The Badger City Gang [Bride Train 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (23 page)

Kate fanned her suddenly hot face. She took a quick glance around, but no one was paying them any attention. She’d never known women could speak so openly.

“I haven’t met this Cole, but I’m quite satisfied on the Running W,” said Kate. “At least, for now. Except for the men on the posse today, and Walt Chamberlain, I haven’t met anyone else.”

Sarah grasped Kate’s hands. “You have friends now. I came here alone, as did almost every other woman in this room. Abandoned, abused, and unwanted by our families. But we found love and affection. You’ll find the same thing.” She released Kate to point around the room. “Once the others know you, they’ll help any way they can. Husbands are good, but a woman needs friends, even if it’s just a warm smile when you’re feeling sad.”

Called unnatural due to her adventurous spirit, spending most of her time locked inside the house, Kate had never had friends. Anywhere else, Sarah and the other women would be treated with contempt for the shame of being attacked. Not in Tanner’s Ford. Out of the blue Kate had an attack of tears. She pressed her lips together, but her chin still wobbled. She couldn’t stop. Sarah pulled her to her feet.

“Everyone,” called Sarah over the hubbub, “please welcome Kate Mason. She’s on the Running W and doesn’t know anyone else, other than Zach, Rusty, and Gideon McInnes. She needs friends, and thinks we may judge her badly.”

Suddenly Kate was met with women smiling through their tears, thanking her for helping catch Rivers.

“I’m Victoria Adams, and I live next door, on the J Bar C ranch,” said a tall, sturdy woman with golden-brown hair. “Jessie Langford’s next to me on the Double Diamond, but she’s just had a baby and can’t travel yet.”

“I expect she’ll be riding that big, black horse of hers before the snow flies,” replied Victoria.

A loud knock on the door silenced their laughter.

“Who is it?” asked Rosa gruffly.

“Excuse me, ladies, but I’d like to have a word with Miss Mason.”

“That’s Rusty,” whispered Kate.

“Do you want to talk to him?” asked Rosa.

Kate, madly blotting tears, shook her head. “Not looking like this. I want him to see me as a strong woman, not a woman with the vapors.”

“Smart,” said Rosa with a nod. “Go away,” she yelled at the door.

Male mumbles could be heard through the wooden door. Another knock.

“Please tell her that the Running W is going to be guarding the prisoner, so we can’t take care of her. I’ll make arrangements at the hotel for tonight—”

“We’ll take care of Kate,” said Rosa, interrupting. “Go guard that piece of filth. I don’t want Ross MacDougal accused of killing another guilty son-of-a—”

“Rosa!” blurted Lily. “There are ladies present!”

“I’m sure they’ve heard the word before,” grumbled Rosa. After a few stomps on the porch they were again left in peace.

“I don’t want to be a bother,” said Kate. She balled up the damp handkerchief Sarah had pressed on her when her tears erupted.

“Nonsense,” said Lily, the elegant older woman. “You’ll stay with me. It will be lovely to have another woman of my stature to balance out that huge oaf of a husband I’ve been saddled with.”

Kate heard the fondness that came through the words. She nodded her thanks.

“Is there any of Beth’s blackcurrant cordial in this house?” asked Lily. “This calls for a celebration. While these events bring back memories of tragic times, we’ve discovered Orville Rivers is the dastardly brute we all believed him to be, and we’ve found a new friend. Miss Mason is a wonderful addition to Tanner’s Ford, and we should welcome her properly.”

“This is the home of a doctor,” said Rosa with a scowl. “Of course we have medicinal spirits.”

“Doc gives cordial to his patients?” asked Patsy Tanner.

“No, I’m the one who dispenses this medicine,” said Rosa. “Molly, you know where the glasses are. Sarah, here’s the key to the cabinet.”

Ten minutes later the teacups and plates were rinsed and stacked in the kitchen. Each woman held a glass of deep burgundy liquid.

“I’d like to propose a toast to strong women,” said Lily. She held her glass high.

Everyone called out “strong women,” and took a sip. Kate let the flavorful liquid flow down her throat, sore from holding back tears. It soothed all the way to her stomach, where it lit a fuse.

“A toast to Kate’s accurate fist and foot!”

Another sip.

“To Grace for having the strength to speak out as best she can!”

And another.

“To everyone for enduring men!”

