Lucas (11 page)

“Don’t have a choice,
Doc. There’s too much at stake.” He looked back out at the porch, but both Lucy
and Seth were gone.

“You really should let
the shoulder rest. Your granddad’s got some clean linens in the closet just
outside the study. I can make a sling that will help you to be more aware of
the need to keep it still.”

“I don’t need a sling,
I need something that will help brace it against the pain.”

“Let’s head on over and
we’ll see what we can do.”

Lucas didn’t take the
time or make the effort to button his shirt. As they stepped into the entrance,
Lucas caught another glimpse of his grandfather through the window.

“I’ll meet you there,”
he said as he held a hand up to the doctor. He opened the door and strode over where
Liam sat comfortably in his chair with a blanket wrapped up around him watching
the other competitors as they chatted amongst themselves. He wasn’t sure what he
wanted to say, but acted on the feeling he needed to say something. When he’d
first met the man, only a day or so ago he realized, his grandfather had seemed
so much stronger. So full of life.

“Granddad,” Lucas
started. He hadn’t expected to feel so much after such a short time.

Cough. Cough.

“How’s that shoulder?
Are you going to be able to participate in the archery event? It was always
your daddy’s favorite.”

Gabe had always
insisted that his sons learn how to use a bow as well as a rifle. Said it might
save their lives one day. Lucas sat down in the seat next to his grandfather
and leaned down, his elbow on his knee.

“I just wanted you to
know how…how grateful I am that…”

“It’s all right, son.
I’m just so glad you’re home.” Liam patted his leg.

Home.

“You’ve really made an
impact on my granddad, Miss Lucy,” Seth told her as he reached up into the top
cabinet of the study armoire to retrieve his grandmother’s salve. “I’ve never
seen him take a liking to anyone as easily as he has to you. Except maybe
Lucas.”

Was that jealousy in
his voice?

Seth Deardon was very
handsome—standing well over six feet tall, dark hair, and strong chiseled
features—and he was smart. His fun-loving nature endeared him to her, but she
didn’t feel the same draw to him as she did to Lucas. He was more like a
brother than anything.

“My cousin really likes
you too, you know.”

“Which one?” she asked,
full well understanding of whom he spoke. She smiled. “I know about the
tournament, Seth. About all of it.”

At first he looked as
if he might deny it, but he smiled at her. “You know Granddad didn’t mean any
harm.”

“I know.”

“We all agreed to go
along with it because he believes you and Lucas are perfect for each other.”

“Then why did he want
you all to agree that the winner would marry me?” She knew she should be
nervous, but somehow she was completely at ease talking with him.

“There’s nothing
that’ll win over a Deardon like a little friendly competition.”

“You have to know I
wouldn’t marry a man just because he can ride a horse or shoot an arrow better
than the others. I already had my attempt at marrying for the wrong reasons.
Now, I’ll only marry for the right ones.”

“I know.” Seth handed
her the small tin canister. “And Granddad knows too.”

She breathed a chuckle.

“What is so special
about that salve, anyway?” she asked with interest. “To hear Liam speak of it,
you would think it had some magical healing power.”

Seth laughed.

“Most of us believe
so.” He smiled. “It’s Grandma’s concoction of rosemary leaves and peppermint
mixed with a few other things. She and Aunt Leah were the only ones to ever get
it right. Granddad’s real stingy with it as this is the last of the poultice
and Aunt Leah doesn’t make it up here very often to make more.”

She opened the container,
a deliciously minty scent released into the air.

“And it’s supposed to help
with aches and pains? Smells good enough to eat.”

“I wouldn’t.” They both
laughed.

The study door opened.
The doctor walked inside, followed by Lucas, his shirt hanging open. Lucy
cleared her throat and instinctively took a step back, away from Seth.

“Liam said you had that
charmed poultice of Sophia’s to put on Lucas’s shoulder,” the doctor said,
looking at Lucy.

She glanced down at the
canister she held and quickly returned the lid before handing it over. “I hear
it’s magical,” she whispered with a polite smile. “If you’ll excuse me, I think
Mara and Alex might need help in the kitchen.” She turned to Seth. “Thank you
for your help.”

Lucas made no attempt
to cover his exposed mid-section. Lucy had to force herself to look away. She’d
seen plenty of shirtless men since coming to the ranch, but she hadn’t been
attracted to them the way she was to him. Heat rushed into her cheeks as she
slipped from the room and headed for the kitchen.

Tillie was busy with
Mara finalizing the preparations for the big Thanksgiving meal.

“Mr. Deardon isn’t
feeling very well today,” Mara said, “but if I know Liam, he will still insist
on helping the boys deliver the food crates to Mrs. Hamilton and the children.”

Lucy sat down at the
table where several delicious looking pies cooled in the window sill. Liam had
been planning the trip to the orphanage since she’d arrived, making sure that
there would be plenty of food and sweets to go around. He didn’t do anything
small. Everything was a grand gesture with him and she appreciated his efforts.

She’d only been sixteen
when her mother had been taken from her. The holidays had never been the same
after that. Until now.

DING! CLANG! DING!
CLANG! DING!

“Alex must be ready to
start the tournament. She loves ringing that dinner bell. Have you heard from
Lucas?” Mara asked Lucy. “Is he still going to be able to compete?”

