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by Linda Bridey
It surprised Tessa that Marcus was aware of the strife between her and Dean. “You know? Did Lydia tell you?”
“No. It’s your body language when you’re together. I’m good at reading it. I could tell that something was amiss just by the way you acted around each other,” Marcus said.
“You are obviously very observant,” Tessa said. “Yes. This is what is wrong between us. I feel as if I do not know him. He didn’t even take the time to read what you wrote in response to my letters.”
Marcus smiled a little. “That’s because Dean trusts me so much. I should have made him proofread them. This whole thing is partly my fault. I got caught up in playing matchmaker and I didn’t stop to consider your feelings about someone besides Dean reading your letters. I should have written to explain to you why Dean wanted help. But in a way, I’m glad I didn’t because you’re here now.”
Tessa said, “So you feel the deception was worth it?”
“Yeah. Dean has been miserable, Tessa, as you know. Since you came here, he started coming alive again and seeing him happy again, well, I can’t really tell you how much it means to me and Seth to see him like that. And can you honestly say that in your heart that you aren’t glad, in a way, that you didn’t know? You just said that you wouldn’t have come if you’d known about my involvement. You would have missed out on a good man and gaining a good family.”
Tessa looked at Marcus with narrowed eyes. “You are very smart and very tricky. I am still very upset about this, but you are right. I am glad that I didn’t miss out on Dean. Please do not ever divulge what those letters contained.”
“You mean contain. He kept every one of them, Tessa,” Marcus said.
“Really?”
“Yep. I will never tell anyone what’s in them. My lips are sealed,” Marcus said with a smile.
Tessa smiled back and found that her anger with Marcus was cooling. “You really are hard to stay angry with.”
Marcus grinned. “It’s just part of my natural charm,” he said and patted her shoulder.
Tessa had learned early on that Marcus was a hands on type of person and that no offense was to be taken from it. She laughed and said, “Now, about that whittling lesson.”
Chapter Fourteen
Tessa walked along the road that ran adjacent to their property, picking some raspberries that had just ripened. Sadie worked along the other side. If they were able to pick enough, Tessa wanted to make a couple of pies. She heard Sadie singing and smiled. Sadie had a sweet voice and Seth especially was always getting her to sing.
The sound of carriage wheels came to Tessa’s ears. She looked up to see one in the distance. They didn’t get a whole lot of traffic on the road so she was curious about who might be approaching. It was a large carriage pulled by two horses. Sadie stopped picking berries and came to stand with Tessa as it drew closer.
The driver pulled the reins and the carriage came to a halt at the entrance of their ranch.
“Hello, miss. Do you live here? Is this the Samuels place?” he asked.
“Yes, it is,” Tessa said.
One of the carriage doors opened and a man alighted. Tessa’s face paled and she gasped as she recognized him.
Sadie looked from Tessa to the man and asked, “Tessa, who is he?”
“My father.”
Geoff stood on the dirt road in his fine clothes and looked at his daughter. He knew it was her, but she was dressed as he’d never seen her. Tessa’s emerald dress was pretty enough, but there were far less petticoats underneath. Her hair was done in a long braid that reached almost to her waist. Normally, Tessa wore her hair in a stylish coiffure.
She carried a basket and he could see some berries in it. His daughter was picking berries like hired help. Tessa raised her left hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear and he saw the flash of jewelry on her third finger. Married? Tessa had married? His feelings were muddled as he stepped forward.
“Tessa!” Above all, he was overjoyed to have found his daughter safe. He had been incredibly worried about her. To find her apparently well gave him immense pleasure. He opened his arms to her.
Tessa couldn’t believe her father had found her at first and then remembered that Geoff was a man of vast resources and that he possessed a keen intelligence. She was scared of his reaction to finding out about her marriage, but she had greatly missed him. Tessa ran and let herself be enfolded in her father’s comforting arms.
