Rose smiled. “I thought so. I guess you fell in love with him before you met Tucker.”
“I didn’t intend to fall in love with Tanner, it just happened.” Her voice rose. “And now I find out that he’s a wanted man. And he’s disappeared.”
Rose reached across the small table and grabbed Beth’s hands. “How do you know he’s a wanted man?”
He told me. I think that’s one of the reasons he left.”
Beth felt like crying, but her eyes were dry. She’d cried more tears since Travis and Tucker had dropped her of at the hotel days ago, and now she only felt numb and hurt.
“I think Tanner cares about you, but because of his brother, he hasn’t said anything. And Travis and Tucker have gone after Tanner,” Rose said in a rush. “The doctor brought me word from Travis not to worry, that he’d soon return with Tanner. Stay just a little longer, Beth. Wait until Tanner returns and then decide whether to go or stay.”
“What will Tanner do when he returns? He’s wanted by the law; he has a brother who is a marshal. He’s not coming back, Rose. And even being wanted by the law would not have kept me from him, but he chose not to be with me. He left without a word, a reason, or even a simple good-bye.”
“We’ll find a way to help Tanner. Just give it a little more time,” Rose pleaded. “Miracles don’t happen overnight, and besides, where are you going to go?”
“Away from this place, where I’ve been hurt so badly."
“You know, Beth, I was a lot like you. I was pretty much alone in the world, trying to survive and make a living the best I could,” Rose said, her voice sympathetic and kind.
“But now you have Travis.”
“Yes, now I do have Travis, but I can’t say that in the beginning it was easy. There was a time I was prepare to leave him and walk away to a new life.” Rose paused “But Travis came around, and I have to thank Eugenia for her meddling or we wouldn’t be together.”
“I can’t stay here and be a part of this family and watch Tanner from a distance. It would hurt way to much, knowing that I loved him and that he’s unwilling to love me.” She took a deep breath, willing the pain to go away. “I’m leaving on the next stage heading west.”
Beth glanced at the watch pinned to her dress. “I’m sorry to rush you, but my stage is due to leave in thirty minutes.”
“I don’t think he’s unwilling, Beth. Stay at least until they get back,” Rose implored. “Or at least tell me what your plans are so that I won’t worry about you.”
“I’ll tell you only because he’ll never follow me.” Beth sighed. “I’m heading west. I’m going to try to find a governess job or a teaching position. Surely someone will hire me with the education I have.”
Beth stood and walked over to the trunk that was lying on the bed. “I’m sorry, Rose, but I really need to finish packing and get my trunk downstairs. It’s time for me to leave. I’ve got to be on this stage and put all this behind me. Tanner doesn’t love me. He left without telling me good-bye, without even a loving kiss. I’m not waiting on his return so he can break my heart a second time.”
***
Tanner awoke in a darkened room, anxious voices surrounding him. He squinched up his face, trying to concentrate on what they were saying. At first, the words sounded distant and distorted, but finally he recognized his brother Travis.
“It was just a scratch, Doc. Why isn’t he coming around?” Travis asked.
“Give it some time. It’s only been a couple of hours. He could remain like this for days, or even weeks. Why don’t you boys go get a bite to eat while I finish working on the sheriff? After all, the group of you have kept me busy today.”
Tanner tried to speak, but his lips were dry, and his voice didn’t want to work. “No . . . not without me.” The sound of boots scurrying across the floor ricocheted in Tanner’s head, and he felt as if he’d been drinking but knew that was impossible.
“He’s awake,” Tucker exclaimed.
“I see that,” the doc said, grabbing a hold of Tanner’s chin and gazing at his eyes. “How you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been on a two-week drunk. Make them be quiet or I’m going to throw up.”
Travis chuckled. “Did that bullet knock any sense in that dense skull of yours?”
“Is that what happened?” Tanner sighed, feeling tired but anxious to hear about the shooting.
