Saturday's Chapter (a few hours early)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Problems. Always Problems.

By the time Nick returned to the big house, he was spent. He walked directly in the house, a bit discouraged the door was unlocked—again—and tossed his hat on the rack. He heard voices coming from the library.

"Is there a reason the front door is unlocked?" Nick demanded.

"Waiting for you," JR stated. "Dinner is ready."

"You go ahead and eat. I need to clean up first." He glanced at Heath, who was playing a game of chess with Margaret. "The men will sure be happy to get you back."

"Rough day?" Heath asked.

"The only ones I had an issue with was the crew workin' on the foreman's house. The others were at least tryin'." Nick sighed. "I caught the house crew sitting on the foundation playin' cards instead of workin', which is why I'm late. I wasn't about to leave those yahoos alone."

Heath smiled. "So what'd you get done?"

"We got all the framing done," Nick said. "And Harris got the lines run to the well for the plumbing and he got the septic tank installed. And nobody on that crew gets credit for the hour they were late tonight except Harris. That just makes up for the hour they were playin' cards instead of workin'." He eyed his brother. Heath had on his poker face—the one he used when he was in pain and pretending he wasn't. Nick frowned. "How're you doin'?"

"Just dandy."

"You look dandy." Nick shook his head. "I'm hittin' the tub." He left the room, stopping to lock the front door.

XXXXX

After dinner, Nick, Heath, JR, and Margaret retired to the library. The men had a drink.

"Thanks for stepping in today, Nick," JR said.

"You're welcome. Harris did good. I'm gonna have him work with Heath tomorrow on payroll paperwork—is that okay, Heath?"

"You mean instead of me being out on the ranch?"

Nick grinned. "Yep. That's what I mean."

"And who will watch Margaret?" Heath asked.

"She can stay with you and Harris." Heath had told Nick that Margaret wanted to learn more about running a ranch, but "Daddy" wouldn't allow it. So Nick saw this as a win-win.

Heath grinned and winked at Margaret. "Sounds good."

"And then we'll show him how to do inventory," Nick said. "You do everything else, right, JR?"

"Yes," JR answered.

"Then I think Harris should be good to go," Nick stated. "The men respect him and listen to him. He knows every job." He emptied his drink. "JR, can we give him a pay raise?"

JR considered. "I'll need to see where he is now. I think he's already at the top pay for a hand."

"If you want to hang onto him, I suggest giving him a dollar a day raise," Nick said firmly. "You can't afford to lose any more good hands."

JR nodded. "Okay. I'll make it effective this week."

"Heath, do y'think if we split that building crew up, they'd do better?" Nick asked, turning his attention to his brother. "I mean, they were fine as long as I was there yelling at 'em, but the moment I'd turn my back, they'd be lollygaggin' around again."

Heath shrugged. "They're the ones with building experience. But you're welcome to try whatever you want."

"Any suggestions for who to stick in there?"

"Let me think about it."

"I think Harris is the only one who knows anything about plumbing and sewage. I helped him a bit, but he did most of it." Nick shrugged. "I suppose I could have him work as a fifth member of the building crew and let him get some experience supervising that gang."

Heath nodded. "Why don't you do that?"

Nick poured himself another drink and remained standing. "What did the sheriff have to say?"

JR shrugged. "He took a report. I gave him descriptions and names of the men, and said he'd keep an eye out. Not much more they can do at this point."

After a minute or two of silence, Nick cleared his throat. "I think we should take Margaret back to Stockton. She'd be safer there."

JR cast a warning look at him, then said calmly, "Nick, would you mind taking Margaret in the other room? I'd like to speak to Heath privately."

Nick stared at him for a few moments, then shrugged. "Miss Margaret?" He held his arm out for her.

Margaret smiled at him and accepted his arm.

XXXXX

Once Nick and Margaret were gone, JR moved closer to Heath. "What do you think about that?"

"Taking Margaret to Stockton? I think it would be a great idea," Heath replied.

"There's only one way she's leavin' this house," JR stated. "And that's if she's either married or engaged with a near date set."

Heath's blue eyes turned dark. He glared at JR. "That's more important to you than her safety?"

"No, of course not. But it certainly wouldn't be proper to allow her to leave under other circumstances."

Heath's jaw jutted. "I care a great deal about your daughter," he said, his tone icy. "But I will not be manipulated into marrying her." he stood. "And I can't believe you'd sacrifice her safety to force a marriage." Heath stormed out of the room, slammed the door, and stomped through the foyer and up the stairs.

