Tyler spoke up. "She's right. And the judge has brought a marshal with him, too. He looks like he knows how to handle himself."
With Cal's arm wrapped around her waist, Prudence made her way out of the jail cell. It felt good to have Cal holding onto her like this. There was so much she wanted to say to him. But, right now wasn't the time, nor the place. There would be time for talk later. Her words were for Cal alone, and not to be overheard by anyone else.
Prudence saw a flash of metal on Tyler's shirt. A metal star glimmered brightly. Tyler tugged on it and looked suddenly proud. "The judge just appointed me the new sheriff of Testament Creek," he announced.
Grace rested a hand on Tyler's chest and looked up admiringly at him. "Isn't that something?" she said. Grace looked real proud of Tyler. He smiled down at Grace. Maybe it wouldn't be long before Grace and Tyler announced they were steeping out together, Prudence told herself.
"Congratulations, Tyler," Cal said. He shook Tyler's hand.
They all made their way outside to the boardwalk. Prudence saw the marshal leading a clearly unhappy-looking Brady across the street. The marshal took Brady inside the jail house and locked him up in the same cell Cal had been occupying until moments ago.
Cal introduced himself to the judge. They were both chatting about what had happened when a rider came thundering down Main Street.
Cal peered at the rider. "That's Luke. One of our ranch hands."
Luke drew to an abrupt halt and leaped down from his saddle. His eyes were wide with fear and he was out of breath. His face was red with exertion. Clearly he'd been riding fast from the ranch.
"What's wrong?" Cal asked Luke, grabbing him by the arm.
"Largo. He and his men arrived at the ranch a while ago. He's seized the place. And he's taken Hope hostage. He's got the rest of the ranch hands locked up in the bunkhouse. I managed to get away without them seeing me."
Prudence and Grace cried out in unison. "Hope!" Prudence seized Cal's arm. "We have to get to the Circle T. We can't leave Hope there with that awful man."
Cal's gaze was steady. He turned to Tyler. "Can you get some men together, fast?"
Tyler nodded. "I can get a posse together. Give me fifteen minutes." Then Tyler raced away across the street.
The marshal peered at the judge. "You want me to go with them, judge."
The judge nodded. "Bring back Largo. See to it that the man knows there's law and order in Testament Creek."
The marshal's expression was stern. Prudence's mind was racing with all the possibilities of what could go wrong. She lifted up her heart to God and prayed silently.
Lord, protect Hope. And give us all the strength to bring her to safety and end the reign of evil which Rafael Largo has created. We trust in You, Lord. Grant us the courage to face this evil and to conquer it. Amen.
Prudence saw Cal watching her carefully. Could he tell she was praying? Maybe he'd been praying in recent days, too. She hoped so. She'd done all she could to bring Cal back to the faith.
Cal leaned closer and whispered. "The Lord is on our side."
When she heard Cal say those words Prudence felt joy leap in her heart. She smiled at him. "He is, Cal. He truly is."
"Let's go. Hope is waiting for us," Cal said.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
They arrived at the ranch a short while later. Tyler had been true to his word. He'd gathered a posse of a dozen men, all eager to face Largo. It seemed Largo had made plenty of enemies. There were scores to settle around Testament Creek.
The two buckboards and over a dozen riders crested the ridge which looked down upon the Circle T ranch house. Cal drove one of the buckboards. Prudence sat alongside him. Tyler drove the other buckboard with Grace in the seat next to him.
Marshal Manning rode a horse which had been obtained from the livery. The judge had elected to remain in Testament Creek. It seemed he had absolute confidence that his marshal would bring Largo and his men to justice. Cal hoped that confidence wasn't misplaced. From the brief conversation he'd had with the marshal, it seemed the man knew what he was doing. The Colt.45 at his hip, and the Winchester in its scabbard on his horse, told Cal that Manning was an expert. There was a steady confidence in the man's eyes. Cal liked that.
The buckboards and riders drew to a halt. From up on the crest, Cal could see a few of Largo's men out in front of the ranch house. A few horses were tied up on the hitching rail in front of the porch. There didn't seem to be much activity out front of the house.
