Lauri Robinson (5 page)

Adam popped the muscles growing tight in his knuckles. “And?”

“Well, it seems Miss Carlton didn’t want anything to do with Nathaniel, was already engaged to another young man, who apparently had a nasty accident and died. Then her parents perished in a wagon accident earlier this year. Not long after Kingston arrived, the town also received a new sheriff, another cousin of Nathaniel’s.” Evan’s eyes grew wide, clearly asking if Adam was putting the information all together. “Mr. Jones is sending the will here by Wells Fargo. It appears the whole town is up in arms over how Kingston has overtaken Paradise. They can’t seem to get anyone in the state to investigate what’s happening to their community.”

Adam needed a moment to process everything, but knew he needed to respond aloud. “I think, dear cousin, you are in the wrong business. You should become a lawman; your investigation has provided more information than all of the telegrams I sent.”

“No, I’m in the right business. People are more apt to talk when money is involved, especially when they feel they’ve been swindled.”

Adam nodded. He had connections—one telegram would put a thorough investigation in order. It would also clear Hannah’s name as well as put Nathaniel Kingston behind bars for a very long time.

“So you in love with her?”

His head snapped up. “What?”

“Hannah Stewart or Carlton. You’ve been chasing after her skirts like a randy hound-dog the past six weeks. Are you in love with her?”

A smile formed on his face. He felt like a randy hound. “Yeah, I am,” he admitted without any regrets.

“So what you gonna do?”

“Whatever it takes.” He stood, grabbed the package off the chair.

“Adam?” Evan rose.

“Yeah?”

“If what Jones says is true, when Hannah marries she is going to become a very rich woman.”

Adam frowned, wondered what else Evan was trying to say.

“She’ll be worth more than us, all of us put together.” He moved to stand in front of his desk. “And it’s only fair she knows that.”

Adam nodded and moved toward the door.

Before he tugged it open, Evan added, “If you don’t tell her—before the wedding, I will.”

Without glancing at Andrew behind his teller counter, Adam strolled through the bank. What the hell was that suppose to mean? It wouldn’t matter if Hannah had more money than he, they were in love. Money didn’t matter when love was in the mix.

He’d no sooner pushed the outer door of the bank closed when Abigail Christenson blocked his path. “Good morning, Adam,” she crooned.

Attempting to step around her, he muttered, “Miss Christenson.”

As quick as a flea, she stood in front of him again, batting her lashes as if she had a bug in her eye. “I hear you purchased a new hat at the mercantile this morning, Adam.”

His spine stiffened. She hadn’t called him by his given name since grade school. “Yeah, so?”

Her lids continued to flutter. “That is just so sweet of you. How did you know I needed a new hat? I hear tell it has daffodils on it.”

He crushed the package to his chest. “It’s not for you.”

“It’s not?” A stunned look covered her face before a deep frown formed. “Who is it for then?”

“Hannah—”

“Mrs. Stewart? Why on earth would you buy a hat for her?”

The tone of her voice made his ire rise. “A man often buys gifts for the woman he’s going to marry.”

“Marry?” she screeched at the top of her lungs.

Adam glanced around; the heat of embarrassment rose up his neck. “Abigail! Lower your voice.”

“You can’t possibly be considering marrying that woman.”

“Why not?”

“Why not? What about me? It’s common sense you and I need to marry. This town needs me to be a McBride!”

“Needs you to be a McBride?” The woman was loco, just as he’d always thought.

“Yes. Every town needs a woman to take care of it.”

Still confused, he shook his head. “Go, ahead, take care of it.”

She stomped one foot. “You know that’s not possible without McBride money behind me.”

His heart stalled for a quick moment. Did money mean that much to women? Would they do anything—even marry—to get it?

Manners be damned, he shouldered his way passed Abigail and strode down the street toward Birdie’s Boarding House.

Chapter Six

Hannah sat down in the shade of the only tree around for miles. The heat of the day had caused huge spots of wetness to form beneath both arms and down the middle of her back. The sweat-filled dress stuck to her skin, making the sweltering temperature all the more unbearable.

