Hawk shook his head. “I’m afraid you’ll have to ask Mandy that question,” he said. He looked away. “She saw a man in a mask….”
Kat nodded. “I know…,” she said. “He wasn’t human….”
She turned to look at Kid.
“They need our help,” she said, and he wrapped his arms around her and helped her toward where people lay moaning on the ground. Together, they helped Mandy attend the wounded.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Coming Home
Kat could hardly believe the war with her family was actually over. Her grandfather had put Liam in charge of all of his affairs, as he’d meant for him to have from the beginning, until her treacherous cousin had usurped him. He and Jake had flushed out every single one of her cousin’s men, though Jake had stayed behind, for the time being, to make sure they hadn’t missed anyone.
And George awaited trial for his crimes.
Kat had realized that a lot of people looked forward to seeing him pay for the things he’d done—and she was glad she hadn’t robbed them of that, giving him too easy of a way out, by killing him that day.
She still woke up in the middle of the night, thinking she stood between the fallen cars of that train, hearing the horses pained whines, caught in the last couple of cars. She’d wake up, sweating, tears slipping down her face—only to find Kid’s gentle arms coming around her, soothing her, and each time she’d realize she was safe—that Mandy was safe.
Yet, she, too, wouldn’t rest until they had their day in court and saw George pay for what he’d done. Now, what he’d done to her grandfather, well that would be a separate court proceeding. But her cousin wouldn’t see the light of day, anytime soon.
Kat realized that she needed to find forgiveness in her heart. She couldn’t live her life with all this anger. The anger only served to be another kind of poison—one that would eventually kill her. She knew she had to let it go one day. And she worked to that end, daily.
Later that afternoon, Kat stood on the porch of Kid’s ranch. She tipped her face to the sun, once more realizing that this would be her ranch too—if she could but stay. She just had to have the courage to reach for her own dreams—to know she was worth fighting for—for her own happiness.
Her grandfather hadn’t left yet. He seemed content to stay on the ranch. He hadn’t said anything more to her about going back. Kat had the feeling that had as much to do with Mandy’s, Aunt Lydia, as it did with her. She didn’t know what he would decide to do if things got serious between them. Would he stay in the West?
She wouldn’t be surprised—and she realized that she hoped he would.
He’d continued to express the same love for Cheyenne that he’d been, from the moment she’d brought him out here. Her grandfather had plainly fallen in love with it, here. She could easily see him staying, if he let himself. She hoped he would. She had the feeling that he might get a lot of good things out of living out here, which he’d missed when she’d been stolen away as a child. And she knew they’d get some of that time together that they’d missed, out of it as well.
Kid had added several of his horses to his herd, the ones he’d bought from her grandfather, and had brought home by train soon after they’d returned home. He’d been busy breeding some of the mares he’d bought, with a beautiful five-year-old stallion, he’d been raising, since shortly after Hawk had made the deal with him to take over this ranch. And he also had that new colt….
At this rate, Kid would have one of the best horse ranches in the state, and Kat felt proud to be a part of that. She couldn’t ask for a better life. She’d never imagined that she could live such a dream.
Now, if only they could find a way to have that wedding….
But she’d made herself a promise—one that bound her to look after her grandfather, first. She had to find a way to resolve that—and, only then, could she be free to follow her own dreams.
Kat looked away, realizing.
As it turned out, she wasn’t pregnant. She’d probably just been under enough pressure, causing the delay of her monthly, and the train’s movements had likely been what had made her sick. She felt the same way, riding in a wagon.
That’s when she realized it.
She needed to be as true to herself—as she’d been to everyone else. She needed to work as hard to bring her own happiness to life—as she seemed willing to give to everyone else. She’d been far too willing to give up parts of her life—to make her grandfather happy.
But she didn’t know any other way, but to be true to herself. Only, then, could she be true to the people she loved. As she looked across the ranch, she knew—she’d come home.
