Right now, that person was nowhere around. He rode north with her family, risking his life to help whatever threatened the Circle M. The thought cooled her annoyance…somewhat.
When he returned, she’d set him right. Heather wasn’t some simpering female, like Miranda Harris. And she was no longer the young woman who faced everyone as if they were her enemy. She’d changed, and the time had come for Caleb Stewart to understand it.
Chapter Nine
Caleb’s eyes widened as the group reached the top of a hill overlooking the Estrada hacienda. In the late afternoon light, all he could see was smoldering embers surrounding charred adobe walls. The two story home had been destroyed, along with the barn and most of the bunkhouse.
Ewan nudged his horse in front of the others, his jaw working as he surveyed the damage. “There’s nothing we can do, lads. The house and barn are gone. It’s time to find our cattle.”
“I’d suggest we divide into groups, Uncle Ewan.”
“Good idea, Colin.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Split into two groups. Colin, Bram, Brodie, Sean, and Bay will ride north. Quinn, Caleb, Blaine, Fletcher, Camden, and Deke will ride west. Ian, August, and I will be continuing to the hacienda to see if there’s anything we can salvage and talk with the ranch hands. Maybe one of them saw someone.” He glanced up at the sky, gauging the time. “Meet back at the hacienda two hours after sunset.”
“And if we find the cattle, Da?” Brodie asked.
“Send a rider to the hacienda.”
Quinn motioned to those in his group. “Let’s go.”
Caleb rode between Blaine and Quinn for a couple miles, his mind switching between thoughts of who had set the fire and wondering if the same people rustled the cattle. Remembering something Fletcher had mentioned, he leaned toward Quinn.
“Fletch said a couple men snuck into their camp a few nights ago.”
Quinn nodded. “Aye. Heather was on watch when she heard someone.”
Caleb’s brows creased. “Heather?”
“Aye. The lass was guarding the herd with Fletch and Bram when she heard noises. The lads followed two men to their horses, but couldn’t stop them.” Quinn reined his horse slightly south, then continued west.
Following his lead, Caleb caught up to him. “Fletch said he didn’t think they were after the herd.”
“Nae. The three sat up the rest of the night, but no one approached the cattle. They don’t know what the men wanted. It couldn’t have been good or they’d have approached the camp, not run off.”
“Do you think what happened today is connected?”
Quinn nodded. “Aye, Caleb. I do.”
“A hundred head is a lot for two men,” Caleb said as they approached a stream, Quinn reining to a stop.
“I’m thinking they were scouts for a larger group of rustlers. Probably followed them the next morning when they merged the cattle into the larger herd.” Quinn shoved his hat back, looking at the others. “Fan out, lads, but keep in sight of each other. Nobody go off alone. Fire once in the air if you’ve found them, twice if there’s trouble. I’ll be at the farthest point north, and Fletcher will be the farthest rider south. The rest of you lads spread out between us.”
Caleb followed Quinn, stopping fifty yards away to begin the search. Reining Jupiter left, then right, he listened and watched for any signs the herd had been driven in this direction. The more ground he covered, the less he believed they’d moved the herd west. It wouldn’t be easy to hide a hundred head, and harder to cover the trail of that many cattle.
As darkness spread, his mind shifted to thoughts of Heather. Caleb hadn’t meant to come down so hard on her about going with them, and he hadn’t planned to give her a warning in front of the other women. But he hadn’t anticipated his protective reaction at her insistence on going with the men, or the way his gut twisted at the thought of her in danger.
Walking Jupiter over a narrow creek, and as much as he wanted to deny it, Caleb accepted his feelings for Heather hadn’t changed. As infuriating as he found her, she was the only woman who stirred his blood, captured his interest and held it. The grim reality was he’d never get over her by staying at Circle M.
Given the comments at supper, and with the Estrada ranch burned to the ground, he had little doubt they’d make the decision to close the Evanston house, merging the cattle with the rest of the herd. His plan had been accepted, yet it had also sealed his fate. He and Blaine would be moving back to the main ranch. With both Brodie and Jinny living with their spouses in town, Ewan’s house would have plenty of space for him. No matter. It still wouldn’t be far enough away from Heather.
