Hanchart Land

by Becky Barker

  "Granddad's seventy-fifth birthday party is a week from today. I'd like to be married by then. That way we can announce it to the family and friends all at once. Get it over with and get on with our lives." Susan was trying to get her wayward emotions under control. It was difficult to concentrate on what he was saying even though she knew it was incredibly important.

  "Couldn't we just announce our engagement next Saturday?"

  His eyes flared. "You still have doubts?"

  "No." Her reply was truthful. Now that she'd made up her mind, she wasn't crazy about delaying the process.

  "Then there's no point waiting. I'd like to have Granddad stand up with me, if he's willing, but the rest of the family can find out about it after it's done." She'd lost contact with most her old school friends and didn't feel close to anyone. "Will I need a maid of honor?"

  "You can choose someone to stand up with you, or I can have one of the ranch hands fill in as a witness."

  He seemed to have all the details worked out in his mind already. Susan tried to shake off the lethargy his caresses had caused so she could be sure they were on the same wave length. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

  "Rosa wants a celebration, but I told her it'd have to be a private one. She had a fit when I suggested bringing Judge Anderson out here, but says Reverend Thompson would probably be happy to do the honors. If we have him perform the service, we'll have to attend counseling first," Luke continued. "It's up to you."

  She and Shane had been married in the judge's chambers with only his staff as witnesses. This time she wanted to be married by a minister.

  "I'd like to ask Reverend Thompson."

  Luke nodded his approval. "We can see him after we get blood tests on Monday. As soon as we apply for a license the information goes on public record, not to mention the gossip mill. We'd better do that and have the ceremony Friday evening. We'll hear fewer complaints from everyone if it's official before they hear about it."

  Susan agreed. She was suddenly anxious to make their relationship official, but she wasn't looking forward to all the bitterness the union would cause.

  Shane's sister, Linda, would undoubtedly be the worst. The other woman had doted on her brother and helped to spoil him rotten. She'd been jealous of Susan, then devastated by Shane's unexpected illness and death at the age of twenty-five.

  Now she would be furious by a remarriage, especially to Luke. Like Shane, she'd believed her brother deserved more power and control within the family, even though he'd never done anything to earn it. "Linda won't be shy about verbalizing her objections," she said aloud. "Even if she understands it's mainly to keep Hanchart land intact."

  He didn't deny it. "She'll raise hell, but not publicly," he told her. "She's too concerned about the family's image. She'll tell everyone you were so devastated by Shane's death that you married me on the rebound." His tone had gone from indifferent to bitter. He was a proud man, and she supposed his ego would take a beating, but most people would understand his desire to protect his birthright.

  "You're probably right. She'll need to explain why I remarried without at least a year of mourning. She'll tell her friends I couldn't bear to leave his home, that I'm trying to hang on to his memory, the Hanchart name, and social status."

  That suggestion brought a tightening to Luke's already taut expression. Did he think the Hanchart name was all-important to her? Did he think she was marrying him on the rebound? Because she missed Shane so desperately? How important was it to let the truth be known? She didn't want to explain her relationship with Shane to him or anyone else.

  "I do love this ranch," she wanted to clarify her position, feeling she owed him that. “But my decision to go through with the marriage has nothing to do with Shane or the family's social status. Can you believe that?"

  He continued to stare into her eyes. Susan wasn’t sure what he hoped to find, but it was clear he doubted her motives, as well. "I guess time will tell, won't it?"

  "Time will tell what?" John Hanchart was joining them on the deck from the patio area. He'd overheard the end of the conversation and interrupted them with a question of his own. He looked from one to the other. "What will time tell us?"

  Luke's grandfather was tall and straight in posture with a head of thick, snow-white hair. His face was a road map of age lines, but his eyes were still as keen as his grandson's. They missed very little.

  "Hi, Susan. It's a surprise to see you relaxing for a change." His smile of welcome was genuine. It probably shocked him to see her lounging by the pool, but he was too much the gentleman to question her. "A pleasant surprise." He said, being another member of the ranch family who frequently told her she worked too hard.

  She sat up and swung her legs to the deck, but when she started to rise from the chaise, he waved her back down. "Don't get up on my account. Rosa says you had a bad spell and need to rest."

  "Rosa's a mother hen." John gave her a wink. “True, but she also knows everything that goes on around the place, so I never question her assessments.”

  "Rosa's right," added Luke. "Susan's under doctor's orders to slow down and get some rest."

  "Make's sense to me," John decided, tossing his towel on a nearby chair. "So what will time be telling us?" Luke glanced at her, and then turned more fully toward his grandfather. "Susan and I have decided to get married as soon as we can arrange a ceremony. It won't be a popular decision with the rest of the family, but they'll have to get used to the idea whether they like it or not."

  John's eyes narrowed as he studied the two of them, obviously considering all the ramifications of a union between them. Then he offered a short, terse lecture. "I can see where marriage would provide a practical solution to your problems, but I hope you're not going into it with the intention of divorcing when it's convenient.

