In a Cowboy's Arms

“If your father were still alive, he’d understand and approve. We know it’s the Crow way to marry young. You’re a lot like your dad and have always known what you wanted.”

“I’m thankful for your understanding and help, but right now my biggest concern is Ned. He must have been following me tonight. In order for him not to find out what’s going on, I’m setting up a smoke screen. I’ll pretend Chief is favoring his hind leg.

“After chores tomorrow I’ll put Chief in the trailer and drive him to the clinic in White Lodge. If Ned finds out I paid a visit to Sam Rafferty for an X-ray, it should throw him off the scent long enough for us to be married.”

“That’s as good an idea as any,” his grandfather said. “We decided not to tell Connor and Avery your plans. It’s crucial they know nothing so that Ned doesn’t pick up on any change in their behavior. He’s a talker when he drinks and it could get back to Daniel.”

Jarod nodded. “Where are they?”

Addie smiled. “Connor’s in town with friends and Avery is spending the night with Cassie while they study for their finals. They’ll be graduating from high school in two weeks.”

“Sadie will be getting her diploma right along with them, but by then she’ll be my wife. Here’s what I’m going to do. After I leave the vet clinic, I’ll drive up to the mountains where Sadie and I will meet. From there we’ll go to the reservation to be married and spend a couple of days with Uncle Charlo and his family. We’ll be home Sunday night in time for her to be back in school.”

His grandfather got up from the chair and hugged him. “When you two arrive, we’ll all celebrate.”

Jarod’s heart was full of love for his grandparents, who’d always supported him.

“Tell me what you need me to do before I leave tomorrow afternoon and I’ll get it done.”

“Why don’t we go over the quarterly accounts after breakfast?” Ralph suggested.

“Sounds good.”

He hugged his grandmother hard, then left the den and headed down the hall to the kitchen. After filling up on a couple of ham sandwiches and a quart of milk, he took the stairs two at a time to his bedroom at the top.

His watch said twenty after ten. At this time tomorrow night he’d be with Sadie on reservation property. He knew a private spot where they wouldn’t be disturbed. They’d stay there until it was time to drive to White Lodge for their marriage license.

You’re going to be a married man, Bannock.

If he had one regret it was that his siblings wouldn’t be there. But when he brought Sadie home as his wife, they’d understand the measures he’d had to take to protect Sadie from her out-of-control father.

* * *

“SO, DR. RAFFERTY, you don’t think there’s a need to take an X-ray?” Jarod asked, walking Chief out of the trailer to the paddock behind the clinic with the vet.

“Not that I can see,” Sam Rafferty told him.

“His limp does seem to be a lot better. Last night I was really worried about him.”

“Horses aren’t that different from people. Sometimes we wake up in the morning and everything hurts like hell. But the next day, we feel better.”

“Well, I’ll take your word for it nothing serious is wrong.”

Sam nodded. “Give him a day of rest and see how he does.”

“Will do. How much do I owe you?”

“Forget it. I didn’t do anything.”

“You can’t make a living that way.” Jarod put a hundred dollar bill in the vet’s lab coat pocket. “Thanks, Doc.”

“My pleasure.” They shook hands before he led Chief back into the trailer and shut the door.

Jarod started the truck and drove his rig away from the clinic. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ned’s Jeep down the street across from the supermarket. That was no coincidence—Ned must still be tailing him.

Twenty after five. The sun would set at nine. Jarod would have driven to the mountains immediately, but he couldn’t do that with Ned watching him. It would only take a half hour to reach Sadie. He had three hours to kill. Might as well drive Ned crazy.

After making a U turn, he parked near the supermarket and went in to buy a meal at the deli. Then he took it out to the truck and sat there to eat while he listened to music. Ned had finally disappeared, but Jarod knew he was somewhere nearby watching, hoping to see Sadie show up and join Jarod. The fool could wait till doomsday but he’d never find her here.

The sun sank lower until it dropped below the horizon. It was time to make his move. His heart thudding in anticipation of making love to Sadie for the rest of their lives, Jarod started the truck and turned onto a road that would eventually lead to the fire road. From that crossroads you could either go to the mountains the back way or head the other way for the reservation.

