To Love and to Cherish (19 page)

Borrowing from Norman would mean he could give the men bigger shares. That would be important when they left and got married. He'd never expected that they would stay with him forever. The ranch was to be their means of reestablishing themselves in the world. Giving Laurie half of the ranch would make that more difficult, if not impossible.

But what about Laurie?

She had taken a risk in offering him all her money. If they failed, she would end up with nothing and be forced to depend on Norman's barely discernible mercy. She'd taken a further risk when she agreed to work at the ranch. No matter how long people had known her, there was bound to be speculation about the temptations facing a woman who spent her day in the company of single men without a female companion. Norman had practically accused her of immorality just for sleeping in the bedroom across the hall.

There was no question that Jared and the men would want her to stay, no matter what the situation. It was more than her cooking. It was more than having an attractive woman to look at. They liked her, and she enjoyed being with them. Mealtimes had turned into the time of the day everyone looked forward to most eagerly. The men cleaned up without anything being said. They were polite, treating her more like a guest than a cook. In turn, she was fascinated by their lives.

She said it was because she'd never been anywhere, but Jared thought it was because she was truly interested in each of them. She remembered their stories as well as the names of family members and lost sweethearts. She didn't ask so much what they did but how they felt about it. Her caring had invested their evenings with the kind of thoughtfulness that had been missing. Sharing the pain of horrific events and terrible losses lightened the burdens all of them carried. Losing her would be a painful loss.

And what about him? How would he feel about losing her?

That was hard to say because he hadn't thought about it. He was certainly attracted to her and could still feel her in his arms as if he were back in that memorable night. She was a beautiful, desirable woman, and any man would do whatever he could to keep her. But he wasn't in love with her any more than she was in love with him. Their situation was merely one of a man and woman finding each other attractive and desirable.

He hardly knew her, and she knew even less about him. He didn't want to get married just yet, and he doubted she was considering it after suffering through a difficult marriage. She was here only because she needed a way to establish her independence. There was some mystery about the source of her money, but surely she could trust Colby enough to let him help her find another investment. Jared would feel guilty about backing out on her. If he did, he'd pay her for the work she'd done.

But he'd miss her far more than he would miss the food. She was brave and strong and resourceful, but she was also frightened and insecure. Despite a large number of relatives, she was alone in ways he never had been. At times he thought he understood her better than anyone else. Maybe because he hadn't known her all her life—just the last few weeks. She was neither the young girl they'd known growing up nor the woman who'd married Noah Spencer. Jared doubted she knew who she was. She needed time to grow, to learn who she was and what she wanted, but she needed to feel safe before she could do that. The security of their partnership was something she needed, something apparently only he could give her. Could he turn his back on all of that?

Norman's penetrating voice jerked him back to the present.

“I don't know why you want to be a rancher,” Norman said. “Spending the day on horseback is a miserable way to earn a living.”

They were wading through a dry wash below the corrals that was running a foot deep in water.

“And I would hate being stuck inside all day. I don't even mind the heat as long as I can breathe the pure air from atop the rim. We had nothing like it in Texas.”

Norman rode up to the front of the house and dismounted. Jared resigned himself to inviting the man to supper, but he figured it was a small price to pay if Norman would give him the loan. “Why don't we go inside and talk business?”

“I'm not ready for that,” Norman said. “I want to see more of this operation before I make up my mind. And I'm not sure you're smart to be sinking so much money into Herefords when you already have a herd.”

“I think I can convince you that Herefords are worth the money. We can go to my office. I've got some information there—”

“Not now. I want to have supper with you so I can get to know more about the men who work for you. Knowing the quality of the help is just as important as knowing the boss.”

Jared hoped Norman wasn't stupid enough to call his men
the
help
. He had explained that the men were all partners in a limited way, but apparently Norman didn't remember that or didn't care. Laurie was alone in the kitchen.

“Did you find out what you needed to know?” she asked Norman.

“Not yet.” Norman seated himself at the table. “I'd like some coffee.”

“It's not ready.”

“Why not?”

“I don't put it on to boil until I see the men ride in. By the time they clean up and come up to the house, the coffee's ready.”

“I want some now.”

