Lucien again narrowed his eyes at Blake. “I know you’ve been talking with Iver Kennedy. You’re up to something. I happen to know that your grandfather didn’t have anything of value to leave to you and I’m curious what business you have with a lawyer. So, watch your step because I will most certainly be watching you and your very attractive wife.”
He tipped his hat infuriatingly before turning and strolling back out to the street.
Blake watched Lucien go, seething. Never in his life had he been blatantly threatened. He felt exposed and paranoid. Was someone watching him even now, ready to report his movements back to Durning? Blake glanced around, eyes frantically searching the people moving around the street, but found that he was unobserved for the moment.
He forced himself to walk calmly to the general store where Macie was working busily. Blake stood down the aisle and watched her carefully considering a can of lantern oil. He had to fight off panic as he watched her. Lucien’s threats against Macie had shaken him to the very core. She was Blake’s wife in name only, but she was still his responsibility for the time being. If something happened to her because of the Bradfields, Blake knew he’d never forgive himself. Suddenly, he was overcome with the urge to keep her close at all times. Surely, he could protect her if he only stayed alert.
Macie looked up and smiled sweetly at him. “Did you get everything settled with your friend?”
“Sure,” Blake replied quickly without returning that smile. “Could you hurry up a bit? I’d like to get home as soon as may be.”
He forced himself to ignore the hurt that flashed in her eyes at his tone. He’d been curt for her own protection, Blake reminded himself. She wouldn’t be hurt if she knew the truth.
By bustling Macie along, Blake was able to get them back on the road with their wagon filled within the hour. He was preoccupied on the drive and didn’t notice how often his wife sneaked worried peeks at him.
Before he’d married, threats against the ranch and his family would have been so different, Blake reflected. There, he was one of the group. The threats would be general and he would share the responsibility of meeting them with his brothers and parents at his side. But threats against his wife were so much more personal. Macie’s protection would fall squarely on him. His family might lend a hand, but the responsibility landed so very heavily on Blake.
And, rather than grow resentful of this, he found himself shouldering the burden. He’d brought Macie here. She had married Blake to help him get his inheritance. If she was now in danger from Lucien Durning, it was because of her association with Blake. He had to keep her safe.
Chapter 13
Sitting next to her husband on the wagon seat, Macie knew something was wrong or, at the very least, not right. Blake’s tone when he’d ordered her into the store had alerted her to the fact that whoever that man was, he was no friendly acquaintance. In truth, if Macie had to put a name to what her husband was feeling, she would guess that he was afraid. But why? The little man who’d approached him had seemed incapable of being much of a physical threat to her tall, muscled husband.
They still had nearly a half hour’s drive back to the ranch.
Macie steeled herself and asked, “Blake, who was that man?”
“What man?” he bluffed.
“You know which man,” she chided gently, nudging him with her elbow. “The one from outside the store.”
Blake’s hands tightened on the reins, confirming Macie’s suspicions.
“I know you don’t like him. I know that he said something that made you angry. And I know that you’re afraid of something,” she informed him. “Please tell me what happened.”
Blake eyed her with surprise. Macie felt a mixture of self-satisfaction that she’d impressed him and irritation that he was underestimating her intelligence.
But all that was brushed aside when, only a moment later, her husband sighed heavily and began to speak. “That was Lucien Durning. He’s a businessman from the east and he’s buying up land around Elmswood. He’s the owner of the Silver Dollar Saloon, too.”
“The name is familiar,” Macie said slowly. “I think he arrived not long before I left for Connecticut. But I don’t recall that he was causing any sort of trouble.”
Blake grunted at that before explaining, “He arrived in town with lots of smiles and speeches about goodwill. He promised his company would bring plenty of benefits to Elmswood. And, at first, he kept his word. Durning is responsible for improving the schoolhouse and for putting in the sidewalks. He built a fine house and invited everyone in town for a big Independence Day celebration.
“But then he began to show his true colors. Someone at the bank revealed just how many abandoned properties he’d bought up. Almost every single piece of available land in the county belonged to Lucien Durning. Some folks argued that was his right as a business man. Not long later, though, three different families picked up stakes and moved on. Friends and neighbors pointed the finger at Durning and his goons.
“When he declared his plans for the saloon, the Ladies’ Decency League was up in arms. However, they were no match for Lucien and his mob of lawyers. The saloon was erected and not two days later, a madam was brought in with three working girls who took up residence upstairs.”
Macie shook her head sadly. Those poor women, she thought. What a terrible state their lives must be in if that line of work was their only hope. Her hands tightened into angry fists at the knowledge that this Lucien Durning was their employer.
