Nathan grinned then jumped down from the back of the wagon. “As a matter of fact, there is. Ms. Lettie sent an entire meal with us. She didn’t want you to have to cook on your first day back.”
“Bless her for thinking of that,” she said as she joined him.
“Doc is planning to visit you in the next few days.”
She nearly rolled her eyes but instead turned to look at him. “I’ll be fine. All I need is a little rest.”
“I know that but people are concerned.” He shrugged then began gathering as much food as he could. He met her gaze. “They can’t help it. They love you.”
The door to the house flew open and as the children hurried out Nathan gave her a parting smile before carrying the load of food inside.
Sean and Lawson took what remained into the house, leaving Kate alone with her sister. When the girl moved to follow them inside Kate called her back. “Ellie, do you remember where you put the letters?”
Ellie stared at her in confusion. “What letters?”
“The ones from Nathan, silly.”
“Oh.” The girl tilted her head to stare up with a curious look in her eye. “Why do you want them?”
“I just want to read them.”
“I see,” Ellie said while staring at Kate as though trying to discern all of her secrets.
She glanced surreptitiously at the door of the house then back at Ellie. “Where are they?”
Kate slipped toward the back of the empty barn where several small wooden crates stored some of their father’s old tools. She lifted the cover off one of the crates and there, partially buried by broken halters and old tools, rested their father’s tackle box. Kate pulled it out and placed it on her lap. The lid opened easily to display a small stack of letters.
She shook her head. The lengths that her family had gone to, to secure her a husband never ceased to amaze her. She reluctantly had to give them credit for their cleverness. She never would have stumbled upon the proof of their guilt unless she had been told where to look.
It had been hard to ignore Ellie’s curious glances throughout the evening. It had been equally difficult to disregard her own unanswered questions until the children had gone off to school and Nathan was distracted by his chores on another part of the farm. She pushed down the guilt she felt for leading Nathan to believe that she was content to spend the day resting when she was really planning to discover the truth about his past.
She pulled the letters from the tackle box, then settled beside the crates to open the first letter. She was surprised to find the missive wasn’t from Nathan at all but rather a letter of inquiry from another suitor. She smiled as she read the letter written by an older gentleman looking more for a companion than a wife. She set it aside then continued to read through the others in the stack. It seemed the advertisement had elicited quite a response.
The stack of letters began to dwindle and Kate had yet to come across one of Nathan’s letters. She leaned back against the barn wall with a reluctant smile. Based on the letters she’d read from other potential suitors, she had been fortunate to end up with Nathan. She realized she probably would have made the same choice that her family and Ms. Lettie had made.
She let out a sigh and let one more letter float to the haphazard pile around her on the floor. Nathan’s letters had to be in the stack somewhere. She opened the next letter, then glanced down to the signature. She hesitated at the sight of his name scrawled across the bottom of the missive. He’d signed it, faithfully yours.
Suddenly a wave of guilt swept over her. She stared unseeingly at the letter, then realized she couldn’t do it. She gently folded the letter closed. It might be the most foolish thing she would ever do but she decided that she was going to trust Nathan Rutledge to be the man he’d presented himself to be. At least until she asked him about Fulton’s accusations face-to-face.
As far as she could tell, Nathan had not had an easy life before he’d married her. She might never be sure of all the details of that life but she did know he was not the person Fulton had portrayed him to be. Her experiences with him were proof of that. She would have discovered such outrageous flaws in his character, especially since she had been looking so desperately for some reason, any reason, not to love him.
They had been living and interacting so closely that she had been given the opportunity to observe his character in many different situations. As it was, she had discovered that though Nathan was far from perfect he still strove toward and displayed the characteristics of his Father.
She realized her legs were aching from her sitting on them and slid them out in front of her. She wondered just how long she had been here in the shadows of the barn between the feed sacks and the crates, trying to peruse the pages of Nathan’s past. Sighing, she began to gather all of the letters around her and fold them neatly back into stacks.
She had just lifted the pile of letters back into the tackle box when the sound of the barn door opening caused her to freeze. Glancing up in dread, she watched Nathan walk in. She bit her lip. What would he think if he found her here with all of these letters? Maybe he’d just get what he needed and leave. She carefully put the letters down and attempted to back farther into the shadows of the barn.
Nathan grabbed the muckrake from its post near the back of the barn. He heard the door creak open behind him.
“I thought you were going to rest,” he called over his shoulder as he reached for the broom. He heard a quiet gasp from his right and glanced that way only to see the flash of a familiar blue skirt disappear behind the feed bags. Kate, he noted in confusion. If that’s Kate, then who…?
“Fulton,” Nathan growled and spun to face his adversary just as the man stepped another pace toward him with his guns at the ready.
“Drop your weapons,” the man commanded. “All of them.”
He considered his options then set the tools aside and slowly unbelted his holster. He dropped it to the ground so that it would slide closer to where Kate hid. Fulton tilted his head to Nathan’s left. “Move away from them. You and me, Rutledge, we’re going to settle this once and for all.”
