The Deardons Complete Mini-Series

by Kelli Ann Morgan

  “Where are your quarters?” he asked, unable to keep the obvious rasp from his voice.

  She turned toward him, her hand resting at the button of his shirt, her face so close to his he could feel her breath on his lips. He looked down into her wide, trusting eyes.

  Big mistake.

  He groaned, forcing himself to look away. If being this close to her was going to be a common occurrence, he needed to win her over. Fast.

  “Your room?” he asked again. Maybe he should have just left her on the couch for propriety’s sake, but somehow it didn’t seem right leaving her alone to fend for herself on an injured foot. Especially, after Levi had told him about her debilitating fear of the dark.

  “It’s just down the hall,” she said, a little quiver in her voice.

  Careful, Deardon, he warned himself.

  He carried her to the bed and set her down at the end, feeling around on the table, hoping to find a lantern there. He wasn’t disappointed. It only took a moment to light the lamp. He crouched down and gently lifted her foot, pushing back the material of her trousers and carefully removing her boots to expose her ankle, already swollen from the fall. Kate bit her lip as he pushed her foot forward and side to side, assessing the extent of the injury. Nothing more than a whimper escaped her lips. He admired her tolerance for pain.

  “You need to keep that foot elevated,” he said as he gently swung her legs atop the bed and grabbed one of her pillows to place beneath the injured one. “I’ll be right back.”

  He left the lantern in her room and headed into the kitchen. He stumbled across another lamp. The matches sat just at its base, and he lit the wick before looking for some clean rags and the water pump. He found the sink, but there was no pump.

  Add that to the list.

  He discovered a drawer full of mid-size towels, grabbed a few, and headed out to the wash area he’d spotted several yards from the homestead. A water pail dangled from the handle. Once he started pumping, it didn’t take much for the water to begin flowing. He doused two of the three towels under the chilly water and set them in the pail. Back home they had a local vendor who sold ice that could keep the rags cold enough to be useful and wondered if they had such a thing here. Not that it mattered at this hour.

  When he returned to Kate’s room, her eyes were closed and her breathing heavy and even. She was asleep.

  He imagined it had been a long, emotional day for her as well. He couldn’t conceive of the heartache she must have endured having her father taken from her in such a brutal way, then to have seen the man who’d killed him hanging from the rafters of that little, unfinished cabin.

  Noah thought of how hard it had been when he’d lost his mother.

  That was different. It had been her choice to leave and never look back. She’d left many years ago. He didn’t know where she lived or even if she was still alive. He shook the thought of her from his mind and focused on wrapping Kate’s ankle.

  When the cool rag touched her skin, she stirred, but did not wake. He tucked the blankets up around her shoulders and face, so she would not get a chill in the night and smiled when she snuggled more deeply into them. She was so young to have suffered so much. He glanced down at her sleeping peacefully, and, for the first time in a long time, he had knots in his belly. He could see already that Kate alone was worth the fight.

  Chapter Seven

  Kate laid in her bed, looking up at the ceiling, fresh morning sunlight spilling into her bedroom like syrup over hotcakes, filling the space around her with a warm cheerfulness. It was brighter than her normal wake time and she realized that she’d overslept. She turned, the pain radiating from her ankle reminding her that she’d fallen through the railing last night right in front of Mr. Deardon and her face flooded with warmth.

  She’d made a fool of herself, but had to admit she’d liked being in Noah’s arms as he’d carried her into the house.

  Shame on you, Katie Callahan.

  Maybe it had all been just a dream. She attempted to wiggle and twist her foot.

  Ouch. Bad idea. Not a dream.

  Her ankle was wrapped in soggy towels that had seeped onto the pillow beneath her leg and she smiled to herself as she thought of her tall, blond rescuer. With a little effort she was able to sit herself up and look out her bedroom window, noticing the light frost creating a vignette around the corners of the glass.

