Chapter Twenty-seven
“I think, sweet sister, that I’m going to pay Julie a visit this morning,” Roderick announced at breakfast the following day.
He had been pleased with the way his readings had gone the night before and was feeling very good about himself. He knew they would be leaving Durango in another day, and he had little time to make a decision about Julie. Overnight, as he’d lain in bed thinking things over, he’d realized that Julie was a good marriage prospect. She was pretty and intelligent and had money. He wasn’t concerned about love. He knew it was a highly overrated emotion. He was more concerned about his future at the university, and he believed Julie would be an asset to him. He planned to broach the subject with her today, but first he wanted to run it past his sister.
“For any special reason?” Ellen asked, pretending to be naive. She’d always known that Julie had feelings for Roderick. When they’d been in school, her friend had always asked her about him, and the few times Julie had seen Roderick, she’d seemed in awe of him. Ellen was pleased that her brother now seemed to return that interest. She secretly believed they would be a good match.
“Well, I’ve given it much thought, and, though I know we’re supposed to be leaving tomorrow, I want to propose to Julie.”
Ellen smiled broadly. “I always knew you were a smart man, Roderick. Julie is a wonderful woman.”
“I believe we could be happy together.”
“I think so, too, and I think she’d make a wonderful sister-in-law. Go see her right away! I can’t wait to see what she has to say!”
Julie had finally fallen asleep, but had not slept soundly. She’d awakened numerous times, her thoughts on Steve and the pain she’d seen in his expression as he’d left her earlier that night.
When morning came, Julie lingered in bed, not eager to get up, not eager to face the new day. She was confused and unhappy, and wanted to talk to Steve again. Actually she wanted to do more than just talk to him. The thought of what she wanted to do with him brought a slight smile to her lips, but it immediately faded. She wondered when she would see him again, and what he would say to her when they did meet.
It was midmorning when she ventured downstairs. She knew she was due to have lunch with Ellen and Roderick and so had dressed accordingly, though her heart wasn’t in the excursion. She realized she was looking forward to Saturday, when she would be putting them on a stage heading out of Durango.
It amazed Julie that she was feeling that way about Ellen and Roderick, considering how excited she’d been about their visit a mere week before their arrival. She’d learned a lot about herself during these last few days, though, and, as surprising as the revelations had been to her, she knew they were the truth. Julie was glad she’d come to understand the desires of her heart before it was too late.
The knock at the door was answered by her mother. Adele called out that Roderick was there for a visit. The news surprised Julie for they hadn’t been due to meet until near noon.
“Why, Roderick, this is a pleasant surprise,” Julie said as she went to join him in the parlor.
“You look lovely today.” He was standing with her mother as she came in, and he smiled when he saw her.
“Thank you,” she said demurely. “Did Ellen come with you?”
“No, we’ll be meeting her at noon. I came early because I wanted to have the chance to talk with you for a while. Last night was so busy that I fear we didn’t get to spend much time together.”
Julie wasn’t sorry at all that they hadn’t been together last night, but she said nothing.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Adele told them. “Roderick, it’s always wonderful to see you.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Do you want to sit in here or out on the porch?” Julie asked.
“This is fine.” He went to her and took her hand, drawing her to the sofa.
They sat down, but he still didn’t let go of her hand.
Julie’s thoughts were on Steve and the memory of what had happened on that very sofa last night. She was hard-pressed to concentrate on what Roderick was saying.
“Julie, I’ve done some serious thinking these last several days, and I wanted to tell you that . . .” He paused, as if thoughtfully, then continued in earnest. “That I love you, and want you to marry me.”
One week—a simple seven days before—those words would have left her ecstatic. She would have accepted his proposal without a thought. But she knew better now.
Julie knew her heart’s desire now, and it wasn’t Roderick.
It was Steve. No matter how difficult life might prove to be for them, she couldn’t imagine an existence without him. She was willing to fight for Steve’s love.
