“Dagnabbit, Emma. I’m your father, and I say who rides with us and who doesn’t.”
Bringing Moonshine to a stop, she turned to face him when he halted beside her.
“Yes, you can decide who rides with you and who doesn’t. What you can’t do is stop me from coming along, even if I have to ride a quarter mile behind. It’s your choice. You can either tell Doggett I’m riding with you or try to send me home, which will do you no good. I’ll simply follow you.”
Big Jim gaped at his daughter. He wasn’t used to this side of her—hard, unwavering, and disobedient. She’d always been stubborn and determined, but never disobedient until the night she’d been told of his decision to hire a foreman. He hadn’t seen her since she walked out the door to move in with the MacLarens.
He sat in his saddle, shaking his head. “You’ve changed, Emma.”
“I’ve grown up, Papa. I’m no longer the young girl you remember.” Sighing, she shifted her weight, then pushed her hat back from her forehead. “There are so many things you don’t know about me, or have chosen to ignore.”
“You’ve never hidden your desire to breed horses, Emma. Jimmy knew what it meant to you and tried to talk me into letting you try. Maybe I should’ve done what he said.” His hand shook as he dragged it down his face. “I’m set in my ways…maybe too set.”
Pushing down the lump in her throat, she nudged Moonshine until she was within a foot of him. Setting a hand on his arm, she squeezed.
“I love you, Papa, but I’m a grown woman, able to make my own decisions. You made the right one when you hired Doggett. I wasn’t ready to be a foreman. I’m still not. What I want is to breed horses, develop the finest stock in this part of the country. Bram and Fletcher are willing to teach me all they know. I may not be their equal, but they treat me as if I am.” She bit her lower lip, deciding to tell him the rest. “Quinn asked me to marry him. I said yes.”
For the first time since she’d ridden up, her father smiled. “Well, I’ll be. Took that boy long enough.”
His complete approval surprised her. “You don’t mind?”
“Emma, sweetheart, your mother and I love Quinn as if he were one of our own. As much as he tried, he’s never been able to hide his love for you, and we’ve always known how much you love him. This is the best news I’ve heard in a long time. Wait until your mother hears the news.”
Emma had no intention of telling him she’d told Gertie the evening before. Her mother had been just as thrilled.
“What can your mother and I do?”
Her eyes lit up, a mischievous smile curving the corners of her mouth. “Let me ride along with you. It may be the last time we’ll be able to do this together.”
Big Jim chuckled. “I do believe you have inherited your mother’s skill at manipulating me.”
“Does that mean you’ll let me ride with you?”
“Do I have a choice?”
She shook her head. “Not really.”
“Well, then, I suppose it’s time for you to meet my foreman.”
Boyd Doggett kept his thoughts to himself as he studied the young woman Big Jim introduced. From the comments the ranch hands had made, he knew the men liked her. He also knew none of them wanted to take orders from a woman. Although he didn’t agree, he’d heard the same many times from Texas to Colorado to California.
“Emma will be riding with us to Sacramento. She’s been on many drives and is anxious to help. Where would you like her to ride?”
Before Boyd could answer, Finn rode up, reining to a stop next to Emma.
“Miss Pearce.” He touched the brim of his hat. “It’s good to see you, and a bit of a surprise.”
“Hello, Finn.” She glanced at her father, smiling. “I heard about the drive and decided I couldn’t stay away. I know Papa can always use the help.”
“It’s true. We can use help.” Finn looked at Doggett. “If it’s all right with you, she can ride with me.”
Boyd thought a moment before nodding. “Are you comfortable riding near the front, Miss Pearce?”
Even though she didn’t enjoy the dust riding in the back, Emma planned to stay near her father. She also needed to do what was best for the drive. “I’ve done it many times, Mr. Doggett. I’ll do whatever you think best.”
He’d heard she had much more experience than any of the other men, except maybe Holler Gibson. “Stick near Finn for today. I’ll think on it more and let you know if tomorrow will be different.”
