by Carol Finch
“Maddie, you’re finally back!”
Maddie shook herself from her wandering thoughts and returned Chrissy’s smile. She ambled into the room, aware that Boone had eased back into his own space, in case Maddie disapproved of the familiarity between them.
“Thanks to Jonah and Boone, I’m back for good,” Maddie said as she eased down on the edge of the bed. “You look much better today, Chrissy.”
“I’m feeling much better,” she confirmed as her gaze darted helplessly to her companion. “If not for Boone, I might never have returned home.”
“Jonah had a definite hand in your release,” Boone insisted, then lost himself in Chrissy’s luminous blue eyes. “Well, I better go. I’m sure you ladies would like to visit privately.”
When he stood to leave, Chrissy clutched his hand. “I can never repay you, Boone,” she murmured, her heart in her eyes. “I’m forever indebted.”
“Take care of yourself, angel,” he said as he patted her hand.
Maddie bit back a grin when Boone took his leave and her sister’s longing gaze followed him until he disappeared from sight.
“Isn’t he the most incredibly handsome and charming man you ever laid eyes on?” Chrissy said with an adoring sigh.
“Oh, definitely,” Maddie agreed, eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Well, except for your husband, Jonah,” she quickly amended.
“Yes…and about that.” Maddie gathered her thoughts and said, “Jonah and I are not actually married. It was just a charade to protect me from trouble and to force Avery’s hand.”
“But you love him, I know you do,” Christina insisted. “I’ve never seen you look at a man the way you look at Jonah.”
“It’s not that simple,” Maddie said quietly. “Just because you have special feelings for a man doesn’t mean that he can or wants to make a place for you in his life.”
“Well, it should be that simple,” Christina said idealistically.
Maddie chortled. “I wish it were, but you’re going to discover in the years to come that life doesn’t fall into place just because you wish it so. Papa amassed a great deal of wealth, but you will find that it can be as much a curse as it is a blessing. Some men will show interest in you because they see you as a meal ticket, the means to elevate their social status. Others will perceive you as unattainable because they have nothing to give that you don’t already have.”
Men like Jonah and Boone, Maddie mused, and wondered if her sister would make the connection.
Maddie reached out to take Christina’s hand and gave it a fond and supportive squeeze. “The most important lesson you have to learn is to become strong and independent and not allow yourself to put blind faith in any man who catches your eye. You have to learn to look for hidden motives. Some men you can trust explicitly and others only want to use you.”
“Well, Boone isn’t the kind of man who would use a woman to get ahead in life.”
“No, he isn’t. But Boone is very much like Jonah in that he perceives himself far too different to fit into your world, or for you to fit into his. And you need to prepare yourself for the inevitability that Boone will be leaving with Jonah and we might never see them again.”
“Leaving?” Chrissy’s face fell like a rock slide. “How soon?”
“Today, I expect.” Maddie tried hard not to let her voice betray her. She smiled a little too brightly to counter the gnawing ache in the pit of her stomach. “The most important thing is that you’re home and safe at last.”
Her attention drifted to the pile of discarded clothes in the corner of the room. She walked over to pick them up and took a whiff of the musty scent. She remembered the smell that had clung to Chrissy after she returned home. The scent seemed strangely familiar, but Maddie couldn’t place it.
“Do you have any idea where you were held captive?” Maddie asked curiously.
Chrissy, who’d been lost in thought—and Maddie had no doubt that Boone weighed heavily on her mind—jerked to attention. “No, I was set upon by five men I’d never seen before. They blindfolded and sedated me. I awoke occasionally and I remember the scent of cool, stale air, but that’s all I recall.”
Maddie frowned ponderously as she made note of the scent of the clothes and the reddish-brown stain on the sleeve of the blouse. The smell was not the same as in the cavern where Jonah had stashed her for safekeeping. True, the rugged ravines and canyons in the area abounded with small niches and caves, but this scent was different and Maddie couldn’t recall why it seemed familiar to her.
