GW Hart reined his big horse to a halt and grinned. “Glad to see you back, son. Where you been?”
“I had some business in town to tend to.”
His pa’s mustache danced. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with getting a bride, would it?”
Austin’s mouth fell open, and he watched the big man dismount. “How did you know?”
GW shook his head, grinning. “Haven’t you learned that you can’t outsmart me yet?”
It had to have been Annie, unless Coralee or Emma had been to the big house since they were in town.
GW slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ve known for a while that you were writing to a woman.”
“How? I never told anyone.”
His pa chuckled. “I have my ways.”
He sure did. Austin thought he’d done well to keep Jenny a secret.
“When do I get to meet my next daughter-in-law?” GW squinted his eyes and twisted the end of his mustache. “You’re not already hitched, are you?”
Austin shook his head. “No, sir. Jenny just got into town yesterday, and she wanted some time to get to know me and to prepare for the wedding.”
He led his horse toward the barn, and Austin followed. “Have you set a date? We’ll need to let folks know.”
There went his hopes for a quiet wedding “Not yet, but I don’t expect it will be too long. Her sister is here, too, so she can stand up with Jenny.”
“Good. I look forward to meeting her, also. That will just leave Bowie without a bride.”
Austin found it hard to see his troubled brother falling in love. Too bad Rebekah was already engaged. Maybe she and Bowie could have gotten hitched. It would be nice for Jenny to have her close. He didn’t like the idea of Rebekah leaving on the stage and never seeing her again. It was sure to make Jenny even more withdrawn.
“So, are they here or in town?” He walked his horse toward the barn, and Austin joined him.
“They’re here.” Feminine laughter from inside the barn made Austin’s gut tighten. As he stepped inside, he saw Jenny standing a few feet away from Cody.
Pa frowned and glanced at him. “How come he has his woman here?”
Austin swallowed the knot clogging his throat. “She’s not his woman, she’s mine.”
Jenny and Cody glanced up at the same time. Cody had the good sense to look ashamed, but Jenny—she just looked caught. She smiled brightly and moved toward him. “There you are. I couldn’t rest so I decided to go for a walk. I thought I might find you here, but when I first came into the barn—” she held her hand to her throat and glanced behind her into the shadows, visibly swallowed, then turned back. “A mangy dog nearly attacked me and frightened me out of my wits. Cody chased it off and was nice enough to show me around.”
Austin stared at the young ranch hand, wondering if the tale was true or not. Cody couldn’t be more than a year or two older than Jenny, and he certainly was more of a charmer than Austin. Had Cody caught Jenny’s eye? He sure didn’t want to think such a thing was true.
“I explained to Miss Evans about how Clara don’t like strangers, but that she ain’t dangerous.” Cody hurried toward them. “Let me take care of your horse, boss.” He held out his hand, and GW passed him the reins, scowling.
“Bowie took one of his dogs with him. Don’t know why he couldn’t have taken that mutt, too.” His pa turned to him. “So, are you going to introduce us?”
Austin moved toward Jenny. “Of course. Jenny, this is my father, George Washington Hart. Pa, this is Jenny Evans, my fiancée.” At least he hoped she still was.
Jenny’s smile seemed a bit forced, but then most folks were intimidated when they met GW for the first time. At six feet four inches” and broad shouldered, he was taller and more imposing than most men.
“I’m pleased to meet you, sir.” Jenny surprised him by giving his pa a quick curtsy.
“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Evans. I hope you realize that my oldest son is the pick of the litter and will make you a fine husband.” Austin had heard that line more than once in reference to his brothers so he didn’t put much stock in it.
“Thank you, Mr. Hart. I haven’t met any of your other sons, but I’m sure I’ll agree with you.” She smiled at Austin.
He tried to let go of the nagging feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn’t quite do it. “I thought you’d be tired from the ride out here.”
“I wanted to get more of a look at my new home, but now that I have, I think I will rest for a bit.”
GW held out his arm. “Allow an old coot the pleasure of walking you into the house.”
“Thank you, sir.” Jenny lightly took hold of his father’s arm, and they started forward.
She glanced back, but instead of looking at Austin, her gaze shot past him. He turned to see Cody staring at her. He tightened his fist. Were things as innocent as Jenny would like him to believe, or was something else going on here?
After watching the lovely sunset, Rebekah leaned against the porch railing, enjoying the coolness of the evening. Crickets serenaded her, but other than the lowing of a cow or an occasional horse whinny, all was quiet. She liked the slower pace of life here on the ranch, and the quiet evenings free of saloon music and men’s laughter that she could hear from her home on nights when the window was up. But there was also something scary about it.
So much unknown. And just beyond the safety of the porch, who knew what lingered in the darkness. Looking up, she smiled at the thousands of stars. “So pretty.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
Rebekah jumped and stared into the dark. “Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Austin.” He moved closer. “Sorry if I frightened you … uh … Jenny?”
“No. It’s Rebekah.” She laid her hand against her racing heart. “What are you doing out here?” She could barely make out his image in the darkness.