Boyd thought of Jory’s and the other two Irish ranch hands’ lack of experience. She needed to stay separated from those three. He’d keep her near Finn at the front of the herd for now.
“You heard the man, Emma. I’ll be riding near the back.” Big Jim nodded at Doggett, then reined his horse around.
“Are you ready, Miss Pearce?”
“I am, Finn. Let’s get moving.” Emma watched her father ride off. He seemed a little unsettled in the saddle, as if he were in pain. She promised herself to ask him about it when they stopped for supper.
“Are you doing well, Miss Pearce?” Finn flashed her a cocky grin, the same one she’d seen numerous times when she still lived with her parents.
A tightness formed in her chest. It hurt to remember the argument, ending with her leaving to live with the MacLarens. Quinn’s proposal meant she’d probably never live on her family’s ranch again. They’d marry and either live with Quinn’s mother and siblings or stay in one of the original cabins built when the MacLarens first arrived in Conviction. So much had changed…
“Miss Pearce?”
She shook her head, glancing over at Finn. “Sorry. What did you say? And, please, call me Emma.”
“I asked if you’re doing well…Emma.”
“I’m doing well. The MacLarens keep me busy, whether it’s learning about horse breeding from Bram and Fletcher or helping with the cattle.” She hesitated a moment, moistening her lips. “Quinn asked me to marry him.”
Finn came to an abrupt halt, intense astonishment on his face, too startled to respond right away. He stared at her, tongue-tied, before forcing a blank expression.
“Finn?”
“It’s grand news, Emma. MacLaren is a good man.” His words were sharp, an edge to them she’d never heard from him before. “We’d best keep moving.” Kicking his horse, he moved into a gallop, leaving her to wonder what she’d said.
Doggett sat by himself on the other side of the fire from the men, eating slowly as his gaze moved over the others. Big Jim sat with Emma near the chuckwagon, Finn a few feet away with Holler. He’d kept watch on Jory and the other two Irishmen throughout the first day, making certain they didn’t deviate from his instructions.
“Boyd.”
Doggett looked up to see Big Jim motioning for him to join them. Mumbling to himself, he held his plate in one hand, picking up the dented tin cup filled with coffee in the other. He didn’t want to spend time getting to know Emma or listening to inane banter about their family. His full concentration needed to be on what would happen tomorrow and where the men would ride. He was certain of one thing. Emma would continue riding near Finn.
“Find a place to sit.” Big Jim motioned toward a log a couple feet away. “Emma was asking about you. I thought it best if you answered her directly.”
Boyd nodded, settling himself down on the log. He placed his cup on the ground, then held his plate with both hands, his arms resting on his legs. He’d never been one for sharing much about himself or his family. The people he’d worked for in Colorado understood this. As long as he got the work done, they made sure he had his privacy.
“If I can.” He didn’t make eye contact as he scooped the last bite of food into his mouth, set down the plate, and picked up his coffee. “What do you want to know?”
His cold, distrustful tone sent shivers up Emma’s spine. It hadn’t escaped her how he stayed to himself during the day, engaging in conversation only to issue orders. The man and his manner were the oppo
site of the type of foreman she’d thought her parents would hire. The amount of freedom in his position bothered her more than a little, and not because she’d once wanted the job.
Emma leaned back, angling her body toward her father, away from Boyd. “I just wondered where you were from.”
“As Big Jim knows, I last worked for a ranch in Colorado.”
“Yes, he mentioned that. Is that where you’re from?”
“No, ma’am.”
She waited for him to continue, then sighed when she realized he’d given her all he intended.
“Where were you born?”
Boyd glanced at her, then Big Jim. “Texas.”
“Ah…I thought I heard a slight drawl. Holler’s also from Texas. Did you know each other before coming here?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s a big state.” He waited a moment, then stood, tossing his remaining coffee into nearby bush. “I need to speak to the men before they bunk down. Holler will watch the herd, then roust Jory after midnight to take his place.” He nodded at Big Jim, then Emma. “Ma’am.”
