Jodi Thomas - WM 1

by Texas Rain

  Great, Travis thought. The judge was involved in this.

  “Women like Rainey need a bit of a challenge. She’s a survivor, a fighter. Did you ever think that maybe she should have to fight a little for you? Fish that hop up on the bank ain’t near as fun to catch.”

  Travis stared at the little lady, having no idea what to say to her. She was right about him having little experience with women, but it seemed to him a woman would much rather have an offer on the table and then make up her mind than be wondering how a man felt about her.

  “Would you like some more coffee?” was all he could think of to say.

  Dottie seemed to understand. “No, I think I’ll go to the kitchen and have a cup of tea. Will you be needing anything? I could have someone bring it to you.”

  Travis shook his head.

  Ten minutes later he was still staring at the fire when Rainey walked in.

  “Morning,” she said. “Dottie said you wanted another cup of coffee.”

  “Thanks.” He didn’t look up as she handed him the cup. One good thing about this place, he’d never finish all the coffee.

  Rainey stood in front of him as if waiting for him to do or say something. Her hand was so close he could have reached out and held it, but he didn’t. He wasn’t sure how she felt about what they’d done last night. He thought she enjoyed it, but he wished she’d had time to say something before she vanished.

  “How are you feeling?” She finally broke the silence as she leaned toward him.

  “I’m feeling tired of people worrying about the way I feel,” he answered, his words sounding colder than he’d intended.

  Rainey took a step backward.

  Travis swore he could feel the coldness between them. She sure wasn’t acting like she wanted him to play hard to get. He glanced up and saw her green eyes staring at him. She looked like she wanted to be kissed, he thought. Or maybe that was just what he wished she was hoping for.

  “I was just about to leave to go bake today. I have orders for pies that are late. No one seems to need me around here.” She waited as if expecting him to say something. “I’d also like to go back and get my shoes. Sage loaned me a pair of hers, but I keep walking out of them.”

  He wanted to tell her to forget about work, he needed her. But Dottie’s comments lingered in his thoughts. He didn’t want to say anything that got repeated to Dottie, who’d repeat it to the judge. Hell, he thought, I might as well just shout everything I say so that everyone can hear the first account.

  “Travis?” She stepped back in front of him.

  He thought he knew what she wanted. They were alone. She was close. In one step she could be in his arms. But he didn’t reach for her.

  To his surprise, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back before dark.”

  He watched her go.

  If black moods could darken, his did. He sat, staring at the fire trying to figure out where he stood with his fairy. He’d told Mike she was his, but he wasn’t so sure. She’d slept beside him part of the last three nights, but he hadn’t touched her until last night. She’d swore she’d never marry him, but she worried about him worse than both Roy’s wives put together worried about Roy. Every time he mentioned marriage she said she never wanted to see him again and every time she thought he was in trouble she risked her life to let him know.

  He leaned his head back against the leather of the wing-back chair. The worn leather conformed and he closed his eyes, drifting back into the dream he’d had on Whispering Mountain.

  He heard Mike’s boots stomping in from the side door. The Ranger ran through the hall as if on full alert pulling Travis from his dream.

  Travis glanced up just as Mike Saddler rounded the corner, his face red from the cold. “McMurray!” Mike took a quick breath. “Where’s Miss Adams and Widow Davis?”

  “Rainey left to go make pies. I think the widow said something about going with her, but I could be wrong. I don’t know women all that well.” Travis straightened, sensing something was wrong. “What is it, Saddler?”

  Mike’s tanned face paled. “Eldon Norman has been spotted in town. We’ve got men looking for him everywhere. The undertaker said he came by to pay his respects to his brother and left swearing that he’d pay back the witch who stabbed Seth.”

  Travis braced himself on the arms of his chair and slowly stood. “Is he in custody?”

  Mike shook his head.

  Travis reached for his cane. Carefully, so he didn’t pull stitches, he made it to his guns. “Get the wagon from the barn out back and pull around to the side door. I’ll inform Sage and meet you out there. We’re going after Rainey.”

