She was still thinking that when he pulled her away from the railing and she slid down his hard, strong body. She would have crumbled, her legs were so wobbly, if he hadn’t been holding her tenderly now.
“I’ll do anything for you—except make love to you on your father’s back porch.”
He sounded as shaky as she felt. Was she really going to walk away from this? From him? But she had to! God, what had she just done? She couldn’t even upbraid him for it when she needed him on her side right now.
She latched onto what he’d just said, asking hesitantly, “Will you talk to your father and get him to agree to my suggestion?”
“No.”
Her eyes flew up to his. “You just said—why not?”
“Who says I want it ended that way? Maybe I like the idea now, of marriage being the cornerstone of a new foundation.” He let go of her and leapt over the railing.
She yelled after him, “You do not!”
He continued to head toward his horse out front, but she heard him laugh. “Now you sound like my Red.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
TIFFANY WAS OUT OF breath, from laughing, from drowning. And her brothers, who surrounded her in the lake, wouldn’t give up on trying to dunk her. Not that she had a chance of winning when they were so much stronger than she was. She finally crawled out of the water to catch her breath. The boys continued their antics, pulling each other under the water.
Sam had loaned her one of his shirts to swim in. Long-sleeved, buttoned up the front, it fell to her knees. She wore her longest bloomers with it. Not exactly proper swimming attire, but then no one was going to see her except her brothers.
She sat on the grass, leaning back against a tree trunk, as she watched them, though she wasn’t actually seeing the boys now. Removed from the horseplay, she felt an onset of the sadness that had come over her last night. She was actually going to miss things about Montana when she left: the beauty, the openness, summer storms lulling her to sleep, even days like this, so crystal clear. And most of all Hunter. No one had ever treated her the way he did, no one ever would again. The teasing and the laughter that so easily broke down her defenses, the way he didn’t hesitate to speak his mind with her. The man truly had an enjoyment of life to find humor in the smallest things, and it was infectious when she was around him. She’d never felt so close to anyone else, the way she did to him. But then he’d given her the most incredible experience of her life when he’d made love to her.
She wished she could package him up and take him home with her, but Hunter wouldn’t be Hunter in the city. She couldn’t ask him to make that sacrifice. They simply weren’t meant to be. They’d known it all their lives. The attraction they shared wouldn’t survive the differences in their ways of life and the hard feelings and animosity that had been bred into their families. Last night had proved that, when neither family could get through one simple dinner without arguing and the Callahans had left angry because of it.
The framing of the house that was supposed to be hers one day caught her eye across the lake and deepened her sadness. She could see the broken corner post and the pieces of framing hanging down. Hunter had said he’d tear it down.
It would have been so much easier if he’d stayed angry with her for deceiving him and his family. But after what had happened last night on the porch, and, worse, his mention of cornerstones and marriage, she knew he wasn’t. She was going to have to be blunt and tell him that wasn’t happening—and remind him why he should be relieved that it wasn’t.
“Your logic confuses me, Red,” Hunter said behind her. “I got the distinct impression last night that you were trying to convince me you’re nothing like my Jenny, yet here you are behaving like a hoyden with your brothers.”
She leapt to her feet and came around the tree to find him leaning against it. “How long have you been here?”
“Long enough to see that you could have used some help against your brothers.”
“Don’t guns get too wet to shoot in the water?” she quipped.
He chuckled. “You know I didn’t mean that kind of help.”
She was embarrassed that he was seeing her like this, her hair dripping wet, clothes clinging to her. “Go away. This is a family outing.”
“And we’re going to be family.”
Oh, God, that sounded nice, but he wasn’t being logical. “You know you don’t really want that. You’ve hated this betrothal as much as I have. Don’t turn stubborn now just because you think I’m someone I’m not. I—I won’t marry you. I’m going to go back where I belong. Be glad that I’m letting you off the hook.”
Her own words started to cut deep. She hadn’t thought it would hurt saying them! But his expression arrested her. He didn’t believe her? He actually smiled.
“Your pa followed your ma back East,” he said, coming away from the tree to maneuver her against it. “He did his courting there. You going to make me do that?”
“Courting at this point isn’t appropriate.”
“She didn’t fight him every step of the way, Red. Why are you fighting me?”
She lifted her chin stubbornly. “She didn’t know what the West was like yet.”
“Do you really think she cared? She was in love. She just wanted to be with her man.”
“Yet she left him,” she stated, thinking she’d made her point.
He didn’t think so. “Don’t use that excuse when you admitted you don’t know why she left. And you don’t really want to leave, either.”
“I—I do.”
“Prove it,” he whispered as he leaned in closer.
She could have turned away in time—no, she just didn’t want to. She wrapped her arms around his neck, let him lure her into a few moments of bliss. It was. His kiss was pure magic. How could she give this up, what he could make her feel? Did she dare be selfish and marry him when she knew they’d both end up regretting it eventually?
“This is beautiful,” he said against her lips. “This is two people meant to be.” Then he stepped back, but he left his hand tenderly on her cheek. “Go tell your ma what you feel, what you really feel. She’ll tell you this is where you belong.”
