Devlin's Montana Bride (Sweet, clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers Brides series) (14 page)

Yes. So much to look forward to. And it had happened so quickly. He'd heard of people falling for each other like this. But he'd never really believed it. Until now. It had happened. And to them.

The house of Elise's parents was on the far side of town, way past the railroad station. He started to move the horse on toward that part of town. He turned a corner and saw someone on horseback up ahead of him. As he pulled closer to the rider he had a sense that he recognized the man's profile. Devlin moved on up to the rider and called out. The rider turned his head and confirmed Devlin's suspicions.

It was Trent McIntyre.

The tall man twisted round in the saddle and pulled his horse to a halt.

"Trent. What in hell are you doing here?" Devlin asked his fellow rancher.

Trent didn't respond at first and Devlin noticed, with alarm, that his friend looked pale.

"You been drinking?" Devlin asked.

Trent shook his head. "I ain't been on the bottle. No. You know I don't do that much these days," he answered.

Devlin saw that there was a large saddle bag hanging across the horses back. "You going somewhere?"

Trent stiffened and looked away. Devlin had the strong feeling that something was troubling Trent. There was day old stubble on his chin and his eyes looked red. Devlin drew his horse closer. "What's wrong buddy. You had some bad news?"

Trent sighed and gripped the pommel of the saddle. Devlin saw that Trent's knuckles were white. "It's nothing," he said dismissively, but Devlin wasn't convinced by it. "Never mind me," Trent continued. "What in tarnation are you doing in town at this hour?"

"I'm here to get Elise," Devlin answered.

Trent frowned. "What's Elise doing in town at this time?"

"I think she came to see her father," he explained.

"Must be serious for her to come in to town on her own at this time," Trent observed.

Devlin shook his head. "We had a visit from Caulfield and a lawyer."

Trent leaned forward. "A lawyer? What in hell was that about?"

"Seems Elise's father said I abducted her. Married her against her will."

Trent tipped his hat back and his eyes widened. "You didn't abduct Elise. That just plain bull," he said indignantly. "Why would her father say something like that?"

"I think Caulfield's got something over him," Devlin explained.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. But I aim to find out. I need to get to the house fast. Elise got a head start on me," Devlin concluded.

"I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for it all. Her pa may be under the thumb with Caulfield, but he's still her pa. He'll do the right thing in the end," Trent said.

Devlin was pleased that Trent could immediately see how ridiculous the allegation was. Then again Trent had always been more like a brother to Devlin. Although they'd been rival ranchers there had never been any sense of competition between them. At different times, and in different circumstances both men had tried to support the other through various crises with their ranches. Devlin knew he could trust Trent. He felt real close to the guy and that was why Devlin was feeling a powerful concern about the unfamiliar look he saw in his friend's eyes. Trent's entire demeanor was that of someone who'd just had bad news. Really bad news.

"You still haven't told me what you're up to," Devlin demanded.

Trent's lips tightened and Devlin could see the difficulty he was having containing his emotion. It was unusual to see Trent like this. Normally he'd have made a joke of whatever it was, passing things off with a casual comment. But there was no chance he was going to do anything like that at this moment.

Trent sighed, his shoulders drooping. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Aw shucks. I suppose I better tell you," he admitted.

Devlin frowned. "Tell me what?"

"I got news that a friend of mine was killed," Trent said. He closed his eyes, withdrawing inside himself for a moment. Devlin could see that Trent was trying to hold in some strong feelings. Suddenly Devlin wasn't sure what he could say to Trent. What did you say to someone who'd just lost a friend?

"I'm real sorry to hear that, Trent. Real sorry. Who was it?"

Trent's eyes opened revealing a stern expression. "Lucas Wilder. "

"The guy who helped you set up the ranch?"

"The same. I wouldn't have got a start if it hadn't have been for Lucas. We went back a long way. He started in ranching then got the idea he'd settle down. Got married and went to live in Helena."

"How'd he get killed?"

