Married to Claim the Rancher's Heir

by Lauri Robinson

  “I’m sure this trip will be more comfortable than the last one,” Gabe said.

  Janette couldn’t collect her thoughts quickly enough to respond.

  “Your poison ivy appears to have cleared up.”

  Having nearly forgotten she’d ever had poison ivy, she touched her neck. “Yes, yes, it’s almost gone.”

  “So your trip should be more comfortable,” he said again.

  “I’m sure it will be,” she agreed.

  “It’ll help that we are traveling at night. It’ll be cooler.”

  “That, too, will be a relief,” she said, wishing that he wasn’t being so nice. It was easy to stay mad when he was obstinate.

  “Gabe Callaway, I’ve been looking for you today.”

  Glancing up, Janette came eye to eye with one of the women from this morning. She was tiny, with lots of golden curls and big blue eyes and wearing a stunning dress made of blue gabardine. The jacket was fitted and trimmed with white piping and lace, and Janette felt a bout of jealousy. The woman was very attractive, and her face shone as she looked at Gabe.

  “Hello, Mrs. James.” Gabe stood and removed his hat. “Is Francis with you?”

  “No, he’s home in Topeka with the children. I came to town to sit with Mother while Father traveled to Wichita for business,” she answered. “He returned yesterday, and I’m ready to return home myself.”

  Gabe nodded and then reached down. Janette rose as he grasped her elbow.

  “Allow me to introduce—”

  “Your wife,” Mrs. James said with a smile. “Janette I believe?”

  Janette nodded, and, feeling the need to address Gabe’s curious stare, she said, “We met this morning at the hotel.”

  “My friend Susan Wills. You remember her, Gabe. Her father owns the feed store?” She waited until he nodded before continuing, “She and I had breakfast at the hotel this morning and met Janette then.” With a demure smile, she added, “We’d heard the news and were hoping to meet the woman who finally lured Gabe Callaway to the altar. Some thought that might never happen. And I’ve been itching to tell you congratulations. I know the two of you will be very happy.”

  His cheeks turned slightly pink as he nodded. “Thank you.”

  Mrs. James then said, “I’m afraid we weren’t the only ones at the hotel this morning, hoping to catch a glance of you, Janette. We were all just so curious. I hope we didn’t frighten you.”

  “Janette doesn’t frighten easy,” Gabe said.

  “Of course she doesn’t. She married you.” Mrs. James laughed as the glimmer in her eyes assured Janette she was teasing. She then grew serious. “I also wanted to extend my condolences on the loss of Max. Francis will be hurt by the news, too. I recall the last time we’d seen you and you mentioned Max was down in Texas. Francis said that didn’t surprise him. That Max had always wanted to venture out on his own.”

  Janette felt more than saw Gabe stiffen and had a great desire to touch him, just for support, as he nodded.

  “Will you two be staying in Topeka for any length of time?” Mrs. James then asked. “I know Francis would be elated to see you.”

  “No,” Gabe replied. “We’re going to Kansas City tonight.”

  She nodded but then asked, “On your way back, perhaps? You could stay with us.” With a very wide grin, she added, “The children all sleep through the night now.” After another laugh, she explained, “We have four children. Seven, six, three and two. Two boys and two girls. I do hope Francis is still alive when I get home.”

  Janette had to swallow a lump. Thinking about boarding a train that took them farther away from the ranch had her thinking about and missing Ruby all day. “How long have you been gone?” she asked.

  “Almost a week, but it truly seems much longer. Francis’s mother lives nearby, so I know they are all fine, but I do miss them terribly.”

  The screech of the train whistle filled the car, as did a hiss of steam.

  “I best take my seat. It was so wonderful to meet you, Janette.” Her smile was full of kindness. “And do try to convince that husband of yours to stop in Topeka on your way home. Francis would love to see him again. It’s been years.”

  Mrs. James found a seat a few benches in front of them just as the train jerked and more hissing sounded.

  As the rumbling quieted a small amount, Gabe said, “Margaret’s father oversees the stockyards in Hays, and her husband, Francis, works at the one in Topeka. He used to work in one here.”

  Janette nodded. “She seems very nice.”

  “She is. So is her husband.”

  The jerky movements of the train had their legs bumping into each other no matter how hard she tried to hold still. It was hard, though, to concentrate on sitting still when her mind kept thinking about how well liked and respected Gabe was. Almost as if he didn’t have a single enemy.

  “It’s going to be a long ride,” he said. “You might as well try to relax.”

  “I am relaxed.”

  “About as relaxed as you were in that chair last night.”

  He would have to bring up last night. She, however, was going to forget it. Completely forget it.

  “I bought a newspaper to read,” he said. “And the latest edition of a cattle journal. Want one?”

  Staring straight ahead, she replied, “No, thank you.”

  “Just going to sit there and brood?”

  “I’m not brooding.”

  “Looks that way to me.”

  Oh, dear Lord, could he irritate her. Half the day she’d planned on how she’d tell him not to come to Kansas City with her, yet the minute he’d walked into the room, she’d lost the nerve. Or the want.