  "There's never been a divorce in the Hanchart family,” he continued. “There've been lots of different reasons for marriages over the generations, but once a commitment was made, it was upheld," he declared. "Marriage is a serious, lifetime commitment. Are you just sealing a business agreement or are you planning to have a real marriage?"

  "Real." They chorused in unison.

  John scrutizined them both a little longer, and then seemed satisfied with what he saw. "In that case, you've got my blessing," he said. His tone lightened and his eyes took on a devilish gleam. "I'll even dance at the wedding." Susan could almost feel Luke relax. She knew although he was a powerful man in his own right, he respected his grandfather and wanted his support.

  "I'll need a best man," he added quietly, his eyes warming as they met John's. "Think you could do the honors?"

  For just an instant, Susan was certain the older man would be overcome with emotion. Moisture gathered in his eyes, but he swiftly blinked it away. Then his grin grew wide and he threw an arm around Luke's shoulders. "Damn, boy, you know I've been trying to marry you off for years. You bet I'll be your best man. I'll come with bells on."

  She smiled as the men gave each other a rare hug. Then John's gaze pivoted to her. "I hope this boy of mine told you I want about ten great-grand babies." Susan felt herself blushing clear to the roots of her hair, but she managed to return his teasing, "Actually, he mentioned a dozen, but these things take time."

  John roared with laughter and slapped Luke on the back. She was thrilled to see it bring a smile to Luke’s face. He wasn’t a handsome man by most standards, but his smile softened his roughly hewn features and made her catch her breath. With his grandfather, he seemed younger, more carefree and relaxed. There was no problem communicating or a noticeable generation gap.

  Is that the type of family man he was? Tough as nails when it was necessary, but soft as a marshmallow when it came to those he loved? The thought brought a yearning in her so intense it hurt. Her chest tightened. What would it be like to be loved by such a man? To be the center of Luke's attention?

  Did she dare even wonder? If she allowed herself to dream, it might only bring more he
artache. Dreams had a way of going astray.

  "What about you, Susan? Who'll stand up with you?" John asked.

  She glanced at Luke. "Do you think Rosa would mind?" The men shared a grin. "Do babies cry?" John teased. "That woman loves any reason to celebrate. She's spent the last month planning a surprise birthday party for me. I don't want one, of course, but I hate to disappoint her."

  Susan grinned. "If it's a surprise party, you're not supposed to know about it."

  "It's hard not to know when she's had one every year for the last twenty. I keep complaining, and she keeps on doing just what she wants. Says she needs to be busy, and I need coddling. Says it's a family tradition. Maybe now that you're coming to stay, she'll leave me in peace."

  Susan's laughter was light and musical, charming both men with the sweet rarity of it. "I'm sure she's capable of coddling both of us."

  "I suppose," he grumbled. "She'll be out here any minute now wondering if we have something cold to drink, if we remembered to use sunscreen, or if we need a snack to sustain us until dinner."

  John had his own small house a mile down the road, but he usually took his evening meal with Luke. He swore Rosa would smother him if he didn't keep his distance for the rest of the day. "I have to get back to work," Luke told them. "The two of you can deal with Rosa yourselves. I’ll see you at dinner."

  "Why don't you change into some trunks and swim with us a while," John asked him. "The work'll still be there later."

  "Can’t do it. I just came in to get a thermos of tea for the men," Luke explained. "Rosa'll have it ready by now."

  "Suit yourself," said his grandfather, "but you won't find better company than ours, will he, Susan?" She tactfully avoided answering the question. "I'm finding the water pretty hard to resist, myself. I think I'll get in and cool off a little."

  "Just remember to stay in the shade when you're done," Luke warned, his eyes following her long-legged saunter to the edge of the pool. "You're already starting to get pink."

  "I'll remember." She tossed over her shoulder before making a clean, graceful dive into the water. The two men watched as her head surfaced, and she began to swim with long, sure strokes. "She's one hell of a woman," John told his grandson. "I've watched her work around here, and she's a natural with the horses. She's smart and dependable and trustworthy.”

  "That’s a strong recommendation coming from an old bachelor like you."

  "Damned straight. If I were fifty years younger, I'd give you a run for your money and take special care with her. She's had a rough time. I don't know why she married Shane, but I'd be willing to bet your inheritance it was a bad marriage from start to finish."

  Luke stared at his grandfather for a long while, his expression thoughtful. There was very little that meant more to John Hanchart than the family's ranch, and he didn't make light of bets on it. He was dead serious about Susan's marriage. He’d wished, many times over, that he could find out what kind of marriage it had been.

  Only time would tell if his grandfather was right about her.

  Chapter Four

  Susan was amazed at how much she could actually sleep once she'd followed the doctor's orders to relax. She slept soundly Saturday night, even in a strange bed. Always an early riser, she was up early the next day, but then she’d dozed off again beside the pool. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d taken naps during the daytime.

  Part of the reason she was able to rest was due to having a definite course of action for her future. Now that she knew what direction her life was going to take, it was easier to make the psychological adjustments. Luke had lifted a heavy burden from her shoulders with his proposal. He'd given her a whole new set of worries, of course, but they were different. They offered a challenge she was happy to accept. She knew she had her work cut out for her to make a success of their relationship, but she didn't mind challenges.

