“Look, Papa.” Robbie bounced in his seat, pointing to a corral with several horses.
Thomas leaned forward, adjusting his spectacles. “Are those some of the ones Bram is considering for Robbie?”
“I believe so. The one prancing about at the closest fence, sorrel color with the white blaze and white stockings, is one I looked at the other night. I’m not sure about the others.” Pulling the lines, he drew the buggy to a stop near the fence, waving to Bram.
Helping Robbie down, Sam grabbed his hand. “Now, you must be quiet and not jump around. Can you do that?”
His head bobbed up and down, his eyes bright with excitement. “Yes, Papa.”
“Good afternoon, Sam.” Bram shook his outstretched hand.
“Bram, this is my father, Thomas Covington, and my son, Robbie.”
After shaking Thomas’s hand, Bram bent low to shake Robbie’s. “Well, lad, you’re much taller than I thought you’d be.”
“I am?”
“Aye.” Bram raised his hand a short distance above the ground. “I expected you to be about this tall.” His hand came to Robbie’s shoulders.
Giggling, he turned to his father. “I’m much taller than that.”
Grinning, Sam nodded. “Much taller.”
Straightening, Bram looked over his shoulder at the last house up the path. “The women are preparing supper up at Colin’s. Would you like to look at the horses now or wait until after we eat?”
Robbie tugged on Sam’s hand, his face turned up. “Can we look at horses now, Papa?”
He wanted to find Jinny, introduce her to his family, and try to explain all that had happened since he’d left. Seeing the hopeful look on Robbie’s face, he decided talking with her would have to wait.
“Now would be fine, Bram.”
Looking over Bram’s shoulder, he spotted several MacLaren men walking their way, no doubt curious about the young boy and older man with him. They were a protective lot, probably more so knowing his feelings for Jinny. Sam braced himself, unsure of what to expect.
Brodie stuck out his hand first. “Glad you could make it today, Sam.” He shook Thomas’s hand, then greeted Robbie.
Colin, Quinn, Fletcher, Blaine, Sean, and Caleb walked up, waiting while Sam introduced them.
Sean knelt beside Robbie. “I hear you’d be looking for a horse, lad.”
Robbie glanced at the other men, his gaze cautious. “Yes, sir.”
“The lads here learned to ride when they were about your age. You’re about seven, right?”
Giggling, Robbie shook his head. “I’m almost five.”
“Five is it. Well, that’s a fine age to learn. Why don’t you, Bram, and I take a look at the horses while the others talk to your father?”
Gripping Sam’s hand a little tighter, Robbie looked up.
“It’s all right, son. Go ahead with Sean and Bram. I’ll be over in a few minutes.”
“Would you like me to go with them, Sam?” Thomas asked as he watched his grandson and the two men walk away.
“No, Father. I think the gentlemen have something to say and you might as well hear it.” Sam crossed his arms, ready for the first of what he knew would be many questions.
Fletcher spoke first. A year younger than his sister, Jinny, he didn’t have the same reservations about asking questions.
“Where’s Robbie’s ma?”
Sam appreciated how Fletcher got straight to the point. “She died not long after his birth.”
“Why didn’t you bring him with you when you first came to Conviction?”
His gaze didn’t move from Fletcher’s. “First, I was on assignment for Allan Pinkerton. Second, I didn’t know about Robbie until a few months ago.”
“You didn’t marry the lass?” Quinn asked, his features unreadable.
“No.” Sam glanced at Robbie, who seemed completely content with Bram and Sean. “It’s complicated, but I assure you, I’ll explain it all to Jinny.”
Brodie took a step forward. “Now that you’re back, what are your intentions toward her?”
“I’m in love with her, Brodie, but you already know that. I’d planned to ask her to marry me before I received word about Robbie and had to leave.”
“And now?”
Sam stared at his friend and boss. “My situation has changed. I can’t expect a young woman as wonderful as Jinny to accept what is now my life.”
Fletcher crossed his arms, glaring at him. “You’ll not be asking her to marry you?”
