Indulgence (163 page)

“Thomas! Do not lecture me on how to care for my daughter!
You are no longer welcome here, and give Albert a message for me. When he
returns, he is not to see my daughter again. Forget we were ever friends as I
have just done. Now unless you have legal business with me, get out!” John
raged.

Thomas realized that he would now have to bring up the
information he had received from the lawyer in London, as he calmly said, “I
don’t think so, John. I have some very unsettling reports I want to discuss
with you. When I received your letter telling me you wished to pay us a visit,
I was curious. I asked myself why, after so long a period of time, you decided
to visit me. I know you’re planning to cheat Anne out of her inheritance. What
I have not figured out is what Young has to do with all of this. Mr. Lawrence,
the attorney in London, was most anxious to find where you had disappeared.
With the information I provided him, he was very open with me regarding the
details of why you left England. Now Anne will know, as soon as she turns
twenty-one. He told me of all correspondence he had sent here regarding her
inheritance and that it had all been returned. You saw to that. If you don’t
want me to tell her all I’ve discovered, it would be wise for you to terminate
Young and tell her everything. Do it today and I will let you tell her
yourself. I won’t allow her to return home until you do.”

“How dare you blackmail me! Everything you’ve said is
hearsay. I’ve taken care of Anne since her mother died. I have no secrets from
her. We were getting along fine until your son turned her against me. Try to
come between us, Thomas, and see what happens. Anne is loyal to a fault, so you
won’t get anywhere with your accusations,” John told him.

“Do not blame Albert or anyone else but yourself. He gave
her unconditional love, something that girl has not known since Margaret died.
Be thankful you’re talking with me and not him today. Albert would not give you
a chance to tell her. He would have already done so,” Thomas told him. “No, I’m
going back to the ranch. I’ll tell her you wish to speak to her this evening.
Henry and Ben will escort her home and I’ll ask her to come see me first thing
in the morning. If she hasn’t been told by then, I’ll tell her. It’s your
choice, John.”

By the time Thomas returned home, Henry and Ben had worn
Anne out playing checkers, and she was ready for a break. “Anne,” Thomas began.
“I spoke to your father. He would like to talk to you tonight. After dinner,
Henry and Ben will ride home with you. I would, however, like to see you in the
morning. Do you think you could ride over here first thing tomorrow?”

Not sure what was going on, Anne told him, “Of course, Mr.
Stuart. I’ll be here first thing in the morning. How was Father to talk to?”

Not wanting to alarm her, he replied, “He was fine, Anne, a
little upset at first, but he’s all right now,” Thomas explained.

After Thomas had left his office, John Wallace had closed
his court for the day and returned home. He needed to speak to Young before
Anne returned.
Blasted Stuarts, he thought; now I have to hurry before
Thomas spoils everything.

After dinner, Henry and Ben rode home with Anne, waiting
while she entered the house. When they were sure she was safe, they returned
home.

“Anne?” Her father called when she shut the front door. “I’d
like to see you in my study.”

Doing as he requested, she entered, asking, “You wanted to
speak to me?”

“Yes, dear. Sit down,” he answered.

After she was seated, he began. “Thomas came to see me
today, and I must say I’m very disappointed in you.”

“You’re disappointed in me? What have I done?” This was not
at all what she had expected from him.

Rising from his desk, he walked to the front, leaning on it
as he looked at her with angry, gray eyes. “Running to him, telling him you
aren’t safe here. Now, Anne, you know that’s not true. Why, I would never let
anything happen to you,” he said in an unsettling tone.

“I didn’t run to anyone. They know why I’m uncomfortable,
and with good reason. You wouldn’t listen to me. I had no one else to turn to,”
she replied.

“You always were a little sneak,” he said to her in a voice
she didn’t recognize.

“Father! I have never. . .” she started.

“You may have fooled them, your mother, and your
grandfather, but I know you for what you are. On the outside all sweet and
kind, but on the inside devious and calculating,” he spat at her.