  Winter was coming and they still had so much to do to prepare. She gingerly reached down to her foot and removed the wet cloths. The skin looked purplish in color around her ankle and swollen enough that she doubted she’d be able to put much pressure on it, let alone pull a boot over it. Nevertheless, she cautiously swung her legs over the side of the bed and slid down off the mattress in an attempt to stand.

  A sharp, stabbing pain shot through her foot.

  Definitely not.

  The methodic pounding of a hammer against nails broke the blissful silence of the morning.

  “Good morning, Miss Kate,” Fannie walked in, a tray in hand, filled with biscuits, eggs, bacon, and a cup of milk.

  Kate’s stomach groaned. She hadn’t been able to eat much yesterday with all that had transpired, but the smell of the hot bacon and steaming biscuits wafted beneath her nose and she pushed herself back up onto the bed.

  Fannie set the tray on the night table and reached for the discarded wet towels, humming.

  Wait. Humming?

  Kate eyed her warily. What had happened to make the woman more cheerful than she’d been in a long while?

  “I trust you slept well?” Fannie asked as she exchanged the damp pillow for another that had been sitting in the chair next to the window. “Mr. Deardon told me not to wake you, and to make sure you keep that foot elevated.” She tsked. “Says you took a nasty fall last night.”

  Why was her cook taking orders from Noah?

  “Fannie?”

  “Yes, Miss Kate?”

  “Where is Mr. Deardon now?”

  “Why, he’d be out mending the porch railing.” The older woman beamed. “He’s a lovely man, Mr. Deardon. Already been to town and back this morning, collected all my eggs for me, talked with Virg and Oscar, and now he’s working on the porch with Mr. Redbourne.” She fluffed the pillow behind Kate’s back and reached for the tray. “They’re hard workers, those two.”

  “Where did they get the wood?”

  “Mr. Mills dropped by first thing this morning with the load you had ordered.”

  Kate had wanted to build a new outbuilding at the edge of the east pasture for banding and branding season come February, and had figured it would be best to have it completed before the snow came.

  “I appreciate all of this, Fannie, I do, but I cannot just lie here in my bedroom all day. There’s work to be done.”

  “And it’s getting done. Isn’t that why you sent for a husband? To get help around here?” Fannie placed the tray over Kate’s lap, the warmth filling her with unexpected anticipation.

  “Yes, but…”

  Mr. Thomas. She’d nearly forgotten the man.

  “The other gentleman, the one who was here when we arrived home last night, where is he?”

  The smile on Fannie’s face quickly fell into one of disdain.

  “That gentleman,” her face contorted at the word, “is sitting in the kitchen in his fancy clothes, eating his ‘mid-morning meal,’” she imitated him with a roll of her eyes, “and he tried to put his booted feet up on my table. I sure told him.” She snatched up the wet pillow and topped it with the wet towels as she marched for the door. She turned back just before leaving. “I trust you’ll make the right choice,” she said smartly, then disappeared from view.

  Kate couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d taken the time to eat a full breakfast. Normally, she grabbed a bite or two on her way out to work alongside the few hands who’d agreed to stay on after her father died. Dell, her father’s best friend in Laramie and the ranch foreman, had convinced the men to stay ou
t of respect. He’d even offered to marry her, but the older man was more like a distant uncle to her than a husband and she hadn’t been able to bring herself to say yes.

  It hadn’t felt right. Still didn’t.

  Things had been a little awkward between them since.

  She’d certainly learned a lot in the past few months about what it took to run a ranch this size, but she needed more help than what the foreman and the other three could provide. She needed a husband. There were a lot of hired hands willing to work for a male employer.

  Dreams of falling in love and starting a family with the right man had given way to practicality, and so, she’d placed an ad that was supposed to reach several newspapers throughout the West. Dell hadn’t taken to that idea so kindly. She was afraid she’d hurt his pride, but hoped he would understand. After all, he was more than twice her age and the ranch needed a man who didn’t already have one foot in the grave.

