Elizabeth Lane - The Countess and the Cowboy

His frown deepened. “Actually I have business in town today. I was planning to ride, but I can take you and the children in the buggy. We’ll go after lunch.”

Eve sighed in acquiescence. For now she would let him have his way. But she was not Margaret. She was not about to let this man control her life.

* * *

Clint had spent much of the morning looking for Anders Yost, the Dutch immigrant farmer who’d lost his calves to rancher Seth McCutcheon. Yost’s wife, Berta, a tired looking woman with a swollen belly and two small children hanging on to her apron, told him that Yost had gone into town to speak to the sheriff. The expression on her weary face revealed that she knew her husband was wasting his time.

Clint agreed. But since he’d planned on heading into town anyway, and since he needed to dissuade Yost from going after the stolen calves, he swung his horse toward Lodgepole and nudged the leggy buckskin to a gallop.

Leaving the horse at the livery stable, he walked the two blocks to the sheriff’s office. Yost wasn’t there, but Sheriff Harv Womack, gruff and paunchy, admitted he had been earlier.

“I advised him that losing a few calves was better than getting strung up from a tree.” Womack professed a neutral position between cattlemen and sodbusters, and generally avoided any involvement in their quarrels. But Clint suspected where his real loyalties lay, and had never quite trusted the man.

“I meant to tell him the same thing,” Clint said. “Do you think he listened?”

The sheriff shook his balding head. “I’m hoping he thought it over. But he left here swearing he’d get those calves back with or without my help. Maybe he’ll listen to you.”

“If I can find him before he does something stupid.” Clint turned toward the door, then remembered the other reason he’d stopped by. “Any luck tracking down those stage robbers?”

“Nope. Couple of fool kids, from what the driver told me. Apart from winging the guard and running the stage off the road, they didn’t do much harm—but you were there, weren’t you?”

“I was. Like the driver said, a couple of fool kids up to no good. They were more nervous than the passengers. I can’t imagine they’ll try it again.”

“Well, I’ve got better things to do than chase down those young galoots and slap their hands,” the sheriff said. “But if you happen to see them in town and recognize them, let me know.”

“I’ll do that.” Clint turned toward the door again, but the sheriff wasn’t finished.

“Hear tell the countess was on that stage. The driver said she was a looker.”

“She was pretty enough,” Clint hedged. “But not too friendly with us common folk. She didn’t say much.”

“Don’t suppose she’d have anything new to tell me about the robbery.”

“Not unless you just want to get her in here for a look. Sorry, but I need to find Yost.” Clint walked out before Womack could ask him anything else. He was just stepping onto the boardwalk when a black buggy passed him, going up the street. Roderick Hanford held the reins, his expression as smug as a self-satisfied cat’s. Seated beside him, looking fresh as a lily in a blue dress and chic little straw bonnet, was the countess.

Eve.

Hanford pulled up long enough to let an elderly man with a cane hobble across the street in front of the horses. By chance, the countess glanced to her right and caught sight of Clint. For an instant their gazes locked. Her sky-colored eyes widened, holding his. Ignoring the electric jolt that ripped through his body, Clint raised his hand to the brim of his Stetson, tipped his hat and turned away. But as the buggy moved on up the street, with Hanford’s children in the rear, Clint’s gaze lingered on her rigid back and elegant head.

Had she told Hanford about last night’s encounter? Clint hadn’t been able to read anything in the look she gave him, but the only safe assumption was that she had. If the countess wasn’t with him in his battle with the big ranchers—and she’d made that much clear last night—then she was against him. One of the enemy.

But right now he had other problems on his mind—like finding Anders Yost and checking out the alleged money shipment from the Cattlemen’s Association. Etta Simpkins at the bakery was always good for a bit of town gossip. Maybe she had something to pass on.

The buggy had pulled up in front of the hotel. Hanford climbed out, helped the countess to the boardwalk and boosted his children out of the back. Walking away, they looked like any happy, prosperous family—a snappily attired man, a stunning woman and two pretty youngsters dressed for an outing.

If Corrie and our baby had lived ... But this was no time for thoughts of what might have been. Tearing his gaze away, Clint turned and headed for the saloon. He had to find Yost before the man made a fatal mistake.

Chapter Four

“You said you had business in town,” Eve reminded Roderick. Not that she cared a fig about his business, but she wanted to be free of his overpowering presence so she could enjoy the children.

“Yes, so I did.” Roderick glanced at his gold pocket watch. “I’m meeting with some of the other ranchers in the hotel, at two o’clock. Looks like it’s about time. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Not in the least. We’ll stroll around and pick up the odds and ends for Alice,” Eve said. “How long do you expect to be?”

“Not more than an hour. If you and the children get tired you can wait on the bench in the hotel lobby.”

“Fine, take your time.” Eve made a quick dash to retrieve the shopping basket from the buggy. At Manderfield, the servants had always done the shopping. This would be a brand-new experience. She was looking forward to it with mixed emotions.

