A Rancher of Convenience

by Regina Scott

  He sank onto the bench beside Hank with Nancy returned to her seat across from them. “That was some smooth talking back there, Mr. Snowden.”

  Hank frowned at him. “How do you know my name?”

  “Sheriff Fuller told me to keep an eye out for you and your lady,” he explained. He pulled off his hat to reveal hair the color of a well-used saddle. “Mrs. Snowden, ma’am,” he said with a nod of respect to Nancy. “I’m Justin Blacock. The folks outside Burnet asked me to look into cattle thefts in their area.”

  “Are you a deputy?” Nancy asked.

  “No, ma’am,” he said. “Former Texas Ranger with too much time on my hands and a willingness to help my neighbors.”

  He turned to Hank. “Sheriff Fuller said you were looking into rustling, as well. I thought maybe we could share information.”

  Hank leaned back in the seat. “I told Sheriff Fuller and the sheriff in Burnet all I know. It didn’t seem to help.”

  Blacock grimaced. “Too few hands, too much work. But that’s neither here nor there.” He turned his hat as if his thoughts were moving as quickly.

  “Here’s what I know,” he said, glancing between Hank and Nancy. “Folks around Burnet noticed cattle missing—a few head here, a few there, mostly from big spreads that could afford to absorb the loss. We figured someone was trying to build a herd at the expense of others.”

  Hank exchanged glances with Nancy. “We thought the same thing when cattle started disappearing near Little Horn.”

  Blacock nodded. “Then some of the smaller spreads were hit, larger numbers stolen, to the point that those ranchers needed to take out loans to keep their spreads afloat. Banks down our way refused them, all except one. And the terms were none too friendly.”

  Nancy eyed him. “Did the bank demand payment sooner than expected? Threaten to take over the ranch?”

  He shrugged. “I guess bankers are the same all over.”

  “Maybe,” Hank allowed, but he felt as if the sun was finally rising and shedding light after a long winter’s night. “Maybe not. These small spreads, did they take out their loans from the Empire Bank in Burnet, by any chance?”

  “From a banker named Winston Cramore?” Nancy added.

  Blacock stared at them. “Yes. Every one.”

  Hank shook his head. “All this time, we were looking at it wrong. We thought it was a rustling ring. It’s not about the cattle. Cramore is trying to get his hands on land.”

  “Good land too,” Blacock said. “Places with water rights, along cattle trails. He couldn’t afford to buy them out, so he found a way to force them out.”

  “We must stop him,” Nancy said, glancing between Hank and the former Ranger.

  “That shouldn’t be a problem, ma’am,” Blacock assured her. “I reckon he’s already running scared, sure he’s about to be discovered. Someone took a shot at me the other day, and I tracked him to Waco before losing sight of him. I wouldn’t be surprised if the fellow I locked up in the dog kennel hadn’t been sent to stop you, Snowden.”

  Hank raised his brows, but Nancy paled. “Is that why he kept needling Hank?”

  Blacock nodded. “He wanted an excuse to shoot him. Cramore must know the two of us are on his trail. He’s afraid we’ll put the pieces together, shut him down before he can make good on his threats.”

  “Then why not just shoot me?” Hank asked.

  Blacock shrugged. “Gun down a man for no reason, and people talk about plots. Kill a man in a robbery, and people say what a shame.”

  He slapped his hands on his knees. “But the trouble stops here, folks. As soon as we reach Little Horn, I’m turning our robber over to Sheriff Fuller for questioning and I’m riding for Burnet to catch Cramore and bring him to justice. You in, Snowden?”

  Hank stared at him. Something inside him urged him to go, to capture Cramore and see him stand trial for all the trouble he’d caused.

  Yet that meant leaving Nancy behind. Focusing on the past when the future was looking at him with hopeful eyes.

  After all he’d been through, from fleeing his father’s impossible expectations to shooting Lucas Bennett, he knew what mattered now. And that told him exactly how he should respond.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Nancy bit her lip, waiting for Hank’s answer. Those sapphire eyes were bright with interest. His lean body was tensed, hands firm on the denim of his Levi’s. From before they had married, he’d been striving and struggling to learn the truth behind why Lucas had chosen to steal those cattle.

