Montana Surrender

by Simmons, Trana Mae

  "I love you, too, darlin'," Storm said. He gently turned her back around to face Idalee and Jessica. "But you've got to go now."

  Prudence pointed to the bedroom door and nodded.

  "She's ready to leave now, Idy," Storm informed them as both women stared at Prudence in wonder. "Go on," he urged them as they hesitated. "Get her out of here."

  Prudence gave an exasperated shrug of her shoulders and reached for Jessica's hand. She tugged her through the door and, without a backward glance at Storm, started down the hallway.

  Seconds later, Jessica tossed her wet cloak back around her and hurried out the door after Prudence. A light rain still fell and they both pulled their hoods up. Though Jessica glanced at Prudence now and then as they made their way across the treacherous footing on the soggy ground, she couldn't determine the expression on the other woman's face inside the shadowed confines of the hood. But the words of the one-sided conversation in Idalee's bedroom burned in her mind.

  Ned met them at the hotel door and held it open for them. "You're both soaked. Let's go in and get something hot to drink."

  Prudence pulled away from Jessica inside the lobby and shook her head, eyeing Ned warily.

  "Prudence, this is my friend, Ned," Jessica said. "I told you about him, remember? You don't have to be afraid of him."

  Prudence nodded reluctantly, but shook her head again when Jessica reached for her arm. She took a step toward the stairway, then pointed upward.

  "All right, Prudence," Jessica agreed. "Go on to your room. I'll try to see you before you leave town."

  Jessica stared after Prudence as the young woman crossed the room and disappeared up the stairwell, her head filled with questions. The door opened again behind them and she turned to see Tobias enter. He nodded at Jessica, but completely ignored Ned.

  "I thank you for coming, Miss Callaghan," he said politely. "For Prudence, too."

  "She's waiting in her room, Tobias."

  "As she should be," Tobias agreed. "And the skies are clearing up. We shall start back to the ranch within the half hour."

  "Ned and I are going to get something warm to drink, Tobias. I'd like to say goodbye to Prudence before you leave."

  "If you're still here, we'll stop on our way out." Tobias turned and made his way across the hotel lobby, his head bowed under the weight of his sorrow.

  "That poor man," Jessica murmured.

  "Hell, Jes," Ned said as he took her arm and steered her into the restaurant portion of the hotel. "That poor man's not going to be happy until he sees Storm's neck stretched by a rope."

  Jessica settled in the chair Ned held for her and shrugged out of her cloak, leaving it to hang on the chair back. She watched Ned take the chair across from her and his hand unconsciously massage his leg after he sat down.

  "This rain's not good for your leg, is it, Ned?"

  "Nope," he admitted. "I'll get by, though."

  Jessica leaned across the table. "When are you going to tell me what the hell's going on around here, Ned?" she asked in a tight voice.

  Ned leaned back in his chair and met her eyes firmly. "Just as soon as I figger it out myself, I guess, Jes," he said with no attempt to evade her gaze. "I'm gonna send the men on home this afternoon. I've already got some more supplies waiting over at the store for them and we don't really need them with us to look for that gold. Thought about trying to make you go with them, but I gave that idea up right quick. Figgered your belly would be mighty sore from being tied across that saddle by the time you got home. 'Sides, most of the men would probably have quit by the time they got you back, lessen we gagged you, too."

  Jessica couldn't quite hold back a peal of laughter. She really should chastise him for even thinking of subjecting her to such an indignity, but at least he didn't follow through on it. And he was right. She probably would have driven off all her hands with her sharp tongue.

  "There's one other thing you might as well know, Jes," Ned said quietly.

  Jessica immediately stilled and stared across the table at Ned's hooded blue eyes. "Ned, what have you done?" she asked, her warning clear in her voice.

  "It was probably already done, Jes. I just stopped by to wire Mattie and tell her to go ahead, but she'd probably already been in to the bank. 'Magine she stopped by and took that fancy-pants lawyer with her, too, 'long with that there power of attorney thing you signed. Just in case, you know."

