by Carrigan Fox
He squinted against the sweat dropping from his brow into his eyes, feeling the dreaded certainty that he would not find her in time. He kicked his heels into his horse harder than he’d intended, trying not to imagine what dangers lay ahead for her.
And then she was in front of him. Granted, she was far in front of him, but he could see her. Actually, he could see a dust cloud trailing behind someone on horse; he assumed it was Chase.
Webb called out to her repeatedly, pushing his horse yet harder. “Chastity!” he yelled, growing angry at her inability to hear him. She definitely wasn’t slowing down, and as far as he could see, he wasn’t closing the distance very quickly.
He waited until he drew a bit closer before trying again. “Cochrane!” Webb called out, coughing on the dust that caught in his throat.
She looked over her shoulder a few times before she reigned in her horse and waited for him to catch her. Her big eyes were determined when she greeted him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Your brother decided he didn’t want you to ride alone,” Webb explained, trying to catch his breath. He was more than a bit irritated to see that she didn’t even appear to be slightly winded. “Elisa told him to send me.”
“We must hurry,” she instructed formally.
***
Until Webb had caught up to her, she had thought of nothing other than Jett Stockton, and what she would do if she ran into him. Fortunately, Chase had made it through town without incident and was well on her way to Midland before Webb caught up with her. For the rest of the ride, she could think of nothing other than whether or not Marcus had told Colton about her betrothal. But he didn’t mention it, and she certainly wasn’t going to bring it up.
They rode in silence for a bit, focusing more on keeping their pace brisk. She reveled in the feel of the dry wind on her face and the scent of the country in the air. Never before would she have imagined that the smell of cattle ranches would appeal to her. But it represented nature to her now and life…and freedom.
“Marcus has explained to me that he breeds the cattle and raises them. But he doesn’t actually drive his cattle to market,” Chase nearly shouted to be heard over the pounding of their horses’ hooves.
Colton glanced over at her without comment.
“Is that how you manage your ranch, as well?”
“Yes. There is a man from Midland who I contract to take my cattle to Denison, where they are slaughtered and shipped North. Is there a reason we’re riding like madmen?” he asked.
She grinned and tugged on Artemis’s reins, encouraging her to slow her pace. Colton did the same. Once they were both slowed to a light gallop, Colton spoke up again. "Did you have a question about that?”
“I’m surprised that you don’t drive your own cattle. You don’t strike me as one who easily trusts others to take care of his business. And besides, I hear that the cattle drive is quite an adventure.”
“It is,” he answered with a nod and a raised eyebrow. “And thank you for the analysis of my apparently brooding character.”
“I didn’t say you were brooding,” she corrected with a slight smile.
“The cattle drive used to be a great adventure. Dangerous, too. And not nearly as profitable as shipping the already slaughtered stock.”
“What was dangerous about driving cattle?”
He laughed. “What wasn’t dangerous?” he answered dryly. “Fifty years ago, even more recently than that, drovers used to take their cattle from their ranches here in Texas all the way North. Southern Kansas and Missouri were notorious at that time for being home to a number of lawless mobs. They would go to any length to take the stock of cattle from the drover. Some drovers were fortunate and escaped with their lives, even though they lost their stock. Others weren’t so fortunate.”
“They murdered them?” She was surprised that she had never heard how vicious some of these adventurous cattle drives turned out.
“Only after they had tied them up and whipped them brutally. Some cowboys would deliberately add hundreds of miles to their drive to avoid those particular areas.” Her silence encouraged him to continue. “Eventually, the railways realized the money that was to be made through shipping livestock to the northern markets. A stockyard was built in Abilene, which was a considerably shorter drive. And for a number of years, Abilene’s stockyard was a great success. Many ranchers made their fortunes in Abilene, but more of them lost their fortunes. Disease struck the cattle in the North, especially those shipped from Texas, so many northern markets decided not to buy the Texan cattle. Then the railway company broke the contract they had made with the shippers, which cost a number of men even more money. So drovers took their business to other cities and other stockyards who used other railways. Over time, the market picked up again, and eventually, the railway and stockyard was built in Denison. It’s not as close as Abilene was, but it’s been a profitable stockyard for me, and your brother, too, I imagine,” he added. “And since Denison started using their refrigerated cars twenty or thirty years ago, it’s been especially convenient.”
“How is that?”
“Think of what it took to drive those cattle hundreds of miles. It wasn’t uncommon for a drover to take nearly a month to get to the desired stockyard. Naturally, it didn’t take that long to get to Abilene. But it took almost that long to get to Kansas City, where a number of drovers used to ship the stock. In that month’s time, some cattle die, some wander off or are stolen, and most of them lose weight. The better fattened your stock, the better your profits,” he explained. “Once you get your cattle to Kansas City, you find a buyer and ship them further north. Train travel isn’t much easier on these animals than driving is. They lose more weight and can become even more sickly. Now imagine that you only need to drive your cattle a hundred miles or two. Once there, your cattle are slaughtered, the meat refrigerated and shipped north. No sick or bruised cattle. No thinning of the stock. No months lost. It’s a great improvement in a mere forty or fifty years, when you think about it. And the beef industry in the north has become much improved, which increases our profits down here.”
