Rancher to the Rescue Page 21

  “You’re being kind, Clare.” Miss Worth patted her hand. “My point is this. I was in love and I lost that love. I only had that one chance. In the blink of an eye, and by something insignificant, your life can change.”

  “Death is hardly insignificant.” Clare studied her mentor. “And it’s unlike you to talk around a subject. What exactly are you warning me about?”

  Lips closed a moment, Miss Worth looked to be considering her words. “At the time, they didn’t know what caused yellow jack. We know so much more now. It’s the bite of a mosquito. That’s the tiny thing I’m talking about. Clare, don’t lose your opportunity for happiness because of a small thing. So decide what the small things are and don’t let them ruin the important things.”

  “I won’t.” Clare wasn’t sure what she was really saying.

  “I know your life is complicated,” her mentor went on, “and I am saddened that I didn’t get a chance to meet your parents. They’ve hurt you—that much I can see. We both know our loved ones didn’t mean to die and abandon us.”

  All of a sudden, she stood and set down her books on the bench. “Now, you need to go to work, and I am perfectly fine waiting here until the train comes.” She gave Clare a brief hug, as cool as it would always be. “I’ll telegraph you with my return plans.”

  With that, she picked up her books and walked into the depot’s small, ladies-only waiting room.

  Clare had no choice but to go to work. To face Noah, from whom she had dashed away last night without even giving her brothers the hugs and kisses they deserved.

  Never in her life had she been so unwilling to face the day.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Noah had one task to do before going to work. It was still early, and with the boys in tow, he went straight to Clare’s house.

  He was thankful to discover she wasn’t there. Having answered the door wearing a fine brocade dressing gown trimmed in thick, forest-green velvet, Rupert reported that Clare had walked Miss Worth to the train depot thirty minutes ago. Leaving the boys outside with a warning not to get dirty and knowing such a warning was probably said in vain, Noah stepped into the front hall.

  “Where’s Elizabeth?” he asked.

  “She’s still asleep. You know women.”

  Noah also knew Rupert. He’d dropped off to sleep so quickly yesterday afternoon that he hadn’t even heard Elizabeth’s shrill demands.

  “Come into the kitchen,” Rupert said, as if he owned the house. “It’s been a long time since I cooked a meal, but I’m managing quite well, I think. My manservant, Angus, became ill on the trip out here. Elizabeth’s maid stayed with him in Kansas City.” Rupert looked up at him. “You wouldn’t happen to know where I might hire some servants? I want only the best-trained ones. I saw a very fine home on the way to the bandstand, so I should be able to borrow theirs, don’t you think?”

  “I doubt that the Smith Family lends out their servants,” Noah muttered.

  “Too bad. Elizabeth won’t like preparing her own toilet. But if I can handle cooking a meal, she can manage without Marie.”

  With growing irritation, Noah followed him into the kitchen. The scents of coffee and bacon filled the air. He gritted his teeth. The bacon he’d purchased to help Clare was sizzling away in a deep fry pan on the stove.

  Enough was enough. This family might have been longtime acquaintances, and at one time, this man was supposed to have been his father-in-law, but that time was long gone and they should be, too.

  “Coffee?” Rupert asked, pouring himself a cup.

  “No, thank you. Rupert, what are you doing in Proud Bend?” Noah had heard Elizabeth’s answer but wanted to hear it from the man’s own mouth.

  Rupert stirred cream into his own coffee, further setting Noah’s nerves on edge. Clare would have allowed the milk he’d purchased to rest, and then skimmed off the cream to store separately until she had enough to churn.

  Rupert took a sip of the coffee before pouring more cream into it. “Now, what did you ask me?”

  Noah sighed. “Why are you here?”

  “It was time to fix your relationship.”

  Noah folded his arms. “With whom?”

  “With Elizabeth. I know she didn’t treat you properly, but you have to understand my reasons.”