Laurie faced him squarely. “You'll get your coffee when the men get theirs. After they've worked hard all day, I wouldn't think of serving them cold coffee.” She turned her back on him. “Considering the way you've treated me, I'm surprised you have the nerve to ask me for anything.”

Norman's shock amused Jared.

“I'm only following—”

Laurie began to ladle hot stew into a large serving bowl. “You're using Noah's will as an excuse to punish me, though I have no idea why.”

“I'm not—”

“I don't have time to listen to you tell me the same lies again.”

Norman reacted as though he'd been poked with a cattle prod.
“I don't lie!”

Laurie spun to face him. “You've been lying for years. You got away with it because nobody had the courage to call you on it. Well, I'm doing it now. You're a liar, Norman Spencer, and you always have been.”

Jared doubted this exchange would help him get his loan, but he was enjoying it too much to interfere. Before it could escalate, Steve came running into the kitchen. He turned to Norman.

“You can't go back to Cactus Corner tonight. The river's flooded.”

Jared decided someone ought to shoot Norman and put the rest of the world out of its misery. The way he talked, you'd think someone had arranged for the river to flood just to keep him from his own bed. Jared had seen people who acted like they were the center of the universe, but never one who actually believed it.

Never one to believe what he had not verified with his own eyes, Norman had mounted his horse and ridden off to check the river for himself. He must have searched for a crossing for some distance in each direction because by the time he returned, the men had finished their supper. The moment he entered the kitchen, they left. Except for Steve, who had apparently appointed himself Laurie's protector. He let Norman rant and rave without saying a word, but the moment he tried to vent his temper on Laurie, Steve was on him like a terrier on a rat.

“If you hadn't been so ill-advised as to take a job out here, I wouldn't be in this predicament,” Norman said to Laurie.

“It's not Miss Laurie's fault,” Steve fired back. “Nobody asked you to come out here. Nobody
wanted
you here. I already told you we were taking care of Miss Laurie just fine.”

“I'm not in the habit of taking counsel from boys your age.”

“Maybe you should. At least people don't want to hide or get sick to their stomach when they see me coming.”

Before Norman could fire off a response, Jared sent Steve to the bunkhouse. Laurie chose that moment to get ready for bed, which left Jared alone with Norman. Jared spent the better part of an hour explaining why buying Herefords was a good business decision, but he doubted Norman paid attention to half of what he said. Nor did he give any indication of what he'd decided to do about the loan.

“I'll take your bed.”

Norman's announcement was as unexpected as it was abrupt.

“We have extra beds in the bunkhouse,” Jared told him.

Norman looked as though he couldn't believe his ears. “You can't expect me to sleep in a bunkhouse.”

“It's the only free bed I can offer.”

“Your bed would be free if
you
slept in the bunkhouse.”

Jared was willing to do a lot to coax Norman into giving him the loan, but leaving him free to continue his battle of emotional and financial warfare against Laurie wasn't one of them. “This is my home. I don't see why I should be expected to give up my bed.”

“Not even to the man with the power to give—or withhold—your loan?”

Jared swallowed hard but answered, “No.”

Anger twisted Norman's features. “You can't think I'm going to leave Laurie alone in the house with you. There's no telling what you might do to her.”

Jared decided not to utter the words he wanted to say. “Laurie has already survived one night here. I'm sure she can survive one more.”

“Nobody can verify that.”

“Laurie can.”

“If anything had happened, she'd be too ashamed to admit it.”

To hell with the loan. A man could only put up with so much. He had a choice: He could knock Norman down and throw him out of the house, or he could offer him a place to sleep and hope he didn't have reason to kill him before morning. As much as he hated it, Jared said, “I have a very large bed. You can share it, you can sleep in a chair in the study, or you can choose the floor. The decision is yours.”

Norman was outraged. “I can't sleep in the same bed as you.”

“I'm not happy about it, either, but I refuse to leave you alone to keep on bullying Laurie. Now I'm going to bed. I have a nightshirt you can use. If you choose the chair or the floor, I have extra quilts.”

With that, Jared turned and left the study. He picked up a lamp from a table in the hall but didn't light it until he reached his room. He sank down on the bed and tried to calm himself. He had been tempted to think Laurie had exaggerated about Norman. Now he realized he didn't know the half of it. He was furious at Norman for holding his feet to the fire about this loan, but he was certain Norman was using the promise of a loan to manipulate Laurie. Since Norman didn't know about her money, how did he plan to do that?

