Brand couldn’t hide his surprise; grateful Sawyer’s eyes were still trained on Danielle. Since when did Danielle put on airs? Carson’s Gulch was a small town, not many of its residents stood on ceremony when it came to proper address. Hell, even as a young’un, he addressed the older ladies in town informally and always called older men by their given names.
“Danielle slapped you? For calling her by her given name?” Brand couldn’t fathom it.
“I assure you she did. My ears are still ringing from the blistering tirade that followed as well.” Sawyer turned to Brand then, his expression grim.
“What else did you do?” Brand wondered if perhaps his friend had offered some other insult to provoke Danielle’s violent reaction. His gaze strayed to Danielle where she stood talking and laughing with Amelia and Amy. Brand remembered Beau mentioning that Danielle had a mean temper at times, but he’d always brushed it off, figuring everyone lost their temper when siblings were involved. Hell, Ethan’s nose was still a little crooked from that time Brand had lost his temper with his younger brother. Brand’s own experience with Danielle was that she was sweet and fun...if a little feisty.
Sawyer straightened his posture, indignant. “I did nothing,” he defended. “I merely suggested it was unsafe for a young woman to wander alone near the saloon at dusk and offered to escort her to her destination.”
“And she slapped you for that?” Brand was confounded.
“Well,” Sawyer hesitated, his hand snaking up to yank on his collar. Brand eyed him expectantly. With a sigh, Sawyer continued. “There might have been a brief altercation.”
“Altercation?” Brand stated dumbly.
“An altercation, an argument.”
“I know what an altercation is, Sawyer. What I don’t know is why there should be altercation from an offer to walk a girl to safety.”
Sawyer’s green eyes glinted as hard as his clenched jaw, his lips pressed into an angry line. “The young woman expressed, rather vehemently I might add, that in her opinion, I posed a greater threat to her person than anyone found wandering the street at dusk.”
Brand rocked back on his heels, astonished. He shifted his gaze to Danielle. Huh. What a little spitfire. But then again...Brand peered at Sawyer’s agitated profile. Sawyer was a mystery. It was no secret the man owned the local saloon. But how he had obtained it? And the seemingly endless funds? The saloon had never provided such a good living to the previous proprietors.
Sawyer was always dressed to the nines, his clothing of the highest quality and, according to Amy, of the latest fashions. His stallion, Sebastian, was the finest mount Brand had ever seen in these parts. And his man, Mac? He behaved more as a servant than employee. Then there were the girls, and there had to be fifteen to twenty, how could he afford to support them all?
Brand was also confounded by the man himself. Sawyer had the finest manners of any man, gentleman or cowboy, in Carson’s Gulch by a long shot. And the way he spoke...It seemed a little unusual to Brand that Sawyer’s speech improved when he was angry or agitated, rather than the other way around. As though any improper speech was feigned and when he wasn’t paying attention he slipped into the more comfortable formal mode of speaking.
“Sawyer-”
“No, it is alright, Brand. She has no reason to think any better of me.” Sawyer forced a thin smile. “You better go catch up to your pretty wife. I think they are about to begin the box lunch auction. You wouldn’t want to be caught unawares and allow some other man to purchase her good food. I will see you later.” Brand watched as Sawyer stomped across the grassy square to sit at Miss Ellie’s feet. He said something which caused the old woman’s eyes to twinkle with amusement, but Brand could see Sawyer’s scowling gaze was again trained on an unaware Danielle Weston.
Shaking his head, Brand turned his own attention back to his wife. A smile tugged his lips when she glanced at him, her cheeks flushing as their eyes met. Of their own volition, his feet started moving in her direction. If that woman had any idea the pull she had on him...
Amelia struggled to appear unperturbed as Brand made his way toward her. She had been watching him as he talked to Sawyer Hughes, his eyes searching her out more than once. She wondered how a single glance from his blue jean eyes could send her nerves fluttering so dangerously. Her heart beat pulsed in her ears as he approached, his gaze holding her own. She wondered if Brand did love her. There were times, like now, she was sure she could see some undefined emotion burning in the depths of his eyes, causing her to tingle with awareness.
