that situation can be rectified. Reverend, my husband and I want to confirm our vows. Can you do that for us?"
Hale shouted in fury, and while confusion reigned, his surly companions moved in for the kill. The one closest to Tyler raised his gun, but it went flying out of his hand before he could pull the trigger. He screamed with pain and grabbed his wrist.
Tyler aimed at the other two thieves and their gun belts went skittering into the dust as their horses reared. Fighting to keep their seats, they had no time and little thought for retrieving their weapons.
Returning his smoking gun to its original position on his saddle horn, Tyler turned an unpleasant smile back to the lawyer. "You were saying, Mr. Hale?"
While the Hardings closed in on the would-be assailants, keeping them from retrieving their weapons, Hale turned his rage to the sheriff.
"You can't let him do this! He's keeping an innocent young girl from her home and family. All he wants is Miss Howell's money!"
The name Howell instantly swung the attention of both Hardings to the couple on the horse. "Howell?" they echoed each other.
Evie smiled at them a trifle shyly. "Evangeline Peyton Howell. I was afraid of being murdered in my sleep if I gave my full name."
"Evangeline..." Jason choked on the name and turned a glare to Hale. "Howell?" The word was more demand than question.
Hale swallowed nervously. "I only just found out. She's been leading me a merry chase."
"And that's why you brought the good reverend out here? To end the chase?" The elder of the Hardings was wound up now. He inched his horse closer to the quivering lawyer. "You were going to use us to make her marry you? Just when did you mean to tell us who she was? After the wedding? When you owned half our ranch?"
Kyle grabbed the terrified lawyer's collar and lifted him bodily from the saddle. He silenced Hale's screech of terror with a shake. "What'll we do with him, big brother?"
"Put him down, Kyle," Tyler called wearily. "We'll need him to straighten out the god-awful mess he's created. Evie and I don't want your damned ranch. We just want to get back to the kids."
Peyton spurred his horse up next to Powell's. "My daughter is in need of a legal husband, Sheriff. I suggest we get the lot of them back to town and see that she has one before the day is out. Comprende?"
Having spent a long sleepless night himself, the sheriff was only too willing to turn his horse back to town. He only glanced to Evie for assurance.
"Are the children all right?" she inquired, seemingly unfazed by the snarling men surrounding her.
"If you call blowing up half the damned town all right, sure." The sheriff swung his horse around and started home.
Tyler watched with a frown as the thieves made a hasty departure in the opposite direction. They would have to round up those three one of these days, but it didn't have to be now. Squeezing the arms wrapped around his waist, he set off after the shouting, squabbling men in front of them.
* * *
"I'd be a damned sight better husband for her than you are, Monteigne," Kyle grumbled as he straightened his tie with the use of the mirror over the bar.
"Yeah, and then you'd own three-quarters of the ranch and would probably try to drive me out." Jason spread his long legs across the barroom floor and examined his boot toes. "At least Monteigne won't stay put long enough to cause me any trouble."
"I don't want your damned ranch," Tyler repeated wearily, for the thousandth time this day. "Right now I've got half a saloon, half a damned livery, and half a wife. I don't need half a ranch, too."
The Hardings ignored him. "It would be good to have a woman around the house again," Kyle said. "The place is beginning to look like a derelict barn."
"And we still need a schoolteacher. Monteigne will most likely cart her out of here before the dust settles." Jason bent to polish a speck of dirt on his boots.
Sighing, Tyler slammed a deck of cards on the bar. "All right. High card wins Evie. And the kids. And her father. And Daniel. And hell, why not half the saloon and Starr and the damned livery? I'll just shuck the whole damned place off my heels if I lose."
Kyle stared at him in horror. "The kids? You mean those hellions come