“Are you saying this is something you have been thinking about?” The possibility pleased him.
“How modest you sound.” A soft laugh bubbled from her. “That was unexpected. Only an immature female would fail to find you attractive and wonder what it would be like to be kissed by you.” She absently straightened the collar of his shirt, a gesture that conveyed a comfortable intimacy. “And I have definitely wondered.” Her gaze lingered a moment on the masculine line of his mouth, then lifted to his eyes. “Or is that something you think I shouldn’t admit? You seem to live by an old code. Maybe you don’t believe a woman should admit she sometimes feels desire, too.”
“You know something, Hattie.” A smile crinkled the lines around his brown eyes. “You talk too much.”
“And you don’t talk enough,” she countered. “For instance, I don’t know if it bothers you that I am a widow. Do you think I’m being unfaithful to Ed’s memory by wanting to kiss you?”
“Shut up,” Chase growled and took steps to make certain she did.
The kiss was a long and deep one, each giving free rein to their passions. Each had felt this heated rush of feeling before, but being new to each other gave it a heady twist.
Their lips parted a second time, and again they stayed in the embrace, each breathing hard and smiling a little at this oddly giddy feeling they had. His hands roamed over her back. Chase was vaguely irritated by the enveloping night robe when he wanted nothing between them.
This time Hattie didn’t say a word, leaving it to Chase to speak first. “I can’t promise you anything, Hattie.” He felt honor bound to say that. “Not even tomorrow.”
She placed a shushing finger on his mouth. “I wouldn’t hold you to it even if you did. It wouldn’t be fair, not when you haven’t fully recovered your memory. As a woman, I’ve learned not to count too much on tomorrow. It’s much wiser to make the most of tonight. It may be all there is.” She paused a breath, then swore softly and ruefully, “Oh, hell.”
Chase drew back. “What’s wrong?”
“Laredo’s coming.” She nodded in the direction of the road.
Turning his head, Chase spotted the pickup’s headlights before he heard the steady hum of its engine. Hattie pulled out of his arms and hurriedly straightened the front of her robe and re-knotted the sash that had worked loose. When she began to pat and smooth her hair into order, he chuckled.
“Such old-fashioned modesty. That’s unexpected,” he said with a grin, turning her words back on her.
She slapped at his arm in playful retaliation. “Be quiet.”
“It’s not many women your age that need to make those kind of repairs to their appearance,” he teased, quick to notice she was a little bit flustered.
“And whose fault is that?” Hattie retorted, then cupped her hands to her cheeks. “Oh, my goodness, I’m actually blushing. I didn’t think I still knew how.”
She laughed softly at herself, and Chase joined in, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to nestle her against his side. That’s the way they stood when Laredo drove up to the line shack.
But Laredo was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice.
“You’re up late.” His glance bounced off them as he slipped the truck keys into his pocket. “You weren’t waiting up for me, were you?”
“As a matter of fact, we weren’t,” Chase replied. “But considering how late it is, what took you so long?”
Laredo pulled in a deep breath and let it out. “Sally Brogan, the housekeeper, is dead. It looks like a heart attack. The coroner hadn’t got there yet when I left, but Echohawk had arrived.”
“Did he talk to you?”
“No.” He studied Chase for a moment. “You don’t remember Sally, do you?”
After a short pause, Chase replied with a small negative movement of his head.
“Jessy said she’s been in love with you for years. I guess your ‘death’ really tore her up. Now it’s her death that’s weighing on Jessy.” There was no emotion in Laredo’s voice.
But Hattie knew him too well, and understood the things he had left unsaid. Instinct had her moving from Chase’s side and laying a comforting hand on Laredo’s arm.
“It must be awful for Jessy,” she said. “I don’t even know Sally, and it hurts that she went through all that anguish without ever knowing Chase was still alive. I can imagine the sense of guilt Jessy must be feeling.”
“Yeah.” Laredo’s voice was flat, almost clipped. “It can’t be helped, though.”
“And Jessy knows that, too.”
“Yeah. She’ll get over it.” A muscle worked in his jaw, a clamping down of feeling.
With a sudden flash of intuition, Hattie realized it was another emotion entirely he was masking. Soft as a whisper, she murmured, “It’s Jessy, isn’t it?”
