"Yes." Jared sat beside her. "He said you have a right to be scared. He talks like your Skelly is a devil."
"He's not my anything, but I can agree with his analogy. Is that all he said?"
He leaned closer and sniffed. "Did you wash your hair? It smells like lilacs."
"Yes. Cynara's special soap."
He played with a tendril while he went on speaking. "This Blackie doesn't seem too keen on tracking you down, but he may be trying to fool us into relaxing our guard, which we won't do. Don't worry, honey. We're here to protect you."
"And the babies."
"And the babies."
Healy snuggled closer and rested her head on his arm behind her. "I still can't quite believe how good you and your brothers are to me. I hope you know how much I appreciate it."
"We know, and if we forgot, Cynara would remind us." He kissed her cheek. "I need to get some work done on my house. What do you plan to do with your afternoon?"
Excitement lit her eyes. "Cynara is going to disguise me so we can go into town and order clothes for me. Isn't that fantastic? It will be so much fun."
"Fun!" He gaped at her. "Of all the crazy ideas. If you want clothes that badly, I'll take you to Pony in a couple days. It's over fifty miles away, so we'll have to spend the night, but you can shop your heart's content and be safe while you're there."
"I don't mind staying over." The thought of having him to herself for two days sent a thrill through her body. They'd get two rooms, of course. Even so, being with him that much would be glorious. Maybe she'd get up enough nerve to ask him how things stood with Melanie these days.
Cynara came in. "Are you ready to begin your disguise, Healy?"
Jared stood. "No, she's not. I can't believe you even came up with such an addle pated notion. I'm going to take her to Pony to shop. If you want to come along, that's fine. Check with Barclay first, though."
"Very well, Jared."
As he walked toward the kitchen, he glanced over his shoulder and saw the two sisters clutching each other's hands and grinning. He'd been had. They knew they wouldn't be allowed to go to Cutthroat in disguises. They'd been counting on him volunteering to take them shopping. The sneaky little devils.
Oh, but they were sweet fiends. He pushed through the kitchen door. Oysters stood at the stove, as usual, cooking something that smelled delicious. "What you making, Oysters?"
"Stew. You're looking pleased with yourself." The cook offered him a taste."What you so happy about?"
Jared accepted the spoon. "Just as tasty as I knew it would be. I'm going to be taking Healy to Pony to shop on Wednesday. Can you fix up a basket for us?"
"That a safe thing to do?" Oysters asked, adding more salt to the stew.
Before Jared could answer, Barclay entered the room. "What are we talking about? Is what safe to do?"
Jared helped himself to coffee. "I told Healy I'd take her and Cynara to Pony to shop. She only has one dress, you know."
"Yeah." Barclay took the pot from him and poured a cup for himself."They're in there celebrating. You're not going alone, though. I'll ride along."
"What about the ranch?" Jared sipped his brew.
Barclay turned a quizzical look on him. "What about it? Chase will be here."
Jared didn't find that particularly soothing. Who knew what Chase would get in his head to do while they were gone? "And the triplets? You taking them?"
"No. I sent Cavell in to ask Ma to come watch them."
Jared still didn't feel comforted. The timing for such a trip could have been better for other reasons as well. The whole town would be coming on Saturday for the roofing party two days away. Jared would need to spend today getting everything ready. Temporary tables needed to be built to hold the food the women would provide, and he intended to hang some swings from the trees for the children.
He fetched his horse from the stable and turned its nose toward the unfinished house three miles east. As he passed the bunkhouse, he spotted Slim talking to his son, Roy, and stopped to give the foreman Barclay's instructions.
"Do you really think there could be men lurking in the woods?" Roy asked, looking scared and excited both.
"Barclay thinks it's possible," Jared answered.
"Best to make certain." Slim lifted his gaze to the boy's face. With Roy turning sixteen soon, he'd passed his pa in height. Slim appeared to forget he had to look up these days instead of down.
"Don't worry none, Mr. Givens," Roy said, bouncing on his heels. "We aren't going to let anyone harm Miss Healy. She's far too shiny."
