“I’ll be needing to ride into town when we return, lads.” Fletcher blew out an irritated breath. “I’ve got to be figuring out what to do with Maddy and the bairn.”
Camden’s brows rose. “You’ve got to be talking the lass into marrying you, Fletch. There’s nothing more you need to be figuring. Wed Maddy. You can work through the rest of it afterward.”
Fletcher stared into the darkening sky, agreeing with Camden. The problem wasn’t the responsibility to marry. He’d already accepted his obligation.
The problem was getting Maddy to accept the inevitable. He might not fully trust her, but he respected what she’d done to keep the baby. Fletcher enjoyed her company, broad smile, and hearty laugh, so unlike the tittering sound of many young women. She was smart and a hard worker, both perfect for the role as a rancher’s wife. Circle M would be a safe place for her and the child, surrounded by his family and the support they’d offer. He was offering everything he had and couldn’t understand what else she expected.
Frustration didn’t quite encompass what he felt. All he understood was he had to do something to get Maddy to change her mind, and he needed to do it soon.
Chapter Fifteen
Conviction
Lew finished breakfast, leaving Dob and Ross at the restaurant as he checked the repairs on his saddle. In truth, the saddlery wasn’t his destination. He’d said nothing to Dob about Maddy, never intending to expose her presence in town. Lew wouldn’t take part in the kidnapping and murder of a woman with child. After years with the man, he knew Dob wouldn’t spare a second thought at giving such an order.
Striding down the boardwalk, he crossed the street, walking between a couple buildings. Crossing the next street, he stopped at the same spot where’d he’d seen Maddy the night before. Pulling out a cheroot, he lit it, coming to terms with what he needed to do.
A night almost two years ago crossed his mind. Considering all he’d done in his life, the mistakes he’d made, lives lost at his hand…that one night stuck with him.
Rubbing his chin, he stared at the house, still thinking of what had happened to the beautiful young woman.
Unbeknownst to Dob’s men, Maddy had been standing in the shadows when he ordered his men to kill her father. Lew had backed away, disgusted at the command to murder his leader’s brother, a man everyone saw as better than Dob. Better, and not as ruthless.
Putting several yards between him and the others, Lew had heard a soft sob. Taking a quick glance to his side, his stomach roiled at the sight of Maddy, tears streaming down her lovely face, both hands clutched over her mouth.
Unable to go to her without arousing Dob’s suspicion, he’d watched Maddy double over, unable to control the pain at what she’d witnessed. She’d also been unable to do anything about it.
The instant she straightened, her gaze met his. He’d given her a terse nod, a signal for Maddy to run. When she’d turned away, Lew thought that would be the end of it. He’d been wrong.
The sound of laughter pulled his attention from the dark thoughts of his past. Maddy and another woman left the house, walking in the opposite direction than the previous evening. They headed toward the main street. Even in her condition, there would be little chance Dob or one of his men wouldn’t recognize her.
Making a quick decision, Lew hurried to catch up, trying to think through what he planned to say. The instant she saw him, he had no doubt Maddy would panic and run. He knew there was no help for it. She needed to be warned and taken out of town, even if she fought him the entire time.
Praying she wouldn’t, he closed the distance between Maddy and him. Coming alongside her before they reached the main street, he waited a moment for her to notice. It took mere seconds for her to look over at him, a slight gasp escaping her lips. In her attempt to dash away, Maddy almost tripped, Lew reaching out to steady her.
“No!” Maddy screeched.
Lew tightened his grip on her arm, wincing at the pain radiating from his shoulder when the other woman slugged him. He glanced at her, shaking his head.
“I need to speak with Maddy. It’s important,” he hissed when she hit him again. Grabbing Maddy’s shoulders, he forced her to look at him. “Dob is here. You must get away.” He slowly directed her between two buildings and out of sight.
Face paling, breath coming in rapid pants, she focused on Lew. “Dob…”
“Yes. And he won’t care that you’re with child, Maddy. He plans to kidnap and kill you. Trust me, he won’t change his mind at learning of your condition.”