  “So, why did Isaac break into your home?”

  Caught off guard, she glanced his way. He’d tucked the newspapers between his thigh and the sidewall of the train and now held the telegram Thelma had sent.

  “It says right here—”

  “I know what it says,” she said.

  “And...”

  “And I have no idea why anyone would break into my house. Not even Isaac.”

  “How’d you meet him?”

  Janette glanced around while trying to justify not answering. She’d already admitted to shooting Isaac, and the rest was of little importance. However, the churning of her stomach said that wasn’t true. She was worried what Gabe would think of her after learning the entire sordid tale.

  Which was silly. She’d already determined they shouldn’t stay married. Maybe he’d agree after learning the entire truth.

  With her stomach gurgling harder, she glanced at him. “At a birthday party for one of my clients. A well-known family. George and Alma Cough. It was their daughter Ilene’s birthday party.”

  Gabe’s expectant look said she was to continue.

  “While there, he commented on the gown I’d sewn for Ilene. I didn’t officially meet him, nor did I talk to him, but a few days later he stopped at my house. He said his father owned a textile factory and that he could provide me with all the fabrics I needed at very reasonable prices.”

  “That was appealing to you?”

  She squeezed her trembling hands tighter together and buried them deeper into her lap. “Of course it was. The comments he’d made about Ilene’s gown had spread and new customers were flocking to my door.”

  “I thought your business was very successful.”

  “It is now,” she said, “but it was floundering a bit then. I was busy, but mainly sewing regular dresses, nothing out of the ordinary.”

  “And now they are?”

  “Yes.” Instead of saying more, explaining how sought after her gowns were, she let her steady stare speak for her success.

  Gabe lifted a brow. “Go on.”

  Keeping her chin up, she said, “Isaac asked me to visit some
local stores with him, show him the types of material I used most often and where I purchased them from.”

  “Why?”

  Explaining the obvious, she said, “To compare with what he had to offer.”

  “He had samples?”

  A shiver raced over her chin. “No.” She wrung her hands tighter. “But—”

  “Never mind.” Gabe laid a hand over the top of hers. “Did you visit the stores with him?”

  Heat from his hands penetrated hers and spread. Trying to ignore it was hard. Almost impossible. “Yes, I did. And I showed him my machines, which he said should be replaced, but I didn’t agree with that. One of them was brand-new. Anna had just started selling sewing machines. I was her first sale.”

  “What happened next?”

  His touch was turning comforting in a way she’d never known. “Isaac visited regularly,” she said, “often with lists of fabric his father had available and prices. They seemed extraordinary. Too extraordinary, so I asked Alma Cough about him, because he’d said he was a friend of theirs. That’s why he’d been at Ilene’s birthday party.”

  “What did she say?”

  Janette shrugged. “Alma didn’t know him. Said she hadn’t known several of the people at the party. Many of them had been people George knew from his work with the railroad. She later told me that George didn’t know Isaac either, and that he’d never heard of the Fredrickson Textile Mill.”

  “Did you tell Isaac that?”

  She bit down on her bottom lip as it started to tremble.

  Gabe lifted her hands out of her lap and wrapped both of his hands around hers. “I can’t help if I don’t know everything.”

  A sliver of the fear she’d known that night rippled her spine. “He became very angry and demanded a large sum of money for the fabric I had ordered. I told him I hadn’t placed an order and wouldn’t give him any money.” She had to take a breath before continuing, “He kept shouting that I had a lot of money and that I had to give it to him. He wouldn’t stop, and he wouldn’t leave.”

  Still holding her hands with one of his, he slid his other arm around her shoulder. “Is that when you shot him?”

  Memories flooded and her throat burned. “Yes.”

  * * *

  Gabe doubted he’d ever felt the level of anger that started to boil inside his gut. She’d been swindled by a con man and could have been hurt far worse than she had been. That scared him in a whole new way than anything had before. “Rightfully so,” he said, pulling her closer to his side. “Rightfully so.” He’d find this Isaac Fredrickson and make the man rue the day he’d set his sights on her. She was trembling, and he rubbed her shoulder. If her hat hadn’t been in the way, he would have kissed her temple. Just a little kiss to let her know she wasn’t alone in this. That he wouldn’t stop until Fredrickson got his due.

  A tinge or tingle shot up his spine. The storm had left him with very little time to worry about Anna, yet this robbery did the opposite. Left him thinking about nothing except Janette.

  Sometime later, after they’d both remained silent, lost in their own thoughts, she let out a long sigh and then stiffened, pulling her head off his shoulder. “I haven’t seen him in five years. Never ordered any fabric...”

  He rubbed her shoulder again. “Don’t borrow trouble. It won’t help. We’ll figure it all out once we get to Kansas City.”

  “I hope so.”

  Despite the heat filling the train car, a shiver rippled over his shoulders. He’d bet Isaac hadn’t anything to do with a textile mill. Wanting to ease her fears, he asked, “Are you hungry?”

