He was in love with Pru. Even though he couldn't trust her because she was a Randolph, even though she would always choose her family over him, he loved her with all his heart.
But what in Sam Hill could he do about it?
* * *
Prudence took another sip of water, then watched Brice enter the courtroom. She still couldn't believe she was having his baby, though every time she tossed her cookies she was a little more convinced. It was just her luck to get morning sickness—that was, in fact, all-day sickness—right off the bat. The upheaval in her life wasn't helping, either.
She loved Brice, no doubt about that, and he'd make a great dad. A baby—his baby—would be the epitome of family for him. Trouble was, there were two families involved. And they didn't get along.
Sunny waved from across the hallway, catching Prudence's attention, then came over. She cast a quick look around. "Gossipmongers are everywhere." She put herself between Prudence and the crowd, and whispered, "Did you give Brice the good news yet?"
"Now is not the time. He's got problems enough at the moment, and I've been no help at all in trying to figure out this letter business. Eulah's stonewalling me and won't give me a straight answer about anything. All I can figure is she and Wes were sweethearts that summer she spent with the Dillards while her parents were in Europe, between her junior and senior year of college. Then she graduated and married Thomas Randolph like her mama wanted her to and Wes married Gloria, a shirttail McCormack relative. Eulah's not going to say anything to help the McCormacks because she's been a Randolph for fifty years, but she can't bring herself to sanction the letter because she once loved Wes. That puts her in pretty much the same dilemma I'm in."
"It's sure not doing much to end this feud. I can tell you that much."
"How can Brice and I raise a baby surrounded by warring families? When I close my eyes, I keep seeing one of those political cartoons with a baby, arms outstretched, McCormacks pulling on one side and Randolphs pulling on the other. I'm thinking about leaving Serenity, Sunny."
"What?"
"Shh. It would be for the best. After this is over, I'll just leave town. I'll tell Brice when the baby's born. He can visit whenever he wants."
Sunny snickered. "You really think Brice McCormack, high priest of all things McCormack, is going to be content with just visiting his firstborn?"
"Then what do you suggest?"
"I suggest you do nothing right now. Word has it he's been in Amarillo for the past two days, so he's got some plan cooking. I'm sure. If Brice keeps the ranch, you two will be able to work something out." Sunny patted Prudence's hand. "Stranger things have happened."
Prudence suddenly felt a smile creep across her lips. "Like you getting pregnant?"
"Having a little fun with the gossipmongers tickles me and the judge to no end. Now let's go find a seat near the back of the courtroom, out of the line of fire, and keep our fingers crossed for an end to this here feud. I had my passport photo taken yesterday, and I look right cute. The judge and I just have to get to England this year. The poppies will be blooming in six weeks, and I intend to be there to see it."
Sunny followed Prudence into the courtroom and found a seat near the door. The judge came into the room, snapping everyone's attention to the front. Feet shuffled as the bailiff commanded everyone to rise. There was a spring in the judge's step and a mischievous smile on his lips. Guess a man never got too old to be proud of his … sexuality. Prudence cast a quick look at Sunny, taking in her perfect appearance of hairdo, makeup and new suit. A woman never got too old to be proud of her sexuality, either.
Prudence and everyone else sat, then listened to Judge Willis's opening statement about how this better be worth the court's time or there would be hell to pay. Her father stood and waxed eloquent about the Randolphs being swindled, underpaid and lied to. Then he brought out the letter and waved it in the air. "And, Your Honor, I have here a letter written by Wes McCormack to Eulah Shelton … actually her name was Eulah Fairmont at the time, saying that Cilus McCormack did indeed know about oil being on the Half-Circle before he bought out Jacob Randolph's share of the ranch."
Out of the blue, Granddad Wes suddenly stood and said, "Your Honor, I've got something to say about all this here malarkey Bob Randolph is spouting."
The judge banged his gavel. "You'll be getting your turn, Wes. Sit down."