Each morning she awoke in his arms, feigning sleep until he roused himself to slip from the covers. Often, he left the bed quickly, pulling on a pair of trousers and grabbing a clean shirt from the bureau before quietly leaving the room. Others, he lingered, his arms tightening around her as he buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. On those mornings, Amelia wondered that Brand didn’t hear the furious beating of her heart as she waited, hoping for something more. Instead, he usually pressed a soft kiss into her hair and rose from the bed with a heavy sigh.
“Howdy, Mrs. Callahan.” Amelia’s cheeks flushed hotter as Brand captured her waist in his arms and nuzzled her neck.
“Brand,” she protested, scandalized, peeking around his head at her friends who were watching them with happy grins. “What are you doing?”
Chapter 14
“I’m protecting my lunch,” Brand teased with a wink at Amy and Danielle who giggled in return.
“Your lunch?” Amelia asked, puzzled.
“Sawyer seems to think I better stake my claim or some other fella’s gonna steal my box lunch out from under me.” Brand released her from his hug, but held her snugly against his side, his arm wrapped around her.
“Hmm, that reminds me,” Amy declared as her eyes started scanning the crowd milling around them. “I better make sure Beau is ready to bid on my box or that man is going hungry the rest of the day.” Eyes narrowing in on her errant husband, Amy made a beeline for Beau as he stood talking to his mother and Dale Sellers, the Weston’s foreman and family friend. Brand turned his attention to Danielle with a grin.
“How ‘bout you, Dani. Who do you think’s gonna bid on your lunch?” he asked.
“Oh, I reckon Freddie will save me again. Last year he had to pay a whole two dollars so I wouldn’t have to sit with old man Wilkins.” Danielle wrinkled her nose at the memory.
“Freddie, huh?” And then Brand couldn’t resist the temptation to see Danielle’s reaction, so he asked, “How about Sawyer, Dani? He seems to think you’re a pretty enough gal.” Sure enough, Danielle’s eyes burned with indignation as they sought to rest on the offending man. Brand thought perhaps Sawyer would burst into flames from the fire she was shooting in his direction.
“He wouldn’t dare!”
“Oh, I think Mr. Hughes is a very nice man,” Amelia defended innocently and Brand chuckled to himself as Danielle’s outraged eyes rested on his poor wife. Not wanting Amelia to get caught in the crossfire, Brand turned her toward the spot where Ethan and Dylan lay under a large shade tree.
“Good luck, Dani,” he said over his shoulder. “Hope you don’t get stuck with old man Wilkins...or worse yet, Sawyer,” he added with a wink, laughing outright as her eyes narrowed dangerously at him.
“What was that all about,” Amelia asked, having caught onto Brand’s teasing.
“Seems Sawyer had a right unpleasant encounter with Danielle the other day leavin’ him with a stinging cheek and blistering ears to hear him tell it,” Brand offered, amusement shining in his eyes. Amelia stopped abruptly.
“My goodness! What did he do to provoke that?” Amelia’s eyes were round with wonder and curiosity, an entertained smile playing with the corners of her mouth.
“I guess she was offended by his offer to walk her wherever she was going one evening. It was getting late and he was concerned for her wellbeing.”
“Just as I said! Sawyer is a good man, that was a gallant thing
for him to do.” She peered up at Brand, her brow wrinkled. “So, what exactly did he do wrong?”
“He called her ‘Danielle’.” Brand laughed at her expression, before quickly adding, “It appears Miss Weston holds Sawyer in low esteem. She told him she would rather take her chances with the gutter rats.”
“No!” Brand was sure her eyes were gonna pop right out, they were so wide. Just in time, her brow lowered in deep thought. “I wonder what he’s done to earn such a low opinion?”
“I’m not sure, but the worst of it is I think the man might be in love with her.” Brand laughed outright as her eyes popped open again, her mouth hanging open like a fish. Chucking her under the chin with one hand, Brand pulled her along with the other as he again started toward his brothers.