Blake continued, “One by one, the ranches and farms in the area have sold out to Lucien Durning. Some of the families are allowed to stay and work the land, paying rent. There are only a few spreads that are still independently owned.”
“And Lucien Durning wants to buy your family’s land,” Macie guessed.
“That about sums it up,” Blake said with a nod. “Pa won’t stand for it. Durning’s come back with offers again and again, though he hasn’t even come close to offering what the ranch is worth. I don’t suppose it matters much, anyway. Pa wouldn’t sell even if Durning offered twice what it’s worth.”
“Did he say something to you today? Did he make some sort of threat?” The pieces were coming together for Macie.
Blake threw her another look that revealed his amazement at her inference.
Macie waved it away with her hand and pressed, “He did, didn’t he? Did Durning say something about hurting me?”
“Yeah,” Blake admitted heavily. “But don’t worry, Macie. You’re my responsibility and I’ll see that no harm comes to you.”
It wasn’t the most romantic of statements, Macie reflected. Still, she took comfort in her husband’s promise.
“Will you tell your father about what happened?” she wondered.
“Absolutely not,” Blake said adamantly. “Pa’s already on edge about us going off to follow the map. Telling him about Durning would only make him insist that we stay. He wouldn’t want us off on our own.”
Macie hadn’t considered that. “Do you think Durning would send his men after us while we’re away from town?”
“Nah. He’ll focus his attention on Pa and the ranch. That is, if he does anything at all. Our ranch is big and established. Pa employs more than two dozen men. Durning can’t do anything more than be a fly in the ointment. If he tries something bigger, Pa will get the sheriff involved. We’ll be fine.” Macie got the feeling that Blake was reassuring them both.
Next to him, Macie wasn’t convinced. Durning didn’t sound like the sort of man it was wise to underestimate. That was how he’d gotten a foothold in the first place.
“Are you excited to be off chasing the clues?” Macie changed the subject. She didn’t have the courage to press her husband on the issue of Lucien Durning at the moment.
A slow smile spread across Blake’s face. He relaxed visibly as he said, “I can’t believe I finally get to leave the ranch and do some exploring of my own.”
“It’s a dream come tr
ue,” she summarized with a sinking heart.
Dreamily, Blake said, “It sure is. Even as a boy, I wished I had Granddad’s freedom to put on a pack, tie up my boots, and go wherever the wind blew me. I suppose that’s what I really wanted most: freedom. No one telling me what chores to do or to wash behind my ears. I could go for days and never meet a soul who knows me. I wouldn’t have to hear all the speculation about what’s wrong with me for having an adventurous spirit. If I wanted to make camp, I’d make camp. If I wanted to go to the Rio Grande, off I’d go.”
Macie’s heart grew heavier and heavier as she listened. It was perfectly clear that Blake’s dream did not include a wife or a home of his own. She suddenly saw that being married to Blake would mean that one of them would be very unhappy. Either Macie would have to watch her husband wander off, not knowing when he’d return, or else he’d stay at home with his family and be miserable the entire time.
Any hopes that she might change his mind shriveled. Sure, Macie could probably convince Blake to stay close to home, but he’d hate every minute of it. For the first time, Macie was struck by the idea that marrying him was a very bad idea after all.
Next to her, Blake waxed on, “Granddad was always so strong. No matter what people said about him, he did what he wanted. No one, except me, that is, understood. But that didn’t stop him. He told me once that he’d wanted to have the freedom to explore the world since he was small, but his obligations kept him from leaving town. I have a feeling his biggest regret in life was waiting so long before he finally started his adventures. I won’t make that same mistake, Macie. I won’t live my life with that sort of regret, no sirree.”
Macie’s hands clenched in her skirt and she bit her lower lip, telling herself in no uncertain terms that she would not cry. Not here, not now. And it wasn’t until she was alone in her room in their little cabin that she gave in to her disappointed tears.
***
Len asked that Blake stay until the calves were branded. It was a difficult chore and all hands were needed. Macie took advantage of the extra days to get back up on horseback. She knew full well that days in the saddle would leave her sore and was eager to lessen the discomfort.
To her great pleasure, Judy took her aside and provided Macie with a split skirt. It was muddy brown and of serviceable material. When standing still, the skirt was full and reached the top of Macie’s boots. However, it was sewn up the middle, making it into a pair of very full pants.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of you having to ride in one of your usual dresses,” Judy explained. “And, goodness knows, we don’t have a side saddle here or a riding habit.”
