by Lori Wick
“Your wife?”
“No, my housekeeper.” Travis was amazed at how normal he sounded, but now he wanted to get home more than ever. “Good night, Robert.”
“Good night, Travis.”
They parted on that note. Robert had stood but did not leave. Taking his seat again, he drank another cup of coffee and sat alone for more than an hour. His room upstairs would have been quieter, but as intently as he was praying, it wouldn’t have mattered. Robert Langley was begging God to bring Travis Buchanan into his life again.
It wasn’t that Travis had forgotten his conversation with Lavena, but by the time he reached the ranch house, he had resigned himself. Indeed, he didn’t even turn right at the top of the stairs toward his old bedroom, but went to the left and stood in the doorway of Andrew’s. Lavena had lit a lantern, and Travis moved over the threshold to see that everything was just as it had been before he’d left in a towering rage.
The lantern still low, he let his eyes roam the room. The double doors that led to a private balcony over the front porch were shut, but Travis now walked to those doors. He opened them wide and stepped out. The crisp night air hit him as he stood and looked at the moonlight bouncing off the snow-covered mountains. A moment later he turned back to the room that held dozens of memories.
A man had died in that bed, but with sudden clarity of thought, Travis realized that death was part of life. I own the Double Star Ranch. His own words to Robert Langley leapt back into his mind so swiftly that he felt his breath quicken. He had been given this ranch and had made a promise to care for it, as well as the woman who went with it. Travis realized for the first time why this had been no strain. He loved this place, every square inch of it. He’d never in his life felt so at home, not even in the house in Texas. Not to mention the fact that he’d planned to cherish Rebecca for the rest of his life.
But Rebecca had not wanted to stay. Travis didn’t know exactly why, but he now saw that she was the reason he had kept on here. If she ever came back, he and the ranch would be ready. This was their home now, and he would do his best to preserve it for her no matter how long that took. However, Lavena was right. He’d been only half living. He never went anywhere near Andrew’s or Rebecca’s rooms, but why not? This was his home.
For just an instant he entertained the idea of having Lucky and Margo live with him, but he pushed the thought swiftly away. The only woman he wanted in the house was Rebecca. Lavena didn’t count in the same way. He couldn’t take the risk that Rebecca would come back someday and think that Margo had taken her place.
It felt good to have his mind made up. With sure steps he moved to the lantern, turned it high, and reached for the buttons on his shirt. He swiftly readied for bed, telling himself that if it wasn’t comfortable, Lavena, with her interfering ways, would see that it was adjusted. He need not have worried. Travis slid beneath the cool sheets and lay his head on one of the pillows. He was instantly comfortable, but as good as he had felt a few minutes before, he now braced himself against the torturous thoughts that were sure to assail him. After all, he was in Andrew’s bed. Strangely, no such thoughts materialized. His mind moved back to his dinner companion. There was a peace about Robert that Travis had never known. It must have come from knowing what he wanted and having the means to go after it. Travis fell asleep before he could decide whether there might be more to it than that.
19
Three months later, on February 17, Lucky Harwell and Margo Roderick were married at the small, high-steepled church in Boulder. The ranch foreman, who usually had a joke for everything, was pale with emotion, but the eyes he turned to his young bride were kind and tender. Margo’s simple blue dress was straining a little at the waistline, and the sight of it reminded Travis that he’d promised Lucky a raise when he got married.
The bride’s parents were both in attendance. Margo’s mother, Yvonne, was teary, but her father looked stern. Two or three of Margo’s friends were also in the church, along with the other Double Star ranch hands. Woody, who had taken over as camp cook when Biscuit finally quit, was sitting with Lavena. It was not a long ceremony, but because it was performed by the same man who had married Travis and Rebecca, Travis was more than happy to be finished and going outside. Rumor had it that Pastor Craig was moving out of the area, but it obviously hadn’t happened yet. Travis had yet to darken the door of the church on a Sunday morning, and had no immediate plans to do so, but he knew that if he ever did decide to attend church, it would be after Pastor Craig was gone.
When the couple was pronounced husband and wife, the group assembled outside of the church, and the men, who all genuinely liked Lucky, stepped forward to shake his hand. Lavena went to greet the couple and pressed a small gift into their hands, but Travis knew that she was put out because there was no talk of a reception. The bride and groom would be living with Margo’s parents for the time being, and something told Travis this was not an ideal situation.
In some ways Travis was relieved by the lack of festivities; however, before he left he shook Lucky’s hand, told him he would see him in a few days, and gave Margo a hug. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision to do more than shake her hand, but the young, grateful eyes she turned to him gave him a tremendous sense of satisfaction. As a man, he’d speculated only on Lucky’s feelings, but now he asked himself what Margo might be feeling this day. She was clearly in love with Lucky, but her father’s angry visage must have cast a pall over her wedding day.
Lavena and the others had come to town in the big wagon, but Travis, not in the mood for their idle chatter, had ridden Diamond and come on his own. He wasn’t intending to remain in town, but once he’d mounted his horse, the sound of hammering and general construction drew him further down the street.
