“I would feel like I was a part of it if I was participating,” he grumbled. “You know I’m not one for sitting on my hind end watchin’ like a...”
“Like a what?” Her hands were on her hips and one eyebrow cocked.
Lucas noticed that all the men seated at the table had suddenly become very interested in the food in front of them, their heads bent low and staring into their dishes.
“Like a woman?” She opened her mouth as if to say more, but closed it again and smiled.
“Ah,” Granddad waved his hand flippantly in the air, “you know what I mean.”
Lucy smiled and kissed the top of his head. “Good luck, gentlemen. The festivities will begin in half an hour,” she said before retreating to the other room.
Granddad looked up at Lucas, raised a brow, and then turned to everyone at the table. “Which one of you boys is going to marry that girl?” he asked.
Lucas laughed.
Every hand at that table went into the air and another twinge of jealousy curdled in Lucas’s stomach at the thought of anyone else gaining her favor. His granddad turned and looked at him again. Waiting. Apparently, he had not been joking. After a few moments of awkward silence, Lucas raised his hand.
“It’s settled.” Liam tapped the table with a satisfied grunt. “The unmarried man with the highest points in the tournament will take her hand.”
Marriage? Lucas swallowed. What have I done? Court her? Yes. Get to know her? Absolutely. But, marry her? With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and accepted what his heart had known all along. He couldn’t let her marry somebody else when he was already in love with her.
Sorry, Noah. It looks like I may be cutting in line.
Chapter Fifteen
Lucy stood pressed up against the outside wall of the kitchen, listening to Liam offer her up as a prize to all of his grandsons over the age of sixteen. She was mortified. After forging her way west with a promise that she would be given a home and companion, Gilroy Hearn had left her standing alone in the middle of the road in Thistleberry, Montana. It was an experience she didn’t care to repeat. Liam Deardon saved her that day, and she owed him everything. However, she didn’t want to marry just any Deardon man, she wanted to marry Lucas. But he’d made it perfectly clear that he had no desire to marry anyone.
Liam’s question still lingered in the air and she couldn’t help but to peek around the wall. Her breath caught in her chest and her heart leapt when she saw six Deardon men with their hands in the air. Then, the seventh. Lucas raised his hand. She pulled back against the wall, her hand against her chest, willing her heart to calm.
He raised his hand? Why did he raise his hand?
Each of the Deardon men was handsome in his own right and all had wealth enough to provide for her and any children that might come along—her cheeks heated at that thought—but until yesterday, she hadn’t considered any of them as a potential spouse. They were all very young and felt like siblings more than suitors.
She darted a glance around the corner and caught another glimpse of Lucas, still leaning against the wall, staring down at the floor, and a smile worked its way onto her lips. She raised a hand to touch them.
Marriage! She bit her bottom lip, her hands clasped at her chin. Apparently, he’d changed his mind. The only thing that could ruin this day was if someone other than Lucas won.
Several of the men gathered around the stables. Horses, new to Whisper Ridge, had been brought in from neighboring ranches to keep the competition fair. Sticks of various lengths had been put into a cup and each participant was to draw to determine the order they would select their mounts for the course.
Lucy pulled the warm quilted blanket up around Liam’s shoulders. “You’ll catch a chill out here if you’re not careful.”
“Aw, Lucy, it’s warmer right now than it’s been in weeks. The fresh air will do us both some good. Now, stop your fussin’ and sit down!”
For as much as Liam grumbled at her, he wasn’t unreasonable. She understood how hard it was for him to sit back and watch, but as much as he would hate to admit it, she believed that he knew he just wasn’t up for the physical challenge. He was tired. Dark circles fell like shadows beneath his eyes and his cheeks appeared sunken. Hollow. His normally tanned skin had a greyish tinge and she worried that he’d already overdone himself.
“They’ve all mounted,” Liam said excitedly, pointing to the riders as they headed for the starting point.
