The Bride Who Declined by Susan Page Davis

Author:Susan Page Davis [Davis, Susan Page]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tea Tin Press
Published: 2024-01-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

“Do you think it’s him?” Rachel asked.

“Got to be—the one in the saddle. But I think the other two are the men Jack hired.” Abe guided the team at a leisurely pace into the barnyard. He nodded at one of the newcomers. “Howdy, Joe.”

A middle-aged man who looked as though he’d seen many days on the range nodded back.

Jack walked a few steps to meet them. He stood beside the wagon, nodded at Abe, and focused on Rachel.

“It’s Hill. I suggest you pull up closer to the house, Abe, and start unloading Miss Rachel’s things. Ma’am, if you’ll just get inside and keep out of—”

“You’re the one!”

Rachel jumped at the roar. She wouldn’t have thought the medium-sized man capable of producing such a loud yell. He dismounted and marched toward the wagon. She clutched the edge of the seat, every muscle tense.

“Wha’d you do, beguile my cousin?” he shouted, glaring up at her.

Jack stepped up beside him. “Take it easy, Mr. Hill. This is Miss Paxton, but she didn’t do anything. She never even met your cousin before he died.”

“That makes it even worse,” Hill said. “Writin’ him sweet-talk letters and makin’ out like you wanted to marry him.”

“I—” Rachel pressed her mouth shut as Abe’s hand clamped around her forearm.

“Best do like Jack said and get inside,” Abe murmured.

“Of course. Thank you.”

Abe climbed down on the far side of the wagon and reached up his hand to help her. By the time Andrew Hill had walked around the team’s heads and approached, Abe had her at the side of the house and was opening the kitchen door for her.

“Just a minute,” Hill shouted.

Abe turned to face him. “Miss Paxton don’t have to stay out here and take your abuse. And if you’ve got notions about going in the house, forget it. It ain’t your place, and it never will be.”

“Why, you—” Hill tensed but broke off as Jack grabbed his arm.

Rachel ducked inside, carrying her purse and the bag of cherries she’d bought at the mercantile. She shut the door firmly and threw the deadbolt. One of the ranch hands could bring in the rest of her supplies later.

She hurried to her room at the back of the house and shut that door too, and stood trembling, leaning against the wall. Her pulse hammered so hard in her ears that she couldn’t hear anything from outside, but what had she expected? The noise of brawling? Gunshots? That thought stabbed her. Randolph’s men were putting themselves in danger for her sake. She opened the bedroom door a crack.

Listening intently, she heard fading hoofbeats. Half a minute later, someone knocked on the front door.

“Miss Rachel?”

Jack!

She hurried out into the great room, unlocked the door, and all but pulled him inside.

“Is he gone?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you so much.”

She tried to steady her breathing.

“Are you all right?” Jack asked.

“Yes. The question is, are you and Abe?”

“We’re fine.”

“Thank God no one was hurt.” She puffed out a breath. “Won’t you sit down for a minute, Jack, and have some coffee? I’d like to tell you what Mr.

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