To Capture the Sky (Choices of the Heart, book 2)

by Jennie Marsland

  No. Nate was too observant and he’d watched her too closely. She’d need a diversion. She planned it as she packed. She’d have breakfast with him in the morning, and he’d have no reason to suspect anything. When the stage arrived, he’d be busy, and when it left she’d be on it.

  * * *

  After the dance, Ben drove Holly home in his father’s wagon. She’d changed back into her old dress, but the excitement of the concert stayed with her. Somehow, the world seemed a lot bigger than it had this morning, full of possibilities. When they came within sight of the house, she put a hand on Ben’s arm. “Better let me off here. Pa’s still up. The lamp’s burning.” She jumped down from the wagon and flashed him a quick smile. “Thanks, Ben. I had fun tonight. See you at school Monday. ‘Bye.”

  Ben watched her to the door before he drove away.

  Holly found her father sitting at the table. One glance told her he was furious.

  “Where the hell have you been till this hour?”

  “I’m sorry, Pa. I waited for a few minutes after the dance ended to get a drive home.”

  Her father was an apathetic drunk, but his apathy turned to belligerence when the hangover set in. He was hungover now. “It’s past midnight. A fine time for you to be getting home. That was a boy who drove you. Who was it?”

  “Ben Reeves. He was gentlemanly enough to offer to drive me home.” Holly couldn’t keep a bit of defiance out of her voice. I had such a good time today. Why should I have to come home to this?

  Her tone pushed her father over the edge. He leaned across the table and grabbed her arm. “You listen to me, girl. I’m not going to have you running the roads with boys at your age.”

  Holly jerked away. “We weren’t running the roads. We came straight here. Would you be happier if I’d walked two miles home alone at this hour? I’m going to bed.”

  Her father gave her a look that kept her there. “You’re not going anywhere till I’m through with you. I don’t know what kind of ideas that McShannon woman has been putting in your head, but I’ve had enough. Did she pay you like she promised?”

  “Yes, she did. Here.” Holly fished the money out of her pocket and threw it on the table.

  “You’re lucky. I don’t want you going out there again, you hear?”

  Holly sat down at the table again, eyes flashing. She’d proven something to herself that day, and at the moment she just didn’t care what her father thought. “You know something, Pa? In another two years I’ll be through school, and I’m going to get out of here. I’m going to forget this place ever existed. And there won’t be one thing you can do to stop me.”

  She knew what was coming as soon as he got out of his chair.

  CHAPTER 19

  In spite of bleary eyes and dragging feet, Beth had to take a peek at the new foal when she got home. Trey lit a lantern and they both leaned on the half-door of Eve’s stall, watching the little replica of Cloud weaving around on spindly legs.

  “He’s perfect, Trey. I’ll have to meet him properly in the morning. Right now, I can’t keep my eyes open.”

  Trey looked tired himself. They’d both been busy since daybreak, and now it was past one. He stepped into the stall for a final inspection of Eve and the new arrival. “You go on inside, Beth. I’ll be right behind you. Your birthday gift’s up in the loft waiting for you.”

  Inside, Beth lit the lamp and a candle and climbed to the loft. When she saw the framed drawing lying on her bed, she let out a yelp of surprise. “Trey, you dear, how did you find time for this?” Not a practical gift like she’d expected, but something beautiful. Trey really had a talent for woodwork. The glass would have cost him something, too. A gift from the heart.

  The front door closed behind him. Beth scrambled down the ladder. Her feelings must have shown on her face, because a spark flared to life in his eyes. He stopped in the middle of the room. Beth took a couple of tentative steps toward him. “Trey, thank you. You couldn’t have chosen a better gift. It’s beautiful.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders. “It’s your work, Beth. It deserves to be seen.”

  Their gazes locked. Beth’s heart started to race. Was this the time? Was Trey going to ask her to stay with him, tell her what she sensed he’d been trying to tell her for weeks now? Would she be spending tonight in his bunk with him, instead of in the loft? Scorching heat flooded through her at the thought. “Trey, I–”

  He silenced her with his lips.

  Beth rose onto her toes and leaned into him.