“You were grazed by one of Sam Bass’s bullets, but you got him. Bass and two others are dead, and the fourth guy managed to escape. The sheriff was wounded, but he’s going to be okay.”
“How bad is it, Doc?”
“Just a scratch that probably gave you a concussion. You should be okay in a day or two.”
“Not a day or two, tomorrow. I’ll stay tonight only because I feel so bad, but tomorrow morning we’re heading to Fort Worth. I have some unfinished business to take care of,” Tanner insisted.
“That head of yours can’t take another fall. I’d wait a couple of days at least,” the doctor cautioned.
“If you’re in a hurry to meet with Marshal McCoy, put it out of your mind,” Tucker informed him.
“Why?” Tanner asked, fearing suddenly that everything he’d done to help catch Sam Bass had been for naught. What if they didn’t clear his name? What if he’d almost been killed just for the state to put him behind bars? Suddenly, the marshal’s face was before him.
“Because I’m right here and you’re a free man, Tanner. With the demise of the Bass gang and the return of the gold, you’ve more than fulfilled your duties. The governor has already agreed to sign your pardon. You can go anytime.”
Tanner sighed and felt an overwhelming sense of relief. He was a free man, he could come and go just like everyone else and wouldn’t have to be constantly looking over his shoulder for the next lawman to haul him in. He was free to live the life of any normal citizen, to go home and be with his family without bringing shame upon them, to settle down, marry, and raise a family. To love Beth.
The memory of Beth, her head thrown back in passion, caught his breath. The thought of her smiling at him, encouraging him to stay, filled his heart. The image of her staying in that hotel room, all alone, waiting to catch the next stage out of town, suddenly overwhelmed him.
“Thanks, Marshal. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done.”
“Sure you can. Stay out of trouble.”
“Not a problem!”
Marshal McCoy reached over and shook Tanner’s hand. “Take care of yourself, Tanner.”
Tanner returned his grip and then watched him walk out the door of the makeshift hospital. He turned and glanced at his two brothers. “We’ve got to get back to Fort Worth. I’ve got to find Beth.”
Tucker smiled and nodded.
“If you’re feeling okay, we’ll leave at first light,” Travis said.
“I’ll be fine. You be ready to go. Now get out of here so that I can rest. I need my strength.”
Chapter Nineteen
Tanner rode back into Fort Worth a free man ten days after the morning he’d left, determined never to return until he’d cleared his name. His thoughts were centered on finding the one person who had changed him, helped him realize he was a good man.
They rode up to the El Paso Hotel, and Tanner was anxious to find Beth and tell her how much he’d thought of her and missed her, that his only regret, when he thought his life was over, was not making sure she was safe and secure. He loved her even if he wasn’t worthy of marrying her.
He’d thought about it all the way back to Fort Worth and realized that life had given him a second chance, an opportunity to correct his mistakes and decide his fate. And this time he wanted Beth, though he doubted that she would want to marry him.
After all, what decent woman would want a man who’d spent the last ten years of his life running away from the law and the dreams of a war that plagued him?
Travis pulled on the reins of his Appaloosa, the big steed coming to a halt.
“I’m going to head for home. I’m kind of anxious to see Rose,” Travis said, turning his horse in a westerly direction. He glanced at Tanner. “I’ll tell Mother that you’ll come see her once you get everything settled. I know she’ll want to talk to you.”
“After I’ve spoken with Beth, then I’ll come see her,” Tanner promised.
“Good luck.” Travis spurred his horse and rode off with an anxious gallop.
“I guess I better go over to the jail and see how things are going there,” Tucker said. He reached over and offered his hand to Tanner.
“I enjoyed this trip. It felt good to be in a fight together with my brothers.”
“Yeah, it did,” Tanner agreed, enjoying the firm grip of his brother. “I notice you aren’t any slouch with those guns, either. Last thing I remember before that bullet knocked me down was watching you fire off those revolvers of yours. Sometime you’ll have to tell me how you became so good at using those guns of yours.”
