"Would you now?" He nodded at Sam. "So this is your little brother."
"He's my younger brother," she corrected him.
"What have you there under the dish towel?" he asked, propping his elbows on the desk.
"It's an apple pie," she said, setting it on his desk and standing back. "It was my mother's recipe. I think you'll like it."
"You brought me an apple pie?" he said in amazement, momentarily surprised by her gesture. "I don't think anyone's ever done such a thing for me before."
"I hoped you would see it as a peace offering from us. We are neighbors, and we should get along. But let me repeat so there will be no misunderstanding-I will not sell the Spanish Spur to you or anyone else."
His brows furrowed, meeting across his nose. "And let me repeat so there will be no misunderstanding-I intend to water my herd on the river, and I intend to own all the land between here and the Brazos."
"Then I suppose we have nothing more to say to each other."
He leaned forward, smiling at her. It was the first time Casey had seen any softening in his expression. "I just bet my son can't keep his hands off of you."
She stared at him in total bewilderment. "Your son has come home? I thought he died in the war.
A look of amazement passed over his features. "He hasn't told you, has he?" He laughed in amusement. "You don't know, do you?"
She shook her head in confusion. "What?"
"My son, Gabe. He didn't tell you that I'm his father, did he?"
"That's imposs-" She looked into his silver eyes, and the truth hit her so hard, she felt herself reeling. "No," she admitted in a soft cry, feeling as if someone had just torn her heart out. "He... Gabe didn't tell me he was your son."
"That's not true," Sam said. "Gabe would never take your side against us."
Cyrus ignored Sam as if he hadn't even spoken. His target was the beautiful woman who was fighting against tears. He had her now. "Why do you suppose my son hasn't told you he's a Slaughter?"
The tears spilled down her face. "We both know why. You sent him to spy on us." She angrily brushed her tears away. "Both of you thought he could make me trust him so you could get your hands on the Spanish Spur. And you might be glad to know your plan worked very well, because I did trust him."
Sam stepped forward, his hand on Casey's arm. "Don't believe him. Gabe would never hurt us."
Cyrus smiled. Gabe had unwittingly played into his hands. Miss Hamilton would never listen to anything his son told her from this day on. "I can't believe Kate didn't tell you my son's name is Gabriel Slaughter."
"I thought he was... that he..."
"Was a bastard and didn't have a last name," Cyrus finished for her. "No. I was married to Gabe's mother. He is my true and legal son."
Casey wanted to run away as far and as fast as she could, but she stood her ground although her heart was broken. "You and your son were very clever. I should have known something wasn't right when he was so secretive. I knew there was something in his past he didn't want to talk about. I never imagined what it was."
A cunning look came into Cyrus's eyes. "You know how it is with a young man. He sees a pretty girl and wants to impress her." He was going to milk this situation for all it was worth. "You would never have let him anywhere near the place if you had known his real identity."
Casey gripped Sam's hand. "We will just be going now. I see that you are not willing to listen to reason."
Sam planted himself in front of Slaughter. "I think it's real mean what you and Gabe did. Don't think you can scare my family, because you can't. Take this as our last word-we aren't selling to you."
Slaughter laughed. "Run along home, boy, and play with toys. Leave the deal-making to the grown-ups."
Casey pulled her brother against her, insulted that Sam should be treated with such disrespect. "You will see just how grown-up he is if you come on our place again. You are a very rude man, Mr. Slaughter. We are sorry we took up so much of your time."
His laughter followed them to the door, and he called out to her, "I just think you ought to know-I don't like apple pie."
Sam halted the horses just before they reached the house. He was worried because Casey hardly ever cried, and it hurt him to see her body shaking with such terrible sobs.
"Don't let what that man told us upset you, Casey," he said, running his hand up and down her arm. "He's just mean and tries to hurt people. I still believe in Gabe."
"Don't believe in him, Sam." She tried to stop crying, but it just hurt so badly to know that Gabe had deceived them. She had been the biggest fool of them all. She loved him and had wanted to help him.