She straightened when she spotted Kid coming from the barn, smiling. She realized she would love him for every lifetime, from here to eternity. She belonged here—not back East, making an old man happy. She shouldn’t be willing to throw away her own happiness. She couldn’t allow anything—or even anyone—to change the course of her own destiny. Her future lay in her hands—no one else—if she but had the courage to reach for it.
The courage to break an old man’s heart—she sighed. Could she really do that? Wasn’t it wrong to do that? Did that make her selfish? Didn’t that make her self-absorbed?
Kid stepped up on the porch and pulled her into his arms. Smiling, she put her head back to look up at him, reached up and tipped his hat back so she could better see his face.
“I love you, Kid…,” she said, stopped suddenly—and grinned. “Oh, my….I just realized that I don’t know your last name,” she shrieked, pulling away. “Do you even have a last name?”
He grinned. “Not really,” he said. “But if we were to get married in a church—to make our marriage legal in eyes of man—I suppose I’d have to choose one.” He frowned. “I used Hawk’s, when Doc sent me back East to school. I guess that would serve. I’d have to speak to Hawk….”
Kat smiled. “Kid McClain,” she tried it out, settling back into his arms.
She looked up as her grandfather came around the corner of the wrap-around porch, flushed and gently pulled away from Kid, looking up at him.
“Grandfather…,” she started.
He held up his hand. “Forgive an old man,” he said. “I knew from the first time I opened my eyes and spotted the two of you working over me together. But I couldn’t bear the heartbreak of losing you again.” He eyed her. “It’s obvious how much you two love each other.” He looked out over the ranch. “It’s even more obvious how much you love this ranch.” He turned back to eye her again. “But just the same,” he said, eyeing her, “you wouldn’t still consider coming with me…?”
Kat smiled gently, then shook her head.
“Yeah,” he said. “I didn’t think so.” He smiled. “But I still had to try.” Looking at Kid, then back across the ranch. “Perhaps I’ll leave Liam the place early—and come here instead,” he said.
Kat knew her face lit up at this—since it had become her secret wish. She smiled as the first bud of hope—burst within her. “Would you?”
Her grandfather grinned now. “Hell, yes, I would,” he said.
Kat flew into his arms. She kissed the side of his face as he hugged her fiercely. He looked up at Kid, grinning. “I’m keeping my on you, young man.”
Kid laughed. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
When they sat down for dinner at Mandy’s that night, Kat noticed that her grandfather watched her aunt Lydia as she moved around the room. She’d been right. Her grandfather did like Mandy’s aunt. She sat back in her chair, watching. Then grinned when she realized that Lydia also liked her grandfather.
She looked over at him, seeing him in a new light. Now that he wasn’t being poisoned, and he’d recovered sufficiently, he seemed much younger. She realized he was actually quite a handsome man.
After dinner, she invited Mandy to go sit out on the porch, as the sun went down. Then, grinning, she suggested that Kid take Hawk out to visit the mare,
he’d brought over for him that afternoon from her grandfather’s herd.
Kid glanced at her, giving her an odd look, and she looked over at her grandfather, then looked at Mandy’s aunt. She almost laughed out loud when not only Kid—but Hawk and Mandy—caught onto what she was trying to do. They practically stumbled over each other, trying to make their excuses to leave the room.
Kat giggled when she got out onto the porch.
Mandy laughed, trying to peek back into the house. “How did you know?” Mandy said, grinning.
Kat glanced through the window, then sat down in one of the rocking chairs. “I saw my grandfather looking at her the other day,” she said. “I don’t know him that well—but I swear I saw longing on his face.”
“Really?” Mandy said. “I’m so excited for her. She’s been so lonely since my father died.”
Kat looked at her surprised. “I would wouldn’t have guessed,” she said. “She always seems so—together.”
Mandy nodded. “She’s amazing. She’s so strong. And she never complains. But I know she’d love to have someone of her own. I know she’d love to have a life with someone—a life she doesn’t have to hide, the way she had to hide the life she had with my father, after my mother died.”
