by Bobbi Smith
The lawyer returned her icy glare, defending Hank’s motives. “This has nothing to do with you. It is all about Emmie and her inheritance.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You have no voice in this matter.”
“I most certainly do!” she countered heatedly.
“No,” he emphasized, “you do not. Hank made sure of that. According to the terms of his will, Emmie inherits everything as long as she agrees to return to the Rocking R and take over the ranch.” He turned to speak directly to Emmie as he went on. “However, if you choose not to follow your father’s wishes, you and your mother will no longer have any access to Hank’s funds.”
“Papa would do that to us?” Emmie was shocked.
“Yes.”
“Hank really would leave us penniless?” Sarah had always known Hank was a hard man, but she’d never thought of him as cruel.
“That’s right,” Les affirmed. “Hank was very careful about how he set this up. He knew you would object to his plan, and for that reason, he made it perfectly clear that you both will lose everything if the will is not followed.”
Emmie now understood what her father had done. She spoke up before her mother could say anything more. “Is my mother required to travel with me and live on the ranch?”
“No—only you.”
She was relieved by that news. She looked the lawyer straight in the eye as she told him, “All right, I’ll do exactly what he asked of me.”
“No! You can’t!” Sarah couldn’t let Emmie put herself in danger this way it was troubling enough when Emmie went out west to visit every summer, but the thought of Emmie moving to Shotgun permanently tormented her. “I won’t let you!”
Emmie knew there was no real choice. She had to do what was required of her. Even as she thought of how changed her life was going to be, she found she was honored that her father had believed she was capable of handling such a great responsibility. She looked at her mother. “I’m going. It’s what Papa wanted.”
“But, Emmie…” She was outraged that her daughter cared so much about Hank’s wishes. What about her own? She had raised Emmie! She had protected her! She had kept her safe from harm!
Emmie could tell her mother was angry, and she didn’t let her finish. She turned to the lawyer. “Who’s been running things since Papa died?”
“Josh Grady.”
Emmie nodded. Her father had written her and told her that Josh Grady was the new foreman on the ranch. “How soon do you have to head back?”
“I didn’t make any plans. I was waiting to see what you decided to do.”
“I’ll need a few days.” She was overwhelmed as she considered all that had to be done.
“Take as long as you like.” Les stood up to go. “And if you need anything from me, just send word.” He told them the hotel where he was staying.
“I will,” Emmie assured him.
Sarah was devastated. She remained sitting on the sofa while Emmie saw the lawyer out. When Emmie came back into the sitting room, Sarah looked up at her, all the pain she was feeling mirrored in her expression.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked in a tight voice.
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to. We can find some other way,” Sarah insisted.
“There is no other way. You heard Mr. Gallagher. If I don’t go back, we’ll be left with nothing.” Emmie went to sit beside her mother and took her hand reassuringly. “Papa believed I could do this. I have to prove he was right—for both our sakes.”
Sarah lifted a gentle hand to touch her daughter’s cheek. “I want you to be safe.” Her words revealed the agony in her heart.
“I know.” Emmie hugged her mother. Needing some time alone to deal with her own heartbreak, she said, “I’m going up to my room for a while.”
“I understand. What about Kenneth?”
In her grief over losing her father, Emmie had momentarily forgotten Kenneth was due to arrive soon. “Have Mary tell him I can’t see him today.”
“I will.”
Emmie disappeared upstairs as her mother sought out the maid to tell her they wouldn’t be accepting any visitors for the rest of the day.
Emmie entered her bedroom and shut the door behind her. Alone at last, she fell across her bed and gave in to her sorrow. Heartrending sobs tore from the depths of her soul and racked her as she mourned the loss of her father. The pain of her grief was overwhelming as she realized she would never see him again.
He was lost to her forever.
And she had never even had a chance to tell him good-bye.
Chapter Four
Kenneth was looking forward to seeing Emmie, and he was smiling as he climbed down from his carriage and made his way up the walk to her house. He was surprised when the maid answered the door.
“I’m here to see Emmie,” he said, ready to step inside.
“I’m sorry, sir, but Mrs. Ryan and Emmie aren’t seeing anyone today.”
“She’s expecting me.” He wasn’t accustomed to being denied or put off, especially not by a mere servant. Arrogantly, he demanded, “Tell her I’m here.”
“I’m sorry,” she repeated, “but Miss Emmie gave me instructions that she wasn’t to be disturbed.”
“I don’t understand.” Kenneth was growing even more irritated—with the maid and with Emmie.
“There’s been a family emergency.”
“What happened?”
“They just received word a short time ago that Mr. Ryan has passed away.”
“Oh, that’s terrible news.” Kenneth was shocked to hear of their loss and immediately changed his attitude. “Please offer them my condolences, and if there’s anything I can do, let me know.”
“I’ll tell Emmie, sir.”
“Thank you.” Kenneth turned away and started back to his carriage, lost in thought. He knew how much Emmie loved spending time with her father, and he wondered what would happen to the ranch in Texas. Logic said the family would sell it, and he knew that would give Emmie a very nice inheritance.
