Tougher Than The Rest

by Shirleen Davies

  “Twenty or thirty minutes ago. Why?” Niall became concerned by what he saw on his friend’s face.

  “Because I did speak with her earlier, and know she rode her horse to town. Alone. Truth is, she wasn’t feeling well. Last thing she needs is to get caught in this weather, not to mention run into whoever might be out on the trail at this time of night. I better grab the buggy and go after her.” Caleb started to stand but Niall restrained him.

  “I’ll go, Doc. It’ll be faster if I take Zeus. You stay here with Gloria, if it’s all right with you?” He looked to the woman who was his guest.

  “Of course, Niall, you go. We’ll finish this another time.”

  That was all the encouragement he needed. Niall was out the door the next minute, heading for the livery and Kate.

  ******

  “We’re just a little ways from the ranch, Captain,” Kate said to her horse as they worked their way through the cold down pour. She was coughing, and chilled clear through. It had been much warmer when she left the ranch, but now sleet was forming. Her basic coat provided little protection. She regretted her decision not to get a room in town.

  She felt dizzy and thought of holing up under a stand of trees, but rejected the idea as soon as she had it. She’d only become more chilled, and would still need to get home. No, she needed to continue to the ranch as fast as possible.

  A few minutes later a stiff wind sprang up. The sleet fell harder, gusting into them and pushing Captain to the edge of the path. A burst of lightning caused Captain to startle. Kate’s reaction was swift. She brought him under control, urging him on. A few minutes later another bolt hit the ground not a hundred feet away, startling Captain into a series of bucks that threw Kate off and into a large group of bushes. She landed hard, but didn’t think she was hurt. She thought of the baby. Oh God, what now? Captain was out there, but she couldn’t see or hear him in this weather. Violent shivers racked her body. She tried to stand, but collapsed. She must have broken or sprained her ankle. Her cough grew worse and the dizziness returned. She curled into a ball, wrapped the coat around her, and tried to burrow further under the thick branches. Kate decided to rest a little while, wait out the storm, and then walk to the ranch. I’ll be all right. The baby and I will both be all right, was her last thought as her eyes rolled back and everything went black.

  ******

  Where the hell is she? Trent was frantic. The weather continued to worsen, and there was still no sign of Katherine. According to Josh, she’d left hours before, riding into town on Captain. His foreman had been unsuccessful in his attempts to get her to wait until he could accompany her. Kate had refused. She had an appointment she couldn’t miss.

  “Boss, let me ride into town and find her. I’m sure she’s okay, but we’ll both rest easier when we know for sure.” Josh felt miserable as well as responsible for Kate being out on a night like this, alone.

  “No, Josh. Katherine’s a smart gal. She would have enough sense to find a place in town to wait out the storm.” At least that’s what Trent prayed as he continued to gaze at the lightning storm through the front window.

  ******

  Niall thought he heard hooves coming toward him, but couldn’t see a thing in this storm. It had hit fast and hard just as he’d left town. Only one trail led toward the turnoff to the Garner ranch, and Zeus was fast. He was certain he’d catch up to her soon.

  Niall wore his greatcoat over the warm wool dress coat he had taken to dinner. He wasn’t cold or uncomfortable, but was pretty sure Kate had nothing more than the coat she was wearing when she left the restaurant. He heard hooves again and this time saw the horse running towards him. Captain. God, no. Where was Kate? Fear gripped him. Had her horse spooked and thrown her? He had to find her and get her to the ranch before this storm got any worse. He rode forward, grabbed Captain’s reins while turning the horse back around, then rode on, keeping his eyes focused, and scanning the trail.

  Ten minutes later Captain whinnied, shook his head, then pulled forward toward some brush just off the trail. Niall scanned the area but couldn’t see anything in the darkness. The wind had stilled somewhat and rain now fell in soft drops instead of the earlier driving pellets. Captain continued forward and began to nudge something. Niall couldn’t see what the horse was after. He sat astride Zeus another minute until he heard what sounded like a soft moan. Jumping from his horse he was at the bushes in three long strides, pulling back the branches and peering beneath to find Kate. Oh, please, not Kate, too.

