The Badger City Gang [Bride Train 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (22 page)

Maybe Kate was different. He sure felt different about her than any other woman. His heart damn near stopped when he heard that high scream from inside Rivers’s place. Even with her nightgown covered by Rusty’s big shirt, and knowing the men in the posse were all married, he’d burned in rage when any of them looked at her.

How the hell had Rusty and Gideon stood it when Rivers and his men looked at her with lust? He’d have gone after them with his fists, teeth, boots, gun, knife, and anything else he could grab. Was that part of the reason they put him on drag? He rubbed his face with his hand. Were his feelings for Kate that obvious?

“So Peyton got away with it,” murmured Thatcher. “Then what happened?”

The judge’s words broke into Zach’s thoughts. He blinked to clear his head.

“Me, Rusty, and Gideon buried what was left of Pa and walked out. We worked on the Garcia ranch until this spring when the Señor helped us make a deal with Walt Chamberlain. He also made Peyton give us the cattle we would have inherited from Pa if we’d stayed. Then we came north to start over. ” He shrugged as if the decision to leave was easy. “We want to build a new life here, not find trouble.”

“Damn,” said Ranger. “That’s why you hired on with Garcia. I wondered.” He turned to Thatcher. “Me, Patrick, and Jessie know the McInnes boys from Texas,” he explained. He winced and cleared his throat. “When I told Sunbird we’d met up again, she said she helped Mrs. McInnes birth a couple of young ones about four or five years back.”

His words were like a shot to Zach’s heart. Ma would’ve been about thirty-five when Pa died. The thought of her and Peyton having children never crossed his mind, maybe because he blacked everything about them out. Now that he knew, it both sickened and shamed him.

Though they shared Kate, it was totally different from what happened with his mother. All were honest and open about it. Hell, the whole valley did the same thing! They all knew Gideon and Rusty had little chance of finding other wives, but it didn’t matter. They wanted Kate anyway. She was just as eager in return. For now.

They were like Pa, hardworking and honest. Would Kate want someone fun and exciting one day and leave them, as his and Rusty’s mothers had done? Zach looked up when Thatcher cleared his throat.

“We won’t hold you accountable for your uncle’s crimes,” said the judge. “The law considers him dead. God will judge him soon enough.”

The others nodded agreement but Zach wasn’t finished talking. He had to tell them what he’d done. He’d hoped to get Kate more amenable to staying before it came out, but now was the time.

“There’s something else.” Zach looked the judge in the eye. “You know about Kate. I used what Peyton taught us to rob the Bride Train. I held a gun on a dozen women because I wanted a wife. Kate said she’d come with me, but what I did was wrong.”

“Yep, I heard tell about that,” said the sheriff. He looked at Zach from head to feet. “Heard you tossed her to Rusty while the train was starting up and then jumped on your own horse.” He stuck his thumbs in his belt and rocked back on his heels. “That’s one fine woman. Wish I’d seen her drive that skunk’s balls into next week with her foot.” He sniffed. “Mary’s bad enough. I wouldn’t want to rile a woman like Kate.”

Zach heard a couple of snickers of agreement. He exhaled, though he kept the gun belt high. Pa was right. Hiding something was a great burden. Did Kate carry one as well?

Barstow and Thatcher leaned their heads together. They spoke in whispers as Zach waited. Sweat beaded his face. His right hand wavered a bit as the Colt and gun belt were heavy, but he held on. One wrong move could put at least one bullet through his heart. Or lower, if they wanted to be cruel.

Finally the two lawmen nodded, and then faced him.

“There’s no outstanding charges I know of,” said Thatcher. “The lady left willingly and the others enjoyed the excitement.” He winked. “We know how difficult it is to find a wife in these parts.”

“I expect Cole Taylor will dang near bust a gut when he hears.” Barstow’s lip twitched under his bushy moustache. “He’ll be spittin’ mad fer not thinkin’ of it hisself.” The sheriff reached in his pocket. Zach flinched when he tossed something at him, but caught it with his free hand. He looked down. A tin star. He frowned.

“Strap on that gun belt,” said Thatcher. “You’ll need it. We have to keep Rivers alive for the trial. That means he has to be guarded by men with no death grudge against him.”

“That leaves out near everyone in town,” added Ranger drily.

