God had wanted to protect Rosalind, so He'd brought her to Inspiration. To Gideon.
"What makes you so sure of that?" Brown demanded.
Gideon smiled at the man. "She's rediscovered the faith in God that her mother gave her. That's why," Gideon stated.
Brown's jaw dropped upon hearing those words. He looked stunned. Then, to Gideon's amazement, Brown lifted his head, looked up at the ceiling, and burst out laughing. He continued to laugh as he gazed incredulously at Gideon. Finally, Brown calmed down. "Calhoun told me you're one of those religious types," he exclaimed.
"I am," Gideon declared simply.
"And you think that woman is okay for you because you believe she's rediscovered her faith in God?" Brown asked sarcastically.
Gideon shifted on his heels and peered at Ethan whose expression was blank. "I know she has," Gideon replied in an even voice.
Brown shook his head. "She's playing you, man," he barked. "Just like she played me by telling me that she wasn't a believer." Brown opened his arms wide and peered at Gideon. "That was good enough for me, I can tell you. Last thing I wanted was a religious wife," Brown declared.
"What's wrong with a devout wife?" Gideon asked.
"What's wrong?" Brown echoed. "I'll tell you what's wrong with that. I was cheated out of an inheritance by a cousin who claimed he was religious. Once he got the money, he soon forgot how to find the church. That's why."
Gideon felt instant sympathy for the man. Obviously he'd had an unpleasant experience that had soured his view of the religious life. Of what it could bring into a person's daily existence. So, Brown was a cynic. Probably an atheist. As was always the case when meeting such types, Gideon could only feel pity, and hope that the Lord would find a way to turn Brown around to a new way of thinking.
"It doesn't matter what she told you in Helena," Gideon said. "Now she's a changed person. And that's a fact."
Brown shook his head. "I ain't convinced," he replied. "The woman I saw earlier looked just the same."
Brown moved to the open doors and Gideon followed him. "Where are you going?" Gideon asked.
Brown ran his gaze dismissively up and down Gideon. "Going for a walk. Last time I checked that wasn't a crime," he snapped.
Gideon was about to reply when he heard the wheels of a buckboard roaring past the hotel. He glanced at the man driving it and froze.
It was young Jack!
Gideon couldn't understand why Jack would have left his bed up at the ranch and driven all the way into town. Gideon saw Jack clutching a hand to the side where was his bandaged wound. Didn't Jack know how dangerous it was to move around too soon after being shot?
Gideon saw Brown taking note of his interest. "A friend of yours?"
Gideon didn't reply. He watched as Jack drew the buckboard to a halt in front of the sheriff's office. Jack moved gingerly off the seat and then went into the office without knocking. Gideon knew there could only be one reason why Jack would do that.
Gideon had to go to the sheriff's office. But that meant leaving Brown unattended. And that was exactly what he'd been trying to avoid all day. But there was no choice. He'd have to take the chance.
With one last glance at Brown, Gideon started across the dusty street. Upon entering the sheriff's office, Gideon heard Jack's voice. Even though he was weak, Jack managed to get some real power into his words. "I'm telling you, I remember the name of the man who shot me. Clem McKinley."
Gideon closed the door behind him. Jack and Nathan both turned to face Gideon. "He's one of Calhoun's men," Gideon declared.
Jack's eyes brightened. "Exactly." He looked at Nathan with something that resembled triumph. "You've been wanting to pin something on Calhoun for a while. This could be your chance."
"Are you sure?" Gideon asked Jack.
Jack nodded. "I am, now. I was too confused after the shooting. But it came to me this afternoon. It's Clem, alright."
"And you came down here in that state?" Gideon said glancing at Jack's wound.
Jack touched his side and flinched slightly. "I wanted to tell the sheriff. I wasn't going to wait."
Gideon might have expected Nathan to be pleased at hearing this news. After all, anything that could tag Calhoun with illegal activities had to be a good thing. So, why was it that Nathan wasn't sharing in Jack's enthusiasm?
"You got something to tell us, Nathan?" Gideon asked, a sinking feeling taking up home in his heart.
"Go get McKinley," Jack exclaimed.
Nathan shook his head. "That ain't going to be possible, Jack," he said in a steady voice.
"Why not?"
"McKinley is missing," Nathan declared.
"Missing? What do you mean?" Jack asked, his eyes narrowing.
Nathan sighed. "I got a report this afternoon," he said. "Seems like McKinley decided to take himself away from Inspiration. At short notice."
Jack gazed at Gideon and then back at Nathan. "You're saying he skipped town?"