  “I’ve already heard about it. My condolences on Martha’s death. It was untimely.” Noah had actually liked Martha Townsend. She was a quiet woman who’d only ever wanted harmony in her life.

  A shadow passed over Rupert’s expression. “When Martha died, I knew I couldn’t leave my daughter alone in the world. She needed to start her own family.”

  “There are plenty of men in New York State.”

  “But none I trust more than you.”

  “Trust to do what?”

  “To see my business merged with your father’s. And to see to it that my daughter is comfortable for the rest of her life.”

  “Rupert, you and my father aren’t speaking anymore.”

  Rupert’s mouth tightened. “This is a business transaction. Nothing more. Nothing personal, but your father is mistaken about some things, and once they’re settled, we’ll all be able to get back to the merger of our companies.”

  Noah resisted shaking his head. Rupert was so much like his own father it was almost laughable. Barreling through life and expecting all and sundry to do his bidding. No wonder they’d fought.

  “Rupert, my father was mistaken about some things, but not about who ended the engagement. I ended it, not the other way around.”

  Rupert rose and flipped the bacon. “Elizabeth wouldn’t lie to me.”

  “She would and she did. She felt so humiliated that she asked me to say she’d ended the engagement so she wouldn’t appear to have been spurned. I didn’t want to perpetuate the lie, but I was leaving anyway, so I let it stand. My father was telling you the truth.”

  Rupert’s face mottled with anger. “I don’t believe it! You and Elizabeth only need to talk this out.”

  Noah tightened his lips. “There’s nothing to discuss! I didn’t want to marry Elizabeth and I didn’t want to run your or my father’s business.”

  Rupert smacked the spatula down. “Why not? You would have done far better than what you have here in this forsaken town! Your only dream is to run a stupid ranch for abandoned mules!”

  “All equine.”

  “How many do you have?”

  Noah gritted his teeth. When he didn’t answer, Rupert flared up. “I met a man on the train who said you only have one stupid mule!”

  “It’s a pony and it’s none of your business.”

  “So because your dream has failed, you want to destroy Elizabeth’s, too? That whole ranch idea is a fool one that you need to forget. It’s time to settle down and make my daughter happy. And stop accusing her of lying!”

  “Elizabeth wants to maintain her standard of living. She doesn’t care who’s providing it. But she did see how despondent you were when your wife passed away. She allowed you this idea of reconciliation because it added purpose to your life. She also thought a merger of your and my father’s companies would give her a higher social status, too.”

  “No! Elizabeth isn’t that shallow.”

  Noah leveled him with a hard stare. “The new company would have earned more money, giving Elizabeth a higher social standing. It’s not just pride. There’s greed also fueling her actions.”

  Rupert’s face went bright red. “How dare you say that about my daughter!”

  Noah hadn’t wanted to say any of this, but it had reached the point where it was due diligence for justice. “She lied because she was embarrassed that I refused to marry her. But that doesn’t matter. I’m not coming back with you. I have my own life here. You may not think it’s successful, but it’s m
y dream.”

  “And that silly thing you plan to marry?”

  Noah drew in a sharp breath. “Clare is not a silly thing.”

  “She’s latching on to you because she doesn’t want to end up in the poorhouse. This is a fine home, and she’s afraid she’ll lose it. You condemn Elizabeth, but Clare Walsh is no better.”

  Noah fought to be patient. Rupert was merely upset that Elizabeth had lied to him and was lashing out.

  “You’re marrying to get even with your father,” Rupert accused. “You can’t even do that right. How do you expect him to learn about it? You two aren’t even talking.” Rupert’s tone was triumphant.

  Noah worked his jaw. “Go home, Rupert,” Noah finally ground out.

  “Do you love Clare? I know you told your father you’d only marry for love. So let me ask you. Do you really want to marry her?”

  The questions came out unexpectedly. Noah paused. Being with Clare was becoming increasingly important to him, but was it love? Did he even know what love was? What if he couldn’t make her happy?

