Riding on, Bethany thought about the man who’d spoken to her in the mercantile. What had been his name? Brodie Cameron. That was it.
She was familiar with the Cameron name. She’d heard the livery owner talk favorably about the Cameron ranch, and how it was one of the biggest buyers of horses in the area.
Brodie Cameron had offered to buy horses from her. She knew she’d probably get a better price from him, especially if she’d negotiated, but there’d be a catch. If she sold the horses to Brodie Cameron she was sure he would want to know where they came from.
And she was not willing to reveal that to anyone. It was her secret. And it would remain that way.
She was determined no-one would know the source of the horse stock. Her entire existence depended upon keeping the truth about those animals away from inquisitive and very greedy strangers.
The snow was lying thick on the ground. It had become heavier since the break to allow her horse to drink. Peering along what she could still see of her barely visible back trail she was relieved there was no sign of the pursuing riders. Encouraged that she might have lost them in the heavy snowfall, Bethany rode on.
The trail cut across a wide valley. Because of the low cloud cover and the falling snow, she couldn’t see the distant mountain range.
Her home.
A familiar longing filled her heart. She couldn’t wait to get back to the cabin. Back to her refuge away from the world. Every time she came to town, she was reminded of why it was important to maintain her existence in the mountains. Even though Inspiration was a godly town, and most folk seemed decent, Bethany still suspected trouble wasn’t far away. Her pursuers had confirmed her worries about town living. There was peace in the mountains. It was a safe-haven.
For her and for Noah.
They had won their peaceful life through hard work and sacrifice. They were self sufficient. Bethany was determined it would remain that way for as long as possible. The outside world was not for her, and especially not for Noah.
Bethany rode on for a half hour, slowing as the wind picked up and the snowfall became heavier. She raised the collar of her heavy woolen coat, hunkering down in the saddle, readying herself for a long ride home. The chill sliced all the way into her bones, but she had learned how to deal with harsh conditions, and knew the cold would pass. Both the pinto and the packhorse trod carefully in the thick snow. There was still no sign of her pursuers.
The snow blanketed her in a swirling miasma as she continued to ride on. The temperature had dropped even further. Looking up at the sky, she saw the ominous darkness of the cloud cover. Bethany figured she might have to find shelter for the horses or else they wouldn’t make it to her mountain home.
From somewhere in the white fog which enveloped her, she heard the sound of lowing cattle. From that clue, she guessed she must have strayed onto ranch land.
Then, as if hands had parted the white curtain, she saw, ahead of her, the vague outline of a building. The windows of the ranch house, for that was what it was, glowed with a warm, welcoming light. Where there was a ranch she would find stables and shelter for her horses, she told herself.
Leading the pinto and packhorse in the ranch’s direction, she reached the yard and saw a tall structure at the far end of the yard. She rode across the yard, hoping no-one would see her from inside the house. No prying eyes peered out from the window as she made her way to the stable.
As Bethany reached the stable, the door to the ranch house opened, casting a wedge of warm light across the snow-covered porch. Bethany saw a young woman step out onto the porch.
“Who’s there?” the woman called out as she peered across to the stable. The woman’s arms were folded and her shoulders were tight with tension.
Not wishing to cause unnecessary distress, Bethany turned her pinto and led the packhorse toward the ranch house.
The young woman, about the same age as Bethany, wore a dark blue gown. She was pretty and had eyes which shone with natural good humor and curiosity. But there was evident concern in the woman’s penetrating gaze.
Bethany drew her mount to a halt and stepped down. Her boots crunched on the snow. “Don’t mean to bother you, ma’am,” Bethany said. “But I got lost in the snow. Hoped to find some shelter here until it stops. The snow came on real fast. I guess I lost my way on the trail.” Bethany held her reins tight. The woman examined Bethany for a long moment. She didn’t reply to Bethany’s explanation. “If you want me to move on, I’ll be happy to do so.” Bethany started to turn away.