"Until now, there was no reason to hold him," Nathan explained.
"This is Calhoun's doing," Gideon suggested.
Nathan nodded. "I think you're probably right, Gideon," he said.
"He knew Jack could finger one of his men. So he got rid of him," Gideon said.
Jack leaned against Nathan's desk. It looked like all the fight had been beaten out of him. Gideon went to Jack and laid a hand on the young man's shoulder. "There'll be another time, Jack."
Jack peered into Gideon's eyes. "You think so?" he breathed.
Gideon nodded. "You need to get back to the ranch." He glanced at Jack's side. "Take care of that. I'll ask the doc to come see you in the morning."
Jack sighed heavily and nodded, clutching his side. He was in obvious pain. "You're right."
Nathan came around and guided Jack to the door. Opening the door, Gideon stepped out and looked across the street toward the open doors of the hotel. He felt a chill run up his spine.
There was no sign of Brown.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
"I'm going to take this apple pie to Gideon," Rosalind said as she scooped up the still warm plate and wrapped it in a clean cloth. "He must be starving."
Sophie smiled. "There's a good restaurant at the hotel. Maybe he's been eating there."
Rosalind started to head out of the kitchen. "No man in the world will refuse some home-cooked apple pie," she declared.
"You're right about that," Sophie agreed. Sophie followed Rosalind to the door. Outside, it was dark. "You sure you don't want me to come with you?" she asked.
"I'll be fine," Rosalind reassured Sophie. "Besides, Gideon and I have got some talking to do."
Sophie lifted a brow. "Is that right?"
Rosalind smiled. "We didn't finish our business earlier. And I've been thinking about it all afternoon."
"I'm sure Gideon's got plenty to say for himself," Sophie replied.
Rosalind frowned. "I want to check there's been no trouble between him and Brown."
"Gideon can take care of himself," Sophie said. "He looks all quiet-mannered on the outside. But inside him there's a heart of steel."
"I know that Sophie," she said. "It's just that I don't want him doing anything he might regret."
Sophie reached out and shifted a lock of Rosalind's hair. "One thing I'm sure he'll never regret is making you his wife."
Rosalind felt her cheeks flush with heat. "He looked like he wanted to ask me today. But all the goings on with Brown and Calhoun seemed to put him off," she said. Rosalind looked with concern at Sophie. "You don't think he's changing his mind do you? Now that Brown has turned up."
Sophie shook her head. "If anything it's made him even more determined, Rosalind. Haven't you seen the look in his eyes." Sophie smiled. "He adores you."
Rosalind gasped. Could it be true? Did Gideon really think that highly of her? Out on the ranch yesterday, it had certainly seemed like it. He'd held her with such affection. And his kiss had made her feel like the most special
person in the world.
"Don't worry about Brown," Sophie stated. "Nathan's got his eye on him. Especially since he's in cahoots with Calhoun. Brown will be gone before you know it. And then it'll just be you and Gideon."
Listening to Sophie's wise words instantly made Rosalind feel better. She hoped with all her heart that Sophie was speaking the truth.
Sophie opened the door. The cool night air swept into the hallway. "You sure you're going to be okay," Sophie checked.
Rosalind nodded. "I won't be long."
Holding the plate by her side, Rosalind stepped out onto the porch. Sophie kept the door open and watched Rosalind until she'd made her way out the garden gate.
Hearing the door close behind her, Rosalind peered into the gloom of the street. All the houses on both sides were dark. Far ahead, she could see Main Street. An occasional carriage rolled by. It was still early evening so she expected there would be plenty of townsfolk around once she'd reached Main Street.
Rosalind started to make her way along the street. For a brief moment she allowed herself to feel content. Even happy. She was taking food to the man she loved, and it felt good.
Love.
She paused, realizing what she'd just said to herself. Did she really love Gideon Buchanan? They'd only known one another a short time, but already she felt like she and Gideon had formed a real connection, a true bond. Maybe it wasn't love yet, but it might just grow into that, given time.
Of course they'd had their difficulties, and at one point their union had seemed like an impossibility. But something had intervened to make it all possible.
Had that something been of divine origin? A power greater than all of them? She considered that for a moment as she continued along the darkened street. Everything that had happened since she'd arrived in Inspiration had been drawing her to Gideon. She'd seen the way the family lived on the ranch and it had inspired her. It had given her hope and shown her the joy which could come from faith, especially when surrounded by loving parents and brothers.
Could she really become a part of that? Is so, she knew that her life would never be the same. And for the good.
