“No, but he patched Gid up.” Lee got to his feet. “He would’ve had some trouble if he hadn’t.”
Gideon stared at them one by one, noting the furtive glances between them and what they weren’t saying. “Why are the four of you really here?”
“We’ve never seen you act like you do with her.” Zeke jerked his thumb toward the door. “Can she be trusted?”
Gideon swallowed the bark of annoyance that threatened to pop out of his mouth. Zeke was only concerned about Gideon, not talking badly about Chloe. After all, Zeke didn’t know her or anything about her other than her brother and cousin were potential murderers.
“Yes, with my life.”
“Good enough for me,” Jake piped up. “Besides, I like her.”
The rest of them murmured their assent. The knot in Gideon’s stomach loosened. “I’m going to marry her.”
“We heard.” Nate smiled. “Unusual place for a proposal. The bloody needle dangling from your shoulder will live in infamy.”
Gideon laughed. “At least she said yes.” He grinned, letting the memory of her softly worded I love you too float through his memory.
“About time too. We were getting tired of the bachelor in the family.” Lee punched his good shoulder lightly. “I thought I’d be the last one to get hitched.”
“I’m glad for you, cousin. Really glad.” Zeke squeezed his arm.
“Wait until the women hear about this.” Jake chuckled. “Your wedding will be a regular town event. You bringing her grandmother and the two little girls with you?”
“I want to, but I haven’t talked to Chloe yet.” He thought about what the three of them had been through and wondered just how much damage the Ruskin boys had done. As soon as he could, he’d find time to talk to Granny.
“A family.” Nate smiled and shook his head. “Another family to take care of.”
“Ah, but this is different.” Gideon pointed at his friend. “These ladies aren’t lazy good-for-nothings who whine all the time.”
That started a tussle between the two of them, and within minutes they were all laughing and smiling like crazy men. Gideon looked around at his family and knew they had all finally conquered the damage done to them during the war. He was whole again.
Chloe walked to the jail with Nate on one side and Jake on the other. True to their word, they escorted her to talk to her family, and their protectiveness gave her some measure of strength to do what she had to do.
When she stepped into the jail, her entire body shook with anger and fear. The sheriff sat behind the desk. He nodded at them but didn’t speak. Adam and Tobias got to their feet as soon as they spotted her. More than the bars of the cell separated them though.
“’Bout time you showed up, Chloe. We need to get out of here. You need to see to it,” Adam snapped. “And who the hell are they?”
She glanced at Nate. “Can you two wait outside while I talk to them?”
He scowled. “Gideon wouldn’t like it.”
“I’m not Gideon.”
“She’s got you there.” Jake squeezed her shoulder. “Just give a shout if you need us.” He pulled Nate out the door, leaving Chloe standing by herself.
Her feet felt nailed to the floor. It was harder to face them now than it had been by the light of the fire days earlier.
“Well? What are you gonna do about getting us out of here?” Adam’s sharp words got her moving again.
She stepped toward them, her throat dry and heart smacking against her ribs. “I want some answers.”
Adam snorted. “I don’t care what you want, little sister. I want to get out of here.”
“Me too.” Tobias had lost all his bravado once he was behind bars. He looked like the boy she remembered too well, wide-eyed and scared.
“Where were you?” The anger began to push away the fear. “We needed you at home, and you never came back.”
Adam snorted. “I didn’t want to come back. There was nothing to come back to. A dirt farm, a pain-in-the-ass sister and an old woman? Nothing.”
His words cut like broken glass. “We’re family. We’re not nothing.”
This time he bared his teeth. “I learned how to make quick money, how to take care of me. Ain’t nobody else matters but me.”
“Then I feel sorry for you. Nothing matters but family.” Grief for who he had been and for what he’d become filled her heart.
“Do you know I killed a man for his shoes? It was war, Chloe, and my feet were bleeding. Does that make me a murderer or a survivor?” Adam’s voice started to rise, sounding fractured and frantic. “I did what I had to.”