Kat glanced up at her, as Mandy went to stand near a post, staring out across the ranch at the horses. “Why didn’t they just get married?” she asked.
Mandy shrugged. “They both had it in their heads that people would judge. After all, she was my mother’s sister. Some people wouldn’t approve.”
Mandy’s aunt came out, then, handing them each a steaming cup of tea before going back into the house. Kat waited until she’d gone back into the house before she looked at Mandy.
“See…,” Mandy said, “that’s another example of why someone shouldn’t throw away their lives—their own happiness—to please others.”
Kat looked down at the hot mug in her hands and nodded. “Finding real love is a precious thing,” she admitted.
Mandy grinned at her.
Kat looked up and saw the look on her face. Flushing, she grinned. “I know,” she said. “That’s pretty different huh?”
Mandy nodded, still grinning at her. “You could say that,” she said. “Five months ago, I could never have imagined you saying something like that.”
Kat nodded, laughing. “Five months ago,” she said, “I couldn’t have begun to imagine being this happy.”
Mandy grinned. “Good,” she said. “I think that’s wonderful,” she said to Kat, sitting down in the rocking chair next to her, holding her hot mug between her hands. “I’m happy for you.” She looked at Kat. She waited for several moments. “So—when would you like to get married?”
Kat had started to sip her tea, choked and started laughing, setting her mug down on the little table between them. She brushed the hair back from her face. “Okay,” she said, deciding. “Okay.” She stopped, thinking about it. She looked over at Mandy. “How about two weeks from Saturday.” She grinned as Mandy laughed.
Mandy set her mug down too and stood to hug Kat. Kat hugged her back, and they laughed.
“Well, then, Mandy said. “Let’s plan for your wedding.” She went to the door, saying she’d be right back, returning shortly with paper, ink and quill, and they sat down to plan.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Life on the Ranch
Later that morning, Mandy showed up on her step, grinning. She’d had Kat’s horse saddled, and as Kat eyed her, trying to figure out what she was up to, Mandy dismounted, intent on pulling her down the step. “Mount up,” she said. “We’ve a wedding dress to get.”
Wide-eyed, Kat turned to stare at her. “By the way, that reminds me,” She said, eying Mandy. “How did you know I was staying?”
Mandy laughed. “You may not have come to terms with what you had to do,” Mandy said, shading her eyes from the sun with her hand before she stepped up on the porch. “But I knew. It was just a matter of time before you told your grandfather the truth of it, is all.”
Kat grinned. “He spotted us kissing,” she said. “And I had to tell him—I’d never leave Kid. I don’t know why I ever thought I didn’t have a choice in that.”
Mandy smiled gently. “Women are raised to believe they’re supposed to set aside their happiness for the happiness of others, especially if they deeply love that person. But doing so is an act of giving up our power. And when we do that—we’re miserable. Then, no one benefits,” she said. “We can only truly be the person we’re meant to be—when we live within our essence.”
Kat stared at her. “Where were you when I was struggling with this dilemma at my grandfather’s manor?” she said, grinning.
Mandy laughed. “You knew where your heart lay. You just had to face your grandfather with the truth.”
Kat smiled at that. “It’s funny how confusing it seems at the time—when in hindsight it seems all so clear.” Then, she looked out across the ranch. This was her home. Now, a shiver of excitement snaked up her spine. Wow! This was actually happening. She might even succeed at finally getting to buy that wedding dress.
An hour later, Kat walked in Cord’s Mercantile with Mandy. This time, she didn’t wait outside, kicking clumps of dirt around and getting mud on her shoes. This time, she realized that she didn’t have to change herself to be a good wife to Kid.
He loved her exactly how she was.
And this time, she knew that she could still dress up, when she wanted—and enjoy being pretty. These ideas no longer threatened her. So she walked beside Mandy, and she didn’t have to be drug into the store. She didn’t have to be encouraged to pick out a dress.
