“Won’t have no cursin’ in front of the ladies.”
“But Pa—”
“Shut up, Frankie.” He turned a pointed finger back at Collette. “You best get to explainin’.”
Tess put her hand out to stop Collette. “Please, let me.”
Collette began to protest, but Tess shook her head. Finally, Collette agreed.
“Mr. Langman,” Tess began, “the fault is mine. You see, before I moved to Porter Creek, I had the bad fortune of making enemies with a loathsome man who apparently thought it worth his while to track me down here. It’s a rather long story, but the gist of it is while Collette and I were walking into town this morning, this . . . er, man . . . rode up behind us and grabbed me. God knows what would have happened to me if your daughter had not made her way to El Cielo and told the Calloways what had happened. They immediately set off to find me, which they did, thank goodness, and now we are all home safe and sound.”
She took a deep breath, only just realizing she had not inhaled since she started her story. She braced herself for Wyatt Langman’s interrogation—surely he would question her virtue now, if he hadn’t already. After all, how many women made enemies with men who tracked them down like animals and kidnapped them?
“You walked into town?” Wyatt’s question wasn’t even directed at Tess, but at his daughter.
“Y-yes,” she answered. “It was such a nice morning, and Tess has never had the opportunity to . . .”
“You walked into town?” he repeated, his tone distinctly sharper. “Alone?”
“Yes, Pa.”
“Damn it all to hell, Lettie,” he shouted, apparently forgetting his own no-cursing and no-yelling rules. “How many times I gotta tell ya it ain’t safe?”
“Yeah, Lettie,” the unknown brother piped in, pushing more tobacco into his already swollen lip.
“Shut up, Clint,” Collette snapped. “Pa, I’m nineteen years old. For goodness’ sake, when am I going to be old enough to look after myself?”
“Never! ’Long as yer livin’ under my roof, I make the rules, ya hear?” He pointed his crooked finger at Tess. “That goes fer you, too, hear? I won’t have no daughter of mine keepin’ time with the likes of them there Calloways, so you jus’ stay as far away from them no good varmints as you can. Hear?”
“But, Pa,” Collette moaned, taking a step toward him.
“You hear?” he bellowed.
Collette and Tess nodded in unison and watched, blanched, as the four men stomped out of the house. Only then did poor Collette burst into tears.
“You see, Tess? What am I going to do? He hates Bart and Bart hates him . . . oh, it’s the worst!”
“No, it isn’t, Collette. Things can always be worse.” Tess smiled down at the poor girl who had crumpled to the floor. “Believe me, it can always be worse.”
Collette laughed through her tears, and they each retired to their rooms for the evening. Tess spent most of the night flat on her back, wide awake. Gabriel was going to be at church. He even offered her a ride if she needed one. What on earth was going on in the man’s head? As far as that went, what on earth had gone on in her own mind all day? Just thinking about how shamelessly she’d reached out and touched his bare chest mortified her all over again, yet even the memory of the touch made her whole arm quake as it had earlier.
Everything about the day brought on waves of emotions she couldn’t control. The terror when she realized exactly what Gribbs planned to do to her, the relief when Gabriel burst through the doorway, the need she had to touch him, to have him hold her. The touch of his hand against her cheek had been almost unbearable in its tenderness, so much so that even now it brought tears to her eyes and made her soul ache with wanting to be touched like that again. Just once.
She covered her wet face with her hands and sobbed quietly. Why couldn’t she let him go? He didn’t love her, he was simply being kind today. It was in his nature to feel responsible for everyone else, which was the reason he had chased after her and Gribbs. But why hadn’t he yelled at her? She’d been expecting it ever since Bart left them standing alone outside the shack, but it had never come to pass. Instead, he had been gentle, kind, and compassionate.
It made Tess nervous. Very, very nervous.
Stupid Frankie took them to church in the Langmans’ fancy carriage, with the parting instructions he would pick them up right where he left them. Collette stuck out her tongue at him and turned around, looping her arm through Tess’s as she did so. They ascended the first step when a familiar voice tickled Tess’s ear.