  Mike nodded. “You’re thinking the same thing I am. I heard Dillon tell two men to go check on the three old maids just in case Rainey or the widow goes there, and a pair of Rangers were knocking on the front door when I came around back. They’ll be here with Sage until we find Rainey and make it back.”

  Travis strapped his guns on and reached for his coat. His left leg took the weight when he shifted with only a bit of pain. He was healing; now it was time to concentrate on keeping Rainey alive.

  By the time they made it to the Langland Mercantile, Rainey already had pies in the oven and refused to leave until they were done.

  Pearl kept calling Travis “Rainey’s Ranger,” which left no doubt that he’d been discussed, as she showed him to the extra chair.

  The widow had taken up residence at the kitchen table, her arm resting beside two freshly made pies. Mike stood near the back door, looking very much like he was on guard. Travis pulled his chair to the opening into the store after he gave up trying to get Rainey to abandon her baking. He might not be able to tell Rainey what to do, but he didn’t plan to leave her alone.

  Rainey’s fear shifted quickly to bother that she had to work around so many people in such a small space. She kept having to swing Mike out of the way as if he were a door to her supply cabinet. When she stepped around Travis and into the store, he heard her say she was sorry about the bother. He smiled when Pearl answered back that she thought this was all so exciting.

  “Oh,” Pearl added just before Rainey passed through the curtain and back into the kitchen. “I think your paper Ranger is handsome. His frown is a little frightening, though. Aren’t you scared?”

  Rainey laughed. “Not in the least.”

  The others heard their comments through the thin curtain. Travis’s frown deepened, realizing Rainey had told Pearl about their letters.

  Widow Davis must have decided she was queen of the hive, for she divided her time between talking to Mike, telling Rainey how to cook, and bothering Travis with questions about what the Rangers were doing to keep her safe. He was glad when Pearl let her son join them, for Dottie took up a game of teaching the boy, who could only babble his ABCs.

  By the time Rainey put another set of pies in, Judge Gates showed up with Roy Dumont at his side. Pearl pulled the stools in from the store, and they all consumed one of the pies.

  Almost growling aloud Travis decided that if anyone else wanted to come into the small room, they’d have to get on the waiting list. Pearl came in several times to pick up pies. “Folks are coming to the store wanting them. I’m selling them as fast as you can make them.”

  Travis watched Rainey as she worked silently. The warmth of the stove had made her cheeks glow. The room was full of people and all he saw was her.

  After eating, Judge asked Dottie if she’d like to join him for dinner that night at one of the restaurants in town. Roy mentioned it might be better not to make her a target. The judge suggested his house and waved his arm to include everyone in the invitation.

  “A dinner party—how wonderful.” The widow lifted her bandaged arm. “If I could, I’d love to cook for it.”

  The judge smiled looking younger than he had in years. “If you’ll tell me what to do, I’ll be your hands, madam. I have a housekeeper who’ll clean up the mess, so you won’t have to do a th
ing but talk.”

  Travis almost lost his battle not to laugh.

  Dottie giggled. “I’ll tell you how. You cook and we’ll have a great meal.” She glanced from Roy to Ranger Saddler. “Would it be all right to send the young Ranger to ask Miss McMurray and the Baileys if they’d like to come, also?”

  “Of course, I haven’t had a proper party since my wife died.” Judge Gates stood and offered his arm. “Shall we go shopping for what we need?”

  They moved into the mercantile. From the sound of it, the Langland would be stocking tonight after they got home from the dinner party, of course, for the judge insisted they come as well.

  Travis looked at Mike. “Sounds like you’ll need the wagon to get all the supplies to the judge’s. If Roy stays with the widow, see if you can’t talk Sage and Duck into coming over to help. I’m sure the judge can use the help.” He met the young Ranger’s eyes. “Stay beside Sage all evening.”