“Have you got any money?” Roderick paused outside the hotel entrance and fished for his wallet. “We have an account at the general store, but for other shops, like the bakery, you’ll need cash.”

“Oh. Sorry, I’d quite forgotten.” Color flooded Eve’s face as she realized how close she’d come to making a fool of herself. She disliked the idea of accepting money from Roderick, but if she wanted to buy things she had little choice. Besides, most of what she’d be purchasing would be for the children. It was only proper that their father provide for them. With a mutter of thanks, she took the bills from his hand.

“You’re very pretty when you blush, Eve,” he said.

She turned away, pretending she hadn’t heard. Tonight she would ask him to set up a household account so she wouldn’t have to come begging to him every time she needed something. But maybe having her beg was what Roderick wanted.

The children were waiting, their little faces still pale and sad-looking. They walked on either side of her, Rose clasping her hand and Thomas carrying the empty basket.

Alice had given Eve a list of a half dozen small items she needed—salt, pepper, baking soda, cinnamon, sewing thread and a jar of the miniature pickles Roderick liked. There was nothing that couldn’t be easily carried. “Just give the list and the basket to the clerk at the general store,” Alice had instructed. “He’ll fill the order for you.”

That was easy enough to do. But as Eve waited with the children, her gaze roaming the well-stocked shelves, racks and barrels, she became conscious of eyes watching her—the women in faded calicos eyeing her fine clothes and stylish bonnet, the men casting her sidelong glances that skimmed over her figure. At least she’d decided not to wear her ruby ring. That would have drawn even more attention.

The store seemed inordinately busy—but after a few minutes she noticed that few of the customers were buying. It appeared that most of them had wandered in to look at her .

Eve fought the urge to flee out the door, where more curious looks would surely be awaiting her. How long would it take before she stopped feeling like a circus freak in this town?

Painfully self-conscious, she kept her gaze forward and her attention on the children, who were eyeing the glass candy jars on the counter. She didn’t feel the tall, intensely masculine presence behind her until she heard his voice.

“Nice to see you again, Countess.”

For an instant she froze. After what she’d told Clint Lonigan last night, the first response that came to mind was, How dare you? But people were watching. The last thing she wanted was to make a scene.

“It’s Mrs. Townsend,” she said in a chilly voice. “And it’s nice to see you, too, Mr. Lonigan. Now if you don’t mind, I have some purchases to pay for.” She turned toward the clerk. “I’ll have two peppermint sticks for the children, please.”

“Coming right up, Countess.”

She frowned. “As I just told the gentleman, it’s Mrs. Townsend. This isn’t England and I’m certainly not royalty.”

“But still a very proper lady.” Clint Lonigan’s voice had taken on a teasing tone.

Ignoring him, Eve signed for her purchases, gave each of the children a peppermint stick and reached for her basket. “I’ll be taking my leave of you now, Mr. Lonigan. Good day.”

“I’ll walk you to the street.” He picked up the basket, giving her no choice except to stay with him. The children, sucking on their candy, paid little heed to their conversation.

“What in heaven’s name do you think you’re doing?” she hissed as they stepped onto the boardwalk.

“I’m taking the only chance I may get to ask you if you’ve changed your mind.”

“I told you, I have no intention of becoming involved in your little war.” She moved away from the store entrance and started down the boardwalk toward the bakery.

“Little war, is it?” His voice had taken on an edge. “You came into town with Hanford. Where is he now?”

“In the hotel. He said he had a meeting with some other ranchers.”

“Did he tell you what the meeting was about?”

“I didn’t ask. Just business, I suppose.”

“Their so-called business is burning property and murdering every farmer and small rancher that won’t leave the county.”

His words triggered a clench in Eve’s stomach. How could anything as awful as what Lonigan was suggesting be true? “I don’t believe you,” she said.

“Ask your precious brother-in-law on the way home. Not that he’ll tell you the truth.”

“And what is the truth, as you see it? That my brother-in-law goes skulking about in the night like a thief, personally eliminating anyone who gets in his way?”

“Of course not. Men like him don’t get their hands dirty. They pay hired thugs to do their killing. But they’re just as guilty as if they’d lit the torches, fired the guns and strung the nooses. If you could do something to stop it and you won’t, you’re guilty, too.”

“No more of this!” Eve kept her voice low, aware of the curious looks from passersby, not to mention Thomas and Rose just a few steps away. “I told you, I’m here for my sister’s children. My only concern is their welfare. They’ve had enough distress in their lives without my plotting against their father under his very roof. So go away and leave us alone!”

Clint Lonigan’s mouth hardened into a grim line. After handing her the basket, he took a step away and touched the brim of his hat. “I understand. Have a pleasant day, Countess .” The title sizzled of his tongue, rife with unmistakable contempt. She watched him cross the street to the saloon and go inside without looking back at her. Shrugging off the unsettling encounter, she herded the children on down the street to the bakery.