"I'll send Blade to check the woods." Slim calmed his son with a hand on his shoulder. "He's the most experienced and maybe the toughest of the men, if there's trouble."
"Good thinking. Thanks. I'll be at my house."
Nudging his horse, Jared took his leave while Slim went hunting for Blade, who was better than anyone else at wielding a knife. Jared hoped today wouldn't be one of those times the man needed his special skill.
Chapter Nine
"We're here," Healy crowed as the buggy topped a rise and began a descent into a valley occupied by a small mining town."I'm so excited."
It had taken a full day to reach Pony, but Healy believed it would be worth the misery of the long ride. She squirmed in her seat in the buggy next to her sister who held the ribbons. Jared and Barclay had ridden their horses rather than try to fit into a space meant for two passengers. "Is there more than one dress shop, do you think?"
"I don’t know," Cynara answered. "I haven't been here for a long time."
Within minutes, they were in the town, passing cafés, saloons, a general store, a leather shop with fine shoes in the window. Cynara drove the entire length of Main Street and started back again so they could watch for dressmaker shops. Pony had about five-hundred citizens and no abundance of businesses, but Healy spied one on a corner a few stores up.
"Leave the buggy on that side street by the shop, Cynara," Barclay directed. "There's a tobacco shop in the next block I want to check out."
She maneuvered the buggy around the corner and halted the horse. Barclay helped his wife alight, but Healy jumped down before Jared could reach her, which won her a scowl.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I couldn’t simply sit there waiting for someone to help me do something I'm capable of doing by myself. I'm too eager to see what this dressmaker has."
"All right." Jared insisted she hold his arm while they walked to the door. "I'll be with Barclay. Do not leave this store until we come back. Understand?"
"Stop bossing us around, Jared." Cynara pulled open the door, and the two women slipped inside.
"They really are bossy, aren't they?" Healy complained. "He acts as if he was my husband."
"Careful," Cynara hissed. "Can't be sure no one here is from Cutthroat."
"Oh, look at this." Healy halted at a table loaded with bolts of fabrics. "Isn't this broadcloth pretty? I love the paisley design and blend of blues and purples."
"It would look lovely on you too, with your red hair. Let's take it over to the counter before someone else spots it."
The store consisted of one main room above thirty feet wide with tables in rows holding bolts of material, laces and orderly boxes of patterns. Two women worked at the rear behind a counter. Beyond the counter stood a dressing room and behind that, the private quarters where the seamstresses did their sewing.
"I'm surprised this is so large. Pony is so small," Cynara said, moving from table to table. Healy, carrying the broadcloth, followed.
Cynara stopped at another table. "This purple would make a perfect trim for your dress."
"Oh, yes. I love it. And I'll get blue buttons for contrast." Healy spied a box of buttons sewn to cards and began sorting through them.
A young woman with wheat-colored hair in an elaborate twist walked over to them. "May I help you?"
"Yes, I want these two fabrics, and blue buttons to match." Healy handed her the bolts.
"You made a good choice, and I k
now the perfect pattern for it." The salesgirl showed her a book of pictures she could choose from. "Why don't you look through here while I find the buttons you want?"
"Thank you so much." Healy ran her gaze up and down the girl's well-fitted dress. "Did you make your gown?"
"Yes. Mrs. Ellsworth owns the shop but I'm one of her seamstresses. You may call me Nora."
"I'm glad to meet you, Nora. I'm—"
"Healy," Cynara interrupted. "She's my sister. I'm Cynara."
"What a pretty name. Cynara. I've never heard it before," Nora said.
"It's Greek. I was named for my grandmother." Cynara pointed to the book. "I like that dress, Healy. It looks comfortable."
"It is." Nora took out a pad and pencil. "I've made one like it before. I'll make a note of the one you chose, and you can continue to browse."
An hour later, Healy had two dresses and a bonnet ordered, as well as under things, and exhaustion had taken over. "What now?" she asked, peering out the window. "Barclay and Jared haven't returned, and I'm dying for a comfortable chair."
Standing beside her, Cynara pointed to a bench outside. "Let's go out there and wait. May not be so comfortable but it's better than standing."