Rising to leave the room, he grabbed her wrist, forcing her
to sit back in the chair. “I’m not done with you. You’re just like your mother.
She spoiled everything for me by having you. None of this would have ever been
necessary if you hadn’t been born. I’ve been saddled with you for the last
twenty years and now, when I’m so close to realizing my dreams, you’re
determined to ruin everything,” he said.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she said, “I don’t know what
you’re talking about. I’ve not done anything wrong.”

“Running to Thomas Stuart, whining to him just like you did
years ago to your grandfather. You remember what happened the last time you did
that? I sent you away. That is exactly what I’m going to do now. Be rid of you
once and for all and live the way I should be able to and not be stuck with
you!”

Anne couldn’t bear to hear any more. She had always
suspected he felt that way about her, but had buried it deep within, not
wanting to admit this to herself. Now he had said it aloud, and she knew she
had been right.

“Don’t you dare criticize me for anything I did to protect
myself. You did nothing after I told you of my fears about Young. Then, you were
always good at using my fears against me. When mother died, and you knew I was
terrified of losing you, you used that to keep me in line and do your bidding.
I was so frightened during that time, I would have done anything to win your
favor,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. “I had no one except for you, and
you pushed me away. Thank God, I had my grandfather; as much has he hated you,
he loved me. Well, I’m not a frightened little girl anymore. I’m grown, and I’m
in love with a man who loves me more than I thought possible, and we’re going
to be married. Then you will never be saddled with me again. I will be out of
your life for good. An event I look forward to. However, I do have something to
thank you for. The stubbornness and independence you hate so much in me is
because of your treatment of me when I was growing up. I was forced to be that
way to survive,” she railed.

She had derived great pleasure in venting this way for the
first time in her life. Albert was right, she should not hold so much inside,
and it had felt good to let it out.

Her father did something that took her aback; he laughed.
She feared the man had lost his mind until he began, “Bravo, Anne, you surprise
me. You’ve turned into a formidable adversary. As much as you will hate me
saying this, you’re just like me.”

“I am nothing like you!” she screamed.

“Too bad,” he began. “You should have exhibited these traits
before now. It may have changed things.”

“If I had to choose between being like you and being dead, I
would choose death,” Anne exclaimed.

So be it, my dear, so be it,
John thought.

After entering her bedroom, only then did she allow herself
to cry. Anne was terrified. Her father had never looked or sounded the way he
had tonight, even during their worst disagreements. After her tirade, there was
no telling how he would react. She knew she couldn’t stay there. If she could
just get away from the house, she would ride into town and stay at the Frontier
Hotel tonight.
Albert will be home tomorrow and everything will be alright
then
, she told herself.

Anne packed a small bag and quietly slipped down the stairs
and out of the house. She would have to pass near the bunkhouse in order to get
to the barn. Praying Young would be either busy with something or had gone into
town, she slowly crept past it, stopped by the sound of her father’s voice.
Listening, she heard him say, “We’re going to have to do something about my
daughter right away. When I leave in the morning, wait an hour, and then take
care of her. At this point, I don’t care what you do.”

This can’tbe happening,
she thought.
I have to get
away from here.
Silently she slipped into the barn and saddled her horse.
I’ll
have to wait until father returns to the house,
she told herself. As she
slipped her bag over the saddle horn, she stood at the door, quietly waiting
for him to leave the bunkhouse. She didn’t have to wait long. She watched as
her father exited the bunkhouse and made his way up the stairs and into the
house. She opened the barn door and led her horse out.

Slipping her boot into the stirrup she heard Joe Young say,
“Goin’ somewhere, missy?”

With her heart in her throat, she turned and said, with more
bravado that she felt, “Get out of my way. It’s none of your business where I
go.”

“I’ve had it with that smart mouth of yours,” he snarled as
he grabbed her arm, “always acting uppity. ‘Bout time someone taught you a
lesson,” he said, drawing back his fist.

Anne closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. As he
prepared to strike her, a deep voice warned him, “Hit her, and I will shoot you
where you stand.” Looking up, he saw Albert and Henry Stuart on horseback,
their guns aimed at him, Albert’s eyes dark with anger.

