The Reluctant Outlaw (Love Inspired Historical)

by Karen Kirst

  Apprehension warred with curiosity. She could only imagine the man’s reaction when Evan showed up on his doorstep with a strange woman.

  Juliana spotted a large dog on the front porch. He noticed them at the same time and let out a warning. The animal’s noisy barking alerted Lucas Harrison, because almost immediately the front door swung open and a man appeared in the doorway.

  Evan tipped his hat back and waved. “Hello, cuz,” he called. “I sure do hope you’ve got supper on the table ’cause I’ve been dreaming of a home-cooked meal for days!”

  A wide smile broke out on the stranger’s face. With a word to the dog to stay put, he leapt off the porch and strode quickly across the grass to meet them. “My eyes must be deceiving me! I was beginning to wonder if you were ever coming home.”

  Evan held out his hand, which Lucas accepted only to tug Evan close for a quick but enthusiastic hug. Releasing him, Lucas turned his attention to Juliana.

  Her cheeks burned beneath his scrutiny. He was obviously curious as to her identity but too polite to question her.

  “Hello,” he offered with a kind smile. “I’m Lucas Harrison. But my friends call me Luke.”

  Evan stepped closer to her, and she caught the warning glance he shot his cousin. “Luke, this is Juliana O’Malley.”

  He tipped his head. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss O’Malley.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Harrison.” Evan’s cousin was handsome and charming, although not quite as striking as Evan.

  “Please, call me Luke. Whenever someone calls me Mr. Harrison, I automatically look around to see if my father’s nearby. Can’t seem to get used to it.” His gaze volleyed between the two of them. “You both look parched. How does a glass of lemonade sound?”

  “Wonderful,” Evan huffed. “Juliana?”

  “I’d love some.”

  “Evan, why don’t you show Miss O’Malley to the house? I’ll see that Lucky gets a drink, and then I’ll be right in. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.” He clapped Evan on the shoulder. “Think you can remember where everything is?”

  “I’ll do my best.” At Evan’s dry response, Juliana hid a smile. She sensed the two cousins teased each other often.

  Inside, the smell of meat roasting in the stove tantalized her nose. They’d had a light lunch of beef jerky and hard biscuits hours ago, and she was hungry.

  A glance around revealed a home that was neat and tidy, if sparsely furnished. The windows were bare and the only touch of color in the room came from the blue settee sitting in front of the fireplace. Gauging from his home, Luke Harrison struck her as a man of simple tastes.

  “Here you go.” Evan appeared at her side with a tall glass of lemonade.

  She sipped the cool, tart liquid and sighed. “That’s delicious.”

  “We’ve been walking for hours. Why don’t you have a seat? If you don’t mind being on your own for a few minutes, I’d like to have a word with Luke before supper.”

  “I’ll be fine.” Placing her glass on the oval coffee table, she sank down onto the settee and untied the strings of her bonnet. “He must have a lot of questions.”

  He drained the remainder of his drink and set it on the table next to hers. “Juliana,” he began, his eyes searching, “I plan on telling him the truth about our situation. Do you mind?”

  “As I see it, we have no other choice.”

  He cocked his head to one side. “I could tell him it’s none of his business.”

  Juliana could tell by his serious demeanor that the decision was indeed hers to make. Clearly, Evan wanted to tell his cousin everything, which meant he trusted him to keep it quiet.

  “If you trust him, then so do I.”

  “I do.”

  “Who is she?”

  Leaning against the stall door, Evan stroked the mare’s nose and tried to formulate an answer. No matter how he said it, his cousin wasn’t going to be pleased.

  “I’m not going to like what you have to say, am I?” Luke said finally.

  Evan decided to be blunt. “I kidnapped her.”

  “What did you say?”

  “She walked in on a robbery. I tried to get her out of there, but my colleague had other plans.”

  Feet planted wide and arms folded across his chest, Luke leveled a steady glare in Evan’s direction. “Do you realize how outrageous that sounds coming from your mouth? Those words don’t even begin to match up with the man I know you to be. Explain yourself.”