“Morning, ladies. Beautiful day, isn’t it?”
“Good morning, Gabe.” Collette smiled, tossing Tess a quick wink. “Yes, it is a glorious morning. Is your brother with you?”
Her eyes scoured the surrounding area in vain.
“No, Miss Langman,” he said. “I’m afraid it’s just me this morning. I’ve got Bart working on a project at the ranch.”
“Working on Sunday?” Collette mocked. “Honestly, Gabe Calloway, you’re asking for fire and brimstone, you are, making him work on the Sabbath. It’s sacrilege.”
Gabe smiled brightly. “I’m sure the good Lord will give His blessing to this, Miss Langman, don’t you worry. Bart’d be happy to have company for lunch, though, if you knew of anyone who might be interested.”
Collette scowled. “Yes, well, I’m afraid your brother will have to eat his meal alone today. And every day, unless I can figure out a plan.”
“We’ll come up with something,” Tess said, speaking for the first time. “It’ll work itself out. Somehow.”
“I wish I had your faith,” Collette muttered. “I really do.”
“Speaking of faith,” Tess said, turning to Gabe. “What brings you to church this morning, Gabriel? I got the distinct impression Sunday services were not exactly something you cottoned to.”
Gabe hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and puffed out his chest, grinning his strange grin. “I’m a changed man, Miss Kinley. I’ve come to do right this morning, and I mean to work a change in a number of other things as well.”
“Really?” Tess’s brow quirked cynically. “Like what?”
Gabe pulled open the door to the church and motioned them both inside.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait and see,” he answered.
He escorted them to the same pew they had occupied the week before and sat himself down right beside Tess, close enough to brush shoulders with her. If she didn’t already know what half the town thought of her, she might have asked him to move over a touch, but since they all thought she was of loose virtue anyway, she didn’t bother. Well, that, and she plain enjoyed having him so close.
Collette didn’t even try to hide her smirk and offered, in a hushed whisper, to change pews so they could be alone, but Tess swatted her arm and shot her a scolding look.
Almost two hours later, Tess hadn’t heard one word of Reverend Boswell’s sermon. In fact, she didn’t even remember which hymns had been sung, and that was always her favorite part of church services.
“Ladies,” Gabe said when they’d made their way back outside. “Would you like me to see you home?”
“That’s very kind of you,” Collette answered when Tess’s mouth fell open wordlessly. “But my brother will be here shortly, and I don’t think he or Pa would take very kindly to seeing us with you again.”
“That’s unfortunate.” He smiled. “I’ll tell Bart you said hello.”
“Yes.” She nodded eagerly. “Please do.”
“Tess? May I speak to you for a moment?” Gabe motioned toward the tree where Zeus was tethered and waited until she moved before he followed.
“How are you feeling?” he asked when they were finally out of range of most of the busybodies. “Did you get some rest last night?”
“A little,” she answered hesitantly. Her eyes narrowed, studying his grin for some kind of clue. Finally, she gave up. “What is going on with you, Gabriel?”
<
br /> “What do you mean?”
“You know very well what I mean!” she whispered sharply, jabbing him with the end of her finger. “You’re being nice to me, you came to church this morning—something’s not right, now what is it?”
“Tess,” he laughed. “You worry too much. There’s nothing going on you need worry about. I told you, I’m a changed man and I’m looking to . . .”
Tess’s stomach lurched and her knees began to buckle. “Oh, dear Lord,” she gasped. “I’ve been making such a fool out of myself, haven’t I?”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, reaching to steady her.
She pulled out of his grasp and leaned back against the huge willow. Tears burned her eyes and throat, but she couldn’t let them loose, she wouldn’t let them loose. An icy knot tightened her stomach as the dull ache of foreboding filled her soul.
“You’re in love, aren’t you?” she asked in a voice so fragile it sounded as if it would shatter at any moment.
Gabe’s mouth dropped, then broke into that stupid grin again.
“Yes,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I am.”
“I see.” She cleared her throat and fought to remain on her feet. “Does she live here in town? Have I met her?”
“Yes,” he repeated. “To both questions.”
