She slid into bed and hugged her pillow. This man and woman thing was even more a puzzle to her now she’d sampled it. Yearning for Nate’s embrace, she wondered where this attraction led. She hoped he decided to stay in Kincaid Springs. Perhaps his business could be carried out from an office in town, but she didn’t know, did she? So far, she had no idea what business brought him here in the first place. With a sense of despair, she burrowed into her pillow and drifted to sleep.
***
Nate took his place across from Sarah at the dining table. The past week had been hell. Storm and Drake kept him out from before dawn until after dark each day and he rarely saw Sarah all week. He wasn’t stupid enough to think that an accident. The family conspired to make sure he and Sarah were never alone. He’d hardly had a chance to say two words to her on Saturday before Drake and Storm had all but dragged him with them.
He was beginning to wonder if any amount of money was worth what he’d endured this past week. For a start, a Texas ranch was a hellish place. Everything bit, kicked, scratched, stung, or poked. And that didn’t even begin to address the bruises, blisters, raw places, sunburn, or protesting muscles.
At least he’d been allowed to sleep until seven this morning. Then he’d dressed and gone to church with the Kincaids just like last Sunday. God was probably laughing about that one. Sinner Nate invading hallowed ground two weeks in a row. What a joke. The walls hadn’t trembled when he walked in, though he had wondered if they might, or lightning flash, or some other sign that he was where he didn’t belong. Then Reverend Potter had shaken his hand after the meeting and said how nice it was to see him again and invited him back, as if he were as good as any other member of the community.
The last time he’d been to church was for Ma’s funeral. She’d been a big one for attending services, though Cal seldom accompanied her. If she’d lived, her son might have turned out to be a solid citizen instead of a sham. The pain of what might have been almost choked him, but he pasted on his sociable smile and looked around.
Surely this was the whole Kincaid clan. The Judge’s daughter Rosilee and her husband Sam Tremont were the only people he hadn’t met before. The guests included the Tremonts, Gabe, Drake and Pearl and their five kids, plus him and Sarah and their three. Damn, there he went again, thinking of the children as his. And Sarah. He couldn’t help thinking of her as part of him. He’d damn well better get over whatever moon-eyed thoughts he had there.
The chandeliers overhead sparkled in the sunlight streaming through gleaming windows. The polished floor shone almost as much as the mirror over the buffet standing against the wall. As far as he could tell, the best of everything decorated the long table. A crisp white linen tablecloth covered the table, but he could see from the legs and matching chairs that the wood was dark cherry. He’d wondered if the children were allowed to eat in here with all this silver, crystal, and china, but a count of the places revealed they were included, with a high chair for Parker.
This was the first large family meal Polly and Emily had prepared under Fiona’s supervision. Fiona fluttered back and forth from the kitchen to the dining room in a state of anxiety. Several curls escaped from her bun to frame her flushed face.
Nate envied Fiona living in this lavish house in town. Lord, he wasn’t sure he could survive life as a ranchhand until Monk showed up. Living here would suit him fine, though.
But he wouldn’t give up, wouldn’t give Drake or Storm the satisfaction of seeing him quit. He’d felt like it at least two dozen times this past week. Hell, he’d felt like it that often every day. Cleaning out stalls, beating the bushes for lost cows, and all the other nasty jobs saved for him had only made him tougher and more determined not to be defeated.
For the first time in his life he had stuck with a difficult job because he wanted the respect of the men he worked with. Not crooks like him, but ordinary saps. He had worked his tail off to surpass the expectations of cowpunchers. If that didn’t beat all, what did?
Not just the men. Admit it, he thought, you couldn’t bear to see disappointment in the eyes of Sarah and the kids. He had to concede it was good to come back at the end of the day and see welcome in their smiles. They’d meet him and walk him into the house. After he cleaned up, they’d all eat a good meal together. If it weren’t for the stupid cows, it wouldn’t be a bad life. Damn, he’d try to stick with it a while longer.