  At first, she hadn’t understood his determination. Now she knew why finding Lucas’s buyer was so important to Hank. When Lucas had moved into the path of that bullet, Lucas had lost the ability to atone for his crimes. By bringing those responsible for the thefts to justice, Hank was atoning not only for Lucas but for the shot Hank had fired.

  But much as she wanted him to put that fateful day behind him, she knew capturing Cramore could be dangerous. The banker had already sent a killer after them, if Mr. Blacock was right. Surely, he’d protect the scheme he’d worked so hard to perpetuate. What if Cramore killed Hank?

  How would she go on? Losing Lucas, who she’d come to care for, had been hard. Losing Hank would break her. She loved Hank.

  Maybe it was time he knew it.

  Across from her, Hank smiled at the former Ranger. “Much obliged for the offer, Blacock, but I’ll leave this one to you. Just send word once you’ve captured the crook so everyone in Little Horn can rest easy.”

  “Will do,” Blacock promised. “But you’ll miss all the fun.”

  Hank turned his smile on Nancy. “I have everything I need, right here.”

  Relief was so strong she nearly sagged against the seat. But more than relief that he would be safe was the knowledge that he’d chosen to stay, with her.

  Thank You, Lord. Give me the words to tell him how much he’s come to mean to me.

  Blacock’s laugh made her glance his way in time to see him shake his head. “I envy you. Now, I think I’ll go dangle Cramore’s name in front of our robber and see if he bites.” He rose and nodded to Nancy. “Ma’am.”

  “Mr. Blacock.” Nancy watched him leave, then turned to Hank, wanting to seize hold of him and keep him next to her. “Thank you for not going to Burnet to capture Mr. Cramore.”

  Hank shrugged, leaning back in the seat. “All I ever needed was to know I’d done the right thing. You’ve helped me see that, Nancy. Someone else can have the satisfaction of bringing Cramore in.”

  Nancy drew in a breath, feeling as if the train car had brightened. “So, it’s over. We can go home.”

  He took her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. “Home is wherever you are.”

  If he truly meant that, then she had a chance. She tugged on his hand, and he slipped across the space to share her seat.

  “I have a confession to make,” she said. Her heart started pounding harder, and she could only think that poor baby Ben was probably wondering at the noise.

  “You taught Missy how to cook,” he guessed.

  “No,” she said with a smile.

  “Ah. You and Tommy came to agreement on that bronco, and you expect me to break her for you.”

  “No,” she said. “You leave Tommy’s horse alone. I saw how you looked at her.”

  He chuckled, and she felt the movement against her side. “Never took you for the jealous type.”

  Nancy sobered. “Oh, but you’re wrong. I am jealous. That’s part of my confession. I offered to let you stay in Waco without me, and I would have let you go off with Mr. Blacock to capture Winston Cramore, if that’s what you wanted. But I didn’t want you to go, Hank. I want you here beside me, for the rest of our lives. I love you.”

  She emboldened herself to meet his gaze, and the tender
ness in it drove any last doubts away. He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  “I have a confession too,” he murmured, gaze holding hers even as his arms cradled her close. “Managing the Double H and riding after Cramore would have been a whole lot of fun. But neither of those things nor anything else will ever compare to being with you. I love you too, Nancy.”

  Trembling from the joy of it, she leaned closer, and he met her lips with his own. In that kiss, she felt the love between them, stronger, warmer and brighter than she could have dreamed. With such a love, there was nothing they couldn’t do.

  Ben seemed to approve, for he was dancing once more as Nancy finally pulled back.

  “So,” Hank said, arm about her shoulders, “does this mean we’ll be husband and wife?”

  Nancy nodded, then dipped her gaze, feeling suddenly shy. “I’ll clear out Lucas’s things, and you can have his room.”

  “I am not my mother,” he declared. “You clear out Lucas’s room for the two of us, and little Ben can have the other room. I’ll put in a door so we can reach him quickly.”