"Now, Judge, this here's mighty important to the case, or I wouldn't be here wasting your time and everyone else's." He nodded at Bob Randolph. "It's important to the part of the case he's talking about right now. Fact is, what I got to say will put a new edge on things and give everyone concerned something to gnaw over."
Judge Willis sat back in his black leather chair and frowned. "Since this here's more of an informal hearing just to figure out if there's evidence enough to warrant a trial, you can go ahead, Wes. But I'm giving you fair warning. It had better be damn good, and you better be quick about it, or I'm shutting you down faster than you can spit."
Granddad Wes cleared his throat. "The way I'm understanding what Randolph here's saying is that his family wants part of the Half-Circle back because he thinks he's got it coming to him. Is that pretty much it in a nutshell?"
"What's the point, Wes?"
"Well, confound it, Jacob Randolph was paid good money for his half of the ranch. If the Randolphs are feeling like they're entitled to a portion of the Half-Circle, then that must mean the McCormacks are entitled to half of what the Randolphs bought with the money they got for their share of the ranch. I'm thinking maybe Randolph here can cough up half share in The First National Bank of Serenity, Randolph Feed and Grain, and maybe make McCormacks part owner of that big, fancy house the Randolphs have over on Elm Street
."
Bob Randolph turned white, then red, intensifying to purple. Prudence sat on the edge of her chair. The courtroom was dead quiet, until Bob Randolph blurted, "What the hell are you talking about, Wes?"
"Same thing you're talking about, Bob. Seems to me you can't have the money for the Half-Circle and the Half-Circle, too. You get one or the other, not both."
Bob Randolph choked. "That's the most pinheaded thing I ever heard of. The paltry money your great-granddaddy gave mine was just the beginning of the holdings the Randolphs have. My family has worked their behinds off to get what they have. You and your kin have no claim on that whatsoever."
Wes put his hands to his hips. "You can argue until doomsday about that but the bottom line is that your family used the money to get a start. If you're claiming part of the Half-Circle the way it is today, then we can gosh darn claim part of Randolph Incorporated. Seems only fitting, if you ask me." He faced Willis. "Fair's fair, Judge. What's the verdict?"
"Well, this does put a new wrinkle in things. I hadn't thought of the situation quite like that before. You got a point there, Wes. I'll have to think about it, check the legalities of—"
"Wes is right," someone yelled out.
From the other side of the courtroom came "In a pig's eye. McCormacks aren't entitled. Randolphs worked to get where they are today."
Uncle Judd stood up. "And McCormacks didn't work to make the Half-Circle bigger and better?"
Judge Willis's gavel banged three times. Two Randolphs ignored the banging and stood, voicing their outrage over this sudden turn of events.
"Enough," bellowed the judge, as three more McCormacks stood in support of Wes and two stood to support Bob. Suddenly everybody was standing and shouting accusations, waving their arms and pointing to one side of the courtroom or the other.
The judge banged and yelled, and was completely ignored by everyone. Prudence watched Brice yelling at her dad and her dad yelling back. The uproar was migraine-quality and getting worse. She exchanged hopeless looks with Sunny and whispered, "It's over. There's never going to be peace. No way can I stay here, Sunny. I'm leaving Serenity. There's no other option. This is no place to raise my baby. I've made up my mind."
Pru
dence got up to leave, but Sunny took her hand and pulled her back down. Sunny nodded at the crowd. "I think you should tell them all how you feel. They need to know, because way deep down inside I think a lot of people feel just like you do. Look around—not everybody's duking it out. A little grassroots support is what both families need to see how senseless this feud really is."
"Like anyone's going to listen to me. They can't hear me above this din."
"They'll listen—that I can guarantee you." Sunny gave a wicked smile. "I was expecting something like this to happen, so I packed my persuader." She slid from her purse a can with a horn mounted on top. "Meet the persuader."
"What is it?"
"Foghorn. Press the little red button on top, and you'd think an ocean liner is coming right at you. I use it to persuade the neighbor's ill-mannered dog from our yard. He does his business in my petunias, of all things. Can you imagine? It'll get everyone's attention, sure enough." Sunny smiled sweetly, then raised her hand slightly into the air. With everyone else's hands flying in all directions, she fit right in. "Better cover your ears, dear."
