Chapter Twenty-one
One more week until Aidan’s birthday party. Nola and Rachel had taken the lead on planning it since Maura was so busy helping her momma with the business of herbs. The herb garden was thriving, and every day someone came by the ranch to barter for the fresh herbs and flowers.
Basil. Oregano. Thyme. And then there were the medicinal herbs such as lavender and purple cone flowers—echinacea. Its properties encouraged the immune system and reduced many of the symptoms of colds, flu, and similar illnesses, infections, and conditions. Mothers who couldn't afford a doctor's call gave their children homemade chicken soup and echinacea tea. It worked.
Maura was happy. Well, mostly happy. The only thing spoiling her days was her deception about the baby. When she first thought she might be pregnant, she and Aidan were still trying to find their way to each other But now? She was starting to believe he cared for her, and that made all the difference in her decisions.
Next week was Aidan's thirtieth birthday party, and it would be their two-month anniversary. That would be the perfect time to tell everyone about the baby.
Rachel and Sully would be thrilled, as would her momma. Papa? She guessed he would be happy too. Papa wasn’t much for showing emotions, but she knew he would be relieved this baby would seal the agreement between families. And Aidan? Would Aidan be as happy with the news now that things were settled between their families? She hoped so.
Her conscience pinched just a tiny bit. She touched her belly, knowing there was a tiny baby growing inside her. Aidan's baby. She smiled to herself and caressed her stomach. Just a few more days and she would share the news with everyone. Their family merger would be complete.
Maura thought back over the past week. She and Aidan worked side by side during the day, and at night, they fell exhausted into bed, wrapped in each other's arms. Sometimes they made love, lost in their passion for each other. Sometimes they were too exhausted from the day's work to do anything but lie in each other's arms, their hands exploring secret places. She would tuck herself into her husband's side, loving the feel and smell of him.
Maura had come to love the sound of her husband's tired snores. They no longer kept her up at night. Instead, she couldn't sleep without them. And, on those nights he came in late from the barn when she was supposed to be sleeping, those were the nights she would lay and dream of how Aidan would react when she told him about their baby. Just a few more days and everything she wanted would be hers.
Maura arrived back at the little cabin she shared with Aidan around six to find a strange man sitting on the porch. It appeared he was waiting on her
"Can I help you, sir? Are you lost?" she asked, a bit uneasy. How did a stranger get on the Langley property without being seen? He wasn't a panhandler for certain. He was dressed too nicely. And his car was parked out front. So, what did he want with her?
"I'm looking for Aidan Langley. I stopped at the main house, but no one answered the door. I passed a ranch hand on my way out, and he said Mr. Langley was staying here. Do you know him? Is he here?"
Maura relaxed a bit. "Yes, I know him. He's my husband. He's not home right now. Can I help you with something?" She wasn't comfortable inviting him in, so she joined him on the porch. Willow appeared and lay on the ground at her feet. She felt a bit safer, knowing Willow wouldn't tolerate strangers.
"I wanted to talk to him about the wheat contract with the government. His broker has expressed an interest in selling the land and the contract to my investors at one time. As you can well imagine, in this day and time, investors don't like to sit on an opportunity too long. I was hoping to catch him today and perhaps negotiate a deal with him. Do you know when he will be home?"
Maura's ears were ringing, and her brain spun inside her skull. Aidan had offered to sell the land? But, her momma had told her no one could sell the land? What was happening?
Did Sully and Rachel know about this? Did Papa? Her world shifted, and she was no longer sure of anything anymore.
"I—don't know where he is. Or when he'll be home."
The man leaned forward, and Willow growled. He leaned back in the chair, keeping an eye on the dog at her feet.
"Are you alright, my dear? You look like you may be ill."
Maura nodded. That was quite possible. "I'm fine. Do you have a card, Mr.—" Maura prompted.
"Neddleman. Abe Neddleman. I'm the middle man for a group of men who have pooled what little cash reserves they have left after the market crash. They are very discriminating about where they put their money, and they feel this operation has merit. Especially with the government contract and subsidies promised for next five years." The man handed her a card and stood. Willow growled.
"That dog isn't very friendly, is it?" The man stepped off the porch opposite of where she and Willow sat.
Maura stood and watched the man back to his car, afraid to turn his back on Willow.
"It's not that she isn't friendly, Mr.—" Maura's muddled brain couldn't remember the man's name. She looked at the card in her hand. "Neddleman. She just has a problem trusting people."
He climbed inside his vehicle and spoke through the open passenger window
"That's not a bad trait to have, if you ask me. People are too trusting these days. Look at the stock market. If people hadn't just thrown money at strangers, we might not be suffering through this economic depression like we are."
Tears burned Maura's eyes.
He started his car's engine. "Thank you, Mrs. Langley, for your time. You give your husband that card and have him call me. Sooner the better. This is a grand opportunity for your family, and I would hate for you to miss out on the chance to start fresh."