“No, you had a choice, Adam. I loved you. You’re my brother, and you always had a home to come back to.” She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered at the emotions in the air.
“I had no choice. I did too much, saw too much. I wasn’t going to be the same fool I was when I left home.” His eyes were full of darkness and shadows. Adam was not her brother any longer—he had become a monster.
“Then I feel sorry for you.” Her heart knew it was time to say goodbye to them.
“Fuck your pity.”
She turned to her cousin, who had begun to weep silently. His large eyes were empty and hollow. “Goodbye, Tobias.”
She turned to leave when Adam let loose a string of curses that crawled across her skin. War had truly turned them into ghosts of who they had been. She would grieve for them, no matter what the law decided to do with them.
“Goodbye, Adam.” Chloe held the tears back until the door closed behind her. Nate and Jake never said a word as they handed her their handkerchiefs and waited while she wept in the dirt outside the jail in Westville.
Chloe had finally let go of her past.
Chapter Eleven
Three days later, Gideon was ready to get back to Tanger. Chloe argued with Lee all the time, while Granny argued with Zeke. The girls were running around like wild children, and Nate had taken to hiding with Jake somewhere in town.
Chloe hadn’t left Gideon’s side much, taking care of him. He appreciated her care, but it left him little time to talk to Granny. There was something bothering the older woman, and he wanted to find out what it was without hurting Chloe. She’d already been hurt enough.
That day, they had to face her brother and cousin again. He understood her pain, frustration and confusion at what they’d done. The traveling circuit judge had arrived in Westville, and it was time to hear what he planned on doing with the wayward Ruskins.
As Gideon dressed, his muscles protested, as did his healing wounds. With a few hisses and even more curses, he managed to pull on his trousers. By then he was sweating and regretting the fact he’d even tried. That’s when Chloe walked in.
One brow went up. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to get my damn clothes on.”
“Where do you think you’re going?” She tapped one foot and folded her arms.
“To the judge with you.”
Her mouth formed an O of surprise, and her arms fell away. “Really?”
His heart hurt for her at the idea she wouldn’t expect him to be there when she needed him. “Of course I am. We’re to be married. I’ll always be by your side.”
She looked at the floor and managed a small nod. “Thank you.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“You’re welcome. Now help me get dressed before I fall down and make a mess.” He was loath to admit he needed help, but at least it was Chloe and not one of the Devils. They’d never let him forget it.
With her assistance, he was dressed in a few minutes, and they made their way slowly out of the hotel. The judge was waiting at the jail for them, a tall, balding man, and whipcord lean. He nodded at them.
“Miss Ruskin. Mr. Blackwood. I’m Judge Henry. Nice to meet you.”
They shook hands and stepped into the small jail. Gideon nodded at the sheriff. They’d met days earlier, which seemed like a lifetime ago. Chloe’s hand danced within Gideon’s
like a trapped butterfly. She appeared as calm and tough as any man in the room, yet she showed him just how scared she was. He squeezed her hand, relieved to feel her return the gesture.
In the back of the building, the two Ruskin men sat in the jail cell, their arms dangling through the bars. They both looked hard at Chloe.
She looked as if she was going to say something but turned away from them and looked at the judge instead.
Nate stood by, the attorney of the Devils, ready to assist. “Judge Henry, I would not suggest there be any delay in transferring these men to Houston for trial.”
“Let me do my job, Marchand.” The judge’s tone wasn’t harsh, but he obviously didn’t want any advice from Nate. He turned to Gideon. “I spoke to Miss Ruskin and her grandmother earlier about what transpired between you and these two men. I need to hear your tale too, before I make any decisions.”
Chloe, surprisingly, kept silent. He wondered what she’d gone through when the judge talked to her. She hadn’t said a word and certainly hadn’t asked him to be there with her. Gideon had never met a stronger woman.