  He didn’t want to condemn her to a life of unhappiness, not after all she was enduring now.

  He wanted her happy.

  As he hesitated, Rupert let out a mocking noise. “See, you don’t! Don’t expect her to love you, either. It’s going to be a difficult life for both of you, especially if she has to move into some shack in the mountains. She may not mind it now, but women are fickle and fussy.”

  “I don’t love Elizabeth, Rupert.”

  “But you two will have the money to make your lives comfortable. If you marry Clare, all you’ll have are her family’s debts.”

  Noah frowned. “What debts?”

  “I was poking around in the desk in the parlor and found several unpaid bills stuck in the back. Her father has left her not only penniless, but in deep debt.”

  Fury simmered in Noah. Clare’s privacy had been shattered. “You need to leave, Rupert. Today. There is a train to Denver leaving in a few hours, and I want you two on it.”

  “Only Miss Walsh can evict us.”

  “Clare is going to be my wife tomorrow.”

  “A wife you don’t even you want.”

  Noah stiffened.

  “I’ve rented this house for several months,” Rupert continued, his chest puffed out. “I figured it would take that long to get it through your thick head that you should come home.”

  “Clare will return your deposit. I’ll see to it.”

  Rupert’s laugh was short. “I haven’t handed over any money yet, but I have a lease. And that’s even better. I’ll sue if I don’t get this place.” As if to mock him, Rupert picked up a slice of bacon and took a hearty bite.

  “You’ve already moved in while not paying one cent? That’s going to change.” Noah drew in a restorative breath. “There’s no reason to stay. Remember, you just said I’m as stubborn as my father.” He folded his arms. “It’s also too bad that you can’t see that your daughter has lied to you. It’s too bad that you can’t see that I don’t want the life you think I will gratefully accept.”

  He stalked over to the back door. “You have a choice. Pay a month’s deposit and a month in advance, immediately. Or leave.” He pointed to the food. “And you’ll be billed for the meal you’re eating.”

  Noah might not want to run a big company, but he’d learned from his father’s shrewd dealings. Men like Rupert didn’t carry cash. He would arrange for the money only after checking out the house. He’d hang on to his money as long as possible. Clare, however, was gracious enough to wait, not realizing that she could wait weeks.

  “I know you don’t have any cash, or any reason to stay here, so I expect you to be on this morning’s train.”

  “You’re a fool, Noah!”

  He didn’t answer. He simply walked out. But as he did, all he could do was remember how he’d walked out on his father the same way two years ago.

  Noah carried his foul mood into the Recording Office a few minutes later. Clare noticed it immediately. After mumbling out a greeting, he caught Clare eyeing him furtively. He stayed in there, leaving only once for that one important task. The MacLeods came by in the early afternoon with an offer to take Tim and Leo for the night.

  He could hear Clare gratefully accept Victoria’s promise to deliver the boys to the church Friday morning, clean and fed and ready to behave for their sister’s wedding. “I’ll be praying for you. You’ll need it,” he could hear her say.

  Both ladies laughed. It had been the only levity of the day, and such humor seemed to pluck at the tightly strung air.

  Staring at his paperwork, Noah swallowed. He was getting married tomorrow, and he’d barely acknowledged his bride-to-be’s presence today.

  She’d kept her head down herself, most likely because of his foul mood.

  He needed to tell her what had happened. He was going to promise to love and cherish her for the rest of his life, but he’d sent her only tenants packing, essentially forcing her to surrender her home to pay those debts Rupert had found when he disrespectfully rummaged through her personal belongings.

  * * *

  At the end of the day, after Pooley left, Clare gathered her courage and walked to Noah’s office door. It had been closed all day, with Noah leaving the glassed-in room only once. He’d left the building completely, in fact, and had been gone for half an hour. A few minutes later, the train whistle blew. Shortly after, Noah returned.

