The Rancher’s Second Chance Bride

by Maya Stirling

  And it had been enjoyable. She had to admit to herself that she had appreciated the chance to be reminded of just what a loving family were the Buchanans. Having had her own family taken from her in such a tragic fashion, Honora had truly loved seeing what family harmony really looked like. She'd always known there was something special about the Buchanans. After today, she was even more certain of that.

  And then there had been the time she'd spent alone with Reese. That had been real special. She'd been reluctant to go anywhere near the tree with him. She'd known that sitting next to him on the swing would bring back memories she'd find hard to ignore. And that had been exactly what had happened. She'd remembered all the good times. Every moment of the happiness they'd once shared. And, Reese's kiss had just made everything seem perfect. Inevitable. She was beginning to believe she'd been brought back to Inspiration for one single purpose. Even as she considered that purpose, she forced herself not to admit it to herself. To do so would mean she would have to do something she'd been avoiding since she'd been reunited with Reese.

  Forgiveness was sometimes a hard virtue to practice.

  As she sat between Johanna and Rosalind riding across the rangeland toward the Buchanan ranch, Honora was seized with one thought. Surely, God did not want the Buchanans to lose their hard-won harmony, that life of Christian dignity which they'd worked so hard to create. Honora's confidence in God's grace made it impossible for her to believe that someone like Calhoun would be allowed to destroy such happiness.

  Was that why she been led back to Reese? To play her part in this? And was God simply asking her to forgive Reese so that she could finally accept that she belonged with him? Honora was seized by the sense that she may have hardened her heart too much. She'd felt that when Reese had suggested the visit to the Buchanan ranch. Had her personal tragedy caused her to erect a barrier between herself and Reese? And was that the opposite of what God was asking of her?

  As the carriage crested a ridge, and headed toward the distant ranch house, Honora asked herself one last question.

  Was it God's will that she should turn her gaze away from the past, forgive Reese, and accept that her true place in this world was to be Reese Buchanan's wife?

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  There was something wrong, and he couldn't figure out what it was. Reese held the reins of the carriage tight in his hands and glanced across at Honora. She appeared lost in her own thoughts. In fact, she'd been like that since she, Rosalind and Johanna had returned from town. He wondered what had gone on down there, apart from the purchase of the pretty bonnet which Honora was still wearing.

  In the softening light of the early evening, Reese saw the Ferguson ranch house in the distance and knew he had only a short time to say what he needed to say. "That was a real important day for me," he confessed.

  She peered at him. "Really?"

  "The whole day was just perfect," he announced defiantly. "Seeing you back on the ranch just made me feel good. It's that simple."

  She smiled. "I thought it was a perfect day, too," she said in a quiet voice. He stiffened, and tried hard to disguise his surprise at her admission. He'd expected her to be as cool with him as she'd been on occasions over the past few days. Maybe the kiss on the swing had made as big an impression on her as it had on him.

  "Your family are special, Reese," she said. "But, you know that already. I don't have to tell you that."

  "They were glad to see you back on the ranch," he said. "My ma in particular."

  "These can't be easy times for your ma and pa," Honora said. "What with the need for you boys to all be married in such short order. That must be giving her sleepless nights."

  Reese shook his head and ignored her mention of marriage. "Ma is made of strong stuff. Needless to say, my pa is, too," Reese admitted. "They've had to face worse situations than this."

  Honora squinted at him. "Worse than losing it all? Because that's what is going to happen if you all don't get married. Isn't it?"

  "That just about sums it up," he replied. He was determined not to say anything more. Nothing would be gained by making this conversation about him and Honora. It had been a long day, and he was worried things could turn unpleasant if they started making it personal.

  Honora sighed and leaned back on the seat. She was quiet again for a while. Finally, just as they were nearing the ranch, she spoke. "About what happened at the ranch, Reese," she said.

  He looked at her and narrowed his eyes. "At the tree?"

  "I know how you feel about me," she said softly. "It was as plain as day when you kissed me."

  For a moment, Reese didn't know what to say. He was amazed she would even bring up the subject of their kiss.

  Honora turned on the seat and faced him. "I want you to know that I'm trying, Reese," she said. "Really trying," she added, her voice cracking slightly with emotion.

  Reese looked at Honora and held his gaze on her. He could see the turmoil in her eyes. "I know you've been through a tough time, Honora," he said. "And it ain't my intention to make things worse for you. That's not what I want." He paused. "Not at all," he added emphatically.

  She smiled weakly. He could see that his words had hit home. "I'm thankful for that, Reese. Truly, I am." She sighed heavily. "It's just that I've been trying to understand what I'm being called to do. What is God's will in all of this. And I hasn't been easy to find that out. What with all the things happening around the ranch." She gazed intently at him. "And with you being around. I've scarcely been able to think straight."