Roderick was waiting. He’d expected Julie to be delighted and to accept his proposal immediately. He was a bit put off when she remained so quiet.
“Julie, did you understand?” he ventured, prodding her, trying to hide his annoyance. No doubt, he reasoned, she was just overwhelmed by his proposal. That was why she was being so quiet.
“Roderick . . . you are a very nice man, and I am honored that you have proposed to me, but I’m afraid I can’t accept.” She pulled her hand away from him and stood up.
“What?”
“I’m sorry, Roderick. I don’t love you, and I don’t want to marry you.”
Anger flared in his eyes. This woman had the unmitigated gall to turn down his proposal of marriage? He was shocked and outraged. He had planned to take her back east and introduce her to polite society, but no more. “I see,” he said tersely. “If you’ll excuse me, then.”
Roderick stood and strode from the house, his head held high, his posture rigid. He did not even bid her mother good-bye, so intent was he on returning to the hotel.
“Ellen,” he called loudly as he pounded on her hotel room door.
“Yes, Rod? How did it . . . ?” Her voice trailed off as she saw his expression. “Oh, dear.”
“Start packing. We’re leaving on the next stage or train out of Durango.”
“But I should go say good-bye to Julie.”
The ferocious look he shot her ended any thought she had of seeing her friend again. When Roderick had left her, she quickly penned a note to Julie and left it on the dresser in the room.
They were on the noon stage out of town. Roderick hadn’t cared about destination. He’d just wanted to leave.
When Julie went to meet them for lunch, she was shocked to learn that they had checked out and already left town. The maid who checked their rooms for them found the note and gave it to her. Julie took it and quickly read it. She returned home, her heart numb from all that had happened.
She longed to see Steve.
Tessa was not eager to make the trip to the mine. She wanted to stay in Durango to be close to Jared, but it was payday, and she knew Will would be expecting her. She and Jim headed out early that Saturday morning, but she detoured as they passed by the marshal’s office.
“I have to make one short stop,” Tessa told Jim with a conspiratorial smile.
“I think we can spare the time.” He grinned back at her, completely understanding her need to see Jared before they left. They would be gone for close to four days, and that was a long time for these two young people to be apart, now that they’d discovered their love for one another.
Tessa reined in and quickly dismounted and tied up her horse. She was wearing her pants, and when Jared looked up as she entered the office, she could see the look of delight on his face.
“Woman, you do look good in those pants,” Jared said, admiring her shapely form as she crossed the room to his desk. “Are you leaving already?”
“Jim and I wanted to get an early start, but I didn’t want to leave without saying good-bye.”
Jared was glad he was alone. He stood and motioned for her to follow him to the back. “I think I need at least one kiss before you leave.”
“Only one?” Tessa asked archly as she went straight into his arms and kissed him warmly.
Jared hugged her close. “Hurry back.”
Tessa drew away so she could look up at him. “Don’t worry. I will. You’re waiting here for me.”
He tenderly touched her cheek. “That’s right—I will be.”
They walked back out to the front and he accompanied her outside.
“You take care of my woman for me, Jim,” he told the older man.
“I’ll keep an eye on her,” he promised.
Jared helped her to mount and then let his hand linger on her leg just a moment longer. She was a sight in the pants, and he was thinking seriously of having her wear them all the time once they’d married. The idea held much appeal for him.
“I’ll see you in a few days,” Tessa said, giving him a look of longing.
Jared nodded and waved as they rode off. He wished he could have taken the time to go with them, but with that gold shipment going out shortly, he had to make sure everything was safe here in town.
Tessa had never before been so glad to reach the mine. The trek had seemed unusually long this time, and she knew it was only because she was already missing Jared. They rode in to find Will in the office and the others working the mine. Jim went to tend to their horses, while Tessa spoke with Will.
“Tessa, you are right on time. It’s good to see you,” Will said, sitting back down at his desk after offering her a chair before him. He was trying not to let the anger he was still feeling toward her show.