"It happened a while back. I just got the news. Someone called him out and he got shot. Don't know all the details yet, but it seems like it was a fair fight. Lucas never was one to shoot anyone down. Whoever it was, they got the the draw on him. He's dead," he said with finality.

Trent's voice faded and there was a long silence. Devlin was lost for words. He could only imagine what must be going through Trent's mind at this moment. Devlin had never lost a friend. The worst thing that had happened to Devlin had been his betrothed running out on him at the last minute, and that didn't even begin to compare.
 

Devlin looked at Trent and got the feeling there was something else he wasn't being told. "What is it, Trent? What else aren't you telling me?"

Trent sighed. "It's nothing. I can tell you later. I'm going to stay in the hotel tonight. Got a train to catch early tomorrow morning."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going up the line. To Helena," Trent informed him.

"What are you going there for?"

Trent sighed and raised himself in the saddle. He fixed Devlin with a direct, penetrating look that immediately made Devlin sit back in his saddle.
 

"What is it Trent? What are you going to do?"

Trent cleared his throat.
 

"I'm going there to bring someone back here," he
 
said.

Devlin frowned. "Who?"

Trent's horse shifted nervously, sensing the tension of the rider sitting on his back. Trent tightened his grip on the reins. "I'm bringing Lucas' widow back here?"

Devlin felt his mouth open in surprise. "What's she coming here for?"

"She's coming here to get married."

"To who?"

Trent ran a hand over his chin and peered at Devlin. "I guess you best know the truth. There's no way I'm gonna be able to hide it from you," he said, exasperated. "She's coming here to get married to me," he announced.

"You're getting married!" Devlin exclaimed, confused at first but then forcing a smile. Trent getting married? And to his friend's widow?

Trent shook his head. "Now don't go getting all emotional on me. I now this is a shock to you."

"Trent McIntyre. You're getting married! That's amazing."

Trent nodded. "I know I'm the last person you'd have expected to hear those words from. But it's not what you think," he concluded.

"What I think? It doesn't matter what I think. It's a fine thing you're doing buddy."

Trent drew his horse closer to Devlin's. "For now, I need you to keep this between you and I. Do I have your word?"

Devlin reached out a hand. "You have my promise. This stays between you and me, for now."

Trent sighed in relief. "I need to explain something else. I know you'll understand. I made a promise to Lucas that I'd look after his wife, Chloe, if anything happened to him. Don't ask me how or why I made that promise. I made it and I'm a man of my word."

"I know you are Trent. I've known that for years," Devlin said sincerely.

"So, I'm going to bring her back here and we're going to be married, but it's going to be a marriage in name only, for one very good reason," Trent said slowly.
 

He leaned in closer to Devlin. Trent seemed to be struggling to get the words out, but eventually he managed to say them. When he heard what Trent had to say it was just about the last thing that Devlin would ever have expected to hear.

"Chloe Wilder has a baby."

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Elise had known Devlin would come for her. And he had.

She stood at the window of the parlor, staring out into the darkness, waiting for him, hoping that she would see his horse ride down the lane toward her parents' house.

And that was exactly what happened.

Elise's mother had come downstairs, puzzled to find her daughter in the house. Jedediah had calmed her nerves and explained everything, and eventually her mother had disappeared into the kitchen to make tea.

Now Elise stood at the window, her hands clasped tight, gazing through the white, net curtains and watched her husband ride slowly toward the house. He emerged from the darkness like an apparition, the horse walking slowly toward the house as if it already knew where to go.

Elise felt the butterflies tumble inside her as she watched Devlin pull his mount to a halt. She saw him look at the house, scrutinizing it's every detail, as if he was unsure about whether to go to the front door.

Elise pulled the net curtain away and he saw her. The smile that lit up his face made her heart leap. He was glad to see her; he wasn't angry with her at running off in the middle of the night. There was no hint of disapproval in his gaze. On the contrary his eyes were filled with the pleasure he so obviously felt at the sight of his wife gazing at him from inside the house. He looked relieved as he tied up the horse and started up the path to the front door.