  Reese took one hand off the reins and ran the back of his fingers down the soft skin of her face. Honora didn't try to back away from him as he made that gesture. He wanted her to know he understood what she was going through. Reese had never had to deal with what she'd had to cope with. Losing parents was hard. The closest had been when his older brother, Cal had passed, but that had been a long time ago. He couldn't imagine what it could be like to lose parents. The hurt must be so bad, he told himself. That just made his admiration for the way she'd been dealing with things recently even more powerful.

  He felt her resting her head against his hand. He didn't know what the talk had been about down in town, but he suspected it might have involved the subject of marriages. Maybe that had spurred Honora to reflect on where she and Reese stood. He knew he'd been as patient as he could be. And it hadn't been easy. But, as he rode the carriage across the yard in front of the ranch house, he allowed himself to hope that his patience might be about to pay off.

  Reese helped Honora down off the carriage seat. She held his hand a while longer than she was used to doing. From beneath her lashes, her gaze was softer than it had been in a long time. Reese stared in awe at Honora's pretty features. He told himself he could look at her all night long. If he was lucky to be blessed with such an opportunity. The memory of the kiss at the swing flooded back into his mind. He wanted to sweep her into his arms and kiss her again. But he worried how that might be received ,seeing as how he was still a guest in the spread. Good manners forced him to restrain himself.

  The door to the ranch house opened. Honora withdrew her hand quickly from Reese's. Rufus stepped out onto the porch. To Reese's amazement, Rufus didn't immediately glare at Reese. In fact, Rufus looked positively pleased to see Reese and Honora. "Did you both have a nice time?" Rufus asked brightly.

  Honora walked up to her uncle. "Perfectly lovely," she stated. She tilted her head. "Do you like my new bonnet, uncle?"

  Rufus ran his gaze over the bonnet. "Mighty pretty," he said. "But not as pretty as my favorite niece," he added. Then, shockingly, he leaned in and gave Honora a peck on the cheek. Honora's eyes widened.

  Reese almost gasped when he heard Rufus paying Honora the compliment. Rufus peered at Reese. "There's been no trouble while you've been gone, Reese," Rufus declared.

  "Glad to hear that, Rufus," Reese replied. The extra men who'd been brought in had made a difference.

  "I thought maybe you and I c
ould have a talk about a few things, Reese," Rufus said.

  "Sure," Reese said after a moment.

  Honora looked at them both. "I'll leave you two to get talking," she said. Giving Reese one last glance, Honora went into the house. Reese missed her presence almost immediately. Rufus led Reese away from the ranch house and over to the corral fence. In the dying light of the day, the corral looked eerily empty. Reese wondered what Rufus wanted to say. He hoped it wouldn't be a continuation of some of the unpleasantness which had passed between himself and Rufus. Judging from the brightness in Rufus's eyes, Reese figured there might be some cause for optimism.

  Rufus leaned a booted foot on the corral's wooden fence. "I'll get to it, right away," Rufus said bluntly. He peered at Reese. "I owe you an apology, Reese."

  "Me, Rufus? Why?"

  Rufus shook his head. "Recently, I haven't been thinking straight. Not about the ranch. Not about the people close to me."

  "Things have been hard, lately, Rufus," Reese suggested. "It's only natural that a man would have a lot on his mind. You've got a ranch to run."

  Rufus glanced at Reese and grinned. "You know, as well as I do, that I ain't been paying the ranch the attention it has deserved."

  Reese didn't say anything to that. He'd seen the way Rufus had kept himself away from some of the general work around the ranch. And he'd heard some of the conversations between Rufus and Mabel. Those had been none too friendly.

  "But, I aim to put all of that right," Rufus stated firmly. "The time has come for me to step up and take responsibility for what rightly belongs to me." He turned to Reese. "I owe it to that gal back there," he said. "And to the memory of her parents." He gazed around at the ranch buildings. "They're the ones who made all this possible."

  "They sure left a legacy to be proud of," he said.

  Rufus turned and faced Reese. "And I aim to treat it with the respect it deserves, Reese."

  Reese could hear the passion in Rufus' voice. He wondered what had prompted the transformation in the man's attitude. "What's the matter, Rufus?" Reese asked boldly.

  Rufus swallowed heavily and sighed. He shook his head. "I've been a fool, Reese. That's what. I've let my own personal failings get the better of me. And, in doing so, I've put everything I treasure in jeopardy."

  "What are you talking about, Rufus?" Reese felt a chill run up his spine.

  Rufus looked suddenly grim-faced. "Calhoun wanted to buy this spread," he announced.

  "I figured he was circling around," Reese admitted, feeling a heaviness sinking in his middle.

