Faster Than the Rest Read online

  “Of course, darling. Do what’s needed to get your life in order and move on. Your father and I will support any decision you make.” Anna kissed her daughter’s cheek. Victoria had yet to offer anything about her past. She spent most days in her room, just coming down for dinner and supper, and not taking breakfast at all. The only other constant was the way she fidgeted with a handkerchief that never left her possession. Anna had only gotten a glimpse of it. The initials JM were embroidered in one corner.

  Chapter Eight

  Jamie hammered one board after the next into the wall frame for the second barn. The ranch had grown under Niall’s management and the family had made the decision to breed and train horses for the ranchers in California. As he hammered, the events of the past few months played through his head.

  How he wished someone else had been assigned to find Victoria. It had taken time, but he’d learned to live with the knowledge she’d never loved him. Torie’s dreams were grander than being married to a rancher in a small Arizona town. The answer to her dreams had materialized in the form of Hamilton Wicklin just days after Jamie had proposed and ridden out of town. One look at life outside of Fire Mountain, away from him, and she’d jumped at it.

  As he continued to work, his mind drifted to something else and his stomach twisted. The brief words Billy Tankard had thrown at him in the desert saloon. He’d called Victoria a whore. Jamie hadn’t believed it, thought they were just the words of a scared man. Then the outlaw he’d shot in the desert outside Hagan’s ranch had called her the man’s whore. What had Miguel done to her? Jamie had spent so much time trying to distract himself, he realized he’d never asked about her treatment during captivity. It was a basic question, one he asked all freed captives. Why didn’t I ask her?

  “Need some help?” Drew approached with more nails and a jug of water.

  “Help and water are always appreciated.” Jamie smiled at his younger brother. He was glad for the distraction from his deteriorating thoughts.

  “You’ve made a lot of progress since dinner. You’re working like a man possessed. Want to share your thoughts?” Drew was the most compassionate of the brothers. He was a hard worker, good wrangler, smart, and possessed an abundance of empathy when he sensed someone was troubled. He planned to leave for college soon, and Jamie knew how much the family would miss him.

  “Just reminiscing, that’s all.” Jamie took a deep swallow from the jug Drew offered.

  “Tough thing to have to rescue a woman who messed up your life. Don’t know that I could’ve done it.” Drew shielded his eyes from the sun as it descended behind the mountains.

  Jamie was surprised his younger brother had any notion of what had transpired. “Didn’t think you’d remember too much of it. You were only what? Ten when Victoria left town?”

  “I may have been young but I wasn’t stupid. You were different with Victoria. More settled, less volatile and, well, less of a pain. But everything changed when she left town. It was obvious, even to Will and me, that something terrible had happened. Then you took off. It was hard on all of us, Jamie.” Drew had started to pound nails into another board as he spoke, but Jamie heard the slight censure in his brother’s voice and winced for the hurt he’d caused his family. Victoria’s deceit had impacted a lot of people.

  Jamie walked over to Drew and laid his hand on his shoulder. “I was selfish, Drew, and didn’t know how to handle myself. Made some bad decisions, but things turned out all right, didn’t they?”

  “Don’t know yet, Jamie. Can you handle her being back in town? Will her being here cause you to visit even less? If so, that would crush Aunt Alicia.” Drew’s voice was even, without the bitter undertones Jamie expected.

  “Victoria means nothing to me any longer. She’s just a kidnap victim, a woman I found and brought back home. You already know her husband was found dead, murdered. She’ll either stay here or head back to her life in San Francisco. Who knows? It makes no difference to me. Any feelings I had for her are long buried.”

  “Well, if that’s your story, big brother, I’ll accept it. I hope to God you’re right.” The brothers worked another hour in silence, both realizing the future was far from certain.

  ******

  “Great supper, Aunt Alicia.” Jamie stood to help clear the table. “Besides the family, your cooking is what I miss most about being gone.”

  “Well, you could always turn in your badge and come home.” Alicia smiled over her shoulder as she washed dishes.

