Falling for the Rancher Father

His daughter’s loyalty was commendable but misplaced.

Ladd nodded. “She let me and Grady make her horse bow. She knows what she’s doing. Someday she’s going to be in a Wild West show and I bet she’ll be the best person in the whole show.”

“Don’t say bet.” He spoke automatically as his thoughts raced. When had the twins ever been so passionate about defending anyone? Never, in his mind, though they often refused to reveal the truth about what Ruby had been doing in his absences. In that case he decided he preferred not to know too much so long as everyone was safe.

There seemed no point in continuing the discussion about Mercy’s reliability. “Who’d like bannock and beans?”

Soberly, they both nodded. “We do.”

Seeing as it was one of their favorite meals he expected slightly more enthusiasm, but he’d settle for changing the subject.

As he mixed up the ingredients for the bannock and put it in a cast-iron fry pan to bake in the oven, he told the children about his trip to the woods. “I need to get the logs in to build a nice cabin for us. Something bigger than this. And I need to chop firewood.” The enormity of what he had to accomplish in the few weeks before the snow came settled heavily on his shoulders. He didn’t need to deal with Mercy on top of it, yet she had become a fly buzzing about his head. He couldn’t go to the woods and leave the twins alone, but obviously taking them to the ranch had been a disaster. He didn’t have a lot of options open to him.

He warmed the beans and checked the bannock. “Almost ready. Anyone hungry?”

“I am.” Ladd’s answer was expected.

“Me, too.”

Abel jerked around to stare at Allie. “You’re hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Well.” That was good. Did it signal she would not have lasting damage from her illness? He swallowed back his reaction. He wished he could hope for her to someday be healthy, but the doctor had offered no such hope and Abel would not be taking any risks with her health.

He placed the food on the table and asked the blessing, then they dug in. Ladd ate heartily as usual but when Allie cleaned her plate and asked for seconds, Abel shook his head. “I can’t believe how much you’re eating. Are you okay?” His spine tightened. Did it mean she was getting better or did it signal something awful?

“I guess helping Mercy gave me an appetite.”

“See, she’s a good person. She made Allie feel better.” Ladd grinned as much as his sister.

Abel shook his head. “She does foolish things and there is always a price for foolish choices. Doing wild things leaves a person with regrets.”

The twins simultaneously put down their forks, placed their hands beside their plates and studied him with serious expressions. They turned to look at each other, then returned their gazes to him.

He felt their unasked questions and waited.

Ladd finally spoke. “Like Mama.”

He wasn’t sure what Ladd meant and didn’t want to guess. “What do you mean?”

Allie answered. “Mama said we were nothing but a nuisance.”

Ladd nodded. “A stone about her neck.”

“We were the payment for your wild life, she said.”

Oh, the pain he’d inflicted on these precious children. And, he admitted yet again, to Ruby. It was true. He’d changed his mind about what sort of life he wanted to live. She hadn’t. But it was the twins that mattered. And always had. How could he make up to them for the choices he’d made, or would they always pay?

He pushed his chair back. “Ladd, Allie, come here.” He patted his knees and the pair scrambled into his lap. Their arms cradled his neck and he wrapped his arms about them both and held them tight.

“I love you two deeper than the ocean, higher than the sky and wider than forever. You are the very best thing that has ever happened to me. I wouldn’t trade either of you for gold nuggets the size of this cabin.” His voice trembled with the enormity of his love for them. “And don’t you ever forget it.”

“We won’t,” they chorused as they burrowed into his shirtfront.

He held them close as long as they would allow, but all too soon they wriggled away. “Get ready for bed while I clean the kitchen. Then I’ll read to you.”

A few minutes later, Ladd lay on the narrow bed he would share with Abel, and Allie crawled under the covers of the trundle bed right beside them.

“First, let’s say our prayers.”

The children closed their eyes and murmured their usual prayers, asking for blessings on the people in their lives. But then Ladd added, “And thank You for Mercy. I like her.”

Before Abel could protest, Allie added, “Bless Miss Mercy and help her be the best Wild West person ever. Amen.”

“Children, I don’t think you should be including Mercy in your prayers.” He hated to say it. Knew it didn’t make for sound theology.

Allie gave a gentle smile. “I think God would approve. He loves her, too, you know.”

What could he say? The child was right. And yet her defense of Mercy worried Abel. The woman signified danger for his children. But he simply said, “I suppose He does at that,” then opened the storybook he’d been reading to them.

This was his favorite time of the entire day. And he didn’t intend to let a certain wild woman ruin it for him.

He read for a few minutes as the children grew drowsy, then closed the book and prepared to tiptoe away, though he could only move a few feet before he ran out of space.

“Papa?”

“Yes, son?”

“Mercy is the smartest woman ever and would never do anything foolish.”

Abel’s sense of contentment and well-being crashed. Mercy again! How had she so quickly and thoroughly beguiled his children? He had to keep her away from them. How hard could it be? Yes, he needed help with the children. But he’d take them to Linette and leave instructions that they were to stay away from Mercy and she from them.

It was simple enough. Linette would surely understand and agree. Beside, how could she refuse if he gave instructions?

* * *

The next morning, Linette and Grady were sick with colds and Linette didn’t think it was wise for the twins to come for the day.

Mercy would deliver the message to Abel on her behalf, and then maybe she’d never see the man again. She could certainly live without his scorn. Yes, he had his reasons for concern over his daughter. Momentarily she felt a silly sense of longing at his affection for his kids. But more and more his final words churned inside her head. Foolish ways, indeed! Humph. He’d soon see firsthand how foolish she was when she became a star in a Wild West show. Not that she cared what he thought or whether he ever saw her perform.

She passed through the clearing that surrounded the ranch site and climbed the hill toward his cabin. Soon she entered the woods, where the cooler air made her pull her jacket tighter.

A dark shadow to her right caught her attention and as it slipped out of sight, her nerves tingled. An animal of some sort. Her pearl-handled pistols were stowed in her saddlebags, but she mostly used blanks in them. However, she had a business pistol and a rifle and both were loaded. She palmed the pistol and kept alert. Again she noticed the shadow. It passed so far to her right she wouldn’t have noticed it if she hadn’t been watching so carefully. Whatever it was followed her. Her skin prickled. This required further investigation. She guided Nugget off the trail, dismounted and slid through the trees toward the shadow, her gun at the ready. She paused and listened. There came a rustle of leaves as they fell to the ground to join the other yellowed and browned ones. Wind whispered through the trees. Birds cooed and called.

Then a metallic click froze her blood.

“Drop your gun and turn around real slow.”