  Then, far too soon, he pulled away. “If we don’t stop now, we aren’t going to stop at all.”

  Beth caught her breath, struggled to find her voice. “Trey, I’ve been thinking for a while now that there are things you want to say to me.”

  “I don’t know if I can find the right words.”

  “I don’t need fancy words. Just honest ones.”

  Trey sat on the edge of the bunk. His hands curled into fists – big, work-roughened hands that held her so gently when he kissed her. A rueful smile tugged at his lips. “I thought I was being pretty smart when I wrote to the agency. Take a chance, see what you get. It might even work. I deserved to get knocked flat, and I did.” He paused, took a deep breath. When his gaze locked with hers, Beth couldn’t doubt his sincerity. “I love you, Beth.”

  Heart soaring, she sat beside Trey and took his hand. What had happened to the Elizabeth Underhill who’d gotten on the stage in Denver, the woman who’d heard those words too often from men who didn’t mean them?

  She’d learned to keep a house – and a barn. She’d learned to use a gun, and she’d used it. She’d learned how much feelings mattered when you didn’t have much else. “I love you, too.”

  Wonder mingled with happiness in Trey’s dark eyes. “Why?”

  Would he understand? Would he believe her? “Trey, we met just a few weeks ago, but I’ve spent more time with you than with any of the men who courted me in Philadelphia or Denver. I only saw them on their best behavior, with others present – but I’ve lived with you. I’ve seen how you handle your livestock. I’ve seen how hard you’ve worked to make a home here. I’ve seen you with your friends. All those things tell me what kind of man you are. That’s all I need to know.”

  Trey looked down at their joined hands. “I know your circumstances are different now, but you could still marry back east. I know you like the freedom and independence you have here and I don’t blame you, but the novelty will wear off.”

  “I’m not sure of that.” Being a man and with his background, Trey could never understand how restricted Beth’s life back east had been. She hadn’t understood that herself before coming to Wallace Flats.

  “All right, then. I want you to stay with me, and you want to stay, but let’s be sure you aren’t going to regret it. Let’s keep our agreement to wait until next spring. If you still feel the same way after living through a winter here, then we’ll make this real – if the waiting doesn’t kill me.” Trey rose and brought Beth to her feet. She ached for another kiss, but he only brushed his thumb across her lips. “It’s late. Go on up to bed.”

  In the morning, after a belated rush through chores, Beth got acquainted with the new foal. He was smaller than Diamond had been at birth, a lighter bay than Cloud, already bold and curious. He walked right up to Beth when she entered the stall.

  “What are we going to call him?”

  “Spirit Cloud would be a good name. You know those trails of cloud you see on the horizon sometimes? We can call him Spirit.”

  A fitting name for a colt born in a place where the sky dominated the landscape. “I like it.”

  Trey came up beside Beth and slipped an arm around her waist. “Looks like all of Cloud’s get are going to be little spitfires.”

  Beth reached out to stroke the inquisitive little muzzle Spirit poked toward her. “I’m just glad everything went well this time.”

  “So am I.” Trey ran his free hand down Eve’s neck. “Ben aske
d me last night if he could take Calico home today. I think they’re both ready.”

  Beth couldn’t help a pang of regret. Calico had come a long way, and she hated to see him go now that she and Trey had earned the mustang’s trust. “I’ll miss him.”

  Trey shook his head when Cloud loudly demanded his late breakfast. “So will I, but Cloud sure won’t. He’ll be easier to deal with, at least.”

  Ben had said he’d be coming for his horse before lunch, but he didn’t show up until afternoon. It wasn’t like him to be late. When he rode into the yard, one glance at his tense, white face told Trey and Beth something was wrong. Trey asked him what it was as soon as the boy was off his horse.

  Ben spit out his words as if they tasted bad. “I saw Simon Grier in town, so on my way out here I stopped by to see Holly. Before I could knock on the door, I saw her through the window. Her face…” Ben clenched his fists and took a deep breath. “She wouldn’t let me in. For two bits I’d take my rifle and give Simon what he deserves.”