  “I’ve thought about it. It’s been five years and I don’t know if I’m up for another five. Guess I’m not the man Garner is.”

  Trent Garner had still been a U. S. Marshal when he’d pulled Jamie out of a bad situation in Abilene. Jamie’d almost been the victim of a crowd hanging before Trent intervened and talked reason to the angry mob.

  Jamie had been cleared of any charges, but not before Garner had given him a choice. He could handle the charges himself or the marshal would speak for him, but only if Jamie agreed to join the Marshals Service. The decision had been an easy one and the best thing he’d ever done. Now Trent had a ranch near theirs. Not long ago a series of events had brought Trent’s daughter, Kate, to the MacLaren ranch. Niall and Kate, after some missteps of their own, had married and produced another male, baby Adam, for Alicia to nurture. “Oh, don’t fool yourself. You’re as good a man, but you also have a whole family that wants you here and would be elated if you stayed. We won’t pressure you, but want you to know what you mean to us.” Alicia’s eyes teared but her smile was pure warmth.

  Will walked in just as the last dish was being placed in the cupboard. “You gonna stay in here all night, Jamie, or join the men for a brandy?”

  “You offer whiskey and I’m there.” It was good to be home, Jamie thought, but could he handle it now that Victoria was back?

  Chapter Nine

  “Why, Jamie, it’s good to see you.” Hen had just closed the cash box when Jamie walked into the hotel lobby. “You have business in town or just come by to visit?”

  “A little of both, Mr. Wright.” He returned Hen’s smile. The man seemed younger, more alert than Jamie had seen him in a long while. Victoria’s return must be working out well for her parents. “I had some business with Sheriff Rawlins. Thought I’d stop to see how Victoria’s doing. If she’s settling in okay.”

  “You mean, how is she handling her husband’s death?”

  Jamie’s look of chagrin made Hen’s smile widen.

  “Don’t know I’d have said it that way, but yes. Is she doing okay after getting the news?” He’d been able to keep his curiosity under control over the past few days, but the truth was, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. “Rawlins said no one has seen much of her since the stage arrived.”

  “She’s struggling a little, trying to reconcile the change in her situation, I guess. Victoria doesn’t talk much about it. She hasn’t spoken a dozen words since her arrival about her husband or her treatment by that outlaw.” Hen’s worry was etched in his face. He shook off his concern and walked around the guest counter. “Gerald? I’m leaving. You all set to take over?”

  “Sure thing, Mr. Wright. I’ll take care of everything.” Gerald said from the back room.

  “Jamie, why don’t you and I head over to the house? We can visit on the way and perhaps Anna will have some pie waiting when we get there.”

  “I appreciate the offer, Mr. Wright, but I’m not looking to intrude. Don’t want Victoria to think I’m prying into her business.” Although his desire to see Victoria was strong, he sure as hell didn’t want to be the first to make a move. The way Jamie had it figured, if she had any interest in setting things right, explaining the past, she needed to come to him, not the other way around.

  “You’re not prying and certainly not intruding. Stop by for a few minutes, have some coffee at least, and give an old man a break from all the woman talk.”

  How could Jamie refuse the request from another man to save him f
rom another night of female banter? He couldn’t. “Fine, Mr. Wright. As long as you don’t think it’ll cause problems, I’d like to stop by for a spell.”

  The walk wasn’t long and not much was said. Jamie didn’t want to push and Hen didn’t want to pry.

  “Anna, we have company. Do you happen to have any more of that pie left?” Hen called out as the two men walked into the spacious kitchen. Hen had practically grown up in the kitchens of large hotels. Two generations of Wrights before him had managed some of the grandest hotels in Boston and then St. Louis. As a boy, he’d spent hours in the kitchens, learning how they operated and making friends with the hotel staff. The lessons learned had served him well. Although their kitchen was not as large, it was well equipped, and was the model of efficiency compared to most kitchens Jamie had seen.

