The stagecoach was right on time as it headed for San Miguel. The trip had gone smoothly so far. With each passing mile, the driver and man riding shotgun were feeling more and more confident that they would make it safely into town with the payroll they were carrying. They were both looking forward to taking some time to enjoy themselves down at the local saloon, where they knew the liquor was good and the working girls were pretty.
But Dan Cooper and his men had heard all about the payroll coming in on the afternoon stage, and they’d made their own plans. They had already rolled some big rocks down onto the road where it narrowed to pass through some rugged terrain, and they were ready and waiting when the stagecoach came into view.
“When should we start shooting?” Slick asked Dan.
“Wait until they stop. They’ll have to get down to move the rocks. It’ll be easier to take them out then.”
The other men heard his orders and knew he was right. It would be much easier to catch the stage driver and guard by surprise that way, and they’d be so busy moving the rocks they wouldn’t have their guns drawn.
The stage driver saw the rocks in the road ahead and grew worried.
“I don’t like the looks of this. There’s no way to get the stage around the rocks, so I’ll have to move them. You cover me,” he cautioned the man riding shotgun for him as he brought the stage to a halt.
“You don’t want me to help? It’ll go faster if I do,” the shotgun offered.
“No. I’ll hurry.”
“Why are we stopping?” one of the men inside the stagecoach called out.
“There are some rocks on the trail. We’ll be moving again in a few minutes,” the driver assured him.
But he had no more than gotten down and started to shove the first boulder out of the way when the gunfire began.
Dan and his men showed no mercy as they blasted away at the driver and guard. The man riding shotgun got off a few rounds in their direction, but he was soon taken down by Dan, who cared only about the money chest the stage was carrying. As soon as the outlaws knew both the driver and shotgun were dead, they closed in and began firing away at the passengers. At least two of the passengers were armed and tried to shoot back at them to defend themselves, but they stood no chance against the murderous Cooper Gang.
The shoot-out was over almost before it began.
Dan got to the strongbox first and dragged it down from where it had been stowed beneath the driver’s bench. He took careful aim and shot the lock off. He was smiling widely as he opened the lid to find the trunk crammed with money.
“Looks like we did real good for ourselves, boys,” he bragged as he started to shove the cash into his saddlebags.
The other three gunmen joined him and stuffed their saddlebags full, too. The four killers were smiling as they mounted back up.
“Let’s go see how old Seth is doing,” Dan said. “Let’s see if he’s ready for us to pay him a visit.”
He put his heels to his horse’s sides and galloped away.
The other men followed, and they headed in the direction of the Circle D. If all had gone as planned with Seth, they would have the perfect place to hide out until it was time to pull off another robbery.
On the Circle D, the next few days passed quietly. Destiny began to adapt to the routine of living on a ranch. With Caroline’s help, she was mastering all the duties that came with being a wife—the cooking, clothes washing and housework. It was hard, time-consuming work, and she came to realize just how spoiled she’d been in her past life. She certainly had more appreciation for the lifestyle she’d had back home when her mother had been alive, but even as she harbored those thoughts, she knew this was her home now.
Destiny was outside hanging up the wash to dry when she caught sight of Seth riding back in from the range. She was surprised he was returning earlier than usual, and she was glad. During those terrifying days when she’d been on the run from Raymond and Bryce, she had never allowed herself to dream that she would find true love in her life. She had only clung to the hope of surviving, but now—with Seth—she had found peace and love.
Seth had been honest with her from the start, and she’d appreciated that honesty. He had even told her of his first marriage, and though they hadn’t spoken of his first wife again, knowing about his past helped her to understand him better. She finished hanging the clothes and went to meet him.
For some reason he couldn’t explain, Lane had been feeling uneasy all morning. He’d decided to ride back in and check on Rebecca. He rode up in front of the house where she was waiting for him and reined in.
“I was missing you, woman,” he said as he dismounted and went to join her.
“I’m glad. Are you hungry? Would you like some lunch?”
“Sounds good. You’re turning out to be a fine cook.”
She couldn’t help laughing as they went inside, and she stopped just inside the door to give him a quick kiss. “That’s all thanks to Caroline.”
He grinned. “So, maybe I should go thank her?”
“Don’t even think about it, Seth Rawlins. You’ve got a mighty jealous wife.”
He grabbed her and kissed her again. “Good.”
They made their way back to the kitchen to enjoy the midday meal together. They’d just finished eating when Jake came looking for Lane.
“Steve thinks there may be some rustling going on, and he wants you to have a look,” Jake explained.
“Let’s go,” said grabbing up his hat.
“Can I ride with you?” Destiny asked.
“Yes, but get your gun.”
She hurried to put on her holster and strode out the door after him.