Nick looked up when the door slammed. He watched Heath pound up the stairs. He stood. "Why don't you go join your daddy?" he said softly to Margaret. "I think I need to talk to my little brother."

XXXXX

Heath paced the floor of his bedroom.

Nick knocked, then opened the door. "You okay?"

Heath glanced at him, but didn't stop pacing. "That son-of-a-bitch told me Margaret couldn't leave here unless she was married or engaged."

Or dead, Nick thought but didn't say. "Why don't you marry her?"

Heath swung around and approached Nick. "You want your teeth busted?"

"Not particularly." Nick shrugged. "I'm just askin' a question. You love her, don't you?"

"Of course I do! But I ain't lettin' nobody manipulate me into marryin' nobody!"

Nick nodded. "Have you considered what your stubbornness is doin' to Margaret?" He kept his tone calm and soft.

Heath raised an eyebrow. "What would you do, Nick? That man has pushed Margaret at me since that first day I saw her. He's made it clear he wants her to marry someone with money. He has given me every opportunity to take advantage of her—"

"You ain't, have you?"

"Of course not!" Heath went back to pacing. "But do you know how unfair that is to that girl? She's extremely naïve, Nick. Extremely. If JR pulled a stunt like that with somebody else, that girl would be with child and she wouldn't have a clue how she got that way." He shook his head. "And I almost think he wants that—he wants me to violate her—so I have to marry her."

Nick didn't say anything. He'd already had those same thoughts himself—and not just recently. He'd never met a man like JR before.

Heath growled. "You don't know what he's put that girl through. He has her totally isolated here. He don't let her make her own decisions about nothing. He won't let her read a book unless he approves it first!"

"Seriously?"

"It's ridiculous how he has her under his thumb." Heath kicked the chair. "And she's such a sweet girl. I mean, she's just really downright sweet. She don't deserve to be treated that way!" He shook his head. "That girl is so starved for affection she'd love anybody who treated her right." Heath blew out a breath. "Do you know she can't even let him know how smart she is? She can beat him at chess every game, but she'll find a way to lose without lookin' like it so she don't beat him twice in a row. She always has to make him look good."

Nick's brow furrowed. "Is she scared of him?"

"I don't think so," Heath said, a bit hesitantly. "I even asked her once if he hit her, and she said no."

Nick considered. "So what d'ya wanna do?"

"Marry her."

Nick stared at his brother. "Then why don't you?"

"Because then it looks like I'm just doin' it to make JR happy. And he'll win."

Nick grunted. "Yeah. That's the same reason you wouldn't fire those miscreants that got us into this mess. You didn't want to do it because I said it first." He continued to keep his voice calm. "That stubbornness of yours causes a lot of problems—problems we'd be a lot better off without."

"Don't you lay this on me! You're the one that put your nose where it didn't belong."

"And you're the one who didn't do what you should've done." Nick raised an eyebrow. "So, you gonna make another big mistake like that?"

"Get outta here, Nick. Get outta here before I punch you out!"

"It should be me knockin' some sense into you." Nick pointed at Heath's arm. "And you damn well better sit down and quit aggravatin' that arm."

"The only thing aggravatin' me is you."

"And JR and the whole rest of the world." Nick stood in front of Heath and shoved his chest out. Still, he kept his voice soft and low. "Why do you let other people keep you from makin' good decisions?"

Heath glared at him. "I don't want that asshole to think he's won."

"What about Margaret? Is she just a victim of your stubbornness and your pride?"

Heath dropped down into a chair and rubbed his head. He was quiet for a few long moments.

"But don't marry her unless you're sure you're marrying her for the right reasons," Nick finally said.

"That's why I want to take more time." Heath sighed. "But I might not have more time. I just feel like every minute we're here, the more likely those hooligans will get to her."

"He didn't say she had to be married. Just engaged."

Heath looked up and stared at Nick. "Can you imagine what that would do to her? To ask her to marry me and then change my mind? She'd be devastated."

Nick nodded. "So, do you love her, or do you just feel sorry for her?"

Heath glowered at Nick. "Of course I love her! How could anyone not love that girl?"

Nick smirked. "Oh, little brother, you do got it bad, don't you?"

"Why don't you get outta here and leave me alone for a while?" Heath asked, but his earlier anger had cooled.

Nick stood and patted Heath's back. "It will all work out."

"I hope so."

Nick opened the door.

"Tell Margaret to let me know when she wants to go to bed so I can guard her."

"I will," Nick promised.

"Thanks, big brother."

"You're welcome, little brother." Nick stopped in the doorway. "It will all work out."

XXXXX