Chapter 9 #2
Water sloshed on Cora’s hem as she set the bucket down by the stable door and inserted a key into the padlock.
The main door was padlocked on the outside, and the side door on the inside—a precaution started by her father and uncle years ago and followed by many of the outlying neighbors in order to protect their horses from Indian raids.
Who knew if it was still necessary? But she wasn’t taking any chances.
The lock clicked. She stuffed the key back into her pocket and reached for the latch—
The door swung open. Ben.
Her knees wobbled. He wore a clean shirt and trousers.
Though still a tad on the pale side, his face had lost its yellow pallor.
For the first time since he’d sat at her table and told her he’d rescued her from Mr. Coffin, his dark-brown hair was combed, and his beard was neatly trimmed to a light covering.
“Y-you’re up?” Why did she stutter?
“A man can’t stay in bed forever.” His lips edged upward into a not-so-warm smile.
He was probably still displeased she’d sent a doctor to examine him. “You’re feeling better?”
“Yes.” He grabbed the bucket handle before she could. “Allow me. I’ve already fed the horses and given them the leftover water from the night.” A whisper of a grunt rumbled in his throat as he lifted.
The man was still recovering his strength. “Charlie and I can take care of the horses. I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“A good cavalryman cares for his horse before himself.” He carried the bucket to his rented bay mare, who munched on the contents of a feed sack near the grooming area. “Charlie does a great job, but I figure it’s time I pitched in.”
His shirt hung looser on him than it had thirteen days ago when he’d ridden into the ranch. But he was still a man who’d hook her gaze across a room and hold it.
The horse nickered and dipped its mouth to the cool drink fresh from the well.
Cora fumbled with her hands. “I’m thankful your health has improved, Mr. McKenzie.”
“The name is Ben.” He shot her a glare and grabbed an empty bucket. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he poured half the water into the second container. “When I’m up to it, I’m going to ride the bay into town and return her to the livery stable. I didn’t intend to rent her so long.”
“I hadn’t thought of the expense. Charlie and I could ride in tomorrow and do it for you. Then, when you’re well enough to leave, I can give you a ride in the wagon to the stagecoach.”
“What do you mean, ‘leave’?” His voice turned sharp as he set the second bucket in front of Charlie’s horse and pivoted toward her.
“When you’re ready to head back to Philadelphia. I figure it might be another couple of weeks. But when the time comes, I’ll give you a rid—”
“I have no intention of leaving Miss Scott until I’ve helped securely establish this ranch.” He planted his feet wide and folded his arms. “That’s a matter of months. Maybe even through winter.”
She gaped at him. “That’s out of the question. I’ve decided to go with my original idea of how to repay you. I’ll advertise the land and sell up to half the ranch. I’ll send you the money. I give my word on my brother’s grave, I’ll repay you every penny.”
He snorted. “I’m not going anywhere. I made a commitment to Jeb, and I plan to keep it.”
“You’ve kept it.” Her voice wavered. She could not have this man hanging around for months weaving himself into their lives. What if he became like some grafted branch it’d tear the tree apart to remove? “You saved us from Mr. Coffin. And I am eternally grateful.”
“Are you, now?” Eyes flashing, he stepped toward her. “By my recollection, eternity ended about eight days ago, when you offered me the medicine, and my sickness momentarily got the better of me.”
Sickness? Not exactly her word for it. “You have been very kind to us.”
“But that doesn’t matter, does it?”
“I don’t want to offend you, Mr. McKenzie.”
“You already have. By avoiding me every day since then. You can’t even look me in the eye.”
She glared into those hazel globes now and bit back a sluice worth of words that threatened to burst forth. “I’ll pay you back for the land.”
“I don’t want to be paid back.”
“I’ll find a buyer. I’m thinking that Dr. Arthur LeBeau might be interested—
“I’m sure he’s interested.” His lip curled.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.” He laid his forearm across the bay’s back. “Has the good doctor expressed interest in the land?”