"I want to believe him."
"He misled us, Sam."
"I can't believe Gabe is that man's son."
"I do. I now know the reason he tried to keep us away from the Casa Mesa ranch. He was afraid someone would tell us who he was. He brought Indians to work for us, knowing they won't tell his secret, and then there is Fletcher, who came here from Casa Mesa. I don't know why I didn't suspect anything."
"But Fletcher's a good man," Sam said. "I couldn't be wrong about that."
"Most probably he was sent to the Spanish Spur to keep an eye on us."
"What about Kate?" Sam asked, not wanting to believe the little woman had been involved in trickery.. "You know she wouldn't do anything to hurt us."
Casey didn't want to think the woman that they had all come to trust and to love as family would help the Slaughters against them. "She has to know who Gabe is-remember she told us to trust him. Why didn't she tell us who he really was?"
"You know Papa always said that if you sleep-on a problem it won't seem quite so bad the next morning. Maybe we should try that."
She wiped her tears on the back of her hand. "But, Sam, Gabe will still be a Slaughter when you wake up in the morning. Nothing will change that."
She was trembling inside, but she had to stop crying, because her tears were hurting Sam. She hadn't known anyone could be as deceitful as Gabe. He'd taken her family's trust and ground it into the dirt. He must have laughed at her innocence last night when she'd told him she loved him.
No wonder he had acted so strangely. He had even offered to marry her. She clasped her hands tightly in her lap to stop their trembling. Did Mr. Slaughter covet the Spanish Spur so much that he would send his own his son to trap her into marriage? Why buy a ranch when his son could marry into it?
Sam looked worried as he picked up the reins. "What will we do now?"
"I am going to have a talk with Mr. Gabriel Slaughter, and then I'm going to order him off our ranch."
Sam bowed his head. "I liked Gabe a lot. After this, I'll never trust anyone again!"
She noticed the droop of her brother's shoulders. He still wanted to believe in Gabe, despite the evidence that had been thrown at them.
"Don't say you will never trust again, Sam. I don't want this experience to sour you on friendship. We know many good people. Not everyone is like the Slaughters."
Sam straightened his shoulders. "I'll be with you when you tell Gabe to get off our land."
The sun was going down when they reached home. Casey climbed out of the buckboard and headed straight to Kate's house to get Jenny while Sam unharnessed the horses.
Kate and jenny were sitting on the porch while they both snapped green beans and dropped them into a bowl. Jenny's puppy, Lucy, was curled up beside her, often reaching out her tongue to give jenny a lick.
"This here's the last of my garden," Kate said, dropping a handful of green beans in a bowl. "I'll cook a big pot, and we can all eat off it tomorrow."
"Jenny," Casey said, trying not to look at Kate because she didn't want Jenny to know how angry she was. "Go help Sam with the horses. Ask him to let you help water them."
Her sister's eyes lit up, and she scooted off the porch and ran in the direction of the barn with Lucy running at her heels. "I'll tell Sam that you said I could help him," the child called back over her sho
ulder.
When jenny was out of hearing, Casey turned to the woman whose friendship she had treasured until today. "Why didn't you tell me that Gabe was a Slaughter? Worse still, why didn't you tell me he was Cyrus Slaughter's son?"
The older woman set her bowl down on the porch and turned to Casey. "I thought it was a mistake for him not to tell you who he was, but he asked me not to say anything, so I didn't."
Casey dropped down on the step and rubbed her temples. "You can't imagine what damage you have done to this family by keeping his secret."
"It weren't that way at all. Gabriel wanted to help you and the family, and he knowed you wouldn't let him if you found out who he was. It's that simple."
"There is never any reason to deceive a friend. We trusted you, thought of you as part of our fam
put her hand on Casey's. "I'm still your and you can still trust me. You can trust too. He wouldn't do anything to hurt any ily.-Casey
stood up straight. "You cannot imagine how much he has hurt me."
