“Use the room on the first floor. A bed is still in there, and the bairns dinna need every room in the house,” Sorcha said with a soft kiss and caress to Mairi’s head.
Davina walked beside Charlotte, her shoulder under the dazed woman’s arm. With each step, it seemed Davina carried more of the other woman’s weight. “Is she verra ill?” Davina whispered.
Helen gave a jerk of her head, settling Charlotte into the bed. After checking for fever, she sat beside her. Davina pulled out another chair to join the healer. “She’s ailing,” Helen whispered. “I can’t determine if it is due to blood loss or spiritual malaise.”
Davina let out a stuttering breath. “The loss of a child injures ye in ways ye canna imagine.”
Helen stared at her with curiosity, although she didn’t ask any questions. “I have seen that, too many times to count.”
Davina sat beside Charlotte on the bed, holding her hand. “Ye are safe here, Charlotte,” she whispered. “Whatever ye are runnin’ from, the men here are good an’ honorable, an’ they willna allow ye to come to harm.”
Charlotte focused on her, her sherry-colored eyes dulled with disillusionment. “No one is strong enough to save me. I was a fool to return here.” She curled in on herself, a hand low over her belly, as she closed her eyes, as though shutting out everyone and everything she could not see.
“Charlotte,” Davina murmured, running a soothing hand down her back. When the woman did not respond, Davina sighed and shared a look with Helen.
Helen shrugged and motioned for Davina to follow her from the room. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here a few days. If she has a physical illness, I’ll work to ensure she does not worsen. If her spirit is broken, I’m afraid there is little I can do to mend it. She’ll have to find the inner strength to overcome what torments her.”
* * *
Slims approached Warren and Frederick, who motioned them to follow him into his office. After closing the door behind him, Frederick sat in the chair behind his desk; Warren settled into the chair in front of it, and Slims stood to the side, his arms crossed over his strong chest. Slims’s brows furrowed as he studied the two men who he thought were good friends and noted the sudden tension in the room.
“What’s the matter, Warren?” Frederick asked with a sigh. He had circles under his eyes from sleepless nights with the twins, although he did not have to worry about the success of the ranch this year. It had been a mild winter.
“How long will you allow Charlotte to remain on the ranch?” Warren asked.
With a shrug, Frederick yawned and sat back in his chair. “As long as she needs to. She’s harmless, and I believe Davina feels the same.” His gaze flickered to Slims, who remained stone-faced.
“Slims?” Warren asked. “Is that how Davina feels?”
“I don’t know. She doesn’t like the woman, or she didn’t before we entered the big house tonight. But Dav’s compassionate, and she’ll have sympathy for her, even if Charlotte doesn’t deserve it.”
Warren stared at Frederick with a warning look in his eyes. “If Charlotte is to stay here, you must consider that one of your men will become entangled with her.” He paused as though searching for words, an uncommon occurrence for the lawyer.
Frederick froze at Warren’s warning and then sat forward in his chair. Tilting his head to one side, Frederick stared at Warren, as though he were a stranger. “You know my men are honorable,” he said in a low voice, all the more potent because of its deep timbre and volume. “Over and over, they have shown their respect to every woman who has arrived at this ranch, seeking refuge. How dare you imply they will treat Charlotte any differently?” He slammed his hand onto his desk, leaning forward, his blue eyes blazing as he challenged the lawyer.
Smiling, Warren let out a huff of air. “Your men want wives. And they aren’t afraid of trying to sweet-talk every woman who comes here into being their bride. If I’m not correct, one of your men even tried to court Sorcha away from you.” He looked at Slims, who grunted in agreement. “And I would bet another attempted to ingratiate himself into Davina’s good graces and away from Slims.” He nodded as he saw the truth in each man’s eyes. “I would never doubt the honor of your men. Nor would I believe they’d get a woman with child and abandon her. Hell, they’d be too excited to have a woman to ever let her go.”
“We’re not mindless beasts,” Slims snapped, standing tall, his arms now tightly crossed over his chest.
