Journey of the Bride (7 page)

She knew she was tempting fire. Knew that while her words were polite, there was the bitter tang to them that meant she was insulting him, treating him of lower status than he actually had. She knew it. He knew it. However, society
’
s propriety protected her because she was correct in her correctional use. He may not have liked it but as they weren
’
t married, or even courting one another, he hadn
’
t the right to call her anything but her title unless she deemed otherwise, and she
’
d just made it clear that she didn
’
t wish so.

His mouth opened and shut several times and his facial expression contorted in rage, but Courtney ignored it all, choosing to return her attention to the book she
’
d been reading. It was hard not to smirk at the way his jaw flapped open and shut like that of a fish, but she knew she had to if she had any hope of winning this battle with him.

It wasn
’
t like she didn
’
t know what he wanted anyway. She figured he was here because he wanted to marry her. She also knew she had no say in the matter. It would be her father
’
s decision since she still lived under his guardianship. She had married Brandon in a desperate attempt to save her father face and knew when he found out, he would be angry but relieved that she was well cared for. This was different. This was not about desperation. This was blackmail, pure and simple, and she was going to make it as hard for him as humanly possible.

“
I shall take my leave of you for this evening, Miss le Brush. I hope to find you better company at a later date,
”
Talbert told her once he gained control of his emotions.

She glanced up at him and sent him her sweetest smile.
“
That sounds good,
”
she told him. Inside, she cheered. Outwardly, she let him take her hand and kiss the back of it before he took his leave of her presence.

Once he was gone, she laughed, and she noted the pleased smile on Gerald
’
s face as well.

“
You know this isn
’
t over though, right?
”
he asked her.

“
I know,
”
she admitted.
“
Far from it.
”

“
I still can
’
t believe you sent her away,
”
Paul told Brandon as he stood next to the broad man. Brandon was standing with his feet just slightly apart, his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the men working around him. He seemed to be ignoring Paul, but Paul knew he heard every word. The way his jaw twitched at the mention of Courtney
’
s name proved it. The heated spark in his eyes was another clue as to his regret.

And Brandon regretted his actions. Maybe not for the reasons Paul believed
—
whatever he believed
—
but he did regret his actions.

Courtney had been a lovely addition to the ranch from the moment she
’
d crossed the home
’
s threshold. She was a warm essence in the house, her bright and cheery attitude something that had been missing since his ma died.

He knew she had thought he
’
d been ignoring her, and in a way, she would have been correct. He had tried to. However, her being the only female amongst a group of males, it had been hard to do. She drew his eye like a flame did a moth. She
’
d always looked beautiful, even with her hair wild from slaving over a hot fire and her sleeves rolled up well past her elbows. It had taken everything in his body not to force himself upon her again.

His groin ached for her and he salivated for the chance to kiss her again.

She wasn
’
t something he could have though. She came from a finer society where women didn
’
t have sex casually. They married into money and bedded their husbands only for the heirs they
’
d produce.

That was not his style, not the way he
’
d been raised. He
’
d always known that women were something to be cherished and loved
—
often and without abandon.

There was no way Miss Courtney le Brush would ever willingly want such a life. He
’
d had no other choice but to send her home, back to whatever family she
’
d had before she
’
d accepted Paul
’
s offer to be Brandon
’
s wife. She was back where she belonged, in a society that she
’
d been raised in, among the kind of people that doted on her as they doted on his brother.

No matter. That didn
’
t stop Brandon from missing the woman
’
s company, or her cooking. He missed her with an ache that was physical. There was no way he
’
d ever tell Paul that though. His brother was already determined to drag Courtney back here whether Brandon wanted him to or not.

“
She doesn
’
t belong here,
”
he said instead. It was true enough.

Paul laughed. The sound was both mocking and grating.
“
Doesn
’
t belong here?
”
he asked.
“
Brandon, no one
belongs
here. Not even you. Everyone makes due with what
’
s happening to them, makes the best of it. Others make choices that lead them to better lives.
”
He coughed as a horse trotted past, kicking up dust and dirt into his mouth.
“
Miss le Brush made her choice when she answered my ad. Not her father. Her. She answered the ad. She wanted a different kind of life than she was going to have at home, and she decided she
’
d rather have that kind of life here. Is that so hard to believe?
”

Brandon closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers, and heaved a deep sigh.
“
That
’
s neither here nor there,
”
he said. He frowned at his brother.
“
How long do you think she would have stayed here before she was unhappy? Before she was wining that she wanted to go home? That she would rather live in the city then be married to a working rancher like myself? Hmmm?
”

His brother shot him a smile.
“
What makes you so certain she would have ever tired of this place?
”

“
You did,
”
Brandon pointed out.