This wasn’t right. Usually about now he’d be feeling great, enjoying himself and mentally ridiculing the suckers while he set his scheme in motion and waited for the payoff. He wasn’t supposed to want to be a part of their lives, shouldn’t be admiring them. Hell, this deal was giving him a headache. Too late, he thought with a sense of sadness, the scheme’s been set in motion and it’s too late to change things now.
Joe plucked at his sleeve. The boy’s eyes widened and he motioned around them. He stretched his hands out as if indicating a large amount.
Used to interpreting Joe’s mimed communications, Nate nodded. “It’s big, isn’t it? Must be over two dozen rooms.”
From Nate’s other side, Luke whispered, “It’s the fanciest place I ever saw. Nicer than that place we stayed when you found us. Is this some kind of hotel too?”
“No, son, it’s big as some hotels, but it’s a house, the Judge’s home.”
To Nate’s mind, it was much better than any hostelry because it was a home. He’d love living here, having beautiful things around him every day. Maybe when he got to New Orleans, he could find a own place like this for himself.
He gave himself a mental shake. Who was he kidding? Living over a saloon with the bare necessities of furnishings was more likely. Except when he needed something fancier as part of a swindle, that’s all he’d ever had. That and life from a suitcase, traveling from one rotten place to another.
Across the table, Cindy asked, “How many people live here?”
“Just Grandpa, plus Mrs. Galloway and Polly. Emily and her husband Chester live over the carriage house,” Sarah answered.
“I like it here,” Cindy said. “I like Grandpa, too.” She looked up at Sarah.
“I’ve always loved it here. When Pearl and Storm and I first came to Texas, we lived here with Grandpa for a while.”
“Will he be my Grandpa?” Cindy asked.
“Yes, dear,” Sarah said and hugged Cindy. She pointed down the table to Gabe Kincaid. “Cousin Gabe’s making sure you and Luke and Joe are officially adopted by me so Grandpa will be your very own Grandpa, too. All my family will be yours.”
“What about Nate?” asked Luke.
Nate met Sarah’s gaze across the table. He saw the question in her beautiful lavender-blue eyes. Ah, hell, this was the hard part. With a growing sense of regret, he wished things were different, that he was different.
Being a part of this family, settling here for all time wasn’t a possibility for the likes of him. Nope, these folks wouldn’t want him around once they found out the truth about him. Too bad, but he’d known it couldn’t last.
He realized Luke still waited for his answer, Sarah still watched. He put his hand on Luke’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t you worry about me, son. You’ll be so busy going to school, exploring the ranch, playing with your cousins and all your new friends, you won’t miss me once I’ve moved on.”
Luke looked down at the table. “Yes, I will.”
The light in Sarah’s eyes died and she lowered her gaze, pretending to fuss with Cindy’s new hair bow. Nate felt lower than a snake.
Joe pulled at Nate’s sleeve and motioned to Nate, then to the floor.
“See, he wants you to stay here, too,” Cindy said.
Fortunately, the Judge chose this time to tap his spoon against a glass. “It’s good to have you all here. Let’s bow our heads for grace.”
After a prayer long enough to qualify as a sermon, to Nate’s way of thinking, the Judge nodded to Fiona. “We’re ready.”
Nate thought Fiona needed to go lie
down. The meal was exceptional, but she looked nervous and worn to a frazzle by the time it ended. The Judge had insisted she join them at the table, but she hopped up every few minutes to rush into the kitchen and check on one thing or the other.
After dinner, the women went into the drawing room. With furtive glances at the adults and whispered discussion about exploring the attic, the children rushed away, supposedly up to the old playroom. The Judge led the men into the billiard room. Gabe and Sam Tremont racked up the balls while Storm watched. Drake sat in a wing chair, legs extended, and his polished boots crossed at the ankle.
“Hear you’re doing ranch work while you’re waiting for your friends to arrive,” Judge Kincaid said to Nate.
Nate looked at Storm and Drake. Slavery was what he’d call it. “I’ve tried to lend a hand.”