They had barely situated themselves when Healy spied a man among the approaching passersby. She gasped. "That's Chips Donahue. What do we do, Cynara? He's Skelly's head bodyguard."
"Duck back inside."
They rose, but before they could slip indoors, a heavy matron exited the dressmaker's shop, blocking the way. Healy tried to hide behind Cynara as Chips drew closer. Her heart thrummed in her ear and her palms grew moist inside her gloves. She wanted to scream.
Chips passed the matron, looked straight at Healy, and kept going.
Healy couldn't believe her eyes.
"What happened?" Cynara asked. "He walked right by you."
Tears pricked Healy's eyes. "He's protecting me and maybe warning me Skelly is here somewhere. That dear, sweet man. He'd always been kind to me."
"He looks so cruel."
"I know. He has one of those gnarled faces, but he's like an éclair, crunchy outside and soft as cake inside." Healy's gaze followed Chips. As he passed the saloon across the side street, Barclay and Jared emerged. They paid no attention to the large man. "There's Jared and Barclay."
"Thank heaven." Cynara fanned her face even though the temperature couldn't be more than forty degrees. "I want to leave this town."
"We were going to spend the night," Healy said, feeling disappointment build inside her.
"I don't think that would be wise." Cynara hurried toward her husband, dragging Healy along. "We're glad to see you. One of Skelly's men is here."
"What?" Barclay did a slow circle, surveying the other pedestrians.
"That man up ahead in the brown coat and plaid trousers." Healy pointed.
Jared's eyes widened. "He walked past us moments ago."
"Remember when I spoke of Skelly's man, Chips?" Healy asked.
Jared gaped at her. "That's Chips?"
"Let's get out of here." With his arm behind his wife's back, Barclay urged them all toward the buggy.
Jared's arm encircled Healy's shoulders. "Don't worry. You're safe. We won't be staying here tonight though. You didn't see Skelly?"
"No." Healy glanced around as they hurried toward the buggy. "But he can't be far off."
Once the women were settled in the buggy, the men mounted their horses. "Use the back streets until we're beyond city limits, Cynara. Jared, you ride close by and I'll drop back a hundred feet or so to watch for anyone tracking us."
Jared saluted his brother and signaled for Cynara to go. As they began their trip home, Healy wondered if they'd actually reach there unmolested. She felt a desperate need to see High Mountain Ranch once more.
They made good time and camped in a pretty meadow out of sight of the road. Healy helped Jared gather wood for a fire.
"Why do you suppose Skelly would be in Pony? Is it on a main travel route?" she asked.
"If you're coming from Salt Lake City." He tossed the wood onto the ground and began building the fire. "You don't remember it from your trip up?"
"No." She added her collection to his. "After seeing so many little towns and stage stops, I stopped paying much attention. All I cared about was reaching Cutthroat alive."
"For this Chips fellow to be wandering through town, they must plan to stay there tonight. Maybe Skelly sent his man ahead to scout out the town." Jared arranged the sticks like a tipi with the tinder stuffed inside. He pulled a match safe from his pocket and lit the fire. "I'm sorry we had to change our plans. I know you looked forward to spending more time there. You only visited one store."
"It doesn’t matter." They were all safe and sound; that was what counted. "I'm happy with what I ordered. I'll need to come back in a week for a fitting. Can we manage that?"
"Sure. Skelly will have moved on by then." Jared sat on the grass cross-legged and drew her down beside him.
"I should help prepare the meal," she objected.
"In a minute. Barclay's helping." Jared glanced over at his brother and sister-in-law on the other side of the fire. "We'll give them a moment of privacy. That's a luxury when you're traveling like this."
She nestled against his side and he slid an arm around her. "I don't mind having you to myself either."
"Yeah?" His eyes sparkled in the firelight as he gazed down at her. "Neither do I. Gives me a chance to do this." He kissed her, a quick peck. Then he peered into her eyes and, this time, the kiss was leisurely, deep and sweet.
"Glad you have the fire goin'." Barclay walked up, crouched and warmed his hands.
"You have a bad habit of arriving at inconvenient times," Jared muttered.