He slid her a downward glance, a sardonic wryness twisting his mouth. “I’ll get over it.”
“Duke and I were talking before you came.” She spoke in a normal voice, glancing at Chase to include him. “He said you have a home here as long as you want it.”
“That’s generous,” he said with an acknowledging nod in Chase’s direction. “But it’s not likely to be up to me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll turn in. It’s been a long day.” Head down, he headed for the cabin.
Her heart went out to him as Hattie watched him disappear inside the cabin’s darkened interior. Chase moved to her side.
“Is something wrong?”
She felt the curious probe of his gaze. Earlier she would have hesitated before sharing Laredo’s secret with him. But kissing him had changed all that.
“It’s the hell of loving someone when you feel you don’t have the right,” she confided.
“And we are talking about whom?” Chase questioned.
“Laredo and Jessy.”
His head lifted in sudden understanding. “The wind is blowing that way, is it?”
“If you have a problem with that, tell him now, Duke.” It wasn’t a request. The firmness of her voice had it bordering on a threat.
“It’s not my decision to make,” Chase replied. “For either one of them.”
Hattie smiled, the worry easing from her. “You are smarter than I thought.”
“I’m glad you realize that.” There was an unspoken longing in the way his gaze moved possessively over her face. “I guess we might as well turn in, too. If I have trouble getting to sleep this time, at least it will be for a different reason.”
She laughed, feeling that exhilaration of a new love found, and hooked her arm in his. Side by side, they walked to the cabin.
Chapter Thirteen
T
he afternoon sun blazed hot and strong on The Homestead’s towering facade. Inside, the hum of the air conditioner kept a steady flow of cool air circulating through the den. After a chaotic morning full of phone calls and endless comings and goings, the house was blessedly quiet.
Taking advantage of the lull in activity, Jessy retreated to the den to see if there was any ranch business that needed her attention. She had barely sat down when the front door opened. Mentally crossing her fingers that it wasn’t someone who wanted to talk to her, she continued going through the stack of telephone messages. But the quiet footsteps in the hall came straight toward the den.
Jessy looked up when they stopped at the doorway. Monte Markham stood in the opening, dressed in a pair of chinos and a plain white shirt rather than his usual jodhpurs and boots. His finely drawn features wore a look of concern.
“The house was so quiet, I had almost decided no one was home,” he said and hesitated. “Have I come at a bad time for you?”
“Of course not. Come in.” She rose from the chair and came around the desk to greet him. “I was going through my messages to see if there was anything urgent that needed to be handled. There wasn’t. You heard about Sally,” she guessed.
“Yes. This sorrow doesn’t seem to end for you. I am so sorry, Jessy.” There was a mixture of compassion and understanding in his expression.
“Thank you,” Jessy murmured automatically.
His mouth curved ever so slightly. “How many times today have you heard the same words and answered the same way? Quite a few I would imagine.”
Her smile was wide in admission. “After a while, it becomes something of a reflex.”
Monte nodded. “I understand.”
“I think you do.” That surprised her a little. Yet, on reflection, she realized he was sensitive that way.
“Dare I ask where everybody is? I expected to see more vehicles parked outside when I drove up.”
“There were quite a few people here earlier.” But nowhere near the numbers that had descended on The Homestead when news of Chase’s death had spread. Nearly all of them were ranch women, come to offer their help in whatever way they could. Sally had been well liked, but she wasn’t Chase Calder.
“Have you decided when the funeral will be?”
“Day after tomorrow,” Jessy replied. “Cat is handling all the details. As a matter of fact, she and Amy Trumbo are down at the cemetery selecting a burial site now.”
The mere mention of Cat’s name made Jessy feel uncomfortable. Cat had been cool to her when she’d arrived that morning. Fortunately there were others around, so nothing was said. And no one appeared to notice there was any strain between them.
“I am glad you don’t have to handle that responsibility. You have strong shoulders, but you are already carrying a heavy load running this ranch,” Monte observed. “I wish there was something I could do to help, but I know there is nothing.”
“The thought counts for something,” Jessy replied, feeling suddenly mentally weary.
