A small frown flitted across Mrs. Blair’s brow. “I . . . I suppose I assumed the nice young gentleman . . . well, Chicago is such a lovely place, and I couldn’t blame a young woman for preferring the city over our humble, rough prairie.”
Robin clenched her fists. Why hadn’t she followed her instincts and stayed home? It wouldn’t have changed anything, except she wouldn’t have known what people were thinking. She extended her hand to Mrs. Blair. In spite of this conversation, she liked the woman. She didn’t for a minute believe she intended to be cruel. Her daughter, on the other hand . . .
“If you’ll excuse me, Mrs. Blair. I believe I shall find Mr. Benson and Jacob. I do thank you for the obvious effort you’ve put into making this day special for . . . for everyone.”
TWENTY-THREE
Ty folded his arms along the top rail of the fence and peered at the hills beyond. If only he could talk with Pa again. A heaviness squeezed his chest and he took a deep breath to rid it. This should be a happy day. A day to remember forever. Engaged to a beautiful woman, owner of the biggest ranch in the area, and by the number of people around the grounds, he was blessed with friends and neighbors. Why, then, did he feel as though he were suffocating?
“Thought I might find you out here.” John Wenghold propped his foot on the bottom rail. “Ya reminded me so much of your pa a standin’ here it gave me a start.”
Ty nodded. “I could always count on him being here every evening before bedtime. I’d sidle up to him and do my best to hike my foot up on that bottom rail like you did just now. ‘What’cha doing Papa?’ I’d ask him the same question every time, but he never scolded me. His answer never varied in all those years. ‘Lifting my eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.’ I miss him. Wish I could ask him one more time.”
John clapped him on the shoulder. “Never enough one-more-times. A body keeps a wantin’ more. As old as I am, I still miss my pa.” He crossed his arms on the rail and glanced sideways at Ty. “Ya don’t have peace about what’s happenin’ today, do ya?”
Ty turned and braced one shoulder on the fence. “None at all. But it’s my own fault, I suppose.”
“Why’d you let things go this far? Ya had a choice, didn’t ya?”
He smiled at his neighbor. “Pa taught me a lesson concerning choices once.”
“I’m listenin’.”
“He caught me with a cookie in one hand and the other hand in the cookie jar. ‘You have permission for that, son?’ he said.” Ty laughed. “I can still see the furrow in his brow. I told him I did. Papa cocked his head and one eyebrow raised to his hairline and asked if I had permission for two cookies. I knew better than to lie, so I swallowed and said, ‘No, sir, but I can’t decide which one I want.’ Then Pa asked me what difference it made. I should’ve known there was a lesson in it.”
John chuckled. “And the lesson?”
“Mama made molasses cookies that day and decorated some of them with sugar. I argued the one with sugar would be the best because it was the prettiest, and with the sprinkles it had to be the sweetest.”
John cocked one eyebrow. “Reasonable thinkin’. Though sure is funny how things come back to haunt ya, isn’t it?”
“Those are the words Pa used. He knelt down in front of me and looked me square in the eyes. ‘Son,’ he said. ‘All your life you’re going to have to make choices. I think you know the difference between good and bad, so I don’t expect that to be so hard. But it’s deciding between good and good that’ll give you trouble.’”
“Bet you never expected them two good things to be women-folk, did ya?”
“Never. Pa told me it was the inside of a cookie that made the difference. The sugar made it look pretty, but what was inside was what really mattered. ‘Choose wisely, son,’ he said, ‘because a man is defined by the choices he makes and the words he speaks. You don’t go back on either. A good choice will bless you, while a bad choice can haunt you forever.’”
John scratched his head. “You think askin’ Anna to marry ya was a bad choice?”
Ty turned and peered across the prairie again. “Asking her to marry me wasn’t a bad choice. It’s the promise to always be here if and when she ever decided to return that haunts me. I gave my word, John.”
“Guess you never figgered on a little bird flyin’ in, did ya?”
He laid his forehead on his crossed arms. “Didn’t expect that little bird to limp into the middle of my heart. And”—he met John’s eyes—“Anna has changed.”
