The Texas Ranger's Secret (10 page)

The
chink, chink, chink
of Shepard’s spurs announced their approach.

He didn’t stop close. Near enough to be polite but far enough away to keep a reserved distance.

The sun was behind the ranch hand, making it difficult for Gage to see much more than he’d already noticed.

“Gage, this is Shepard Hutton,” Willow said. “Shepard, Gage Newcomb.”

Hutton tipped his hat slightly, not extending his hand to shake. The hat came to rest lower on his forehead, taking away even more of Gage’s view.

“Boss here says you wanted to talk to me about something.” His muffled voice sounded impatient. He glanced back at his men and frowned as the next team in line stalled.

“Let’s give the kids a break. They’ve been working pretty hard bringing food for you and your men.” Gage shared a glance with Willow. No need to frighten the children. Hopefully, she would get the message and send them off to play so he and Shepard could discuss this business freely.

She took his hint. “Okay, kids, take a minute or two but stay away from where they’re loading the teams.”

The children cheered and challenged each other to race to the salt shed and back.

As soon as they were off, Gage said to the top hand, “I need to talk to you about horse thieves.”

“What about them?”

Willow looked surprised. “You didn’t say anything about horse thieves. Just that you wanted to offer him your help if he needs it.”

“There’s a dangerous one in the vicinity. Maybe more,” Gage said, knowing that preparing her for a threat was the best way to protect her from harm. His attention switched back to the wrangler. “Thought I’d give you a warning so you can be on the lookout for trouble.”

“What’s he look like?” Hutton asked.

Gage shared the thief’s description. “About your height, I’m guessing. He’s usually on horseback when I’ve seen him, so I’m not sure exactly how tall he is. Red haired. Has a gold tooth.”

“Wanted by the law?”

“So I’ve heard.” Gage had learned not to reveal more than was necessary until he’d sized up a man completely. He’d give Hutton time to prove himself worth trusting.

“Ain’t seen any thieves around here.” Hutton’s head turned as laughter came rushing by. “Just kids.”

The children chose that moment to return and chased each other between the adults, arguing about which of them would now be thief and the other sheriff in their ongoing pursuit, which took them away again.

“You the law?” Hutton faced him again.

Gage noted that the man’s voice held no particular regard for authority. Not uncommon with men who worked the circuit of ranches who needed spring and summer help. Respect was bought and paid for by the highest wage.

Willow stared at Gage intently, and he had a pretty good idea why she might be interested in the answer he’d give.

“You might say I come from a long line of lawmen,” Gage told the man.

“Thanks for the warning.” Hutton turned abruptly to call back over his shoulder as he walked off, “I’ll make sure to look for signs of trouble.”

Something about the top hand left Gage unsettled. This one meeting wasn’t enough to assure him that Willow and her family would be safe under the wrangler’s care. Gut instinct told Gage to watch and wait before he trusted.

But the clock was ticking and watching was no longer his best skill.

Waiting had become his only fear.

A
whoosh, whoosh, whoosh
jerked Gage from his thoughts as a long black stretch of leather rent the air and struck near the feet of the stalled team. Hair rose on the back of his neck as the whip recoiled and returned into the gloved palm of its masterful handler.

Hutton.

Gage had forgotten to add one fact in the description he’d shared with the top hand.

The thief had a way with a whip.

Chapter Seven

A
ll but one of the guests had long departed. The wranglers were in the barn taking a well-deserved break from chores and finally getting to eat. The dishes and house had been put back in Myrtle’s required order, and the children were champing at the bit to go into town.

The family members left behind sat in the parlor with their remaining guest, Gage Newcomb. Willow suspected he lingered there so he’d get another chance to talk with Shepard but was being polite enough to wait and let the man eat his food.

Why hadn’t he talked to her about the possibilities of horse thieves in the area? Did he think only the men needed to know? If so, she wasn’t sure she liked that about Gage. Did he think women were too delicate to handle bad news? She’d have to learn the answer to that question when they were alone practicing the skills he planned to teach her.

