The Wishing Tree Read online

  Ah, he was backing down. Not too many people could stand up to Ma when she got going. Not even Pa.

  "Two days alone and one night with you on the trail. Alone, Mr. Tanner."

  He spread his big hands on the table and pressed forward. "Mrs. Marshall, I would never take advantage of any woman. Neither would my brother or any of my men."

  Her mother stretched toward him, placing her fingers over his arm. Jake was doomed.

  "Mr. Tanner, I have no doubt your word is good. A lesser man would have taken the cow from us and left by now." She leaned back. "Just her living with all those men and traveling with you alone is enough to ruin her reputation. You know how people are-they always think the worse."

  "Now, Mother..."

  She held up her hand, silencing Pa. "Mr. Tanner, you've offered us an honorable solution to this problem and we are grateful. You have something we need and we have something you need. That's the way of things, isn't it?"

  "Well...yes, ma'am."

  His response was slow. Grace didn't blame him. He was right to suspect a trap. Experience taught Grace to be careful when her mother used that tone.

  "That's what I thought."

  She gave him a small smile. She was ready to strike. Grace longed to warn him that something else was coming.

  "Then I would expect you to continue to do the honorable thing." Ma pulled in a breath. "Mr. Tanner, the only way my daughter is leaving here with you is if you marry her."

  The silence in the house was complete. Not even the crickets dared make a sound. Grace's mouth dropped open. All she could do was stare at her mother.

  What was she thinking? She'd only met Jake Tanner hours before. But that wouldn't matter to Ma. She and Pa had never met until they stood before the preacher. That's just how things were done back then. Obviously, it looked like that's how Ma intended things to be done now, too.

  Grace dared a look Jake's way. His gaze shifted between her and Ma, then finally settled on her. She was surprised he still sat there. Only his manners kept him from grabbing that cow and heading for home.

  She watched him watch her and wondered what he was thinking and why he didn't tell her parents they could go to blue blazes.

  He scratched at the stubble on his face, looked at her mother, then her father, and back to her. Then again. Then to every face at that table.

  "All right...I'll marry her."

  Chapter Two

  Jake tore from the house like the hounds of hell snapped at his feet. The last thing he wanted or needed was a wife. But it looked like that's what he was getting. By tomorrow this time he'd be a married man.

  He could hear it now. The snickers and jeers. Comments about trading a cow for a wife. He hoped Grace didn't hear any of it. He wouldn't have her hurt. That's what got him into this mess in the first place.

  Those big brown eyes of hers did it. Jake never should have looked at her. The second Marshall mentioned she was leaving with him, Grace's eyes lit with excitement and anticipation. Her mother ripped that joy away with the next breath. The expression on Grace's face-no, that wasn't right-her face never gave away her feelings. It was her eyes again. She might have shot her gaze to the plate in front of her, but it wasn't quick enough to hide her pain and the tears that flooded her sight.

  To her credit Grace never cried, never said a word. When she pulled her head up, not a trace of disappointment lingered. Then her mother crossed the line she'd been edging toward. Jake knew something was coming, he just didn't expect that.

  Anger and shock flickered in Grace's eyes. She almost said something. Almost. Hope kept her quiet. She wanted out. Who could blame her?

  Jake scanned the tiny house that served as living quarters for nine. It didn't take more than one pass to see every inch of it. Dark, suffocating, cramped. A sleeping loft had three small beds stuffed into it. The area below had one larger bed shoved in one corner while the opposite end contained kitchen and table.

  Then Jake made the mistake of looking at the gaggle of children wedged around that table. His first impression? Hungry. Not for food, though. From the look of the supper table tonight, they might not eat often, but they ate good. Their clothes, while clean, were threadbare, held together by will more than anything else. The longing in their eyes, especially those of the older girls, was for something more. They wanted escape, freedom from a life that held no pleasure and no hope for any in the future.

  Jake compounded his errors by settling his gaze on Grace. Of course she wanted out. Who wouldn't? He hadn't been there a full day and already he was itching to leave. And in her eyes, those cow-brown eyes, Jake finally understood how Laurette felt. That didn't excuse what she did, but he understood it.

