A Texan's Promise (25 page)

But he would do anything to protect his own.

However, the tone of his voice didn't betray any of that.No, he sounded slow and steady, like he had all the time in the day. Almost bored. "We don't mean any trouble. You can put your firearms away. As I said, we're just passing through."

The toothless man just grinned and pulled out a pistol.

The men split up, two on each side. Buttercup nickered and restlessly paced. Vanessa patted the mare's neck, and leaning forward, quietly tried to settle her, though it was little use. She was frightened, and her horse, Clayton, and the four men surrounding them all knew it.

While two had beards—one red, the other black as night— the man talking to Clayton was clean-shaven, making him look even younger. The last had a mustache. All stared at her and Clayton like they were minutes from doing them harm.

Vanessa kept her gaze trained on Clayton, afraid to catch any of the other men's eyes.

But Clayton didn't show a hint of fear. If anything, he looked eager for the confrontation. Lee, underneath him, stood motionless, his stance ready for battle. Vanessa realized she was seeing Clayton Proffitt as he once was, a leader and a soldier.

"Pretty woman you got here," the clean–shaven blond said.

Clayton's cheek twitched, but he said nothing.

Encouraged, the two to her left edged closer, close enough now for Vanessa to inhale their scents. The smell of dirt and sweat and grease emanated from them. Just the thought of any of them touching her made her petrified.

But there was only Clayton and herself. They were outnumbered.

Slowly, Vanessa wrapped Buttercup's reins around her right hand, desperate for a plan. There was a very good chance she was going to have to fight them off. What if they shot Clayton? What would she do?

She was a fair horsewoman, but not an expert in any sense, especially not on an unfamiliar mount like Buttercup. The horse did seem agreeable and smart, but was she fast? Would she be able to outrun them?

She was going to have to try.

Unfortunately, Vanessa now knew what men could do.She'd felt violence, she knew the feel of a man's hand slapping her cheek, tearing her dress—and doing so much more.She would wear scars for the rest of her life from the slap of a leather belt. Yes, she could survive whatever these men did, but she knew that the cost would be painful, indeed.

She bit her lip and prayed with all her might that the Lord would be with them.
Please God,
she silently prayed.
I'm so scared. Please help Clayton. Please help guide us.

Then she remembered the last verses of Psalm 91: "
I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them."

Yes, the Lord had already promised He'd be there for her.She just had to believe.

A twig broke.

The wind rose up. A coyote howled in the distance right at the same time the man with the red beard reached out to touch her.

Clayton cocked his gun. "You lay one hand on my wife, I'm gonna have to kill you."

The men only snickered.

Raising his Colt, he straightened his right arm. Not a single inch of him looked the least nervous. "She's mine. Back away."

"You're the law. You ain't gonna do nothing."

"Try me."

"You shoot me, you'll be dead," the man retorted.

To everyone's surprise, Clayton grinned. "Is that what you want? To die, right here? Right now?" He turned to the others, who—by Vanessa's estimation—didn't look nearly as full of themselves as they had just minutes ago. "What about the rest of you? Do you all really want to have the body of a sheriff on your conscience? On your plate? Because that's what is going to happen. You murder me and harm my wife, the law from miles around will hunt you down."

The clean-shaven man's eyes narrowed.

Vanessa shifted in her saddle, prepared to ride as hard as she could. There was no way she was going to just sit there when Clayton got hurt. There was no way she was going to be attacked by these men without doing everything she could to help herself.

Then, a single arrow sailed through the sky, startling everyone to silence as it landed in the redheaded man's shoulder.He yowled in pain.

Vanessa leaned down and hugged Buttercup's neck. Any moment, she was sure she was going to lose her seat or slip off in a faint.

The others were just as frightened. "Injuns!" the smallest of the band of men screamed. With a fierce kick to his horse's side, he rode east. When a lone Indian came into view in a fierce battle cry, the others followed quickly.

Once satisfied the others were leaving, Clayton shifted Lee and faced the Indian head-on.

Vanessa didn't even attempt to control her shaking."Clayton, what's happening?"

"I'm not sure. Be still Vanessa."

Tears fell down her cheeks as she did her best to remain calm while looking out toward the horizon. Were there others? She never heard of an Indian riding alone.