Pushing away the ball of dread in his gut, Sam shook his head. “Why would she want to be burdened with a son who isn’t her own and have to move from the ranch she loves to live in town? It’s too much to ask of her.”
Brodie stepped forward, taking Sam’s arm and pulling him several feet away. “Excuse us a moment, Mr. Covington, while we have a few private words with your son.”
Thomas did his best not to grin. “Take as long as you need, gentlemen.”
Escorting Sam about twenty feet away, the MacLarens formed a circle around him. Some crossed their arms and braced their feet. Others let their arms hang slack at their sides. All wore fierce expressions.
Glancing behind them, toward the porch, Sam saw Jinny with her hands on the rail, watching. Their eyes met and held for an instant before she spun around, heading back inside the house.
“You’ll be asking my sister to marry you.” Fletcher spat the words out.
“But—”
Quinn didn’t let Sam finish. “Do you still love her?”
“Of course I do, Quinn. It isn’t a question of love.”
“Do you want her for your wife?” Colin asked, his gaze narrowing.
Sam nodded. “I’ve wanted her from the first moment we met.”
“Do you think the lass no longer has feelings for you?” Blaine had stayed quiet to this point.
Sam shook his head. “I can’t speak for Jinny.”
Brodie shifted his weight from one leg to the other, his mouth forming a thin line. “The lass is in love with you, Sam. It’d be a grand idea if you reconsidered your position. Jinny’s a grown woman with a big heart—that you broke. It’s past time you made it right with her.”
His jaw going slack, Sam turned in a circle, looking at each man. “After what you know, you still want me to ask her?” He’d felt certain the MacLaren men would prefer she marry Deke Arrington, or one of the other young men in town who didn’t have the responsibilities of a son and elderly father.
The question brought various reactions from chuckles to heads nodding before they all broke into laughter. Sam had no idea what was happening, even as the tension in his shoulders began to relax.
Fletcher stepped forward, clasping Sam’s shoulder. “Oh, you’ll be asking her to marry. First, you’ll be courting her for as long as needed to set things right with her.”
“Courting…” Sam breathed out. He hadn’t expected to have them support him, and he sure as heck hadn’t expected they’d want him to court her.
Brodie nodded. “Aye. Have you never courted a woman before?”
Sam looked at Colin, then Quinn, and finally Brodie. “Did any of you court your wives?” He already knew the answer, feeling smug satisfaction as their smiles faded.
Brodie tugged on his earlobe, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter how we came to marry the lasses, Sam. You’ll be courting Jinny, and there’ll be no excuses. She deserves that much from you.”
Sam couldn’t argue. Jinny deserved much more than suppers, walks, and flowers. She deserved a man without the burdens he already carried. Looking at the MacLaren men, the way their gazes locked on him, he knew there wasn’t a chance he’d walk away without her.
“All right. If Jinny’s willing, I’ll court her.” He turned in a circle again, looking at each face, giving them notice. “Be warned. This won’t be a long courtship. Jinny will be my wife sooner rather than later.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The sight of Sam at the ran
ch, surrounded by her family, sent Jinny’s mind spinning. She hadn’t expected to see him for a few more days when she went into town for supplies—where she meant to hunt him down and force him to explain himself. Sam’s arrival with his son and father, plus Kyla’s insistence on changing their normal seating arrangement, stripped away any time Jinny had to prepare.
Lightheaded and nervous, she sat next to him during supper. On the other side of Sam sat Robbie, Thomas next to him.
There’d been no time for Sam to do more than make brief introductions. It disappointed Jinny she had no time to talk with him, holding out hope he’d be open to speaking with her before they left to go back to town.
From his spot at the end of the table, Ewan looked at Robbie. “How old are you, lad?”
Sam saw his son stiffen. Two MacLarens were an imposing presence. An entire table of them seemed overwhelming to a small boy.
“It’s all right, Robbie. Answer Mr. MacLaren.”
Robbie glanced down the table at Ewan. “I’m almost five.”