  She was curled in a ball, her clothes soaked through. Her small frame was consumed with uncontrollable shivers as her body tried in vain to keep her warm. Niall worked fast, checking for broken bones. He whistled to Zeus, lifted Kate, and mounted his horse, installing Kate across his lap. Pulling first his wool coat, then his greatcoat, around both of them, he urged Zeus forward. He estimated about twenty minutes to the Garner spread, but just another ten to his. He turned toward home.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “Aunt Alicia, Jamie, Drew, Will.” Niall carried Kate into the house and up the stairs. “I need help. Now!”

  Alicia and Drew came running.

  “My God, Niall, is that Kate?” Drew was the first to reach them as Niall walked into Kate’s old room and placed her gently on the bed.

  “What is it, Niall?” Alicia asked as she entered the bedroom and dashed to the bed. She took one look at the situation and began ordering Niall and Drew to bring blankets, warm water, and warm clothes. She hurried to pull the wet garments from Kate’s shaking body, then dried her with towels Niall had thrown on the bed before grabbing blankets. What Alicia saw didn’t surprise her, as it would have someone else. The conversation she’d overheard several weeks ago confirmed what she’d suspected for some time. The slight roundness of Kate’s belly gave it all away. Alicia moved directly, but discreetly, between Niall and Kate, obstructing any view he might have had. “Niall, we need Doc Minton, and someone should go after Trent.” Alicia looked at her nephew with concerned eyes.

  “Will she be okay?” Niall’s voice was small, almost a whisper, and his worry was evident.

  “I don’t know. She needs the doctor,” Alicia said.

  Niall turned to Drew who nodded, headed down the stairs to find Will, and alert Gus and Pete.

  “I’ll head to town. Pete, you go get Trent,” Gus yelled. “Drew, you and Will should stay here in case Niall needs anything.”

  Within minutes both men were mounted, with Pete riding toward the Garner ranch and Gus to town. Drew ran back into the house to find that Alicia had cleaned Kate up, applied salve to her scrapes, pulled warm clothes over her shaking body, and covered her with several blankets. Niall had gone to the kitchen to warm some broth, and returned within minutes to set the bowl next to the bed.

  “Do you want to tell us what happened?” Getting to this point had taken about fifteen minutes, but it seemed like an hour since Alicia had looked down at the young woman whom she’d grown to love—a young woman she now knew was carrying her nephew’s child.

  Niall changed into dry clothes and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I don’t know for sure, but I saw her just before she left town. Then the storm hit. Something must’ve spooked Captain, and he bucked Kate off. The little fool had ridden to town in nothing but a light weight coat, and started home as the sun was setting.”

  “And you let her leave? What were you thinking, letting her ride off like that? My God, Niall, she could’ve been killed.” Alicia was livid and overcome with worry.

  “Don’t you think I know that?” Niall tried to control the escalating panic he felt as well as the angry words to his aunt. He was failing at both. The first sight of Kate on the ground had turned his stomach to ice. Her eyes had been glazed and she’d been unable to stop the massive shivers that rolled over her body. He’d wanted to scream at God for letting this happen, but searching within himself, he knew the blame fell to him. He could’ve stopped her. He should’ve stopped her. Why d
id he keep making all the wrong decisions where Kate was concerned?

  Both Alicia and Niall were saved from saying something each might regret when Caleb rushed into the room, Jamie close behind. Alicia moved aside as Caleb pulled the covers back. What he saw made him turn and ask everyone but Alicia to leave the room so he could tend to Kate. Niall was reluctant at first, but Drew put his arm around his older brother’s shoulder, guiding him out of the room and down the stairs with Jamie following behind.

  “Where’s Kate?” Trent entered the house moments later, his eyes wild.

  “Upstairs with the Doc,” Niall said. Trent nodded and started for the stairs.

  “Trent.” Drew began to warn him of the doctor’s instructions, but stopped at the worry he saw on the man’s face.

  Trent just glared at Drew as he took the stairs two at a time. He didn’t knock, but threw open the bedroom door and hurried toward his daughter.