“It’s good to see you, too, Will.”
“How are things going in town?”
“Just fine.” She filled him in on some of the town gossip and told him about Roderick’s readings. She knew there was no avoiding telling him her big news. “There is one other thing I wanted to share with you.”
“What?” He looked up, curious.
“Jared Trent and I are going to be married,” she announced.
Will’s expression didn’t change, and he was proud of his ability to hide his true feelings. She was going to marry the lawman? The realization only increased his ire.
“I see,” he ground out.
Will wanted to grab her and slap her for her stupidity. He clenched his hands into fists at his sides. It had been bad enough when she’d told him she thought of him only as a friend, but the news that she was planning to marry the stupid marshal left him almost in a rage. He’d show them! He’d show them both, and in just a few days!
At that moment, Zeke decided to come into the office, unannounced. Tessa was sitting with her back to the door.
“Will, I wanted to tell ya that—”
“Not now, Zeke!” Will snarled at the man, his anger showing.
“But—”
“I said no! Miss Tessa and Jim are here. We’ll talk business later.”
Will could never be sure what Zeke might say, and he didn’t want to risk having him around Tessa and Jim.
Terror seized Tessa. She didn’t know how she kept from bolting from her chair when Will responded to Zeke’s interruption using the same words the outlaw leader had used during the stage robbery: “I said no!”
There was no mistaking their voices! There was no doubt in her mind!
Tessa supposed she hadn’t noticed the similarity before because she’d been so distracted by Michael’s death on her last visit. But now, not seeing Zeke but only hearing him, she was sure. Zeke Ferris and Will were two of the gang who’d robbed the stagecoach!
“I’m sorry if I’m interrupting your work,” Tessa said sweetly, congratulating herself on her acting ability as she looked over her shoulder at Zeke.
“No, believe me, Tessa, we look forward to your visit every month,” Will said, shooting Zeke a cold look.
The other man backed out of the office and shut the door as he went.
Will discussed how things were going at the mine with her for a while, and then Jim came to join them.
“Did you want to spend the night and head back to town tomorrow?”
Before Jim could say anything, Tessa spoke up. “We’ll take you up on lunch, but I want to start back right away. I have a lot of things to get done before the wedding.”
“Well, I’ll rustle you up some lunch right now,” Will said, leaving Tessa and Jim alone in the office.
When she was sure that they were alone, Tessa turned frightened eyes to Jim, who was confused by her eagerness to leave.
“Tessa? What’s wrong?”
“We’ve got to get back to town as quickly as possible! I can’t believe I didn’t realize it before.” Her expression was tormented.
“Realize what?”
“Jim, I know this will sound far-fetched, but I’m sure of it. Will and Zeke—they’re part of the outlaw gang that robbed the stage I was on.”
He looked totally confused. “I don’t understand.”
“I recognized their voices just now. Zeke came into the room behind me and I didn’t see him when he spoke. He was the one who hit Doris and me!”
“You’re sure?” Jim asked, looking grim.
“Positive. We’ve got to get to Jared and tell him, but you can’t let on that you think anything suspicious is going on here, all right? I’m counting on you. Heaven only knows what they might do to us if they think we’re on to them.”
Jim nodded as Tessa started discreetly looking around the office for some clue that she was right, but she found nothing. A few minutes later, when Will brought them a simple lunch, they thanked him and ate hungrily.
Will did not question Tessa’s hurry to return. He was glad that she was leaving. He wasn’t sure he would have been able to keep his hands off of her—whether in passion or anger—that night if she’d decided to stay.
When they rode away later that afternoon, Tessa and Jim kept their pace normal until they were several miles from the mine. Then they put their heels to their horses’ sides and rode as fast as they could. They rode long into the night, but finally had to make camp.
As Tessa lay by the fire, trying to get some sleep, her thoughts were haunted by memories of Michael’s death and of Will bringing his body to town. She began to wonder in horror if his death had been an accident at all.
She wanted Jared with her.