“Yes, good night,” said Ella.
Daniel took her hand and kissed it. “Good night, sweet sister. See you in the morning.” He went into the room and closed the door behind him.
Nathan pressed Ella forward to their room. As soon as the door was closed behind them, he gathered her into his arms. “I thought the evening was never going to end,” he said just before his lips found hers. He wanted to brand her and seared her with his kiss. His beautiful Ella, responded as she always did. He loved her passion.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body flush with his. Her tongue plunged into his mouth and danced with his. It always surprised him when she did this, but pleased him that she wanted to take the lead. She gave as much as she took. Breathless, he broke away, placed his hand on her stomach and said, “Mine. You are both mine.”
She smiled, her hand atop his, “Yours. Ours.”
He swung her up into his arms and carried her to bed. By the time he was done there would be no question who she belonged to.
CHAPTER 8
Daniel waited for two hours after they’d dropped him at his room before he ventured forth. Taking the lamp from his bedside he made his way to the hillside. The Baker brothers met him there.
“Boss, the barn is behind the house. It’ll be where you’ll find the buggy.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Daniel followed the Bakers to the barn where they found what looked to be the most worn saddle and Frank cut partially through the main strap, up high, under the saddle where it was less likely to be seen. Hopefully, if he was lucky, Nathan would be the one using it and it wouldn’t give out until after Daniel left.
While Frank did the saddle, Bobby Joe sawed the axle on the buggy, just where Daniel showed him. It wouldn’t take too much for it to break clean through. Just a couple of good jolts. If they were going fast enough, it should throw whoever from the buggy, or better yet, drag them when the horses don’t stop.
He let the Bakers do the actual sabotage. Daniel refused to get his hands dirty with the labor involved, just wanted to make sure it got done right and quickly. He had no intention of going back to New York until he was sure Ella and Nathan were both eliminated. That would leave Joshua still alive and hopefully Daniels’ associates would resolve that issue before his return. He felt sure Ella was all that remained between him and his rightful inheritance.
* * *
Daniel spent two nights with them. The second night was not any more comfortable for Nathan than the first had been. All in all, having a tooth pulled was preferable to spending another evening listening to them ply each other with questions and then share what he was sure they thought were amusing stories. It did sound like Daniel really was Ella’s brother. That didn’t mean Nathan trusted him. Far from it. Daniel Adams was one of the least trustworthy men he’d ever met.
Thank goodness he was gone. Supposedly, back to New York. Out of their lives forever if Nathan had his way, though he didn’t relax his guard on Ella. He didn’t really believe Daniel went back East but he had a mustang round up to do, though he wasn’t about to leave Ella unprotected. There was one man left at the ranch with explicit instructions to watch over Ella. Nathan would be gone for a week and he already missed her soft touch. He was starting to get used to a lot about Ella. Whenever he was away overnight, he missed her sweet rose scent, her lively conversation and the welcoming comfort of her body.
Just the thought of them in bed made him hard. The memory of his rough hand on her nipples…. He had to stop thinking about it. The more he did the more painful the ride became.
“Herd up ahead,” one of the cowboys called back.
“Alright, you all know what to do. Surround them and drive them to the corral.”
They’d roped off a makeshift corral in a copse of pine trees. It was large enough for about ten horses. This stallion and his harem were eight horses. The stallion, four mares and three foals. Just the foals alone would make this trip worth while. They could be raised to be incredible mounts.
Nathan kicked his horse into a gallop after the herd. In and out of the trees, around them, right and left. The stallion led them on a merry chase through the trees. Nathan gained on him, his own mustang the fastest he had and one of the fastest horses he’d ever seen. He’d have no trouble running this stallion to ground. The stallion cut sharp right, Nathan followed. He felt the saddle give as he went one way and his horse another.
He saw the rock just before he felt it. Then he saw nothing.
Pain. Shooting through his arm and behind his eyes.
“Boss. You okay? Nathan?”
He heard rather than saw his foreman, the pain in his head too intense to open his eyes.
“Jeb? What? What happened?”
“The strap on yer saddle broke. Ya fell off and hit yer head on a rock. Purty lucky it didn’t kill ya.”
“I don’t feel lucky right now. What’s wrong with my arm? It hurts like hell.”
“Looks like it’s busted. Probably when ya hit the ground. I got one of the boys looking for a couple straight sticks. We’ll get it set afore we head back,”
Nathan tried to nod. “Ow. Shit. That hurts.” He closed his eyes tight and put his right hand over them.
“Don’t move yer head, boss. Yer bleedin’. Soon as we get ya back to camp, I’ll have Cookie get ya cleaned up. Then we ken head on back home.”
“Did we get the horses? Tell me we got that big appaloosa stallion.”
“We did.” He could hear the smile in Jeb’s voice. “Got ’em all. They’ll be comin’ home with us.”
Nathan forced his eyes open. Stars were exploding in his brain, but at least they were little stars now. “What in the hell happened? Did you get my horse and saddle?”
“Sure did. Like I said, looks like the strap on the saddle gave way.”
“Impossible. Those straps were all replaced not two months ago. Check it again.”
“Yes, sir,” he said and left to get the saddle.