“I can’t, she’s not—”
“She’s in town. One of the hands just rode in and mentioned it. Half of Nashart remembers her, it’s all they’re talking about. I was riding over to warn you, in case you didn’t know. The sound of laughter in the lake distracted me.”
“But she said she’d never step foot in this territory again!”
He shrugged. “Maybe she felt she had to come to straighten you out.”
Tiffany winced. “No, she’s probably come to rescue me. If she’s here now, then she left before she got my father’s telegram. But she will be furious when she finds she came for nothing, that he and I are on the best of terms now.”
“Need me to protect you? My pa might have been intimidated by her, but I’ve got more at stake. I’ll fight the dragon for you.”
Tiffany almost laughed. “She’s not a dragon, she just doesn’t mince words when she’s angry.”
Chapter Fifty
ROSE STOOD AT THE window of her room in the Nashart hotel. She’d gotten a room in order to make herself presentable. She had to look her best today. She didn’t see anyone outside waiting for her. They’d always been there, the watchers, and always in plain sight, no hiding. Parker had wanted her to know. The ones who had been watching her for years sometimes even nodded to her respectfully when she ventured out, they’d followed her for so long. Most didn’t last a year before they were replaced or quit. It was a boring job, after all. It felt so odd, not having them following her anymore, so odd it would probably be a long time before she stopped glancing over her shoulder to look for them. But they were really gone. She had her life back. She might even get her husband back—if he could forgive her.
She couldn’t believe how close she’d come to not finding out that this nightmare was over. She’d been in her hotel su
ite packing for her trip to Montana to find out what had made her daughter sound so panicked in her last letter and beg to be allowed to go home. There hadn’t really been time for one more visit to Parker’s house when her train was leaving in a few hours. She’d already been to that mansion five times since she’d arrived in Chicago, and each time she’d been turned away. There hadn’t been any point in trying one more time. Yet she did. And she’d gotten in the door. And heard the last thing she expected to hear. Parker was dead.
He’d died two days ago when she’d felt so despondent she hadn’t even left her hotel suite to take a walk or buy a newspaper. His household was in mourning, or at least giving that impression. The man had made her believe his death wouldn’t make a difference, that his vendetta would continue from the grave. He hadn’t counted on his wife, Ruth, not honoring his wishes.
“I can’t give you back the years you lost, but I can assure you I won’t throw good money after bad,” Ruth had told her when she received Rose in her parlor that last day in Chicago. “My husband was wrong. He did many bad things that I was aware of, but I think this was the worst. He couldn’t accept that our son was weak. He had to blame others for Mark’s death when it was Parker’s own fault for coddling the boy his whole life. To be honest, Rose, Parker’s death isn’t just your liberation, it’s mine.”
Ruth had said a lot more that day and offered what apologies she could, even mentioning a large sum of money. She called Parker brilliant when it came to business, but a fool when it came to family. She claimed she’d stopped loving him soon after they were married and admitted, “He never knew, that’s how insensitive he was.”
Rose had listened in a haze of shock.
That first day on the train was nothing but a blur. So many emotions made that grueling trip to Montana with her, hope, worry over Tiffany, even anger that Parker hadn’t died sooner, but only one arrived with her in Nashart. Excitement.
Now, she was bubbling with it like a schoolgirl as she hurried down to the hotel lobby. A buckboard was waiting outside to take her to the Callahan ranch. She was going to collect Tiffany and take her straight to Frank. And then? She didn’t know. She’d been given her life back. What happened today would determine if it could once again be a life worth living. . . .
“Well, well, you didn’t waste any time, did you, Mrs. Warren?”
She knew that voice, that horrible voice. It wiped the color from her face as she slowly turned to face the man who’d threatened her all those years ago. The man who had shot Frank and promised to kill him if she didn’t do exactly what he told her to do. She knew who he was, too. She’d spent a lot of money finding out. She’d wanted to put him so deep in prison that he’d never see the light of day again. But she’d been blocked at every turn. His boss was too powerful, had too many officials in his pocket. And William Harris had been Parker Harding’s right arm.
She slipped her hand into her purse to grip the derringer she had in it before she said, “I spoke with Ruth Harding, Parker’s wife. His vendetta is over.”
“I know.”
“She even had any mention of it stricken from his will. Their lawyer was a personal friend of hers, not his.”
“I know.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Then what are you doing here, Mr. Harris? And I’d be very careful with your answer. If you think to blackmail me into compliance again, for any reason, I’ll kill you myself.”
He had the gall to tsk at her. “Now is that really how you want to spend your homecoming? In jail for shooting an unarmed man? Perhaps you should know that I was never a gun for hire, Mrs. Warren. No set salary could compensate me adequately for what I do. Parker knew that. I earned a percentage of all the businesses I handled for him and will continue to handle for his estate. The more they earn, the more I earn. His wife knows my value. She’s already assured me the deal I had with her husband will continue.”
“But not the deal you had concerning me, so why are you telling me this? Parker’s vendetta died when he did. Mrs. Harding has already dispatched notices of termination to the men following me and my husband. This is over!”
