“He hoped to spook him into selling the ranch and leave the area by settin’ up a few ‘accidents.’ When Ben refused, Carter took a shot at him. Worked out even better for him when your pa died from what appeared to be natural causes.”
“But why? Carter’s father left him plenty of money, and he owned his ranch.”
“According to Clarence over at the bank, Carter’s been in trouble for a long time. His little gold mine petered out and his herd’s been dwindling. Mostly poor managin’, as well as gamblin’ and spendin’ money over at Auburn and Sacramento like there’s no tomorrow. Guess he thought hirin’ Tim might help him put the ranch back in the black but it was too late. The gold your papa found would’a saved him. Taking Ben out of the picture left you as the owner, and he figured he’d marry you and get the ranch and the gold.”
“Till Justin showed up.”
“Yeah. Justin and Toby. When you started carin’ for the boy, Carter used Toby to get to you. He had some of his men steal your horses; then he sent for Christy and blackmailed her into trying to drive Justin off.” He shook his head and grunted. “He’s a consarned idjit. He didn’t take into account that you’re a fighter and that Justin truly loved the boy, even if he wasn’t his blood-born son. Not to mention the two of you bein’ sweet on each other.”
“Christy told me that Molly named Toby after Carter—Carter Tobias Foster.” She gave a rueful smile. “That bothered me at first.”
Joe leaned forward and patted her hand. “I reckoned it might. How ’bout now?”
“I prayed about it, and God changed my mind. I love that little boy, and his family roots don’t matter. I realized I was guilty of the same type of attitude some of the women in Last Chance had about Christy—and me, for that matter.”
“Toby’s a wonderful boy and I reckon he’s goin’ to make you a right fine son, once you and Justin get things settled amongst yourselves.”
Alex felt the color rush to her cheeks. “Uncle Joe, Justin hasn’t asked me yet.”
“He will, darlin’, he will. And if he don’t hurry up and do it soon, then he’s not as bright as I thought.” He chuckled and pushed to his feet. “Bless you, my girl. I’m proud of you.”
Alex savored the feel of Justin’s arm around her as they sat on the porch swing after tucking Toby in bed. His arm tightened and she laid her head on his shoulder. “Did Uncle Joe tell you that Sheriff Ramsey discovered Papa’s leather pouch of gold hidden at Carter’s house?” It was hard for her to believe that the events of the previous week had even happened.
Justin nodded. “I’m glad. You’ll be able to pay off the bank.”
“I’m thankful for that, but I’m still angry about Carter stealing my geldings and selling them to the cavalry. From now on I’m branding my stock when they’re weaned, not right before they’re sold.”
“At least the cavalry’s giving you another chance, now that they know the truth.”
Alex sighed. “Yes. God’s been good to me.” She snuggled a little closer and entwined her fingers with his. “I still can’t believe this is real—having you and Toby here, knowing you care for me.”
A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest and vibrated into her ear. “I’m the one who’s having a hard time believing it. A beautiful woman like you with everything she needs, loving a man like me.”
“What do you mean, a man like you? I think you’re pretty special.”
He pulled away a few inches and reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Serious brown eyes met her own. “But I’m bringing along a family—and I’ve been married before. Not to mention that I’ve not always lived an upstanding life. I should probably tell you…”
She sat up and slipped her hand over his mouth. “No. I don’t need to know anything about who you used to be. You’re a man who loves God, your son, and me. Those are the important things.”
He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and drew her head back down. “That I do.”
“There’s just one thing I’d like to know.”
“Sure. Anything.”
“Tell me about Molly. Did you love her a lot? Was it terribly hard for you when she died?”
She felt his chest heave, and he was quiet for a long moment. A feeling of panic nibbled at her heart, and she fought down the notion that Molly’s name stirred memories that gave him pause. Was it possible the love he’d had for his wife hadn’t been put to rest and might hang between them the rest of their lives?
“I’m ashamed to say that’s one of the things that’s been hard for me to forgive from my past.”
