The Reluctant Bride (37 page)

“I don’t know why you should be ashamed of having liked Russ,” Tanzy said. “I think it shows remarkably good taste.”

“Your opinion is not, and never will be, of interest to me.” Ethel marched from the saloon.

For a moment you could have heard a pin drop. Then someone laughed. Then came the sound of someone trying to smother a laugh, which made it all the more difficult for everyone else to control their feelings. The room erupted into laughter and jokes that drove the hostility out into the night.

“Whatever possessed you to stand up for me?” Russ asked as they walked back to the hotel.

“I couldn’t stand to see them accusing you just because Stocker’s still angry after all this time.”

Russ couldn’t get over the way she had sprung to his defense, the way she’d stood up under attack, the way she’d turned the attack on the attackers. The townspeople had decided to ask Colonel McGregor for help in finding someone who could follow the trail of the missing cows. Stocker had been furious, shouting that they were wasting their time, but for the first time in Russ’s memory, nobody listened to him.

“It also made me mad when they tried to ignore your suggestions on how to find the rustlers just because you’ve been in prison. There’s nothing about being in prison that automatically makes you stupid.”

“No, but it automatically makes you a liar and a thief.”

“I don’t know why they don’t just come out to your ranch and find out for themselves, but every time they start to do that, Stocker stops them. It’s almost like he doesn’t want to find out who’s stealing his cattle.”

“Stocker doesn’t want me proved innocent because he’d have to stop blaming me for everything. I think that’s all he lives for these days.”

“Well, I won’t be a part of letting him persecute you.”

Russ was having a hard time keeping his feelings for Tanzy a secret. He’d given up trying to pretend he didn’t want to marry her, that he wouldn’t do virtually anything he must to keep her close to him. He knew he had to wait for her to come to him, but he kept feeling she was already there, that all he had to do was reach out and take hold of what he wanted so desperately. But fear kept him silent.

What if she
didn’t
love him? What if she tried and it just didn’t work? He knew she liked him, but that wasn’t enough for him anymore. He wanted her to love him as much as he loved her, to need him as much as he needed her. Strong, silent Russ Tibbolt, the man his cowhands depended on, the man five years of prison couldn’t defeat, the man a whole town had tried to run off but couldn’t, this Russ Tibbolt admitted he needed Tanzy Gallant. Without her, he would always be half a man.

He’d known for years he wanted a wife, children, friends, and a job he enjoyed. He had the friends and the job, but his distrust of women had barred him from the most important part of the future he dreamed about. He’d spent years accustoming himself to the reality of never finding a woman he could trust and love. Then Tanzy had gotten off that stage and everything changed. Possibilities abounded where none had existed before. Hope that could not be denied filled his heart, hope that was so strong it overcame his fears enough for him to open up a corner of himself to her.

Now, if she only knew or cared, all of him was open.

“I’ve developed a tough hide when it comes to Stocker’s persecution,” Russ said. “He’s not going to change so I ignore him.”

“I wouldn’t care about that if the whole town didn’t follow him like dumb sheep,” Tanzy said. They had reached the hotel. “I don’t want to go in. I’m still too wrought up to go to sleep.”

“There’s not much entertainment in Boulder Gap.”

“We can walk.”

“Where?”

“To the schoolhouse and back. I never tire of looking at the mountains.”

They walked in companionable silence for a few minutes, Russ wanting to reach out and take her hand but fearing he would scare her away. She was too close, and winning her was too important, for any foolish mistake. It didn’t make any difference that his hands ached to touch her, that he practically had to bite his lips to keep from kissing her. It was stupid. When he’d thought he had no chance of winning her, he had no trouble kissing her even when he was certain she didn’t welcome his attention. But now that his hopes were so high, now that victory was almost his, he felt paralyzed with fear of doing something that would cause her to change her mind.

The valley is surrounded by mountains,” Russ said.

That’s one of the things I love about it.”

“You love my valley?”

“It’s too beautiful not to love.”

Russ wanted to touch her, to kiss her, to wrap his arms around her and never let her go. Surely she wouldn’t have defended him so vigorously if she didn’t love him. Surely she wouldn’t have faced Ethel without a moment’s hesitation if she didn’t love him. Surely she wouldn’t object to his holding her hand even if someone might see them and spread gossip around town before morning. She couldn’t possibly mind if—

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere. What are you doing out here at night?”

Tardy’s voice coming unexpectedly from behind him was like a schoolteacher smacking his hand for misbehaving.

“I was restless,” Tanzy said. “I didn’t want to go to bed yet.”

“Well, I do,” Tardy said, “but I’ve got no place to go. Aunt Ethel meant it when she said I couldn’t go back to her house. She wouldn’t even let me inside to get my stuff. She just kept throwing everything through the front door and screaming I was a snake in her bosom, a sneak, and a pervert. What’s a pervert?”

“Something you’re not,” Tanzy said.

“I tried to get a room at the hotel, but all the rooms are taken. What am I going to do? I was about to ask the man at the livery stable if I could sleep in his loft.”

“You can share my room,” Russ said.

“Thanks,” Tardy said, breaking into a relieved smile. He looked as if Russ had just handed him his life’s dream.

“Tell Archie to give you a key,” Russ said.