“Last prisoners we had got shot, right here in jail, before we could question them,” said Trace, speaking up. “Ross was planning on doing some persuading, but he got cheated of the opportunity. We don’t want that happening again.”

Thatcher motioned for Zach to put the badge on. “Can you and your partners guard Rivers, day and night, from those who want to kill him as well as release him? The Sweetwater ranch will spell you off. They’re the only other ones without a grudge against Rivers.” The judge smiled. It wasn’t pleasant. “Be interesting to see what happens when you meet.”

“You’d trust us?”

Zach had faced tough men before, but the ones in Tanner’s Ford were something more. If they’d accept him and his partners after the stunt he pulled to get Kate, then he, Rusty, and Gideon would have a damn good chance for a decent life as respectable men. This was their chance to prove their worth. No matter what Cole Taylor and his partners did to them, the Running W wouldn’t retaliate. Even though the sons-a-guns were Southerners.

All four men nodded. Zach exhaled, hiding his relief by staring at his buckle. He did up his gun belt with trembling fingers.

“Of course we’d trust you,” said Ranger. He snorted a laugh. “You three were working your asses off every time we saw you down in Texas. Jessie said you kept an eye on her during big gathers so no strangers bothered her.”

“Watch out for those Sweetwater boys,” said Thatcher. His sly smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I expect they’ll try to seduce Kate away from you with their Southern charm.”

“Kate’s too wild to be taken in by smooth manners,” replied Zach. He still didn’t have his voice under control, but it was getting there. “She’s too ornery for them.”

Trace’s moustache twitched. “When Beth gets ornery, I take her to bed.”

“Works for Florence,” added Ranger smoothly.

“If she’s anything like the others, and I expect she is after seeing what she did to Rivers, she’s already in your bed,” said Barstow. “You’d better get her in mind for a wedding.”

“Kate’s not ready for that,” groused Zach. “She said she wants to have wild adventures first. I think she enjoyed today a bit too much.”

The other men’s grins didn’t help his mood.

“Spend a night at Sophie’s hotel and make the woman very happy,” said Judge Thatcher. He winked, telling Zach what he meant. “Bring her to me the next morning while she’s still seeing stars. She’ll be married before she remembers what she doesn’t like about you.”

Kate perched on a stool in Doctor Henley’s parlor. He lived next door to the jail at the far west end of town. Though he was locked up, being so close to Rivers made her a bit nervous in case he had friends who would try to break him out. It wasn’t his escaping that bothered her so, but someone going after her for the part she did in catching him. But Rosa, the new Mrs. Henley, insisted the house was well guarded.

It was only after she sat down in Rosa’s parlor that she realized the immensity of her actions. She’d made a spectacle of herself, purposefully flaunting her body in front of strange men wearing only a nightgown. She’d then punched a man in the face and kicked him between the legs when he fell.

Back East, even one of those acts would have shamed her for the rest of her life. The reason wouldn’t matter. Nothing could justify a woman acting with a sense of her own power. While men would stare at her condescendingly or raise their voices in wrath, she knew it was the women who would be the most vicious.

She’d swallowed hard when she found herself surrounded by women who, if they accepted her, could become her friends. Of course, their first efforts were to Molly and Sarah, who were the most affected by the capture of the man the town had elected Mayor. Once those two were settled, they’d turned to her.

She braced herself, but instead of sharp words they thanked her profusely, even saying they wished they’d done it, instead! She quickly changed out of her nightgown and Rusty’s shirt, and into a lovely spring-green dress lent by Sophie. It seemed the hotel owner had a collection of items left behind over the years. It fit her well and even had a touch of lace at the collar and sleeves. Best of all, it was more of an evening gown so her neck, and the top of her bosom, were exposed so she could breathe easily.

Doctor Henley arrived home with Ross, quite perturbed, to discover his parlor filled with women taking care of Molly and Sarah. A quick nod of greeting and he went upstairs. Rosa followed him, returning in a few minutes to say he was studying his medical journals and would not interrupt them.

It took a few minutes more, but Kate finally began to relax, believing she was not going to be shunned for her behavior. She took a moment to look around. The room was plain but homey, and small for the number of visitors. After a few fragrant cups of tea, along with plates of the best dainties she could remember eating, she began to perk up.