A light rap on the open door drew Maddie’s attention to Rosita poised in the hall. “Amos Mosely and his son, Terrance, are here to pay their respects and check on the bambino,” she announced. “Shall I send them up?”
Maddie nodded, distracted, then set aside the garments.
When the Moselys arrived, Maddie smiled in wry amusement while Terrance, the eldest son of a struggling neighbor rancher, poured on his limited charm and yammered about his concern for Christina’s ordeal, and how delighted he was that she had returned home safely. The long-winded spiel definitely sounded rehearsed—at Amos’s insistence, no doubt.
Maddie stood aside to see how Christina dealt with her would-be beau after their heart-to-heart talk. It seemed her sister was trying to decide if Terrance’s concern was sincere or if he was simply buttering her up for a future courtship.
A moment later Terrance stuck his foot in his mouth by saying, “I would like to call upon you again tomorrow. Perhaps you will feel up to strolling around the spacious grounds of your grand home.”
Christina’s delicate brow arched as she shot Maddie a discreet glance. “Spacious grounds? Grand home? Why, Terrance, if I didn’t know better I might think that you are more interested in the place I live than you are about my recuperation. I seriously doubt that I will be ready for a vigorous hike around our ranch tomorrow.”
Maddie muffled a snicker when Amos gouged his son in the ribs with an elbow. Here was yet another example of men who viewed the Garret women as an opportunity for wealth and elevated social stature.
When Christina sighed heavily and scrunched down in bed Maddie took her cue and said, “As you can see, my sister’s energy is failing her and she needs to rest.” She took Amos’s arm and steered him toward the door. “Thank you for stopping in to check on Christina.”
Rosita returned a few minutes later to announce that William Gilmore, another young, potential suitor, had arrived to see Christina.
“I think you’re right,” Christina muttered while she waited for William’s arrival. “Wealth does indeed bring suitors out of the woodwork. All they need is an excuse to show up.”
Maddie was impressed with how speedily and skillfully Christina dealt with the fawning admirer and his gallant offer to visit her daily while she recuperated.
William worked as an assistant at the nearby trading post and had about as much ambition as a slug. It seemed that what he lacked in ambition he made up for in gumption. He appeared more than eager to attach himself to a young heiress who could keep him in the manner to which he aspired.
William Gilmore had been gone only a few minutes when Rosita—who looked exhausted from so many trips up and down the stairs—poked her head around the corner again.
“Senor Tipton is here,” she said, huffing and puffing for breath. “And if you don’t mind, I’ll just send up any other visitors who arrive. These steps are wearing me out.”
When Rosita trounced off, Christina fluffed her pillow and propped herself up. “At least this suitor is only using me as an excuse to see you,” she said. “You can deal with him.”
Maddie was not particularly in the mood to visit with one of her would-be fiancés, but she vowed to play the gracious hostess before sending Ward on his way. Besides, she needed to inform him about her supposed marriage to Jonah. Then she would have limited association with her British-born-and-bred neighbor, who oversaw the ranch owned by several English investors.
/> Maddie didn’t understand the British fascination with Texas, but there were several foreign-owned ranches in this area, plus the elegant Saxon Hotel and two upscale restaurants in Mobeetie.
She mustered a smile when Ward entered the bedroom. She appraised him, noting that he looked his usual stylish, well-heeled self. Ward was classically handsome, with refined features and blond hair. Though not as tall as Jonah or Boone, he was a distinguished figure and had been nothing but polite to Maddie. She marveled at the fact that, despite his good looks and blue-blooded breeding, she had never felt the fierce attraction and rapt fascination that Jonah held for her.
Obviously Maddie had a weakness for rugged, swarthy warriors, not dignified gentlemen. So did Christina.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” Ward said with a customary bow. “I was at Palo Cinto Trading Post this morning and heard the news that Chrissy had been returned safely. I wanted to see for myself that she was unharmed.”
Maddie nodded graciously. “It was kind of you to drop by, Ward. As you can see, Chrissy is well on her way to recovering from her ordeal.”