  Rufus shook his head. "No. It was more than that, Reese. He tried to corrupt me. Made things easy for me. Tried to use every possible means to make me sell up to him. I resisted. As best I could." Reese wasn't about to ask what kind of means Calhoun might have used. He knew the kinds of things Calhoun's was involved in. Reese paused a while, waiting for Rufus to continue.

  "But, eventually he got to me," Rufus announced. His eyes were dark with emotion now. He gazed at Reese. "Gambling."

  The word hit Reese hard. He hesitated before asking the really crucial question. "How much are you in for?" Reese asked in an even voice.

  "Enough," Rufus said. "That's all you need to know."

  Reese ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure how much detail Rufus would offer up. But, if they were going to be able to deal with this, Reese told himself the more he knew the better.

  "The saloon?" Reese asked. Rufus nodded. The man looked almost lost for words. As if the shame of it all had brought him low. "You know those games are fixed, Rufus," Reese explained.

  "Everyone knows that, Reese," Rufus complained. "But it doesn't stop a man from ending up at the table making a fool of himself."

  Reese thought for a few moments. It was clear that Calhoun must have planned this. Although, being Calhoun, he would have been nowhere near the saloon or the card games. Like every other time, Calhoun would have been pulling the strings from a long distance. Rufus had been played in more ways than one.

  "What's he saying?" Reese asked.

  "Pay up, or hand over the ranch," Rufus stated evenly. All of Rufus' earlier composure had gone. Now, he just looked scared. "I can't believe what I've done," Rufus moaned quietly.

  Reese sighed heavily. He felt for Rufus. It couldn't have been easy resisting what Calhoun had offered. The truth was Calhoun was good at spotting weakness in people. And he'd done just that with Rufus. Reese wondered what had caused that weakness in the first place.

  As if he'd read Reese's mind Rufus started to speak. "When I was younger, I had a cousin who was a religious man. A pastor. Lucas was a good man, and I was the younger of us both. This was before I met and married Mabel." Rufus sighed. "Anyway. Lucas never stopped trying to get me to accept the faith. And, for a while, just before I met Mabel, I guess I did get a kind of lukewarm faith," Rufus said.

  "I know about lukewarm faith, Rufus," Reese said evenly.

  Rufus lifted a brow. "You do?"

  "It's a faith. Of sorts, I suppose," Reese admitted quietly.

  "It's the worst kind of faith, though," Rufus continued. "Lukewarm just means it's only a matter of time before you rebel. You live your life on a knife-edge. Waiting for the one thing to lead you away from the faith." He grunted. "And that's what happened to me."

  "What pushed you over the edge, Rufus?"

  "Lucas died. Suddenly." Rufus shook his head. "He was working with the sick, doing good. And then he got ill and died. It just didn't seem fair to me. I couldn't understand it. And, for a while, I was full of rebellion. My faith weakened. It can't have been easy for Mabel to live with me." He smiled. "But, she's made of stronger stuff than me. Always has been."

  Reese had to agree with Rufus on that one. Mabel and his own mother had plenty in common. They were both rugged women with a strong faith. It must have taken some powerful willfulness for Rufus to resist the goodness of his wife. But he had. And that had led him into the clutches of Calhoun. Now, Reese understood why Rufus had been battling with everyone. Himself and all those around him. But, it looked like a power greater than them both had brought Rufus to an understanding. One that might just renew Rufus's life.

  "So, when this ranch came into our possession, I wasn't really able to do my duty right." Rufus groaned. "And I am sure sorry for what I have done."

  Reese laid a hand on Rufus' shoulder. "Don't go cutting yourself up about it, Rufus."

  Rufus gazed at Reese. "I was at war with everyone. Even the Buchanans."

  Reese smiled. "We're used to folks not liking us. In case you hadn't noticed."

  Rufus grinned. Reese was pleased to see Rufus smile. But then the smile faded. "When I saw Honora the other night, it scared me," Rufus admitted in a low voice. "Worse than that. It made me realize what I had brought onto this ranch. The trouble I had caused. Thinking of her coming to harm just made me feel sick to my stomach."

  "You can't blame yourself for all of that, Rufus," Reese said. "Those guys were sent to make trouble. We had rustlers on our own spread recently. We got rid of them in double-quick time." Reese shook his head. "When decent folks do well through hard work and faith, there are no shortage of people who will try to take what doesn't belong to them."

  Rufus weighed up Reese's words and shook his head. "I've never heard truer words, Reese," Rufus said. The man's eyes glinted with sincerity. He rested an arm on Reese's shoulder. "I admit I haven't been good to your family," he said. "But those days are over. I can see what your family have made there, and I can appreciate what it must have taken to do that."

  Reese smiled. "Any more of this, and you're going to make me feel embarrassed."

  Rufus shook his head. "The only thing you should be embarrassed about is not getting Honora to say yes to marrying you."