  “I realize this is hard for you to swallow. Believe me.” He thrust his fingers through his hair. “I’m having a hard time understanding it myself.”

  “Juliana didn’t appear to be here against her will, however. In fact, the two of you seem to be on friendly terms.”

  “Yeah.” Evan’s mind drifted to the kiss he’d won and how it felt to hold her in his arms. Many times today he’d been tempted to do it again, but had resisted.

  “Evan,” Luke prompted sternly, “you look like a man in love. Tell me, how could that be?”

  In love? With Juliana? He cared about her, of course. Surely he wouldn’t have been foolish enough to let himself fall in love with her.

  “I didn’t come out here to talk about my feelings.”

  “So you admit to having feelings.” He cocked an eyebrow. His lips tugged upward in a teasing grin.

  Evan shot him a warning glance, but said nothing.

  “Fine, I’ll drop it. For now.” Luke turned serious once more. “So why didn’t you let her go? Why bring her here?”

  He told him everything that had happened, including his belief that Fitzgerald had been trailing them.

  “Oh, this is getting better by the minute,” Luke groaned.

  “I know I’m out of favors, but I need you to promise me that you’ll keep an eye on her while I’m gone.”

  “You have my word,” he agreed. “You look peaked. Have you been taking care of yourself?”

  He really didn’t want to go into his illness at that moment. He was bone-tired. Maybe he’d pushed himself too hard. He’d be hitting the hay early that night. Literally. “You know how life on the trail can be. Not the best of conditions.”

  “Let’s go eat then, so you can go home and get some rest.” He started for the barn door.

  “Luke?”

  He paused and looked back at Evan. “Yeah?”

  “Thanks.” Gratitude overwhelmed him, making it hard to speak. He’d missed him. “I owe you.”

  Understanding dawned, and Luke smiled. “Who knows? One day I may need a favor from you.”

  “All you need to do is ask.”

  As they waved goodbye to Luke Harrison, Juliana felt content. The meal, while nothing fancy, had been delicious—the tender beef roast dripping in rich gravy had melted in her mouth and the biscuits slathered with freshly churned butter and a touch of honey made her moan in delight. She grinned, remembering how surprised both men had been at the number of biscuits she’d consumed.

  She’d enjoyed the lively conversation as well. Evan and Luke had entertained her with stories of their childhoods and teenage years. It was obvious the two men shared a close friendship, and she could tell both were pleased to be in each other’s company once again.

  As they left the front yard, Evan urged Lucky into a canter. His arm held her fast, securing her against his muscled body. She reveled in their closeness, knowing it would soon come to an end. He would take the next day to do errands in town and check on his animals and garden, then leave the following morning. How long it would be before he returned she hadn’t a clue.

  He slowed the big black when they emerged from the trees. They were on his land now. Crossing a shallow stream, they intersected a field with knee-high grass and entered another small cove before emerging beside long, even rows of plants. In the distance, a one-story cabin stood in the midst of several apple trees, the profusion of pink blossoms shining in the sun. Chestnut trees with spotted trunks lined the drive. A tall
barn rimmed with animal pens stood just beyond the cabin.

  Lush and green, with rounded blue mountain peaks in the near distance, his home took her breath away. With its tranquil scenery, she thought it even more beautiful than her beloved childhood home.

  His cabin faced the mountains, with a wide porch on which to relax and enjoy the view. As they neared, she noted a glass-plated window on each side of the front door, as well as two rocking chairs. Stacked stone, likely from the nearby river, formed the foundation.

  Halting Lucky directly in front, Evan jumped down and helped her out of the saddle. For the briefest of moments, he gazed down at her, his hands a warm weight on her waist. When he stepped back, she tried to hide her disappointment.

  “Well, what do you think?” He swept his arm in a wide arc, his excitement showing in his sparkling eyes and bright smile.

  She quashed her sense of loss. “It’s beautiful, Evan. You must be so proud. Did you and James help your father build it?”

  “Yes, we did.” He nodded slowly, his gaze moving along the roofline of the cabin, lost in memories. “Took us a month, only because we had a few locals helping. Otherwise, it would’ve taken longer.”

