Gripping his shirt, she sobbed, her tears soaking through the fabric. She cried for Joel and the way he protected her, for the brutal years with Arnie, for the girl she used to be, and for the loss of her family.
“You’ll be all right now, Maggie. No one else will ever hurt you.” Brodie’s heart squeezed for the woman in his arms. She’d been proven innocent, but the cost had been high. Closing his eyes, he thought of the future, praying that when Maggie healed, she’d find a place in her life for him.
Chapter Seventeen
“She’s a most fortunate woman to have made it back alive.” August Fielder sat at his desk, his voice resigned. “I can’t say I’m surprised at what Joel did. The boy loved her, even if he never spoke of it.”
Brodie sat across the desk, fingering the brim of his hat. It had been obvious to anyone how much Maggie meant to Joel.
“And how is Miss King doing? I heard you moved her out to your ranch.”
“Aye. My parents offered to have her stay at their house. She didn’t have anywhere else to go, so…” He’d suggested she stay at his house, knowing no matter how much he wanted her there, it wasn’t the best choice. It hadn’t come as a surprise when she refused. Her acceptance of his parents’ offer had been a relief. “They brought the wagon into town yesterday and took her back with them.”
“I suppose you’ll be spending a little more time at the ranch then?”
“Not much more. I’ll follow them back after church, maybe ride out once or twice a week for supper. It depends on what is going on in town.” Brodie had no intention of leaving his job. It didn’t mean he wouldn’t do all he could to spend time with Maggie while she healed.
“I must say you’ve done an admirable job hiring deputies.” Fielder stood, walking to a small cabinet and pulling out a bottle of whiskey. Without asking, he poured two shots, handing one to Brodie. “And you’ve exceeded my expectations during your short time as sheriff.” He tilted his glass toward Brodie, then took a sip.
“Thank you, Mr. Fielder. It hasn’t been dull.”
“No, I suppose not.” Fielder studied Brodie, wrestling with something.
“Was there anything else?”
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Pinkerton believes he’s close to locating Maggie’s family.”
Brodie choked on the last of his whiskey. “No, sir. I hadn’t heard.”
“Sam mentioned it to me when I saw him in town last night. Seems they left Denver not long after Maggie’s kidnapping. Mr. King tried to find her, even hired an investigator. When they couldn’t find a trace, they decided to head back east. Pinkerton believes they are in Texas. It’s good news, don’t you think?”
“Uh, yes. Good news.”
“Of course, nothing is certain. It may be a false lead. I never count on anything these days.”
“Right.” Brodie’s voice was flat. He knew his thoughts were selfish, but he couldn’t stop himself from wishing her parents weren’t found, at least not until he’d had time to plead his case to Maggie, convince her to stay in Conviction.
“Sam should know more soon.”
Brodie set down his empty glass and stood. “I’m certain he’ll let me know as soon as he learns anything else.”
“Do you plan to tell Miss King?”
“Not yet. I don’t want to give her false hope. She needs to put all her effort into recovering.”
“Give her my best, Sheriff. Perhaps I’ll see the two of you in town soon.”
Brodie left, thinking of Fielder’s last statement, wondering if his feelings for Maggie were obvious. He planned to ride straight to the ranch, have supper, and see if she felt up to a walk. If Pinkerton was on the trail of the King family, he couldn’t afford to waste any more time.
“The lass is a wonderful young woman, Brodie.” Lorna patted her son’s arm, followed by a conspiratorial smile. “She likes you, lad.”
He shot a look at his mother, then shook his head. “Did Maggie tell you this, or are you just wishing it were true?”
“Oh, you can tell when a lass likes a lad. Maggie couldn’t stop looking at you throughout supper.”
“That’s all?” Brodie had hoped she might have confessed her feelings to his mother. He’d never courted a woman before and needed whatever help he could get.
“And she’s been asking questions about you.” Lorna stopped when she heard Maggie walk down the hall with Jinny. The two had taken to each other right away. “There you two are.”
