“Oh, so now it’s up to me? But when I wanted you gone, it was Rachel’s place to make decisions.”
“There’s real trouble involved this time, not just the threat of trouble. Do you think it was Bowdre? He wasn’t pleased that I won that note back from him.”
“I’m sure he wasn’t. But there’s no way in hell I can prove it. Poisoning cattle is pure vindictiveness, though. I didn’t think even he would destroy something just because he couldn’t get his hands on it.”
“You’re wrong, Jessie, he’d do just that. And if it is Bowdre the trouble won’t end now. You’ll need all the help you can get.”
“If there’s going to be worse trouble, what I’ll need is a gunfighter, not a gambler.”
There was no contempt in her tone, so he didn’t take exception. “I don’t carry an Army revolver just for ornament, you know. I do know how to use it.”
“But have you ever killed anyone?”
“Have you?”
Jessie didn’t like the idea of his sticking around, not when she had it resolved in her mind that she wouldn’t see him again. It had been hard enough, seeing him every day this week. She didn’t understand the things he made her feel, and he had been at his charming best all week, which made it worse.
“You’re in no condition to help anyone, Chase. And this isn’t your fight anyway.”
“Look,” he said impatiently, “until the rest of your men get back, you can use my help and you know it. I’ll be as good as new in a few days, and in the meantime, I wouldn’t be overdoing it to stand guard over the herd, would I?”
“Why do you want to help me?”
He thought quickly. “Well, by winning that note, I figure I got you into this mess. It’s only fair—”
She cut him short. “Bowdre never wanted the money, you know he wanted the ranch. If I’d paid him, he still would have turned vindictive.” She sighed. “Oh, what the hell, suit yourself. But don’t blame me if you have a relapse.”
She left the room, and Chase grinned. He was ridiculously delighted.
Chapter 31
CHASE woke to the sounds of pots clanging as someone put coffee on and started breakfast. He stared in vexation at the still-black sky. Three mornings ago, when he’d been awakened in a similar manner for the first time, he’d been angry enough to voice his objections, but had received only laughter and jesting from the others. They were used to rising before dawn for a day’s hard work. He was not. They called him a greenhorn. Hell, he was a greenhorn.
But he’d gotten himself into this, had insisted on it, so it did no good to complain. He’d like to think he was only being gallant, coming to a lady’s rescue and all that, but that was far from the truth.
Actually, he had seen less of Jessie in the three days since he’d followed her out to the range than he’d expected. He had been given the easy task of guarding the water hole where the cattle were being brought and seeing that the herd didn’t wander too far off. He saw Jessie once, maybe twice, a day, when she brought in the stragglers from the hills. At night, she was so tired that they exchanged no more than a few words before she bedded down close to the fire with the others. He never saw her alone. In the mornings, no one saw her, not even the cook, who was the first to rise.
Chase sat up and shivered in the predawn cold. It must be thirty degrees or lower, he thought. His blanket was sodden and covered by a thin layer of frost. But it was only the first week in November.
Why would anyone want to start a ranch in such cold country? But Thomas Blair had, and the cattle had survived it. The men were used to working in freezing weather.
A cup of hot coffee would help, he decided, shivering at the prospect of having to get up to get it. He glanced over to where Jessie had bedded down last night, but the spot was empty. There was only the frostless outline where her blanket had been. Gone, the same as every other morning. Why? At least the sun was coming up by the time the men finished their breakfast and headed out, but Jessie took off while it was still pitch dark. He’d asked her where she went so early, but she had shrugged evasively.
He shook his head, his mind going back to what had happened the night before last. She had taken the new calamity better than most would, after her initial burst of outrage. The last thing she’d expected to hear from Mitch Faber when he rode into their small camp that night was that every single head of cattle he had taken north had been stolen, stolen the day before they were due to deliver the herd.
The men were set upon at night, while they slept, the man standing guard over the herd disappearing altogether.
“Knocked us clean out,” Mitch said. “I didn’t even know what hit me. We weren’t hurt worse than that, though. They weren’t out to kill us, just take the herd.”
It hadn’t been necessary to kill them, Jessie learned. By the time Mitch and the men with him reached the first mining town on their list, so they could report the theft to the sheriff, it was all pointless. The cattle thieves had their timing perfect. The thieves had every cow sold before Mitch and his men woke up. And the most galling part was that the herd would be sold to the very miners Jessie had contracted with. An agent had bought the whole herd and divided it and had the cattle ready to be driven on to the surrounding towns. He had a receipt. He’d paid in cash, dealing through the bank, which was his witness. There wasn’t a damn thing the sheriff could do.
There wasn’t a damn thing Mitch could do, either. The agent could not be blamed for assuming the men who brought the herd into town were from the Rocky Valley Ranch. They sold him the contracts, which had been stolen from Mitch while he was knocked out. Jessie had never dealt with an agent before, so he didn’t know her or Mitch.
“How could they know about the contracts?” Jessie had demanded.
She took the news hard, her face ashen, her eyes disbelieving. Chase understood. He knew of the outstanding loan she had at the bank. She would have no money coming in now to put toward the debt, and no money to pay her men with, either.
