Cooper's Wife

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“Ain’t no wish.” Maisie set her chin, a world of adoration lighting her berry-blue eyes.

Cooper scooped the child up into his arms as anger tore through his chest. He hadn’t realized how much his daughters might need a woman’s love in their lives. He hadn’t wanted to see it, but he’d only lied to himself.

Dreading the talk to come, Cooper set his Maisie up on Bob’s back, snug behind Katie. As Maisie wrapped her slim arms around her sister’s waist, he warned his eldest to ride slowly, no racing and no jumping with Maisie astride. Katie’s earnest promise reassured him.

“No need to worry, Cooper.” Her gaze didn’t move from the sight of the little girls astride Bob, trotting down the street, Maisie bouncing off-rhythm to the pony’s stride. “I won’t hold you to your daughter’s proposal.”

His throat went dry. He couldn’t look at her. “That’s mighty generous of you. Considering all you risked and almost lost in coming here.”

“Not generous. Practical.” Her voice lowered, soft as a setting sun. “I need to check on my daughter.”

“Wait.” He caught her hand and looked down into eyes so sad it hurt him. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for this confusion. Katie just wants a mother so badly. I’m not excusing her behavior, but I want to make things right. Let me help you.”

“No help is necessary.” Her eyes shone. “You’re a good man for offering.”

A good man? No, he was just trying to find his way, like anyone else.

She strode away, light and simple, without accusation or guilt.

But he felt guilty enough. He took off after her. “I fully intend to help you. Considering my daughter brought you here, I could do no less.”

“Put that billfold away.” Anna’s blue eyes rounded.

“I ought to compensate you for your passage here.” He thumbed through the bills.

“No.”

“But Anna, you lost all your money in the robbery.”

“That doesn’t mean—” Her eyes sparkled, as if she were holding back tears. Pride lifted her chin, kept her spine straight. “I’m not the kind of woman you can pay off.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I don’t need your money.” She spun, skirts swishing, marching quickly back into the doctor’s clinic.

He bolted through the door after her. “If you won’t take my money, then let me pay for a room in the hotel.”

She turned and lifted her gaze to his. “I can’t let you do that. I don’t belong here, not really. And I won’t accept your help.”

“Not even for your daughter?”

“I can take care of her.” Pride. It had been a long time since he’d seen much to admire in a woman. He had to admire Anna Bauer, had to admit she was a different sort of woman than Katherine, even if she now needed help. “I don’t need your pity, Cooper. Or charity.”

“Soon she’ll be able to leave the clinic. She’ll need a place to stay.”

Anna wrung her hands, slender fingers that were red and rough, callused-looking, hands that had known hard work. “Let me worry about providing for my daughter. She isn’t your responsibility, Cooper.”

“I pulled her from the wreckage. I held her in my arms throughout that ride back to town. I handed her over to the doctor. I feel a duty. I want to know she’s going to be well, that men like Corinthos can’t destroy every life they touch.”

She lifted her face. Tears glistened there, clear as morning dew. “We’re alive today because of your bravery, your strength. You’re a wonderful man.”

“Aw, you don’t know the real me.” He blushed, uncomfortable with the admiration clear like morning in her eyes. “Cantankerous. Bossy. No woman will have me.”

“So Katie said.” A single tear slid down her pale cheek. “Don’t you worry about me, Cooper. I can take care of myself.”

“Against a man like Corinthos?”

“Against any man.” That stubborn chin hiked higher.

He stepped forward and watched the pupils in her eyes darken, watched her take in a steady breath, lifting the curve of her small, firm bosom. Real fear shadowed her face, and he wondered why. Maybe she was remembering the stage robbery, he reasoned. She had a right to be afraid. Corinthos wasn’t known for leaving his witnesses alive.

Or maybe she was as wary of entanglements as he was.

A clatter and a horse’s squealing whinny erupted on the street outside. Cooper pulled back the drapes at the front window. He saw the tanner’s unruly horse shying at a dust devil, nothing more. Still, he had to be on guard with Corinthos alive and gunning for him.

“I gotta go.” He knuckled back his hat, avoiding Anna’s compelling gaze, wishing he could do more for her. Wishing he could lift her burdens from those slim shoulders.

“You don’t have to do this on your own, Anna. You’re here because of my daughter, and I’ll make sure you have a hotel room, money, a ticket out of here. Whatever you want.”

She looked away and said nothing.

He didn’t know what to think about this woman, so determined to stand on her own. He’d never met anyone like her before. So independent, so proud for a woman. And while he didn’t understand, he did admire her for it.

As he strode out onto the street, Anna’s rose scent lingered sweet in his mind.

“Mrs. Bauer is one pretty woman,” Tucker commented from across the room.

Cooper looked up from his paperwork. Judging by the tone of his brother’s voice, he was up to something. “Are you thinking of courting her?”