Stunned and sickened, she forced her eyes up to meet his and there it was, that strange, indescribable glow that had lingered over his magnetic gaze since yesterday. He was in love—madly, wildly, passionately in love with another woman. Twice she opened her mouth to speak and twice all she could manage was a barely audible squeak. Finally she was able to fight back the suffocating sensation in her throat and form a lie.
“I’m happy for you, Gabriel,” she said, her lips now as dry as the dust at her feet. “I hope she makes you very happy. You deserve at least that much.”
Something flickered across Gabe’s face, but Tess tore her eyes away. She couldn’t bear for him to see her pain.
“I’ve never loved this way before,” he said softly. “I’m hoping to make her my wife before the week’s end.”
Tess’s hand flew to her mouth in a vain attempt to stifle the sob that tore free from the back of her throat.
“That’s wonderful for you, Gabriel,” she said, knowing the tears were only a heartbeat away from falling. “Collette and Frankie are waiting for me. Please offer my congratulations to your bride. I wish you the best.”
She hurtled away from the tree—and Gabriel—and raced toward the Langman carriage, with Gabriel’s voice echoing through the black void between them.
“Tess! Come back!”
“Just go,” she cried when Frankie turned to look at her. “Go!”
Tess continued to sob uncontrollably long after they arrived back at the ranch. Collette fretted and fussed over her, unable to make any sense out of Tess’s incoherent sobs until finally Beau appeared and hauled both women out of the carriage and into the house. Unable to walk, let alone stand, Tess’s legs would have collapsed under her if Collette hadn’t insisted Beau carry the distraught woman up the stairs to her room.
Hours passed, tea went cold, food went uneaten, and the only word Collette could decipher through her friend’s anguish was “angel.”
Chapter 27
Gabe reined Zeus to a walk as he neared the Langman ranch. He’d taken enough cues from both Collette and Tess to understand Wyatt would probably greet him with his shotgun shoulder high and the safety off.
Instead, it was Stupid Frankie who met him halfway down the road to the house.
“What d’you want?” he demanded, resting his right hand on the butt of his Colt.
“I need to see Tess.”
“I don’t reckon she wants to see you right now, Calloway.”
“This isn’t any of your business, Frankie. It’s between me and Tess, now let me by.”
“You’re trespassin’ on Langman land and you know how we deal with trespassers.”
Gabe sighed, but his glare never wavered. “I don’t want to fight you, but I will if I have to.”
“There ain’t gonna be no fightin’, Calloway, only one shot. And since you ain’t armed, it’s pretty easy to see who’ll be doin’ the shootin’.”
“Take your best shot then, Frankie.” He nudged Zeus on ahead, his eyes still fixed on Frankie’s Colt.
Gabe saw him swallow hard, once, twice, his hand twitching against the revolver.
“If he don’t shoot you, I will, and you know I ain’t bluffin’.” Wyatt Langman rode out of the trees ahead of Gabe. “Now get off my land, Calloway.”
“I need to speak to Tess,” Gabe said, keeping his voice even. “I won’t be here any longer than needs be. . . .”
“You’ve already outstayed yer welcome. Now git.” Wyatt waved his gun in the air, pointing back down the road.
“Wyatt . . .”
“Git.” He released the safety on the gun, leveling the barrel at Gabe’s chest.
Still Gabe hesitated. He needed to talk to Tess, to explain. He couldn’t bear seeing her that upset, even if he knew it would only last a short while. He had to tell her everything, but Wyatt Langman was making that a little difficult at the moment. Gabe knew Frankie never would have shot him, but Wyatt, well, he wouldn’t put anything past the old man. Ornery as the day is long, that was Wyatt Langman.
Gabe nodded. “Fine. Would you at least give her a message for me?”
“No. I done told both her and Lettie they ain’t to have anythin’ to do with you or your no good brother, so you just ride on outta here and I won’t hafta shoot ya fer trespassin’.”
Gabe gritted his teeth and turned Zeus around.
“I’ll be back,” he promised, eyeing Wyatt steadily.
