Mail-order Bridegroom Part 17

"Behind the barn."

She ran flat out, skidding to a stop as she came around the corner of the

barn. Sprawled in the dust lay one of her more recent hard luck cases; ahuge, brawny youngster barely past his teens by the name of Orrie. Above him towered Hunter, his fists c.o.c.ked, his stance threatening. The rest of the employees stood in a loose circle around the two.

"Hunter!" she called, horrified that he'd actually fight one of her workers,especially one so young.He spared her a brief glance."Stay out of it, Leah," he warned."This doesn't concern you."Orrie scrambled to his feet, careful to keep clear of Hunter's reach."He fired me, Miz Hampton. He had no call to do that. You have to help me."Uncertain, she looked from Orrie to her husband. "What's this about?"Hunter's mouth tightened."You heard me, Leah. Stay out of it.""You have to do something, Miz Hampton," Orrie insisted, bolting to her side.

"You can't let him get away with it. He's trying to change things.""You must be mistaken. He promised to give everyone a fair shot," shehastened to rea.s.sure.

"Do your job and you stay." She searched the sea of faces for confirmation.

"That was the agreement, right?"

Bitterness filled Orrie's expression.

"Then he strung you along with his lies as well as the rest of us, 'cause he

fired me. And that ain't all!" The words were tumbling from him, as thoughhe feared being stopped. Forcibly."Lenny's gonna have to leave, too. And he's made Mateo give up the horses."She couldn't hide her disbelief."Hunter, you can't do that!""I can and I have." He motioned to the men."You have your orders.Get to it. " Without a word, they drifted away from the scene.Orrie stared at her with the saddest, most pathetic eyes she'd ever seen.

"You won't let him fire me, will you, Miz Hampton?"

"Her name is Pryde. Mrs Pryde," Hunter stated coldly. He snagged his hat from the dirt and slapped the dust from the brim.

"And she has no say in this. You have your wages, which is more than youdeserve.Pick up your bedroll and clear out. " He started toward them."Now."Orrie hesitated, s.h.i.+fting so that Leah stood between him and trouble.

"Miz Hampton... Pryde?"She switched her attention from her employee to Hunter. "Perhaps if Iunderstood the reason?" she suggested, hoping he'd take the hint and explainhimself.

Instead he folded his arms across his chest.

"There's nothing to understand. This is between me and the boy. I suggestyou go to the house."She stared in shock."What?""You heard me. You're interfering. So, say goodbye to your friend here and get up to the house. Believe me. I'll be right behind."

It sounded more like a threat than a promise. For a long minute she stoodglaring at him, too furious to speak and too uncertain of the possibleconsequences to stand her ground. With a m.u.f.fled exclamation, she turned andwalked away, knowing that her cheeks burned with outrage. She could onlypray that none of her other employees had been close enough to witness theirbattle of wills.

Especially when she'd been so thoroughly defeated."Miz Hampton," Orrie cried, d.o.g.g.i.ng her retreat."Please. You gotta do something."She paused, glancing at him apologetically."It's out of my hands,"she admitted, risking a quick nervous look over her shoulder."That's it? You're going to let him fire me? You're going to give in to that... that half-breed?"

She pulled away in distaste.

"Don't ever use that expression around me."

He'd made a mistake, and apparently knew it. He hastened to correct the

situation."I... I didn't mean to say that," he apologized."You gotta understand. I'm desperate. I have nowhere else to go."It took all her willpower to resist his pleas."I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do," she said, and continued walking.She didn't turn around again. Once at the house, she stormed into the study and stood helplessly by the window, watching Orrie's departure.

Hunter watched too, remaining dead center in the middle of the drive while the youngster packed his things into Patrick's pick-up and finally left.

Then Hunter turned and faced the house, grim intent marking every line of his body.

Leah didn't even realize that she'd backed from the window until she found

herself up against her father'-s desk. Not taking time to a.n.a.lyze her reasons, she put the width

M.

of the oak tabletop between her and the study door. A minute later it crashed open.

Hunter strode in, slamming the door behind him so hard that it rocked on its hinges.

"You and I," he announced in a furious voice, 'have a small matter to set straight. "

CHAPTER SEVEN.

'you're angry," she said, stating the obvious... stating the very obvious.He started across the room."Good guess.""Well, I'm angry too." She swallowed hard."I suggest we discuss this."He kept coming."Calmly."He knocked a mahogany hat rack from his path."Rationally."He stalked around the desk."Like two civilized adults." She retreated, using her father's swivel chair as a s.h.i.+eld.

"Okay?"

In response, he kicked me chair out of the way and trapped her against the

wall.

