Temperance stiffened and her hand automatically went to the locket Tanner had given her. “Do you really think we’re in that much danger? Do you think they’ll follow us home?”
Sheriff Musgraves gave her a comforting smile. “I’m not too awful worried about it, ma’am, but life has taught me that it never hurts to be a bit overcautious at times.”
Tanner moved Temperance off his lap and stood up before helping her to stand as well. He held out his hand to the sheriff who found his feet as well. “Thank you for your help, Sheriff. We’ll be happy to wait until tomorrow. I’m not too proud to accept a bit of help when it comes to keeping my family safe.”
“Glad to hear it,” Sheriff Musgraves grinned. “You got a real nice family.”
“I know that,” Tanner agreed while Temperance just smiled and ruffled Jackson’s dark hair. “I’m gonna tell you something that’s the damn truth so you better take what I say to heart,” Tanner added. “You are the first lawman I’ve ever met who I felt deserves to wear that badge.”
Sheriff Musgraves shook his hand and Temperance was certain she saw the big, tough lawman flush a little. “Thanks, Tanner. I’m glad to hear I’ve done something right.”
***
Tanner held Temperance’s body close to his that night and stroked her bare back with his fingertips as he listened to her steady breathing.
She was dreaming peacefully against his chest and Tanner was simply soaking in the contact and the closeness. He had truly thought he would never see her again. He had believed for sure that he’d be hanged or locked away from her and their son forever and that thought had terrified and paralyzed him.
Tanner couldn’t live without her and he wasn’t too proud to admit it. He needed her by his side and he needed their son. They kept the walls from closing in, kept the flashbacks at bay and kept his heart full of more happiness and joy than any one man deserved to have.
The Savannah streets were silent below and the warm night air blew in through the open window. The night sky was clear and full of stars and Tanner thanked each and every one of those stars for the life he now had. A life he never imagined possible when he’d been rotting away in that prison camp.
Temperance stirred in his arms and he kissed her red curls. She slid her fingers through the dusting of blond hair on his chest and kissed his shoulder. “Why aren’t you sleeping?” she asked gently. “Is your side hurting? Do you need more pain medicine?”
Tanner smiled down at her and shook his head. “No, sweetheart. I was just thinking about how damn good life is these days, that’s all.”
“You were shot today and there’s a bounty on your head,” Temperance reminded him. “You would call that good?”
“I’m laying in a warm bed, the night is peaceful, our son is sleeping across the hall and you are lying in my arms. Hell yeah, I’d call that good.”
Temperance kissed the bare skin of his shoulder again and Tanner couldn’t suppress the groan that slipped from his mouth. She smiled and her green eyes sparkled with mischief. “Well, when you put it that way I’d have to agree that it’s pretty good these days too.”
Epilogue
Two Years Later
Tanner stepped out onto the porch, having just left Jackson with his tutor in the sitting room. He let his gaze pass over the fields and pastures. The scent of Temperance’s flowers, her third passions after the family and her horses filled his nose and added a splash of color to the browns and greens of dirt, grass and barns.
“Bring that horse ‘round this way!” Silas’s voice broke through the late afternoon air.
Tanner turned his attention to the nearest corral where several colts were being put through their paces for a prospective client.
The client was a dapper gentlemen with a velvet top hat, a flashy cane and sparkling loafers. Tanner nearly laughed at the sight but he knew, as did just about everyone else on the ranch, that the man was only dressed that way to impress Temperance.
Nearly every man that came here came not only to see the horses but to make an impression on their owner--and why wouldn’t they?
Temperance had always been beautiful to look at but now her inner beauty shone through as well. She radiated with a confidence, goodness and charm that was more addictive than all the laudanum and whiskey the world had to offer.
Tanner let his gaze land on his wife and as always his breath was taken away momentarily. Her clothes were simple enough--just a plain brown wool skirt, a white blouse and a thick leather belt but she still stole the attention of everyone around.
Red curls hung down her back, her freckled cheeks were curved with a smile and her laughter rang out in the air as she and the gentleman talked. Her body was full and soft--a bit fuller than it had been two years ago, and yet somehow even more alluring to him than it had been even then.
The bundle in Tanner’s arms squirmed and let out a whimper and it was then that he remembered the mission he had been on. Little Charlotte was hungry and while there were many things that a daddy could do, feeding a hungry five month old who was craving mama’s milk just wasn’t one of them.
“Alright, Little Bit, let me go get your mama,” Tanner shushed the baby gently as he kissed her brow. She kicked harder and let out a wail.
The wail caught Temperance’s attention and she rushed over, meeting Tanner halfway. “What’s the matter with her?” she asked as she took Charlotte from his arms.
“She’s needing some time with her mama,” Tanner replied, tipping his hat to the gentleman who had also walked over.