Then she pressed the button, and it sounded as if the QE II was docking right smack in the middle of the courtroom.
Everyone froze in place, and Sunny quickly dropped the can back into her purse, fluffed her hair and assumed her sophisticated appearance as the judge's genteel, president-of-the-garden-society wife who just might be pregnant and would never in a million years cause a commotion.
Prudence peered at the McCormacks and Randolphs in their present frozen cameos. Pent-up anger that had been brewing for years overrode every other emotion she felt. Not only had she been defending her family and battling with McCormacks for as long as she could remember, but also choosing between them had cost her the man she loved. She was plumb fed up.
Holding on to Sunny's shoulder for support, she stepped up onto the bench where she'd been sitting and glared at the crowd. "What is wrong with all of you? You're ruining Serenity. Don't you all understand that? Serenity's a great town, the best. It deserves better. Do you all like living like this? Well, I don't, not at all." She took a deep breath, feeling all the fight drain out of her. She was bone-weary. "I can't do this anymore. I can't take sides between the McCormacks and the Randolphs. You can all slug it out forever for all I care. My baby and I are leaving this feud and Serenity, and we're not coming back."
* * *
Chapter 12
« ^
For a moment Brice felt as if the whole courtroom tilted. Pru—his Pru—was leaving Serenity? And what was this about a baby? Pru was having his baby? He watched her elbow her way through the back of the crowded courtroom. Everyone was oddly silent, as if they couldn't quite believe what was going on. Prudence was pregnant with a Randolph-McCormack child. And she was leaving Serenity and taking the Randolph-McCormack child with her. Randolphs and McCormacks didn't leave Serenity. They stayed here, married and raised more Randolphs and McCormacks.
Brice watched Pru reach the door, turn the corner and disappear from sight. Holy hell! What was he doing just standing here like a fencepost? He started after her, stepping around the befuddled onlookers that clogged the aisle. Damn it all, why did Pru have to sit in the back while he was in the front, and why was no one getting out of his way?
Brice finally got to the hallway and ran toward the exit. Shoving the large, double wooden door open, he searched the porch, steps and sidewalk for Pru. He looked down the street in time to see her Lincoln barreling out of town.
Keys in hand, Brice ran to his truck … except that there wasn't any truck—just an empty space by the curb. How could this happen? How could someone steal his truck right in front of the courthouse of all places? Where was the sheriff? What was Serenity coming to? Brice swore, swore again and rolled his eyes in exasperation, focusing on the Loading Zone sign and the tow-away warning underneath.
"Dad-blasted!"
Turning around, Brice collided with Derek. Derek said, "Did you find Prudence, and what's this about a baby?"
"I need to borrow your pickup."
"You never said a word about the baby, not even to me, your best man, your brother."
He grabbed Derek by the shoulders. "I didn't know about the baby. I was too busy … with the ranch." He closed his eyes for a second. "I should be shot at sunrise for not paying more attention to Pru." Then he looked back to Derek and said, "I need your truck."
"Where the hell's yours? I just got mine back from you."
Brice pointed at the empty spot. "It was there."
Derek tipped his hat back on his head and grinned. "Well, doggies. I guess you've been towed, big brother."
"Derek, if you're planning on seeing your next birthday … give me your damn keys. I have to get to Pru and talk her out of leaving Serenity. She's making her getaway, as we speak."
"Then, you better think of some mighty good reason to make her stay, 'cause you sure haven't so far. I'd say some serious groveling is in order." He reached into his pocket. "My truck's on the other side of the courthouse, not parked in a tow-away zone, I might add." As Brice grabbed the key and ran off, he heard Derek say, "You'd think a lawyer would know better."
Brice didn't need the smart-ass comments right now. What he needed was speed. In minutes, he was in Derek's truck, heading out of town. He had no idea where Pru was going. She could be on her way back to the ranch to get her stuff, or she could be in such a state that she'd say to hell with stuff and just keep on driving till she got to … wherever.
