Page 23 of Cade’s Quest (The McIntyres #1)

Chapter Nineteen

B efore the last hoofbeat faded, Rain, Summer, and Abigail stepped up from the side where they’d been waiting. No one else remained.

Cade inhaled, filling his lungs with the morning air that carried a hint of fall.

He was alive.

“There you are.” Even as he tried desperately to hold on to the last glimpse of Jess, the image was already fading. His head began spinning again and he bent over.

“Lean on us,” Summer said, taking one side while Rain took the other. “Wasn’t it food for our souls to finally see Jess?”

“Except I couldn’t make him stay,” Cade said sadly. He glanced at the medallion he still clutched that carried the family motto. Through Hardship or Difficulty. That described the last month or so. He slipped the treasured token into his pocket.

Summer squeezed his arm. “Everything broke loose at once and it was pure chaos. Old Barnabus at the telegraph office brought word that George and his sons escaped Eagle Flat’s jail and burned it to the ground.”

Rain smiled up at him, her eyes still swollen from crying. “Then a shot rang out and Jones fell off the horse. Dead. We don’t have to worry about him anymore. Whoever fired the shot did the world a favor. The second he hit the ground, his men rushed forward and carried him off.”

“You’re free. We both are.” He wished this fog in his head would lift so he could think clearer. Thoughts refused to stay in his head. Still, he wanted to tell Rain how much she’d come to mean to him. He loved her and it was the forever kind like his parents had.

Abigail, who was on the other side of Rain, took up the story.

“When Jones saw the Texas Rangers galloping into town with your brother, Jess, leading them, he slapped your horse. While Jess cut you down, the Rangers rounded up the remaining armed gunmen and locked them in the jail. Doc treated Maxwell for his beating and he’s back in his rightful place.

The town is restored.” The pretty newspaper lady sighed happily.

“There’s enough news to fill ten newspapers. ”

“I’ll say,” Cade said weakly. “I’m glad Jones got his just desserts.”

“Bear’s been asking for you,” Rain said. “He’s much better but he’s still at the doctor’s.”

“That’s good news.”

They stepped up onto the boardwalk as Sheriff Maxwell came toward them, his head heavily bandaged and both eyes black. The old friend was leaning on a cane.

“I’m glad you’re all right,” Maxwell said, regret in his eyes. “I’m sorry I was no help, son. I tried though.”

“There’s no need to say more. You did the best you could.” Cade shook hands with him. “Glad we both lived to fight another day.”

“I’m not proud I let Jones take over the town.”

“I’m not proud of getting hung either but we persevered and are still standing.” Cade eyed a bench nearby. “I think I’m going to have to sit down for a minute.”

“Go rest. I have some things to do.” Maxwell turned toward the jail and disappeared inside.

The women helped him to the bench, and he put his head in his hands.

Summer cleared her throat. “I need to speak to the doctor and Abigail has promised to show me around the newspaper office so we’re off to do that. Just sit there and rest, Cade.”

The two women strolled down the street.

“It’s no wonder you have to sit after all you’ve been through.” Rain sat beside him, glancing at him shyly. “We have much to talk about.”

How he loved her. He reached for her hand. “You first. What do you want to say? Just speak your mind.”

“When I watched you during your ordeal, I knew I wouldn’t be able to go on without your steadfast caring and encouragement.” She moistened her lips. “What I’m trying to say is I want to stay with you. I don’t want to lose this thing we found.”

“My darling Rain, that means so much. I had hoped you’d stay.

” Cade glanced up at the blue sky and decided to just say what was in his heart.

“When I thought my life was over, one thing became crystal clear. I love you. For now and always.” He dropped to one knee and took her hand. “Will you be my wife?”

She studied him a long moment before she smiled. “Yes, I accept.”

“For a second, I thought you were going to tell me to get lost. Gave me a fright.” He sat back on the bench.

She laid her head on his shoulder. “I only hesitated to see if you really meant it and that it was not brought on by your ordeal.”

“I meant it with all the fiber of my being.” He kissed her fingers. “Beautiful lady, I’ve never meant anything more.”

There in broad daylight before noon, Cade kissed the only woman who filled the empty places inside him. Long days of loneliness would be over. He crushed her to him and deepened the kiss.

When the kiss ended, he stood, pulling her up. “Let’s go find my sister and Miss Abigail. I’m itching to tell someone.”

The newspaper office was right on their way to the doctor. With his hand resting lightly on the small of Rain’s back, they went inside. The two women were bending over some papers.

Cade cleared his throat. “I have an announcement.”

Both women raised and Summer spoke. “What’s that?”

“We’re getting married,” Rain clasped her hands.

“Oh my goodness! Congratulations!” Grinning wide, Summer gave them both a big hug. “I’m so happy for you. But I suspected Cade wanted to ask you. That’s why we disappeared.”

Abigail followed suit then stood back with hands clasped over her heart. “You are both such amazing people and I can’t wait to see this wonderful journey on which you’re embarking. Your stories have inspired me so much I’m going to write a book about your struggles.”

“Thank you both. I don’t know about inspiring anyone but if I did, that’s good, Miss Abigail.