  Tears of anger and guilt sprang to Beth’s eyes. So, this was the result of her trying to help Holly. If only she’d minded her own business – but this would likely have happened anyway, sooner or later.

  With a visible effort, Trey got a grip on his temper. He put a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “You could do that, Ben, and chances are people would look the other way. Simon’s not exactly popular in town, and he’d probably do something so you could call it self-defense. But then, to Holly you’d always be the man who killed her father. Is that how you want her to think of you?”

  Ben swore and gave a corral post a vicious kick. “No, but I’m not going to let him treat her that way.”

  Trey held the boy’s gaze. Ben almost matched his height, and the look that passed between them was very much man-to-man. “Neither am I. You get Calico ready and I’ll ride back in to town with you. This is going to be dealt with today.”

  “Trey, I’m so glad you took him seriously about shooting Simon,” Beth said when Ben was out of earshot. “He would have been even more upset if you hadn’t.”

  Trey’s grip on his temper slipped a little. “I took him seriously because he meant it. At fifteen I was as good a shot as I’m ever going to be, and so is Ben. If his father and I don’t handle this, he’ll figure he’s got no choice. This isn’t Philadelphia, Beth.”

  Beth’s tone sharpened with her own anger. “No, but there are ways and there are ways. Don’t you think this is a job for Nathan? What else did they hire him for?”

  She didn’t like what she saw in Trey’s eyes at that moment. “Nate can have what’s left of Simon when John and I get through with him. This has been going on for years and no one’s done anything about it. We’re going to.”

  “But you can’t blame Nathan,” Beth protested. “Nothing like this has happened since he’s been here.”

  “I’m not blaming him. He can’t do anything, anyway. Simon hasn’t broken the law.” Trey’s tone softened at the worry Beth couldn’t help showing. “We won’t lose our heads. I’d better get Cloud saddled. Damn it, I’ve got work to do today.”

  * * *

  Trey and John found Simon at his usual table in the saloon. Nearby, Nathan leaned on the bar, talking to Neil over a cup of coffee. They both looked up when Trey and John grabbed Simon’s arms and hauled him out of his chair. “Come on, Simon, we’re taking you home.”

  The shock on Simon’s face turned to fury as he looked from Trey to John and back again. “The hell you are!”

  Trey bent Simon’s arm behind his back until he flinched. “What’s it going to be, Simon, the easy way or the hard way? I don’t give a damn myself. It’s up to you.”

  Nathan left his coffee, crossed the room and spoke to John. “Problem?”

  “Yeah, there’s a problem. Simon here has been slapping his daughter around. She’s a friend of my son’s, and we don’t appreciate it.”

  Nathan glanced at Simon, then turned to Trey. “You?”

  “I just don’t like his face.” Trey spared Nathan a quick glare, then got a tighter grip on Simon’s arm and turned toward the door. “John, let’s go.”

  Before they could take a step, Nathan held up his hand. “Hold on. Neil, come over here a minute.”

  Neil came out from behind the bar and joined them. “Yeah, what?”

  “It seems Simon here has a problem holding his liquor. I don’t think you should sell to him anymore.”

  Neil’s voice took on an edge. “Seems to me it’s my choice who I sell to.”

  “Not when your customers go home and beat their kids, it isn’t,” Nathan said in that soft, dangerous tone of his. “Keep him out of here.”

  Neil shrugged. “If you put it that way, fine. Tough luck, Simon. Serves you right.” Neil headed back to the bar.

  Nathan nodded to John and Trey. “Now you two can walk him over to the jail for me.”

  “You can all go to hell!” Simon wrenched his arms free and glared at Nathan. “A man’s got a right to deal with his kids. She needed a lesson. What about these two? This is assault!”

  Nathan chuckled and shook his head. Trey remembered that don’t-give-a-damn smile very well. “If you want to press charges, Simon, I guess I’ll have to lock all three of you up. You for disturbing the peace–”

  “What peace?”

  “Mine. I was having a peaceful cup of coffee before this happened. You for disturbing the peace, and these two for assault. I guess one cell will do for all of you. Let’s go.”

