Lizzie’s biscuits.”
“No time today. Tell the aunts I’ll visit with them next time.”
They’d settled the ranch business, but even though Joel said he was in a hurry, he didn’t leave. Hands on the hitching post, Joel stared at his brother. “By the way, though it’s none of my business, I’ve got to have my say. There’s something about your fiancée’s story that doesn’t ring true. What are you leaving out?”
“Nothing to worry about.” Zach hated lying to his brother, and omission was still a lie.
“Then what was that bit Seth said at the hotel about a disguise? Why would a mail-order bride need a disguise?”
“Being a sheriff has made you mighty untrusting.” Impatient, Zach said, “Her stepbrothers don’t want her to marry. They have other plans for her.”
Joel shook his head and looked into the distance. “Something’s cockeyed about her story.” He faced Zach. “Look here, I don’t believe she came all the way from Georgia with that baggage we hauled from Doyle. For one thing, it wasn’t even in proper shipping containers. I want you to level with me.”
Zach stared at the ground, then met his brother’s gaze. “Joel, d
o you trust me?”
His brother gaped and took a step backward. “Hell, yes. You think I’d come barreling to Doyle to get you if I didn’t?”
With a slashing motion, Zach said, “Then just leave it, okay? You’re right, it’s none of your business. Alice hasn’t done anything wrong. I’ll stake my reputation on that.”
“You’re staking more than a reputation, little brother.” Conversation turned contentious, testy. Joel stabbed a finger at him. “You’re risking the rest of your life.”
“My choice, okay?” Zach stepped closer. “Now tell me if you’ve heard more about the Kirby gang.”
Joel’s facial expression hardened. “Pretty sure the two men who hit the Doyle stage are part of the gang. Don’t know what happened to the others. One’s in prison, thanks to you and my predecessor, but that only accounts for one of the five. If these two who hit the stage are part of the gang, that leaves two unaccounted for.”
Hands fisted, Zach longed to pound the men who’d stolen his family’s future. “I want the whole rotten gang in prison or hanged.”
“I want the Kirby gang out of action for good, one way or the other. If I accomplish nothing else as sheriff, I’m determined to see them captured.”
“Nothing I’d like more. I hold them responsible for Pa’s death.”
“Me, too. And Mama would have lasted longer with Pa around and not losing our home.” He loosened the reins from around the hitching rail then swung into the saddle. “We’ll get ‘em.”
With a wave, Joel rode toward Radford Crossing as the sky turned from pink to gold.
Zach turned and walked toward the barn. Memories weighed heavily on his mind. All the Stones had fought hard to keep their farm after the War and reconstruction. Then on the way to pay off the bank, the Kirby gang had robbed the stage Pa rode, taking every dime the family saved, including the watch and ring that should have gone to Joel. The bank wouldn’t extend the loan and foreclosed. Losing the farm he’d labored on for so long had killed Pa same as if the Kirbys had shot him.
High Stakes Bride, Men of Stone Mountain Book 2 Page 10