Winning Over the Wrangler

by Linda Ford

“He would never do that.” Sybil fought a suffocating sense of panic.

  Mercy watched her, saw her tensing, and squeezed her arm. “I’m sure there’s nothing to be concerned about.”

  Her words barely registered with Sybil. “Where’s Eddie?” She scanned the entire ranch area visible from the hill.

  Linette had joined them. “He’s taken some cowboys and headed west to check on the cows.”

  “I have to find Brand.” Sybil’s voice squeaked out.

  Linette took her arm on one side, Mercy on the other, and Jayne caught her hand. They led her reluctant feet back to the house and gently pushed her into a chair.

  Linette hurried away and returned in a few minutes with a pot of tea and four cups and saucers. She poured them each tea. But Sybil’s arms trembled so badly Linette put the cup on a nearby table.

  “If you like, once Eddie returns I’ll ask him to check where Brand is.”

  Sybil nodded. Ten thousand protests raced through her head. Brand could bleed to death waiting for Eddie to return. He could be lying somewhere unable to move. He could...

  She attempted to slam the door on all the images flooding her brain. Sometimes an active imagination was an unpleasant thing.

  After a few minutes she managed to drink her tea and appear calm. All the while, her thoughts raced, until she came up with a plan.

  * * *

  Brand rode on and on. Every mile weighed his mind until he drew his horse to a stop and stared at the narrow trail ahead. Where was he going? And more importantly, why? What difference did it make if Sybil wrote a story about someone named Cowboy? It didn’t matter to him. He no longer had to run from the Duggan gang.

  His horse shuffled, uncertain what to do. Brand steadied the animal. “Just thinking, boy. Just thinking.”

  Maybe Dawg had it right. Life was too good at the ranch to ride away.

  And Sybil?

  Why, she was the best thing that had ever happened to Brand. He loved her, and even if she didn’t love him back, even if her interest had only been for a story...

  Well, then he could still enjoy occasional glimpses of her. Enjoy hearing her sing during Sunday services. See her sauntering around the ranch. He might even follow her to her favorite spot and openly watch her if she didn’t object.

  Despite his brave talk, he knew that would never be enough. He couldn’t believe she didn’t care about him. She’d said he deserved love. She’d kissed him—a real, warm and giving kiss. It hadn’t been begrudging in the least.

  “Wahoo!” His shout sent the horse skittering sideways. Brand calmed him and turned him about to face south. Back to the ranch.

  Back to Sybil. He meant to find out if that kiss meant she might have some sweet regard for him.

  He grinned from ear to ear and barely restrained a happy song. This was the right thing. Somehow he and Sybil would work things out even if it took days, weeks, months. Nothing else mattered.

  Lost in his happy thoughts, he didn’t hear or see anything until a man on horseback appeared before him, blocking his path.

  His eyes fell to the gleaming pistol the rider held in his hand, pointed directly at him. Brand’s heart stalled and then he reined his horse in and slowly raised his hands in the air. He gave the man a quick once-over. He was thin, rough-shaven, with dirty blond hair and a scowl fit to rot his teeth.

  “I’m just a poor cowboy,” he told the stranger. All he had was the wages Eddie had given him. He sure wasn’t prepared to die over a few dollars. “You can have what I’ve got.”

  “Ain’t interested in your money.”

  The skin on the back of Brand’s neck tingled at the venom in the man’s voice.

  “Yer one of them Duggans.”

  Brand’s nerves went into full alarm. “The Duggan gang is dead.”

  “Yeah. You’d like me to believe that, but I ain’t fooled. I seen them firsthand and know what they look like. Get down.” He waved his gun to indicate Brand should dismount.

  He did so, cautiously and slowly. No telling what this man meant to do, but shooting Brand on the spot seemed highly likely.

  The gun-toting man swung down at the same time and came round to face him, the pistol aimed steadily at Brand’s chest.

