Signed and Sealed (17 page)

Kathy didn’t know what to say. She stared at Will wide-eyed and waited to make sure he was finished before commenting, “That sounds awful.” She poured Will another cup. “Are you sure about Elijah?”

“Yes, he told me that first day. If I didn’t stay and Katrina didn’t return, then he would take my home. You see, I made the mistake of leaving my father’s name on the property. Elijah will be able to go after all of my late father’s holdings if Katrina breaks her contract. It’s a legal point regarding the way the will was written. Apparently it’s written in such a way that all of my father’s holdings go to Katrina. I was given the land and the home, but I was supposed to put it into my name only. I was sentimental at the time and left my father’s name on it, now it is in jeopardy and can be legally taken along with whatever else Katrina still owns of my father’s original estate.” Will laughed; the absurdity of it all striking him as funny. “I’ve had virtually no contact with Katrina for nearly two years, and yet the moment she’s in trouble, I end up in the middle of it. It’s not right.” He didn’t laugh this time.

“Elijah is a fair man, Will,” Kathy said. “I agree with Mrs. Coleman—he would not hold you responsible for your sister’s actions.”

“But he already has,” Will stressed. “I’m here because of Katrina. He is holding me in her place. He wants payment, one way or another. He wants his pound of flesh, mine or hers makes no difference.”

“That’s not what he is doing.” Kathy gave a deep, exasperated sigh.

“If you’re referring to his feigned interest in me, then let me assure you, it is all just an act. It is some sort of game he’s playing with me,” Will said with a heavy heart. “Elijah doesn’t want me. He isn’t in love with me. All he wants is someone to be punished. If he decides that I had anything even slightly to do with Katrina’s scheme here, then I will be the recipient of his wrath.”

“I think you’re being paranoid,” Kathy said between sips. “Ask anyone on this ranch if Elijah has ever treated any other man the way he treats you. Elijah has never cared about anything except this ranch and his brother.” Will was shaking his head, but Kathy continued. “He’s not social and never wastes his time with visitors or small talk. Even on those rare occasions when Martin has someone over, Elijah has nothing to do with them. He doesn’t dine with them; he doesn’t even talk to them.” Kathy paused to sip her coffee.

“What are you getting at?” Will asked, a little impatient.

“Look at how he is with you. He tries to control his temper when you’re around. He apologized to you, something he never does, and he kissed you publicly.” Will blushed a bright scarlet. “Oh yes, that kiss in the main house that first night got around very quickly,” Kathy teased. “He watches you constantly and seems to hang on your every word. Elijah is bending over backward to gain your approval,” she stressed. “He’s sincere, Will. I’d stake my life on it.”

“But it is my life that is on the block, and I don’t believe he feels anything of any depth for me. He admitted that he was testing me to see if I would behave as my sister had. He even proposed to me to see if I would jump at the chance to have a rich husband. It is all just an elaborate test.” Will agreed that it all looked and sounded good, but with romanticism aside, reality painted a very different picture. “Look at me, Kathy,” Will stated flatly. “What is there? What do you see that would drive a man like Elijah Hunter crazy with love for me?”

Kathy paused, and before she could answer, Will jumped back in.

“Nothing. I am completely and utterly average. I’m not putting myself down,” he assured her, “I’m just being realistic.”

Kathy attempted to comment, but Will again cut her off.

“He’s a single, handsome, millionaire ranch owner.” Will laughed, but not with humor. “His interest in me is for revenge only. Elijah is pretending to care in order to carry out whatever nasty plan he has contrived.”

“Why would he do that?” Kathy pressed.

“Like I said, it is plain and simple revenge.”

Kathy contradicted him. “It’s not plain or simple. What would be the point of getting you to fall in love with him?”

“I don’t know. What I do know is that his behavior is not legitimate.” Will drank the last of his coffee and stood up. “It’s getting late, I’d better head back. Thanks for listening to me, Kathy,” Will said as he left the porch and headed back up the main road.

“Anytime.” Kathy stood and walked him to the roadway. “Don’t sell yourself short, Will. Your theories may not be correct. I’ve known Elijah for two years, and he isn’t the type of man to play such a hateful game. He may be testing you, but once he’s decided your merit then that will be an end to it. You had nothing to do with your sister’s plans, and he will see that. He probably already has,” Kathy said as Will set out back in the direction of the main house.

It was nearly eleven o’clock when he made it back to the house, and he thought a solitary walk in Elijah’s garden would feel good before going to bed.

Will soon found himself seated on the stone bench at the center of the garden. His mind wandered to Elijah, the proposal, Katrina, the contract, and then settled onto his own feelings.

Kathy’s opinions were marvelous to think about, but he dared not take them seriously.
How perfect it would be if Elijah did love me, like I am beginning to love him.
Shocked by his own thoughts, he sat up straight and told himself sternly,
I do not love Elijah Hunter! I desire him, sure, who wouldn’t, but I do not love him! I can’t love him.
“Oh, Lord, I am so pathetic,” he said out loud with an exasperated sigh.

“May I sit with you?” The voice and the presence came on him so suddenly that he visibly jumped as Martin came toward him.

“Huh?” He stammered and then said, “Yes, of course.” Will moved over on the bench in order to accommodate him.

Martin sat there silently for several minutes before speaking. “I heard you had some trouble over at the Gerard ranch the other day.” Martin turned toward him. He was smiling, but his tone was grave.

“Trouble?” Will questioned. “Not really.”

“Something happened with John?” Martin prompted. He seemed uncomfortable asking this question.

“It really wasn’t anything,” he dodged.