But as he reached the crossroads, from out of nowhere, something rammed him broadside. The last thing he heard was the din of twisting metal before he passed out.

The next day he woke up in the hospital with a serious brain concussion, bruises and a nasty gash near his eye. Frantic, he tried to reach Sadie, but the report from the Hensons came back that she wasn’t at home.

When he awoke a second time, the nurse brought him Sadie’s note and read it to him. The words ripped him to pieces.

* * *

JAROD LAY IN the clover remembering the pain until Volan nudged him. Feeling as if his heart weighed more than his body, he climbed on the stallion and rode home.

Avery confronted him in the tack room after he returned. Her brunette hair and bright smile reminded him of their father Colin’s second wife, Hannah. She’d been a wonderful mother to Jarod, never pushing him. Avery was a little more aggressive in that department.

“When you didn’t come in the ranch house with Connor, I knew you’d gone riding. Did it help?” Her hazel eyes studied him anxiously.

She could read most of his moods, but he didn’t answer her this time. There was no help for the disease he’d contracted eight years ago.

“Grandfather was hoping to talk to you.”

“I know. I’ll go see him now.”

“He’s gone to bed, but don’t worry, Connor and I told him all we could. Great Uncle Tyson came to the funeral with his family. It was so strange, all of us together on Corkin land after so many years of being warned off the property. I think it overwhelmed Sadie. She thanked us for coming, but clung to her little brother the whole time.”

Jarod’s thoughts were black. “Did Ned behave?”

Her mouth tightened. “Does he ever?”

“Tell me what he did.”

“He asked a lot of questions in such bad taste it raised the hairs on the back of my neck.”

“Like what?”

At his rapid-fire question, his sister looked startled. “I was standing by them when he asked if she and Zane had an interest in each other besides Ryan. He said he hoped not because he was planning to spend a lot of time with her now that she was back.”

Jarod bit down so hard he almost broke a tooth.

“It was appalling, but no one else heard him. Sadie didn’t answer him, but I was so angry I broke in on their conversation. That angered Ned and caught Uncle Grant’s attention. He wasn’t thrilled with his son’s behavior, either, and got him out of there as fast as he could.”

“Ned gave me an ultimatum the other night.”

“What kind?”

“Not to show up at the funeral.”

“That’s no surprise. He was jealous of you from birth. It only grew worse when grandfather gave you more responsibilities for running the ranch. Ned couldn’t handle it. But when you and Sadie became friends, that killed him.”

“There’s a sickness in him.”

“I know. Sadie was never interested in any of the guys chasing after her, least of all Ned. He used to wait for her after school and follow her as far as Corkin property. Sadie never paid him one whit of attention because the only guy she could ever see was you.”

Until Jarod had planned to make her his wife. Then she’d run like the prong-horned antelope, putting fifteen hundred miles between them. Had his accident been the excuse she’d been looking for not to marry him?

“After today she’ll like him even less, but I guess it doesn’t matter,” Avery added.

He closed his eyes tightly. “Why do you say that?”

“The chances of her having to deal with him are pretty remote. She’s got a home in California and a little brother to raise.”

“With Zane’s help?” Jarod didn’t want to listen to another word.

“Forget what you’re thinking. I asked her outright if she was involved with Zane. She said no and was shocked at the question. I think it actually hurt her.”

Jarod’s relief had him reeling.

“I have to tell you I’m envious of her. Ryan’s such an adorable boy, I wish he were mine.”

Those were strong words. Jarod heard wistfulness in her voice and eyed her with affection. “Your time will come, Avery.”

Her eyes darted him a mischievous glance. “Are you trying to make me feel better, or did you have a vision about your only female sibling who’s getting older?”

Her teasing never bothered him. He rubbed his lower lip absently. “I don’t need a vision to know you’re not destined to be alone. Ben’s been crazy about you ever since he was hired.”

Avery rolled her eyes. “That has to work both ways, big brother. If anyone ought to know about that, it’s you. You’re pushing thirty and until two months ago you had no prospects despite the fan club you ignore. Am I wrong or at long last has a woman finally gotten under your skin? Leslie’s an extraordinary person, the kind I’ve been hoping you would meet.”

