She frowned and finished the last few stitches, the silence lending a crackle of tension to the room. Did she believe him? Was she troubled that her brother got whipped good for trying to protect her?
“What did I do while all this was going on?” she asked, genuine worry in her tone.
“Don’t know, Daisy. Those matrons herded the girls out mighty fast. Next thing I knew Reid, Dade, and I were locked in the shed out back.”
“But it was winter!”
Colder than biddy-blue hell. “That was part of the punishment. Missing out on dinner, the rare treat of candy and fruit, and a warm place to sleep.”
“All because of me,” she said, tears swimming in her eyes.
His grin vanished, and that hard veneer he had built around himself cracked a bit more. Shit, the last thing he wanted her to feel was guilt.
He knelt in front of her and took her small hands in his. “Daisy, you did us a favor.”
“How?” she asked, her voice trembling. “You all ended up hurt and segregated because I was such a baby.”
He couldn’t help it. He laughed, and that surely made her stiffen up on him.
“There is nothing funny about what happened,” she said.
“No, there isn’t.” He cupped her delicate jaw in his palms and stared into her gamine face. Such a beautiful woman. So open. So good. He didn’t deserve her.
“What happened that day did something good,” he said, swiping tears from her cheeks. “It forged a bond among Reid, Dade, and I that lasted for years. We became brothers that day, and even now after all that has happened, I still look on them as my only family.”
She curled her hands over his. “I’m scared, Trey. That fall I took from the loft? It wasn’t an accident.”
He recalled what Fernando had told him. That she’d been in the habit of going to the loft every day. That she’d seemed sad. Despondent.
And the most damning of all, Fernando was sure that the trapdoor had been shut when he had left the barn. Ned had backed up that claim soon after. So that left one way it could have been opened. She’d done it herself.
Dammit, had she wanted to end her life?
He let his hands drop to her lap and twined his fingers with hers. “What happened that day, Daisy?”
She shook her head and bit her lower lip, looking at their hands instead of his face. “I can’t remember more than bits and pieces of it, and at times it gets jumbled in my mind.”
That’s the way it’d been since he’d known her. He’d learned to tell when she was lost in a memory and when something triggered one. But he’d yet to find a way for her to unlock the things that troubled her most.
“Give yourself time and bring it to mind.”
Her eyes drifted shut on a shiver, and he fought the urge to pull her into his arms and hold her. Time ticked away, as slow as a trickle of sweat streaking down his back.
Horse’s hooves struck the hard ground in the street below in a slow, easy cadence. From the saloon in the near distance, shouts and raucous laughs mingled with the tinny notes from a piano.
In the hotel, a door slammed shut, and voices murmured in the room next to theirs. A feminine giggle confirmed there were a man and a woman seeking comfort in each other’s arms.
That old familiar ache of longing stirred in him. He’d hoped to do just that tonight with Daisy. He’d even gotten the wild notion that if she wasn’t with child yet, he’d damned sure do his best to see that happened. Anything that would make her his. That would convince her he’d be a good husband to her, even if he couldn’t say the words she insisted on hearing.
She heaved a sigh and looked up at him with eyes that were so blue and troubled he could drown in them. “Kurt came to the ranch that day. Daddy had sent word that we had to talk.”
“What about?”
She swallowed hard, and her lower lip trembled, and he knew that whatever she was about to say had tormented her. “I’d told Daddy the night before that I wouldn’t marry Kurt. I couldn’t do it. I thought Daddy would be furious with me, and he was. But when he finished fuming, he said we had to tell Kurt right away. That it was only right that we end the engagement immediately and let it be known it was my choice.”
“Barton was right.”
She nodded and clutched at his hands. “I know. That’s the way it had to be. I should’ve done it sooner, but I was afraid. Always afraid.”
“Daisy, everybody knew Barton would have hung the moon in a different place if you’d wanted it that way.”
That brought an endearing smile to her lush lips, but they thinned too soon into a grim line again. “That’s what plagues me the most. I never meant to hurt anyone. Not Kurt. Not Daddy. I just—”
Tears streamed down her face in hot rivers as she lifted her head and stared straight at him, like he wasn’t there at all, like she was looking at something in the past. And oh, God, but she looked on the verge of collapsing on him.
He slid both hands up her arms and felt another shiver rip through her. “What is it, Daisy?”
She blinked, her gaze still on him, but this time he knew she was aware he was inches from her, that they were alone in the deep, velvet night, that he was on his knees before her, touching her, aching to hold her.
“I just fell in love with you,” she said. “I’d never felt that way before. Never met a man and just knew I should be with him no matter what. I thought”—she swallowed and looked away—“I thought you felt the same.”
He tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling, hating himself for being such an unfeeling bastard, for not being able to give her what she needed most.
She was his foster brother’s sister. The girl Dade had risked his neck as a child to protect. The sister he’d made the pact with Reid and Dade to find one day. And what did he do? He took her innocence.
He hadn’t connected the name with Dade Logan at all. He’d seen a fetching rancher’s daughter cast him a longing eye, and he had wanted her. He had thought she was shallow. That she played around. Even when he knew she’d been a virgin, he tried to make her look like the seducer when it was him all along, egging her on, forcing her to come to him. And she had. God help them both, she had.
