Their Scandalous Bride, page 4
The woman smiled. “Our life is very rich here in Bridgewater. Our husbands take good care of us and make certain we’re happy. Yes, they’re demanding men, but you will not find better quality of men anywhere. They’re honest, dependable and men of their word. I never thought I could be so lucky.”
Was it really true? Could this be a place where she could live and be happy? But who was she kidding? Keegan and Alastair had not shown any interest in her.
She sighed. “It sounds so wonderful.”
“It is,” Emma said. “Are you going to marry Keegan and Alastair?”
How much did she share with this woman? With a sigh, she needed to unburden herself. “Both men are so very handsome and I would marry either one of them. But Alastair hates me. He thinks I’m not pure enough for him.”
The woman’s brows drew together and she nodded. “He needs the healing touch of a woman. Be patient with him and show him nothing but love. He suffered a tragic loss, and if you marry him, you will need to make certain that he gains your trust.”
Just that little bit of information helped her to understand Alastair more.
“So he suffered a loss and Keegan loves children. They seem like such good men and I would love to marry them, but I don’t think they’re interested in me.”
The woman laughed. “Give it time. If it’s meant to be, you’ll soon be their wife.”
Or in jail.
Catriona smiled at the woman. “Thank you. I’m amazed at your town.”
“My dear husbands have made this town into a special place. I best be going; my baby will be awakening any moment now.” Emma stood and smiled at her. “I wish you the very best and hope that I’ll see you again soon.”
“Me too,” Catriona said as she walked her to the door.
Once she left, Catriona looked around the house. If she married the two men, this would be their home. What would she do with O’Reilly’s Folly?
First they had to offer her marriage.
8
Later that afternoon, Keegan had little James sitting in front of him on his horse as they returned to Bridgewater. The day had been terrifying and brought back so many painful memories of the orphanage.
Children often disappeared from the old building in Edinburgh and you didn’t know if they left on purpose or wandered off unattended. Sometimes their bodies would be found and sometimes they were never seen again.
It was a heart wrenching memory that he’d tried to forget until today. Today, little James had brought back the horror of those years. The terror of searching the city streets, looking for the lost ones, the fear of finding nothing but a body.
This morning, he feared they would never find the boy or when they did, he would be dead. But by the grace of God, they had found him asleep in a field. He must have tried to follow his father and once his little legs tired, he’d lay down to nap.
Because James and Keegan had been friends since he was a baby, the men had him ride with Keegan to make the child feel more at ease. The feel of his soft body against his own filled Keegan’s heart with love for the toddler.
The child was special and he’d feared the worst this morning. But thankfully, his mother would be delighted when they returned.
As they rode into Bridgewater, the women and the men left behind came flying out of their homes. James’s mother came running, crying his name, and Keegan slid off his horse and handed the child to Mattie.
“Thank you,” she cried, holding her son close to her chest, sobbing. “Thank you, Keegan.”
Oh, how he wished his mother had loved him like this. An ache, an emptiness, opened inside his chest.
“It was all of us,” he said, his eyes filling with tears. “We’re Bridgewater men and we don’t let anything happen to the people we love.”
She hugged him to her, keeping James between them. “You’re his guardian angel.”
No, Keegan was no angel. Only a victim of once being lost himself. The memory of standing on the street corner, crying for his mother returned and slammed into his chest like a bullet.
A sigh came from his right and he glanced over to see Catriona standing there watching. Tears streamed down her face and she hurriedly turned and walked back into their home.
What would make her cry? The child was safe and yet Keegan had teared up when he watched the mother and son reunion.
As the people began to disperse, Keegan pulled his horse to the barn with Alastair following behind him.
“It’s too late to take her back to Helena today,” he said.
“Aye, it is,” he said. “I’m worn out from the hunt. I would just like to sit in front of a fire and rest.”
It was what he liked to do when he had a rough day. All the memories that had come flooding back had wrecked his soul. And the fear of having to tell the child’s mother that he was dead had sat on his heart like an anchor while they searched.
Thank goodness they had returned the child to his rightful home.
“Maybe we should have her stay with one of the other couples, so she can’t claim we took her and insist on her marrying us.”
Very seldom did he get irritated with his best friend and brother, but right now, he was ready to punch him.
“Did she do that last night?”
“No,” Alastair said.
“Why are you so afraid of this woman? Are you scared that you’re going to care for her and your heart will become entangled? When was the last time you fell in love?”
Alastair uncinched his saddle and slid it off the horse. “Never.”
“And why is that?” Keegan asked, knowing now exactly why they had not found a wife. His brother was afraid of giving his heart to a woman. So therefore there was always something wrong with every woman they met. And this would happen for the rest of his days.
“The right woman has not come along,” he said, not looking at Keegan.
The right woman had not come along because Alastair would never find someone to love if Keegan didn’t force the issue.
“We’ll take her back in the morning,” he said and began to rub down his horse.
Twenty minutes later, they walked into the house and the smell of something delicious filled the air.