She walked up to Cord and asked to see the dress they’d looked at—that day that seemed so long ago now. Surprised, he glanced at her—then seeing the change in her, he smiled and nodded. He went to the back and returned with the dress.
She looked at Mandy and Meg, who had come from the back when she saw what Cord had pulled out. “Will you help me to try it on?” she asked them.
Meg grinned. “Oh, my,” she said, smiling. She looked at Mandy. “We’d be happy to.”
Kat laughed, and the women headed to the back.
Kat tried on the dress, and Mandy and Meg made over how beautiful she looked in it, while the seamstress, Mandy had arranged for, made the necessary measurements for alterations. When Kat caught herself in the mirror, she stood speechless, unable to believe who she saw looking back at her in the mirror.
Mandy came up, smiling. “You’re glowing, Kat,” she said. She touched the beads on the dress. “You left here confused.” She looked up. “And you’ve come back knowing exactly who you are—and what you want from your life.” She smiled at Kat. “I’m so happy for you.”
Meg laughed. “We,” she emphasized, laughing. “We’re so happy for you,” she said.
Kat flushed, smiling. “I’m am happy,” she admitted. “I love my life on the ranch. I love my life with Kid.” She looked at her friends and shrugged. “I just—love my life.”
Mandy grinned. “So no more need to run off to be by yourself,” she said.
Kat grinned back at her. “No more need to run off,” she admitted. “I’ve never been so at peace.”
She looked up to see Meg grinning at her too. “Stop,” Kat said, trying to sound more like her old self. She failed, and grinned back at them. Then, she wagged a finger at Meg. “It will be your turn next,” she promised her.
Meg blanched at that—and Mandy dissolved into a fit of giggles, until tears sprang to her eyes.
Meg glared at her, which only made Mandy laugh harder. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Meg said Kat, trying to ignore Mandy now.
Mandy laughed. “You never do,” she said through her tears. “But you heard her—you’re next.”
Meg huffed, then left the room and went out to the front of the store.
Kat’s eyes widened at this. “Is she mad,” she said, concerned.
Mandy
only giggled. “Probably,” she said. “She won’t admit she loves Cord.” She smiled at Kat, unrepentant. “But she’ll be over it, quick,” she said. “You’ll see.”
Sure enough, Kat had no more taken off her wedding dress, and come out to the front of the store with Mandy, and she ran into a grinning Meg.
“So when will you need that dress?” she asked.
“Next Saturday,” Mandy said, smiling.
Meg’s brows shot up. “Really?” she said. “Why that’s great.” She went behind the counter and wrote some stuff down. “What else will you need, then?” she asked them, and Mandy dug out the list they’d written down the night before.
Meg’s eyes widened as her gaze scanned the list. “Are you inviting the whole countryside?” she asked, teasing.
“Yes,” Mandy said, giving her a look that dared her to say another word about it.
Kat laughed. “Mandy wants to make up for the party we all missed, when she and Hawk go married last year,” she said.
“Does she now?” Meg said. “Well, okay then. Let’s do it up right and plan a dance that the whole town can come to, shall we?”
Kat nodded. “That would be wonderful. We’re due a celebration. We’ve come through two wars, in as many years, and we should celebrate.”
And, with that, the three of them spent the rest of the afternoon planning for just that.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Wedding Bells
Today was her wedding day, Kat actually giggled as Mandy straightened the train of her veil. She stared at her reflection in the mirror.
“I still can’t believe you decided to get married in a church,” Meg said, laughing.
Kat grinned. “We wanted it to be legal before the eyes of God—Goddess—and man,” she said. “Nothing can break us apart, even if we were somehow separated.” She chocked on that last, and felt Mandy place her hand on her shoulder.
They’d been through too much together, not to be wise to the way life could come and stomp all over all their well thought plans.
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