She struggled to sit up and look into his eyes in the soft light of the moon. “Forgive? Why?”
“Because I don’t think I ever really loved her. And when she died, I didn’t grieve. At least, not for us. I did for Toby, and for the life Molly wasted on drinking and poor choices, but not for myself.”
“Then why did you marry her?”
“I guess she was the first woman who really showed an interest in me. She must have known she was in a family way when she met me. I had a steady job, a little cabin, and a fairly good reputation. I’d only known her a couple of weeks when I asked her to marry me. I thought I was in love with her, but I think it was more the idea of a woman caring for me that drew me—and rescuing her from the pit she called a job. It didn’t take me long to figure out she didn’t love me, and my love began to die just a few weeks after our marriage.”
Alex sank back against Justin’s shoulder. “Poor Molly. Carter must have hurt her deeply.”
“He did. Now I understand that’s one of the reasons she started drinking. She believed he planned to marry her. When she realized he’d used her and left, she must have been so ashamed.”
“Did it get better when Toby came?”
“Not much. The baby’s needs were all that got her out of bed in the morning. She pushed me away—didn’t want me near her or the boy. Screamed at me if I tried to hold him.” He shook his head as the memories came crashing around him. “I didn’t know what to do. Offered to bring the doctor, but she told me no. I started working longer hours, thinking maybe my presence hurt her somehow.”
Alex nodded encouragement. “But it didn’t. She wasn’t mad at you for being a man, she was mad at herself for making a mistake with a man.”
Justin’s head jerked up. Why hadn’t he thought of it that way before? “You think so? I always figured…”
“Yes, I do. You figured she hated you because of what a man did to her. No.” Her voice was steady. “I think she couldn’t forgive herself.” She shook her head. “That’s sad. No one but God can fill that empty place in a person’s heart. You couldn’t have fixed Molly’s hurt. God could have helped her, if she’d given Him a chance.”
Justin’s arm tightened around Alex’s shoulders. “Then why didn’t He? Why didn’t He keep her alive for Toby’s sake?”
“It doesn’t work that way. God doesn’t make us do things—we aren’t puppets in a traveling show, dancing whenever the master pulls the strings. God wants us to make good choices, but He won’t force us. It’s sad that no one helped her to see God’s love and care for her life. She only saw the darkness and despair that came with her poor choices.”
“And I did nothing to make it better, other than pour out her booze and scold her for the way she was living.”
“Justin, you didn’t make her choices for her. You might’ve helped point her to God, if you’d had a close walk with Him at the time. But you couldn’t take her pain away or fix her. God gave her a way of escape through Jesus, but she had to accept Him.”
Justin drew in a deep breath and slowly let it slide out through his parted lips. “I know that much. Ma loved God with her whole heart and raised me to believe in Him. I’ve drifted away over the years and grown hard inside. Molly knew the truth, too, but she couldn’t accept it. She talked about it one time. Said she knew Jesus came to forgive sinners, but she didn’t think He’d want her in heaven. Said she’d done bad things and didn’t beli
eve the preacher knew what he was talking about when he promised forgiveness to anyone who’d ask.”
“It’s so sad when anyone turns their back on the free gift God gave us through His Son, but it happens every day.” Alex wrapped her arm across his chest and hugged. “I’m sorry—for your pain, and for hers. I had no idea.”
Justin stroked her hair and laid his cheek against her head. “I know. I should’ve told you sooner, but it never seemed like the right time. Besides, I didn’t think you were interested in me, so it wouldn’t have mattered.”
“Weren’t interested? Did you happen to see the jealousy on my face when you walked off arm in arm with Lacey at the picnic?”
It was his turn to stare. “You were jealous of little Lacey? But you were having a good time visiting with Carter. After he called on you at the ranch then joined us at the picnic, I assumed….” His voice trailed off, and he shook his head. “Guess that’s what we both get for assuming. That reminds me. I assumed a lot about Christy, but I still don’t understand what hold Foster had over her.”