  Dell had been the foreman on the ranch since they’d moved to Laramie and he knew the business better than anyone she’d ever met, but even though she may not marry for love, she hoped to find a man that she could grow to love. Someone with whom she shared a connection. Someone who she could share her life with. Have a family with.

  Maybe that man is Noah Deardon.

  A smile danced with the corners of her mouth at the thought.

  The pounding of the hammer on the porch ceased and Kate held her breath.

  Would he come in here to see her?

  She still wore the same men’s work clothes she’d had on yesterday and could only imagine the state of her unkempt hair. When the hammering started again, she breathed out a heavy sigh of relief.

  It didn’t take long for her to finish up the hearty meal, followed by a fresh cup of milk to wash it all down. She wiped her hand across her face to remove any evidence that she may have dripped a little and set the tray to the side of the bed.

  Her wardrobe sat only a few feet across the room. Even if she had to make the jump on one foot, she was determined to change her clothes. She may not be able to bathe in her current state, but at least she could wash her face, put on a clean dress, brush her hair, and look presentable.

  Carefully, Kate removed the pillow from beneath her feet and shifted so that her legs dangled off the side of the bed. She put her good foot on the floor and reached for the wooden footboard for support. There were several feet between her bed and the wardrobe and nothing in between she could hold onto, so she stood up as tall as she could and hopped.

  A couple of well-placed jumps landed her next to the closet. She could feel her heart beating in her foot, throbbing against her skin. She needed to get off of it, so she maneuvered herself into the chair sitting just opposite the wardrobe and sat down.

  Heavy footfalls sounded in the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  Kate swallowed hard. She wasn’t sure what to say. “Come in,” she squeaked, then cleared her throat.

  The door opened and Levi stepped inside.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  She tried to push away her disappointment, but then Noah trailed in behind his cousin, a round, tin basin in his arms filled with water sloshing about. Kate’s chest filled with sunshine at the sight of him and she sat up a little taller.

  “Nothing,” she finally answered with a simple shrug.

  Fannie followed both men inside the room. Kate guessed she was acting as a chaperone. It was highly indelicate for an unmarried man to be in a woman’s chambers, let alone two of them, but under the circumstances, she figured it could be overlooked. Just this once. Well, twice, if she counted last night.

  Kate folded her lips together to hide the grin that threatened to spread across her face like a school girl with her first affection for a boy. She reached up to smooth her hair.

  Why hadn’t she asked Fannie for a brush when the woman was in her room earlier?

  The moment Noah’s eyes locked with hers, heat filled Kate’s cheeks and the beat of her heart became a collection of rapid flutters. He walked toward her and sat the small tub down at her feet.

  “How are you feeling this morning, Miss Callahan?”

  Was it terribly improper that she wanted him to call her by her given name?

  Kate.

  “I’d be doing better with full use of both feet.” Her attempt at humor faded with a half-hearted giggle turned into a whimper as he took her foot, lifted her leg over the edge of the washtub, and into the water.

  “Oooooooo,” she squealed. “That is freezing!” She yanked her foot from the ice-like liquid and shook her head.

  Noah and Levi both laughed heartily.

  “The faster the swelling goes down, the faster you’ll be back on your feet.”

  Cold or not, she did not want to be constrained to stay in her bedroom for any longer than necessary. She had a ranch to run, a husband to choose, and a life to live. She plunged her foot back into the water and shivered as the chill ran up her back and down her arms.

  “What’s going on in here, then?” Mr. Thomas appeared in her doorway. “Don’t we have a lot of work to get done today? I’d like to see the ranch, if you’d care to escort me, Miss Callahan.”

  Noah’s jaw flexed. She guessed he wasn’t very fond of the man either.

  “I’ll get Dell to show you the land and introduce you to the men,” she said, leaning to see him through the Deardon-Redbourne wall in front of her.

  “Why can’t you take me?”

