“Let’s go,” North said. “We’re late.”
He slammed the door, and the next minute they were gone.
“So that’s that,” Gabe said with a sigh. “I had it all wrong.”
“How do you know?” Freddie demanded indignantly. “You haven’t confronted the real issue since we got here.”
“I haven’t? What about them?”
“Well, you can’t expect them to be rational, can you?” Freddie pointed out logically. “Not when they’re in love.”
“So what am I supposed to do about it?”
“Ask her.”
“What? If she still loves me? How can I?” he asked in alarm. “How can I go up to Claire and ask her a thing like that? I’ll sound like a conceited jerk.”
“What does it matter what you sound like as long as those two find each other before it’s too late?”
“It’s embarrassing,” he complained.
Freddie smiled and took hold of his arm, looking into his face in a way he loved.
“You don’t want me to think my man is a coward, do you?”
“Hell, no!” He headed for the door, then turned back. “But you stay close,” he instructed her. “Just in case.”
Gabe found Claire in the kitchen.
“Well,” he said. “Happy now?”
Claire turned and gave him an artificially bright smile. “Of course, I’m happy. You’re home.”
“And I’m getting married.”
“I know that.”
“It doesn’t…bother you?”
“Why should it? You’re my brother…sort of. It’s not like I’m going to pine away.” She turned away from him then.
He stepped around so he could see her face. “Not about me, anyway.”
She gave him a fierce glare. “What’s that mean?”
“Fallen in love with Randall, haven’t you?” His voice was gentle.
“Of course not.”
“You never could lie to save your life.”
“And you always had to be a big-mouth and spell it out.” She spun away from him again, but he came after her.
“Why not? Why should I let you wreck your life?”
“I’d be wrecking his life if I…if I…”
“Married him?” He slipped an arm around her shoulder.
Claire tried to shrug him off. “I’m not going to marry him!”
“Why not? Don’t you love him?”
She gave up. He was right. She’d never been able to lie to him. “Oh Gabe, of course I love him, but it wouldn’t work. He thinks it would because this place got to him, but when he’s in England, he’ll change back again.”
“Will you let the man do his own thinking, for crying out loud? He’s decided that he wants you to be his wife, and who the hell are you to tell him he’s wrong?”
“But-”
“He’s in love with you. But he thinks you’re hung up about me.”
“You?” She sounded amazed, as though the idea had never occurred to her. “Gabe, I’ve never been in love with you. Oh, I might have had a bit of a crush when I was too young to have any judgement.”
“Thanks,” he said with a grin.
A muffled giggle from behind the door told him that Freddie was enjoying every word.
“But Randall,” Claire went on, “he’s a real-I mean, there’s just no comparison-”
“OK, no need to go into details. I get your drift. So why aren’t you on that plane with him?”
“Because he doesn’t really love me, he just felt sorry for me.”
“There you go again, telling folk what to think. If you aren’t the most awkward brat I ever knew! You always were and you always will be. God help Randall when you’re married!”
“We’re not going to be married.”
“Oh yes you are!” Gabe said firmly. “I owe Randall a favor, and I’m going to repay it. Now, some folks might think it wasn’t much of a favor to land him with you, but if that’s what he’s crazy enough to want, that’s what he’s going to have.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah!”
“Don’t you give me orders,” Claire seethed.
“Fine, have it your way! Stand on your pride. Let him go. That man worships you, but don’t you worry about that. Go ahead and waste your life and serve you right for being a stubborn, pigheaded-”
The next moment he was reeling from a sisterly slap on the cheek. But he was back in a flash, swinging her around and returning the slap on her rear.
“I hate to interrupt,” Freddie said from the door, “but are you two going to waste time fighting, or are you going after Randall?”
The combatants stared at her.
“Have we got time?” Claire asked wildly.
“Leave it to me,” Gabe said grimly. “Move!”
The two of them piled into the sedan, and in seconds Gabe was swinging it out of the yard.
“Don’t worry, we’ll catch them up on the road,” he assured her.
“Will we?” Claire asked anxiously. “North was driving very fast. He said they were late.”
Going through the mountains, driving as fast as Gabe dared on the freezing roads, they saw no sign of the truck. Claire ground her nails together, sure that they would arrive too late.
