“Yep.” Russ paused. “Maybe I oughta just give up. Maybe there’s something wrong with me.”
Seth guffawed. “Yeah, there’s something wrong with you. You’re stubborn, and you’re too smart for your own good.”
“Glad I asked.”
“Ah, c’mon. If you can’t let your brother rib you, then you’re in a bad way. Why don’t you have dinner at the boardinghouse? Meet someone new.”
“Nah.” Russ groaned. “I’m all full up on humiliation.”
“Maybe next time you oughta try getting to know someone first.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m just saying that getting married is for life. Take your time. Find someone who suits you.”
An image of Anna sprang to mind, and Russ shook his head, clearing his thoughts. His feelings toward her were jumbled and confused. He’d known her when she was younger, and he was protective of her, that was all.
“I figured you’d have a go at me,” Russ said. “And a good laugh.”
“I’m not laughing at you, Russ. I want what’s best for you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“I know.”
“But women are different. You can’t just pick one off the shelf because you like the way she looks.”
“When have I ever done that?”
“Never mind.”
“I see,” Russ grumbled, his annoyance sparking. “You’re an expert on women now.”
Truthfully, he was envious more than irked. Marigold and Seth had found each other through happenstance, and they’d fallen in love. Not everyone had it that easy.
“Someday you’re going to fall head over heels in love,” Seth said. “And it’s going to be a real shock. You’re going to have to feel, and you’re going to have to open yourself up to pain. I hope when that happens, you recognize that finding the right woman is worth the effort.”
“I’m open.” Russ splayed his arms. “Just the other day, Dr. Mason told me that I was a good prospect as a husband. She said I had good health, a decent job, and a nice house. A woman could do worse.”
“Sure. Forget I said anything. You’re a real catch. That’s why we’re having this conversation.”
“I never thought I’d live to see the day you gave me advice about women.”
“Well, I never thought I’d see the day when I fell in love,” Seth said. “You just keep on picking the wrong girl and stay single. That seems to be working for you.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
“I’m not arguing with you about it. You’re too stubborn and thickheaded to listen, so I’m not wasting my breath.”
“Stubborn and thickheaded? That’s fine talk coming from you.”
“I know what you think Pa did, but you’re wrong.” Seth’s accusation exploded out of nowhere. “You’re wrong about him, and you’re wrong about yourself.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“I think you’re afraid. I think you’re afraid you’re too much like Pa. I think you’re afraid of letting people down.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Russ’s growing anger bubbled over. “I work every day to make sure folks don’t fall for people like Ogden. I’ve seen smart, hardworking men and women fall for those types. I’m not afraid because I know a fraud when I see one.”
“Yeah. But that’s not the point, is it? Doesn’t matter why you think Pa fell for Ogden’s lies. You’re still mad at him for leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces.”
“You picked up the pieces.” The realization of all Seth had lost doused Russ’s anger like pump water over an open flame. “We should have helped you. I didn’t realize how much you were sacrificing.”
“Doesn’t matter now. It’s over. I made my choices, and I’m proud of who I am. Pa didn’t quit on us. Maybe it’s time to think about why you believe he did.”
“I guess we’ll never know.” Seth was touching on something Russ didn’t want to recognize, and he backed away, physically and emotionally. Hitching his boot on the shovel, he switched conversational tracks. “There’s someone in town buying up land from the ranchers.”
Seth accepted the abrupt change of subject without flicking an eyelash. “That fellow with the mining company, Jason Mitchell? I know all about him. He made an offer on my land. Turned him down.”
“Nah. Not Jason. Someone else. He may be sniffing around the Shawnee land, and he may have a woman working with him. Whatever is happening, something doesn’t feel right.”
“You know, now that you mention it...” Seth tugged on his ear. “My neighbor just sold. Took a real hit on the value. The land flooded. The dam just north of the railroad bridge gave out. Sheriff Getman says it collapsed under the rain, but I’ve seen worse weather, and we never had any problem before. Might be worth looking into.”
“You think someone deliberately flooded the land?”
“Don’t know. The sheriff isn’t the most competent fellow. If someone wanted to fool him, it probably wouldn’t take much.”
A chill swept over Russ. “If someone is causing trouble, I’ll find him.”
“I know you will.” Seth adjusted his hat. “That’s how I know we’re different from Pa. I stuck it out and built the ranch again. You fight injustice.”
“What about Adam?”
“I don’t know. Maybe if he ever came home long enough, I’d find out what kind of man he’s become. Until that day, I just don’t know.”
“I’ll think about what you said.”
“Good,” Seth said as he hitched the horses’ reins to the post. “Hate to think I’m wasting my breath.”
Russ watched his brother’s progress down the boardwalk, his thoughts spinning. He’d never known Seth to offer his thoughts unless prodded, and he didn’t know if he liked this new side of his brother. Russ had made his peace with the past. There was no use dredging up old memories.