Maura could only nod. Her emotions were bubbling inside her in catastrophic proportions. She took several deep breaths to calm her hysteria and hurt to a manageable level. She stood on the porch and watched the man turn his car around and disappear out the front gate.
"Come on, Willow. Let's go inside. Aidan will be home soon, and we can get to the bottom of this mess."
Willow followed her inside, and Maura threw the card down on the table as if it burned her fingers. It wasn't the man's fault Aidan couldn't be trusted.
A sudden thought came to mind. Were Sully and Rachel in on this? They would have to be, wouldn't they? Aidan couldn't sign the contract without Sully and her papa signing off on it too, could he? So why would her papa do this to her and her momma?
Maura paced through the tiny cabin, furious that she was such a lovesick idiot. A piece of paper caught her eye on the table. She saw a note obviously scribbled in haste. Aidan must have been in a real hurry when he wrote this. She studied the note and weighed her options. She read it again. "I'm in town at Gino’s Bar meeting Tommy, Mike, and Jerry. Come join us around eight for dinner. A."
"Come join you?” Maura looked at the clock on the wall. It was a quarter till seven. "I'll come join you."
She ran water into the sink and wiped herself as clean as she could. There wasn't time for a proper bath. She rummaged through her clothes. Most of her dressy clothes were still in her closet at home. Her former home. She supposed it would be again very soon.
Opting for a simple dress with a sweater to stave off the evening chill, she slipped her feet into flat-heeled pumps and let herself out the door. Willow followed.
She needed answers from Rachel and Sully, too. Had her papa been right about the Langleys all along? Were they liars? She just couldn't believe it of them. She refused. But she needed to know before she told anyone about the baby. She would not allow her child to become a pawn in this stupid game of deceit.
She stuck her head inside the back door. Rachel and Sully were sitting at the table, eating pie and drinking coffee.
"Can I talk to you two about a very serious matter?"
"Of course, Maura. Do come in and sit down. Would you like some pie and—?"
"No, this can't wait."
She saw the shocked look on Rachel's face at her abrupt interruption.
"You sound serious, dear. Is something wrong?" Sully scooted his chair away from the table and gave her his full attention."
"There was a man at the homestead cabin just now when I arrived home this evening."
"A man? How did he get on the place without someone seeing him? Did he hurt you?"
"No, he was nice. Here's his card." Maura handed Sully the man's card.
Rachel looked over Sully's shoulder. "Abe Neddleman. Broker."
"What did he want?" Sully laid the card down on the table.
“He said Aidan contacted him about selling The Legacy and the Jackson land right along with it.” Maura blew out the breath she had been holding.
Shock colored Sully’s face a pale shade of gray. Rachel fell back into her chair. Tears sprang from her eyes. Maura had her answer. Rachel and Sully were as shocked as she was.
“But, Aidan can’t sell something that isn’t his. Are you sure you heard the man right, Maura? I’m not taking up for the boy, but something doesn’t make sense. He can’t sell the land. We have it in a contract that once we combined Jackson and Langley land, no one can sell the land.”
“All I know is what the man said, and he seemed very sure he knew what he was talking about.”
Rachel turned to Sully. “Where’s the contract you and Harvey signed?”
“At Gab’s office. Harvey and I thought it best to leave the original in Gab’s safe where he keeps his clients’ legal documents.”
“Could something have been misunderstood, Sully?”
“No, Sunshine. There was no misunderstanding about the wording Harvey and I agreed to in that contract. If something has changed, it was deliberate.”
Sully turned to her. "Where is Aidan now?" His words clipped and angry.
Maura showed him the note Aidan left on the kitchen table. "He left this note. Said he was meeting some guys at Gino’s Bar. I'm headed there now."
"You aren't going alone, Maura. We are your family now. That is, if you'll still have us—after this." He crumpled the card on the table. "I can't tell you what has gotten into Aidan, but I damned sure intend to find out."
Sully rose from the table and grabbed a key from a peg on the wall.
"Sully, this is something I have to do for myself."
Maura watched Aidan’s dad struggle with her request. She knew he was used to fighting his own battles himself. Finally, Sully nodded. "Here is the key to the truck. There's plenty of gasoline in the tank." Maura watched him hesitate. "And Maura, if things don't work out between you and Aidan, just know you have a place here, with us, anytime you want it. Because he’s not selling this land."
Tears welled in Maura's eyes. "Thank—you. Both." It was all she could manage without busting out bawling. She wished she could tell them about the baby, but now wasn't the time.
Maura waved and was out the door. Willow met her at the bottom of the kitchen steps. She reached down and petted the Australian Shepherd between the ears. "Goodbye, Willow. You've been a good friend and companion. I’ll miss you.”
Willow barked her reply and followed Maura to the pickup and jumped in the back, refusing to get out.
"Problem?" Sully came out on to the front porch.
"Willow is in the truck and won't get out."
"She's a smart dog. Maybe she wants to give Aidan a piece of her mind, too. Take her with you."