A Child for Cade. Patricia Thayer

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СКАЧАТЬ married so you can go with me to Chicago. I know I don’t have much now, just my college degree, but with my new job, I’ll be able to take care of you. I know it’s not what you’re used to, but someday…”

      “Oh, Cade.” Abby blinked back the tears. “I love you, not what you have. Oh, yes, I’ll be your wife.”

      Cade slipped the ring on, and she threw herself into his arms. He kissed her, then kissed her again, and soon they were lying on the blanket. He raised his head, trying to catch his breath. “I guess we better slow down.”

      Her gaze searched his face. “I don’t want to stop, Cade. I want you to make love to me.”

      His heart jumped into his throat. “But, Abby, you said you wanted to wait…”

      “I’m going to be your wife, Cade. I want to show you how much I love you…”

      Cade shook his head to erase the memory. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t erase Abby’s lie. She hadn’t loved him. The next day his ring came back with a note, saying they were too young for marriage.

      Cade got up and walked along the creek and thought back to the naive kid he’d been when he hadn’t believed Abby’s note and had gone to her house. It hadn’t been until she told him to his face that he finally believed her. The clincher came a month later, when she married Joel Garson.

      Cade picked up a flat rock and tossed it into the water. The last seven-plus years he’d worked day and night, driven because he hadn’t been good enough for Abby Moreau. And now he had a successful career. Guess he could thank her for that. He was wealthy enough to buy and sell people like the Moreaus and Garsons. But none of that mattered, because what he really wanted he couldn’t have. Abby. And it was too late, because he could never forgive her.

      When Abby got home from the party, it was after eleven. By the time she got Brandon to bed, she was exhausted. But in the lonely silence of her old bedroom, sleep eluded her.

      Abby went downstairs. Since her father’s death, only she and Brandon lived in the big ranch house. It was almost eerie, with so many empty rooms. She stepped into her father’s study, Tom Moreau’s private domain, and flicked on the lights, then walked past the cinnamon-colored leather sofa and matching chair. The large mahogany desk sat facing French doors that opened onto a large flagstone patio adorned with white wrought-iron furniture. An olympic-size pool and an ornate fountain took up most of the yard, and multi-colored flowers and a boxwood hedge surrounded the property. Nothing had been too good for Tom Moreau. He had loved the lifestyle. Too bad he hadn’t been able to pay for it.

      Abby glanced over her shoulder at the pile of unpaid bills on the desk. In the past months she’d been trying to think of a way to pay off the debts. But with her limited financial knowledge, she hadn’t come up with a single idea. She needed a professional, which she couldn’t afford. But she also couldn’t afford not to hire one. It was either that or she’d have to sell the ranch, her last resort. The Moreau ranch was Brandon’s legacy. Since the divorce, Abby knew this was all her son would have. And she’d do almost anything to keep her boy from losing it. She’d already used most of her divorce settlement paying the inheritance tax, then some more on the enormous debt, but it had hardly made a dent.

      Joel wasn’t about to help her, either. Besides, she didn’t plan on taking anything else from her ex-husband. As it was, Joel practically made her beg for her monthly check. She guessed that it took the place of working her over with his fists.

      Abby shivered and moved away from the window, hugging herself. Closing her eyes, she’d tried to erase the ugly memory of her marriage. A marriage her father had coerced her into.

      Instead, she thought back to the day she’d gone to Mustang Valley, the day Cade had asked her to marry him. She’d accepted quickly, unable to believe they were finally going to be together. They wouldn’t have to hide any longer.

      But Tom Moreau hated the Randells, ever since Cade’s daddy had rustled his cattle. Abby knew he would fight her on the marriage, but never realized how far he’d go until that day.

      Abby had arrived in the study with her new engagement ring. Her father was sitting behind his desk as usual. She was nearly twenty-two, and the man still frightened her. Well, she wasn’t going to let her father control her life any longer. She wanted a life with Cade, and she was going to have it.

      Her father stood. “You were with Randell.”

      Abby bit back a gasp. “I have a right to see whomever I please.”

      “I think not,” he said. “You’re a Moreau, and certain things are expected of you. You stay away from that trash.”

      “Cade isn’t trash. He’s a college graduate and has a good job in Chicago.”

      “Fine. Then he’ll be out of here.”

      Abby grew braver. “And I’m going with him.”

      Her father looked her over and grinned. “I don’t think so. I have plans for you.”

      “But I love Cade. We’re getting married.”

      Tom sat on the edge of the desk. He looked calm, but Abby saw the anger in his eyes. “You know there’s been more rustling going on in the area. I’ve lost several head myself. Two of the hands told me they saw someone who fits Cade Randell’s description on the property.”

      Dread rushed over her. “It wasn’t Cade.”

      “It’s my word against a Randell. Who do you think people will believe?”

      “That’s not fair, you know Cade didn’t do anything wrong.”

      “He did everything wrong when he touched Moreau property.”

      Abby flinched at the words. Was that all she was to him—his property? “Then I’ll say he was with me. You won’t be able to do anything. I’m of age. I can go away with Cade if I want.”

      She saw her father’s jaw clench, then he drew a breath as if trying to gather his control. “You best not argue, girl.”

      Abby began to shake. “Daddy, please. I love Cade.”

      “If you love him, then you’ll let him go. It’s the only way he’ll stay out of jail. Don’t cross me, girl. Tomorrow you’ll tell him you’ve made a mistake. Then I’m sending you off to Europe with the Garsons. Their son, Joel, asked about you.” Her father smiled. “Now, there’s a fine young man from a good family.”

      “I don’t want to go out with Joel,” she argued.

      “I wasn’t giving you a choice. That is, if you really care about Randell.”

      Abby knew she’d lost. “Okay, I’ll go. But you have to promise me you’ll leave Cade alone.”

      He glared at her, as if to say how dare she question him. Finally he nodded. “Send the ring back by messenger, I don’t want you seeing Randell again.”

      For days Abby had ached to go to Cade and tell him the truth. But she knew her father would carry out his threats. The following week Abby was sent off to Europe with the Garsons. A month later when she returned home, her circumstances had changed. She was desperate to talk to Cade. But when she’d called СКАЧАТЬ