  “Jamie, how are you?” Anna asked as she walked over to greet her husband with a quick kiss on the cheek.

  “Good, Mrs. Wright,” Jamie replied but his eyes had fixed on the other figure in the kitchen who stood not six feet away, straight backed, with a smile that appeared hesitant or forced, Jamie couldn’t decide which. “Hello, Victoria.”

  “Marshal MacLaren,” Victoria replied. Her voice was strained, whether from sorrow or something else. Jamie didn’t know.

  “Now, Victoria. I believe you may call the marshal by his first name, right Jamie?” Anna looked at one and then other of the two young people, waiting for a reaction.

  “Yes, that’d be just fine, Mrs. Wright.” His eyes never wavered from Victoria.

  Hen took a seat at the large, sturdy, kitchen table. “Okay then, pie all around. And coffee if you have some, Anna. Come on, Jamie, sit wherever you’d like. Victoria, you too, sweetheart. Did you get to visit anyone today?” Hen could tell Victoria was struggling between a decision to stay in such close proximity to Jamie or to make some excuse and leave. He hoped her good graces would win out.

  Victoria knew her parents expected behavior that had been taught to her since she was a young girl. The lessons had served her well as Hamilton’s wife in San Francisco, a role she’d despised. She started to decline when a stern look from her mother changed her mind. “No, Papa. I didn’t have an opportunity to visit anyone. Perhaps tomorrow.” The tension seemed to drain from the room as she settled into a chair next to her father.

  “Jamie, tell us what’s been going on at the ranch. Heard the MacLarens have about exhausted the wood supply at the lumberyard.” Hen eyed the large piece of pie Anna placed before him.

  “Don’t doubt it. Niall has us building a second barn, additional training areas, and an upstairs bedroom for Adam with room for a housekeeper. Niall’s worried Alicia is working too hard. Of course it’s beyond her to ask for help, so the best approach is to simply build a room and hire a housekeeper. She’ll have a fit but, in the end, I believe it’s the best for her. Niall thinks Will’s going to ask Emily Jacobson to get married, and they’ll live at the ranch, at least until Will can build a house of his own. And you all know Drew’s heading off to college in a few weeks. Lots of changes.”

  “Emily and Will, huh? Well, I’m not surprised. Those two have been close for a long time now,” Anna interjected as Jamie shoveled pie into his mouth.

  Victoria watched Jamie enjoy her mother’s cooking and remembered many other nights, just like this one, when they’d all sat at this same table. Even as a boy he’d been a voracious eater. It seemed so long ago. The news of Will and Emily had been a surprise, but the stab to her heart when she heard of their plans was a jolt. Not because of Will and Emily. The announcement reminded her of how it had been with Jamie, the two of them years ago with the same plans and dreams his younger brother had now. She hoped their plans worked out better than the ones she and Jamie had made.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Wright. That was excellent.” Jamie stood to put his plate on the counter.

  “So glad you liked it. Here, I’ll take that.” She extended her hand. “Why don’t you and Victoria go out on the porch? Get some air while Hen and I finish up in here.”

  “Oh, that isn’t necessary. I’m sure he has other plans, right, Jamie?” Victoria wasn’t ready to be alone with him and hoped he’d take the opportunity to leave. At the same time, a part of her wanted him to stay.

  Jamie thought he heard something in Victoria’s voice. Was it hope that he’d leave or hope that he’d ask her to join him outside? “Well,” Jamie replied as he worked to decipher the tone of Victoria’s words, “sitting outside for a bit sounds real good to me. If you have the time.”

  She nodded as he walked to the door and held it open for her.

  The two sat in silence for long minutes, each trying to find the words needed to breach the gulf that had formed so long ago. He thought of the pain, the lost years, his anger at Torie’s actions. She thought of the man now sitting beside her, so much like the boy she remembered, but so different.

  “Would you like to walk for a while? I need to stretch my legs.” Jamie rose and held out his hand to help her up.

