by Linda Broday
“I like you, Roan. I did from the start when Marley brought you to the ranch more dead than alive. You have strength and courage in spades. I admire you as a man and know they don’t come any better than you. You’re the kind of man I would want for my daughter, and I think a good portion of why is because you don’t quit when the bridge washes out from under you.”
The news of Duel’s assessment of his character surprised Roan a bit. He hadn’t known the man felt this way about him.
“No, sir.” Roan moved the match stem to the other side of his mouth. “I never saw any value in quitting. A man who can’t keep going is a dead one. This land is unforgiving, and it either makes men tough or they fill the cemeteries.”
The tip of Duel’s cigarette glowed red when he inhaled the burning tobacco. Smoke curled around his head. “You’ve had plenty of hard times, and you’re going to see many more before your job in San Saba is over.”
“I reckon so.” Roan turned toward the house and thought he saw Marley in the window. Maybe not though. “I appreciate the job and a place to stay until I got on my feet.”
“Happy to do it. What are your intentions toward my daughter?”
For a moment, Roan froze. So this was about her. “I can assure you that my feelings for Marley are real. I’m sure you’ve noticed how close we got, but I don’t have one thing to offer her, and I won’t act on my feelings, you can be assured of that.”
“If I didn’t believe that, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I’d have kicked you off the ranch in nothing flat. But there is one question in my mind.”
“What’s that?” Roan tried not to notice the sinking in his belly.
Duel’s eyes pierced him. “Are you going to come back once you get this thing in San Saba settled? You keep saying this job is temporary.”
There it was in a nutshell—everything boiled down to one question. Roan searched for a clear-cut answer, finding none. There were too many ifs where there should be only one big yes. “I honestly don’t know, sir, and doubt I will until the time comes. But who’s to say how this mess in San Saba is going to go?”
“Exactly. You bring danger to my baby girl, Roan, and you and I will have big problems. I’m not going to have her hurt, by your hand or someone else’s. If you let her believe you have a future together and then ride out, it’ll break Marley Rose’s heart.” Duel’s voice cut like steel. “If that happens, you’d best hope I never find you.”
Roan didn’t flinch from Duel’s hard eyes. “I’d expect nothing less.”
“Do you love her?” Duel prodded.
The spit in Roan’s mouth dried. He felt like a bug pinned under glass. That depended on the definition of love. It sure wasn’t what he’d seen between his mother and Blackie. Roan thought of Mose and how he’d spoken of love for his wife so binding even death couldn’t sever it. That must be the truest form of love and what Roan wanted some day.
“Honestly, sir, I don’t know.” Roan gazed up at the stars, hoping to see an answer written there. “We barely know each other. I don’t have many worldly goods, and I figure that’s a drawback when it comes to looking for a wife. But you won’t find a harder worker or one who has greater respect for your daughter. I’ve never drank much or smoked, and never curse around womenfolk. I know I can’t offer her or anyone much of a life right now. I hope to change that.”
“I see your mettle and I admire you. If you’d said you love her, I’d tell you flat out to get lost.” Duel allowed a flicker of a smile. “Come to me when you decide to stay on, and we’ll talk again. You’re a good man, but I can’t let you hurt my daughter.”
Roan breathed a sigh of relief to have the probing ended. Yet Duel was being right and fair. A father had to protect his child to the best of his ability, especially against a man who already knew he wasn’t marriage material.
The conversation moved to children. “I never expected to have so many.” Duel took a drag of his cigarette. “After Jessie found out she couldn’t have any…uh, more, she was crushed. She desperately wanted a houseful, so I didn’t say anything when she started bringing in kids who needed a home. I had a lot of love to give, but I thought Jessie’s need would taper off at some point, not increase.”
Confusion washed over Roan. He must’ve heard wrong. It sounded like Duel had said that Jessie couldn’t have any kids. But that had seemed more like a slip of the tongue. Marley certainly thought she was their daughter, even though…she didn’t resemble either her mother or father.
Maybe Marley was Duel’s daughter by his first wife. Yes, that must be it.
Duel let out a long sigh, threw his cigarette to the dirt, and ground it out with his heel. “I love that woman more than anything or anyone on earth, and I suppose living inside a tornado is a small price to pay. Jessie completes my life, and she certainly saved me.” He swung his gaze to Roan. “You’ll see what I mean one day.”
“I hope so.” Roan swallowed the question hanging on the tip of his tongue. It wasn’t any of his business if Marley was Jessie and Duel’s true daughter or not.
Duel folded his arms on the rail. “About this race coming up—what is your plan?”
“Get close to the other racers, onlookers too, and try to spot the face I saw that night when the hood came off. And if I hear it, I’ll also recognize the voice of the one who was in charge that night. His voice was odd.”
“In what way?”
“Gravelly. Rough sounding. Low. Scary.” The memory was lodged deep in Roan’s soul.
“What’s your plan when you find these men? Or have you thought that far?” Duel asked.
Roan had thought about it all right. He’d done nothing but think about the moment he would come face-to-face with the killers. “I’m going to capture them however I can. It won’t be easy, and I’m prepared for a fight. I’ll take them to jail in another town because clearly the sheriff of San Saba has been bought off. I saw it the day we rode in to deliver that body.”
