Chapter 1

New Mexico Territory: June, 1888

The dining room table in Wyatt Singleton’s sprawling adobe ranch house was heavily laden with roast turkey, all the trimmings and at least five vegetables. Juan Garcia opened a vintage wine and filled the glasses. The bread was brought in by Juan’s wife, Rosalinda. The couple had worked for the Singleton family since Wyatt was a baby. Wyatt’s mother died when he was eight and Rosalinda had become the woman he looked to as he would have his mother.

Now that he was head of the Singleton household, Wyatt made it clear the Garcia’s places were secure as long as they desired to stay employed. He also made it clear when they retired, the cottage they occupied a half mile from the big house, was theirs as long as they lived. Of course, Wyatt had their love and complete loyalty.

When Rosalinda set the bread bowl down, she gave Wyatt a look which told him she wasn’t pleased at all about the way this dinner party was going. He winked at her and turned to his guest, Thourgood Reeson.

Rosalinda moved back to the kitchen and plopped down on one of the stools near the work table. “That man’s asking for trouble,” she mumbled to Dena Black, a young woman who had recently been hired to help Rosalinda cook and clean. “He’s not thinking straight.”

“I’m sure Mr. Singleton is thinking okay, Miz Rosalinda.”

“That’s what you think, Dena. He ain’t got no sense if he gets himself tied up with that Cora Sue Reeson. She’s not the kind of wife he needs. She’ll spend her time giving parties and showing off that red hair and flirting with other men. She won’t do nothing but make Mr. Wyatt—”

“Now, Rosalinda, I think you should hold your tongue.” Juan came into the kitchen and sat the empty wine bottle on the table. “Mr. Wyatt knows what he’s doing. It ain’t any of your business.”

“Don’t tell me that, old man. I practically raised that boy after his mama died. Then when old Mr. Singleton married that high and mighty Roxy from New Orleans, I was the only woman he had in the house he could trust. He couldn’t stand that floozy.”

“Well, it’s a good thing that floozy didn’t last long. Then Mr. Ben got hurt and what was it, three months after Mr. Wyatt came home from his visit in the east that she hightailed it back to New Orleans? Mr. Wyatt and his daddy got along all right after that.”

“They tolerated each other, Juan. They still do, but it’s hard for both of them with Mr. Ben confined to a wheelchair and Mr. Wyatt running the ranch.”

“Why was Mr. Wyatt gone when Mr. Singleton had his accident?” Dena asked.

“He wanted to get away from his daddy and the woman he married. He’d probably still be gone if that horse hadn’t broke loose and almost trampled Mr. Ben to death,” Rosalinda said.

“Have you sent up Mr. Singleton’s supper?” Juan looked at Dena.

“Mr. Walker came for it earlier. He’s already brought back the dishes and had his supper here in the kitchen. He said he’d put Mr. Singleton out on his balcony to enjoy the sunset.”

A bell tingled.

“I guess that means they’re ready for dessert.” Dena fussed with the plates on the tray. “Does it look all right?”

“You did a good job, Dena. I’m sure Rosalinda appreciates your help in the kitchen tonight.” Juan nodded to her then looked at his wife. “Want me to serve it?”

“I wish you would. If I have to take another look at that Miss Cora Sue batting her eyes at Mr. Wyatt, I might throw it on that fancy pink silk dress she’s wearing.”

Juan grinned and picked up the tray. “Then I guess I’d better serve.”

As he started out, someone knocked on the front door. “Since I’m serving this for you, Rosalinda, why don’t you see who has come a calling?”

* * * *

Without looking at the luscious strawberry dessert Juan was serving, Wyatt turned to Reeson. “Now, Thourgood, how do you propose we handle this situation? I don’t want to see any bloodshed on my ranch and I gather you don’t want it on yours.”

“That’s true, but sometimes it can’t be helped. Of course with my spread being only less than half as large as yours, I have more to fear. Those squatters could start trying to take my land any day.” He grinned. “Now if our two ranches were combined…”

Cora Sue giggled and her mother, Mildred, ducked her head toward her plate.

Sheriff Jeff Bodger glanced at his wife, Vera, but didn’t say anything.

Wyatt ignored Thourgood’s insinuation. “Well, there’s no reason why we can’t combine forces. I talked to Wilkins down south of me and Norton to the East as soon as you mentioned that homesteaders were popping up on some New Mexico ranches. They’re both willing to join us.”

“I’m sure they are, but you know both of them are more or less a day’s ride from either of us. If trouble starts, they’re too far away to do us any good.”

“I think it’s a good idea for you ranchers to back each other up,” Sheriff Bodger said.

“We will, but we’d do it better if we came to an understanding.” Wyatt looked at him and Thourgood went on. “Legally, I mean.”

“I think what Reeson is trying to say,” Jeff said, “is he wants to combine your two ranches.”

Wyatt lifted an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you wanted to sell out, Reeson.”

Thourgood sputtered. “That’s not what I mean and you know it.” He wiped strawberry juice from the corner of his mouth. “You know you have this big old house here and with your father an invalid who never leaves his room, you need someone to run it for you. You also need a pretty woman to be your hostess at this kind of function and I know a perfect candidate for the job.”

Cora Sue giggled again and said, “This would be a wonderful house to run and it’s laid out so you could have lots of wonderful parties.” Before she could elaborate, her mother reached over and touched her arm.

Wyatt had known for some time Thourgood Reeson wanted him to marry his daughter, but did he have to be so brazen about it? He wasn’t ready to settle down and if he was, he wouldn’t want a woman like Cora Sue, though she was sure pretty enough. Her auburn hair with its shiny red streaks was the shade of some of the lilies Rosalinda had in the flower garden. Her green eyes were the color of jade. All the young women envied her figure and the beautiful clothes she wore. It was well known that several men from their small town of Cool Wood would happily give up their bachelorhood to wed the beautiful Cora Sue Reeson. Wyatt felt a little guilty because his only interest in the woman was getting her into his bed, but he didn’t want to marry her to do it.

Before Wyatt could think of an appropriate answer to give his neighbor, Rosalinda came into the dinning room. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Wyatt, but there’s someone at the door to see you.”

Wyatt frowned. “Did you tell them I had company and wasn’t to be disturbed.”

“I did, but they insisted.”

“Who is it, Rosalinda?” He didn’t know if it would be worth disturbing this meeting with his neighbor rancher and the sheriff to meet with some stranger at the door.

“I asked and I almost fainted when she told me who she was.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense. Who is she?”

“She said she’s Mrs. Wyatt Singleton.”