To Tame a Renegade (7 page)

Relief such as he’d never felt before washed over Chad. “I can pay five dollars a week. Doc Clayter said Sarah will be laid up two, three weeks at the most I’ll pay you three weeks in advance. How does that sound?”

Carrie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Five whole dollars a week? I declare. There really is a God.”

“I feel the same way.” Chad reached into his pocket and found three five-dollar gold pieces, placing them in Carrie’s outstretched palm. Carrie closed her fingers around them as if she feared Chad would snatch them back.

Jubilant Chad returned to Sarah’s house to tell her the good news. He was free! Free to cast off the bonds of responsibility and resume his life again. The first order of business was Freddie Jackson. The outlaw was still on the loose and a five-hundred-dollar reward sounded damn good right now.

The savory aroma of stew filled the small shack and Chad’s mouth watered. Maybe he’d stay long enough to share supper with Sarah and Abner. Then a troubling thought occurred to Chad. Sarah couldn’t feed herself. Nor could she cook or buy food. He had no idea how long it would be before she was able to take in laundry again but the vision of Sarah bending over a tub did not appeal to him. He stirred the stew and went in to see Sarah.

Despite her mixed feelings about Chad, Sarah was glad to see him. And surprised. “I thought you’d be gone.”

“Not yet. I spoke with Carrie Barlow. She’s agreed to come over in the mornings to help you wash and dress, and return again in the evenings to put you to bed. She’s also agreed to keep Abner during the day.”

“What! In case you didn’t notice, Carrie Barlow is expecting again. She has her hands full taking care of her own family.”

“The woman needs the money, Sarah. She’s earning hard cash for helping you. I’m really doing her a favor.”

Sarah’s violet eyes blazed with defiance. “You’re taking advantage of Carrie’s desperate situation.”

“I’m doing this for you.”

“You’re doing this for yourself. You want to leave and are willing to do anything to escape with your conscience intact. I don’t need you, Chad Delaney. I got along just fine before you showed up.”

Chad laughed mirthlessly. “You don’t say. You look pretty helpless to me. You can’t use your hands or arms and you’ve injured your foot. What else can go wrong?”

“Plenty if you stick around!” Sarah shot back.

“Why are you arguing with my mother?” Abner asked, clearly frightened.

Chad turned his attention to Abner. The last thing he wanted was to frighten the boy. It was a damn shame his mother was too proud and obstinate for her own good.

“We’re not really arguing, Abner. Your mother doesn’t agree with what I’ve done, that’s all. Don’t worry about it. Are you hungry? I’ll bet that stew is done. What do you say we go in the kitchen and dish us up some?”

“I
am
hungry,” Abner admitted. “Can Mama eat with us?”

“Of course.”

Without waiting for Sarah’s permission, he scooped her from the bed and carried her into the kitchen, placing her in one of the rickety chairs. Then he dished out the stew. He and Abner made a game of feeding Sarah and soon all three had eaten their fill.

“You make a tolerable stew, Mr. Delaney,” Sarah said. “A few herbs and a smidgeon more of salt would make it even more palatable.”

It was a backhanded compliment but Chad let it pass. “You may as well call me Chad.” He gave her one of his rare smiles. “We’ve come to know one another quite well for strangers.”

Sarah flushed and gazed down at her bathrobe tellingly. “You’re no gentleman to remind me of … of…” She looked at Abner and fell silent.

“I never said I was a gentleman. I seriously doubt you’ve ever met a real gentleman.” The moment the words left his mouth he wished he could call them back. He had hurt her. The anguish on her face told him exactly how much.

Sarah arose abruptly and limped back to the bedroom. “I’ll bid you goodbye now, Mr. Delaney, to save you from saying it later. Come along, Abner, it’s time for bed. You can crawl in with me tonight.”

“What about Chad?”

“He can stay at the boardinghouse.”

“Goodbye, Chad. I’m gonna miss you,” Abner called as he disappeared into the bedroom with his mother.

“I’m going to miss you too, kid,” Chad muttered to himself.

Chad bellied up to the bar and ordered whiskey. He chugged the generous shot down quickly and poured himself another. His room at the boardinghouse seemed empty and cold and he had wandered down to the One-Eyed Jack Saloon to pass the time until bedtime. Since he was still in town he decided it couldn’t hurt to ask some questions about Freddie Jackson. A few weeks ago Chad had met a man who knew Jackson and didn’t mind talking about him. That’s how Chad had learned that Jackson hailed from Carbon.

Fortified by a second swig of whiskey, Chad engaged the man next to him in conversation. They chatted a few minutes about the town and then the man, who said his name was Cal Bork, asked, “You new in town, mister?”

“Just rode in yesterday,” Chad said. He stuck out his hand. “The name’s Delaney. Chad Delaney.”

“Pleased to meet you, Delaney. My folks own the general store. Lived here all of my life. Did you come to Carbon for any particular reason?”

“I’m looking for man named Freddie Jackson. You know him?”

“Sure do, but he ain’t been around in a long time. At least five or six years. Rumor has it he’s wanted for bank robbery.”

“Does he have family in town?” Chad asked.

“Not anymore. His parents are dead and his sisters married and moved away.” He scratched the dark stubble growing on his chin. “Funny thing about Freddie. Always wondered why he up and left town so sudden like. It wasn’t long after that we heard he’d turned outlaw.”

“Freddie Jackson is wanted for bank robbery in both Montana and Wyoming.”

“You a bounty hunter?”