  “Trent, it would be better if you let Alicia and I tend to Kate, alone. You can wait downstairs with the others.” Caleb knew his words fell on deaf ears.

  He threw the same don’t-mess-with-me glare at the doctor he’d given Drew. “To hell with that, Doc. I’m staying with my daughter.”

  “All right, but you must move over to the other side and stay out of the way. I need to perform a complete examine on Kate. I’m warning you, Trent, do not interfere, or I’ll have the boys come up and escort you down. We understand each other?”

  Taken aback, Trent nodded his agreement and motioned with his hand for the doctor to get started.

  Kate hadn’t stirred since she was brought into the room. She moaned occasionally, but nothing more. Caleb was thorough, not ignoring anything that might indicate internal damage. When the doctor began to check the baby, Trent came off the wall, but was stilled with a harsh glare.

  Caleb had just finished, and was pulling the covers back over Kate, when her eyes opened and she tried to speak.

  “It’s okay, Kate. You’re safe. You don’t need to talk now. Just rest and get warm.” Caleb didn’t want her agitated or trying to get up. Trent and Alicia both moved closer to the bed.

  Kate wouldn’t have any of it. “No, no,” she whispered but couldn’t finish. She tried twice more to speak before anxious words escaped her lips. “The baby? My baby, Caleb?”

  Alicia closed her eyes and prayed that Trent would handle the news well.

  “Baby? What the hell is she talking about?” Trent gripped Caleb’s arm, but the doctor pulled free.

  “Settle down, Trent. She doesn’t need you upsetting her.” Caleb tried to calm Trent without success.

  “I want an answer Caleb, and I want it now. What baby?” Trent softened his voice but moved into Caleb’s space. He wasn’t backing down.

  Caleb took a deep breath, turned his head to Kate, then back to Trent. “Kate’s pregnant.”

  “Pregnant? But how? She’s been here or at our ranch since she got to town. There hasn’t been anyone…” Trent’s words froze. His face turned a deep red and the muscles in his neck became more prominent. He stared at Alicia, daring her to deny what they both knew was true.

  “Now, Trent, calm down. There’s an explanation.” Alicia moved to the door to try to warn Niall, but it was too late.

  “There is an explanation, and I’m going to beat the shit out of it right now.” With that, Trent headed down the stairs straight toward Niall.

  “Trent, what’s going…?” Niall stood up from his chair, but was stopped with a hard blow to his jaw. He fell back onto a table, knocked over a lamp, and broke what was left of it when he landed. He tried to rise but was pulled up by his collar to receive a second hard blow before being shoved against a wall. Seconds before a third blow could land in Niall’s gut, Trent was pulled off by three sets of arms that came around him from behind. Drew, Jamie, and Pete had been on the porch when they heard the commotion. What they saw stunned all three. It took just seconds for them to respond, restrain Trent, and stop the beating.

  “Have you gone crazy, Trent? You could’ve killed him.” Jamie was the first to speak as he pulled Trent back and threw him onto a nearby chair.

  “I just might kill that son of a bitch if he gets near me anytime soon,” Trent spat back.

  “No, Trent, you won’t. You will not kill the father of your grandchild.” Alicia walked right up to the distraught man who was leaning forward, with his arms on his knees and his head resting in both hands.

  That got everyone’s attention, including Niall’s. He was on his feet, rubbing his jaw, staring at his old friend, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

  “Grandchild?” Niall whispered. All eyes shifted from Trent to Niall, but not a word was said.

  “She’s pregnant, Niall. Over two months along. That’s why she came to town to see me today.” Caleb had entered the room unnoticed, and walked up to Niall to examine the lacerations on his friend’s face.

  “Is it yours, Niall?” Trent’s words were accusing and filled with pain.

  He didn’t hesitate. “Yes, Trent, the baby’s mine.” Niall’s eyes moved to the stairs. He wanted nothing more than to go to her, hold her, and tell her everything would be all right. He’d take care of her and the baby. Instead, he turned to Caleb. “The baby, Doc, the baby’s okay, right? And Kate? She’ll pull through?” The full impact of Kate’s decision to leave town alone hit Niall full force.

