An Unconventional Bride For The Rancher (Historical Western Romance)

by Cassidy Hanton

  He frowned. “Please don’t argue with me. Stay home and look after your mother and Tosahwi.”

  “They’ll be looked after. I want to make sure you don’t get hurt.”

  “Just what will you do to stop that from happening? Jump between me and a bullet?”

  “If I have to.”

  She watched his expression soften into a smile. A happy shiver ran through her as Tyler traced his finger lightly down her cheek, his smoky eyes warm tender. “You are something,” he murmured. “So brave and loyal and true.”

  Catching his fingers in her hand, she squeezed it. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “That I promise fully, sweet lady.”

  Bending, he pressed a light kiss to her lips, sending a thrill through her, a delighted tingle that spread from her face to her neck and then coursed down her body. I think I am falling in love with him. Yes, I’m sure of it. When Tyler pulled away from her mouth, her fingers still laced through his, Charlene craved more, needed to taste him, to feel his breath on her cheek.

  But when his eyes shifted briefly to the side, Charlene knew that they were being watched. No doubt Jean observed the entire moment from her spot behind the counter. Blushing faintly, Charlene stepped back from Tyler a pace and refused to glance over at Jean.

  “You think this plan could work?” she asked him in a low voice.

  Tyler stared out the big front window for a time, then shook his head. “I can’t say, Charlene. These boys seem fanatically loyal to one another. I don’t see them letting one sit in a jail cell while the others roam free. They risked killing me and Vic to get the younger boy from us.”

  Charlene squeezed his hand. “It’s so hard to believe such violence has come to our town. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

  Aware of Jean’s eyes on them, even if with approval, Charlene released her grip from Tyler’s. “I should get back to work.”

  Tyler nodded, offering her a quick smile. “I’ll just be over here.”

  As he sat down on the stool Josiah had vacated, Charlene opened the glass cases to rearrange the items inside for maximum attractiveness, then headed, still not glancing at Jean, for the storeroom. With the Miller boys and Johnson on the loose, men in Bandera had been purchasing ammunition in greater quantities.

  Restocking the cases, Charlene tried not to think of the incredible danger Tyler would place himself in later that evening. I don’t care if he wants me there or not, I will be. Her feelings for Tyler had grown tremendously over the last few days, tumbling her, head over heels toward full-blown love. That he returned those feelings, she had no doubt. She saw his own growing love for her in his eyes.

  The bell chimed overhead, making her glance up from her work. Jean no longer stood behind the counter, thus it would be up to Charlene to wait on the customers. With a smile, she turned toward the door. “Can I help you?” she asked.

  Two young ladies had entered, but they didn’t acknowledge her greeting or even appear aware that she existed at all. She knew them both. One was Marsha Taylor and the other was Nancy Hepworth, both of whom were close to Charlene in age. And they were also the pair who had glared their jealousy at her in church. Her own resentment rose as they made a beeline to Tyler, who watched them come toward him with no little alarm.

  “Mr. Price,” Marsha cooed, stepping as close to him as was socially acceptable. “How nice to see you again.”

  Before Tyler could answer, Nancy planted herself in front of him, blocking Charlene’s view of his face. “Mr. Price, I’m Nancy Hepworth, it’s such an honor to meet you.”

  Schooling her face to hide her growing anger at their behavior – they’re all but throwing themselves at him, the hussies – Charlene stood behind the counter, waiting. She could hardly call them out for their interest in Tyler, as they were potential customers, and Jean would not be happy if she lost a sale because of her annoyance.

  “Nancy, Marsha,” she called, her voice pleasant. “Did you come by to look at the new cloth we just received? It’s a lovely color, would go well with your hair, Marsha.”

  Again, neither woman turned toward her. She heard Tyler say, “A pleasure to meet you, as well, miss.”

  “We heard you’re the new town deputy,” Marsha gushed, “and single-handedly caught the Miller boy.”

  “No, I had plenty of help in catching him, miss.”

  Charlene noticed they all but had Tyler pinned into the corner, wondering what she could do to extricate him from the situation. When Nancy shifted slightly, Charlene caught a fleeting glimpse of his expression. Amusement mixed with annoyance and a trace of embarrassment had creased his features.

  Charlene felt Jean arrive beside her and found Jean, also, watching the scenario unfold before them. Jean gave her a tiny smile, and a look that said, let him handle it. Her anger loosening, Charlene decided to do just that. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed and watched.

  “You make a mighty fine deputy,” Marsha went on, her smile, what Charlene could see of it, adoring.

  “Some of us in town are planning a barn dance, Mr. Price,” Nancy said. “We’d really like it if you’d attend. Maybe ask us to dance?”

  “Well, I’m not so sure about that, miss,” Tyler said, a drawl in his voice. “I wouldn’t want to offend my lady by dancing with others. I am a gentleman.”

  “Your lady?”

  Marsha spun around to glare at Charlene. “Are you stepping out with her, Mr. Price?”

