“We’ll start by going over each of the horses, their age, sire, and dam.” Bram took the lead when they entered the pasture, walking toward a mare and colt. “That is Shamrock, Heather’s mare, and Champion. He’s about six months old.”
Emma nodded, her voice softening. “I know.”
Bram looked at her, his brows knitting together before he grinned. “Ach, I forgot. You were here when he was born.”
“It was the most amazing sight I’ve ever seen.” She glanced at Bram, then Fletcher. “We’ve had fillies born on the ranch, but we’ve never gotten a colt. I know how much you wanted one.”
“Aye. Warrior, Chieftain, and Galath are used to sire. Shamrock and mares from the remuda are the dams. Champion will be the future of the breeding program.” Fletcher walked up to Shamrock, running a hand down his cousin’s mare. “Heather is riding a mare from Widow Evanston’s ranch. I know she’s anxious to get her own horse back.”
Emma looked up at a couple riders coming from the north. “Is that Colin and Quinn?” She’d done her best not to ask about him, but seeing the riders had her heart beating faster.
Bram pushed the brim of his hat up. “Nae. It’s Cam and Sean. Colin is working around here today. Quinn and Caleb left early for the old Estrada ranch. They’ll be staying there.”
“Staying there?”
“Aye. We need to have men with experience over there to work with the Estrada vaqueros who decided to stay when we bought the land and herd. Quinn and Colin are the best we have, but Caleb is close. With Sarah being so near delivery, Colin doesn’t want to be too far away. Fletch, stay here with Emma while I talk with Sean and Cam.”
Emma watched Bram walk away, then turned to Fletcher. “How long do you think Caleb and Quinn will be gone?” Emma walked alongside him toward another mare and her filly.
“Quinn said he’d be there a month, maybe more. They’re staying at a smaller hacienda Estrada built years ago for him and his wife. Colin says it’s in good shape. They’ll need to bring in additional supplies, but it will be better being close to the ranch hands.”
“I’m sure they’ll be back for Sunday suppers.” Emma tried to calm the tightness in her chest.
Fletcher stopped, looking down at her, his face laced with sympathy. “No, lass. Quinn told Aunt Audrey he wouldn’t be here for several weeks. Caleb may be riding back, but I’m certain he isn’t the reason you’re asking.”
The air whooshed from her lungs, disappointment clear on her face for a brief moment before she masked it with a slight smile. Looking up, she met his gaze. “I was curious, that’s all. It doesn’t matter one way or another, except who’s available to work the ranch.”
Fletcher studied her face, then nodded. Irritation burned through him at the way Quinn treated such a wonderful lass. His cousin could be an eejit sometimes. Riding off without a word of explanation after what Quinn had admitted to Emma the night before wasn’t right. Then again, Fletcher wasn’t supposed to know about it. He’d forgotten something in the barn, stopping when he saw Quinn and Emma together. Fletcher moved into the shadows, thinking it was about time Quinn made his move. Then he swung up on Warrior, telling Emma he loved her before riding away. All seemed to be going good for the two. Then came the news this morning about Quinn’s decision to stay away. Colin swore he hadn’t been ordered to do it by Ewan or Ian. It had been his choice.
“They have a remuda up there. Bram and I talked about riding north sometime, checking what they have and what they’ll need. You may want to ride along.”
Emma didn’t know why she struggled with the answer. She wanted to see Quinn, be near him. After last night, she thought he’d welcome her presence. The true answer seemed clear in the decision he’d made this morning.
“Thank you, Fletcher. I believe I’ll ride with Blaine when you and Bram check the remuda. There’s a lot I can help with at Circle M.” She increased her pace, moving past him, glancing over her shoulder and forcing a smile. “I’ve held you and Bram up long enough. I’m ready to learn all you can teach me.”
Conviction
Giles Delacroix studied the face of the man across the table. It had been serendipitous how he’d been introduced to him through an acquaintance he’d first met playing cards on the steamboat headed for Conviction. When Giles asked if he knew of anyone who could be trusted to carry out some unusual business, the man studied him, asking more questions before mentioning Doggett, a man who had been in the area a short time. A meeting between Doggett and Delacroix had been arranged within a day of docking.