Kate blew the floating dust from where it tickled her nose and shifted on her knees for a better view. Peering around the sacks of feed near the ladder to the loft, she watched as Nathan’s brown gaze slid over Jeremiah Fulton’s shoulder and met hers. His face gave away nothing, not even a flicker of recognition. He looked down and away from her. She followed his gaze to where his gun rested on the ground. She had to get it.
“Why are you here, Fulton?” Nathan’s voice drew her attention even as it drew the interest of the gunman. “I don’t understand. You could be free from the law some place farther west or across the border.”
“You would still be here walking around free. As if you deserve that. As if you didn’t kill my brother,” Fulton said.
Kate swallowed and glanced at the gun then slowly made her way toward it. Her heart thumped in her chest. All he had to do was turn around and she would be spotted. She carefully reached for the gun. She wasn’t close enough.
“I didn’t kill your brother, Fulton.”
“Liar.”
She glanced up. If she went any farther she’d be in Fulton’s line of sight but she knew she had to take the chance. She placed a stabilizing hand on the ground in front of her, then reached her right hand to grasp the barrel.
“Listen,” Nathan said sharply, barely stopping Jeremiah from turning to pace and inevitably spotting Kate. “You need to face the fact that your brother took your land right from under you. He did the same to me. We were both dense enough to sit by and let it happen.”
In the corner of his eye, he watched Kate begin her slow and careful trek back to her original spot.
“I don’t believe you.” The man combed his fingers through his hair.
Nathan spoke in calming tones. “I didn’t want to believe it, either, but there comes a time when we have to face facts no matter how painful they are. Eli w
as my best friend. I never thought anything was wrong when he made such a fuss about handling the financial end of things. It freed me up to work with the horses. That was where I wanted to be and Eli wanted to be in the office so that worked out real nice.
“I went over the records after everything fell apart. It looks as if the ranch hit some rough times because of poor management. Not his fault, at first—the job was too big for one person. Instead of asking for help, Eli borrowed from other areas to balance the books. You and I were those areas but mainly you.”
Fulton looked down, shaking his head and Nathan used that opportunity to look at Kate. Leave now. Slip out the back.
She sent back a message loud and clear though she didn’t say a single word. You have to be kidding. I’m not leaving you with this crazy person.
Nathan nearly growled in frustration but managed to withhold the urge in order to protect her. Instead he pulled his gaze back to his former friend and business partner just as the man looked up. He continued speaking as he tried to think of some way to get them out of this. The truth was the only weapon he had.
“He was probably more comfortable borrowing from you, thinking he’d pay it back. When that didn’t work he started gambling. He lost more than he won. He realized everything was going to crumble so he got desperate. He pinned what he could on me and was going to hightail it out of town.”
Fulton began to appear more agitated. He turned to pace. Nathan had no choice but to continue, hoping that for once the man would listen to what the courts had already proclaimed. “I stumbled upon him leaving and confronted him. He didn’t come after me. He turned the gun on himself and said he was going to kill himself. I tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn’t listen. That’s when I tried to wrestle the gun from him. Somehow in the scuffle he managed to get a shot off. He killed himself, Fulton.”
“Lies!” Fulton shouted.
“No. It’s true. As to the money you think I have, it doesn’t exist.” Nathan tilted his head toward the door hoping Kate would read the message he’d carefully disguised. It was time for her to go. Things weren’t going to get any better. She needed to make a break for it.
Either Kate didn’t catch his signal or she ignored it. He was leaning toward the latter. Her inaction forced Nathan to continue his efforts to make Fulton see the truth. “Check the receipts. I barely broke even on what I paid for my share of the land and what I sold it for. I even offered you the land at more than a fair price. You wouldn’t consider the deal. In fact, you threatened me.”
The man snorted. “Of course I did. You tried to sell me what was rightfully mine.”
“Fulton—”
“I’m tired of listening to this,” he said then stepped forward with his gun at the ready.
“Stop. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
A chill went down Nathan’s back as Jeremiah cocked his gun. This was it. It was best to take it bravely. Lord, if only Kate didn’t have to witness this.
Kate. As a last effort Nathan shot a glance toward her with only one word echoing in his gaze. Shoot.
Chapter Nineteen
Kate’s eyes widened. She raised the gun and pulled the trigger. Instead of the loud bang she was expecting all she heard was a click. Her mind stopped working for a moment. Then she glanced down at the gun and pulled again. Click. She caught her breath. The hammer was still down. She pushed it up then pulled the trigger again. Bam!
She glanced up to find both men shying away from the blast only now they were both facing her. Jeremiah’s expression was filled with rage while Nathan’s showed a mix of impatience, exasperation and relief.
Minutes later Kate’s wrist chafed at the rough rope as she found herself in an all-too-familiar situation. She tried to wriggle her wrist yet found she was unable to do so. She tried wiggling her arms then her feet. Nothing below her shoulders or ankles moved.
It looked as if Fulton had learned his lesson. Escape for her seemed impossible. She glanced at Nathan. A thought hit her and a laugh bubbled up in her throat.