Tucker shrugged. “Once I was a stupid kid, just like you were, only I managed to realize my stupidity before I got killed.”
“You were lucky.”
“You want me to go in with you?” Tucker asked. “I could try to explain to her about our mother.”
“No. Now it’s up to me to work things out with Beth.”
“Okay, but if you need me, you know where I am.”
“Thanks, Tucker.”
“Anytime.” He turned his horse up the street toward the jail.
Tanner glanced at the El Paso Hotel as a flurry of butterflies filled his stomach. It was barely past noon, and he was anxious to find Beth and persuade her to stay here in Fort Worth with him.
Ever since that bullet had almost ended his life, he’d felt an urgency to be with Beth.
He swung his leg over the side of his horse and dropped to the ground. He dusted off his clothes, knowing he must look a sight after being on the trail for the last several days, but he hadn’t wanted to stop and get cleaned up. He’d only wanted to come home to Beth, to tell her how much he needed her in his life.
With a quick twist of the reins, he wrapped them around the hitching post and then proceeded into the hotel. He opened the door and walked to the desk clerk, who immediately recognized him.
“Mr. Burnett, nice to see you again.”
“Can you tell me what room Miss Anderson is in?”
“Miss Anderson?”
“Yes, you know the girl I brought with me the first time I came here. Auburn hair, large hazel eyes.”
“She’s gone.”
Tanner felt his heart stop. “Gone?”
“She checked out several days ago.”
“Did she say where she was going?” Tanner asked. “No, but she caught the stage to Abilene, and from there it goes to El Paso.”
“Thanks,” Tanner said, bolting out the door.
He untied the reins of his horse and jumped up on its back. His head throbbed, reminding him he was still injured. He reached up beneath his hat and touched the bandage wrapped around his forehead.
Spurring his horse, he turned it in the direction of the city jail. He was going to tell Tucker his destination, and then he would be on the road, pursuing Beth.
He turned his horse up Third Street and then left onto Rusk to Belknap Street, where the jail sat, across from the courthouse.
Pulling his mount to a halt, he jumped down, ignoring the throbbing pain in his head, and hurried up the steps into the building. He went directly to Tucker’s office.
Tanner rushed in, not bothering to knock. “I just dropped by to tell you that I’m going after Beth. She took the Abilene stage several days ago, and I’m going to stop them.”
“Slow down,” Tucker said, glancing up from the paperwork that littered his desk.
“I want to get on the road.”
“Look, I know you want to stop this stagecoach, but you look like a robber with that bandage wrapped around your forehead. If you go riding up on a stage, they may think you want something besides just Beth.”
Tanner frowned. “I’ll make it clear I’m not robbing them.”
“With your past I think it would be better if we were clear you’re no longer in the business of robbing stage-coaches.”
Tucker reached into a drawer and pulled out a tin star, much like the one he wore.
“Why don’t I just deputize you, real quick like, and that way you’ll have no problem stopping them?”
Tanner smiled. “I like that idea. For once I’ll be wearing the badge. But only until I find Beth.”
***
Beth leaned her head back and closed her eyes, but every time she shut them, her mind played tricks on her. The rocking of the wheels and the creaking of the coach were identical to the time before. An older woman had chattered beside her, and she couldn’t help but ignore the banker who sat directly across from her.
She felt as if she had somehow gone back in time and was headed to Fort Worth instead of Abilene. Only this time, Tanner didn’t sit across from her. And now she was returning with a broken heart instead of a pocketful of dreams.
The desolation of the land they rode through was similar to her emotions. It seemed as if she could go for miles and miles and no one would care. No one would know that once again the belle of Jonesboro, Georgia, was without even a place to call home. No one would know that she had given up on marriage and intended to live alone.
Once again, she was on a stagecoach, but this time there were no moments of anticipation, no chills of excitement. This time she knew she was no longer the same woman who had traveled miles to meet the man she hoped to marry.