Jessie turned furious when she heard of the disappearance of the man who had been standing guard. Blue Parker. Mitch confessed that Blue had been acting strangely during the drive. Yes, Blue knew of the contracts. And he had been surly and discontent for a month before the drive. Chase realized that was about the time he’d arrived at the Rocky Valley. Jessie realized it, too, and gave him a withering look, as if it were all his fault. Chase didn’t even know Blue Parker, but he found out later that he was the young man he had discovered with Jessie that first day. That was all Jessie told him, explaining who Blue was. But it was obvious she thought Parker was in with the cattle thieves, and it was obvious who they were.
She was too angry that night to explain any more to Chase, cursing Parker, cursing Laton Bowdre. By the time she had calmed down, Chase didn’t have the heart to bring the subject up again. But he was damn well curious about Parker. Remembering that scene he had come upon, finding them together, gave him little sleep that night.
Chase finally braved the cold and put his bedding away. What a difference a month made! It hadn’t been nearly so cold when he’d camped out under the stars on his search for Jessie, and that had been only late September.
He took a cup of coffee, clasping it tightly to warm his hands. The other two men who sat near the fire eating fried steak and eggs grinned at him as he stood there shaking.
“You’ll get used to it, Summers, if you stick around long enough,” Ramsey offered.
“Gonna get worse, friend,” the middle-aged cowpuncher called Baldy told him, chuckling. “Looks like we’ll be havin’ us some snow any day now.”
Chase grunted, and both men laughed. It was only the three of them, as it had been from the start, for they were the only two hands Jessie had besides Jeb and the two others who had gone on the drive with Mitch and Blue. Jessie had sent Mitch and one of the men to Ft. Laramie to try to sell some beef there, enough to pay her men. The second man had quit when she refused to give him time off for a little rev
elry. She had had to ride back to the ranch with him in order to scrape up enough money to pay him off. Chase had wanted to clobber the bastard, but it was Jessie’s business, and he knew she wouldn’t appreciate his interfering.
He wanted desperately to help her out of this new trouble. Hell, he would give her every cent he had if she would just take it.
“Either of you get a chance to talk to Jessie before she left this morning?” Chase asked casually as he took a plate and filled it.
Baldy shook his head without looking up from his breakfast. “Her ridin’ out was what woke me. Didn’t see nothin’ but the tail end of her horse.”
“Which way did she go?” Chase ventured.
Ramsey answered, “She told me last night she’d be riding west today, up into the foothills. Said not to expect her back for a few days.”
Baldy shrugged. “If she’s goin’ that far afield, she’s probably gonna stop by the supply shack. She should’ve said somethin’ to me. I was by there yesterday and stocked up good. I could’ve saved her the trip.”
Chase was feeling more and more miserable. The thought of not seeing her for several days…
“Switch places with me today, Ramsey?” Chase said impulsively.
Ramsey looked at him in surprise. Both men knew that he had recently been wounded.
“You sure you’re up to it?”
“Some of them older cows can get pretty testy about bein’ herded in when they’re used to roamin’ free,” Baldy added.
“I think I can manage,” Chase said firmly. “And I need the exercise. I’ve been resting up too long as it is.”
“Sure thing then,” Ramsey agreed.
Chapter 32
WITH the sky a solid sheet of clouds, it didn’t look like the sun was going to do much warming. Without a clear dawn, there was only a hazy blue light over the land when Chase left camp. But it was light enough to define Jessie’s tracks, distinctive as they were on the frost-covered ground.
In the mood he was in, he didn’t care if the men noticed he was taking off in the same direction she had gone. They might wonder about his relationship with her, but what was his relationship with her, anyway? He certainly didn’t know.
Chase rode on over the cold plain, the icy wind biting at his cheeks. He had his jacket fastened clear to the neck and wore his bandanna over his ears as Baldy had suggested. But even the old pair of woolly chaps he’d borrowed from Jeb weren’t helping. Nothing was helping. He cursed himself for leaving the camp fire to go chasing a woman it would probably take him all day to find.
It didn’t, though. He had ridden no more than half a mile when he topped a low-lying hill and pulled up short, seeing Jessie’s big-boned Appaloosa grazing on the next rise. On the level plain between the two hills, Jessie lay on the ground. Had she taken a fall from the horse?
Chase felt his chest constrict. He raced down the hill, holding his breath. It was only when she turned her head at the sound of his horse that he let out that breath.
He got off his horse so quickly he nearly stumbled. He knelt beside her, taking in her ashen pallor.
“For God’s sake, Jessie, what happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing,” she repeated in a groaning voice. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He drew back, frowning. “Damn it, Jessie—”
“Will you go away!” She cut him off forcefully.
“Of course not. You’re hurt.”
“I’m not.”
Jessie started to sit up but paled even more and lay back down, closing her eyes. God, why did he have to find her like this? She had been lucky so far, managing to get away by herself while she was plagued with the morning sickness. This wasn’t the first time she’d curled up on the cold ground until the waves of nausea passed. She’d always managed to do it in secret.