“You and grandfather.” But Jarod was too conflicted over Sadie to get into a discussion about anything. She’d just inherited Farfields, a place she’d loved heart and soul. Jarod couldn’t imagine her leaving the land where she’d been born. But he’d been wrong about her before. Maybe she was involved with another man in California.

When are you going to learn, Bannock?

Chapter Three

It was Tuesday morning. Sadie had slept poorly and got up before Ryan, who was sleeping in the crib Millie had used for Liz. Zane had been installed in the guest bedroom and was still asleep. Though she’d come to the ranch to bury her father and take stock of her new situation, seeing Jarod after all these years had shaken her so badly, she was unnerved and restless. Through her friendship with Liz, she knew he hadn’t married yet, though that made no sense when he could have any woman he wanted.

But recently Liz had dropped a little bomb that over the past few months he’d been seeing an archaeologist working in the area named Leslie Weston. Liz seemed to think it was more serious than his other relationships had been.

Her breath caught. Had they made love? Were they planning to marry? Sadie couldn’t bear thinking about it.

From her bedroom window she watched Liz leave the Hensons’ small house adjacent to the ranch house and head for her truck. No doubt she was on her way to work at the Rafferty vet clinic in White Lodge. Pretty soon quiet-spoken Mac followed and started out for the barn to get going on his chores.

With a deep sigh, Sadie turned away and headed for the bathroom. Once she’d showered and washed her hair, she pulled on jeans and a cotton sweater. After blow-drying her hair and applying lipstick, she felt more prepared to face this first day of an altered life and turn the second stone.

To stay busy she fixed breakfast, woke and dressed Ryan for the day and then returned to the kitchen. She piled some cushions on one of the kitchen chairs for Ryan as Zane joined them to eat. Before the day was out, she’d take her dad’s pickup and run into White Lodge for a high chair and a new crib.

Though she had everything she needed back in California, it would take time to ship her things here. While she was at it, she’d also buy some cowboy boots and start breaking them in.

Millie appeared at the back door. The housekeeper still had a trim figure and worked as hard as ever to keep the ranch house running smoothly. Her brown eyes widened in surprise when she walked into the kitchen and found the three of them assembled there. “Good morning, Millie. Come on in and eat breakfast with us.” It was long past time someone waited on her for a change.

The older woman kissed Ryan’s head before sitting next to him. “I think I’m in heaven.”

“Good. You deserve to be waited on.” Sadie brought a plate of bacon, eggs and hash browns to the table for her.

No sooner had Sadie started to drink her coffee than they heard a knock on the front door. She jumped up from the table. “That’ll be Mr. Varney. I’ll show him into the living room. He’s here to talk about the will.”

The attorney from Billings had come to the graveside service and told her he’d be by on Tuesday morning.

“I’ll take care of Ryan,” Zane offered.

“Thank you.” She got up and kissed her little brother’s cheek. “I’ll be back soon.”

She hurried down the hall to the front room of the three-bedroom L-shaped ranch house. The place needed refurbishing. According to Mac, in the last few years her father had been operating Farfields in the red. He’d ended up selling most of the cattle. Toward the end he’d been too ill to take care of things and there’d been little money to pay Millie and Mac. The value of the ranch lay in the land itself.

Reed Varney had put on weight and his hair had thinned since the last time she’d seen him. He must be sixty by now and had handled her father’s affairs for years. The man knew all the ugly Corkin secrets, including the particulars of the divorce, which was okay with Sadie since it was past history.

“Come in, Mr. Varney.” She showed him into the living room. A couple of the funeral sprays filled the air with a fragrance that was almost cloying. Mac had taken some of the other arrangements to their cabin. “Would you care for some coffee?”

“No thanks.” For some odd reason he wouldn’t look her in the eye. She had the impression he was nervous.

“Then let’s sit to talk.” She chose one of the leather chairs opposite the couch where he’d taken a seat. As he opened his briefcase to pull out a thin file she asked, “How soon do you want to schedule the reading of the will?” For all their kindness, Mac and Millie should head the top of the list to receive the house they’d been living in all these years. She couldn’t wait to tell them.

He rubbed his hands on top of his thighs, another gesture that indicated he felt uncomfortable. Sadie started to feel uneasy herself.