“What do you have for me?” Giles glanced around the crowded restaurant in Conviction’s Chinatown, glad to see everyone lost in their own conversations, paying no attention to the two of them.
Several cities had a sizeable number of Chinese. Rumors were Conviction’s Chinatown was the third largest in the state, consisting of restaurants, laundries, poultry and fish shops, and apothecaries selling healing concoctions, as well as discreet personal services.
“Widow Jones won’t be a problem. She has children to feed and one man working for her, who she hasn’t paid in quite a while. He didn’t hesitate when I offered him your deal, saying it wouldn’t be a problem talking the widow into taking it.”
“When?” Giles picked up the teapot on the table and topped off his cup.
“I meet with him again in two days. He’s optimistic about her selling.”
“What about the two smaller ranchers?”
Doggett leaned forward, a smile stretching across his face. “Both have agreed to sell on your terms. You provide whatever they need to sign and the money. I’ll do the rest.”
“No. I’ll meet with them myself. They won’t know who I am, other than a man who has the ability to solve their money problems.” Giles sat back, crossing his arms. “You’ll go with me.”
“When?”
“I’ll have what’s needed tomorrow. Now, tell me about the Pearce ranch.”
A smirk crossed Doggett’s face at the mention of Big Jim’s property. “He’s certain selling the cattle in Sacramento will bring enough to make the loan current. The drive starts in a few days.”
“The cattle can’t reach Sacramento.”
“It’s taken care of.”
Giles leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “I want to know what you have planned.”
Doggett glanced around, making sure no one listened. “More than one Pearce ranch hand is unhappy. I made a proposition. Trust me, Delacroix. You’ll have the Pearce ranch within a couple weeks.”
Giles nodded, reaching into his pocket to pull out a pouch, handing it to Doggett. “For your efforts. I must say, I’m impressed with what you’ve been able to accomplish in such a short time.”
Doggett slipped the pouch into his pocket. “It wasn’t hard. People will do anything when they’re desperate.”
Nate Hollis sat at a corner table in the restaurant, his red-rimmed eyes trying to focus on the people in the room. He felt light-headed, his motions sluggish. Brodie’s deputy had come here for one purpose—well, two actually. Hong Wo had already delivered part of it, which still sat untouched on the table, his stomach churning at the sight of it. No matter. Nate knew he had to eat, even if his body ended up rejecting it.
Taking a few small bites, he rested his back against the chair, absently rubbing the stub of his left arm with his right hand. There were times he could still feel his left hand, surprise gripping him when he’d look down to see his arm severed just below the elbow. People told him how lucky he’d been to lose only his arm in the battle that claimed hundreds of lives.
Most days, he would agree. Today wasn’t one of them. It had been years, yet the pain pulsed through him as if it had happened yesterday, burning until he didn’t think he could bear it much longer.
In an attempt to relieve the dull ache that had plagued him for days, Nate kneaded the stump of his left arm, feeling an immediate sense of relief. Blinking a few times, he picked up his fork, catchin
g movement at the table a few feet away. A rotund man, dressed in finery not associated with Conviction, passed a pouch to his companion, who wasted no time stuffing it into a pocket. He briefly wondered at the exchange before Hong Wo appeared and nodded at him.
Without a word, Nate slid his chair back and stood, following Hong Wo toward the back of the restaurant. On instinct, he took one more look behind him at the two men, committing their faces to memory.
“Come, Mr. Hollis,” Hong Wo encouraged as he held the curtain open for him.
Nate nodded, ready to complete the second purpose of his trip to Chinatown.
“This will work well.” Caleb stepped through the door of the hacienda where he and Quinn would be staying. He stood in the center of the front room, taking in the older home. “Looks like the kitchen is at the back. Bedrooms must be down the hall to the right. Seems clean. Someone must have been taking care of it.”