Nathan sat up, but his head spun and he had to lie back down. He tried more slowly, keeping his left arm at his waist and lifting himself with his right arm. He was a mess and, if he was right, damned lucky to be alive.
Jeb came running back to him. “You was right. The strap was cut. Not clean through, but enough that it broke when stressed like you did riding after that stallion.”
Nathan swallowed hard, his throat dry as the dirt he sat in. “Give me your canteen. Please.”
Jeb got the canteen from his saddle and handed it to him. He took a long swig and was finally able to speak clearly. “Gather up the men and bring me my horse. As soon as you get this arm set, I’m riding back home. You and the men follow with the horses. Put my saddle in the chuck wagon. I want to take a good look at it when we get back home.”
“Boss, you can’t ride by yerself all that way bareback, you bein’ busted up an all.”
“Don’t worry about it, Jeb, I’m used to it. That’s how I learned to ride. I’m half Indian, remember?”
“Yes, sir. I forgot. Me and the men will be home in a few days.”
One of the cowboys came up with two fairly straight tree branches. Jeb handed Nathan a small stick to bite down on while he straightened his arm. They didn’t want him to bite his tongue by accident when the pain got to him. Once it was in his mouth, Nathan nodded and Jeb pulled the arm until the bones were in line again. Then he placed a branch on either side of the arm, tying them tight with strips of cloth torn from the bottom of Nathan’s shirt. It was already ripped across the shoulder, no reason not to use it to bind his arm.
With his left arm broken, he needed a leg up on his stallion, but once there he kicked him into a gallop toward home. To Ella. His Ella. She had to be safe. What if Daniel was there right now? What if he’d hurt her? Nathan rode as hard and fast as he could. The terrain kept him from running the horse too long. It was hilly and rocky followed by long valleys where he could let the horse have it’s head. It was
the longest four hours of his life.
He jumped off the horse on the side of the house by the kitchen door knowing Ella was most likely there. Slamming open the door his heart sank when he didn’t see her or Martha. He ran from room to room, calling for Ella, but they weren’t in the house. What if they went to town? Daniel was probably still there. Nathan had no doubt that he didn’t return to New York, he’d want to see the results of his handiwork. Nathan didn’t know or care about the reason behind it, he only knew Ella was in danger.
He ran to the barn. The buggy was gone. They could have gone to town or to John and Sarah’s, whose place was on the way to town. He started out of the barn, then stopped and, acting on a hunch, went over to where the buggy had been parked and found what he was looking for. It sent chills racing down his spine. Sawdust.
Running as fast as his long legs would carry him toward the house, he ran into Seth, the cowboy he’d left with Ella.
“Where is she?”
“Whoa, boss, what happened to yer arm?”
“Nevermind me.” Nathan grabbed him by the front of his shirt with his right hand nearly lifting the cowboy off the ground. “Where is she? Where is Ella?”
Seth’s eyes got wide. “She..she and Martha were going to the J bar A.”
“How long have they been gone?” he released his grip on Seth.
“Not long. Half hour maybe.”
“Why didn’t you go with her?”
“They was only going a little way and Martha was with her. Missus Ella said they’d be alright and I agreed with her. So I stayed to do my chores.”
Nathan’s chest constricted. “Come with me. I need help onto my horse.” He set off at a run for the house where Seth helped him on the horse. He didn’t explain anything, just kicked the horse and galloped down the road. Toward Ella. Toward his heart.
* * *
Ella walked into the kitchen where Martha was putting away the last of the dinner dishes.
“Get your coat. We’re going to the Atwoods and maybe then on to town. I need some more material for baby clothes.” She pressed her hand against her stomach. Clearly pregnant now at about five months, she wondered when she would feel the baby kick. The doctor said it would be any time now, said it took longer for first time mothers.
Martha put the last plate in the cupboard and said, “Let me get Seth so he can come with us.”
“That’s not necessary. You’re with me. I think Nathan’s being a little over protective.”
“I don’t know,” she hedged.
“Come on, Martha. Seth’s got chores that need to be done here. There’s no need for him to be tagging along with us.”
“Well, I guess it’ll be alright. It’s not far and we can always come home if you get tired.”
“Tired!? It’s a rest not to be doing housework and cooking for eighteen people every day. I hate to admit it, but this has been like a vacation since the men went after the mustangs.”
Martha chuckled. “It has been, hasn’t it? Don’t tell Nathan. He’s probably missing you somethin’ fierce.”
“I doubt that. Nathan doesn’t love me. If I wasn’t pregnant—”
“Now stop right there. I told ya before. Of course, Nathan loves you. Don’t ya see the way he acts, touching ya all the time, guiding you from the room with his hand on yer waist. Kissing ya every time he comes in, no matter who’s here. Sitting with ya every night after supper rather than go to his office like he used ta.”
“He’s just being polite and possessive of me because of the baby. He doesn’t love me. He told me so.”
Martha rolled her eyes. “He’s scared. He don’t wanna be hurt again.” She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side. “And I don’t suppose you love him either. Ya just blush every time he looks at cha and you just sit there with yer heart in yer eyes every time he’s in the room.”