“Of course not. But you’re men who’ve spent enough time alone without a woman’s gentle presence. You’re smart enough to hold on to a good woman when you find her. And wise enough to know a good woman doesn’t enter your life very often.”
“Charlotte’s proven she’s not a good woman,” Slims said.
Shaking his head, Warren sighed. “No, she hasn’t. She’s proven she’s human. And vulnerable. Did my wife prove herself unworthy by going to the Boudoir? Did Sorcha prove unlovable because she raced from the livery and broke her leg? Is Davina less worthy because she fled Scotland, defying her family’s wishes and imposing on you?”
Warren looked at the men, seeing their instant denials to his questions. He pointed to the living room and, by extension, the room where Charlotte was settling in with his wife and Davina. “That woman—no matter what you feel about her right now—has the ability to provoke discord.”
“I’ve never denied refuge from someone who needs it,” Frederick said. “And I won’t start now.”
“The men know better than to take advantage of a defenseless woman,” Slims said in a soft voice. “And every man in that room tonight saw a vulnerable woman on the verge of collapse.”
Warren rubbed at his head. “Stop being obtuse! In a month, maybe six weeks, the thaw will start, and drifters will return. Not all of them will be good men. Not all of them will be men you know well and can trust, as you can trust Shorty, Dalton, and Dixon.”
Slims rocked back on his heels, a look of deep comprehension in his gaze. “Ah, I understand,” he whispered. “You’re tryin’ to get us to ensure she’s taken before the drifters return,” Slims said. “In a very roundabout lawyerly way.”
Frederick groaned and flopped back in his chair. “I’m too tired for this,” he muttered, rubbing at his eyes. “Speak plainly, Warren.”
Warren bit his lip and shook his head. “Because I’m a lawyer, I can’t.” He looked into Frederick’s eyes. “Because I’m her lawyer, I can’t.” He closed his eyes. “Save her, Fred. Find one of the men you trust to save her. Before it’s too late. Before …” He broke off and sighed, tugging at his hair in frustration.
Slims stiffened. “That’s why you weren’t elated I was marryin’ Davina,” he breathed. “Because you’d already sent Charlotte out here, expectin’ I’d be here to wed her.” Slims took a menacing step in Warren’s direction, only stilling at Frederick’s warning.
“Slims.” Fred shook his head. After a moment, he focused on Warren. “Why not just tell me that she’s in trouble and that one of my men must marry her?” Frederick asked again, suddenly wide awake and any fatigue a distant memory.
Warren closed his eyes and, for the first time that either Slims or Frederick had ever seen him, appeared defeated. “I can’t. I shouldn’t have said what I said tonight.” He stared at them with unfettered rage mixed with an irrepressible despair. Whispering, he said, “I hoped you’d come to the decision that she must be protected on your own. And that my advice would never be a part of that decision. For it can’t be.”
Frederick tapped his index finger on his desk as he studied Warren, while Slims watched him as though meeting him for the first time. “I’ll speak with the men. And I’ll speak with Charlotte. No matter what you recommend, Warren, I’ll never force a woman to marry against her will.”
Slims grunted his agreement.
“Convince her,” Warren said in a tone that brooked no argument. “Or you’ll be planning a funeral, rather than a wedding.”
* * *
“I ken ye have work to do, Simon. An’ today has no’ been a normal day.” She stared at him for such a long time, he shifted from foot to foot. “You’ll join me, aye?”
He smiled. “Aye.” After shutting and latching the door, he settled in his comfortable chair, absently holding out his hand to hold hers. He almost grabbed it back but made himself keep it extended to see what she would do. He heard her huff of surprise when she noted it and then the softness of her palm as her hand clasped his. Another ache in his soul eased at her quiet acceptance of his affection. “Thank you.”
He squeezed her hand, hoping to impart comfort and reassurance, as he sat in his gentleman’s chair. However, when he heard her sniffle, he looked at her with concern. “Davina? What’s the matter?”
“How can ye bear the sight of me?” she whispered. “I doubted ye.” She sat with lowered head, as though she had much to repent.
