“I’m already happy, ma. Right here.”
“I know you are, Noah. But sometimes we have to make a change. I think you would be so happy in Inspiration.”
“I’ve never been there,” Noah admitted. “What’s it like?”
Bethany thought for a moment. “It’s a fine place. There’re lots of stores where you can buy candy and toys. And there are lots of children the same age as you. The folks are good there. You’ll have plenty of new friends.”
“Will Brodie come to visit us?”
That simple question made Bethany freeze. She schooled her features, eager that Noah not see how his words had affected her. Would Brodie Cameron be part of their lives? She didn’t think she could answer that. Not after the way she and Brodie had parted earlier that day.
Bethany forced a smile and nodded. “Brodie will probably come and visit from time to time.” She wasn’t lying to Noah because she was sure that, if she and her son moved to Inspiration, Brodie would make it his business to come calling. And she had already decided she would not discourage him from doing so.
Noah smiled, apparently satisfied with her reply. “I really like Brodie, ma.”
“You do?”
“Uh-huh. I think he’s great.”
Bethany smiled. Sometimes, children had the most wonderful way with words.
“Do you like him, ma?” Noah asked abruptly. He stared at her awaiting a reply.
“Of course I do. He’s a very nice gentleman.”
“He’s a rancher, not a gentleman,” Noah corrected her.
Bethany laughed softly. “A man can be both a gentleman and own a ranch.”
“It must be exciting living on a ranch,” Noah stated. She’d heard him say such things before. Noah had listened to plenty of stories of derring-do in those dime novels she’d brought from town. His imagination had been filled with notions of high adventure.
Noah turned and faced Bethany. “Do you think you and Brodie will ever get married, ma?”
Bethany gasped and stared at Noah. She felt her mouth drop open. Noah’s gaze was fixed on her. She wondered why he had asked such a shocking question
“Noah! What a thing to ask!”
“You and Brodie are real good friends, ma. Ain’t that right?”
Bethany realized Noah must have been watching her and Brodie closely. How much had Noah heard of what she and Brodie had said to one another. There was one other possibility.
“Has Nate been talking to you about Brodie?”
“Sometimes,” Noah replied curtly. “Him and Brodie really like each other.”
In Noah’s world, if folks got on well, then it was probably natural for him to think they could be more than just best friends.
Bethany sighed. She might have to speak with Nate. Just to find out what ideas he’d been putting in Noah’s head.
“Brodie and I will always be good friends, Noah,” Bethany said slowly. Her hopes that those words would put an end to Noah’s speculations were dashed when she saw the corners of his mouth form into the hint of a smile.
Noah was missing his father so much he was dreaming that Brodie could take the place of Richard. Was that even what she wanted? Bethany had grown close to Brodie. She’d come to trust him. And, she had developed feelings for him. That was undeniable.
However, could there be more to her relationship with Brodie than a strong attachment? Out here, on the frontier, folks formed bonds quickly. And she’d heard that some even married having known one another for a very short period of time.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of thundering hooves. Nate emerged from inside the cabin. “Another herd has come!” he said with obvious delight.
When the herd of wild horses came into view Noah stood quickly and cried out in delight. Bethany stood. She, Nate and Noah stood side by side watching the wondrous sight of the hundred horses weaving their way through the groves of trees. A cloud of dust rose into the air as the horses’ hooves pounded into the earth. The raucous noise of their progress echoed across the valley.
The horses headed for the waterfall and came to rest by the side of the pool. Some things will never change, Bethany reflected. Once she and Noah had left the valley, the horses would be able to come here and remain, undisturbed, for as long as they wished. Bethany told herself that was the way nature wanted it to be.
“Can we go closer to them, ma?” Noah asked, looking up at her.
She shook her head. “Let’s leave them be, Noah.”
Noah frowned, clearly disappointed. Then Bethany led Noah into the cabin. Nate followed them inside and shut the door.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“What’s that up ahead?” Sheriff Cameron asked as the riders headed toward the base of the mountain range.