While it was still difficult for her to tell some of the breeds apart, Lucy looked up to see Lucas astride a beautiful, and unmistakable, buckskin mare. Some of the others had horses much larger in stature than his, but poor Daniel appeared to have chosen the short stick, as his mount didn’t look any bigger or well-bred than a pack mule. Not that she really knew enough about horses to tell the difference, to Liam’s chagrin.
Daniel didn’t look any too pleased.
The racing trail had been set off with flagged markers staked at intervals extending a good distance around the property where there were unobstructed views from the front porch. With nary a breeze, it was hard to believe that such a nasty storm had passed through the day before yesterday. The snow had started to melt, but Lucy enjoyed the feel of the sun as it warmed her face.
“You are a better woman than I, Lucy Russell.” Hank’s wife, Mara, stepped up onto the porch and sat down on the arm of Lucy’s chair. “You sure you want to marry one from this brood?”
“For the chance to have you as a mother-in-law? Of course.”
“Ahh…flattery. There’s hope for you yet.” Mara looked down at her and winked.
CRACK!
Smoke rose from the gun Alex held in the air, signaling the start of the race. A white spray of snow spread across the landscape as riders quickly made their way around each marker as they spanned the course. The horses had all been outfitted with special shoes built for gaining traction in the snow. Lucy sat forward in her chair, fixing her eyes on the contestants. After all, she was supposed to have a life-changing stake in the outcome.
It didn’t take long for the leaders to separate themselves from the rest. Hank, Seth, and Sam rode neck to neck as they rounded the bend near the corral fence line and, to Lucy’s delight, Lucas joined the foray at Sam’s heels.
She held her breath. It wouldn’t be long now before the first crossed the finish line.
As Hank and Sam leaned forward in their seats and rode toward the edge of the barn, Lucy’s attention was caught by a shift in the snow on the roof. She glanced from the clump of snow threatening to fall, then back to the riders. She stood.
Just as the brothers reached the barn, the snow slipped from the top of the roof and dropped on top of their heads. Seth swerved out of the way, nearly running into Lucas’s horse. Lucy brought a hand to her mouth. Lucas had disappeared from the saddle.
“Where’d he go?” Liam asked, moving to the edge of his seat.
Mara jumped up from the chair and rushed to the railing, looking toward the barn, where her husband had just been attacked by the roof’s avalanche. When he and Sam both emerged, still in their saddles, Mara stepped back, her hand on her chest, and smiled.
Lucy scanned the ground, but Liam’s estranged grandson was not anywhere to be seen. The empty horse still rode neck and neck with Seth’s toward the finish line. As they approached the end, Lucas suddenly reappeared, lifting himself from the opposite side of his mount, and regained his place in the saddle, urging his horse faster.
“Whew.” The audible sound of relief that came from Liam was palpable. “How’d he do that?” He leaned back against the back of the chair.
The younger of the Deardon boys stood on the ground in front of the porch and clapped heartily at Lucas’s feat. Lucy, Liam, and Mara joined in.
Hank and Sam, trying to gain ground, came up quickly on Seth and Lucas’s heels. They weren’t going to let the win go easily. Snow dusted their jackets and filled the empty spaces between them and their saddles, but it
didn’t serve as a deterrent. The picturesque backdrop, accompanied by the methodic rhythm of the horses’ movements, slowed time as Lucy watched with anticipation for the man who would take an early lead in the tournament.
From her position on the porch, it was difficult to tell which horse had been first to cross—Seth’s or Lucas’s. Alex, who was considered the final judge for this tournament, bent down from her horse and whispered something to her youngest. He nodded.
Lucy watched him expectantly. He took the steps two at a time and with a quick gesture, motioned for Lucy to come closer. The fourteen-year-old was taller than her, so he bent down and cupped his hand around her ear, then leaned in.
“Seth was first. Lucas second. Then my dad and Uncle Hank tied for third,” he whispered. Without waiting for a response, he jumped down off the porch and rejoined his brothers and cousins, who were now all congratulating the riders.