“You boys biddin’ in the auction today,” Brand asked as settled on the ground beside them, tugging on Amelia’s hand until she weakly sank down next to him, their conversation still on her mind.
“You know bidding on a box lunch is as good as proposing marriage in these parts,” Ethan responded from under his hat where it rested over his face, his body shaking in an exaggerated shudder.
“Aw, now it ain’t that bad,” Brand teased.
“Yer only sayin’ that because you’ve got Amelia. I seem to recall you comin’ down with a bad case of the jitters last year causin’ you to hide down at the crick until the auction was over.” Dylan’s voice was clear as his hat was lying in the grass beside him, however, his eyes were closed.
“I was not hidin’, Dylan. It was more like preserving my bachelorhood.” Brand winked at Amelia.
“You boys should bid. It is for charity after all. And I think it would be wonderful if one of you could save poor Connie this year. I do believe her father ended up bidding on her lunch last year.” Amelia’s voice was filled with sympathy for the town wallflower, Connie Porter. Brand had saved dances for the girl at most of the town gatherings since she was old enough to attend, and he knew his brothers did, too. Still, the painfully shy girl was not as sought after as some of the other young ladies in town and it was awfully uncomfortable to witness her humiliation.
“Amelia’s right, one of you should bid on Connie’s lunch. She is pleasant enough once you get to know her a little.” Brand thumped Dylan on his chest. “It ain’t like you boys are courtin’ anybody anyway.”
“Nope. I’ll just eat from the food tables,” Dylan responded, his eyes still closed. Brand sighed, wondering when things were gonna change for Dylan. It had been quite some time since he’d even glanced at a woman and Brand hoped someday he would get past his hurt and anger.
“What about you, Ethan?” Brand asked. “We better get goin’, though. I see a crowd forming around the podium.”
With a sigh, Ethan rose to his feet. “I’ll only bid if no one else does.”
Chapter 15
As it turned out, Ethan did bid on Connie’s box lunch. Amelia spotted them sitting beneath the shade tree where Ethan and Dylan had been sleeping earlier. Dylan had joined them and Amelia had to giggle a little to herself at the dazed expression on the poor girl’s face as she held court to two of the most sought after bachelors in four counties. Amelia had to give credit to Ethan and Dylan who were bestowing their undivided attention on Connie, likely keeping her entertained with their silliness.
Amelia thought to go and join them, but Brand was leading her toward the creek, her box lunch swinging from his free hand and an old patchwork slung over his shoulder. Her hand was held warmly within his, he hadn’t let go of her since pulling her away from Amy and Danielle, and she was enjoying his closeness.
“I thought we’d sneak away a bit,” Brand smiled down at her.
He led her past a small gathering of shrubs with a large cottonwood at its center providing shade from the high noonday sun. “How bout here, darlin’,” he asked even as he set down the basket holding their lunch and bent over to spread out the quilt.
“It’s heavenly.” And it was. It was really a beautiful day for a celebration. The sky was clear, glowing azure above them. The sun shone hot but not uncomfortably so, in fact it was most temperate for this time of year. Amelia inhaled a deep breath of the sweet air and was once again amazed at her good fortune. For beside her was Brand Callahan, a man who both fascinated and flustered her. Brand was the man who could easily steady her pulse with his quiet strength and send it racing with just a look. She wondered if he had any idea of her feelings for him, if he had any idea just how much she loved him. And how her love grew daily as she came to know him more and more.
“What did ya bring,” Brand asked as he knelt on the blanket to dig through the basket. Amelia laughed.
“All of your favorites,” she reassured. “I was hoping you would win my lunch.”
Brand stopped digging through the food to stare at her. “Yer joshin’ me, right?” he asked, incredulously. “Did you really think I wouldn’t bid on your lunch?”
Amelia felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She hadn’t meant to fish for any sort of declaration, but she supposed she had felt a might uncertain this morning as she put her lunch together, feeling that maybe Brand wouldn’t want to bid on her box. He must have seen her insecurities reflected on her face because in the next moment he was kneeling in front of her, her face clasped between his calloused hands.