  “Where did you live during that time?”

  “Live?” His black brows winged up. “Here. Under the stars.”

  “Your mother must’ve liked that,” she responded in a dry tone. A few days sleeping outside was tolerable, but an entire month? Mrs. Harrison would’ve been itching for a stove to cook on and a nice soft bed.

  “She didn’t complain, but I’d catch her watching us at odd times during the day while we worked, as if she could somehow will the house to go up faster.”

  Juliana smiled at that but said nothing.

  “Once the cabin was finished, we had a barn raising. That took three days because the entire community came out to help. Despite the hard work, it was fun. Everyone brought food and we ate under those trees yonder.” He pointed to the sugar maples and oaks beside the barn. “When the sun went down, we had bonfires and music and dancing. Momma was thrilled to meet the other women.”

  “How long did your parents live here?” she asked gently.

  He turned to her, a bittersweet expression stealing across his face. “Not nearly long enough. Four years.”

  “They were happy here? They didn’t regret leaving North Carolina?”

  “Very happy.” Again, his gaze roamed the landscape. “We all fell in love with this place. About a year after we moved here, the tract next to ours came up for sale and, at my father’s urging, my Uncle Clarence and Aunt Willa— Luke’s parents—bought it sight unseen. The three of us grew up together.”

  In her mind’s eye, she imagined the three boys racing across this land. “So when James died, in a way Luke lost a brother, too.”

  It was clear the notion hadn’t occurred to Evan. He was quiet a long moment. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I’ve never thought about it, but Luke was like a brother to us. I left immediately after the funeral. We never talked about our loss.”

  “It’s never too late, you know.”

  “You’re right. I might stop by his place before I head out in the morning.”

  Juliana gave him an encouraging smile. “I think that will help the both of you.”

  He held out his hand. “Come, let me show you inside.”

  Juliana took his hand and allowed him to lead her inside the cabin. Standing inside the front door, she scanned the spacious living area and kitchen. Considering the sparseness of Luke’s cabin, she hadn’t expected Evan’s to be any different. But here there were cheerful yellow curtains adorning the windows, crocheted pillows piled on the sofa, and hand-stitched samplers hanging on the walls. Then she remembered that this had been his parents’ home, and his mother had likely added the feminine touches.

  “There are two bedrooms down here.” He pointed to a ladder lying against the wall. “And as you can see a loft up there. That used to be my room when my parents were alive.”

  “I see.”

  Still holding her hand, he urged her toward the largest bedroom. A pretty blue-and-white wedding-ring quilt covered the wide bed. She wondered if his mother made it. “This is mine now.” He ran a finger along the dresser and scrunched up his nose. “Sorry about the dust. No one’s been in here to clean while I’ve been away.” He turned to face her. “You’ll sleep in here tonight and the remainder of the time I’m gone.”

  She opened her mouth to protest, but he raised a hand. “No arguments. I’m sleeping in the barn tonight and tomorrow tonight, so you don’t have to feel uncomfortable.”

  “The barn?” Her brows lifted. “There’s plenty of space in here. Why not the loft? I don’t mind.”

  Standing very close, he tilted her chin up with his finger. “I do.”

  Swallowing hard, she managed, “You’ve been ill. I’m not sure it’s wise for you to sleep out there. If it’s anything like our barn, there’s no telling the measure of filth in the hay. And the varmints…”

  “Juliana,” his voice dipped to a husky rasp, “you don’t realize the temptation you are to me, do you?”

  At first the meaning behind his words didn’t sink in. When she didn’t speak, he gave a curt laugh and dropped her hand. “I didn’t think so. I’m sleeping in the barn.”

  Evan awoke to the sounds of the cows shuffling down below and the hens clucking in their pen outside the barn. A glance outside the door told him it was after dawn, time to feed and water the animals before going inside to cook breakfast for himself and Juliana.

