Stained Snow

by Brown, Fallon

  “I’m fine, son.”

  The voice came from behind him, and William whipped his head around, releasing a breath when George stood there. “What happened?” he asked again.

  George looked past him. “Daly, Holt, go on. He’s fine. I sent for him.” The two men lowered their rifles and turned away, both still looking suspicious. George drew William’s attention back to him. “Get down here, Will. We’ll go up to the house.”

  William swung his leg over the saddle and dropped down to the ground. George called to one of the other hands headed toward the bunkhouse, and he came forward. “Take care of Will’s horse. Looks like he’s had a hard ride.”

  “Yes, sir,” the boy said.

  “I can take care of my own mount,” William told him.

  “You need to come up to the house with me. Your horse will be taken care of. Better than you’ve been doin’ by the looks of him.”

  “You said I needed to get home. I got here as soon as I could. What is going on? Your men said there’d been more trouble.”

  “There has been. Not Thomas, and not why I told you to get back here.”

  He stepped onto the first step, but William stood there, frozen in the yard. Maggie looked down at him, a smile plastered on her face, that hand still resting on her stomach. Something tickled the back of his mind, but he wouldn’t go there.

  Adam stood behind her, his hand protective on her shoulder. She shrugged him off and stepped forward. “Will, I’m so glad you’re home. Pa said he heard from you the other day, but I wasn’t expecting…” She trailed off. “Did you find him?”

  William whipped his head around again, drilling George with a look. “She didn’t know you told me to come back?”

  George didn’t meet his gaze. “No. I didn’t tell her.”

  “Pa, what did you do?”

  He looked up at Maggie. “You needed him here, Maggie. He has more reason to be here than on a trail of vengeance.” He took a step back. “I have a ranch to deal with. You two need to talk.”

  William stood frozen. Definitely something going on here, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Adam stepped in front of Maggie. “I watched out for her like you asked. Don’t make me protect her from you.”

  His blood chilled at Adam’s words, and his gaze shot past him to Maggie. To where she still held her hand to her stomach. Her fingers still moved around it. Not to relieve a pain, but still comforting. He remembered Anna doing the same thing when she’d carried David inside her.

  God. “Out of my way,” he growled.

  Adam stepped away, and William moved forward to Maggie. He placed his own hand over hers on her stomach, his gaze lifting to meet hers. “A baby?”

  She nodded, tears flooding her eyes again. “Doc says he’ll be here soon after the new year.”

  “He?” It was the only thought that could come out. Everything else raced about, too fast for him to hold onto.

  “Or she. Will, I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head and leaned forward, brushing his lips across hers. “No. You shouldn’t be sorry. I never should have…we shouldn’t have. Lord, Maggie, I never meant for this. I won’t abandon you or our child.”

  More tears fell, faster now. “I know how much bringing your brother in meant. I didn’t tell Pa to send for you.”

  “I know.” He reached up to brush tears from her cheeks. “He doesn’t matter.” The words nearly stuck in his throat. “Being here is more important. He’s far away right now.” His stomach clutched because he didn’t know if it was true. He wasn’t sure where Thomas was now, but he wanted to put her mind at ease. “He won’t get to you, Maggie. I’ll keep you safe. With everyone here, there’s no way he’ll hurt you.”

  “Unless he takes you from me,” she whispered.

  The words tore at him, no matter how soft. “I won’t let that happen, either. Come on, you should probably rest. Did the doc say you should rest?”

  “The doc said I’m as healthy and strong as a horse and could keep doing my normal routine as long as it didn’t cause me any trouble. I don’t need to rest, Will. What about you? You look tired.”

  He shook his head. “I’m sure George needs help with something. I should get to work. I’d feel better if you rested.”

  She sighed and closed her eyes, but the corners of her mouth lifted. “Will.”

  The single word sounded full of frustration, and he couldn’t help but smile. He brushed a chaste kiss over her cheek. “I’ll be by in a bit.”