Warily, Clayton looked to the south as well, then just as Vanessa was sure he saw more danger, his shoulders relaxed."That's Red Cloud."

Gathering her strength, Vanessa made herself look directly at the lone rider again. To her amazement, he'd neither shot another arrow nor approached. Instead, he seemed content to stand still and watch the ragtag band of men continue to scurry away. "You sure?"

"I am. That's his paint. See the chocolate markings? No two horses could look like that."

"I wonder why's he's so far north."

"I don't know, but I'm glad he is." Raising a hand in the air, Clayton saluted Red Cloud. "He just saved us, Vanessa. I'll be forever in his debt."

As Red Cloud returned the salute, then slowly meandered back out of sight, Vanessa recalled her prayers. Hoping that the Lord was still listening, she silently added her thanks.

Twilight fell as they approached a cabin in the distance."This is it," Clayton murmured, dismounting. Next, he swung her out of the saddle and took care of the horses. Vanessa was still so spooked from the confrontation that she stood quietly, watching as he watered the animals.

Clayton's eyes were gentle when he finally turned to her."Vanessa. You all right now, sugar?"

"I'm better than that." His answering smile was all the coaxing she needed to propel herself into his arms.

Clayton didn't disappoint. The moment they touched, he gripped her to him, letting his solid physique give her a feeling of safety.

She reached up and kissed him. After a moment's pause, he took control and kissed her back. His lips were tender and gentle. Eager and loving.

Clayton swung her into his arms and carried her through the threshold.

There wasn't much inside. Vanessa was aware of darkness and sparse furniture. Thick quilts were folded on a bed. Dried apples lay in a basket, filling the room with a tantalizing scent.A stack of firewood stood ready by the door.

Then Clayton shut the door and all Vanessa was aware of was him.

They were alone. Alone in ways that they'd never been before. Finally, they were free to explore their attraction. Free to share their love.

He closed the door behind him before pulling her into his arms. His mouth met hers, and he said all the words that meant so much. "I love you. I'll love you forever."

And as she looked at him with shining eyes, Vanessa knew the truth just as she knew the depths of her soul. "I love you, too."

"Are you afraid?"

She shook her head. Now when Clayton held her, she wasn't plagued by memories of Price's rough hands. She wasn't haunted by memories of coarse touches and abusive words.

Now when Clayton touched her, she wasn't fearful of a man's hand. Time and maturity and patience had vanquished her fears, and Clayton's love and respect for her had brought new meaning to their relationship.

All she saw was Clayton. All she recognized was her husband.Right as he claimed her lips, she knew the truth. Finally, after so very long, she was home.

The following morning, life went on just as it always had, just as it would always once again. They were a team now, and would be for the rest of their lives.

At daybreak, Clayton hurriedly got dressed, stoked the fire in the cabin, then went outside to bring in Lee and Buttercup after letting them graze for the night.

Vanessa took care of the inside chores, pumping water and brewing coffee. She'd just hastily pulled her hair back with a pink ribbon when Clayton returned, his cheeks red from the brisk morning air.

"Good morning," she said, handing him a tin mug filled to the brim with steaming hot brew. "I hope the coffee is to your liking. I had a bit of a time heating the coffee in the pan that was near the fire."

He sipped, never taking his eyes from her. "It's fine. Good morning, Van."

And because she felt giddy and happy and brand-new, she couldn't refrain from saying the obvious. "We're married."

His gaze softened. "We are." Tenderly, he pulled her into his arms once again. Holding her close, gifting her with warm words and sweet kisses, he said the words she loved so much to hear. "I love you, darling."

"I love you, too."

A half smile played across his lips. "I feel like I just ran ten miles and came out the winner." His gaze softened as he leaned back and brushed a kiss across the nape of her neck."I was a fool to stay so far from you for so long. I need you, Vanessa. I guess I always have."

Tentatively, she said, "Sometimes I wonder if maybe my pa knew we belonged together. Maybe he'd hoped something would come of us one day. Maybe that's why he encouraged you to make the Circle Z your own."

"Perhaps." He nodded, thinking of the many conversations he'd shared with Bill Grant. The man had been knowledgeable and patient. Never like a second father, but more than just a friend or a boss. "I seem to recall telling him more than once how much you made me smile."

