Aaron's Montana Bride Part 4

Outside, the afternoon air was cool. Ranch hands were busy going about their business. Eva felt a rush of relief as she stopped on the porch. She noticed she'd kept a hold of Aaron's elbow. When he looked down at her with an approving smile, she cleared her throat and hurriedly loosened her grip.

"He's an insufferable man," she said.

"He's been like that since I've known him. I don't think he's ever liked me," Aaron said.

"Even less now, I suppose after what he saw," Eva said.

Aaron eyes narrowed. "And what did he just see, Eva?"

Eva raised a hand to her throat and glanced over toward the corral. How much had Jude heard? How long had he been there? Eva was suddenly seized with a powerful urge to tell Aaron just how much his acceptance of her proposal would mean to her. But she couldn't. She dare not tell Aaron Stewart that marriage to him wasn't just about avoiding forced matrimony with Jude Arabin, or making sure she got owners.h.i.+p of the ranch. There was no possibility in Eva's mind that she could admit to Aaron right now that their shared past had meant the same to her, as it had so obviously meant to him.

Aaron looked at Eva. She knew he was waiting for an answer. He probably deserved more than she was offering. The way Aaron had protected her from Jude since his arrival at the ranch had touched her heart. This handsome rancher, a man barely a few years older than Eva, her neighbour and supposed rival for so many years, had shown her, in less than an hour, just how far he was willing to go to take care of her. What on earth would Eva do if Aaron declined her offer of marriage?

"Are you going to be okay?" Aaron asked.

Eva glanced back toward the house. "Of course. Mrs. Bell knows how to take care of me," she answered.

Aaron smiled. "I'm sure she does." He put his hat on and bowed his head slightly. "You get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow. I promise," he said and started toward his horse.

And then Aaron was raising himself up onto the horse, grasping the reins, turning his mount away from Eva and riding off, leaving her with a sinking feeling that wasn't only caused by the confusing and disturbing events of one of the most momentous days of her life.

CHAPTER SIX.

"He's gone," Eva said to Mrs. Bell.

They were in the kitchen and Eva was trying to take her mind of things by helping with the preparation of the dinner. Eva peeled the potatoes over the bowl and tried to forget how she'd felt at seeing Aaron heading off earlier that afternoon. It seemed that preparing food didn't do much to help someone forget.

"He'll be back," Mrs. Bell said cutting up some vegetables on a wooden board. Outside, darkness was starting to fall. It was the end to a truly sad and awful day. Eva couldn't wait for it to end. There was a tiredness in her soul that she'd never felt before. Maybe Mrs. Bell could lift her spirits, as she'd done so many times in the past.

"How can you be so sure?" Eva asked.

Mrs. Bell smiled. "Aaron and I had a little chat," she said.

Eva's eyes widened. "About what?"

Mrs. Bell c.o.c.ked her head. "Oh. You know. Things," she said with an evasive look.

Eva stopped peeling the potatoes. "What things?" she demanded.

"Important stuff. You know what I'm talking about, Eva," the housekeeper said with a mischievous smile.

"I don't think I do, Mrs. Bell," Eva admitted, even though she knew exactly what her housekeeper was referring to.

Mrs. Bell sighed and stopped cutting the vegetables. "You and I know that there is more to you and Aaron than you've wanted to admit."

Eva felt her face flush. "What do you mean?"

"I've seen you and Aaron around each other for years. I suppose you think no-one noticed," Mrs. Bell said.

Eva frowned. "Noticed what?"

Mrs. Bell gave Eva a knowing look. "Even your father noticed," she said.

"My father?"

"Yup. He even mentioned it to me a few weeks ago."

"What do you mean? My father talked to you about me and Aaron?"

"It was just after he got the bad news about his illness. You were out seeing to the branding. Your father was mighty cut up about the news."

Eva sat down at the kitchen table and Mrs. Bell removed her ap.r.o.n and sat next to her. Eva recalled the day the doctor had come to the ranch and given her father the prognosis about how long he might live. She'd never seen her father so sad, so despondent. It was as if something vital had been cut out of him. In the s.p.a.ce of an afternoon he'd shrunk to a shadow of his former self. It had broken Eva's heart.

Mrs. Bell gazed into Eva's eyes. "Your father couldn't stop talking about you, that day. He didn't speak a word about his condition. It was all about what was going to happen to you after he was gone," Mrs. Bell said.

Eva felt a tightness clutch around her heart. "Oh. Mrs. Bell. Don't tell me that. I couldn't bear it to think that the only thing my father thought about on that terrible day was me."

"It's true, my dear," Mrs. Bell said reaching a hand across and laying on Eva's arm. "And the person he spoke about most was Aaron."

"Aaron? But I thought he and Aaron were no friends."