"That's a yes, right?" she said with a gasp.

A muscle jerked in his cheek and he made a small growling sound low in his

throat that told her more clearly than anything else just how furious he was.

It took every ounce of willpower not to panic and bolt from the room. He

grabbed her wrist in one hand and yanked.

Bending low, he clipped her across the hips and tossed her over his shoulder.

"Hunter No, don't!" she had time to shriek, before her entire world turnedupside-down. He clamped an arm around her legs just above the knees, effectively immobilizing her. "We're going to discuss this all right. But not here where everyone and her grandmother can listen in," he announced.

"Put me down!" She planted her palms in the middle of his back and attempted to wiggle free. Not that it did any good. His grip was as strong as a steel band.

"We could continue this conversation at the line-shack, if you'd prefer." He shrugged his shoulders, bouncing her like a sack of potatoes. The breath whooshed from her lungs and she stopped bucking.

"No! Why not here? The study is an excellent place for a discussion.

You start discussing and you'll see how good a place it is. "

"I say it's not."

He'd reached the door and Leah began to panic seriously. "Hunter, please.

Put me down."

He ignored her, stepping into the hallway. Heading for the entrance, he tipped his hat and said,

"Afternoon, Rose. Glad you could drop in.Or should I say eavesdrop in? My bride and I are going for a little drive. ""You don't say." Rose folded her arms across her chest. "You're going to have trouble driving like that."

"It's amazing the things you can accomplish when you set your mind to it.

Don't wait dinner for us." With that, he left the house. Beside hispick-up, he dropped Leah to her feet, and held the truck door open."Your choice. You can get in under your own steam, or I can help you."She planted her hands on her hips."I am perfectly capable of getting into a truck all on my own, thank you very much."

"Wrong answer." The next thing she knew, he'd scooped her up and dumped heron the pa.s.senger seat. Slamming the door closed, he leaned in the window."This conversation may take longer than I thought. Stay here."

Before she could say a single word, he'd started off toward the barn.

He returned several minutes later, carrying two fis.h.i.+ng poles and atackle-box. She stared at the rods in disbelief."What's all that for?" she questioned, the second he climbed into the cab."Fis.h.i.+ng.""I know that!" Loath as she was to mention the fact, she forced herself to remind him,

"I meant... I thought we were going to have a discussion." She gave him ahopeful smile. "But if you'd rather fish...""Believe me," he said, shooting her a sharp look, 'we'll have that talk.

Consider the drive to our. discussion site as a short reprieve. "She struggled to hide her disappointment."And the poles?""My reward for not killing you." He gunned the engine. "If you were smart, you'd stay real quiet and hope it takes a long time to get there."

"But--' " Not another word! " His words exploded with a fury that left herin no doubt as to how tenuous a hold he had on his temper."Woman, you are inches away from disaster. I guarantee, you don't want to push me any further."

Taking his suggestion to heart, she didn't open her mouth the entire length of the ride. She soon realized what destination he had in mind.

The rough dirt track that he turned on to led to a small, secluded lake in

the far western section of the ranch. It had been one of their favorite meeting-spots eight years ago. It was also about as far from curious eyesand ears as they could get. As much as she dreaded the coming confrontation,she appreciated his determination to keep it as private as possible.

"Hunter," she began as they neared the lake.

"Not yet," he bit out.

"I'm still not calm enough to deal with you."

Pulling the truck to a stop at the end of the track, he climbed from the caband gathered up the poles, tackle-box and a plastic bucket.

"Let's go," he called over his shoulder.

Reluctantly Leah left the truck, and rummaged in the back for something tosit on. If they were going to stay a while and she suspected that they wereshe intended to be comfortable. Spreading the colorful Mexican blanket inthe gra.s.s at the edge of the sh.o.r.e, she removed her boots and socks androlled her jeans to her knees.

Sticking her feet into the cool water, she asked, "Are we going to talk first or fish?"

He spared her a brief glance.

"Both. You want a rod?"

"Might as well," she muttered.

She searched the surrounding ben nuda gra.s.s until she found a good-sizedcricket. Carrying it back to the blanket, she knelt beside her pole, closedher eyes, and stuck the insect on the end of the hook. Ready to catch acatfish or two, she cast toward the middle of the lake. A bright yellow andred bobber marked her spot and she settled back on the blanket, wis.h.i.+ng shecould truly relax and enjoy a lazy afternoon of fis.h.i.+ng. But she was all too aware of their coming 'discussion'.

Hunter attached his spinner bait to his line and cast into a marshy,partially shaded section of water known to attract ba.s.s.

"I've told you before, you can't bait a hook without looking," he informedher in a taut voice.