“Are you now? You see the young laddie at the other table?” Ewan looked at the table where the youngest MacLarens sat. “Davina is five and Bryce is six. Aiden is three, maybe a mite young for an older lad such as you. They were all born in America after we came from Scotland. Would you like to sit with them?”
Robbie looked at Sam. “Can I sit with them, Papa?”
The question surprised and pleased Sam. “Of course, son.”
Kyla and Lorna moved chairs, settling Robbie between Sean’s younger sister, Davina, and Quinn’s youngest brother, Bryce. Within seconds, they were all talking and laughing.
Several minutes later, Ewan looked at Caleb, who sat across the table from Heather. Clearing his throat, he got everyone’s attention.
“We’ve made a decision about the Evanston ranch. We’ve already spoken with several of you about this, so there should be no cause for argument. Caleb will become the foreman and Blaine will move with him. Heather has agreed to come back to Circle M to work with Colin and Quinn.”
All eyes focused on Heather, but if she felt any distress, she covered it well. Caleb’s face gave nothing away, not even the joy Jinny thought he must be feeling.
Heather was the first to speak. “Congratulations, Caleb. It’s well deserved.” The family couldn’t have been more surprised if a tornado had blown through the ranch.
Seconds later, everyone joined her in congratulating him, letting Caleb know he had their support in whatever he needed. After a few minutes, conversation moved on to other topics, the Evanston ranch forgotten—at least for the time being.
Jinny leaned back in her chair, watching the children. “He’s a beautiful lad, Sam. You must be proud of him.”
Sam’s heart squeezed at her kind words, as well as the hesitancy in her voice. After talking to the MacLaren men, he realized how much of a fool he’d been to keep the fact he had a son from her. It had been intentional at first, not knowing if he would be returning to Conviction. Once the decision had been made, all his efforts went into packing, booking passage, and getting letters off to Brodie and August Fielder, telling them of his return. Although his excuse now sounded weak, Sam knew why he hadn’t written Jinny. Fear.
He’d never been a weak man, always trying his best to make the right decisions and do all he could to live honorably. Sam had failed Jinny on both counts, hurting her by the choices he’d made.
“Yes. I’m quite proud of him.” Reaching over, he covered the hand in her lap with his, thankful the others at the table paid them no attention. To his surprise, she didn’t pull away, placing her other hand on top of his. “We need to talk, Jinny. There’s much I need to tell you.”
“I’d like that, Sam.”
The tension in his body relaxed, his relief at her response more than he deserved. “After supper, we’ll take a walk. My father will be happy to watch Robbie.”
Her eyes sparkled. “I doubt you’ll have any trouble finding someone to watch over him.” She nodded toward the table of children, then looked at Sarah, Geneen, and Emma. “Any of the lasses would be honored to take care of him while we talk.”
The rest of the meal passed in a blur, each hurrying to finish, both accepting small portions of dessert. When finished, Sam leaned over to his father.
“I’d like to take Jinny for a walk. Are you all right watching Robbie?”
“Of course, son. Take as long as you need to convince that girl to give you another chance.”
Nodding, Sam stood, pulling out Jinny’s chair. “If you’ll excuse us, Jinny and I will be outside.”
Leaving the table, Sam placed a hand on the small of her back, missing the smiles of approval from those watching.
Sam told her everything, starting with when he’d met Vera, how he thought they’d been in love, then learning of her betrayal. Believing she supported the Northern cause as much as him, he’d unknowingly provided her with small details of one of his assignments. To anyone else, the information would’ve seemed worthless. As he learned later, Vera wasn’t anyone else.
She was a spy for the South and had been before they met. Combining her information with what had been obtained by others, the Confederate Army planned an attack on Union forces. The attack could’ve been devastating if Sam hadn’t followed her one night, learning of her betrayal. Reporting what he’d heard, Sam left Vera a brief note, then walked away, leaving her behind when Allan Pinkerton offered him another assignment. He never heard from her again.
Jinny had kept silent, the revulsion of Vera’s actions clear on Sam’s face. “Surely she must have tried to reach you when she learned she was pregnant.”