“He’s in the study with
the doctor,” Lucy replied through a lump in her throat. The thought of his
bared abdomen heated her cheeks. Again. She had to stop thinking about that
man. At least for now.

“Why Lucy Russell, are
you blushing?” Mara asked, wiping her hands on her apron. Scarcely taking her
eyes off Lucy, she removed the protective garment and hung it from one of the
knobs on the pantry cabinets.

“Why would I be
blushing?”

“Oh, I don’t know…only
because every eligible man on this ranch is competing for your hand in
marriage.”

Lucy smiled.

“You’d better go tell
the newest Deardon at Whisper Ridge that he’ll lose his chance if he doesn’t
get outside.” Mara exited the back door.

Lucy shook her head and
made her way to the study, making sure to knock before pushing open the door. To
her surprise, the room was empty, so she headed outside and over to the part of
the yard where the archery targets had been set up on individual wooden easels
at various distances. She was glad to see that Jake had already moved the
chairs to the other side of the porch, but they were also empty.

It didn’t take long to
find Liam, standing with an arrow strung in a bow and aimed at one of the
targets. Lucy leaned down with her elbows on the edge of the porch railing,
watching all of the men familiarize themselves with the bows they would use to
shoot and listening to their dialogue.

“Just breathe out when
you release the arrow,” Liam told Lucas as he released the string. The arrow
hit the target at the lower edge of the center circle. “Not too bad for an old
man like me, eh?”

Lucas beamed at him, the
look of admiration transparent in his eyes.

Lucy was glad they had
the opportunity to get to know one another again. She wondered what it had been
like for Lucas to have believed his whole life that his grandfather had wanted
nothing to do with him only to discover that the thing he had wanted most was
to have a relationship with his grandsons.

She’d never had the
opportunity to know her own grandparents, but liked to believe they would have
been something like Liam Deardon.

“Archers, take your
marks!”

Lucas watched his
grandfather with awe as he hit the target with ease. So many years had been
wasted. He wished his brothers could be here and made a mental note to wire
them. He probably should have done that already, but he had been completely
taken off guard by the hospitality and warmth with which he had been welcomed,
and then the storm had hit and he just hadn’t thought about it until now..

“Archers, take your
marks!” Aunt Alex stood on a podium that had been constructed against the
house.

Granddad handed him the
bow and turned to leave, but stopped just two steps in and clapped Lucas on the
back with a nod and a smile. “I’m glad you’re home,” he said. The two of them
stood at nearly the same height and Lucas met his eyes.

“Me too.” He didn’t
dare say more.

Liam Deardon was much
more than he could have ever expected and his love and words of encouragement touched
Lucas deeply. He glanced up to see Lucy leaning against one of the porch posts
watching them. Her light hair curled in cascades down her shoulders and her
eyes were alight with the excitement from the day. He entertained the thought
of what it would be like to hold her. To kiss her perfect little mouth.

Granddad smiled gruffly
and followed Lucas’s gaze. “She’s a good woman, son. She’ll need a good man by
her side.” He took a step toward the porch. “Now, show me what you can do,” he
called back over his shoulder as he walked toward the front stairs where Lucy
waited for him.

She wove her arm
through his, then glanced up, a closed smile softening her already beautiful
face.

A good man,
he echoed.

With a tip of his hat,
he turned his attention back to the event at hand.

Nine targets sat in a
line three feet apart about fifty yards distance from his position. Each
competitor stood in front of their intended target awaiting the go ahead. Lucas
lifted his arms and rotated them backward, surprised at the relief the white
poultice Doc had rubbed into his shoulder offered. He wanted to take full
advantage of the time he had without pain and hoped the numbing effect would
last through the next three events.

He pulled an arrow from
the quiver attached to the hay bale in front of him and placed it carefully
into the bow.

“Gentlemen,” Alex
called, “shoot.”

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The sound of arrows
hitting their marks made a melodic rhythm. Lucas breathed in and closed his
eyes as he pulled the string backward. When he opened his eyes, his focus
blurred everything around him, keeping a clear line between him and his target.
He exhaled slowly and released the shaft.

Thwak! The arrow struck
its intended destination in the center circle of the target, though slightly
below direct center and a bit to the left.

YES!

He tightened his grip
on the handle of the bow and smiled to himself. His grandfather had seen that.

A good man.
Was he a good man? Was
he good enough for a woman as kind and as lovely as Lucy?

He glanced up at the
porch where his grandfather sat leaning back in the chair, his eyes closed, a
slight curve of his lips resting on his face. Lucas narrowed his eyes, frozen
momentarily to his spot as he watched for even the slightest change in movement.
Granddad sat perfectly still. Something was wrong. Lucy looked up from Liam and
met his eyes, tears trailing her flushed cheeks. She folded her lips together
and shook her head.

The bow slipped from
his fingers to the ground.

No! No! No!

His heart pumped
fiercely, his ears blocking out all other sounds. He focused on the distance
between him and his grandfather, everything else a blur around him as he rushed
toward the porch, jumped up and over the railing, and then fell to his knees at
his grandfather’s feet. He lifted the man’s hand, still warm to the touch, and
glanced up at his face—his expression at peace.

No!
He hadn’t had nearly
enough time with him. Lucas dropped his head into his grandfather’s lap.

“No,” he whispered as
the tears began to flow.