by Lydia Olson
Milton shook his head. He thought that he’d made it clear to Jane that he did not blame her for any of the things that were happening.
In two quick long strides, Milton crossed the room and gathered Jane into his arms. It wasn’t like Milton to be so outwardly affectionate, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted Jane to know, without a doubt, that he did not blame her for anything.
“Don’t ever feel like you have to apologize,” Milton said. His buried his face in her hair. He loved wrapping her in his arms like this. He’d only done it a handful of time when she’d needed comfort, but it calmed him just as much as it calmed her. She always smelled like apples from the kitchen, and the lavender that she kept in her room. Sometimes her scent changed slightly, so she would smell like chamomile or roses. No matter what, her warmth always felt like home to him.
“Milton …”
He pulled back so he could see her eyes. He wanted her to really know that what he was saying was true, so that she would never doubt him this way again.
“I want you to listen to me when I tell you that none of this is your fault. You haven’t brought anything into my life other than happiness.”
“Really?” Jane asked, wiping her eyes.
Milton nodded. “I wouldn’t change our time together for anything.” That was the truth. Milton loved Jane. He’d give up everything for her, including the ranch if it came to that. However, he did not plan to allow Brandon to take anything from them; he just wanted to make sure that Jane was well cared for.
Jane gave him a huge, wide smile, and Milton’s heart skipped a beat. She affected him in a way that no other person ever had, and he wasn’t willing to give that up.
“How about we go downstairs and have supper?” Milton suggested.
Jane blushed. “I’m afraid I haven’t cooked anything,” she said.
Milton shrugged, smiling. “I’m sure that we can whip something up if Sara hasn’t already started it.”
Jane nodded. For a moment, Milton wondered if he should leave her in the room to rest. He could tell from the circles under her eyes that she had not slept very well. He also wondered if he should talk to her about her family. He and Matthew heard her speaking angrily outside the office. It seemed that she was incredibly upset with him. If Milton was honest, he was as well.
That can wait for another time, he thought. Milton and Matthew had a lot that they needed to share.
“We need to talk about Brandon,” Jane said. She pulled herself away from Milton until there was enough space for her to look directly at him. It felt like a gulf between them to Milton, who discovered he didn’t like Jane being out of his arms.
He sighed. Nothing today had gone how he planned. He wanted to eat a meal before discussing Brandon once more, but he could tell by the firm set of Jane’s jaw that she wanted him to tell her what happened.
You did promise that you would keep her a part of this, he thought.
“None of the ranchers are willing to help,” Milton said.
“What? Jane asked, the devastation was clear in her voice. “Why not?”
Each person gave Milton a different story, but in some way, they were all the same. No one was willing to go against Brandon. He’d threatened or bribed every single person into silence.
Milton couldn’t believe that no one was willing to stand up for him or themselves.
“Brandon knew what he was doing,” Milton said. “He beat Matthew and me to the ranchers. He convinced or cajoled every single one of them into staying silent.”
Jane’s eyes were wide with amazement, and Milton could see her worrying her bottom lip. “What do we do now?”
Milton rubbed his face with his hand. He too was exhausted. Even though he’d shaved this morning, he could feel the stubble coming in now. It seemed that all of them needed a nice rest.
“Matthew is heading to San Francisco,” Milton told her.
“He’s leaving? At a time like this?”
Milton nodded. “One of the men let slip that there might be some information in San Francisco that would be of interest to us,” Milton told her.
Jane looked completely incredulous. Milton didn’t blame her. He could hardly believe all of this himself. Matthew had been correct. Brandon did have enemies out there. There were people who he’d wronged in the past. They just weren’t in Denver, or rather, the ones in Denver weren’t willing to speak up.
“Matthew’s going to go all the way to San Francisco to find someone to speak up about Brandon?” Jane asked.
Milton could hear the skepticism in her voice.
“There’s no other way,” he said. “There’s no one in Denver willing to help us.”
“How long will it take him to go to San Francisco? Won’t we have our court case by then?”
Matthew and Milton had thought about that. They were supposed to be in court by the end of the week, which certainty would not give them time to go search out their source in San Francisco.
“Matthew thought of that. He’s going to tie Brandon up in court until he can get back. He’s started a counter-suit against him.”
Milton heard a sharp gasp as Jane took a breath. “Does that seem smart?” she wondered. “Brandon is very prideful. He’s going to be angry that you are challenging him this way, and if you can’t win the case …”
Milton shook his head. “We will win the case.” He was determined that no one, especially Brandon Eimer, was going to take his land.
Jane said nothing, but she didn’t look any less concerned.
“Matthew is a great lawyer,” Milton told her. “If there’s one person who might be able to find any information, it’ll be him.”