They stood there, clinging to each other, tears flowing freely for several minutes. Then Tessa drew back and looked up at her father. “Papa, I know you’re angry, but please listen before passing judgment.”
He looked down at his daughter, who was so much like him. “Yes, I’m angry. We have been worried to death about you. However, this isn’t the place to discuss it,” he said, with a meaningful glance at the driver. He seemed to notice Sadie for the first time. “And who is this lovely young lady?”
Sadie’s cheeks flushed at the compliment. Tessa broke away from Geoff and went to Sadie.
She took the girl’s hand and led her to Geoff. “This is my stepdaughter, Sadie Samuels. Sadie, this is my father, Geoffrey O’Connor.”
Sadie remembered how Tessa had taught her to greet gentlemen of a higher status. She dropped into a deep curtsy and then rose and looked shyly at Geoff. “Pleased to meet you, sir,” she said.
Geoff hid his shock over the word “stepdaughter” and smiled at her good manners. He bowed to her then and said, “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Samuels.”
Sadie giggled and picked up her basket again.
Tessa picked up hers and handed it to Sadie. “Will you please take these to the house and tell your father we have company?”
“Yes, Tessa. Of course,” Sadie said and trotted down the lane to the ranch.
Geoff turned to the driver. “Please take my things to their residence and place them where you are directed. Here is your pay as promised. Thank you for your services.”
The driver took the money, pleased that it was more than they’d agreed on and tipped his hat to Geoff. “Thank you, sir. It’s been a pleasure.” He started the horses off again, following Sadie’s path.
Geoff regarded Tessa carefully then. Her skin showed signs of sun and there were a few freckles across her nose. Geoff was happy to see that she looked healthy. “So this is where you ran off to. The middle of nowhere, when you had everything you could ever want? I need an explanation for your actions, daughter.”
Tessa felt a prick of anger but squelched it as she tried to see things from his perspective.
“Papa, I don’t need material things like Maddie and Claire do. I told you again and again how I felt, but you didn’t listen. No one did. So I did what I had to do. I had to set out on my own and live my life as I wished,” she said softly. “You of all people should understand that. You left Ireland to come to America, after all.”
Geoffrey frowned. “That was different.”
“Why? If you say it was because you were a man, you can turn around and leave right now,” Tessa warned in a firm tone.
Geoff raised an eyebrow. “Very well. I won’t say it and I’m not leaving. At least not before I meet your husband.”
“You’ll like him,” Tessa said, despite her and Dean’s recent differences. “He’s a good man.” She frowned despite her words. How can I be proud of Dean, yet be so angry with him, she wondered. Tessa looked back up at her father, who was looking at her with intense curiosity. “Come then, Papa.”
“Her who is here?” Dean said as he looked at his daughter.
“Her pa, Pa,” Sadie said. “He’s tall and looks like Tessa.”
Jack said, “He’s our grandpa then, right?”
“No,” Dean said. “Not really.”
“Yeah, he is,” Jack said stubbornly.
Dean let it go. “Where are they?” he asked, as a carriage pulled up to the house. “Stay,” he said to the kids and went outside to meet the driver.
&nb
sp; “I have some luggage here,” the man said as he climbed down from the vehicle. “Where do you want it?”
“I’ll take it,” Dean said.
The driver handed Dean two suitcases made of fine leather and a briefcase. “There you are.”
“Thanks,” Dean said.
The other man climbed back up on the coach, clicked to the horses, and turned around. He headed off back up the drive.
Dean deposited the bags in the kitchen, warned the children that they weren’t to mess with them, and told them to stay put. Then he went back out and began walking up the road to meet Tessa and her father. He was nervous about meeting the man. This wasn’t like when he’d met Sarah’s parents. He’d been fifteen at the time and had become close to them over the years.
No, this was a whole new ball of wax and Dean wasn’t sure what to expect. He knew from what Tessa had told him that their family was close and if the roles were reversed and this was Sadie, he knew how he’d react. He rounded a curve in the drive and saw Tessa and the man who was her father.
