Their horses were already saddled in the barn.
Seth paced restlessly. Abe had been charged with spreading the news that McGuire had joined the effort to take cattle to San Antonio and they would leave at dawn.
The lights were quenched.
One man, another deputy marshal, leaned against a fence and lit a match. It would appear strange to rustlers if the herd were not guarded.
One hour passed, then another. Elizabeth made coffee and offered the waiting men fresh bread. Seth’s gaze continued to wander back to her.
She was so damnably pretty. And had so much grit. He became giddy every time he watched her. If there had not been so many in the house, he would repeat their kiss, want more, so much more. If they weren’t caught in this con?ict, he’d ask for more.
But they were not alone…and they were ?ghting for their lives.
And after this…
After this he didn’t know.
He still had to clear his brother. He had to earn a living…
“Someone’s coming,” one of the marshals said in a low voice.
Both Evans and Seth went to the window and peered out.
Figures on horseback began to move toward the cattle.
“You stay out of it now,” Evans told Seth. “Take care of these folks and let the law deal with Delaney.”
Evans and his men slipped through the same back window Seth had used. Just then the barn door opened, and three more marshals emerged on horseback, each holding the reins of two saddled horses. Seth watched from the house as the marshals mounted the horses just as a gunshot started the cattle running.
He wanted to be with them. But the marshal was right. Better to let the law take care of Delaney so that no false charges could be made later.
More shots rang out. Seth saw one horse go down with its rider, and another rider fall. Cattle stampeded. Minutes went by, then more. Shots grew more distant.
Then he heard a noise behind him and he swung around, his pistol in his hand. A man in a mask stood at the back, near the same window the deputy marshals had used. Blood stained his trousers. It must have been his horse that went down.
The man grabbed Elizabeth and held his pistol close to her head.
He wasn’t wearing a uniform but Seth recognized Delaney from his build, the arrogant way he moved, even with a bullet hole in his thigh.
“You did this,” he said to Seth.
Seth stood still, waiting. Watching for an opening. His heart pounded as anger and despair swept through him.
“Miss McGuire will see me safely away,” Delaney said, reaching out and taking her arm.
She stood calmly, staring at Seth. With trust.
Fear dried his mouth as he watched Delaney threatening Elizabeth, the gun at her temple. He had to think. He swallowed down everything but resolve.
“You’re right, Delaney. I did do this. All myself. You are not nearly as smart as you thought you were. Arrogant men are foolish men.” He shifted subtly, balancing himself to move fast if need be. “There are a number of deputy marshals out there as well as one of your own army friends. They know a lot, and they will know more when they capture your men.”
“You are also a coward,” Michael McGuire said suddenly from behind him. “A yellow coward. Hiding behind a woman. A snake isn’t any lower.”
Delaney’s eyes ?ickered from one man to the other, then dismissed McGuire and focused on Sinclair.
“Put your gun down, Sinclair, or I’ll shoot her. Now.”
There was something insane in his voice that made Seth believe him. The marshals should be back soon. Very slowly he leaned down and put his pistol on the ?oor.
Delaney watched him so intently, he seemed to forget McGuire, or perhaps he didn’t consider the older man a threat. Once Seth’s gun was lowered, Delaney swung his pistol toward him, his ?nger on the trigger.
Two shots rang out simultaneously.
Fire lanced through Seth’s side as he fell to his knees, reaching for his gun. He knew where the other shot had come from. Delaney would turn on McGuire now.
He saw Delaney swing his gun toward McGuire, saw Elizabeth hit his arm to spoil his aim.
Seth swept up his gun from the ?oor and started ?ring.
Delaney went down.
Elizabeth staggered away from him, her eyes wide and stunned.
Ignoring the pain in his side, Seth strode over to Delaney. He leaned down and checked the pulse in his neck, then pulled the mask from him.
He was dead.
He took Elizabeth in his arms, cradling her. She was safe. That was all he needed at the moment.
And the man he thought he hated had saved his life, and he had saved McGuire’s.
TWOhours later, Evans appeared. He saw the body on the ?oor and raised one eyebrow.
Seth stood with him in the main room, bandaged and shirtless. It was amazing, he thought, how Elizabeth’s doctoring could soothe the pain.
She had offered him some laudanum, which he had refused, and then taken her father to his room. She had not emerged yet.
“He apparently was shot in the ?rst few minutes of the ambush,” Seth explained. “He tried to take Elizabeth hostage.”
“I imagine the army won’t be too upset,” Evans said. “Better than a messy courtmartial.”
“I want my brother cleared.”
“I doubt that will be too dif?cult, especially if you swear to be… discreet about what happened here.”
“Some people are owed their land back. And cattle.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ve been wanting that bastard for a long time,” Evans said. “You ever need a job…”
“I might take you up on that,” Seth said. He still didn’t have anything. No money, no land, no cattle.
“Anytime. All right to leave the cattle here and let people come pick up what’s theirs?”
“I don’t think the McGuires will object.”
“Then good night, or is it good morning to you? Don’t forget that job.”
Seth nodded and Evans left.
Weary, he sat down in a chair. When Elizabeth was ?nished with her father, he would say good night. He would return to the valley and tell Dillon what had happened. He and his friends would have to remain hidden for a bit longer, then…
Elizabeth suddenly emerged from her father’s room. She looked oddly uncertain and held something in her hand. She offered it to him.
He took it and glanced at the text. “The deed to the ranch,” he said, a lump lodging in the base of his throat.
“Papa and I want you to have it. It’s yours.”
“And you and your father?”
“We will ?nd a place.”
He had learned in the past few days how much this land meant to McGuire as well as to Elizabeth.
He reached out and touched her cheek. “I thought I wanted it more than anything. I was wrong.”
She watched him with those wide hazel eyes. Waiting.
“I want
She still waited, eyes questioning.
“A partnership,” he struggled. “Oh hell, what I mean is, well, I want you to marry me.”
She looked stunned. He realized then how much she had been willing to give up for him. Her home, her
