When Love Comes (14 page)

She felt guilty hiding her feelings from her mother, who
still insisted Broc was a thief. She was irritated that Corby watched the two of them with the suspicious eyes of a jealous lover. Gary was irritated, Andy angry, and Leo amused. Eddie was just happy to have Broc around. She wondered, not for the first time, why everybody couldn’t keep their opinions to themselves.

“There’s one.”

Amanda came out of her abstraction and turned her gaze in the direction Broc was pointing.

“She has twins,” Broc pointed out. “That almost never happens. Let’s make a big circle around her. She looks ready to bolt.”

The cow eyed Amanda suspiciously, her two calves huddled against her flanks. Amanda decided to ride on the far side of a thick grove of post oak tangled with grape vines. When she did, she found herself confronting one of Carruthers’s men. She recognized him as the one who’d told Carruthers he wouldn’t help him hang Broc.

He looked behind her, then over his own shoulder. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re after a cow that strayed off our land.”

“We? Who’s with you?”

“Broc.”

“Shit!”

The expletive surprised her.

“Carruthers has ordered us to shoot any of your men we find on his land. He was especially insistent that we keep a look out for Broc.”

“We were bringing some of your cows back when we noticed a few of ours,” she explained.

“That won’t make any difference to Carruthers.” They had cleared the thicket and Amanda saw that Broc had circled the cow and was hazing her back toward her ranch.
“Come with me,” the cowboy said and put his horse into a gallop.

Amanda saw Broc tense, then relax a little when he saw who was with her.

“Dan,” Broc called out. “What are you doing here?”

“We have to hide,” Dan replied as soon as he got close enough for Broc to hear. “There’s no time to ask questions. I’ll explain later.”

He looked over both shoulders. Amanda didn’t see anybody, but it was clear Dan was expecting someone very soon. She looked at Broc, but he nodded his head to indicate they were to follow Dan.

“This isn’t the best place,” Dan said, “but I don’t have time to find another.”

Amanda was unprepared to see Dan gallop his horse toward a post oak thicket about a hundred yards away. It wasn’t until their horses’ noses were touching the branches that Amanda saw the small break in the trees.

“In there.” Dan pointed to the opening. “Don’t leave until I come for you. It may be a long time, so just stay put.”

Without hesitation, Broc rode his horse through the opening and disappeared into the thicket. Giving Dan one last look, Amanda followed.

What had looked like an impenetrable thicket proved to be quite open once they passed the tangle of vines. The trees provided a canopy so dense that the lower branches had died and fallen off. The ground was covered with damp leaves that muffled the sound of their horses’ hooves. Broc motioned her to dismount.

“Hold your hand over your horse’s nose so he won’t nicker if he scents other horses.”

Being careful to move quietly, Broc approached the edge of the thicket.

“Why did you follow Dan without question?” she whispered. “He works for Carruthers.”

“I’ve talked with him a couple of times. I trust him.”

“Why did he want us to hide? If he was afraid of what Carruthers might do, why didn’t he just tell us to go back?”

“I expect some men he doesn’t trust are close enough he thought they might see us.”

Amanda wanted to say more, but her horse suddenly jerked his head up. She covered his nostrils just as his belly tightened up for a nicker.

“Somebody’s coming,” Broc warned.

Keeping a tight hold on her horse, Amanda strained her ears for the slightest sound. She was surprised at the number of little sounds she would never have noticed at any other time. But she wasn’t interested in rustling leaves, birds, small rodents, even the breathing of the horses. It wasn’t long before she heard approaching horsemen coming from two directions, one from the Lazy T and one from the Carruthers ranch house.

“What are they doing?” she whispered.

He shrugged his shoulders and indicated she wasn’t to talk. She suddenly realized why. The riders were approaching the thicket where they were hiding.

“This is a waste of time.”

“It’s what the boss wants, and he’s the one paying our wages.”

“That guy would be a fool to come back.”

“The boss is certain he will. He says he’s the type to get in trouble trying to help a woman.” The man laughed. “Hell, I’d get in trouble if I could get a piece of that woman.”