“Not specifically. But he has means, and he already has some land in the northwestern part of the county. I believe he’d—”
“I’ve changed my mind.” He smacked his hands together. “You offered to sign over half of the land to me, and I accept.”
“That was before, and you said no.”
“Before what?”
She pressed her lips together. The man was begging her to come out and say it. “I offered, and you said no. I’ve determined to find a different solution.”
“I thought you were a woman of your word, Miss Scott. I mean, that’s what your brother told me.”
Jeb or Charlie? “I am. I made the offer, and you declined it.”
“I was a sick man. I didn’t know what I was saying. If there’s any eternity in your gratitude, you’ll do me the courtesy of extending your offer.”
She crossed her arms. She couldn’t have this man living on her land or anywhere near.
He closed the distance between them. “You owe it to Jeb.”
“Owe what to him?”
“To give me another chance. To prove to you that the man who needed…the medicine so badly that he had to knock the spoon from your hand to stop himself from taking it…that he isn’t who I truly am.
” The muscles in his throat strained, the cords rigid along either side of his neck.
His gaze bore into her, asking, demanding…
How could she with any decency say no? And goodness knows she couldn’t handle the ranch on her own. But maybe it’d be better to give up on her dream and move back to town than allow him to become—
The door creaked.
She pivoted toward the sound.
Charlie stood there, hands in his pockets, face glum. A cowlick stood up on the crown of his head.
Cora pressed a hand to her chest. “How long have you been standing there?”
A chicken clucked behind him.
Charlie shrugged. “What medicine? Why did Ben knock a spoon away from you?”
Ben flinched. “That’s a discussion for grownups.”
“You can’t listen in on other people’s conversations, Charlie.” Cora swatted at a gnat.
“Why don’t you like Ben?”
How much had the boy overheard? Cora’s tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. “It’s not that I don’t like Ben. It’s just that he has a life and responsibilities back in Pennsylvania—”
“You can’t make him go. We need him. He said sorry.” His brow furrowed.
Her stomach knotted. “You don’t understand, Charlie.”
“If you make him leave…” He threw back his shoulders. “I’ll go to.”
What? Where had that come from? Her hands dropped to her sides.
Ben stepped beside her. “Young man, I don’t want to ever hear you talk about running off. You hear me? Your sister has her reasons for being displeased with me.”
The boy dug his toe in the dirt. “Yes, sir.”
Ben rubbed his neck. “Now, go do your chores and stay out of your sister’s way until breakfast.”
He lifted his chin. “What was wrong with the medicine?”
“Chores. Enough questions for now.” Ben waved him toward the door.
Cora sniffled. Charlie’s mutiny stung like a hornet. In less than two weeks, Ben already had as much sway with the boy as she did.
“Cora…” Ben spoke beside her.
“I have work to do.” She wasn’t about to stand around and let this man witness her hurt. She marched out the door. Charlie was her brother, not Ben’s. She could order Ben off her land right now, and lock Charlie in his room for the next week. But that wouldn’t fix anything.
The chickens clucked as she stomped past. Too bad it wasn’t time to wring one of their necks.
If only Ben was the kind of man she’d want Charlie to tag along after. The kind of man she could care about without her stomach churning as if she were being tossed about at sea.
Her father had been nice-looking in his youth, or so her mother had said. A persistent charmer, who’d pursued her mother as if she were the light of his world. He’d burrowed his vices deep.
Her family had left Nashville and moved to Texas for a new start due to his gambling.
He’d disgraced the family name by cheating in a horse race.
At that point, he drank and over-imbibed on occasion, but eventually, alcohol took over, and he crawled deeper and deeper into the bottle.
He’d never struck her mother, but seeing the man she loved wallowing in a stupor had broken her heart.
Cora would rather cut off her right hand than entangle herself with such a man.
Across the yard and down the hill, the palisade gate creaked. Ben’s words echoed in her head…give me another chance. And the way his eyes had…pleaded. The bottom dropped out of her stomach. How could she say no?
How could she possibly say yes?