by Kara Summers
He looked at her for a long, silent moment. "You won't have to," he said firmly. "When my men are done with salvaging the wreckage, I will send several of them to come up here and help you remedy the house, including myself."
"Thank you," she said for not the first time that day. She glanced behind Larsen and noticed that the sun had already begun to set on what had been an eventful day. "You don't need to send anyone today, we can finish it tomorrow," she answered softly.
"Alright," he nodded gruffly before turning quickly away.
Marianna stood and watched Larsen Dover as he headed back toward the barn, which was still a pile of smoking rubble off in the distance. Already her mind began to race with questions about this strange, handsome, enigmatic man. How had he been a single parent for so long? She thought that it must have been difficult for him to run both a ranch and a household.
She turned back toward the house and saw two little faces watching her from the loft above. Those two little boys had already seen so much in their short lives that her heart ached for them. She knew that, even if she didn't choose to stay on as their mother, she needed to help as much as she could in the short time that she was here.
Chapter: VII
True to his word, Larsen had provided the help she needed to reorganize the house. The men that he sent were all very kind and eager to help. Marianna felt at ease with them, or at least most of them.
Marcus Maine was an entirely different creature. The man that had stopped Larsen as he was carrying her from the burning rubble had been obvious in expressing his displeasure of her. Marianna wasn't sure what she had done to warrant such negative attention, but she tried to move past it. For the most part, he simply ignored her and kept his distance, at least when others were watching.
One afternoon, when she was coming back from refilling her cleaning bucket at the well, she had accidently run into Marcus.
"Oh, I’m sorry," she said as water sloshed onto the ranch manager's leather pants.
"You better watch yourself," he said in a menacing tone. His eyes gleamed viciously as his gaze took stock of her.
Marianna was taken aback by the severity of his reaction. She had only spilled a little bit of water on his clothing, yet he acted as if she had personally assaulted him. "I'm very sorry, do you have a second pair? I can clean them for you if they —"
"I can't be bothered," he spat on his last word, the spittle landing rather close to Marianna's shoes.
She stepped back in response. "Again, I'm very sorry," she repeated herself.
Marcus took a threatening step toward her, slowly closing the distance between them.
Marianna instinctively stepped back. "Sir, I think you should leave," she held her head high and injected a sense of authority in her tone of voice.
"Perhaps it is not me who should leave," he said vaguely.
Marianna gaped.
"Is something wrong?" Larsen's commanding voice broke through the tension of the moment.
Marianna felt her breath ease as she turned to see Larsen strolling toward them.
"Everything is fine boss," Marcus's face changed into a cool mask; a far cry from the menacing features he had revealed to Marianna just a few short minutes prior. "Just bumped into the lady by accident and spilled some of her water," he played it off.
"Right," Marianna said hesitantly. She didn't want to make an enemy of Larsen's trusted ranch manager, but neither did she want to pretend like nothing had happened.
"Well it was nice chatting with you ma'am," Marcus said lightly. "I will see you later boss," he said has he strolled away, all while whistling a low tune.
How odd, Marianna thought. She didn't know why Marcus disliked her so much, but she hoped that he didn't try to approach her again. She decided to try and push the disturbing encounter to the back of her mind and focus on the more interesting man in front of her.
"Good evening Mr. Dover," she said cheerfully.
"Please," he spoke warmly, "just call me Larsen."
"Larsen," Marianna let his name roll of the tongue. She liked the way it sounded and, judging by Larsen's reaction, he preferred her to use his given name.
"How is the house coming along?" he inquired about her efforts in reorganizing his neglected home.
"Very well, actually," she smiled up at him. "Would you like to come in and see?" she asked.
"No, that is quite alright," he looked past her at the setting sun. "I have a few things to attend to before it gets late,"
"Oh, ok," she disappointedly. She had been hoping to have a moment alone with him, but every time she tried to extend their conversation, he would be pulled away by his ranch duties.
Larsen studied her for a moment. "I will walk you back to the house," he stated.
"Thank you," she said softly. She bent to pick up the bucket of water she had been carrying with her.
"Allow me." Larsen moved forward to take the heavy load away from her. He lifted it with ease, as if it weighed nothing.
Marianna admired his calm strength. She also noticed he slowed his strides to match her shorter pace.
"What do you think of Texas?" he asked in an attempt to make small talk.
"It is a lot different than Valley Springs," she said mildly. She wasn't sure what else to say. She had only been in Texas for a few short days, and yet it felt like it had been a lifetime since she had left her home. She knew it was normal to require an adjustment period, but she still wasn't sure if it was homesickness or her gut that kept her from feeling at home.
They reached the front porch to the house and Larsen set the bucket down for her.
"I don't want to keep you here if you are unhappy," he confessed.
In that moment, Marianna got a glimpse into the man before her. She saw how the strain of losing his wife had taken a toll on him and she wished to comfort him "How long ago did you lose her?" she asked softly.
"Three years ago to influenza," he said. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed absently.
Marianna saw that, even after all these years, the loss of his wife still pained him. "I lost my fiancé to a carriage accident." She hoped that by offering him a glimpse into her own struggles, he might not feel so alone in the ache that comes from missing a loved one.