She was about halfway along the street now. A movement in the darkness caught her eye. It was the shifting of a shadow to her left. At first she dismissed it and carried on. But, then a sound from the same place made her stop. She peered into the darkness near one of the houses. Her heart quickened as she saw a figure emerge from the blackness. The moon emerged from behind a cloud, casting a silvery glow on the street, revealing who was walking toward her.
Jesse Brown.
"Good evening, Rosalind," he murmured.
Rosalind felt her body stiffen. A chill ran up her spine. She clutched the plate hard against her side and glared at Brown. "What do you want?" she snapped.
Brown frowned. "What kind of a way is that to greet a man who brought you all the way out to Montana?"
"You did no such thing, Jesse. I came of my own free will," she replied.
"And you left me in pretty much the same way, too," he countered.
She glared at him. "There's nothing for you here," she declared. "You know that, don't you?"
He moved closer. There was something threatening about the way he was looking at her. A predatory expression filled his eyes. He shook his head. "That's where you're wrong, Rosalind," he said. His gaze ran the length of her body and then back up to her eyes. She shivered as he did so. "You're here. I didn't think I'd find you, but I did." He shrugged. "With a little help."
Rosalind squinted at him. "How did you find me?" she asked. Gideon had speculated earlier, but she wanted to hear it from Brown himself.
"The old man at the ticket office in the train station remembered a beautiful young woman who wanted to leave town in a hurry," Brown explained, "Said she wanted a one way ticket to Inspiration. It isn't the kind of thing a man forgets in a hurry. And when I arrived at this fine little town, Mr Calhoun was more than happy to tell me about the newcomer in town." He grinned. "And to help me in other arrangements."
Rosalind didn't like the sound of that last part. "What other arrangements?" she demanded.
His eyes narrowed and he smiled cruelly. "You'll see, soon enough." His voice was thick with insinuation.
Anxiety twisted in Rosalind's middle. She wondered if she should go back to the house. There would be a refuge there, but it would only be a temporary one. She knew she had to sort this problem with Brown out. Running away from him wasn't going to let her do that.
Brown took two steps toward Rosalind. Instinct told her she should back off. Keep him at a distance. But she held her ground. She wasn't going to show any weakness. Men like Brown thrived on the weakness of others. Rosalind knew she had to show strength.
Brown glanced down at the cloth-covered plate. "Taking something to your beau?" he asked sarcastically.
Rosalind tightened her jaw and glared at Brown. "He's not just my beau," she declared.
"Really," Brown responded disbelievingly. "He's more than your beau?"
Rosalind nodded. "I'll have you know we are to be married."
For a few long moments the words hung in the air between them. Brown peered at her. She could see the thought in his eyes. Had she taken him by surprise with her bold declaration? But, even if it was bold, it was true. Wasn't it?
Gideon Buchanan was going to ask her to marry him. And, right now, the only thing preventing that from happening was the man standing right in front of her.
"You're telling me he has already proposed?" he asked.
She stared back at him, thinking how to respond. She wasn't going to lie. The days for lying and deceiving were over. All of that lay in her past. Now that she was in Inspiration, she'd never tell another lie as long as she lived.
She shook her head. "Not as such." Seeing the sudden triumph in Brown's gaze she added quickly. "But he's going to. I know he is."
Even as she uttered the words she knew they sounded desperate. But they were true. She knew it as certainly as she'd known anything in her life.
"So he hasn't asked you yet," Brown stated, barely able to disguise the pleasure in his voice. "Well, that's mighty interesting."
"He's a good man, Jesse," she said, deciding to try another tack. Maybe she could appeal to his sense of justice, of fairness. Because, surely he had that in him somewhere, she told herself.
Brown furrowed his brows and scowled. "Good? What's that supposed to mean?"
"He's a godly man. A man of faith," she explained.
Brown scoffed. "He sure is righteous," he said in an acid tone. "He told me all about you finding religion again." Brown rolled his eyes. "As if I'd believe that," he exclaimed.
"But, it's true," Rosalind insisted. "Everything has changed for me now that I'm here in Inspiration. This is where I was always meant to be. I know that, all this time, God has been leading me here."
Fury flashed across Brown's features. "God! What's that got to do with anything? You know what I think of that. I told you in Helena. Faith is all an act. Just so people can get what they want."
Rosalind shook her head. "You're wrong, Jesse. Just because one person did something bad to you when they lied about their faith doesn't mean everyone is like that."
The Rancher’s Marriage of Convenience Page 19