  Brand shrugged a little, which was plenty hard to do with his hands raised over his head, but he hoped to convince this man that he was harmless. “Mind telling me what this is all about?” He kept his voice low, his tone calm, just like he did when working with frightened animals. Though he wasn’t sure who the frightened one was in this situation. Was the man as nervous as Brand? Not likely, seeing as he held a gun and Brand held nothing but air.

  “You no-good Duggans shot my wife.”

  Brand stared. Pa and Cyrus were wicked and ruthless and for that, they’d got their names on a wanted poster. He’d heard of a woman getting shot. No wonder this man was angry.

  “She was an innocent bystander. You Duggans didn’t care who got hurt.”

  Brand wished the man would stop saying “you Duggans.” Except he was a Duggan. It appeared he’d never be allowed to forget it.

  “My Isabelle died right there on the street with no one to hold her hand. Without me having a chance to say goodbye.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry don’t mean a thing. You’re going to pay. Where’s your sidearm?”

  “I’m not carrying.” His gun was in his saddlebag. Since the demise of the Duggan gang he hadn’t felt the need to wear it.

  “That’s downright stupid.” The man waved his gun around, then steadied it on Brand’s heart. “I should shoot you dead right here and now, just like you did my Isabelle. But that wouldn’t give me no satisfaction.” He indicated Brand should move away from his horse, then rifled through his saddlebags until he found Brand’s gun belt.

  The man emptied the gun of all but one bullet, then spun the cylinder. “There. You got a fighting chance. That’s more than Isabelle had.” He jammed the gun into Brand’s waistband.

  The man backed away. “Lower your arms.”

  Brand did so slowly, reluctantly, knowing what came next. He’d never get a chance to say goodbye to Sybil. Never be able to tell her he loved her. With blinding clarity he understood the other man’s pain. “I’m sorry for how your Isabelle died.”

  “Don’t you dare speak her name.”

  For a moment, Brand thought the man intended to shoot him.

  Instead, he swallowed loudly and narrowed his eyes. “Go for your gun.”

  * * *

  Sybil put aside her empty teacup. “I’m fine now. But I need to take care of Dawg.” She pushed herself to her feet, willing strength into her shaking limbs. “Mercy, will you come with me?”

  Her friend looked startled, then shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

  Dawg waited outside and wriggled a happy greeting when Sybil called him. “I’ll take him to the barn. That’s where he’s used to staying.” She waited until they reached the barn to turn to Mercy. “Help me saddle a horse.”

  “You? Why?”

  “I’m going after Brand.”

  Mercy laughed.

  “I’m serious.”

  Mercy squinted at her as if trying to bring her into focus. “You really are. Okay. I’ll saddle a horse for you, but I’m coming, too.”

  Sybil hugged her friend. “I hoped you’d say that.” She’d have to ride astride though she’d never done so. Regardless, she had to do this.

  “Up you go.” Mercy helped her into the saddle. It was uncomfortable, but she’d survive.

  When they left the barn, Sybil glanced around. Should they tell someone? No men lingered about. She glanced at the big house but didn’t see Linette at the window. “Maybe we should tell Jayne what we’re doing.”

  “She’ll
try and stop us. Do you want that?”

  “No. I must do this. Let’s go.” So they rode north.

  It didn’t take long before Sybil wondered if she had been rash. She bounced with every step. Her legs cramped. Her back cried. But they kept onward, hoping for some sign of Brand.

  She saw a movement through the trees. “Stop.” She pulled up so hard her horse reared.

  Mercy halted and waited for Sybil’s mount to settle.

  “Help me down.” Sybil practically fell into her friend’s arms, and bit her lip as her legs took her weight. “I saw someone through there.” She pointed. “It has to be Brand. Wait here,” she requested. “I want to see him alone.”

  Mercy squeezed her arm. “You go get him.”

  Sybil tiptoed forward, wanting to assess the situation before she confronted him. Twenty feet in she drew to a sudden halt, her heart kicking her ribs so hard it would leave a bruise.