He told his story to the judge quickly, although he was sweating from the memory of believing Chloe and he had been about to die. A chair was shoved under him, and he sat down heavily. Someone handed him a handkerchief, and he wiped his face.
Judge Ruskin studied him for a few moments. “I believe there is sufficient evidence to hold Adam and Tobias Ruskin over for trial in Houston. I’ll wire for an escort. Thank you both for your time.” The judge murmured something to the sheriff, then left the jail.
Chloe stared at the floor while Gideon stared at her. She had a hand in making sure her family paid for their crimes. He wanted to get her alone so he could find out how she was feeling about that. It had to have been one of the hardest things she’d ever done.
“You bitch,” Adam spat. “You steal my fucking property and that idiot judge has the nerve to send me to jail?”
Chloe looked at Gideon. “Let’s get out of here before I say something stupid.”
Gideon nodded his thanks to Nate, then rose, taking his woman’s hand. As they walked out of the building together, Adam continued to scream at them. To her credit, she flinched only once.
The morning sunshine greeted them as if nothing had happened in the jail. Chloe took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. She squinted up at the sun. “I reckon we need to talk about things.”
Gideon tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and started walking back toward the hotel. “What do you want to talk about?” He’d let her discuss whatever she wanted to.
Chloe had been through hell and back the last week. She deserved his ear, his hand, his heart. She deserved anything and everything he could give her.
“You, uh, asked me to marry you.”
“I did.”
“Did you mean it?”
Her soft question made his heart pinch. There was a plethora of hope and fear in those four little words, and they hit him square between the eyes.
“The only thing I meant more was telling you I love you.” He patted her hand. “I still love you, and yes, I definitely want to marry you.” Saying it out loud again made him smile. How could his life have changed so drastically in such a short period of time?
She let out a nervous laugh. “I just wanted to be sure. I mean, I don’t come from very good stock. And my brother did try to kill you.”
He stopped and turned to face her. “I don’t blame you for anything Adam or Tobias did. Don’t ever think for a moment I would. The war turned lots of men into dark creatures, and there’s nothing you can do to change them back.”
She stared up at him for a beat before she nodded. “I have to ask. I ain’t gonna marry a man who doesn’t know every terrible thing about me.”
“Do I know every terrible thing?” He smiled down at her.
She nodded. “Yep. There’s nothing left to tell.”
With a whoop, he swung her around until she begged him to stop. Then he kissed her in front of the entire town of Westville.
“Will you make Tanger your home with me? I think that town was made for you.” He would go wherever she needed to, but he wanted to stay in Tanger.
“If’n you want to live there, I’ll live there. Martha and Hazel and Granny are included. It’s a package of all four of us.” Her voice had grown stronger, even a bit demanding.
“Hm, four for the price of one? I can’t complain about that.”
She swatted his arm. “You stop fooling with me now, Gideon Blackwood.”
“I’m not fooling.” He pulled her close until they were nose to nose. “I would love for all of you to come live with me in Tanger. We’ll build a house and make babies and have a good life together.”
Her eyes grew bright, and then she smiled shakily. “Let’s go to Tanger.”
It took another two days to repair the damage to the wagon, or rather, that was what they told Chloe. As she walked out of the hotel with Gideon, she stopped dead in her tracks. The wagon had been loaded with all their things. Her voice deserted her.
Tears sparkled in Granny’s eyes as she stared at the belongings she’d thought she’d lost. Chloe’s throat grew tight as she put her arm around her grandmother’s small shoulders. When had she become frail and old? Granny was always the strong one in the family, the rock that Chloe clung to through all the storms.
“Look what those men did for us.” Granny’s voice shook. “I cain’t believe they did that.”
“They’re good folks, Granny.” Chloe kissed Granny’s temple. “I haven’t talked with you yet, but Gideon asked me to marry him.”
Granny turned her head to look at her. “And I hope you said yes, girlie.”
