“Brodie. How did you know I was here?”
Pushing past him, Brodie didn’t answer as he looked around, then placed fisted hands on his hips. “I heard Lia had you brought here, so I came to find out what the hell is going on. Fletcher’s still passed out at my house.”
“You know Lia?”
“We’ll speak of the lass later. Right now, I want to know what you and Fletcher would be doing in town, getting drunk in the middle of the week.” Brodie grabbed the only chair in the room, turning it around to sit, his arms resting on the back.
Staring at him for a moment, Blaine eased himself down onto the bed, resting his head in his hands. “You’ve not heard?”
Brodie’s features relaxed. “I’ve heard nothing, lad.”
Dropping his hands, he rested his arms on his knees. “I’ve left Circle M.”
“Why?”
Standing, Blaine paced to the only window in the room. “The uncles decided to send me to work with Caleb and Heather. They never spoke of it to me. Instead, they gathered the family and made their announcement. What your da and Ian did wasn’t right. It’s not the way we do things.”
Brodie rubbed his chin. “They never spoke to you of what they were thinking?”
“Nae, not a word. They told Sean he’d be going to Scotland, then said I’d be leaving for Settlers Valley.” Turning from the window, he glowered at Brodie. “I’ll not be joining Caleb and Heather, and I’ll not be going back to Circle M. I’m leaving.”
Opening his mouth to reply, he stopped when the door opened, a red-eyed Fletcher standing in the hall. Walking inside, he closed the door, leaning a shoulder against it, his gaze going to Brodie.
“Did he tell you?”
Brodie nodded. “Aye.”
“And what would you be thinking about it?”
“I’m thinking the same as Blaine.” He looked at his cousin. “Da and Ian made a mistake announcing a decision before speaking to you, lad.”
“Then you’ll be understanding why I must leave.”
Brodie shook his head. “Nae. I didn’t say that.”
“The uncles made it clear I’m not needed at Circle M.”
“There must be more to it, Blaine. Da wouldn’t be making this kind of decision without a good reason.”
Fletcher straightened, looking at his brother. “There’s more, Brodie. He’s thinking Colin spoke to Da and Ian about the troubles between them.” Everyone seemed to know about the altercations between Colin and Blaine—except the uncles.
He shook his head. “Nae. Colin would’ve talked to you, not Da and Ian. There must be another reason.”
His head spinning, Blaine sat on the bed. “I’ve not been able to think of one.”
Brodie stood, placing a hand on Blaine’s shoulder. “Then you’ll need to be asking them.”
“Nae. The uncles should’ve spoken with me, told me their reasons. It’s the way of it with the MacLarens.” Standing, Blaine grabbed his gunbelt from the table, strapping it around his waist. “I’m leaving for a time. I’ll let you know where I am, but I’ll not be returning to Circle M…not for a while.”
Murmuring a curse, Brodie tried once more. “If you’re determined to leave, give it a few days. Stay with me and Maggie. You leaving isn’t right, lad.”
Picking up his hat, Blaine settled it on his head. Maybe his cousins were right and he should take time to think through his decision. Plus, the extra days would give him time to learn more about Lia.
“If I stay, I’ve a condition for you.”
Brodie lifted a brow. “Which is?”
“You’ll be telling me what you know about Lia.”
Chapter Fourteen
Settlers Valley
Black smiled. Nettles had finalized the schedule. Right after Christmas would be the biggest load yet, and it would mark Black’s last shipment before leaving for good. He’d make a brief stop in Conviction, then head toward Montana where he planned to start over.
They’d made three gold runs to town, the last one that morning, proving to Nettles and Polk he and his men could be trusted.
The two men he’d hired did their job well, guns ready while keeping watch on the trail ahead. The driver had worked for Nettles as long as he’d owned the mine. He’d once told Black nothing exciting ever happened during the gold runs to town.
That was about to change.
Conviction
“We’ve had a deputy watching the postal deliveries for several days and nothing from Settlers Valley. Ira Greene assured me he’d notify one of us if a letter arrived. Are you sure Colt understood the town right?” Sam leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs as he watched Brodie put the wanted posters back in the top drawer.
