Aaron's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) Read online

  "Can I ask you to give some consideration to what I asked you, Miss. Gillespie?" Arabin urged.

  Eva sighed. "I told you once, Jude. My mind is made up. What you suggested is entirely out of the question."

  Eva thought about Mr. Dunn and what he'd told her. Could it be that Arabin already knew about the contents of her father's will? Surely not. Then again, Arabin and her father had spent a lot of time together. Eva couldn't be sure what they'd discussed when she wasn't around.

  Eva looked at Aaron and saw the puzzled expression on his face.

  Arabin sighed and took a step toward her. Eva leaned in closer to Aaron and Arabin paused. He looked back and forth from Eva to Aaron. He nodded. "I see. I get the picture."

  "What're you talking about Jude?" she asked.

  Arabin shook his head. "Never mind. Some things are plain. Even if the people involved can't see what's in front of their faces," he said.

  Eva frowned at Arabin. His words hardly made sense. She turned and looked at Aaron. His face was blank and unreadable.

  Arabin lowered his head in a mocking, insincere gesture. "I apologize Miss Gillespie. I lost my head for a moment. It won't happen again," he said.

  "It surely won't," Eva agreed with an emphatic nod.

  Aaron placed a gentle hand against Eva's arm. Arabin eyes widened when he saw the gesture. His thin lips creased into an ironic smile. "Once again, my condolences on your loss, Miss. Gillespie," Arabin said. And then he turned quickly and strode off in the direction of the bunkhouse.

  Eva felt the tension drain out of her body as she watched Arabin head off across the yard.

  "Are you okay?" Aaron said. Eva looked into his eyes and saw the genuine concern there.

  "I'm fine. Now that he's gone," she said.

  Eva closed the door. She stood in the hallway and faced Aaron. He gazed down at her. She saw the hesitation in his eyes. He was clearly wondering what to say next. Aaron had always had a way of finding just the right words, had used that ability to maintain the awkward peace between her father and himself over the years. Even if at times it had meant that disagreements had ended up being resolved in favor of her father.

  Eventually Aaron spoke. His voice was low and steady in the silence of the hallway. "I don't know what got into him. He sure seemed riled about something," Aaron said.

  Eva turned away from him. "You know how he can be sometimes. He's always been a hothead," she tried to explain.

  Aaron nodded and she knew he wasn't going to pry into her affairs any longer. But, the truth was, she wanted to tell him about Arabin's ridiculous proposal, needed to share the outrageous suggestion with someone, even if it was only so she could comprehend just how unacceptable the whole idea was.

  "It's strange. Your father had so much faith in him. As a foreman," Aaron said.

  "And that was about all," Eva said firmly. "He's just a foreman. And that's what he needs to understand."

  Aaron frowned. "What do you mean, Eva?"

  She loved how her name sounded on his lips. Always had liked how those two syllables sounded in his deep, vibrant voice. Right now, she savored it, even more so, here in the peace and quiet of the ranch house, on a day which had been one of the most difficult of her life.

  Eva shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it, Aaron."

  Eva suddenly felt light headed. She felt herself sway and Aaron reached over, holding her by the elbow, steadying her.

  "Eva. Are feeling unwell?" he asked.

  Eva leaned away from his touch, from the supporting hand that, if truth be told, she felt so comfortable with. She ran a hand across her forehead. "I'm fine."

  "You need to sit down. Let's go into the parlor," he said firmly.

  "No. I'm fine," she tried to insist.

  "Look Eva. I know this has been a hard day for you. I'll get Mrs. Bell to fix you some tea."

  Eva yielded and let Aaron guide her into the parlor. She took a seat on the sofa and tried to compose herself while he went to the kitchen.

  What was she going to do? What could she tell Aaron? The day had started with her feeling a deep and intense sadness at the prospect of laying her beloved father to rest. Then there had been the revelation that the same beloved father had chosen a most unsuitable man to be her husband. The day had continued with a ludicrous confrontation with that man who seriously thought Eva Gillespie was simply going to agree to a proposal which she was sure would guarantee a life of quiet and desperate misery.

  She would not do it!

