The Circle Eight: Caleb (29 page)

With renewed determination and an idea, he left the barn and out into the bright sunlight. He headed for the creek. Rory would have wanted to clean up and not out by the well. No, she was half-naked when she ran off, so the creek was the likely place.

He kept telling himself she would listen and he would grovel. For the first time in his life, he would do the apologizing and hope like hell she forgave him. No woman had received so much as an “I’m sorry” from him. Now he needed to do much more than simply apologize.

She sat on his favorite rock, knees up and arms wrapped around them. Rory looked small and alone as the water burbled merrily past her. His heart twisted at the sight. It was his fault she ran and he knew it.

“When you first called me jackass, it annoyed me.” He spoke aloud and she started, whirling around to glare at him. Her amber eyes flamed and her mouth tightened enough to make her jaw clench.

Caleb’s heart thumped as he knelt in front of her, literally now on his knees seeking forgiveness. “I know now you were right. I am a jackass, a big one. I’m sorry, Aurora, so sorry.” He took her hand and to his surprise, she didn’t pull away. Her skin was clammy and hot, limp in his grasp. So unlike the strong Rory he knew.

“I know you won’t forgive me that easily and I don’t blame you.” He swallowed the fear stuck in his throat and took a step he didn’t expect to ever take. “I love you and I want to marry you.”

She snorted and frowned at him. “You love me, hm? Then why did you laugh in my face when I told you how I felt?”

“Because I’m a fool. You did the proposing part that I’m supposed to. I wasn’t thinking and when you asked me, I reacted badly.”

She pulled her hand back. “You’re still a jackass.”

“I’m apologizing to you. Can you give me a chance?” He couldn’t possibly lose her. Not now. Not after he finally accepted he loved her and wanted to marry her.

“I just did and you showed me what a mistake that was.” She jumped off the rock and stomped back toward the house, her arms swinging.

“Wait! I need your help.” He searched his brain for an excuse, any excuse, to keep her at the Circle Eight.

She didn’t even break stride. “You do not need my help.”

“I meant, Benjy needs you.” Caleb jumped on the idea, crafty and sneaky as it was. “The girls are getting ready to go to my sister’s farm. She had her baby and she doesn’t know about Benjy yet. He will be more comfortable if you go with him.”

She stopped and her head dropped to her chest. Triumph danced beside him. One more opportunity to make up for his mistakes.

“That’s a dirty trick. You know I would do anything to help him.” She didn’t sound pleased with him, but her words told him she would give in.

“They’re leaving within the hour.” He sure as hell hoped that was right. Nick’s words were a blur in the middle of Caleb’s self-pity.

“Find. I’ll do it for your brother, but not for you.” She started walking again, leaving him on the damp ground with wet knees and regrets.

Caleb would drive the wagon to Olivia’s home. It gave him two days to woo her or really make a fool of himself trying.

When he got back to the house, Captain Williams was waiting for him. It wasn’t a happy expression on his commanding officer’s face.

“You look like shit, Graham.”

“Thank you, sir. I feel like shit.” He gestured to the rocking chairs. “Care to sit? I’m sure you’re not here on a social call.”

The captain was a big man, with curly black hair and shoulders as wide as the door. He carried a knife as large as his forearm on his back and had the speed of a predator. No one messed with Cap if they valued their life.

He sat down and waited for the captain to do the same. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good news or the Captain would have sent word, not come in person.

“I heard about Garza and his men. I brought a wagon to take care of the bodies. They were pretty ripe but still recognizable.” The captain was originally from Kentucky and he had a thick country accent.

“Are you here to arrest me?” It was Caleb’s worse fear. The idea of a man of the law being imprisoned for kidnapping his own brother. He wouldn’t regret it. Ever.

“No, I’m here to tell you that you found a wanted man. The man you met as Pablo Garza was a war criminal. His real name is Ephraim Cunningham. He sold weapons to the Mexican Army during the war. He disappeared after Mexico lost and has been wanted since.” Williams might have told Caleb that Garza was a woman in disguise. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t lying on his bed dreaming.

“A wanted man? You mean I’m not being arrested?” Caleb had to be sure. No matter what part Rory played in their deaths, he would take all the blame for the killing.

“No, you fool. In fact if you want it, there was a five-hundred-dollar reward on his head.” Williams raised his dark brows. “You did the Republic of Texas a service and closed the case of Benjamin Graham.”

Caleb took a moment to absorb what his captain said. Not only was Caleb free of murder charges, but there was a reward to boot, plus Benjy was home with his family. Everything was perfect, if only he hadn’t completely made an ass of himself with Rory.

“Thanks for coming to tell me.” Caleb’s voice was rough with the emotion that bounced around inside him.

“How are you feeling? You’re walking around but you look half-dead.” Williams didn’t believe in not telling anything but the truth.

“I’m healing. Sore but I’ll survive.” He came to a decision and needed to follow through on it before he changed his mind. “I was going to come see you when I was healed.”

“To get your next assignment?” The captain’s expression said he already knew what Caleb was going to say.

Caleb took a deep breath and took a chance on his future.

Rory wanted to curl up into a ball and nurse her wounds, but she didn’t. As a strong woman, one who could hammer molten iron, she would never cower when her heart hurt. No, she would stand tall and show that jackass what she was made of.

She believed him when he apologized, but he still didn’t quite understand she didn’t fit into the idea he had about what a woman did. She never would. Caleb had to accept her as who she was—a blacksmith who did what needed doing, with no pretenses or preconceived notions about what was proper. Until he did, she wouldn’t allow herself to give into his proposal.

Although if she thought about it too much, she might give in just to have him in her arms. It had been difficult to be cold to him, give him her back and refuse the love he offered. She had to be sure he was looking at her, and seeing the real her. Not a woman he could mold in to what he wanted her to be.