Brodie squinted, peering across the flat grassland. He recognized the lower slopes and the creek. This was where he and Bethany had stopped earlier that day. It was also the place where Bethany had released the horse and where Brodie had kissed Bethany. The men riding alongside Brodie knew only part of the whole story. He wasn’t about to tell them all of it.
“I see a few men,” Brodie told the sheriff. “Looks like they’ve stopped for some reason.”
The sheriff called out: “Let’s be careful now.”
It was late afternoon and the ten riders had been on the move for over an hour after leaving the ranch. On either side of Brodie rode Aiden and Paton. To Paton’s left the sheriff and his three deputies formed a line. To Aiden’s right the three ranch hands who’d volunteered maintained an easy pace. In all, ten men were riding toward the mountains in search of Shadley and his men. The sheriff reckoned that ten would be enough. Brodie hoped he was right.
“You think we should split up, sheriff?” Brodie suggested.
“I was thinking that myself,” the sheriff replied. “If we approach them from all sides, that might make things easier. Assuming that’s the men we’re looking for.”
Brodie peered into the distance. “I’m sure those are the men,” he declared.
Something caught his eye. A white horse, tied to another, was standing amongst the group of what Brodie was sure were Shadley and his men.
“They’ve got the horse Bethany released,” Brodie said to Aiden.
“How’d they get that?”
Brodie frowned and thought for a moment before answering. “They must have caught the horse after Bethany let it go. Maybe they were in that forest there,” he said and pointed north to where the horse had bolted into the woods.
“If that’s the case, then they used the animal to follow the tracks back to where Bethany released it,” Aiden speculated.
A sudden, terrifying thought seized Brodie. “If they’ve found the trail we left earlier that means they’ll be able to follow the tracks all the way up the mountain to the valley.” The thought of Shadley finding Bethany scared Brodie. “It’ll lead them straight to Bethany.” Panic gripped Brodie.
Aiden looked steadfastly at Brodie. “We’ll deal with it. Don’t worry.”
The sheriff lifted a hand and all the riders slowed to a halt. Quickly and expertly, the sheriff issued instructions to the men. They would form a semi-circle around Shadley’s men and approach with caution. The sheriff told three of the men to remain out of rifle range, in case backup was needed.
They moved out, forming the wide semi-circle, advancing slowly toward the men huddled together by the creek. Brodie slid his Henry rifle from its scabbard and rode at an easy pace, keeping Aiden and Paton in his sights.
When he had gone into town earlier that day, Brodie had explained the situation to the sheriff. It seemed like concerns had already been raised about Shadley and his activities. As Brodie had recounted the incident involving Bethany, Tyrell and Rufus, the sheriff’s featured had darkened. The sheriff had murmured words about attempted murder and serious charges against everyone involved, including the man who’d planned it.
Brodie had volunteered to stand as witness against Tyrell and R
ufus if that became necessary. When the sheriff had gone with Brodie to find Shadley they’d learned that the horse trader had indeed left town a short time before, accompanied by Tyrell, Rufus and the Indian tracker. The sheriff had acted, knowing that Brodie had spoken the truth and that Bethany was in danger. A posse had been raised and Brodie had ridden back to the ranch to find Aiden, Paton and the three ranch hands ready to leave for the mountains.
The wind swept down from the mountainside making waves across the grassland. Brodie ran his gaze along the length of the advancing line of men. They were a few hundred yards from Shadley and his men who were all seated on the fallen logs by the creek.
Brodie felt the tension, even though the men were spread yards apart. No-one knew how Shadley would react when faced with the posse. The sheriff was determined to take Shadley and his crew into the jailhouse. All Brodie wanted was to make sure Bethany was safe. He had to stop Shadley following her trail.
Peering up the mountain he could see where the valley lay, hidden amongst high peaks. Only he knew where it was. It was precious knowledge. Shadley would probably have offered money for what Brodie knew. In Shadley’s world, everything could be bought at a price. But Brodie had never lived in that world.
