For the Roses (17 page)

"Are you in pain, Mary Rose?"

"No."

"You need a physician," he announced. "I could ride to Hammond and get one."

"I don't need a doctor," she assured him. "I feel fine, really." He gave her a little squeeze. "Try to relax."

A few minutes later he whispered her name again with that intoxicating brogue of his, and she suddenly wanted to sigh and shiver at the same time. She diligently resisted both urges. The hit on her head must have knocked her senseless. She was angry with Harrison, wasn't she?

"Why won't you look at me? Did I scare you?"

He sounded amused. He was being kind and considerate now and very, very sweet. She wanted to kick him.

She wouldn't answer him. Harrison let out a sigh. "Forget I asked," he said. "I must have been mistaken." Several more minutes passed in silence. Guilt finally forced her to tell him the truth.

"You weren't completely mistaken. I wasn't afraid of you. I was afraid of what had happened to you. You told me you could take care of yourself, but I didn't believe you. I don't like men who fight."

"You must hate your brothers then."

"I love my brothers. I don't love you."

He knew she didn't love him. Of course she didn't. Still, it bothered him more than he cared to admit to hear her tell him so.

"I'm still not certain what came over me," he said.

"Are you given to spells, Harrison?"

She sounded genuinely concerned. He tried not to laugh. "I don't think so. When I picked you up in my arms, something snapped inside me. I can't explain it. You were limp and bloody, and I couldn't tell if you were breathing. I didn't know…"

She was astonished by what he was saying. She couldn't stop herself from interrupting. "You picked me up? Dooley said you did, but I didn't believe him."

"You were out cold," he explained. "So you can't possibly remember. You were in danger of being trampled by the horses. I had to do something to protect you. I know, I was a little late getting to you, wasn't I? You were sprawled out on the ground and you weren't even trying to protect your head, for God's sake."

The memory of seeing her in such a helpless state made him shudder.

He instinctively tightened his hold on her, and she realized Harrison had been afraid.

"After you picked me up, what did you do?"

"I noticed you were still breathing before I lifted you off the ground. I should have calmed down then, but I didn't. Something snapped inside of me. I put you down where I knew you'd be safe, and then I went after the bastard."

She was barely paying attention to what he was saying now. She was too busy gloating. Hadn't she told him they were very alike? And my, how he'd argued with her. She remembered every word he'd said. She also remembered quite clearly how appalled he'd looked.

She wondered if it would be rude to say she'd told him so. It was about time he admitted she'd been right.

"So you, in fact, didn't take time to think about the situation? You just reacted, didn't you?" He knew exactly where she was headed with her question. He gave a shrug and tried not to smile. Lord, she was clever.

"I didn't say I was…"

"Yes, you did say. You got your philosophy a little turned around, didn't you? You remember. First with your heart, then with your head."

"It's the other way around."

"I know," she answered, a smile in her voice. "I think you must have forgotten. Do you realize what a lovely compliment you've just given me?"

"Really? You just insulted me."

She laughed. She obviously wasn't the least contrite. The sound of her joy reached her brother, Cole. He nudged his horse forward so he could ride alongside them. He immediately noticed how close Harrison was holding his sister. He appeared to be hugging her.

"Aren't you holding Mary Rose a little too tight for respectability?"

"Mind your own business, Cole," Harrison said.

Mary Rose smiled. Cole looked startled. He wasn't used to being sassed by another man. All her other guests had been too timid to talk back to any of her brothers. Harrison wasn't like anyone she'd ever known before.

Cole decided not to press the issue. He turned to his sister. He gave her a wide smile. She thought he was trying to be sweet, a rarity for him. When he continued to smile, she realized something else might be the cause.

"Why are you grinning at me like that?" she asked suspiciously. He wasn't about to tell her the truth. His poor sister looked downright pitiful. Her hair was practically standing on end. The blue and white ribbon was dangling down the front of her neck. Dried blood caked her forehead and her chin. There was more on her neck. She was going to have heart palpitations when she looked at herself in a mirror.

"I'm happy you're feeling better," he told her.

