will.”
Dolores had thrown a fit that was so embarrassing, Maria blushed to remember it even now. When Maria had tried to reason with her, Dolores had told her about the rape. After that it was hard not to commiserate with her even when her behavior was unreasonable. “It came as a great shock. She had expected something quite different.”
“I’m sure she did. After causing Rafe’s father to throw him out, I’m sure she expected to be left the ranch, or at least control of it until Luis came of age,” Broc said.
“It’s only natural that a wife would expect her husband toleave her more than an allowance in his will. I’m sure Rafe has told you—”
“Rafe never talked about his life before he joined the Army. All any of us knew was that his father owned a ranch in California. I never heard Dolores’s name until we got here.”
“After the way he took out that bullet, I can understand why you’re so loyal to him, but that doesn’t excuse the rest of his behavior.”
“What behavior?”
She had let her temper cause her to say more than she intended. “I can’t tell you, but I know of something that would alter your feelings.”
Broc’s gaze intensified. “I’ve never put much faith in secrets that couldn’t be brought into the light. They leave me with the feeling there’s a foul underbelly I can’t see. Let me tell you a few things that are beyond dispute because many people saw what I saw.”
Chapter Eight
B roc sat up a little straighter, then drank from a glass of water before he began.
“Rafe and I served in a cavalry troop of thirty-six hand-picked men. We made night raids on wagon trains, supply depots, gold shipments, anything we could to delay and disrupt the Union Army. We lost only five men before one of our number betrayed us. Twenty-four men died that night, most of them in their sleep.” Broc turned his face so Maria could see the scars. “I was shot in the face as I woke up. I couldn’t see the man standing over me because of the blood in my eyes.” He returned his gaze to Maria. “I would have died with his second shot if Rafe hadn’t stopped him. The campsite was overrun with Union soldiers and a few escaping Night Riders returning fire. Rafe risked his life to drag me into a ditch. He stood over the doctor while he tried to put my face back together. Rafe was ready to kill the man, but saving me was the best he could do.”
Maria wouldn’t have tried to change Broc’s opinion of Rafe if she could. She was sure Rafe had changed, had improved, since he’d left the ranch, but nothing could alter the fact that he’d raped Dolores. She had no trouble believing Dolores had exaggerated Rafe’s faults over the years, but as much as she’d like to see him as Broc did, she couldn’t.
“You don’t think he’s a good model for Luis, but he will be. Rafe isn’t always easy on people, but he’s really soft when it comes to kids.”
“Luis isn’t a little kid anymore. He’s becoming a young man.”
“Rafe was always the one to look after the new fellows in the troop. He was rough on them, but what he taught them saved their lives.”
She could believe that. Rafe showed every indication of being the kind of man who could handle any situation. It was his ability to take charge at a moment’s notice that made it difficult for her to imagine him working for anyone, even a friend.
“You ought to see him with Carlos. That’s Cade’s two-year-old son. He actually gets down on the floor with him, lets the kid ride him like he’s a big dog.”
Maria couldn’t picture that. Not the Rafe Jerry she knew.
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
“It’s not that. It’s just…” How could she explain that the image was too far from what she’d been led to expect?
“Come sit down. I keep thinking you’re going to back out the door and run away.”
She didn’t want to sit down. She didn’t want to listen to any more stories of how wonderful Rafe could be.
Dolores had thrown a fit that was so embarrassing, Maria blushed to remember it even now. When Maria had tried to reason with her, Dolores had told her about the rape. After that it was hard not to commiserate with her even when her behavior was unreasonable. “It came as a great shock. She had expected something quite different.”
“I’m sure she did. After causing Rafe’s father to throw him out, I’m sure she expected to be left the ranch, or at least control of it until Luis came of age,” Broc said.
“It’s only natural that a wife would expect her husband toleave her more than an allowance in his will. I’m sure Rafe has told you—”
“Rafe never talked about his life before he joined the Army. All any of us knew was that his father owned a ranch in California. I never heard Dolores’s name until we got here.”
“After the way he took out that bullet, I can understand why you’re so loyal to him, but that doesn’t excuse the rest of his behavior.”
“What behavior?”
She had let her temper cause her to say more than she intended. “I can’t tell you, but I know of something that would alter your feelings.”
Broc’s gaze intensified. “I’ve never put much faith in secrets that couldn’t be brought into the light. They leave me with the feeling there’s a foul underbelly I can’t see. Let me tell you a few things that are beyond dispute because many people saw what I saw.”
Chapter Eight
B roc sat up a little straighter, then drank from a glass of water before he began.
“Rafe and I served in a cavalry troop of thirty-six hand-picked men. We made night raids on wagon trains, supply depots, gold shipments, anything we could to delay and disrupt the Union Army. We lost only five men before one of our number betrayed us. Twenty-four men died that night, most of them in their sleep.” Broc turned his face so Maria could see the scars. “I was shot in the face as I woke up. I couldn’t see the man standing over me because of the blood in my eyes.” He returned his gaze to Maria. “I would have died with his second shot if Rafe hadn’t stopped him. The campsite was overrun with Union soldiers and a few escaping Night Riders returning fire. Rafe risked his life to drag me into a ditch. He stood over the doctor while he tried to put my face back together. Rafe was ready to kill the man, but saving me was the best he could do.”
Maria wouldn’t have tried to change Broc’s opinion of Rafe if she could. She was sure Rafe had changed, had improved, since he’d left the ranch, but nothing could alter the fact that he’d raped Dolores. She had no trouble believing Dolores had exaggerated Rafe’s faults over the years, but as much as she’d like to see him as Broc did, she couldn’t.
“You don’t think he’s a good model for Luis, but he will be. Rafe isn’t always easy on people, but he’s really soft when it comes to kids.”
“Luis isn’t a little kid anymore. He’s becoming a young man.”
“Rafe was always the one to look after the new fellows in the troop. He was rough on them, but what he taught them saved their lives.”
She could believe that. Rafe showed every indication of being the kind of man who could handle any situation. It was his ability to take charge at a moment’s notice that made it difficult for her to imagine him working for anyone, even a friend.
“You ought to see him with Carlos. That’s Cade’s two-year-old son. He actually gets down on the floor with him, lets the kid ride him like he’s a big dog.”
Maria couldn’t picture that. Not the Rafe Jerry she knew.
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
“It’s not that. It’s just…” How could she explain that the image was too far from what she’d been led to expect?
“Come sit down. I keep thinking you’re going to back out the door and run away.”
She didn’t want to sit down. She didn’t want to listen to any more stories of how wonderful Rafe could be.
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