He nodded. "Mrs. Cavanaugh said as much. I'm very sorry," he offered.
They stood in silence for a moment, neither one knowing the right words to say after such an intimate moment.
Larsen was the first to speak. He chuckled slightly, breaking the awkwardness of the moment. "Yet here we are, still standing despite obstacles life decided to throw at us," he said with strained amusement.
Marianna felt the corner of her mouth turn up into a faint smile. She covered her eyes from the glare of the setting sun and looked up at Larsen. "That is one way you could put it," she agreed.
"Well," Larsen said a little too quickly, "I best head off. You let me know if there is anything you need."
"I will," Marianna promised.
As Marianna watched Larsen walk away, she couldn't help but compare the man to her late fiancé, Kevin.
Kevin had been a soft-spoken intellectual that had come from an upper-class family. Larsen, on the other hand, was a bit rough looking, with a thick beard and a deep voice. His occupation as a ranch owner in Texas was the exact opposite of Kevin's safe job in an attorney's office. Marianna knew that it wasn't fair to compare Larsen to her deceased fiancé, but Kevin had passed away less that two months ago and his memory was still fresh in her mind.
Yet, the difference between the two men wasn't what held her back from fully committing to marrying Larsen Dover. She was struggling with the isolation that came with choosing to come out west. Back in Valley Springs, she had her sisters and a few friends to help her through the difficult loss. Here in Texas, she had no one. She craved the intimacy that came from friendship, but on a ranch full of men, she had yet to make a single friend.
At least Elijah and Marshal were sweet. The boys had
taken it upon their small shoulders to make sure Marianna was comfortable in her new home. Every morning they asked her how she was and whether or not there was anything they could do for her. In a way, it almost broke Marianna's heart that they had already were so attached to her — and her to them — that a part of her wanted to stay just for them. But instead of making her decision easy, it only made it that much harder. She felt torn between her affection for the two children and the family she had left behind.
However, she knew that the deciding factor behind her choice, would be whether or not she could marry Larsen Dover. And at the moment, she was running out of time to get to know him. Soon she would have to make a decision, but she didn't want to do that before she was comfortable in the knowledge that she was making an informed choice. But to do that, she would need to spend more than just a few fleeting moments with the man.
Over the next few days, Marianna decided to seek out any opportunity to have some time alone with Larsen. However, at each turn, he was called away. She knew that he was very busy, but she wasn't about to make a life changing decision without at least trying to get to know him first.
A few days later, an opportunity to get quality time with Larsen came when she overheard him planning on making a trip into town to order the supplies for the new barn. She hoped she could convince him to take her into town with him. She had written a few letters for her sisters that she needed to mail, and figured she could use it as an excuse to tag along.
"Marcus?" Larsen called out to his ranch manager, "I'm going to head into town and put in an order for the supplies. I'll be back by sundown."
Marianna knew that his was her chance; she doubted that she would get another opportunity to have quality time with Larsen. She quickly grabbed her letters and ran out the door, hoping that she could catch him in time before he left. She was in luck, as she stepped off the front porch she saw Larsen saddling his horse.
"Larsen!" she called out to him.
At first he didn't turn around and Marianna worried that he hadn't heard her. As he swung himself up onto his horse, she knew that this was her last shot. With a final burst of energy she shot after him, and abruptly tripped over her long city skirt and landed in the dust with a loud thud.
She groaned as she rolled over, her eyes staring up into the blue sky. Her body ached and her hands stung with fresh scrapes. She silently prayed that Larsen hadn't seen her fall.
A shadow cast over her as Larsen leaned over her crumpled body. She looked up into his face, while her own turned hot red with embarrassment.
Larsen knelt down to her level and offered his hand to help. "Are you alright?" he asked as concern spread across his face.
"I think so," Marianna muttered shyly.
"Here," Larsen helped her get up. "What had you in such a hurry?" he asked in teasing voice.
Marianna’s blush deepened and she averted her eyes out of embarrassment. "I was hoping to catch up to you," she reached for her pocket and withdrew two folded envelopes. "I have a few letters I would like to mail to my family." As she spoke, she raised her eyes back up to meet his and their gazes locked.
Larsen smiled. "Sure thing," he said as he reached for the small stack in Marianna's hands.
"Wait," she pulled back slightly.
Larsen gave her a confused look.
"I want do drop them off myself. I was hoping you could take me with you?" she asked nervously.
Larsen cleared his throat roughly. "I don't know, it is a bit of a journey and —"
"Please," she said pleadingly. "I wouldn't mind a trip into town, I didn't get a chance to see it when I first arrived."
Larsen looked at her for a long moment before replying. "Ok," he gave in.
Marianna's face broke out into a huge grin. It was the first time she had truly smiled in months. "Thank you," she beamed. She quickly stood up and dusted off the dirt that covered her skirt.
Larsen looked amused by her. "Can you ride?" he asked.
Marianna hesitated. She had taken lessons as a young girl, but hadn't ridden a horse in recent years. "A little," she explained.