  He’d turned away when she said, “Pa probably sent for a preacher, too. What are we going to do about it?”

  He stopped but didn’t look at her. “The right thing,” he said after a moment. “What we should have done from the first.” He walked away to find George.

  #

  Barnes Ranch, Colorado

  July 16, 1888

  Maggie had been right. Her father had sent for a preacher at the same time he told William to come home. He arrived a few short days after William, and they were married by sunset. It had been nearly a month, and William still felt unsettled. He woke thinking he was still on the trail. He fell asleep, Maggie wrapped up in his arms, and into dreams where Thomas took everything from him again.

  Now, he slapped his hat against his leg, knocking some of the dust from it, then wiping his arm over his forehead. It had turned too hot to be mending fence the rustlers kept cutting through. The missing animals likely wouldn’t have even been noticed if not for the cut fences and the suddenly motherless calves in the pasture.

  They had guards posted, but the thieves never struck in the same spot. They couldn’t catch them. He slid down from the saddle and walked his horse into the barn. When he finished feeding and brushing the animal, he walked back out into the yard. Maggie stood on the porch. His heart twisted at the sight of her. She had still been in bed this morning when he’d left. He would have liked to stay there with her, but he couldn’t. He’d only brushed his lips over her cheek and hoped she’d be fine without him.

  He’d settled back into life on the ranch, pushing away thoughts of revenge. Why did he keep looking toward the south then?

  Thomas wasn’t coming for them. He’d be here by now if he was, wouldn’t he? Unless he still thought William was on his trail. If he realized he’d lost him, would he come back? Panic nearly stole his breath. He couldn’t let him get to Maggie. Couldn’t let him take everything from him once again.

  She came toward him, from the cabin they’d built not far from the main ranch house, but the smile slipped from her face as she approached. “Will, what’s the matter? I thought you were coming up to the house.”

  He shook off those thoughts and worked up a small smile. “I am. My mind wandered. I’m sorry.”

  She took his hand into hers. “You’re worried.”

  It wasn’t a question. It should bother him how easily she saw into his thoughts, better even than Anna had ever been able to. “I can’t help it,” he murmured. “The thought of him taking you from me, of bringing harm to you or our child. I don’t think I can live with it.”

  “Oh, Will.” She cupped her other hand around his head, bringing him down so she could kiss him. “Nothing will happen to us. I trust you’ll keep us safe.”

  “What if I can’t?” The words were torn from him.

  “You will. I doubt he even cares any more.”

  William closed his eyes on those words. They weren’t true. “As long as I have you, he’ll care. There’s only one way to stop him. I can’t bring myself to leave you so I can do it.”

  Her hand moved down to his back and held him against her. “He won’t take us,” she whispered. “I won’t let him take us from you. Come on. Dinner’s ready.”

  He wished he shared her assurance. He couldn’t help but look around the yard again, and the horizon beyond it, before he felt secure enough to walk into the house with her.

  #

  Glenwood Springs, Colorado

  September 3, 1888

&
nbsp; William turned his head at the sound of hoofbeats. When he saw Adam, he relaxed. He doubted he had anything to worry about from the other ranch hands. He hadn’t taken the time to get to know any of them in the almost three months he’d been back. That wasn’t right, but he had trouble caring. He woke up, worked, and went back to Maggie. That’s all he could bring himself to care about right now.

  He jerked his head at Adam, not even in the mood to talk to him. He hadn’t wanted to leave Maggie, but George had asked him to come on the drive with him. The older man had a contract with the Army to deliver a hundred head of cattle to the stock yard in Glenwood Springs. The soldiers would take them in cattle cars to the new fort north of Denver. Right now, they held the cattle right outside of town while George and one of the other hands went in to make sure everything was ready.

  William wanted to be headed back to the ranch. It had been difficult leaving Maggie the morning before. Now, he wanted to be back with her. George had left his foreman, Daly, and two other men behind. He wished he’d been one of those.