She managed to turn her upper body so that she could lean her head against the wall. “I never really thought about it but when one must die tragically, dying next to a handsome man is definitely the best option.”
Nathan looked at her as if she was insane. “Kate, aren’t you the least bit concerned about this situation?”
“Not really,” she confessed. “Somehow I can’t see your friend killing us. He’s had so many opportunities. Yet, the most he’s ever done is tie us up and push us around. He could have killed you after my gun went off but he didn’t do it then, either.”
Nathan shook his head and looked away. “I don’t find that comforting.”
Delilah edged toward Kate, nickering softly. She watched the horse warily. “Nathan, if you let that horse step on me—”
“She’s not going to step on you.”
“You keep saying that but I’m not sure it’s true.”
“It’s true. Besides, when have you ever been afraid of horses?”
Kate looked at him impatiently. “I’m not afraid of horses. It’s just a well-established fact that Delilah has a grudge against me and I don’t like my head being in kicking range!”
“Would you calm down?”
“I’m not excited!”
“Then stop arguing!”
“Who’s arguing?”
Nathan growled and turned away.
Kate scooped up a handful of hay. She turned her back to Nathan, which took considerable effort, and weakly threw it at him.
“You missed.” His tone was a maddening mix of amusement and indulgence.
She didn’t bother to turn around but instead leaned sideways into the wood of the stall. “I don’t care. According to you, we’re going to die anyway.”
Nathan snorted. “It’s not my fault you forgot to cock the gun.”
She bristled. “I wouldn’t have had to cock the gun if you’d done what you were supposed to do.”
“Which was?”
“How would I know? Whatever it is you failed to do.”
There was silence a moment, then Nathan asked, “Why don’t we pray?”
“What?” she asked, caught off guard. Throwing her weight, she rolled to face him.
“Let’s pray,” he repeated, his eyes dark and serious. His head bowed. “God, You know where we are and how to bring us out of this. We know it isn’t Your will for us to be murdered so we ask for Your protection, for Your mercy. We ask that You send Your angels to guard us lest we dash our foot against a stone. Be our shield from persecution. In Jesus’s name, amen.”
“Amen,” Kate echoed. She sat in thoughtful silence. “What’s that smell?”
Nathan comfortingly clucked his tongue at Delilah when the horse moved toward him. “Fire.”
Kate froze. “Fire?”
He glanced her way. “Yes, fire, as in burning wood, scorching flames and unbearable heat.”
“Then why are we still sitting here?”
Nathan’s voice was irritatingly patient. “Where would we go?”
She responded in kind. “Somewhere besides here.”
“How do we get there?”
“We move? I don’t know. How long have you known the barn was burning?”
“Why do you think we prayed?”
“Oh.” It came out as a laugh yet nothing was actually funny.
Nathan used the wall to push himself toward her. “Scoot over here and try to untie me.”
With a new sense of urgency, she turned and backed toward him.
“I just wish I had my knife. Why, today of all days, did I lend it to Sean?”
Kate paused. “You lent it to Sean? I can’t believe that. Not after I made him give me his pocketknife just this morning. He convinced Ellie her dress was on backward again.”
Nathan turned to look at her and licked his lips. “Kate, there is something I’ve been meaning to say.”
His voice droned on but her mind stumbled to a
halt. Pocketknife. Her gaze snapped up to look at Nathan. “Pocket.”
“What?” he asked distractedly.
“His knife is still in my pocket.”
She watched Nathan freeze then hope flared like gold in his brown eyes. “Scoot over and I’ll get it.”
“Scoot over,” she said more to herself then anyone. She half rolled and half scooted toward him.
Finally, Nathan had the knife in his hand and had managed to flip it open. A moment later his hands were free and he was bending to cut his feet lose. He turned his attention to her and she was free in a matter of seconds. In that short span of time, the fire had spread so that most of the north wall of the barn had flames licking at its wooden walls.
“Go open the doors,” Nathan commanded. “Then come back and help me get the animals out.”
She broke into a run toward the door and tried to push it open. “Nathan, the lock is jammed!”
He barely paused in his flight toward the milking cows to pick up a gun lying on the floor. She stepped aside. He shot the lock. She pushed at it again. It barely budged. “It’s stuck!”
Nathan rushed for the door. “Get the cows.”
She hurried toward the north end of the barn and went to the cows closest to the fire first. Their pens opened without difficulty. She herded them in the direction of the door just in time for Nathan to exchange glances with her as he ran for the hatchet. She went back for the last two cows and found the fire was spreading even faster. The heat of the flames caused her hair to feel wet with sweat.
“God, please let those doors be open when I get there,” she mumbled to herself. She reached the entrance of the barn just as the doors flew open letting in a rush of cooler air. She breathed a thank You as she and Nathan shooed the cows out, then ran toward the south side to get the horses. They opened the gates to the stalls as they went, then turned to shoo the horses out the door.
They were headed outside when Kate heard a pitiful meow. She gasped and stumbled to a halt. She coughed out the smoke she’d drawn into her lungs.
Unlawfully Wedded Bride (Love Inspired Historical) Page 19