He’d wait until the decision had been made on the Evanston property, then speak with Ewan and Ian. With a recommendation from them, he’d be able to find work at almost any ranch within a thousand miles.
Instead of a sense of foreboding at the direction of his thoughts, he felt a sense of peace. Maybe this was the way it had always been meant to play out. Once he’d arrived at Circle M, Caleb thought his journey had ended. Now he realized it had only begun.
Circle M
Heather, Emma, Sarah, and her sister, Geneen, hurried outside at the sound of an approaching rider. A minute later, Maggie, a few months pregnant with her and Brodie’s first child, joined them. The women had put the younger children to bed long ago, then began their vigil, sending up prayers for the safety of all the men.
Fires weren’t uncommon. Losing a hundred head and discovering a ranch hand had gone missing were unusual and cause for concern.
Heather couldn’t help herself from thinking of the men who’d stalked their camp a few nights ago, wondering if they had anything to do with what had transpired today. She’d said nothing to the other women. No sense causing them more worry.
“It’s Mr. Donahue.” Heather hurried down the steps. “Do you have news?”
Stopping his horse, he slid to the ground, tossing the reins over a nearby rail. By now, all the women had assembled outside, waiting as he took Heather’s elbow and guided her back up the steps.
“I’m afraid it’s not good. The hacienda, barn, and bunkhouse are gone, and we haven’t been able to find the missing cattle.”
“And the ranch hand?” Kyla held out a glass filled with whiskey.
“Thank you, ma’am.” Accepting it, he shook his head. “He hasn’t returned.” Tossing the alcohol back, he handed the empty glass to Kyla. “August is a little ways behind me. The other men are staying. They want to start early to look for the missing man and renew the search for the cattle. I’ll be rejoining them, but I wanted to give you the news.”
“I’ll be going with you.”
Audrey stepped beside her. “Nae, Heather, you won’t.”
“But, Ma, they’ll need every available rider.”
Audrey shook her head. “What they need is for us to prepare food for Mr. Donahue to take back with him and to know we’ll be taking care of everyone while they’re gone.”
Placing her fisted hands on her hips, Heather glared at her mother. “You’ve plenty of help here, Ma. I can be of more help out there with them, searching for the cattle.”
After a few moments of uneasy silence, Bay cleared his throat, looking at Heather. “Miss MacLaren, your Uncle Ewan was quite specific that you not go against his orders. I believe he suspected how you’d react and wanted to make sure you didn’t ride back with me.”
Throwing her hands up, Heather stomped into the house, letting the door slam behind her.
Shaking her head, Audrey offered Bay a weak smile. “She’s a passionate lass.”
He nodded. “It’s understandable. Her family’s in danger and she wants to help. From what I’ve heard, it seems she is quite capable in many ways.”
“Aye, Mr. Donahue, she is. As are most of the women. If I’d be judging their expressions correctly, I’d say Emma, Geneen, and Coral would join Heather if they saw an opportunity. They’re all excellent riders and quite proficient with guns.
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“Well, let’s get you some food to take back. The men will be having a long night and a longer day tomorrow.”
“Heather, you must settle down. Ewan has his reasons for wanting us here.”
“Aye, Geneen. He sees us as weak females.” Heather pounded a fist into her lap, looking at the group of women sitting with her in the living room. “It isn’t right, Emma. You ride and shoot as good as Quinn.”
Emma straightened the folds of her dress, trying to control her own agitation at the situation. Before marrying Quinn, she’d worked from sunup to sundown on her parents’ ranch, riding with the men, doing the same work. She now worked with Fletcher and Bram in their horse breeding part of the ranch, having little to do with the cattle or threats to the family.
