Читать книгу Taming the Texas Rancher - Rhonda Gibson - Страница 11

Chapter Three

Hannah still couldn’t believe that Daniel had simply nodded and begun to eat his meal after she’d told him that she hadn’t agreed to his mother’s contest. Shock must have shown on her face, for Levi had grinned and winked at her. Then he, too, had turned his attention to the food in front of him.

When they’d left town in Daniel’s buckboard wagon, Levi had followed on a white stallion. Every so often Hannah would hear the animal snort and Levi reassure him with gentle words. She wondered what had happened to Millicent Summer. Had the other woman gotten cold feet? Or would she show up in a couple days? If she did arrive, would that give Levi an advantage over Daniel’s chances of winning the ranch?

“Oh, it’s beautiful out here,” Hannah said, bouncing along on the seat of the supply wagon. Red, blue, yellow and purple wildflowers dotted the deep green, grassy pastures. Cedars, elms and other short, bushy trees and shrubs peppered the landscape.

“Are we on Westland land now?” She gripped the bench she was sitting on tighter.

Daniel nodded. He’d been quiet the whole trip. Hannah wasn’t sure if that was his normal nature or if he was punishing her for not marrying him immediately.

Levi brought his horse alongside the wagon. “We like it. Pa worked hard to settle this land and build the house and barn.”

She noticed that he looked over her head at Daniel. What was Levi thinking? Since she’d come along, did that mean he’d lost the contest their mother had set into motion? Heat filled her face as Hannah remembered the rules of the game. The first one to get married and have a grandchild would inherit the ranch.

If it all relied on her having a child, then Levi was still in the contest. She’d not marry without love and would never consider having a child without marriage first. To redirect her thoughts, Hannah asked, “How long ago was that?”

Levi’s horse tossed his head. He patted the beast’s neck and then answered, “About twenty years ago now. I was only ten when we settled here. Daniel was thirteen, so he can tell you more about how life was when we first moved to Texas.” His gaze shifted from her to Daniel, to a house that stood to their right in the distance and then back to her. “I think I’ll ride on ahead. See you in a little while.” With those words, Levi nudged his horse onto a dirt road and into a trot.

They continued on in silence. Once more, Hannah wondered if Daniel was a quiet man by nature. If so, he and Levi seemed to be complete opposites.

For a brief moment their eyes met. Tension crackled in the air between them. She jerked hers from his and looked at what she now knew was the Westland Ranch. Lord, please help us, Hannah silently prayed.

“I hope you will like it here, Miss Young.” His low voice was like an answer to her prayer.

Hannah slowly returned her gaze to him. Daniel’s lips twitched as if he’d thought about smiling but at the last minute changed his mind. He faced forward once more.

This was more difficult than she’d thought it would be. “I’m sure I will like it just fine.” Hannah straightened her skirt and focused on the pretty scenery.

Sturdy oak and cedar trees towered above her on both sides of the driveway that led to the house. The wind filtered through the tall grass, giving her the illusion she was riding in a sea of green. Beauty abounded all about her. If only things were different between her and Daniel, she’d enjoy her surroundings more.

Hannah took a deep breath and then blurted, “Would you stop the wagon for just a moment?” Her hands began to tremble.

Daniel pulled back on the reins and turned to face her. His green eyes searched hers.

To halt the shaking of her hands, Hannah clasped them together on her lap. “When I answered your letters, I thought we had an understanding of what we both wanted. You wanted a wife and I wanted to be a wife, but I wanted us to be in love before we wed.”

He nodded. “Go on.”

“But since you didn’t get the letter explaining about the courtship, and didn’t understand the terms of the agreement, I feel as if we are total strangers. Is it possible to start over?” Hannah held her breath. She hated confrontations like this. She released the pent-up air in a gush of words. “Or should I simply ask you to turn the wagon around and take me back to town?”

There, the question was out. Now Daniel Westland could decide if he wanted to court her, and he could do it on his own terms. Although giving him an escape put her in a bad situation. She had no idea what she was going to do once they returned to town.

He surprised her by asking, “Why would you want to go back to town? I thought we had an agreement.” His gaze continued to study her face.

Hannah wondered if he really didn’t understand. “I know you aren’t happy that I want to wait to get married. And since you didn’t get the letter, I don’t want you brooding and blaming me because things haven’t worked out the way you planned. So I was thinking, maybe it would be better if I returned to Granite.” She swallowed hard to ease the lump in her throat.

She couldn’t hold his gaze one moment longer, so she shifted and looked straight ahead, to the two-story white house with a wraparound porch. Movement to the right caught her attention and she watched as Levi dismounted from his horse beside a red barn. Hannah could see a vegetable garden on the left side of the house; small green shoots were poking through the rich soil.

So this was the Westland Ranch. She’d waited weeks for this glimpse of a Texas ranch. Her heart gave a little lurch at the thought that at any moment, Daniel was going to turn the wagon around and take her away from the place she’d planned on making her future home.