  Brand and another man faced each other. The second man held a gun aimed at Brand, and the look on his face convinced Sybil he meant business.

  “Draw,” the angry man ordered.

  Brand didn’t have a chance at outdrawing a man with a gun already in his palm.

  Her legs forgot how to work and she collapsed against a tree.

  Brand, she silently whispered. Don’t die. Please, God, let me get a chance to tell him how much I love him.

  Brand kept his arms stretched out at his sides as if avoiding any indication he meant to draw. “I ain’t gonna be part of this,” he said, his voice firm and strong. Keeping his right hand far away from his body, he slowly reached with his left toward the gun in his waistband and tossed it aside.

  Her heart beat so fast she felt dizzy. What was he thinking? Did he plan to die?

  “You go ahead and take a shot if that’s what will make things right in your mind. I ain’t like my pa and brother. I won’t shoot a man for any reason.” Brand stood immobile. “If you think that’s what your innocent wife would want you to do.”

  The stranger stared as the moments ticked by. Then he slowly lowered his gun. “You ain’t no Duggan. A Duggan wouldn’t miss a chance to shoot someone.” He stuck his gun in his belt.

  “I really am sorry,” Brand said. “Kind of know how you feel. When I thought I was about to die, I had similar regrets. I thought I would do most anything to make up for past mistakes, even ones I didn’t make. But you can’t live life backward. Only forward.”

  Acknowledgment flickered through the man’s eyes and then he turned, swung onto his horse and rode away.

  Sybil’s legs folded under her and she crashed to the ground.

  At the sound Brand turned. When he saw her, his expression went from alarm to concern. He hurried to her side. “How did you get here?”

  “I rode a horse.” She explained how worried she’d been when Dawg returned.

  Brand snorted a little laugh. “He refused to follow me, so I sent him back. Then I got to thinking. If a dog can see where he belongs, maybe I should try and be as smart.”

  He went down on his haunches beside her. “Sybil, I want to say something I should have said before.” He scrubbed his lips together before he could go on. “For a few minutes I thought I’d never get the chance to say it.”

  She nodded, hopeful but uncertain. After all, she had written about him without his permission, and at first, it was why she had shown interest in him.

  “Sybil Bannerman, I love you. I know you’re a fine Englishwoman and I’m only a poor cowboy and a Duggan at that, but I love you. You don’t have to love me back. I don’t expect it, but I was afraid I’d die without ever telling you.”

  She wondered if he was ever going to stop. It seemed the most words he’d strung together since they’d met. She touched his lips to end his speech.

  “No more apologies. Brand Duggan, I love you from the bottom of my heart.”

  He let out a whoop, pulled her to her feet and kissed her soundly. She kissed him right back.

  Behind them, Mercy coughed.

  Sybil turned without leaving Brand’s arms. “I wondered how long you’d wait.”

  Brand held her close, filling her with pure, sweet pleasure.

  Mercy drew the horses forward. “I suggest we go home before Eddie sends out a search party.”

  Sybil sighed and rubbed her legs. “I suppose there’s only one way to get back.”

  Mercy’s laugh rendered Sybil no sympathy. “Same way we got here. On the back of a horse.” She swung up on her mount.

  Brand and Sybil stood next to the other horse. She thought she had never seen such a beautiful smile as the one he wore. It sparkled in his eyes and filled her heart with joy.

  “We’ll take it slow,” he promised.

  She hoped he didn’t mean their courtship. Taking it slow, being cautious, had almost cost them their chance at love.

  He trailed a finger along her jaw. “The reputation of the Duggan gang might haunt me for years. Perhaps I’m not being fair to you.”

  “Don’t you dare change your mind about loving me.” She said it teasingly, having full confidence in his affections.

  His laugh was short and a bit regretful, she thought. “There might be others who want to deal with the last Duggan. Like that man back on the trail.”

  “Then I suppose I’ll have to take shooting lessons.”

  He chuckled then, the sound deep in his chest.