Reaching over, Emma touched Heather’s arm. “As much as I’d like to be alongside him, I believe Quinn and the others are doing what they think best. Remember, there’s over a thousand head at the Evanston place, and my parents have several hundred head at their ranch. With most of the men at the Estrada place, we’re all that’s left if the rustlers move this way before the family returns.”
Heather’s eyes flashed. “There are only two men left at the widow’s place.”
“And only Boyd Doggett and a few ranch hands at my parents’.” Emma bit her lower lip, then stood, pacing to the window. “I wonder if we should send word to them about what happened.”
“You’ll be doing no such thing.” Kyla walked into the room, crossing her arms. “When Mr. Donahue left, he promised to send word of what the lads found.”
“But we don’t know when, Aunt Kyla.” Heather stood, her shoulders slumping as she joined Emma by the window. “Someone should warn them about what happened.”
Kyla walked toward them, glancing at the other women who watched her. “If we’ve no word by noon tomorrow, we’ll send word to the men at the old Evanston place and to Emma’s parents.” She gave Heather a hard stare. “It’ll be Audrey, Lorna, Gail, and me deciding who goes. So don’t be pestering us about it.” None of them would go up against the four elder MacLaren women. Once their minds were made up, they could be even more resolute than Ewan and Ian.
Audrey stepped beside Kyla, nodding her agreement. “We’ve already discussed tonight. I’d suggest those of you on watch get your guns and find your positions. After four hours, wake your replacement. The rest of us will get what sleep we can.”
Heather trudged to a back bedroom where several of the women would be sleeping. She’d requested the second shift, although she might as well have taken both. There’d be no sleeping tonight. Not bothering to slip out of her dress, she lay down, placing an arm over her eyes. Without conscious effort, an image of Caleb appeared. This wasn’t the intense man who’d glared at her just before leaving to join the other men. Tonight, she pictured him around a campfire, a cup of coffee in one hand, laughing at the banter of the other lads. No one could question how handsome he looked with his broad smile and deep laugh. In her mind, she saw him stand, tossing out the rest of the coffee, then made his way across camp to his bedroll.
She’d never allowed herself to fantasize any further. Tonight, though, she pictured him taking off his boots, sliding out of his trousers, and opening his shirt. His tapered waist and muscled thighs had her balling her fists at her sides. Heather had seen him working without a shirt many times. The vision seemed almost too real, enough to send heat coursing through her limbs. She imagined running her hands over his shoulders and chest, feeling the taut muscles.
Closing her eyes, Heather pictured his lips, wondering what it would feel like to have them brush against hers. An odd tightening of her chest caused Heather to suck in a deep breath, shoving the thought aside.
“What would he think if he knew I’d never been kissed?” she whispered to herself.
“Did you say something, Heather?”
She shot up, her eyes adjusting to the darkness to see Emma across the room. So caught up in her fantasy, she’d forgotten Emma would be sharing the room with her.
Clearing her throat, Heather shook her head. “Nae. Just thinking of the men.”
Staring out the window, Emma’s determined gaze fixed on the full moon. “I have to believe Quinn and the others will be all right. They’ll find the missing man and the cattle, then be safely back here tomorrow evening.” Turning her head, she looked at Heather. “You should think about telling Caleb how you feel.”
Heather’s jaw dropped. “Caleb?”
Taking off her shoes, Emma ignored the feigned surprise. “Caleb…the man you’ve been in love with since he came to the ranch. Don’t you think it’s time you put him out of his misery?”
Heather clutched her stomach, her throat thickening at what Emma’s words implied. Did everyone know how much she cared about him, how much she missed being around him?
“I’ve no idea what you mean.”
Emma lay back on the bed, making no attempt to stifle a huge yawn. “You can deny it all you want, as I tried to do with Quinn. In the end, you’ll wish you’d talked to Caleb.”
Before Heather could reply, she heard the soft, steady sounds of Emma breathing. She’d already fallen asleep.
Lying back down, Heather’s body hummed with nervous tension as she thought of what Emma said. She thought of Caleb’s anger at the thought of her riding with them to the Estrada hacienda. His stern reaction made her think he believed it his job to protect her.