  He snagged his horse's reins from the hitch and led him to the barn. Thinking about Laurette wasn't going to get him anywhere. That was in the past. It just didn't matter anymore. By tomorrow this time, he'd have a new wife.

  Jeremy sure would be tickled when he heard that. The boy wanted a mother. More importantly, he needed a mother. One of his own, not one borrowed from his cousins.

  Oh, Emma was a good substitute. His brother couldn't have done better in a wife. But now...well, her death hurt them all. The children, A.J., Jake...yep, the weather could sure wield a double blade. The good rains brought enough sweet grass to drive their herd north. They also brought a twister the likes of which Jake had never seen before.

  At least Emma had died in A.J.'s arms. Their last words filled with love-just the way it should be. But A.J. still hadn't recovered, physically or emotionally. Jake wouldn't be surprised if it haunted A.J. the rest of his life. Hardly fair to everyone else, especially the children, but considering how much A.J. had lost, Jake couldn't fault him.

  Yep, they needed a woman's touch around the place. Someone to soften the rough edges of life...at least for the children. They needed some order-they were starting to get a little wild. Jake didn't know if Grace was the right woman for the job, but she was better than nothing. At least as his wife, she'd stick around for a while.

  Jake laughed at himself. Even he wasn't fool enough to believe she'd stay forever. Laurette had taught him that. If Grace wasn't satisfied with her life now, it was only a matter of time before life on their ranch dragged her down.

  Guilt nudged him. Grace was trading one workhouse for another. Things might be better for her there than here, but it was still hard work. How was she going to feel about that?

  It didn't matter. She was there to pay off a debt, nothing more. When the year was up, she could go about her business if she wanted. The innocence her mother fretted over intact.

  Jake was lucky there. Considering the fact she wasn't much to look at, barely a woman, there wasn't much to tempt him. True, she'd be his wife, easily accessible to his needs. More convenient than hooking up with a woman in Austin. Nicer, too. In the dark, what did it matter?

  He slid the saddle from the horse's back and tucked it into a pile of hay near the door. It mattered all right. It mattered a lot. She was coming to their house to work, and that's what she was going to do. If Grace had any trouble understanding that, he'd be glad to set her straight before things got too far out of hand. She was nothing more than an indentured servant, certainly not the type of woman he would take to his bed, much less as his wife.

  His conscience laughed at him. That was exactly what he was doing. All because a pair of cow-brown eyes tugged at his heart.

  * * *

  "Grace, quit fidgeting. We've got a lot of work to do before the preacher gets here in the morning. And none of it's going to get done if we don't finish pinning this dress." To drive home her point, her mother jabbed another pin into the material.

  "Stop it, Ma." Grace pulled the hem away. The stool teetered beneath her. "This is the silliest thing I've ever heard of. That man doesn't want to marry me."

  Her mother pinched another piece of the age-old satin at Grace's waist. "No man wants to get married. And most of them don't know what they want until some w
oman tells him." She drove in the pin and gathered up another wad.

  "By the time we're finished fixing up your old wedding dress, we'll have enough material to make two." Not the right thing to say, but at least her mother stopped long enough to glare at her.

  Grace bent down to her level. "Ma, I just met the man. He's a stranger. I don't love him. And he sure doesn't love me."

  Oddly, tears flooded her mother's eyes. A rapid flutter of her lids cleared them. She cupped her hand to Grace's cheek. "Ah, sugar, can't you see what I'm trying to do for you? No woman really knows a man until she marries him. Love? It doesn't count near as much as survival. Gracie, the Tanners are rich beyond anyone's dreams. This is a chance for you. He'll be a good match. He's an honorable man. He's an eligible man. Who are you going to marry up with here? Little Timmie Clifford? Old Man Mooney?"

  Pausing, she chewed on her lower lip. "Mooney did ask for your hand, you know. Said he liked the way you'd been cleaning house for him and wanted you there permanent."