  “Now I don’t recollect that whom I am paying calls on is any of your business, miss,” Tyler said, his tone pleasant. “I don’t get into anyone’s business, and I expect the same courtesy from y’all.”

  Charlene smothered her grin and choked back her snicker, earning for herself a stern glance from Jean. Both Marsha and Nancy stared at Charlene, affronted, as though they knew perfectly well that she hid her amusement. Doing her best to return a wide-eyed, I-have-no-idea-what-he’s-talking-about look, she merely waited, letting them stare at her without reacting.

  “Are you here to purchase anything in particular, ladies?” Jean politely inquired. “I’m sure Charlene will be happy to show you whatever you are looking for.”

  Marsha’s glare faltered and Nancy glanced at the floor. Hesitating, Marsha, at last, strode to the counter, Nancy at her heels. “Yes,” she began, tentatively. “I wanted to know if you had any bolts of pink cloth.”

  As Charlene pulled down the bolts to show her, Jean returned to the back room. Knowing perfectly well Marsha had no intention of buying, Charlene flicked her glance to Tyler past the other woman’s shoulders. He met her eyes and shook his head faintly with a wry grin.

  “No, that’s not what I had in mind,” Marsha announced after a look that lasted less than an instant.

  Turning abruptly, she marched across the floor, Nancy tagging behind her like a faithful hound. Neither of them looked at Tyler as they departed, all but slamming the door behind them. “That was rude,” Charlene commented, watching them storm down the walk through the window.

  “People are people,” Tyler replied.

  A moment later, Harold entered, staring in the direction that Marsha and Nancy had gone. “What got into them?” he asked.

  Charlene chuckled. “Their own foolishness. What did you find out?”

  “How much poppy to use to get them drowsy,” he answered. “Where’s my lovely wife?”

  “In here,” Jean called from the back.

  “I’ll take over,” Harold said, heading in her direction, “if you would bake some bread with the poppy in it. We’ll need it within a few hours, so hustle, woman.”

  “I don’t recall hearing a ‘please.’”

  “Pleeeze, woman?”

  Charlene shared a grin with Tyler at Jean’s pained sigh. “Oh, very well,” Jean replied, emerging from the back. “Give me what I need to add to it, Harold. I should check on the boys, anyway”.

  Both Harold and Jean vanished into the storage room, their murmured voices float
ing back to Charlene’s ears. More customers arrived to purchase supplies of flour, sugar, coffee, salt, ammunition, and other goods, Charlene was kept busy, Harold with her, until closing time. Just as the last one left and she breathed a sigh, walking to the door to lock it, Josiah returned with news.

  “I found five men willing to help out tonight, Tyler,” he said. “They’ll be here an hour after dark.”

  “That’s great,” Tyler replied, standing.

  “I’ll have the store opened for them,” Harold added. ‘We’ll meet here and finish our plans.”

  “I thought you’d sit this one out, Harold,” Tyler said.

  “Not on your life,” Harold snorted. “I’m seeing this through to the end. Now you two go on and get your supper. You, too, Josiah, as you’re coming along tonight.”

  “I want to check on Vic first.” Charlene went to the back room to fetch her bonnet. “Fix him his meal.”

  “That’s mighty nice of you, Charlene,” Harold said as she returned. “Then you go home and stay with your mother until we catch these boys.”

  Not wanting either Tyler or Harold to suspect she planned to go regardless of what they wanted, she lowered her eyes and didn’t answer as she and Tyler left the store. The humidity had risen since the storm, making perspiration burst from her pores as she strolled down the walk with Tyler at her side. Though he didn’t speak, she suspected he knew what she had in her mind.

  Vic sat in an armchair as they entered his small house, his injured leg propped up on a cushioned stool. Lines of pain ran down from his eyes and his mouth, but he raised a slight grin upon seeing them. “You pair are a fine sight to see,” he commented.

  Charlene gave him a quick embrace. “How are you feeling?”

  “Oh, I’m all right, young miss,” he replied. “Just catching up on my woolgathering. Haven’t had much time for that lately.”

  “I’m going to fix you something to eat,” Charlene told him, striding to the small kitchen as Tyler sat down.

  Half listening as Tyler outlined their plans to trap the young Millers, Kevin and Ian, Charlene found not quite stale bread, leftover bacon that was still good, fresh beans and a hard sausage. Filling a plate, she took it and a mug of water from the hand pump at the sink back in to Vic.

  “Thank you kindly, Charlene,” Vic said, accepting it. “I just haven’t had the energy to get up and scavenge up some food for myself.”

  “Now you won’t have to. I expect Tyler told you of his idea?”

  Victor nodded, taking a bite of bread and bacon. “I can’t find too many flaws except him possibly getting shot at.”

  “No plan can be perfect,” Tyler said with a shrug. “I’ll make a dummy from straw and shirt, add some hair from a white horsetail. We need something to actually draw them into the cell itself.”

  “Like Dennis is sleeping and they go in to wake him up?” Charlene asked.

