Authors: Maya Stirling
Tags: #Romance, #historical 1800s
"I can see things are just fine and dandy between you two," Aaron observed with a look toward Zack. His friend just rolled his eyes. Zack wasn't the marrying kind, or so he kept on telling anyone who'd listen.
"So what gives about the Gillespie ranch?" Zack asked.
Aaron glanced up at Eva's open bedroom window and took Zack's arm, leading him away from the front of the house. "Keep your voice down. Eva's up there, trying to rest," he said.
Zack's eyes widened. "Eva Gillespie is up in your bedroom?" he exclaimed.
Aaron raised a finger to his lips. "Keep your voice down. It's not what you're thinking."
"What exactly am I thinking, Aaron?" asked Zack.
Aaron looked over toward Joshua and Laura who'd followed him and Zack away from the front porch. They were all standing in the middle of the yard.
"I need to explain," he started to say.
"I think you do," Laura said firmly with a glance up at the open window.
Joshua glanced quickly at Laura and she, just as quickly, pursed her lips, saying no more for the moment.
Aaron told them all about the hard time that Eva had had in the previous few days. All three jaws dropped when they heard about the fire and how Aaron had dragged Eva to safety. He didn't mention other details, like how Eva faced the prospect of a forced marriage to Jude Arabin if she was going to get her hands on the ranch. He definitely didn't tell them that Eva had asked Aaron to marry her. He didn't know how they would have taken that.
"Is she getting better?" Laura demanded.
Aaron nodded. "She's improving by the hour. She's had some good rest and she's got two housekeepers fussing over her now, instead of just one."
Zack's eyes rolled again. "Now, that I just have to see," he said.
"But has she suffered any permanent damage?" Laura asked urgently.
"The doctor says she's going to make a full recovery," Aaron.
Laura nodded, but she didn't seem convinced. Zack slapped the side of Aaron's arm. "You did good, buddy," he stated.
"Yeah, Aaron. It can't have been easy running into that burning house," Joshua said.
Aaron frowned. "Eva was in there. That was all I knew. It didn't take much thought," he said.
"Don't be modest, Aaron. You saved Eva's life," Laura said bluntly. She looked up at the open window. "Is she up there, alone?"
Aaron nodded. Laura sighed. "I'm going up to see her."
Joshua took Laura's elbow. "Maybe she's resting."
Laura looked at her new husband. "She's probably feeling as if she's lost everything that's familiar. Life must seem as if it's all been turned upside down. Maybe she could benefit from a chat with another woman of her own age who knows exactly what that feels like."
Joshua nodded and Laura headed off toward the house.
Once Laura was out of earshot Zack turned to Aaron. "So, what's really going on, Aaron. You can't fool us. That's right. Isn't it Joshua?"
The rancher nodded. "No chance. We've all known each other too long not to know when there's trouble brewing," Joshua said.
"Let's go for a walk," Aaron told his two friends.
They made their way over to the far side of the corral. Down in the far valley Aaron could see a few ranch hands on horseback trying to move some wayward cattle into some kind of orderly group. Work was continuing on the Stewart ranch, even if the life of their boss had been thrown into turmoil.
Aaron was suddenly glad that his two friends had come to visit. The last forty-eight hours had been chaotic. Probably the most difficult of Aaron's life. At least that was how it felt. And now that he had Eva Gillespie under his roof, things had gotten just a whole lot more confusing.
The three men leaned back against the wooden railing of the corral.
"So what's the real story, Aaron," Zack asked.
Aaron sighed and thought for a moment. How much could he tell these men? He knew he trusted them. They'd all been through so much over the years. The idea there was nothing he could tell them was faintly ridiculous.
"You can tell us, Aaron," Joshua said as if sensing Aaron's reluctance.
Aaron nodded. "I know, guys. It's just that things are so darned complicated."
Joshua looked at Aaron. "I know how that feels," he said.
