The Rancher's Temporary Engagement

by Stacy Henrie

  The confessions at the jail had lasted far longer than Edward had anticipated. He’d sent his wranglers home after returning to town with Maggy and Vienna. Bertram and Winchester had fled the party by then.

  Edward’s housekeeper and foreman had both insisted on staying in town. And he had been grateful for their trusted company as he, Maggy and Vienna shared with the sheriff all that they’d discovered and experienced over the past month, ending with the kidnapping.

  When the three of them had finished, the sheriff thoroughly questioned the Druitts and Howe. They’d each made a full confession, though the Druitts appeared to be the only ones who felt any real remorse over their actions. The sheriff insisted everyone, except for the Druitts and Howe, get some sleep before reconvening at the jail to hear what charges Edward would press. Instead of driving all the way back to the ranch, he’d gotten rooms at the inn for him and McCall and the three women.

  Sleep had come easily at first, but then he’d woken, anxious about what to do when it came to pressing charges. He’d spent that last hour or so in prayer, asking God what to do, before the tired group had trooped back to the jail. And though Edward had felt his decision was the right one, it wasn’t until Maggy had told him that she’d also been praying that a sense of real peace had come over him.

  Edward scooted her closer to him on the wagon seat and urged the horses to pick up their pace. They’d had to delay their intended conversation—the one in which he planned to tell her that he loved her—but once they reached the ranch, he didn’t plan to wait another minute. He only hoped what Maggy had to tell him was something similar.

  “Are we there yet?” she murmured sleepily as if she’d sensed he was thinking about her. She probably had—she featured in his thoughts more than any other person or thing these days.

  Edward rubbed her arm beneath the lace sleeve of her ruined ball gown. “Almost.”

  “We missed services.” She lifted her head to look at him, her expression deadpan. “And at the Running W, everyone attends church services.”

  He chuckled, enjoying the smile it brought to her mouth. “I think God will understand this once.”

  “So do I,” she said, linking her arm through his. “Especially with how merciful you were to the Druitts and Howe.”

  Eying the bridge up ahead, he frowned. “Do you think I did the right thing?” Now that his case was solved and everything had been decided, he felt a moment’s doubt.

  “Edward.” She waited until he looked her way. “I would have done the same in your position. The Druitts were genuinely sorry, and with Mr. Druitt so ill, I think it was absolutely the right choice to drop any charges of horse theft.”

  The couple had agreed to return his stolen horses posthaste and compensate him financially with the ransom money for their other misdeeds. Also, Mrs. Druitt had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to step down as president of the wives’ club. In return, Edward had agreed not to divulge their wrongdoings to their daughter or the news of Mr. Druitt’s illness. Nevil Druitt promised to share his condition with Lavina and Felix before the month was out.

  Edward had chosen not to seek out and force a confession from Bertram and Winchester. He felt confident the Druitts would be instrumental in discouraging the two men from trying anything of a nefarious nature in the future.

  “What about Howe?” he asked Maggy.

  A frustrated expression settled onto her beautiful face, then disappeared as she released a sigh. Edward could well understand her reaction. He still felt anger each time he thought about the fire at the ranch and Howe’s treatment of her and Vienna.

  “I think you were merciful with him, too.” Maggy leaned her head on his shoulder again. “Charges of horse stealing would have put a noose around his neck, so I think having him return your horse and charging him with arson was appropriate.”

  Howe would have to stand trial and would go to prison if convicted, but despite the man’s crimes and his despicable behavior toward Vienna, Edward didn’t want to see him swing—not on Edward’s word. And neither did Maggy and Vienna. After learning from Maggy that Vienna was with child, Edward had offered the girl a permanent home and employment at the Running W for as long as she wished, which she’d tearfully accepted.

  “Who’s that?” Maggy sat up and pointed at a buggy parked in front of the ranch house.

  Edward shook his head. “I don’t know.” He didn’t recognize the carriage. Hopefully the unexpected visitor wouldn’t stay long. He needed to change out of his wrinkled evening clothes and have his private talk with Maggy.

  As he stopped the wagon beside the buggy, a woman with gray hair in a long dress stood up from the rocker and stepped off the porch. “Edward. Where have you been?”

  “Mother?” He blinked in shock. “What are you doing here?”

  “What am I...” She lifted her eyes to the sky for a moment. “Do you even read my letters? I informed you more than a month ago that I’d decided to come to visit.”

  Now that he thought about it, there had been several of her letters he’d put off reading with all that had been going on. “Forgive me.” He threw Maggy a tight smile, then climbed down from the wagon. “I’m glad to see you.”

  “And I you.” She smiled fully as he approached. Back in England he wouldn’t have embraced her, but it had been so long since he’d last seen her.