Jared decided it was a waste of time trying to plumb the depths of Norman's twisted mind. Instead he should get to bed and be rested for tomorrow. With or without the loan, they would have a full day's work repairing damage done by the flood. He'd just finished changing into his nightshirt when Norman entered the room.

“I would appreciate the use of a nightshirt.” His voice was icily formal. He looked like he'd rather sleep with his horse.

Jared handed Norman a nightshirt. “I'll leave you to get dressed while I lock up.”

He didn't need to lock up, but he did need to give Norman some privacy. He knocked softly on Laurie's door.

“Who is it?” Laurie whispered.

“Jared,” he whispered in return.

She opened the door a crack. “Where's Norman going to sleep?”

“He's going to share the bed with me.”

Laurie giggled.

“He wouldn't leave me alone in the house with you, and I wouldn't leave
him
alone with you. I don't think much of my chances of getting that loan.”

Laurie sobered. “Are you upset?”

“I'm not happy about it.”

“Why? I told you I'd give you the money.”

“We don't have time to discuss it here. I just wanted to make sure you were all right and let you know where Norman was sleeping.” He paused. “I'm not sure I'll get any sleep, and it's not because of Norman.”

“Don't even think about it. I wouldn't be surprised if Norman can read minds. His brother could certainly read mine.”

“You're not serious.”

“We don't have time to discuss it. Good night, and thanks for putting up with Norman.”

It was unnecessary to tell her he'd done it as much for his benefit as hers.

Jared checked both doors even though he knew they were locked. He looked out the window at the sky filled with stars and a nearly full moon. Then he went to his study to make sure he hadn't left anything out he didn't want Norman to see before he left in the morning. When Jared couldn't find anything else to delay him, he returned to his bedroom. Norman was already in bed. It didn't surprise Jared that the man had taken up more than half of the bed.

“I couldn't find anywhere to hang my clothes,” Norman complained. “They'll be wrinkled tomorrow. I never wear the same clothes two days in a row.”

Jared could think of no useful reply, so he didn't attempt to make one.

“This house should be torn down as soon as you can afford to replace it. But if I give you a loan, you aren't to spend a penny doing it. I'll put that in the contract.”

After spending the four years of the war living in a tent or bivouacking on the open battlefield, any house was a luxury. Tearing this one down would be a senseless waste of money Jared could use to buy quality stock.

“You ought to keep your longhorns in case the Herefords can't survive here.”

“They will,” Jared replied.

“I hope you don't snore.”

Jared hoped he did.

“Don't move around. I'm a restless sleeper. I'm going to sleep now.”

Jared hoped so. He didn't know if Noah had been anything like his brother, but if he had been, Laurie must have nerves of steel. He turned on his side away from Norman and hugged the edge of the bed. He hoped he'd be able to sleep. But between thinking of Laurie just across the hall and Norman on the other side of the bed, it wasn't likely.

***

“I told you it wouldn't do any good,” Laurie said to Naomi as they walked back to her house. “He won't change his mind.”

“He can't be allowed to treat you like this,” Colby said. “We'll find some way to force him to give you your money.”

“I hope you aren't doing this so I'll quit working for Jared.”

“I was hoping you would,” Naomi said, “but we're really doing it because it's the right thing to do.”

Laurie hadn't made any firm plans for her Sunday afternoon, but she hadn't wanted to spend it talking about Norman. She still shuddered when she thought about the time the flooded river had forced him to spend the night at the ranch. Jared's cowhands told him they hoped he wouldn't get the loan. If Norman started coming out to the ranch on a regular basis—something he might do with a loan that large—they'd have to quit.

“Why don't you come home with us?” Naomi asked. “The children haven't seen you for weeks except in church. Esther asks about you all the time.”

“Naomi's father and brothers are there now,” Colby added for an extra inducement. “They'd like to see you, too.”

Laurie was happy to accept the invitation. Working for Jared had effectively cut her off from the community. Catching up on Sunday wasn't enough.

The house was full of activity when they arrived. Peter was trying to convince Ethan he was old enough to work with him and Colby, Dr. Kessling was helping Jonathan learn to walk, and Esther was practicing her wiles on Ben. The moment Laurie entered the room, Esther let out a squeal, abandoned Ben without a backward look, and threw herself at Laurie.