Ella sucked in a breath. “I don’t.”
Martha grinned. “Ya do. You two are the most stubborn and, obviously blind people I know. Everyone else sees it.”
Ella could believe her ears. Martha and Sarah had both told her that Nathan loved her but he insisted he didn’t believe in love. How could he love her if he didn’t believe it possible? Her heart quickened and for some reason just thinking about him made her a little breathless.
“Does it really show that much?”
“Almost since the day you got here.”
“Oh, Martha. What am I going to do? What if you’re wrong? What if he can’t let himself love me?”
“First we’re going to get in the buggy and get to the Atwoods. Then you have to convince him to let go. Let go of the past, of the hurt, of the fear and to live for the future with you and that little one growin’ in yer belly.”
“I don’t know how.”
They walked out to the front of the house. Seth had brought the buggy around and was holding the team in place waiting for Ella and Martha. He helped Ella in, while Martha hopped up on the other side.
Martha picked up the reins. “Thank ya Seth. We’ll be back soon.” She slapped the reins on the horses, not waiting for an answer from Seth.
After a few minutes, she said, “Talk to him, Ella. Yer both smart and you’ll figure it out.”
Ella teared up. She seemed to do that a lot more lately. She knew it was the changes because of the baby, Sarah had told her about them, but that didn’t make her like it any better. “I can’t. I can’t risk the possible rejection.”
“Well, knowing Nathan, yer gonna have to make the first move.”
She took a deep breath and the tears abated. “I could make a special supper for just the two of us and serve it in our room.”
Martha nodded and then grinned. “That’s a good start. But with you two, you might never get to supper. Maybe Sarah has some better ideas.” She slapped the butts of the horses. “Giddy up.”
They turned onto the road leading to the Atwoods house. Just a couple of minutes and they’d be there and then she could grill Sarah. John and Sarah obviously loved each other, but it couldn’t have always been that way. Sarah was a mail order bride just like Ella, yet somehow they’d fallen in love.
Just as they pulled up in front of the house, the buggy gave a loud creak and dropped to the ground. As it hit, Ella and Martha were thrown from the vehicle.
“Ella! Martha! John! Come quick.” Sarah shouted as she ran down the porch stairs to the buggy.
“I’m fine,” said Martha. She got up off the ground and dusted herself off. “How’s Ella?”
“I think I’m okay.” She had landed on her hands and knees. She rolled over, sat in the dirt and took off her gloves. There were abrasions on her palms, but no blood. Her leather gloves had protected her hands. The same couldn’t be said for her knees. Her dress was torn and her knees both had cuts from the rocks.
Sarah stopped by Ella and looked at her knees. “They’re not bad. Can you get up? Here let me help you? How is the baby?” She extended her hand to Ella and pulled her to her feet.
“The baby is fine. What in the world just happened?”
John had come running when Sarah yelled. He looked at the buggy. “The axle broke. If this had happened while you were moving along the road, you both could have been killed.”
Ella’s breath caught. She remembered the carriage accident in New York. But that couldn’t have happened here. MacGregor couldn’t be here. Unless it wasn’t MacGregor that tried to kill her in New York. She couldn’t think about that right now.
She turned at the sound of the pounding of horses hooves. There was Nathan bearing down on them at a full gallop.
“Ella!” he called, sliding to a stop in back of the broken carriage. “Ella, are you all right?” He ran to her and wrapped her in his embrace. “Are you hurt?”
“No. But you are,” she pulled back from him. “Oh, my God, what happened to you?”
“It’s nothing.” He hugged her again as much as he could with one good arm and one braced with tree bran
ches. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
“When you broke your arm?” She hugged him back, very glad and very surprised to see him.
“No. When I saw the sawdust.”
“Sawdust?”
Nathan looked over at John who was examining the axle. “Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me the axle wasn’t cut.”
John shook his head. “Can’t do it. It was definitely cut, but not all the way through. It was meant to break while traveling. Whoever did this was trying to kill someone.”
All the women sucked in a breath, stunned at what John said.
“Damn,” said Nathan, “I’d hoped for Ella’s sake I was wrong.”
Sarah spoke up. “Everyone come inside. I need to get Ella cleaned up and we need to do some talking, by the sounds of it.”
They walked inside. Nathan put his good arm around Ella’s shoulders and she put her arm around his waist. Neither of them wanted to let the other go. For Ella, she needed reassurance that he was okay.
They all went to the kitchen. Bertha was already there. When she saw everyone come in and the state of Ella’s dress she said, “I’ll put on a fresh pot of coffee. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long afternoon.”
Sarah got a basin of warm water, some wash cloths and a towel. She cleaned Ella’s knees and hands with lye soap. It stung even though Ella was sure she was trying to be gentle, but when Sarah brought out the iodine, Ella stopped her.
“You are not putting that stuff on me. It stings like hell,” she said cursing like she’d heard Nathan do. “We’ve got some salve we’ll put on at home.”
“Horse liniment,” said Nathan absently.
“Horse liniment! You put horse liniment on me?”
“It worked didn’t it? And it didn’t hurt did it?”
“Well, yes it worked and no, it didn’t hurt, but the thought—”
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