by Nancy Pirri
She smiled at him and nodded.
“I’m asking again, Annie. Will you marry me?”
Tears filled her eyes even as she whispered, “Yes.”
He raised his brow. “You mean it?”
“This is a sensible solution to this dilemma, not to mention the fact that it’ll be so much easier for Mark.”
“Is that your only reason for saying yes?”
“Isn’t it the only reason you asked me?”
She looked into his eyes and caught a glimmer of disappointment. She had to be truthful with him. While she was attracted to him, she didn’t love him. She believed that love would come to them over time, as they grew to know each other.
He dragged his fingers through his hair. “I was hoping for… Never mind. When do you want to get married?”
Damn! So much for romance. So she doesn’t love me. What did I expect? We’ve known each other only two days, yet I half convinced myself I was already falling in love with her. But then, a lot has happened in these two days.
“I think we owe it to Mark to get to know each other better before we marry. Perhaps in a few months we can say our vows.”
“Sounds sensible,” Cane said.
“When will you talk to Father about us?”
“As soon as I can.” Cane turned on his heel and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
He came to a halt and quirked an eyebrow at her. “Turning in for the night. I’ve got a big day ahead of me and several properties to look at. I’m rising before the sun. Good night.”
“Yes, good night, Cane,” she said faintly.
After he left, she took up her darning again, joy bubbling up inside her. He’d asked her to marry him. Mark would be secure, and she’d still have the boy who was like a son to her in her life.
She hadn’t missed the disappointment on Cane’s face and guessed he’d expected her to declare her love for him. He hadn’t declared his love for her either. She greatly admired Cane’s strength and determination to make something of his life. His love for Mark was genuine. Though convinced she would grow to love him, she harbored doubts about him falling in love with her. His purpose in life had been to gain the custody and love of his son. He would achieve that goal with their marriage. Was that his only reason for proposing?
It would be enough, she decided, though she hated the idea. She finished darning the sock and tossed it into a basket. She thought about Cane’s dark hair and eyes, his swarthy complexion and strong body when he’d pulled her against him.
Love made no difference to a man who’d lived without love for most of his life, a man with the single-minded purpose he’d had in coming here. Love mattered to Annie, enough to make her determined to be such a good wife to Cane, he would have no choice but to fall madly in love with her. She would show him the difference love could make in his hard life.
Chapter 4
After a few days of living with the Callahans, Cane’s desire to marry Annie and take her to his bed had grown faster than a brush fire. It was all he could think about—holding her sweet body in his arms, taking down her wheat-colored strands of hair, planting his lips against hers. He was going insane with wanting her! Yet he knew he had to wait. He’d give her the time she needed to get used to him. He’d promised.
He’d had no luck finding property on which to build a ranch and a home for Annie and Mark. It had to be the right property. With the approaching winter, he knew he was running out of time, too. He was weary and somewhat discouraged as he rode into town, cold and hungry. For the past hour, he’d been looking forward to enjoying a meal. There was Annie’s wagon outside Katie’s Palace. Darn it! Didn’t I tell the woman I didn’t want her driving by herself?
His stomach rumbled when he smelled beefsteaks. He swung off his horse, tied him up and ambled into The Palace. Removing his gloves, he welcomed the heat as he stood in the entryway and looked around. With a quick sweep, he decided there was no vacant table. Then his gaze honed in on Annie. She was setting a table at the opposite end of the restaurant. She turned, smiled, and motioned him back.
He pulled off his Stetson. She looked pretty in a russet-colored dress embellished with ivory lace. He was nothing but a hard cowboy who’d seen and experienced too much pain and violence in life, yet her femininity intrigued and enticed him—softened him.
He strode to the table she’d just cleaned up. She pulled a chair out for him and waited for him to take it. As he sat, he said, “You sure are a sight for these tired eyes.”
“Ah, your words are poetry to my ears, Cane.”