“Drake tells me you’re a hard worker and helped a good bit. Says you’ve got a sharp eye for detail.”
What a shock. Nate had no idea what Drake thought of his efforts, though he knew the man watched him like a hawk. “Suspect he’s being generous. I’ve no experience in ranching. Hardly think my efforts made much difference.”
“You don’t know my other grandson. Sam’s boy, Lex, is in the state legislature. Used to work in my law office like Gabe, and I’ve missed him. Need another man in the office but haven’t found one who measures up. Still looking for someone who spots the small details, follows up. Meanwhile, think you could take a stab at filling in while you’re waiting around on your own?”
“You mean work in town in an office instead of on the ranch?” Nate thought he heard an angel chorus. He couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “I think I could manage that.”
The thought of working for an officer of the court gave him a few qualms. In fact, it scared him half to death. His policy had always been to avoid any contact with the law if possible. On the other hand, working for the man the town and county were named for would give him more credibility when he started asking folks for money. In the meantime, and this was no little thing, he’d be free of that damned ranch work.
Salvation at last. No more unruly cows, no eating dust or slogging through mud. No more dodging prickly cactus or scratchy brush. No more fearing lethal cattle horns or poisonous snakes. He could wear clean clothes and keep them reasonably neat all day. He almost hugged the Judge in gratitude.
“Fine,” the Judge said. “Start in the morning at nine. Give yourself a day to see if you think you’ll like it. If you take to the work, move your gear in here Tuesday.”
Aha, now he understood. Get him away from Sarah, out of the same house, away from the children. The bastards were trying to trick him again. But trickery in a nice office versus trickery involving cows didn’t take much pondering.
“You want me to stay here, with you?” he asked. He’d miss Sarah and the kids, but this place had definite merits.
“It’d be easier for you if you move in here, but you could ride in every day.” The Judge must have read his mind because he said, “You’ll have time most evenings to ride out to the ranch and visit.”
Nate smiled and gestured around him. “Be hard to take this after looking at the back end of cows for over a week, but I believe I’ll chance it.”
The other men laughed.
Storm shook his head. “Feel sorry for you. When you’re sitting in that stuffy office with Gabe, you’ll miss being out in the fresh air.”
He looked from Drake to Storm. “Hmm, let’s see. Miss breathing in dust and sliding on muck, riding through all kinds of weather to sit in a nice clean office?” Nate pretended to weigh one against the other. He shook his head and said, “Working with you fellas has purely been a pleasure, but I believe I’ll take the chance and work with Gabe.”
The Judge slapped him on the back. “Fine, it’s settled. I’m presiding at a trial tomorrow morning, but Gabe will show you what needs doing.” He turned to pour each man a drink from the decanter on the sideboard. “Now, Sam, tell me what you hear from Lex about that land reform bill.”
A hearty discussion ensued on the evils of government interference and Nate stood at the side of the room and pretended to listen. Relief flooded through him. No more onerous ranch duties, but he hadn’t sacrificed the Kincaids’s good will.
Sarah couldn’t find fault with him working for her beloved Grandpa. They’d still be able to see each other even though he’d be living in town. Now if Nate could only keep in good graces with the Judge and Gabe, he’d be all set when Monk arrived with Hargrove.
Chapter Eleven
Sarah dismissed school for the day. Carlotta Mendoza had filled in while she was gone. Since all the children were taught in one room, Sarah had worked out a plan to introduce some topics on a rotating basis so the older children didn’t hear the same thing year after year. She kept a firm agenda for all the subjects, with cultural as well as scholastic sections covered.
Carlotta was a good friend and it had been kind of Carlotta to step in when Sarah received word her mother was dying. She knew Carlotta would like to teach the class all the time. Sarah had promised her that when the class grew too large for one room, Carlotta could be the other teacher.
The time to add the other schoolroom had arrived. Drake and Storm had promised to start construction whenever she gave the signal. Word of her innovative style and diverse subjects had spread. Several families from town sent their children to her school and her original class of eight had grown to twenty-five. More parents promised to send their children in the fall.