“Aunt Laurie! Aunt Laurie!”

“Don't knock her down,” Colby cautioned. “She's an old lady.”

“She's not old,” Esther said. “She's beautiful. I want to be like her when I grow up.”

“I told you she missed you,” Naomi said. “I'm just the woman who makes her behave.”

“I love you, too, Mama, but I see you all the time.”

“Make a note of that,” Naomi teased Laurie. “If you leave your children six days out of seven, they'll appreciate you more.”

Laurie spent the next half hour listening to what the children had done during the week and answering questions about the ranch. But children could only be interested in adult activity for a limited period of time, and when Steve showed up, Peter and Esther went off with him and Naomi's younger brother, Ben, in hopes of finding more excitement. After Jonathan was put down for his afternoon nap, the adults were left to entertain themselves. Inevitably the subject of Laurie working at the ranch and Norman's denying her the use of her inheritance came up.

“There's no use talking about it,” Laurie said. “I don't like the long ride to and from the ranch, but I like working there.”

“You're not thinking of moving there, are you?” Naomi looked aghast at the prospect.

“Of course not,” Laurie responded. “Not that I wouldn't be just as safe there as I am here. I like coming back to my house. I know it's an illusion, but it makes me feel independent.”

“It wouldn't be an illusion if Norman would give you access to your own money.”

“There's no use talking about it. He won't budge, and he's got the will to back him up.”

“There ought to be some way to force him to loosen the purse strings.”

“The only way anyone is going to force Norman to do anything he doesn't want to do,” Laurie declared, “is to start a new bank.”

After a moment of shocked silence, Naomi declared, “Why didn't one of us think of that?”

“We did,” Colby told her, “but nobody has the money.”

“And nobody wants to go up against Norman,” Dr. Kessling added.

“I didn't mean that seriously,” Laurie protested. “I just meant—”

“I know what you meant, but you're exactly right,” Naomi's brother Ethan said. “Money is the only hold Norman has ever had over us. Once we break that, he'll have to treat us like equals.”

“You can stop dreaming about that,” Dr. Kessling said. “He holds loans on everybody in town.”

“Not us,” Colby said. “We paid him off with the money Elizabeth left for the children.”

“I don't owe him any money,” Ethan said.

“Neither do I,” Laurie said, “but what does that gain us?”

“Stop teasing yourselves with all these questions,” Dr. Kessling advised. “Nearly everyone in town would have to transfer their accounts to the new bank to have any effect. That can't be done because no one has enough money to start a new bank.”

“You don't have to have a lot of money,” Colby said. “All you need is sufficient deposits to grant enough loans to cover your costs of operation. The deposits for the Fort Verde payroll alone would be enough for that.”

“Where are you going to find anyone with the time to solicit everyone in the valley, the guts to face down Norman, and the standing to convince people to trust him?”

Every gaze in the room focused on Dr. Kessling.

“Don't look at me. I have no desire to tackle Norman.”

“You're the only one who can,” Ethan urged his father. “Everyone in town loves and trusts you.”

“They trust me as a doctor. Not a banker. I don't know about the love.”

“You know everybody loves you,” Laurie told the doctor, “but don't let anyone talk you into doing this for me. I'll be fine.”

“It's not about you being
fine
,” Naomi said. “It's about Norman doing what's right.”

“You're not the only one he bullies,” Colby said.

Laurie turned to Dr. Kessling. “I'll help you any way I can, but don't do this on my account. I'm going to be fine.”

“I don't call being forced to work cooking and cleaning house fine,” the doctor said. “Jared can't be paying you much. Certainly not as much as you should be getting from Norman.”

“How much is he paying you?” Naomi asked.

“You can't ask her that,” Colby said.

“I just did.”

“Well, you can't expect her to answer.”

“I don't care about the money. I'm worried about her because she's my cousin.”

Laurie had known this was going to come up sooner or later. Since she couldn't tell the truth, she would give them a story that was as close to the truth as possible. “Between what I'm paid and what Norman gives me, I have enough money. I eat my meals at the ranch, and someone invites me to eat with them nearly every Sunday. I have very few expenses.”