“Not the first time, but I did the second.” Chloe grinned. “He wants us all to live with him in Tanger. I know we were on our way to see your sister…”
Granny shook her head. “Julia died last year. I didn’t tell you because I wanted to leave Virginia, and I knew you wouldn’t go unless there was a good reason.” She swiped at her eyes. “You and those girls, you’re all I have now. I thought Adam and Tobias—” Her voice broke, and Chloe pulled her into a hug. Granny made a small squeak as if she was in pain, and it echoed through Chloe’s bones.
As they shared the deep, dark grief together, she saw Gideon watching them. His blue eyes reflected concern, but he didn’t approach them, and for that Chloe was grateful. He seemed to know what she was thinking and feeling before she even did. If that was what love did to folks, then she was all for it.
“We have Gideon now too, and his family.” Chloe closed her eyes and reined in her emotions. Hearing Granny’s heartbreak over the Ruskin men was almost too much. She had just come to terms with what her kin had done, and knowing they were on their way to Houston to stand trial made the emotions wash over her again. Life definitely liked to throw in the good with the bad.
By the time she was able to let Granny go, Chloe was ready to let the past go as well. It would be a few days until they reached Tanger. The sooner they got started, the sooner they’d arrive at their new home.
“Ready?” Gideon stepped up beside them.
“Ready.” Chloe had to stifle a giggle when she spotted Hazel and Martha running in circles around the stoic-faced Zeke. Arms folded, he watched them like a papa hawk.
“Let’s get everybody loaded, then.” Gideon turned to Zeke. “Stop playing with the twins, Zeke. Girls, come on, let’s go.”
Like his voice was magic, the two moppets stopped what they were doing and raced toward him. Yes, Chloe had definitely chosen the right man.
“All the ladies are waiting for you in Tanger.” Gideon held out his hand for her. “I can hardly wait to see what they’ve planned.”
She didn’t know why the ladies were waiting for her, but she was excited to get to Tanger and find the place she could call home.
Within a few minutes, they were ready to go. When the group left Westville, Chloe was amazed at just how
formidable the men were. Although Gideon rode in the wagon with Granny and the girls, his horse hitched to the back, the other four men rode tall in the saddle. They surrounded the wagon like a wall of men and guns.
Chloe had never felt so safe or so happy.
Chloe slept in the wagon, the girls squeezed between her and Gideon. Granny had insisted on bunking beneath the wagon. The rest of the men bedded down around them, keeping watch over them. Chloe had fallen asleep easily.
A noise startled her awake. She sat up and peered through the murky darkness at Hazel and Martha, but they were both asleep. Gideon was snoring lightly, but she didn’t think that was what woke her. She stopped, still as the night around her, just as Gideon had taught her. Chloe strained to hear whatever had woken her.
A noise sounded again from outside the wagon, perhaps a wounded animal. Chloe crept out from her cocoon, pistol in hand, and landed barefoot on the cool, dew-covered ground. She stood still for a few moments, listening, then heard it again. It was coming from under the wagon.
Chloe dropped to her knees and crawled around the sleeping men to reach Granny. The older woman was barely a lump beneath the blankets and quilts around her.
“Granny?” Chloe touched her shoulder. “You okay?”
She thought she heard a response. Chloe lay on her side and scooted closer to her grandmother. “Granny?”
“Child.” Her grandmother’s voice was a broken whisper full of pain. “I thought I could make it to your man’s town, but I cain’t.”
Panic clawed at Chloe as she struggled to focus on what was happening. “What are you talking about? Are you sick?”
“Not sick.” Granny grabbed her hand. “That big bastard with Adam and Tobias kicked me in the belly when they wasn’t looking. I think he broke me inside.”
Chloe couldn’t breathe for a moment. “What are you saying?” She moved closer until she was nearly nose to nose with her.
Gideon: Devils on Horseback, Book 5 Page 19