Aaron thought about what Joshua had gone through and agreed. Joshua had rescued Laura from a foolish mistake when she had almost married a complete stranger. Some fool lawyer had jilted her. How the man could have done that to someone as beautiful as Laura seemed incredible to Aaron. But that was what the idiot had gone and done. Joshua had rescued Laura, brought her home. Laura had agreed to marry Joshua, thinking that it was all going to be a marriage of convenience. But she'd soon discovered just how much Joshua had always wanted her. It hadn't been a surprise to Aaron and Zack. They'd known for years that Joshua had been sweet on Laura. It was just that she seemed to have been the last person to know. But wasn't that usually the way of love?
"So what's the deal?" Zack asked.
Aaron sighed. "Eva's in real trouble," he said flatly.
Zack and Joshua both frowned.
"Eva thought she was going to inherit the ranch after her father passed. She just assumed it would all be clear and simple. But it wasn't," Aaron said.
"How so?" Joshua asked.
"Her father made it a condition of the will that Eva get married, if she was to get her hands on the ranch."
Zack smiled suddenly and let out a laugh. "And you're the lucky fellow he picked?"
Aaron's brows furrowed and he shook his head firmly. "No. Not me. Jude Arabin is the man he picked."
"What! That fool? You've got to be joking," Joshua ejaculated.
Aaron looked at his friend. "I'm not joking. Eva has to marry Jude Arabin if she wants the ranch. And you know she ain't gonna give up the ranch," Aaron said evenly.
Zack shook his head. "I don't believe it," he said. "Old man Gillespie would never have done that to Eva. Not in a million years."
"He did," Aaron stated.
There was a long silence.
"I think Jude might have set the fire at the ranch," Aaron declared evenly.
The expression on Zack and Joshua's faces was of shared incredulity.
"Why in hell would Jude do a thing like that. Especially if he thought he'd just about gotten his hands on it, thanks to Eva's father?" Joshua asked.
Aaron rubbed his chin. The feelings of discomfort had intensified tenfold now. Compared to what he'd told them about Eva's problems, what he was about to tell them about his own issues really put things in perspective.
"You see. That's the thing, guys. There's something else I haven't told you," he said.
Joshua and Zack leaned in closer, but neither of them said anything. The pale color of Aaron's face had put paid to that. There was nothing else to do but come straight out with it.
"Eva asked me to marry her," Aaron said.
He looked at the faces of his two friends. There was no reaction at first. Then the two men simply moved their eyes, heads fixed and immobile, peering at each other, as if making sure that they'd heard right.
"Did you just say what I thought you said?" Zack asked.
"Eva asked you to marry her?" Joshua said.
Aaron nodded. Slowly. Wordlessly.
Then Zack and Joshua smiled at each other and let out a deafening harmony of bellowing howls, like a pair of yelling banshees. The sound echoed down into the valley catching the attention of the riders who were busy herding.
Aaron was mortified at the reaction of the two men. "Guys. Keep the noise down," he demanded.
Zack stopped his delighted wailing and stared at Aaron. "Why? That's fantastic news."
"Congratulations, buddy," Joshua said reaching out a hand. "Welcome to the club."
Aaron withheld his hand and shook his head. "That's not everything. I haven't told her I'll marry her, yet," he said.
Jaws dropped and the sound of the wind from down in the valley suddenly seemed unnaturally loud.
"What are you talking about? Eva Gillespie is the most beautiful woman in these parts," Zack said and then looked at Joshua when he realized what he'd just said. "After the lovely Laura McKenzie, of course," he said averting his gaze from Joshua's withering stare.
"Things have been crazy the last couple of days," Aaron explained. "I haven't had a chance to give her my answer. The doc told me she needed to rest. No excitement. I figured I might give her the answer real soon," Aaron said.
"Real soon? How soon is that?" Zack demanded.
"When the time is right. But there's one thing I need done. And fast," Aaron said. "I need to find out if that will's true. Something about it just doesn't feel right. Gabriel would never have chosen Jude as a husband."
"Which lawyer drew it up?" Zack asked.
"Dunn," Aaron said simply.
Zack scowled. "That critter? You've got to be joking."
"Why?"
"I've been hearing things about him in town," Zack explained.
"What kinds of things," Aaron asked.
Zack shook his head. "Bad things."
"But he was Gillespie's lawyer. He must be okay," Aaron said.
"Not necessarily," Joshua said. "I've heard some bad stuff about him too."
