Page 64 of A Steadfast Heart
He was silent for a while, then sighed. “I’m the oldest, so I’m responsible. The original land couldn’t support all four of us, so my pa suggested we take other homesteads. It should have been easy, but somewhere I failed. I might even lose the original ground.”
“Your brothers are grown men.”
“Still my job to run the ranch. I promised.”
“Promised?”
“When Pa left me this land, he made me promise there’d always be a place for my brothers here. And Ma, well, on her deathbed, she asked me to keep the family together. But even before that…” His hands tightened on the fence, his knuckles white.
A trickle of cold brushed Kaitlyn’s skin. She held her breath. It was thebeforethat held the key, she just knew it. “Go on.”
“My pa told me I always had to watch out for my brothers.” His shoulders drooped and his chin lowered. “That I was the oldest and they’d look up to me.”
“Sounds like there’s a story there.”
“I was doing chores, grumbling about them. I should have paid more attention. I knew better.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, Isaac was just a little guy, younger than Tillie, and he had followed me out. First I knew of it, Isaac wandered into a horse’s stall. The horse got spooked. I couldn’t get Isaac out, and the horse broke my brother’s leg. That’s the night Pa reminded me that my brothers would follow my example, and I had to remember that.”
Drew turned to face her, his expression agonized. “I didn’t protect Isaac, and now I can’t protect you.”
Kaitlyn swallowed hard, trying to hide the feelings she felt for that long-ago Drew. The current one needed her strength. But the ranch. How could they lose it? All they needed was money, and she had plenty. She just had to get it.
“I should’ve followed up with the judge before now, but we could go to St. Louis and talk to him. Surely if he sees us together, he’ll understand I am with you willingly.”
Drew shook his head, his shoulders sagging and his arms hanging limp at his sides. “I can’t take the time to go to St. Louis. Not if I’m going to get those buildings up. Besides, if I’m standing beside you, it might convince him I’m threatening you.”
Kaitlyn looked across the corral. She could travel by herself. She’d done it before. Except this time she was going toward Michael, not away from him. No one had ever believed her over him. Why would the judge believe her now?
She pulled her shawl more tightly around herself, trying to shut out the chill that consumed her. Michael. Her own personal tormentor. Would she never escape him?
She glanced back to Drew. His shoulders were slumped and his arms draped over the corral rail. He was willing to stand with her. Shouldn’t she be willing to stand with him? She squared her shoulders. She was going. But going alone would likely fail. Who could go with her?
She mentally reviewed the people she’d met. “Merritt.”
Drew glanced her way. “Merritt?”
“She’d go with me to St. Louis, don’t you think? She went with you. And the judge may need someone to speak about our relationship. Someone who’s seen it.”
Drew straightened but then leaned against the fence again. “You said he’s dangerous. I won’t put you in danger.”
“I have to go. Can you spare one of your brothers to go with me?”
He slowly shook his head. “It will take all of us to get the cabin up.” He paused, his head tilted. “But maybe…” His brow furrowed, then he nodded. “Take the marshal. She’s well-known as a stickler for the law. Plus, she’s a great shot.”
A great shot. Kaitlyn’s heart rate sped up. She bit her lip. She didn’t want to go anywhere where she needed a good shot to escort her.
Lord, I only want what is mine. Why is this so hard?
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
Kaitlyn swallowed the sour taste in her mouth. Michael did love money, and he would commit any evil to get hers. If she went to St. Louis, she’d be in his domain. He’d convinced the entire city that she’d run after a married man. No one would speak for her, while he’d have legions on his side.
Drew stared into the darkness. “You don’t have to do this.”
Once again, he was putting her first. She knew what she had to do. She lifted her head and calmly met his gaze. “Yes, I do.”
Losing the ranch would destroy him. And he had already torn down enough of her walls that watching the destruction would break her heart. Maybe putting some distance between them would be a good thing. He didn’t want love in this relationship, and she was dangerously close to breaking that rule.
Chapter15