“Well?” Mara asked expectantly.
Lucy forced a smile. “Seth.”
Mara squeezed her arm and skittered down the steps toward her son.
Lucy tried to squelch the disappointment that bubbled in her belly. Seth was a good man—handsome, strong, fun—but she was afraid that her heart had already been claimed by somebody else. Lucas. She sat back down in the overstuffed chair Jake had brought out for her. Liam placed his hand over hers.
“He is a good man, isn’t he?”
“Yes, Seth has everything a woman could hope for.”
“I wasn’t talking about Seth.”
Lucy looked at Liam. “How did you know?”
“I see it in your eyes every time you look at him.” He coughed. “Don’t worry. This day is not over yet. There are still four events. I have a feeling Gabe’s boy can hold his own.”
Lucy smiled.
I hope so.
Chapter Sixteen
“That was amazing,” Seth said as he congratulated Lucas with a bear-like hug. “Where did you learn to ride like that?”
Lucas had never been more grateful for his ability to pull off a stunt in his life. He’d caught a glimpse of the snow crashing down from the barn’s roof and had slipped off the horse to one side in time to avoid being knocked out of his saddle. Luckily, his good arm had been able to support most of his weight and he’d been able to regain the saddle with little effort.
“An old trick-rider showed me a few of his feats. I’ve practiced a few times.”
“Well, you keep riding like that and maybe you’ll win next year,” Seth teased as he turned to his mother and picked her up off the ground and twirled her about.
Lucas looked up at the porch where Lucy sat in the chair next to his granddad. She smiled at him and he waved. He’d only lost the race by an inch, but he’d still lost. He tried to convince himself that it didn’t matter. He barely knew Lucy, so why would he care if she married his cousin? At least she would have a good name and someone to take care of her.
Who am I kidding? I think I’m in love with her. I can’t lose. I just can’t.
“I’ve never lost at something I put my mind to and I’m not about to start now,” he said quietly as he made his way to the stables with his mount. The buckskin had proven to be a good choice, but he was confident he would have won had he been able to ride Adonis.
You don’t have anything to prove. Jonah’s words echoed in Lucas’s mind. Being the youngest, he’d often struggled with finding a place for himself back home and the idea of returning without purpose weighed heavily on him. Especially now, as they transitioned to cattle ranching, it was time for him to find where he belonged. Horses were his passion and he loved working with the mustangs. He’d seen plenty of opportunities here at Whisper Ridge just in the last twenty-four hours and knew he had everything to prove if he wanted to stay.
That last thought took him by surprise.
I want to stay.
After seeing to his horse, he joined the others outside where Aunt Alex had finished writing their placements on an over-sized slate chalkboard.
“Second place, Deardon. Not bad, for a first timer.” Seth laughed and patted him on the shoulder.
“One event!” Lucas responded incredulously. “We’ve had one event.” He snorted softly at how comfortable he already felt with the people who’d so graciously accepted him into their lives. He’d been a stranger a couple of days ago, and now, he was a part of the family.
Seth laughed again as he waved and disappeared into the small crowd of competitors and onlookers.
The next event was the caber toss and Lucas was more than a little nervous. He’d helped out a few times at the Whittaker place back in Oregon, throwing logs alongside some of the lumberjacks, and he understood all too well the strength it required. But to throw one for sport…he rubbed his arm just thinking about it. He flexed his hand a couple of times, then followed Seth to the meadow, where the snow had begun to melt into muddy puddles and sopping vegetation.
Several massive logs, much taller than Lucas had expected, had been laid out along the edges of the field. Because of his placement in the last event, he would be the second to last competitor to throw the caber.
Denver was up first. He walked out onto the field where the log had already been laid out for him. Uncle Hank lifted it from the far end and walked his way up the pole until it was standing up straight in front of the participant.
