Thirty-two

The kitchen in the main house was out of commission until Duel could rebuild it, which created a bit of a problem. Although they used Marley’s oven for the biscuits and made a cake to celebrate surviving that evening, they cooked the biggest part of supper over a large campfire in the compound. Marley’s house was simply too small for everyone.

The rest of the main house remained unharmed, which was a pure miracle, everything considered. If the fight hadn’t come the same day as the rainstorm, the damage would’ve been horrendous.

Sheriff Bagwell and his deputy borrowed a wagon and carted the cursing prisoner, Wes Douglas, and the dead into Tranquility. They had six bodies to try to identify and bury, in addition to Sheriff Coburn. This time they were all seasoned men, not the young boys they’d seen in the past.

Roan wondered if Ruby was switching tactics or had just seen that young boys didn’t have the bloodlust she wanted.

Granny Jack had left with her cats to stay with a widowed friend in town until the mess blew over, saying that she wouldn’t put them out any longer. They needed all the space they could find.

Roan sat by the campfire with Marley and Matt, listening to the coyotes howl in the distance. He glanced at Duel, who couldn’t get out of Jessie’s sight.

“Tell us what happened after you left here, sir,” Roan said.

“Ran into trouble just like you did at Piebald. They were expecting us and had the road blocked. All of them were armed. Started shooting at us. It took a while to convince them to give up their weapons.” The little grin that formed on Duel’s face said he’d taken no small amount of pleasure in the convincing. “Some were injured and had to be treated, then we had to find a place to put them. Finally decided on an empty train car. It was midafternoon when we got around to questioning them about the cattle.”

Duel reached for the pot and filled his cup. “The prisoners refused to talk. By that time, we were exhausted and decided to get some rest, so I left a few men to guard, and we caught some sleep in the saloon’s rooms.”

Jessie sat up, her eyes wide with innocence. “Whose bed did you sleep in, dear?”

“Well, it happened to be…uh…Millie’s, but she wasn’t…ah…in it.” Duel glanced at his men to help him out, but they avoided his eyes.

“So she’s a working girl?” Jessie asked.

“I assume so.” He took her hands. “Darlin’, you should know me well enough by now. I only have eyes for one woman, and it’s not Millie, or anyone else but you.”

Roan watched the exchange, glad he wasn’t the only one to get into hot water. He guessed most women were a little jealous of their husbands.

“Just checking,” Jessie said, kissing Duel’s cheek. “Go on, dear.”

Marley shifted and glanced up at Roan. “I fear I’m going to be like my mother.”

“In more ways than one.” Roan lifted a strand of dark, silky hair and coiled it around his finger.

Duel continued his story. “There I was, dead to the world, when the door creaked open. I reached for my gun before I saw it was Millie. She told me that I’d find my cattle at Ruby Creek’s ranch near San Saba. Then she said she overheard talk that all of my family would be slaughtered and the ranch set on fire before dawn.” Duel took a sip of coffee. “I rousted all but a few of the men, and we rode like hell, praying to get here in time.” He took a shuddering breath. “I never want to be cutting it that close again.”

Smoke still filled Roan’s head, but the name on Duel’s tongue jarred him. “Did I hear you right? You said Ruby Creek’s ranch?”

“That’s right. Why?”

“We’ve been trying to piece something together.” Roan told him about Virginia Creek and always finding her in Gentry’s company. Roan cleared his throat. “The kid we rescued—Beau Marsh, he’s sitting over there with the other children—said Ruby recruited all the young kids who lost parents in the first mob rule. She seems to be behind everything going on around here. The killings, the rustling, everything. But Beau didn’t know Ruby’s last name. I’m wondering what the connection is between Ruby and Virginia. Sisters? Mother and daughter?”

“Did the kid know what Ruby looks like?” Duel asked.

“Nope. He couldn’t say, except that she’s older than Marley. I’ve only seen Virginia. She seems like a nice lady. She has to be kin to Ruby for sure. Since they’re both older women, I’d say they’re sisters. Maybe twins.” Roan paused. “Something tells me we’ll find Gentry when we find Ruby. There are too many coincidences, and he always turns up with Virginia.”

Marley stirred and sat up straighter. “Virginia stayed by my side while I finished the shooting competition. I just knew nothing was going to happen to me with her close. She has this maternal instinct, like Mama. Now I wonder why she did that.”

Roan stared toward the crossbar of the ranch. He wondered, too, and it was time to find out—about Ruby and Virginia, why the missing cattle were at Ruby’s, and why she had put together an army of boys.

Duel’s face was hard. “Roan, get ready to ride at daybreak. We’ll find Ruby’s ranch and be done with this once and for all.”

“I agree, sir. The sooner the better. Until we chop the head off the snake, it’ll just keep attacking. No one will be safe until it’s done.” Roan got up and wandered over to Beau Marsh. Sadness oozed from the boy’s eyes.

Roan sat down beside him. “Hi, Beau. Everything all right?”

Beau shrugged. “Reckon so.”

“What’s worrying you, son?”

The kid swung around to face Roan. “What’s gonna happen to me?”

The question caught him off guard a little. He laid an arm across Beau’s shoulders. “I don’t exactly know right now, but we’re going to take care of you. Do you know of any relatives still living?”

“Nope.” Beau propped his chin on his fisted hands with his elbows on his knees.

“Then you’ll stay here. With us. You can go to school with the other children.” Roan finally understood why Jessie couldn’t turn away a homeless child. It must be the same thing that Duel had come to understand.

A look of wonder crossed Beau’s eyes. “I ain’t never been to school before. Do you think I could learn to read?”

“Absolutely. You can also learn to write and do sums.” A lump blocked Roan’s throat, and he had to swallow hard. “You can learn all sorts of things. When I was a boy about your age, I didn’t have anyone to take care of me, and I went to live with a schoolteacher. She taught me about stars, and painting, and history. Did you know that George Washington was the first president of this country?”

“Nope.”

“And someone recently invented a horseless carriage. They call it an automobile.”

“No fooling? A carriage that doesn’t have a horse to pull it?”

“It’s true. The automobile is powered by gasoline.” Roan loved the excitement on the boy’s face. “There’s a whole amazing world out there just waiting for you.”

“I want to go to school and learn about these things. But I don’t know if the McClains want me here. They have so many kids already.”

Roan leaned closer and motioned to Jessie. “Do you see that woman with the red hair?”

Beau nodded.

“She loves children more than anything in the world, and she wants you to stay here and be her boy.”

“She’s real pretty, and she smells nice too. Sorta like Mama.”

“Now, why don’t you go play with those boys over there and leave the worrying to me? All right?”

“Okay. Thanks, Mr. Penny.”

Roan moved back over to sit beside Marley. She smiled up at him and laced her hand through his. “Is Beau all right?”

“He’s feeling a bit lost, but I think he’s going to be fine. I jumped the gun a bit on something. He was worrying about where he’d live when this is all over. I kind of told him that Jessie and Duel want him to live here.”

“Good. I was going to tell you earlier that they were planning on taking him in.”

It was strange how things worked out just when you didn’t see any hope in sight.

Marley stood and cleared her throat, clutching Roan’s hand. “Hey, everyone. We need some cheer, and I have just the announcement that might brighten us up.” She took a deep breath. “Roan and I are going to be married—next week in fact.”

Jessie’s eyes glowed as she rushed to hug them both. “Honey, I’m so happy for you. Not surprised, though. I can see the love you have for each other. It’s time you started your own lives.”

Duel shook hands with Roan. “Love and cherish her, and we’ll get along fine.” Then he hugged Marley. “You’ve come a long way from the little toddler I called Two Bit. I’m glad I could raise you and see the woman you’ve become. I’m so proud of you.”

Tears shimmered in Marley’s eyes. “Thank you, Papa, for giving me a safe, happy place in which to grow up. I’ll always be your Two Bit.”

Roan smiled at the special nickname. He had one for her too.

A sudden thought made him smile wider. He’d broken the curse of the waning moon it seemed. Gentry had tried his best to destroy them beneath one, but they were still alive and kicking.

Matt tugged on her dress. “Can I be your little boy, Mama Rose, and live with you and Mr. Penny?”

Marley shot Roan a questioning glance.

“Whatever you want to do is fine with me.” Roan would love having the kid around. Still, he knew Matt would be a lot of work for Marley. He wouldn’t add to what she already had. He wanted her to have time to write her stories and paint and meant to see that she would. Being fulfilled inside was as important as the body.

Marley knelt and straightened the collar of Matt’s jacket and wiped a smudge from his cheek. “Honey, let me talk to your Mama Jessie and Papa Duel first. We’ll see what they say.”

“Okay. Can I sleep with you tonight?” Matt wheedled, then whispered, “I have a monster under my bed. I’m scared.”

“Sure.”

Roan’s heart ached as he watched her hug the boy. After everything they’d been through, young Matt would be terrified for a long time. He might never get over it. Lord knows, Roan had had his struggles. But one thing he didn’t struggle with anymore, and that was his love for Marley. He wasn’t going to let her out of his sight as long as Gentry was loose.

Even with the ranch hands and Duel about, Gentry loomed over them like a raging tiger.

Hopefully, it would all end tomorrow.

* * *

The morning dawned cold and overcast. Roan had saddled up and was ready to ride. This time Duel took no ranch hands except him—everyone was on guard duty with strict instructions. Duel had ridden into Tranquility before daybreak to get the sheriff, and before they rode back to the ranch, Sheriff Truman Bagwell had telegraphed the lawmen in the surrounding counties to meet them in San Saba.

This time they’d have plenty of lawmen on their side. If Ruby Creek had Duel’s herd, there was no way she could squirm out of this.

Marley pulled her wool shawl tighter around her and found Roan for a moment alone. She’d left Matt sleeping, Jessie was saying goodbye to Duel, and the sheriff was talking to Hardy Gage. “Please be careful, Roan. Come back to me.”

He noticed she’d stopped saying, “No promises, no regrets.” That was good, because he could no longer agree with the statement. Everything had changed. He wanted to promise her the moon, and he’d have no regrets at making her his wife.

“It was a good thing Matt slept with you last night,” Roan growled just loud enough for her to hear. “I’d have curled up next to you, and we wouldn’t have gotten a wink of sleep.”

Marley’s eyes twinkled as she snuggled into a fold of the thick jacket he wore, another one of Caleb’s. She hoped all this mess with Gentry and Ruby ended soon, because they were about to exhaust her brother’s leftover clothing.

“What game would you have played?” she teased.

“No game, lady. It would’ve been for keeps, and you know what would’ve happened. I’d have filled you with my love and kissed you senseless.” He ran a calloused thumb across her cheek. “How is your head?”

“Still hurts, but I’ll be right as rain in a few days.”

“If I hadn’t tried to hold you back…”

She searched his eyes, stroked his jaw. “You couldn’t have done anything else, Roan. I was crazy with fear that the man would kill all of you. I had convinced myself that he’d stop if I went out there. But he wouldn’t have, would he?”

“No. Men like that never stop until they satisfy their bloodlust.” Roan anchored her face between his large hands and lowered his mouth. The kiss, though brief, held a promise of much more to come.

Roan nuzzled behind her ear and smelled the rosewater she’d dabbed on. “I can’t wait to make you my wife. I’m going to strip off your clothes, kiss every inch of that luscious body, and love you like you’ve never been loved.”

A smile teased Marley’s mouth. “I’ll hold you to that, cowboy. I only wish it were today.”

“I just realized I never asked you proper.” He got down on one knee. “Marley McClain, will you marry me, teach me to count each day a blessing, and be my wife forever and always?”

“I will. You’re not getting much of a bargain though. I have a lot of faults.”

He stood and put a finger under her chin, studying her. “Pretty lady, all I see is strength and extraordinary courage. When I get back, we’ll tell your mother and father and discuss where Matt is going to sleep.” They needed something bigger than her small house. “Meanwhile, don’t let your guard down and don’t leave the ranch. Stay close to the house.”

“Okay.” She threaded her fingers through his. “There’s no shortage of work to keep me busy. And I have a wedding to plan. I’m really going to be married to you. I can’t believe it.” Marley stared deep into his gunmetal-gray eyes. “Roan, I’ve written a letter to that publisher about my stories. As soon as the roads are safe, I’ll mail it.”

“Glad to hear it.” He glanced at Duel and Jessie saying their goodbyes. Though he couldn’t hear their soft words, by now he knew them by heart. Roan slipped an arm around Marley’s trim waist once more and drew her close. “Leave a light in the window, my Texas Star.”

“Always, Roan.” Her trembling voice spoke of fear for his safety.

If only he could ease her worry. But this was still an untamed land in many ways and a man didn’t often know when he left if he’d ever make it home again. Thoughts of the curse put on at his birth, and how fate had a way of snatching away everything he wanted flooded his mind. Hopefully, Ruby Creek still had some measure of kindness in her somewhere and didn’t gun him down on sight. But anyone who’d kill an innocent old man like Mose or recruit a bunch of boys to do her dirty work had to possess a mean streak a mile wide.

Duel stuck his foot in the stirrup. Roan gave Marley another kiss and climbed into the saddle. As they rode out, Roan scanned the ranch that had become home. Tears stung the back of his throat. Now that he’d ended his search, found his place, would he even have the chance to settle down in peace with the woman he loved more than life itself?