“You don’t have to leave,” the woman announced quickly. She gestured to the interior of the house. “Please. Come inside. You look frozen.” When Bethany glanced at her horses, the woman added: “Leave them in the stable. There’s plenty of room.”
“Most obliged, ma’am,” Bethany said, feeling genuinely grateful for the young woman’s generosity.
Once Bethany got the horses settled in the stable, she closed the doors and hurried across the snow-covered yard. The snow was still falling and Bethany wrapped her arms around herself as she strode quickly to the ranch house porch. The young woman was still waiting for her and shepherded Bethany into the house. Pausing in the hallway, Bethany heard distant singing coming from somewhere in the house. A young girl’s voice and a woman who sounded much older were singing a song. Bethany heard what sounded plates being stacked, and figured the girl and woman must be in the kitchen.
“Please come to the parlor,” the young woman said as she walked into a low-ceilinged room on the far side of which was a fireplace. Flames warmed the room, and Bethany felt the chill seep out of her bones.
“Let me take your coat,” the woman said. Bethany slid out of her coat and handed it over to the woman, who glanced quizzically at it for a moment and then hung it on the rack by the door. Bethany knew the heavy coat, homemade and with genuine fur lining, probably looked odd. She’d made it herself, and she didn’t care that it didn’t look like something she’d bought in the local dress shop.
“I feel like I’m intruding,” Bethany said apologetically.
The woman frowned briefly and then smiled. “You think I was going to leave you out there to catch your death? That’s not how we do things in this household.” The woman led Bethany to a sofa in front of the fireplace. “Let me get you something warm to drink,” the woman said.
“Please don’t go to any trouble on my account,” Bethany objected. “I can’t stay long.”
The woman glanced out the window at the tumbling flurries of snow. “You can’t go until it stops.” The woman paused at the parlor door. “My name is Mara,” she told Bethany.
“I’m Bethany.”
Mara smiled and then left the room. Moments later Bethany heard faint voices from the kitchen. She heard the excited squeal of a young child, probably a girl.
Bethany glanced around the parlor. It was well-furnished with chairs, two small tables, sofa, a bureau and pretty paintings of landscapes on the walls. A scent of cooking drifted into the room from the kitchen. The whole place felt cozy and welcoming.
It was such a contrast to the life she’d been living since moving to the mountains. It had been a long time since Bethany had been in a place like this. She was used to much simpler living. Better living, as far as she was concerned, she told herself.
Apparently this ranch was prosperous. Bethany wondered which one it was. It could be any one of the local ranching families, she told herself. She knew some of their names, but had always kept her distance.
She wasn’t going to get too friendly. Soon, she’d be on her way. She’d thank her host for her kindness, and she’d never visit this place ever again. Ever since the hard times had come, she’d made it a habit to keep her distance from the folks who lived in Inspiration as well as the families who lived in its vicinity. That was how she preferred it. No good would come from getting too friendly with people, she reminded herself.
Glancing out the window, Bethany saw the snowfall was beginning
to lessen in intensity. Then, her heart leaped when she saw two riders, hunched low on their saddles, heads hidden beneath broad-brimmed hats, slowly cross the yard on their mounts. They looked like ghosts enveloped in the white sea of snow. Their appearance had been brief. At first, in panic, she’d thought they were her pursuers. But there had been three men following her, not two. She reassured herself. She figured the riders might be the other occupants of the house.
Moments later Mara came back into the parlor carrying a tray upon which were laid two cups and a pot. The scent of coffee caught Bethany’s attention. Mara set the tray down on the small table next to the sofa and sat down alongside Bethany. Mara poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Bethany. The coffee tasted wonderful and it warmed Bethany instantly.
The front door opened, letting in a blast of cold air. Bethany heard two male voices and the heavy stamping of booted feet on the wooden floor in the hallway.
“Is that you, Aiden?” Mara called out as she gazed at Bethany over the rim of the coffee cup.
“We’re back,” came the reply from a deep sounding voice.