That thought alone made him smile as he climbed back into his carriage.
It was late that afternoon when Emmie recovered enough to write a short note to Millie. She gave it to the maid to deliver to her friend, and it wasn’t long after the girl returned from her errand that Emmie heard a soft knock at her bedroom door.
“Come in,” Emmie called out.
The door opened and Millie rushed in. She went straight to Emmie and hugged her tight.
“Oh, Emmie, I got your note!”
“I’m so glad you came,” Emmie said in an emotion-choked voice, struggling to keep from losing what little control she had.
They sat down together on the side of the bed while Emmie told her all that had happened.
“I don’t believe it.” Millie gasped when Emmie explained the terms of the will.
“I do.” She looked at her friend. “The Rocking R meant everything to my father. He worked his whole life to make it the success that it is, and he wanted me to love it, too.”
“But can you do this? Can you just move away and never come back?”
The look in Emmie’s eyes was haunted as she answered, “I only have to live there fulltime for two years, and I can still come back and visit, just like I did with my father.”
“What did your mother say?”
“She’s upset. She doesn’t want me to go, but I told her I was going to do what Papa wanted me to do. The lawyer’s staying in town to make the trip back with me. I’ll probably be ready to leave by the end of the week.”
As feisty as ever, Millie gave her friend a conspiratorial smile. “Well, you’re not making this trip alone.”
“No. I told you, the lawyer’s going with me,” Emmie repeated, frowning at her.
“And so am I,” Millie declared. “I was planning to go with you for your regular visit this year, so we’ll just move up the date. I’ll be ready to leave when you are.”
“But, Millie, are you sure?” Emmie’s spirits brightened considerably at the thought of having her friend along. She was going to need all the moral support she could get once she arrived at the ranch. It wasn’t going to be easy, living there without her father, and she wasn’t sure just how the ranch hands were going to react to taking orders from a woman.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” Millie replied loyally. There was no way she would let her friend face this life-changing challenge alone.
“What will your parents say?”
“They’ll say yes, of course,” she said with a grin. “Have you ever known them to deny me anything? Of course, they might be concerned about a chaperone, but I’ll think of something.”
Emmie gave her friend a warm hug. “Thank you.”
Millie returned her hug with heartfelt emotion, for she could well imagine just how sad and alone her friend was feeling.
It was early in the evening five days later when Kenneth arrived at the Ryan house. He hadn’t seen Emmie since she’d learned of her father’s death, and when he’d received a note from her letting him know that she was leaving for Texas the following day, he’d made arrangements to stop by.
“I’m glad you could come,” Emmie told him as she welcomed him in the front hall.
“I couldn’t let you leave without seeing you again. This has all been so sudden,” Kenneth said.
“There are times when I don’t believe what’s happening either,” she said sadly as she led the way into the sitting room.
Kenneth followed her and was disappointed to find her mother there. He’d hoped to have some time alone with Emmie. He’d wanted an opportunity to continue his courtship. “Hello, Mrs. Ryan.”
“It’s good to see you, Kenneth.”
“I’m so sorry about your loss,” he said. But even as he spoke his condolences, he couldn’t help wondering if she really cared that her husband was dead. True, she was wearing mourning clothes, but from the talk he’d heard around town, she’d rarely spent any time with him after she’d moved back to Philadelphia so many years ago.
“Thank you. It’s been a very difficult time for us, and now with Emmie leaving…” Sarah looked from him to her daughter.
“I know,” he agreed.
“Well, I’ll leave you two to visit,” she announced as she stood up and started from the room.
She could tell just by the way Kenneth was gazing at Emmie that he cared about her, and she wanted to give them time alone, in the hope that he might propose. She knew Emmie liked him, and she prayed he would say something that would convince her to give up this wild notion of following the dictates of her father’s will. She would do anything she could to keep her daughter in Philadelphia, with her. Certainly, if Kenneth proposed, he had sufficient funds to support them both in the style to which they’d become accustomed.
Kenneth remained standing until Mrs. Ryan had gone, then sat down on the sofa with Emmie. He didn’t waste any time getting to the point. “I’m going to miss you,” he declared fervently.
“I’m going to miss you, too,” Emmie said.
“You know, you don’t have to go,” Kenneth suggested.
Emmie looked up at him and saw the ardor in his gaze. It only made the moment harder for her. “Yes, I do. It’s what my father wanted.”
“But what do you want?” he asked. Egotistically, he expected her to say she wanted to stay in Philadelphia, to be with him. Ever so gently, he took her in his arms and drew her to him. He kissed her, sweetly at first, and then more deeply.
Emmie accepted his kiss without protest, but she was glad when he finally released her.
“You could stay, Emmie,” he said, his tone coaxing. He’d spent the last several days thinking about marrying her, and how much richer he would be after the ranch was sold.
“Kenneth, please don’t make my leaving any harder than it already is. This is something I have to do.”