"Where's Hope?" Prudence murmured.
Cal smiled reassuringly at Prudence. "She's going to be fine," he said. "I give you my word."
Prudence nodded, but he could see she was worried out of her mind. When she'd raced into the jailhouse, his heart had leaped for joy. His prayers had been answered. And when he'd swept her into his arms and kissed her, that joy had turned into a delight which had made his spirit sing. Now that she was by his side, he'd never let her go. He'd wanted to tell her how much he loved her. The words had been on the tip of his tongue after the kiss. But he'd held back from telling her. The jailhouse wasn't the kind of place for declarations of undying love, he told himself.
Right now, they had a job to do. It wasn't going to be easy, and there were dangers involved. Cal glanced at the posse, the marshal and the new sheriff. Then he looked at Grace and Prudence. With these folks by his side Cal was sure they could deal with anything Largo threw at them.
"I reckon we should get going," the marshal said confidently. "Just ride on in."
Cal nodded and then flicked the reins of his buckboard. It lurched forward. Soon the entire crew were riding down the hill. The noise of their arrival caught the attention of the men in the yard. They looked up and watched as the buckboards and riders headed to the Circle T ranch house.
No guns were raised. Obviously, Largo had issued instructions to his men. Cal drove the buckboard into the yard, quietly grateful that Largo might want to negotiate. Still, the seizing of the ranch house had been an audacious act on Largo's part. There was something desperate about it. Maybe the burning down of his house had prompted the man to this course of action.
Six of Largo's men walked out to the middle of the yard. Each held a rifle. For the moment, the rifles were pointed downward. That meant peace. For the moment. Cal drew the buckboard to a halt. The other buckboard halted alongside him. The posse riders drew their mounts to a halt in front of Largo's six men.
Cal leaned closer to Prudence. "Wait here," he murmured and then got down from the buckboard. He saw Prudence's mouth open and thought she was about to object. Cal gave her a stern look and she frowned at him. Then she nodded and turned her head, glaring at Largo's men.
Marshal Manning got down from his horse and strode to Cal's side. Tyler whispered something to Grace and then eased himself down from the buckboard seat. He came to Cal and smiled as he took his place. Now the three of them were facing the six men. The rest of the posse remained mounted. Largo's men were outnumbered, and they knew it.
"Drop the guns," the marshal ordered.
Largo's men stared back at the marshal. They made no move to do what he'd said. Cal heard the clicking of guns from behind him. The members of the posse were ready to act.
"Largo!" Cal called out. His voice echoed across the yard.
Instantly, he heard a muffled reply. "Cal. Here at the back of the house." It was Hope's voice. Then he heard a quiet squealing sound, as if someone had tried to stop Hope from talking.
Prudence moaned in alarm. "Hope! We're here," she cried out.
"I'm going to the back," Cal stated.
"I'll come with you," Prudence shouted. Before he could say anything she'd leaped down from the buckboard. She ran to the side of the house.
"Prudence," Cal shouted. "Wait."
But it was no use. Muttering his frustration, Cal raced after Prudence. He made his way around the side of the house. He saw Prudence's back as she disappeared around the corner. "Prudence. Wait for me!" Ca
l yelled. But she kept running.
Cal dragged his gun from its holster. He didn't know what he'd find once he turned that corner. But he'd be ready.
He ran around the corner and along the narrow path between the house and the garden. Up ahead he saw Prudence racing toward two figures who were standing by the gray trunk of the aged, solitary tree near the doors to the parlor.
Cal felt his blood run cold. Largo was holding on to Hope. He had his arm twisted around her middle. There was a pistol in his hand. It was pointing straight at the advancing figure of Prudence.
"Stop!" Cal roared.
Prudence slid to a halt on the gravel pathway and turned to look, wide-eyed at Cal. Then she peered at Largo and Hope. Cal raced to Prudence's side. He seized her by the arm, holding her tight. He wasn't going to let her get any closer to Largo.
"Stay right there, Logan," Largo barked. He pointed the pistol at Hope's head. Prudence gasped.