  “No. We just ate.”

  “That was hours ago. We’ll be pulling into Salina shortly.”

  “We will?”

  The look of disbelief on her face was adorable, and the desire to kiss her again washed over him. He contained it and smiled. “Yes. We’ll have time to get off and stretch our legs if you want to.”

  “That will be nice,” she answered, quietly, solemnly.

  “Yes, it will,” he answered for lack of a better response and kept his arm around her as they traveled the last few miles into Salina.

  There he escorted her off the train to use the facilities and spent several minutes visiting with Margaret James again.

  Upon returning to the train, Margaret sat in the seat left vacant across from them. She and her husband, Francis, were good people, and Gabe regretted that Janette couldn’t get to know Margaret better. They could become friends. His mother had always said that friends were important to a woman. They needed the support and companionship.

  “It’s so romantic that the two of you are taking a honeymoon,” Margaret said.

  Gabe stiffened slightly, waiting for Janette to explain this wasn’t a honeymoon. When her response was to look at him questioningly, he merely nodded but then grinned to let her know he wouldn’t reveal anything.

  “It’s been ages since Francis and I were alone together.” Margaret let out a giggle as she added, “That becomes impossible once children arrive.”

  Janette stiffened this time, and Gabe stretched his arm around her shoulders again. “Actually, we already have a child.”

  “You do?”

  He wasn’t sure who had the more surprised expression, Janette or Margaret. “Max’s wife died the same time he did. Janette and I will be raising their daughter, Ruby.”

  “Oh, how tragic.” Shaking her head, Margaret continued, “I mean about Max and his wife, but bless you both for taking in their daughter. She will love living at the ranch.” Smiling at Janette, Margaret said, “I remember visiting the ranch with my father and thinking what a wonderful place it would be to live.”

  Janette nodded, and her sideways glance toward him was a bit sheepish.

  “How old is Ruby?” Margaret asked.

  “Three,” Janette answered.

  “What a wonderful age, and she’ll be a big help once your babies start arriving.”

  Margaret continued talking, sharing stories about her children, and though Gabe pretended to be listening, his mind wandered. Janette had already voiced her dislike of the ranch and the isolation, much like Max had always done. It was possible that Ruby would feel the same way. If they went forward with this forced marriage, both Janette and Ruby could come to resent him and the ranch and ultimately leave as Max had. Just when he’d needed him the most.

  He would never need anyone like that again. Yet he did. Without heirs, the Triple C would fade away like many of the other ranches had after the snowstorm.

  It wasn’t like he was going to die tomorrow. It would be years before he sincerely needed to worry about handing over the reins, yet it was there, in his mind, put there by his father, and it never seemed to completely disappear.

  Noting a break in Margaret’s nonstop talking, he suggested they eat the food in Rosalie’s basket that Sy had replenished before they’d left the hotel.

  It was after midnight when the train pulled into Topeka, and though he’d noticed Janette’s eyes drooping and her yawns, he agreed when Margaret begged them to step off the train and say hello to Francis.

  An odd stirring took place inside him as he watched Margaret and Francis embrace. The stirring increased when Janette glanced up at him. There was sadness in her eyes, and that made him question many things. Including how their marriage was preventing her from finding what Margaret and Francis had.

  Francis was surprised by the news of their marriage and congratulated them with enthusiasm that included another invitation to stay in Topeka for a day or two.

  Gabe was surprised to find himself considering the idea. Not right now, but in the future. He’d never been interested in leaving the ranch, even for visits, but with Janette and Ruby, that might be fun. Ultimately he declined Francis’s offer, saying perhaps another time, and found other topics to discuss, mainly cattle
, before the train signaled it was time to reboard.

  “You appear to have known Francis and Margaret a long time,” Janette said as they settled onto their bench seat.

  “I have. Sold a lot of cattle through Margaret’s father. Francis worked for him at the Hays stockyards before he was offered the job of overseeing the Topeka yards.”

  A thoughtful expression crossed her face as she asked, “You wouldn’t ever consider that, would you? Moving? Living somewhere other than your ranch.”

  “No,” he answered. Thankful that hadn’t changed.

  After a long length of silence, she said, “We really shouldn’t continue to tell people we’re married. It’ll make things harder to explain why I live in Kansas City and you live on the ranch.” Almost as an afterthought, she added, “Once I’ve collected Ruby.”

  Night had long ago fallen, and though lanterns were lit inside the car, the passengers had grown quiet, most of them sleeping upright in their seats. “We’ll worry about that after we find out who broke into your house,” he said.

  “I’d almost forgotten about that,” she said, covering a yawn.

  He hadn’t. Nor had he forgotten how little sleep he’d obtained last night. Listening to the bed creak beneath her tossing and turning hadn’t kept him awake as much as his own thoughts had. The same thoughts that were forming again. Of him and her sharing a bed and not just sleeping in it.

  He shifted in his seat, leaning deeper into the corner. “It’s not very comfortable, but we might as well get some sleep. It’ll be early morn by the time we get to Kansas City.”