Chapter Nine

"He did what?" Maggie stared at Heath as the two of them sat on a picnic cloth and ate the food she'd prepared for lunch. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "If they'd seen him, they would have killed him! What was he thinking?"

Heath couldn't help but start laughing. While Nick did use his brains at times, others times Heath was sure the word 'think' and the name 'Nick' did not go in the same sentence. Though, Heath could see why Nick had taken the risk he had. "He had to know if Tyrell was alone." Heath said as he finished the piece of chicken he'd been eating. "We had to know what he was up to." Heath scooted in a diagonal line and sat next to Maggie, who was now resting against the tall Pine tree they had laid the blanket under.

"Was he?" Maggie was pretty sure she already knew the answer; still she knew she could be wrong.

Heath wrapped his arm around Maggie and gazed over the land the Barkleys had been given. It lay on the east side of the original ranch. The pine tree he and Maggie were leaning against wasn't the only tree on the land. "No," he answered as he turned and looked at Maggie again, "Paul was with him plus a number of other men. Nick didn't hear everything as he wasn't close enough and they kept moving around. If he could have gotten closer he would have, only he couldn't. I mean, he was under the window seal as it was. If he had gotten any closer, he'd have had to climb through the window. If he'd done that, they would have known of his presence. Even for Nick, he'd have been outnumbered."

Having enough of what she felt was a depressing subject, Maggie started tickling Heath, who started laughing as he began to dish it back out. Their laughter filled the air, especially as Maggie jumped to her feet and began "running". Naturally, Heath was on his feet in no time flat and chasing her.

Maggie ran around one tree after another as Heath did same. By the time he caught Marissa and pushed her gently up against the tree, they were both about out of breath. "You're something else, Miss Margaret Hamilton." Heath whispered as he leaned his head forward, covered her mouth and slid in his tongue. Maggie's only reply was to run her arms up his back and clasped onto his shoulders. If she could have, Maggie would have frozen time right then and there. As it was, Heath, who felt himself getting too close to 'that' edge, pulled away keeping his eyes on Maggie as he did so.

As much as he wanted to continue pushing the thought of Paul and Tyrell out of his mind, Heath couldn't, not after what Nick had told him. "Maggie, Nick heard enough to know that because you live here alone you're in danger. Your one cousin, Tyrell, isn't past hurting you," he said as he ran his fingers down the side of her face, "maybe even killing you. I don't want that to happen."
Maggie didn't want that either, only she didn't know what to do about it. Without any parents or siblings, it wasn't like she had someplace else to go until the trouble was over. Oh sure, she knew the Barkleys would take her in if she asked; only Maggie was sure that wasn't wise, not with the way things were developing between Heath and her. Heath must have read her mind as he shocked her with his next words. "If we got married, Maggie, there'd be nothing from keeping me from being in the same house with you." He wasn't about to tell her he'd overheard Nick and his mother talking, and that his brother had actually been the one to mention the option of marriage. Naturally, the two had agreed it wasn't their place to push such a thing, only thing was, Heath had already been thinking about 'that' very subject.

"Marry you?" Maggie fought to keep her heart in place, as it was jumping all over the place. She wanted to marry Heath, but if he was only doing it to protect her; if he didn't love her enough, it wouldn't work.

"Yes," Heath smiled, the love he felt for her shown in his eyes and reached out and grabbed her. "I love you. I can't stand the thought of Paul or Tyrell hurtin' you, if there's any way I can stop it. Marry me." He went to kiss her, only to get the shock of his life when a bullet whizzed over Maggie's head. He grabbed Maggie and pulled her behind the tree; thank goodness there were other trees around them or Heath doubted they'd be safe.

Maggie and Heath scanned the scenery before their eyes trying to see where the shot had come from. When the shooter took another shot, Heath, who had pulled his pistol out as he dived behind the tree and had finally spotted the man, pulled his own trigger. Both Heath and Maggie were relieved to see the shooter stiffen and roll down a nearby hill. Only when they were absolutely sure no one else was around did Maggie and Heath venture to investigate.

"Do you know him?" Heath looked up and asked after kneeling down and rolling the shooter over onto his back.

Maggie, whose face was a bit pale, nodded. "He used to run around with Tyrell, only Heath, he and my cousin had a fight a couple of years ago. They haven't spoken since."

Heath stood up, more than a bit disgusted and said, "I'd say they mended their fences, though I doubt your cousin will ever admit that one." He then pulled Maggie close. "Marry me; only please let me talk to my family about us living at the main house for awhile. I don't want you here alone while I'm working, especially after this. It might have to be a quick, small wedding only I promise…we'll have a much bigger one once this is all over."

Maggie nodded as she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. "Okay." After a few minutes, Heath stepped away from Maggie and began dealing with the task of getting the dead man onto Heath's horse. Afterwards, he and Maggie rode her horse to the main house where they told Nick and the rest of the family what had happened… along with the fact Maggie had accepted his proposal.

I think it's best if you and I take the dead man to Fred. If he wants to talk to Maggie, Fred can come out here." Nick looked at his brother and future sister in law with a look that said 'don't argue with me, please'. They didn't.