"I'm glad for that, though I imagine I made you silly with irritation a time or two. I was not my best at fourteen."

"You were fine. I wasn't my best a time or two, either."

"You just had a lot on your mind, I think. When you first came to the Circle Z, you were so somber and quiet. I remember my mother and daddy were so worried about you."

"I felt dead inside—the war did that to me." Looking into an unseen picture, Clayton's eyes clouded. "I saw so much death and destruction. I witnessed so many good men die. I wondered often why I was living when so many other men weren't."

Vanessa didn't know the answer to that. Only the Lord did."I'm glad you survived."

"I am, too. It was a scary time, though, I'll tell you that. Two months before Lee surrendered, things seemed bleak indeed.Some days the only way I'd be able to get through each hour was to numb myself to the pain and just subsist."

"But then you came to us."

"That I did."

"Many a night, you'd just sit by yourself, staring off into the distance."

"I cherished the quiet. It was never quiet during the war.Either gunfire haunted the air or the cries of men floated through the night breeze. Daytime brought complaints and bitterness and rowdy tempers. My soul felt bruised and battered, incomplete. I'd even become lax in reading the Bible. It was as if I didn't feel worthy of love. Not even God's greatest gift."

"But you always had God's love," she pointed out. "He never left you."

Pressing his lips to the top of her head, he murmured, "I know that now. I know God was always there, guiding me, leading me forward. I always had His love . . . and His grace."

"He's been with us through so much, Clayton," Vanessa said."Around every corner, He's guided us toward this moment.To our future." Laying a hand on his sleeve, she quoted from Isaiah, "
Before they call, I will answer. When they are speaking, I will hear."

"And he did." Sharing a smile over how far they'd come, Clayton clasped her hand. "Now we just need to make plans."

"I don't care what we do or where we go, as long as we're together." Amazingly, she found that to be true. They'd been through so much, she'd worried that things would never be okay between them—it seemed incomprehensible that they were going to make it through things all right.

He pressed his lips to her brow. "That makes me happy. But are you sure you don't have a preference?"

She thought a bit more, then reflected on the healthy amount of money her pa had put aside for them. It was as much his as hers—she knew that Clayton would never see a single plug nickel of his wages that were still owed to him.Slowly, she said, "Maybe we should think about getting the money my pa left me. It could help us get settled."

"We don't need it."

"I know, but it could help you buy some land or purchase cattle. It's quite a bit, Clayton. And it would be ours, never just mine. At the very least, we could live on that until we decided where you wanted to work."

"If we go to Merritt's spread, I won't need the money. And I have some money now that I worked all those odd jobs over the last two months."

"It could help with building materials," she said slowly."You might find that money comes in handy." She knew she should feel regret that she'd already contacted the bank without his permission, but since nothing was likely to come of that admission but a long argument, she kept that information to herself.

Especially since she was only trying to help him so he wouldn't worry so much. Oh, she so wanted to be helpful! She wanted to be able to hold her head high and know that she hadn't just taken from Clayton. That she'd given him something tangible. Something beyond just her love.

"No." The word came out harsh and abrupt, startling her out of her daydreams of helping him achieve his aspirations."Don't ever contact anyone about that money, Vanessa. I don't want it."

Stung, she stepped away. "Oh. I see." Perhaps he really didn't want anything from her after all.

"No, you don't." Tilting her chin up, he whispered, "Listen, Van, I know you mean well, and I certainly do appreciate your intentions. But we can't risk the chance of Price finding you.We've been through too much."

Guilt slammed her hard. She knew she should tell the truth. But for some reason, she wasn't quite ready to tell him what she'd done. "I know Price and Miles have been looking for us. Merritt told me about the reports y'all have gotten. But that was some time ago. I bet they've given up." Surely Price, like she and Clayton, had moved on.

"They might have," Clayton allowed. "Miles might have put him off our path, or Price might have just lost interest."

"See, I knew it. I bet either of those things could have happened."

"We don't know anything. Not really. I've been listening for news, and while I haven't heard much of anything, that doesn't mean we're safe. I don't want to take any chances with your safety, Van. I think Price is just crazy enough to come running after you. I feel it. Don't contact the bank."

