Texas Bride

by Leigh Greenwood

  She looked from side to side as she rode, but she couldn't see the men she felt certain were watching her every move. Her plan hadn't seemed dangerous when she'd proposed it with five men surrounding her, but now she was out here by herself and every step was taking her farther away from Owen. She hated to admit it, but she'd give just about anything to have him at her side right now. She might even marry him.

  That possibility kept teasing her. She wouldn't marry him until she felt certain he loved her enough to remain faithful. She knew she couldn't endure a repeat of what her mother had lived through. This was all or nothing.

  She switched to a hymn she'd heard in church, hoping she could come closer to singing a recognizable tune. She wondered if Owen could carry a tune. He probably had a beautiful singing voice. It seemed every lady's man could sing as well as dance.

  She'd just started on a second hymn when she heard something stir in the brush about thirty yards away. Moments later, Newt Howren emerged on horseback, followed by two men whose appearance made her wish even more ardently that Owen was at her side.

  "What are you doing out here all by yourself?" Newt asked. She could tell from the tone of his voice, he'd already decided she was trouble.

  Chapter Thirty

  "Mr. diViere sent me," Hetta said. "I have a message for you."

  "He wouldn't send you," Newt said. "You're hooked up with Wheeler."

  "I'm not hooked up with Owen Wheeler," Hetta said. "He just works for me."

  "Wheeler makes plenty gambling. He doesn't need to work for you."

  "He's trying to convince me to sell to him," Hetta said.

  "What would he want with a ranch here?" Newt asked.

  "I don't care why," one of the other men said. "I just hope I get a chance to fill his hide with lead."

  Hetta had to bite her tongue to keep from responding. She hoped Owen had noticed she'd drawn Newt out into the open. She didn't know how long she could hold him.

  "How long have you boys been here?" she asked.

  "About a week," one of the men said.

  "I didn't see you come in," she said.

  "We came in from the south. DiViere didn't want--"

  "Shut up," Newt growled. "You talk too much."

  "She said diViere sent her."

  "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. I ain't so sure."

  "He came by a few nights ago to renew his lease," Hetta said.

  "He said you threatened to turn him in to the sheriff."

  "I got angry when he tried to bully me with some papers he'd forged." She hoped Owen would hurry up. She wasn't used to making up lies every time she opened her mouth.

  "I told him that wouldn't work. Everybody knows you're close as peas in a pod with Ida Moody," Newt said.

  "Ida's been my friend for years, but being her friend doesn't pay the bills. Mr. diViere's rent money will."

  "He paid you?"

  "It's the only reason I agreed to come out here," she said. "You could have taken me for one of the rustler patrol and shot me."

  "Can't nobody take you for a man, not even in the dark," one of the men said.

  "You sure are a lousy singer," the other man said.

  "What's diViere's message?" Newt asked.

  Hetta didn't hear anything to make her think Owen was about to come to her rescue. She had said she could do this on her own, and it looked like she was about to get the chance to prove it.

  "He said you were to wait to move the herd until you heard from him," she said. "A couple of men from a ranch near San Antonio are in town. They'd recognize some of the brands."

  "We always go out the south," one of the men said. "Ain't nobody watching down there."

  "I told you to shut up," Newt said.

  "It makes no difference to me where you go or when," Hetta said. "I'm just telling you what Mr. diViere said." She started to turn her horse but the men moved closer on either side.

  "Where do you think you're going?" Newt asked.

  "Home. I've delivered the message."

  "I don't think you delivered the right one."

  "I told you exactly what Mr. diViere said."

  "I don't think he sent you out here with any message."

  "Then what would I be doing out here in the middle of the night?"

  "Spying on us so you can tell your boyfriend where we are."

  "I knew where you were. Why didn't I tell him earlier?"

  That stopped Newt for a moment, but only a short moment.

  "DiViere told us Owen Wheeler was looking for us. He said you were with Wheeler. He said we were to stay in hiding."

  "Then you ought to tell your men not to sleep in the open."

  "He said we were to kill you if we saw you."