“How did Leonard take it?” he asked.
“Badly. He guessed that my refusal to marry him was because of you.” She sniffled loudly and cleared her throat. “I tried to tell him it wouldn’t have mattered, that I didn’t love him. I couldn’t be his wife because it would be wrong for him and me. But he didn’t want to let go.”
Annoyance danced along his nerves when he thought of the man confronting her. No wonder he’d given Trey a cold glare when they crossed paths at the remains of the JDB just days ago. Leonard saw him as his rival for Daisy’s affections. He was the man who stood in the way of him gaining title to all of Barton’s holdings.
“The man had gall to pressure you like that,” he said.
“That’s what Daddy said. ‘Enough is enough.’” She gave a nervous laugh that sounded cold and brittle. “Kurt couldn’t understand why Daddy didn’t force me to go through with it. He kept spouting that we’d have built a dynasty in West Texas. That nobody would be able to compete with us once the ranches were combined.”
Yep, old Leonard saw his dream snatched away from him—all because Daisy Barton wouldn’t marry a man she didn’t love. Trey heaved a troubled sigh, knowing how the man felt, for he was in the same damned boat.
With one exception—if she came up in the family way, she’d agreed to marry him. He’d hold her to that one.
“I just felt drained when he left,” she said. “And so sad that I’d hurt him. But I was hurting myself. I was scared.”
He shifted closer and laid a hand on her back, rubbing her gently, feeling the tremors ricochet through her like lightning. “Why? You didn’t have to marry Leonard. That was behind you.”
She shook her head, her eyes misting over again. “There was a bigger problem that came to light later on. I was pregnan
t with your child.”
The words slammed into him, rocking him to his soul. A baby. They’d created a life together in that loft.
“When did you know that?”
“Right after Christmas. I was sick for weeks. Ramona figured out what was ailing me.”
“Barton knew?”
“I told him. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done, but he didn’t holler. Didn’t fuss. He just said he’d make it right and sent a man out to find you. But one week turned into three, and he couldn’t find a trace of you.”
Trey pulled her to him and soaked up the fear that careened through her, knowing he was the cause and knowing there was nothing he could do to make this right. He’d thought he’d been careful with her. But he’d been wrong.
My God, they’d made a baby. No wonder she was scared and angry at him when he disappeared. She thought he’d left her high and dry after knocking her up.
But she sure wasn’t with child now. What had happened?
She must have lost it. Her fall from the loft. Fernando had hinted that she’d been out of sorts.
His heart was hammering in his chest and his head spun, like he’d had too much sun. Accident or intentional?
Trey felt sick inside at the thought that she’d tried to rid herself of her bastard. But before he could ask, her watery gaze lifted to his, and the words died in his throat.
“Ned knew about us,” she said. “That’s why he tried to kill you. That day he dragged me from Daddy’s grave, he bragged to me about how he thought he’d gotten rid of you. That he’d have a chance with me if you were gone. When Daddy told Ned that he aimed to find you, Ned went to look for your body. Nothing was there, and he knew you’d somehow gotten away. He said if I didn’t go with him, he’d shoot you dead. I knew he would. He’d already hurt you enough. I couldn’t let him do more.”
“You did the only thing you could do,” he said.
She dabbed at her flushed cheeks, looking small and weary to her soul. “I went to the loft to think over what to do. Daddy said he’d send me away to a friend in Austin if I wanted, but I didn’t want to leave home. I kept thinking you’d come back, and I wanted to be there.”
He winced at the shame and pain he’d put her through, even though he’d been powerless to stop it. If Durant hadn’t been dead, he’d have killed the sonofabitch for the hell he’d put them both through.
“I came back soon as I was able.” To get what was owed him from Barton. But down deep he admitted he’d come back to have it out with her too. What a helluva surprise had awaited him.
“The baby?” he asked again, fearing she’d been so distraught she’d jumped from the loft to avoid the scandal of having a child outside of marriage.
She inched forward on the chair and rested her hands on his chest, clearly grieving herself sick. “Someone was in the loft and grabbed me from behind. He tried to drag me into the hay, but I fought him off. I ran to the mow and didn’t see the trapdoor was open until I fell through it.”
She broke down then and gave in to big wrenching sobs. He held her close, feeling helpless, feeling responsible for the suffering she’d gone through, for the torment she still endured. Held her until she’d cried herself out and her breathing evened.
“You still have nightmares about it,” he said.
Her head moved against his chest. “I wake out of a sound sleep, remembering the awful cramps. I can hear Daddy telling me again that I lost the baby, but that I was going to be all right.”
“You will in time.” At least he hoped to hell so. “Who grabbed you, Daisy?”
“I don’t know,” she said and levered herself away from him. “I remember looking back, but I fell at the same time.”
“Had to be Durant.”
“I don’t think so,” she said. “I accused him of lying in wait for me too, but he swore it wasn’t him. He said he wasn’t the only person who knew we were lovers.”
“Fernando and Ramona knew, but they sure as hell wouldn’t have done this. Can’t see them telling anyone either.”