Then he recalled that Eva had mentioned that Gabriel had changed his lawyer only a few months before, after the lawyer who'd looked after their affairs for years had moved to Billings.
"How can we find out if there's something wrong with that will?" Joshua asked Aaron.
Zack frowned. "I know where John McRae went. He's practicing in Billings. Wanted more town business. Decided to leave the ranching law behind. I can contact him. Find out if he knows anything."
"It's a long shot," Aaron said.
"Look. If it's the difference between you marrying Eva or her getting stuck with a lowlife for the rest of her days, then long shots will do me fine," Zack said.
Aaron felt a wave of relief power into his body. It was almost too much to hope that there was something underhand about the will. But, if there was anyone who could find out for him, while Aaron was concentrating all his energy on making Eva better, then there was no-one better than Zack. His friend was like a determined hound who, once he got the scent of something, wouldn't let go until he'd gotten things sorted out.
Zack leaned in close and a broad smile stretched across his face. "So? You and Eva? Is it going to be yes?"
Aaron frowned at his friend and glanced over at Joshua who had a similar expectant expression on his face. They were both waiting for his answer, but it wouldn't be fair to tell them before telling Eva. Let them guess. Keep them on tenterhooks.
"You just get me that lawyer," he said to Zack. "Then we'll see what's going to happen."
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
She had to get better! Eva stood at the window of her bedroom. She'd forced herself out of the bed, made her way to the table, and stood steadying herself with one hand, looking out at the view of Aaron's ranch.
It was a beautiful sunny day and she wanted to get out of the bedroom, needed to breath in the fresh air, had to move her weakened and unsteady limbs so that she could start to feel alive again. There was so much to do, so many questions that needed answering. She'd never get those answers while she was cooped up in the bedroom. She knew that Aaron and the two lovely housekeepers only wanted the best for her. They had kept her in the room on the orders of the doctor. But, Lou had seen her the day before, and had pronounced her much improved. Which Eva had taken to mean completely recovered, an assessment not shared by anyone else in the house. But that didn't matter to Eva so much as the need to get an answer from Aaron and get back to the ranch as soon as possible.
Eva felt her legs weaken underneath her and she gripped the wooden table, gazing out at the scene below. In the corral two ranch hands were busy dealing with an ornery horse that just wouldn't budge. Eva smiled watching the two men trying to use everything they knew in order to persuade the horse to behave itself. She knew they'd be at it for quite a while. That was what she loved about ranch life. The chance to tame the wild, make something that had meaning out of the dangerous and fierce landscape. It was a challenge that you couldn't encounter in the soft, pampered living of town life. That kind of life would never be for her. She would never give up the joy and excitement of ranch life. Even if it meant marrying someone like Jude. She shuddered at the thought of that. If that was what it would take, then she'd have to do it.
She looked down and saw Aaron make his way out of the stable and across toward the house. He looked so tall and handsome in his blue shirt and matching jeans. His stride was purposeful, his gaze held low. He looked thoughtful and she could see the furrowing of his brows. Eva wondered what he was thinking, whether he was thinking about her.
Eva stepped back from the window lest he see her standing there. If he did, she knew he'd be furious at her for getting up out of bed. But Eva knew that she was strong enough to be getting up and about, even if she might not be fit for going back to the Gillespie ranch to survey the wreckage she knew she'd find there.
Eva had the sudden thought that maybe Aaron was coming up to see her. She turned and was suddenly aware that her bedgown wasn't something Aaron should see her in. She went to the wardrobe and opened the doors. Inside she saw a selection of gowns. Eva sighed. All of the outfits looked way too big, and all of them looked like they belonged to Mrs. Lang, Aaron's housekeeper. To say that Eva didn't share the housekeeper's substantial stature was an understatement. If she tried to wear any of those outfits, Eva knew she'd looked like she was wearing some kind of expertly sowed tent. That was unkind, by true, she realized with a frown.
Eva looked down at the bedgown she was was wearing. She pulled at the sides, shocked at how large it made her look. It was a plain, white calico gown and certainly not something she could be seen out in out of bed.
Eva let out an exasperated groan. How was she going to get out of this room?
She heard some footsteps coming down the hall. Before she had a chance to make it back to the bed, there was a gentle knock at the door.