  Grace's stomach turned at the very thought.

  "I fought your pa hard on it. I just couldn't see you..."

  Grace grabbed her mother's hand in both of hers and kissed her palm. "Ma, I appreciate you wanting the best for me. But I've got to talk to Mr. Tanner...please."

  "Oh, all right." She stripped the gown from Grace's shoulders. "Don't be long."

  Grace stepped into her day dress and buttoned it as she walked through the door. Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Grace headed for the barn. Too late she forgot about the bucket on the edge of the porch. It clattered down the three steps with enough noise to wake the dead-and smacked into one of their cats. The poor cat screeched, jumped straight in the air, and scrambled into a nearby tree. Birds scattered for new cover and squawked all the way.

  The barn door squeaked open, shooting a pale shaft of light across the yard. Jake leaned against the doorjamb, a black shadow against the light.

  "Are you a danger to others, or just yourself?"

  He was laughing at her! Well, she'd heard worse. At least he wasn't fuming. "I need to speak with you, Mr. Tanner."

  "Come ahead. I'm just tending to my horse." Jake waited in the doorway until he was sure enough light guided her without mishap. He thought about moving the kerosene lantern closer to the door, but that was courting disaster.

  When she was close enough to find a clear path, he returned to brushing down his horse. He wasn't counting on her finding the one thing between them. Sure enough, the second she crossed the threshold her foot caught the saddle. Grace tumbled face first to the floor.

  The hard fall knocked the air from Grace's lungs. It seemed forever before she was able to wedge her hands beneath her and push herself up. Jake never made a move to help. Grace didn't know if she was grateful he didn't treat her like porcelain, or angry he didn't rush to a lady's aid. But when she looked up and saw him draped over the back of his horse watching her, she decided irritated suited her just fine.

  She shoved herself to her feet. "The least you could do was help me up."

  "I think I'm safer over here."

  A hint of a smile tugged at his lips. He ran the currycomb across his horse's back. The animal's skin quivered.

  "He looks like he really enjoys that." Grace brushed the hay from her dress and eased forward.

  "He does."

  Grace longed to run her hand down that long, silky neck. "I've never seen a more beautiful animal. What's his name?"

  "Uhm...Doesn't have a name." At least not one Jake readily shared since it always generated a fair amount of teasing.

  She crept forward. "A horse as fine as he is should have a name. Something powerful like Thunder or Lightning or Breeze...I bet he runs like the wind."

  "That he does." Jake tucked the comb into one of the saddlebags draped over the stall. "You wanted to talk?"

  Grace watched him check each hoof. Where should she begin? It would be better if his attention was on her, not the horse. This was serious business. This was the rest of their lives.

  "It just seems like you agreed to get married mighty quick. Are you really that hard up for a woman at your place?"

  "Yes...we are."

  He stood, giving her the attention she wanted only minutes before. Now that she had it, now that those deep blue eyes of his were focused on her and her alone, Grace found herself wishing he'd look the other way. Her knees quivered, threatening to make her fall...again.

  "It...it just seems to me hiring someone would be a little less...drastic."

  "As you recall, I offered to hire you."

  "No, you offered to take me in payment for a cow."

  "Your father is the one who made the debt. I was just giving him a way to pay it without taking the cow. Marriage was your mother's idea, not mine."

  This was getting them nowhere. Jake wasn't making this easy. Grace didn't know what she wanted from him or why she had bothered to come out here.

  "It just seems like a mighty big sacrifice. I have a bit I've tucked away over the years. How much was the cow? Maybe I could pay for it. I have what I earned keeping house for the older folks around here."

  He moved closer, slowly, like a mountain lion stalking its prey. Grace forced herself to stay in place and keep her gaze fully on his. Every hair on her body prickled to life. She longed to brush the uneasy feeling away, but even that movement seemed too much to ask of herself.

  "What about you? As I recall, you did nothing to stop this. You were plenty willing to go along with this until your little attack of conscience brought you out here."