  “Perfect,” she agreed with a contented sigh, snuggling into his arms. “Just perfect.”

  * * *

  The trip to Little Horn seemed faster than the ride to Waco, but maybe that was because Nancy was so eager to get home. As it was, the sun was heading toward the horizon when they reached the station. Hank had sent a telegram to Little Horn to alert Mr. Upkins to meet them, but Nancy didn’t see the wagon waiting.

  Instead, Josiah and Betsy McKay were standing on the platform.

  “I called at the ranch and your man told me when you were arriving,” Josiah explained, shaking Hank’s hand in welcome. “Betsy and I were hoping to treat you to dinner at the café before we take you home.”

  “I’m feeling much better,” Betsy confided to Nancy. “Your suggestions worked wonders. Please, let us pay you back.”

  Nancy and Hank both tried to demur, but the couple would hear none of it. It seemed they had already arranged for Edmund and Lula May to watch their children. So, Hank and Nancy found themselves around a table at Mercy Green’s café. The roast beef and gravy on special that night wasn’t nearly as good as the food Nancy had eaten at Mother Snowden’s table.

  Hank told Josiah about the confrontation on the train and the former Ranger’s plans to apprehend Cramore. Josiah’s smile blossomed.

  “That’s great news! Truth be told, I was almost afraid to invite my brother here given the troubles recently.”

  “Your brother?” Nancy asked. “I thought Edmund was your only brother.”

  “There were three of us,” Josiah explained. “When our folks died, the rest of the family parceled us out, fairly far away from each other. It’s taken me years to find Edmund and David.”

  “But now David, his daughter and the woman who raised him want to come settle here,” Betsy put in, slicing into the apple pie Mercy had brought them for dessert. She glanced at her husband. “If we can just find somewhere to put them.”

  “We’ll need a hand or two for the roundup,” Nancy offered. “That might tide him over until he finds something more permanent.”

  Josiah shook his head. “Thanks, but David’s looking to run his own spread. He has the money to buy into one and improve it to his liking. I just don’t know anyone looking to sell hereabouts.”

  Nancy felt Ben wiggle inside her, and her hand went to her belly. Was this an answer to a prayer she hadn’t known she’d prayed?

  All along, she’d fought to save the Windy Diamond for her baby. But a few thousand acres was nothing compared to the love of family. Was this encounter with the McKays God’s way of telling her it was time to move on?

  Were they meant to go to Waco after all?

  * * *

  Hank felt a jolt at Josiah’s comment. He’d pledged himself to Nancy and the Windy Diamond, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that his family in Waco needed him as much. Was it possible he could help both his families?

  Mind whirling, he managed to keep the conversation casual as Josiah and Betsy drove them out to the ranch, then sent the couple off with their thanks. Jenks crawled out of the barn just long enough to check on the ruckus and welcome Hank and Nancy home.

  “Upkins is riding herd tonight,” he reported, “but I’m clean tuckered. Can we talk at first light?”

  Hank promised him they could, then escorted Nancy to the house. Everything was exactly as they’d left it, from the hook hanging by the mirror next to the door waiting for Nancy’s hat to the armchairs sitting at precise angles in the parlor. Suddenly, Hank wanted to shove them around, throw up the rug, make a mess that was his own.

  “I’ve been thinking,” he said as Nancy removed her hat and set it on the hook.

  “Me too,” she said. “Go on.”

  Something was troubling her. He could see it in the way her teeth tugged at her lip. He decided to plunge ahead anyway.

  “You’ve been working hard to save this ranch,” he told her. “You always said the Windy Diamond was baby Ben’s inheritance. But I can give him a better one, Nancy—a spread more than twice as big and a family with cousins to spare. Only I don’t want to do that if it means taking away your dream.”

  “I’ve had the same thoughts.” She trailed her finger along the back of one chair, then grimaced at the dust that marred her skin. “The Windy Diamond has been all I can think about for the last few months. Preserving the ranch for Ben kept me from focusing on what I lost.” She glanced up at him. “But I’m tired of living in the past. Everywhere I look here, I see Lucas.”