It had taken time, but she now realized the full degree of her feelings for Caleb. At one time, she knew he felt the same. She no longer felt such confidence. Confessing her love could be the start of a real future for them. It could also lead to humiliation.
Blood began to pound in her temples as fear and indecision wrapped around her. She wished Levi had stayed so she could express her confusion to him. He’d always given her good advice, known what she needed to hear.
Uncertainty whirled around inside her head. Maybe sleep would help ease the chaos of her thoughts. Closing her eyes, Heather willed herself to sleep.
Four hours later, she still stared at the ceiling…no closer to a resolution.
Caleb sat by the fire, cradling a cup of coffee in his hands while the others finished saddling their horses. He’d been ready to ride since well before sunup, thoughts of their missing ranch hand, the stolen cattle, and Heather warring for space in his brain. The last kept him awake into the early morning, until he’d succeeded at shoving her image from his mind.
Quinn walked up, setting a hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “The lads will be going out in the same groups, looking for both the cattle and the ranch hand. Any suggestions on where to start?”
What they’d seen last night left no doubt the cattle had been taken. That many head didn’t go missing without help from two-legged predators. And unless their ranch hand had gone in with the rustlers, no one believed they’d find him alive.
Standing, Caleb tossed out the last of his coffee. “If it were me, I’d go where we’d least expect it.”
“East…” Quinn let the word trail off, knowing the implications.
Shrugging, Caleb looked at the Boundary Mountain range that split California from Nevada. “So far, there’s been little snow. If they can drive the herd over the grade to Crocker, they’ll be out of danger. They’ll sell the cattle, divide the profits, and nobody will ever know.”
Quinn nodded. Caleb, Brodie, and Quinn had been through there with Sarah and the three orphans on their journey back to Circle M from Oregon. Control of Crocker rested in the hands of outlaws—individuals and gangs who didn’t care for strangers and shunned normal values. They operated by shooting, then asking questions.
“It could take them two weeks to make the trek.”
Caleb tightened his gunbelt around his hips. “Then we’d best get going.”
Quinn walked over to where Colin stood with Ewan, Ian, and Brodie. The discussion didn’t last long before he returned to Caleb.
“Our group will go east towa
rd Crocker. Ian will be coming with us and Ewan with Colin’s group. They’ll be returning here tonight, unless they find the cattle. Then they’ll drive them to the main herd.”
“And us?” Caleb asked.
“If needed, we go as far as the edge of Crocker. We’re not to go into the town. If we don’t find the cattle by then, we head back to Circle M.”
“It could be several days,” Caleb reminded him.
Quinn nodded. “They’ve given us three days to return, then they’ll be looking for us.”
Caleb’s jaw hardened. He hated to lose a single head. To have a hundred taken ate at him. “Then we find those miscreants fast and get the herd back on our land.”
A faint smile tilted up the corners of Quinn’s mouth. “Aye, lad. That’s what we do.”
Chapter Ten
“They’re going to Crocker?” Heather’s hand flew to her mouth. “That’s outlaw country.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The ranch hand who’d notified them of the fire nodded, nervous fingers twisting the brim of his hat as he looked around the circle of women. “One group is heading east and the other’s riding north. The ones headed to Crocker have three days, then they’re to return to Circle M—with or without the herd.”
Looking around at the other women, Heather decided there was no point in hiding her concern. “And Caleb Stewart…which group is he with?”
The ranch hand didn’t quite meet her gaze. “Why, he’d be with Quinn’s group, ma’am, going over the mountains.” He rattled off the names of the men in each group. “I’m to stay here and help out.”
Kyla stepped forward. “I’m sorry, but I don’t recall your name.”
“Victor Rhimes, ma’am. But everyone calls me Vic.”
“Aye, Vic it is. If you’ll wait a minute, I believe we have a job for you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She motioned for Audrey, Lorna, and Gail to join her across the room. “I’d be thinking Vic is the right person to ride to the ranches and to town to let Sam and the deputies know what’s happening.”
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