  “Of course.” Victoria’s gaze focused on his outstretched hand. It was just an offer to help her up, but for some reason, she wanted it to mean more. A moment passed before she took it to stand then released it just as quickly. His touch, after all these years, still produced intense sensations that shot straight through her. She wished it didn’t. “Do you ever go to the river? The knoll?”

  The knoll. He hadn’t thought about the small hill overlooking the river in a long time. That’s where he and Victoria had always met to get away, to be together. Not a far walk, but it had seemed miles away when they were teenagers. It was the place they had been together for the last time, before he’d left town with his brothers. It was where he’d asked her to marry him.

  “No, I haven’t been there in years.” Even though his mind fought it, his legs began to move, almost by memory, to their spot on the knoll.

  Several more minutes passed before she spoke. “Do you get here often? Back to Fire Mountain, I mean?”

  “No, only about once a year, if that. My job keeps me moving around.” He was glad to focus on something else, anything but the woman who walked not a foot away from him, and memories better left forgotten.

  “You seem to have a particular talent for the types of assignments you’re given. Do most of them involve finding victims such as me?” They’d reached the top of the knoll. The memories were so thick she didn’t think she’d be able to remain, but knew turning back would accomplish nothing.

  “Most do involve finding people who’ve been taken from their families. The only constant is that all the families have money. They’re all wealthy, like you. Money is a powerful lure. Most people can’t seem to ignore it.” Jamie didn’t realize how his words sounded until he’d spoken them. He cringed. Perhaps Victoria hadn’t noticed.

  She didn’t respond right away, but focused on the river a few feet away. She needed time to compose her words, think through how to say what should’ve been said so many years ago.

  “I know you must hate me. What I did, to you, to us, was unthinkable. There’s no excuse except, at the time, I thought it was the best decision, the only decision.” She walked a few paces then turned to face Jamie. “I didn’t leave because I no longer loved you. I loved you more than you’ll ever believe. But there were circumstances that forced me to marry Wicklin and…” She stopped as Jamie closed the small distance between them and grasped her shoulders. He wasn’t rough, but she could feel the power radiating through him.

  “Oh, I understand. You may have thought you loved me, but you loved Wicklin’s money more. It was clear to me at the time, and it’s clear now. You made the only decision you could under the circumstances. We both knew that I’d never be able to provide the kind of life that Wicklin offered. You saw your chance and you took it. Don’t try to wrap it up any other way just because you’re now his widow.” He dropped his hands but continued to stare at her. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head in disgust at what he s
aw as an obvious lie. The bitterness in Jamie’s words cut deep into Victoria and she realized she might never be able to reach him.

  “You just don’t understand what happened. He gave me no choice.”

  “Is that so? Then tell me what happened. What was it that forced you to abandon our dreams and marry him?”

  His voice was calm, too calm after the heated words thrown at her just moments ago. That should’ve warned her. Victoria walked away from him to the edge of the riverbank. She could feel rather than see Jamie come up behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and in his own gentle way, turned her to him.

  “Tell me, Victoria. Why did you leave if it wasn’t for the money?” His voice was a whisper across her face. She could almost smell the anger pulsing from him, along with all the other familiar scents of the man she’d always loved. He was just as intoxicating now, just as impossible to resist.

  She lifted her face to his to look into eyes that had turned a deep steel grey. She could lose herself in those eyes. It was her last coherent thought as his mouth moved towards hers inch-by-inch, brushing across her lips, and coaxing them to open for him. When she didn’t resist Jamie moved one arm to the back of her neck, holding her in place while his other arm moved to her back, pressing her to him. Her arms slid up and around his neck, pulling his head down to hers. His mouth moved to her eyes, traveled across her checks and down her neck, before settling again on her parted lips.

  Jamie was amazed at how the taste and feel of Victoria in his arms hadn’t changed. She was still the most desirable woman he’d ever known. No matter what else had transpired, his body still craved hers as it had none other.