Mrs. Bell smiled. "When a man like your father gets news that his days are numbered, I guess it focuses the mind. Maybe all the differences of the past just seemed pointless to him," she said.

"What about Jude?" Eva asked.

"What about him?" Mrs. Bell asked with a frown.

"Didn't my father mention him?"

Mrs. Bell shook her head. "Not in the way he spoke about Aaron. Jude was just a loyal foreman. Your father understood that much."

"But I thought..." Eva started to say and then paused.

Mrs. Bell's brows furrowed. "What?"

Eva waved her hand. "Nothing. It's just that Jude's been hanging around me today."

Mrs. Bell nodded. "It hasn't gone unnoticed," she said.

Eva looked at Mrs. Bell with surprise. "Have you been eavesdropping?"

Mrs. Bell squinted at Eva. "Of course I have, my dear. That's what I do. Isn't it?" she said with a smile.

Eva sighed. "So you know what Jude's been saying to me?"

Mrs. Bell became serious for a moment. "Of course I do. I've heard Jude talk like that for quite a while. I've even had to have words with him. Set him straight. But once that man gets a fool idea into his head, there's no stopping him," she said with a shake of her head.

Eva frowned. "What am I going to do, Mrs. Bell. I can't stand Jude. But it seems like I haven't any choice," she said.

"To do what?" Mrs. Bell asked.

"Why to marry him!" Eva exclaimed.

Mrs. Bell's face reddened and she drew in a deep breath. After a moment she let out a great sigh and fixed Eva with a stern look. "Look, my dear. There is no way in Montana that Jude Arabin is going to get his hands on you, or this ranch. As sure as my name is Eloise Bell, you can count on that," she declared emphatically.

Eva felt a rush of relief flood through her and she stood and went to her beloved, loyal housekeeper and gave her the biggest hug she could summon. Eva was sure she could feel Mrs. Bell shake ever so slightly. She'd never seen the housekeeper cry. Eva leaned back and looked at Mrs. Bell, seeing the older woman's face fixed firm in an expression of determined self control.

"You have always been my rock, Mrs. Bell. You know that. Don't you?"

The housekeeper waved a dismissive hand. "You just remember what I said," she told Eva. "There is only one man your father wanted you to be with. And I know what you've done today. I know you've asked him. He'll be back. Sooner than you think," she said.

Eva looked at Mrs. Bell and wondered if her trusted housekeeper was right. Would Aaron come to her with the answer she wanted? And if he didn't, what could she do to avoid the fate of having to enter into a loveless, unthinkable and truly awful marriage to Jude Arabin.

What had he just done?

Aaron steadied his mount, guiding it along the trail back to his own ranch and thought about what had happened back there at the Gillespie spread.

Eva Gillespie had actually asked him to become her husband. And he had declined! Or at least, he'd done as much as refused the chance to marry her.

What on earth had gotten into him? Eva had almost pleaded with him to become her husband. Aaron felt an ache inside when he thought about how much Eva must have suffered today. Not only had she had to lay her father to rest, but she'd had to face up to a truly agonizing choice.

Aaron thought about how Eva must have felt when she'd had that will read to her. How sick she must have been just thinking about a forced marriage to a lowlife like Jude Arabin.

Aaron had never liked the man. They'd had many a argument over the years, and Arabin had usually shown himself to be a man of limited integrity. The guy had no idea of what it meant to keep a promise. And, out here, in the wilds of Montana, a man was nothing if he didn't keep his word. Aaron had seen the value of a man's word, time and time again. You couldn't hope to work a ranch, own a spread, spend day after day side by side with hard working men, deal with cattle men, and not know the value of being a man of your word.

Jude Arabin was well known as a man you couldn't trust. Lord knew how he'd kept on the good side of Gabriel Gillespie. But he'd done just that. Somehow. And he had the gall to think he was good enough for Eva Gillespie? How could that be? Had Eva told Aaron the whole story? Maybe not. She'd seemed unlike herself today. And, that was perfectly understandable as far as Aaron was concerned. Given what a terrible day it had been, Aaron was amazed at how well Eva had dealt with everything that had come her way.

But, Aaron wasn't surprised. Not really. The Eva Gillespie he'd always known, the rancher's daughter Aaron had so often faced off with in friendly, and not so friendly confrontation, was a woman who could take life's hard knocks and stand firm. For someone only twenty-two years of age, Eva had the spirit and determination of a woman much older. Yet, that spirit was held inside an absolutely beautiful and elegant frame.

Aaron tightened his grip on the reins as his horse tried to wander off the trail. So many times over the past few years he'd thought about how fine looking Eva was turning out to be. But, he'd always held himself in check, reluctant to show her any sign of the attraction he'd felt for her. The truth was, he'd never been brave enough to summon up the courage needed to even hint to her that he felt anything for her. He just hadn't known how she'd react. Eva's temper was as fierce as her gentle side was generous. She was truly a woman of contrasts. But, like everything in life that posed a challenge to him, Aaron Stewart had always wondered what it would be like to try and tame Eva's forceful ways.