“Checking for anything out of the ordinary before I turn in. Old habit, I suppose. What are you doing out here?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” She chuckled. “I probably should warn you that when Jenny first goes to sleep, she tends to snore.” As soon as she said that she wished she could snatch back the words. Talking with a man about her sister’s sleeping habits was highly improper, even if that man was Jenny’s fiancé. In fact, standing in the dark and talking to a man was just as inappropriate, but something held her in place.
Austin passed by in front of her on the other side of the railing and then boots clunked on the wooden steps. “I’m glad to see someone using this side porch. It’s been a while. Would you mind if I brought a lantern out?”
“Not at all.”
“Be right back.”
The door creaked softly as he stepped into the house. He returned quickly, holding the lantern Josefina had left burning on the hall table for her and Jenny to use if they needed to go to the washroom during the night. He set it on a small table that stood next to one of the two rocking chairs.
“Thank you.” She should probably go inside but felt odd saying so now that he’d brought out the lantern.
“What did you think about my family? You’re really fortunate that we had a small group tonight.”
“They’re very nice. Annie has been quite gracious and very helpful in getting us settled. Travis seems nice, and your father was very gracious, too.”
A smirk danced on Austin’s lips. “He didn’t scare you?”
“He certainly is a big man, but I saw kindness in his eyes.”
Austin’s feet shifted. “Did Jenny have anything to say about them?”
“I think she likes them, but we didn’t discuss them. As you know, Jenny retired to our room early. She wasn’t able to rest this afternoon and was tired.”
He thumped his fingers against the railing. “I have to admit, I’m having a hard time figuring her out. In the three letters I received from her, she seemed so lively, but she seems a different person here.”
“I think she’s missing home
some. We’ve lived our whole lives in Missouri, and she had to leave her friends.” What few she still had after the bad choices she’d made.
“That’s understandable.”
“How would you feel if you had to leave El Regalo, knowing you might never return?”
His fingers brushed across his chin, making a rasping sound she found intriguing. “I see your point. I’ve been on several cattle drives that lasted a couple of months, as well as business trips to purchase new stock, but I’ve always known I’d be coming home again. I can’t imagine how awful I’d feel if I knew I’d never see my home again.”
She took a step toward him and almost reached out before closing her hand and keeping it at her side. “Please give her time. She only met you yesterday. I think the idea of getting married needs to soak into her mind. I don’t think it seemed real until she met you.”
“I understand, but I would have thought she’d already made up her mind. That was the point in writing letters.”
Rebekah didn’t know what to say. She wanted to defend her sister, but more and more, she didn’t want to see Austin hurt. He was a good man. She could tell Travis looked up to him as his older brother. And Jenny could be unpredictable.
“I’ll be patient, but I have to be honest. I have a deadline to get married.”
“What?” Rebekah stared at him. What in the world did that mean?
He rubbed his jaw again, and she noticed that he seemed to favor one leg, even wincing when he put his full weight on it.
“I should have told Jenny before she came, but I was afraid she’d stop writing me.” He blew out a loud sigh. “Pa gave all of us an ultimatum—get married by the end of this year or lose our inheritance.”
A loud gasp slipped out before Rebekah could stop it. “Why would he do such a thing?”
Austin scratched his ear and stared out into the darkness. “I honestly don’t know.” He faced her again, looking serious. “I suppose he made the ultimatum because he wants to see his sons married and maybe even enjoy some grandchildren soon. He isn’t getting any younger. I’ll admit we were all upset at first—well, maybe all but Hays. The crazy thing is that it’s turned out better than any of us thought—at least for those who are married.”
And he was the eldest brother and still not married. No wonder he felt the pressure to find a wife.
“It’s even a bit worse for me than the others, but I stand to inherit this house and the surrounding lands, as well as another nice section of land.”
She couldn’t help reaching out and touching his arm. “Surely your father wouldn’t turn you away simply because you didn’t marry.”
“I can’t take that chance. This land—this family—is all I have.”
“That’s not true.”
He stared down at her, frowning. “I’ve lived my whole life here. I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else.”
“I understand. But this isn’t all you have. You have the knowledge of being a rancher, and no matter where you end up, that will serve you well. From what I’ve seen, you’re a good, honorable man, and whether you live here or somewhere else, that won’t change.”
Her gaze locked with his, and her heartbeat escalated. What was she doing out her alone with Jenny’s fiancé? She stepped back. “I … uh … should probably go inside.”
“Let me tell Jenny about the ultimatum, if you will. She should know before we marry.”
And Jenny had something she needed to tell him, too. “I won’t say anything. I promise.”
“Good night, Rebekah.”
“Good night.” She rushed inside, her heart racing. It wasn’t until she was back in her room that she realized she’d left the lantern outside. A light under the door told her Austin had returned it to the table. She felt her way around the room and dropped down into the chair, thinking of her conversation with Austin. Why had he told her about the ultimatum? Did he feel as comfortable talking with her as she did him?
She laid her head back, tears gathering in her eyes. Over the years there had been many times she and Jenny had swapped places to play a prank on someone. For the first time in her life, she wished she could change places with her sister permanently.
Chapter Six
After a delicious breakfast, Rebekah followed Jenny back to their room. “I’m excited to see Annie’s house, aren’t you?”
