Fire and Ice

by Mary Connealy

  Sunrise went to Shannon and spoke softly, then lifted the baby and brought it to Bailey. “Hold your nephew.”

  She placed the baby in Bailey’s arms and adjusted her hands. Bailey had never held an infant before. Her throat clogged, but she didn’t waste time with tears. Instead, she looked down at the tiny thing. His eyes were puffy and closed tight, but he waved at her and wriggled as he lay wrapped in a piece of soft leather. Bailey glanced at Shannon and saw she had only one of her leggings on. The other was now a baby blanket.

  “Shannon, I have never in my life seen anything as precious as this little one.” Bailey looked at her sister and found a love so deep for her and her child that it shook her and spread to every one of these people.

  Looking from Gage to Tucker to Sunrise, she said, “Shannon was having her baby. I was in the center of a gunfight, and in the end you three took care of us. It’s like nothing I’ve ever known before.”

  Shannon said, “No one much took care of us growing up, did they?”

  “Nope, but we have a fine family now.” The baby squeaked and drew Bailey’s attention. She could even now be expecting a baby of her own. If not, the way Gage carried on, she no doubt would soon. Something powerful and wild came to life in her heart, a longing for her own child. She kissed the baby’s forehead and was in awe of how soft the little guy was.

  Bailey looked up at Gage, and he might well have read her mind because he gave her a very private smile that seemed to share that longing.

  He said, “Yep, a fine, growing family.”

  “Pa’s dying request was that you name your son Jimmy.” Bailey watched Shannon roll her eyes. “I’m just telling you what he said. I never told him you’d do it.”

  “We’re naming him Matthew Tucker Junior.” Shannon glowed.

  “Foolish name.” Tucker shook his head. “I wanted to name him Wilde Eagle Tucker.”

  Sunrise nodded. “That is a fine name.”

  “A mighty fine name, but Shannon won. We’ll call him Matt, since I don’t really use that name anyway.”

  Bailey wondered if there was a Gage Coulter Junior in her future. She certainly hoped so.

  They didn’t linger, because the men they’d taken prisoner were going to be easier to transport when they were knocked cold.

  They left Shannon, Tucker, and Sunrise behind until Shannon felt ready to ride. Gage and Bailey were well on their way to town before any of the unconscious men stirred.

  Boyle raged about being tied up and draped over the back of a horse.

  “Should I gag him, Bailey?” Gage led the way, while Bailey brought up the rear. “He’s wearing on my ears.”

  The rest of the men were silent, though Bailey saw they were now awake. “Nope, I like that we’ve made him mad.” Bailey added, “Just so you varmints know, the only one of you here who killed a man is Rance Boyle when he shot Cudgel. The more you help us figure out all he’s been up to, the better your chances are of not swinging from a noose.”

  While Boyle raged on, a couple of the men looked sideways and caught Bailey’s eye. They looked eager to get out of trouble in any way possible.

  They reached Aspen Ridge just as the sun was setting. The jailhouse was unlocked but empty. Gage got the prisoners off their horses and in a cell while Bailey knocked on doors until she found the sheriff.

  Bailey had advised the sheriff that she thought several of the men had stories to tell, but they’d need to be separated from Boyle for their own safety.

  When they got back to the jail, Gage had all five men lying side by side in the cell, still tied up. Gage shook the sheriff’s hand. “I didn’t want to untie them while I was here alone.”

  Bailey and Gage were a long time telling their story, with Boyle shouting at them every minute or so about what an important man he was. By the time the sheriff finished asking his questions, it was so late that Bailey felt unsteady on her feet with exhaustion.

  “Is there anywhere to sleep in town, Sheriff?” Gage put his arm around his wife to keep her upright on her feet.

  If she were a crying woman, she’d have wept with relief not to have to face the long ride home.

  “The parson headed for the mountains, so the building he used for his church and home is empty. Folks passing through town sleep there, but no one’s there tonight.”

