Backing out of the room, she closed the door and sped down the stairs, tying on her straw hat.
Josh waited for her outside the boardinghouse, holding the reins of both saddled horses. She’d assumed correctly that neither had a sidesaddle. With her full skirt and high top button up boots, she was unlikely to expose any leg. She made a note to purchase some western boots and a hat too. The wind would buffet the wide brim of her flimsy straw hat.
She followed Josh along the narrow trail, admiring the view from behind. Josh sat tall in the saddle, ram-rod straight. Those broad shoulders and noble tilt of the head reminded her of the knights of her dreams. It set her mind thinking of things Mrs. Hollingsworth would consider unmaidenly.
The land spread out before them in rolling green hills. Josh twisted around, offering her a view of his handsome profile. “We’re going across a part of my ranch.”
“I can see it would be good grazing land.” She didn’t know what comprised good grazing land, but if she were a cow, this is where she’d like to graze. “When are you going to show me the ranch house?”
“Later in the week, if you’ve a mind to see it.”
His offhand remark worried her. Of course she wanted to see it if it was to be her home. Was he having second thoughts about her? He might receive other responses to his ad—women who’d peak his interest. Just because he wanted a bride, it didn’t mean she’d be the only woman he’d consider.
That wouldn’t happen if she could help it.
Josh urged his mount into a faster gallop, and Ramee squeezed the horse’s flanks to keep up. How exhilarating to ride astride, almost like she was a part of the horse. An eagle screamed overhead, and the grass waved like a green ocean. Mountains gleamed in the distance. A sense of freedom, of belonging, of being a part of this place settled over Ramee. She loved this land.
The road rose before them like a silver coil thrown over the mountain. Josh told her it led to Bluffton, but they would turn off onto a trail that provided a short-cut. They slowed in the heavily wooded area, and within a few minutes came on a clearing where a little farmhouse and a couple of outbuildings stood on a hill. “That’s Granny’s house.” Josh sent the comment over his shoulder.
The horses cantered side-by-side over the field to the front porch. A brown and white hound dog stood at the top of the steps, barking. Ramee slid from the saddle on the side away from Josh so he wouldn’t see her petticoats.
The door flew open as she and Josh climbed the steps, and an elderly woman stood on the threshold. His grandmother must have been watching from the window.
Having sniffed Josh, the dog quit barking, though he growled in his throat at Ramee. Josh patted the dog’s head. “Stop that, Scout.”
Ramee held out her hand for Scout to smell. After a couple of sniffs, the dog pumped his tail like he’d known Ramee all his life. She turned her attention to the woman. With silver hair knotted at the back of her head and a gnarled hand resting on a cane, she might have been over eighty, though few wrinkles marred her smiling face.
She raised sparse brows above surprisingly bright brown eyes. “Josh, I didn’t expect you back from Sacramento so soon?”
“I had been planning on staying until Mr. Benson moved out, but—” He let that hang until Granny urged him with a nod. “This is Ramee Abbott. I wrote you about her.”
Granny’s warm gaze fell on Ramee. “Ramee, of course. Your fiancé, and a beautiful lass she is too.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Apparently nearsightedness ran in the family. Ramee tried to take Granny’s free hand, but the old woman pulled her into a hug.
“Let’s get in out of this wind.” Keeping one arm around Ramee, Granny tugged her into the house.
The little parlor was neat as a pin with homey touches of crocheted doilies and a patchwork quilt over the sofa.
After they’d all seated themselves, Granny hooked her cane on the chair’s arm. “What do you think of our country, Ramee?”
“It’s lovely, so green and…untouched.”
“You haven’t had time to meet the people yet, but they’re what make this place a little bit of heaven to me. The men of the church have gotten all my crops in, and someone comes by every day to take care of the heavy chores. I don’t have anything left to do but milk the cow and gather the eggs. The ladies of the church are going to work my garden for me. I had such a time last year.”
A church was nearby, and a Christ-centered church it sounded like. Ramee had always thought a church was known by its love for one another. That these neighbors would help out an elderly widow was high recommendation to her.