She wondered what he’d say if she mentioned that Shepard happened to have a gold tooth. Who would he trust then? She didn’t want him talking to their hired hand again until she had a chance to find out why Shepard hadn’t mentioned that fact to Gage. If she planned to be a reporter someday, she needed to test her skill at gathering information discreetly.

“Why do you want to go to town?” Willow asked her niece and nephew, switching her attention to the children. She hoped to guide the conversation into a way she could spend some time in town this afternoon. “Haven’t you had enough of visiting this morning?”

“Shepard’s supposed to fetch Mama and Daddy’s buggy from the livery,” Ollie said, fidgeting in her ladder-back chair and squirming in her frilly dress. “They’re gonna leave it with Bear after they catch the stage. That means he’ll have room to bring us back, too.”

“He can’t take a wagon to pick up a buggy,” Willow reasoned. If they did go, she’d have to let the child change clothes. The little tomboy disliked being in anything but overalls.

“How did you two plan on getting there?” Gage asked.

Willow wondered the same thing. If she managed this just right, if she could somehow go along, this might give her the perfect opportunity to make things right with Bear and maybe even a few of the women she’d bumped into during the bid for the bouquet. Bouquet tossing should not be that dangerous!

Both children stared at Gage as if he’d asked something even a five-year-old would know the answer to. Her niece’s eyes disappeared into a forest of lashes as she said, “Shepard will ride his horse and I’ll sit behind him.”

“I’ll sit in front,” Thaddeus spoke up for himself, thumbing his suspenders with a pop to show he meant business.

Not to be outdone, Ollie continued, “When we head home, he’ll just tie his horse to the back of the buggy and—” she raised her palms in the air “—there we go!”

“How about I ride along beside you,” Gage suggested, “then one of you can ride with me?”

“Yay!” the children chimed in unison.

Willow shook her head, even though she saw Gage’s real purpose for offering. She didn’t want him and Shepard talking about thieves in front of the children. “Let Shepard and his men rest until we get back. Snow and Myrtle could use some time to themselves, too. I’ll ride with you and the children, and I’ll bring the buggy home.”

Enlisting the children’s enthusiasm, Willow asked, “You don’t mind showing me the town a bit, do you?”

Ollie and Thad shared a conspiratorial look and shook their heads.

“I’ll show ya just everythin’.” Ollie grinned.

“More than you wanna see, prob’ly,” Thad replied, his sandy-colored eyebrows rising and lowering as though they were blankets offering some kind of smoke signal.

Willow had a feeling her niece had plans of her own in town and her brother didn’t want to be too much of a snitch. Yet he was trying to give her a hint. She’d expected some kind of challenge from the children, so it didn’t surprise her that she would need to tread cautiously with the pair.

Duly warned, she returned her attention to Snow and Myrtle. “I have a few things I need to take care of in town and I’d really enjoy taking the kids off your...uh... Spending some time alone with them.”

She kind of meant it. Willow had to see how well she could handle them on her own.

“I told Shepard we could wait until tomorrow to pick up the buggy.” Snow exhaled a long breath as she rubbed the back of her neck and moved closer to Willow.

“Let her go if she wants,” Myrtle insisted. “Don’t know about you, but I could use a nap.”

The cook yawned so wide the children laughed.

“We’ve got enough food left over,” Myrtle continued. “I don’t have to fix anything for a couple of meals. You ought to take your sister up on the offer, Snow, and get some rest yourself.”

Snow bent down and leaned closer to Willow’s ear, the fragrance of the orange groves back home in Florida ever a part of her presence. Did her sister still take the time to make her own perfume? Willow wondered.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Snow whispered. “Remember that time you got lost and had to ride out the hurricane all by yourself? You were so scared, being alone. What about when the team got away from you and—?”

“I won’t be alone,” Willow answered softly, trying to hold back her resentment of being reminded of the times she’d failed miserably to prove herself capable.

“Ollie and Thad are a handful under the best of conditions. I should go with you,” Snow insisted.

Willow turned and studied her, deciding if she didn’t stand her ground here and now, they would be testing each other’s will the entire time Daisy was gone. Even though Willow understood that her sister
meant
to be protective, Snow always made her feel like an egg that had cracked too early in the henhouse. Too fragile to live.