“Who are you?”
He looked at the other woman, not letting go of his hold on Maddy. “Lew Quick. You?”
“Suzette Gasnier.”
“Miss Gasnier, Maddy must come with me before Dob discovers her. If he gets his hands on her…” Lew swung his gaze to Maddy. “You know what he’ll do.” He dropped his hands, stepping away.
Suzette settled a hand on Maddy’s arm. “Is Dob the man you’re running from?”
Pulse racing, she nodded. “Yes. He’s been chasing me since I ran away in Kansas.”
Lew drew her attention back to him. “Do you have somewhere to go until Dob gives up and leaves?”
A stricken look lightened her already pale face. Maddy cast a troubled gaze at Suzette. “Do you think Fletcher might allow me to stay with him?”
Suzette’s features softened, keeping her voice low. “He wants to marry you and is the father of your baby.” She squeezed Maddy’s arm. “I don’t believe he’ll have any problem with you staying at the ranch.”
Sucking in a shaky breath, she looked at Lew. “There’s a ranch a few miles east of here. They might let me stay there.”
Lew stepped back a couple feet, his gaze sweeping the street as he’d done since giving Maddy the news about Dob. “Do you have a horse?”
Pursing her lips, she shook her head. “No.”
“You can use my buggy.”
“Then you’d have no transportation, Suzette.”
“If I need to go someplace, I’ll rent one at the livery or borrow August’s. I’d take you out, but I don’t have enough time before I must be at the hotel.” Suzette looked at Lew. “Will you ride out with her?”
He ignored the horror in Maddy’s eyes. “I won’t let her go alone.”
“I can go alone,” she protested.
“Then how will the buggy get back to Miss Gasnier? I don’t know how long Dob will stay in town. It could be a few days or a couple weeks.”
Maddy understood his meaning. “Then I’ll drive the buggy and you can ride alongside.”
Impatience swept through him. “Fine, but we need to start soon. Every minute you stay gives Dob a chance to find you.”
Trail north to Circle M
Fletcher’s entire body ached, his hands bleeding from the numerous blisters. He worked hard every day, breaking and training horses. It never occurred to him catching a wild stallion would create additional pain. Even with Camden sharing the responsibility, they struggled to keep the horse from trying to escape. If he did, the mares would follow and they’d have to start all over.
Maddy’s image flashed through his mind. Fletcher needed to get to Conviction, convince her to reconsider his offer of marriage. He intended to claim her and his child, no matter how long it took. First, he had to get to her. Losing the stallion and herd wasn’t going to happen.
“Fletch.” Camden called his name, motioning to the stallion.
His thoughts moved from Maddy to the job of getting the herd to the ranch. Turning his attention to the horse, he realized the stallion had become docile and quiet. No longer did he show the rage of being captured. The fight had disappeared.
“Can you handle him by yourself, lad?”
Camden nodded. “Aye. You help Bram and Thane.”
Riding to his cousin, Fletcher handed him the rope. Relief surged through him. The loss of the rope gave his hands immediate respite from the constant pain.
“You’ll be signal
ing me if he changes his mind, Cam.”
He waved Fletcher off. “Aye. Now go help the lads.”
Giving a brisk nod, he reined Domino around. Lifting a hand to Bram and Thane, he waited until the herd passed before taking a position at the back. Normally, he hated riding drag. Today, he didn’t care where he rode if it meant a reprieve from handling the stallion.
His thoughts went back to Maddy and what he could do to convince her a marriage to him wouldn’t be as bad as she believed. Fletcher still didn’t understand what she found so repulsive. He’d offered her a life she’d never achieve as a single mother. She hadn’t been rude when declining his proposal.
“Proposal.”
The word didn’t feel right when he spoke it aloud. Wincing, he thought back on the last time he’d seen Maddy. Instead of a proposal of marriage, he’d made an offer out of duty. Even if they’d known each other while she worked at Buckie’s, Maddy had expected more from him.
The thought she’d anticipated something else confused him. They’d shared weeks of private time in her room, being intimate and talking until almost dawn. He’d grown much more attached than he’d planned.