  As he climbed down the ladder, he was met with the sound of an approaching rider. He strode outside, his hand on his gun. The tension left his body when he recognized Thomas Latham, the young man Luke had hired in Evan’s absence to do chores around the farm. The two spreads were too much for one man to tend to, of course. The Latham family had moved to the cove a few years after Evan’s, and he remembered Thomas as a shy sort.

  He greeted the young man with enthusiasm and invited him to breakfast. Thomas refused with the excuse he’d already eaten. Evan explained he’d be leaving again the next day, and that Miss O’Malley was not to be bothered. Blushing, Thomas assured him profusely that he would not go near the lady. Satisfied with his response, Evan helped Thomas with the care of the animals before heading inside with a basket full of eggs.

  The smell of coffee met him, but Juliana was nowhere to be seen. Then he noticed the closed bedroom door. He carried the eggs into the kitchen, and after washing his hands at the washstand, he prepared the cornmeal batter. He was in the midst of pouring it into the hot skillet when Juliana appeared with a soft greeting.

  At the sight of her, Evan swallowed hard and willed himself not to drop the bowl on his toe. The white blouse she wore, with its fitted bodice, billowing sleeves and cuffed wrists, accompanied by a full skirt, lent her an air of elegance. Her hair, a deep, rich red with golden highlights, hung in a straight, silky curtain around her shoulders. She’d inserted a tiny silver clip just above her ear for decoration. Her porcelain skin was dewy fresh, her green eyes luminous in her oval-shaped face.

  She fidgeted beneath his stare. “Are you regretting letting me borrow your mother’s things?”

  “What?” He shook his head to clear it. “Uh, no. Actually, I don’t remember her wearing that at all. Probably reserved it for special outings, which back then were few and far between. You look beautiful.”

  Long, sooty lashes swept down to hide her eyes. A soft flush infused her skin. “Thank you.” She touched her fingers to her hair. “I found this clip in the bottom of the trunk. I hope it’s okay for me to use it.”

  “I told you, Juliana, help yourself to anything you need. Or want.”

  A line formed between her brows. “I waited for you last night.”

  He turned his attention back to the hoecakes, lest they burn. “I was worn out. After breakfast I have to head into town.”

  “I suppose I’ll need to stay here,” she said q
uietly, unable to mask her disappointment.

  He held the spatula aloft. “I wish I could take you with me, but your showing up on my arm now would stir up a hornet’s nest of questions. I don’t have time for that.”

  “I understand. I’ll use the time to explore your land, if you don’t mind.”

  “I don’t, but I want you to promise me that you won’t wander too far.” He told her about Thomas Latham and assured her that she wouldn’t be bothered by him.

  “I’ll stay within sight of the house. Now, what can I do to help?”

  Evan glanced around the kitchen. “You can pour the coffee and set the table. I keep a jar of molasses in the upper cupboard there.”

  Within twenty minutes, they had everything ready. At the last minute, he remembered to pull out her chair for her and wait until she was seated to seat himself. He sat at the head of the table, with Juliana on his left. They simply stared at each other, silly smiles on their faces.

  He could hardly believe that she was here—in his home—sitting at his table and sharing a meal with him.

  With his palm outstretched, he waited for her to slip her slender hand in his and then bowed his head to say grace. It was with reluctance that he released it when the prayer was finished. As they ate, he answered her questions about the farm and the community, more than happy to talk about the home he loved. By the end of the meal, she was looking suitably impressed.

  “I wish I could give you a tour of the place myself,” he said over his shoulder as he carried empty plates to the kitchen. “I’ll probably be gone a couple of hours, so I’ll stop by Addie’s eating establishment and bring us home some lunch. She makes the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten.”

  “I’ll clean this up while you haul in the bath water,” she said, moving past him to grab a washcloth to clean the dishes. “Thank you for breakfast. I do feel bad that you have to cook every meal.”

  “Don’t. I’d much rather cook than wash dishes.”

  “Ah, well, I’m a master dish cleaner because that’s all I ever do in the kitchen.” She smiled, a sparkle in her eye. “Jessica, Jane and sometimes Megan are in charge of the cooking and Nicole and I handle the clean up.”