He continued to ride by their side. Mary Rose wanted him to leave her and Harrison alone. She wasn't finished making Harrison tell her how he'd felt. He wouldn't say another word as long as Cole was hanging around. She needed privacy all right, and there was only one sure way to get it.

"I'm not feeling better."

"You just laughed. I heard you."

"I was delirious. I'm in terrible pain. Have you forgotten what happened to me? My head throbs and my hip is…"

She didn't need to go on and on. Cole took off. She watched him take over the lead and let Travis trail behind him. Douglas stayed well behind the group so he could protect their backs from any surprises.

"Now then, what were you telling me?"

"Mary Rose, I'm really concerned about you. Are you in terrible pain? You need a doctor," he once again insisted.

She patted his hand. "I'm fine, really. Now I remember," she continued. "You just can't help it, can you, Harrison?"

"You're sure you're all right? You sounded so weak and ill when you were telling Cole how poorly you felt. I'm really going to have to insist you see a physician," he said again. She patted his hand. "It's sweet of you to worry. I'm fine, really. You can't help it, can you?"

"Help what? Being sweet?"

She smiled. "No, you can't help caring about me." Now he would tell her what he was feeling in his heart. "Of course I care about you. I care about your brothers too. You all took me into your home and fed me. You gave me a bed and…"

"Pat them and feed them, and they'll be forever beholding."

"What did you just say?"

"Never mind."

"Are you going to look at me?"

"I'm getting ready to," she said. "Promise me something first."

"What is it?"

"Don't have any more spells. Be who I think you are. All right?"

"I don't have spells, Mary Rose, and I'm going to have to figure out what you think I am before I can accommodate you."

She believed that was fair enough. She finally turned to look at him. She quickly wished she hadn't bothered. Harrison looked startled, but only for a second or two. Then he gave her the same silly grin Cole had given her just minutes before.

He explained his behavior before she could ask. "You kind of remind me of Ghost."

"That bad?" she whispered.

He tried to organize her curls. They seemed to be everywhere. She reached up to help him. "Didn't I look like this in town? You weren't smiling then?"

"I was upset in town. I'm not upset now. Besides, your hair…"

"What about my hair?"

She pushed his hand out of her way so she could smooth her curls properly. "Is it standing on end? Oh, Lord, do I really look like Ghost?"

"No, his hair has a part on the side. Yours doesn't."

"Mary Rose? You'll never guess who's waiting for us," Cole shouted. "Clive Harrington's standing in our front yard."

Cole shouted the news from the lookout above the ranch. She immediately forgot about her appearance. She told Harrison to hurry and catch up with her brother.

"Clive must be sick," she called out.

Cole shook his head. "I don't think he is."

Travis was the next one to reach the rise. "Now, what is his stagecoach doing in our front yard?" Something must have happened. Mary Rose was sure of it. Clive had a strict policy. He never drove his vehicle onto anyone's property. He said it went against his principles. He left his passengers at the various crossroads along his route. It was up to them to figure out how to get home. Guests received the same treatment. Clive didn't concern himself about strangers getting lost. He didn't worry about their baggage either. He told Mary Rose he had more important matters to think about. He had hinted he'd change his rule just for her, of course, but she insisted he treat her like everyone else. She didn't want special consideration. Clive thought she was an angel, sent down from heaven to help him keep to his standards.

She and Harrison finally reached the vantage point above the valley. She spotted Clive right away, pacing back and forth in front of his horses.

"Something terrible has happened," she announced. "Look how agitated poor Clive is."

"Where's Adam?" Travis wondered.

"He must be inside the house," Douglas guessed from behind.

"It's terrible all right."

"Don't borrow trouble, Mary Rose," Harrison advised. "It could be just the opposite. Something wonderful could have happened and the stagecoach driver is anxious to tell you all about it." She half turned in his lap so he could see how exasperated she was by his ludicrous suggestion.

"Maybe he got robbed," Travis speculated.

"I doubt it," Cole replied. "Everyone around here knows he never carries anything of value."

"Please hurry," Mary Rose pleaded. "I have to help Clive. He's in trouble."