“Dinner is ready,” she called. “Wash up and then we can eat.”
Keegan suddenly knew what he wanted to do. He’d waited too long as it was and with today’s realizations, he decided it was time to make a move.
In two big strides, he stood before Catriona who stood by the stove with a spoon in her hand. She glanced up at him quizzically. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s what I’ve wanted to do for days and I’m not waiting any longer.”
He leaned down, his mouth covering hers. At first, she tensed as his lips wound their way over hers, nipping the edges, his hands brought her mouth in line and he held her there while he devoured her lips.
She tasted of something sweet and he loved the way she seemed to sigh into his body.
Slowly she relaxed and wound her arms around his neck. He pressed his body into hers and she melted into him.
Alastair would consider them being indecent, but he didn’t care. He’d waited long enough and today she’d been thoughtful and kind and did her best to make him feel better. As much as he cared about his brother, this was what he’d wanted all day long.
A loving woman waiting for them at home.
Alastair cleared his throat.
Slowly Keegan ended the kiss and she gazed at him stunned. The woman was not an experienced kisser. If she’d never kissed, how could she be pregnant?
“The potatoes are boiling over,” he said.
That wasn’t the only thing boiling over. Keegan felt like his dick was going to explode at any moment. And yet he knew he had to wait and do what he and Alastair had agreed upon.
“Wash your hands and we’ll sit down to dinner,” she said, turning away from looking at either of them.
With her back to them, she said, “We’re still not having sex tonight.”
“Agreed,” Alastair said.
“Agreed,” Keegan said. “But I couldn’t wait a moment longer to taste you. And it was well worth the wait.”
Catriona giggled and then turned to put the food on the table.
“Keegan, you are my first kiss.”
Glancing at her, he grinned. He knew it. If he was her first kiss, then she was still as virginal as they come.
Alastair was wrong about Catriona. Dead wrong. Now, if only she hadn’t killed Phillip.
9
Riding into Helena the next day, Catriona’s stomach roiled with uneasiness. The last two days staying with Keegan and Alastair had been peaceful. She enjoyed laughing with them, cooking for them, and meeting the people of Bridgewater. But now it was time to face the consequences of her actions.
Time to face the sheriff and admit to her crime.
She could be looking at time in jail for murdering Phillip and yet, she hadn’t meant to kill him. If only he would have left her alone, but no, the man was intent on ruining her and now she felt like she was riding toward the hangman’s noose.
Murderers in the town of Helena were hung. It was a spectacle. An event the whole town attended.
All she could do was hold her head high and defend her honor. She’d been a woman protecting her virtue.
As they rode through town, the women turned up their noses and looked the other way. Phillip had done enough damage to her reputation that she would never be accepted again. And she’d done nothing wrong.
That’s what irked her the most.
They pulled up in front of the sheriff’s office and he came out on the steps.
“Been looking for you,” he said. “You’re under arrest.”
“For what?” Keegan said. “We brought her here to give you her side of the story.”
“For attempted murder,” he said.
“He’s still alive,” she said, her eyes widening.
“Yes,” the sheriff replied. “He’s got a gash in the back of his head, but he’s still breathing.”
“Thank the Lord,” she said with a sigh as she slid off her horse. “I’ve been so scared that I killed him.”
As much as she disliked Phillip, she would never want to kill someone. Not even the man who forced himself on her.
“Come inside,” the sheriff said.
The three of them walked up the steps, the two men on either side. Between them, she felt protected and safe.
Inside, she could see the jail cells and wondered if this would be her next home. Would she soon be looking out from between the bars?
As she sat in a wooden chair, the sheriff took a seat behind his desk and Keegan and Alastair pulled up chairs next to her.
“Tell me why you tried to kill him,” the sheriff said, staring at her with dark beady eyes.
“I didn’t try to kill him. When I left the barn dance, he was waiting for me. He wanted to ruin me so that I would be forced to marry him and I wasn’t having any of it. He covered my mouth so I couldn’t scream and then he began to beat me about the shoulders and arms, trying to subdue me, because I was fighting him as hard as I could.”
The terror that filled her at the memory had her shaking.
“As a little girl, my papa taught me how to defend myself and that night I pulled back Phillip’s thumb so he would release me. I heard the bone snap and he screamed in the night. I pushed him with all my might to get away from him and that’s when he fell and his head struck the rock.”
She licked her lips and squeezed her eyes tightly to keep the tears from falling. That night was not going to defeat her.
“When I saw the blood spurting from his head, I feared I’d killed him and I ran.”
The sheriff sighed. “Are you pregnant with his child.”
Gosh darn it, that just made her mad. She was so sick of fighting this lie.
“I’ve never slept with him, so how could I be pregnant? I’ve never slept with any man, but he’s been spreading this nonsense around town.”
The big man’s stomach shook with laughter. “Kind of hard to be with child if you’ve never even done the deed. But that’s not what he’s telling everyone.”