“An’ I’ll be waitin’.” The old man nodded back.
Gabe spurred Zeus down the road, a string of curses trailing out behind him. Now what the hell was he going to do? How the hell was he ever going to get to talk to Tess with her holed-up at the crazy Langmans’ place? Maybe Bart . . . no, Wyatt’d shoot Bart long before he thought to ask any questions.
Gabe was stuck. He’d made one hell of a mess out of this. If Tess hadn’t run off so quickly, he’d have been able to explain it to her, make her see the humor in it. But now he’d be lucky if she ever wanted to speak to him again—no matter what the reason.
He needed a plan; he needed to think. Hell, what he needed was a miracle.
He found Bart on the side of the house, unloading the rest of the planed boards from the wagon.
“Your lady friend sends her regards,” he said with a slight sneer.
“Wha . . . ?” Bart started, then shrugged. “How’d you know?”
“Wasn’t hard to figure out, Bart. You get the stupidest look on your face when she’s around, and she ain’t exactly ugly.”
“No.” Bart grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow. “She sure ain’t. How’d it go with Tess?”
Gabe shook his head. “You’re not going to believe it.”
Bart eyed his brother for a moment and adjusted his hat.
“If it’s somethin’ stupid you did, I sure as hell will believe it.”
“Stupid doesn’t even begin to describe it,” he muttered. “It started out all right, was actually kind of funny, but then . . .”
“Then you blew it. Right when you had it all figured out, you blew it.” Bart pulled another board from the wagon and laid it on the ground behind him. “What the hell d’you say to her?”
Gabe heaved a heavy sigh and filled his brother in on what had happened.
“So you figured it’d be best if you didn’t let Wyatt shoot you, is that it?”
“Something like that. But now how the hell am I going to get near her? There’s no one here that can get onto Langman land without meeting the angry end of a shotgun.”
“You really are stupid, ain’t ya?” Bart never stopped moving; it was beginning to drive Gabe crazy. “Go to the restaurant tomorrow, talk to her
there.”
“The restaurant,” Gabe repeated. “Bart, my boy, you’re not as dumb as you look! That might just work.”
“’Course cranky ol’ lady Lutz’s likely to fire her if she sees you anywhere near the place, but that ain’t a worry, is it? I mean, Tess will marry you, won’t she?”
Uncertainty suddenly crept into Gabe’s brain.
“Y-yes,” he stammered. “Of course she will. Why wouldn’t she?”
Bart quirked his brow. “D’you really want me to answer that?”
“Bart,” he snapped. “I’m serious.”
“So am I,” Bart said, laughing all the while. “If today went half as bad as you made out, you’d best tread lightly with ’er or she’s likely to bolt again.”
Gabe set his jaw and walked away, leaving Bart to his work. Tomorrow was an eternity away.
Shadows deepened under Tess’s eyes; her face was ghostly pale and pinched. Still, she had to go to work. She washed and dressed with stiff movements, refused any breakfast, and wordlessly climbed into the wagon so Mr. Langman could take her into town. No more walking for her or Collette.
“You shouldn’t be goin’ anywhere, young lady,” Wyatt said, climbing up beside her. “I’ll go to town and tell Lutz you won’t be in today.”
Tess forced her lips to smile. “Thank you, Mr. Langman, but I need to stay busy, to keep my mind thinking of something else.”
“I tol’ ya them Calloways weren’t good fer nothin’.”
“It isn’t Gabriel’s fault,” she said quietly. “He can’t help how he feels. Or doesn’t feel. I’ve known that from the very beginning.”
“Cur dogs, the whole lot o’ them.”
“Mr. Langman,” she said gently but firmly. “You’ve been so kind to me, letting me stay at your home, and I do appreciate your generosity, but I cannot allow you to speak that way of either Gabriel or Bart. They’ve been more generous with me than they ever needed to be, and although I’m sure no one in town would ever believe it, they were perfect gentlemen when I stayed at their ranch.”
“I ain’t buyin’ that fer a minute, Tess. There ain’t a man’s bone in either of them coward’s bodies.”
Laura Drewry Page 22