Slipping from his chair, he knelt in front of her, his large hands clasping her knees. “No …” He sighed and broke off his protestations. “Yes, you did.” He met her tormented gaze. “And I won’t lie. It hurt, Dav. Almost as bad as anything I’ve ever felt in my life. I’d hoped we were building something good and strong between us.”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “We are, Simon. Please,” she breathed, her hand shaking as she caressed his cheek.
Smiling, he turned his head into her soft touch. “God, that feels like heaven,” he whispered. “I feared you’d never touch me again, at least not willingly.” He met her stricken gaze. “What is it?”
“I ken I told ye that I trust ye, an’ I do,” she said, as she took a deep breath. “But do ye trust me?”
“What?” he asked, his hold on her knees tightening. “What on earth do you mean, woman?”
A tear trickled down her cheek as she brushed at his eyebrow. “I left ye today, rather than talk with ye. I ran.” Her voice lowered to a barely audible pitch, filled with her remorse and her agony. “I’m so sorry.”
“Watchin’ you leave about gutted me today.” He swiped at her cheeks. “I worked like a madman, and I prayed you’d return to me.” He fidgeted with a piece of her unbound hair. “Where did you go? What did you do in town?”
She shrugged. “Frederick left to find Helen, an’ I realized I didna have any desire to see my family an’ explain I’d been a fool.” She flushed. “I ken they’d understand I have a temper, as I’ve been told they have it too, but I didna need to show them so soon after meetin’ me what a simpleton I was.” She flinched when she saw the ire in his gaze.
“Don’t, Dav,” he said in a low, warning-filled voice. “Don’t talk about yourself like that. You aren’t a simpleton, and you aren’t a fool. You felt betrayed.” His voice was filled with remorse. “I’m sorry.”
“But ye didna betray me, husband,” she said, her eyes lit with an impassioned fervor. “Charlotte did.”
“Yes,” he said with a sigh. “For whatever reason, she did.” He paused a moment. “What did you do in town?”
“I spoke with Mr. Sutton. Did ye ken he’s Frederick’s uncle?”
Slims sat back on his heels, stunned and struck dumb for a moment.
Davina watched her husband’s reaction, whispering, “Was it wrong to speak with him? To have tea with the man?”
“You had tea with him?” he asked. He pushed away and rose, pacing a few steps before sitting in his chair beside her again.
Davina turned her rocking chair to the side, so she partially faced her husband. “I dinna understand, Simon. Why are ye so upset?”
“How did Frederick react when he found you there?” Slims asked.
Her brows furrowed, and she deflated a little. “Upset and worried that Mr. Sutton had made me cry.” She rested her arm on Slims’s hand as he tensed. “He didna! I promise. He helped me see the truth of the situation.”
Shaking his head, Slims let out a deep breath. “To think Tobias has learned from his mistakes,” he muttered.
“What do ye mean, Simon?” she whispered. “Why was Frederick so angry at his uncle? An’ why did I no’ ken he was Frederick’s uncle?” She rubbed at her temple.
“Many years ago, Tobias ran away with Fred’s mother, his cousin’s wife, shattering Fred’s family.” Slims closed his eyes. “Everyone was miserable, but the misery didn’t end with her departure.” He met Davina’s shocked gaze. “It took a long time for Frederick to learn to trust again. It took Miss Sorcha.” He stared into her stunned gaze for a long moment. “What did Tobias say, Davina?”
She reached forward and clasped his hand. “He told me to trust my heart,” she whispered, looking down. “An’ I realized I was angry. Angry that I was allowin’ this woman I didna ken to steal my happiness without a fight. For ye are very much worth fightin’ for.” She flushed when she saw the deep emotions in his gaze. “An’, just before Frederick arrived, Mr. Sutton advised me no’ to squander my second chance.”
Slims smiled. “I hope you take his advice,” he murmured. “And listen to your heart.”
“I’m here, aye?” she asked with hope in her gaze.