Alex nodded. “It all centered around Toby. A few months after the boy was born, Carter befriended Christy—probably because he had been keeping tabs on Molly and figured Christy would be a good source of information. Christy was in a hard spot and needed money, and Carter gave her what she needed, convincing her he just wanted to help. He started asking questions about Molly and Toby, and she answered them.” Alex sighed. “Poor Christy. After Molly’s death, Carter told Christy she’d better do what he wanted, or he’d take Toby and she’d never see him again. Between that threat and the hold he had over her from the money she’d taken, she believed she didn’t have a choice—even when it came to trying to take Toby from you.”
“But that was playing into Foster’s hands. If she’d taken Toby from me, who knows what Foster would have done with him?”
“She thought she could take Toby and disappear. Now she realizes that she wasn’t thinking clearly—that Carter would have hunted her down. It’s just a blessing that God intervened and saved Toby—and the rest of us—from that man.”
Justin laced his fingers through hers and stroked the side of her hand with his thumb. “One more question?”
She tipped her head and smiled.
“Are you at all curious about the gold your father found? Will you and Joe hunt for it?”
Alex took a moment to think and then replied, “I don’t think so. Having you, Toby, Martha, and Uncle Joe safe is what matters the most. Maybe someday if we need it…I suppose it will still be there, but right now it doesn’t seem important.” She squeezed his fingers and smiled up into his eyes. “That’s settled, so what comes next?”
He sat bolt upright and a strange look flitted across his face—part consternation, part anticipation. He tenderly stroked the side of her face before slipping off the porch swing and dropping down on his knees in front of her. One hand reached out to grasp hers, and the other covered his heart.
Alex smiled when her eyes met his. Such intense love radiated from the brown depths. Her smile faded and her heartbeat quickened as she felt herself drawn into that gaze.
“Alexia Travers, I love you more than words can express. God brought us back to Himself and then brought us together. I can’t imagine life without Him or you. More than anything, I want a marriage that centers on God. You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. Would you do me the honor of agreeing to become my wife?”
Her free hand reached out and stroked his hair. How good the Lord had been to them both. He’d brought them through so much these past few weeks—delivering them from danger and depositing love into their lives. A deep joy welled in her heart at the adoration shining on Justin’s face. “Only if you kiss me again—and don’t make me wait too long to say ‘I do.’”
He jumped to his feet and whooped. “I’m the luckiest man on earth.” He pulled her to her feet and swung her around in a circle then set her down. Two strong arms circled her waist, and she slipped her hands up around his neck. “How about next week?”
A smile curved her lips and she nodded. “That’s fine, but you haven’t sealed the other end of the bargain.”
The grin on his face faded and his lips parted ever so slightly. One hand tipped up her chin and the other cradled the back of her head. Slowly his lips descended on hers. Warmth stole through her body and a flood of love enveloped her heart. Her world was complete, at last.
One week later, Alex stood in front of the long mirror in the back room of the church and straightened her linen waist. The folds of her pale yellow skirt draped in billows to the floor, and the fitted white waist accentuated her slender figure. “I guess it would be asking too much to get married in trousers.”
Elizabeth rocked back on her heels and planted her hands on her hips. “I can’t believe you, Alexia Travers. You’ve roped the best-looking man in Last Chance, and all you can think of is getting married in trousers.”
Alex laughed and smoothed the tiny edging of lace encircling her hips. “Trust me, I’m having a hard time believing this is happening. Thinking about normal things makes it seem a little less like a fairy-tale. How in the world did the black sheep of this town lasso someone like Justin?”
Elizabeth pulled Alex’s hair back and ran a brush through the long brunette curls in strong strokes. “You’re far from an outcast. I’d say more of a hero, once word spread that you’d gone to Carter’s ranch to rescue Toby. The women around here think the world of that little boy, and that’s all they’ve been talking about the past few days. That and the fact that Carter lived dual identities.”
“According to Christy, probably a lot more than two.”