“Something’s wrong. What is it?”

After clearing his throat he finally glanced at her. “The will is short and to the point. You can read it now. The particulars are all there.” He handed her the file.

She blinked. Maybe her father had been in more financial trouble than she’d been led to believe. Taking a deep breath, she started to read. After getting past the legal jargon she came to her father’s wishes.

Mac and Millie Henson betrayed my trust on my daughter’s eighteenth birthday. Therefore they’ll receive no inheritance, nor will my daughter, whom I’ve disowned.

Over the years several people have wanted to buy the ranch, but so far they haven’t met the asking price. I have their offers on record. If no one else makes an offer within a month of my death, then the ranch and all its assets including my gun collection will be sold to the highest bidder through Parker Realty in Billings, Montana. My horse, Spook, has been sold.

No furnishings are to be touched. The new buyer will either use or dispose of them. Under no circumstances can the ranch be sold to a Bannock.

Sadie gasped and jumped up from the chair. Her father had lived to drink, hunt and hate the Bannocks with a passion. The meanest man alive didn’t begin to describe him. Forget the fact that he’d disowned her. When she’d left for San Francisco, she never dreamed he’d take out his fury on the Hensons like this.

“Does this mean he’s thrown Mac and Millie out with nothing?” Her eyes filled with tears. “After all they’ve done for him over the years? The care they gave him toward the last?”

Varney eyed her with grave concern before nodding. “However, Mr. Bree at the realty firm has asked that the Hensons stay on to manage things until the new buyer takes ownership. It’s entirely possible Mac Henson will be asked to continue on as foreman for the new owner.”

Daniel had died nine days ago. In less than a month from now the eighty-five-acre ranch would be sold? She couldn’t take it in. Her father wanted her and the Hensons off his land as fast as humanly possible. When he’d told her to get out eight years ago, he’d meant for it to be permanent. “What is the sale price?”

“Seven hundred thousand. He was in a lot of debt.”

Her mind was madly trying to take everything in.

“What about me, Mr. Varney? Am I supposed to clear out today?”

With a troubled sigh, the older man got to his feet. “Legally you have no right to be here, but morally this is your home and you can stay until the new owner takes up residence. As for your own personal possessions, you’re free to take them with you. I’m sorry, Sadie. I wish it could be otherwise. To be honest, I dreaded coming here today. You don’t deserve this.”

Reeling with pain, she walked him to the door. “It’s Mac and Millie I worry about. The ranch is their home, too. I can hardly bear it.”

When Jarod hadn’t showed up that night eight years ago, the Hensons were the ones who had tried to comfort her. She’d believed he had decided at the last minute that he couldn’t go through with their marriage, and she would never have survived if they hadn’t been there to help her get through that ghastly night.

Reed Varney shook his head. “When Daniel summoned me to the ranch, I begged him not to do this, but he was beyond reason.”

She stared into space. “He’s always been beyond reason.” This proved more than ever why her mother had been forced to abandon Sadie.

If Eileen had stayed in the marriage, who knew what would have happened during one of his drunken rages when he’d threatened to kill his wife. Eileen’s decision to let him keep Sadie had probably saved both their lives.

When Sadie had found out about Jarod’s accident, her father had threatened to kill Jarod if she went to the hospital to be with him. He’d made her write a letter telling Jarod she never wanted to see him again and then he’d told her to get out of his house. Millie and Mac were afraid for her life and urged her to leave Montana and go to her mother in California, saving her once more.

“Thank you for coming,” she said quietly to the lawyer.

“Of course. The number for Parker Realty is listed on the paper. They’ve already put an ad in the multiple listings section. Things should be moving quickly. I’ll be in touch with you again soon.”

The second he left, she grabbed the file and hurried to her bedroom to hide it in the dresser drawer. She never wanted the Hensons to know what he’d put in the will about them. They’d been wonderful surrogate parents to her. Somehow she had to protect them.

With that decision made, she grabbed her purse and left for the kitchen, determined to lie through her teeth if she had to. She found Millie at the sink and gave her a hug. “Hey! I made the mess and planned to clean it up.”

“Nonsense. How did everything go?”

“Fine. Tomorrow I’ll drive to Billings and meet with him in his office,” she lied. “Where’s Zane?”