  Whatever errand he’d attended to had left him cool and distant.

  Now he sat there, glaring at his desk. Clare was sure he would burn a hole straight through it, like her brothers had tried to do one day using a dry leaf and their father’s magnifying glass. Until she caught them and hid the glass.

  Her heart pounded. What should she say? She’d rushed away from him last night like a silly schoolgirl, afraid to hear that he didn’t want to marry her. Afraid she’d misinterpret his compelling expression.

  Lord, guide my thoughts and words.

  Silence lingered around her, reminding her that Tim and Leo were at the Smith home, in the care of Victoria, who’d cannily realized that Clare would need the night to prepare herself.

  She straightened. Victoria had thought of the boys, and so must she. Hadn’t she promised she would always take care of them? She wasn’t sure what it meant in terms of Noah, but it gave her sudden courage. With pursed lips, Clare tapped lightly on the door before pushing it open.

  Noah looked up warily.

  Clare swallowed. What if he had decided not to marry her after all? Her heart sank at the thought. And another strange emotion coursed through her. For a brief moment, she wanted to blurt out that he should reconsider, but reining in her wild thoughts, she reminded herself that he had yet to explain his reticent mood. Maybe that should come first.

  “I’m done for the day,” she found herself saying.

  His wary look continued, and for one ridiculous moment, Clare was sure if she made a sudden move, the cornered Noah would jump out of his skin.

  She cleared her throat. Oh, her mischievous mind! “I should get home, then. I expect Mr. Townsend will have some money for me, and I want to—”

  “The Townsends are gone.”

  She shook her head slightly. “What do you mean, gone?”

  Noah stood and drew in a long breath before speaking. “I stopped by your house this morning, but you’d already left to walk Miss Worth to the train depot. I told Rupert the truth about who ended the engagement.”

  Confused, she could only gape, openmouthed, at him. “H-how did he take it?”

  “Poorly. He doesn’t believe me.”

  “Then you’ve done all you can,” she slowly answered. “You can’t control what other people think. You can only tell the truth.”

 
“He called me a fool.” Noah’s words held no petty edge. He may as well have been predicting tomorrow’s weather, if such a thing was possible.

  “I’m sorry.”

  His chin lifting, he added, “After that, I told them to leave.”

  “Leave?” she echoed. Her heart stalled. “As in leave Proud Bend?”

  “I saw them get on the train. That’s where I went when I left for the short time this morning. By the way, I helped Miss Worth into the ladies’ car. The Townsends had enough help getting into first class.”

  “Oh,” she answered vaguely. “Thank you. I think.”

  Still confused, Clare stepped farther into the office and sank down into the chair across from him. She stared up at him, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. Didn’t he realize what this meant?

  Besides leaving her without tenants, of course.

  Her heart tripped up. Did this mean...?

  Noah tipped his head, looking even more cautious. “The last time you sat there, you burst into tears.”

  She tossed up her hands. “Of course I did! I was accepting your proposal!”

  He quirked an eyebrow with skepticism. “Yes. They always cause a woman to cry.”

  “I’m sorry.” Clare shook her head. “I—I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. What are you trying to tell me?”

  “I’m telling you that I sent Rupert and Elizabeth packing. Rupert wants to ensure his daughter is cared for and his business is thriving. He doesn’t care about her or anyone’s personal happiness. To him, it’s only about the money.”

  That wasn’t what she meant. All she wanted to know was that he wasn’t considering marrying Elizabeth. Did that mean he was ready to marry her even after her demand that he mend his relationship with his father? Was he going to do that?

  “Why did you hesitate last night when I asked you if you wanted to marry Elizabeth?”

  “I didn’t know how to answer you. Our argument was going in all directions.”

  She swallowed. Did that mean he was willing to reconcile with his father? How could she marry him if he had no intentions of that? And, having sent her renters packing, how did Noah propose to solve her financial woes?