“I just find it ironic,” he said in that same smug, unperturbed voice. “All these years watching Warrens, then we run into trouble with their enemies. Parker didn’t know that yet. He was just told there was trouble with his new copper mine and gave me leave to fix it in my usual, efficient way. I’m here on business. Now that you’re here, too, I’m seeing more options for how I might solve a few business problems.”
He laughed as he walked away. Rose’s hands were trembling. She should have shot him. He was just as guilty as Parker Harding was, for ruining her life fifteen years ago.
Chapter Fifty-One
TIFFANY CAME TO AN abrupt halt at the top of the stairs when she saw her parents in the hall below. She’d taken too long getting ready! But she’d been sure Rose would go to the Triple C looking for her first. Even if Hunter had steered her this way instead, she didn’t think her mother would actually come here.
As she started to call out to Rose, her brother Sam whispered, “Shh.”
She glanced to her left and saw Sam peeking from behind a wall at the drama unfolding in the entrance hall. He slipped around her and sat on the step directly below her. She joined him on the step and whispered, “No shouting?”
“Neither one has said a word yet.”
“How long have they been staring at each other like that?” Tiffany whispered.
“ ’Bout five minutes now, by my reckon.”
Her eyes widened. “Without a word?”
Sam grinned. “Yeah. He probably doesn’t believe it’s her. Probably thinks she’ll disappear if he says anything.”
Tiffany jabbed Sam with an elbow. “Why didn’t you warn him she was in town?”
“I figured once we caught up with her, we should give you a little time with her first. Didn’t expect her to just walk in the door.”
No one did, least of all Franklin. He looked so incredibly surprised. And Rose—Tiffany had never seen her mother with such an expression. . . .
Tiffany suddenly burst out, “Oh, my God, you both still love each other!”
Their eyes immediately turned in her direction. Rose started toward the bottom of the stairs. “Tiffany, come down—”
Franklin cut her off, simply swinging Rose around and kissing her. There was no hesitation on Rose’s part. She wrapped her arms around her husband—grabbed him hard was more like it.
“Well, who would’ve thought,” Sam said with a chuckle, and elbowed Tiffany this time. “Want to go swimming again?”
“You mean leave them alone?”
“I don’t think they’re going to notice anyone else for a while.”
They didn’t go swimming again. Tiffany had been far too embarrassed when Hunter had found her doing that. They did vacate the stairs, though, to give their parents some privacy. But Tiffany was too curious to leave the house. She wanted to be available the moment her mother was ready to talk. She didn’t expect to have to wait until dinner that night!
Rose and Franklin came into the dining room laughing, their arms around each other’s waists. It was as if they hadn’t lived the last fifteen years apart. Their children stared at them, speechless for a moment, then noisily fired off questions at the same time.
Rose held up her hands and in her usual indomitable way said, “Be quiet, children. Your questions will be answered if you still have any when I’m done explaining. I was under a threat of death, your father’s death, to say nothing. But that threat is finally dead and buried. I’ve already told your father. So let me tell you now why I was forced to leave here all those years ago.”
It was almost funny, how many times Tiffany’s brothers opened their mouths to interrupt Rose as she told her tale, only to clamp them shut again. But Rose wasn’t an adept storyteller. In trying not to leave anything out, she said things out of context. But she did finally piece it all together for them. It took most of the meal to
do so.
Tiffany barely touched her food. She was shocked and horrified by the old man’s cruelty and the violence he had resorted to, to get his revenge for something her parents hadn’t been responsible for. His ruthlessness had touched them all, dividing their family, making sure they wouldn’t even know why. That was the worst part of the whole tragedy—that Rose had had the burden of keeping this secret all these years, even from the people she loved.
“You should have told me, trusted me to deal with it,” Frank finally grumbled.
Rose raised a brow at him. “How many times are you going to say that today? We both know exactly what you would have done. You would have hunted Parker down and killed him. But you can’t kill a man that rich and powerful without paying the ultimate price for it. If you must know, I almost did myself. But he convinced me even his death wouldn’t end it. He just didn’t know his wife despised him and had no intention of carrying out his final wishes. My God, I wished I’d known that sooner.”
“I thought those men watching your house were your guards,” Frank said.
“No, they were Parker’s men, and they had orders to kill you on sight. Why do you think I told you I’d shoot you if you ever showed up at my door again?”
“You were angry enough when you said it that I didn’t doubt you meant it.”
“Of course I was angry. I’d had to leave you to save your life, and part of his damn revenge was that I not tell you why. But you wouldn’t let it go, and that was just making the pain so much worse.”
“I’m sorry,” Frank said, putting his hand over hers.
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. I wish I could have found some way to tell you, but Parker was too thorough. He didn’t just have men following me to make sure you and I never met up anywhere, he had you followed, too. You didn’t know you were being watched?”
“How would I? I had no reason to suspect anything. If I did, I would have just figured it was the Callahans up to no good. I did see flashes in the hills every so often, like sun glinting off binoculars, but when I reached the spots to investigate, no one was around.”
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