  "The sheriff would hang you."

  "DiViere said it would be blamed on the rustlers. He says we're not using this place anymore, so we can kill anybody we want."

  "I don't know what Mr. diViere may have told you earlier, but he came to my house tonight. He said things had changed and I was to bring you this message. Now I've told you what he said. If you don't want to believe it, that's your choice."

  She dug her heels into her horse's flanks and pulled back on the reins at the same time. The animal reared, its forelegs pawing the air dangerously close to Newt's head. When the men pulled their mounts back a safe distance, Hetta turned her horse and spurred him into a full gallop. She had to reach Owen before Newt got her. A bullet whistled by.

  "Don't shoot," she heard one of the men shout. "We can get rid of her afterwards."

  Hetta spurred her horse harder, but the rustlers had faster horses. She looked over her shoulder. Newt's horse was outrunning the others. He would catch her before she could reach Owen. Her only chance was to lose him in a tangle of brush. But no sooner had she turned her horse toward the closest thicket than she noticed a horseman moving inside the thicket coming toward her. Newt had even more men than they had guessed.

  She jerked her horse's head away from the thicket.

  "Hetta, it's me!"

  She'd never been happier to hear the sound of Owen's voice. She turned her horse just in time to avoid being caught by Newt and plunged into the thicket. It proved to be a narrow band, and she soon found herself on the other side, but Newt came crashing through behind her. Owen met him with a fist to the jaw that sent Newt tumbling to the ground.

  Owen dropped from the saddle, and he and Newt were soon rolling around on the rocky ground. Deciding it wasn't fair to leave Owen to handle Newt on his own, Hetta slid out of her saddle. She punched Newt several times, but that didn't seem to make any impression on him. She kicked him, but that only elicited a grunt. Hetta pulled a small pear cactus up by the roots and flung it on Newt's back, then stomped on it with her booted foot.

  Newt's screams shattered the night. He threw himself off Owen, but he landed on his back, driving the thorns in even deeper. Owen wasted no time in tying Newt hand and foot.

  Owen threw his arms around Hetta and held her so tightly, she was certain he'd cracked a rib. "If you ever do anything like this again, I swear I'll lock you inside your house and not let you out until you're too old to ride."

  "There are two more men behind me," she said as she tried to avoid Owen's efforts to kiss her into silence.

  "Let Broc and Nate have them. We can't deprive them of all the fun."

  "I didn't see them."

  "They're experts at not being seen. Do you hear anybody coming after you?"

  There was silence. "No."

  "Now forget everything and promise me you'll never do anything like this again."

  "How can I make promises with Newt howling like a yard dog?" But it was much easier to ignore Newt than she suspected. Being in Owen's arms, having him act as if she were the most important person in the world, as if he would go crazy if anything happened to her, well, what woman wouldn't ignore a little squalling for that?

  Broc and Nate came crashing through the brush. "You're supposed to capture the ene
my," Broc said with a wide grin. "She's on our side."

  Owen didn't loosen his hold on Hetta. "We did, but he won't stop howling."

  "I'd hate to fall on something like that," Nate said when he saw the cactus attached to Newt's back.

  "He didn't fall. Hetta hit him with it, then drove it deeper with her foot."

  Broc and Nate turned their gazes to Hetta.

  "Are you sure you want to marry her?" Broc asked. "If you ever get into a fight, she'll turn you into a pincushion."

  Owen turned back to Hetta. "I'll just have to make sure I don't give her a reason."

  Nate turned to Broc. "I'll bet you fifty dollars he doesn't make it through the first year."

  "Make it six months," Broc said, "and I'll raise you twenty-five."

  * * *

  It was an impressive procession that rode into town early that morning. Owen and Hetta led in the five rustlers, their hands bound, their feet tied beneath their mount's bellies, followed by Nate, Broc, Myrl, and Ben driving the stolen herd. They were surprised that although nearly everybody in the town appeared to be on the street, nobody rushed over to find out why five men were tied up and two hundred steers were milling in the streets.

