To Love a Stranger

by Connie Mason

  “No!” he said fiercely. “This is as good a way as any to say good-bye. My death will solve the problem of obtaining an annulment or divorce.” He searched her face. “How do you suppose Reed knew where to find me?”

  “Pierce, you don’t think that I … My God, don’t talk like that.”

  Pierce gave a mirthless laugh. “The thought did enter my mind. Were you so angry at my leaving you that you’d betray me to get even? Will it make you happy to see me strung up?”

  Zoey couldn’t believe Pierce was saying such terrible things to her. “No! Of course not! They can’t hang you for so minor an offense.”

  “These are vigilantes, Zoey. They make their own laws. Reed has a special reason to hate me. I married the woman he wanted. He should be grateful it wasn’t him Polly betrayed with just about everyone and then ran off with an actor who promised to get her on the stage.”

  “I’ll follow you to Dry Gulch.”

  “Why? So you can gloat? Give it up. We enjoyed one another while it lasted. You used me just as I used you. You had the protection of marriage and I had the use of your body. That’s all I ever wanted from you,” he said, choking on the words. Saying them made him feel like a bastard despite being forced into this marriage.

  Dismayed, Zoey stared at him. They had been through so much together. How could he brush her off like this? How could he think she’d betray him? She and Pierce had been as close as a man and woman could get, and she’d thought … Whatever she’d thought no longer mattered. Pierce had never lied to her. They both had known he’d leave when the time came. He planned to forget her completely and never look back on their time together.

  That thought brought another. Maybe … just maybe, Pierce really did seduce Cora Lee and get her with child. Had he beaten her, too?

  “Time’s up,” Reed growled as he and his men mounted up.

  “Forget me, Zoey,” Pierce said as Reed grasped the reins of his horse and jerked him forward.

  Tears blurred her vision as she watched Pierce ride out of her life. She watched as long as she could, then walked slowly back to the house. How could he believe she’d betray him? Despite his hurtful words, her inclination was to follow him to Dry Gulch.

  * * *

  Pierce’s face was grim as he rode away from the Circle F. He could still see the hurt look on Zoey’s face when he’d accused her of betraying him. He wasn’t proud of what he had done, but it was for the best.

  They were barely out of sight of the ranch when Pierce saw two riders approaching them. He tensed when he recognized Samson Willoughby and Pete, wondering what else could go wrong. Reed raised his hand and the vigilantes reined in. Willoughby rode directly up to Pierce; he looked cocky and sure of himself.

  “Is this your doing, Willoughby?” Pierce said, glowering.

  “You could say that.” He gave Pierce a nasty grin. “Just paying you back. If not for your interference, both the Circle F and Zoey would be mine by now. I’ll still have them, and you can’t do a damn thing about it Thanks to Zoey, I learned you were wanted in Dry Gulch.”

  A pain shot straight to Pierce’s gut. “You lie!”

  “You think so? Zoey sent Pete to town with a message for me. When I found out who you really were, Pete rode to Dry Gulch to contact the vigilantes there. He was in my employ from the beginning. He was my eyes and ears on the Circle F.”

  “I don’t believe Zoey told you anything, Willoughby. Zoey hated you. She had no reason to turn on me.”

  “Perhaps she changed her mind. Women are fickle creatures. One never knows what they’re thinking or what they’ll do next.”

  “You’re dreaming if you think Zoey wants you.”

  “Perhaps not.” Willoughby moved closer, so that only Pierce could hear. “She’ll need a man now to take care of her in bed. Since you’re already married and can’t marry Cora Lee, my guess is they’ll string you up. Reed seems to dislike you. But don’t fret, I’ll be taking your place in Zoey’s bed. You’ll go to your grave wondering whether I’m lying about Zoey betraying you. By the way,” he said with a salacious grin, “I’m grateful to you for breaking her in for me. Deflowering virgins is rather unpleasant.”

  “Damn you!” Pierce blasted, lunging at him and nearly unseating himself in the process.

  “Here now,” Reed said, pushing Pierce back into the saddle. “Don’t talk like that to an important man like Mr. Willoughby.”

  “Never mind, Reed, I’m through conversing with your prisoner. Take him away. I have some pressing business with Miss Fuller.”