  She hugged him. “I don’t intend to let you go. You’ll never be alone again.”

  He kissed her slowly, sweetly. She was learning to appreciate his gentle ways. She would always be safe with him.

  “I’ve always wanted a little ranch where I can break and train horses.”

  She laughed. “I’m sure everyone will be as surprised to hear that as I am.”

  He grinned sheepishly. “Will you be happy as a rancher’s wife? If not, we can live in town.”

  “Brand, it’s sweet of you to offer, but I’m finding I quite like ranch life.” She brushed her hand across his cheek. “I think it will be a wonderful adventure with you.”

  He was about to kiss her again, but suddenly drew back. “About that story you wrote about me...”

  “Forget it. I decided a long time ago I wasn’t sending it to the editor.”

  “Here’s what I think. You send it in as you’ve written it. About a nameless cowboy. On two conditions.”

  “Anything you say.” She waited for him to name the conditions.

  He cupped her face and looked deep into her eyes. “You write more of the children’s stories and sell them in your own name.”

  “I promise to write them, but I can’t promise someone will buy them.” She knew being a woman would prove a barrier to some publishers.

  “Then you’ll tell them to our children.”

  Mercy had ridden ahead and turned to call, “Are you two coming?”

  “Yes,” Sybil answered. To Brand she said, “I guess we better follow her.”

  “Not just yet.” He caught her about the waist and bent his head to kiss her, with so much tenderness her eyes stung. With the promise of a growing love, the promise of a family and a bright future, they mounted up and rode back to the ranch.

  Epilogue

  April 1883

  Sybil took one last look at the little log cabin where she and Brand had spent the winter. Eddie and the Eden Valley cowboys had built it for them as soon as Sybil said she didn’t intend to wait until spring to marry.

  “We both know enough about loneliness,” she’d told them all last fall. “I want to share the winter with Brand even if we have to live in a tent.”

  Jayne’s eyes had widened in shock.

  Mercy had chuckled. “Whatever happened to the little Sybil who lived a safe, comfortable l
ife?”

  Sybil’s smile came from the warmth of her heart. “She grew up. She found love and discovered it was worth taking risks to enjoy.”

  “You won’t need to do that,” Eddie said. “So long as you don’t object to a small cabin.”

  “I have no objections whatsoever.”

  Linette had arranged for a preacher to come from the fort, and Sybil and Brand had married the last day of September. Their wedding had been simple. Just the folks from the ranch. She’d worn a new dress at Linette’s and Jayne’s insistence. The pair had labored over it many hours.

  Sybil smiled at the remembered pleasure of that day. Honoring her wishes not to have anything fancy, her friends had made her a beautiful gown in a sunset-gold color. Its simple lines made her feel elegant.

  Brand was so handsome in his white shirt and dark pants, with his hair neatly trimmed, that her eyes had stung with joy.

  Her throat tightened at the thought of saying goodbye to the place where she and Brand had spent so many happy hours together.

  She looked about the one-room cabin they’d shared, and prayed Brand had found their time together here as healing as she had.

  The bed in the corner had been made, ready to be used by visitors. The stove was cold. She’d polished it until it was black and shiny. The shelves were almost bare. The few books and jars she left behind belonged to Linette. The unlit lamp sat in the middle of the tiny table.

  “Goodbye,” she whispered, and turned to wait for Brand.

  He pulled a wagon to the doorstep and leaped down to lift her into his arms. He pressed a kiss to her lips before he helped her up to the seat.

  Linette, Eddie, Grady and Mercy stood at the bottom of the hill. Cassie and her children waved from the foreman’s house. Jayne raced out and grabbed Sybil’s hands.

  “You come and visit often,” she said.

  “And you must come and visit us.” She and Brand planned to invite the Eden Valley Ranch folks as soon as the weather permitted them to gather outside.

  Amid more goodbyes, Brand and Sybil drove from the yard.

  She snuggled against him, eager to share her secrets as soon as they reached their own home.