"I can't tell him."
Jessie's mouth was a thin taut line of anger.
"As soon as he has the information he wants, he'll kill all of us."
"I'll get it out of her, Mr. Pierce. Let me have her."
Knife dropped Cole's pistol on the small kitchen table and turned toward Jessie.
Cole mentally gauged the distance between himself and the pistol on the table and realized he was too far away to make it before Pierce could shoot him.
There had to be another way.
In the meantime, he had to keep everyone talking.
"Maybe you should think of the consequences, Jessie."
Cole studied the man who still held a gun on them.
He was a big man, who, from the looks of his portly middle liked to eat well.
He would be slow, but the gun gave him a distinct advantage.
If he had to run at one of them, Cole decided, he'd take the one with the knife.
The man would be quicker than Pierce, but there might be a chance to wrestle the weapon from his hands.
And in the commotion, maybe Pierce wouldn't be able to get off a shot in time.
Jessie saw the way Cole's gaze shifted about the shack and felt a faint glimmer of hope.
They'd been beaten before and managed to survive.
Maybe, just maybe.
Lowering her gaze, she took a step toward Knife.
"Maybe, if you promised to spare my brothers, I could be persuaded to tell you where the gold is."
For a moment Knife's eyes widened with disbelief.
Then a slow smile crept across his ugly features.
"You think you can sweet-talk me into saving your hide, too?"
She swallowed her feelings of revulsion and kept her tone as soft as possible.
"If you do, I'll stay with you."
"Don't be a fool," Pierce snapped.
"The girl is just trying to buy a little time."
"So what? It's been a while since I had a warm, willing woman."
"Like the rancher's wife?"
As Knife reached out toward Jessie, Cole charged forward, throwing all his weight against him.
Both men went down in a tangle of flying fists.
"Stop. I said stop."
Pierce aimed his gun and shouted a second time, but Cole and Knife continued fighting, rolling about the floor.
Suddenly there was the horrible sound of a gunshot, and blood spurted from the head of Knife.
The bullet had missed Cole's head by inches.
As Knife lay lifeless, Pierce crossed the room to stand over Cole.
"I certainly don't need you, cowboy," he hissed.
"Or the boys. The only one I intend to spare is the girl. And when I've finished with the rest of you, she'll tell me where to find my gold."
Cole came to his knees and faced Pierce.
"I've been searching for you for a very long time."
"Searching for me?"
Pierce hesitated.
"Why?"
"My name is Cole Matthews. You're the man who killed my father," The man studied Cole closely, noting for the first time the steel-gray eyes and the firm jaw so like another he'd known.
"Matthews. Of course.
Colin Matthews.
Owned the biggest ranch in Texas.
Trusted me to drive his cattle to Abilene over a year ago.
" Pierce chuckled." Your old man bankrolled my SUCCESS.
"You shot him in the back like a coward."
"I'm no fool. I knew his reputation with a gun. if he'd seen me, I'd be lying in a grave right now instead of him."
"But I saw you. Though I didn't know your name, I saw you for one moment before one of your men split my skull and left me for dead.
That's how I convinced the judge that Jack Conway couldn't have been the rustler."
Cole's voice was edged with steel.
"I vowed I wouldn't stop until I made you pay."
"Really?"
Pierce's smile grew.
"if you know any prayers, you'd better say them. You're about to join your father."
As he aimed the gun, the silence was broken by the sound of gunshot.
For a moment Y.A. Pierce seemed to turn toward the sound with a look of complete surprise on his face.
As he lifted his gun, a second gunshot echoed through the room.
Y.A. Pierce slumped to the floor.
Everyone turned to stare at the one who had pulled the trigger.
Little Thad stood beside the kitchen table.
In his hand was Cole's gun.
"You said some day you'd teach me to shoot."
His voice trembled.
"Did I do it right."?"
Cole crossed the room, took the gun from Thad's hand and drew the little boy firmly into his arms.
Against his tousled hair, he whispered, "You did just fine, Thad.
You did just fine."
"I'll be back in a couple of days to take possession of your ranch."
Jed Starkey climbed up to the seat of his wagon and picked up the reins.
Jessie nodded, avoiding the pained looks in her brothers' eyes.
The Starkeys' wagon rumbled away from the little sod shack toward the nearest town, over a hundred miles away.