“Albert!” she screamed.

“Stuart,” Young snarled, “I didn’t expect you back this
soon, but I’ve been taking real good care of your gal while you were gone. Just
ask her.”

Albert got down from Diablo, taking his gun belt off. As he
handed it to Henry, Young shoved Anne into her horse, knocking her down, then
lunged at Albert.

Anne was pulled to safety by the massive arms of Henry as he
told her, “You stay right here, Anne.”

The two men grappled with each other, Young outweighing
Albert by a good forty pounds. Albert, however, was faster and quickly
delivered two blows to the man’s face, breaking his nose. One of Young’s
punches caught Albert in the stomach, stunning him momentarily.

“Albert!” she screamed, rushing toward the two men.

Henry pulled her back, telling her, “Let him go, Anne.
Albert can take care of himself.”

Albert landed punishing blows to Young’s ribs and
mid-section. Anne would swear she heard the sounds of bones breaking when
Albert’s fists landed on Young’s body. Turning her head away, she couldn’t bear
to watch anymore.

The fight ended when Albert landed a solid blow to Young’s
jaw, knocking him to the ground. It was at this point, Henry grabbed his
brother and said, “Enough, Albert. Ain’t no more fight left in him.”

Joe Young lay at their feet in a bloody heap. Enraged,
Albert fought to free himself of Henry’s grasp. The big man told him, “I said
enough, Albert.”

When he felt his brother’s body relax, Henry released him.
Anne flew to his arms, covering his face in kisses as his long fingers tenderly
held her face, asking, “Are you all right?”

Wrapping her arms around him, she could feel his heart as it
raced. “Albert, are you all right?”

“Anne, I’m fine. Thank God we got here in time,” he said.

“How did you manage to come home early? I wasn’t expecting
you until tomorrow,” she said.

“I finished with the army early and didn’t want to wait for
the stage. So I bought a horse and rode back from San Francisco. After I got
home and Father told me of the meeting he had with your father, I felt you were
in danger. Henry rode over here with me just in case there was trouble.”

“Good thing for Young I did,” Henry said. “He’d be dead if I
hadn’t come.”

“Where is your father?” Albert asked.

“In the house,” she told him. “Albert, there’s more that
happened tonight that I need to tell you.” She told him about the argument she
and her father had and overhearing him and Young in the bunkhouse.

Albert told her, “We’re going to the sheriff’s office, and
you’re going to tell Ray everything.”

“Please, Albert, I can’t. . .”

“Yes, you can, Anne; this has gone on long enough. He’s made
your life hell, threatened you, and hired Young for the sole purpose of hurting
you. If I hadn’t gotten here in time, I don’t know what would have happened.”

By now, Henry had Young on his feet and was in the process
of tying him to his horse.

“I’ll hitch up the carriage,” Albert told his brother. “But
I want to speak to her father first.”

“No, Albert, I can’t go back in there. I can’t see him or
listen to him anymore.

Taking her hand gently in his he told her, “Anne, you’re
safe now. I’m not going to let anything hurt you. There are a few things I need
to say to him, and I want you there to hear them.”

While Henry watched Young, Albert and Anne entered the
house. Finding John in his study, the surprised look on his face told Albert
everything.

“Don’t say a word,” Albert warned him. “Anne has told me
everything about tonight and the instructions you gave Young in the bunkhouse.
I’m taking her to see Ray. He’ll be very interested in your little plot. She
won’t be back here until you’re gone. I want you out of this house by
tomorrow.”

“How dare you give me orders!” John raged. “Just who do you
think you are?”

“I’m going to be her husband very soon, and I’ll tell you as
I told Young, if you ever threaten her again, I’ll kill you. I should do it now
for what you’ve put her through. You’ll never hurt her again. For now, it will
suffice that you’ll be spending time in jail.”

At this, Albert turned, taking Anne’s hand, and left the
house. Henry had hitched up the carriage, and they quickly left for Carson
City.