She was about to comment on this when Granny directed a question to Josh. “Did you find Thomas yet?”
“That’s why I came today.” He paused for a long moment, and Ramee knew he hated having to give his grandmother the bad news. “Tom was involved in a holdup, and broke out of jail yesterday.”
Granny clutched her chest. “How can that be? By himself?” When Josh didn’t speak, she pressed her hand to her mouth. “No, he wouldn’t have done that by himself. It was those Renfro boys, wasn’t it?”
Josh went into detail about his cousin’s trouble, while Granny shut her eyes as if trying to protect herself from the information.
“I’m sorry, Granny, but there’s a posse after them. Ramee and I came out here because I was afraid Tom might come to you.”
The old woman moved her head from side to side, her eyes pooling. “I haven’t seen Tom for over a year.
Josh hunched forward, twisting his hat in his hands. “Granny, a man was killed in the holdup. All of them, Tom included, are wanted dead or alive.”
Granny’s face crumbled, and she seemed to age ten years, catching up with her withered body. Her mouth worked, but no words came, and the tears spilled down her wrinkled cheeks. As if crushed by a great weight, she dropped her head.
Her groaning reminded Ramee of the time she and Carianne visited a country church that had a mourner’s bench. Granny reminded her of those mourners.
When Granny threw out her hands, she and Josh reacted to her distress the same way they would’ve to a child’s cry. They sprang to their feet as one, and rushed to each side of the weeping woman, dropping to their knees to hold onto her.
The poor old lady. If Tom were present, Ramee would’ve bopped him on the head for causing his grandmother such pain.
“Granny, I’m going to do all I can,” Josh said, his voice strained. “I’ve hired a lawyer, and I’m going out to look for him.”
Both Granny and Ramee sent him a scowl. Likely Granny was thinking the same as she was. Hunting wanted killers was too dangerous. Besides, Ramee knew someone was already gunning for Josh. That man who’d shot at them on their way to Serenity might try again.
Unless the shooter was aiming at her. Had Jackson followed her, seeking revenge? Aside from humiliating him, she’d deprived him of his plans to sell her future dress designs. In either event, she preferred Josh not get involved in Tom’s trouble.
“No.” Granny finally got her croaked voice to work. “You should stay out of it, Josh. Let the law take care of it, and I’ll keep praying.” She sobbed. “I’ve been praying for so long for you boys, mostly for you, Josh. I should have paid more attention to Tom.”
She buried her head in her apron, and when she looked up, a smile lightened her face. “Would you look at me? I’m carrying on about Tom, forgetting the Lord’s answered my prayers for you. Look at you, Josh. You’ve left the gang and bought a fine ranch near enough to visit me, and you’re going to marry this lovely young lady.”
She smoothed the wrinkled apron. “I’m mighty blessed. Tom might be lost, but the Lord will see him through, too.” She held onto Josh’s big hand with both hers. “You need to leave it up to the law and the Lord. All you need to think about is Ramee.”
There was an indiscernible look in Josh’s eyes as he dropped a kiss on the top of Granny’s head and rose to tower over the two women. “All right,
Granny. I’ll let the law take care of it, but I’m going outside to see if anything seems amiss. Give you and Ramee a chance to get acquainted.”
Crossing the room, he glanced back as he opened the door. An unspoken request passed from him to Ramee. He didn’t want her to tell Granny they weren’t engaged and might not be. Strange that she could read his mind—stranger still, he knew she could.
“Let’s have some tea.” Granny patted Ramee’s hand, and she helped the old woman to her feet. “I had some seeping when you arrived. It should be good and strong by now.”
“I like my tea strong.” Ramee followed Granny. She liked her men strong too, but with good sense. She hoped Josh would let the law take care of Tom and the Renfros.
Granny moved slowly, scraping her cane across the floor. She stopped at the mantle. “Here’s something you might like to see.” She took a frame from the mantle and held it out for Ramee’s inspection. “That was Josh and Thomas when they were boys. Josh is older by two months.”