  "Something must have happened," Hetta said, looking around. Most of the people seemed to be gathered outside the bank.

  "They're probably auctioning off your ranch."

  "They wouldn't do that. Ida promised ..." She broke off when Owen gripped her arm. "What?"

  "That's Cade and Pilar. What are they doing here?"

  "Where?"

  "In front of the hotel. Broc, what's Cade doing here?"

  "I'll find out."

  "I want to talk to him," Hetta said. "I've been wanting to meet him for ages."

  "I've got to get these men to the jail," Owen said.

  But when they reached the jail, the sheriff wasn't there.

  "He's over at the bank," the deputy said. "What am I supposed to do with those fellas?"

  "Put them in jail," Owen said. "We caught them red-handed with rustled steers."

  "Hot damn! I been wanting to put a rope around Newt's neck for a long time."

  Cade and Pilar were on the boardwalk in deep conversation with Hetta when Owen came out of the jail.

  "Mr. diViere robbed Fred Moody and shot William," Hetta told him. "I've got to go to Ida."

  "I'll come, too."

  "At least say hello first," Pilar said. "And congratulate me."

  It took Owen a moment to realize that Pilar's figure had assumed a very different shape. "You're going to have a baby?"

  "Two of them, from the looks of me," Pilar said, laughing and disappearing into Owen's hug.

  "I hope it's a boy," Cade said. "Her grandmother has already decided it will be my fault if it's a girl."

  "Maybe it'll be twins and you'll have one of each. Then everybody will be happy."

  "Except me," Pilar said. "I'll be huge."

  "Hetta was telling us about all the things you've done since you got here," Cade said.

  "Hetta's a little prejudiced."

  "I noticed." Pilar winked.

  "Your friends back her up," Broc said. "According to them, Owen has just about transformed this town."

  "They're going to try to make him mayor."

  "There's nothing to be mayor of," Owen said, feeling acutely uncomfortable. "What are you doing here, and why did you bring Pilar when she's ... like this?"

  "It's called pregnant," Pilar said.

  "Since I hadn't heard from you, I thought I'd see if you still had a whole hide."

  "I can take care of myself."

  "We can talk later. You'd better get over to the bank. Your friends need you."

  The scene that met Owen's eyes at the bank was unexpected. William lay on the floor, his mother bent over him, emitting ear-splitting wails while the doctor attempted to bandage him up. Fred Moody lay sprawled in a chair, his wife fanning him furiously, demanding to know exactly how much money had been stolen. Ida clung to Hetta, pouring out her story in between sobs.

  "What happened?" Owen asked the sheriff.

  "It seems Mr. diViere went to the Moodys house before the bank opened to ask Fred for enough money to meet a payroll for a herd he had coming in. Not suspecting anything, Fred came over here by himself. Young William reached the house a few minutes after Fred had left. He said he wasn't comfortable with the idea of Fred being alone with Mr. diViere in the bank, that Hetta didn't trust him. He arrived in time to hear diViere tell Fred to empty the safe. William's entry into the office rattled diViere. He pulled a gun, shot William, then shot Fred and escaped."

  "When did this happen?"

  "About two hours ago. Most people were just getting dressed, so it was a few minutes before anybody got into the street. By that time diViere was gone."

  Once again they had come so close, yet Laveau had escaped.

  "Will William--"

  "He's not badly hurt. The bullet struck a rib, traveled around, and went out the back. It's painful, but he'll be all right."

  "What about Fred?"

  "He has a hole in his coat, but not in his skin. He'll be okay once his wife leaves him alone," he added in a whisper.

  Owen thought briefly about getting Broc and Nate to go after Laveau but changed his mind. With a two-hour head start, they'd never catch him before he reached one of the friendly army units that would protect him. No, they'd have to save Laveau for another day. Right now he wanted to talk to Hetta.

  "I'm taking Ida home," Hetta said to him. "As soon as William is home and comfortable, she'll go sit with him."

