Trent's Montana Bride (Sweet, clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides series) (11 page)

Trent followed Chloe along the hall and into Evan's room. Chloe looked mighty fine. She'd tied her hair up into a bun. Although Trent preferred to see Chloe's hair fall loose, he liked the way her high cheekbones were accentuated by the hair pulled high.
 

Chloe bent down and reached into the crib, lifting Evan up. The little guy was so cute in his tight fitting outdoor outfit.

"Can I take him?" he asked.

Chloe turned and her eyes widened. "You sure?"

Trent nodded "I'm sure. We got such a long way to go," he said with a wry grin. "You'll need all your energy for the journey," he said with a teasing quirk of his brow.

Chloe smiled and narrowed her eyes. "What on earth do you mean? I thought you said we had a long way to go."

Trent lifted Evan up in his arms. "Oh yes, ma'am. It sure is a long way."

Trent smiled at Evan and felt a rush of delight as the little boy gave him a grin right back. "Evan already knows," Trent said teasing Evan's nose with a finger. "Don't you Evan? It's our little secret."

Chloe's mouth twisted in a puzzled frown. "What are you up to, Trent McIntyre?"

Trent shook his head, turned on his heel and made his way out. He took a silent pleasure at the sound of Chloe scurrying behind him.

They went downstairs. Instead of heading out the front door Trent turned into the parlor, heading for the French doors at the rear of the house.
 

"Where are we going?" Chloe demanded.
 

Trent strode on, ignoring her request for an explanation. Evan started to giggle.
 

Trent could feel Chloe's eyes burrowing into his back. They went out the French doors and entered the back garden. Mrs. Ross had been tending the flower beds and borders for years. She'd created a beautiful enclosed green space made up of rows of well trimmed bushes, multi colored native Montana flowers of eye popping variety. There was a narrow path which led up the gradual incline to a grove of trees. The copse stretched far back from the house rising up the hillside upon which the ranch house was perched. Trent held Evan closer to him as he strode purposefully onward.

"I thought we were going for a ride on the buckboard," Chloe asked.
 

Trent shook his head. "Not safe yet for Evan," he answered emphatically.

Chloe drew up by his side gazing up at him. She had to draw her dress close in tight to prevent it snagging on the bushes and flower beds.

"So this...picnic is in the back garden?"

Trent shook his head. "Not just any old back garden."

He strode on. They came to the first of the trees. Trent knew the safest path to take. He was careful with Evan as he lowered his head, edging his way through the grove of trees. He pushed stray branches aside and paused, turning to make sure that Chloe was okay. He smiled as he saw her clutch her dress tight in her fist and trying to maintain a modicum of dignity while avoiding the bending branches.

"You okay?" He asked with a grin.
 

She peered at him in the softer, shadowed light of the grove. "I'm fine. And Evan?"

Trent twisted his head. "He looks like he's fascinated by the trees."

Evan was gazing up at the dappled light from the branches above his head. He had a huge smile on his face.

After a few minutes of making their way through the coolness of the grove they suddenly emerged out into a circular open area. Trent heard Chloe gasp and smiled. It was just as he'd asked Mrs. Ross to set it up.
 

"Trent! It's beautiful," Chloe said with a sigh.

They stood in flat clearing in the trees. There was a small, round wooden table and plain chairs. On the table Trent saw the large basket which contained the food. All around the edge of the space were flowers of various types and colors. Trent went to the table and turned. Because of the steep incline of the hill he could see over the top of the trees, above the house and out across the valley. It was a view that never failed to affect him, and here with Chloe and Evan it touched him more than usual.

"I never knew this was here," Chloe said joining him at the table.

Trent nodded. "It's a little secret place. I come here when I want some privacy." He turned and looked down at Chloe. "Now it's your secret place too. And Evan's," he said glancing at the smiling boy, who was gazing up at the clear blue sky.

"You said it was going to be a picnic. I thought we'd be sitting on a rug on a hillside somewhere," Chloe said.

"You don't like it here?" Trent asked.

Chloe smiled and nodded. "Of course I like it here. It's beautiful."