"Let her go," Cal bellowed.
Largo shook his head. "No. I came here to get what is mine. And she's my ticket out of here."
"You won't make it past the yard," Cal told Largo. "We've got men out there who'll make sure you don't even get on your horse."
Largo's brows furrowed. "You're lying."
"He's telling the truth, Largo. We have a twelve man posse out there. And a marshal. You won't get far." Prudence tried to take a step away from Cal, but he held her tight. "Let Hope go. She hasn't done anything to you. She helped some of your men last night. The ones who were injured in the fire."
"I don't care about them," Largo snapped.
"This ranch will never belong to you," Prudence told Largo.
When Largo laughed Cal felt a chill up his spine. The man seemed crazy, now. "I'm not here for your ranch." He glanced down at the ground. "I'm here for something much more valuable."
Cal peered at the ground surrounding the dead remains of the dried-up tree. The earth had been disturbed. A large mound of light brown dirt had been piled up next to the tree. A metal spade lay on the ground next to it. Cal frowned, wondering why Largo had been digging around the tree.
Then the answer came when Hope cried out: "Gold. Largo's got gold here. He's been digging it up. I saw it."
"Gold?" Cal asked.
Largo's eyes flashed with fury. "That's right. Gold. And it belongs to me. I put it there before Silas built this miserable ranch house. Before he even came to Texas."
Cal and Prudence exchanged astonished looks.
"He's right," came a voice from behind them. It was Marshal Manning's voice. Cal turned and saw the marshal standing on the path. "Largo ran a gang which robbed the bank in Austin four years ago. Only then he wasn't called Rafael Largo." The marshal lifted a brow at Largo. "Isn't that right, Don Diego Cardosa? That's your real name, isn't it?"
Cal saw Largo's brows furrow into deep ridges. The man's jaw tightened and then he roared his frustration. For a moment, Cal thought Largo was about to fire his pistol. Hope stiffened as Largo pulled her body against his. She closed her eyes as if expecting the worst. Cal's body tensed and anger welled up inside himself as he saw the distress on Hope's face.
The marshal strode past Cal and Prudence. "I wouldn't do that, if I was you, Don Diego. Your time for running is over. We've been looking for you for a long time." His voice was confident and firm, almost like he'd dealt with situations like this many times before.
Cal saw the hatred in Largo's eyes as he stared at the marshal. "You can't prove anything," Largo screamed.
The marshal shook his head. "We got plenty of witnesses. It only took that letter from Hope's friend to put us on the right track. Once we started digging deeper, it was obvious who you were. And that you'd come back to claim what you think belongs to you."
Largo dragged Hope to one side. That was when the marshal decided he'd had enough of being reasonable. He drew his pistol and pointed it straight at Largo. Cal heard Prudence moan. He wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her closer to him.
Then Cal saw a movement behind Largo. Coming around the other corner of the house was the tall figure of Sheriff Tyler. His footsteps were slow and quiet. Then, at the last movement, Tyler moved quickly, closing the distance between himself and Largo. With one swift blow, Tyler brought the butt of his pistol down on the back of Largo's head. The man grunted and his eyes rolled. Then he collapsed in a heap on the ground. Hope ran straight to Prudence. Cal released Prudence and watched her embrace her friend. They both moaned their relief to one another.
The marshal went quickly to Largo and took his gun. Tyler and Manning exchanged satisfied looks. "Largo's men out front?" Manning asked.
Tyler nodded. "They handed their rifles over. And Largo's men down at the bunkhouse did the same."
Cal walked to the hole in the ground. About two feet down there was a black, metal box. It had been opened and inside shone a neat pile of gold bars. Cal swallowed. He'd never seen so much gold before. He figured it must be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Cal looked at Manning. "You've been searching for this for four years?"
Manning nodded and glanced at Largo's unconscious form. "He was the man behind the robbery. Seems like he hid the gold here when he was being pursued. He intended to come back for it."
"Why didn't he?"
"He went back to Mexico for some reason. We heard he got caught up in some revolutionary activities. It delayed his return. By the time he came back for the gold, Silas had bought this place and built his ranch house."