Narrowing his gaze on her, he saw her sweet smile but knew her reply was anything but flippant. “Poetry, huh? That’s the first time anyone has ever accused me of that. I read, but I’m no poet.”
“All right, how about this then? You’re just being nice to me so I’ll keep sewing buttons on your shirt when you lose them.”
“Yup, that’s the size of it.” He grinned at her. The woman knew how to put a man at ease. His chest expanded when she grinned back and tilted her head.
“You know, if you want I could sew you some new shirts.”
Cane gulped down the lump forming in his throat. Outside of his mother, no woman had ever offered to do something so nice for him. He didn’t know what to say to her offer. He just sat there like a dunderheaded fool, staring at her.
“No, thanks,” he eventually managed to say, looking away. “I can’t afford to spend a dime on clothing until I purchase my property and figure out how much I’ll have left over for cattle and horses and gear.”
“I’ve bolts of chambray and woolens at the ranch. You won’t be the first man for whom I’ve made a shirt. Every hand on our ranch has had at least one made by me.”
“Why?” he asked, even as jealousy tore through him at the thought of her hands measuring another man’s body.
“I enjoy sewing, for one, and most of the men have never had anything done for them—certainly not a homemade shirt. I appreciate their work for us at the ranch, and one way I show my thanks is to make shirts for Christmas. Some of our hands have been with us since I was a girl. They’re family to me.” She clapped her hands and laughed. “Oh, you should see how we decorate the house for the holidays. The baking and cooking in preparation! And, on Christmas morning, the hands who have no other family open gifts with us and share a festive meal.”
He nodded. “Then I look forward to you making me a shirt for Christmas, Miss Annie.” And sharing our first Christmas together, even if it’s not as man and wife for I can’t marry her without a home for her and Mark.
She gave him a shy smile. “I…I have to get back to work. Would you like the special? It’s beefsteak.”
“Much appreciated, and coffee,” he said. “Oh, and one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll be back in a couple hours to escort you home.”
She frowned. “I don’t have Mark with me, Cane. It’s not necessary.”
“Maybe not to you, but it is to me.”
“Hey, Annie, our food’s sitting up on the kitchen shelf getting cold!”
Cane looked beyond Annie to see Jed Porter glaring at him. “Go on. We’ll talk later,” he said.
Annie nodded and left him. He stared out the window, deciding there’d be plenty of time to ponder on how pretty Annie was once they were married. It wasn’t long before he looked toward the kitchen and followed her activity as she delivered plates of food to one table then another. When she paused with her hands full at Jed’s table, Cane’s world turned red. Jed sat with two other men and, with a smirk on his lips, slid an arm around Annie’s waist after she set his food down.
Cane scowled. Then he grinned when she whipped a wooden spoon from her apron pocket and smacked Jed’s hand. Jed retaliated, wound his hand around her neck and yanked her down to meet his lips.
Cane rose from his chair with a vivid curse and tore down the aisle. Stopping beside Jed, Cane grasped the
man’s wrist and pulled his hand from around Annie’s neck. “Let go of her,” he growled.
Jed stumbled to his feet, knocking his chair over in the process, fists raised. “Who in the hell do you think you are?”
Cane maneuvered Annie behind him, conscious of the silence in the room, knowing now they had an audience. He took advantage of the quiet and said, “The man who will be marrying Miss Annie, that’s who.”
Jed glared at Annie. “Is that true?”
Annie nodded. “Yes.”
“And don’t propose to her again, either,” Cane warned. He started to turn Annie away with him but paused, focusing on Jed again. “And one thing more, don’t you ever lay a hand on her again. Understand?”
Jed didn’t reply, just glared mulishly at Cane.
James Freeman entered The Palace. He eased up to them. “There a problem here?” he asked.
“Oh, James, why…”
“Not anymore,” Cane inserted. “Porter here was just leaving. Weren’t you?”
Jed sent smoldering looks at Cane and Annie, then curtly nodded. “Come on, boys.”