  Eva hadn't struggled alongside her father, building up the ranch, working day and night, suffering blazing hot summer and frozen winters, only to have it snatched away from her by a man she could barely look at without feelings of nausea rising up within her.

  What had her father been thinking? How could he have done such a ridiculous thing, tying Eva's hands, making her future conditional on accepting the unthinkable. Her mind briefly flashed with images of Arabin, his intimate attentions, his leering face close to her own, his lips descending upon her mouth.

  A gasp of panic burst out of her mouth and she had to take a deep breath to compose herself.

  What was she going to do? What could she do?

  She heard the sounds of Mrs. Bell's shrill tones in the kitchen. Aaron had obviously told her that Eva was feeling unwell. He might even have mentioned that the reason she was feeling like that was Jude Arabin. Eva smiled involuntarily at the thought of what Mrs. Bell would do to Arabin. She'd always had a forthright and fearless approach to dealing with all the employees. Arabin had been on the receiving end of Mrs. Bell's temper on plenty of occasions. That thought lessened Eva's sense of anxiety and provided a welcome moment of light relief.

  Eva could hear Aaron and Mrs. Bell chatting away in the kitchen. She couldn't make out what they were saying to each other, but it sounded good-natured. In that moment a memory came to Eva's mind, a vivid and crystal clear image of a conversation she'd had with the housekeeper only a few weeks before.

  Eva rapidly tried to push the memory away, but it stubbornly refused to budge. She could recall the exact words Mrs. Bell had said to her. Words that had been all about Aaron Stewart, after a particularly feisty disagreement between Eva and Aaron over the issue of damaged fencing on the shared boundary of the ranch.

  No. She couldn't countenance such a thing. That wasn't a solution.

  Was it?

  Eva wondered why the tea was taking so long. What were Aaron and Mrs. Bell were talking about?

  Surely the solution couldn't be as simple as that. Could it? But how could that work? She and Aaron had been alternately friends and enemies over the years. Eva recalled the many arguments they'd had over ranch boundaries, stray cattle, access to water, broken fences.

  But then she recalled the many times Aaron had come to visit, willing to be reasonable, trying to find ways to resolve the conflicts between the neighbouring ranchers. She remembered the many occasions when, in spite of herself, she'd often found herself thinking that Aaron Stewart was a mighty handsome man, a reasonable, considerate but strong willed man.

  No. She couldn't consider such a thing. Then there was the issue of the will. It went against her father's wishes. Didn't it?

  Maybe there was a way out of that. Perhaps there was a way to challenge that will. But, in the meantime, Eva knew one thing. She had to make it absolutely impossible for Jude Arabin to force her to marry him.

  And, now that she thought about it, there was only one way for her to avoid that awful fate.

  Eva Gillespie had to ask Aaron Stewart to become her husband.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  "What was that idiot Arabin talking about?" Mrs. Bell asked Aaron.

  He smiled and leaned back against the kitchen table watching the housekeeper put the finishing touches to the pot of tea and plate of biscuits.

  "I'd keep your voice down, Mrs. Bell. Just in case Eva hears you," he said glancing in the direction of the parlor. He hoped Eva was feeling better. The last t
hing he wanted was her getting worked up again about that fool Arabin.

  Mrs. Bell waved a dismissive hand. "Aw shucks. Eva can handle a man like Jude any day. He's no match for her."

  "She looked upset," Aaron answered. "Did you hear what was said?"

  Mrs. Bell rolled her eyes and sighed. "Now, Aaron. You and I have known each other a long time, haven't we?"

  Aaron nodded. "We sure have."

  "And you know that the last thing I'd do is eavesdrop on a private conversation between my employer and another employee. Don't you?" she said. Her eyebrows rose and she gave Aaron a piercing look.

  Aaron knew what she was trying to tell him. She had indeed heard the conversation. Probably all of it, but she wasn't going to give him any of the details. No matter how hard he tried.

  "All I know is that Jude wasn't exactly being much of a gentleman," Aaron said.

