CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Home and Going Home

Clean and refreshed, Nick went into his bedroom. Isabella met him with a kiss.

"Mmm," Nick said, "I sure am glad to be home."

"Did you survive your chat with your mother?" Isabella smirked.

"You mean the interrogation?" Nick scowled. He met her eyes, and his features relaxed. "I really am sorry for yelling at you and slamming the door."

"I figured that's what your mother wanted to talk to you about."

Nick shook his head. "Nope. She hasn't gotten around to that yet, although I'm sure it will come."

"She didn't seem upset until that telegram came. Then she kept saying, 'Wait until I get my hands on your husband.'"

Nick rolled his eyes. "I don't know why she thought I was keeping things from her."

"What did she think you were keeping from her?"

"She was furious I didn't tell her about Heath getting shot—"

"Heath got shot?!" Isabella stared at Nick.

"He's fine. Just took some skin off his arm." Nick frowned. "And then Heath asked if October twentieth was okay for the wed—"

"Heath and Margaret are getting married?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell all of us that when you first got home?"

"Because I needed to get to work, and I had other things on my mind, okay?" Nick sat down on the bed. "Anyway, enough about Mother." He shook his head to clear it. "Let's talk about you. I missed you." He took her hand and pulled her close to him.

"Thank you for the chocolates. Did you really think of that all by yourself?"

"Yes, I really did. Audra didn't say anything until I told her I wanted to go to the confectionary, and then she started acting all weird, and I pulled it out of her that you'd said that to her." Nick jumped up. "Oh!" He opened a drawer, pulled out the wrapped boxes, and offered them to Isabella. "Open your presents."

Isabella looked at the wrapped gifts, a slight smile forming on her lips. "How much trouble did you get into while you were gone?"

Nick shook his hands in the air. "All I tried to do was take care of Heath and Margaret, and get Harris trained to take over as foreman, and chase away some spiteful hands that wanna kill Heath and abuse Margaret, and tell JR off for trying to manipulate Heath into marrying Margaret, and keep Heath from losing his blasted arm, and stop Heath from messing up his relationship with Margaret because of his stubborn pride. That's all! In just two days! I didn't have time to get in trouble."

Isabella kissed his forehead. "I'm just teasing you, Nick."

Nick released a sigh. "I know you are. Sorry. I'm still tense from talking to Mother." He pulled her close to him and kissed her. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too. And I know how to get rid of your tenseness."

"You do, huh?"

Isabella grinned. "Yes, I do."

"You better open those presents before Mother is up here yelling at us to get to dinner."

Isabella chuckled. She opened the bracelet first. "Oh, Nick," she whispered. "It's beautiful." She held it next to her ring. "They match!"

"Of course they do."

"Thank you, Nick. I love it." She put it on, but it drooped on her tiny wrist and fell off when she raised her elbow.

"I'll take a couple of links off the chain," Nick stated. "Later."

"Thank you." She placed the bracelet back in the box. Watching Nick, she picked up the second package and unwrapped it. Her breath caught. "Oh, Nick." Tears formed in her eyes. "It's so gorgeous."

"It's for a gorgeous lady." He leaned over her with her back against him and his arms around her, and took an end of the necklace in each hand. He breathed hot breaths on her neck until she shivered, then planted kisses around her neck as he slowly put the necklace on her. He continued with the kisses until he reached her ear, and then he nibbled.

Isabella melted into him. "Do we have to go to dinner?" she whispered.

Nick grinned. "Where are the boys?"

"With Audra."

Nick stood. He went to his desk, got a piece of paper, and wrote "KEEP OUT" in large letters. Then he opened his bedroom door and stuck the sign over the nail he'd put there many years ago for just that purpose. With a smile, he reentered the room, locked the door, then moved the chest of drawers in front of it.

He turned to Isabella. "I can't wait until we have our own house."

"We might have to take Audra with us."

"Yeah. Maybe I better get her a gift."

Isabella giggled. "I'm just glad you're home, Nick. I really did miss you."

"Yeah? Let me show you how much I missed you." Nick drew her into his arms. "And you can get rid of my tenseness." He grinned at her. "All of it."

"My pleasure, my husband. My pleasure."

XXXXX

Heath wished he'd brought a book to read while Margaret bathed. A sound from the hallway caught his attention. He listened. The floorboard squeaked again. Someone was out there.

He drew his gun and threw open the bedroom door.

Jarrod stood in the door frame. He raised an eyebrow at Heath.