  "Ned, I can't let you and Mattie spend your life savings to make my mortgage payment! I won't let you do that! I only signed that in case something came up while I was gone that couldn't wait."

  "Oh, I don't guess Mattie really needed that, Jes. Why, she'd've told the whole town that Olson refused a payment on your mortgage if he'd've had the gall to try. Now you've got another three months to come up with your next payment and I guess we'll have enough money left to help you out then, too. We've got quite a bit socked away. Your daddy took care of us right well."

  "Ned, that's your retirement money! You can't keep on working forever. Your leg...and I won't take money from you!"

  "Got your daddy's Callaghan pride, you do, Jes," Ned said with a nod. "And once in a while you even do somethin' that reminds me of old Pete Russell. Guess it was all them talks you and he used to have that put some of that spunk in you."

  "Ned...."

  Ned continued as though she hadn't spoken. "Ever tell you how I hurt my leg, Jes?" he asked. "You was pretty young — just barely walkin' — so I don't guess you remember. I was a lot younger, too, and still had enough sap in me to want to show off now and then. Had an old range bull that escaped roundup every fall. You daddy really wanted that bull caught or shot, 'cause the calves he got on the cows weren't worth much."

  Ned glanced up as Ronnie set a coffee pot and two cups on the table.

  "Is Prudence all right?" Ronnie asked Jessica.

  Jessica blinked as she focused on Ronnie's face. "Uh...oh, yes, Ronnie. She's fine. She and Tobias are going home in a while."

  "Will you be wanting something to go with your coffee?" Ronnie said after she nodded.

  "No, thanks," Ned answered. "Leastways, not just this minute."

  Ronnie moved away and Jessica turned her bewildered expression back on Ned.

  "I don't see where this is going, Ned."

  Ned picked up his story where he had left off. "Your Uncle Pete was there that fall, Jes. He stayed over a while longer than he usually did before he went up into the mountains to trap. Sometimes he even came back down for Christmas, remember?"

  "I remember, Ned."

  Ned poured their cups full and took a swallow of the hot brew.

  "Decided I was gonna get that range bull that year," he said after he set his cup down. "Pete, he thought he might go with me. Said it sounded about as much fun as grizzly roping. So we headed up into the hills while the rest of the fellers branded calves.

  "Range bulls are tough, Jes," he said as he pushed her cup across the table at her. "Here, drink up. It's getting cold.

  "Yeah, they're tough," he said after she picked up her cup. "And smart. Lordy, they have to be smart to live through a lot of years on that range back there. But I thought I was smart and tough, too. We picked up the bull's trail and I sent Pete off in one direction, while I followed what I thought were fresher tracks.

  "They were fresh, all right," Ned said with a nod. "Guess Pete knew just how fresh, cause when that bull plowed out of the thicket into my horse, Pete was right behind me. My horse shied sideways, so Pete couldn't get off a shot right at first. Then that there bull's horn caught me in the leg and threw me right out of the saddle. I could feel his breath on my face just before Pete shot and that old son of a gun let out a grunt. He crumbled to his knees and fell with his head right on my chest. A second later, he would have gored my heart out."

  "Oh, lord, Ned!"

  "Owe Pete my life, I do, Jes. Still do. Never did get a chance to repay him."

  "Is that why you came with me to find the gold?"

&
nbsp; "Yeah, at first, Jes. But now...."

  "Miss Callaghan! Well, isn't this my lucky day? I knew the sun coming out meant good luck for me."

  Jessica frowned as she looked up. Not Harlin Baker! The creases left her face when she saw David Baker standing by her chair. How similar they were, both in looks and voice.

  "Hello, David," she said with a smile.

  "I'm so glad you haven't left town yet, Jessica."

  "Pull up a chair, David," Ned said.

  "Thanks." David sat down and inched his chair a little closer to Jessica's. "Tell me," he said as he leaned close to her. "My heart can't stand the suspense. Have you decided to stay in our fair town?"

  "No," Jessica said with a laugh. "We can't stay. We...."

  David picked up her hand and stared into her eyes. "Sweet Jessica, tell me that what my brother said this morning was a lie. Tell me you aren't staying out at the dreadful place on the edge of town."