“And just why do you think he wants everyone to believe that lie? He wants my land. He wants O’Reilly’s Folly to be joined with his spread and I would rather see it burn than be given to him.”
The sheriff leaned back and considered what she’d told him.
“Sheriff, I know that Catriona’s parents died in a blizzard. But if you’ve lived in Montana for any length of time, you know the signs and when to stay home. Do you know anything about their deaths?”
Shock rippled through her. As much as she despised her father for his actions, she’d always believed her parents died in a blizzard because of foul play. Her father may have been a drunk, but he wasn’t stupid when it came to Montana weather. Sadly, no one in town wanted to believe her. Not even the sheriff.
“Mr. O’Reilly was known for his drinking binges,” the sheriff said. “We just assumed he’d gotten drunk and Mrs. O’Reilly went after him.”
Catriona saw Keegan and Alastair exchange a look behind her back. Shame filled her as she realized that everyone in town had known her father was a drunk. Her mother had pretended that it was just their family secret.
After their deaths, she’d broken every whiskey bottle in the house. She hated alcohol and would never put up with a man drinking. Never.
The door to the sheriff’s office slammed open and in walked Phillip.
“You bitch,” he said, lunging for her.
Keegan stood and grabbed him by the shirt. “You touch her and you’re a dead man. I’ve already seen the bruises you left on her and you’ll not be getting near her again.”
Warmth filled Catriona as the terror that spiraled through her at Phillip’s entrance slowly died. Keegan would protect her.
“Phillip,” the sheriff said. “You’ll not be barging in here to cause trouble or you’ll find yourself in one of those cells. Pick one out or sit down.”
The dark-haired man sank down in a chair closer to the sheriff, blocking the door. If Keegan and Alastair weren’t here, she worried that she might have been in even more trouble.
“Arrest her,” he demanded. “She tried to kill me.”
“I did not,” she insisted. “No, I was protecting myself from his unwanted advances. I want nothing to do with him and he has done everything he could to ruin my reputation. He doesn’t want me, but he wants O’Reilly’s Folly.”
The man growled at her. “Your ranch isn’t worth anything. Your worthless father drank all the profits and you’re just trying to hang onto the land.”
Catriona swallowed the tears that flooded her throat. It was true. Her father had drunk all the profits, but that didn’t mean she wanted to lose her family home. What would happen to Charley? The old man was more of a father to her than her own.
“Yes, my father drank too much, but someone is stealing our cattle,” she said. “Charley and I are doing our best to keep the ranch going.”
“More and more ranchers are reporting missing cattle. Two deputies are trying to locate the rustlers.”
At least she wasn’t the only ranch missing cattle. But she hated admitting her situation in front of everyone. She hated the pitying looks she saw from Keegan and Alastair. And she hated the gleeful hate reflected in Phillip’s gaze.
But more importantly, how did Phillip know they were in dire straits? Who told him the ranch was barely hanging on?
“No one knew about the financial difficulties regarding the ranch except me and Charley. How did you know?”
The man fidgeted nervously in his chair. “Your father told me.”
“And when would he have confided in you? He’s been dead now for eight months. Our real problems began when the cattle started to disappear and our spring round up found us several hundred head short. Did Papa tell you from the grave?”
Something wasn’t right and she just hadn’t put her finger on what it was. Charley and she were very tight with information about what was going on at the ranch. The only other person who could possibly have any inkling about what was happening was the banker Mr. Nelson.
“Sheriff, why haven’t you arrested her? She tried to kill me.”
The portly man turned and glared at Phillip.
“Sounds to me like she’s raised some interesting questions and you were the one who attacked her. Even now, I can see the bruises she described fading on her neck and shoulders.”
The lawman glanced between the two of them. “Miss O’Reilly, I apologize, but I can’t remember the date that your parents died in the blizzard. Could you remind me?”
“January seventh. Momma and Papa went into town to pick up some supplies. When they were found, I thought it was strange that the wagon was empty. Mr. Dierck said they never came into the mercantile. Papa’s cash was gone and momma’s reticule was empty.”
No one had believed her when she said something was afoul. Not even the sheriff. They all assumed her father, the drunk had taken a wrong turn in the snow and they had gotten lost, wandering about until they died of the exposure. But her papa knew the way between town and the ranch. And the team of horses would have found the barn.
They had disappeared.
The sheriff glanced between the two of them. “I don’t know what to think. Your thumb is obviously broken, so I know Miss O’Reilly fought you, Phillip. You do seem to be trying to force her into marriage.”
Could it be the sheriff believed her?
“She’s expecting my child, that’s what I’m supposed to do,” he said, exasperated. His performance was quite believable and a trickle of alarm scurried down Catriona’s spine.
Glaring at Phillip, she hissed. “Stop telling that lie. I would never let you touch me.”
A smirk spread across his face. “Darling, you were drunk just like your father when I had my way with you.”
For a moment, she thought she was going to either throw up or attack him. How dare he spread lies that she was like her father. Tears of frustration welled in her eyes and she blinked them away.