“Outside with Ryan. If Tim Lawson was as terrific as Zane, then your mother was a very lucky woman.”

“She was. So was I, to be raised by you and Mac. I love you and Liz dearly. You know that, don’t you?”

“The feeling’s mutual.”

“You’re my family now and that’s the way it’s going to stay.” No matter what she had to do.

“Nothing would make us happier.” They hugged again.

“I’m going to drive into White Lodge. Do you want me to do any shopping for you while I’m there?”

“We stocked up for the funeral so I think we’re fine right now.”

“Okay. See you later. Just so you know, tonight I’m going to visit Ralph Bannock. Zane will babysit Ryan.” She hadn’t asked him yet, but knew he’d do it.

Zane’s wife had betrayed him with another man while he’d been in the navy. After he’d left the military, they’d divorced and, not long after, Zane had lost his elder brother, Tim. “Honey, I can do that.”

“I know you can, Millie, but you spent enough time raising me. The last thing I want to do is take advantage of you. We’ll be back shortly.”

Sadie reached for the truck keys on the peg at the back door and hurried outside. She found Zane walking around with Ryan. He made the perfect father. His ex-wife had been the loser in that relationship. Sadie knew how much he’d wanted a family. It broke her heart.

She scooped her little brother from the ground before darting Zane a glance. “Will you drive me to town? We need to talk.”

“Sure.”

She handed him the keys to her father’s Silverado and walked over to get in. They’d brought a car seat from California for Ryan and had already installed it in the backseat. Once he was strapped in securely, she climbed into the front with Zane and they took off.

Zane gave her a sideways glance. “I know that look on your face. You’ve had bad news.”

“Much worse than anything I had imagined, but Mac and Millie don’t know a thing yet. The fact is my father disowned me.” She ended up telling him everything written in the will. “I’ve got three weeks from today to come up with a plan. I don’t want the Hensons to find out about this.”

“Of course not. That monster!” he muttered under his breath, but she heard him. “I’m sorry, Sadie.” They followed the dirt road out to the highway.

“Don’t be. With him, the shoe fits. The bottom line is, if I want to make my home on this ranch, I’ll have to buy it from the Realtor in Billings. There was no mention in the will that I couldn’t. I have some savings after working for your brother, but not nearly enough to make a dent. In the meantime I need to find a job in town and put Ryan in day care.”

Zane grimaced. “I could give you some money.”

“You’re an angel, Zane, but you gave your ex-wife the house you both lived in, so you need to hold on to any money you’ve saved. I’ll have to find another avenue to pay off the debt owing the bank so I can hold on to the ranch, but I’ve got to hurry.”

“I’ve got an idea how you can do it.” She jerked her head toward him, waiting for the miracle answer. “I could sell Tim’s house in San Francisco.”

Sadie made several sounds of protest. “After your divorce, mother willed it to you before she died because she assumed I’d inherit the ranch one day. She knew Tim would have wanted you to have it.”

“You’re forgetting she expected you to go on living there with Ryan.”

“But it’s not mine, and I don’t want to live in San Francisco.”

“Neither do I. I have no desire to be anywhere near my ex, so I’ve got another idea.”

“What?”

“The house isn’t completely paid off, but I could still get a substantial amount if I sell it. With that money, plus any you have, we could move here and become joint owners of the ranch.”

Her heart gave a great clap. “You’re not serious!”

“Yeah. Actually, I am. I spent a lot of years in the military and know I won’t be happy unless I’m working outdoors in some capacity. So far I haven’t found a job that appeals to me. I can help with the ranching for a while until I know what it is I want to do with the rest of my life.”

“Zane, you’re just saying that because you’re at loose ends and are one of the great guys of this world.”

“I’m saying it because I have no parents, no brother and I don’t want to lose Ryan. I know you have nothing holding you in California. To be honest, I like the idea of being part owner with you. It’ll be our investment for Ryan’s future.”

Her eyes smarted with unshed tears. “If you’re really serious...”

“I’m dead serious. Take a look around. With these mountains, this is God’s country all right. It’s growing on me like crazy. I already like Mac and Millie. And the little guy in back seems perfectly content. Why don’t you think about it?”