A Man to Call My Own

Chapter 43

IT SEEMED TO MARIAN that she ached from head to toe. Kathleen had warned her that she'd probably be sore after the long ride to town, but Marian had scoffed to herself. After all, she'd just ridden long distances in the last couple days with no muscles complaining about it. But it just wasn't the same, sitting sideways in someone's lap, as it was straddling a horse and trying to keep her balance on it.

She would have spent the rest of the day in that hotel room if she hadn't gotten hungry. And Ella Mae wasn't there to fetch her anything to eat. The maid had elected to stay at the ranch, since they weren't taking the wagon to town, and she'd never learned to ride a horse either.

She was also curious about what had happened today. Kathleen hadn't returned to the hotel yet to tell her, or at least, she hadn't come up to their room. Considering the hour, she was probably having dinner in the hotel and thinking Marian was going to sleep through it.

The hotel maid who had brought her water for her bath had also taken the two dresses she'd brought along and returned them pressed. She donned one now, a dull gray color with just a sprinkling of embroidered white flowers along the sleeve and skirt edges. Her hair was a lost cause, though, without Ella Mae's assistance. The only style Marian had ever mastered without help was her tight bun, which wasn't so severe with the altered cut of her bangs. She wasn't out to impress anyone anyway; she just wanted to get something to eat.

By the time she negotiated the stairs, her movements were a little quicker, but still pretty stiff. She was hoping to find her aunt in the dining room, but if not, it wouldn't hurt her to eat alone. Her curiosity was getting the better of her, though, was right up there on a par witli her hunger.

She was in luck on both counts, well, not really. Kathleen was in the hotel dining room, but she wasn't alone. Chad was with her. Marian hadn't counted on that and almost didn't join them. If she had to watch Chad nursing a broken heart over losing Amanda, she'd probably clobber him.

She lowered herself into the chair as gracefully as her sore muscles would allow. She avoided glancing at Chad, though she certainly felt his eyes on her.

She tried to ignore him for the moment, and asked her aunt, "Did you find her?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"They're married now," Kathleen said.

"Really? She didn't object?"

" 'Course she did. He did, too. But bullets help change a person's mind."

"You shot them!"

Kathleen chuckled over her conclusion. Chad did, too, for that matter, which brought her eyes straight to him. All she saw was his humor, which didn't add up. Shouldn't he be devastated over losing Amanda to another man? He certainly didn't look devastated, not even a little. Then again, he could just be very good at hiding his feelings.

One thing was obvious though. He still didn't know it had been her in the stable with him that day, rather than Amanda. That wasn't something Amanda would clear up either, whether she got a chance to or not, because she'd still want that tie to him and to be able to gloat over it just in case Marian had been lying to her about not wanting him anymore.

She'd allowed herself to be distracted from the main point. Amanda was married. Whether by choice or not, she'd be living somewhere other than with Marian, so Marian was finally, truly free to be herself. She'd certainly thought it would be a day for rejoicing. It was, really. It was just too bad she had so many other emotions cluttering up her joy.

"I'm sorry I missed the wedding," she said, turning her attention back to Kathleen.

"You didn't miss much. It wasn't exactly a typical wedding."

"Still, I suppose I should have been there instead of pampering a few sore muscles," Marian insisted. "She is my sister, after all."

"I really doubt she would have appreciated your presence, sweetie."

That was true. She was forgetting Amanda had been forced to marry, so she would have resented Marian's witnessing the ceremony.

Fortunately, the waitress arrived to let her know what was available to eat that night, so she didn't need to make any further comments about the wedding. Unfortunately, the unhappily wedded couple arrived as well.

"Mind if we join you?" Spencer asked as he sat down next to Chad and pulled a chair over from the next table to accommodate Amanda.

"Yes, we mind," Chad answered baldly.

"Too bad," Spencer replied with a tight smile.

Chad sat back and speculated, "Shouldn't you be celebrating a wedding night? In private?"

"We did that last night, remember? Or did I miss the so-called point of the travesty that was enacted today?"

The words were really bitter, but the tone wasn't. Marian had a feeling Spencer wasn't all that displeased with his new married state. If he'd had to be forced into it, it was probably because Amanda had gotten him angry. That was certainly easy enough for her to do.

"You reap what you—"

"Spare me your corny homilies, thanks," Spencer cut Chad off. "But I've got a question for Red. Would you really have shot me, splattered blood all over yourself and everyone else, watched me scream, then do it all over again when I still refused to cooperate?"

"You don't run a ranch like I do and get squeamish when something needs shooting, Spencer. Yes, I would have. Now let me ask you, did you really think you could go on indefinitely, ruining decent young women, without paying up? Clare Johnson's father might not have had the gumption to bring you to account, but I did."

"I hate to remind you, Red, I really do, but your niece was already ruined."

"That's okay, we all know that. And she was all set to visit the altar before you interfered."

"Touche." He chuckled, then turned his attention on Marian. As if he hadn't noticed her until now, he said, "Well, well, the caterpillar finally broke out of her cocoon."

Marian couldn't help giving him the blush he expected. Marian really hated being the center of attention. Amanda hated it when she was, too, so her rejoinder didn't come as a complete surprise.

"She was afraid to compete with me," Amanda explained. "She knew she didn't stand a chance. But now that the field is open, she thinks she can tiptoe in my footsteps."

"You sound jealous, darlin'," Spencer surprised everyone by saying. "There's no need to be. You're still prettier."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Chad put in, then added tongue-in-cheek, "It's a good thing Spencer is half-blind."

Amanda sputtered indignantly. Red tried to hide her laugh. Spencer didn't even try, he burst out laughing. Marian just stared, not sure why Chad had come to her rescue, unless it was no more than an excuse to take a dig at Spencer, who'd stolen Amanda from him. That sounded more likely, since she'd sensed their dislike of each other from the start.

Amanda didn't appreciate being the butt of a joke though, and turned angrily to Chad. "If anyone is blind it's—"

But Spencer cut her off, told her, "Why don't you remember our little talk, darlin', and watch your tongue."

Amanda actually closed her mouth and sat back with a glower. Marian was incredulous. Spencer had managed to gain some sort of control over her sister.

With threats? Or by promising her what she wanted? Either way, it was amazing to witness. Even their father had never had that kind of influence over Amanda.

But Marian couldn't have asked for better timing. She knew exactly what Amanda had been about to reveal—out of spite. Now that she was married, she'd resent seeing Marian enjoying the bevy of suitors who should have been hers, and she had the means to force a marriage on her. Of course, no one would believe it at this point, including Chad.