The Rancher's Courtship & Lone Wolf's Lady

by Laurie Kingery

  “To talk to him. And to see the fountain.” Katie scanned the grounds, just now realizing there was no fountain in sight.

  “If you’re looking for the courtyard, it’s on the other side of the building.” Tom glared at her. “You came out here to kiss him.”

  Katie tapped his broad chest with a pointed finger. “Not intentionally. And to be honest, we didn’t actually kiss, although he tried to force himself on me. However, you can be sure that I won’t ever go off with him alone again.”

  Tom removed her tapping finger from his chest, his hand encompassing hers. “Good.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re jealous.” Katie hoped her words might embarrass him, cause him to back down and leave her be.

  Or maybe she wanted him to admit that he didn’t like the thought of her kissing another man.

  “I’m not jealous,” he said, pulling her close.

  She ought to fight the intimacy, but his touch and his scent caused her thoughts to jumble, her knees to weaken.

  Yet no matter how badly she might be tempted to lose herself in Tom’s embrace, they had no future together. After all, they were an ill-suited pair. Tom insisted upon obedience, and Katie wouldn’t give up her independence for anyone.

  “Go inside,” he told her. “Tell Jeremiah that you have a headache or that you’ve suffered an attack of the vapors. Use whatever excuse you women make. I want you to return to the ranch.”

  Katie fought the urge to challenge him, but for the first time in her life she actually wanted to retreat. And even more distressing and unusual, she felt foolish for not listening to Tom in the first place. He’d been right, and she’d been wrong.

  Jeremiah Haney couldn’t be trusted. He’d lied, first about the courtyard, but more importantly by omitting the fact that he had a wife.

  Why had he escorted her to the one side of the building that would hold little interest to the others in attendance?

  Had he wanted to speak to her privately, the kiss being entirely unexpected? Or had he wanted her away from the crowd for something more clandestine?

  Something nagged at her in addition to the cloying scent of his tobacco-laced breath. Something that told her to respect the niggle of fear she’d felt when he’d disregarded her wishes and tried to force a kiss she hadn’t wanted.

  Eager to escape the accusations in Tom’s eyes, she turned on her heel and strode toward the community hall in a most unladylike fashion, her temper barely in control.

  In her haste to make her way back to the festivities, her foot lifted out of her shoe, leaving one foot bare and a lavender slipper along the pathway. She turned to retrieve the oversize dancing shoe, stepping on a stone in the process. “Ouch,” she mumbled under her breath.

  “Did you throw a shoe?” Tom asked.

  Katie glanced up awkwardly, the wry grin on his handsome face only serving to escalate her humiliation and fuel her anger. How dare he tease her? Did he actually mean to refer to her as a horse?

  Katie reached for the doeskin slipper, tempted to sling it at him.

  He stood still, arms crossed. “Planning to throw it at me?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Lucky guess.”

  “I’d rather wait until I’m wearing a boot or something that’s a lot heavier and would inflict more damage.” She bent and hobbled while placing the slipper back onto her foot.

  She could imagine him chuckling behind her back, but she ignored her annoyance as she returned to the community hall.

  Once inside, she forced a smile, trying to appear unruffled, even though hiding her emotions had never been easy.

  Moments later, Jeremiah was at her side, handsome, gallant and—married. If she’d worn sturdier shoes, she might have kicked him in the shins.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Please tell your father I’m ready to go.” She didn’t have a headache and had never had an attack of the vapors in her life. She wanted to leave, and that’s all there was to it. No excuses or explanations needed.

  “I’m ready to go, too,” Jeremiah said. “But first, I want to tell you something.”

  “What’s that?” Katie expected to hear a long overdue confession of his marital status. She crossed her arms and would have tapped her foot if the instep wasn’t so tender.

  “Please be careful what you say to McCain.”

  Katie stiffened. The man who’d taken her to see a nonexistent fountain and had neglected to tell her he had a wife at home was offering her a piece of “trusted” advice?

  “What do you mean?” Katie asked.

  “I think he intends to blackmail Harrison.”

  His words caught her off guard. “Why would he do that?”

  “Since he followed Caroline’s trail, he knows what she was up to the past six years. And some people have no conscience, especially where money is concerned.” Jeremiah took her arm and led her toward the door. He motioned to Randolph, alerting the older man of their impending departure.

  “Tom doesn’t seem to be the type to be impressed with money,” Katie said.

  “My dear, everyone has a price.”

  Perhaps they did. Her mind whirled with facts that didn’t quite add up.

  Something told her there would come a day when she’d have to place her trust, maybe even her very life, in someone’s hands.

  She just hoped and prayed that when that day came, she would make the right choice.

  * * *

  The next morning, while Katie sat at Caroline’s dressing table, brushing her hair, Maria pulled a dress from the closet.

  “Did you have fun at the dance?” Maria asked, a wistful smile crossing her face.

  Katie didn’t have the heart to tell her no. “It was a pleasant evening. But I’m curious about something. What do you know about Jeremiah’s wife?”