Grant had been working at the stable when one of the other men called out that there was a rider coming. Grant quit what he was doing and went to see who it was. His gaze narrowed as he watched the lone horseman. When the rider drew nearer, Grant realized that he was looking at a man he’d seen on a wanted poster—Ted Wilkins, one of Cooper’s men. Grant fought for calm as he went to speak to the outlaw.
“Afternoon, what can we do for you?” Grant asked cordially.
“I was looking for Seth. We’re old friends, and I was just passing through and thought I’d stop by for a visit,” Ted said easily.
“He’s not here right now. He’s out working stock. I don’t know how soon he’s going to get back. It might not be until tomorrow.”
Grant was watching his reaction carefully, but Wilkins gave nothing away.
“If he shows up tonight, tell him Fred stopped by, and I’ll try to get back to see him tomorrow.”
“I’ll let him know.”
The man rode away at an easy pace.
Grant acted like he was going back to work, but, in truth, he was watching Wilkins’s every move. He waited only a short period of time after the man rode out of sight, then got ready to leave. He told one of the ranch hands he was going out to find Seth, and eventually he would, but first he had some serious tracking to do.
Grant rode after Wilkins, making sure to stay far enough back so the outlaw wouldn’t see him. He would find out where the gang had camped out for the night, and then he would go after Lane. Things were turning out just as they’d hoped. They had been incredibly lucky that Lane hadn’t been at the ranch when Wilkins showed up.
As Grant had suspected, the Cooper Gang had taken refuge in one of the rocky canyons that was some distance from the house. He knew it was a safe place for them to camp out until ’Seth’ gave them a more comfortable hiding place.
Confident that the outlaws wouldn’t be going anywhere that night, Grant went in search of Lane. It was time for them to go to work.
Grant was grimly determined not to give up as he searched for Lane, and he finally found him riding back to the ranch with Steve, Rebecca and a few other hands.
“Grant,” Lane asked right away. “Is something wrong back at the house?”
“You had a visitor today, and I thought you’d want to know as soon as possible. A man named Fred stopped by to see you.”
Lane could tell just by the tone of Grant’s voice exactly what had happened at the ranch house while he’d been away. “Did he say what he wanted?”
“Just that he’d be back tomorrow.”
“Do you know where he’s staying?” Lane asked, trying to make the question sound casual.
“I do, and that’s why I thought I’d better come and find you to let you know he was in town.”
“Seth—” Destiny heard the unusual edge in her husband’s voice and sensed that something strange was happening. “What’s going on? Who is this Fred?”
“Someone I’ve been hoping to hear from for some time now,” he answered elusively.
“How did things go for you?” Grant looked at Steve, wanting to change the subject for the time being. “Did you find any sign of rustling?”
“No. Nothing definite,” Steve told him, “but we’re going to have to keep a close watch on the herd.”
Lane picked up their pace now. He was in a hurry to get back to the house. He and Grant were going to leave right away, and they had a lot to do. From the way Grant had told him about the man’s ‘visit,’ Lane was certain he’d tracked the outlaw to where the gang was camping out for the night. He and Grant had no time to lose.
Steve and the other men said nothing. They had no idea of the identity of the man who’d been looking for their boss, and they didn’t care. They were just glad they hadn’t found any rustlers on the Circle D, and they were hoping to get back to the cookhouse in time for dinner.
Lane’s mood was grim as he considered what was about to happen. Soon, real soon, Rebecca was going to learn the truth. He was trying to figure out the best way to explain everything to her. He felt she deserved to know the truth before he rode out with Grant. Telling her wouldn’t be easy, but he didn’t want to leave her behind at the ranch not knowing what was really going on.
They reached the ranch house just as darkness was settling over the land.
Destiny went inside, while Lane stayed outside to speak with Grant. Grant explained how Wilkins had been the one to ride in, looking for Seth.
“I take it you tracked them down.”
“I did.”
“How far away are they camped?”
“They’re in that canyon near the spring.”
“So it’s going to be hard sneaking up on them…” Lane was thoughtful as he considered the terrain. He’d tried to familiarize himself with the lay of the land since he’d come to the Circle D, and he had ridden out to the canyon several times.
“It won’t be easy, that’s for sure.”
“We knew from the start it wouldn’t be,” Lane agreed, his determination never wavering.
“How soon do you want to be ready to ride?”
Lane looked toward the house, knowing Rebecca was inside waiting for him. “We’ll leave in an hour.”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
The two men parted company. Grant did not envy Lane the conversation to come.
Lane went into the house and heard Rebecca working in the kitchen. He went to talk to her and found her already starting to fix dinner. He paused in the doorway, trying to think of the best way to handle the conversation, and he knew there was no ‘best’ way.