Amanda felt heat flame in her face, but it was impossible to move away. The speakers were too close.

“I think it’s stupid to waste time chasing cows off their land just to tempt them to come after their beeves. I don’t like this kind of stuff. I’m thinking about shoving off.”

“Why should you care?”

“What do you think, Dan?”

“Not my decision,” Dan replied. “I just take orders.”

“That’s what you ought to do.”

“I don’t know. I’m getting tired of riding around looking for chances to make trouble. Besides, I don’t see why that lady can’t send her hands over to look for stray cows.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Dan said. “They all get sorted out at roundup.”

“Then why are we chasing her cows over here?”

“Just to cause trouble,” the other guy said.

“Well, I’m fed up with it. She seems like a nice woman. Even the guy ain’t too bad.”

“Carruthers is just angry the fellow refused to work for him and hired on with that woman instead.”

“I’d work for her if she offered me a job.”

“You’d be a fool.”

“Time you boys get back to work,” Dan said.

“Want us to take that cow along with us?”

“No. She’s more likely to attract attention if she’s close enough for someone to see her.”

“Carruthers said chase every cow with calves by that stud bull as far away from her land as we can.”

“This cow can’t be bait if she’s five miles from here.”

“Let’s go. I’m starting to feel hungry. You coming?”

“Not yet,” Dan said. “I want to look around some more.”

“Make sure you give a signal if you find him. I don’t want to miss the fun.”

“You mean like when you caused that fool kid to bust his shoulder?”

“Nobody forced him to lasso that steer.”

“Get going,” Dan said. “You can argue on your way home.”

“Which way did the other hands go?”

“They’re making a broad sweep about a mile this side of the creek on their way back to the ranch,” Dan told them. “You ought to catch up with them in about ten minutes.”

“I’m not riding that hard. My horse will sweat, and I’ll have to wash him down.”

“You shouldn’t mind doing it after he’s carried your sorry ass all day.”

“Quit bitching and ride,” Dan ordered, “or you’ll be rubbing down every horse that went out today.”

The two men headed off at a canter. Amanda didn’t know whether Dan had gone with them until he spoke. “Wait about ten more minutes and you can leave. Head back toward that row of hills. It’s about twice as far that way, but no one will see you.”

Amanda wanted to thank him for helping them, but he rode away too quickly. She had some questions she wanted to ask, too, but this wasn’t the time.

“That clears up the mystery of why so many cows keep wandering in this direction,” Broc said.

“Why would Carruthers chase them off if we get them back at roundup?”

“He doesn’t care about the cows, just causing trouble. He’s determined to have your ranch, and he’ll do anything he can to make that happen. One of the best ways is to make sure you don’t have anybody working for you. That’s why he’s so angry with me.”

“Do you think those men would have tried to hang you?”

“No. It’s just Carruthers who seems to want me dead.”

“Why? I’m sure other men have refused to work for him.”

“But they haven’t worked for you instead. I think ten minutes have passed. Let me take a look.”

Amanda waited until Broc signaled it was safe. She had a lot to think about, but she intended to talk to the sheriff. He had to bring Carruthers to his senses before someone got hurt.

Or killed.

Amanda left the sheriff’s office feeling angry and dissatisfied. She’d explained her situation to the sheriff, told him everything Carruthers had done, including running off her stock so he could cause trouble, but the sheriff had told her there was no proof.

“None of his cowhands are going to admit he has told them to run off your cows, intimidate your hands, or threaten to hang Broc Kincaid,” the sheriff had said.

“Doesn’t my word count for anything?” she’d asked. “Broc, Andy, and Leo will vouch for everything I’ve said.”

“He has more hands than you do, and every one of them
could say just the opposite. I will be on the lookout for trouble, but he hasn’t done anything I can call him on. When something concrete happens, let me know.”

And that’s where the sheriff had left it. What use was a sheriff if he couldn’t do anything to prevent trouble, only react when it was too late?

“Amanda Liscomb, may I speak to you?”

Amanda turned around to find Priscilla Carruthers behind her on the boardwalk. She was surprised the girl had spoken to her, since Gary said she was angry at Amanda for accusing her father of causing trouble.