  “Will, just stop.”

  Adam’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. “What?”

  “You’re drumming your fingers on that saddle so hard you’re gonna put a hole through it. Just relax.”

  He hadn’t even realized he’d been doing it. He drew in a breath then let it out before pushing his hat back on his head. “What did you want, Adam?”

  “You’re driving yourself harder than we did these cattle. You can’t keep doing that.”

  It all sounded too familiar. Like the conversation with Patrick before David had died. “What do you expect me to do? I came back. I married her. I’m sticking around. What else do you expect me to do?”

  “Not kill yourself. You’re about to drive yourself right into the ground. I can tell you you’re driving everyone around you mad. We can’t even keep up. You’ll do no one any good if we have to bury you before the first snow flies.”

  “I can’t stop. I have to do something, or I’ll go mad.”

  “So, you didn’t find your brother. At last word, he was in Denver, right?” At William’s nod, he continued, “He’s been headed in the opposite direction. We’ve had no word he’s been seen this way again. You can relax, Will.”

  “You don’t know him, Adam.”

  “I know he’s a dirty, rotten coyote. Isn’t that enough?”

  Will wiped a hand over his mouth then lifted his gaze to Adam. “He’s tried to kill me four or five times now. I’ve lost track for sure. The first time was because I called on a girl who he decided he wanted. After she caught my eye. He took my ranch, my wife, and my son from me. The reason he shot at the ranch is because he saw me with Maggie. I’d swear by it. He wants whatever it is I have. So, no, I can’t relax. Not until he’s the one buried in the ground.”

  “If that’s all you’re thinking of, it’s already driven you mad. You have a beautiful woman waiting for you and a child on the way. If that’s not enough, you are a fool.”

  He pulled his horse’s head around but stopped when the pound of hooves came toward the herd. Will reached for the gun at his waist while Adam slid the rifle from its scabbard on the side of his saddle. They both relaxed when they recognized George and the man he’d taken into town with him.

  “Take them in,” George said. “There’s a pen waiting for them.”

  He fell in beside Will and Adam as they passed. “Everything good out here?” he asked.

  “Fine,” William said. “I just want to be gone.”

  “I know it, son. We’ll make faster time on the way home. You’ll be back with her by tomorrow.”

  Something in him clutched at the words. He wasn’t sure if it was in anticipation or dread. He needed to be with Maggie, but he still had that urge to ride out after Thomas again. He wouldn’t even know where to start. Maybe Adam was right. He needed to relax and enjoy what he had here.

  If only it were that simple.

  Chapter 23

  Barnes Ranch, Colorado

  September 3, 1888

  Maggie stepped away from the fireplace and rubbed a hand along her stomach, bracing the other at her back. She still wasn’t showing much, but it sure felt like her belly was swollen. Every once in a while, she thought her stomach twitched. Otherwise she wasn’t sure she’d even know a baby grew inside her. She’d think she was just growing fat. She let out a sigh and dropped both hands.

  William had ridden out with her father and some of the other hands the morning before to drive those cattle down to Glenwood Springs. He hadn’t liked leaving her alone here, since Thomas was out there somewhere, and he worried he’d return. Then, there were the rustlers who kept hitting them several nights a month.

  Maggie tried to assure him everything would be fine. She wasn’t truly alone. Her pa left Daly and a couple of the other hands behind. Thomas had been gone for five months now. She’d been married to William for more than two. She shook off these thoughts as she bent to stir the pot again. The hands would be switching shifts on the watch soon. Even though it wasn’t dark yet, they kept an eye on the most frequent sections of fence to be cut. She wanted to have dinner ready for the two hands who wouldn’t be on guard. The one who was would eat when he came back in.

  She came here to make breakfast and supper for her father and William, even though they had their own cabin now. The ranch’s cook arrived days after the first of the hands and had taken the burden of their meals off her, but he’d gone along on the short drive. It was on her to cook for who remained. She didn’t really mind.