Milton wasn’t lying. He believed in his best friend. Matthew was indeed a very good lawyer, but his charm also made him someone who people trusted. Matthew knew how to use that trust to get information, and Milton was very glad his friend was working on his side of the case.
“I suppose I’ll just have to trust you,” Jane said.
Milton smiled. He knew that was Jane’s way of telling him that she did indeed trust him.
“Let’s go down to dinner,” Milton said. “I think some food will make us all feel better.” His stomach was practically gnawing holes in his middle as he talked. He hadn’t eaten all day except for a bit of cheese and bread. They’d spent every moment traveling from ranch to ranch. Though it had not been fruitful in the way that Milton thought it would be, it hadn’t been a total waste.
Milton held out his hand. Jane placed hers in his, and he wrapped her fingers around his and squeezed.
* * *
“I’m hoping that Sara got dinner ready,” Jane said, as they walked out of her room. “I’m absolutely starving.”
Milton laughed. He could always count on Jane to put to words his thoughts. It was a testament to how connected they were becoming.
Walking down the stairs hand in hand, Milton couldn’t help but think about the events of the night before. As he told Jane, he did not blame her for what Brandon was doing. That didn’t mean that he did not blame himself, however. He’d been cocky in the way he handled Brandon. Milton knew that Brandon was after something, and he’d poked at him during their one and only meeting.
Jane had been right when she said that Brandon was a proud man. The two of them hurt his pride, and Milton was sure that he wanted to hurt them back. He couldn’t take Jane from Milton—they were married already. But Brandon could take the next most important thing in Milton’s life, which was the ranch. The ranch was the last thing that Milton had of his father’s.
“Milton?” Jane asked softly.
Milton shook the thoughts from his head as best he could. He was upset, but he’d been managing to keep a good face on things for Jane’s sake. In truth, he wasn’t sure if they were going to win or not. He couldn’t stop himself from seeing Stephen’s rundown home from that morning. Milton did not want their lives to end up like Stephen’s.
“Are you alright?” Jane questi
oned. She stopped at the bottom of the steps and wrapped her arm around his.
“I’m fine,” Milton said.
“You know that you can tell me if something is wrong,” Jane said.
Milton remained quiet. He wanted Jane to be able to lean on him. He wasn’t the type to lean on a woman—he wanted to protect Jane. He needed to keep pressing forward. They couldn’t afford for him to consider anything but success when it came to their dealing with Brandon Eimer.
“I’m just lost in my own head trying to think about what Matthew will need for his trip,” Milton said.
Jane looked as if she didn’t believe him, but she said nothing. “We will have to talk to him. I can prepare whatever he needs this evening.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Milton said. He did not want to add any work to his wife’s already full plate. He was starting to realize that for her, her family was proving to be a full-time job.
“Kate and Sara can join me,” Jane said. “Hank’s away, so Sara is going to sleep in the guest room.”
Milton nodded. He knew that Hank was away. He was off buying cattle. Milton groaned as he considered where he would put the extra cattle they were purchasing. Matthew and Milton both agreed that Milton would keep his cattle as far away from Brandon’s land as possible. Sounded good in theory, but Milton worried that his pastures would become overrun.
“Milton?” Jane asked, catching his attention again.
“Yes?”
“Everything is going to be okay,” she said. Milton smiled. It seemed that they were taking turns playing the optimist.
Milton only hoped that they were correct.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Three weeks passed since the initial shock of Brandon’s suit, and the Brennans had yet to hear from him again. After the first week when everyone remained on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop, things started to go back to normal.
Milton continued focusing on running the ranch. Jane kept the house and her family in order. There was still an air of tension around all of them, but as the weeks went on it lessened and life felt more normal.
Even things with Kate and her father returned to some semblance of normal. Kate and Jane were friendlier toward one another, but the threesome mostly acted like nothing ever happened. Her father never mentioned Jane’s outburst, and likewise, neither did she.
This day was different from the last three weeks, though. Milton received some news from town, and Jane could practically taste the shift in the air.
“Did he say anything to you?” Jane asked Hank.
Hank shook his head. Hank and Milton came into the house abruptly near lunchtime, causing quite a stir with their changed demeanor. Milton was clearly furious if the way he slammed his office door was any indication, and Hank looked forlorn.
“Eimer hasn’t said anything in nearly a month. I heard from Serena that Matthew tied him and Pa up real good in court,” Hank answered. He shrugged. “Whatever the sheriff said to Milton, it upset him.”
Jane released a sigh of frustration and threw her apron on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. “I’m going to see what all this fuss is about,” she said. Jane and Milton were closer than ever now. He made an effort to include her in all the decisions of the ranch, and she did her best to give him guidance and keep him calm.