Cal laughed. "Right on top of the hidden gold."
Manning nodded. "That means Silas's heirs get to claim the reward for its recovery."
Prudence gasped. "There's a reward?"
Manning smiled. "Yes, ma'am. Ten percent of the value goes to you and your friends."
Hope and Grace stared at each other and then both laughed out loud. Prudence came to Cal. "You had no idea about any of this?"
Cal shook his head. "None whatsoever."
Cal hugged Prudence, holding her close. "This means you can all do whatever you like with the Circle T. Buy new cattle. Purchase more land. Take on more ranch hands." Cal giggled. "The sky's the limit."
Prudence smiled at Hope and Grace. "Would you excuse us both for a moment?" she said to the two of them. "Cal and I need to talk."
Cal frowned as Prudence led him away from the back of the house. They both walked up the gravel path and through the bluebonnet-sprinkled grass. Finally they reached the trees. Cal recognized the exact tree alongside which he and Prudence had kissed. Turning, Cal saw the activity down at the house. Largo had awakened. The marshal cuffed Largo's hands behind his back and led the man away.
"Its all over,"Cal said softly.
Prudence gazed up at him. "Is that what you really think?" For a moment he wasn't sure what she meant. And then she added. "Cal Logan. I've got something to say to you."
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
This wasn't going to be easy, Prudence told herself as she gazed up into Cal's eyes. She saw hesitation in those eyes. What did he think she was going to say to him? Didn't he realize how much he meant to her? All the trouble they'd been through over the last few weeks had only brought her closer to him. And she was pretty sure it was the same for him.
Prudence's heart was pounding furiously as she thought about what she had to say to Cal. But she knew if she didn't tell him how she felt about him, she might never get a better chance.
Prudence decided it was best to come right out with the truth. She lifted a hand up to Cal's face and cupped the side of his face in her hand. Cal's eyes widened with delight. "Cal Logan. I love you."
Cal's brows lifted in a line. A sigh eased out of him and he shook his head. "You know how to catch a man off guard, don't you?"
Prudence grinned at Cal. "I reckon I know how to catch the man I love," she said and lifted a brow.
Cal smiled. "You've sure done that."
Cal rested his hand against hers at the side of his face. His touch
was tender and his skin was warm. Prudence felt her breath catch in her chest.
Leaning forward, Cal gazed deeply into her eyes. "You are one amazing woman. You know that?"
She shrugged. "If you say so, it must be true."
Cal leaned closer. She caught the aroma of his scent and it made her senses reel for a moment. He cupped her face with both hands. Then he dipped his head and claimed a kiss. His lips were soft and warm. Sensation flared into life as every nerve in her body ignited. She'd been longing for this kiss ever since she'd walked away from this very spot next to the tree. She hadn't forgotten the delight he'd awakened in her. And now the joy was back, making her spirit sing. This was the happiness the Lord had brought into her life. She was filled with gratitude.
Cal lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. "I love you, Prudence. From the moment you walked into my life, you turned my world upside down." He laughed. "And I couldn't be happier about that."
"We found each other," Prudence said. "That's all that matters. The Lord brought us together."
To her delight, he agreed. "He sure did. I knew from the moment I stepped into that church with you that things were never going to be the same again." Cal sighed contentedly. "I'm back where I belong."
Prudence's heart filled with joy. Cal leaned down and kissed her one more time. She allowed herself to savor every sweet moment of delight.
When the kiss was over she saw Cal's brows furrow suddenly, as if he'd been struck by a sudden idea. Cal swallowed, clearly nervous. He dragged in a deep breath and took a step back. Cal took hold of her hands, curling his fingers around hers. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at her. His lips became thin lines.
Cal cleared his throat and then, in an instant, he sank down onto one knee. Still holding her hands, he gazed up at her. Prudence gasped, her mouth opening wide.
"Cal. What are you doing?" Prudence asked.
"What does it look like?" he countered. "Prudence. Will you do me the great honor of agreeing to become my wife?"
The Texas Cowboy’s Courtship (Testament Creek Book 1) Page 17