While helping Kate to change, Sophie McLeod had explained she’d come to town as a very young wife and had been widowed seven years earlier. Lily, an immaculately dressed older woman, owned the house across the street which, until recently, she’d used to run a high quality house of ill repute. She now lived there with a retired judge she’d recently married.

While horrific things had happened to Molly, Sarah, Rosa, and Grace, none of them had killed themselves out of shame. Other innocent women sold by the same unscrupulous man—Sarah’s fiancé!—had done so after being rescued. But the women of Tanner’s Ford held their heads high. They insisted they should not be blamed for what happened to them against their wishes. They even found husbands who agreed, loving them in spite of their pasts.

Remembering the way her had skin crawled when Rivers leered at her, Kate couldn’t imagine the horrors they’d endured. Her eyes teared and she blinked to stop them falling. She was even more determined to do what she could to stop such atrocities.

It wasn’t what a man did to a woman’s body that mattered. It was the intent behind it. The only way a woman should share her body was with love and affection, caring and tenderness. Taking a woman against her will was a vicious assault conducted by those wanting to overpower and control someone weaker by entering their body in violence.

What she shared with the McInnes men was wonderful. They didn’t love her, of course, but they touched her with loving intent. Heat rose as she remembered when their play had gotten wild. But no matter how rough, they were always in control of their actions. That allowed her to lose her own control and merely feel.

She looked around the room to get her mind off what she wanted to do when she next saw her men. There was a power in the room, one she reveled in. It came from strong women working together, sharing their pain and heartbreak, then forging ahead. Zach might have kidnapped her from the Bride Train, but he couldn’t have brought her to a better place. For once in her life, she fit in.

Sarah’s eyes were red, but she smiled bravely as she sat on the stool at Kate’s left. Molly’s sobs, wild when Kate first arrived, had slowed to hiccups. She was comforted by Patsy Tanner, the woman who, with her husband, had started Tanner’s Ford. They’d taken Molly into their home and hired her to work at the mercantile.

“This is the first time Molly’s cried since she was taken from her family,” said Sarah quietly. “She could never grieve for them before. Perhaps finding out who did it allowed her to release whatever blocked her tears.” She shuddered a breath and forced a smile. “I wish I’d seen Rivers rolling on the floor, screaming, after you kicked him.”

“Perhaps the sheriff will let you, Molly, and Grace take a few kicks at him before he’s hanged,” replied Kate with a smile. “But I suggest you wear your hardest, sharpest boots.”

“I’d much rather he escaped and was caught by the MacDougal Devil.” Sarah rubbed her fingers against one hip. “That’s what they called Ross until he married Amelia,” she added. “He might be the loving father of twin sons, but if he gets hold of Rivers, they’ll never find what’s left of the body.” Sarah smiled widely, as if anticipating the event.

Kate waved her hand to encompass the entire room. “So many women with so much hidden pain, yet you’ve moved on to better lives.”

“It’s the only way to survive,” said Sarah after a moment. “We can’t let the past define us, or accept the labels unworthy people put on us. We must move forward and embrace our new lives. It sounds easy, but it’s not.” She gave a sad smile. “It took me a long time to trust Luke enough to marry him. I trusted Gabe and Oz, and loved them quickly, but Luke’s arrogant attitude was hard to take.” A faint pink appeared on her cheeks. “But we’ve managed to work things out between the four of us.”

Kate, about to sip her tea, stared at Sarah over the cup.

“Yes, Kate.” Sarah’s smile was a touch wicked. “Along with every other ranch wife in the valley, I share my life, and my bed, with all three partners.”

Kate tried to speak but she choked.

“Beth Elliott started it when she married the three oldest Elliott brothers, Trace, Simon, and Jack,” said Sarah matter-of-factly. “Amelia married Ross MacDougal and gained Nevin and Gillis as well. Jessie joined the Double Diamond, marrying a trio of English aristocrats. Then came Florence with the three youngest Elliotts, Victoria and the J Bar C crew, and then me with the Circle C. Everyone figured the Sweetwater ranch would find a wife on the last Bride Train, but Cole came home empty-handed.” Her eyes smiled. “I expect he would’ve chosen you if Zach hadn’t already snatched you off the train.”

“Um, about that—”

“I hear you’ve been with the three McInnes men for a few weeks now. Have you checked them out thoroughly?” Sarah waggled her eyebrows mischievously.