  Throwing propriety to the wind, he gathered her tightly to him. “I’m very glad you came.”

  “Me, too,” she whispered in a voice choked with emotion. “I’ve missed you, my boy.”

  When he eased back, she placed her hand on his face. There were tears shining in her own gray eyes. In that moment, he realized he’d been a fool to think his family didn’t care.

  “Did you hire a buggy?” he asked, releasing her.

  Her expression conveyed irritation once more. “I had to since you weren’t at the station to meet me. Except the livery man said the strangest thing.” She glanced from him to where Maggy and the others were exiting the wagon. “He told me you were quite popular with your relatives these days and that I wasn’t the first to come visit. What in the world did he mean, Edward?”

  He looked at Maggy who was doing her best to suppress a grin, but he couldn’t contain a burst of laughter. “That is a rather long story, Mother.”

  “I like long stories,” she said, arching her eyebrows. “Perhaps you can also explain why you are dressed as you are. Or why it looks as if you had a fire here recently.” She motioned to the burnt rubble of the guest cottage and stable before nodding politely at his housekeeper. “Hello, Mrs. Harvey. A pleasure to see you again.”

  The housekeeper dropped a curtsy. “Lady Healey. Nice to see you again, too.”

  “Are these other people friends of yours, Edward?”

  Edward motioned to McCall. “This is my ranch foreman, West McCall, and the young lady there is Vienna Howe. She’s come to help Mrs. Harvey.” He stepped away from his mother to take Maggy’s hand in his. “And this...this is my fiancée, Maggy Worthing.” Maggy had told McCall last night that she was a detective, so Edward felt no qualms about sharing her real name.

  “Your fiancée?” his mother repeated in an awestruck tone. “Let me guess. That is another long story.”

  It was, but Edward refused to wait another moment to learn if the ending to his and Maggy’s engagement story would be the one he’d been hoping since yesterday. “I would be happy to explain everything to you soon, Mother. But first I need to speak with Maggy. Why don’t you go with Mrs. Harvey and get yourself a nice cup of tea?”

  “That’s right, my lady. Let’s get you settled, shall we?” Mrs. Harvey threw him a perceptive wink as she guided his mother toward the house.

  Vienna hurried after them, a faint smile on her face. “I’ll help.”

  With Maggy’s hand still gripped in his, Edward led her down the drive, calling
over his shoulder, “McCall, find something to do.”

  “Yes, boss,” he said with a laugh.

  Edward didn’t stop until he reached the bridge. Only then did he turn to face Maggy, who watched him with equal parts amusement and confusion. “I imagined this scene going differently,” he admitted.

  “Differently than having your mother show up or differently than having spent most of the night in the jail?”

  He laughed as he stroked his thumb along the back of her hand. “Both.” He felt a sliver of fear at the thought of laying bare his heart to another woman, but he fought it back with the reminder that this wasn’t just another woman. This was his Maggy.

  Or at least he hoped she’d agree to be his.

  “Maggy, there’s something I’ve been waiting all night and all day to share with you.” He gazed into her blue eyes and felt himself relax. “I don’t want you to be my temporary fiancée anymore.”

  Her brow pinched with bewilderment and what looked like a twinge of hurt. “That’s what you wanted to say?”

  “Yes. I mean...no.” He shook his head. “This isn’t coming out right. What I’m trying to say is that I love you.” He let go of her hand so he could cup her face as he’d done after finding her near the corral. “I love you, Maggy Worthing. And I want you to be my fiancée for real this time. To marry me and stay right here. But...”

  She cocked her head. “But what?”

  “But I know you have a wonderful opportunity with this promotion of yours.” He tangled his fingers in her hair as an ache filled him. If she still wished to go, he would let her. “You are an amazing detective, Maggy. And I hate to see you throw that away—”

  She pressed her fingers against his mouth, silencing the rest of his speech. “Will you give me a chance to share what I wanted to earlier?” When he nodded, she smiled—the sort of smile that had made him fall in love with her in the first place. “I’ve worked very hard for that promotion, and it would be everything I dreamed of for my career. But...” She lowered her hand.

  “But?” he repeated with a smile, his hopes rising.

  Her chin dropped and her voice shook with unshed tears. “I realized last night that I don’t want that promotion as much as I want...other things.”

  “What do you want, Maggy?”

  He nudged her with his finger until she was looking at him again. “I want to stay here, Edward. With you. As your wife.” She smiled through her tears. “Because I love you, too.”

  With a whoop of joy, he gathered her to him and swung her around. Then he set her on her feet and kissed her for a long time.

  “Are you sure you don’t mind giving up your career to marry a rancher?” he asked when he finally released her.

  Maggy threw him a smug look. “Who said anything about giving up my career?”

  “But you...”

  He couldn’t resist kissing the impish grin that appeared on her mouth. “I believe I might have come up with a way to do both.”