  Maria clucked her tongue. “Que lastima. Such an unhappy woman.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Martha Haney lost her mind. Her husband had to hire a nurse to look after her. La medicina helps. She does not rave and cry as much as before.”

  “What’s wrong with her?”

  “Jeremiah said it happened slowly over time, but I think it was sudden.”

  “Sudden? What do you mean?”

  “She stopped by here about six months ago and spoke to Señor Graves alone in his study. She left with a paper in her hand. She mumbled something about hiring a detective. I thought that was odd.” Maria shook her head. “That is the last I saw of her. She seemed inojada, angry. But she did not seem loca.”

  “How long after that did she become ill?”

  “Three weeks? Maybe more. Maybe less. The doctor confined her to bed.”

  “Has anyone gone to see her?”

  “No. Señor Jeremiah does not allow visitors, but the woman who takes care of her is my friend.”

  “What does your friend have to say?”

  “Only that Martha sleeps most of the time, which is a blessing because she cries without the medicine.”

  “And when she raves? What does she say?” Katie couldn’t believe she was questioning the words of a crazy woman, but quite frankly, she found it all very odd.

  “My friend speaks only Spanish, so she doesn’t understand very much, but she told me Martha cries for her father and for Señor Graves.”

  “Where does Jeremiah live?” Katie asked. “I’d like to meet his wife.”

  “Oh, no. That is not possible. Señor Haney told my friend that she would lose her job if she couldn’t keep his wife quiet or if she ever let anyone into his house when he isn’t home.” Maria frowned, large brown eyes watering. “Por favor, señorita. My friend is a widow. She needs the money to feed her children.”

  Katie placed a hand on Maria’s shoulder. “I won’t do anything to
put your friend’s job at risk.”

  But thoughts of Martha Haney tugged at her heart.

  Something didn’t seem right, and she didn’t mean Martha Haney’s illness.

  Jeremiah had told an entirely different story about Caroline than Tom had, and neither man trusted the other. Quite frankly, after last night, Katie didn’t trust Jeremiah. And while Katie might have plenty of reason to resent Tom’s attitude toward women—or, at least, his attitude toward her most of the time—he’d never lied to her.

  “Maria,” Katie said, “do you know where I can find Tom?”

  “He rode off early this morning, but I saw him come back about an hour ago.”

  “Thank you. I need to speak to him. Will you excuse me?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  Moments later, Katie found Tom at one of the corrals near the barn, cooling down his gelding.

  “I’d like a word with you,” she said.

  He turned, his expression unreadable. “What’s on your mind?”

  “What do you know about Martha Haney?”

  “Are you wondering if she’s likely to pass on and leave the dashing Jeremiah Haney a widower?”

  Katie blew out a ragged sigh. “That was uncalled-for.”

  “I’m sorry. Sometimes the uncivilized savage comes out in me.”

  Is that what had set him on edge? The fact that he felt he had to prove to her and everyone else that he wasn’t tainted by his Indian blood? That he was just as worthy as any other person on the ranch or in town?

  Did he think that she felt the same way as the Haneys? If so, he didn’t know her very well.

  “I learned the hard way that Jeremiah Haney can’t be trusted,” she admitted. “And I’ve come to believe that you and I need to join forces and work as a team if we’re going to protect Sarah Jane.”

  When he didn’t object, she uncrossed her arms and leaned against the corral. “I’m not sure what you know, but Maria told me that Martha Haney lost her mind.”

  “I’d heard that.”

  Katie lifted her hand, shielding her eyes from the glare of the morning sun. “I was told she’s on medication to keep her quiet.”

  Tom stepped to the right, blocking the sun’s glare for her, a thoughtful move that took her by surprise.

  “I’m not sure about her condition or the treatment,” he said.

  She bit down on her lip, unsure how much she should share of the information she’d gathered. Finally, she opted to trust him with all of it. “Did you know that Martha came to see Harrison a few weeks before she became ill?”

  “The families have been friends for a long time.”

  “I know that, but Maria said that Martha left with a piece of paper.”

  “I’m sure there wasn’t anything unusual about Martha asking Harrison for advice or information.”

  “Aren’t you curious?”

  “Yes, and I’m glad you told me, but don’t get any wild ideas about investigating.”

  “Why not?”

  “I told you that I don’t trust that man or his father.”

  “But you never told me why.”

  “I shouldn’t have to.”

  “If you want me to follow your orders and instructions, you’ll need to give me reason to.”

  He seemed to ponder her words for a moment, then said, “Years ago, Randolph Haney used to be a cruel man, and I have no reason to believe he’s changed.”

  “You used to know him?”

  “Yes, I spent a lot of time in Stillwater when I was a kid. But he knew me as Lone Wolf back then, and I’ve changed.”

  He’d grown up, of course. And he’d apparently taken Hannah McCain’s name. “What makes you say that Randolph was cruel? What did he do?”

  “A lot of it was hearsay. But I can tell you for a fact that he hated Indians. He threw my mother off the Lazy G twice, the last time when she was dying and begging for help.”

  “Why did he do that?”

  “He said he was doing Harrison’s bidding.” Tom lifted his hand and fingered his forehead, where a scar marred his brow.