“Sure. What can I do for you?”

Priscilla was a tall girl of nineteen, the same age as Amanda. She had her mother’s pretty face and reddish-brown hair combined with her father’s imposing height and broad shoulders. She was expensively, though simply, dressed. Her manners were too queenly for Amanda’s taste, but she laid responsibility for that at the feet of Priscilla’s mother. Today, however, Priscilla looked like a nervous and unsure young woman.

“It’s not you exactly,” Priscilla said, looking even more uncomfortable. “It’s the man who plays the piano for you.”

“Broc?” Amanda was so surprised, she was certain she was standing there with her mouth hanging open.

Priscilla nodded. “I heard one of Dad’s hands, Dan Walch, saying he played the piano and sang. I want to know if he would help me.”

“Help you do what?” Amanda couldn’t imagine what Priscilla could want Broc to do. If her father found out she’d even talked to the foreman of the Lazy T, he’d probably lock her up.

Priscilla blushed and lowered her gaze. “I like to sing. My father bought me a piano, but I don’t have anyone to play for me.”

“I doubt your father would allow Broc on his ranch. He’s furious Broc decided to work for me.”

“I don’t want him to come to the house. Pastor Burns has given me permission to use the church.”

“Broc and I don’t get into town until evening.”

“Papa will let me come in at night as long as he thinks I’m going to the church. We could meet there before he goes to the saloon.”

Amanda could tell the girl was eager for some help, but she didn’t think it was a good idea for Broc to get involved. Her uneasiness must have shown in her expression.

“I can pay him,” Priscilla said. “Papa paid Oscar, and he was awful. I want to sing opera. Mama says I have a good voice, but Papa hates opera and wouldn’t let me sing anything but silly songs.”

Amanda didn’t know much about opera or why Carruthers should hate it, but she did know he would be furious if he found out Broc was helping his daughter.

“I don’t think—”

“Please. Just talk to him, tell him what I said.”

“I’ll tell him, but—”

“All I ask is that he listen to me sing. If he doesn’t think I have the voice to sing on a real stage, I won’t bother him again.”

“Okay, but I can’t guarantee he’ll help you.”

“Dan said Mr. Kincaid used to sing on riverboats.” Priscilla’s expression turned dreamy. “I’d love to sing for people like that.”

Amanda doubted her parents would be happy about that ambition.

“I have my own music.” Priscilla laughed. “Papa says it’s a terrible waste of money, but Mama says—”

Priscilla’s expression changed, and she broke off. Amanda turned to find what had disturbed her and saw Gary hurrying
toward them with a face-splitting grin. Her heart sank. It was obvious from Priscilla’s expression she didn’t want to talk to Gary.

“I went out to your place, but your mama said you’d come into town.” Gary spoke directly to Priscilla, ignoring his sister’s presence.

“I was talking to your sister, but now I have to go. I still have several errands to run.”

“I’ll be happy to go with you, carry packages, help you across the street.”

“I’m perfectly capable of doing that for myself. You may have noticed I’m a rather big girl.”

Priscilla had to be taller than half the men in Cactus Bend, something no woman was likely to consider an advantage.

“A lady shouldn’t have to carry her own packages.”

Gary ignored the fact that Priscilla had neither returned his smile nor appeared eager to accept his assistance.

“I wouldn’t like my father to see you helping me. He’s not very happy with your family.”

“That has nothing to do with me,” Gary said, pressing his case. “I already told him I’d be happy to sell him the ranch. I hate cows.”

“I doubt he’d appreciate that attitude either,” Amanda pointed out, annoyed that Gary had tried to undermine the family’s position.

“Not every man wants to be a rancher,” Gary said angrily.

“I’m sure Priscilla’s father knows that,” Amanda said. “However, since ranching is his chosen profession, I doubt he would approve of your lack of appreciation.”

Gary glared angrily at his sister, but Amanda was irritated Gary was practically begging Priscilla to like him. Didn’t he have any pride?