  “Leave Zoey alone, Willoughby,” Pierce called as Willoughby rode off laughing. “She can still ruin you.”

  “She can try, but I doubt she’ll succeed, not without you to back her up,” he threw over his shoulder.

  Zoey changed into denims and flannel shirt and left the house to do the chores. She tried to erase Pierce’s cruel words from her mind, but they kept returning. How could he believe she’d inform on him?

  The sound of pounding hooves turned Zoey’s gaze toward the road as she shaded her eyes against the sun for a glimpse of her visitor. Had Pierce returned? Her hopes fell when she saw Willoughby ride through the gate. He spied her outside the barn and reined his horse in her direction.

  “What do you want?” Zoey asked, glowering at him.

  He grinned. “I can’t stay long. Just wanted you to know that I’m available when you get to hankering for a man. Your so-called husband won’t be back, you know. I harbor grave doubts about Pierce Delaney reaching Dry Gulch alive.”

  “This is all your fault!” Zoey charged. “Get off my land.”

  “How long will you be able to survive when your hands learn you’re on your own again? They’ll quit, just like they did before. Taxes are due soon. When you can’t raise the cash to pay your taxes, come see me.” His eyes gleamed with barely contained lust as he stared at her breasts. “I’m sure we can come to some kind of ‘arrangement’ that will be mutually satisfying.” Then he tipped his hat. “Good day, my dear.”

  “Go to hell, Willoughby! I’ll have sufficient funds from the sale of my beeves to pay the taxes and keep my ranch solvent. It will be a cold day in hell when I come to you for help.”

  “I expect that day to come sooner than you think, my dear.”

  Chapter 10

  Dry Gulch, Montana

  Chad Delaney, catching a glimpse of one of the hands riding hell for leather toward the house, dropped the hammer he’d been using and ran to the front gate to meet him.

  Bill Wise brought his horse to a prancing halt and leaped from the saddle. Chad paled when he noted the look on Bill’s face.

  “What is it, Bill? Did something happen in town?”

  “Someone told the vigilantes where to find Pierce. They left late last night for the Circle F ranch near Rolling Prairie. There’s talk of a lynching. If Riley Reed has his way, Pierce won’t reach town alive.”

  Chad swung into action. “Round up the boys, Bill. I’ll find Ryan. We ride out in fifteen minutes.”

  “What are we going to do, boss?”

  “Make sure there won’t be a hanging.”

  Fifteen minutes later, twelve armed men rode from the Delaney ranch, their faces grim with purpose.

  Circle F Ranch

  Zoey couldn’t concentrate, couldn’t think beyond Pierce’s last words to her. Forget him? How could she? He could deny his feelings for her all he wanted, but deep inside she knew he lied. He wasn’t rejecting her personally. It was marriage he rejected. No matter, she couldn’t let him ride out of her life knowing he might never reach Dry Gulch alive.

  There were instances when vigilante law served a real purpose in a town with no regular law. More often it was cruel and unjust, making a mockery of the law it served. Riley Reed struck her as a vindictive man, and according to Pierce, Reed had ample reason to hate him. Pierce seemed resigned to the fact that he might not reach Dry Gulch alive, but Zoey was determined not to let that happen. Resolve stiffe
ned her spine as she prepared for a hasty departure.

  Zoey left the Circle F a scant hour behind Pierce and the vigilantes. She made a brief stop at the Culpepper ranch, where she arranged for the Culpeppers’ oldest son to tend to the chores on the Circle F during her absence.

  Intense rage vibrated through Pierce, and that wasn’t a bad thing, he decided. He needed anger if he was to survive. He’d not willingly go to his death. He had serious doubts about his chances of arriving in Dry Gulch alive, and suspected that the only thing Riley Reed was waiting on was a good sturdy tree from which to lynch him. He’d have liked to say good-bye to his brothers before he met his maker, but that didn’t seem likely.

  His rage intensified. Life was so unfair. He knew Cora Lee Doolittle didn’t have the brains to hatch this plot against him, so it had to be Hal’s doing. Yet according to Chad’s letter, Cora Lee was indeed in the family way, and someone had to be guilty of getting her that way. He couldn’t recall hearing that Cora Lee was being courted by anyone. It was a lamentable mess, but certainly not one of his making. Pierce had been implicated simply because Hal wanted to get his hands on some of the Delaney wealth.