"It might not be bad news," Cole argued. "Harrison could be right."

"After the morning I've had. Of course it's bad. I deserve it."

"Are you going to start in again?"

"I said some mean things about Catherine," she told her brother.

"Everything I said was true, but I still shouldn't have said them. In my defense, I will tell you that if you had any idea what I had to suffer growing up with her for my only companion, you would get down on your knees and beg my forgiveness. Yes, you would. Why didn't you just give me a rattlesnake to play with? I would have been safer."

Travis smiled at Harrison. "Mary Rose is still mad Catherine cut her hair. She likes to hold a grudge."

"The haircut was the least of it. Either start down the hill, or please get out of my way." The brothers finally moved. They reached the ranch a few minutes later. Clive hurried over to help her down to the ground. "Lordy, Lordy, what happened to you, Miss Mary?"

"Bickley punched me."

Clive became outraged on her behalf. "I'm gonna kill him for you. Just see if I don't."

"Now, Clive, don't get all riled up. It isn't good for your digestion. Bickley and his friends are being taken back to Hammond. The sheriff will take care of them. It's very sweet of you to be concerned about me. You're such a dear friend."

"Are you in pain, Miss Mary?" Clive asked. He wasn't convinced he should let the matter drop.

"No, no, not at all," she assured him. "Once I wash my face and change my dress, you won't be able to tell anything happened to me."

"And comb your hair," he suggested.

She immediately tried to smooth her curls down again. "Now, tell me why you're here. Is something wrong?"

"Something's wrong all right," he answered. "I'm so thankful you're finally home. You got no business going into Blue Belle today, Miss Mary. It ain't Saturday. Did you forget?"

"No, I needed supplies to take to another friend. It was a special circumstance."

"All right then, if it was special," he muttered. His mind returned to his dilemma. "Even though you look like you got yourself run over, you're still a sight for these sore eyes. I need your help something desperate. You just got to help me. You just got to."

She shot her brothers an I-told-you-it-was-trouble look before giving Clive her full attention again. "Of course I'll help. Just tell me what's wrong."

"You got to get her out of my stagecoach. She won't budge. She wouldn't even let Adam get near the door. She started in shouting at him. She said she wasn't going to let no hired hand greet her. It weren't proper. That's precisely what she said, all right. I tried to tell her how things were around here, but she wouldn't listen. She won't believe Adam's your brother. I could understand her doubt. She ain't from around here, so she ain't used to things. Adam finally gave up and went on back inside. He didn't want to get shot. She was threatening to do him in if he got near the coach again. Your brother offered me a comfortable chair and a cool drink. I didn't dare take him up on his offer though. I couldn't leave her out here alone. No telling what she'd do to my coach if I turned my back on her. I tried to soft talk her out, Miss Mary. Nothing worked. She demands a proper greeting, and she says she ain't getting out until she gets what she wants. She's been roosting in there a good two hours. She's something else, Miss Mary."

"Who do you have inside?" Douglas asked. He had already tried to look in the window, but a dark drape blocked his view.

"Miss Border." He shuddered when he whispered the name.

"Eleanor?" Mary Rose was thunderstruck. She couldn't believe what Clive was telling her. What in heaven's name was Eleanor Border doing in her front yard?

Douglas whirled around and stared at his sister. "TheEleanor?" Clive tugged on her arm before she could answer her brother.

"You just got to take her off my hands. I swear I'll do anything you ask. I'll even beg if you want me to." Cole was the only brother who was amused by the news. His eyes sparkled with delight. "You're already begging," he said. Then he started laughing. The notorious roommate they'd heard all those outrageous stories about, the woman who had made Mary Rose miserable for years now, had come to pay her respects.

"What is she doing here?" Travis demanded. He was good and angry.

"Did you invite her?" Douglas asked.

"Sort of," she hedged.

"What does'sort of mean?" Douglas asked. He stomped over to stand in front of his sister. "Well?"

"I did invite her, but only because I was certain she wouldn't ever take me up on my offer. She doesn't like the frontier. She thinks it's barbaric and uncivilized. Douglas, do quit glaring at me. What's done is done."