She found the house in chaos, with the Graham women running around getting things together to leave. There was shouting, laughing, pushing, shoving and all around silliness. They were all so excited over the new baby, no one seemed to notice Rory standing in the middle of the room.

“I am not changing,” Catherine yelled as Eva chased after her wagging a finger. The slender blonde was faster than the housekeeper. “I want to ride my horse, not in the wagon.”

“
Hija
, you listen to me.” Eva and the girl disappeared into the back of the house.

Benjy appeared at her side, startling her. He moved silently, like the shadow he pretended to be. She made no move to touch him although she wanted to pull him under her arm and protect him from the madness that was his family.

“Where are they going?” He spoke softly and she barely heard him.

“To see your sister Olivia. She had a baby.”

Benjy’s mouth opened into the shape of an O. “Liv had a baby?”

“Yes, she had a little boy. She’s married to a man named Brody and lives on a farm.” It was strange to be telling Benjy about his sister’s situation. Rory wondered if anybody had told him or if he hadn’t listened when they did.

“Why don’t we go with them and you can visit Olivia?” Rory felt awkward asking him but the women were distracted enough they likely didn’t have time to consider it. They might assume he would come but Rory knew what it was to be a stranger in her own house. Asking seemed to be the right thing to do.

Benjy turned to look at her, his blue-green eyes haunted by shadows she wanted to help chase away. “Do you think she will want to see me?”

“Yes, I think she will. Do you want to see her?” Rory spotted Eva walking up toward them and she must have overheard at least part of their conversation.

“I miss her.” It wasn’t the answer Rory was expecting, but Eva seemed to understand.

“
Hijo
, she misses you too.” Eva held out her hands. Benjy hesitated but he took one of her hands. The housekeeper’s took a breath and managed a shaky smile. “We have all missed you but Olivia looked for you until she couldn’t ride any longer because of the baby. She never gave up.”

Benjy blinked rapidly. “I want to see her and her baby.” He swayed toward Rory. “But Rory has to go too.”

“
Bueno, hijo, bueno
.” Eva glanced at Rory. “You will come,
no
?”

It wasn’t as though she had a choice, but Rory wanted to go. She would appreciate being away from Caleb for a day or two. Plus she might find out tidbits from his sisters and sister-in-law. Women did like to gossip but most days, Rory was too busy to participate, not that she had anyone to chat with besides her neighbor, Eloise.

“I’ll go. How long will we be gone?”

“Two days, perhaps three.” Eva waggled her finger at Rory, and it made her feel as though she was part of the family. Being chastised by the housekeeper was a silly reason to make her feel welcome, but that’s how she felt. “You need to keep the dress Hannah gave you. It does not fit too well after she had the babies.”

Rory was going to refuse the gift of the dress but Eva had already moved on, leaving Benjy with Rory again.

“I don’t have anything to pack.” Benjy left with only the clothes on his back.

Rory tucked her arm in his, taking a chance on touching him. “Then let’s go find some clothes your brothers can lend to you.”

He wasn’t quite as big as his brothers, but she was sure they could find something. Within a few minutes, she had plucked a pair of trousers and two shirts from the bedrooms in the house. Hannah approved and came up with a traveling bag for Benjy to use. By the time they made it back into the kitchen, the girls were ready to leave.

Caleb stood by the door, watching her. She told herself not to react to his presence, but her entire body tightened at the sight. He nodded but she ignored him, choosing to speak to his sister-in-law instead.

“We’re ready to go. Anything I can help with?” Rory could see Caleb out of the corner of her eye. He was too damn big not to see.

“No, I think we are finally ready.” Hannah smiled at the Graham sisters. “Not that any of these girls were anything but excited.”

The girls all looked affronted and the noise level crept up again. Rory had always wondered what it was like to be amongst a big family. Now she knew—it was a churning mass of noise and confusion, but also love, acceptance and life. There was a pulse to this house and it was because of the Grahams. She didn’t know what she would do in the crushing silence after she left the ranch.

Eva herded everyone out the door, with Meredith and Margaret bouncing up and down. Rory found herself smiling despite Caleb watching her. When she made it outside, most of the girls were already in the wagon, and Elizabeth was holding out her arm to help Benjy up. Rory was pleased to see him accept his sister’s hand. This trip would be good for him.

She set her bag along with Benjy’s into the back with the other bags and assorted baskets of food, then climbed into the wagon. As she settled in beside Hannah, Meredith popped onto her mother’s lap while her twin sister landed on Rory’s. The three-year-old snuggled under her chin, the fresh smell of little girl permeating her nose.

Rory’s heart caught and a lump formed in her throat. She would admit to herself she wanted a little girl of her own. One she could teach how to be strong and smart. Yet Rory couldn’t have children. After being married to Horatio, she never missed her courses, no matter how many times he liked to leave his seed within her. A little girl would not be part of Rory’s life. She put her arms around the child and decided to enjoy the experience for as long as she could.

Then Caleb climbed into the wagon seat wearing his pistol and picked up the traces for the horses. Rory stared, unable to reconcile the sight.

“What is he doing?” she whispered furiously to Hannah.

“Caleb? Oh, the rest of the men had too much to do on the ranch to spare the time to go to Olivia’s. Eva was against it at first, but he convinced her that he was hale and hearty. Besides, he needs to explain to Olivia and Brody how he found Benjy. That’s a story none of us want to tell Liv.” Hannah chattered on as though she hadn’t just told Rory that she would have to endure the man’s company for four days in close quarters.

Damn.

“Don’t squeeze too hard or you’ll make me fart.” Margaret squirmed from her perch on Rory’s lap.

Hannah gasped and tut-tutted at her daughter. “You spend far too much time with your father.”