“We’ve still got half an hour before his plane leaves.” Gabe tried to sound reassuring.
At last the airport was in sight. As they drove in Claire saw the truck, with North about to get in for the return journey. Gabe screeched to a halt, and she almost fell out in her haste.
“Randall,” she cried, running into the terminal. “Randall!”
Far up ahead she could see him, just about to go into the departure lounge.
“Randall!” Her scream carried the length of the building, and-oh thank God!-he heard it and turned, saw her.
“Claire!”
Randall began to run back to her. He didn’t have to ask why she’d come. It was there in her face, alight with love, her arms open to enfold him and hold him forever.
He dropped his bags so that he had his hands free to seize her in a fervent embrace and draw her fiercely against him.
“You mustn’t leave me,” she said frantically. “I love you, I love you-Randall, you mustn’t-” The rest was cut off.
“What about Gabe?” he asked when he could breathe.
“Who’s Gabe? It’s you I love. Only you. I knew that as soon as I saw you together. Gabe was a dream, and it was over long ago. When I thought you’d gone without me, and I’d never see you again, I couldn’t bear it.”
“All those things you were worried about-they seemed so important to you.”
“They don’t matter at all. The only thing that matters is being with you. I know that now. Tell me I haven’t left it too late.”
“It could never be too late,” he said fervently. “I’d have waited all my life for you to come to me, because we belong together. I knew that, but you didn’t seem to. Now I have you, I’ll never let you go.”
The final call came for his flight.
“Randall!” she cried in terror.
“Let it leave. Now I’ve found you I’m not letting you out of my sight. We’re going back to the ranch for as long as it takes for you to get a passport. When you’ve got one, we’ll go to England together, to see my grandfather.”
He bent and kissed her again, gently this time.
“Then we’re going to get married,” he said, “and live happily ever after.”
Epilogue
“Right. Everybody hold it right there.” Olly squinted through the camera at the sea of faces in front of the enormous Christmas tree. “You there, Charlie. Take that hat off.”
Grumbling under his breath, Charlie removed the cowboy hat. But he scowled only until he saw that Gabe had taken his off, too.
“That’s better. And you sit still, Miss Emma. We’ll get them presents opened soon enough.” Olly focused again. “Gabe, quitcher nibblin’ on your wife’s ear.”
“Just
trying to make her smile,” Gabe protested innocently.
“You’re trying to get me in trouble with Olly,” Freddie accused, laughing.
“Well, he wouldn’t be our Gabe if he didn’t cause some kind of ruckus,” Randall said tolerantly.
“Like you’re so well-behaved yourself.” Claire nudged her husband in the ribs. “Who was waggling his fingers behind Gabe’s head five minutes ago?”
“I was not!” Randall protested, laughing.
Gabe gave him a stern look. “You’re supposed to be the well-behaved cousin.”
“I am,” Randall said piously.
“Are not.”
“Am so.”
They looked like they’d enjoy nothing more than a wrestling match to settle the issue, so Freddie intervened. “You both have to be well-behaved now,” she said sternly.
“To set an example,” Claire agreed, “for the children.”
Not just Charlie and Emma, but the new children.
“This year’s crop,” Olly called them.
The babies. Philip Randall Cedric McBride and David Gabriel Cedric McBride, the twins born to Gabe and Freddie in early November. And James Gabriel Cedric Stanton and William Randall Cedric Stanton, the twins born to Randall and Claire just a week later.
“Four of ’em,” Earl said every chance he could get. “Who’d have believed?” His chest swelled with pride, as though he’d accomplished the feat all by himself.
Now he sat in center place, Randall and Claire, Gabe and Freddie, Charlie and Emma, Elaine and Martha all gathered around him. And on his lap, four babies.
“That’s right,” Olly said. “Now, smile.”
They smiled.
Olly squinted, he focused. He lowered the camera again. “Earl,” he said. “You’re fidgetin’.”
“I’m adjusting,” Earl corrected. “I’m afraid I’m being-dampened.” He cast a fond, albeit slightly desperate, look down at his four great-grandsons.
“Oh, dear,” Freddie said. She reached for Philip and David.
“Oh, gosh,” Claire said. She reached for James and William.