A heavy sigh drew her gaze back to him. “I’m sorry, Hannah. I haven’t made you feel welcome. To be honest, I really don’t know how to act now. When we were going to be wed, I figured we’d work through the details of married life, but now...” He rubbed the knuckles of his right hand with his left palm and sighed again. “I just don’t know what to do or how to do it. I’m sorry. I haven’t been very friendly.”

Hannah felt hope swell in her chest. “Is there a chance we can start over?” She captured her bottom lip between her teeth and waited.

His green eyes searched hers. “That’s just it—I don’t feel as if we’ve started anything.” He looked toward the house. “I’m a man who thought he had a plan, but now that’s changed.”

“I see.” The words caught in her throat. Hannah licked her lips and looked toward the ranch house in turn.

A harsh laugh tore from him. “No, you don’t. If Levi marries before me, he’ll get the ranch.” Daniel took one of her hands in his and tugged on it to get her attention. When she looked at him, he continued, “I’ve worked hard all my life on this spread. My blood, sweat and tears are in the soil. Hannah, I can’t let Levi have it.”

She raised her chin and wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. He was asking her to give up her dream of being respected and loved because he wanted a piece of dirt. “And I can’t marry you right now, Daniel.”

He dropped her hand. “Because you want love?”

“Yes. I want to fall in love. I want to be the center of my husband’s world. I won’t settle for less.” Having love jerked from her before had hurt her too deeply to take the chance it would happen again. Tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to finish that thought with, and I want you to forget I have a handicap. I want to be treated like a normal human being.

Hannah sighed. Where was she going to go? It was obvious she wouldn’t be staying here. Daniel wanted only the land—he didn’t really want a wife.

“We have time, Miss Young. Levi’s mail-order bride didn’t arrive today. Until she does, I am willing to court you. I can’t promise you love, but maybe we can become friends.” He rubbed his chin. His five o’clock shadow scratched against the calluses on his hand. “I’ve heard that friends have been known to fall in love and marry. Who’s to say it won’t happen with us?”

Hannah mulled his words over. She needed time. If Daniel was willing to court her, she’d use the borrowed time to pray and decide what to do about her future.

* * *

Daniel watched her face closely. Did she realize her thoughts flittered across her delicate features like a butterfly flutters from flower to flower? Even before she nodded her consent, he knew she’d agree.

He also knew it was a stretch, but maybe he could make her fall in love with him and he’d still win his ranch. He offered her a grin. “Good. Are you ready to go meet the rest of my family?”

She ran a trembling hand over her hair and readjusted her hat. Hannah turned to look at the house. “I believe so.”

Reaching across to her clasped hands, Daniel gave them a gentle squeeze. “You will do fine. My mother is going to love you.”

As for him falling in love with her, he had no intentions of doing that with anyone. With Hannah having a limp, like his sister, he couldn’t allow her to enter his heart. He’d made the decision to take care of Hannah, and keep her off the ranch and out of harm’s way.

But as for loving her...

Daniel didn’t think he could lose another person he loved to ranch life. His sister, Gracie Joy, had been ten when she’d been killed. He tried not to relive that night, but the memories started flooding his mind and he couldn’t stop them.

Gracie Joy had loved the ranch and wanted a horse of her own. Because she’d had one leg shorter than the other since birth, their mother had insisted they get her a Shetland pony instead of a full-size mare. He’d tried to explain that Shetland ponies were often mean-spirited and had no sense of personal space, but his mother hadn’t listened.

The morning they’d gone to get the little Shetland, Gracie Joy had been thrilled, and rode with Daniel over to the Carlsons’ ranch to get him. She’d listened carefully how to care for the little horse, and had named him Lightning because of a white blaze that ran down his nose in a zigzag pattern. Mr. Carlson had laughed, and then explained that Lightning was afraid of storms.

After a week, Daniel began to doubt his own judgment of the pony. Lightning and Gracie Joy took to each other like kittens take to fresh milk.

And then it happened.

A storm blew in from the west. In his rush to get the newborn calves in out of the wet weather, Daniel and Levi had hurried to the pastures to gather them. Gracie Joy remembered that Mr. Carlson said Lightening was afraid of storms, and she’d sneaked out to the barn.

When Daniel and Levi returned, they’d found their little sister’s broken body inside Lightning’s stall. The doctor said it looked as if the little horse had kicked her in the head and then run over her chest in his hurry to get out of the barn. He said Gracie Joy probably never even felt the impact.

Daniel sighed. If he had been there, then Gracie Joy wouldn’t have gone to the stables. If he’d refused to get the Shetland as he’d first planned, she would still be alive.

A soft voice pulled him from the nightmare of memories. “Daniel, are you all right?”

He looked into Hannah Young’s heart-shaped face. Soft blue eyes studied him with concern. Daniel cleared his throat. “I’m fine.”

He released her hands and focused on guiding the horse to the house. If he lost his heart to Hannah, and she died, too, Daniel was sure he’d not survive. In desperation, he turned to the Lord. Father, I don’t know why You have allowed this woman to enter my life, but I will do my best to make her happy and keep her safe. But please don’t ask me to love her.