  Grace eased back in an effort to put some distance between them. It was no use. He just moved with her. "I was swept away in the rush. Once Ma gets a notion to do something, not much stops her. The important thing is that I'm here now, willing to make it right."

  She bumped into the stall. Even that didn't stop Jake. He stood there just beyond her reach. One breath and he could trap her against the wooden slats. Her heart fluttered in a mix of fear and excitement. But Jake held his ground, cornering her simply by being there.

  "Quit lying to yourself, Grace."

  Her name sounded sweet on his lips. His voice gentle.

  "I saw the look in your eyes. You want to leave here so bad you can taste it."

  But not this way. It was wrong. Deceitful. The men could talk honor all they wanted, but Grace wasn't without a bit of her own. She forced herself to look into those deep blue eyes of his-eyes that burned through her skin.

  "Just tell me how much the cow was and I'll pay for it. You're welcome to everything I've got."

  "I don't want your money. I just want you."

  Grace curled her fingers into her palms to keep from shaking. "As a housekeeper, not a wife."

  "I'll take you however I can get you."

  Desperate men did desperate things, but Grace refused to believe that someone as rich as Jake Tanner would have to resort to buying a wife. He could pay a thousand women to come work for them.

  "Why me?"

  He dropped his head and chuckled. "You're the one whose father owes me money, remember?"

  "I'm not stupid, Mr. Tanner. That was the reason I came here in the first place. If it's the money, I'll give it to you. Just tell me how much and we can be done with this."

  He pulled a long piece of straw from her hair and stuck it in his mouth. "You might want to call me Jake."

  Goodness, he was a trial! Didn't the man see what she was trying to do for him? He rolled the end of that straw between his teeth like he had all the time in the world.

  "So the idea of marriage doesn't appeal to you?" he asked.

  Truth be told, Grace had never much considered marriage. Oh, she figured she'd get married one day, but since there weren't any eligible men nearby she didn't think beyond that.

  "The cow, Mr. Tanner?"

  He took his time answering, all the while playing with that straw, looking over her face. Grace was tempted to run to the house, grab her meager stash
of coins, throw the pouch at him, and tell him to be on his way just so she could get away from the power in his eyes.

  "A hundred dollars. The cow cost a hundred dollars."

  Grace's mouth dropped open. That was a fortune! A body would have to work day and night for the rest of her life to get that much money. The hoard of change she had saved over the last several years would barely make a dent.

  No wonder her father gave the Tanners a note. What surprised her was that her mother allowed it. They were always hard-pressed for money. No cow was worth that-no matter how sweet the milk. Ma would just trade eggs for milk from someone else's cow. Or did Ma agree, knowing they couldn't pay for the cow and that one of the Tanner men would someday come to collect and Grace would be shoved to them for trade?

  No...Ma was tricky all right, but that would have been downright underhanded.

  She watched Jake watch her, calmly waiting for her response. What reason would he have to lie?

  "I'll tell you what, Grace." He twirled the straw from one side of his mouth to the other. "I know this wasn't exactly what we planned and certainly not what your father and I agreed on, but you want out of here and I need a woman to help out around the ranch. After a year's up and the debt's paid, you can go wherever you want."

  Now that raised Grace's hackles. The nerve. He talked about honor, and then offered to shame her with divorce. He probably did lie about the cow, but for the life of her Grace didn't know why. No one could be that hard up for a housekeeper.

  Forcing herself to remain the lady her mother claimed her to be, Grace stared Jake straight in the eye. "I've got honor too, Mr. Tanner. You marry me tomorrow, you're marrying me for life."

  Smiling, he tapped the straw on the end of her nose. "That's what I'm counting on, Grace." Then, like a cat gleeful over his catch, he shoved the straw back between his teeth.

  If there was any doubt before, Grace had none now. For whatever reason, Jake Tanner lied. And it had better be out of desperation.

  "I'll see you get your money's worth for the cow." She brushed by him, and looked back over her shoulder. "Whatever that worth might be. And that straw you're gnawing on? I'd swear I saw one of the dogs peeing on it earlier."