  Pierce’s thoughts scattered when he realized that Reed had called a halt at a stream so the horses could drink. The men dismounted and quenched their own thirst, leaving Pierce still mounted.

  “Hey, I’m thirsty, too,” Pierce said.

  Reed turned and gave him a mirthless grin. “Too bad. You won’t need water where you’re going.”

  Ignoring him, Pierce raised his leg over the saddle and slid to the ground. His hands still tied behind him, he walked to the stream, knelt, and drank deeply. Rising clumsily, he returned to his horse.

  “Someone either untie me or help me remount.”

  One man detached himself from the group to help him. Pierce recognized him as a man he’d once considered a friend. His name was Jim Haskins. Haskins refused to look Pierce in the eye while he gave him a lift up into the saddle.

  “Have you turned against me, too, Jim?” Pierce asked quietly.

  Jim looked abashed as he said, “I was kinda sweet on Cora Lee. It hurts to see her walking around with a swollen belly and no husband.”

  “I didn’t do it.”

  “Cora Lee said you did. Why would she lie?”

  Pierce could think of no suitable reply. Visible proof was hard to refute.

  “The whole town is aware of how you felt about marriage, but did you have to beat Cora Lee?”

  “I swear I didn’t do it,” Pierce vowed.

  “Stop jawing,” Reed warned as he shoved Jim away from Pierce’s horse. “Delaney can’t squirm out of this one. He’s guilty as sin.”

  “Hey, Reed, can’t we rest a spell?” one of the men asked, stifling a yawn. “We rode all night. I’m saddle-sore and about to fall off my horse.”

  Reed seemed to consider the request. “Yeah, all right, I’m beat myself. I reckon Delaney ain’t any too anxious to meet his maker.” He spat a wad of tobacco juice onto the dusty ground. “Remember that hickory tree we passed on the trail last night? Its branches looked strong enough to support a man the size of Delaney. After an hour’s rest we’ll be fresh for the lynching.”

  Jim Haskins paled as he spun around to stare at Reed. “You never said nothing about a lynching. You said we’d bring Delaney back to town and give him a chance to marry Cora Lee all proper like.”

  “I changed my mind,” Reed said. His chin jutted out and his eyes narrowed dangerously. “Are you challenging me?”

  “There must be others who agree with me,” Jim dared to suggest.

  Reed glared a challenge at his men. “What do you say, boys? Are you for hanging Delaney?” The majority concurred wholeheartedly with Reed. The rest shuffled their feet and stared at the ground, unwilling to voice their opinion even though they obviously disagreed.

  “Then it’s settled,” Reed said with a grin. “Rest, boys, you earned it. Our next stop will be the hanging tree.”

  Pierce slumped in the saddle. Not one of the vigilantes had the gumption to stand up to Reed. Thank God his brothers were capable of taking care of themselves without him. Their father had taught them valuable lessons about survival, and they had all learned well.

  Pierce’s mind turned naturally to Zoey, and the thought of never seeing her again, never knowing how she was faring, brought a sinking pain in the pit of his stomach. He was glad she wasn’t here to witness his hanging. Would she mourn him? he wondered. She probably wouldn’t even know he was dead. He’d always intended to end their marriage, but certainly not like this. It suddenly occurred to him that as his wife, Zoey would be in line to inherit his estate. He really didn’t believe she had betrayed him, but even if she had, he still wanted her to have the means to remain free of Samson Willoughby’s machinations.

  “Reed, I want to talk to you,” Pierce called out.

  Reed swaggered over to Pierce, his expression positively gloating. “What is it, Delaney? Hanging you is gonna be a real pleasure. Polly should have been mine. Had she married me, she wouldn’t have run off like she did. I always wondered what you did to her to make her leave.”

  “Forget Polly, that’s water under the bridge.”

  “Not to me.”

  “I want to write a will,” Pierce said. “Give it to my brother Chad after … after …” He couldn’t say the word.

  Reed pushed his hat up and stared at Pierce curiously. “A will? What for?”

  “Why do you care? It’s proper to grant a man a last request.”