  Mrs. Bell let out a grunt. "Gentleman? That man? There's no chance of that ever happening." Mrs. Bell laid her tea towel down on the table and took a step toward Aaron. "Now. When I think about gentlemen in these here parts, Mr. Stewart, I don't have to look too far from where I am right now in this kitchen," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

  Aaron shifted from side to side for a moment and cleared his throat. He didn't much like the look the housekeeper was giving him.

  "I don't know about that, Mrs. Bell," Aaron said defensively.

  "Aw, come on Aaron. You and I know that you've been sweet on Eva for a long time," she stated.

  Aaron felt his face color and the thought of getting hold of the tray and taking the tea and biscuits to Eva suddenly seemed like a great idea.

  "Me? Sweet on Eva? What on earth gave you that idea, Mrs. Bell."

  "There's not much that goes on around here that I don't know about," she answered.

  "I grant you that. We both know who really runs this ranch," he said trying to change the subject.

  "Don't you go trying to flatter me, Aaron Stewart," Mrs. Bell said with a smile. "I know what you're like. I've seen how you can charm with your sweet words," she said.

  Aaron smiled. "I didn't think you'd noticed," he said.

  "What I can't figure out is why you haven't used those charming words on Eva," she said.

  Aaron felt butterflies tumble in his stomach and it wasn't caused by hunger. He sighed and shook his head. "You know Eva. She's a law unto herself. Her and I have always had our difficulties."

  Mrs. Bell shook her head. "But those have always been over ranch affairs. I'm talking about other kinds of affairs. The ones of the heart," she said.

  Aaron ran a hand over his chin. The room was starting to feel small and just a little confining. "Let me take the tea to Eva," he offered.

  Mrs. Bell put her hands on her hips. "Are you trying to avoid something?"

  "What gave you that idea?"

  Mrs. Bell lifted the tray and handed it to Aaron. "You just think about what I said. You might not get another chance," she stated firmly.

  Aaron frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.

  Mrs. Bell's lips tightened. "I can't say nothing more about it. You just think on it. That's what I'm saying," she said.

  Aaron nodded. "Eva needs this," he said, looking at the tea cups.

  Mrs. Bell waved a hand. "Go on. Git," she ordered him.

  Aaron headed for the parlor and found Eva still seated on the sofa. She was looking pensive and worried. He put the tray down on the table in front of her. Eva forced a smile at him. Seeing her even trying to smile made him feel calmer. He didn't want to see her suffer, especially not on a day like today.

  Eva patted her hand softly on the sofa. "Here. Sit down next to me," she said.

  Aaron sat down, making sure he kept a respectful distance from Eva. She poured the tea and handed him a cup.

  "I'm sorry I didn't attend this morning," he said. "I figured it might not be the right thing to do. What with all the back and forth between me and your father over the years," he explained.

  Eva frowned. "I understand. I appreciate you coming to call. Even if you had to witness that...scene between me and Jude," she said.

  Aaron sighed. He didn't want to pry any further into that whole situation. But, he had the sense that there was more to it than met the eye. He took a sip of tea and glanced over the cup at Eva. She looked worn out. Her face was pale. The tears she'd been obviously shedding had left her eyes puffy and red.

  But she still looked pretty. Just darned pretty.

  He felt bad for her, and wished he'd come sooner. Maybe he could have helped her avoid that unpleasantness with her stupid foreman. When Aaron had seen how Jude had been treating Eva, it had taken every ounce of his strength to restrain the urge to put the man down. But, that would have made matters worse. Especially on a day when Eva had laid her father to rest.

  "He should consider himself lucky," Aaron said bluntly.

  Eva frowned. "What do you mean?"

  Aaron shook his head. "Nothing. Just that I don't like the way men like him treat women. I've had enough problems with ranch hands myself. I know what they can be like," he said.

  Eva put her cup down on the table. "I can look after myself," she said firmly.

  "Oh. I didn't mean that you couldn't," he said trying to backtrack. "It's just that it's hard for a woman to look after ranch hands on her own," he said.

  Eva's brows furrowed. "You don't think my father taught me how to handle men?"

  Aaron knew he'd stepped over the line. He'd seen that look in Eva's eyes before. "That's not what I meant," he said.

  "Really? Then what did you mean? You don't think I can look after this ranch on my own?"