John turned and braced his back on the fence. “And supposin’ Anna would’ve showed up without Robin bein’ here? Is those changes so big you can’t abide by your word?”
Ty shrugged. “I don’t know how to answer that. Maybe if I had more time.”
“I ain’t never had no young’uns askin’ my advice. And it don’t look like you got more time. But I reckon when your days on this ole’ earth are done, they ain’t gonna carve into no headstone how many cows ya grazed, or how big your house was, or how much money ya had in the bank. The Bible says it’s better to choose a good name than all them other things people call riches. And a man’s wordis his name. It takes a big man to do what’s right even when his heart is a thumpin’ the other way.”
“What will become of Robin and Jacob?”
“Ya think the Lord don’t know where they’s at? Don’t tell me ya think you’re the onliest one who can take care of ‘em. I think you’re still wantin’ both cookies, Ty. It don’t work that way. Next time you’ll know better than to fill your mouth with words so quick. Tell me this, which one of them sweets did ya choose way back then?”
Ty groaned and put his face on his arms again. “The one with the sugar sprinkled on top.”
John pushed away from the fence. “Habits are formed early, ain’t they? You can’t be lifting your eyes unto them hills as long as you got your face buried like that. I’m gonna go back and find Robin. And whatever decidin’ you gotta do better be done in a hurry, cuz I think that’s Florence Blair standin’ by the bell, and I reckon she’s lookin’ for you.”
###
Robin turned from Mrs. Blair and limped around the side of the house as fast as her bad leg allowed. Her insides trembled so she imagined it showed, even at a distance. How dare Anna Blair suggest she might consider being their housekeeper. The raw nerve of her to indicate that the only way she would ever find a husband was to advertise for one. How could William’s gaze make her feel so beautiful this morning, and Anna’s smile make her feel so ugly a few short hours later?
On the front lawn, William and Jacob were still playing catch, and as soon as she drew near enough to be heard, she yelled for them.Please, Lord, this would be a very good time for You to start answering my prayers. Let Jacob cooperate and William not ask questions. I need to get out of here. I can’t face one more minute of humiliation.
“Jacob, go get in the wagon.” She struggled, unsuccessfully, to keep her voice steady. “Now.”
William put his arm around her waist, brow wrinkled. “Robin, what is it? Can you tell me?”
She shook her head. Hadn’t she prayed he wouldn’t ask questions? “Please, don’t ask. Not yet. I need to get away from here. Jacob, you’re coming with us.”
“But I don’t want to leave. Me and Mr. Benson is having fun.”
William pointed to the wagon. “We’re leaving, Jacob, and it will do you no good to argue.”
Jacob crossed his arms and shook his head.
Robin grabbed the boy’s shoulders and turned him to the wagon. “I need you to cooperate. Get in. Now.” She couldn’t stop the tears.
“Are you sick, girly? You done look like you been kicked.” A wrinkle settled between John’s eyebrows. “What’s happened, William?”
William shrugged. “I don’t know, sir. But this isn’t the time to pry. It’s obvious she’s quite upset and wants to go home. Perhaps I’ll know more later.”
Robin shook her head. They were all discussing her as if
she were a child––as if she wasn’t even there.
William cupped his hand to yell at Emma, who was rushing from the house toward them. “I’ll explain later. Would you mind bringing John home?”
Emma waved him on. “Was already figuring on it.”
“Pack rats got the paper, Uncle John?” Robin glared at him. “How could you?”
TWENTY-FOUR
A bell clanged across the grounds of the Morgan ranch to signify the start of the day’s events. From his perch on the wagon seat, William guided the horses through the swarm of people scrambling toward the big house.
“Can’t you make them go faster?” Robin leaned forward on the seat beside him. “I want away from here.”
His mind whirled. What had upset this girl so? “I don’t want to draw attention to our leaving. As soon as we’re over the hill and out of sight I’ll get you home as fast as I can.”
As they neared the top, a lone man on horseback slipped over the crest and a dog ran in front of the rider, yelping.