Big Jim waited until Doggett was well away before turning to Emma. “He doesn’t talk much.”
Emma bit her lip so as not to laugh. “No, he doesn’t.” She watched as he spoke with Jory, then grabbed a bedroll, shaking it out a good distance from everyone else. He took another glance at Jory and his two companions before lying down, setting his hat over his face.
“How old do you think he is, Papa?”
“Not as old as you think. At first, Gertie thought he might be close to forty. Now she believes he’s in his early thirties. She thinks he’s had a hard life, which shows on his face.”
“Not married?”
“Not that he’s ever mentioned. Why?” Big Jim shifted on the hard log, groaning as he tried to get comfortable.
Emma watched her father grimace, wishing she could ease his pain. “No reason.”
She didn’t want to confess her concerns about Doggett, which might cause her father more worry. Instead, she decided to watch him during the drive, try to alleviate her suspicions by getting to know him. Maybe by the time they reached Sacramento, her unease about him would disappear, along with the strange anxiety she felt around him.
Standing, she stretched her arms above her head, yawning. “I’m ready for bed. See you in the morning.”
Big Jim had wanted her to sleep under the wagon. Emma declined, preferring to sleep in the open where her focus would be on the stars, not her guilt over leaving without telling Quinn. She knew he’d be furious when he learned she’d left the ranch, unaccompanied, to join her father’s cattle drive. Emma didn’t blame him. She’d feel the same if their situations were reversed.
Quinn worried about her, which gave Emma a certain amount of comfort. His instructions not to leave the ranch alone also rankled her. Laying out her bedroll, she climbed inside the blanket, settling on her back. Watching the sky, she wondered what Quinn was doing, if he might be thinking of her, and what he’d say when he discovered her gone.
At this point, there was no turning back. The decision had been made. If all went right, she’d be back at Circle M in less than two weeks. A short cattle drive by most standards, but a lifetime when she thought of being away from Quinn.
Closing her eyes, she let herself remember their time in the barn. They’d made love, then held each other, talking in soft voices, then laughing as they teased one another. Minutes before Fletcher had walked into the barn, Quinn had asked her to marry him. She’d felt like crying, not allowing him to see her tears as she nodded, whispering yes before he kissed her. If his cousin hadn’t walked in, she had no doubt they would have made love again.
Turning onto her side, she brought the blanket up around her. She loved Quinn, had for years, and knew he felt the same. Ewan would explain to him what happened, and she felt confident Quinn would understand. He’d realize she had no choice but to help her father. He might not like it, but he’d wait for her return, welcoming her home with a slight scolding and open arms. Letting out a breath, her tension eased, muscles relaxing as she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Circle M
“What do you mean she isn’t here?” Quinn glared at his uncle Ewan, his temper soaring. “You promised to watch over her, make sure she didn’t do anything dangerous. Now you tell me she’s been gone for two days?” He paced back and forth in Ewan’s study, shoving fingers through his hair.
“Keep your voice down, lad, and give me a chance to explain.”
“What’s there to explain? A cattle drive isn’t the same as checking the herd or branding.” He stopped pacing, stark features turning his otherwise handsome face to an icy stare. “I don’t trust Big Jim’s foreman.”
Ewan’s senses sharpened, his back straightening. “What do you mean you don’t trust him? This is the first I’ve heard of your concerns.”
“Something about him isn’t right,” Quinn ground out, his hand resting on the butt of his gun, fingers stroking the hard metal.
Ewan’s eyes flickered. “An instinct. You’ve no proof of anything he’s done?”
Quinn shook his head, his jaw working. “Nae.”
“Have you spoken to Brodie?”
He nodded. “Aye. He found nothing. Still…there is something about the man that isn’t right.”