Larsen raised a curious eyebrow. "Well then, if we are going to do such a long trip into town, it might be best if we ride together." He moved toward his horse and beckoned Marianna to follow.
Marianna suddenly felt hesitant about being that close to Larsen for the whole journey. Her fingers tingled every time Larsen touched her hand, now her stomach did somersaults as she thought of climbing behind him and wrapping her arms around his solid waist.
The sound of Larsen clearing his throat broke her train of thought. She blushed as she looked up and saw him watching her from where he stood next to the horse.
"Sorry," she whispered to him. And as she moved forward, she could almost swear she saw his eyes twinkle with amusement.
Chapter: VIII
As they rode into town, Marianna made every attempt to keep conversation going. However, Larsen didn't appear to be the overly chatty type.
"So why did you choose Texas to start a ranch?" she asked several miles into their ride.
He grunted and shrugged his shoulders. "Heard good things about this place."
"And?" she pressed further.
"That's it."
"Oh," Marianna said, slightly disappointed. She wondered how she would ever crack the hard shell that was Larsen Dover.
They reverted back to silence for most of the trip. The only sound was of the horse's heavy breathing and the rhythmic pounding of his hooves as they beat the hard ground. Marianna took the time to admire the gorgeous scenery. She hadn't realized how beautiful the land was. Although it was quite different from the familiarity of her quaint town of Valley Springs, Texas held a certain untamable mystique that intrigued her, much like the enigmatic man in front of her.
As the ranch behind them disappeared on the horizon, Marianna was sure that the rest of their journey would continue in silence. And in that moment, she made a silent plea to the heavens that something would happen to crack the wall that Larsen had built around himself.
Her wish was answered, although not in the way she had expected, when the sound of a gunshot startled the horse and caused the animal to almost throw both of them. Before Marianna had time to register what had just happened, Larsen had already spurred the horse into a full gallop.
As memories of the last time she took the same path at a breakneck speed raced through her mind, she had no choice but to hold on to Larsen with all her might. He heart pounded, while her mind raced with fear as the horse sped along.
A second gunshot was accompanied by the sound of pounding hooves behind them, which solidified Marianna's fear that they were being pursued.
A third gunshot came dangerously close, as the shell exploded in the dust next to them. There were shouts behind them, which signaled that a small gang was following them. Marianna dared not look back, but her curiosity got the better of her. As she peeked over her shoulder, she saw what appeared to be a group of bandits racing after them in pursuit. She had no idea why they would be the target of thieves, as they didn't carry anything of value with them.
Besides our lives, Marianna thought morbidly.
A sudden jolt in the horse's step brought her attention back to focusing on one thing: holding on for dear life. Her teeth rattled in her jaw and her fingers ached from where she gripped Larsen's shirt. Her heart beat louder in her chest as she heard the bandits gain speed up them. They were, after all, not two to a horse.
"Surrender your goods or we'll shoot the girl!" cried one of the bandits.
Fear raced through Marianna, she wanted to urge Larsen to ride faster, but instead he chose to slow down in response to the threat. They were instantly surrounded by a group of five men.
"Hold fire!" yelled the bandit that appeared to be the leader.
Larsen slowed the horse down, but didn't completely stop. She could feel the tension ripple off his body as he kept the horse in a canter and turned to face the men that had
them surrounded.
"You may have our saddlebags, but there is nothing of value," he spoke stiffly to the group.
One of the men continued to hold a revolver pointed at them, while the 'leader' descended off his horse. "We will see about that," he said dryly as he advanced toward them. "Now get off the horse," he commanded in a harsh tone.
Marianna could feel Larsen's body stiffen next to hers, but he didn't say anything. "Larsen?" she said softly, unsure of what she should do.
"Do as he says," Larsen said in a voice that toed the line of danger.
Marianna slowly slid off the horse and Larsen quickly followed. He slid his arm protectively around Marianna's waist, his body upright and his gaze locked in on that of the bandit, whose face was mostly concealed by a heavy bandana and hat.
"Step away from the girl," the leader demanded.
Larsen hesitated. "I told you, you may take what we have, but there is nothing of value," he repeated in a dangerously calm tone.
Marianna watched the event unfold before her.
"Step away from the girl," the bandit repeated, "or we will be forced to shoot her as well."
Marianna tensed. As well? Her mind raced with the implication of those words. These men were not here for the small amount of money they had brought with them, they were here for something else. Larsen. A cold coil of fear began to unravel in her stomach.
Larsen regarded the bandit coolly. "I'll give you one warning, either take the saddle bags and leave, or leave empty handed."
Marianna's eyes widened as she stared up at Larsen's cool face. He appeared to not be fazed by the bandit's threat to shoot him. Or her. He continued to take stock of the gang with a cool, calm demeanor. Marianna didn't know how he was able to be calm, as she herself was barely holding it together.
"Larsen?" she nudged him gently, "what are you doing?" she whispered through gritted teeth.
"Exactly what needs to be done," he said with a wry smile.
Marianna's heart sank; he knew that they were not here for their money, but for their lives. She suspected Larsen was not the type to go down without a fight, but the odds were against them as they were heavily outnumbered.