“That’s another thing you’re being praised for. The tide of opinion is turning in favor of Christy, after you took her in and she got hurt trying to save Toby from Carter. I still find it hard to believe he fathered Toby and abandoned Molly. It’s a good thing Davis talked, or you’d probably never have known the truth.”
“I guess that proves God can use even the evil intentions of people to bring good into His children’s lives. What Carter planned as destruction, God turned into something beautiful for Justin, Toby, and me.”
Elizabeth paused in her brushing. “I know what you mean. And speaking of Christy, how’s she doing?”
“Good. She’s healing quickly, and with Carter no longer a threat, she gave the sheriff the name of the men who attacked her. One went by ‘Cain,’ and he called his companion ‘Mouse.’ Sheriff Ramsey thinks he’ll be able to find them both.”
Elizabeth gave a soft whistle. “That’s great. They should pay for what they did.”
“I agree. By the way, Uncle Joe’s bringing Christy—I asked her to attend my wedding. After all, she’s Toby’s aunt and deserves to be part of his life.”
“I’m glad. I talked to her for a few minutes when I stopped by the ranch to see you. She seemed changed somehow. I’m not sure quite what’s different, but something is.”
Alex nodded, tugging her hair out of Elizabeth’s grasp. “Oops, sorry.” She stood still and tipped her head back. “She’s been asking a lot of questions about the Lord, and I think she’s very close to making a decision. Martha talked Miss Alice into letting Christy move into the boardinghouse until she can find her own place. She’ll help Alice cook and clean for her room and board. It’ll be the perfect arrangement, and I’m guessing Alice won’t want to let her go after she’s been there for a while.”
“You’ve been a wonderful influence. If it hadn’t been for you, there’s no telling what might’ve happened to Christy. Besides,” a sly smile curved Elizabeth’s lips, “I’m guessing she won’t be at Miss Alice’s too long, if Ralph Peters has anything to say about it.”
Alex grinned. “Did you know he’s been out to see her three times in the past two weeks? He’s been smitten with her since the day he carried her trunk to the saloon. That man has a tender heart, and he’ll be a healing influence in her life.”
“I was afraid Toby wouldn’t know me. He’s never seen me with my hair up.” Alex sank onto a short bench and fluffed her skirt. “Would you hand me my locket?”
Elizabeth plucked it off the small desk in the corner of the room and draped it around Alex’s neck, hooking the clasp in the back. “Did you get a photograph of Justin?”
Alex nodded and smiled. “Yes, but it’s an old one that his mother had made before she died. When we’re in Sacramento for our honeymoon, we’ll have new ones taken.” She touched the locket and tears thickened her voice. “Mama would have loved Justin and Toby. I wish she and Papa were with me today.”
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Alex’s shoulders and gave her a long hug. “I think they know, and they’re happy,” she whispered. “Now wipe your eyes and put on your biggest smile. It’s almost time.” She peeked out the door into the main gathering room of the church then turned back to Alex. “Well, I’ll be.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you say you expected a handful of people? Your family, the sheriff and Sarah, Miss Alice, and Christy?”
“Yes, that’s right. I didn’t think many others would care to come, so I didn’t make a point of inviting anyone else.”
“Well, you were wrong. I think most of the town is coming in the back door!”
Alex placed a hand over her heart. “All because I tried to save Toby from Carter?”
“Maybe the women finally woke up and realized your worth. I’m guessing this is their way of saying they’re sorry for the way they’ve treated you.” Elizabeth peeked out again and stifled a gasp.
“What?” Alex tried to see over her friend’s shoulder.
Elizabeth shut the door and turned, enveloping Alex in a hug. “You’re not going to believe it, but Mabel and Clive Gurney are sitting in the third row, looking pleased as punch.” She shook her head. “I’m guessing that’s the end of your struggles with the gossiping women.” A mischievous grin tugged at her lips. “Of course, they might just be relieved that you won’t be a threat to their menfolk, now that you’ve caught a man of your own.”
Love Finds You in Last Chance, California Page 27