Temperance nodded knowingly and rose on her toes to kiss Tanner’s cheek. “You can finish up here, can’t you?”
Tanner put his thumbs through his belt loops and enjoyed the look of surprise on the gentleman’s face. Most people didn’t realize that Temperance was married. Her name hadn’t changed after all and she didn’t discuss her personal life during business meetings.
“Sure can,” Tanner tipped his hat to the gentleman. “Was he looking at buying those colts?”
“Yes,” Temperance replied, bouncing Charlotte gently in an effort to soothe her. “I trust you to know what they’re worth. You’re a decent judge of flesh.”
Tanner could hear the teasing in her tone and he flashed her a wicked grin. “I judged yours just fine, didn’t I?” The man cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly, but Tanner figured it was his own fault for barging over here instead of staying at the corral.
With flushed cheeks and a squeak, Temperance tipped her head to both men and then dashed into the house.
“Are you… Are you her husband?” the gentleman asked once he and Tanner were alone.
“Sure am.” Tanner held out his hand, “Name’s Tanner Montgomery.”
“Edmund Fredricks. I didn’t realize the lady was married,” the gentleman admitted as he shook Tanner’s hand.
“Not many do,” Tanner acknowledged as the two men made their way back toward the corral.
“You took her last name?” Edmund inquired.
Tanner nearly laughed aloud. Looks like he had him a nosy one sniffing at his wife’s skirts. The nosy ones were always the most fun. “Naw, this ranch was my brother’s and she was married to him.”
“You married your brother’s wife.”
“Yep,” Tanner scratched at his jaw. “A few years after I made her a widow.”
Edmund’s eyes narrowed as he tilted his head and pondered what Tanner had said. Suddenly his eyes widened and Tanner grinned. “Killed that bastard and then spent five years in prison for it. Married his widow once I got out.”
Edmund tugged on the high starched collar of his white shirt. “Why on earth would you kill your brother?”
“He didn’t treat Temperance right,” Tanner replied, letting his voice drop low. “I don’t allow anyone to so much as think about mistreating or laying hands on my Temperance.”
Edmund stuttered several times and Tanner patted him on the back and pointed to the colts to see that Silas
was laughing at the exchange. “Why don’t we get some horses sold?” Tanner asked and Edmund could only nod.
***
“He bought more than I expected him to,” Temperance admitted as they ate dinner that night.
Silas chuckled from where he sat at the table. Temperance had made the rule and enforced it firmly that the workers here were not only workers, but also family and expected to act as such. “Tanner might have had something to do with that.”
Temperance gasped and glared at him as Jackson and everyone else at the table laughed. “Tanner! You have to stop doing that! You know you have no reason to be so jealous and threatening toward those men.”
“I didn’t threaten him!” Tanner assured her with a grin. “We just had a chat.”
Temperance snorted but she couldn’t stop her lips from spreading with amusement. “Yes, well your chats always seem to have the client doing whatever you ask them to do just to get away from you more quickly.”
“Then from a business prospective it works just fine, doesn’t it?” Tanner teased.
Temperance sighed and kissed her husband lightly not knowing anything else to do with the man. Laughter and conversation filled the room as Temperance sat there taking in the sight of her family.
Jackson was seven now and while he was stubborn, strong willed and gave them more than a few headaches he was a good child and he was smart and independent and going to be an amazing man just like his father--and Tanner was his father. No matter what Jackson ever learned about the past that had brought his parents together he was going to know that Tanner was his father and that was that. Trevor had had no part in creating the amazing boy that was sitting at the side of the table.
Wilma was still faithfully cooking their meals, Millie was married now but still lived at the ranch with her husband and Sophia would probably be the next one getting married if that boy who’d been sniffing around her skirts had anything to say about it.
The ranch had grown and there were several new faces but Temperance no longer feared new people or spent her life hiding from the ‘what-ifs’ and ‘could-bes’.
She had stumbled many times on her path to inner strength and peace. She had done things that she was absolutely ashamed of and caused pain to those she loved that she wished everyday she could take back but finally she was where she had always wanted to be.
She was a woman her mother and father would be proud of. A woman her sisters could look up to and a woman her brothers would of respected.
Little Charlotte whimpered from her bassinet but before Temperance could rise, Tanner was out of his seat and rushing to her. He picked up the squirming five month old and held her close. Temperance smiled. With red hair and a temper to match, it was clear that Charlotte was going to be a handful--just like her namesake. Naming their daughter after her sister had been Tanner’s idea and Temperance had happily agreed.
She watched her husband as he smiled down at their cooing daughter and sent up a prayer of thanks for all things that had happened in her life--even the bad ones. If those tragic and terrible events hadn’t occurred Temperance would not be where she was now, she would not be who she was now and she wouldn’t have this family to call her own.
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Against Her Will Page 31