” Cade couldn’t take his eyes from Rain.

His beautiful Rain. At last, he turned to Summer.

“I hope you don’t have to go back to Eagle Flat.

I can use your help fixing up the house.

And it would mean a lot to me to have you close. We have four years to make up for.”

“I came intending to stay so I’m happy it turned out,” she answered. “Dan will follow as soon as they find a sheriff there. He’s already been offered a place here. Maxwell’s retiring.”

“Excellent. How soon can you start work on the house?” Cade was ready to start hammering nails right then even though thoughts of Jess and the questions their conversation had raised still lingered.

Maxwell had to know more than he was saying—a lot more but pinning the old lawman down would take some doing.

Summer sighed contentedly. “Is next week soon enough? You’ve been through a lot.”

“I’d go out there now if I had the materials so don’t worry about me, Sis.”

“Slow down. You can’t do everything right now. You must rest,” Rain objected, putting an arm around him. “And we have to see about Bear. I told him you’d come back today.”

Cade nodded. “The boy needs reassurance that I’m not going anywhere.”

As they stepped outside to continue on to Doc Blanchard’s, some folks came down the boardwalk and he recognized the four elderly men he’d eaten with the first time he’d set foot inside the Dancing Goat.

“Congratulations, McIntyre,” said the man with the long beard. “It’s nice to be alive, isn’t it?”

“Sure is.” Cade shook their hands.

“We knew from the start you weren’t no bad seed,” said another. “We talked about it and decided this Jones guy needed to be run out of town.”

More townsfolk turned out, all wishing him well.

Todd Jameson came from the mercantile. “Glad everything worked out.”

“Thank you for what you tried to do, Mr. Jameson.” Cade shook his hand.

“I should’ve saved my breath though for all the good it did.” Jameson handed him a new Stetson. “Heard you’re getting married and figured this is a good time to give you this.”

“Are you a mouse in my pocket? I only just proposed so how did you know?”

“It’s a small town. Remember? News travels like wildfire.” Jameson laughed. “Try it on.”

“Yes, sir.” Cade put the hat on. “Perfect fit. Thank you very much.”

Less than an hour ago, he was a doomed man with no future and now it was shining like a brand new saddle. He tightened his hold on Rain. Oh, how he loved this woman who’d stolen into his life one dark night.

He placed a finger under her chin to raise it and very tenderly kissed her.

Bear was asleep when Cade and Rain entered the room. The sound woke him. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Sir!” Then he said something in Comanche to Rain.

“He said he’s happy to see you,” she translated, smoothing back the kid’s hair.

“Why is he calling me sir?” Cade asked.

“Bear finds English hard and can’t say your name yet. Still, he needs to call you something, so I suggested sir. That’s easy enough to say.” Rain met his gaze. “Do you mind?”

“Nope. You’ll get no objection from me. I’ll be sir for as long as I need to be. Tell him I’m glad he’s happy. We’ll go home in the morning. He should stay one more night here.” Cade rubbed his heart and gave Bear a smile. If the kid only knew how miraculous it was for him to be there.

Rain relayed the message to the kid, kissing him. She sat down beside Cade. “You don’t fool me. It’s you who doesn’t have the strength to make it home today.”

“Keep my secret.” He winked and reached for her hand. “We’ll get a room at the hotel.”

“Get the room for yourself. I’ll stay here with Bear, so he won’t be afraid. We can both fit on his bed and the doctor told me it’s okay.”

“Probably best.”

Bear watched them curiously. “Home.”

Rain explained in the language he could understand. He sighed and lay back down, clearly disappointed.

The doctor entered and stopped. “McIntyre, I should check you out. How’s the throat?”

“Raw and sore.” He stood and pulled his shirt away, suffering through an examination.

Finally, the doctor stood back. “I have a salve to keep on that until it heals.”

“Will it leave a scar?”

“It’s permanent, I’m afraid.”

“Then, it’s fine. I’m past the need to hide things. If folks want to stare, it won’t bother me.”

Doc’s kindly eyes reflected sympathy. “That’s a good attitude. I’m glad it turned out. I could be measuring you for a coffin instead of treating your wound.”

“Don’t need one of those yet. I sure thought I was done for, though. I thank my older brother for his quick action.”

“That’s the truth.” The doctor went to Bear. “And how are you, little fellow?”

“ Goot ,” Bear said.

“Rain, did you hear that? Bear knows what we’re saying. He just doesn’t know how to form the words to speak a lot of English.”

“I see that.”

The day was filled with surprises.

“One more night and you can take him home.” The doctor patted Bear’s head. “He’s a good patient. Wish they were all this quiet.”

“Thank you for saving him, Doctor.” Rain laid her head on Cade’s shoulder.

“It’s what I was trained to do.” Doc Blanchard smiled. “He’ll be running around in a day or two like nothing happened. He’s very lucky. Most do not make it.”

Blanchard left quietly and Cade gazed at Rain. Was he really going to be married to this beautiful woman? It wasn’t a dream.

They had all ridden through fire and flames and come out the other side. It was a day to celebrate.