He’d just had a run of bad breaks with women, that was all. Maybe he’d even take Seth’s advice and have dinner at the boardinghouse. He’d show Seth he wasn’t afraid of getting to know a woman. Russ snorted. The idea was ridiculous.
He’d go there sometime next week if he wasn’t too busy with work. There were the deeds from the land sale and property line dispute to settle. Might have to be the week after next.
Seth would be eating his words one day soon. But not this week. This week Russ was too busy.
Chapter Ten
A week following her dramatic arrival in Cowboy Creek, Anna paused while cleaning a guest room in The Lariat, pressed a hand to the small of her back and stretched her spine. She’d slept for eight hours the night before and felt no more rested than if she’d slept two.
True to his word, Russ had put in a reference for her with the management, and she’d been given the job of housemaid at The Lariat. The work was busy but not stressful, which was both good and bad. While she hadn’t experienced a relapse of her illness, she was still battling fatigue, and the monotonous tasks gave her too much time to think.
She had a tiny room all to herself on the third floor, and the lead housekeeper had let her store her seeds in the cool, dry cellar of the hotel. All in all, she had nothing to complain about. She’d gotten exactly what she wanted. She had a job, she had a roof over her head, and she didn’t have to worry about where her next meal was coming from. Her lingering lethargy was a bother, but she seemed to catch a second wind as the day wore on, which made working feasible.
Since her conversation with Sadie, time nipped at her heels. She’d been beside herself the first few days after Sadie discovered her secret, but true to her word, Sadie had kept quiet. So far.
Which meant there was no time for rest. Anna dutifully brewed the tea Dr. Mason had prescribed each evening, with vague plans of visiting the doctor again once her supply ran out.
&
nbsp; These days she mostly worked and slept. Though unaccustomed to being alone, she was learning to tolerate the solitude. Most days she’d close her eyes for a few minutes only to discover she’d slept for hours.
A gentle knock sounded on the door frame. Expecting another assignment from the hotel manager, she plastered a smile on her face and turned.
Her heart tripped a beat before she wrestled control of her emotions when she saw who was standing in the doorway of the hotel room she was cleaning. “Russ! I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I came to check on your employment. Ready to quit yet? My offer still stands. You can stay at the hotel or room at the boardinghouse for free.”
“Go away,” she ordered gently, a smile softening her words. “You’re going to get me sacked.”
“Don’t worry, I know the boss.”
“You’d better be telling the truth, because this job has been a godsend.” Stifling a yawn, she reached for another fresh pillowcase. “I’m doing fine. I’m feeling well. I’m eating enough food to feed a ranch hand. You don’t need to check up on me every day anymore. While I appreciate your concern, you needn’t worry about me. Surely your work keeps you occupied?”
Only yesterday she’d overheard someone in the lobby give a glowing report on a land sale Russ had brokered. She’d yet to meet anyone who didn’t admire his work ethic. His daily visits were a bright spot in her day, but she had to break the habit. She couldn’t come to depend on him.
“I wasn’t checking up on you.” Russ intercepted her grasp and took the next pillow to help her change the linens. “I’m here on Leah’s orders. I’m supposed to remind you that we’ve been invited to the Gardners’ for dinner this evening.”
“I’d forgotten all about that.”
“You’ve been working hard. You deserve a night out. Besides, Leah will be disappointed if you cancel.”
Anna tugged her lower lip between her teeth. As long as she kept her distance, he should be protected from the scandal if someone discovered the truth. “I don’t want to disappoint Leah but...”
“If you’re worried that people will think you’re spoken for, Daniel, Will and I can discreetly spread the word that you’re open to courting.” He expertly shook the pillow into the fresh case and fluffed the feathers before replacing it on the bed. “If you’ve changed your mind, that is.”
A violent shudder racked her body. “I don’t want another husband.”
Russ grew sober. “You must have loved your husband very much. I didn’t mean to sully his memory by suggesting you replace him.”
“It’s not that.” Anna’s head throbbed, and she turned away to reach for a coverlet. Telling the truth about her marriage was far too humiliating. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me sometime, Anna. You might be surprised.”
One of them was going to be surprised, that was for certain. Philadelphia was miles away, but not far enough. She couldn’t hide forever. The truth was bound to catch up with her. The unsolved murder of a prominent man was front-page news.
“If you ever change your mind about remarrying,” Russ said, “promise you’ll tell me. I’ll steer you away from the scoundrels.”
She looked up at Russ. “That’s precisely what Mrs. Foster said.”
“See? You’re in safe hands.”
“I won’t change my mind.” Unaccountably weary, she perched on the edge of a chair. “I shouldn’t take advantage of your friends’ hospitality.”
“For the last time, we’re not embarking on some great deceit. They’re interested in getting to know you. Just you. This is a small town, and you’re new. They’re being nice. They’d do the same for any newcomer.”
“Then I’d be delighted.” She stood and flicked the coverlet into place. “I’ll be able to repay you for the ticket soon.”