“I had no idea,” Chase answered, in awe of the amount of work and risk that ranchers had endured for so many years.
They rode the rest of the way in silence. They slowed their horses to a trot as they approached the veterinarian’s farm.
“Why did you agree to ride by yourself?” he asked, breaking the silence.
“Nobody else could go,” she answered simply. “Marcus needed me to go.”
“Do you understand it’s not safe for a lady to be wandering around Midland by herself? Most of the people are good people, but not all of them are.”
“I didn’t have time to consider that, Colton. I just was worrying about getting the medication for Marcus’s cow.”
“I had time to consider it. That was all I was considering until I saw your dust cloud ahead of me. Scared the hell out of me,” he muttered sourly.
“I’m sure it would have scared the hell out of me, too, had it occurred to me. But I’m fine. And I am grateful that you are here with me,” she offered with a small smile.
“Even with those blasted trousers on and that hat shoved down over your hair, even with all the dirt and sweat on your face you’re beautiful.” The compliment came out sounding like a curse.
She studied the buildings to her right in order to hide her grin of satisfaction from him. “Thank you,” she answered quietly.
“If it weren’t for that damned cow, I would take you to the nearest inn and spend the rest of the day admiring your beauty without the blasted trousers and hat on,” he spit out quickly as they approached the front door of the doctor.
She didn’t have time to respond, but the idea was certainly more appealing than turning around and racing back to Marcus and the chaos on the ranch. But Marcus was depending on her.
Colton was familiar with the veterinarian and quickly explained the situatio
n to the slightly balding young man. He quickly grabbed his equipment and medicine bag while Colton saddled up one of his horses. And although Dr. Miller wasn’t as capable a rider as Webb and Chase were, he rode quickly enough.
She took the reins of the doctor’s horse and promised to tend to his horse while he tended to their cow. Colton dismounted and followed her into the stables, leading his own horse by the reins.
They put the three horses into individual stalls and watered them. She entered the stall with the doctor’s horse and began rubbing him down. Colton wandered from stall to stall, pretending to look at the horses. As soon as he’d assured himself that they were alone in the stables, he slipped into the stall with her and pulled her into his arms.
“I’ve been thinking of this all day,” he mumbled between kisses.
Her legs were still sore from our activities the evening before. And her muscles were even tighter after having ridden to Midland and back as fast as they had. Suddenly, her muscles gave in, and she leaned against his body for support. “Me, too.”
He pulled his mouth away from hers and looked down into her eyes while his hands wandered lower and cupped her rear. “I was looking forward to a swim this afternoon,” he said naughtily, pulling her against his pelvis and rubbing against her erotically.
Chase rubbed her hands over his broad chest and shoulders, still reveling in the feel of him. “Hmm,” she moaned pleasantly. “Marcus needs my help. He’s still short two men. Bells isn’t back yet, judging by the empty stall.” Colton dipped his head and began nipping the side of her neck and ear. She tilted her head to allow him better access. “I really can’t, Colton.” His warm tongue traced a path over her collarbone, raising goosebumps. “But if Bells returns soon with Dr. Burns, then he’ll be here to help, and I might be able to get away for a little bit.”
His mouth found its way back to hers, and his tongue caressed hers slowly and sweetly. He groaned in her mouth as his arousal pressed against her. “And assuming my men have things under control at the ranch, I’ll be free for a long swim. What are the odds that we’ll both be needing a long swim at the same time this afternoon?”
“Odds, Mr. Webb? Well, I don’t know. I’m not exactly a gambling kind of lady,” she answered demurely.
He grinned at her and pulled away. He swatted her rear playfully as he stepped out of the stall. “Miss Fairfax, I think you’re wrong. I can think of a time or two when you’ve taken some big gambles. Just last night, in fact.”
“It hardly seems a gamble when such enjoyable results are guaranteed,” she shot back.
He winked and turned away, retrieving his horse from a stall and heading back to his own ranch.
Chase had only just finished tending to the two horses when she met Marcus outside the stables. He was alone.
“Where is Dr. Miller?” she asked.
“Checking on another cow. She’ll be giving birth any day now. Is Webb gone?”
“Yes,” she answered simply, not trusting herself to not give away their secret with her expressions. She didn’t dare say anything more to draw Marcus’s attention.
“I’ll have to thank him later. And thank you, as well, for riding to Midland for me. We needed Dr. Miller here.”
“I know we did. And you’re welcome.”
“In all of the excitement, I forgot about Stockton. I never should have sent you alone. As soon as Elisa started yelling about the dangers of a woman traveling alone, I remembered and felt awful. She told me to send Webb after you. I hope you didn’t mind.”
Mind? She wasn’t certain he was being serious. Chase wondered if he knew and was merely testing her to see what her reaction would be. She studied his eyes and decided he was being sincere. “I was grateful to have someone with me. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mind, but as you said, with Stockton in town…” she didn’t need to finish the thought.
He nodded in understanding. “Well, I’m sorry I sent you alone. And I thank you for going in spite of my oversight.”