"Sorry." Heath holstered his revolver. "Come in."

Jarrod stepped inside the room. "You alone?"

"Yes. Margaret's in the tub."

Jarrod handed Heath a wrapped parcel. "The books you asked me to pick up."

"Books?"

"I got one for you, too."

Heath opened the package. Two books were inside. The first was A Wife's Guide to Marriage from Honeymoon to Happy Ever After. The second was A Husband's Guide to Marriage from Honeymoon to Happy Ever After.

"Thank you," Heath said, his cheeks crimson. "What do I owe you?"

"Consider it a contribution to your marriage."

"Did you . . . ?"

"Yes, I looked through both. They are frank and graphic, but not obscene. At least, I didn't think they were. I thought they made a lot of sense. Being open, honest, respectful, and loving with each other are the main themes. The first few chapters go into great detail about the wedding night and recommend going very slowly while repeating both your public wedding vows and additional private vows—they offer suggestions, but you can make up your own—which you recite as you slowly undress each other." Jarrod shrugged. "It just gives you a script to follow to take away some of the awkwardness of that first time."

Heath's face burned. "Thank you." He hoped Jarrod would leave. Immediately. He kept his eyes on the floor.

Jarrod chuckled. "Okay, then. I'll leave you to your thoughts." He turned to go, then swung back around. "I'll go out with the men tomorrow, but I assume you want Harris to come here?"

"Half a day. Whichever half works for you."

"Okay." Jarrod smiled. "I would definitely say we had a productive day in Sacramento, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," Heath agreed. "It was a productive day in Sacramento."

XXXXX

Thursday evening, the men—and Margaret—gathered in the library of the big house.

"Margaret, you don't need to be here," JR stated.

"She needs to be where I can keep her safe," Heath said firmly.

JR shrugged. "We men need to make some decisions, so you just sit over there and be quiet. We don't need any distractions." He motioned towards the chair in the corner.

Margaret obeyed without question.

Heath glanced at Jarrod, who raised an eyebrow.

JR poured the men a drink, which they each took, and then offered cigars. Heath refused, but Jarrod accepted one. Finally, JR sat. "Do you still think Margaret will be safer at the Barkley Ranch?"

"Yes," Heath answered. "First, Sweeny and his friends won't know where she is. Second, we have a lot more people around, and third, the hands are trustworthy and loyal."

Jarrod nodded in agreement.

"When do you want to go?"

"As soon as possible," Heath stated.

"Do you think Harris can take over as foreman?"

Heath raised an eyebrow. "Did you know he was a foreman at Krueger's Ranch before he came here?"

JR considered. "Now that you mention it, I do recall that. I'd forgotten, though." He looked at Heath. "And he's been here how long?"

"Six years."

"How did he do with the paperwork?"

"He already knew how to do it all," Heath replied. "He did fine."

JR nodded. "That's good to hear." He took a drink. "The only problem I can see is if Sam decides to come back here."

"Can you make Harris acting foreman until you know what Sam wants to do?" Jarrod asked.

"Yes," JR said. "When do you plan on leaving?"

"Me and Jarrod can go whenever you're ready for us to leave," Heath stated, "but it's really up to Margaret. I'm sure she's got some packing to do."

"Margaret will do what I tell her to do when I tell her to do it." JR took a draw from his cigar, leaned back, and slowly released the smoke.

Jarrod and Heath exchanged another quick glance. The girl wouldn't know what freedom was until she got to Stockton.

"Even though we will be taking the train and, hopefully, no one will know we're on that train," Heath said, "I'd feel better if Jarrod traveled with us."

"As would I," Jarrod agreed.

"So?" JR prompted.

Heath stood and walked to Margaret. "Can you be ready by Saturday morning?"

"Sure." She smiled, her face lighting up. "Thank you for asking."

Heath turned to face JR. "Saturday morning it is."

"So, what do we do tomorrow?" Jarrod asked.

"Do you mind keeping an eye on the men?" Heath asked Jarrod. "Make sure they keep making progress on that foreman's house?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Heath turned to JR. "I'm sorry. That should be your decision."

"Sounds like a good decision to me," JR stated. "Margaret!"

"Yes, Daddy?"

"Pack what you'll need for a few weeks."

"Yes, Daddy."

"You can go on up and get started."

Heath stood and set his whiskey glass down. "I'll go with her."

JR nodded and looked at Jarrod. "He's going to spoil that girl."

Jarrod refilled his scotch. "Someone needs to."

XXXXX