“Heck, no. I’m not ready to settle down.”

“You’re twenty-five.”

“Far too young to be chained down by wedding vows.” Tucker winked. “But you, on the other hand big brother, are a prime candidate for marriage. Yep, Anna Bauer is just about right for you. Got that cute little daughter. Would fit right in with your girls. Even survived an introduction with Bob, or so I heard.”

“Enough.” Cooper uncrossed his ankles and put both feet firmly on the floor. “Has Katie been confiding in you? Or conspiring with you?”

“Now don’t go blaming everything on that wildcat girl of yours.” Tucker laughed, clearly amused. “I know what’s going on here. And I have to say I’m proud of you, realizing how much your girls need a mother and going about finding one. If I knew a woman that nice and pretty would answer a newspaper advertisement, I would have placed one myself years ago.”

“I thought you didn’t want to settle down.”

“I don’t. I meant I’d look for a wife for you, big brother.” Tucker laughed. “It’s just what you need.”

“That’s the very last thing I need.” Something had to be done about the misimpression of those darn letters. Cooper stopped at Tucker’s desk. “Hand them over.”

“I thought I’d save them for their rightful owner. Mrs. Bauer’s letters are personal.”

“They are also none of your business.” Cooper waited while Tucker dug them out of his bottom drawer, damaged and torn, but clearly Katie’s undisciplined scrawl marked those envelopes. How the girl engineered something like this was beyond him.

“There you go.” Tucker leaned back in his chair, the devil laughing in his eyes. “I trust you’ll see your betrothed gets them.”

Betrothed? Cooper swallowed his anger. He’d taken just about enough teasing from both siblings. He stuffed the letters in his shirt pocket. “This is a matter between me and the lady, Tucker. I don’t want you breathing a word of this to anyone.”

“You can count on me.” Tucker tried not to laugh. “So, are you going to marry her?”

“You know the answer to that question.” He didn’t believe in love. He’d made that mistake before and he’d lost more than his wife, more than his heart. She’d destroyed his honor, the very code by which he lived.

No one was going to do that to him again. Especially now that he had children. He felt badly for Anna Bauer, soft as morning light and good-humored to match. She’d risked so much because she needed a husband. Now, she would not accept his help. Anna, so kind and caring, deserved more than a few broken promises. What should he do? Cooper stared out the window, at a loss.

A pop of distant gunfire brought him to attention. He saw no trouble on the street, but he sensed it. Corinthos was back to break his gang member out of jail.

The deputies were all headed home, their day’s work done. “Tucker, alert the men. We’ve got trouble.”

“Mama?”

“Yes, pumpkin.” She turned, her mounting troubles momentarily forgotten. All that mattered was the tiny little girl hardly more than a wrinkle beneath the thick blankets, her button face so pale.

“Thirsty.”

“Let me get you some water.” Her hand shook as she grabbed hold of the pitcher’s porcelain handle. Splashes plopped in the basin, kerplunked on the table. But she held the tin cup steady so her child could drink. Just three small sips, then Mandy sank back into the pillows, already asleep.

Anna hated seeing her daughter injured, in so much pain. Far too weak to enjoy the captivating stories in Katie’s book. Or to play in the sunshine. Or sing songs.

Frustration knotted in her throat. No one had the right to hurt a child like this. No one. She well knew the world wasn’t fair, but a child should know compassion and safety, not fear and injury at the hands of a ruthless stranger.

The door flew open with a bang. Anna spun around. Fear lodged in her throat when she recognized the coldeyed man standing in the threshold, revolvers aimed straight at her chest.

Chapter Five

Cooper’s blood quickened at the sight of the familiar horse and rider sneaking into the alley behind the doctor’s clinic. Corinthos. He’d spotted the outlaw creeping along the back streets, trying to stay hidden while the rest of his gang attacked the jail. Cooper could guess what the outlaw was up to. It was said the bandit never left a man behind. Or a witness.

The back door clicked open and Cooper caught sight of a second man, a cohort of Corinthos, running from the direction of the jail. Cooper ducked a split second before gunfire popped and two bullets thunked into the board not a foot away. With revolvers in hand, loaded and cocked, he fired. The outlaw fell, hand to his side. Looked like another patient for the doc.

Cooper threw open the back door, checking the corridor. Empty.

“Sheriff.” The doc’s voice rang out from the closest patient room. “What—”

“There’s an injured man out in the street.”

“I’ll get right to him.” The doc reached for his black bag sitting on a low table. “I didn’t hear anyone come in. Is something wrong?”

“Just stay out of the line of fire.” Cooper waited, listened. He heard the tap of footsteps around the corner, then a low threatening voice.

“Yep, you’re the one from the robbery. The one who gave me trouble. I just had to be sure.” That familiar voice, muffled by the wooden walls. “There’s a few women in this place. I’d hate to take out the wrong one.”