Lucas watched with interest as Denver leaned over and locked his hands, fingers intertwined around the pole. He lowered his hands in laddered movements until he was able to lift the log and get his hands underneath it without it tipping over. It appeared even taller when being held in the air. The foreman took a moment to steady himself before starting forward with small, quick steps.
Just when the caber looked as if it might fall from his hands, he plowed his feet into the ground and heaved the log forward. It didn’t go far. Denver dropped his head, shaking it back and forth. Lucas guessed it landed maybe five feet from the man.
The next to step forward was no taller than Denver, but looked as if he weighed half as much. He followed the same basic steps as the first, but after he’d lifted the log into the air, it tumbled backward until it fell behind him.
This might be tougher than I thought.
When it was finally his turn, Lucas took a deep breath, walked out onto the field, and glanced up at the porch where his granddad sat watching. The old man tipped his imaginary hat with a nod. Lucas nodded back. Then his gaze fell to Lucy. She’d moved to one of the porch posts, leaning into and draping her arm around it. She captured her bottom lip in her teeth and then smiled at him in a way that put clouds beneath his feet.
Focus, Deardon! There was more than one thing at stake here—Lucy’s hand and his grandfather’s approval.
He’d always been a quick study, but his heart pounded so loudly he could hear it echoing in his head. Hank, who’d thrown the caber the farthest thus far, waited for his signal. Lucas breathed in and held it for a moment. Then released it slowly, closing his eyes to gain focus. He opened them and nodded at Hank. It only took a moment for his uncle to stand the log upright in front of him.
Lucas bent his knees and hunched over as he wrapped his hands around the pole like he’d seen all of the others do. He laced his fingers together, working to keep his breathing even and steady as his hands leapt down toward the bottom of the log. With one swift movement, he maneuvered his clutch beneath the beam and held it firmly against his shoulder, which, to his amazement, did not pain him.
He marked the spot in his mind where he would stop to throw the caber. He’d noted that the most successful of them had taken only a few steps before tossing. With another slow exhale, he blocked everything else from his mind, except the task at hand. One step. Two. Three. Lucas focused all of his strength into his hands and arms, and heaved the log, tossing it forward.
“Ahhhhhh!” He grabbed his shoulder, holding his breath, waiting for the caber to land. Finally, the tip hit the ground and the end he’d been holding tumbled o
ver the top.
He bent in half, his shoulder now throbbing, and let out the air that had been trapped in his lungs. Screams, whoops, and hollers erupted from the group and in moments, the small crowd, made up mostly of his large family, surrounded him.
“Nicely done,” Hank grunted the words, nodding curtly as he passed by.
Lucas stood up straight just in time for Seth to pick him up and raise him into the air. “Whoop!” he hollered. “Now, how am I supposed to beat that?”
Lucas had never felt so excited and relieved at the same time.
“I have never seen anyone throw like that,” Daniel said with a pat on his back. “You are full of surprises. Are you sure you’ve never done this before?”
Lucas groaned. His shoulder burned as if on fire.
“Not like this,” Lucas said, grinding his teeth against the pain.
“You don’t look so good,” Seth told him as he placed a hand on each of Lucas’s shoulders.
“Aaahhhh!” Lucas cried out again in agony, his good hand shooting instinctively to place pressure on the injured limb.
Lucas, Daniel, and Seth walked to the fence where the doctor already waited, Lucy by his side.
“Thanks, Doc,” Lucas said through another groan. “I appreciate you being willing to come and take a look.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank Miss Lucy. She’s the one who invited me to stay.”
Lucas met her eyes, hoping his gratitude would show through.
“I could see something was wrong as soon as the log went into the air,” she said apologetically.
“Is everything all right over here?” Liam had descended the porch steps and crossed the lawn to meet them at the fence. “Lucas, you all right, son?”
“I’ll be fine. I think I just reinjured my shoulder.”
“I knew it had been bothering you. How did you hurt it the first time?”
The Deardons Complete Mini-Series Page 17