“Rebecca—”
She stopped what she was doing to look over at him. She wasn’t sure what he wanted, but the tone of his voice warned her he had something serious on his mind. She stopped what she was doing. “What’s going on, Seth?”
“We have to talk.” He stepped into the room.
She eyed him warily, puzzled by his mood and uncertain of what was to come. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Why don’t you sit down,” Lane suggested.
She moved to sit at the table and watched him as he took a chair across from her. His expression was guarded, and the dark, unreadable look in his eyes left her decidedly uneasy. She had a feeling this was all related to the news that Grant had brought when they were riding in.
“There’s something you need to know,” he began.
Destiny waited.
“Grant and I will be leaving in about an hour.”
“Why?”
“We have to go find ‘Fred.’”
“But it’s dark. Grant said he’d come back tomorrow. What’s so important that you have to go find him at this time of night?” she asked, confused.
“Because his name isn’t really Fred. His name is Ted Wilkins.”
“Why would he lie about his name?”
“He’s not the only one…” Lane knew this was the time to tell her the truth.
Destiny stiffened, her eyes widening in complete shock.
Oh, no! He’s knows…
“Seth, what are you talking about?” She tried to remain calm as she waited for him to accuse her of marrying him under false pretences.
“Rebecca,” he said slowly, “my name isn’t Seth Rawlins. My name is Lane Madison, and I’m a Texas Ranger.”
Destiny stared at him wordlessly.
He had been lying about his identity?
He wasn’t Seth?
Shock ran through her.
Lane saw how stunned she was, and he got up and left the room for a moment. When he returned, he had his Ranger badge, and he pinned it on his shirt.
“Here’s the proof if you don’t believe me.”
“You’re a lawman?” she breathed.
He was a Texas Ranger named Lane Madison—
How could that be?
She was married to Seth…or was she?
“I don’t understand—” She frowned as she continued to stare at the badge he now wore.
“The man who came to the ranch today is an outlaw. His real name is Wilkins, and he’s part of the Dan Cooper gang, just like Seth Rawlins was.”
Her eyes widened even more at his use of the word ‘was.’ She swallowed as she lifted her tormented gaze to his.
“Was?”
“The real Seth Rawlins was a cold-blooded murderer. He’s dead.”
“Seth was a killer…?” Again, she was totally lost—and horrified, as she tried to make sense out of what he was telling her. She had come to Texas to marry an outlaw?
“Yes, he was.”
“And he’s dead now?”
“Yes.”
“But why did he send for a mail-order bride if he was an outlaw?”
“Marrying a mail-order bride would have been a cover for him. He planned to use the ranch as a hideout for the gang, and he figured settling down with a wife would make him look like an upstanding member of the community.”
Destiny was shaken by this news, but at the same time, she realized what Lane had saved her from. “I almost married an outlaw—”
“Fortunately, you didn’t marry him.” As Lane spoke, he was more grateful than ever that he’d been the man waiting at the ranch when she’d arrived. She was an innocent, and when he even thought about what might have happened to her in Rawlins’s hands, it angered him. “You married me.”
“But—Lane—” She said his name tentatively for the first time. “How did you end up here?”
He knew how shocked she was, and he wanted to clear everything up for her before he and Grant had to leave. “The Cooper Gang is a deadly group of killers. They’re responsible for a lot of robberies and murders in these parts. I tracked them to Black Rock, and…” He went on to explain all that had happened. “I cornered Seth on the trail one night, and when he went for his gun—”
Destiny knew then that her husband—Lane—had shot the outlaw in self-defense. She had never been exposed to the Wild West before, but she knew the man sitting across the table from her was a true hero. If he hadn’t taken Seth’s place, there was no telling what would have happened to her.
“Oh, Lane…”
Lane went to her and took her in his arms. “I know this is hard for you—And Grant and I—”
She looked up at him quickly, worried about his safety now that she knew the truth about him. “Where are you and Grant really going?”
“Cooper and his men are here on the Circle D. Grant followed Wilkins after he left, and he found out they’re camped up near the canyon. They don’t know Grant trailed Wilkins, and they don’t know anything about me taking Seth’s place. Grant’s a Ranger, too.”
“So that’s why he showed up like he did…”
“He rode in to help me, and we’re going after the gang now—tonight.”
“No, you can’t! They’re killers, and there are only two of you. You might be hurt or even…” She broke off, not wanting to put her worst fear into words.
He couldn’t help giving her a wry grin. “I’m a lawman. It’s my job.”
Destiny was overwhelmed by the revelation that the man she’d married was a Texas Ranger. Knowing she was on the run for what she’d done to Bryce, she was completely uncertain of her future. She had suffered through some hard times in her life, but nothing came close to the heartache she was experiencing now.