“Will, you need to tell me what John said to you.”

Will was confused by Martin’s persistence in this matter. “Why are you so interested?” he asked. The whole conversation was beginning to feel intrusive. “It really isn’t worth repeating,” Will told him firmly.

“Let me explain,” he said and rubbed his chin, contemplating how best to do this.

“Elijah has cut off all relations with the Gerard ranch.” He paused to acknowledge Will’s expression of shock. “This will be a devastating financial blow to Adam Gerard. You see, the Hunter ranch is their largest buyer. Without our business, the Gerard ranch will probably not survive.” Martin took a deep breath and then riveted him with his stare as he continued. “Elijah believes that John somehow offended you.”

Will’s expression turned from confusion to concern. “Elijah would do this, just because of me?”

“Yes. Elijah is a hard man, and he has a few fundamental rules he lives by. One of these rules is that he will not tolerate disrespect directed at himself or someone close to him.” Martin turned to look at him directly. “He will not change his mind on this matter, unless… I or you can convince him that the incident was not as it appeared.”

Will realized that his explanation was important and Martin needed to hear it. He didn’t want to be the cause of the Gerards’ ranch going under. “I met John on the plane from Billings.” He spoke slowly and chose his words with care. “I wouldn’t have given him another thought if I hadn’t met him again at his ranch.”

“Did he offend you?” Martin pressed impatiently.

Before Will could respond, they heard someone approaching. They both looked up to see Elijah rounding the bend in the walkway and coming toward them.

“Is this a private conversation,” he asked, “or can anyone join?” Without waiting for them to answer, he walked over and sat down on the other side of Will. The bench was not very large, so he found himself pinned between the two men. Elijah automatically took Will’s hand and held it in his, a friendly gesture that comforted and confused him.

“Will was telling me what took place between himself and John the other day,” Martin explained. Elijah nodded, and then everyone sat there in silence waiting for Will to continue.

Will glanced up into the dark, starry night, wishing that he were anywhere but here.
What am I going to say to them? I can’t lie. Elijah would see through that.
Will was also quite certain that another of Eli’s fundamental rules was that he did not abide liars.

“I feel really awkward discussing this.” He fumbled with his words. He decided that it would have been much easier to have just explained this to Martin. Having both of them there listening and waiting was unnerving.

“Relax, Will,” Elijah reassured him, sensing his discomfort. “It’s just us.”

Will smiled to himself. He stated it as if the three of them had known each other for years rather than just a few weeks.

He steadied himself and began again. “John Gerard recognized me from the plane and came over to speak with me.” He paused, wondering how to explain this without making him look too bad. He didn’t want Elijah punishing everyone at the Gerard ranch because of a few reckless words spoken by John.

“He asked me if I was staying with you and seemed surprised by the fact that I was.” He fidgeted with his shirt and his hair as he struggled with the right words.

“You looked upset when I saw you,” Elijah prompted. “What did he say that upset you?”

“I probably just misunderstood him. He probably meant nothing by it.” Will tried to make light of it.

“What did he say?” Elijah insisted.

“He insinuated that I was staying here… that I was allowed to stay here because….” He couldn’t find the words. “It seemed to me that he thought that….” He drew a shaky breath and tried to arrange his words.
He said I was fucking you. How do I gloss over that?
His nervousness and hesitant speech told Elijah all he needed to know.

“He accused you of providing one or both of us with sexual favors,” Elijah concluded.

“Just you, and he tried to get me to sleep with him as well,” Will whispered.

“I’m going to destroy him,” Elijah stated calmly, but with cold finality.

“Please don’t,” Will pleaded. “I didn’t want to say anything about it. I didn’t want to cause any trouble. I don’t care what John Gerard thinks of me, he can think I’m fucking the whole ranch for all I care. He means nothing to me. In a few days, I will be home, and none of this will matter anymore.” Will winced with the pain of Elijah’s grip. Something he’d said had agitated him.

“You’re not the one causing trouble,” Elijah said and turned to regard him squarely. His eyes were dark and thunderous. There was something brewing and stirring just below the surface. “John made his own trouble, and he will answer for it.”

“I was hoping it was just a misunderstanding,” Martin said. “But this is serious, and I agree with whatever action you take in this matter.”

“Please don’t hurt Mr. Gerard because of something his idiot son said,” Will insisted, but Elijah was not listening to him, or rather, Will assumed he wasn’t listening. “Why does everyone at the Gerard ranch have to pay for this?” Will’s frustration was becoming evident, yet Elijah continued to stay silent, as if he was ignoring him. Finally, Will had enough and jumped to his feet. Without another word, he walked away.

By the time Will reached his room, his anger had reached a fever pitch. He slammed the door shut behind him and let loose with a string of profanities. “This is just fucking great!” He screamed. “Not only do I have my cunt of a sister and my home to worry about, but now I can carry around the guilt over Adam Gerard’s demise as well. Isn’t staying at the Hunter ranch grand, just a fucking wonderful vacation?” He threw himself on the bed and buried his face in the pillows as he continued to weave a profane tapestry of words.

Elijah and Martin remained in the garden for a while, talking.

“I think he’s upset,” Martin observed.

“I think you’re right,” Elijah agreed.

“What do you plan to do in regards to the Gerards?” Martin asked.

“I’ll speak with Adam. I’ll leave it to him to deal with John.” He glanced over at Martin, who was freshly amazed at the power Will seemed to have over Eli. His look of disappointment was all it took to turn him around. “If Adam doesn’t deal with him, then I will.” Elijah made this very clear.