His affection for Maddy had been the real reason he’d volunteered to help his cousin, Blaine, at the MacLaren’s new ranch in Settlers Valley. It was why he’d written the terse note to her, telling her their time together was over. Guilt ripped through him when he recalled the message, understanding too late how it would affect her. He’d never meant to hurt Maddy, yet he knew he had. The note was something he had to address with her, along with the reasons marrying him wouldn’t be so awful.
Tilting his face up to the clear afternoon sky, Fletcher relaxed in the saddle. If the stallion kept his current sullen behavior and the weather held, they’d make it to Circle M before sunset. They’d secure the herd and hobble the stallion, then clean up before riding to Conviction.
Tonight, he’d begin his campaign to convince Maddy marriage to him wouldn’t be a miserable union. In time, he hoped it could be much more.
Circle M
Her anxiety increased as the ranch came into sight. Maddy had never been here, didn’t know any of the MacLarens except Fletcher, Bram, Camden, and Brodie. As sheriff, she knew Brodie wouldn’t be at the ranch. Biting her lower lip, she prayed at least one of the others would be there.
Scanning the row of houses, she breathed in, letting it out in a slow whoosh. Passing the first house before stopping in front of the second, her chest squeezed, not sure what to do next.
“I’ll help you down.”
For a brief moment, she’d forgotten Lew rode beside the buggy. “Thank you.”
Feeling her feet touch the ground, she dropped her hands from his shoulders, stepping away. The less contact she had with Lew the better. She’d hoped to never see him again and wondered why it had to be him saving her from Dob.
Back then, Lew had done what was forced upon him. Today, he’d found Maddy, rescuing her before doing what he’d promised—accompanying her to Circle M.
Steeling her resolve, she looked around, noting a couple men in a corral not far away.
“Do you recognize anyone?”
Licking her lips, she shook her head. “No.”
“Then we’d best introduce ourselves.” He stalked to the steps, noting Maddy still stood by the buggy. “Come on. I need to get back to town before Dob misses me.”
The implied threat of Dob learning about her had Maddy moving to Lew, stopping next to him. “All right. I’m ready.”
“It’s going to be fine, Maddy.”
She shot him a disbelieving glare. “How do you know that? These people don’t know me, have no idea what I’ve been through…” Her voice trailed off, as did her courage.
“I’m guessing they don’t know about the baby.”
Maddy shook her head, humiliation flashing in her eyes. “Or that Fletcher is the father.”
Without thought, she placed a hand on her stomach, dropping it at the sound of the door opening. A woman she recognized from the restaurant stood there. Fletcher’s mother, she was certain of it.
“I thought I heard voices. May I be helping you?” An interested grin accompanied the question before her gaze moved from Maddy’s face to her stomach. The grin changed to a broad smile. “You’ve a bairn on the way.”
Swallowing, she nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Almost six months now.” She glanced at Lew. “I’m Madeleine. I—”
“Ach, I know who you are, lass. You work at the Feather River Restaurant. I’m Lorna MacLaren. You’ve served me and my husband, Ewan.” She opened the door. “You’ll be coming inside and tell me why you’ve come.”
Once inside, Maddy introduced Lew, both declining anything to drink. Settling onto a settee, she drew in another breath, desperate to find a sense of calm before explaining the reason for her visit. Lew took a seat next to her, which didn’t help with her search for composure.
Lorna sat in a chair near Maddy, clasping her hands together in her lap. “Now, tell me why you’re here, lass.”
Clearing her throat, she found it hard to meet Lorna’s gaze. How did you tell a woman the baby you carried belonged to her son? Maddy’s shoulders slumped, realizing how difficult this was going to be and having no idea how to start.
“Lass, are you all right?”
She looked up into Lorna’s concerned face. “I’m sorry, Mrs. MacLaren. Yes, I’m fine. I wondered if, well…is Fletcher here today?”
Her brows drew together. “Fletcher? Nae, the lad and three of his cousins went after wild horses. Are you needing to speak with Fletch?”