She loved this man—She loved Lane—And yet…
“Kiss me, woman,” Lane said, bending to capture her lips in a tender exchange. He knew his revelations had all been a big shock for her, but he hoped he could make things right for her once he was done with the gang.
In that moment, in his arms, Destiny forgot all about the torture of her past. She gave herself over to his embrace, thinking only of her life now and what she hoped was her future with Lane. Surely her stepfather would not be able to track her all the way to Bluff Springs. Lane need never know about her past. She linked her arms around his neck and returned his kiss full measure.
“What are we going to do?” she asked breathlessly when they ended the kiss and moved apart. She knew their life on the ranch would completely change once the truth about his identity was known.
“We’ll worry about that when I get back.”
“But I don’t want you to go—”
“I have to.”
The tone he used let her know that nothing would deter him, so she said no more.
She knew she had to tell him before he left her. “I love you, Lane.”
He gazed down at her and said, “I love you, too, Rebecca.”
He kissed her one last time and then drew away. He had to concentrate on the job before him.
“Now that I know for sure Cooper and his men are close by, I want to make certain you’re safe. Let’s go find Steve and Caroline.”
They walked down to the foreman’s house and went in to talk to them.
Steve looked at him in amazement as Lane explained who he really was and what was going on.
“I know I can speak for the rest of the men when I say we’re real glad you’re the one who showed up here,” Steve said with great respect. “Do you want any of us to ride with you tonight?”
Caroline looked up at her husband, fear shining in her eyes as she thought of him going after a gang of outlaws.
“No,” Lane answered quickly. “I appreciate your offer, but I need you and the boys to stay here and keep Rebecca safe.”
“You’re sure?” Steve was more than ready to help this man who had become his friend in such a short time.
“Grant and I will handle it.”
“All right.” Steve looked at Rebecca. “We’ve got an extra bedroom. Why don’t you plan on staying here with us this evening?”
“Thank you,” Destiny said.
“We’re in this together,” Caroline put in. Then she told Lane with a smile, “I always knew there was something special about you.”
“Why, thank you, ma’am.”
“No, thank
you,
Ranger Madison,” she countered, and then she took charge. “Come on, Rebecca, let’s go up to the house and get what you need to spend the night.”
The women left, and Lane and Steve walked outside to stand on the porch and take a look around.
“It’s still quiet here,” Steve remarked.
“And I plan to keep it that way.”
The two men shared a knowing look, for Steve had heard all about the Cooper Gang.
Lane went on. “Grant and I will be back as soon as we can. Keep her safe for me.”
They shook hands. “I will.”
Lane headed back up to the house, knowing it was almost time to meet Grant. Rebecca and Caroline had just come down the stairs carrying her things, and they waited for him in the front hall. Caroline went on outside to give them a moment alone.
And Lane took full advantage of it.
He kissed Rebecca passionately one last time and then said, “There’s one more thing you’ll need to keep with you while I’m gone.”
“What’s that?” She looked up at him innocently, unaware of the direction of his thoughts.
Lane went into the study and got her gun and holster out of the gun case. After what had happened with Katie, he wasn’t taking any chances. “Here. I wouldn’t put anything past Cooper, so be ready for trouble, just in case.”
She looked up at him, her mood serious as she told him, “Lane—I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he said, gazing down at her. “And I’ll be back.”
“You’d better be,” she told him fiercely. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
He heard Grant ride up to the house just then and knew it was time to leave. He quickly gathered up his rifle, extra ammunition and the rest of his gear and went outside to get ready to ride.
Destiny was standing on the porch desperately wanting to go into his arms and hold onto him and never let him go, but she knew he had a job to do and nothing would stand in his way. She watched as he mounted up and then went to stand near him.
He looked down at her one last time, committing her beauty to memory.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
“We will.”
Caroline came to stand by her side and put a supportive arm around her shoulders to draw her away. They watched the two Rangers ride off. Caroline could feel Rebecca trembling, and she gave her friend a reassuring hug.
“He’s a Ranger. He’ll be back.”
Destiny nodded, unable to speak.
“Let’s go out to the house.”
Caroline led her away, helping her carry her things. She noticed the holster Rebecca was holding and understood why Lane had given it to her. If the Cooper Gang was around, these were dangerous times. She knew Steve had already gone to warn the men.
As they walked away, Destiny looked back one last time in the direction Lane had gone, but he had already disappeared into the darkness.
It was much later that night, while Destiny lay in the bed at the foreman’s house unable to sleep, that she finally gave in to the torrent of emotions tearing at her heart. She hid her face in the blanket to muffle the sound of her weeping as she began to cry. Through her tears, she offered up a prayer.
Lane had to come back to her.
She loved him.