She shrugged, uncomfortable with this side of Marcus. He was usually more sarcastic and annoying. “It’s okay. Nothing happened. And by tomorrow, Stockton will be on his way out of town. I, for one, will breathe easier knowing that.”
Unfortunately, Chase wasn’t destined to breathe easier yet. After Bells returned with Dr. Burns, she was heading to the stables to saddle up Artemis for a ride to the pond. She was stepping off the front porch of the house when she saw the automobile pulling up the drive. She waved at George Wainwright and waited for his good news as he climbed out of the vehicle.
“Afternoon, Miss Fairfax,” he greeted solemnly.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Wainwright. News from town?” she asked simply, not needing to elaborate. In all of the excitement and action, neither Marcus nor Chase had had the time to sit down and explain the situation to the other women of the house. She didn’t want them to overhear her conversation with Mr. Wainwright and piece it together themselves.
“I’m afraid so. I am spreading the word that as far as that man is concerned, there is no Fairfax family here. And as far as I know, nobody has told him nothin’ yet. But he hasn’t exactly been asking. Seems he is certain you’re here, and he’s settlin’ in. He’s paid Chantal for a week for each of his men, and he told her he would pay each week in advance for as long as he’s stayin’ in town. She asked how long he might be stayin,’ and he said that depended on how fast he was able to get his business done.”
“That wasn’t the news I was hoping to hear,” she answered softly.
“I wish I could have told you he had already left, but he didn’t. And I thought you should know that it’s probably not safe for you to come into town for a while.”
“Thank you, Mr. Wainwright.”
“Please call me George. And you’re welcome. I will keep my ears open and let you know when I learn anything new.”
“Thank you, George.”
He nodded, touched the tip of his hat, and climbed back into his car. As Chase watched his car drive away, she thought of Colton at the pond. And no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t bring herself to go meet him. If Stockton knew where she lived, he would be there soon. And she’d rather he find her at the house with her brother and his ranch hands than alone on her horse on her way to the pond. And having made that decision, Chase turned and walked back into the house to see if her sister-in-law needed her help.
***
Webb waited by the pond for over an hour that afternoon. He couldn’t believe that Bells hadn’t returned to the ranch yet.
He began to wonder if Chase was having second thoughts. Perhaps she had realized that he was a mistake, and she had decided she didn’t want to see him again. But then he could close his eyes and see her standing in that stall, clearly enjoying their kisses and flirting. What would have made her change her mind?
Rather than lie around all afternoon trying to figure out the woman’s mind, Webb decided to be more productive and return to the ranch. Perhaps she had been needed even after Bells returned.
He planned to ride out to her brother’s ranch that night. She had been watching for him the night before and had met him in the barn. He was counting on her watching for him again tonight.
CHAPTER 16
“Did he see you?” Reese asked nervously.
“We wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation if he had,” Chase reminded her. “Mr. Wainwright is warning the townsfolk to keep quiet and to not tell him anything. But I am certain that Stockton will find out we’re here. It is just a matter of time before he comes here looking for me.”
“Was Lord Booth with Mr. Stockton?” their grandmother asked, ironically using the respectable titles of the two rogues.
“I don’t think so. I didn’t see him. But that doesn’t mean that Booth didn’t pay Stockton to bring Reese back as well. We both have to be very careful,” she warned.
Elisa frowned and rubbed her protruding belly. “We’ll need to make sure we lock up the house ev
ery night. And Chase, you should probably help me with the chores inside instead of running around the ranch. It’ll be harder for him to sneak up on you and catch you unaware.”
“That’s true,” Marcus agreed.
She knew that they were concerned for her, but she was suddenly resentful of being kept captive in her own home. “I will not let that bastard force me into hiding. I will stay on the ranch, and I won’t go riding off on my own. But I’m not going to hide myself away from the world. According to George Wainwright, Stockton has no plans to leave until he finds me. And he knows that I’m not far.”
Marcus knew better than to force the issue. He could tell that his sister would not relent on this topic. He nodded slowly and stared at the dark window behind her. “All right. I’m going to talk with my men tomorrow and warn them to keep an eye out for strangers. But if you’re going to insist on continuing to help out on the ranch, you need to stick close to me or Tom. I don’t even want you with one of the other hands. I trust that my men are honest enough to take care of my stock, but I don’t trust that they wouldn’t turn a woman over for a pretty penny.”
“Fortunately,” she answered with a small smile, “Stockton doesn’t have much more than a pretty penny to offer.”
“I wouldn’t be so certain, Chastity. He paid for his fare over here, as well as his train ticket to Texas and lodging in town,” her grandmother reminded. “His father may be paying his bills for this venture.”
Chase shook her head. “His father, by reputation, is an honorable man. He would most assuredly not encourage his son to travel the world in order to kidnap a bride. And he definitely wouldn’t finance such a ploy.”
“His father is honorable by comparison to his son,” Lady Colchester corrected. “But he is not above loaning him some money if it means he will find an heiress to marry. The Viscount, from what I hear, will do just about anything to be rid of his son and his debts. If the rumors are true, though he may be a good man, he would rather his son swindle another’s money instead of his own. I think it is not only possible, but probable that his son is traveling on his father’s bill.”