From the seat between William and Robin, Jacob cocked his head. “Tripper! It’s Tripper.” The boy scrambled over Robin and hung one leg off the side of the wagon. “This time I’m gonna catch him.”
William lunged for him, but missed. The boy jumped from the wagon and rolled as he hit the ground. Robin screamed and William jerked the reins. But Jacob leapt to his feet and raced after the dog.
“Jacob, get back here.” Robin gasped and yanked on William’s shirtsleeve as the tall grasses and rolling terrain swallowed the boy.
“William, do something! That man is just sitting there. What if he’s after Jacob?” She stood at the same time William snapped the reins. The sudden lurch sent her backward over the side of the wagon. He clutched for her, but came up empty.
Robin hit the ground and lay motionless, and his heart plunged. He vaulted from the wagon before it quit rolling and bolted to where Robin lay. He flinched at the sight of blood pooling beneath her head. He couldn’t leave her, but could he dare trust this stranger with Jacob? It seemed his only choice.
Robin moaned, and he stood and cupped his hands around his mouth. “She needs help, Mister! Please.”
As though he’d only been waiting for permission, the man spurred his horse and galloped past them toward the throng of neighbors.
###
Ty tugged the bell’s rope once more, and his heart wrenched at the same time. One year ago, amidst the pain of Anna leaving, he’d made her a promise. Today, amidst the confusion of her return, he would honor that vow.
“You seem deep in thought.” Anna slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. “I hope it concerns me.” A small crease flitted across her brow. “Why do I get the feeling you would rather be anywhere but here today? Are you having second thoughts?”
He folded her hands in his and gazed into her eyes. If he looked deep enough, maybe he would catch a glimpse of the Anna he thought he knew so well. “Areyou? Are you sure this is what you want, Anna? No running away this time.”
She met his gaze. “You do love me, don’t you? The proposal, the ring, the promise—I didn’t imagine all that, did I?”
He sighed. “I love the Anna I knew all my life. The little girl who cried when she found a broken robin’s egg on the ground. The young lady who insisted we couldn’t have a party without inviting everyone we knew because she didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. The woman who stood beside my mother’s bed, bathing her face with a cool cloth and singing hymns. That’s the Anna I love. I don’t know the Anna I’m looking at now.”
“Help! Anyone!”
Ty turned on his heel to see a lone rider pummeling through the crowd.
“There’s been an accident,” the stranger yelled.
Ty turned and rushed to meet him. The man reined to a halt and leaned from his saddle. “Mr. Morgan, you best get a doctor. A young woman is hurt badly. You’ve no time to waste.” With that, the stranger turned his horse, and the crowd parted like the Red Sea as he galloped away.
Ty scanned the area and shouted for his hands. “Sam. Rusty.” Where were they? He’d told them to watch for any stranger that might make an appearance. Who was this man, and how did the man know him by name? He sprinted to the barn for his horse.
John raced toward him, his face ashen. “I think it might be Robin. She and William left with Jacob a few minutes ago. I can’t see well enough from here, but I’m thinkin’ it’s my wagon sittin’ out there.”
“Robin left? Why?” Ty mounted Tag. “Find Doc Mercer. I know he’s here somewhere.”
When Ty got closer, he recognized John’s wagon, and made out the form of a man kneeling a short distance from it. His heart constricted. William Benson, stripped to the waist, cradled Robin in his arms. Blood soaked the shirt wrapped around her head.
He spurred Tag harder.
Benson’s stricken face met him as he dismounted. “She’s hurt bad, Morgan. Real bad.”
Ty swallowed past a dry throat. Dark circles under Robin’s eyes gave color to her otherwise lifeless face. He dismounted and knelt beside William. “We’ve got to get her back to the house. But the wagon’s too rough. Can you lift her up to me on my horse?”
William shook his head. “I’ll carry her.”
“It’s a long ways, man. It would take too long.”
“She can’t be jostled. She’s bleeding something awful. Can’t you see?” William wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist.