  When they stepped inside the church and Bailey was finally able to lie down, she was afraid the day would run through her head and keep her awake. But she blinked her eyes and it was morning. She turned her head to see Gage asleep beside her. How had her life changed so much in such a short time?

  She studied him. So peaceful. None of the icy control, none of the ghosts were there as he slept. She rested her eyes on his handsome face, and in the quiet of early morning she realized she was in love with her husband.

  Not just romantic love, but love so deep, so full of respect, so full of gratitude for saving her from loneliness. He’d protected her when no man ever had before. She didn’t even fear it or regret how vulnerable it made her to love Gage. It was too powerful, too wonderful.

  A smile spread across her face as she lay there, ignoring all they had to do today so she could spend another minute or ten or an hour studying him, loving him.

  “Good morning, wife.”

  She’d been lost in pleasure and hadn’t noticed Gage’s eyes were open. He was watching her, and she had to wonder what he’d seen in her expression. She almost spoke, almost told him she loved him, but she didn’t have the courage. “Good morning, husband.”

  He leaned over and kissed her, a lovely way to start the day. “Let’s get moving. It’s time to go home.”

  Before heading home, though, they had to return to the jail and answer more questions. Ma had to be worried sick.

  Ma would fuss over Gage, then wait until he’d left before turning her small, cutting criticisms on Bailey. Somehow now, knowing how much she loved Gage, she thought she could bear whatever nonsense Ma got up to.

  At least Bailey had left the britches behind. She hated doing it, but even in the middle of transporting five prisoners, Bailey could hear Ma finding fault. Yes, she’d bear it, but she still wanted to get that woman out of her house.

  They were done at the sheriff’s office before long. He’d found Wanted posters on two of the men, each offering reward money. The sheriff told them the money was theirs.

  Bailey noticed the two wanted men weren’t the same ones who’d looked at her yesterday as if they’d be willing to betray their boss.

  The sheriff had already wired for a judge to come for the trial and found a couple of deputies to ride with him to wherever the men ended up spending the next few years.

  It was almost certain that Boyle would hang.

  “Let’s ride for home, Bailey.”

  “Gage, about home, uh . . . your ma . . .” Bailey wasn’t sure how to say what was on her mind. It was a sure thing that Gage would defend his ma, and the fact that he would defend her at the cost of Bailey’s happiness hurt worse than Pa’s cruelty, because she’d expected it from Pa. But Gage was usually so good to her.

  Except he had this one blind spot. And Ma was careful not to show the unpleasant side of herself to Gage. Although the way she fawned over him was plainly unpleasant.

  “I’m worried about her, too.” Gage strode for the livery, clearly eager to saddle up and run home to his mama.

  “When do you think she’s going home?” Bailey had to hustle to keep up. She wasn’t going to drop this. Her father had been much worse than Gage’s mother, but in her own way, Ma was coming between them and something had to be done.

  “I don’t know.” Gage didn’t seem interested in the topic.

  Bailey caught him by the arm. “Gage, we need to talk.”

  “Sure, Bailey. About what?” He looked as innocent as Shannon’s newborn baby, the big idiot.

  Before she could explain, a clatter of wheels turned them toward the south edge of town where the main trail came in.

&n
bsp; The stage came rushing into town. There hadn’t even been a stage last year, and this year it’d brought Ma Coulter mighty early in the spring, and now here it was again. Aspen Ridge was getting purely civilized.

  Bailey and Gage had been standing in almost this exact spot when Ma had arrived. Bailey couldn’t help the rush of dread she felt.

  The stage was heading straight for them, so they had to leave off their talk and move to the side of the street. It pulled to a stop and was nearly swallowed by dust. Bailey waved her hand in her face. Before the dust settled, the stage door opened, and a tall man with dark hair streaked with gray jumped down without using the steps.

  Bailey stared at him, and his eyes met hers, looking straight out under the brim of his Stetson. Then he turned his warm, brown eyes to Gage.

  Gage blinked. “Pa? What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve come to fetch your ma home, son.”

  Bailey decided right there on the spot that she loved Pa Coulter with all her heart.