She lifted her face to the sky, trying to decipher if she indeed traveled in the right direction. The boys had said the spread they worked for wasn’t too far, less than a half a day’s ride from town. If she was going in the right direction, it shouldn’t take much longer to get there. It had to be almost noon. She hated to do this to her cousins, knew the boys had settled into their new job, but they needed to know what had happened. It was no longer safe for any of them to remain in Kansas. Would they have to travel all the way to Mexico in order to be safe? She once again wiped at the sweat running down her forehead. Perhaps Canada would be a better choice.

A sadness greater than she’d ever experienced filled her, making her throat burn. A choice…Oh, how she wished she had one. If she did, she’d choose marriage to a man such as Adam McBride. No, not such as, but he himself. Though it had been brief, the comfort of his arms was all she’d ever dreamed. She leaned back against the tiny tree and closed her eyes.

Seconds later, the ground beneath her began to quake and a thunderous noise filled the air. Pulling her lids open, she glanced up. Leaves above her fluttered, a few fell from their branches.

She jumped to her feet and searched the horizon. It wasn’t until she stepped away from the tree the herd came into view. A cloud of rolling dust hovered over the long-horned cattle trampling dried earth beneath their massive hooves. Deep snorts and menacing bawls mingled with the overwhelming rumble of the stampede.

There was nowhere to run. No protection in sight, other than the puny tree whose branches were not only too high for her to climb into, but also too spindly to hold her weight.

Suddenly her feet left the ground. She sailed through the air and landed on a saddle in front of man whose larger than life hand clutched her tightly beneath one arm. His massive chest seemed to fold around her as the horse beneath them turned to race away from the herd of Texas longhorns tearing up the prairie.

The cattle bawled and swung their wide horns. Dirt and dust filled her nose and mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut and clung to the arm holding her in the precarious seat.

Adam held the girl with a death grip. The spurs on his boots bade the gelding to outrun the stampede. His eyes stung from the sweat pouring off his forehead. Dark, swirling dust surrounded them, making steering impossible. Belief in the well-trained horse below them was their only salvation as the noise of the stampede became encompassing.

Minutes later, like a theatre curtain lifting to reveal the second half of a play, the heavy, dirt-filled cloud disappeared. He reined in the spent gelding and turned to watch the thundering cattle race away. With a shaky hand, he gestured an “all’s well” signal to a couple of cowboys following the out of control herd.
Damn!
Why Cal chose to raise longhorns was beyond him. The skittish beasts got spooked by their own shadows.

The quaking body on his lap drew his attention. Anger quickly overtook the fear that had consumed his mind and body when he’d topped the hill and recognized the tulip-covered hat directly in the path of the raging cows.

He tightened his hold around her waist, and in one swift movement stood on the ground, Mrs. Hannah Stewart teetering before him. Her flower-topped hat floated to the ground beside them. “What the hell were you doing?”

“I—”

“Trying to get yourself killed?” He tugged her upper arms, pulling her against his pounding chest.

“I—”

He drew back. “And why the hell did you leave Birdie’s in the middle of the night like some fugitive?”

She shrugged, trying to get away from his hold. Realizing it was useless, her delicate face, flush from their excursion, snapped up. “I am a fugitive, Sheriff.”

He loosened his grasp enough to caress the shoulders beneath his fingers. “You’re no more of a fugitive than I am.”

She took advantage of his slackened hold and twirled away. “Oh, do you go around breaking men out of jail too?”

His anger and fear dispelled, leaving the overwhelming want to kiss her until the sun set on the horizon. He took a step forward. “No, but I do put those who deserve it behind bars.”

Her shoulders drooped as his palms settled on them. “There’s a big difference,” she said.

“You’re not a wanted woman. Well, not by the law.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her stiff back against his chest.

Hannah closed her eyes. It was almost more than she could take—Adam McBride’s touch. Her body no longer quaked from the stampede, now it trembled with need, making her mind swirl. Something he said—a name—penetrated the ringing in her ears.

She twisted her neck, trying to see him. “What? What did you say?”

He eased her around to face him, his hands lingering in the middle of her back. “I said I arrested Nathaniel Kingston. He’s in the Blue Spring jail.”