Inside the wagon were the bodies of Y.A.Pierce and Knife, along with the papers Cole had signed and sealed, notifying the federal judge that he was resigning his position as federal marshal.
From now on he would be Cole Matthews, rancher.
Also in the wagon was a letter from Jessie explaining where her father had buffed the gold.
She'd added that she hoped it would be turned over to the ranchers or their widows who had been cheated out of their money by Y.A. Pierce.
Cole stood with Jessie and her brothers, shielding the sun from his eyes.
When they had all recovered from the shock of what had happened, he had listened quietly as Jessie prepared her brothers for their imminent departure.
Cole thought of all the words he wanted to say, but through it all he kept his silence.
She had a right to want a better life for all of them.
Look what this harsh land had done to her.
And look what it was doing to Danny and Thad.
Danny's only hope of becoming a doctor was the education offered by the schools in the East.
And Thad.
The seven-year-old had already killed a man.
In defense, of course.
But nevertheless, he had fired a gun and killed a man.
Maybe in the East, Cole thought with a frown, the boy would have a chance to grow up gently.
When the wagon topped a ridge and drew out of sight, Jessie turned toward the shack.
Cole began saddling his horse.
"You're leaving?"
Thad's voice quavered.
"Don't worry," Cole said, dropping an arm about the boy's shoulders.
"You're safe now. Mr. Starkey said his boys would be over later tonight with some supper."
He glanced toward the towering buttes in the distance.
"And the Comanches have been true to their word. They would never defy their chief and cause you any harm."
"I'm not worried about Indians or gunfighters," Thad said.
"I'm worried about Jessie."
"Your sister is one fine woman."
Cole's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"She's a survivor."
"Not always. Not this time," Danny said bitterly, coming up behind them.
Cole turned and studied the tall youth.
"Mind your sister, Danny. She's got good sense."
The three turned and watched as Jessie walked from the small shack carrying some linen-wrapped food.
She handed it to Cole.
"This will keep you until you reach a town."
"Thanks."
He stowed the food in his saddlebags and turned back to her.
"Sure you won't change your .mind
about heading East?"
She shook her head firmly, avoiding his eyes.
She had already waged a terrible battle with herself.
But in the end, it was her promise to Pa that had won out over the ache in her heart.
"I promised Pa."
"Yeah."
He bent and touched his lips to her cheek.
Instantly he felt the rash of heat and cursed himself for his weakness.
Even now when she was lost to him forever, he wanted her as he'd never wanted anyone in his life.
She took a step back in order to break contact.
The touch of him was so painful she wanted to cry.
Instead she lifted her chin in a defiant gesture.
"Safe journey, Cole," she said, avoiding his eyes.
"And safe journey to all of you."
He shook hands with Danny and Thad and pulled himself up into the saddle.
There were things he wanted to say, but he knew they'd sound foolish.
How could he tell them they'd become the family he'd lost?
How could he tell them that his life would be one long endless stretch of empty days and lonely nights without them?
How could he tell Jessie that she had spoiled him for any other woman?
He touched the rim of his hat in a salute and wheeled his horse.
Without a backward glance, horse and rider headed out in a cIoud of dust.
Danny turned on Jessie with a display of fury she'd never seen in him before.
"I can't believe you'd let him ride out of here."
"What right have I to stop him? He has a home to go to. It's time for him to put his life together again."
"And what about us? Don't we have any fights?"
She touched her brother's'arm in an attempt to placate him.
"Danny, I promised Pa, remember? You wouldn't want me to go back on a promise, would you?"
"Pa didn't now what he was asking of you. He never would have asked if he'd known how you felt about Cole."
As she stared in openmouthed surprise, he went on, "You know what's wrong with you, Jess? You're just too stubborn for your own good. You never listen to what We want. You just go on doing what you want and expecting us to live with it. Like that damnable trip across Texas."
Jessie started to reprimand him for his swearing, but his anger stopped her.
"You expected Thad and me to just wait here until you came back. But you were wrong. You needed us."
Blinking, she said, "You're right, Danny. I did need you. Both of you."
Thad grinned.
It was the first time he'd ever heard his sister admit to a mistake.
Danny added, "You're crazy if you head East just for me and Thad."
"A promise is a promise."
