One Texas Night

CHAPTER 4

The newlyweds came down for lunch late. Cozette didn’t miss all the smiles and winks at Michael. He remained the gentleman, never letting on that he knew she’d thrown up her breakfast. He hadn’t even raised his head from the book he’d been reading when she forgot to close his connecting door. When she’d visited her father by way of the back stairs, he’d followed and quietly remained at the desk by the window until she’d told him it was time for lunch.

He’d covered his hand over hers a few times during the meal, and when he knew someone was watching, he’d made an effort to brush her cheek with a kiss or lightly circle his arm over her shoulders. Because of her father’s illness and the newlyweds’ need to be alone, the few guests who’d come quickly made excuses to leave. By afternoon, all the ranch hands had returned to work and the house was quiet.

When she’d excused herself to sit with her father, Michael followed without a word. He’d walked her all the way to the chair by her father’s bed, then kissed her hand and said he’d be at the desk across the room.

She’d expected to find her uncle in her father’s room and was relieved to see only the nurse.

Shadows were long when Michael excused himself and left the room. Cozette stood and stretched, then walked around the big desk, noticing that Michael had been studying the records all afternoon. She stopped at the tall windows and stared out at her ranch, loving it so much her heart ached to realize how close she came to losing it.

She brushed her fingers over the slight bulge just above her knee where she’d strapped a gun to her leg. A few months ago she believed everyone to be good and fair. She thought her uncle loved her and only wanted her to be happy when he’d sent a letter introducing the son of a friend.

Fredrick Bates had shown up at her school with flowers and his aunt as chaperone. The nuns had let her go riding with him and to dinner in town as long as the aunt went along. After all, he had the proper family introduction and Cozette was a year older than most girls who left the school. They’d let her stay on another year only because her father had insisted.

Cozette thought she was in love with Fredrick by the fourth outing. He spoke French to her and swore she had angel eyes. When his aunt retired early on the fifth evening, she’d been excited to spend the time alone with a man who pampered her so.

Fredrick had teased her and told her he planned to seduce her as they entered his private quarters. She’d been fool enough to laugh and play along when he kissed her and flirted with her. When the hour grew late, she’d told him she had to go, but he changed. Seduction turned forceful and demanding.

For a moment she thought he was still teasing, and when talk turned to action, she’d been too shocked, too young, too naive to even fight.

It had all been over in a few minutes, and when he pulled away, he’d seemed furious at her. The man who’d spoken his love for her in French stood, straightened his clothes, and said he’d done what he’d been paid to do. He’d left her there, her dress torn, her heart broken as if she were no more than the scraps after a meal.

She’d cried for a while, then walked back to the school and pretended nothing had happened. If she’d said a word she would have been expelled. Her father would have disowned her. Proper young ladies didn’t get themselves into compromising positions.

So, she’d held her tongue and come home as soon as she could find a reason to slip away.

Once on the ranch, she’d realized the truth. The letter introducing Fredrick was in Uncle Raymond’s handwriting. He had paid a man to dishonor her.

When she said nothing, he must have thought the plan hadn’t worked. Then, he’d talked her father into changing his will. He probably figured she’d be too afraid to even talk to another man after her encounter with Fredrick. Uncle Raymond must have thought he’d planned it all out where he would win the ranch without a fight. Half the family wealth had never been enough—he wanted it all.

Her grandfather had fought the Apache for this land, her father had fought outlaws and raiders more than once, and now she knew she’d have to fight her uncle. No one was ever going to stand in her way. The land was hers, paid for with blood and sweat. She would have made a bargain with the devil himself to keep it.

Looking at the chair where Michael had been sitting, she wondered if that hadn’t been exactly what she’d done. After all, he was an outlaw. His only three relatives didn’t look like they’d completely evolved from animals. Moses snorted like a bull and Joseph smacked when he ate. She couldn’t even see Abe clearly for all the dirty hair hanging in his face.

But Michael Hughes looked like he was born to play the role of a rancher. All dressed up, he looked like a perfect gentleman, but he seemed to be holding his cards close to the vest and waiting for her to give him just enough power to take over or run. When the time came, how hard would it be for him to walk away from a ranch this size with only a wagonload of trinkets? By law all her property now belonged to him. Would he give it back when the time came?

She stood and moved to the gun chest. Lifting the false bottom to the shelf, she retrieved two more small Colts. One for beneath her pillow, the other to hide in this room. She’d not be caught unprepared again. The nuns might not have taught her to fight, but they had taught her to reason. She wanted to believe in Michael, but she’d learned the hard way to be prepared.

From the window, she watched her new husband cross through the garden. He didn’t turn to the cabins where his relatives stayed but opened a side gate. Taking long strides he walked into the untamed pasture beyond the trimmed and groomed walls of the compound.

He was almost to the trees running along a creek behind the house when he stopped. She watched as he leaned his head back and stared up at the cloudy sky like a man trying to find his bearings.

For the first time, she wondered if he felt as trapped by their bargain as she did. If he hadn’t agreed to her crazy scheme he might have been killed last night. Yet, even knowing all she had to do was yell and he’d be trapped, he’d bargained for his uncles’ lives. He’d also handled her setting all the rules with more class than she might have in his place. She’d made it plain that he’d play the part of master over all he saw, but she’d make the final decisions on anything pertaining to the ranch. She’d hold all the power. As her father slipped farther and farther from the world, she’d take her place.

One of the ranch hands fell into step with Michael as he walked back to the house. She saw them talking and wished she could hear what they were saying. The ranch hand tipped his hat in salute when he veered off at the garden gate.

Cozette put one of the guns in the pillows by the alcove and noticed he hadn’t touched his tea again. Next time they talked, she’d have coffee for him even though he hadn’t complained or asked. The least she could do was make him comfortable in his cage.