Wishing for the Rancher’s Love (High Country Ranch #5)

Chapter 22

22

Clementine wanted to scream, but the stalker’s hand over her mouth was tight. And his glove also half covered her nose, so she was afraid she’d soon pass out from lack of air.

She’d already struggled to free herself, but he’d twisted her arm behind her back, so every misstep jarred her shoulder and arm painfully.

He’d led her along the alley past a line of businesses that were mostly closed. And he’d pulled her into a shadowed area once at the sound of nearing voices. As she’d waited, she’d planned to scream just as soon as the people were within sight. But no one had passed by, and she’d been left with little choice but to continue on with her captor.

She could see he was leading her toward the edge of town, and she knew she had to do something before they moved beyond the reach of light and help.

But what could she manage?

She’d craned her neck on multiple occasions, hoping to glimpse the fellow’s face, but each time, the darkness of the night and the shadows of his hat had hidden him from view.

If only Grady hadn’t gone inside. He’d been watching over her so well. Now he might not realize she was gone until it was too late.

At the sound of laughter ringing out from the open back door of a saloon ahead, the fellow pulled her against a building so they were out of sight.

For just an instant, his hold against her mouth slackened.

She ducked her head and freed her mouth. “Who are you and what do you want?” She managed the question before the stalker fumbled to cover her mouth again.

She dodged his hand. “Can we please talk?”

“No,” he whispered. “Not until we-we’re away from tow-town.”

Even in a whisper, his voice had a familiar stutter.

“Elbert?” She dropped her voice now to a whisper.

He hesitated, as though he wasn’t sure if he should admit who he was. But it was too late. She knew of only one man who had a stutter. Elbert Meriwether, Mrs. Meriwether’s single son who lived with her.

“Elbert Meriwether, you release me this instant, do you hear?” She made her whisper as stern as possible.

He loosened his grip but didn’t completely obey.

“I can’t believe you of all people would resort to badgering a woman.”

“I’m not bad-gering you.”

“Yes, you are.” She stomped her foot for emphasis. “You’ve been scaring me with your notes and spying and now this kidnapping.”

“I didn’t mean to bad-ger you.”

“Well, you have.” She broke away completely and spun to face him.

“I’m sor-ry.” He tipped up the brim of his hat, revealing his balding head. His normally clean-shaven face was scruffy with the beginning of a mustache, but otherwise he looked like the normal Elbert she saw doing yardwork around town or helping his mother at the house. There was nothing sinister in his expression. His eyes were wide and expectant, as if he honestly thought she might be interested in him.

“Why are you doing all this to me, Elbert?” She tried to soften her voice, but she also had to be firm with him and make him understand that he couldn’t keep harassing her.

“I’m ju-just trying to rescue you.”

“Rescue me from what?”

“From Grady Worth.” His gaze darted around the alley as though he expected Grady to barrel toward them and knock him over.

“I don’t need rescuing from Grady.”

“But you-you don’t like him. You said so.”

Her ready chastisement faltered. She had disparaged Grady plenty of times. She’d made no secret of the fact that she disliked him to anyone who would listen. She might have even complained to Mrs. Meriwether a time or two about Grady. Perhaps Elbert had overheard her.

“That’s why I-I started the fire to-night.”

“You started it?”

He nodded as though he’d done a heroic act in burning the hotel. “I’m stop-ping him from marry-ing you. And you-you can mar-ry me instead.”

Her heart dropped with the sudden realization of what had happened. Because she’d complained about Grady so much, Elbert really did think he was coming to her rescue. He probably thought Grady was forcing her into marriage, and he’d left Breckenridge to chase after her in order to help her.

“I l-love you-you.” Elbert spoke the words solemnly, his expression earnest.

They were words she wished she could hear from Grady instead. And she could no longer deny that she loved him. Here, with Elbert professing his love, she knew without a doubt she would always love Grady.

But clearly she’d given Elbert the wrong signals—as she’d probably done to other men—and now she would have to set him straight about their relationship and probably hurt his feelings in the process.

“Were you the one giving me the gifts last week?”

He nodded.

“That was nice of you, Elbert, but you shouldn’t have—”

“But you-you gave me candy first, and I-I was trying to be nice.”

She halted and calculated the passing of time. Yes, his gifts had started the day after she’d taken Mrs. Meriwether and him candy almost two weeks ago.

“And the roses and the notes?” she asked. “Those were also from you?”

“I wanted to give you-you real roses,” he said in his slow and stuttering voice. “But it’s not the seas-son.”

In the light coming from the saloon down the alley, she could see that Elbert’s expression was sincere. He hadn’t meant to threaten her or make her feel unsafe. He wasn’t a vicious man, and he certainly wasn’t dangerous. She doubted he owned a gun or even knew how to work one.

No, instead, he’d thought she liked him because of her gift, and he’d just been trying to protect her from Grady.

She crossed her arms, the cold finally penetrating through her fear, making her realize she was still coatless and freezing. And she needed to get back to the hotel before Grady started to worry about where she was.

Even so, she had to apologize to Elbert. “I’m sorry for confusing you, Elbert. But I do love Grady, and I want to get married to him.”

Elbert’s brows rose. “But you-you said you loathe him.”

Her mind went back to the conversation she’d had with Grady just a few days ago when she’d made this week’s delivery to Mrs. Meriwether. Grady had been with her, and Elbert had watched them bickering again. And she had told Grady she loathed him.

“Grady and I have had a complicated relationship.” She didn’t want to go into all the details. It would take too long to explain and wasn’t anything Elbert needed to know. “But we’ve worked things out, and we care about each other.”

Elbert studied her face.

“You’re my friend, Elbert, but I’ll never care about any other man the way I care about Grady.” There, she’d said it, and she crossed her fingers that Elbert wouldn’t be too upset.

He watched her another moment before his shoulders slumped. “So you-you won’t mar-ry me?”

After all she’d just said, did he really think she’d want to? She bit back the sarcasm and gentled her tone. “I can’t. I want to marry Grady.”

At a shout from down the alley, Elbert spun, his eyes widening at the sight of a familiar form running toward them.

Grady had come after her.

“Are you okay?” he called, worry ringing in his voice.

“I’m fine.” And she really was.

As Grady thundered closer, he took in Elbert standing beside her, and surprise flashed across his face. Then his expression hardened. “Elbert Meriwether, I never would have guessed you were the one stalking Clementine.”

“Stalk-ing?” His voice squeaked as if he had no idea what the word meant.

“If you’ve hurt Clementine, I’ll kill you.”

Elbert held out his hands as if to stop Grady from reaching him. He stumbled backward and almost tripped and fell, but then he righted himself quickly before spinning and beginning to run.