“And to our men for giving us what we want!”

“Amen to that!”’

Kate looked at her empty glass. The cordial was so good, and went down so well.

“Hold out your glasses, ladies,” said Lily.” Let’s finish the bottle!”

Hands in his pockets, Zach slouched against the jail, hidden in the shadows created by the lantern Barstow had hung by the door. He’d finished his first shift as a deputy, guarding a man in danger of being lynched. Whether Rivers would die for what he did, or to make sure he didn’t tell of another’s crimes, was the question. For now the prisoner was eating his supper like any other man.

Barstow explained that Sophie McLeod usually provided food to prisoners, but she’d not have anything to do with Rivers. He didn’t know the lady well, but could understand why she’d refuse. Accusing a hotel owner of being a whoremaster was bad enough, even if it was true. But Rivers, a disgusting excuse for a man, was said to call her a whore if she as much as smiled at a guest.

So Rufina Emslow, another widow and owner of the boardinghouse where Rivers stayed when in town, fed him. He’d never met her but could tell she didn’t like Rivers at all. She’d peeked her head in and blanched when the man growled that it was about damn time she showed up. She’d eagerly handed over the pail holding his dinner so Zach could make sure there weren’t any weapons in it. He’d barely lifted the cloth over it when she rushed out.

Once Cole Taylor showed up to take over, Zach could get his own dinner. He was hungry as all get-out, but not looking forward to the meeting. The soft clop of hooves in dirt made him look up. The man sitting tall in the saddle, approaching town from the east, had to be Cole.

Zach figured Cole knew he was there. If the man didn’t have the sense to check the shadows before dismounting, he should still listen to his horse’s instincts. He waited for the other man to talk first. After tying off his horse and resettling his hat, Cole turned to him. He was a couple of inches shorter but moved like he could take care of himself.

“Y’all going to make an honest woman out of Miss Mason?”

The quietly spoken question wasn’t what Zach expected. But underneath the soft words he heard the chill of steel.

“Kate’s already honest,” replied Zach with a sigh. “Too much for her own good. That’s one of the problems with her.”

“One?” Cole’s voice hardened just a bit. “You got yourself a list?”

“She’s ornery, stubborn, cantankerous, and too outspoken for a woman.”

“Most of that would fit my old mule.”

Zach nodded in agreement. “Mine, too. She also says she wants adventure but hasn’t learned enough about things to know what trouble she’ll be getting herself into.”

“Heard she found herself a bit of trouble today.” Cole’s eyes narrowed, judging him. “Also heard she got out of it by herself.”

The unspoken implication, that she’d had to take care of herself because Zach and his partners hadn’t protected her, burned his craw.

“She only thinks she got out of it herself. If it wasn’t for Rusty, Gideon, Ross, Barstow and a whole posse standing with her, she’d be dead by now, or worse.”

Cole looked Zach over. He started at the scuffed boots and rose to the wool pants still needing a patch on the knee where a longhorn had caught him. His work shirt, worn too many days without a washing, had a couple of buttons missing. He hadn’t shaved since yesterday morning. Even his hat was old and dirty.

The Southerner, however, looked like he’d just come from a bathhouse. He wore a clean and mended white shirt, old but well-brushed boots and pants. His string tie matched the band around his hat.

Zach pushed his shoulders back to look down on the shorter man. It didn’t seem to bother Cole one bit, so he went on the attack. “You hear anything else you want to tell me?”

“Yes, sir, I do. Couple of things.”

“Then spit ’em out so I can get my supper!”

Cole reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a toothpick. He put it in his mouth and moved it around a bit while he stared Zach down.

“Miss Mason is a fine-looking woman. She’s got backbone.”

“Sure does. Anything else?”

“She’s your woman.”

“Damn right! Mine and Rusty’s and Gideon’s.”

“Then you make sure you treat the lady right.”

Zach’s tight fists relaxed. The rest of his muscles followed. He raised a lazy eyebrow. “You think Kate would put up with anyone treating her wrong?”

Wrinkles appeared around Cole’s eyes as they warmed. “I think all three of you’ll be kept on your toes for many years.” He grinned. “I’ll be laughing when she and Jessie put their heads together. You won’t be, though.” He held out his hand. “Welcome to Tanner’s Ford, McInnes. We’ll be expecting an invite to a meal cooked by Mrs. McInnes.”