“Aye. His telegram was specific. Maybe the person giving him the information was wrong.” Brodie had received the telegram over a week ago, alerting them to watch for a letter from Settlers Valley. “Colt guessed the recipient might be the lass connected to Black.”
“What do you want to do?”
Brodie rubbed a hand over his day-old beard. “Confirm with Ira he’ll be notifying us of any mail from Settlers Valley. Make certain he knows it’s urgent. We’ll not be posting any more deputies.”
They both turned as the door opened. “Ah, the two gentlemen I wanted to see.” Bayard Donahue strolled in, placing his black cowboy hat on a hook next to Brodie’s.
“Good morning, Bay. Pour some coffee and sit down.” Brodie nodded to a chair next to Sam.
Bay grabbed a cup, filling it partway before taking a sip, grimacing. “Lordy. How do you drink this?”
Chuckling, Sam put his cup to his mouth and took a big gulp. Shrugging, he looked at Bay. “Tastes all right to me.”
Shooting Sam an indignant glare, Bay walked to the back door, tossing the contents of his cup outside.
Pointing to the chair, Brodie grinned. “Stop complaining and tell us why you’re here.”
Settling into a chair, Bay crossed one leg over the other, steepling his fingers under his chin. “Your father and Ian have hired me to draw up a contract to purchase property between here and Settlers Valley. I’ll need to ride up there to speak with the owners and check the boundaries. I know you’ve a man up there checking into Black Jolly and thought I’d see if you wanted me to carry a message to him.”
Brodie’s lips parted, his eyes widening. “So I’m understanding you, Da and Ian plan to purchase land north of here?”
Bay’s expression changed to one of concern. “They’ve already agreed on the prices. You hadn’t heard?”
His jaw clenching, Brodie shook his head. “Nae. They’ve said nothing to me. Do you know if they’ve been talking to the other lads?”
Shifting in his seat, Bay glanced at Sam before his gaze returned to Brodie. “I don’t know. They asked August to handle the transactions, but he’s been doing some work for a family in San Francisco. He asked me to take care of it.”
Tempering the anger rising inside, Brodie took a deep breath. “When did they talk to August?”
Clearing his throat, Bay leaned forward. “Perhaps three months ago. The purchase involves more than one property. Ewan told me he has a contact in Settlers Valley who provided names of ranchers and landowners interested in selling. When they pieced it all together, they found a way to grow Circle M by tens of thousands of acres.”
“And you don’t know if they’ve said anything to the other family members?” Sam’s wife was Brodie’s younger sister. He knew Jinny would’ve told him about something as significant as Bay described.
“I’d expect Brodie and Jinny to know about it.” Leaning back in his chair, Bay rubbed a hand over his face. “Isn’t it unusual for the uncles to make a decision of this scope without consulting with the rest of the family?”
Brodie nodded. “Aye. It is.” Standing, he slipped on his coat. “When do you plan to leave for Settlers Valley?”
“I’d planned to go right after Christmas.” Bay joined Brodie by the door.
“Why?”
Ignoring Bay’s question, Brodie looked at Sam. “I’m going to find Blaine and ride to Circle M. I’ll be needing you to take over while I’m gone.” He looked at Bay. “And you’ll be riding with us.”
Finding Blaine hadn’t been hard. Convincing him to leave his table at the Gold Dust, where his server was Lia, proved to be a challenge. When Brodie and Bay walked into the restaurant, Lia stood at Blaine’s table, pouring more coffee and smiling at something he’d said.
“I don’t know where you’re going to put more food. You’ve already had two breakfasts and four cups of coffee.”
Smiling at her, Blaine leaned back in his chair. “You let me be worrying about that, lass.”
Clearing his throat to get his cousin’s attention, Brodie looked at Lia. “Would you mind getting two more cups of coffee?”
Flushing at being caught dallying, she moved away. “Of course, Sheriff.”
Sitting down, Brodie ignored the irritation on Blaine’s face. “We have to talk, lad.”