The sun was starting to sink down toward the horizon. Aaron gazed across the rolling gra.s.slands. He knew how much this ranch meant to Eva. Aaron had seen the look on her face when she'd spoken about what her father's legacy meant to her. The Gillespie spread was in Eva's veins and Aaron knew that she would do anything to keep a hold of it.

She would even make Aaron her husband, if it meant she'd keep the ranch out of Jude's grubby paws.

Aaron took in a deep, slow breath and tried to figure out what he should do.

The choice was simple and stark. Either he marry Eva and give her the only chance she'd have of holding onto the ranch, or she'd be forced to marry Arabin. Lord only knew what he'd do with the spread once he got control of it. And he would have authority over the affairs of the ranch, even if Eva put up a fight. Being her husband would give Arabin legal power over Eva's affairs.

Aaron shook his head and uttered an oath. That wasn't right! For a man like Arabin to think he could even lay a hand on someone as precious as Eva was unthinkable. Aaron's horse started to s.h.i.+ft his head from side to side, sensing the mounting tension in it's rider. He tugged the reins. A surge of indignation rose up in him as he thought of Eva back at the ranch. Arabin would be hovering around, trying to press his claim. She would have no-one there to really protect her against the foreman's unwanted attentions. How could the man be trusted? Aaron didn't even believe the terms of the will. It wouldn't be the first time something had been done to affect the outcome of the settling of a dead man's estate. Aaron had heard of things like that before. But that would be for another time, another day.

Aaron pulled his mount to a halt. The horse pulled hard against the reins, but Aaron held him tight.

Right now the feelings that were burning up inside him convinced him of one thing, and one thing only. Aaron Stewart had always known what the right thing was. It had been an instinct lodged deep inside himself all his life. And, in this moment, there was only one thing on his mind. He hadn't needed time to make his choice. There was no need to consider Eva's offer. He'd made his mind up a long time ago. His delay in giving her the answer today, the one Eva so obviously wanted, had been born out of sheer surprise. But, now that he'd had time to think about it, there was nothing to do but go back to her ranch as fast as possible and tell Eva Gillespie that nothing on earth would stop Aaron Stewart from making her his wife.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

Eva was dreaming. There was a part of her that knew that what she was seeing was all a dream. But it all seemed so real. He seemed so real.

She saw Aaron. His tall figure was walking toward her, a warm, friendly smile on his face. Eva stretched out her arms to welcome Aaron. Her arms felt somehow unreal, curiously heavy, as she reached out to Aaron. Behind him, she could see the Montana mountains, s.h.i.+ning bright in the midday sun. A feeling a happiness filled Eva with every step Aaron took toward her.

Suddenly a column of flame leapt up in front of her. Eva stepped back, feeling heat on her face. She could hear voices shouting from far in the distance. They were familiar voices. In her dream, Aaron was trying to make his way toward Eva but the flames were forcing him back.

Thick smoke surrounded Eva and she felt herself gag and cough. She tried to clear the smoke away from her face, so she could see what was happening to Aaron. But, he was gone.

And then she coughed, again. Harder this time. Her body convulsed.

Awake!

Eva opened her eyes.

She was no longer dreaming.

Eva was very much awake, and there was smoke in her bedroom.

The stench of it caught at the back of her throat. How could there be smoke in her bedroom?

She'd come upstairs to rest before dinner, and guessed from the soft light coming in through the window that she had only been sleeping a short time. Eva threw the covers back from her bed. She went to the window. In the twilight she saw an ominous glow outside.

Fire!

Eva felt a hard stab of panic and stared down into the yard. Men were running toward the house with pales of water. They were trying to form a chain amidst the yelling and shouting. The glow of the fire was spreading across the yard in front of the ranch house.

The fire must be in the house, she thought suddenly. Her heart froze and her legs went momentarily numb.

She could see the smoke leaking into her room from underneath the door. The smoke looked like a thick deadly fluid seeping along the wooden floor.

Eva ran to the door, wrenched it open and leapt back. The hallway was filled solid with smoke. She could feel heat from somewhere, a h.e.l.lish sensation that was any rancher's worst nightmare.

The house was on fire! But how? Where?

The hallway had become a dark, inky, smoke filled tunnel. She strained her eyes, but couldn't see to the stairs at the end of the corridor.

Eva started to cough and ran to the bed, grabbing hold of a blanket. She threw some water onto the blanket from the bowl on the dressing table, and thrust the sodden material over the front of her mouth. She sucked in a deep, cool breath. It was then that she realized just how dangerous the smoke filled air was. Now that she'd opened the door, the smoke was getting thicker in the bedroom.