  Mike nodded once. “I promise. Anyone getting to her will have to go through me first.”

  Travis knew Mike meant every word.

  CHAPTER 30

  WHEN EVERYONE BUT RAINEY AND TRAVIS FINALLY left the Langlands’ home, the one-room apartment seemed roomy. She’d been surprised when he hadn’t argued about her insisting on making more pies before leaving. In fact, he’d simply nodded and resumed his place on guard after the others left.

  Surrounded in the aroma of apple pies, the silence weighed heavy between them. Even Pearl raised an eyebrow in question when she’d passed Rainey to put little Jason down for a nap. But Rainey didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say. Travis didn’t seem angry, or bothered. If anything, he seemed bored.

  She felt like they’d been on a runaway train since the kidnapping. He’d risked his life to save her. All the other Rangers thought she was his, but he’d never once mentioned love, or even liking her. In fact, except when she visited him late at night, he barely acted as if he noticed her around.

  “Want a piece of pie?” Rainey tried to shatter the ice between them.

  He shook his head.

  “Want some soup?”

  He didn’t answer. He simply folded his arms and leaned back in the chair.

  “Want me?” she whispered as she turned back to work. They’d been alone for an hour, and he’d made no move to touch her, or even talk to her. She frowned, thinking of how quickly she’d become addicted to his touch and wondered if he’d mind if she curled into his bed every night to sleep. Somehow the rhythm of his breathing matched her heart’s beat. When he held her at the ruins of the mission, it had been the first time she hadn’t feared the night.

  Rainey considered if feeling safe could equal love. She decided it didn’t. Maybe she should look at the reasons why he’d asked her that first night to marry him. He could just want a wife to come home to, but she’d be the last one he’d pick for that. He’d have to find her every time. Maybe he felt sorry for her. After all she was the pitifulest person she knew even if that wasn’t a real word. She could see lots of reasons why any woman, but her, would want to marry Travis, but she couldn’t find one reason why he’d want her.

  Rainey continued to work until the table was filled with pies cooling, but Travis never made any attempt to talk to her. Once, when he’d stood and walked to the water bucket, he’d been careful to get a dipper of water without touching her. He’d hung the dipper back on its nail a few inches from her head and hadn’t touched her hair.

  She wanted to ask how he was feeling, but didn’t dare. He’d rubbed his left leg several times, but she didn’t miss that he’d left his cane by his chair when he’d walked across the room to get a drink.

  When she finished the dishes and pulled off her apron, he stood . . . waiting.

  Pearl crossed through from the store and glanced at both of them. “Owen just pulled up. He says he’ll make your deliveries today.”

  “Thanks.” Rainey didn’t try to protest. She looked at Travis. “I’d like to go by the boardinghouse and change into my other dress.”

  Travis nodded once as if she were no more than an assignment he’d been given to keep up with. “I’ll put the wagon around back. Don’t come out until I’m at the porch.”

  She slipped into Sage’s too-big shoes and watched him go.

  When he’d disappeared, Pearl moved to her side and put her arm around Rainey’s shoulders.

  Rainey blinked back tears. “I don’t know what’s wrong. It’s like I don’t know him at all. He held me last night, but we had little chance to talk. Now we have nothing to say.”

  “What do you want him to say?”

  Shaking her head, Rainey whispered, “I don’t know. I wish he’d talk to me like he did in his letters. I liked hearing about what he was thinking and feeling and worrying about.”

  Pearl shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you except your paper Ranger is there somewhere in that hard man. All you’ve got to do is look for him.”

  A few moments later they heard the wagon. Rainey ran out. Travis made no effort to get down and help her up so she climbed in beside him. When she accidentally brushed his arm, he moved a few inches away.

  They rode in silence to Askew House. The roads were muddy and each time the wagon rocked, she’d touch him, and each time he moved away.

  When they reached the steps of Askew House, Rainey jumped out as soon as he slowed the horses. “I’ll only be a minute.”