“That’s what I was doing before you interrupted.”
Bay shook his head, suppressing a smile.
“This is important.”
Blaine took a good look at Brodie’s face, seeing a seriousness he’d missed when his cousin sat down. “I’m listening.”
Once Lia delivered their coffee, Brodie relayed what Bay had told him. Blaine didn’t interrupt, even as the muscles in his jaw clenched more with each word. When his cousin finished, he reached into his pocket, pulling out enough money to pay for everything. Picking up his hat, he nodded at Lia, unable to form a smile. He looked at Brodie.
“The uncles have a good deal of explaining to do.”
“What is it you want to be speaking to your da about?” Lorna, Brodie’s mother, handed him a cup of coffee, glancing at Blaine and Bay sitting across the dining room table.
His face softened from the scowl she’d first seen when the three entered the house. “It’d be best if we spoke to Da first, Ma. It isn’t a simple matter.”
“Is it about Blaine?” She took a seat next to him, cradling her own cup.
Brodie nodded. “It could be. We’ve many questions.”
“Well, he and Ian will be back soon. I’ve not known either to miss a meal.” She offered a weak smile, resting a hand on her son’s shoulder for a moment before her gaze landed on Blaine. “Ewan and I are not agreeing on what happened. He and Ian made a mistake not speaking with you, lad. I hope you’ll ask them why and decide to stay.”
Staring into his cup, he shook his head. “Nae, Aunt Lorna. I’ll not be staying, no matter what they tell me. They don’t need me here. It’s the reason they want me to work with Caleb and Heather.”
“It can’t be what you’re thinking, lad. I know it’s appearing that way, but Ewan knows your skills and love of ranching. There’s a reason for their decision. I’m certain of it.”
His aunt’s words matched those of others. Blaine wished he had as much confidence about what they believed. If the uncles had only spoken with him first…The front door opening stopped the progression of his thoughts.
“Lorna, I’m back.” Ewan didn’t notice those at the table as he unstrapped his gunbelt, hanging it on a hook. Turning, his grin fell when he saw the faces staring at him. Walking toward them, he extended his hand to Bay, nodding at Blaine and his son.
“I’ll get you some coffee, Ewan.” Standing, Lorna offered Blaine an encouraging smile.
“Thank you, Lorna.” He pulled out a chair, resting his arms on the table. “You’ve come to talk?” He glanced at Bay, but directed his question to his son.
“Aye, Da. We’ve questions for you.”
“If you’ve spoken with Bay, then I’m certain you have.”
Brodie gave his father an unapologetic look. “Bay stopped by the jail to let me know he’d be riding north to draw up paperwork on property you and Ian are buying. Is it true, Da?”
Ewan nodded. “Aye. Bay has no reason to lie.” He waited while Lorna placed coffee in front of him. “Sit down, love. You should be hearing this, too.” Staring at the cup, he let the coffee cool before taking a sip. “When we made the deal with Archie Galloway, he spoke of other properties that might interest us. Ranchers, friends of his, were struggling and looking to sell. Ian and I met with August Fielder, thinking he might be interested in another partnership.”
“He wasn’t?” Brodie asked.
Ewan shook his head. “Nae, but he helped us look into the properties. He learned there were several ranchers ready to sell at a good price. August recommended Bay work on negotiations, but suggested we say nothing to the family.”
“Why would he be suggesting such a thing, Da? We always talk over all big decisions.”
“I know, Brodie. This time was different. August learned a group of buyers from San Francisco were looking for land in the area. If we were serious about buying, we needed to keep it private, even from family, until deals could be reached.” He looked at Blaine. “I’m sorry, lad. We should’ve been talking to you, even if August told us not to.”
“I’m not understanding what you’re telling me, Uncle Ewan.”
Leaning forward, Ewan clasped his hands on the table. “You’re an important reason why we’re believing we can buy the land.”
Blaine’s brows knit in confusion, but he remained silent.
“You’ve become a fine rancher, understanding the business and the cattle. The men respect you and you work hard, never ignoring your duties. When the sale is final, we’ll be needing a lad we can trust to run the operation. That’s why we want you at Highlander Ranch. You’re the lad we want to be leading the additional lands.”