“Thank you,” Macie breathed. “This will make the trip so much easier.” She embraced her mother-in-law, feeling awed by the perceptive caring she’d been shown once again.
Only an hour later, she was able to get a firsthand experience of just how much better it was to ride in the split skirt. Macie swung up into the saddle, laughing at the ease of it. She didn’t have to situate her skirts or fiddle with petticoats or make sure her ankles were covered.
As she rode, she considered other things that would be easier, too: hiking, climbing, sitting by the campfire. Blake had mentioned going for a longer ride the next day and, with her new skirt, Macie looked forward to it more than ever.
She galloped along the fence line for awhile, enjoying the feeling of the wind in her face and the pounding of the horse’s hooves. No fancy ball back in Hartford could compare with this wild freedom, she knew. She and her brother had jumped on horseback all the time when they were kids. A saddle certainly did make things easier, Macie had to admit. And it really wouldn’t be proper for her to throw up her skirts and hold onto the horse’s sides with her bare legs as she’d done as a girl. The saddle and bridle meant that she had far more control and that galloping was much less dangerous.
A sense of being right where she belonged filled Macie and left her euphoric as she returned to the paddock where Blake was working.
He looked up and grinned at her as she dismounted. “You look like you’ve had a good ride,” he commented.
Macie nodded happily, trying to catch her breath.
“Do you think you’ll be ready for a long ride tomorrow?” Blake asked as he led the horse to the stables.
“I had an idea about that,” Macie said mustering her courage.
“Oh?” her husband cocked an eyebrow at her.
She’d given it a lot of thought and felt that now was the right moment to ask, “Could we go to my family’s homestead tomorrow? It would be more than an hour’s ride over and back, so I’d get in the time in the saddle that I need.”
Blake closed the stall door behind the horse and the stable hand, who would take care of his needs, then turned and led the way back outside, hands shoved in his hip pockets.
“I was thinking we’d take a picnic and ride up to the gorge,” he hedged.
Macie bit her lower lip. Should she fight for this? She’d pinned a lot of hope on the idea and would be rather disappointed not to go tomorrow. Was it worth pushing Blake? She watched him, debating, before finally saying, “It would mean a lot to me to go back. It’s why I returned to Elmswood, after all.”
Blake drew to a stop and carefully analyzed his wife. Macie stood still under his scrutiny, praying that he’d understand.
After a long minute, he shrugged and caved. “I guess if it means that much to you. Do you want to take a lunch?”
“Yes, that sounds lovely,” Macie agreed, letting out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
For goodness’ sake, she’d agree to almost anything at that moment. She was going to go back to her homestead tomorrow! Finally, finally, she could say good-bye to the memories that haunted her. Surely, tomorrow, she’d be able to begin let go of the grief she’d been carrying so closely all these years.
Chapter 14
Confident that the next day was going to change everything, Macie slept soundly. However, by the time she was on her horse and starting to recognize familiar landmarks the following morning, she suffered a terrible attack of nerves. Memories assailed her on all sides and she stopped being able to carry on a conversation with Blake.
This was where her mother had taken them for a picnic one particularly warm winter day when Macie was young. There was the part of the fence she and Teddy raced to almost daily in the summer. She could feel the hot earth under her feet, hear her brother’s cries to slow down, and smell the warm air. Oh, there was the place where she’d fallen off her horse! She’d forgotten all about that. How she’d cried over her very minor injuries and hurried home to her father’s waiting arms.
By the time the small adobe house came into view, Macie could hardly hold back her tears. She drew her mount to a stop and slid down, then stood just staring at the old home place.
She wasn’t sure what made her the saddest: the memories of her lost family or the complete state of disrepair all around her. Pa had worked so hard and been so proud of their small spread. He would hate to see it all grown over with weeds, the roof falling in, and the fence little more than a crumbling line of rotting logs.
With no thought to her husband, Macie moved towards the house. The door creaked open slowly, its hinges protesting loudly. The wood was swollen and weathered. Macie had to press her shoulder into it to make a wide enough entrance.
Inside, the tears began to flow freely; she could no longer hold them back.
Images of her mother standing at the stove, or piecing quilts by the fire, or reading her beloved books in the armchair by the window took on a life of their own. Macie remembered Teddy playing with his ball, arguing with Mama about washing behind his ears, and cutting his fingers as he tried to learn to whittle. Pa’s booming laugh seemed to echo through the house. She remembered the scent of his sweat after he’d worked hard all day and the sound of Mama insisting that he take a bath.
The Scars of a Pure Heart Page 10