“That is grand news.” Ward strode over to press a kiss to Chrissy’s wrist. “I do hope you’re up and about soon….” His voice trailed off and he frowned when his gaze glided to Maddie’s left hand. “You’re married?” he questioned, stunned.
Although there was no need to continue the charade, Maddie nodded. She was not taking off this gold band—ever—because she had decided never to settle for a substitute for the man she loved. Becoming a spinster was her only option.
“Yes, I am,” she replied. “To make a long story short, I was reunited with Jonah recently. Although his profession demands constant traveling, we were wed this week.”
“You must know I’m disappointed.”
Maddie offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, but I followed my heart. I hope you can understand.”
When he nodded in reluctant acceptance, Maddie breathed a sigh of relief. That had gone better than anticipated. But then, she reminded herself, neither Ward nor Avery held any true affection for her. It was this ranch they coveted.
“Since Hanson Ranch will be up for sale, I suppose you’ll be interested in the property,” she said conversationally.
Ward smiled. “I’m sure my investors will want to expand. I wondered if you might be competing with me for the land.”
“I have all I can manage. No need to worry about me driving up the price.”
“Glad to hear that…”
His voice trailed off as he glanced over Maddie’s head. Maddie turned to verify who had nabbed Ward’s attention, but she already knew. She could feel Jonah’s presence because she’d developed such an acute awareness of him.
Although her heart was breaking, she walked over to take Jonah’s hand. She noticed the star had been unpinned from his shirt, and his fresh, clean scent indicated he’d made use of the spring pool to bathe before riding back to the house. “Ward Tipton, this is my husband, Jonah Danhill.”
The two men nodded shortly, then sized each other up. Ward tipped his hat politely and said, “I should be going. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Maddie bit back a grin when Ward’s remark reminded her of the playful comment she’d made to Jonah. Clearly, he remembered, because he flicked her a quick glance and his eyes glinted with suppressed humor.
When Ward exited, Jonah turned his attention to Chrissy. “You look much better this afternoon. Thank goodness.”
“I feel better.” Chrissy’s gaze drifted past Jonah to see Boone hovering in the hallway, staring solemnly at her. “You’re leaving,” she said in a deflated tone.
“Yes, we came to fetch our gear,” Jonah affirmed.
Maddie wondered if anyone else in the room could hear her heart breaking and clattering to the floor. Even knowing this moment would come hadn’t prepared her for the hollow ache that swallowed her alive. Maddie drew a restorative breath, squared her shoulders and vowed to remain dry-eyed—until Jonah rode away. His last memory of her was not going to be of a weepy female.
Jonah pivoted on his heels and said, “By the way, I don’t like Ward Tipton.”
Maddie smiled, amused, as she followed him down the hall. “As I recall, you said you didn’t like anyone very much.”
Yes, he had, but knowing that dignified dandy of a rancher had set his sights on Maddie made Jonah like him even less. But that’s what ill-founded possessiveness did for you, he decided. He couldn’t allow himself to think of Maddie as his. They were worlds apart and he couldn’t let himself forget that.
This love she claimed to feel for him would fade soon enough. Then she would realize that she had been caught in an emotional whirlwind and had simply turned to him for comfort and support. In time she would probably thank him for not taking advantage of her vulnerability more than he had already.
When Jonah lurched around to say his final farewell, he gazed into Maddie’s luminous amber eyes and felt as if he’d been gut-punched. Damn, he’d grown accustomed to having her underfoot and dealing with her stubborn defiance. It would take time to adjust to not having her around. Even longer to forget the way she made him feel, deep down in those secret places he shielded from the rest of the world.
His thoughts disintegrated when she impulsively flung her arms around his neck and kissed him senseless. He was still standing there, his senses overloaded with the taste, feel and scent of her, when she abruptly released him and fled from the room.
Jonah swore inventively as he scooped up his gear. He had to get out of here before he started questioning why he should leave and not look back.