Trent turned and sat down on one of the chairs. "Guess we should think about the food that's in the basket," he said.
 

"Of course," Chloe said opening it up and looking inside. She took out the small plates and chicken that were inside. "Mrs. Ross has outdone herself," she said lifting out more plates with vegetables and fruit.

Trent bounced Evan on his knee. "You like it here, don't you, Evan," he said smiling at the little boy.

Chloe laid out the food on the plates, and before long they were eating and enjoying their time in the quiet, private place that was now reserved for their family. Trent thought about how fine that sounded. He watched Chloe as she ate, enjoying the fact that she was here with him. It was such a simple, surprising pleasure, like so many over the last few days. He'd known they couldn't travel too far with Evan. He'd been keeping this place a secret from her, hoping that at some point he could come here alone with her, maybe some evening when the stars were coming out. But it had seemed the right thing to do when he'd decided that their first visit to the private glade would be as a family.
 

It felt so good to be sitting at the small table with Chloe. She looked so happy and that made Trent feel that he'd done the right thing in marrying her. The pleasure he also felt at having Evan sitting on his knee couldn't be put into words. It had been an incredible time in recent days. How could so much good come out of such a tragic thing as the death of a friend? Trent couldn't even begin to figure that one out.

The air was cooler in the clearing. "Do you think Evan's warm enough?" he asked Chloe.
 

She looked over at Evan and put her chicken down on the plate. She touched Evan's face. "I think he's okay for the moment. But you were right. We can't be travelling too far with him. Not until he gets a bit older, anyway," she said.

Trent took a mouthful of the delicious vegetables. Mrs. Ross was a good cook. He was pleased that Chloe had been spared the need to take on the duties that some wives had to on getting married. He was proud that he was able to support his new family and provide a roof over their heads. Few men were able to give to their new families what he was able to.
 

Trent looked at Chloe. He wanted to ask her a question but he wasn't sure it was the right moment. However he wanted to know how she felt, needed to be sure he was doing the right things for her. There was only one way to know for sure.

"Are you happy, Chloe?" he asked getting straight to the point.

Chloe paused and seemed taken aback by the suddenness of the question. Trent saw her look at Evan. She smiled as she saw Evan's bright little eyes. "Evan seems happy," she said.

Trent took in a deep breath. "But I asked you. Are you happy?" he said pressing his point.

Chloe looked around the clearing. "Right now. I am. How couldn't I be, in such a lovely place. And with you two here as well," she said.

Trent saw a shadow settle in Chloe's eyes. He debated with himself whether he should change the subject, but he'd gone too far to stop now. He needed to know that the last few days hadn't been a complete waste of time.

"It's real important to me to know that you're settling down. That you're content," he said.

Chloe smiled at him. "That's so sweet of you, Trent. I really appreciate your concern," she said with what sounded to him like forced lightness in her voice.

Trent held Evan tight and leaned in a little closer to her. "I know it's been hard for you to adjust to life here. And I'm sure it's going to take a while to get used to your new life," he said.

Chloe reached across and laid a hand on his arm. "I'm doing what I can, Trent. You've been real good to me and Evan."

Trent felt a swell of satisfaction when he heard her words. "I'm doing what I think is right, Chloe. I guess the two of us have got some adjusting to do," he said.

"I understand. This is such a crazy situation we're in. But when I see Evan here, like this, I think we did the right thing," she said gazing with undisguised love at her son.

Trent felt his throat tighten. He took a drink of water and let out a slow breath. The air seemed suddenly warmer.
 

"I think Lucas would have been proud of you, Trent," she said after a pause.

"How do you mean?"
 

"I know how close you two were. He talked about you all the time. He always told me how much he owed you. Getting him settled out here in Montana. Giving him his start on the ranch. Encouraging him to go out on his own. You were such an important person in his life. I saw that when I met you for the first time. I suppose it's no surprise he asked you to take care of me and Evan the way he did."

Trent was touched deeply by her words. He'd always known that Lucas was a friend. Heck. Even more than a friend. But to hear Chloe say those words made something settle deep in Trent's gut. It was all he could do to keep a hold on himself.

