Chapter Twelve
Sam watched the man from the porch, making sure that he actually left without any problems. Daniel and the ranch hand turned around and went back to work.
Seeing them watch out for Sadie made him feel a lot better, but Sam didn’t like the fact that random men were able to approach the ranch so freely.
Granted, the entrance road leading toward the house was long and anybody coming was quickly spotted, but in comparison to Hattie’s townhouse he and Ruby had lived in for the past few years, this was a lot less safe.
Living on a ranch again posed its own risks in itself, but this particular risk was not something Sam was willing to accept. Not after all he had lost for that exact reason.
For the first time since his arrival, he had a solid plan of what he was going to do.
He’d build a gate and he’d reinforce their outside perimeters, as well.
He’d seen some spots during his early morning rides which would benefit from a more solid fence.
It wouldn’t keep everyone out who planned on coming in unannounced, but even the smallest delay could prove helpful. Especially at night.
Sadie joined him on the porch.
“Thank you so much for standing up for me the way you did,” she said with a warm smile. Her cheeks were flushed. “I appreciate it very much.”
Sam acknowledged it with a nod and he really didn’t want to say anything, but he couldn’t help himself. From his standpoint, this needed to be addressed rather sooner than later.
“I wouldn’t have to, if we didn’t constantly have to deal with unannounced visitors,” Sam replied a little too harshly. Sadie’s smile slowly faded, turning into a confused frown.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I don’t like the fact that anybody can just come here at any time of day,” he replied. “And you allow it to happen. That’s dangerous.” Sadie stared at him in bewilderment, clearly trying to figure out where he was coming from.
“Nothing has ever happened here,” she said with a calming voice. “Not even during all the time my father was running everything. Don’t worry…”
“I do!” Sam cut her off. Sadie tilted her head with a slight scowl. “I worry a lot. That’s what I do. And since you brought me here to watch out for you, that’s what I’m here for. Trust me, you can’t ever be too sure. Things happen without warning and it can destroy your whole life!”
He didn’t mean to go that far, but now that he’d said it, he couldn’t take it back.
Sadie’s whole demeanor changed. First, she stared at him in disbelief, then with obvious pity. That was the thing he didn’t want.
Since he hadn’t told her everything, Sam didn’t think that Sadie knew all the details about his past—particularly the part about Elizabeth’s murder.
He’d only told her that she’d died, but not how and under what circumstances.
Sadie couldn’t know that this was the main reason why he wanted to secure the ranch for all of them.
Sadie closed the distance between them and she tentatively put her hand onto his arm. It was unexpected and made Sam pause for a second. It was a long time ago that he’d felt such tenderness. It took his breath away.
“Is this about your first wife?” she asked softly. Her eyes searched his.
Sam exhaled a deep breath. He wasn’t ready to talk about it. He only knew that he needed to keep his word and keep all of them safe. He gently pulled away from her.
“I am going to build a gate at the entrance,” he told her with a flat tone.
“What? No!” Sadie replied. “I need the road to stay open, so I can do business.”
“With rude men like that seller today?” he asked, not really trying to hide the sarcasm. “Or with people like your uncle, who thinks he owns this place, trying to rob you of your money any chance he gets?”
Sadie’s lovely face twisted into an angry scowl.
“That’s not fair!” she told him, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Those two are just bad examples.”
“The only ones I’ve seen so far!” Sam countered. “Aside from your uncle, you don’t know these people! They could try to rob you, or trick you, or worse!”
Sam watched as she raised her chin defiantly and let her hands fall to her sides.
“You know what?” she exclaimed. Her voice took on a tone he hadn’t yet heard from her.
It was a mixture of disappointment and indignity.
“I know very well how to take care of myself! Yes, I asked you for protection, but that was solely with regards to my uncle. And that wasn’t even in the literal physical sense!
You don’t need to stomp around here, changing everything just because you think we’re in some kind of danger!
Didn’t you see Daniel and Jose, both with their rifles?
I have a whole army of soldiers around here if that’s what you are worried about! ”
“Soldiers?” Sam said with a huff.
“Yes! Soldiers!” Sadie replied. “Every single one of my men will come to defend me and this ranch and everyone in it, should the need arise. Which hasn’t happened in decades!