It was a cold day, and snow lay in drifts along the buildings, but work on the bank had commenced. Travis hadn’t planned to do anything more than have a look and ride back out of town, but he spotted Robert Langley at the edge of the street and swung off his horse. After tying Diamond’s reins to a nearby post, he approached. Robert turned when he was just five feet away.
“Well, Travis,” he said with obvious pleasure. “What brings you to town?”
“My foreman was married today.”
“He certainly picked a cold day for it,” Robert commented. His smile was in place, but his red cheeks told tales about how long he’d been standing in the wind.
“How long have you been out here?” Travis asked.
“Too long. I can’t really do anything, so I just stand around and grow steadily colder.”
Travis could not get over how drawn he was to this man. It was odd since this was the first time he’d even seen him in broad daylight, but Travis’ forthcoming offer was made in genuine kindness and interest.
“Come on over to the hotel, and I’ll buy you a hot cup of coffee. You look like you could use a little warmth.”
“I think you’re right,” Robert agreed with a laugh. “Give me just a minute.”
Robert turned back and spoke to one of the workers before joining Travis. They were both bundled warmly against temperatures below freezing, but both also knew that prolonged periods outdoors were not comfortable or safe.
“It helps to have the sun shining,” Robert told Travis when they were seated at the table, “but the men are about to give up for the day.”
“It’ll be slow going in this cold weather. You may not open when you’d planned.”
“You’re probably right. There will be quite a bit of stonework on the front, so we may get held up waiting for deliveries on materials as well.”
“The unfinished front won’t stop you from opening for business, will it?”
“It might. I can’t very well let people come through the front door if rocks are going to fall on them. Bad for business.”
The men talked on for more than an hour. They each had work to do, but they both found so much to say to each other. Robert was very heartened that Travis had sough
t him out, and Travis seemed in no hurry to be off. They even agreed to meet again, this time for dinner sometime the following week. It was to be the start of a fascinating friendship.
Pine Grove
“I swear, Becky, I don’t think I can remember the last time you looked so rested.”
Rebecca smiled at Angel and answered in a hushed tone, “It helps to have the babies sleeping through the night.”
“Can you believe they’re six months old?”
The young mother’s face grew thoughtful. “In so many ways the time has passed in a fog. For so long I was too tired to even think straight.”
“Speaking of tired, why are you up so late?”
“I just woke up and came down to get something to eat. I had no idea it was late enough for you to come in.”
“Actually, it’s a little early.”
Something in Angel’s voice snagged Rebecca’s attention. “Did something happen at the Bell?”
“I’m not sure,” Angel replied cryptically.
Rebecca stared at her. The older woman was still in a satin dress, her hair piled high, but Rebecca wore a gown and old robe. It was stained—Wyatt and Garrett had seen to that—still, it was comfortable and warm. The women sat across the kitchen table from each other, Rebecca with some bread and jam, Angel with only water.
“What happened?” Rebecca finally asked.
Angel sighed. “It’s Preston. His behavior has been odd lately.”
“You’ve said that before.”
“I know, but it’s worse now.”
“Is it, Angel?”
The hostess looked at her. “What does that mean?”
“Only that I think he’s been changing toward you for a long time, and maybe you don’t want to see it.”
Angel frowned at her. At one time that would have set Rebecca on the verge of tears, but no more.
“Are we about to have an argument?”
“Of course not,” Angel answered, but she sounded testy. “I don’t know what you’re getting at.”
“Don’t you?”
“Stop saying that!” Angel snapped, standing up.
“Why should I?” Rebecca countered, her voice still calm. “You never fail to tell me that Dan’s in love with me, and that if I had any sense I’d move in with him. Well, Preston’s building a house even bigger than the one Dan just moved into. When are you going to pack your bags?”
“You don’t understand, Becky,” Angel began, but she could see that her housemate wasn’t listening.
“Why do you fight this, Angel? You’ve made up your mind that you and Preston are no longer capable of these kinds of feelings. Well, someone should tell that to Preston, because the looks he gives you have nothing to do with his being your boss.”
Angel stared at her in outrage for a moment and then turned away. She didn’t look defeated, but neither did she look ready to agree. “I’m going to bed,” she finally announced, but Rebecca stayed where she was.
There was a little bit of banging around upstairs while Angel readied herself for sleep, and Rebecca, still sitting in the kitchen, thought that if Angel woke the babies there really would be an argument.
Boulder
“Sure, I’d love to come out to the ranch.”
“Great. How’s Sunday morning?”
“Fine. I’ll come right after church.”
A shuttered look came into Travis’ eyes that Robert had never seen before. Months had passed, nearly a year’s worth, but the men had not seen much of each other. They had met several times in the spring to talk business, but Travis had been gone on roundup and on a cattle drive most of the summer and into the fall. In October, Robert had headed east on a business trip and to see his family. By the time he returned to Boulder, winter had set in and Travis had not come to town often. Christmas and New Year’s had come and gone, and with the quiet of January, Travis found Robert on his mind. The cowboy sought him out in Robert’s private office in the bank.
“Is there a problem, Travis?”
“No,” he said, but the warmth in his eyes was gone and Robert was not convinced. He had swiftly figured out what the problem was and knew that the only way to deal with it was head on.