Now there was only a feeling of anger that had been kindling since she’d left Fort Worth. How could Tanner walk away when everything had seemed so right? How could he have made love to her so passionately, only to sneak away in the night?
She didn’t understand. He’d said that he was wanted and told her about Carter. They’d shared so much that night, and now she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d just been telling lies.
The carriage hit a rut in the well-traveled road and caused them all to bounce. Beth laid her head back and tried to sleep, but the image of Tanner kept intruding, which only seemed to fuel her anger.
The man had made love to her and encouraged her, then walked out before the dawn. He assured her that the past didn’t matter, he’d said she had to sacrifice herself for her family, and then he’d left her without so much as a good-bye. His sweet-talking words had only been lies that had left her alone, broke, and so in love with him, she wished she’d die of heartache.
A shot rang out in the distance, and Beth peered out the window. Surely she wasn’t so unlucky as to be robbed a second time.
She saw a rider spurring his horse faster, trying to catch the coach, which had suddenly picked up speed.
The man fired his gun a second time, and the older woman looked shaken. “Was that gunfire I just heard?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Beth said tiredly. “It appears we’re about to be robbed.”
“Oh, my!” the elderly woman said.
“Everyone on the floorboard,” Beth said, pushing the older woman down to protect her from being shot. She could feel the coach slowing and felt once again as if she were in a dream. Hadn’t she done this several months ago?
A lone horseman rode by the window, and suddenly the stage slowed. Shouting between the driver and the bandit caused the driver to pull back on the reins. The stage lurched and bounced, sending the passengers scrambling on the floor to keep from landing on top of one another.
“When we stop, everyone remain calm and step out of the coach. Just do what he says and you should survive,” Beth said calmly.
“Have you had this happen to you before?” the older woman asked.
“Yes. As a matter of fact, the last time I traveled,” Beth told the frightened passengers.
She shook her head, unable to believe her incredible bad luck. But this time they wouldn’t get e
verything from her. This time her money was in her trunk and her shoe.
The coach finally pulled to a stop, and Beth glanced up to peer through the window. That horse looked familiar. Somewhere she’d seen that animal. From the back,
the man talking to the stagecoach driver was about Tanner’s height, had the same sandy curls, same Colt Navy revolvers.
For a moment she felt as if the breath had been knocked out of her. Tanner Burnett was here robbing this very coach, now!
He must have heard her gasp because he glanced behind him. Beth ducked down just in time.
“What’s wrong?” the banker, crouched down in the seat, asked.
Oh, my God, he was here, right outside the door of the stage, talking to the driver. Her heart was thundering in her chest, and she wished there was some way she could hide.
Suddenly, the door opened, and the passengers all glanced up. Beth’s gaze went to the man who had destroyed all her dreams, who even now her excited heart gave a lurch at the sight of.
“Everyone out,” he said.
The other passengers scrambled to do his bidding, but Beth only glared at him.
“I’m not moving.”
He looked at her. “Oh, yes, you are.”
“I am not going to let you rob these poor people.” She fairly hissed at him.
“Who said anything about robbing them?” He pulled back the edge of his vest and showed her the tin star pinned to his chest. “I’m here as a deputy of the law.”
She gasped at the sight of his badge. “Did you steal that, too?”
“No. Now get out of the stagecoach.”
“Why are you wearing that badge?”
“Because I’m here to arrest you if you won’t listen to reason.”
“That’s hardly possible!”
“Beth, don’t make me come in there after you. I know you’re mad, and you have a right to be. Just come out and hear what I have to say.”
“You have nothing to say that I want to hear,” she said, hurt swelling until she thought she would drown in pain.
He reached in to grab her, and she took her reticule and knocked him upside the head. “I’m through listening to your lies.”
The Outlaw Takes A Bride (The Burnett Brides) Page 26