She covered her gasp with one hand and spoke into her palm. “Nathaniel’s here?”

“Yes, but there’s nothing for you to fear. I wired the governor’s office in Ohio. As soon as Jeb prints up the wanted poster, I’ll file it with the district attorney. They’ll transport Kingston to Ohio where he’ll be tried.”

“For what?”

“For kidnapping you, for falsely arresting your cousins and whatever other charges I think I can make stick.”

A shiver raced through her body. She pushed at his solid chest with both hands. “I knew it. I knew you were no different than him.” Tears stung her eyes.

His grasp tightened, holding her in front of him. “Who?”

“Nathaniel! You’re just like him. Nothing will stop you from getting what you want.”

His brows furrowed. “Well, maybe I am like him. I might have to contemplate kidnapping if you don’t marry me pretty-damn soon.”

This time she did break out of his hold and stomped across the dry grass. Tiny puffs of dust swirled around her shoes as she put distance between them, needing the space to think clearly. “I will tell you just what I told him.” She twisted about, stared at him. “I will not marry a man who cares about no one but themselves.”

He looked thunderstruck. “Is that what you think? That I don’t care about you?” He shook his head and pointed toward the churned grasses behind him. “Do you honestly think I would have ridden into a herd of stampeding longhorns if I didn’t care about you?” He leaped forward, grasping one arm solidly. “Hell, woman, I love you!”

It was her turn to be dumbfounded. Had he said he loved her? She pressed a hand to her throat to keep from choking on the heart trying to beat its way up her windpipe. Her normally sane mind needed a moment to get past his declaration. When it did, and she felt capable of speaking, she said, “Well, that really doesn’t matter. I still can’t marry you.”

“Doesn’t matter?” he thundered. “Why the hell can’t you marry me?”

“Because Blue Spring is
your town
, you’ve said so yourself.” She twisted, but his grasp tightened.

“Yeah, so? My family worked damned hard to make it a good, thriving town. A place where people want to live and can prosper.”

“A place you can rule!”

He stepped forward and wrapped his fingers around her other arm. It was a moment before he spoke. “As the sheriff, I oversee the law, but I don’t rule anyone.” His hands stroked her arms from shoulder to elbow. “What are you talking about? What are you so afraid of?”

His soft, loving voice opened that vulnerable spot in her chest where all her fears, hopes and dreams were kept. They poured out, making a long, heavy sigh escape her lungs. “I can’t marry a man who claims to own a town. I can’t be a part of something that belittles people while others flourish. I saw it in Paradise. Firsthand, I watched my family destroyed all because one man wants to rule the world.”

A deep frown marred his face. “Is that what you think of me?”

She didn’t, not really, but all the signs were there. Her gaze went to the ground near their feet. She couldn’t take the chance he might be different.

He cupped her face, forcing her to look up at him again. “Hannah, have you looked around Blue Spring? Have you seen anyone belittled? Have you seen anyone destitute or impoverished?”

Her mind searched for a few minutes, trying to visualize a downtrodden or forgotten neighbor in the small town. None emerged and she shook her head ever so slightly.

“And you won’t. The McBride’s are a determined bunch. We want everyone in Blue Spring to prosper, not just us.”

Dare she hope? Could he be telling the truth? She searched his face, looking for a hint of deceit, and found none.

The corners of his mouth lifted, his smile revealing he’d read her mind. “I’ll make you a deal. You marry me, and if you ever see me being unjust you have my permission to quickly set me straight.”

She blinked, having never thought of it that way. Being married to one of the most powerful men in town, she’d have some control. She could make sure a repeat of what took place in Ohio never happened again. The warm, cheerful feeling filling her soul made a smile tug on her lips. The fact Adam McBride happened to be that man was the most enticing benefit of all.

As if a tight rope just broke, her mind snapped. She flinched against the pain it caused and hung her head. “I still can’t marry you,” she whispered.

His jaw dropped. “Uh? What did you say?”

“I said I still can’t marry you.”

“Damn it woman, why not?”

His frustration sent ire to singe her spine. “Because you’re already engaged!”

“What the hell are you talking about now?”

She stepped back. “Abigail Christenson.”