The slamming of the front door stopped any response. Lorna turned to see who had walked inside.
“Ewan, we have guests. This is Lew, and this is—”
“Madeleine.” Ewan grinned before his eyes moved to her stomach. “Are you here to see Fletch?”
Gasping, Maddy’s gaze darted between the three people in the room. Her throat tightened, another wave of uncertainty gripping her chest.
Lorna’s eyes widened. “Ewan, how would you be knowing the lass is here for Fletch?”
Ewan stared at Maddy before sitting in a chair close to his wife. “This is the lass Fletcher was seeing before he left to help Blaine.”
Tears began to form, Maddy doing her best not to let them fall.
Lorna’s mouth dropped open. “Fletch was seeing you, lass? What would that be meaning?”
“Aye, love. They were seeing each other for a while. Isn’t that right, lass?”
All the courage she’d fought to attain disappeared as tears began to flow down her cheeks. Covering her face with both hands, she sobbed.
Lew moved closer, putting an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, doing what she could to regain control. After a minute, she pulled away, brushing the moisture from her face before standing.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have come.”
“Sit back down, lass. Whatever it is, we’ll be working it out.” Ewan’s stern voice had her stilling. She saw the determined, yet sympathetic look on his face, deciding to do what he asked. “Now, tell us how we can be helping you?”
“Is the bairn Fletch’s?” Everyone turned to look at Lorna. “Well, is it, lass?”
She lowered her gaze to stare at her round belly. “Yes, ma’am.” Looking up, she saw the doubt on Ewan’s face. “It truly is Fletcher’s, Mr. MacLaren. I wouldn’t lie about something so important.”
Lorna’s features sobered. “Does the lad know about the bairn?”
Maddy swallowed. “Yes, ma’am. He asked me to marry him, but I turned him down.”
Jumping to her feet, Lorna glared at her. “You said no to the lad knowing you carried his bairn?”
“You don’t understand.”
“No, lass, I don’t.” Lorna forced herself to sit back down.
Maddy stared back down at her lap, her voice cloaked in regret. “Fletch doesn’t love me. I don’t want him to marry me out of duty.”
/> “Do you love the lad?”
She lifted her head at Ewan’s question. A shaky breath escaped, misery on her face. “Yes, I love him. At one time, I thought he felt the same, but why would a man like him want a life with a woman who worked at Buckie’s?”
Lorna slouched against the chair. “Buckie’s. And what would you have been doing there?”
“Serving drinks, nothing more. The bartender, Frankie, and I grew up together. He encouraged me to come to Conviction and convinced the owner to hire me.”
“And the bairn?”
Feeling her pulse race, she swiped more tears from her face. “I can’t explain it. When I came downstairs one night, Fletcher, Bram, and Camden were at the bar. He turned and looked at me, and something happened. Fletch kept coming to Buckie’s, never talking to any of the girls but me. I finally realized I was the reason he came in so often.” She let out a bitter laugh. “Actually, several of the girls told me they’d never seen him pay so much attention to anyone. Frankie said the same. Though I knew it was wrong, after a while, I took him to my room.” Her voice had grown increasingly low and rough.
“And the lad continued to ride into town every night.” Ewan’s voice held no trace of accusation. He looked at Lorna.
“The lad wouldn’t have been doing that if he felt nothing for you, lass.”
Maddy’s surprised gaze met Lorna’s. “That’s what I thought until I received his note.”
“Note?” Lorna asked.
She drew in an unsteady breath. “He was leaving and wrote me a note. Bram delivered it.” She pursed her lips, heart clenching. “It was over. He didn’t want me.”
Ewan scowled. “Ach, the lad knew what he was wanting, and it was you, Maddy. I’m thinking Fletch didn’t know how to tell his ma and me about his saloon lass.”
She felt the color drain from her face. “But—”
“Ach, lass. If you knew Fletch better, you’d know the lad cares a great deal for you.” Ewan leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. “Maybe the lad doesn’t love you. Caring for you would be a good start to a marriage.”
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