“Maverick?”
He turned toward his grandfather, who had just entered the room and stopped. The old man’s eyes were badly wrinkled, as well as his sunbaked skin, but his eyes were still vibrant and wide as he stared at his grandson.
“I’m sorry to drop in on you without warning you, but something has come up, and it’s important that I talk to you.”
His grandfather held up a hand to stop Maverick. Gramps usually did this, so Maverick knew to keep quiet for a few moments as the old man walked to his large oak desk and sat on the chair behind it. Sighing, the man leaned back and folded his arms across his chest.
“The answer is no.”
Maverick rolled his eyes. “You don’t even know why I’m here.”
“I suspect you are either here for money or to try and talk me out of the marriage stipulation in my will.”
Shaking his head slowly, he moved toward the desk, keeping his eyes on his grandfather. “I mean no disrespect, but I must admit how thrilled I am to be proving you wrong this time.”
The older man cocked his head. “Pardon me?”
“I’m not here for money, or to try and convince you that you should change your will. In fact, I brought my fiancée with me. She’s upstairs getting cleaned up.”
His grandfather’s eyes widened even more. “Your fiancée?”
“Yes. Her name is Hannah Ross, and she’s from Colorado. Cousin Beth set us up.”
The older man’s shoulders relaxed. “Go on. Tell me why you are both here.”
Telling his grandfather about what was going on was the tricky part. Maverick couldn’t say anything about mail-order brides, or that she was supposed to marry Bryan. “Yesterday afternoon, while Hannah and I were riding out to have a picnic in the field of wildflowers, she was taken from me. She was knocked unconscious, just as I was.”
“What?” Gramps straightened in his chair. “They kidnapped her?”
Maverick nodded. “Long story short, a handful of men – eight, that I know about – are trying to get money from the Easton brothers. From what I’d overheard, they think they should get paid more.”
“And that made them want to kidnap your fiancée?”
“Yes, because they know how much I love her.” He paused briefly, waiting for the moment guilt would catch in his throat for the lie, but remarkably enough, he felt as though it wasn’t a lie at all. “They knew I’d pay anything to keep her safe.”
“And this,” Gramps motioned toward Maverick’s face, “is what happened when you rescued her?”
“Yes.” He gently patted his ribs.” And a few more bruises.” He shrugged. “But I was able to get her away from them. Unfortunately, they are after us, and I need your help.”
“How can I help?” Gramps arched a gray, bushy eyebrow.
“Send some of your men to fetch the sheriff. We need to bring these men to justice, or I won’t be able to marry Hannah and feel safe in my own home.” Maverick thought that was a good touch to add that would help his grandfather make his decision.
“You are correct.” He stood from his chair and walked around the desk to Maverick, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll send a couple of men out now.”
“You don’t mind if Hannah and I stay here until some arrests have been made, do you?”
“Of course, not. I’m looking forward to seeing your bride.”
Maverick smiled. “She’s breathtaking. You’ll love her, just as I do.”
His grandfather’s expression relaxed, and the man actually gave Maverick a full smile – which rarely happened.
“Now, you need to go get cleaned up and rest. I’ll have my cook prepare a grand dinner tonight to celebrate your engagement.” He paused as if just remembering something. “Oh, and your cousin dropped in last night, so I’m sure you’ll see him roaming around here.”
Maverick narrowed his gaze. “Which cousin? I have a few.”
“Stormy.”
Maverick nodded. Stormy was a nickname they gave to the one cousin who was always into trouble. Once Gramps had mentioned that his cousin brewed up trouble like a growing storm, the name seemed to stick. Now, most everyone in the family called him Stormy.
“Well, hopefully, he’ll stay out of mine and Hannah’s way. We have our own issues to overcome. We don’t need Stormy to whine about his sad life.”
“That’s for certain.” Gramps motioned with his hands. “Now, go get cleaned up.”
“Thank you, Gramps. Hannah will be pleased that you are so thoughtful.” Maverick was quite surprised that he was pleased with his grandfather, too.
* * * *
A refreshing bath and a very long nap later, Maverick felt like a new man. It was even easier to breathe through his bruised ribs. He tried to shave, but the cuts on his face made it impossible, so tonight, he’d arrive at the supper table with a stubble shadow across the lower half of his face.
He found it strange that his grandfather had put a clean change of clothes in Maverick’s room. He didn’t dare ask why the older man kept clothes that would fit Maverick in the house, but he was relieved he didn’t have to put on the dusty and ripped clothes he arrived in.
As he walked out of his room and down the grand stairs in the middle of the house, he smelled the heavenly aroma of cooked food, and his stomach grumbled. Since his grandfather ate on a more impressive scale of recipes, Maverick couldn’t guess what the older man’s cook had prepared for tonight’s meal. Maverick just hoped he didn’t snarf his food down like a pig at a trough. He didn’t want Hannah to think he’d somehow lost