Ramee lifted the photograph up to the light. Two sandy-haired, overall-clad boys stared back at her. Their pose was stiff and serious, yet Ramee detected a gleam of mischief in their eyes. “They look like twins.” She couldn’t tell one boy from the other by their features.
“Still look alike. Their mothers were identical twins.”
Ramee returned the photo to its place and took the few steps to the kitchen with Granny. “Your son married one of them?” Josh hadn’t said whether it was his mother or father who was related to his grandmother. Now she knew. It was her son who’d had suffered the horrible death that sent Josh’s mother to an asylum.
Granny ambled to the iron stove. “That’s right. My Henry was Josh’s pa. He had dark brown hair and eyes. Josh doesn’t favor him in appearance at all. Funny how children take after one parent or the other in looks.”
Indeed it was. Ramee didn’t resemble her mother. Did that mean she resembled her father, a man she’d never known?
Your father was a great man.
What characteristics might she have inherited to pass on to her children? If they were Josh’s children, he deserved to know. A sense of fairness demanded she tell him about her antecedents before she married him.
She found the cups and sugar bowl and had everything spread out on the table before Granny had time to bring the steaming kettle. The old woman managed to pour the tea one-handed, then perched on one of the slatted chairs.
“Must have taken a lot of courage to come way out here to marry a man you’d never met.” Granny spooned sugar into her cup.
There was only one spoon so Ramee waited her turn. It took nerve to leave Cambridge and her friends, but courage? No more courage than it took for a scalded dog to get out of the way. “I needed a change.”
Granny stirred her tea, looking off at nothing. “It takes a lot to leave everything you’ve known, but that just changes the scenery. It takes a miracle to change a life. Nobody could change as much as Josh has.” She laid the spoon aside and sent a smiling glance to Ramee as if she understood her doubts. “I have a feeling you’re the type who knows a man can change that much.”
“He told me about his past.” Not much perhaps, but more than she’d revealed about hers.
With a low chuckle, Granny lifted her cup. “You didn’t know Josh before, so you can’t see the change. He didn’t know any women who…well, who were the marrying kind.” She took a sip of tea and lowered the cup. “When he came to tell me he’d bought Mr. Benson’s ranch, I told him he needed a wife. A man can’t settle down without a wife.”
She sent Ramee a sly smile. “I’m the one who suggested he send off an advertisement for a bride.”
Ramee tasted the stiff brew as she turned that thought over. Advertising for a bride wasn’t Josh’s idea.
Chapter 16
Josh backed out of the hay strewn barn. The sum total of Granny’s livestock consisted of one old Jersey cow and a few chickens, and the cow was the only living thing inside. He checked around back, even in the henhouse. No sign of Tom or the Renfros, nor any indication anyone had been around. Maybe Rafe was right, and they’d headed for Canada. Tom might come to his senses and give himself up.
No, that’d take more courage than Tom had. Poor Granny. She had a lot more praying to do.
The sun was high in the sky, and quiet reigned except for the birds twittering in the oak trees, but never had Josh been more restless. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he leaned against the barn wall and stared at the mountains. From this distance they appeared majestic, but that was deceptive. Trouble brewed there. The trouble he’d left nearly two years ago.
Be assured, your sins will find you out. That was a truism as unfailing as what goes up must come down. God would forgive you your sins, but they were still there, right there where he’d left them.
For two years he’d been able to hide in the North woods—forget his sins, but that shooter brought them back in the time it took to pull the trigger. He wasn’t surprised his enemies would come gunning for him. All it took was for them to hear he was back in the area.
The only thing left for him to do was make restitution to the men he’d cheated, not because of their threats, but because his conscience wouldn’t allow anything else.
He’d made plans to build up the ranch, bring in better breeds, but that wouldn’t happen anytime soon. Instead, he’d have to sell off some of the herds, maybe some of the land too, so he’d have the money to pay off the two men he’d wronged.