  Aaron was puzzled at Eva's reaction. He asked himself what raw nerve he had touched. Why was she being so defensive?

  "I don't doubt for a moment that you can handle this place, Eva. If anyone can take on a place like this and make it prosper, it's you," he said.

  Eva's moist lower lip dropped open in surprise and her eyes widened. He saw moistness in those eyes and her features softened. The emotion she'd been holding back seemed to bubble up from inside her.

  Aaron was surprised at her reaction to his blunt statement. It was an assertion he believed completely. He'd always known that Eva was the toughest and most capable young woman in these parts. There was no doubting that fact. But, looking at her, right now, he saw a side to her that he'd never really seen before. Eva Gillespie's confidence and self assurance had been well and truly dented.

  "I'm sorry Eva. I spoke out of turn," he said.

  Eva shook her head. Her lips tightened into a thin line and she seemed to struggle to swallow. "No, you didn't Aaron. It's true what you say. The way I feel today, the last thing on my mind should be what I'm going to do to make sure my father's legacy is safe. Today is about my father. And nothing else," she said.

  Aaron felt the impulse to reach out and lay a reassuring hand in her arm, but he worried how she might interpret the meaning of such a gesture. "It's probably best you take a while to let things settle down."

  Eva frowned. "I can't do that," she said curtly.

  Aaron was taken aback by the bluntness of her tone. "What do you mean?" he asked.

  Eva shook her head. "Nothing."

  Aaron leaned in closer to Eva. She didn't move away from him, letting him lay a hand on the sofa next to her, not quite touching her. "Tell me, Eva. What's worrying you so much. It can't be just your father's passing. There's something else. I can tell," he said.

  Eva's eyes lifted to gaze at him. Her lips were tight. She was fighting to hold back words that he knew could at least give him a chance at understanding what she was going through. He wondered briefly why it was suddenly so important that he take her pain away, why it seemed like the most important thing in the world to him.

  "I can't tell you, Aaron. I mustn't," she murmured, turning her head away from him.

  Aaron felt his arm move and held it in check, hesitant about the wisdom of what he had almost done. But i
n the next moment his hand was stretching out, and it was touching her chin and he was turning her face back to him. Aaron felt her soft skin against his fingers. He saw that she was startled by the gesture, but she did nothing to make him remove his hand.

  "What is it, Eva? What's the matter?"

  Eva's eyes narrowed and she seemed to be examining Aaron, searching for an answer as to whether she could trust him, confide in him.

  "I don't know if I should tell you," she said.

  "Tell me what?"

  "It's so ridiculous. I can hardly believe it," she said turning away from him, loosening his touch on her face.

  "You and I have known each other a long time Eva. If you don't want to share anything with me, then I can understand," he said.

  Eva turned and looked at him, her eyes suddenly filled with a pleading expression. "Please don't misunderstand me, Aaron. It's not about you."

  "Then what's it about?"

  Eva sighed and lowered her gaze down to her tightly clasped fingers. After a moment's silence she seemed to finally make up her mind.

  Eva lifted her head and gazed at Aaron. There was a familiar determined look on her face. "It's about the ranch. And whether I'm actually going to be taking it over,"she said.

  Aaron frowned. "What do you mean?"

  Eva's brows furrowed. "My father's will was read to me today," she said. "It says I can inherit the ranch."

  "But that's good. Isn't it?"

  Eva shook her head with a short nervous twitch. "Not if I have to do what it says I have to do," she stated sharply.

  "What does it say?"

  Eva's eyes peered fixedly into Aaron's. He was momentarily taken aback by the sheer force of the way she looked at him. "It says that I have to marry to inherit the ranch," she said after a long pause.

  "What!"

  Aaron leaned back and sat bolt upright, frowning at Eva. She didn't move a muscle as she continued, speaking in a flat, monotonous tone. "And the man I have to marry is Jude Arabin," she said. Her head sank down and her shoulders sagged. It was as if the very life had been drained out of her with the saying of those words.

  Aaron felt his body jolt with shock and his hands suddenly felt cold. He was sure that his face must have turned pale. His throat tightened up and he couldn't even swallow.