“Jessie, please, tell me what’s wrong.”
There was genuine concern in his voice. That warmed her. She had to tell him something—not the truth, but something.
“I’m just not feeling too good, is all. I suppose I’ve been overdoing it.”
“Well lying on this cold ground can’t help. You’ll catch your death.”
“I tried to make it to the supply shack, but I couldn’t this morning.”
Too late, Jessie realized she’d said more than she should have.
“This morning? Is that where you’ve been going all these mornings? Why?”
She wanted to say, “’Cause it’s warmer there for what I have to go through.” But she couldn’t very well say that, so she lied. “I’ve been riding the northern range. Why shouldn’t I stop off there for a bite to eat? You got any more questions?”
“I’m getting you back to the ranch.”
“No! Damn it, I just need to lie down for a while. If I could ride, do you think I’d be lying here?” she asked caustically.
“You’re not staying here. I’ll take you to the cabin. You can lie down there.”
“No, Chase.” He reached for her, and she panicked. “Don’t touch me!”
He ignored her. But Jessie had known the slightest movement would stir her stomach, and it did. She jerked away from him and turned just in time to lose every thing she hadn’t lost already. As soon as she was finished, he gently picked her up and carried her to his horse, set her sideways in the saddle, then mounted behind her, gathered her against him, and went to collect Blackstar. She didn’t protest anymore, but rested against him, snug in his arms all the way to the cabin. He carried her inside, putting her down on the cot closest to the fireplace. Immediately he got a fire going, then helped her remove her jacket, boots, and gun holster so she would be more comfortable.
“Can I get you something to eat, Jessie?” Chase offered.
“No!” she said quickly, but added in a softer tone, “But you can boil me some water if you would. I’ve got some wild mint in my saddlebag that’s good for…settling the stomach.”
Chase didn’t question the home remedy but did as she asked and put some water on over the fire before he went out to get her saddlebags. While he was waiting for the water to boil so he could add the herbs, Jessie fell asleep. He didn’t wake her. Sleep was probably the best thing for her, and the tonic could wait until she woke. He sat down to watch her, wondering if he should go for a doctor. But the nearest one would be at least a day’s ride away, and he couldn’t leave her alone that long.
The more he thought of it, the more he figured it was probably just as Jessie said. She had been overdoing it. Getting up well before dawn and working till sunset—even she wasn’t used to those hours. And she was worried, damn near wiped out by the theft of her cattle.
Chase went out to bed down the horses in the lean-to. When it started snowing, he cursed. Then he realized that if it continued, they might get snowed in. And they wouldn’t have to worry about the cattle, either, because the weather would put a halt to Bowdre’s activities as well. As soon as he saw the horses had plenty to eat, Chase hurried back inside the shack.
Chapter 33
JESSIE woke snuggled in a warm cocoon of blankets, the fire crackling near her and a tantalizing aroma wafting through the air. She found she was ravenous and feeling just fine.
She sat up. Chase was by the fire. He had his back to her and was stirring whatever it was that had aroused her hunger so.
“Didn’t know you could cook.”
He turned and grinned at her. “Passably.”
“It smells good.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” He came over to the bed. His expression turned more serious as he peered at her closely. “Can I get you your tonic now?”
“I don’t need it right now, but I can sure use a plate of your grub.”
“You’re sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine, Chase, really. I just needed to lie down for a while. Now I’m starving.”
His lips split into a delighted smile. “You got it, sweetheart.”
As she moved to the table and sat down, her eyes remained on Chase. There was no stiffness in his movements, so his back must not have suffered from his exertions during the last few days. Her eyes traveled the breadth of his back, down to his hips, down his long legs, and back up to those lean buttocks. He looked like he was up to anything. Yes, anything…
Jessie blushed and looked away. Where had that thought come from? She might be having his baby, but ever since his bragging about being a womanizer, she’d known he didn’t really care about her. Therefore, she didn’t care about him. Remember that, Jessie, she told herself.
“Is it too hot in here for you?” Chase asked as he set a plate down before her.
Jessie blushed more, knowing he’d noticed the color in her cheeks. “A little,” she said testily.
They ate in silence, Chase confused by her abrupt change in mood. He watched her covertly, while she kept her eyes lowered and devoured her food as if she hadn’t had a meal in days. She seemed perfectly well, too well, back to her old high-tempered ways. It was hard to recall that she had been pale and sick just a few hours ago. A little sleep must have been all she needed. She’d better take it easy for a day or so, he thought, so there would be no further problem.
This silence continued. Perhaps she was more worried about Bowdre’s attempts to ruin her than he realized.
Chase began hesitantly. “You know, Jessie, if you’re just going to keep it bottled up and brood about it, it’s going to fester.”
“What?” She looked at him with wide eyes.
“You know what I’m talking about,” Chase said flatly.
“I’m afraid I don’t,” she hedged.
“Laton Bowdre, of course. The theft of your cattle. It’s not the end of the world, you know.”
She sighed. “No.”
“Well?” Chase prompted after a while.
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