  Tyler nodded. “Exactly.”

  “Just leave yourself an escape route in case they get to shooting,” Victor warned. “I don’t need my new deputy shot on his first day on the job.”

  “He doesn’t need to get himself shot at all,” Charlene replied sharply. “Vic, we need to go. Will you be all right?”

  “I’ve been looking after myself for almost sixty years, little girl,” he groused with a small grin. “Get out of here.”

  “I’ll be by later to let you know how it goes,” Tyler said, resting his hand on Victor’s shoulder. “Take care.”

  “You stay healthy, boy, y’hear?”

  “I will. Quit worrying.”

  Despite Tyler’s optimistic tone, Charlene worried plenty. Unable to halt her nervous anxiety, she ate what little food she could choke down at supper with Olivia, Tyler and Tosahwi, watching the sun settle over the west with dread. Once told of the plans, Olivia, too, cautioned Tyler to be careful, biting her lip with apprehension.

  Tyler eyed them both with amusement. “You two can stop fussing, please. It’ll be all right, you’ll see.”

  That was hardly enough to reassure either of them, and when Tyler picked up his rifle an hour after the sun had set, Charlene felt her anxiety rise. He paused at the door to send her a reassuring wink and a smile, then left the small house. Striding to the window, she watched him vanish into the dark.

  “Charlene,” her mother said, her tone alarmed. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going, Mother,” she replied, waiting until Tyler had gotten a clear head start. “Please don’t try to stop me.”

  “Let the men handle it. You have no reason to go.”

  Charlene gazed long at her mother. “I have every reason to go.”

  Waiting until the current house guard left the porch to patrol around the home, Charlene slipped out and hurried down the steps and out of the yard. Her skirts in her hands so she wouldn’t trip over the hem, she strode as silently as possible down the sidewalk toward the store. She saw no one save a few locals headed toward the saloon.

  Suspecting Tyler and the other men would finalize their plans in the back room where no lights might be seen from the street, she stood in the deep darkness in the alley, watching the rear entrance to the Apple Tree. Within minutes, she saw Tyler stride toward her, and she caught her breath, thinking he would make her return to the house.

  But he didn’t seem to know she was there and went through the back door. A light showed briefly, illuminating him, then was quenched when the doorway closed behind him. Soon, Josiah also walked down the alley and went in, as did several others. Trying to still her fidgets and her nerves, Charlene waited for them to come out.

  About thirty agonizing minutes later, they did. Josiah and Harold left together and headed down the alley away from her to disappear into the night. The other men followed after, each taking a different route, one tall man passing within a few feet of her still body without seeing her. She held her breath until he passed, then waited for Tyler to emerge.

  He did, and walked toward the main street, no doubt letting himself be seen to any watching eyes that he headed to the jail to look after his prisoner. Keeping to the shadows, Charlene followed him, her heart in her throat. She stepped softly, creeping like a ghost, clinging to the side of the building where no light showed. Peering around the corner, she observed Tyler striding casually down the middle of the street, the occasional light shining on him, marking him clearly.

  Knowing she might be seen in the light herself, Charlene returned to the alley and hiked her skirts to run as swiftly and silently as she could. She caught glimpses of Tyler in the street, and always waited until he was past her before making her way across the next side lane. So far, he didn’t seem to know she was there, but she had no idea where Harold and the other men had hidden themselves, and who might spot her.

  Without a hue and cry raised, she hurried on to the alley between the jail and Victor’s house just as Tyler entered the front door of the sheriff’s office. Hiding in the shadows again, Charlene gazed around at what she could see of the quiet street. The hot night was still and silent, and not even a dog barked. Catching her breath, she leaned her back against the wall of the building.

  Here we go, this is really happening.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “We’re riding back to El Paso.”

  Aaron’s announcement, the second day after Benji’s death, brought no comments from either Elmer or George. They camped that night northwest of Sugar Land, staring into the flames as the sun descended over the western horizon. During those long days of riding, their grief over the loss of the youngest Dawson brother was too great for words.

  “Why El Paso?” Elmer finally asked, poking the fire with a stick. “I want out of this line of work, Aaron. It’s become – too much.”

  “Why?” Aaron stared at him over the flames. “To find Price. He’s to blame for Benji getting put into prison, now dead. We’re going to find him and tear him into little bounty hunter pieces.”

  He had permitted Elmer to talk him out of
his vengeance once before, persuaded him that getting Benji out was all that mattered. Since Benji had died, Aaron’s burning rage had increased rather than diffused over time. No rock or tree would hide Tyler Price from Aaron’s revenge. Not any more. Price would die, even if it took Aaron years to hunt him down.

  “Will that bring Benji back?” Elmer asked, not looking at Aaron. “We find Price and kill him, then what?”

  “Then we retire,” Aaron replied. “Give up the life, find a place where we’re not known, live out the rest of our days as ordinary people. Price has to die, Elmer. You know it.”

  “Do I?” he asked softly. “I’m not so sure about anything anymore.”