Maggie glanced at Brodie, her face reddening when he smiled at her. “Jinny let me borrow her heavy coat.”
“And a bonnet.” Jinny pointed to the beautiful bonnet made of deep blue wool and lined in silk.
“Not just any bonnet,” Maggie replied, looking at Brodie. “Did you know your sister made this?”
A warm smile, almost wistful, flashed across his face. “Aye, I do know. In fact, I went with her to the mercantile when she picked out the fabric.” Although he’d watched her all through supper, the sight of her walking toward him, unmasked joy on her face, made his heart skip. “Are you ready?” He held out his arm, waiting until she slipped hers through it.
“I am. We shouldn’t be gone long.” Maggie didn’t know why she felt the need to give Lorna an explanation. Maybe because she hadn’t seen her own mother in a long time, and the sight of the older woman smiling and nodding her approval gave Maggie a warm feeling, almost as if she were home.
Without another word, Brodie escorted her onto the porch and down the steps. “I’m sure Jinny has already given you a tour.”
She looked up at him and laughed. “Jinny, and Fletcher, and Kenzie, and the twins. I feel as if I should be showing you around.”
“They’ve been dragging you around with your injured leg?” He frowned, believing he needed to speak to his family about pushing Maggie too fast.
“My leg feels much better now that I have a real bed.” She winced at the look on his face. “I’m sorry, Brodie. I know you did all you could to make me comfortable. I also know it was your job, no matter how much I hated being locked up.”
His features softened. “It’s over, Maggie. All we can do now is look to the future.” Brodie guided her into the barn and toward a stall in the back. As they approached, she leaned across him, trying to get a better look. “No peeking, sweetheart.”
A chill went through her at his use of the endearment. “What am I not supposed to see?”
“This is the surprise Fletcher mentioned at supper.”
“Do you mean the one he only told you about?”
Brodie chuckled as they stopped at the stall. “Aye. That is the one.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. Unlatching the gate, he pulled it open, letting her see the treasure inside. “Don’t go any closer.”
She looked at the small animal standing next to its mother, then at Brodie. “Oh my. She’s beautiful.”
“Beautiful, aye, but it’s a he.”
“A colt?”
“Born right before supper. That’s why Fletcher and Kenzie were late.” Brodie draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “This one will be part of our horse breeding program. Bram was here when he was born. Fletcher, Sean, and Bram are the most involved in the horse part of the ranch. Most everyone else works with the cattle.”
“And if you were still living at the ranch, what would you be doing?”
He sighed. Over the years, he’d wondered the same, never coming up with a good answer. “I don’t know. Ranching and farming have sustained the MacLarens for generations. Every family member did their part, worked the land, doing whatever was needed.” Dropping his arm from around Maggie’s shoulders, he guided her backward, then closed the gate. “I never seemed to fit. The land never drew me like it did everyone else. The sense I had another calling, a different path, always plagued me.”
“Did you ever tell your parents?”
“Nae. They wouldn’t have understood. Colin, Quinn, and Blaine knew. I doubt any o
f them were surprised when I took the job as sheriff. Except…” He walked away
“Except?”
“Those three are as much brothers to me as Fletcher, Clint, and Banner. We discussed everything. If we struggled with a decision and couldn’t talk to our parents, we talked it out with each other. We were always there for one another.”
She walked up next to him, touching his arm. “The relationships you describe sound wonderful.”
“Aye, they are, except I didn’t talk to any of them about my decision to accept the job as sheriff. I didn’t realize what a terrible mistake that was until the night I made the announcement to the family. Disappointing them was ten times worse than upsetting Da and Ma.”
She cocked her head, her mouth tilting up at the corners. “They seem fine now.”
“We’ve come to an understanding. Still, we haven’t quite reached the level of trust we had before I left the ranch.” Brodie lifted his hand, caressing her cheek with his knuckles. “Were you close to your family?”