Elise broke into a run, gathering her dress up, her shoes noisy on the wooden floor. She wrenched open the front door and there he was, standing tall, hat in hand, and looking at her with need and desire and relief. She leapt into his arms and he wrapped himself around her, enclosing her in his warmth and safety.
 

"Oh, Devlin. I'm so glad to see you," she cried.

Devlin had buried his face in her neck and she was sure she could feel tiny kisses being planted on her skin. They sent shivers up her spine, but all she wanted to do was hold him. All she wanted was for him to hold her and never let her go.

Devlin drew his head back and gazed into her eyes. "Elise. Don't you go running off like that again. You here?"

Elise ran a hand through Devlin's thick dark hair. "I won't. I promise. But I just had to come. You know that. Don't you?"

He nodded. "This time I do. But next time I might not be so understanding," he said with a smile.

Then he dipped his head and kissed Elise. She worried for a moment that her parents might be standing behind her, but the sensations of Devlin's tender kiss swept all of those concerns away in an instant. She realized she'd been waiting for this kiss for what seemed like an eternity. She didn't know until that moment just how much she had missed his
 
presence, his gentle, strong touch. Devlin's lips were warm and soft. His hand went to the back of her head and drew her even closer to him.
 

There was quiet cough from behind her. She and Devlin separated and she turned, seeing Jedediah and her mother, Ruth, standing in the hallway, arm in arm. Her mother and father both had huge grins on their faces. Elise hadn't seen them look so happy for a very long time. Truly something wonderful had come out of what had seemed a terrible situation. It was as if their family had been healed, made whole again.

"I suppose you'd like to come in for some tea, Devlin," Ruth suggested.

Devlin looked questioningly at Elise. She nodded and Devlin wrapped an arm around her waist."That sounds like a mighty fine idea," he said.

They went inside and settled in the parlor while Elise's mother fussed and bothered, eventually bringing the tea in and placing it on the table.

Elise and Devlin sat side by side on the sofa. She found that she didn't want to take her eyes off him. Devlin kept glancing at Elise. She'd never seen his eyes so bright, so alert. She marvelled that there was no hint of anger or irritation in him. It was if he could sense that everything was going to be fine. Or was it that he was just so glad to see her, that nothing else mattered to him.

Jedediah came into the parlor while his wife was pouring the tea. He had an envelope in his hand. He
 
held it out to Devlin. "I think this belongs to you," he said to Devlin.

Devlin took the envelope and frowned.

Jedediah sat down on the seat by the fireplace. He smiled in satisfaction as if he knew he'd just done the right thing. "It's the deed to the land with the water. You're both going to be fine. Just fine." Jedediah said with a nod of the head.

Devlin looked at Elise. She simply nodded.

"But what about Caulfield?" Devlin asked.

"Don't you worry about him. What's in that envelope can't be undone. It's entirely legal. After all I am the town's land agent. Last time I checked," he said with a smile at Elise.

She hooked an arm into Devlin's. "Isn't it wonderful? You have the land you need."

Devlin frowned, his eyes darkening. He gazed deep at Elise, his focus intense, unsettling. "There's only one thing I need, Elise. And that's you," he said quietly. Elise felt the blood rush to her head and she glanced at her father. Jedediah coughed and started to examine the fireplace with an unusual interest.

Ruth took a seat and lifted up the teapot from the table. "Now. Who's for tea?" she asked, looking at them all as if it was entirely normal to be having a family get together at this time of the night.

This was what it was all about really. Family. Elise looked at Devlin. He seemed so at home here with them all, as if he'd always been a part of her life.
 

She took the cup of tea offered to her by Ruth and handed it to Devlin, who looked mildly surprised by the gesture. He took the cup and smiled at Elise.

Only hours before the world had seemed a very dark place. Now, here, with her parents and the man she loved, the light had come back into her life, and she was determined it would never be extinguished.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Devlin rode beside Elise as they made their way back to the ranch. It was still dark but the way home was still lit by the full moon which had almost settled behind the distant hills. He didn't want to run the risk that she would stumble, so he kept his horse close by her side.