So, why don’t you back off with that idea of yours and let me do what I do best—run this ranch the way I have done long before you got here! ”
She sounded so angry, her hands balled into shaking fists.
If this wasn’t a personal issue, Sam would have found the way Sadie stood up for herself endearing. Unfortunately, all of this was too close to home—his old home and all he’d lost with it—and he struggled to remain calm about it.
“Well, I’m here now!” he said loudly. “You brought me here! And from what I can see, everything is not great around here.” Sadie gasped and her hand flew to her open mouth.
“Maybe you should let me be the face of the business from now on,” Sam said angrily, even though he didn’t mean it at all. He had no interest in meddling with it or to take that away from her. He wasn’t like Walter…
Her eyes narrowed and she actually took a step toward him, staring up into his face with a furious fire in her eyes.
“What did you just say?” she questioned, suddenly all too calmly.
Sam knew he’d overstepped, but his own anger didn’t allow for him to apologize in that moment. Granted, his delivery could have been better, but on this topic he needed to stay firm.
“You’re just like my uncle!” Sadie exclaimed furiously. The disappointment in her face was so obvious, it felt like a slap in Sam’s face. He groaned, closing his eyes defeatedly. That’s the last thing he wanted her to think.
Before he could respond to remedy the situation, Sadie spun around, her skirt slapping violently against his legs. She ran inside the house and slammed the door hard.
***
Sam spent most of his afternoon in the empty dining room, going over all the paperwork again. As usual, the table was a complete mess with all the information he’d gathered from his case and similar cases in the region.
Just before noon, he’d received a new report from one of the sheriffs in a neighboring town about a barn that had been set on fire as well as a local tavern, which had been robbed at gunpoint. As soon as he’d read it, his hair stood up on end.
Since both of these incidents had happened in the vicinity of his old homestead, Sam decided that he’d ride out early the next morning to investigate the locations.
Even after four years, he was unable to let it go.
He’d sworn to find the culprits, and he’d chased after any possible lead every chance he’d gotten.
After all this time there’d only been very few cases that had made Sam feel close to solving Elizabeth’s murder, but whenever he’d thought that he’d finally found the criminals who’d destroyed his life, it’d turned out to be another dead lead.
Either way, Sam wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t.
The door to the dining room opened.
“Oh,” one of the young female servants called out, startled. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t expect anyone to be here,” she exclaimed with an embarrassed expression on her face. “I need to set the table for dinner.”
“Of course,” Sam replied. One glance at the clock told him that he’d spent well over three hours with his research again.
“I’m sorry. I’ll clear this right up.” He stacked the papers and documents and returned everything to the box he kept everything in.
Then he rushed out of the room and back to his bedroom, where he pushed the wooden crate underneath the bed.
Sam thought about finding another room in this large house he could turn into his private study. He missed his own work space at Hattie’s house, where he didn’t have to cram everything into that box. Hattie had immediately given him her late husband’s old study, which had worked out perfectly.
Even though this new house was officially his home, he still felt a little bit like a guest. It was all still so new, and after his argument with Sadie earlier, he didn’t think it was a good idea to bring it up. He’d have to wait and see how things would go.
When they finally all sat down for dinner, the atmosphere was so uncomfortable you could cut the tension with a knife. Sadie mostly ignored him. There was no way that he’d bring up the private study.
Sam was worried that Sadie might escalate their earlier argument in front of his daughter, but she didn’t.
Sadie put on a friendly fa?ade, creating a happy little bubble for Ruby and Ellen, entertaining them with funny stories and jokes. Ruby was none the wiser and enjoyed her time with all of them just like she had since she’d come here.
Sam was grateful for that, but Sadie didn’t give him the opportunity to show it, because she never looked at him. She replied with a kind tone whenever he said something that would require her to answer, but that was it.
Sam took it on the chin. He deserved her anger.
He hoped that they could talk later and Sadie would understand what he’d really meant by everything he’d said. His own anger had long evaporated and turned into guilt for making Sadie feel bad. Again.
“We should have a fun day in town tomorrow!” Sadie said halfway through supper.
Sam looked up from his plate. “I’ve noticed that your dresses are getting a little tight, Sweetheart.