Maggie’s eyes narrowed and her brows drew together. “It wasn’t the same as with your cousins. I’m the oldest. My brothers came along several years later, and Mother, well…she never truly recovered.” She glanced toward the house, then back at Brodie. “They are twins, like Banner and Clint. Their birth took every bit of energy she had.”
“So you became more of a mother than a sister.”
Maggie nodded. “They became my responsibility from the week they were born until I was taken from the hotel room. I don’t know how Mother handled it afterwards.”
Brodie stepped toward her, gently gripping her shoulders. “What about friends? Did you ever have time for fun?”
She thought a moment, remembering one friend. “Before the boys were born, there was one girl. We’d play at school and after church. She moved not long after the twins were born. Afterwards, I never had time to make new friends. Then Papa sold the farm, deciding we were moving to Colorado. You know the rest.”
He couldn’t imagine the life Maggie described. The MacLaren clan was huge, at one time consisting of five brothers, including his father. The youngest split from the family, eventually taking his family across the ocean. Although he died during a raid on his ranch, his young sons moved to live with relatives in Fire Mountain, Arizona. The remaining four brothers lived near each other in Scotland, creating their own settlement with little need for outsiders. Brodie had grown up with more love than he could describe and a family that increased in size each year. Unlike Maggie, he’d never felt alone or isolated.
“Are you thinking of looking for your family?” He hadn’t meant to ask.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do. Being free of Arnie gives me so many more choices than I’ve ever had. I love my parents. I also worry about my mother and wonder how she’s been able to cope with the boys.” She sighed, leaning into Brodie, glad for the comfort he provided. “Although it’s selfish, I’m not ready to act as their mother again.”
He drew her tighter into his embrace, stroking her hair with his hand. “You aren’t selfish, Maggie. Perhaps it’s time you took time for yourself and decided what you want.”
I want you, she thought, burrowing her face into the fabric of his shirt, inhaling his unique scent. Keeping her arms locked around his waist, she leaned back and looked into eyes smoldering with need.
“Maggie…” Brodie breathed out.
“Will you kiss me?”
The corners of his eyes crinkled as he lowered his head. “Aye, lass. For as long as you’ll let me.”
The fear and revulsion she felt when she thought of Arnie vanished as Brodie settled his mouth on hers. The way he held her, his soft caresses, and the passion burning through her could never compare to what she’d experienced in the past. Tightening her hold around his neck, she leaned into him, loving the feel of her body against his.
The hunger in his kisses created a torrent of heat. He crushed her against his hard chest, sending a sharp stab of desire pulsing through her, setting her aflame. Feeling herself give into the passion his touch created, she returned his kisses with a desire that stunned her.
His hands splayed across her back, holding her firm as they moved lower to settle on her hips. Sighing into his mouth, Maggie didn’t allow herself to think, wanting only to respond to the heat building between them.
His lips brushed against hers one more time before he raised his head, gazing into her eyes, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
A smile crossed his face as he tucked her against his chest, resting his chin on her head, his voice deep and ragged. “We’d better stop, lass. If we continue, I cannot promise I’ll be able to stop.”
“And what if I don’t want you to stop?”
He drew back, moved his hands to her shoulders and studied her face, seeing the same passion he felt. “This is not the time or place, lass. You’ve had much happen in the last weeks and I won’t be the man to take advantage of it.” When she opened her mouth to speak, he touched a finger to her lips. “Don’t doubt how much I want you, but our first time will not be on the floor of the barn, yards away from my family. You’re important to me, much more than you know, and I mean to take my time with you.” He could see a slight tinge of red creep up her face and knew she understood. Brushing a gentle kiss against her lips, he took her hand in his, feeling another stab of sensations rip through his body. “We’d best go back inside.”
Walking up the steps to the porch, Brodie stopped, turning her to face him. “I mean to court you, Maggie King. You need to know the man I am and trust you’ll never go through what you did with Stoddard. Those days are over, lass. Do you understand?”