She sounded annoying to herself, Russ must be heartily sick of her constant excuses.
“We’ve gone over this,” he said. “You don’t have to repay me.”
Why did he have to be so kind and accommodating? She hadn’t wanted to like him. When she’d taken the letter from Susannah, she’d expected to find the selfish man she’d invented in her head. The man who’d callously tossed her sister aside and left her life in shambles. His insistent kindness only exacerbated her guilt, and she no longer trusted her instincts. She couldn’t afford any more mistakes.
“I don’t want to be in your debt,” she said.
“All right. Pay your fare. But there’s no hurry. Neither of us is going anywhere anytime soon.”
She tipped back her head and studied the wrought iron chandelier. She hated disappointing him, but staying in Cowboy Creek was out of the question. Russ wasn’t the man she remembered, and she wasn’t the naive girl she’d been all those years ago.
Russ reached across the coverlet and ran his hand along the seam, smoothing the crease.
She rested her chin on her palm as she watched him. She couldn’t imagine Edward performing such a mundane task. “You’re awfully good at making beds.”
“Four years in the army earned me a few skills.”
“Did you see much fighting?”
“No. I was an aide to a general. I already had two years of law school before the war started. The general was convinced my skills were more suited to the boardroom than the battlefield.”
“There’s no shame in that.”
“There isn’t much glory, either.” He folded a towel in thirds and draped the length over a bar beneath the water pitcher stand. “They don’t give out medals for paperwork.”
Edward hadn’t served at all. His father had known a senator. Money had changed hands, deals had been made, and Edward had somehow escaped conscription. Her father-in-law always said that wars were started by rich men and fought by poor men.
Russ prepared to take his leave, but he paused in the doorway, his hand braced against the frame. “Remember, Anna, there’s nothing wrong with accepting an invitation to dinner.”
As she looked at him, posed that way, she couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was. Not only that. Russ Halloway was a handsome man who’d made something of himself. There was no reason he couldn’t find a bride on his own. Her curiosity got the better of her, and suddenly she had to know. “Why did you send for a bride in the first place?”
If Russ was surprised by her directness, he didn’t show it. He merely shrugged. “Will Canfield is running for the Senate next term. Someone needs to take over as mayor.”
“And the mayor needs to be a family man. Is that what you’re saying? Someone with a wife and children running underfoot?”
“Married men are seen as more stable. Men with children are viewed as more responsible.”
She bent down to pick up the soiled linens, but when she rose, the room swayed around her.
Russ was at her side in an instant, lowering her to the mattress. “Sit. You’re pale as a corpse.”
“That’s not very flattering.”
“You haven’t recovered properly from the influenza. You’re going to make yourself sick again.”
Her stomach roiled and the throbbing in her head intensified. “I simply stood up too fast.”
He perched on the edge of the bed beside her. “You know, we’re both at loose ends.”
She wasn’t quite certain what he meant. “I suppose.”
“You could do worse.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You could do worse than me.”
Her heartbeat kicked against her ribs. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying there are worse fellows than me. I make a good living. You wouldn’t want for anything.”
The dizzy spell had addled her brain. “You’re not making any sense.”
“We’re friends, aren’t we? We’ve both had our share of heartbreaks. I’m not a
sking to take the place of your husband. Perhaps we could take care of each other.”
“I can’t,” she said, her throat tight.
“At least tell me why Charlotte isn’t looking out for you.”
“She’s busy with her own family. Besides, I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can, but you don’t have to.”
He had atrocious timing. If he’d said those words two years ago, she’d have leaped at the chance, even after he’d jilted Charlotte. Except too much time had passed. She wasn’t the same person.
She didn’t want to talk anymore. “I have work to do.” She certainly didn’t want to be reminded about her unsuitability as a wife.
When she went to rise, he stilled her. “We’re both adults,” he said. “We’re both far past the stage of youthful infatuation. There’s no need for us to be anything more than friends.”
She pressed her hand against her rebellious stomach. There was one sure way to dissuade him, and the time had come. “You want a family, right?”
“Yes. Marriage. Children. Everything. Surely you want the same?”
“I can’t marry you, Russ,” she said, feeling more tired than she ever recalled being. More defeated than she’d ever thought possible. “Because you want the one thing I can’t offer.”
“And what’s that?”
“Children.” Saying the words lifted a weight from her chest. “I can’t have children. I’ll never be able to give you what you want. I’ll never be able to give you a family.”
“I’m sorry.” Was that compassion she saw in his hazel eyes? “I don’t know what to say except that my offer still stands.”
“What about children?”
“If you want children, we could always adopt.”
He didn’t want her, he wanted a wife. There was a difference. And he certainly didn’t want a wife that jeopardized his political career.
Though she was sorely tempted, she didn’t trust herself. She didn’t trust her judgment. She’d made excuses for Edward’s behavior before she’d married him. There’d been signs of his temperament, signs she’d chosen to avoid.
His Substitute Mail-Order Bride Page 15