He groaned, his large hands reaching out to grip her arms. “Come here, love. Let me hold you.” He sighed with relief when she moved with eagerness to climb onto his lap. When he had settled her and had wrapped his arms around her, he sighed with pleasure. “I never want you far from me.”
She nestled her head under his chin. “I agree.” She played with a button on his shirt before whispering, “I have to ask ye a question.” At his mumble to ask whatever she wanted, she eased back to look into his eyes before blurting out, “Who was the woman ye wanted, but she had eyes for someone else?” She flushed with mortification. “When I heard about Charlotte, all I could think was she was the woman, an’ she’d come back for ye.”
Slims groaned and rested his head against the back of his chair. “No, never her. You can ask Dalton about this conversation. He’ll vouch for me.”
“No, I’m askin’ my husband. Tell me.” She clasped his face between her palms.
“I was referrin’ to Miss Sorcha. She had a fire an’ a sweetness about her, but it was obvious from almost the moment she came to the ranch that she was destined to marry Fred. Dalton joked with me one day about marryin’, and I told him that I would only consider it if Miss Sorcha had a cousin. I never expected you to arrive.”
She gaped at him as a tear coursed down her cheek.
“But that was a few years ago,” she whispered.
“Aye, an’ nothin’ happened between the two of us. Nothin’ except friendship. Your cousin is a remarkable woman and is to be admired. She only has eyes for Frederick.” He paused. “I had hoped, if a relative of hers were to arrive, that she’d be like Sorcha. Loyal. Kind. Fiery. Lovely.” He smiled. “And she is.”
“Simon,” she whispered through a tear-thickened throat. “I dinna deserve such praise.”
“You do, darlin’. Oh, you do.” He pulled her close, his hands stroking her back. “Do you know the pride I felt when you burst into the cabin today, intent on seeing me? When you proclaimed you didn’t need Helen’s proof?” He shuddered. “I thought I’d burst with joy.”
“I … I care for ye,” she whispered. “More than I thought possible.”
He chuckled. “Good. Because I … I care for you too,” he murmured, as he kissed her softly. “I have since we began our cooking lessons together. All I wanted was to hear you speak or sing or spend another second in your presence. Even though it was torture too.”
“Oh, Simon,”
she whispered. “I never kent. I thought ye were annoyed with me.”
He chuckled. “Annoyed with how much I wanted you. Annoyed with the belief I was to again be denied a woman who I could adore.” He kissed her head. “I tried to stay away as much as possible, but, once you were cooking meals without my help, I counted down each minute until it was time for supper so I could see you again.”
“Oh, Simon,” she breathed, her eyes luminous as she gazed at him reverently.
“I dreaded the thaw,” he said, as he kissed his way down her neck, smiling as she arched into his touch.
“Why?” she gasped.
“Because I knew we’d get a new cook, and I’d be in the bunkhouse with the men. I’d only see you in passing. And the thought of not having time with you every day …” He shook his head and then turned his cheek into her palm. “Will you come to bed, darlin’? Let me show you all the ways I missed you?”
An incandescent smile burst forth, and she nodded, squealing with delight when he rose, carrying her in his strong arms to their bed and the pleasure to be found within.
Chapter 9
“Oh, Davina,” Sorcha said, as she sat beside her cousin in Sorcha’s rear sitting and work room the following afternoon. The twins played in the large crib in the corner, entertaining each other as Sorcha worked. “I was so worried when you left with Frederick. An’ I kent Slims was too.” She gripped Davina’s hand. “Last night it seemed like you reconciled. Ye seemed at peace when ye stood beside him an’ that ye are no’ mad at him anymore. For ye did no’ come to the big house, seeking refuge.” Sorcha’s eyes glowed with concern and hope.
Davina smiled and leaned forward into Sorcha’s ready embrace. “’Tis wondrous, Sorcha. He was waitin’ for me, an’ I asked him to forgive me. I was a fool, an’ I didna ken what to do with my powerful fear of him lovin’ another woman.”
Sorcha bit her lip. “He’s had a past, aye?”
Lassoing A Montana Heart Page 15