  Trey might not appreciate Nate’s interference, but he had to appreciate the man’s sense of humor. Simon didn’t seem to relish it, though. Seeing the look on his face was almost as satisfying as landing a few punches. Trey decided it was payment enough for cooperating with Nate. He and John frog-marched Simon over to the jail, with stares from several curious onlookers as they went. Nathan walked in ahead of them and opened a cell.

  “How long are you going to keep him?” John asked.

  “Till tomorrow.” Nathan gave his prisoner an offhand glance. “He isn’t worth feeding more than once.”

  Trey let go of Simon’s arm. “Keep him a couple of days. We should be able to find a place for his daughter to stay by then.” He gave the man a cold stare. “This isn’t going to happen again.”

  Simon planted his feet and jabbed a finger into Trey’s chest. “She’ll stay home where she belongs. You’ve got no right–”

  Before he could finish the sentence, Trey buried his right fist in Simon’s midsection, knocking him into the cell. “Think about this, Simon. You make a fuss and John won’t be shoeing your horses. The Bakers won’t be selling you supplies. Neil’s already not selling you liquor. And Nathan will lock you up every time you put your little toe out of line.”

  Simon lay doubled up on the cell floor, gasping.

  John picked him up by his shirt collar and gave him another punch in the belly, knocking him backward. “The next time you get a hate on, why not work it off putting a roof on that miserable shack of yours? Trey, let’s get out of here before I do something I wouldn’t regret at all.”

  With Simon in Nathan’s hands, the next thing to do was to check on Holly. When Trey and John arrived at the Grier place, they found Beth and Maddy already there. Beth had ridden over to the Kinsleys’ as soon as Trey and Ben left for town.

  Holly had some nasty bruises. Trey doubted if Simon had ever been that violent with her before. All in all, she was doing as well as could be expected. She was sitting on her father’s bed when the men came in. “What happened to Pa?” She spoke with real regret. She actually cared, in spite of everything. How could anyone be as blind as Simon Grier?

  “He’ll be in jail for a couple of days, and then he’ll be free to come back here, but you won’t be here. We’re going to find a place for you to live. John and Hannah would be happy to have you, and so would Beth and I, but neither of us have a spare room.”

  “We can take her,” Maddy said, “and we’d be pleased to.
Beth and I talked it over with Logan before we left.” She sat down next to Holly and put an arm around her. “What do you think, Holly? It’s a ways from town, but we’ve got a horse you can use to get back and forth to school, and your friends will be welcome. There are times when I miss having someone young around.”

  “And Trey and I aren’t far away,” Beth added. “You’d be welcome any time. I still have plenty to learn about sewing. Will you give it a try?”

  Holly hesitated, her gaze on the floor, but after a moment she glanced at Maddy. “All right, I’ll give it a try.”

  Maddy gave her a light squeeze. “Good. We brought our wagon, so let’s pack whatever you want to bring with you and we’ll be going.”

  * * *

  Rather than listen to Simon complain, Nathan took his paperwork to his bedroom. He didn’t come out until Jack Barron and three of his friends knocked on the office door.

  “Mr. Munroe, we think there was someone picking pockets at the dance last night. We’re all missing money.”

  Nathan smelled a rat. Jack was a notorious joker, but he looked serious and his story wasn’t impossible. Improbable, but not impossible.

  “Why would a pickpocket target you boys? He couldn’t expect you to be carrying much money.”

  “No sir, but maybe he was just hitting as many folks as he could.”

  Nathan resigned himself to more paperwork. “Come in. I’d better write this down.”

  The boys trooped into the office and stood around Nathan’s desk. He dealt with Jack first. “All right, how much money are you missing and when did you notice it was gone?”

  “A couple of dollars. Hugh and I were heading home after the dance, and some change fell out of his pocket when he got on his horse. I checked my own pocket and found out my money was gone.”

  Preserve me from idiots. “So, you had holes in your pockets. Haven’t you heard of needles and thread? I should talk to your mothers about you boys.”

  Luke Connor spoke up. “I found out this morning that I was missing a dollar in change. It doesn’t make sense that we’d all have holes in our pockets, does it? I’ll bet if you ask around, you’ll find we aren’t the only ones missing money.”