  “Does Harrison know who you are?” she asked.

  “No, he hired me to find Caroline because of my reputation as a bounty hunter.”

  “And you took the job in spite of the bad blood between you and Haney—and Harrison, as well?”

  Tom tensed. “Yes, I took the job.”

  “I don’t understand. Why would you do that? If someone hadn’t shown my dying mother any kindness, I wouldn’t have given them the time of day.”

  “I had my reasons, but I’d rather not talk about that now.”

  While curious and tempted to prod him, Jeremiah’s words came to mind. Everyone has a price.

  Had Tom hired on for more than the money he’d been promised in payment?

  Had Katie been wrong about him?

  They stood like that for a moment, lost in the silence, lost in their thoughts.

  Did she dare tell Tom the other piece of information Jeremiah had told her?

  Did she dare not?

  “Jeremiah knew where Caroline was all along. He told me that she’d been living a sinful life, just as Erin had been in Pleasant Valley. And that she hated her grandfather and didn’t ever want to go back to the ranch. He never told Harrison because the news would have broken his heart.”

  “He’s lying. I had a feeling he’d been the one who’d been following her. Erin may have had a shady past, and I grant you that she wasn’t living a respectable life at the Gardener’s House. But that’s not true about Caroline. She was never a prostitute. And while she might have been angry with Harrison, she would have come home if she’d known he was dying, especially if she knew he wanted to make amends.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I just do. Caroline might have been quick to anger, but she had a kind and loving nature.”

  “You knew her personally?”

  “Only when we were children.”

  Again came the silence, the drifting thoughts. Katie suspected Tom was remembering Caroline, until he said, “Tell me something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You kissed Jeremiah Haney last night. Why?”

  Her cheeks flushed, and her heart thumped. Her first impulse was to lie or downplay what had actually happened when Jeremiah had taken her outside. After all, she wasn’t sure if she could trust Tom with her heartfelt revelations—or her uneasiness.

  But she knew without a doubt that Jeremiah Haney was a scoundrel. And that was something upon which they both could agree.

  “I’ll admit that I momentarily considered kissing him,” she said.

  “To see how it compared?”

  Her cheeks burned with the shame of it, but she pressed on. “I was curious, yes. But only for the briefest of moments. I wouldn’t have gone through with it. But when I told him no and tried to push him away, he persisted. I may have snapped at you last night after your arrival, but I was actually relieved to see you. Then, when I found out that he was married... Well, he’s not an honorable man.”

  “Stay away from him, Katie.”

  That was one order she intended to keep, but she’d rather wrestle a pig in a mud puddle than admit it. “I’m going to return to the kitchen before my coffee gets cold,” she said. “So if you’ll excuse me?”

  “Did you hear me?” he asked.

  “I heard. And I think it was wise advice. I think I’ll probably heed it.” Then she turned on her heel and headed for the house.

  As she approached the kitchen, she heard the low mutters of whispered voices.

  Her steps slowed, more to avoid interrupting than to eavesdrop. Still, she couldn’t help hearing Maria speak, her words a mixture of English and Spanish.

  “That boy and his mother came here year
s ago—that last time—asking to speak to Señor Graves. Por que, Abel?”

  “I do not know.”

  “Sí, tu sabes. Tell me the truth.”

  “I cannot. I made a promise many years ago. I will not break my word unless Lone Wolf asks me to.”

  “I have known you for many years. Somos como familia. You can tell me. I can keep a secret.”

  “No,” Abel said, determination in his voice. “If a man’s word means nothing, he is worth nothing.”

  “Caroline spoke of him once.”

  “Que dijo, la señorita?” Abel asked.

  “She said that she had met her Indian brother.”

  Katie’s breath caught. Caroline had an Indian brother? Surely that wasn’t possible. Even if she’d wanted to back away from the voices, she couldn’t. Her feet wouldn’t move.

  “Caroline was just a child,” Abel said, dismissing Maria’s claim. “Who knows what she meant by that.”

  “Sí. You are right. She was only six years old at the time.”

  “Children have big imaginations,” he added.

  “Sometimes. Pero quién sabe?”

  “Did you question her at the time?”

  “No,” Maria said, “I thought she was...como se dice?”

  “Dreaming?”

  “Si.”

  “Es possible. Why do you care now?”

  “Because if she was talking about Lone Wolf, I believe he has come back. And I do not know why he would, not after he was sent away so cruelly, especially that last time.” Maria sighed heavily. “Did she speak the truth, old man?”

  “How would I know? You will have to ask the boy.”

  “He is a man now,” Maria said, “but I will ask him.”

  Katie cleared her throat to announce her entrance as she stepped into the warm kitchen. The aroma of spicy beef and eggs sizzling on a cast-iron skillet filled the air.

  “Something smells delicious,” Katie said, her mind on anything but food.

  There were more than a few secrets at the Lazy G, and Katie planned to uncover them all, beginning with Tom “Lone Wolf” McCain.

  Chapter Twelve

  Tom had planned to leave early in the morning to get Sarah Jane, but this new piece of information Katie had provided needed further investigation.