The Widow of Rose Hill (The Women of Rose Hill Book 2), стр. 75

he who was being stubborn? She hadn’t refused his proposal for marriage. She simply didn’t want to leave Texas. But he couldn’t imagine living at Rose Hill, or even Langford Manor. Her roots might be in the rocky soil of Texas, but his were not. Besides, he didn’t relish trying to fill George Ellis’ shoes on the very land where he and Natalie had shared their lives. He could still see the sadness that had come to her eyes when she’d learned Levi may have had a hand in her husband’s death. It would be far better for them to start their life together in a new place, where neither had to deal with the ghosts of the past.

Rubbing his stiff neck, Levi glanced through the branchesof the shrub to the valley where the cattle grazed. Six men on horseback, Mexican sombreros on their heads, were positioned around the animals. Each man had a rifle across his lap and six-shooters strapped to their hips. He’d relay this information to Banks and his men so no one would be caught unprepared for the fight that could ensue once Lopez and his vaqueros realized they’d been found out.

Studying the cattle, Levi estimated there were nearly one hundred grazing there. Although he was no expert on the different breeds, it was obvious there were several mixed in this group. He recognized the famed Texas Longhorns by their enormous spread of horns. There were other animals that looked similar but with shorter horns. There were red and white Herefords, Black Angus, and even some white Brahmans with their oddly shaped humped back. They were all breeds that had been reported stolen, and though he wouldn’t be able to get close enough to check just now, he’d wager the animals in this herd bore the brands from those same ranches.

His fists clenched thinking how Lopez had Natalie so completely fooled with his fancy clothes and horse. It wouldn’t surprise Levi to learn the beautiful thoroughbred had been stolen as well. The man was smart, he had to admit. Paying a widow to lease her pastures in order to hide his criminal activity was brilliant. Rose Hill was miles from town, with no real neighbors, so no one was around to bear witness to the number of animals he moved through the area. Where they went after they left Rose Hill was a mystery, but more than likely, Lopez had the animals driven all the way to Kansas, where shipping cattle east by train was a growing industry. Putting him out of business would be a pleasure.

The sun soon disappeared. Levi was rising to leave when Lopez himself rode into view. He went directly to one of the cowboys, the man in charge, Levi guessed. He wasn’t close enough to hear their conversation, but the men seemed relaxed. Two of the other cowboys rode over, and, a moment later, their laughter echoed in the valley.

Just then Levi’s horse nickered. Though he’d tethered the animal some distance away in a copse of trees, the sound traveled on the still evening air. Levi froze when Lopez and his men looked in his direction. After a moment, Lopez said something to the men then nudged his mount and rode across the pasture to the base of the rise, not far from where Levi hid. The three other men trained their guns toward the brush.

Levi didn’t breathe. He didn’t blink. He sat completely still.

Lopez took a pistol from his holster, aimed, and fired up the hill. The bullet zinged past Levi. He didn’t flinch. Lopez fired the gun again, slightly to Levi’s left. The bullet ricocheted off a rock. Levi’s pulse raced, and he silently prayed his horse would stay quiet.

Squinting into the darkening landscape, Lopez waited another minute before he returned to his men. Levi remained utterly motionless until, finally, Lopez rode away. One cowboy went back to guarding the cattle while another worked to get a campfire started. Levi stayed where he was until the fading light offered him enough cover to get to his horse without being seen. He knew he should go straight to the army camp and gather the men he’d need to catch Lopez, but the strong desire to warn Natalie won him over. She deserved to know the kind of man Lopez was. As the owner of Rose Hill, she also needed to be aware that a company of soldiers would soon descend on her property.

Turning the horse toward the plantation, he kept the animal to a slow walk to avoid any unnecessary noise from its hooves that might travel through the night. When he finally arrived at the grand house, relief washed through him. Yellow lantern light glowed through at least one window. Though his news could have waited until tomorrow after he had Lopez in custody, the need to see her drove him forward. Dismounting, he mulled over what he would say to convince her that Lopez was not the man she thought him to be.

“Good evening, Colonel.” She stood in the open doorway.

Her use of his title reminded him they still had many things to work out between them. “I have some news.” He didn’t relish this conversation.

“Something’s wrong. I can see it on your face.”

“You’re correct.” He indicated the wicker sofa. “Let’s sit down, and I’ll tell you everything.”

She settled on the sofa. Levi opted to take the chair across from her.

“Please, Levi, tell me what this is about.”

Although happy to have her return to calling him by his name, he couldn’t smile. Not when he’d come to deliver such grave tidings. “You must understand, the things I am about to reveal mustn’t be repeated, to anyone. At least, not until we’ve made an arrest.”

“An arrest? Of whom? Corporal Banks told us Jezro had been captured and taken to Austin. Does this have something to do with him?”

“No.” Levi took a deep breath and plunged forward. “When the Army first arrived in Texas, we received numerous reports