Zach took the hand, applying just a bit more pressure than Cole before releasing. “Who says she’ll be a missus anytime soon?”

“You’ve got all the signs of wanting to put a ring on her finger to keep her close to your heart and home.”

“A ring don’t mean nothing unless the person wearing it speaks true.”

“That works both ways, friend.” Cole held out his palm. “If you pass me the key, I’ll let you get to your supper.”

Zach handed the oversized key to Cole. “I’ll take the next shift as well. Gideon and Rusty’ve been at Baldy’s for a few hours now. Don’t expect they’re up to much more than keeping their heads above the table.”

Cole closed the jail door behind him, leaving Zach alone with his thoughts.

He hadn’t planned for word about Kate to get out so fast, but everyone in the posse hailed her as a heroine. They’d cheered when she stepped onto the porch after the limping ex-mayor had been put on a horse, his hands tied in front. They cheered even louder when Rusty told them, at the top of his voice, how she’d kept Rivers from escaping.

Once he had gotten his hands on her and found out she wasn’t hurt, he couldn’t let her go. He insisted she ride on his lap all the way to town. He wanted to take her home to the ranch, but the sheriff asked if she’d like to meet Molly and Sarah. He took off his hat and scratched his head. The dang woman was holed up at Doc’s with too many wives just as stubborn as herself. Who knew what she was saying, or learning from them?

Zack groaned. Though he talked big with Cole Taylor, he had little to offer a woman like Kate. She was raised rich, educated, and had expectations they couldn’t give her. They all knew the three R’s thanks to Pa, but there was little money for schooling. Everything else they’d learned from doing.

Once Kate saw up close and personal that Montana Territory was full of eager men, far richer and with city manners to boot, why would she want to stay? They had five years of hard slogging ahead to make the ranch theirs, and that was just the first step. Then they had to build it up to leave something better for their children. There’d be little time for fun, for many years.

Yep. Sure as shootin’, Kate would miss her city comforts, women friends, and everything else. How long before she got like Ma and looked for something better than a two-bit husband, his brother, cousin, and a hard-scrabble ranch?

Kate was a lady, while he was the son of a hardworking, honest man and a smiling snake of a woman. He’d do his damndest to be as good a father as Pa, but how could he trust that a woman wouldn’t end up like Ma?

Frustrated and angry at himself, Zach rammed his head back, hitting the square-cut logs of the jail. The pain in his skull did nothing to ease the one in his heart. He wished he hadn’t hauled Kate off that train. He should have wooed her with gentle words, like she was raised to expect. She’d think he’d shown his true character when he covered his face and pulled his gun on that carriage full of innocent brides. But how else was he supposed to find a wife out here?

Kate was no longer innocent, and she wanted to do more than take care of her men. He’d have to learn how to cope since he couldn’t do much to stop her. After her punch and kick at Rivers, Kate believed she was invincible.

He wanted to hold her in his arms, soothing and protecting her, but the dang woman wouldn’t let him.

So here he was, hanging outside a jail and mooning over a woman. Pa warned him about pride coming before a fall. He’d been so proud of finding Kate. When she fit in with them so easy, he thought life was set. Ha!

Trust a woman to make a hornet’s nest of his life.

The sound of plodding horses approached, this time from the west. He stepped forward as Jed Adams and Clint Fortune pulled up. They weren’t competition for Kate since Jed had married Victoria a few months back. He wasn’t sure what happened, but heard it took a couple of weddings to make things official. Walt, an incurable gossip, said Jed was already boasting about a child due in the spring. Would Kate agree to marry him if she got in the family way?

Jed looked up as a roar erupted down the street. “We must’ve missed something big. What’s happening?” he asked as he dismounted.

Clint tilted his head toward the noise. “Sounds like there’s a party going on at Baldy’s.”

“It started here but the sheriff told them to move on out,” said Zach.

“We came to town to see if Barstow’s heard anything more about Smythe,” said Jed. “Is he the one locked up?”

“We having a necktie party?” asked Clint eagerly.

“Could’ve been if the sheriff and judge weren’t there to stop it,” said Zach. “Most folks are happy with what the posse caught today.”

“Posse? Who’d you catch, doing what?” Jed tied off his horse. Clint was a moment behind.

“See for yourself.” Zach opened the jail door.