Quinn listened, not caring about the layout or cleanliness. All he wanted was to fall onto any bed available and sleep, even though he already knew it wouldn’t come. Thoughts of Emma had plagued him last night and all day as he and Caleb worked with the men. He still believed he’d made the right decision, putting distance between them so he could figure a way to ease out of the confession made in a moment of weakness.
Quinn had spoken the truth. He couldn’t imagine ever loving another woman the way he did Emma. Nor could he imagine giving his heart away only to have it shattered when tragedy tore Emma away from him, as he believed it surely would. The dangers of ranch work were vast. Being thrown from a horse, bitten by a rattlesnake, lost in an unexpected storm, or trampled by stampeding cattle were daily concerns, happening more often than most city dwellers wanted to believe. Those dangers didn’t include rustlers or outlaws who thought nothing of taking a human life.
Some might consider his fear of loss a weakness. To Quinn, it was a necessary part of what kept him functioning each day.
“I’ve thrown my gear in the first bedroom. You have a choice of three others.” Caleb walked up beside him. “Are you all right? You’ve not seemed yourself today.”
“Fine.”
He walked down the hall, taking a room a couple doors down from Caleb and tossing his gear inside. Removing his hat, he ran a hand through his hair, sucking in a ragged breath. He already missed her.
Caleb stood in the doorway. “We need to order supplies soon. The place is empty of food and anything else we’ll need. I can take one of the men and ride to town tomorrow.”
“I’ll go. I need to speak with Brodie, and I’d like to ride by the Pearce ranch, see how Big Jim is doing.” Quinn opened his saddlebags, pulling out a flask. Removing the cap, he took a long swallow, then held it out for Caleb, who hesitated.
“You sure you don’t want it all? Seems you may need it more than me.”
Quinn took one more quick sip, then shook his head. “Nae. I’m done.”
Caleb took a healthy drink, handing it back before being tempted to drink more. “Do you want to talk about what has you so bothered?”
Quinn shot him a disgusted look. “Nae. There’s nothing to talk about. Just tired and hungry.”
Caleb knew it was a lie, but decided to ignore it. “I’ve the food your ma prepared in my saddlebags.” Walking to the bedroom where he’d left his belongings, he returned a few minutes later. He set each item aside as he unwrapped it. “Meat, bread, dried fruit, boiled eggs…” He took out the last item, unwrapped it, and smiled. “Your ma’s sugar cookies. We will eat like kings.”
“Aye, until you start cooking. Then we may starve.”
Conviction
“Have either of you seen Nate?” Brodie sorted through the wanted posters, pulling out those he’d learned had been arrested or killed, but his mind wasn’t on the outlaws. It was on the man he’d become increasingly concerned about. He hadn’t seen much of Nate for several days, and what he did see worried him. His one hand shook slightly, his eyes rimmed in red, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
“Not since early afternoon. He planned to eat at Hong Wo’s, then ride through the dock area.” Sam sat at the desk, trying to focus on cleaning the guns in front of him.
“Nope. Not since this morning when he came in for coffee.” Jack pulled off one of his boots, shook out a stone, then slipped his foot back inside.
“He say anything?”
“Like what, Sheriff?” Jack stood, stomping his boot on the ground.
Brodie crossed his arms, lifting a brow, his voice hard. “Anything, Jack. I haven’t seen my deputy in almost three days.”
Jack took a step away at the unexpected harsh tone. “Well, uh…let me think.” His gaze moved about the room as he tried to remember what Nate had said. “Like Sam already said, he was going to Chinatown, same as he’s done each day. There and the docks, just like you told him to do, Sheriff.”
Brodie shook his head, dropping his arms to his sides. “Did you see him afterward? I rode around the docks and Chinatown yesterday and saw no sign of him.”
“No, sir. He didn’t come back while I was here. But you had me taking care of business out near Stein Tharaldson’s end of town. You remember? The vandalism Stein reported.”
Brodie let out a breath, leaned against his desk, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yes, Jack. I remember.”