As if sensing it, Monte reached out and gathered her into the loose circle of his arms. “You have been through so much, Jessy.” He nestled her head against his shoulder and rested his chin atop it. The embrace was too reminiscent of one of her brothers wrapping her in their arms in a gesture of comfort for Jessy to raise any objection to it. “I don’t know how you keep your head up sometimes.”
“I guess it’s knowing that this too shall pass.” When she drew back, Monte made no attempt to hold her.
Just then something registered in her side vision—something that shouldn’t be there. She glanced past Monte’s shoulder and saw Laredo standing motionless in the doorway, steel-blue eyes regarding her without expression.
Shock held her motionless for no more than an instant, but it was long enough for Monte to realize something had distracted her. As his arms fell away from her, he made a half-turn and glanced toward the hall.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Laredo said in a bland voice. “You left a message that you wanted to see me.”
“I did, yes,” Jessy confirmed, quick to adopt a brisk, businesslike pose. “Would you mind excusing us, Monte?”
“Not at all.” He was quick to agree, but the glance he darted between them was clearly curious. “No problems at the feedlot, I hope?”
“No sir,” Laredo replied. “Your cattle are fed and fit.”
“My mother is in the kitchen, Monte,” Jessy told him. “Why don’t you see if you can persuade her to brew you some tea?”
“I’ll do that.” With a parting nod to Jessy, Monte exited the den with a jaunty stride.
Laredo was slow to enter, letting his gaze wander over the room’s interior, taking note of the old map on the wall and the set of sweeping horns mounted above the fireplace. He came to a stop a few feet from her, his roaming glance finally pausing on her.
“What’s the problem?” He didn’t say a word about seeing Monte’s arms around her, but, innocent though the gesture had been, she sensed his disapproval.
It made her angry. Jessy didn’t feel she owed him any explanation and she refused to offer one. “I thought you should know that Logan asked me last night if you always carried a hideaway in your boot.”
His eyebrows went up slightly. “The man has sharp eyes.”
“I thought I should warn you about that, and I knew it would be easier for you to get away than it would be for me.”
Laredo nodded in understanding, turning thoughtful. “I guess I’ll have to go around naked for awhile. Maybe it will make him wonder if he really saw what he thought he did.” He paused, his glance tunneling into her. “Has Cat said anything more?”
“No.”
From the front entryway came the chatter of voices. Jessy recognized Cat’s voice among them. “You’d better get back to work,” she said, wishing he had left before Cat returned.
“I’ll do that.” He crossed to the door, paused, and turned back, showing a marked unconcern for Cat’s presence. “By the way, you were right. Duke didn’t remember Sally.”
With that he disappeared into the hall, but his place was almost immediately taken by Cat.
“Who is Duke? Another family friend?” Cat inquired. Her green eyes glittered with challenge.
“Personally I don’t know him. I think Chase did.” Constant practice had allowed the lies to come easily. “Did you choose a plot for Sally?”
In the end it was decided to bury Sally next to her late husband, thus avoiding any future questions as to why she wasn’t. The only townspeople to make the long drive to the Triple C for the funeral were those who were long-time residents of Blue Moon. All the rest of the mourners were from the ranch except for Monte Markham and Tara.
To Jessy’s relief, Laredo stayed away. Still fewer mourners chose to attend the reception at The Homestead following the graveside service.
As always at such gatherings, small or large, the men gravitated to one area and the women to another, with the children running about to claim all. Jessy stood on the outer fringes of one group of women and feigned an interest in their discussion. In truth, she had no idea what they were talking about. She was too distracted by the sight of Cat and Tara with their heads together.
Ever since she arrived for the funeral, Tara had barely left Cat’s side. Judging from the glances the two women kept sliding in her direction, Jessy guessed that she was the topic of their conversation. And she had no difficulty imagining that it was in connection with her position as head of the Triple C. She wouldn’t have been surprised if Tara had twisted things around to insinuate that she hadn’t done enough to prevent Sally’s death, even though it was obvious to everyone else that Sally’s health had seriously deteriorated.
Jessy thought again about the note Chase had written for Cat’s benefit. There simply hadn’t been any opportunity for Jessy to show it to Cat these last couple of days. Jessy decided it was time to make that opportunity. Immediately a calm settled over her.
With no hesitation, Jessy left the small group and crossed the living room to Cat and Tara. They stopped talking the instant she was within earshot.