  Satisfied the stew was finished cooking, she swung the pot away from the flame. She took out the bread she made earlier to have with the stew and set it in the middle of the table, then added a knife beside it. She set bowls and spoons around the table. As she straightened from the table, the pound of hooves came into the yard from the south, the direction William had gone. She started to smile and walked toward the door to greet him, thinking maybe he’d returned early.

  She took a step back from the door when she recognized the rider. It wasn’t William. Even from this distance, she could tell it wasn’t him. The horse wasn’t the one he had ridden out on, or one her father owned. Those weren’t the clothes he wore.

  She did know who dressed like that. Who rode a horse that looked like that. She couldn’t believe she’d never noticed the similarities between the two brothers. Maybe because their differences had been so obvious.

  Maggie took another step back, coming up against the table. Months ago, before William, before this baby, she would have been eager to see Thomas riding back into the yard. Had been waiting for that moment. Now, the sight of it had fear tripping through her chest. What was he doing here? It couldn’t be for anything good. Her hand went to her stomach. She may not be showing much yet, but Thomas would notice the difference. Had he finally come back for her? William wasn’t here this time for him to shoot.

  Her heart pounded in her chest, the blood drumming in her head. Even over the sound, she heard the creak of his saddle as he dismounted, the stomp of his boots as he came up the steps to the porch. Her breath caught in her throat as he stepped through the doorway and grinned at her. She’d never noticed the menacing gleam in his eyes before. She tried to take a calming breath but it got stuck somewhere between her mouth and her lungs. “Tho-Thomas, what are you doing here?” she stammered.

  He took a step toward her, and she stumbled back. “You weren’t expecting me? Neither was Daly. The old man isn’t likely to survive the blow to his head.” His mouth still spread wide in a grin, but something hard flashed in his eyes, and in that smile. “I told you I’d come back for you. Apparently you couldn’t wait. You had to go for my brother instead.”

  Maggie felt like a trapped animal. He kept walking toward her, and she kept retreating. There was only so far she could go. Soon, she came up against the wall. His grin only widened. “I…I didn’t think you were ever coming back. I’m sorry, Thomas, but you left.”


  “So you jumped right into his arms? I never thought you that kind of woman, Maggie. I would have left money with you if I had.”

  His words soured everything in her stomach. “It wasn’t like that,” she insisted. “You left me. He was here. He was kind. You…you killed his family. If I would have known, I never would have let you touch me. You said your brother took everything from you. It was really the other way around.”

  “You believed him?” He took another step toward her. “He can be convincing. He has everyone fooled into thinking he’s the good brother. He’s the reason my wife and baby girl died. If he never would have gotten her sent away, everything would have been fine. I never would have lost them.”

  Maggie shook her head. “You can’t know that. No matter what, it could have been their time to go. That’s not his fault. What gives you the right to take his away because you lost yours? You don’t know he’s the one who did it.”

  “I saw him watching us leave the barn. The next day she was sent away. There’s no other explanation for it. He’s always taken everything from me. Anna should have been mine. You should have been mine.” Right in front of her now, he ran a finger down her throat. “You were mine. He took you from me, too.”

  Maggie’s pulse beat in her throat, and she nearly choked on the breath clogging there. She needed to get away. Needed to warn William his brother was here. She needed to get to the bunkhouse to Holt. He was her only hope right now.

  No way could she run faster than him. She needed to get a weapon. What could she use? She remembered the knife on the table. Her gaze flicked toward it, but she doubted she’d be able to reach it before he grabbed her. She needed to distract him. “What are you going to do?” she asked, letting all her fear show.

  He closed his fingers around the back of her neck and held her still. “Take back what’s mine.” His eyes left hers and raked down her body. His gaze fell on her stomach. He drew in a ragged breath. “Mine?”