“Oh, good grief,” Olly said. “This family ain’t never goin’ to have its picture took.”
Finally, however, it did. The babies were dry again. Everyone gathered around again. They all smiled again. All except Earl who didn’t just smile but beamed, his arms full of descendants, his heart full of pride and joy.
And then the gifts were opened, the turkey was carved, the cattle were fed and finally everyone but Earl and Gabe and Randall declared it a wonderful day and trundled off to bed.
“Don’t be long,” Freddie said, lingering on the bottom step to give Gabe a kiss.
“Count on it.”
“I love you,” she told him. “This has been the best year of my life.”
“Mine, too,” he said, and knew it was the truth.
In the kitchen Claire slipped her arms around Randall and gave him a hug. “This has been the most wonderful day. I’m so glad we came back for Christmas.”
“Me, too. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” He kissed her hungrily, then reluctantly stepped back. “Gabe and I are going to have a whiskey with Earl, then I’ll be up. Stay awake for me?”
He knew it was a lot to ask. James and William did their share of keeping Claire awake these days.
“Always,” Claire promised.
He went into the living room and Gabe handed him a whiskey as he settled into one of the leather armchairs in front of the fire. Gabe handed another to Earl, then sat down opposite and stretched out his legs. He sighed.
“Worn out?” Earl asked. He was smiling. He never stopped smiling these days.
“Little ragged around the edges,” Gabe admitted. “Be nice when the boys start sleepin’ through the night.”
“Amen,” Randall said. He lifted his glass to that.
“They’re a right handful,” Earl agreed. “Two handfuls.” He chuckled, pleased. “Did you see the way Philip was smiling tonight? I’m sure it was a smile. He’s old enough to start smiling. David, too. I’d swear he giggled at me. And that James has got a twinkle in his eye. Right smart laddie, our James. Goin’ to be a fine earl someday. And little William. His eyes follow me everywhere I move. I swear those are the smartest, finest grandbabies a man could have.
“You two ought to be thanking your old grandfather. Weren’t for me you’d still be slaving away on all those newspapers, Randall. All work and no play. And you’d still be a shiftless run-around eight-second cowboy, Gabriel. All play and no work. So, what do you have to say for yourselves, lads? Lads?”
He looked from one to the other. Gabe’s whiskey, untouched, sat on the coffee table. Gabe’s eyes were closed. He emitted a soft snore. A glance in Randall’s direction showed Randall doing exactly the same.
Earl sipped his whiskey and looked into the fire, and then at his grandsons. What a difference a year made. He smiled. Then he raised his glass to them both.
“To the finest pair of scoundrels a grandfather could have. Blood brothers,” he remembered fondly. Then his smile broadened and he lifted his glass once more.
“To Philip, David, James and William. And, of course, Charlie and Emma.” Couldn’t forget Charlie and Emma. “Reckon you’ll give your dads a run for their money, blood brothers-and sister-of the next generation.”
ANNE McALLISTER
RITA Award-winning author Anne McAllister fell in love with a cowboy when she was five years old. Tall, dark, handsome lone-wolf types have appealed to her ever since. “Me, for instance,” her college professor husband says. Well, yes. But even though she’s been married to the man of her dreams for over thirty years, she still likes writing about those men of the West! And even though she may take a break from cowboy heroes now and then, she has lots more stories planned for CODE OF THE WEST. She is always happy to hear from readers, and if you’d like, you can write to Anne at P.O. Box 3904, Bozeman, Montana 59772. SASE appreciated.
LUCY GORDON
met her husband-to-be in Venice, fell in love the first evening and got engaged two days later. They’re still happily married and now live in England with their three dogs. For twelve years Lucy was a writer for an English women’s magazine. She interviewed many of the world’s most interesting men, including Warren Beatty, Richard Chamberlain, Sir Roger Moore, Sir Alec Guinness and Sir John Gielgud.
In 1985 she won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Outstanding Series Romance Author. She has also won a Golden Leaf Award from the New Jersey Chapter of RWA, was a finalist in the RWA Golden Medallion contest in 1988 and won the 1990 RITA Award in the Best Traditional Romance category for Song of the Lorelei.
***
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Blood Brothers Page 18