  Jessica stiffened and pulled her hand away. "Idalee is a friend of mine, David. I won't have you talking about her like that."

  "I apologize, Jessica, but I want to be your friend, too. And surely that's not a place for you."

  "It doesn't matter, David," Jessica said with a shrug. "We only stayed for Eloise's funeral. As soon as Tobias and Prudence stop by to say farewell, we'll be back on the trail."

  David rose to his feet. "Oh, yes, the funeral. Such a sad thing. But please stay over another day, Jessica. At least let me take you to dinner this evening. After all, it may be my last chance to see you."

  "I'm sorry, David, but I really don't think I'll be here this evening."

  David glanced at the door, then shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I guess I'll just have to check later and see if you've changed your mind. Harlin sent word he wanted to see me right away. Goodbye for now."

  "Goodbye, David," she said, then turned back to Ned, forgetting David at once. "What else were you going to say Ned?"

  "Later, Jes," Ned said. "Here come Tobias and Prudence."

  Jessica walked down the board walkway with Ned by her side as they made their way back to Idalee's house. She glanced ahead of her once at the retreating backs of Tobias and Prudence as their horses disappeared around the last saloon on the edge of town.

  A matronly woman caught Jessica's eye as she passed the general store. Jessica wasn't surprised when the woman sniffed and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders instead of returning Jessica's greeting. She raised her head higher and sniffed back at the woman, hearing Ned give a snorting chuckle beside her.

  "You know what they say, Jes," Ned said around his laughter. "Proper women don't associate with brothel or saloon women."

  "Well, I'm a proper woman," Jessica said with a decisive nod of her head. "And I'll damn well associate with whomever I please!"

  "Hang onto that there spunk, Jessica Callaghan," Ned said. "I've got a feelin' we might need it soon."

  Jessica pulled Ned to a stop at the bottom of the steps to Idalee's house. "Ned, we need to finish our talk."

  "Come on, Jes." He took her arm and gently forced her up the steps. "I've got a few questions I want to ask before I go stickin' my head into somethin' that might just not be my business. And we've gotta get Storm out of here before that sheriff decides to come back and look a little closer under that bed."

  "Oh." Jessica dropped her head to hide her flushed cheeks. "I didn't know you could hear me."

  "Heard every word, Jes. Every word."

  Jessica whirled around as soon as she stepped through the door. "Ned! What did you just say? You're going to help Storm hide out?"

  Ned shrugged his shoulders and stared over Jessica's head. "Just an idea I've got, Jes," he said nonchalantly. "Guess Jedidiah must've got itchy feet and lit out, 'cause I ain't seen him around. Soon's he's able, maybe we can ask Storm to help us. Since he comes from around here, he can probably take us to the gold just as quick as Jedidiah could've."

  "Why, of course," Jessica mused. "And if we find it, we can pay him for his trouble. But Ned, do you think he'll do it? After all, he's on the run from the law. And...and if we're caught with him...."

  "Does that bother you, Jes? If so, you can still catch the train back to Wyoming."

  "I'll do no such thing!" Jessica's mind filled with a vision of the man lying upstairs on Idalee's canopied bed. His pain shadowed eyes had lingered in her thoughts all day. And — her blush renewed itself and she looked away from Ned to hide it — why, she'd had to clench her fists to keep from tearing Prudence out of Storm's arms earlier.

  Ned watched the emotions play across Jessica's face for a moment, then took her arm and gave her a push toward the stairs.

  "Well, why don't you go up and check on our future guide, Jes? And wait for me here. I've got some arrangements to make if we're going to get this plan in motion. I'll be back either late tonight or just before dawn to get you both. I'm just gonna talk to Elias for a minute, then I'll be going."

  "Ned, please be careful."

  "I will, Jes. I will."

  Hours later Jessica paced away her frustration as she walked back and forth over the carpeted floor in Idalee's room. She had already been down the hidden stairs twice to check on the horses. They both stood ready, though they shifted restlessly at their forced inactivity. She had even checked her leather saddlebag to make sure the map still remained hidden in the lining. Her fingers had lingered on the faded hide for a moment before she tucked it down securely again and refastened the snap on the saddlebag.