  He shoved the brake stick forward, tied the reins around it, and said without looking at her, “I’m going with you.”

  The front door was unlocked. Their steps echoed in the foyer across air as still as a tomb. Rainey called for Mrs. Vivian and then Mamie, but no one answered. All the weeks she’d lived there she could never remember the house being silent. There had always been the sounds of someone talking, or Mrs. Vivian yelling at Mamie from the kitchen, or Dottie singing in her room.

  The blood that had been spilled in the foyer had been cleaned up, but the stain still darkened the wood. Rainey carefully walked around it. She took the first few steps up the stairs and turned back. “I’ll change and be back down.”

  Travis followed her. “I said I’m going with you.”

  “All the way to my room?” She took the next step. “It’s not allowed.”

  Using only his right leg to climb, he moved up the stairs. “I’m going with you,” he repeated more slowly as if he thought she’d missed a word.

  By this point she was so frustrated she wanted to kick his good leg. The man was taking his guard duty to the extreme. She lifted her head and walked up the stairs not even glancing back to see if he followed.

  When she reached her door, she was surprised to find him only a few steps behind.

  “Turn around,” she said, blushing.

  “What?” He moved closer.

  “Turn around. I have to get my key.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Afraid I’ll see where you hid it?” He glanced around, as if he could guess.

  “No, I’m afraid you’ll see what I hide it in.”

  Travis didn’t move.

  “Suit yourself,” she finally said as she lifted her skirt and pulled the key from deep inside her petticoat pocket.

  When she looked up, he seemed totally surprised and embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know ladies’ underwear had pockets.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Did you McMurray men split one brain evenly among yourselves, or did you get short-changed?”

  He grinned. “Maybe the widow’s right. Maybe I don’t know much about women. Sage usually wears trousers and when she does wear a dress, she has no use for a place to put a key.”

  Rainey unlocked the door and he pushed it open, brushing her shoulder as he walked in ahead of her. “Lots of room,” he mumbled as he took one step and bumped into the bed.

  “It’s plenty of room for me.” She gathered up a change of clothes. “I can go downstairs to change.”

  “I’ll turn around.” He shifted until he was
looking out the window. “I don’t want you that far away in case there’s trouble.” He tested the bed. “Mind if I sit down?”

  Rainey bit her lip. She wanted to say that nothing had happened all day, surely she’d be all right in the bathroom. The hip tub and washstand wouldn’t harm her. “Suit yourself,” she finally answered.

  She unbuttoned the buttons at her throat and hesitated. “I don’t think I can do this,” she whispered. “Not with you so near.”

  He looked back at her. “Don’t you trust me?”

  “I do. But this isn’t proper.”

  “And sleeping with me in your nightgown is?” he questioned, then turned back to the window. “Forget I said that. Just get changed.”

  She unbuttoned her blouse as he opened the window. He hadn’t shown any interest in her all day; why should she think he’d change suddenly?

  “What was the first sign you saw or heard that told you trouble was near the other morning?”

  She slipped out of her skirt. “We heard the four horses in the alley.”

  “Four?” He glanced back at her, then raised one hand as if to say he was sorry and returned to stare out the window. “I thought there were three men.”

  Folding her skirt and blouse, Rainey tried to remember. “Three men came into the house. One was killed in the foyer, two rode away with me. But . . . I remember looking down and seeing four horses.”

  Excited, she leaned one knee on the bed beside him and gripped his shoulders, turning him to face her. “Travis. Why would they bring four horses?”

  Travis frowned. “Maybe they planned for Sage to ride one? No,” he answered his own question. “You said they put a bag over you. They would have had to take the time to tie you up if you were riding alone.”

  “Maybe there was another man out front.”

  “Maybe, but why didn’t he ride off with them?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t remember them saying anything about anyone but Haskell and Frank, the brother in black whom Dottie shot.” Rainey moved closer and asked, “What happened to Haskell?”