He cast one last glance around the spacious room and his gaze landed on the plush four-poster that he would never share with Maddie. Resolutely, he turned and walked away from the place he didn’t belong, away from the woman who deserved far more than he had to offer.
Chapter Thirteen
“Christina kissed me, right on the mouth,” Boone confided as he and Jonah headed east thirty minutes later.
“Must be a Garret family trait,” Jonah murmured absently. “Kiss and run.”
“She also told me that I was always welcome at the ranch and she would be there waiting for me.” He shook his head in amazement. “Is that girl blind? Can’t she see me for what I am?”
“She’s blind,” Jonah muttered. “So is her sister.”
Boone was silent for two miles, then he said, “It’s hell doing the right thing, isn’t it, Danhill?”
“Pure hell,” Jonah agreed.
Since he’d left Maddie behind, the hole in his chest kept expanding until it felt as if it would rip him in two. He’d been alone countless times, but he’d never felt as lost and lonely as he did right now—even when Boone commenced jabbering on about Christina.
Jonah was so tangled up in his emotions that he wasn’t paying the slightest attention to his surroundings. But the crack of rifles splitting the air just at sunset nabbed his attention and jerked him back to the present. Jonah instinctively ducked. Boone did likewise. Two bullets whizzed between them and plugged into the wall of the rocky ravine.
Jonah dropped to the side of his horse so he wouldn’t be a sitting duck. Boone did the same. They barely dodged two more flying bullets, which zinged off the rocks and caused the horses to sidestep skittishly.
Jonah panned the cliffs, which provided excellent cover for the bushwhackers. “Newton and Gibbs,” he speculated.
“That’d be my guess,” Boone said. “Why the hell are they shooting at us? They should know we don’t have the money. Maddie does.”
The comment caused an uneasy feeling to slither down Jonah’s spine. He dropped to the ground behind a fortress of stone to return fire at the bushwhackers. “If those two hombres are still after the money, why wouldn’t they go after Maddie now that we’re out of the picture?” Jonah mused aloud as he scanned the rugged ledges, looking for signs of the bushwhacking duo. “And damn it, what is there about me that inspir
es folks to try to blow off my head?”
“Must be your dazzling personality…whoa!” Boone ducked when an oncoming bullet tried to put a new part in his hair.
“Something doesn’t add up here—” Jonah hit the ground when another bullet whined past him and scattered dirt beside his boot.
He recoiled to get off a shot when he saw a rifle barrel glinting in the evening sunlight. His aim was on the mark. He heard a surprised squawk above him and saw the rifle cartwheel over the ledge.
“Nice shot,” Boone exclaimed. “Too bad you hit that bastard’s rifle instead of his head.”
Jonah half turned when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. “There.” He and Boone took aim. Their rifles barked in unison and one of the ambushers crumbled on the cliff to their left.
Jonah was on his feet in a single bound, darting in and out of the scrub cedars and mesquite as he clambered up the hillside to reach the downed outlaw. Without being told, Boone provided cover by firing several rounds at the other outlaw, who had grabbed his six-shooter and was blasting away, even though he was too far out of range to do any serious damage.
Jonah crouched beside the injured man, whom he recognized as one of the cowboys who had followed Maddie from Fort Worth. It was Newton or Gibbs, but he wasn’t sure which.
“Boone!” he yelled in between volleys of bullets. “Get up here. I’ll cover you.” Jonah fired off several shots while Boone scrabbled up the steep incline. “Which one is this?”
Huffing and puffing, Boone squatted beside the injured man. “Beau Newton.” He smiled nastily at the grimacing outlaw, then glanced at Jonah. “You wanna torture him for information Comanche style or shall I do it Kiowa style?”
Jonah smiled maliciously. “Let him choose. It’s his hide.”
“I don’t know nothin’!” Beau wheezed as he watched blood soak both sleeves of his shirt.
Jonah drew his dagger from his boot and tested the sharpness of the blade. “That’s the beauty of torture, Newton,” he said conversationally. “The more intense the pain, the clearer your recollection becomes.”