With her heart heavy, Kate watched the beautiful young girl walk toward the house. Cyrus would win if he came between those two. She was an old woman and had never had young love in her life, but she knew it when she saw it, and she had seen it between Gabe and Casey.
Hell, Gabriel was willing to put himself in danger just to keep her safe. Casey had been good for Gabe. Kate had seen that. When a man had never had love, he just didn't know how to reach for it, she supposed. Gabriel should have trusted Casey enough to tell her who he was.
"I should've told her from the first," the little woman said to herself, shoving the bowl of green beans so forcefully, they were scattered across the porch.
Sam hung the reins on a hook and spoke to Fletcher. "You'll want to stop at the house tomorrow and get your pay. You'll be leaving then."
Fletcher had been leading a horse into a stall. He closed the gate and gave his full attention to the boy. "I thought Gabe did the hiring and the firing 'round here."
"Gabe will be hot on your heels when you leave. I don't want either of you around here anymore."
"Now what bug's bit you, boy? Gabe's the only one keeping Cyrus from stealing this ranch."
"Gabe is Cyrus's son." Sam waited for Fletcher to deny it-wanted him to say it was a mistake.
"I figured you'd find out sooner or later. I 'spect all hell's done broke out now."
Sam picked. up the dog and took jenny's hand, nodding at Fletcher. "Just do like I said, and come by the house in the morning."
"If'n that's the way you want it, but you and your sister are making trouble for yourselves."
"You might want to tell Gabe to come to the house if he should get home tonight."
"He won't be back for days."
"Then we'll see him when he does get back."
Casey and Sam sat up long into the night, planning what they would do, while jenny slept the sleep of innocence. Once again they faced trouble, and this time there didn't seem any way out of it.
Lucy bounced around, trying to get Sam's attention. When he opened the door, she ran out, did her business, and he let her back inside. Then the pup ran for the bedroom, where she would curl up beside Jenny.
Eventually Sam and Casey went to bed, but nei ther of them slept much. Sunrise found them both in the kitchen, with Casey pouring Sam his first cup of coffee.
He grimaced, shaking his head as he tasted the bitter brew. "Why would anyone want to drink this?"
"I'm not sure. I believe it helps you wake up in the mornings."
Sam took another sip. "I guess I'd better get used to the taste then."
It was difficult for Casey to give Fletcher his pay and send him on his way. But it had to be done. She had to get rid of all the men who had any connection to Gabe, and that meant his Indian friends as well.
It was late in the afternoon when Casey and Sam heard Omous and Flint ride toward the barn. She and her brother went out to them with a heavy heart. It was surprising to Casey how quickly they had become attached to the people who worked for them. But it had probably been part of Gabe's plan to get the family to trust his men.
Sam was the first one to speak. "We know all about Gabe; we know whose son he is. We don't want him here, and we want you to leave, too."
Casey could tell it had hurt Sam to send Omous and Flint away. He really liked them.
"We would like you to leave now," she said, avoiding their eyes.
"Miss Hamilton, you aren't safe here alone.
Gabe would not like us to leave before he returns. You need to talk to him."
"I will be talking to him. But only to tell him to leave as well."
She was finally able to meet Omous's gaze, and she saw sadness revealed there.
He shook his dark head. "Gabe has only your safety in mind, Miss Hamilton."
"We don't want his help," Sam said, his voice trembling.
There was nothing else Omous could say, so he nodded. "Young Samuel, you must look after your sisters. And we will be close by if you need us. There will be trouble, and I fear for your family."
Casey could almost believe him. She wanted to believe that he was a good man who was worried about her family's safety, but doubt crept into her mind, and she shook her head. "We will not need you. I'm going to put the word out that we are looking for hands, and someone will come to work for us."
Omous knew it would do no good to argue with her. Gabe had been wrong not to tell her the truth. Now he would suffer the consequences, and so would the Hamiltons.
By evening, Gabe still had not returned, and Casey slept badly, thinking about the situation they found themselves in. There would be no one left to work the ranch except her and Sam. Just to get by, they would have to rely on what Sam had already learned. She certainly knew nothing about cattle.