That thought made his heart lodge in his throat, because if that was true, he'd never find her. Texas was a mighty big state. Good gravy, what if she didn't stay in Texas? But hell, everyone with half a brain stayed in Texas.
He and Pru had just found each other. They were getting to really know each other and figure each other out. And after knowing her all these years, he'd fallen in love with her. Of course, he hadn't told her that. Instead, he'd told her he didn't care where she lived and that he didn't trust her. All of which didn't sound too loving.
But he did love her, and he had to tell her that all those other things he'd said didn't count because he was a fool to have ever let her go. How could he have been so stupid? He cared where Pru lived, and he wanted it to be with him. And he did trust her. He trusted her to do the right thing, the way she saw it at the time. No one could do better than that.
He'd never met anyone stronger than Pru. It was one of the things he loved about her most. That, and the way she made love with him with her cowgirl hat on. In spite of his present situation, a grin split his face, followed by a sharp pain in his gut at the realization that he might lose her before he could set things to right.
The back of the truck fishtailed, kicking up gravel, as he swung into the lane that led to the ranch. He rounded the first bend and spotted Pru's Lincoln parked in the drive. He thought he'd die from the sheer relief of finding her just where he wanted her most, at her house on his ranch. He skidded to a stop, killed the engine and took off for the house. He cleared all the front steps in one leap, and flung open the front door.
"Pru? Where the blazes are you?"
"Upstairs." Her quiet, controlled voice trailed to him as if she'd been calling him to dinner.
In a second he was standing in the doorway to the bedroom, their bedroom. The window was open, letting in a soft spring breeze. A suitcase was half packed and clothes were strewn across the bed. His heart felt as if it were caught in a vise and someone were tightening it bit by bit.
"You … can't do this."
She didn't look at him but kept folding clothes and putting them into the bag. "You said I should live wherever I wanted, and I don't want to stay here. My family, your family … it's not working, Brice. I'm tired of all the fighting, and I won't raise our baby where it will be torn in two." She shook her head, and her hair danced across her shoulders.
She'd taken down her braids, setting her curls free the way she always did when she was at the ranch. She wa
s barefoot, too, and he looked at her pink toenails. He loved the whimsical side of Pru, the tattoo, the excitement in her eyes over simple things like her cowgirl hat. It was this unexpected side that made her happy and carefree, and made him feel that way, too. Life before Pru had been drudgery. With her it was pretty damn good. In fact, it was damn near perfect.
Her purple power suit was in a crumpled heap on the floor beside her high heels. She had on jeans and one of his green-and-white flannel shirts. Her cowgirl hat was next to her purse, car keys resting on the brim.
How could she leave this house, the ranch, him, and take their baby away from this place, when she so clearly belonged right here? "Where are the workpeople?"
"Picking up the new oak bookshelves I had made for you. They'll be back tomorrow."
"Stay, Pru. I'm sorry for what I said. I care where you live, and I want it to be here with me."
She stopped packing for a moment, not looking at him but seeming to consider what he'd said. Then she continued folding clothes. "You're just saying that because of the baby."
"Is that what you really think?"
"Yes. You'd do anything for your family. And this baby is more your family than anything else in the world. You'd make our marriage work if you had to stand on your head every morning and whistle 'Dixie' with a mouthful of crackers. Anything to keep your baby here." She faced him. "Don't you understand that the baby is why I have to leave? I'm not doing this to hurt you, and I'm surely not being loyal to Randolphs over McCormacks. My father's going to have a fit over this … but that's too bad."
"What about living in Amarillo?"
"I was thinking New York City. It's the last place you'll find Randolphs or McCormacks. It's feud-free."
"You look pretty determined about this."
"I am." She picked up a pair of jeans, folded them.
He leaned against the door frame. "Almost as determined as you were that first night we spent here, and you were guarding that fire with the shovel. Remember?"
COURT-APPOINTED MARRIAGE Page 17