  31

  I’m sorry to see them go,” Gage said. He stood beside Bailey in Aspen Ridge as his parents’ stagecoach headed out of town.

  This was the happiest day of her marriage so far.

  Bailey had never been so glad to see the back of two people in her life. Pa was all right, but Ma was a fright. But Gage loved his ma, and thankfully Bailey hadn’t needed to say a single discouraging word to get rid of the woman. For all that, she had no trouble smiling and agreeing with Gage.

  “Let’s ride for home, Bailey. Shannon and Tucker should be coming in a couple of days.”

  Yesterday, two weeks after the baby was born, Sunrise had come over to tell them that Shannon was feeling fine and ready to come to Gage’s for a long stay.

  Tucker was ready to go to work. Myra and Nev didn’t want to give up Shannon’s cabin, and Sunrise was living in Kylie’s. The one Aaron had built was now owned by the new doctor in Aspen Ridge. Shannon and Tucker would be living with Gage and Bailey for the summer, and Bailey couldn’t believe how much better it was to be surrounded by family than to always be so alone.

  She didn’t count Ma Coulter.

  Loving Gage and talking with him about all her old burdens had helped her to heal from the war. After all this time, she felt safe enough to trust people, even Gage’s hired men.

  As they rode out of town, Gage said, “We’ll be lucky to have one day to ourselves before your sister shows up.”

  He reached across the space between them and took her hand as if he wanted to cherish that single day to the fullest.

  Bailey smiled. “It’s an unusual thing to hold hands whilst riding a horse.”

  Gage laughed. “It is indeed, Mrs. Coulter.”

  The trail got narrow ahead, but for now they rode along, talking of what needed to be done to get ready for a baby in the house. They also talked of the letter that had come from Kylie full of news of her new baby, Aaron Masterson Junior. Another missed opportunity to call a baby Jimmy. Bailey wasn’t going to be any help when her turn came. There weren’t going to be any baby Cudgels, either.

  Kylie said there was a much more peaceful spirit in the Shenandoah Valley than right after the war and life was good. They were building a house on the site of Aaron’s old home, and she’d even had some neighbor ladies in to tea and she described in detail the new bonnet she’d worn.

  It was the perfect moment for Bailey to share her news.

  “Gage, we’ll be having a little one of our own long about February.” They’d be married ten months when the little one was born. Bailey was so thrilled by it that she thought maybe she’d finally found something she liked well enough to keep her from wanting to run her own ranch.

  He whipped his head around so fast his Stetson fell off. He had to let go of her hand to catch it. She hoped that wasn’t some kind of bad omen.

  “Really, a baby?” He pulled his horse to a stop and swung down. He lifted her right out of her saddle and kissed her long and hard. “You’re sure?”

  Bailey shrugged. “I talked with Sunrise about it yesterday.” Bailey wasn’t about to go into the personal details with Gage. Even Sunrise had to drag the embarrassing information out of her. But in the end, there’d been no doubt. “She says I’m definitely expecting.”

  “February, in the depths of the winter. This one shouldn’t catch us out on the trail like Tucker’s baby did.”

  Nope, she planned to stay home from about November to May whether she wanted to or not, so it should be okay.

  “You should have said something to my folks before they left. It would have made Ma real happy to hear the news right straight from your mouth.”

  Yep, that would have been the polite thing to do.

  “I wanted to have a moment when we were alone to talk about it, and the chance never came until now.” Because Ma had stayed up with them so late last night that finally Bailey had given up and gone to bed. The woman wanted every moment with Gage.

  Then he’d been gone when Bailey woke in the morning. In the kitchen and listening to his tearful mother’s long goodbye.

  She could have told them all at once, but she’d been afraid his parents might delay their departure. The stage was coming through every two weeks now, and another two weeks of Ma made Bailey’s throat threaten to swell shut. That couldn’t be good for the baby.

  “Pa said there’s room for me in Texas if we want to pull up stakes and go back there.”