  "I'm coming, too," Owen said. He didn't look forward to hearing Ida tearfully repeat over and over how heroic it was of William to save her uncle, but if it was the price he had to pay to be with Hetta, he'd pay it.

  * * *

  "You seem to have created quite a stir," Cade was saying to Owen. They were sitting in Ida's parlor. She had gone to sit with William. Owen had nothing left to do but convince Hetta to marry him. But Cade and Pilar had been here for a couple of hours and didn't show any signs of leaving.

  "I wouldn't have if it hadn't been for the rustlers. Nobody paid me much attention otherwise."

  "Once he stopped gambling and taking everybody's money," Hetta said.

  "Up to your old tricks again?" Pilar asked.

  "It was just a cover. I never won much."

  "Are you going back with us?" Cade asked.

  "I thought I'd stick around. I offered to take some of Hetta's steers with us to St. Louis."

  "Is that okay?" Hetta asked.

  "Sure."

  "Then we'll look for you before long," Pilar said. "The boys miss you. There's nobody better when it comes to attracting beautiful women," she said to Hetta. "I think the men use him as bait."

  What was Pilar doing? Owen wondered in dismay. He'd thought she liked him.

  "Even my grandmother, who dislikes all Anglos on principle," Pilar said, "doesn't dislike him quite as much."

  She was up to something, but it was clear that even Cade didn't know what.

  "I'm glad to know he didn't cause you and your friend Ida to fall out over him." Pilar sighed. "I've warned him over and over again to be careful, but he's a hopeless flirt. I'm sure you'll be relieved to send him north with the steers. You've had to put up with him long enough."

  "I haven't suffered all that much."

  "It's sweet of you to defend him." Pilar stood. "Women always do. But I like you, so I'll keep him away from you. We have to go," she said to her husband. "If Grandmother finds out I didn't take my nap, you won't have any peace until the baby is born."

  She kissed Hetta on the cheek and hurried her husband from the room.

  "What in hell were you trying to do back there?" Cade asked the moment they reached the street. "Owen wants to marry that woman."

  Pilar took Cade's arm as they started toward the hotel. "She wants to marry him, too, but something is holding her back. Nothing makes a woman w
ant to defend her man more than criticism from another woman."

  Cade wrinkled his brow. "So you were really trying to help him?"

  "I liked Hetta from the moment I met her. She'll make him a perfect wife. And he's crazy about her. What time is it?"

  "A quarter after two."

  "I expect we'll see him before five o'clock. If not, we'll have to come back. We can't leave until they're engaged."

  "What do you plan to do, lock them in a room together?"

  "I expect they'll have a small wedding. She doesn't strike me as a woman who wants a lot of fuss. You know we'll have to stay."

  "For what?"

  "For the wedding. I expect they'll get married the day after tomorrow."

  "I'll never understand women," Cade said. "Never."

  She looked at his creased brow and smiled. "You're not supposed to."

  "I thought you said she liked you," Hetta said to Owen.

  "She's only telling you the truth."

  "I think she's jealous you're better looking than her husband."

  "Pilar never cared about anybody but Cade."

  "I don't think you ought to go back with them. I like your cousin, but--"

  Owen grabbed Hetta and kissed her hard.

  "Pilar's probably a fine woman ..." Hetta began the moment her lips were free.

  Owen's next kiss was a lot longer. He didn't end it until he felt Hetta melt against him.

  "Now it's my turn to talk," he said before she could recover. "I love you. I want to marry you. I want to stay here with you, always. I don't want to go back with them. I don't want to attract any ladies anywhere. I only want to attract you. Do you think you can possibly love me enough to give it a try?"

  "You said you weren't the marrying type."

  "Maybe I should have said I wasn't the marrying type until I found just the right woman for me. Now I've found her."

  "You promise not to try to tell me what to do?"

  "Of course I'll try, but you won't listen."

  "You won't mind living in Pinto Junction?"

  "I'd hate living in Pinto Junction. We'll live on your ranch."

  "You promise to wash my back?"

  "Every night." Owen slipped from the sofa and down on his knees. "Will you marry me?"