He threw his hat down in the dirt in frustration.
"Hellfire and damnation! Can't I get you to listen to anything without interrupting?"
"Don't swear. You know how I feel about swearing."
"I'll swear if I want. And you listen, Jessie Conway."
He grabbed her by the shoulders, towering over her.
"I've grown up a lot in the last months. What I really want to do is go East and study so I can return to the West as a doctor."
"Then why are we arguing?"
"Because you and Thad don't belong there. Thad can get just as fine an education in Texas, and a whole lot more love from you than from an aunt and uncle he's never met."
"But I--" "You promised Pa you'd look out for us. And the way I see it, Cole Matthews would be a better man for Thad to imitate than any man I know.
On Cole's ranch Thad would be surrounded by the horses he loves and the people he loves--you and Cole.
And that brings me to the most important thing, Jess.
She tried to interrupt, but he held up his hand.
"Whether you want to admit it or not, Jess, you love Cole Matthews.
And he loves you. And if you don't tell him now, he's going to be gone from your life forever."
"Since when did you get to be an expert on love?"
"Since I saw the way you and Cole were with each other. It's the way I remember Ma and Pa when I was little."
At the mention of that, tears sprang to her eyes, and she brushed them away with the back of her hand.
"Oh, Danny. How can I tell him? It's already too late."
Danny awkwardly patted her shoulder, straightened and handed her the buffalo rifle.
"I guess you'd better think of something fast, Jess."
He and Thad grinned as Jessie studied the rifle for a minute before breaking into a run across the dusty yard toward a small rise.
From that position she could just make out the form of a horse and rider topping a distant ridge.
Aiming the rifle at the sky, she pulled the trigger.
As she toppled backward, a terrible explosion thundered across the heavens.
Shegot to her feet, rubbing at the tenderness in her backside, and saw the horse and rider drawing nearer.
In her excitement she began to run toward them.
When they were close enough, she could read the worry etched on Cole's brow.
"Jessie. What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"Yes."
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she blinked them away.
He slid from the saddle and grasped her by the shoulders, staring down into eyes that were clouded with pain.
"What's wrong? What's happened?" "It's my heart," she whispered.
He touched a hand to her breast and felt the wild beating of her heart.
"If you leave me, it will never heal."
"I thought... Hell..."
As he bit back the familiar oath, he saw her eyes light with a smile of surprise.
For the first time since he'd heard the volley of rifle fire, Cole relaxed.
He took .
a steadying breath and drew her close, pressing his lips to her temple.
"Are you trying to tell me you love me?"
She nodded and felt the warmth of his laughter against her hair.
"I'm so glad, Jessie. Because I love you, too. So much that I would have moved all of Texas to hear you say the words."
She caught his head and pulled his face near until his lips hovered just above hers.
"I love you," she whispered against his lips.
"And I want to stay with you forever."
"Oh, Jessie. I intend to hold you to that."
He moved his mouth over hers and felt the first Wild stirrings of passion.
"I know you've sold your ranch here and that nothing will take its place. But you'll learn to love my ranch, Jessie. It's been needing a woman's touch for a long time."
Suddenly lifting her in his arms, he pulled himself into the saddle and nudged his horse toward a grove of trees.
Her eyes widened.
"What are you doing? Where are we going?"
"Have mercy on a starving man, Jessie. Before wejoin your brothers, I deserve to spend an hour alone with you."
"Umm."
She brushed her lips over his and felt the barely controlled passion in his kiss.
"And then?"
She was laughing openly now, and he felt the warmth of her laughter wash over him, healing all the wounds.
"We're going to find a preacher, Jessie Conway. I'm going to tie you to me forever. Your heart belongs here with me. In Texas."
"My heart is already yours, Cole. It's been yours since the first time you touched me."
She brought her lips to his throat and felt his sudden intake of breath.
As the horse and its riders disappeared beyond the circle of tree branches, the two young boys clapped each other on the shoulders and let out whoops of glee that echoed on the crisp autumn air.
It had been an amazing summer.
They had experienced so much on their journey, had lost almost everything they valued home, father, childhood.
But in losing, they had also gained.
> And now that Cole and Jessie were reunited, they knew somehow that the real adventure had only just begun.
Ruth Ryan Langan, Texas Heart
(Series: # )
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