See? Or course he could see. Ty stood and jammed his hands into his pockets to keep from pushing Benson aside and pulling the stricken Robin to himself. He rubbed the back of his neck. What was he thinking? What kind of man was he? A few short minutes ago he was standing beside Anna, waiting for their engagement to be announced. Now his empty arms ached to hold another woman, and he was willing to fight for the chance. Only the arrival of Emma with Doc and John crammed into her buggy kept him from making a fool of himself.
John’s feet hit the ground before the buggy stopped, and he was at Robin’s side in three long strides. He cupped his hand around Ty’s shoulder. “Is she still with us?”
“Barely, I think.” He turned to Abe Mercer. “Can’t you do something to make her stop bleeding? I can’t bear to think of her dying here on this dirty piece of ground.”
Doc nodded. “Give me time, son—I’m doing what I can.” He cradled Robin’s head in his hands while Emma unwound Benson’s makeshift bandage. “It’s not unusual for a head wound to bleed like this. What concerns me most is what might be happening on the inside, where we can’t see.”
He inspected the wound, then stood and wiped his hands on his handkerchief. “One of you young fellas needs to hold her so we can keep her head from bumping around while we get her back to the house. John, you’re gonna have to hoof it back on your own, if you don’t mind. Emma you best ride along with us. I’ll be needin’ your help to get her settled.”
“I’ll hold her.” Ty stepped toward the buggy. “But you’ll have to lift her up to me, Benson.”
William shook his head. “No, Morgan. She’s with me.” He rose with Robin in his arms.
John turned on the two men with a vengeance. “Look, you fellas better be prayin’ you get another chance to argue over which one of ya gets to do what with this little lady. But now ain’t that time."
“I’ll ride ahead then, and have a room ready by the time you get there.” Ty reached to touch Robin’s face then quickly drew back. The sight of her lying against Benson’s bare chest sickened him. “You’ll need a shirt. I’ll see what I can do.”
TWENTY-FIVE
“You have guests, Morgan. I’ll let you know if anything changes with Robin.” William finished tucking the shirt Ty had loaned him into his britches and brushed past him.
“The guests can wait. Robin is more important at this point.” Ty stopped outside Robin’s door and braced his shoulder on the wall to face Benson.
The last time he’d stood outside the closed do
or to this room, his pa had lain in the big mahogany bed. It was the only time he could remember being denied access to his parents’ room, and the first time he experienced how deep the pain of love could be.
“Where were you taking her in such a hurry?”
The muscle in Benson’s jaw tightened. “She asked to be taken home.”
“Did she say why? Was she ill?”
William shrugged. “I’ve told you what I know. I saw her and Emma stroll to the back of the house. She returned a short time later, quite upset, and demanded I take her home.”
Ty arched one eyebrow. “Demanded, Benson? I’ve never known Robin Wenghold to demand anything.”
William gave a wry smile. “And you’ve not known Robin as long as I have.”
The familiar scent of lilacs announced Anna’s presence, and Ty moved from the wall.
“Well, you boys look like you’re going to race to see which one can get through the door first when it opens.” Anna placed her hand on Ty’s arm. “Do you suppose you could tear yourself away long enough for Mother to finish the announcement this little accident interrupted?” She smiled at William. “I do believe Mr. Morgan will take nearly any opportunity to stall our engagement, Mr. Benson. Do you suppose you’ll have such groom-to-be jitters?”
The muscle in William’s jaw twitched. “I would hardly call it a little accident, Miss Blair.”
She turned her gaze to Ty. “How serious are her injuries? I’m not as uncaring as you seem to think. I was only suggesting that while people are still gathered we might at least make our announcement. You aren’t helping anyone by standing here in the hallway.”
Ty closed his eyes. “Not now, Anna. There will be no announcement tonight. Your mother and I already discussed it.”
Anna slammed her hands on her hips “You went to Mother instead of consulting me? Why, might I ask?”
Ty took Anna’s arm and gave her no choice but to follow him back to the stairway. “Robin Wenghold is lying in that room near death. Your mother understands the gravity of her injury and knows how very rude it would appear for us to continue the celebration as though nothing happened. Anna, please. Think of her.”
Robin Page 21
