Kitabı oku: «Her Honor-Bound Cowboy»

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Endpages

Copyright

Chapter One

Josh’s heart thundered in his ears as he stared at the rifle aimed at him. A rifle held by a woman with fierce, blue eyes that pierced him with a don’t-mess-with-me look. A growling dog the size of a wolf stood at her side.

Josh had followed his brother’s directions carefully. This had to be his brother’s home. His too, seeing as they were partners. “Where’s Cody?”

The rifle lowered.

“Who are you?” the woman asked.

Did he imagine the tremor in her voice? Could be she was as frightened as he’d been. “Joshua Baxter. And you?”

“Emily Baxter.”

The name jarred through him.

“Cody was my husband,” she added with a hint of challenge.

“Was?” He didn’t care for the sound of that word.

She nodded. “He died six months ago.”

Silence hung heavy between them as he tried to digest this news. “You might have let me know.”

She shrugged. “Didn’t think I’d ever see you.”

That hurt. “I always meant to come. Cody knew that.” Cody had taken their combined savings and gone to find the land that would become their ranch while Josh had remained behind to continue mining their gold claim until he had enough to buy them a herd of cows.

“A year seems like a long time.”

“We’ve been in touch. But he never mentioned you. Seems mighty strange.” He squinted at her. Was she trying to con him? Well, she’d picked the wrong man to trick. He’d seen most every kind of scam while at the gold camp.

“Lady, I don’t know who you are. Or where my brother is. But I ain’t about to believe he’s married to you. Now maybe you should pack your belongings and move on. Try your shenanigans on someone else.”

A thin wail broke the stunned silence.

She picked a baby from a cradle by the fireplace.

A baby! Was it Cody’s or had she married another man and allowed him to take over the ranch?

***

Emily cradled baby Cathy close. She’d hoped Cody’s brother would never come and demand his share of the ranch. Would he kick her off the place? She’d fight to keep her share. But if he wanted proof of her marriage, she could provide it.

“My baby needs feeding.” She wouldn’t look at the man until her heart stopped racing and she sorted out how she was to deal with him.

“Fine. I’ll wait. I don’t intend to go anywhere until I get to the bottom of this. Do you mind calling your dog off?”

“Brute. Sit.” Cody had never let the dog indoors but after his death, she’d kept him close. He made her feel safe.

Thirteen-year-old Nancy came in with the eggs. She saw a man in the house and ground to a halt.

“Nancy, this is Josh.” Nancy’s family were neighbors. Her ma had helped deliver the baby a week ago then left Nancy with Emily to help.

Emily left the two staring at each other, Brute watching them and took baby Cathy to the bedroom to nurse her.

“Oh, baby. What are we going to do?”

Chapter Two

Emily fed the baby. It was a job that couldn’t be rushed. Then she clutched her little daughter to her shoulder and left the bedroom with her marriage certificate firmly in hand.

Mr. Joshua Baxter perched on the edge of the horsehair couch. She stuck the paper in his face. “Here’s your proof.”

He studied it at length then stared at her.

His hat balanced on his knee. His hair was the same brown as Cody’s had been, only thick and wavy. The dark brown eyes regarding her could have been Cody’s. No doubting this was the long-absent brother whom she’d prayed would never come claiming his rightful share of the place.

“I don’t understand.” He shook his head.

Poor man. He had a lot to take in. The shock of losing his brother, the surprise of discovering he had a widowed sister-in-law and a week old niece.

She could feel sorry about the first. “My condolences on the loss of your brother.” She really should have let him know but every time she picked up a piece of paper to write to him she changed her mind. If he didn’t know, he’d have no incentive to come.

“What happened?”

She sank to the rocking chair across from him, still holding baby Cathy. The baby nuzzled Emily’s neck providing comfort and strength as she faced her memories. Never had she expected her marriage to end so abruptly, and within months of saying ‘I do.’

“They found him in a coulee. His neck was broke. The Mountie said his horse had stepped in a hole and thrown him.” Her voice seemed to come from far away. “They said he died instantly.” She shuddered and forced herself to look at Josh.

He stared at her, his eyes full of shock and horror. “Who found him?”

“One of the Eden Valley cowboys.”

He let out his breath. “At least you weren’t the one. That’s good.”

She opened her mouth to reply and closed it again, too surprised by his comment to find words. Why would he care? Shouldn’t he be more concerned with his own loss?

“Where’s he buried?”

“The Gardiners have a little grave yard on their ranch. They own the Eden Valley Ranch. They suggested his remains be placed there and I gladly accepted.”

“Did he have a proper burial?”

“There’s no preacher in the area but Eddie Gardiner spoke some nice words over him and prayed a nice prayer.”

He twisted the brim of his hat and studied the floor in front of his dusty boots.

“It’s a lot to take in,” she offered. She turned Cathy toward him. “This is your niece, Cathy. She’s a week old today. Cathy,” she smiled down at her infant daughter who opened her eyes as if knowing she was about to meet her uncle. “This is your Uncle Josh.”

The man dragged his attention toward the baby and a smile slowly lifted his mouth. “She’s mighty small.”

She laughed then looked hard at Josh. For her daughter’s sake she meant to hang on to her share of this ranch.