Sam stood outside the corral, leaning his arms on the top rail, staring out at the horses. “According to her father, she refused to try and find me. Vera didn’t want me in Robbie’s life, even though she included my name on the birth certificate. After she died, they respected her wishes until their health began to fade. Mrs. Foster already suffered from lapses of memory, and Mr. Foster feared Robbie would be sent to a home if anything happened to him.”
Jinny stood on the lowest rail next to Sam, resting her arms next to his. “They did what was right, Sam. You never should’ve been cut from Robbie’s life.” Leaning to her side, she rested her head on his shoulder, lifting her gaze to his. “And you made a wise decision bringing him here.”
Turning, he placed his hands on her waist, settling her on the ground. With no intention of letting go, he stared down into her eyes. “Do you really think this was right?”
“Aye, I do.” Jinny saw his head lower, his lips a breath away from hers. Heart pounding, she willed Sam to kiss her.
Desire pulsing through him, Sam lowered his head, capturing her mouth with his. It wasn’t as tentative as their first kiss had been so many months ago. This one spoke of a man claiming what he wanted, letting her know she would belong to him.
His hands moved up her back, then down, settling on her hips, drawing her to him. The kiss deepened, waves of passion rushing through him as raw need caused his body to tighten. Breaking away, his lips trailed kisses across her cheek, along her jaw, and down the slender column of her neck.
“Ah, Jinny. I’ve dreamed of this.”
Moaning, she tightened her grip on his shoulders. “So have I.”
A loud cough from behind them had Sam pulling away, turning so his body shielded her.
Looking around him, Jinny spotted Brodie, Fletcher, Bram, and Blaine on the porch, staring in their direction. Letting out a sigh, she stepped around Sam.
“We’ve an audience.” Resting her hands on her hips, she glared back at her brothers and cousins. “They’ve no business watching us.”
Chuckling, Sam settled an arm around her waist. Placing a kiss on her temple, he turned her to face him.
“It’s best they came out.”
“Why? We did nothing wrong.” She glanced over her shoulder, seeing the four still standing by the rail. “Ach. It seems the lads won�
�t leave us alone.”
Needing to draw her attention back to him, Sam whispered in her ear. “Jinny…”
“Hmmm?” She snuggled closer, ignoring her family.
“I want to marry you.”
The statement caught her unaware. Eyes widening, a radiant smile broke out across her face.
“Yes, Sam. I love you. Of course I’ll marry you.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, he brushed a quick kiss across her lips.
“There’s just one problem.”
Her brows furrowed. “A problem?”
“Your family insists we court before you agree to marry me.”
Storming into the house, Jinny pushed the door to the den open, seeing her father, uncle, and the rest of the MacLaren men enjoying whiskey. She glared at her father.
“What do you mean by insisting Sam court me before allowing us to marry?”
Ewan’s face stilled, his brows drawing together. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about, lass.”
Slowly, she turned to Brodie. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
Swallowing the whiskey in his mouth, he nodded. “It’s for your own good, Jinny.” He glanced at Sam, who casually rested a shoulder against the door frame, arms crossed, eyes glinting in amusement. Getting no support from him, Brodie looked back at Jinny. “He has a son and his father living with him. You need time to be sure it’s what you want. Make certain you know your own mind.”
Eyes shooting sparks, she placed her hands on her brother’s chest and pushed. “So you’re telling me it’s only the MacLaren men who know their own mind?” Shoving him again, her irritation grew. “You’re saying MacLaren women are too weak to know what they want?”
Holding up his hands, Brodie stepped away, trying to move out of range of Jinny’s rage. “Sam agreed to the courting.”
“Oh, did he now?” She glanced over her shoulder at Sam, seeing amusement on his face, before turning back to Brodie. “And what if I don’t agree?”
Fletcher stepped forward, keeping a slight distance between himself and Jinny. “Lass, you’ve not seen Sam in months. His life has changed. What if he’s not who you want?”
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