We need to get you new ones,” she said to his daughter, though Sam got the impression that she was directing the comment to him without making eye contact.
“And you also need new shoes and boots.”
Ruby’s face lit up.
“Oh, you are going to love Mrs. Pemberly!” Ellen cheered, excitedly clapping her hands. “She is the best seamstress in town and she will make you look like a little princess, darlin’,” she added. “Would you like that?”
As soon as she heard the word princess, Ruby nodded with a beaming smile.
Sam cleared his throat.
“Tomorrow is not a good day,” he declared firmly. He knew for a fact that Hattie had ordered a whole trunk full of dresses for Ruby less than a year ago.
“And why is that?” Sadie challenged, still avoiding his eyes.
“Because!” Sam replied with an aggravated tone.
This time, Sadie turned her head toward him so abruptly, it made her glossy ringlets bounce around her face.
Sam wasn’t aware that her usually warm brown eyes could take on such an icy stare.
She put her knife and fork down, defiantly steepling her fingers.
“Because?” she asked, not all that calmly. “Even though you seem to think it, that’s not an answer. Because of what?” she challenged again.
Sam stared at her in disbelief. He couldn’t remember the last time someone provoked him like that. What was odd was the fact that he wasn’t mad about it. He was almost intrigued.
“I’ve made plans for tomorrow,” he replied firmly.
“What kind of plans?” Sadie countered without moving.
Sam inhaled a deep breath, all too aware that Ruby was watching him with curious eyes.
“I need to go into town to speak with the sheriff,” he said after a short pause, though he didn’t want to tell them more.
“Perfect!” Sadie exclaimed with a wide smile at Ruby, who seemed to copy every one of Sadie’s facial expressions. “Then we can all go together. You go see the sheriff while us girls have a fun day at Mrs. Pemberly’s.” Sadie picked up her cutlery again and continued eating.
“I can’t wait to see all the pretty fabric we are going to choose from!” Ellen chimed in. “What is your favorite color, Sweetie?” she asked Ruby, who almost forgot how to eat. She’d been holding up her fork with the little potato since they’d started talking about dresses.
“Pink!” she quickly said, but then she frowned. “Yellow! Oh, green! And blue! And purple!” Sadie laughed at her enthusiasm and Ruby giggled.
“How much is that going to cost?” Sam asked directly.
He remembered how much Hattie had spent last time—all under the guise of a grandmother spoiling her granddaughter.
Hattie had not allowed Sam to pay her a penny for it, but he very much expected having to pay up this time.
Granted, the money from the sale of his old homestead had provided them with a comfortable financial cushion, but that would only last for as long as they didn’t just spend it on frivolous things.
All eyes landed on him, including Ruby’s, and he couldn’t help but feel outnumbered.
“Don’t worry about it,” Sadie said with a strange look on her face. Sam couldn’t figure out whether she was appalled or sympathetic. “It’s my treat.”
“No!” Sam replied too quickly. “That’s my responsibility. And I need to make sure that I can afford it,” he said matter-of-factly. The table fell silent for a moment.
“Not if it’s a gift from me,” Sadie finally said, smiling at Ruby again. “I’ll buy you anything you want!” Ruby beamed at her.
Sam realized that this would be the second time he didn’t pay for Ruby’s clothing, and for some reason that didn’t sit right with him. He didn’t know why it bugged him so much, but it did. It made him feel inadequate as a father, as if he couldn’t provide for his own daughter.
“No!” he said louder, slamming his fork on the table.
It made everybody jump. “I would appreciate it if you talk to me about things that have to do with my daughter before you announce them! You can’t just go over my head like that and act like she’s yours!
” he said it before he could comprehend it.
Sadie and Ellen both stared at him, aghast. At first, it was just the shock, but then Sadie’s expression morphed into embarrassment and even hurt. She blushed profusely and her shoulders visibly sank.
“I apologize,” Sadie nearly whispered. “I overstepped. From now on, I’ll make sure to discuss these things with you first. We can go another time.” Ruby’s lip started quivering and her eyes took on a sad look.
Sam groaned.
He wanted to storm out of the room to find a hole in the ground to hide in, somewhere. Why was this so hard? Why did he ruin everything for everyone?