Reaching up, she stroked her fingers down his face, feeling a burst of warmth and sparks of hope. “There’s no other man I want courting me…no other man I want.” She flashed him a brilliant smile an instant before going up on her toes and giving him a quick kiss on the lips.
He had no response, his chest tightening at her words. “I’ll be back on Thursday afternoon to take you to supper in town.”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyes gleaming. “I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Eighteen
The days had started to turn chilly as the Thanksgiving holiday approached. Many still did not celebrate it, at least not with the passion of the MacLaren family.
Brodie had invited his deputies to join him on the ranch for Thanksgiving supper. Sam and Nick had accepted. Jack preferred to stay in town, saying he’d send word if he needed them.
Almost three weeks had passed since Maggie had come to stay at the ranch, over two since they’d been courting. Quiet suppers, picnics, and unhurried rides took up their time. Brodie rode out the day before the celebration, ostensibly to help his cousins, but everyone knew his visit was to see Maggie.
“One more, then you can go see your woman.” Quinn settled the last fence post into the ground, tamped dirt around it, and waited as Colin, Blaine, and Brodie set the rails. They’d expanded the pasture next to the barn. Brodie had to admit it felt good to work alongside his cousins again.
“She isn’t my woman. Not yet anyway.”
“Ach. If you believe that, you don’t deserve her.” Quinn brushed his hands down his pants, laughing when Brodie gave him a modest shove. “Why don’t you just marry the lass and end your suffering?”
Brodie’s mouth curved into a wry grin, knowing what Quinn referred to. “Maggie’s worth the wait. Someday you’ll figure out not all lasses are made just for bedding.”
Colin and Blaine roared with laughter at the snarl on Quinn’s face.
“I don’t think that’s all they’re good for. I happen to like women. Besides, I’ve not bedded as many as you think.”
“Quinn, your whole purpose in life is to see how many women will succumb to your charms.” Blaine slapped him on the back. “Although it confounds me what they see in you when they’ve a choice of a fine male specimen like me.”
Bro
die looked at Colin, both shaking their heads as Colin rested an arm across Brodie’s shoulders. “Lads, it’s obvious the two best men are taken and have laid claim to the two best women.”
“So true. At least about the women.” Blaine picked up the shovel, looking up to see Caleb riding up to join them.
“Need more help?” A grin split his face, seeing the work had been completed.
“Nae. Your timing is perfect. We’re done.” Quinn glanced behind him and frowned. “I thought you were going to get Heather, convince her to join us for Thanksgiving tomorrow.”
Dismounting, Caleb stroked his horse’s neck, a scowl replacing his grin. “Quinn, your sister is as stubborn as they come. She’s agreed to stay for supper at the Evanston ranch, help the widow cook for the rest of the men.”
Quinn’s jaw dropped open. “Heather, cook?”
“That’s the excuse she gave me for not coming home.” Caleb grabbed a handful of rocks from the ground, leaned against the fence, and starting throwing them across the pasture. “I think there’s more to it, but she refused to say anything else.”
The four cousins glanced at each other, no one knowing how to respond. They might know what to say, how to pull him out of his frustration if Caleb ever admitted his feelings for Heather. Instead, he’d kept them to himself, never inviting comments and never sharing.
Caleb tossed the last of the rocks a few feet away, brushing the dirt off his hands before looking at the four men. “I’m done with her.” Grabbing the reins of his horse, he strode away, disappearing into the barn.
“What do you think he means?” Blaine stood next to Colin, his gaze still on the empty space where Caleb had been standing.
“I believe the man has wasted enough time on a woman who isn’t interested.”
Quinn stepped up beside them. “Heather’s daft if she thinks she’ll find better.”
“It’s a shame.” Brodie clasped Quinn on the shoulder. “I was looking forward to the lad becoming a legal part of the MacLaren clan. Guess not everyone can be so fortunate.”
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