“I saw it too. You’re wise to get the men out of San Saba once you find them.” Duel laid a hand on Roan’s back. “Be ready for trouble. Stands to reason the whole town is likely on their side. You may have to put a bullet in the men you catch instead of carting them away. I wish I was going with you, but I can’t afford to leave. I have to catch these rustlers before they ruin me.”
“I understand. I’m thankful for the men you can spare. Judd, Hardy, and the other hands will be a big help.” Roan was glad he didn’t have to go alone, but he would have if he’d had no other choice to right this wrong.
“Don’t mention it.” Duel faced him. “Glad we had this talk. I’d better get back. Jess might need help, and I gen’rally read a story to the kids before they turn in.”
The night closed around Roan as he watched the big rancher head toward the kitchen door. Marley appeared at a window, staring out.
There would be no moonlit kisses tonight.
No private touches.
No talk of the future.
Still, if and when he returned in one piece, he meant to ask Duel for permission to court her. Marley Rose McClain seemed to need him, and he for sure needed her.
All he had to do was find a way to be worthy.
But would fate snatch her from him—just like it had everything else he’d ever wanted?
* * *
Marley finished the dishes and put everything away. In a moment, she’d go up and tell Matt the story of the pirate and how he’d dropped the penny on their road on a moonless night. But right now, her nerves were jumping worse than hot grease in a skillet as she kept glancing at the door. What were he and her father talking about?
The knob suddenly rattled, and the door swung open. Her heart pounded as she whirled, her gaze colliding with her father’s.
His glance told her nothing. Her heart lurched, and she could barely squeeze the question from betw
een her lips. “Did you run him off?”
He barked a laugh. “Now why would I do that? Roan is a fine man and an excellent worker. He knows he has to make some changes in his life, though, to get what he wants.”
Frustration and anger twisted in her stomach. “He’s had such a hard life. I care for him, Papa.”
“I know you do. I see it in your eyes, and it’s my job to protect you, Marley Rose. Roan could end up hurting you, and I’m not having that.” Duel went to the stove and shook the coffeepot, frowning to find it empty.
She gripped the back of a chair, fighting down angry frustration. “I’ve told you repeatedly that I’m a grown woman. I know what I want and I’m capable of making my own decisions. I’ve asked you to drop the Rose part of my name—that belongs to a child—yet you persist. I do as much around here as anyone, but you still treat me like a little girl who doesn’t know her own mind.”
Duel tried to put his arm around her, but she stepped back. If she didn’t stand firm, he’d twist her around his little finger before she knew what was happening.
He let out a heavy sigh. “When you have children of your own, you’ll understand the role of a parent. Often my decisions are unpopular, but they’re because I want to shield you from hurt.”
“You can’t always do that,” Marley pointed out. “Things happen beyond your control. You can’t keep me in a box and set it on a high self.”
“And that keeps me awake at night.” Duel waved his arm toward the door. “I wish you could see the dangers that are out there beyond this ranch. There are people who would hurt you for no other reason than that they can. Or to get back at me for some slight.”
Marley raised her chin. “You say you don’t want Roan to hurt me, but what about you? I care for him, Papa. Do I know if what I feel will last? No, I don’t. I just need a chance to find out and to spread my wings a bit. If you keep a bird in a cage, it’ll eventually die. Don’t you see?”
“She’s right, honey,” Jessie said from the doorway. “No one wants to be caged. Not me and not Marley.”
“Gang up on me, will you?” Duel growled. He went to Jessie and pulled her into his arms. “For the record, I told Roan that he’s welcome here, and when he decides if he’s staying, we’ll talk again. Right now, he doesn’t know much of anything except that he burns to see justice done for his friend. He’s got to settle this thing with that gang over in San Saba before he can start to make a true life for himself.”
Her father’s words made sense, and he hadn’t closed the door on her and Roan like she’d first thought. She glanced at her mother and father, who were once again lost in each other. They’d already forgotten about her.
Marley quietly left and climbed the stairs to the room where a little boy was waiting. She had to be patient and focus on the things she could control.
Like the pirate story. She didn’t need a crystal ball to know that Jean Lafitte would turn into a man with startling gray eyes and lips that could light a fire inside her. And if he should appear outside her window to whisk her away, she’d not waste a second in letting him.
Fifteen
The next few days passed quickly for Roan. Duel had sent him out to the site of the latest cattle theft, where he and five other ranch hands worked on getting the last long section of fence back up. He rode with the others to guard against more rustling but saw no sign of the thieves. The two oldest McClain boys had raised a fuss about coming along, but thankfully, Duel had kept them behind. This was too dangerous and no place for untried young men who’d only just begun to shave. His thoughts drifted to the young boy riding with the group of marauders who’d killed Mose. And the other shot dead in front of him by the person in the barn.
The last hadn’t even had a chance to live yet. The other might if someone got him away from the gang. Roan would if he had an opportunity. But why were they with that bunch?
He missed seeing Marley but was grateful for the space between them. Yet, each night, he lay on his bedroll on the ground, gazed up at the dark sky, and found her face among the multitude of twinkling stars.