Jenny strode to the window overlooking the porch and stared out. “I don’t think I’ll go. I didn’t sleep well last night, and I’m still tired from traveling. I was thinking I’d stay here and repair the hem on my petticoat and maybe read for a while.”
Rebekah pursed her lips. Why did Jenny have to be such a spoilsport? “Annie has been so hospitable. I hate to disappoint her. It was very gracious of her to invite us to see her new house.” When Jenny didn’t respond, she sat down on the edge of the bed, sighing. She’d been looking forward to spending a little time with her new friend, but on the other hand, she and Jenny didn’t have much more time together. As soon as her sister was married, she needed to return home. “Don’t you think it would be a good idea to get to know her since you two will be related once you marry Austin?”
Jenny crossed her arms and turned. “I have all the time in the world to get to know the Hart women. Right now, I’m tired.” Yawning, she dropped onto the edge of the chair, hiked up her skirt, and reached down to untie her balmorals.
With a loud sigh, Rebekah rose. “Very well. I’ll tell her that we can’t go.”
“What?” Jenny’s head jerked up. “You don’t need to stay with me. I’ll be sleeping for a while and then reading—or sewing. I’ll be perfectly fine by myself.”
“You know Austin won’t return until early this afternoon.”
“I heard him across the breakfast table just as well as you. He said something about checking on some horses. I might as well get used to being by myself. I imagine it will happen a lot.”
Jenny didn’t look too happy about the prospect of her lonely future. Maybe her children with Austin would help fill the void—if they had any. She studied her sister as she removed her shoes and felt a bit of remorse for Austin. Though Jenny could be obstinate and selfish, Rebekah loved her dearly. But her growing admiration for Austin made her wish her sister was more hospitable and helpful. How would he ever fall in love with Jenny the way she’d been acting? If he already knew about her past and had forgiven it, then she felt sure he would be able to face any problem with his new wife. But had Jenny told him? Rebekah was hesitant to bring up the topic that had been on her mind since she met Austin, but she had to know. “I don’t suppose you’ve told him about—you know.”
Horror engulfed her sister’s face. “No! Of course not.”
“It’s only fair that he knows before you marry.”
Jenny jumped to her feet, turning her back. “How do you suggest I broach such a dreadful subject? How do I tell the man I’m engaged to that I’m not a … virgin?”
Rebekah longed to cross the room and comfort her sister. “I know it’s difficult, but it needs to be done, and the sooner it is, the better things will be between you. I’m sure you’ll feel better, and I think Austin will respect you for telling him.”
“If he doesn’t send us packing.”
Having heard about his father’s ultimatum to marry, she doubted Austin would do such a thing, but men could be stubborn about marrying a pure woman. At least Jenny wasn’t with child. Things seemed so unfair at times that a man could carouse and spend time with bawdyhouse women and then were slapped on the back and congratulated. But when a man took advantage of a naïve woman, it was always the woman who paid the price, no matter the circumstances.
Rebekah hated leaving her sister alone after raising such a heavy topic, but sometimes with Jenny, it was the best thing. A nap might well put her in better spirits, and being by herself would give her time to compose her thoughts about sharing her dreadful news with Austin. At least she hoped it would. She muttered a quick prayer for both of them and th
at Austin would be forgiving and not terribly hurt by Jenny’s revelation.
“You’re certain you want to stay?”
Jenny nodded.
“All right then. Annie said we’d be back in time for lunch.”
Jenny smiled and waved. “Enjoy your ride.”
“I will. You have a good rest.” Rebekah picked up her bonnet and closed the door, hating that she felt glad to have a few minutes away from her sister. All too soon, many miles would separate them for the first time ever, and then she’d sorely miss Jenny.
Ten minutes later, she climbed into the buggy with Annie. “I’m sorry that Jenny didn’t feel up to coming.”
Annie gathered the reins and smiled. “Think nothing of it. Our Texas heat can be hard to get used to. And to be honest, it’s good for Jenny to be comfortable staying in the big house by herself since Austin will be out working most days. Not that she’s totally alone with Perla and Josefina there.”
“I have to admit that it pricked my heart a bit that Jenny didn’t want to spend what little time we have left together.”
Annie patted her hand. “That’s understandable. It may take some adjustment, but I think your sister will love it here once she’s lived at the ranch a while. The Hart men may come across as large and intimidating, but deep on the inside, they have hearts as big as all of Texas.”
“I thought Robbie was going to join us today.”
“When GW heard of our plans, he invited Robbie to go with him and Austin. I don’t think I’ve seen such a big smile on my son’s face since we arrived here.”
“It’s nice of the men to include him.” She was learning that the Hart brothers were considerate men. They had to be, to be willing to take a boy with them for the day. But then she supposed Mr. Hart had taken his sons with him to work the ranch. How else would they know what to do now?
Rebekah studied the landscape once they were clear of the ranch. Even though it was autumn, wildflowers dotted the landscape. A roadrunner dashed across the road up ahead of them. “It’s a lot drier here, and there aren’t nearly as many trees as in Missouri, but there’s a beauty all its own.”
Seven Brides for Seven Texans Romance Collection Page 44