Married To Claim The Rancher's Heir

“Why else would you be here?”

In order to keep from snapping, she bit the inside of her lip until it stung. Then, calmly, she said, “I’m here so Ruby could meet her uncle.”

“Ruby is three and had no say in where you chose to take her.”

“That is true,” she admitted. “However, Anna knew how much Max wanted you to know about Ruby. To meet her. She mentioned that in every letter she wrote to me. Therefore, I felt obligated to bring her here for you to meet.”

“And to request funds to raise her.”

“No—”

“Please don’t insult me, Miss Parker.”

Before she could stop herself, she’d jumped to her feet. “Insult you? And exactly what, Mr. Callaway, are you doing to me? Insulting me. That’s what you’re doing.” Unable to stand still, she crossed the room, gulping in air to ease the anger flaring bright and hot inside her. “I am not—let me repeat that—am not here to request money from you.” Spinning around, she marched back toward him. “Although it is none of your business, I have more than enough funds to raise Ruby.”

He stood, but his stone-cold expression hadn’t changed. “Are you saying you’re a wealthy woman?”

She stopped near the sofa and eyed him directly. “That would depend upon your definition of wealth. My home is not nearly as extravagant as yours, nor my business as broad, but I have more than enough to provide for a child.”

“Providing for a child takes more than money, Miss Parker.”

He was so cold, so unemotional, she almost laughed. Only because he was making her that nervous. And angry. “Do you think I don’t know that?”

“I think you didn’t do a very good job the first time around.”

Momentarily taken aback, she had to contemplate his answer. “Are you referring to the poison ivy? That wasn’t my fault, and—”

“No, I’m referring to your sister. Anna.” Lifting a brow as he gave her face and neck a rather scrutinizing examination, he held his tongue until their gazes met again. “As I recall, you didn’t do a very good job raising Anna. You drove her away.”

“I—” Her mind couldn’t work this fast. Her heart was still racing, thudding so hard it echoed in her ears, so it took a moment before his statement hit her brain. “What are you talking about?”

“Anna told me about working for you.”

“Anna didn’t work for me, we worked together,” she corrected. When his brow lifted again, an uneasy sensation rippled her spine.

“Don’t you mean she worked while other things occupied your time?”

Chapter Four (#uabfeb87e-1082-5413-8a00-f7c2702eb915)

The look of utter shock on her face told Gabe he might have gone too far. His comment had sounded insulting. He’d meant it to be. He’d been insulting her since she’d walked into the room. He didn’t like being kept waiting, and she’d done so on purpose. However, perhaps for the first time in his life, his stomach curdled at his own behavior. Actually, it wasn’t his behavior that had turned his stomach inside out. She had when she’d said that stuff about Max wanting him to meet Ruby.

Not impressed by how deeply that affected him, he said, “Let’s get to the point, shall we?”

A sneer of disgust covered her face as she asked, “And exactly what is the point, Mr. Callaway? To see how rude one person can possibly be to another?”

She spoke her mind. He’d give her that. Anna had, too. It had been part of what had drawn him to her. Not drawn this time, he moved back toward his chair. “Ruby,” he said. “If what you are saying is true, that you aren’t here to ask for money.” He paused while turning about and sitting down. “Then I will offer you my hospitality until you’re prepared to return to Kansas City.”

“How kind of you,” she said with more arsenic than a chemist’s cupboard. Smoothing her skirt over her knees as she sat down, she continued, “You can rest assured we will not overstay our welcome. I believe there is an eastbound train stopping near here tomorrow. If it won’t be too much trouble, Ruby and I will merely require a ride to the station in order to board the locomotive.”

Good. The sooner she left, the better they’d all be. “One of my men will give you a ride.”

Her smile was starchy and snide at the same time. “Thank you.”

Needing to be sure she understood fully, he said, “You, a ride. Ruby will be staying here.”

The smile faded as she shook her head.

“Yes, Miss Parker. Ruby, my niece, will be remaining with me, here at the ranch that she will one day inherit.”

“Ruby is also my niece, and I have a lovely home and a flourishing dress shop that she will one day inherit.”

“She won’t need it,” he said.

“Maybe she will want it.”

“That is something she can decide when the time is right.” Not giving her a chance to respond, he continued, “You said you brought her here for me to meet her. Well, I have, and I’ve decided she’s staying here.”

“No, she’s not. Anna entrusted her to me, and I shall honor my sister’s wishes. The same wishes I honored by bringing her here for you to meet.” Settling a solid glare, she continued, “You could have met her anytime over the past few years, if you weren’t so bullheaded.”

That was the pot calling the kettle black, but there was no need for him to point that out. However, he would gladly point out a few very important facts. “You aren’t forgetting that through his will my brother entrusted Ruby to me, are you? I’m not, and I plan to honor his wishes.”

“You didn’t even know she existed.”

Her hands were folded and resting in her lap. Compared with a few moments ago, she was so calm an uneasiness rippled across his shoulders.

“No, I didn’t,” he admitted. “Which is why I’d never met her. However, I know about her now, and as I stated before, because Anna died before Max, his will is the one that holds precedence. If you are questioning that, I can, and will, request a lawyer to examine the wills.”

“A lawyer who is a friend of yours, no doubt.”

She was still too calm. Shrewd. But calm. He had to respect that. Respect her. Despite his misgivings. “If you believe that is unfair, we can travel to Hays. There are several lawyers there as well as a district judge.”

A thoughtful expression tugged her brows together for a brief moment. “That, Mr. Callaway, might be the most brilliant suggestion you’ll ever make. A district judge would settle this once and for all.”

Another ripple crossed his shoulders, and he wasn’t sure why. “Yes, it would.”

“Then I believe that is what we should do.”

He stood. “Be prepared to travel to Hays tomorrow, Miss Parker.”

She stood and, with her nose in the air, nodded. “Ruby and I will be ready.”

“Ruby will remain here at the ranch.”

The way she pinched her lips together said she wanted to disagree, yet she didn’t. Without another word, she walked around the sofa and out the doorway.

His instincts were good, and they told him this wasn’t over. She hadn’t agreed Ruby would remain behind, nor argued the point on purpose. She wasn’t as clever as she thought. Come morning, he’d be prepared.

He walked as far as the doorway and watched her climb the staircase. Her steps were graceful while being purposeful. There, too, he found a bit of admiration for her. She knew he was watching her, yet didn’t let it show. There was more to Miss Janette Parker than he’d first assumed.