  A shiver of fear that made Bailey remember a lonely Christmas Eve spent in a stable stormed through her whole body. She tried to keep it from showing, and only years in the war made that possible.

  “And what did you say?” She was amazed at how calm she sounded.

  “I told them that life here suited me fine. I like the change of seasons. The heat of Texas wore on me worse than the cold of the northern Rockies. I like having something I built myself.” He nodded. “I probably should have talked with you about it. Would you rather head south and get out of this rugged land?”

  Bailey found the most genuine smile of her life. “I like it here, Gage. It suits me, too.”

  “You’re an easier woman than my ma. Much as I love her, I have to admit I’m glad to see her head home.” Gage added, “Pa says the trip is too hard and it’s doubtful if they’ll be back, but I suspect Ma might come up to see the baby.”

  With gritted teeth behind her smile, Bailey decided she’d worry about that when the time came. Then she perked up. No letters went out of Aspen Ridge in February. They couldn’t let Ma know until the spring. At least Ma wouldn’t show up the minute the baby was born.

  For now, as they stood there in the sheltering pines, in the cool mountain breeze with plenty of warm summer days ahead, Bailey knew it was time she told Gage one more little thing.

  “I’m never going to claim my homestead and that canyon from you, Gage. I am so glad you came and dragged me out of my cabin and bribed me into marrying you.”

  With a flashing smile and eyes so kind that Bailey couldn’t imagine them ever being cold, Gage said, “It’s worked out better than I ever dreamed. I knew you’d make me a good rancher’s wife.” His hand came up to run through her hair, still too short to tie back. She didn’t mind, for Gage seemed to like the way it felt on his fingers. “But I never expected to be so in love with you, Bailey.”

  A gasp escaped her lips just before Gage’s mouth came down and kept the words she wanted to say inside. When he lifted his head, his eyes blazed with more than warmth, but with heat, with desire for her. With love.

  “I love you too, Gage.” Her arms had somehow gotten around his neck, so she held him tighter. “I was so lonely in that cabin.” She snuck in a kiss. “I’m pretty sure I’d have said yes even without the bribe. I’d have done most anything not to be alone again.”

  Gage’s brows lowered to a straight line. “You would? Then why’d you make all those demands?”

  “I was just afraid. I was so sure I couldn’t be happy at your ranch, not with
all the cowpokes you had around the place. For a woman who’s faced terrible things and who prides herself on being strong, I’ve been afraid all my life.”

  “God tells us to depend on Him, Bailey. You should never be afraid.”

  Bailey laughed. “That’s fine to know. So I’m not only afraid, I’m also a sinner. That makes me feel a lot better.”

  Gage didn’t laugh. “I will protect you with every ounce of my strength all our lives, Bailey. But I don’t like the idea of you burying so much fear inside. I’ve always thought you were a woman who didn’t need anyone.”

  “In a way, that’s right. I don’t need anyone.”

  Hurt flared in Gage’s eyes.

  “I mean I don’t need anyone to run my ranch. I don’t need help feeding myself or clothing myself. But I need someone to love me, Gage, and I need someone to love. I’ve found that with you. I consider being married to you a blessing straight from God.”

  The hurt faded from Gage’s expression, replaced with happiness and love. She realized how much she could see of his feelings now. He’d left the usual cold of his eyes far behind.

  “Let’s go have the house to ourselves, woman. It’s high time.” He kissed her thoroughly.

  And they rode for home. His ice had thawed. Her fire had calmed. They’d thrived alone, but there’d been no happiness.

  Together they were better, stronger, wiser, more faithful.

  Together they’d forged their fire and ice into the warmth of true love.

  Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies about cowboys. She’s the author of the acclaimed TROUBLE IN TEXAS and THE KINCAID BRIDES series, as well as several other series. Mary has been nominated for a Christy Award, was a finalist for a RITA Award, and is a two-time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. They have four grown daughters—Joslyn, married to Matt; Wendy; Shelly, married to Aaron; and Katy, married to Max—and a little bevy of spectacular grandchildren. Learn more about Mary and her books at: