Chapter Two
Five Years Later
The annual festival had been going on all day and was a big success. It seemed just about the whole town and most of the ranchers from the outlying areas had turned out for the final event tonight: the dance. The hall was crowded, and everyone seemed to be having fun.
Off to the side of the dance floor, Matilda was keeping careful watch over the evening's activities.
"You know, Amanda," the elderly gossip began, "Roni Reynolds is back in town."
"Yes, I heard that, and I'm looking forward to seeing her again. We're so blessed that she decided to come back to Two Guns and take over her father's practice. We need a good doctor in town."
Matilda gave a derisive snort. "I doubt it was medical opportunity that called her back here."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the half-breed. Don't you remember all the talk about her and Walker before she went back east to school? Well, it'll be interesting tonight, to see if they pick up where they left off."
Amanda couldn't believe Matilda remembered all the details from so many years ago.
"You'll just have to keep watch," she told her friend, not wanting to start an argument.
"Don't worry," Matilda said with a confident grin. "I will."
Walker was standing with Jim, Chet Harrison and Stacy at the side of the dance floor.
"You've got yourself one lovely woman," Jim complimented Chet on his recently announced engagement to Stacy. When he had first heard the news, he'd been troubled. He cared for Stacy. He always had, but quiet man that he was, he'd never let her know the truth of his feelings for her. He deeply regretted that omission now for she'd accepted Chet's proposal, and they were to be married the following spring.
"Yes, I do," Chet agreed, smiling down at Stacy as he slipped an arm around her waist and drew her closer to his side.
Jim knew he had bought a ranch in the area some four years before and had been working it hard all this time. He'd noticed Stacy the year before and had started wooing her right away. The folks around Two Guns agreed she had it all—good looks with her blonde hair and shapely figure, and money, since the Stevenson ranch, the Dollar, was the most successful ranch in the area. She would be the perfect wife.
Stacy smiled up at her fiancé, all the love she felt for him shining in her eyes. "And I've got myself one good man."
"Well, look who's finally shown up—the new doc, herself," Jim said to the others as he caught sight of Roni making her way toward them.
Walker had not seen Roni since she'd returned from back east several weeks before. He glanced in her direction now and found he couldn't look away as she paused to greet some of the other townsfolk. The pale green, modestly cut gown she was wearing fit her perfectly, and she had styled her hair down around her shoulders in a tumble of soft dark curls. Roni had always been a pretty girl, and she had grown into a striking young woman.
"It's about time you got here," Jim teased Roni when she finally joined them. "I was wondering where you were."
"There was a last-minute emergency with one of the Nelson twins," she explained.
"Anything serious?" Stacy asked.
"No. Just a little too much roughhousing. Their mother thought one of the boys had broken his wrist, but it was only sprained. I bandaged him all up and he should be fine."
"Well, that's good news," Jim added.
Roni smiled up at him, and then she turned to Walker. "Walker. It's good to see you."
Roni had recognized Walker the moment she'd spotted him from across the room, standing there with Jim, who was now the town's banker. They were two of the tallest men in the room, and they were definitely two of the handsomest.
"You, too," Walker returned, his dark-eyed gaze warm upon her.
"You look lovely tonight—not that that's unusual for you," Jim told her.
"Jim, you are such a charmer," Roni laughed. She was excited about the evening to come. This was the first chance she'd had to see everyone again and renew her friendships.
Stacy spoke up quickly, "Roni, I want you to meet Chet—my fiancé."
"Your fiancé? Congratulations, Stacy!" Roni looked at the handsome man standing beside Stacy and smiled. "It's nice to meet you."
"Thanks. It's nice to meet you, too. I've heard a lot about you."
Roni laughed. "Good things, I hope."
"Of course," he told her with a grin.
"When did you come to Two Guns?" she asked.
"Chet bought the old Jones place a few years ago," Stacy told her.
"So, you've been turning the ranch around, have you?" Roni remembered how rundown it had been.
"I'm working on it," Chet answered confidently. "Stacy was telling me there had been some talk going around for a while that you were thinking about staying back east and setting up your practice there." Stacy had told him that Roni's mother had passed away several years before, and that her father had died of a fever the previous summer.
"I thought about it, but even with my parents both gone now, this is still home. I'm glad to be back."
"Think you're going to have any trouble convincing people you're a good doctor?" Jim asked, joining in the conversation. "Most folks think being a doctor is a job meant only for men."
"I know. My father warned me about that, and I heard a lot of talk about the prejudice in the East. I'm hoping here in Two Guns everybody will know that I'm my father's daughter and judge me accordingly."
They all knew everyone in the area had highly respected and trusted Dr. Reynolds.
The musicians started up a new tune, and Chet wasted no time getting Stacy out on the dance floor. Before Walker could ask Roni to dance, Jim claimed her.
"I've been waiting all week just to dance with you," Jim told Roni as he took her arm and led her out among the other couples.
"I can still cut in," Walker said, grinning easily and planning to do just that.
He waited until about halfway through the dance and then made his move, deftly cutting in on his friend.
They were all laughing as Jim reluctantly turned Roni over to him.
When Roni went into Walker's arms, she was surprised by the shiver of sensual awareness that trembled through her at being so close to him. They began to move together in rhythm with the music.
As Walker squired her around the dance floor, Roni looked up at him, studying the strong line of his jaw and his lean, handsome features. He sensed her gaze upon him and glanced down, and their gazes met. For a moment, they were lost, and then they both smiled.
"I remember another time when we danced like this. You'd just saved me from being trampled by Ted."
"Well, you don't have to worry about Ted anymore. His whole family moved on a year or so ago."
"You mean it's safe to be out on the dance floor in Two Guns now?"
"That's right."
They laughed and then both fell silent as other memories from that night returned. They enjoyed their time together, but as soon as the music ended, Jim was there to dance with her again.
As the evening progressed Roni visited with friends and had a good time dancing with a number of the bachelors in town. As nice as her other dancing partners were, though, she found herself occasionally scanning the crowd, looking for Walker. When he finally sought her out and asked her for the next dance, she was delighted.
Again, they moved together about the floor in perfect rhythm.
"I've been dancing so much tonight, we haven't had much time to talk yet," she said.
Walker grinned down at her. "Do you want to go outside for a while?"
Roni still remembered the last time they'd done that, and she didn't hesitate to answer, "Yes."
Walker expertly danced her over toward the side door. They slipped outside into the welcoming darkness and made their way to a quiet place, not too far from the building to talk.
"I'm glad you're back," Walker said, gazing down at her and finding her even more beautiful in the moonlight.
"So am I," she admitted. She fell silent for a moment, just enjoying the peace of the evening, and then asked him, "How have you been? I've thought about you over the years. I always wondered why I never heard from you again after the dance that night."
He frowned slightly. "Didn't your parents tell you that I came to the house to see you?"
She was surprised by his words. "No. You did?"
He nodded. "The day after, I stopped by, but your mother told me you weren't home and not to come back."
"I didn't know. They never said a word. I wanted to see you again, to tell you that I was going back east to school, but it all happened so fast."
"Yes, it did." He didn't tell her how he'd watched her leave on the stage that day. "Are you glad you became a doctor?"
She told him earnestly, "Most of the time, yes. It's wonderful to know you can help someone who's in pain, that you can make things better for them. And when you bring a baby into the world, it's amazing. There are the hard times, though. When someone is so sick all you can do is try your best and hope that you've made a difference in some way. What about you? I take it you never got married?"
"No, I never married. After Father and my stepmother died, I took over running the Dollar."
"From what I hear, the ranch is still doing great. Jim told me it's as successful as ever—maybe even more so," Roni praised him.
"Thanks. Stacy helps me work it, and between the two of us, we've kept things going."
"What do you think about Stacy's engagement to Chet? She seems really happy."
"I think she is. Chet seems like a good man. What are your plans? Are you going to be happy practicing here in Two Guns?"
"Oh, yes. This is where I want to be."
Walker looked down at her, his gaze soft upon her. "I'm glad."
The look in his eyes left Roni breathless. "So am I."
The moment was magical. There alone in the moonlight, he couldn't resist the temptation to finish the kiss they had started all those years ago.
Roni didn't move as he bent to her and claimed her lips. She gave a small throaty sigh and went into his embrace. Her willingness encouraged him. Walker deepened the exchange, hungry to taste of her sweetness. It was an awakening for them both, a moment of startling passion that thrilled them with its intensity. They clung together, seared by the fire that had sparked between them, until the realization of just where they were returned, and they broke apart.
"We'd better get back inside," Roni said reluctantly.
"I know." As tempted as Walker was to take her back in his arms, he controlled the need to hold her again.
They had almost reached the doorway when Jim appeared in the entrance, looking for them.
"There you are! Come on, Roni! It's time for us to have another dance!"
"No, you're going to have to wait, Jim," Walker told him. "I've already claimed Roni for this one."
She offered no protest as Walker guided her out to join the other couples on the dance floor, leaving Jim to look on.
Everyone in Two Guns knew rancher Ben Thompson was a mean man, and when he got drunk, he got even meaner. Big and stocky, and fast on the draw, he would take on just about anybody in town when he got drunk enough. When he'd started drinking earlier in the evening at the Ace High Saloon, the other men in the bar took care to stay as far away from him as they could to avoid trouble. The relief was great when Ben and his ranch hands finally left the bar. The men heard him declare he was heading over to the dance, and they couldn't help wondering what kind of trouble he was going to stir up over there.
Ben and his boys were feeling real good as they entered the hall. They stopped just inside the door to look around, and Ben spotted Walker Stevenson dancing with Roni Reynolds. He'd heard the talk around town of how she'd come back to take over her father's medical practice, and it infuriated him that the half-breed thought he was good enough to be socializing with the folks in town, let alone dancing with the new doc. Fury ate at Ben, and he smiled coldly as he tried to figure out the best way to get at Walker.
Ben hated the Stevenson family with a passion. Their ranches adjoined one another, and through the years old man Stevenson had made the Dollar the most successful ranch in the area. It hadn't mattered to Ben that Paul Stevenson had been an honest man with a fine reputation. To Ben, his success had been infuriating.
Ben knew he'd been lucky over the years that Paul hadn't caught him rustling Dollar cattle. Then when Paul died and left the ranch to his half-breed bastard son and Stacy, Ben had been even more outraged. The fact that the half-breed was running the Dollar now, and it was as successful as ever, made Ben hate them that much more.
"Well, boys, look what we got here," he muttered to the hands standing nearby. "If it ain't our good friends from the Dollar."
Mick Jones knew exactly what his boss was thinking, and it worried him. There were a lot of innocent people at the dance, and he didn't want to see anybody get hurt. "Boss, this ain't the time to go startin' anything—"
"Shut up," Ben ordered harshly. "I'm going to have me some fun tonight after all." He looked over at his men, challenging them. "I pay your salaries. Are you with me?"
They nodded, knowing they had no choice if they wanted to keep their jobs. They hung back and waited to see what their drunken boss was going to do.
Stacy was having a wonderful time dancing with Chet. This was the first social event they'd attended since they'd become engaged, and she was enjoying every minute of it—especially getting to dance with him and be in his arms.
"You know what we could do tonight, don't you?" Chet was smiling down at her, his gaze hungry upon her.
"No, what?" Stacy was puzzled by his question.
"We could sneak out of here and run off to the justice of the peace—"
"You are so romantic." She was delighted by his daring suggestion, but she had already started planning the wedding, and she wanted to be married in church.
"Then let's do it," he urged, wanting to make her his own as quickly as possible. "Next year is too long to wait."
"You know I'm tempted, but—"
Before she could say anything more, Chet found himself grabbed by the shoulder and pushed forcefully away from Stacy by none other than the drunken brute, Ben Thompson.
"You're tempted, are you, Stacy?" Ben crowed, leering down at her. "How about being tempted to dance with me?"
"What do you think you're doing?" Stacy was shocked by his crude moves. She tried to get back to Chet.
But Ben stepped between them, blocking her way.
He took her by the arm in an unyielding grip as he told her, "Forget about him. I'm cutting in."
"Wait a minute, Thompson—" Chet began.
"Get out of here, Harrison. I want a dance with the fine lady from the Dollar," Ben declared.
"Stacy's my fiancée. She's with me," he challenged.
Ben wanted to fight more than he'd wanted to dance. He deliberately taunted Chet, "Get lost. She's mine.
"Ben Thompson, let me go!" Stacy fought to pull herself free of his painful grip. She knew what he was up to and wanted nothing to do with it.
The folks who were dancing nearby realized there was trouble brewing, and they quickly backed off and got out of the way.
"I ain't letting you go, Stacy. I done claimed you, and we're gonna dance. Right now," Ben ordered. He yanked her close and started to dance, knowing his actions would antagonize Chet even more.
"Thompson . . ." Chet wasn't about to let the drunken man get away with this. He went after him.
And that was just what Ben had been hoping for.
He was ready for Chet.
With savage force, he made his move, shoving Stacy aside and hitting Chet square in the jaw. The force of the blow sent Chet sprawling backward onto the floor.
"Chet!" Stacy cried out. She started to go to him, but Ben grabbed her by the arm again and held her back.
"Come on, little sugar, we gotta finish up our dance!"
Walker had been caught up in his dance with Roni when he heard his sister's cry and the musicians suddenly stopped playing. He turned just in time to see Ben standing triumphantly over the fallen Chet, his vile hands on Stacy.
Walker wasn't sure what had happened, but knowing Ben the way he did, he knew he had to get his sister away from him.
"Stay here," he ordered Roni.
Ben saw Walker coming and smiled to himself.
His plan had worked.
He had lured the half-breed in just like he'd wanted to.
Ben deliberately pulled Stacy close again, wanting to infuriate Walker even more, and he chuckled as he saw Chet trying to struggle to his feet.
"Come on, darlin', this is our dance. Musicians—why'd you quit playin'? Let's have us some music!" he ordered boisterously.
The musicians watched and waited nervously as Walker stalked over to confront Ben, with Jim following close behind.
"Get your hands off Stacy now, Thompson," Walker said quietly.
The whole room fell silent.
"Relax, we're just having a little fun." Ben sneered. "Your little sister wants to dance with me, don't ya, darlin'?" He tightened his hold on her threateningly.
Stacy refused to give in to his attempt to force her to his will. Hot-tempered as she was, she wasn't about to put up with his bullying ways. "You're the last man I'd ever want to dance with, Ben Thompson!"
A cowgirl born and bred, she wished she had her gun with her or, at least, had her boots on so she could kick him and get herself free. But dressed like a lady, she didn't have much hope of that. All she could do was try to twist her arm out of his bruising grip, and it wasn't working. Ben was too strong.
"Why, that ain't no way to talk to me, little darlin'," Ben snarled down at her.
"You heard Stacy," Walker dictated. "Let her go—now!"
"This is between me and Stacy. Right, honey? I don't take orders from anybody—least of all you." Ben looked at Walker and smiled thinly.
"You'd better start. Get away from my sister and stay off the Dollar!" Walker had long suspected him of rustling their cattle.
"What are you sayin', 'breed?" he challenged loudly. "Are you accusing me of somethin'?"
"I'm not accusing you of anything—I'm telling you. You set foot on the Dollar again and you'll pay the price!"
A murmur of tension went through the crowd. Rumors had flown for years about the bad blood between the two ranching families, and people feared things might be coming to a head right then.
Glad that he had Walker right where he wanted him, Ben made his move. He shoved Stacy straight at Chet, who had finally stood up, and then he lunged at Walker, throwing the first punch.