In truth she couldn’t take credit for the curriculum. Sarah only repeated what Pearl had taught her and Storm. In turn, Pearl had learned a diverse range of subjects from a distant kinswoman who had been their neighbor in Tennessee.
Sarah wondered what would happen to the school without her supervision. Someday she would quit teaching to begin her own childbearing. With a start she wondered why that thought popped into her head. My stars, she wasn’t even married. Closing her eyes, she saw Nate’s face and sighed.
He won’t stay. He won’t marry you.
Facing facts, she admitted she’d been dreaming of Nate since they met, especially since their time in Memphis. Her dreams on the train ride found her hoping he’d stay in Kincaid Springs and marry her. There, she’d acknowledged it, but it did nothing to lessen her longing. Her gaze went to the window, to the hill where she’d once planned to build her home. Now she wanted to live in town, to be near the office where Nate worked each day.
Foolish dreams. That’s all they were. Futile yearnings of a spinsterish schoolmarm destined to sleep alone every night of her life. At least she had the children to comfort her. With a resigned sigh, she put on her bonnet and drew her shawl around her. When she stepped out of the school and pulled the door closed, she called the children—both hers and Pearl’s two oldest—who had been playing nearby.
“Time to go home.”
They walked together, Cindy holding her hand while the boys ran this way and that. As they came around the house, Sarah’s heart skipped a beat.
“Hey, that’s the horse Nate uses,” Luke called.
Cindy let go Sarah’s hand to race ahead with the boys. Sarah felt like racing with them, but only quickened her steps. What would bring Nate here before the office closed on the first day he worked for Grandpa?
Inside, she found Nate conferring with Drake. Pearl and Storm sat nearby. What could be important enough for Drake and Storm to come in from the range this early in the day? Worried, Sarah removed her bonnet as she hurried over to them.
Her children had swooped down on Nate and he ruffled each boy’s hair before he picked up Cindy. Nate smiled at Sarah.
“It’s all right. We’ve finally heard from the Pinkerton agent. Gabe insisted that I come tell you the letter arrived.”
“What does it say?” she asked, fear clutching her like a tangible thing. What if the children’s relatives were found?
Nate gave Cindy a kiss on the cheek and set her down before he
took a letter from his pocket. “There was no trace of any living family members for Luke and Cindy. From the piece of ticket you found in their trunk and the things Luke remembered, the Pinkerton man traced them to Somerville in Tennessee.”
Luke’s face lit up. “That’s it, Somerville.” Then he looked as if he would cry. “Oh, no, do we have to go back?”
Nate gave his shoulder a squeeze. “You’re staying right here, but now we know about your other family.”
Relief washed over Sarah and she sat down. Cindy climbed onto her lap and snuggled against her. Luke sat at her feet and Joe leaned against the arm of the chair. Her children.
Nate continued talking to Luke and Cindy, “The preacher you stayed with got a letter about a month after you left saying that your mother’s aunt had died after a serious illness. By the time her things were being cleared away and someone found the letter directing her to pick you two up, the date had passed.”
He looked at Sarah, “The Somerville sheriff wired the Memphis authorities, but no one could find the children. They’re forwarding some papers and other things of the aunt’s you might want to save as mementos.”
“What about Joe?” Sarah asked.
Joe moved in front of Nate and stood staring up anxiously, a look akin to fright in his wide brown eyes.
“Pinkerton agent talked with a man named...” Nate referred back to the letter, “Reuben Ingles—“
Before Nate could finish, Joe bolted from the room and ran out the front door.
“I’ll get him,” Nate said and thrust the letter at Sarah as he passed her in a rush.
Nate raced after Joe, his long strides closing the distance between them. Joe rounded the barn with Nate on his heels. The boy threw himself at the wall and sobbed as he slid to the ground. Nate grabbed him and, when Joe would have wriggled free, he hugged the boy close.
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