Bethany glanced toward the parlor door. That voice had been familiar, she told herself. Then she heard the voice of the other man. “Snow sure is heavy. Didn’t expect that.”
Bethany felt the blood drain from her face. She tried her best to mask her reaction by sipping on the coffee and turning to face the fireplace. That voice! It was the man who’d spoken to her in the mercantile.
Behind her, she heard the men entering the parlor.
“We got a visitor,” Mara announced.
“In this weather?” the one called Aiden replied.
Still, Bethany did not turn to face the new arrivals. But she knew she’d have to turn around. She turned her head and forced herself to smile at the man whose eyes widened instantly upon seeing who was sitting alongside Mara.
“These are my brothers, Bethany. Can I introduce Aiden, my oldest brother. And Brodie.”
Brodie quickly gained control over his expression, masking his surprise. Then he lifted a brow and smiled at Bethany. “We’ve already met,” he declared.
“You have?” Mara asked quizzically.
“Your brother and I chatted today in the mercantile,” Bethany explained hurriedly. Bethany forced a smile onto her face. “Pleased to meet you both again.”
“Welcome to the Cameron home,” Brodie stated with just a hint of mischievousness in his voice. She’d heard that same tone when he’d spoken to her at the mercantile.
Bethany took a sip of coffee and told herself that, once the snow had stopped falling, she’d be on her way. It would do no good to overstay her welcome, especially since she’d accidentally wandered into the home of the Cameron family.
CHAPTER THREE
“Have to say I was surprised to see you sitting in our parlor,” Brodie said to Bethany Hoxton a short while after he arrived back at the house with Aiden. Brodie and Bethany were in the parlor while over in the kitchen Mara, Aunt Edith and young Grace, Mara’s adopted daughter, were busy preparing some food. Bethany had been briefly introduced to Mara’s aunt and the little girl who was Mara’s step-daughter. Brodie was standing by the window while Bethany was shifting awkwardly on the sofa.
“My coming here wasn’t intentional, I can assure you,” Bethany replied, sounding defensive. Her spiky response reminded Brodie of their brief conversation down at the mercantile. As if she’d realized she’d been short-tempered, she smiled. “I got lost in the snow. I couldn’t make out where I was going. It was impossible to follow the trail.
He is wanted to ask about the three men who’d been following her but he decided to hold back for now. “This time of year the snow just comes out of nowhere,” Brodie agreed casually.
She shifted nervously. “I must have wandered off the trail.”
“It’s easy to do.”
Once again, Brodie resisted the impulse to start asking her the questions which had plagued his mind during the ride home. “Some of our cattle get lost in the snow, too. Aiden and me will have to go find them once the snow clears.”
“This is quite a ranch you and your family have got here,” she said. “Real nice.”
Brodie felt himself swell with pride. “We like to think so.”
“Must need a lot of hard work to keep a place like this going,” she said.
“It does. We’ve got plenty of hands to help us.” He grinned. “Although, if you ask my brother Aiden, he’ll tell you that he does most of the work around here.” He chuckled. “Him and I disagree every day of the week about that one.”
She laughed quietly at his little joke. Her laughter was soft and awakened a secret delight in him. Smiling, she looked beautiful. When he’d seen her in the mercantile he’d thought she looked pretty. Now, though, sitting there on the sofa, he told himself that her husband was the luckiest man in the territory. Bethany Hoxton was a fine-looking woman, and no mistake.
He told himself she was working hard to be polite and show some interest in the conversation, but she seemed distracted. She looked impatient to be on her way. Like he’d done after their encounter in town, Brodie wondered where exactly she lived. But he was working hard to restrain the urge to come straight out and ask her that question. He reckoned it was still none of his business.
Brodie thought about the men who’d followed Bethany as she’d left town. He and Aiden had trailed the three riders, keeping a distance while at the same time making sure they didn’t lose sight of the three men. Aiden had confessed his concerns about what the men were up to and Brodie had agreed. When a solitary woman was followed by three strangers, trouble was brewing.