  “Very well,” Reed allowed grudgingly. “You got paper and pencil?”

  “In my vest pocket. You’ll have to untie me.”

  “Hey, Haskins, come and untie Delaney while I hold my gun on him. He wants to write a will.”

  Jim hurried over to release Pierce’s bonds. Once free, Pierce rubbed his wrists to return the circulation to them. Then he reached into his pocket for the stub of pencil and pad of paper he always carried with him. He wrote for several minutes, then tore off the paper and handed it to Jim. “Give this to Chad when you reach town.”

  Jim nodded and slipped it into his pocket.

  “Tie him back up,” Reed ordered. Jim did as he was told, sending Pierce an apologetic glance as he did so.

  An hour later the vigilantes mounted up and rode out. Each mile brought Pierce closer to the hanging tree and the end of his life.

  Zoey rode as if the Devil were on her tail. The terrible consequences of not reaching Pierce in time were too painful to acknowledge. Pierce couldn’t die. She hadn’t saved Pierce’s life only to lose him like this. He was too vital, too alive, to die an ignoble death. Even if he didn’t want her, she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t try to save his life again.

  Zoey didn’t know what she would do once she caught up with the vigilantes, but she’d do whatever was necessary to prevent a lynching.

  “Here we are,” Reed called out when he spotted the hanging tree up ahead. He reined to a halt beneath the sturdy hickory; his men drew up behind him. “Who’s got the rope?”

  “Right here!” someone said, passing a new rope to Reed.

  “This isn’t right,” Jim Haskins said, placing his horse between Pierce and Reed. “What kind of law hangs a man without a fair trial?”

  Reed’s upper lip curled into a sneer. “Vigilante law. Out of the way, Haskins, unless you want to join Delaney. There’s plenty of room on that limb for two.”

  “I’m sorry, Pierce,” Jim said, backing away. “I tried.”

  “It’s all right, Jim. Reed has nursed a grudge against me for a long time. There’s nothing anyone can do. Tell my brothers I’m sorry it ended this way. And don’t forget the will.”

  Jim nodded, too choked up to speak. He turned away from the group and took off down the road. He wasn’t going to be a party to this travesty of justice. After speaking with Pierce, he was convinced that Pierce was innocent. There was going to be hell to pay for this deed. The surviv
ing Delaney boys were going to be out for revenge.

  * * *

  Jim Haskins ran into the riders from the Delaney ranch a short way down the trail. Haskins skidded to a halt, weak from relief when he recognized Chad and Ryan. “Hurry, they’re fixing to lynch Pierce.”

  Chad’s blood froze in his veins. “Where are they?”

  “Not far. Just down the trail a few miles.”

  No reply was forthcoming as the riders left Haskins in their dust.

  Zoey rode into a scene straight out of her worst nightmare. It would haunt her for the rest of her life. Pierce stared straight ahead as Riley Reed placed a rope around his neck. Rage and fear drove Zoey when she saw Reed toss the rope over a tree limb and order one of his men into the tree to attach it. Yanking her shotgun from the saddle boot, she fired into the air as she rode fearlessly into the group of men milling around the tree.

  “Stop! You can’t hang him. It’s against the law.”

  Her random shots sent the vigilantes ducking for cover. Before they gained their wits, she pulled the rope away from Pierce’s neck and flung it away. Then she made a desperate grab for the leading reins of Pierce’s horse. Her plan, which in retrospect seemed feeble and ill conceived, was to get them both away without coming to harm. Her courage nearly deserted her when she realized how stacked the odds were against success. But valiant to the core, she gave it her best try.

  Unfortunately her best wasn’t good enough. Reed and a good half dozen of his men surrounded her before she made good her escape.

  “Little fool,” Pierce muttered bleakly. “Why can’t you just let go? You’ve really done it now.”

  Pierce knew a moment of raw fear when he saw Zoey ride like a madwoman, firing in the air and shouting. No other woman but Zoey would attempt such a damfool thing. All she could hope to accomplish was to place herself in danger while he was in no position to help.

  “Look who’s here, boys,” Reed said, eyeing Zoey boldly. “It’s Delaney’s little whore. She misses him already. Ain’t that a shame. What say we give her what she’s panting after, boys?”