“But—”
“You could always come to the ranch for a visit,” she offered.
“Or you could say you’ll marry me and stay here,” he countered.
“Marry you?” She was surprised by his proposal. “Oh, Kenneth…I do care about you, but I can’t even think about marriage now. Not after everything that’s happened. My whole life has changed so quickly.”
His frustration with her turned to anger. He had never proposed to a woman before, and to have her respond to him so halfheartedly was infuriating. She cared more about some stupid ranch than she did about him? Somehow, he managed to hide his anger. “So, there’s no convincing you to stay?”
“No. The ranch meant too much to my father. I can’t just let it go.”
“I don’t understand. Sell it and stay here.”
She hadn’t told anyone but Millie about the unusual stipulations her father had put in the will, but she knew she had to explain to Kenneth. “I can’t.”
“Of course you can. It’s your inheritance.”
“That’s what you don’t understand.” She went on to tell him what her father had done.
“Why would he do that to you?” His anger with her eased as he recognized that she had no choice in the matter. One thing he did know: he certainly had no desire to marry her and go live in Texas for two years.
“Because he loved the Rocking R—and he knew I loved it, too.”
Kenneth nodded, realizing there was nothing more he could say to change her mind. He stood up to go. “Just know that if I can ever help you in any way, all you have to do is ask.”
“Thank you.”
She rose to walk him to the door. They were alone in the foyer, and he bent to kiss her again.
“Good night, Kenneth,” she murmured.
“Good night, Emmie.” He gently touched her cheek, playing the role of ardent suitor perfectly. Then he turned and strode briskly out the door.
Emmie waited in the entrance, watching until his carriage had driven away. Only then did she turn back inside. She wasn’t sure if she was sorry Kenneth was gone or relieved. She’d just started up the staircase when her mother appeared in the foyer.
“Well? How did your visit with Kenneth go?” Sarah asked, trying not to sound too eager to hear the details.
“It was very sweet of him to come over and say good-bye.” Emmie didn’t want to tell her mother that he’d proposed. She knew how Sarah felt about the possibility of her marrying Kenneth, and she dreaded the thought of getting into an argument on the night before she was to leave for Texas.
“Yes, it was,” Sarah agreed. She wanted to ask more, but Emmie had already turned away.
Sarah was disappointed that there was no exciting news of a proposal, and she realized now that there was no way to keep Emmie from leaving her. She felt completely and utterly alone as she watched her daughter go up the stairs to her room. She was overwhelmed by a feeling of bitterness.
Hank had known exactly what he was doing when he’d set up his will.
It was obvious now that he’d never forgiven Sarah for leaving him, and he was taking his revenge from the grave.
Chapter Five
“There’s a rider coming!”
Josh was working in the stable when he heard one of the ranch hands call out. He quit what he was doing and went to see who was riding in. He recognized the man as Rick from the telegraph office and figured he was probably bringing news from the lawyer. Les Gallagher had been gone for more than two weeks, and Josh had been wondering how things were going back in Philadelphia.
“Rick, it’s good to see you,” Josh greeted him.
“I was hoping you’d be here,” Rick said as he dismounted. “This just came for you.” He handed over the telegram.
“Thanks.”
Rick rode out again as Josh glanced down at the message in his hand. He wasn’t quite sure he wanted to read it, but he knew he had no choice. Unfolding the telegram, he quickly read the lawyer’s words.
“What’s the news?” asked
Burley Thompson, a longtime hand on the Rocking R whose name fit his size. The big man walked out of the stable to join Josh.
“Looks like things are going to turn out the way Hank wanted.”
“Emmie’s coming back?” Burley asked.
“They’re on their way.”
“I didn’t think we’d ever see her again. I thought her mother would sell the place and be done with it. Is Sarah coming with her?”
“No.” Josh didn’t reveal any of the details of Hank’s will.
“Figures.” Burley had watched little Emmie with her father and knew how close they’d been. “So Emmie’s planning to stay?”
“It looks that way.”
“I’ll let the boys know. It ain’t going to be easy for her. That’s for sure.”
As Burley moved off, Josh stared down at the telegram one more time before stuffing it in his pocket and heading back to work. He wondered how a girl raised back East was going to handle the many challenges of ranch life.
Emmie was staring out the window of the stage at the vast Texas countryside on the final leg of her journey home. She realized as the thought formed in her mind that no matter how many years she’d spent in Philadelphia, the Rocking R was still home to her. She almost smiled thinking of the ranch, but then the memory of her father’s death returned to haunt her, and sadness overwhelmed her again. She’d managed to keep her spirits up during the trip by telling herself it was just time for another visit, but the game she’d been playing with herself was over now.
This wasn’t just another trip to the ranch.
This time her father wouldn’t be there.
“Emmie, how close are we?” Millie asked. She’d seen the change in her friend’s expression and wanted to distract her. Every passing mile brought them closer to the town of Shotgun—and to the Rocking R. Millie knew Emmie’s sorrow was only going to deepen once she had to face the reality of her father’s death.