Cane’s gaze followed Jed and his men until they left the saloon, then he looked at Annie.
“I’m marrying Cane,” Annie said. “Jed’s not too happy about it.”
“Is that right?” James replied with a grin.
Annie nodded.
The swinging kitchen doors opened as James said, “Bet you haven’t told Katie yet, have you?”
“Told me what?” Katie asked, joining them.
“The two of them are getting married,” James said. He wound an arm around Katie’s expanding waist. “Ain’t that something?”
“Oh, Annie! When were you going to tell me?” Katie said accusingly.
“It pretty much just happened, ma’am,” Cane said. “We’re getting married sometime around Christmas.”
Annie’s eyes went round. “We are?”
“Yes,” Cane said decidedly. “By the way, I never did get my cup of coffee or my supper.”
Katie laughed. “Sit down, Mr. Smith. Coming right up.”
James stared at Cane a moment, then he stuck out his hand. “Hope you realize you’re getting a real treasure with Annie.”
“I do,” Cane said and shook the marshal’s hand.
Cane returned to his seat, glad folks were involved once again in their own table conversations.
Annie rushed up. “Here’s your coffee, Cane. Supper should be up any moment.”
“Thanks. No rush,” he replied. “You okay?”
She nodded but wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“Are you mad at me for making the announcement like I did?”
“No.” She hesitated, biting her lip a moment before replying. “No one’s ever stood up for me like you did. Thank you for that.” She leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, surprising him.
He reached for her. “Annie, I…”
“I’ll be back in a minute.” She rushed to the kitchen. Within moments, she delivered his food, and he forced himself to eat slowly even though hunger gnawed at his belly.
Cane finished his meal, left money on the table, including a generous tip for Annie. Jamming his Stetson on his head, he paused at the door and caught Annie’s eyes as she left the kitchen with a tray loaded with plates of food.
“I’ll be back, like I said, to fetch you.”
She nodded and delivered the food on the platters.
Uneasiness settled over him. He’d ride home on his horse, return in two hours, then escort her home in her wagon. As he mounted his horse, he smiled. Home. I like the sound of that, especially coming from Annie.
Annie was exhausted when she left The Palace at half past nine. As she neared the double doors, she heard the rain before she smelled it. Beside her, Katie said, “I can’t thank you enough for coming in. I owe you. Again.”
“You don’t owe me a thing,” Annie replied. She laid her hand on the big swell of Katie’s belly. “Moving a lot, isn’t he?”
Katie placed her hand over her friend’s. “It might be a girl, you know, but you always say ‘he.’”
“I think this baby is a boy.”
Katie gasped. “Tell me, did you see something?”
Annie shivered, grateful that she hadn’t had any more premonitions since Cane’s arrival. “No, sorry, I’ve seen nothing about your baby, Katie. Consider that a good thing.”
Katie nodded. “I’ll soon know. Every time he moves, I have to rush to the…well, you know.”
They laughed. Stepping outside, a light mist fell around them. Annie pulled her coat close around her. “Wouldn’t you know it? I took the wagon that leaks today.”
“I can always send you home in one of mine,” Katie said. “Besides, it’ll be nearly dark by the time you get home. I don’t like the idea of you traveling on your own.”
“I got here on my own and I can return the same way,” Annie said firmly. Besides, Cane would be on the way soon, if he was true to his word.
“The roads aren’t safe at night,” Katie protested.
“They’re not safe during the day, either.” Annie smiled. “Don’t worry about me. It’s only fifteen minutes to home.” She paused for an instant before blurting what she knew she’d have to, sooner or later, “I guess I should tell you this. Cane Smith is Mark’s true father.”
Katie gasped, “Oh my! So is that why you’re marrying him?”
“At first I thought it was the reason. You have to admit it’s the practical thing to do. It’ll be easier for Mark, too, adjusting to Cane as his father.”
“But you don’t know the man!” Katie protested.