“Excuse me, Cat,” Jessy began smoothly. “Would you mind stepping into the den with me for a few minutes? I have something I want to show you.”
“What is it?” Cat asked, coolly indifferent.
“Something I found in the desk,” Jessy replied.
Confident that Cat’s natural curiosity would force her to follow, Jessy moved toward the den. She walked directly to the desk, opened a side drawer and removed the handwritten note from its keeping place. She wasn’t at all surprised to see Tara had come along with Cat. She had expected it.
“Here.” She held out the note to Cat. “I ran across this the other day when I was looking through one of the drawers. It may not change your opinion, but it reassured me about the decision I made to lease the feedlot.”
Clearly skeptical and a little wary, Cat took the paper from her and unfolded it. Tara inched in closer to peer over her shoulder.
“I think you’ll agree that is your father’s handwriting,” Jessy added for good measure.
After skimming the note, Tara moved a step away from Cat. “Exactly what are you trying to suggest, Jessy?” she challenged, clearly unimpressed by what she had read. “It’s nothing but disjointed scribblings.”
Jessy waited a beat, but Cat made no comment and continued to study the notations. “I’m not attempting to suggest anything. It’s what the note suggests—that Chase appeared to be considering operating the feedlot. It looks like he might even have been thinking about leasing it, thus enabling him to receive a return and eliminate any risk. Which is the same decision I made.”
“And you managed to interpret all that from those few scratchings,” Tara mocked. “Isn’t it possible someone was trying to sell him on the idea, and he idly made notes of the conversation with no intention of doing anything at all?”
“Of course, it’s possible.” The suggestion immediately prompted Jessy to think about Monte and the vague suspicions both Chase and Laredo had voiced about him. It made her wonder if Monte had raised the possibility to Chase of leasing the lot and been turned down flat.
She felt sure that Chase would have said something to her at the time if Monte had. But it was also possible he wouldn’t.
“I wouldn’t pay any attention to that note if I were you, Cat,” Tara declared, positively gloating over the concession she had obtained from Jessy. “It means absolutely nothing. You might as well tear it up and throw it away.”
“No, I think I’ll keep it.” Cat refolded the note, still deep in thought, then glanced at Jessy. “Do you mind?”
“No, you can have it.” Jessy knew she hadn’t convinced Cat of anything, but she had made her wonder. That, in itself, was a victory of sorts. “Tara is right, though. It only means what we want it to mean. I know how I read it. You made me doubt the other day that I had made the best decision for the Triple C. I’m convinced now that my reasoning was sound. I know you see it as a betrayal, but to me, it was strictly a business decision. And this is a business, Cat. Your father taught me that.”
“So you told me,” Cat replied.
The coolness was still there, but it didn’t seem to have that combative edge. Jessy thought there was a distinct possibility they had arrived at an undeclared cease-fire. Time, that was all she hoped to gain, sufficient time for Chase to recover his memory, identify his killer, and take over the reins of the Triple C once more.
“Here you are, Jessy. I should have known you would be in the den.” Monte halted a foot inside the room, hesitating at the sight of Cat and Tara. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Not at all,” Tara declared with a regal lift of her head. “We were just leaving, weren’t we, Cat?”
Cat’s only response was a nod and an exiting turn. Tara walked with her, then paused to lay a hand on Monte’s arm. “We must get together sometime soon. Perhaps for dinner at Dunshill one evening next week?”
“Perhaps,” Monte replied, committing himself to nothing.
Tara didn’t press for a more definite answer, threw a brief look at Jessy that was full of veiled warning, and went after Cat.
“Am I wrong, or are you having some in-law problems?” Monte ventured then hastened to add, “I wouldn’t have said anything, but the atmosphere in here was electric. It stopped me the moment I walked in.”
“It usually is, whenever Tara and I are in the same room.” Jessy could have let the subject drop with that, but there was still that question in her mind as to whether Monte had talked to Chase about leasing the feedlot. “In this case, Cat was questioning whether we should have signed the lease agreement with you. Needless to say, Tara took an opposing view.”
“What a surprise,” Monte murmured in a dry voice.
“Exactly.” Her smile was wide with amusement. Then she cocked her head questioningly. “By any chance, did you ever talk to Chase about leasing the feedlot?”