The Lone Rancher - By Carol Finch Page 0,79

Marshal Hobbs than I care to recently,” Quin mumbled. “These two men can spend the night in the shack, nursing their wounds. Tomorrow is soon enough to haul them to town and press charges.”

An hour later, Quin had the captives bound and tied in the shack. When he exited to lock the door, Boston was waiting for him. The reins to her horse dangled from her fingertips.

“I suppose Butler and Company are fretting about where you are,” he remarked as they walked uphill to the house.

“No, I told them I’d be gone awhile and you would be assisting me in solving the mystery about the rustling.”

“Yeah?” He smiled wryly. “But Butler fusses over you. How long before he sends out a search party?”

Boston returned his grin. “I have a couple of hours to spare,” she assured him.

Quin took the reins and tethered both horses near the front door. The moment he shut the door behind them he scooped Boston off the floor and headed up the steps. She didn’t object when he took her to the master suite—and showed her how grateful he was for her help in capturing Ezra and Chester….

“Well? Did your evening adventure come to a satisfying conclusion, Addie K.?”

Adrianna glanced up the staircase in her home to see Butler looking as casual as she’d ever seen him. His white shirt hung outside his black breeches and he was in his stocking feet. She didn’t tell him that her evening had come to a fiery, explosive encounter in Cahill’s bed. That was intimate and private information she wasn’t about to share with anyone. Besides, Butler was referring to her attempt to track down the rustlers and arsonists.

“Yes, as a matter of fact,” she confided as she climbed the steps. “One of my cowhands and one of Cahill’s has been plotting against us and we intercepted a note with orders to set a fire at one of Cahill’s line shacks this week.”

“Did you haul the scoundrels to jail?” Butler asked hopefully.

“No, they are spending the night in Cahill’s smokehouse, awaiting transport to jail in the morning.”

“Good.” Butler breathed an audible sigh of relief, then sidestepped to let Adrianna pass. “Now that we have that settled and out of the way, the marshal can interrogate the perpetrators concerning their roles in the Phantom Springs murder…and Beatrice and I want to get married this weekend,” he said in the same breath.

Adrianna didn’t correct his assumption that she and Cahill had established a connection between the rustlers and the recent murder. She didn’t want to spoil his grand announcement.

“That’s wonderful!” she enthused. “I’ll plan a par—”

“No,” Butler cut in. “We prefer a private ceremony without fanfare to begin our new life together in Texas.”

“I’m giving you and Bea full use of this house,” she said generously.

His hazel eyes nearly popped out of his head. “That is too kind, Addie K. Besides, where will you and Elda live?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “I can build another house instead of restarting the new addition. As for Elda, she seems happy working for Cahill.”

He clutched her arm when she started past him. “Cahill hasn’t asked for your hand?”

“No, why should he? He doesn’t need mine since he has two hands of his own,” she teased.

Butler didn’t smile, just watched her intently. “Would you marry him if he asked?”

Adrianna didn’t want to have this discussion. It was bad enough that she’d fallen head over heels in love with Cahill. The prospect of admitting her feelings aloud to him terrified her. She suspected Cahill’s affection for her only lasted until they lay exhausted and content in bed.

“I don’t know, Hiram,” she said, then cast him a pointed glance. “Maybe in ten years. That seems to be the proper length of time for a courtship, don’t you think?”

While he grumbled at her sassy retort, she strode to her room. That should keep him quiet, she mused as she undressed. Furthermore, she didn’t have time to fret over the unrequited love she harbored for that silver-eyed rancher. They were in the midst of their private investigation to determine if his parents’ wagon wreck was or wasn’t a robbery turned disaster.

At least Cahill had included her in the search for the truth so she could spend more time with him. For now, it would be enough, she told herself before she fell asleep—with dreams of Quin’s incredible passion dancing in her head.

Bright and early the next morning Adrianna rode to 4C to accompany Cahill and their prisoners to town. “I can’t