“True, but I’ve good instincts, you can’t deny. I’ve a feeling our marriage will be good, Katie. I feel things for Cane I’ve never felt for any man.” Heat seeped into her cheeks. “Stirrings, I guess you’d say.”
Katie nodded. “I know all about stirrings,” she said, patting her stomach. “But, like I said, you don’t know him. Maybe we should have James check up on him. What if he’s some criminal?”
“As a matter of fact, he spent seven years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He was released when the law found the real criminal.”
“How horrible for him. But…do you want me to ask James to check out his past? Just to be on the safe side?”
“No. I believe every word he told me. Besides, Father spoke with Judge Hopkins, who verified Cane’s facts.”
“I suppose there’s no chance you happen to love him, do you?”
“How could I? We just met.”
“Yes, but don’t forget those stirrings,” Katie said with a laugh. “I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, Katie. I have the feeling you’ll be having that baby very soon. You send someone to let us know about the baby right away. Okay?”
“I will,” Katie promised.
It was half past nine and rain pounded the ground. It was time to go get Annie. As Cane rode, he was soaked to the skin within moments. Without the moon’s light, he had difficulty staying on the road. He wondered how Annie managed traveling home evenings after working. But then she’d grown up here, and knowing her horse, he likely knew the way even if she didn’t guide him.
He saw lights shining from Katie’s Palace up ahead. He slowed down as he drew nearer and saw the shadowy shape of a wagon stopped in the road. Squinting through the rain, he saw a riderless horse beside a wagon and a hitched horse. Chills prickled up his spine. Could it be Annie?
Damn! Didn’t I tell her to wait for me? Now it seemed her wagon had broken down. It also appeared someone had stopped to help her.
A woman’s scream rent the night and he recognized it as Annie’s. “Hee yah!” Cane hollered, whipping his horse into a gallop. He saw Annie, her arms flailing, legs kicking as she screamed at the man who was manhandling her as he sat on the seat beside her. Even though he saw only the shape of a big man, Cane’s mind blared, Jed! He leaned over his horse’s neck and thundered toward them. Once
he reached the wagon, he flung himself into it, snatching Jed up by the collar and whirling him away from Annie.
“You can’t have her!” Jed yelled over the rain. “She’s mine!”
His fist darted out and clipped Cane’s chin. Cane staggered but regained his balance. Like a bull on the rampage, he butted his head into Jed’s stomach, satisfied at the sound of the man’s groan. Straightening, he pulled back his right arm and slammed his fist into Jed’s face. Blood spurted from his nose. Jed gave a maddening roar and hauled back his own fist, but Cane hit him again and the brute tumbled out of the wagon.
Cane saw Jed lying sprawled in the mud, saw him twitch. Cane warned, “Stay put, if you know what’s good for you.” Then he took Annie in his arms, and she sobbed against his chest. “Are you okay?” he asked. At her nod, his voice hardened. “Didn’t I tell you to stay put until I came for you?”
She looked up at him. “I grew up in Bozeman and had no reason to believe anything bad could happen to me. Heavens, I’d had no forewarning, no premonition, of Jed setting upon me like he did.” But then she remembered her visions. Surely, Jed couldn’t do this horrible thing.
She sighed. “It seems you were absolutely right about my safety.”
“Finally, you see the sense of things.”
She lifted her chin. “I’ve always been safe in Bozeman. This is my home, Cane. Though I have to admit I owe you thanks for arriving in so timely a fashion.”
“Yes, if I hadn’t arrived, who knows how far Porter would have gone?”
“Oh, I know exactly what he would have done. He…told me!” she said in a shaky murmur.
“What did he say?”
“He meant to ruin me so I’d have to marry him.”
“The bastard!” Cane glared down at Jed, who still lay on the ground, groaning.
Suddenly, the marshal rode up, and Cane and Annie told him what had happened.
“You’ll be spending the night in a jail cell, Porter,” James muttered, hauling Jed to his feet. “You’re lucky Miss Annie will let it go at that.”