  “We could redecorate,” he offered, still unwilling to give up on something that had meant so much to her.

  She shook her head. “It’s more than the decorations. It’s bone deep. You told your family you had grown. I’ve grown too, and so have my dreams. I want to start fresh—you and me and Ben. I’m ready to let go. We can tell the bank we agreed to sell the ranch and keep the money in trust for Ben.”

  Hank blew out a breath, then moved closer and took her in his arms. “You’re a strong woman, Nancy Snowden. I’m honored you chose me to stand beside you.”

  “And I can’t wait to make us a real family,” she murmured. Then she pulled back, eyes widening. “Oh, Hank. What about Mr. Upkins and Billy? They’re family too!”

  Hank nodded. “We’ll talk to them in the morning. From what Ernesto told me, there’s enough work at the Double H that I can offer them both a job. Taking them with us to Waco will leave Josiah’s brother shorthanded with the herd, but the league should be able to help him until he can hire more workers.”

  Nancy gripped his hands. “Oh, Hank, I just know this is the right decision.”

  So did he. And it wasn’t just that feeling coming over him this time. Now it was his love for Nancy that told him the truth of it.

  * * *

  Nancy cooked a big breakfast the next morning. Hank could see she was happy to have all her boys around her table again. She complimented Jenks on his new haircut, which cropped his rusty-colored hair away from his lean face, and made sure Upkins had an extra slice of apple bread. She caught Hank’s gaze on her and blushed. He hoped she always would.

  “We have a proposal for you,” Hank told them after the two cowhands had tucked into the food. He explained about the reconciliation with his father, Josiah and Edmund’s brother coming to the area looking for a ranch, and his and Nancy’s plans to relocate to Waco.

  “There’s room for two more cowboys at the Double H,” he concluded. “I’d be proud to have you with us.”

  Jenks hastily swallowed his eggs. “Yeah, sure,” he declared, head bobbing. “I heard you have sisters.”

  Hank chuckled. “Three pretty ones, all older than you and all happily married.”

  Jenks’s face
fell.

  “But he has at least two nieces a little younger than you,” Nancy put in with a smile. “And I’m sure there are more young ladies in the area.”

  Jenks grinned.

  Upkins cleared his throat. “I think I’ll stay put.”

  Nancy sagged. “Oh, Mr. Upkins, are you sure?”

  He nodded, though he avoided her gaze. “I’m getting too old to pull up stakes again. And Mr. McKay will need someone who knows the spread.” He glanced over at Hank. “But I’ll come up to Waco for a visit after roundup.”

  “You’ll be welcome at the Double H any time,” Hank promised. “There will always be room in my bunkhouse for you.”

  Upkins nodded again and returned to his food. “So long as Mrs. Snowden keeps cooking like this, you couldn’t keep me away.”

  “I guess it’s settled, then,” Nancy said with a look to Hank. He could see the excitement in her eyes. “We’re going to Waco.”

  “Reckon you better tell them other folks on the league,” Upkins put in.

  “And my family,” Hank agreed. “I’ll write to my father today, and we can tell our friends at church on Sunday.” He raised his coffee cup in toast. “To the future!”

  “To the future,” they all chorused, raising their cups, as well.

  And he knew, wherever he went, with Nancy beside him, that future would be blessed.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Of course, the members of the Lone Star Cowboy League threw Hank and Nancy a going-away party. The cooler air of October made the grass of the field next to the church especially inviting. Bright gingham bunting draped the tables, Mercy Green and the ladies of Little Horn donated apple and pumpkin pies, and the band was tuning up their instruments for dancing.

  Near the church, Molly and CJ stood listening to Lula May while the twins chased the youngest Barlow boy around the fiddler’s chair. The scrappy horsewoman was badgering Bo Stillwater, who was considering running for mayor, about the need for a bigger school. Beside her, Edmund put in his support for the idea. Nancy knew from Edmund’s conversation with Hank that the cattleman and his wife had big plans for the community.