Paul sighed.
“
I made a choice, Brandon. My choice was to go to the city. I wasn
’
t meant to be here. Has it ever occurred to you that this was her choice?
”

It hadn
’
t, but Brandon
’
s pride wouldn
’
t let him consider the idea now.
“
It doesn
’
t matter,
”
he said, pulling off his hat and slapping it against his leg to rid it of the current build-up of dust.
“
She
’
s gone now. She
’
s not coming back either.
”

Another sigh escaped his brother
’
s mouth, and when Brandon glanced over him, he saw Paul shaking his head as he wiped sweat from his eyes.
“
You are a fool, Brandon. A right fool. I can
’
t believe you tossed out a good woman because you thought she was going to treat you the same way Elizabeth did.
”

Without warning, Brandon turned on Paul, his fist flying as he punched the other man in the face. Paul fell to the ground, sprawling in the dust and dirt and staring up at Brandon as if trying to figure out how he
’
d ended up on the ground in the first place.
“
You leave her out of this,
”
Brandon snarled through clenched teeth. His hands were curled up into fists and his eyes were narrowed at Paul.

His brother
’
s reaction was similar. He glared up at his younger brother, anger heating his words.
“
That
’
s what this is all about, isn
’
t it? It always comes back to her, the woman who stole your heart and then left you high and dry for some city slicker like myself.
”

With a snarl, Brandon reached down and dragged Paul to his feet. Then he curled his fist back and punched Paul again.
“
I said leave her out of this.
”

“
Like you always do?
”
Paul didn
’
t try to hit back. He understood his brother
’
s anger. It had been pent up for the past couple of years, worming through his mind and making him bitter towards the world. Their ma and pa had always assumed it was why Brandon hadn
’
t left the ranch. Yes, Brandon loved the ranch, and loved working out there, but they had always suspected that ranch work was just an excuse Brandon used to make sure he never had to go into town where he might possibly come across Elizabeth and her beau.

“
This has nothing to do with her.
”

“
It has everything to do with her!
”

They were screaming at one another now. Paul ducked out of the way every time Brandon threw a punch his direction. Now that he understood how his brother would react to his words, he was smarter in his counter-actions. Brandon advanced upon him, anger in every step he took, a sneer frozen upon his face.

Around them, the new hired ranch hands gathered, watching the goings-on with interest. Some cheered for one of the two brothers or the other. Others chanted the word
“
fight
”
over and over again. They stood in a semi-circle around the two men, giving them a wide enough berth none had to worry about being drawn within the fight by accident but close enough they could hear and see everything going on.

The two brothers faced one another, rage contorting both their faces. Blood dribbled down from Paul
’
s lower lip where Brandon
’
s initial punch had busted it. He
’
d also have a nice shiner come morning, Brandon noted. In a way, he felt bad, but he didn
’
t care. Paul deserved it, dragging up memories he
’
d been avoiding for the past two years, emotions he hadn
’
t ever wanted to think about since Elizabeth left.

“
She didn
’
t want me,
”
Brandon told his brother.

Sensing their physical fight was over for the moment, Paul stood up tall and straightened his suit. It was ruined, but he didn
’
t care. It was a suit. He could always buy another one. He dusted the dirt from it with a wry grin.

“
No, she didn
’
t. She chose that city slicker, didn
’
t she?
”

“
Is that supposed to make me feel better? If so, you really aren
’
t as smart as you pretend to be.
”
Brandon
’
s words, though bitter, weren
’
t filled with the same animosity they had been earlier.

Paul sighed.
“
Look, Brandon. Elizabeth was interested in one thing, and one thing only: money. Our family had a lot of it, so she decided to convince you to marry her. Then she met her current husband, a man of more wealth and social standing than yourself. She left you. End of story.
”

“
I loved her though.
”
Raw emotion spilled out of Brandon
’
s throat, making him choke on his words. It showed on his face as he looked at Paul.

“
I know.
”

“
I loved her.
”

“
I know.
”
Paul shook his head.
“
But she didn
’
t love you. You need to see that, to understand it, to get over it.
”

Brandon hung his head, his shoulders falling and his arms hanging limp at his sides.

“
What about Courtney?
”
Paul asked after several minutes of silence. During the silence, most of the hired hands returned to their work, sensing the end of the fight that had occurred only moments before.