Over by the creek, the four men stood idly by their horses. Shadley, Tyrell, Rufus and the half-Indian, who was called Caleb, turned at the sound of horse hooves. The men peered at the advancing posse. Shadley barked some orders and his men hurriedly drew their rifles. The numbers weren’t in Shadley’s favor, but he already seemed hell-bent on making a stand.
Every one of the men of the posse drew their rifles, excepting the three who were trailing behind, following the sheriff’s orders. It was seven against four. Brodie had known men like Shadley. They were the kind of men who’d willingly sacrifice the lives of others, if it meant they would get what the wanted. Brodie recalled Shadley’s cold, snake-like eyes. Shadley was a man who might cause carnage if he felt he had nowhere to run.
The sheriff raised a hand. Each man in the posse drew rein and halted.
“Shadley. We’ve come for you,” the sheriff called out. His voice echoed across the rangeland. “No sense in making a fight of this. Just put down your guns and surrender.”
“I ain’t done a thing, sheriff,” Shadley barked. Out here, in the wilderness, Shadley seemed smaller, somehow less intimidating than he had been in the safety of his real world, the saloon.
“I’ve got evidence that you and those two men of yours tried to kill a young woman up there in those mountains.”
“What are you talking about?” Shadley roared. He turned to Tyrell and Rufus. “You know what he’s talking about?”
When Tyrell shook his head and laughed, Brodie felt his fingers tighten around his rifle. “Like you said, boss. Don’t know nothing about that. Do you, Rufus?” Tyrell turned to Rufus.
Rufus was saying nothing. But, even from this distance, Brodie could see doubt on the man’s features.
Brodie looked at the wild, white horse with the rope dangling from its neck, just like it had done when Bethany had released it. “Where’d you find that horse?” Brodie called out.
Shadley twisted to face Brodie. “That’s one of my own.”
“I know different,” Brodie replied loudly. “Did you find it wandering in the forest?”
Shadley remained silent. The tracker, Caleb, said something to Shadley, but he waved the other man away and muttered something abrupt.
“We can make this easy, or we do it the hard way, Shadley,” the sheriff said. “Drop your rifles and come with us back to town.”
“And then what will you do, sheriff? Throw me in jail on false charges?”
“We know what you told your men to do,” Brodie shouted.
Shadley turned again to Brodie. “You’re that no-good I met in the saloon, ain’t you.”
“I saw everything up there on that mountain,” Brodie said. “I saw what Tyrell did. And Rufus didn’t do much to stop him.”
“That ain’t true,” Rufus cried out. “I tried to stop Tyrell from hurting that lady.”
Tyrell turned on Rufus. “Shut up!”
Rufus shook his head defiantly. “I didn’t sign up with you Shadley to go hurting women. I told you I wanted no part of that when me and Tyrell came back from doing what you told us to do.”
“You just get deeper and deeper in trouble, Shadley,” the sheriff said. He grinned. “Even your own men are turning on you.”
Shadley strode over to Rufus and swung the butt of his rifle across Rufus’s face. Rufus crumpled to the ground holding his face and groaning.
Brodie’s jaw tightened, but he was also secretly pleased that Shadley was showing the truth about himself in front of enough witnesses to fill a court room.
The sheriff moved his horse forward. “That’s enough of that, Shadley” The sheriff’s deputies rode behind him with their rifles pointed straight at Shadley.
Shadley pointed the rifle at the sheriff. “Don’t come any closer. Me and my boys will be moving on. And you ain’t going to stop us. We got business to attend to.”
Tyrell grinned, while Rufus and Caleb glanced worriedly at each other. Brodie frowned. There was no way out for Shadley. Why was the man trying face down every man who’d come to take him back to town?
The sheriff stepped down from his horse. Pointing his rifle at Shadley, the sheriff started to advance, stepping slowly through the long grass. “Just put that gun down and come with us. You ain’t going anywhere, and you know it.”