Jack nodded, tightening his gunbelt around his waist before picking up his hat. “I’d better start my rounds. You never know what might happen.” He didn’t wait for Brodie to respond before hurrying out the door, as if he couldn’t get away fast enough.
Sam had stayed quiet, listening to the exchange, seeing Brodie’s irritation rise. He understood what his boss wanted and the reason for his questions. Sam had the same concerns about Nate. Like Brodie, he had no answers, only suspicions.
“Nate isn’t saying much to anybody, Brodie. He stays to himself, does his job, then goes back to his room.”
Taking a seat behind his desk, Brodie leaned forward, focusing his gaze on Sam. “Does he still have his room at the Gold Dust?”
“He does. Down the hall from mine.” Standing, Sam walked to the window, watching the early morning traffic. “Nate usually meets me for breakfast. He hasn’t shown up in several days. I haven’t seen him in the dining room for supper, either.” Turning back around, Sam’s features were bleak. “I think he’s sick. When I asked him about it last week, he became upset, left supper, and I’ve seen little of him since.”
Brodie rubbed his chin, then stood. “I’m going over to the clinic. Maybe Doc Vickery knows something about Nate. I’d appreciate it if you’d stay around. If he comes back, tell him I want to talk.”
Sam nodded. “I don’t like it, Brodie.” He shook his head, lowering himself into a chair. “Hope the doctor has some answers.”
Chapter Twelve
“Do you mind finishing with the supply order while I go find Brodie?”
Camden stood in the general store, staring at the list Quinn and Caleb had prepared. “Nae, Quinn. As soon as the wagon is loaded, I’ll come find you.” After supper the night before, his uncle Ewan said he wanted Cam working with Caleb and Quinn at the new property. Even though he loved his older brothers, Colin and Blaine, he jumped at the chance to get away. He’d ridden up a few minutes before Quinn left for Conviction. “What about the additional men Uncle Ewan wants to hire for the new place?”
“That’s one reason I want to speak with Brodie. He and his deputies keep track of most people coming into town. They may know of some men looking for work.” Quinn didn’t tell Cam the other reason for his visit with Brodie. He didn’t think his cousin had confided to anyone else in the family about the conversation he had with August Fielder.
“I’ll stop by Buckie’s Castle. Most men new to town end up there.”
Quinn’s gaze narrowed on his cousin, his mouth twitching upward. “I don’t want to come looking for you.”
Cam held up his hands in mock surrender, a cocky grin enhancing his already
handsome face. “I’ll not be going upstairs in the saloon, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
At nineteen, Cam stood well over six feet tall with caramel-colored hair and golden brown eyes, his muscles honed and skin tanned from years outside doing work some men couldn’t imagine. Quinn had always been his mentor when it came to girls, and now women. And his cousin knew him as well as anyone.
“Be sure you don’t.” Quinn shook his head as he left, stepping out into the morning sun. Even though the air still held the crispness of winter, the trees and flowers indicated they were well into spring. He loved this time of year. To him, it indicated the beginning of new life and a view into the future, although it held little mystery to him.
Circle M would expand, his siblings and cousins would marry, another generation of MacLarens would enter the world, and the cycle of their clan would continue. Quinn had a hard time seeing where he fit in. When he closed his eyes, he didn’t see more than a house set off from the others, a place to spend his nights and keep his possessions. Nights would be spent alone or with one of the women he visited in town. Women who would never be invited to a family gathering or holiday supper. Women who would never own a piece of his heart.
His step faltered when an image of Emma, laughing, her smile bright and sincere, flashed across his mind. He used to be able to brush the image aside. Not anymore. Ever since the first time he’d kissed her—the night in her barn with her parents so close they could’ve walked outside and caught them—he found it impossible to purge her from his memory. She haunted him day and night. The feel of her arms around him, her lips brushing across his, the way she moved against him, wanting to get closer.
Quinn groaned, then cursed as he tripped over a swelled board in the wooden walkway.
“Don’t think I’m going to offer a hand if you fall.”
He turned to see Brodie coming up behind him, chuckling.
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