  “As far as I can tell, Niall, the baby’s fine. Kate will be, too. But I, for one, don’t envy you the next few weeks. It’s going to take a lot of quick talking if you want to make things right.” Caleb looked over at Trent and saw the light dawn in the older man’s eyes.

  “You will marry my daughter, Niall.” Trent enunciated each word. “You understand what I’m saying?” Trent pushed up from the chair as if he wanted to resume the beating he hadn’t been able to finish.

  “Yes, sir, I hear you. You’ll get no argument from me. Kate and I will marry as soon as she is able.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “No, absolutely not. I will not marry Niall MacLaren, not ever. Never.” Kate was awake, dressed, and furious. While she’d been recuperating, both families had planned her wedding to Niall, complete with the date—next Saturday—and who would be invited.

  “Katherine,” her father said. “You’re not thinking straight. You’re single, pregnant, and the baby’s father wants to marry you. I don’t understand why you’re so upset and stubborn.”

  “He does not want me or the baby. You and I both know he’s doing it because of you, not because of any feelings for me. No, I’m not going to marry him.” Kate had to calm down. Her head was beginning to ache. She didn’t know if it was due to the recent fall, or the pressure from everyone to marry Niall. She loved him. Oh, how she loved him. But she wouldn’t force him to marry her out of guilt or duty. No, she’d have the baby and move away. She’d settle somewhere and hide behind the story that her husband, the baby’s father, had died.

  “I think you’re wrong, Kate. I’ve spent the last few days with Niall, and believe me, he’s determined to marry you, not because he feels he must, but because he wants both of you. You didn’t see him the night he found you. He was a mess. And he became more of a mess when I laid into him about you being pregnant.” Trent wasn’t going to tell Kate that Niall had admitted his love for her. That was something the two of them had to work out on their own.

  “Laid into him? You fought with him? Is he hurt?” Kate’s worry for Niall gave Trent hope.

  “He’s fine. A little bruised maybe, but nothing broken.” To think that a couple of days ago he wanted to kill Niall, and today he was trying to convince Kate to marry him.

  A soft knock on the door got their attention.

  “Kate, may I speak with you?” Niall’s voice was gentle, hesitant.

  Kate looked at her father, and Trent saw panic in her eyes. But maybe there was something more. Was it hope?

  “Come on in, Niall. Kate and I are finished, for no
w.” Trent walked over to place a kiss on his daughter’s cheek and whisper in her ear. “Think of what’s right for the baby and hear him out. You owe him at least that much.” He nodded at Niall, then shut the door behind him.

  Niall stared at Kate, looking from her beautiful blonde hair to her stormy blue eyes and the stark expression that showed pain, hope, and fear. He was the cause of all of it. She lifted her eyes to meet his as her right hand moved to her stomach, providing a protective cover for her baby––their baby. She glared at him, but found it hard to focus on anger as the love she still felt overwhelmed her. Kate wanted so much for this man to love her and their child, but she knew the truth. Niall would do anything for her father, even marry someone he cared nothing about. Kate raised her chin as she shook off the doubt, more determined than ever to remember he didn’t want her, didn’t want them.

  Niall stood less than six feet away, arms at his sides, his hands out and palms up. “I want to work this out, Kate. Tell me what I need to say to convince you how much I want you and our baby in my life?”

  Kate couldn’t think when he was this close. He’d always had this effect on her. Even with all that had passed between them, she knew she’d never love anyone else the way she loved Niall.

  “I know I’ve messed everything up between us. Said things I didn’t mean. Tried to push you away to follow plans I thought were important, with a woman that meant nothing to me. The way I treated you that night, in this bedroom, was unforgivable. I know that. But I’m asking anyway. Please forgive me, Kate. Marry me. Make a life here, with me and our baby.”

  Kate’s heart was pounding so hard she was sure Niall could hear it. His bright green eyes were focused on her, unwavering, waiting for her response. When none came, he moved closer until he was within inches of her. He reached out and took her hands in his.