  She glanced at the bed, where Storm's dim outline lay fully clothed. The only light in the room came from the fireplace.

  Idalee hadn't told her until after she fed Storm and watched him slip into sleep that she had placed a sleeping potion in his food. Storm had refused to rest all afternoon, alternately pacing the room and threatening to leave on his own. Jessica was amazed at how fast his strength had returned, yet he had stumbled more than once. Idalee told her she had finally decided Storm needed to rest in order to be able to ride with them later that night.

  Jessica moved to the door and opened it. She heard a woman's laugh float up the stairwell, then the sound of a door closing, cutting it off. She smiled to herself, but didn't dare try to go down and hunt up any company to pass the time. Idalee's was in full swing. If she had stayed closed any longer, the town might have become suspicious.

  Jessica's face creased into a frown when she thought she heard a footstep on the stairwell leading to the third floor. She had to be mistaken, since Idalee had assured her no one came up there without her permission. She gently closed the door and turned around to stare into the fire.

  How long would it take Ned to get back? He must have had this planned all along, she realized. It would have been an easy matter to get the supplies they needed without arousing suspicion. He would just let the storekeeper think they were for the cowhands with them. But how long did it take, anyway, to ride out to the camp and dismiss the men? What else was he up to?

  She shrugged and crossed to throw another log into the fireplace. Hot days they might have, but the nights cooled off quickly in the higher altitudes. Idalee had shown her earlier how to open the vent on the register in the room, but she preferred the fireplace heat.

  And Ned and Storm. Jessica had never seen Ned take so quickly to another man. Even the new hands he hired now and then on the ranch had to gain his respect — gain it or be on their way. She looked over at the bed. She hadn't even had time to sort out her own feelings about Storm, though she knew in her heart that the man lying there hadn't raped Prudence or ever committed a crime in his life. Whatever his story was, he couldn't have good friends like Idalee and Elias — friends who would risk all they had for him — if he were truly a convict.

  And Prudence loved him, despite her brother's hatred of Storm. Prudence. Always Prudence. She bowed her head a little. He was Prudence's man. No matter that she found herself longing to be the woman he held close in his arms. No matter that she wanted to be the o
ne to chase away the pain in his eyes. He belonged to Prudence.

  No matter that for the first time in her life she knew what it was to love a man without reservation. How quickly it had happened — the feelings had begun before she even knew his name. Not just lust, though the fiery passion she felt when he held her seemed a natural part of the love she admitted. The pull she felt the first night they met should have told her she had found the man Mattie assured her would come into her life some day.

  A slight tap on the door drew her attention. Ned. Ned had to be back. She hurried over to the door and flung it open without thinking about why Ned had come to the bedroom door instead of the door to the tunnel.

  Chapter 15

  "S'knew you'd be here." A malodorous whiff of whiskey tinged breath hit Jessica full in the face and the man pushed into the room. "Lesh see if you're as good's the rest of the whores in this place."

  Jessica stumbled and caught herself on the little table beside the bed. Before the scream building in her throat could erupt, the man jerked her against him, one hand closing around her neck. Frantically she pulled at the bruising fingers cutting off her breath while he pushed her ahead of him toward the fireplace. Her booted feet dug at the carpeted floor, sliding ineffectually forward.

  "That's it. Fight me, bitch!" he snarled close to her ear. "I like it rough, too, and I'll give you back as good as you want in just a minute. But first I want to look my fill of you."

  He hurled her down onto the carpet. Jessica drew in a breath that eased the threatening blackness in her mind, but her paralyzed throat muscles refused to respond to her effort to scream. He ripped her blouse and chemise down the front, tearing the fabric as easily as brushing aside a spider web.

  "Ah, that's what I wanted to see."

  Jessica arched her fingers and reached for his face. He caught her hands an inch short of their goal and wrenched her arms cruelly as he shoved them behind her back. Pushing the blouse from her shoulders, he entangled her arms in the restricting material and threw a leg over her to settle himself on her stomach.