Bay rode back to town, going straight to the jail, letting Sam know of the conversation. Ewan had called another family meeting for that evening, and Sam and Jinny were expected to be there.
By the time they arrived at Circle M, almost everyone had congregated at Kyla’s. The only two missing were Colin and Quinn. Those at the earlier meeting with Ewan agreed to say nothing, leaving the explanation to the elders.
Blaine stood in the living room with Camden, Fletcher, and Bram, his gaze wandering to the door every few minutes. No one questioned his presence, which made waiting for his older brother much easier. Laughter from outside drew Blaine’s attention to the entry, seeing Quinn enter. His stomach tightened when Colin followed a moment later.
He had no idea what to expect from his brother. They hadn’t been on good terms for months, and after storming out, Colin hadn’t come after him the way Bram had. Seeing Colin’s gaze move across the room, landing on him, Blaine stilled.
“Ach, lad. You decided to come home.” Colin strolled up to him, pulling him close for a quick hug. “It’s good you’re here.”
Breaking apart, they looked at each other, Blaine’s throat working as he struggled to form words. “Aye, it is.”
“Since you’ve all arrived, Ian and I need to be explaining our actions over the last few months.”
No one interrupted as Ewan explained what happened and their reasons for not including Blaine in the decision to send him north. When finished, the family stayed silent for several moments before Colin spoke up.
“I’m understanding why August urged you to say nothing, but you should’ve been including some of us. Were you thinking we couldn’t be trusted?”
“Nae, Colin, it wasn’t that. If we had to be doing it again, we would’ve spoke to you, Quinn, and Brodie. And we’d have talked to Blaine. August is a good man who thought the suggestion sound.”
“MacLarens aren’t like most families, Da.”
“I know, Fletcher. Ian and I thought we’d made a good decision. It wasn’t. We’ll not be doing it again.”
Colin turned to Blaine. The corners of his mouth slid upwards as he clasped him on the back. “Congratulations, lad. It’s a good decision, even though we’ll miss you.”
Across the room, Geneen approached Ewan, glancing at Colin and Blaine. She
’d yet to congratulate him. First, she had her own announcement to make.
“Uncle Ewan?”
Turning, he put an arm around her. “Aye, lass.”
“This may not be the time, but I want you and Uncle Ian to know I’ll be returning to Settlers Valley with Blaine after Christmas.”
He dropped his arm from around her shoulders. “You’re not happy being back?”
“It isn’t that.” She glanced away, then looked back at Ewan. “It’s just, well…I know how much Caleb and Heather need help. The decision to leave them was selfish.”
He studied her a moment, seeing the sincerity on her face. “Nae, lass, you’re not selfish. You needed to see Sarah and the rest of your family. Nothing wrong with that.”
“You aren’t angry about me leaving?”
“Nae. You’re right. They need you, and Blaine won’t be there too long. It’s a good decision. Have you told Sarah?”
Geneen nodded. “Yes, and she understands.”
“Good. Then if you’ve no objection, I’ll be telling the others.” When she shook her head, he turned toward the others, clearing his throat. “I’ve one more thing to tell you.” While the voices quieted, he looked down at her. “You’re certain, lass?”
Pushing aside any doubts, she nodded.
“Seems Geneen’s been missing Highlander Ranch. When Blaine leaves, she’ll be riding with him.”
A loud whoop followed a few moments of surprised silence. Blaine strode across the room, taking Geneen in his arms and swinging her around. Setting her on the floor, he settled an arm across her shoulders.
“I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be riding alongside me.”
Laughing, she placed a kiss on Blaine’s cheek. “We’ll see what you say by the time we reach the ranch.”
Chapter Fifteen
Highlander Ranch
The fire crackled, illuminating the pine tree Heather had decorated with berries and brightly colored ribbon. She walked in from the kitchen, going straight to Caleb, who sat in his favorite chair, nursing a cup of hot cocoa. Sitting on the arm of the chair, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
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