Where did that leave him with Ramee? She’d have to know if she married him, they’d have to work hard to keep the ranch. It’d take years to build it up. There wouldn’t be money for those fancy clothes she wore, or all the comforts she’d known back east. He’d planned on telling her all he had to give her when he proposed. Now he’d have to tell her all he didn’t have. That was a lot to ask of a woman as refined as Ramee.
She might be refined, but she wasn’t delicate. Rather than being a hothouse flower, she’d been toughened in the past. She looked things straight in the eye and didn’t blink. If there was a woman alive who could keep him on the straight and narrow, she’d be the one.
He was already in love with her. She was the rarest of females—a beautiful woman who didn’t know she was beautiful. The desire she evoked in him wasn’t like what he’d felt for other women. He wanted to hold her and keep on holding her, cherish her, please her. And now he’d put her in danger.
If it weren’t for Ramee, he’d go after Tom and the Renfro gang. He couldn’t take chances like that anymore. Instead, he’d take her to see the ranch. In little over a week, old man Benson would leave, and Josh would move in. He didn’t want to wait that long to show her the place. He’d take her out there tomorrow, or the next day, and tell her what the future held if she decided to spend it with him.
Chapter 17
After breakfast next morning at Lil’s Café, Ramee and Mrs. Hollingsworth strolled down the street to the general store. The building contained the dry goods for sell, along with the telegraph and post office. Ramee carried a letter to her friends, a fat letter with five pages describing the scenery and Josh. Maybe more Josh than the scenery.
What fun her friends would have at her expense. She wished it was possible to travel back there like the wind to share in their fun, but just for a little while. Maybe never if Josh proposed. She sensed he wouldn’t be satisfied with a marriage of convenience. Neither would she.
A bell jingled as they entered the building. Several rows of tables ran down the length of the store holding every imaginable item, from farm implements to kitchen pans to clothing and linens. An earthy, homey smell tickled Ramee’s nose. At the back, a small table with a checker board and two chairs set over to the side and barrels containing dry beans, corn, and pickles. Aromas of brine, tobacco, and leather mingled with sawdust.
She and Mrs. Hollingsworth made their way to the counter where a short, thin man sporting a waxed moustache raised his gaze from his ledg
er. “May I help you ladies?”
“I understand this is the post office. Could you post our letters?”
He took the envelopes from their hands. “Indeed. Mail runs twice a week. This will go out tomorrow.”
“I’ll take care of the postage, Mrs. Hollingsworth.” Ramee fished the coins from her reticule. Twice a week? How long would it take for her friends to receive the correspondence?
Mrs. Hollingsworth grabbed her attention by poking a bony finger on her shoulder. “I believe I’ll look around for some rose petal soap. That stuff the boardinghouse left is straight lye. My hands are still shriveled.” She stretched her hands out for Ramee’s inspection. “Do you think they’ll have fine soap in here?”
“It’s possible. They seem to have everything else.”
Ramee meandered around the tables and made her way to the fabrics. She had plenty of clothes, but nothing really serviceable. Lengths of solid color cottons and pretty calicos would make up into dresses more suitable for ranch life during the summer. Assuming, of course, she’d need them.
She fingered the bolts as her mind spun with new ideas. If only she had her sketch pad with her. Work clothes didn’t have to be dumpy. There were no rules that said elegant clothes had to be uncomfortable. With just a splash of color here or a ruffle there, a plain dress could be made durable and pretty.
The bell tinkled, and she glanced to the door. Lil Harkins entered the store. She caught sight of Ramee and waved her hand, then threaded around the tables toward the fabric section. “Morning, Ramee. I was so busy last night, I didn’t get a chance to see you. How’d you like your visit with Granny Volker?”
“Wonderful. She’s such a dear—reminds me of my own grandmother.”
“She is sweet. You thinking of making a new dress? Can’t imagine why, you’ve been wearing a beautiful new dress every time I’ve seen you.”
The Annex Mail-Order Brides: Preque (Intrigue Under Western Skies Book 0) Page 18