“Darlin’, I know our marriage is a little...peculiar.” His face pulled into a scowl at the word, but he continued anyway. “But you must know, I would do all in my power to keep you from being hurt-or humiliated in any way.” Brand leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips then leaned back, only a breath away, waiting and Amelia had to force her eyes open to look at him. His eyes sparkled with mirth. “Besides, I think I’ve gotten myself a bit of a reputation after getting in a few licks on Harmon that night. Nobody wants tangle with me over my own wife’s cookin’.”
Amelia laughed in spite of herself and she rolled her eyes at him. Grinning he turned to the basket again and rummaged through it, exclaiming over its contents as he removed them. Her heart warmed toward this man who owned it completely, and she vowed that someday she would let him know.
It was mid-July and the mild temperatures from earlier in the month had played themselves out, leaving intense heat in their wake. Brand couldn’t force himself to go to the smithy unless he absolutely had to and then only after the sun had dipped below the horizon offering a small respite from the glaring heat. Amelia still accompanied him, but pulled her chair just outside the door where the air was cooler as she did her own work.
Brand reflected on his marriage as he worked on a new latch for the gatd leading to the bullpen. Ethan had been after him for weeks to replace the existing one. It had cooled considerably outside and Brand was thankful for the breeze blowing through the door. He glanced at Amelia as she sat, a lamp lit on a high stool at her elbow while she worked on a new Sunday shirt for Ethan. It was meant to be a surprise for his birthday the next week. When he had mentioned going to the smithy to work on the latch, she had jumped at the chance to work on it well out of Ethan’s sight.
Brand’s thoughts returned to their day in town for the Fourth of July celebration. He had relished her company, sitting at their picnic spot for hours, talking and laughing. They had even lain in the shade for an afternoon nap, Amelia’s head resting peacefully on his shoulder, before returning to the festivities and fireworks. That night after returning to the ranch, Brand had been more than a little pleased when she had snuggled close to him in their bed rather than turning her back to him as she had always done.
Brand took a closer look at her then as he dipped the hot metal into the barrel of water beside him, a hiss of steam rising from its surface. She was on edge this evening, he could see it in stiff set of her shoulders and the tense wrinkle in her brow. Brand sighed and turned back to the anvil, the cooled iron clutched between his tongs and prayed she would confide in him soon.
It was an hour later when her voice broke the silence between them.
“My mama never was well again after I was born.” Her voice was quiet, barely more than a whisper. Brand froze, he didn’t even turn around for fear of distracting her from what she was going to say.
“Harmon was already seven when I came along, he’d had mama to himself for all those years...I guess he resented me from the moment I was born. Daddy told me once, a long time ago, that mama had a hard time with her babies, that’s why it took so long for me. He said she lost two between Harm and I and she was very ill each time.”
Amelia paused then and Brand could hear the quiet pull of thread as she continued to stitch Ethan’s shirt. He turned to her, saw the tears streaming down her cheeks.
“It wasn’t your fault, none of it,” he said.
“I know that now...But when you are just a little girl and the big brother you love and admire, tells you your mama’s sickness is all because of you bein’ born- you can’t help but believe it’s true.”
Brand waited for her to continue, his heart aching for the little girl he saw sitting before him.
“Daddy was so distracted. Mama was ill. He cared for her and the mercantile, and us when he thought of it. He never knew what Harmon was doing to me. And really, it started out small- a pinch here, tugged hair there. I deserved it he said, because I was killing mama.”
Brand could not stop himself then as her voice broke, he had to hold her. Striding to where she sat in the rocking chair, he lifted her into his arms and taking her place, he settled her into his lap, cradled against his chest. She was silent, collecting herself before continuing.
“When she died, Harmon lost his mind a little, I think. The night after her funeral, he came into my room and woke me up. His eyes were red from crying, and he was angry. He hit me over and over again, telling me it was all my fault his mother was dead.” Her voice broke on a sob. “She was my mother, too.”
Loved from Afar Page 8