  Other than their confrontation in the barn and his erotic massage, he’d made himself scarce. She didn't know if he kept his distance so she could relax or if he thought their volatile reaction to each other could cause problems.

  Maybe he was old-fashioned enough to disapprove of premarital sex. She would agree on that, but knew he'd never believe her. He assumed she and Shane had shared a normal, loving relationship.

  He would have to learn the truth, but she wasn't sure how to broach the subject. Maybe, just maybe, they could enter into a relationship without him realizing how inexperienced she really was.

  He certainly knew how to arouse her. Maybe, if she was really lucky, he would excite her to the point that she didn't freeze when he tried to consummate their marriage. Maybe he could block the horror of Shane's attack from her mind long enough to let nature take its course. Maybe. There were a lot of ifs and maybes, but she was trying to think positively.

  John joined her again by the pool on Sunday afternoon. Along with his beach towel, he carried a large dress box. Susan greeted him with a smile and some teasing.

  "Have you been shopping this morning?"

  He grinned, tossed his towel on the deck and laid the box on the end of a lounge chair.

  "Nope. This was over at my place. I brought it here to show you."

  Interest piqued, she rose from her chair and watched as he cut through the sealing tape with his pocketknife. The box showed signs of age and had apparently been in storage for a long time.

  "What is it?"

  "Come see," he invited, opening the box and carefully spreading the tissue paper.

  She joined him and then gasped with delight as he unveiled a beautifully preserved wedding gown. He lifted it from its bed of tissue and gently shook out the folds.

  "Oh, John, it's gorgeous!"

  Her hands were damp, so she didn't want to touch the delicate ivory satin, but he held it, turning it so she could see it from every angle. The length was mid-calf with a scalloped hemline. It had elbow length, fitted sleeves and a v-neck trimmed in delicate Victorian lace. The bodice was covered in tiny seed pearls, and she loved it on sight.

  "Alma's mother made this gown by hand," he explained, speaking of his deceased wife. "She wore it for our wedding fifty-five years ago. I promised her I'd keep it cleaned and preserved until Luke took a bride. She doted on that boy, you know," he reminisced. “Since the two of you are to be married, I thought I'd see if you'd like to borrow it for the ceremony."

  Susan's eyes widened in surprise. She knew John had adored his Alma. Memories of her still seemed to touch him deeply and his offer touched her just as deeply. She hadn't even considered the need for a wedding dress. Her wardrobe was woefully lacking of anything special.

  When she didn't say anything for a minute, he continued, "She was a hopeless romantic, and she wouldn't have wanted you to wear it unless you really like it, but I thought I'd make the offer for her."

  "It's the most beautiful gown I've ever seen, and I love it," she insisted. "But we're going to have a very small, quiet ceremony."

  "You and Luke said it'll be a real marriage, so you might as well have a real wedding. It doesn't have to be big, but it can be special."

  Susan was almost too overcome with emotion to speak. She didn't know what Luke would think about her wearing his grandmother's gown, but no woman in her right mind could resist such a temptation.

  "It's perfect," she whispered. "I would be more than honored to wear it, if you're absolutely sure you wouldn't mind."

  "No, no," he said, clearing his voice and trying not to let emotion get the best of him. "I wouldn't have offered it if I had any objections. I told Rosa I'd be bringin' it. She said she'll make any alterations you need."

  "John, you're absolutely sure? I don't want to damage the dress with alterations. What if I stain it or something?"

  “It’s not much use if nobody's ever going to wear it again," he added practically as he replaced the dress in the folds of tissue paper and then closed the lid. "It's time I let somebody else worry about preservin' the damn thing."

&nb
sp; "Oh, John, thank you!" was all she could manage. She threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely.

  The old man chuckled, put his arms around her and awkwardly patted her back. Susan didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable, so she made a concerted effort to control herself.

  "My parents used to tease me about getting married," she said as she eased from his arms. "Daddy used to say he'd supply the stepladder and help me elope, but Mother made all these elaborate plans for a big, formal wedding. She would have loved Alma's gown."

  Her voice cracked on the last words, and she knew she needed a little privacy to regain control. "I think I'll take it up to my room, if you don't mind."

  "Go right ahead, but don't forget to come back and swim with me. I'm old, and I need supervision."

  His teasing brought an answering smile to her face, a smile that competed with the sun for its brilliance. Her eyes sparkled like the rarest of sapphires, and her exquisite beauty was enough to steal a man's breath.

  It was that smile she turned on Luke as he came striding onto the pool deck to join them. It stopped him in his tracks. For a long moment, all he did was stare at her while a high-voltage electrical energy crackled between them.

  Susan was sure she'd be singed by the fire that leapt to his eyes. When she was finally able to drag in a steadying breath, she scooped up the dress box and held it defensively in front of her, as though it offered protection from the heat of his gaze.

  "I'll take this upstairs and be right back," she managed, leaving them on trembling legs. It was hard to believe how deeply affected she was by nothing more than a searing glance from the man she'd promised to marry. How could she hope to cope with his full attention, when just his undiluted interest left her trembling?