Walking out of the kitchen, Jane was surprised to hear a swift knock on the front door. “What now?” she groaned under her breath.
They rarely had visitors drop by unannounced. In fact, the last person to come by was the sheriff. A deep pit of dread began forming in Jane’s stomach as she walked to the door. There was no way the sheriff returned. According to Hank, he just left the ranch not more than a half hour ago. No, whoever was at the door was not the sheriff. That didn’t make Jane feel any better.
Her hand gripped the polished knob and with a deep breath she opened it swiftly. She nearly shut it the moment that she saw Brandon Eimer on the other side. He was looking as smug as ever, and Jane wanted nothing more than to wallop him.
Jane was never one for violence, but she thought that she could easily make an exception when it came to him. She was tired of him being the gnat in their ears, and the thorn in their sides.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. She didn’t open the door more than was necessary. She didn’t want Brandon in her house. She didn’t want him anywhere near her, her home, or her people. She worried that if Milton knew Brandon was in his house, he might lose his temper and do something he’d regret later
Brandon didn’t answer her. He simply put his shoulder to the door and leaned into it. Jane tried to keep the door closed, but Brandon’s weight against it kept it from closing. She continued to try to force the door closed with all her might.
Brandon kept pushing and within moments he had gained entry.
“Get out!” Jane demanded sternly. She wasn’t as fearful of Brandon as she’d been in the past. She no longer had nothing to hide. What she was worried about was what her husband might do if he saw their sworn enemy in their house.
“Where’s that husband of yours?” he growled. He barely spared her even a glance. It made Jane irate. She was tired of being a pawn in Brandon’s game.
“I ordered you to get out,” she said. “Don’t make me send for the sheriff.”
Brandon laughed. The sound of it was booming and echoed throughout the first floor. Jane tensed. She knew that Milton would have heard it. If he hadn’t, then Sara or Kate would have.
“The sheriff is a spineless tenderfoot who wants to stay out of all this,” Brandon sneered. “He hardly frightens me.”
Jane ground her teeth together in frustration, and her heart began to beat loudly as she heard the creak of Milton’s office door. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed Brandon’s arm, pulling hard toward the door. He barely moved despite her efforts.
“Jane?” Milton’s deep voice sounded from down the hallway.
Brandon gave her a triumphant smile.
He’s enjoying this, she thought, and she hated him even more for it.
“You need to get out of here now,” she hissed, “before you regret it.”
Brandon shook his head in amusement. “I doubt I’ll regret much of anything,” he told her. “But I can assure you that you will have many regrets before this whole thing is over.”
His words sent a shiver down her spine, and for the first time, Jane felt truly afraid of what Brandon had in mind.
“Back away from my wife,” Milton’s voice boomed, and despite the anger of his tone, Jane instantly felt better.
“Ah,” Brandon said, “it appears that your knight in shining armor has arrived.” Sarcasm dripped from every word and his already dark eyes were nearly pitch black.
Jane moved away from him as quickly as she could. She moved back toward her husband. He reached out and held her against his side. The warmth of his body calmed her—in addition to her distance from Eimer.
“Are you alright?” Milton asked.
It warmed Jane’s heart to see him so concerned for her, but it also made her nervous. She didn’t know what he would do if he felt that Brandon was a threat to them. He’d wanted to knock his block off several weeks ago, and it had taken her father and Matthew to convince him otherwise.
“I’m fine,” Jane said. Her eyes connected with his, and she tried her best to communicate with him. She did not want Milton to do anything that might jeopardize their case in court. They couldn’t prove Brandon was doing something illegal if Milton lost his temper.
“Yes, yes,” Brandon said. “We’ve established that Miss Parrish is fine. I wouldn’t hurt a hair on her head despite all the pain she’s caused me.”
No one ignored the fact that Brandon refused to call her by her married name, especially Milton. She felt him tense beside her.
“What are you doing here?” Milton demanded. His voice was tinged with anger, but he didn’t sound as if he were about to explode like a stick of dynamite. Jane
was grateful for that.
“You’ve proven to be a worthy opponent,” Brandon said. His eyes studied Milton from head to toe, and Jane could see a bit of admiration in his eyes. “I wasn’t expecting your lawyer to be so knowledgeable. He’s kept me quite busy over the last few weeks.”
Milton said nothing. He was drawn as tight as a bow, and Jane waited for him to snap. She prayed that he would keep himself together in front of Brandon.
Brandon came further into the hallway. He said nothing, but he drew a finger across a table by the entryway. He did a lot to appear nonchalant, but Jane could see the small tick in his cheek that signaled he too was ready to snap.