And then the snow had come, tumbling out of suddenly heavy, dark clouds. Aiden and Brodie had lost sight of three men and Bethany. Brodie had worried all the way back to the ranch, wondering if Bethany had come to harm. When he’d seen her sitting safely in the parlor, his amazement had mingled with a powerful sense of relief.
Brodie glanced outside to the yard. The snow had stopped falling. The ground was covered in a layer of it. Brodie figured the snow wouldn’t lie for long. It wasn’t cold enough for that.
He exchanged an awkward moment with Bethany. She smiled at him and quickly averted her gaze when he smiled back at her.
“I must be going,” Bethany announced, rising quickly.
Before Brodie could object, he heard footsteps and his sister Mara entered the room.
“Did I hear you say you’re leaving?” Mars asked.
Bethany smiled politely. “I really have. And it looks the snow has stopped.”
“Nonsense. You have to stay for a while. We’ve prepared a lovely meal for us all. You must be hungry after all that riding you did to get here.”
Brodie saw Bethany hesitate, clearly reluctant to agree to Mara’s suggestion, but also trying not to offend his sister. Bethany smiled. “I suppose I could stay a little while longer. That’s really kind of you, Mara.”
Mara grinned. “Aunt Edith has made her special chicken dinner. And she’d be furious if you left without telling her how wonderful it is.”
“You don’t want to get on the wrong side of our aunt,” Brodie warned Bethany jokingly.
“Okay.”
A short while later, they were all in the dining room and a fine feast was served up. Bethany seemed withdrawn throughout the meal, surrounded as she was by the entire Cameron clan. Paton, Mara’s husband had returned from tending to the herd. His daughter, Grace chatted enthusiastically with Bethany, while Aunt Edith observed proceedings with a watchful and courteous eye. Brodie sat alongside Aiden.
Brodie peered across the table at the visitor who had been the object of the riders’ unwanted attention. He wondered what had spurred the three men to follow Bethany out of town. He was going to look into that and, if there was any prospect of future trouble, he was going to change the minds of those men.
Bethany listened politely to the noisy conversation. She smiled at all the right moments bu
t Brodie could see she was still preoccupied.
After the meal Bethany thanked Mara and Edith for the lovely meal. Bethany insisted she had to leave. Throughout the meal she’d been tight-lipped about her destination. Brodie had been pleased that none of his family had pressed Bethany on that issue. In the hallway Brodie helped Bethany into her coat and then, after watching Bethany wish his family a fond farewell, he walked with her across the yard toward the stable.
“You sure you don’t need help to get where you’re going?” Brodie asked.
Bethany shook her head. “Thank you, but no. I’ll be fine.” She glanced up at the sky which had cleared after the snowfall. “As long as I reach the mountains before sunset I’ll be okay.”
“Mountains?” Brodie asked abruptly. It was the first hint she’d let slip of where she was heading.
Her eyes flashed with concern. “Thank you for your hospitality. Your family are good people.”
“I figure you might be right about that,” Brodie agreed brightly. He loved his entire family and felt lucky to have them in his life.
At the stable, he watched Bethany ready herself for leaving. “Forgive me for saying this, Bethany, but surely your husband must be worried about you.” He peered out across the snow-covered rangeland. “I mean, what with you traveling on your own through all this snow, he must be chewing his nails worrying about you.”
A strange look filled her eyes as she gazed at Brodie for a long while. She seemed to be carefully considering her next words. Brodie shifted on his heels and wondered if he’d gone too far and intruded on her privacy.
When she did speak her voice was low and steady. “My husband passed away last year, Brodie,” she murmured. Her cheeks flushed pink with emotion.
Brodie’s mouth dropped open and he suddenly felt like the biggest fool in the world. He sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Bethany. I didn’t mean to pry.” Brodie sighed. “I had no business asking that.”
“You weren’t to know,” she said as Brodie struggled to figure our what to say next.
Montana Mountain Valley Bride (Western Romance) Page 2