Priscilla looked as uncomfortable as Amanda was annoyed.
“Papa has Dan Walch accompany me when I ride into town without him or my mother. I see he’s through with his business. You don’t need to accompany me,” she said to Gary. “It’s only a short distance.” Before he could object, she turned and strode off with a rapid stride more characteristic of a man than a woman.

“I know you couldn’t see the foolish expression on your face,” Amanda told her brother, “but you could hear the silly words falling out of your mouth.”

“I just offered to help carry her shopping. I didn’t know that big ox was with her.”

“You were virtually begging for the attention of a woman who was looking for a way to refuse without being rude. Face it, Gary, she’s not in love with you. She doesn’t even like you.”

“She does like me,” Gary insisted. “I’ve talked to her hundreds of times. Well, dozens. Anyway, she won’t tell me she loves me as long as you and Mama blame her father for everything that goes wrong on the Lazy T. Why can’t you leave her father alone? Don’t you care anything about my happiness?”

Amanda cared about Gary’s happiness, but he wanted to spend his life working in Corby’s saloon while Priscilla wanted to go to big cities and sing opera. They had nothing in common. “Of course I care about your happiness,” she said.

“Then why won’t you help me with Priscilla?”

“Did you know she wants to sing opera?”

“What’s that?”

“She wants to go to cities like Chicago, perform on a big stage, and sing foreign music in a foreign language.”

“Why would she do that?” Gary’s lack of comprehension would have been funny if it hadn’t been so pitiful.

“She probably would have gone to New Orleans or St. Louis by now, but her father won’t let her.”

“I don’t care,” Gary declared. “I’ll follow her anywhere.”

“Mama said opera singers have to go to Europe. Sometimes they stay there.”

“Why would she do that? Texas is better than anyplace in Europe.”

Amanda sighed. “People like different things. I’m afraid Priscilla doesn’t like cows, Cactus Bend, or Texas. Besides, she’s two years older than you.”

“It doesn’t make any difference to me,” Gary insisted. “I love her anyway.”

Amanda decided she’d said all she could at this time. “If you want some advice from another woman, don’t press her too hard. No woman wants to feel she’s been pushed into a corner.”

“I’m not pushing her. I’ll wait for years if I have to.”

Amanda hoped her brother would gain a little maturity and perspective in a couple of years. Right now he was acting as if he were fifteen rather than seventeen.

“Then don’t follow her around. Be cheerful, polite, and casual when you run into her. Let her talk about what she’s been doing. Let her decide when to end the conversation. If you don’t seem too anxious, she’ll be more likely to decide she likes you.”

Gary looked suspicious. “How do I know you’re not telling me all the wrong things? I know you don’t like her.”

“I like her just fine,” Amanda tried to assure him, “but I love you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“What do you know about things like this? You’ve never been in love. You don’t even like Corby.”

Amanda thought of the kisses she’d shared with Broc and felt heat flame in her face. Fortunately, Gary was too preoccupied with his own troubles to notice.

“Just because I don’t want to marry Corby doesn’t mean I know nothing about love.”

“How? You’ve never even kissed anybody.”

Amanda didn’t think she blushed, but something about her reaction caught Gary’s attention.

“You
have
kissed somebody. It’s not Corby, because he would have told me.”

“I didn’t say I’d kissed anyone.”

Gary ignored her. “It’s got to be somebody new. The only new man in Cactus Bend is Broc, but not even his horse would kiss a face that ugly. You’re not sneaking around with the sheriff, are you? I know all you women yammer about how good-looking he is, but he’s married.”

“I wouldn’t kiss Tom Mercer if he were unmarried and the only man in Cactus Bend,” Amanda stated emphatically.

“Well, you kissed somebody,” Gary said. “You had guilt written all over your face, and you were just in the sheriff’s office.”

“If I kissed anyone, it would be a man I cared about very deeply so I’d have no reason to feel guilty.”

“Does Ma know?”

His relentless questioning was making Amanda uncomfortable. “There’s nothing for anybody to know.”

“There’s something,” Gary insisted. “And I’m going to find out what it is. When I do, I’m going to use it to force you to help me make Priscilla love me.”

“You can’t make a person to fall in love with you, Gary. It doesn’t happen that way. Now I’ve got to get back to the ranch.”