“That won’t be necessary.” Willow met her eye to eye, standing from the settee across from the children. “Thank you for offering, sis, but you’re worrying needlessly.”

“Then it’s settled.” Gage stood and moved to retrieve his hat from the rack near the door. “I’ll tell Mr. Hutton you’re taking care of this and have him saddle you a horse. That’ll give you a few minutes to get ready.”

“No need,” Willow said, watching Snow’s mouth straighten into a hard line of disapproval as she headed toward the stairs. Was she so angry that she wasn’t going to see them off?

“Ollie, come upstairs and change into your overalls. No need to mess up that dress,” Snow ordered as she headed toward the second-story landing. “Thad, do you plan on wearing those or are you changing?”

The boy snapped the suspenders that held up his pants and left his black string tie on. “What I’m wearing suits me. Makes me look brand-new.”

It took everything Willow had to ignore Snow’s commands to the children to prove she still held the reins of authority. She couldn’t blame her sister. Until today Willow had thought she deserved most of what Snow felt about her. She just needed to start somewhere with showing Snow that she was different from before and meant to prove herself more than capable of being left in charge. There was no better time to prove it than today. Right now.

“Okay, then, if you’re already dressed, Thad, go see that Shepard saddles me a horse.” Willow shooed the boy out of the door. “Tell him what we’re doing and that we’ll be back before nightfall. Also let him know that he and his men have the rest of the afternoon off, and we really appreciate all the hard work they’ve done today.”

“I’ll try and remember all that,” Thaddeus said and raced toward the barn.

About fifteen minutes later, Gage and the children were saddled and waiting out front. Willow had written down the names of the women included in the crush of the bridal bouquet and had a fairly good idea of where she might find those who lived in town. Myrtle told her if she couldn’t remember, the blacksmith or his wife might be willing to help her find them.

“Mind yourself and those children,” the cook said, standing at the door to wave them off. “And Snow will get over her snit with you.”

As Willow made her way down the porch steps, the salt-and-pepper-haired woman hollered past her, “Be nice, you two, or you won’t get to go with your aunt again.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they echoed in unison, waving back.

Willow faced Myrtle. “Tell Snow not to worry. I’ll bring them back safely.”

“It’s not them she’s worried about, honey. Those two could find their way back like two pigeons looking for home. It’s
you
she’s worried about. She’s just tired. I told her I’d see you all off.”

“Thank you,” Willow said and headed down the steps to be on her way. She hadn’t wanted to quarrel with Snow at all, and it hurt her feelings that Snow didn’t want to wave goodbye. Maybe she’d be in a better humor once they returned and she’d rested up.

Half expecting Gage to be waiting beside her horse to help her mount, Willow was surprised to find him sitting behind Thaddeus, looming tall in the saddle.

She hoped he was better at skills than showing good manners. Feeling slighted, she grabbed the reins, sticking her heel in one stirrup to swing a leg over and rest herself firmly in her saddle behind Ollie. She hadn’t hired him for his manners, after all.

“Good,” Gage complimented her. “You did that fairly well. Now let’s see how well you ride.”

He commanded his horse into action and headed down the path to town.

He’d been testing her, purposely waiting to see if she could mount properly. Her grandfather had taught her
some
things already. She wasn’t completely ignorant of the ways of the West. Horseback riding was one of her favorite childhood experiences, and Grandfather had enjoyed teaching her how to handle a horse properly.

Willow wrapped one arm around Ollie’s waist to make sure her niece was secure and took off at a gallop to catch up.

“Better slow down some,” Gage shouted as she swept past him. “He might pull a shoe.”

Logic echoed in his warning. It sounded as if her grandfather could have been saying the same thing. Willow slowed the horse’s gait to a trot, not wanting to put Ollie or their mount in any danger.

“Glad you’re wise enough not to let anger get the best of you,” Gage said as he and the boy moved up alongside them and settled into an even pace. “That shows good sense.”

She only half heard his approval. “What do you mean? I wasn’t angry.”