Shadley’s eyes widened. He shifted nervously on his heels. Even from where Brodie sat, he could tell Shadley was on the verge of doing something foolish. Someone was going to get shot. Brodie tightened his grip on his rifle and curled his finger over the trigger. He was aiming right at Shadley.
Rufus was still kneeling on the ground. “Shadley. Do what the sheriff says. There ain’t no other way.”
Shadley’s jaw tightened and his eyes blazed. “Shut up, Rufus.”
Tyrell came to Shadley’s side. Caleb had other ideas. He made it obvious he was no longer working for Shadley when he took a few steps back and stood next to the white horse. All the other horses, sensing danger, were shifting nervously, tugging at the picket pins securing them in place.
It had come down to two men against ten. Impossible odds for Shadley and Tyrell. In using the tracks of the horse to lead them back here, they had brought themselves to a place upon which there was no chance of victory. If they made a stand here, men would get hurt, Brodie told himself. But he’d expected nothing else from Shadley. Men like him sowed the seeds of destruction.
“Stop right there, sheriff!” Shadley roared.
Every man in the posse straightened in their saddles. The sheriff kept walking. He was determined to face Shadley down. To show him who was boss. Brodie glanced at Aiden and saw that his brother was ready, rifle in hand, finger on the trigger.
Then, suddenly Shadley moved. Brodie’s fingers twitched, the rifle bucked in his hands, and Shadley roared in outrage as his rifle spun away from him.
At the exact same moment, Tyrell made his move. Instantly, gunfire roared. Tyrell jerked and his rifle thudded to the ground. Brodie saw Shadley and Tyrell crouch down. Both men were holding their bloodied hands and groaning like injured children.
Brodie glanced at Aiden and saw smoke drifting from the barrel of his rifle. The Cameron brothers had fired the necessary shots.
The sheriff and his deputies ran to Shadley and Tyrell. Handcuffs placed on the men, Shadley and Tyrell were led, cursing loudly, to their horses. Rufus and Caleb stood with their hands raised. The sheriff and his men handcuffed them and led those two to their mounts.
Brodie rode across with Aiden. Dismounting, Brodie went to the white horse which seemed unharmed.
“That trail would have taken us all the way up to the valley,” Shadley said as men hoisted him up onto his mount.
Brodie grinned victoriously at Shadley. “You’ll never know
where it is.”
Shadley’s eyes blazed with hatred. “Some day, I will.”
Brodie shook his head. “You know that ain’t true.”
“The only horses you’ll be seeing will be through the bars of a prison cell,” the sheriff told Shadley.
After that, Shadley could only scowl in silence as the men readied themselves for the journey back to town.
Soon, the entire posse and their prisoners started to ride away from the creek. Only Brodie and Aiden remained with the white horse which Brodie had tied to his mount with a rope.
“What’re you doing?” Aiden asked Brodie.
Brodie gazed up at the mountain, beyond the timberline. “I’m going back to the valley.” He stroked the white horse’s neck. “I’m taking this back to where it belongs.”
“What’re you going to tell Bethany?” Aiden asked.
Brodie smiled thoughtfully. “The truth.”
“And what’s that?”
Brodie looked at his brother. “That I want her in my life. That I love her.”
Aiden nodded. “And?”
Brodie knew Aiden was at least two steps ahead of him. That was typical of Aiden. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
Aiden grinned. “That sounds mighty fine.”
“You think I’m crazy?” Brodie asked and frowned.
Aiden laid a hand on Brodie’s shoulder. “Of course you’re not crazy. You’re in love. And that’s the best thing a man can have in his life. Bethany is a good woman.” He chuckled. “And, if you’re right, and she loves you, too, then you’re both doing what God wants. You’re bringing love into the world.”
Brodie shook Aiden’s hand. “You always have kept my feet on the ground.”
“I never lost faith in you,” Aiden said. He shrugged and grinned. “Although, I have to admit, there have been times when I thought you’d never settle down. You were wild when you were young.”
“I reckon I’ve changed for the better.”
Aiden nodded in silent agreement.
Montana Mountain Valley Bride (Western Romance) Page 17