The following day, Casey found herself watching the road, waiting for Gabe to return. By the third day she had decided he might not return at all if he had been made aware that she knew he was a Slaughter.
It was early afternoon as Casey watched jenny run into the barn with Lucy at her feet. She was glad they had been able to shield her sister from the problems they were facing. She wished in a way that she had the innocence of a child; then life would not be so difficult for her.
She glanced at Kate's cabin. The older woman had come to the ranch house door that morning, but Casey had not invited her in. They had talked for a while, but the conversation was awkward, and soon Kate left.
Casey felt they were living on the edge, that something terrible was about to happen. Maybe she should sell the ranch to Mr. Slaughter; then she and jenny and Sam could go back to Virginia where they belonged. It was too hard for them here in Texas. Surely her father would have understood if she had to sell the Spanish Spur.
Suddenly she felt something strange, a slight tremor. Then the door shook and the windows rattled. There was a roar that grew progressively louder. Sam came out of the house, his gaze questioning.
Casey grabbed his hand. "I don't know what is happening." She flew down the steps to the ground, glancing toward the barn where jenny was. Now the earth shook, and they saw a dust cloud.
"It's a stampede!" Sam cried, pointing to the mounted riders who were shooting their guns in the air to frighten the cattle. "Whoever it is, they are deliberately driving the cattle at us. There must be two hundred head or more."
"Jenny!" Casey cried. "She's in the barn!" The cattle were close enough now that she could actually see the markings on their faces. She started running toward the barn, frantic to get to her sister, but Sam was faster than she was. To Casey's horror, jenny had just come out of the barn to see what the noise was.
"Jenny," she cried, fearing Sam would not reach their sister in time, "go back. Go back!"
Casey ran into the dust cloud, trying to get to her sister. The dust was so thick she couldn't see anything, and she soon lost her sense of direction. "Sam, jenny, where are you?" she screamed, desperate to be heard over the deafening noise
. One of the frightened animals brushed against her, and the impact took her to the ground. Dust and hooves were all about her, and she choked and gagged, trying to breathe. She tried to rise so she could get to jenny and Sam, but she was struck again and blackness swallowed her.
Casey felt as if she were coming out of a fog. Her mouth was dry, and she licked her lips. She could see a faint light, and it grew brighter as her eyes focused more clearly. It took her a moment to realize that she was in her own bedroom.
What was she doing in bed? She didn't remember getting there.
Suddenly it all came back to her, and she whimpered, "Jenny, Sam, oh, God, where are you?"
Sam came rushing into the room and restrained her as she struggled to get up. He knelt down beside her, taking her hand. "Casey, we've been so worried about you."
She tried to sit up, but the room whirled, and she lay back against the pillow. "Jenny, I want to see jenny."
"She's not hurt. She just has a scraped elbow. She's sleeping on a pallet in the living room because we didn't want her to disturb you."
"Are you sure she's all right? Are you telling me the truth?"
"I always tell you the truth. You know that." He glanced downward. "But, Casey, her pup... Lucy was trampled to death. Jenny took it real hard."
Tears seeped from the corners of Casey's eyes. "Oh, poor jenny." She turned her head toward Sam. Now that the world had stopped spinning, she noticed that his arm was in a sling. "You were hurt!"
"It's just a sprain. The doctor said I was to wear the sling for a week; then my arm should feel much better." He touched her hair. "We were afraid, Casey, when the dust settled, and we saw you lying there...." He wiped a tear away. "I thought you were dead. Kate went for the doctor, and I stayed right here with you, trying to console Jenny. This is the first I've left you, to tuck Jenny in. I couldn't have been gone for more than a minute."
She smiled. "As you see, I'm hard to kill, Sam."
"The doctor's in the kitchen with Kate. He wanted to know when you woke up."
"Oh, Sam. I thought you and jenny were..." She tried to move and felt a heavy weight pressing her down.
Heart Of Texas (Historical Romance) Page 15