  Is he whining? Truly?

  Kate had to consciously stop herself from rolling her eyes.

  “Miss Callahan,” Dell leaned in through the door.

  It didn’t seem like there had ever been this many people in her house at one time, let alone in the same room—her personal room, and it was becoming like a busy train station at departure time—crowded and stuffy.

  “There is an older, quite distinguished looking gentleman here to see you, Katie,” Dell said, his jaw flexing and his eyes narrowed. “Says he’s here to make you his wife.”

  You have got to be kidding me.

  Why did they just keep showing up? Her understanding was that in most situations like this, the men would correspond with the woman and then set up a time to meet. That’s exactly how it was working with Mason Everett from Montana.

  Four.

  Chapter Eight

  Noah closed his eyes at the news of yet another suitor come to call on Kate. He couldn’t force himself to look up at her. They’d had a connection, he knew they had, so why was he so concerned about these other fellas?

  “Who is he?” Kate asked Dell in disbelief.

  “He said his name is a Mr. Gregory Stiles. From Boston.”

  “Boston?” Several of them repeated at the same time.

  “That’s what he said.” Dell spat. “Boston.”

  “I got here first,” Mr. Thomas announced, one finger in the air as if holding a place in line.

  Everyone ignored him.

  No, I got here first, Noah thought. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was Kate. What she wanted. What she needed.

  Noah could feel her eyes boring into the top of his head.

  Maybe the man needed to see just what he was up against. He reached down for one of the dry towels that Fannie had brought in with her and gently lifted Kate’s injured foot from the cold water he’d laced with chunks of ice he’d purchased in town this morning. He patted the limb dry, then got to his feet and reached down to pick her up off the chair.

  “Let’s go meet him,” he said enthusiastically and started for the door. “Come on, Thomas.”

  “Wait! What?” Kate protested. “Put me down, Noah Deardon. Look at me.”

  He did as she asked before he could think better of it. Her eyes were wide, her expression worried.

  Stop looking at me like that.

  He liked the feel of her in his arms. Liked the way her chin jutted out defiantly. But when she looked at hi
m with those eyes the color of honey, he would give her the world. Kate Callahan didn’t know how beautiful she was and that endeared her to him even more.

  “I can’t meet a man in my parlor looking like this. I’d like to at least appear to be respectable. My hair must look like a bird’s nest and I am hardly presentable in my da’s button down shirt and men’s trousers.”

  “I think you look downright appealing, Miss Callahan,” Noah said as he gently set her down onto the bed, careful not to agitate her injury. “But, I’ll do as you ask.” He stood up tall and motioned toward the other two. “Levi, Mr. Thomas here, and I can go out and introduce ourselves, if you’d like.”

  Kate’s face drained of color.

  “Not without me, you won’t!” she said, pushing herself to the edge of the bed and staring up at him defiantly.

  He leaned down, his hands on his knees, his face so close to hers he could claim her lips with another inch. She didn’t move, but her breaths became uneven, ragged.

  “I wouldn’t,” he whispered, then stood up. “No matter how tempted I may be.”

  He liked seeing her a bit flustered.

  Stop it, Deardon.

  Jealousy never became a man. Though, it was nice to know he had some effect on her.

  Noah was accustomed to being in control of…well, everything in his life. He could hear his Aunt Leah’s voice now just as the last time he’d visited Redbourne Ranch.

  The only person you can control is yourself, Noah Deardon. Do that well, and the rest will all work out as it should.

  Levi’s mama was a wise woman, the only mother figure Noah or his brothers had ever known.

  “I’ll just need a minute,” Kate told him.

  “Of course,” he raised a brow and strode to the other end of the room. “We’ll give you a moment.”

  Kate’s exhale was audible. He glanced back at her and winked.

  “Fannie,” Kate called to the older woman, “would you stay and help me please?”

  The men all stepped into the hallway, while Kate did whatever she needed to do in order to feel presentable.