"But I'm only thinking of helping you—"

"You'll help me by being by my side. That's all I need, Vanessa. If and when Price does find you, we'll deal with that.But I'm not going to give him an invitation."

He wasn't listening to what she was trying to tell him. With her money, they could start out fresh, with no worries. That had to be worth some risk, right?
Especially since she'd already contacted the bank.
"Clay—"

"No, Vanessa. I mean it." After taking a deep breath, he said, "Promise me you won't contact anyone about your money. It's just not worth it. It's not worth the risk."

She knew what she had to do. She had to tell him the truth. Clayton had saved her. He'd removed her from Price's hands, had guided her across the country, had married her when he didn't want to in order to save her reputation. He'd put himself between her and Indians, gamblers, renegades, and dangerous elements.

Now, he'd given her his love and his vow of faithfulness.The least she could do was be open and honest with him.

But what would happen then? It would ruin everything they'd been working so hard to have. Clayton would most likely want to race back to the ranch and contact Merritt.Everything that they'd forged between them would suddenly be gone.

Against her better judgment, against what she knew to be right and acceptable, Vanessa lied. "I promise," she replied.

He nodded, pleased and relieved. "Thank you."

Looking around the cabin, she saw peace and security. It certainly wasn't much inside, but it was cozy enough, and the fire countered the wind blowing every so often through the cracks in the mud that mortared the planks. "When do you want to head back to Colorado?"

"Not today." Smiling softly, he reached for her hands. "How about we stay here for a few days? It's been a long time since we've been together. It's been even longer than that since I've stayed anywhere long enough to rest my legs, never mind Lee." Leaning closer, he kissed her cheek, his scratchy beard brushing against her cheek as he did so. "Besides," he whispered, "Truth be told, I'm in no hurry to share your company with anyone just yet."

That made her smile. "Good." After their long journey on the trail, then their long separation, a time of being together without the rush of insecurities sounded heavenly.

Clayton whispered. "In a day or two, you can let me know when you're ready."

Grasping his hand, she nodded. She wasn't eager to go back to their real world, either. Time had shown her that private, lazy moments were few and far between. In addition, they had months of catching up to do. Months of getting to know each other again.

She'd grown up in his absence.

He'd become tougher, more assured.

It was time to remember who they were and what they were to each other. "I'll let you know when I'm ready," she said.

A gentle expression warmed his eyes, making the chocolate color more pronounced. "Yes, ma'am."

"It's Mrs. Proffitt to you," she teased.

"Come here, Mrs. Proffitt," he whispered. "Let me get to know you again."

For five days they did little but set up house in the cabin.After being on the trail for so long, neither had much of a desire to hike or fish, hunt or explore.

Instead, they used the time to talk and do domestic things.Clayton fixed the mantle over the fireplace. Vanessa repaired a rip in the checkered curtains that hung on the one window.

Vanessa also took care of Clayton, making him rest his leg often and sit with his foot propped up. She knew he only agreed to the situation because she offered to read to him from her Bible. Both slept more than they had in years.

In one of the cabinets, they found an old deck of cards. On a whim, Clayton taught Vanessa how to play poker, which she thought was great fun and quite scandalous. "I can't believe you even know how to play five- card draw."

He raised a terribly handsome eyebrow, looking rakish and mysterious. "I was a soldier for a number of years, Van. What did you think we did when we were waiting to go to battle?"

"I don't guess I ever thought about it. What all did you do?"

"You . . . sure you want to know?"

"Of course. I love you, Clayton. I don't want you to be perfect; I just want you to be mine. Tell me more stories. Please?"

He shuffled the cards again as a smile played across his lips."All right then, I'll tell you a few more tales."

In between hands dealt, Clayton did just that. In fact, they talked about more than they had in months. Clayton opened up about his experiences during the war. Vanessa asked questions about Scout. They planned their futures and pushed the past behind them.

It was too bad that the last thing Vanessa thought of every night was the fact that a new, bald-faced lie now lay between them. And it was all her doing.

"You came back," Merritt said by way of greeting when they arrived back at the Bar M late the following week. As was his custom, he rode out and greeted them the moment they descended down the ridge toward the home. "I was wondering if you two were ever going to pass this way again." Looking over Clayton, Merritt said, "It's good to see you survived that bullet. Corrine will be pleased, I'll tell you that."