“Even if they had, who besides Durant would want to hurt me?”
“Nobody that I can think of.” Though one of Barton’s enemies could have chosen to make the big man suffer by hurting Daisy, it was still a long shot. “I say Durant lied. That he was waiting for you in the loft.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said, her fingers curling against his chest, her breath warm on his neck. “Because I’m scared to death that I might end up alone with the person who tried to kill me.”
“I’ll be there to protect you this time,” he said.
A smile trembled on her lips. “And I’ll be there to watch out for you.”
He leaned forward to press a light kiss on her mouth, but she met him with a hunger that surprised him. Her hands cupped his face as she bowed into him. He gathered her closer on a moan and kissed her with all the need bottled up inside him, taking all she had to give.
He’d intended to make love with her tonight, to plant his seed in her, to bind her to him. Now after hearing what had happened to her before, he just wanted to hold her, kiss her, love her.
In moments he had carried her to the bed and peeled off her clothes and his own. Then he stretched out beside her and gathered her close.
“I feared I’d lost you again,” she said.
“Not nearly as much as it terrified me to see you in Durant’s clutches.”
Their lips met again in a long, lusty kiss that went on and on. He understood this need, this wild drive to be with her that pumped through his blood, that made him feel alive.
No woman had ever had this effect on him. He knew now that none ever would.
She made him a better man. Made him care more than he thought possible.
All he could do in return was vow to protect her with his last breath. To worship her with drugging kisses and sultry caresses and let his body say what he couldn’t put into words.
Chapter 20
They left Pecos at dawn, and by midday Trey felt sure Jarvis had given up chasing them. Even so, they kept pushing to get home before dark.
Dusk had fallen by the time they reached the Circle 46. Daisy had never felt so spent in her life, yet a spark of hope bloomed in her that hadn’t been there before.
Trey had treated her with more tenderness than he’d ever shown before. And last night, she’d believed he cared deeply for her just because of the intense way they’d made love and how he’d held her close to him throughout the night.
“We’ve had men scouring West Texas for you two,” Hollis said by way of greeting. “They found Durant shot dead, but no sign of you or Daisy.”
She shared a look with Trey that begged him not to divulge the whole truth. “Men that were gunning for Ned found our camp. They killed him, but I got away. Unfortunately it was dark and I rode the wrong way.”
“I finally found her in a small village up in the mountains,” Trey said, following her lead to her relief. “They found her wandering and took her in.”
Hollis stared at her through narrowed eyes. “You was mighty lucky to escape the man who killed Durant. Couldn’t have been easy.”
“I guess I was just lucky it was dark,” she said, knowing the less she added to her lie the better it’d be.
For though she’d have liked to see Egan Jarvis get his comeuppance for holding her at his ranch against her will, she didn’t want any harm to come to Ava. Maybe, just maybe, that woman could reform her outlaw brother before it was too late.
Her gaze flicked to Trey. Maybe she’d be lucky too and would convince this cowboy to open his heart at last.
“You two ate supper yet?” Hollis asked.
“Nope,” Trey said just as Daisy’s stomach protested its hunger. “Was hoping to get here before you’d fed the hands.”
“You missed that, but I’ve got something laid out that I can whip up,” Hollis said, looking to Daisy. “That okay by you?”
After what she’d been through, she vow
ed never to be picky about a meal again. “Anything would be welcome.”
“I’ll put it on,” Hollis said, then stopped after he’d taken two steps toward the cookshack. “Had a visitor while you was gone. Said he bought half interest in the Crown Seven Ranch last Christmas.”
Trey perked up at that. “What was his name?”
“Charlton. Said a letter arrived at the ranch about you finding Daisy. Don’t know what the hell that was about.”
“It’s a long story,” she told Hollis, who was ignorant of her true identity as far as she knew. She turned to Trey. “Do you know him?”
He shook his head. “Never heard of him before. I sent that letter to Reid, thinking he’d know how to get word to Dade. Sounds like this Charlton opened it. Why he thought it was of any interest to him is anyone’s guess.”
Hollis pointed up the lane. “Reckon you’ll find out soon enough. He said he’d be back today. That’s him coming now.”
Daisy handed her reins to Hollis and moved to stand beside Trey. The stranger sat tall in the saddle, and he looked more gentleman than rancher.
“You want me to stick around?” Hollis asked.
She shook her head. “We’ll be fine. Could you take the horses to the stable for us?”
“Sure enough,” Hollis said. He ambled off with the weary mounts trailing him.
“Maybe you’d best go inside,” Trey told her.
“My ranch. I’m staying right here.”
He shook his head. “You sure are a stubborn woman.”
“I’ve refined that trait from being around you.”
He slid her a quick grin before turning back to fix a poker face on Charlton.
The man reined up before them but didn’t relax his stiff pose one bit. “May I assume you are Trey March?”
“That’s me,” he said. “Who are you?”
“Shelby Charlton. I purchased the lion’s share of the Crown Seven last Christmas.”
“That’s what Hollis tells me,” Trey said. “You ride that horse all the way from Wyoming?”
Cowboy Come Home Page 25