“If my going to church bothers you, Travis, I need to tell you that my beliefs are not new. And if you recall, I’ve never tried to cram my views down your throat in the past.”
Travis felt like a fool. He didn’t know why it put him off to think of Robert in church, except that Travis wanted nothing to do with church. Having an area they could not share was difficult. The time around Christmas had been long and lonely. Lucky and Margo had been out to the ranch with their baby girl, Sarah Beth, but Travis had spent much time alone. Why it hadn’t occurred to him to seek out Robert before, he couldn’t say. Now, to learn that he was a religious man took some of the pleasure out of the meeting.
“If you want to withdraw your offer, Travis, I’ll understand.” Robert’s voice was kind, but also very quiet, his own disappointment evident. Both Robert’s words and tone drew Travis’ attention. He was being ridiculous. Of course it didn’t matter if Robert went to church. What did he care what the man did on Sundays?
“Of course not, Robert. Please come. Make it for dinner if you can.”
“Okay. I’ll be as close to noon as possible. How do I find you?”
Travis told him which road to take, and then Robert walked him to the door. The men shook hands and shared their anticipation of the weekend. Travis felt much better. As he rode out of town, he told himself this was what he had needed all along. Lavena enjoyed reminding him that he had withdrawn into himself, and now he thought she must be right.
Robert returned to his office to think and pray. Things had been on a good footing by the time they parted, but Robert could see that there might be many walls to scale before he really knew Travis. Indeed, each man was looking forward to Sunday, but for very different reasons.
“I thought the view in town was spectacular, but out here it’s all so fresh and unspoiled.”
Travis nodded with satisfaction. The men were standing on the balcony of his bedroom, taking in the snow-covered mountains. It meant a lot to Travis to have Robert share his view on the beauty of this land, and as they turned and walked from the room, Robert went on.
“And this house! It’s huge, Travis. Really beautiful.”
Travis smiled, something he’d been doing for the last 20 minutes. “I rather like large places.”
Robert now smiled in return. His office at the bank was very spacious, and Travis had only just commented on that during their last meeting.
“I hope to build a house soon,” Robert told his host as they came down the stairs. “I think I’ve convinced Dale Wright and his wife to sell me their extra land.”
“Dale Wright? His place is right on the road to the Double Star.”
“Yes, we’d practically be neighbors,” Robert exaggerated good-naturedly.
“I never dreamed you’d want to live so far from the bank.”
“Well, in actuality, the land I’m looking at is across the road from Wright’s. I wouldn’t really be that far out.”
“But you’re tired of your apartment.”
Robert shrugged slightly and said quietly, “In truth, I’m very comfortable above the bank, Travis, but I’ve met someone rather special, and I’m thinking it might be time to build.”
The men had been walking around the downstairs, continuing their tour, but Travis now led them to the warmth of the living room. The fire blazed, and both men took chairs and made themselves comfortable.
“I know a few of the women in town,” Travis went on, curiosity riding his heart, “but they’re all married.”
“Eddie’s not from Boulder,” Robert explained easily. “I met her on my trip east last fall.” There was no disguising the elation in Robert’s eyes. Whoever this girl was, she had well and truly captured the banker’s heart.
“Eddie,” Travis repeated the name thought
fully. “Must be a nickname.”
“Yes, but there’s nothing masculine about her. Edwina Fontaine is her full name, and she’s the oldest of five girls. I haven’t met her family, but she’s written about them in her letters.”
“How did you meet?”
“Well, if I believed in accidents, then that’s what I’d call it, but I simply had the wrong address.”
“Why don’t you believe in accidents?”
“Because I believe God is sovereign. I believe He is in control of everything, even things that seem to be inconsequential, like getting the wrong address. But then I met the woman I’ve been waiting for my whole life.”
“Could just be good luck.”
“I don’t think so,” Robert disagreed kindly. “Luck means things are left to chance, and I can’t go along with that. There are too many verses in the Bible that say otherwise.”
“Now you sound like Pastor Craig.” Travis had not completely closed up, but his expression altered.
Robert frowned. “You didn’t get to know Pastor Craig very well if you think we sound alike.”
Travis shrugged. “You’re right. I’ve had little contact with the man, but I wasn’t impressed.”
“I wasn’t either.” Robert paused and thought about what he’d just said. “Let me clarify that for you, Travis. I didn’t agree with all Pastor Craig’s views, but I still attended church.”
Travis didn’t have a comment for that, but then there wasn’t really a need. He recognized the fact that he wasn’t comfortable with religion. Travis saw Robert as a religious man, but he liked him as a person. His expression became open again, just as Lavena came to the door and told them dinner was on the table. The subjects of God and His Word were not mentioned for the rest of the day. Over their meal the conversation turned to cattle and banking, but never ranged back to the personal.
20
Rebecca opened the front door quietly but could immediately tell there was no need for silence; both of her sons were howling loudly from the bedroom they shared with their mother. Rebecca laid her things aside and moved for the stairs. She was met in her bedroom by Angel, who looked five years older than when Rebecca had left her.