"And you Chloe?" he asked almost as a way of getting away from the rising emotion. "Do you think about Lucas every day?"

Chloe's eyes moistened. "I sure do. Every time I look at Evan I see Lucas. Not a moment goes by when I don't think about him," she said. Trent heard the crack in her voice.
 

"He was a good man," Trent declared.

Chloe's eyes lowered and her shoulders sagged a little. Trent wanted to reach out and touch her, make the pain go away, tell her everything was going to be alright. But he didn't.

Chloe drew in a harsh, sudden breath. "How can bad things happen to good people, Trent? I don't understand it," Chloe pleaded.

Trent drew Evan closer to him feeling a need to shelter the little boy from the adult emotions. "I don't know why these things happen, Chloe. I really don't. It ain't fair. That's for sure. Seems like even out here in a place like Montana there's no justice for some people."

Chloe raised her face and Trent saw the depth of the feeling written there. "But there has to be an explanation. It seems just senseless that such a good man could come to an end like that," she said the sob beginning to rise in her voice.

Trent gave Evan's smooth hair a gentle protective kiss. He didn't know how to respond to what Chloe was saying. He desperately wanted to say something, anything that would give her some hope that one day there would be an understanding.
 

Chloe rapped her hand hard on the table. Trent was taken aback by the forcefulness of the gesture. Chloe's jaw tightened. Trent could see the rising anger in her.

"And to think that one of those men had the gall to come bothering me at the mercantile..." she blurted out. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened. She peered at Trent suddenly.
 

Trent felt as if someone had struck him across the face. "What!" he demanded.

Chloe shook her head and lowered her eyes. "It's nothing," she said with a dismissive wave.

Trent reached across and grasped her arm. "What men?"

Chloe turned away and tried to wrest her arm loose but Trent held her firm and gentle.

"Forget I said that," she stated.

"No, I won't," he responded. "Tell me. What man was bothering you. Was it at Harriet's?" he asked. He needed an answer. He wasn't going to let Chloe refuse.
 

Chloe sighed and paused. He could see her jaw working. Finally she closed her eyes for a moment, as if thinking deeply, and then opened them, fixing Trent with a firm look. "The day you left me at the mercantile to think about your proposal, a man came to the store. I didn't see him. But Harriet told me that he was asking for me. He didn't say why. But Harriet had a real bad feeling about. It had something to do with Lucas' death."

Trent let Chloe's arm go and leaned back. Evan gurgled quietly. Trent glanced down at Evan and sighed. "Why didn't you tell me this?" he asked her.

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't want you worrying. You had enough to think about taking me and Evan into your life."

Trent thought about what Nathan had told him. Could it be the same man who had been asking about Chloe in Billings? Surely it must be.

"You should have told me," Trent stated firmly trying to control the strength of his voice. He didn't want to scare Evan.

Chloe sighed. "I know I should have. But it seemed like the best thing to do. Anyway. I doesn't matter now. We're well away from Helena."

Trent struggled to keep his face impassive and blank. She mustn't know. She would only worry or even worse. Chloe might panic at the thought that someone had followed her from Helena. Someone who might have been involved in Lucas' death. Trent tried to figure out what should be done. What could he do? This changed everything.

Trent nodded. "Yeah. You're not in Helena anymore." He glanced at Evan. "You're both here on my ranch. Safe on our ranch," he said correcting himself. Chloe's eyes narrowed. He could see she was trying to gauge his reaction.

Trent's lips tightened. One thing was for sure. He had to find out who that man was if he, Chloe and Evan were going to have any chance at happiness on their ranch.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Chloe couldn't understand Trent's reaction to what she'd told him about the visitor in Helena. One thing was for sure, he hadn't been the same for the rest of the time they'd spent in the clearing. He'd seemed troubled by what she'd told him. However they hadn't spoken about it any further. The rest of the meal passed in a kind of pleasant and amiable manner which was in marked contrast to their earlier attempts at opening up to each other.