“Yeah, I’m looking for Jackson. But I’ll be moving on tomorrow. Looks like all my leads have grown cold.” Chad grew thoughtful. “Did Jackson have any friends in town?”

“Freddie was a ladies’ man. I heard he was involved with a woman before he left. Freddie was a secretive sort, he didn’t say much about his private life. A friend of mine said he saw Freddie with the same woman on more than one occasion, but he never did see her face.”

“No one ever saw her?”

“Naw. Like I said. Freddie was close-mouthed about his lady friends. The woman might have been a whore, or maybe a respectable woman who didn’t want it known that Freddie was screwing her.”

Chad grew pensive. Was he missing some pertinent piece of information? he wondered. Was there something about Freddie Jackson and the mysterious woman that he should know about? It was something to chew over, he decided. Chad and Cal Bork parted company a short time later. Returning to the boardinghouse, Chad spent a fitful night, tossing and turning in the lumpy bed, wondering how Sarah and Abner were faring without him.

Carrie Barlow entered Sarah’s house early the next morning. Sarah was already awake, having spent a sleepless night worrying about her shaky future.

“I don’t have much time,” Carrie said as she wielded her bulky form into the bedroom. “The kids will be up soon and looking for their breakfast I’ll fire up the stove and heat some water for a sponge bath. How does that sound?”

“Wonderful, Carrie, but I feel guilty for imposing on you like this. Mr. Delaney shouldn’t have approached you. You have enough to do without taking on another responsibility.”

“Don’t worry about it, honey. Mr. Delaney is a godsend. I didn’t know where our next meal was coming from before he turned up on my doorstep. Charlie still can’t work. Doc Clayter says it will be another couple of weeks before he’s up and around. Our money was all gone and when Mr. Delaney offered to pay me for helping you, I was happy to accept”

Sarah brooded in silence as Carrie busied herself in the kitchen. She’d never met a man like Chad Delaney. She sensed the secret darkness festering inside him. Whatever bothered him hadn’t completely corrupted him, for his innate goodness shone through his tough exterior. He exuded an earthy quality, like a sturdy oak upon which one could lean. He tried to hide his decency but he didn’t fool Sarah.

Sarah knew Chad hated playing nursemaid, that he couldn’t wait to be rid of her and Abner, and she couldn’t blame him. She was nothing to him. For all he knew she was the whore the townspeople and her parents called her. Just when she was convinced he was the worst kind of renegade though, he did something completely out of character. He bought food for her and Abner and paid someone to come in twice a day to help. He didn’t have to do it, which said a lot about his character.

Despite his compassionate nature, Chad Delaney had an arrogant streak a mile wide. He was a man, and Sarah had learned the hard way not to trust men. Everything men did was suspect. Their brains hung between their legs and they did and said whatever it took to satisfy their lust. She knew firsthand how a man’s raging lust could ruin an innocent woman.

Carrie returned a short time later with a basin of warm water and a threadbare towel. With quick efficiency she helped bathe and dress Sarah and brushed her hair into a semblance of order.

“You look much better,” Carrie said approvingly. “I’ll just empty this chamberpot for you and see about breakfast.”

Sarah followed Carrie into the kitchen, wishing she could do something to help. A few minutes later Abner wandered in from outside.

“Is breakfast ready yet?”

“Just like my kids,” Carrie said, smiling. “They’re always hungry.” She stretched and rubbed her back. “I’ll whip up something before I leave.”

“Are you all right?” Sarah asked, noting Carrie’s obvious discomfort.

“I’m fine. I woke up with a nagging pain in my back. Too much lifting, I reckon.”

Carrie found oatmeal in the cupboard and set a pot of water on the stove to boil. Ten minutes later it was done and she spooned the thick gruel into two bowls and set them before Sarah and Abner. Abner dug in immediately but Sarah sat looking at hers with longing. Her bandages didn’t allow her hands to bend around a spoon. She watched Abner eat, intending to ask him to help her when he finished.

Suddenly the door flew open and Carrie’s oldest daughter rushed up to her mother. “The baby is awake, Mama, and cryin’ somethin’ fierce. Papa says you gotta come home now.”

“Oh, dear,” Carrie said, realizing she had lingered too long. “My family needs me, Sarah. If Abner is finished he can come along and play with my brood.”

“Can I go, Mama?” Abner asked hopefully. It wasn’t often he got to play with children who didn’t call him names he didn’t understand.

Sarah wished life could be better for her son but circumstances wouldn’t allow it. If playing with the Barlow children made him happy, then she certainly wasn’t going to deny him. “Go on, honey. I’ll be just fine.”

Abner scampered off behind Carrie and her daughter, leaving Sarah staring wistfully at her bowl of oatmeal. Unless she wanted to lap up her cereal like a dog, she’d get no breakfast today.

Chad awoke early, ate with the other boarders, and paid for his night’s lodging before setting out for the livery, where he’d boarded Flint. The walk to the livery was just long enough for Chad to ponder his next move. The logical thing was to try to pick up Freddie Jackson’s trail. But as he mounted Flint and headed out of town, his thoughts took him in another direction.

He wondered how Sarah and Abner would survive once all the food he’d bought was consumed. The staples he’d purchased wouldn’t last forever. He hated being saddled with responsibility. The feeling that he was abandoning Sarah and Abner made him angry. He didn’t owe them a damn thing.

Chad looked around to get his bearings and groaned in dismay when he saw what he had done. Without realizing it, he had ridden straight to Sarah’s house.

Chapter 4