Ewan had never been one to doubt the instincts of his family, and Quinn’s were some of the sharpest. His internal warnings had saved them many times during their journey from Scotland, as members of the wagon train heading west, and on the ranch. Ewan’s older brothers, Angus and Gillis, were big believers in following your intuition, no matter how much it went against common sense. Like them, Ewan would never discount such a warning without good reason. He lowered himself into an overstuffed leather chair, settling back.
“She’s with Big Jim and the ranch hands. You’ve met them, Quinn. Would any of those men allow Emma to be harmed?”
Quinn thought a moment, shaking his head, then dropping into a chair next to his uncle. “Nae. They’ve no cause to hurt her. I don’t know about Doggett. He doesn’t know Emma. Anything could happen. It doesn’t need to be intentional.”
Ewan watched Quinn fidget, actions he never associated with his nephew. Whatever was going on inside the lad was serious, causing him great distress.
“All right. We will talk to Ian and Colin. You’ll go after the cattle drive, but you’ll take another man.”
“I can go—”
Ewan held up a hand. “Aye, but you’ll not go alone.”
Quinn didn’t like waiting for his family to decide who’d ride with him and when. He wanted to leave now, jump on Warrior, and ride fast and hard until he found her. Instead, he accepted his uncle’s offer. Standing, he nodded, his right hand returning to settle on the cold metal of his gun.
“Now, let’s go find Ian and Colin.”
Conviction
Brodie sat behind his desk, reviewing the wanted posters once again, looking for anything that might tie Boyd Doggett to a crime. Studying them carefully, he set one after another aside, then stopped, his gaze narrowing as the door to his office burst open, the early morning sun almost blinding him. Raising an arm, he shielded his eyes.
“Sorry, Sheriff.” Jack hurried inside, slamming the door. “I thought you’d want to know Nate is having breakfast at the Gold Dust.”
Forgetting the posters, Brodie shuffled them back together, setting them inside a drawer. “Is he with Sam?”
“No siree. Nate’s by himself.”
Brodie grabbed his hat, opening the door. “Stay here until Sam comes by, then make your rounds. I shouldn’t be long. Tell Sam I want him to stay until I get back.”
“Absolutely. You can count on me, Sheriff.”
Brodie shook his head in amusement, closing the door behind him. Someday he’d have to learn more about Jack. Besides being loyal and a crack shot, he knew little of the young man, not even where he grew up.
Pushing through the doors of the hotel, he spotted Nate sitting alone at a table in the darkest corner in the back. Walking up, he removed his hat, pulling out an empty chair.
“Good morning, Nate. Mind if I join you?”
Glancing up, he motioned toward the chair Brodie had already claimed.
“What can I get you, Sheriff?”
“Coffee, please.” He looked at the same young woman who’d served Quinn and him a few weeks earlier. As she walked away, he looked at Nate. “She’s been here a few weeks and I don’t know her name.”
Nate glanced up. “Rosie. She says it’s short for Rosalyn.” Ignoring Brodie, he went back to his breakfast, finishing his meal as Rosie delivered the coffee.
“Let me know if you need anything else, Sheriff.”
“What about me?” Nate asked, setting down his fork.
Lifting a brow, she glanced at him. “Is there something you want, Deputy?”
Nate offered her a somber half-smile. “There is much I want, Rosie, although nothing you can provide.”
That got Brodie’s attention. Studying Nate, he wondered what had happened to the confident man who’d bested several men on the docks the day he arrived in Conviction—and with one arm hanging useless at his side. He looked years older, his eyes red and puffy, his skin sallow. At Christmas supper, Brodie had been certain Nate was on the verge of asking to court Sarah’s sister, Geneen MacGregor. Geneen had thought the same, hiding her disappointment when Nate never came back around.
“Do you want to tell me why I haven’t seen you in over a week?”
Nate leaned back in his chair, his gaze moving about the restaurant, doing all he could to avoid looking at Brodie. “I’ve been doing my job.”
“I learned as much from Jack. I should have heard from you.”
A sliver of guilt washed across Nate’s face before he concealed it. Standing, he reached in his pocket, pulling out some coins.
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