  “Have you now?” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they headed back toward the house. “And what is that?”

  She snuggled into his side. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

  Two months later

  “Does it look straight?” Maggy couldn’t quite tell from her position on the top rung of the ladder. She glanced down at Edward.

  He studied the sign she’d hung beneath the ranch’s archway. “A little more to the left, I think.”

  She reached out to correct the sign’s angle. Her husband—a title she felt certain she would never tire of using—had volunteered to hang the sign for her, but Maggy had wanted to do the honors. After all, it was her detective business, though she suspected Edward would be a great help now and then. Just as she was with the ranch.

  “Better?” She inched back slowly.

  When he nodded his approval, she grinned. Now the arch not only stated the name of their ranch but also the name of her business—Kent & Harvey’s Detective Agency. She didn’t expect a great deal of cases, and most of them would likely be minor thefts or crimes or assisting the sheriff now and then, but she was still grateful for the chance to keep honing her skills.

  “Let me climb down and then we can go find Mrs. Har—”

  Edward grabbed her from behind, making her squeal as much from surprise as delight, as he settled one arm around her back and the other beneath her knees. “You still haven’t shown much remorse for stealing away my housekeeper.”

  “She promised to do both,” Maggy replied, fiddling with the lapel of his coat. “And Vienna agreed to pick up any slack in the kitchen.”

  He pretended to glare at her. “See? No remorse.”

  “I’m truly sorry, Edward...” She had to swallow a giggle before continuing. “I know it must pain you to have your exceptional housekeeper promoted to assistant detective.”

  He started to carry her toward the house. “I knew letting her read those dime novels would prove fatal.”

  Maggy laughed. “I think that is what’s made her all the more skilled.”

  “True. And I suppose I ought to thank her.”

  She rested her head in the crook of his neck. “For what?”

  “For reading those stories in the first place.” He shifted her in his arms as he stopped walking. “That’s what gave me the idea for hiring a detective in the first place.”

  Lifting her head, she placed her hand alongside his jaw. She thanked the Lord every day for bringing them together. “Do you regret that decision?” she half teased. “Because you certainly got more than your fair share of trouble with that request. You got a detective, a fiancée and a wife.”

  “I don’t regret it for a moment,” he said before kissing her soundly. “I do suggest, though, that as you go forward, you keep one very important thing in mind.”

  She feigned an innocent expression. “And what is that?”

  “Only this, Mrs. Kent...” He grinned in a way that made her heart race with joy, gratitude and anticipation. “That you remember you are my detective first, last and always.”

  Leaning close, Maggy whispered against his lips, “I will.”

  * * * * *

  Don’t miss these other Western adventures

  from Stacy Henrie:

  LADY OUTLAW

  THE EXPRESS RIDER’S LADY

  THE OUTLAW’S SECRET

  THE RENEGADE’S REDEMPTION

  Find other great reads at www.LoveInspired.com.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from HONOR-BOUND LAWMAN by Danica Favorite.

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  Dear Reader,

  On a research trip to Wyoming for one of my other Love Inspired Historical Westerns, I visited Sheridan and the nearby small town of Big Horn. The beautiful landscape and a lovely preserved 1890s ranch house looked like the ideal spot to set a story.

  Those weren’t the only reasons I set Edward and Maggy’s story near the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains, though. Like Edward, a number of gentlemen from the United Kingdom settled in the area and established horse and polo pony ranches. The British Cavalry did, in fact, contract with ranchers in the area to supply horses for use in the Second Boer War. And though that war didn’t start until 1899, for the purposes of my story, I have the Cavalry interested in Edward’s horses the year before. Also of interesting note, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip visited the Sheridan area in 1984 and purchased polo ponies from there.

  The ranchers’ wives’ club is my own creation, though the Sheridan Inn is an actual building and was the hubbub of social events back in the day. Buffalo Bill Cody was part owner of the inn and was reported to have auditioned acts for his Wild West show on the inn’s
front porch.

  The Pinkerton National Detective Agency opened a branch location in Denver, Colorado, in 1886. James McParland became the superintendent of the Denver office in 1888. As one of the most famous of Pinkerton’s detectives, McParland is best known for infiltrating a gang of assassins in Pennsylvania in the 1870s. And while the position of head female detective is fictional as far as I know at this time in the agency’s history, Allan Pinkerton, the agency’s founder, did employ the first female detective in the U.S., Kate Warne, in 1856.

  My hope for this story is that readers will enjoy Edward and Maggy’s adventure, their chance at love and their realization that we are all of unchangeable worth, regardless of what we do or what has happened to us.

  I love hearing from readers. You can contact me through my website at www.stacyhenrie.com.

  All the best,

  Stacy

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Historical title.

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