Barclay laughed. "Someone has to keep you on track. Are you forgetting you two aren't really married?"
Jared looked at Healy. "No. I doubt she'd let me forget that."
Healy wasn't so sure. "I'll go help Cynara."
Jared and Barclay took turns keeping watch that night, sleeping under the buggy while the women slept inside. At three in the morning, when Barclay roused Jared to take his turn at watch, he handed him a cup of coffee. Jared gratefully accepted the hot drink.
He glanced over at the buggy to check on Healy. She appeared sweet and innocent curled up in her seat, eyes closed, tendrils of hair falling from her disturbed bun to trail down onto her cheeks.
"You in love with her?" Barclay asked.
Jared busied himself sipping his coffee. "How do you know when you're in love?"
Barclay's mouth curved in a grin. "You want to kiss her all the time. And more?"
"A lot more," Jared answered.
"Are you more worried for her safety than your own?"
"By a long shot."
"That's what I figured." Barclay patted his brother on the back. "I'm afraid you have a case of L-O-V-E."
Head lowered, Jared groaned.
Barclay laughed."What about Melanie?"
"That note Vining gave me was from her. Rory's courting her."
Barclay made a moue with his mouth. "Well, that's convenient."
"It's what she wants, Barc." Jared's voice came out gruff and bitter.
"Don't see it as a disaster, brother." Barclay tossed a stick on the fire. "This could solve Healy's predicament. If you two were genuinely married, there'd be nothing Skelly could do about it."
"He could kill us."
"Yes, there is that. But he might also accept it and go away."
"You really believe that?" Jared swatted a moth away from his cup.
Barclay rose after feeding the fire. "No. I think if the man comes here, and it looks as though he has, he isn't likely to simply back out of the picture. He's going to fight for what he wants."
The moth fell into Jared's cup and he tossed it onto the flames. "Healy says what he wants is to see her silenced permanently so she can't testify about the man he had murdered."
"That's what mak
es all this so dangerous. Her being married to you wouldn't stop her from testifying. No matter where she goes or what she does, she could end up with a bullet in her back, unless we can get Skelly thrown in jail."
Jared shuddered at that thought. "I must find a better way to protect her. I can't stay in the house with her all day to make sure she doesn't go outside or stand in front of a window too long. This roofing party is going to be a prime time for a stranger to slip into the crowd."
"We can let the townsfolk and neighbors who come do the roofing and have our men surround the ranch, whatever section Healy's in, and keep guard over her." Barclay sat down on his bedroll to remove his boots. "That would leave you and me free to help with the roofing or be wherever we're needed."
"What about Chase?"
Barclay shrugged. "I'd let him pound nails or tote a rifle, whichever he wants."
"Good idea. He won't feel left out or undervalued."
"Poor Chase." Barclay tossed his boots aside and crawled into his blankets. "It's hell being the youngest."
"It's no picnic being the middle son either." Jared went to his horse and threw on his saddle. He had no intention to walk around during his watch. He wanted to make sure they hadn't been followed. Besides, he had thinking to do.
"Try being the oldest, the most responsible, and you won't feel quite so sorry for yourself," Barclay retaliated.
Tightening his cinch, Jared nodded. "Reckon we simply have to deal with what we're dealt."
At dawn, Jared squatted beside Barclay with a cup of coffee in hand. "Wake up, brother. I have a question for you."
Barclay yawned and sat up, accepting the steaming brew. "I imagine you have several questions, considering what you realized last night about Healy."
"Yeah. About that, you really think I should marry her right away?"
"That's up to the two of you. When and where would you do it?" Barclay blew on his coffee to cool it, despite the cold air. "Our schedule is pretty full what with the roofing and all."
"True. Tarnation, I didn't ask for this complication in my life. My head's spinning with buts and what ifs. It's got so I'm not sure if I'm coming or going." Elation stood out from the conflicting feelings inside him. "I don't know whether to swear or pray or just celebrate. I'm in love with Healy, Barc. Can you imagine that? I love her."
Jared (Bachelors And Babies Book 7) Page 11