Each evening, he took Shadow for a run to keep her in shape. The men said they’d never seen a faster horse.
Four days out, trouble rode toward them in the darkness. The shaking ground and terrifying noise of pounding hoofbeats brought back a rush of memories of the last time death had come to visit. Roan inhaled a sharp breath, snatched up his rifle, and kicked out the campfire. He took cover behind the lacy foliage of a cedar tree, determined to hit his targets.
Black-hooded riders spilled through the gaping hole in the barbed wire like hungry wolves, whooping and cursing, emptying their guns at them as they came. They weren’t after cattle this time—these night riders had killing in mind.
Bullets kicked up the dirt around Roan and the cowboys. There must’ve been at least eight marauders. He steadied his aim and fired at the lead rider. The black night kept him from seeing if he hit the man, but a loud yell told him he had.
Roan ratcheted another cartridge into the chamber and swung to another rider. His aim was good. This time the attacker fell from the saddle.
Once all the riders were through, they circled and took another run at the ranch hands. When one man came near, Roan grabbed his ankle, yanked him from the horse, and slung him to the ground. He sat on the man’s chest and snatched off his hood. The scared eyes of another young boy met his.
“Who are you?” Roan yelled. “What do you want?”
Before the kid could open his mouth to speak, someone struck the back of Roan’s head. The stars fell from the sky, exploding around him as he crumpled over.
When he came to, Hardy Gage was bending over and slapping his face. Though his head was splitting open, Roan sat up to find the hooded riders were gone. “Who the hell hit me?”
“One of our visitors. They had me pinned down, and I couldn’t help.”
“Dammit, Gage, they got away again. But I know I wounded one and maybe killed another this time.”
“He’s over there by our bedrolls.” He helped Roan to his feet. “Ain’t gonna be doin’ much talkin’ though—he’s dead.”
Roan stumbled over to the prone man. Someone had removed his hood, and he stared up with unseeing eyes. Roan didn’t recognize the face, but he’d take a closer look at daybreak. If only he could catch one alive!
“This has all the makings of a traitor in our midst.”
“What are you sayin’?” Hardy Gage growled above him. “Do you think we’d betray the boss? I’ve been with him for twenty years or more. I’d give my life for him.”
“Calm down,” Roan snapped. “I’m not saying it’s you. I know it’s not. But it’s someone.”
“I always thought it strange that Wes Douglas up and quit for no reason when you came.” The statement came from Mitch Joel. Everyone turned to stare.
“You know, that was a bit odd. Wes’s excuse for riding out was pretty flimsy,” Gage said.
Roan glanced up. “One thing for sure, someone is feeding them information. These rustlers know where to be and when.”
Judd squatted beside him. “From your description of those hooded riders who killed your friend, these were very similar.”
“They are.” Roan glanced at the group of cowboys. “Looks like they answered our questions for us. There’s no doubt the rustlers and the killers are the same group. Dammit! What are they trying to do?”
“Don’t know. But they hit one of our men.”
“How bad?”
“Just a flesh wound.” Judd grinned. “Probably get out of stringing fence for a few days.”
“Glad it’s not serious. Did you see what happened to the man I was sitting on when the other smacked the back of my head?” Roan reached into his hair and found a big lump on his scalp. “I saw his face for a second, and he was just starting to say something.”
&n
bsp; “Yeah,” Hardy said. “One of the other riders yanked him up, and they got on a horse and lit out.”
“Why they’re all so young? I’d give anything to know.” Roan stared into the thick blackness.
They sat around for the remainder of the night, afraid to go to sleep for fear the riders would return. By dawn, it was clear the attackers had planned to hit hard and fast, then ride like the devil for safer territory. Some of the men climbed into the saddle to try to pick up a trail.
Roan knelt next to the dead young man and stared at a large bruise on his jaw. He lifted the boy’s hands and noticed the knuckles on both left and right were raw. He’d fought someone not long before they’d attacked. Had he been trying to leave the group and been forced to go on the raid?
Or maybe the boy had simply had a tussle with someone and Roan was overthinking this.
The boy’s pockets yielded few clues—a spinning top and a little wooden dog that someone had whittled. He couldn’t have been more than fourteen, if that. A lump formed in Roan’s throat. The whole sum of this kid’s world was measured in these toys. Only this time, along with the bits and pieces of a life cut too short, Roan found a map of San Saba County folded up in a small square. It showed four large Xs. One was over Mose’s farm. In the lower right corner were the scribbled words For Mom.
What did the map have to do with the boy’s mother? Was it even his own mother?
Maybe she had lost their land, and in some crazy way, the kid was hoping to get it back. But that didn’t explain all the other raiders. What was their interest?
He examined the boy’s clothing. His shirt had been made from a flour sack, patched at the elbows and near the tail in front. A piece of rope cinched up his pants. The kid’s trousers were also patched. The clothing indicated someone who had nothing—someone very much like Roan. He looked away for a second, struggling to get control of his emotions.
Finding nothing else helpful, Roan stood and showed the other cowboys the map. They shrugged and shook their heads, not even hazarding a guess at what the two words meant.