Tardy grinned in that self-effacing way he had when he had done something he feared might get him in trouble. “I already asked him. I was sure you wouldn’t mind my sleeping on the floor,” Tardy hurried to assure Russ, “but Archie said he wasn’t giving nobody a key to your room. He acted like I might try to do something to hurt you.” Tardy’s expression had changed from one of appeasement to indignation.

“Archie’s always looking out for me,” Russ said.

“We ought to be getting back,” Tanzy said.

As much as Russ liked Tardy, he could strangle the boy for bringing his moonlight stroll with Tanzy to a premature end. Now he had to share a room with Tardy without letting him guess how much he wished he would disappear.

“I’m sorry your aunt threw you out,” Tanzy said to Tardy, “but you shouldn’t have told anybody what she wrote in her diary.”

“I wouldn’t have if she hadn’t been trying to hurt you and Russ. You’re the only people who never thought I was dumber than dirt and as useless as tumbleweed.”

“Don’t worry about it anymore. They’ll all think differently very soon.”

They walked back to the hotel, with Tanzy doing her best to convince Tardy he wasn’t stupid and Russ repeating he was glad Tardy would be moving to the ranch permanently.

“I plan to work you so hard you’ll earn your keep,” Russ said, his tone tinged with irritation.

Tardy, poor innocent soul, grinned at the prospect. Russ didn’t have the heart to stay mad at him. He knew what it was like to be unwanted. Nobody should have to feel that way, especially a kid, but couldn’t the boy have chosen some other night to get thrown out onto the street? They reached the hotel much too soon.

“What are we going to do tomorrow?” Tardy asked.

“See if they want me to participate in the hunt for the rustlers,” Russ said, “maybe buy a few supplies, and head back to the ranch. I expect a delegation will be out to search every inch of the valley before long.”

“You never stole any cows,” Tardy said.

“Let’s hope they come to the same conclusion,” Tanzy said.

Russ and Tanzy collected their keys and headed toward their rooms. Tardy tagged along. It was clear he wasn’t going to leave them alone without a broad hint.

“Here’s the key,” Russ said, handing it to Tardy. “I’ll be along in a moment.”

“Don’t try sneaking a kiss in the hallway,” Tardy said, grinning. “I don’t want you ruining Miss Gallant’s reputation.”

“I’ll ruin your neck if you open your mouth one more time,” Russ said.

Tardy merely grinned, tossed the key in the air, and headed toward their room.

“I may have to reconsider taking him on as a cowhand,” Russ said. “He doesn’t show the proper respect for his boss.”

“That’s because you’re too kind to him,” Tanzy said. “You’re like the big brother he never had.”

“Great! I’m acquiring family responsibilities without benefit of a wife.”

“You’ve already got a family. The men at the ranch would never have made it without you.” Tanzy slipped her hand around his neck and pulled his head lower until their lips were mere inches apart. “I hope you realize you’re a very special person. Not many people could have survived what you’ve been through and not be bitter. Now you’d better go to your room before
I
ruin my reputation by standing in the hall kissing you.”

She rose on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. Then she turned, unlocked her door, and disappeared inside with what had to be the sweetest smile that ever curved a woman’s lips.

For a moment Russ thought he would rip the door off its hinges to get at the woman who was driving him crazy. It took him several minutes to master the compulsion to pound on the door and demand that she let him in. It took him even longer to force his feet to carry him to his room. By the time he reached the door, he felt exhausted.

“I started to think you weren’t coming,” Tardy said.

“We were talking,” Russ replied.

“I don’t know what you’ve got left to talk about. You see each other every day.”

Tardy had clearly never been in love or he’d know a lifetime and all the words in the world would never be enough. Some things were just so big, so all consuming, they defied time and words.

Russ looked at Tardy,
really
looked at him.

He saw a boy who was as tall as a man but inhabited the slender body of adolescence. He saw the smooth skin of a face that had yet to be marred by the roughness of a beard, eyes that telegraphed complete trust and unabashed admiration, a smile that could only be worn by a soul that had yet to fully comprehend the cruel unfairness of life. Somehow Tardy had reached the age of sixteen without becoming soured on his fellow man, disappointed but not despairing. He was still imbued with the certainty that everything would work out in the end.

Had Russ ever felt like that? Had he ever been that young?

He couldn’t remember a time when he wasn’t angry at the world and nearly everyone in it. He couldn’t remember a time when he believed everything would work out in the end. He couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t despair of ever finding the happiness that had eluded him all his life. Until now.

“Do you mind if I take one of the blankets?” Tardy asked. “This carpet doesn’t look very thick.”

“You don’t have to sleep on the floor. We can share the bed as long as you don’t kick or snore.”

“Tim does both,” Tardy said, climbing in the bed with a cheeky grin. “If he ever gets married, his wife will have to sleep by herself.”

Russ removed his hat and coat, but he couldn’t settle down. He was too worked up to sleep. “I’m going for a walk.”

“You’ve already been for a walk.”

“I’m still not tired or sleepy.”

“I don’t know why not. You had a gunfight, dragged those men into town, then had a meeting about the rustlers. All I had was a fight with Aunt Ethel, and that wore me out.”

“That’s because you’re still soft. When I get through toughening you up, you’ll think a stampede is a morning’s amusement.”

Tardy snorted his skepticism.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be, so don’t wait up,” Russ said.

“Don’t wake me when you get into bed.”

“Don’t hog the covers.”