Sadie’s description of Tessa’s father was apt. He was tall with dark hair like Tessa’s. His gray suit was made of fine cloth and expertly cut. Even from a distance, Dean could tell that he was physically fit. Dean hastened his pace but not too much. Though he was anxious, he wanted to appear confident when he met his father-in-law.
Geoffrey watched as Dean got closer. He knew without Tessa telling him that this was her new husband. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the man. Geoff could see why Tessa had been attracted to him. Dean’s blond good looks and powerful physique would attract any woman. But Geoff knew his daughter well enough to know that there had to be more to the man than good looks. In Pittsburgh, she’d had her pick of many handsome men, but had chosen none. Good looks were not enough for her and for that he was glad.
“Papa, this is my husband, Dean Samuels. This is my father, Geoffrey O’Connor,” Tessa said as they all came together.
Dean held out his hand and said, “Pleased to meet you, Mr. O’Connor. Tessa’s told me a lot of nice things about you and your family.”
“Good to meet you, Dean. I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing anything about you,” Geoff said honestly as he shook hands with Dean.
Dean gave Tessa a questioning glance. “You didn’t send a letter home?”
“No, she didn’t,” Geoff said. “We didn’t even know where she went. It’s a good thing I know some top notch investigators.”
Tessa saw anger flash in Dean’s eyes and felt a moment’s shame.
“I’m sorry about that, sir. I had no idea,” Dean said.
Tessa gave him a haughty look. “We can discuss this later,” she said. “I’m sure you’re tired from your travels, Papa. We should get you settled and give you some refreshments.”
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea,” Geoff agreed. He knew he didn’t need to say anything more about Tessa’s wayward behavior. The way Dean had looked at his wife told him that it would be addressed.
He began walking toward the house again. Tessa hung back and put a hand on Dean’s arm.
“Dean, I can explain,” she said.
“You bet your sweet behind you will,” he said. “Seems like dishonesty is going around. I’ll keep him busy while you get your stuff packed and move back into our room. I’m not putting a man like that in one of the bunkhouses.”
“No, I’m not ready to do that yet,” Tessa said adamantly.
Dean looked down at Tessa with an unyielding expression. “You better get ready. I can sleep on the floor. I’ve slept outside enough and it’s no problem for me.” He pulled his arm away and began walking after her father.
Tessa took another couple of moments to gather her wits and then went after the two men. If ever there was a time she needed her mother’s calming influence, it was now.
*****
“So you’re our new grandpa, huh?” Jack said to Geoff.
Geoff wasn’t sure how to answer the boy. “Sort of, I suppose.”
“But you’re Tessa’s pa, right?” Jack said.
“Yes.”
“So that makes you our grandpa,” Jack told him.
Geoff smiled. “Right.” He looked into Jack’s eager blue eyes and couldn’t tell the boy no.
“Good. So are you gonna live with us?” Jack asked.
“No, no. I’ll be going back to Pittsburgh after a while,” Geoff said. “But I wanted to meet all of you.” He looked up at Dean, who gave him a grateful smile.
“We’re glad you’re here,” Dean said truthfully.
Sadie sat a glass of lemonade in front of Geoff and he drank it down. The journey from Wolfe Point had been long and hot and the cold drink was just what he needed. He asked Sadie for another glass and she readily complied.
Before Dean could stop him, Jack sat down on Geoff’s leg and said, “So, Grandpa, tell us about Tessa when she was little.”
Dean laughed. “Yeah, Grandpa, tell us all about Tessa.”
Geoff gave Dean a sharp look but then relented because Sadie and Jack were looking at him expectantly. He settled Jack better on his lap, thinking that the boy was certainly well fed. “All right. Ah, yes. Here’s a story you’ll like,” Geoffrey began.
*****
Tessa packed her clothing and other things up again, thinking that she couldn’t believe her father was here. She should have known that he would look for her and that he had enough money and clout to hire people who would find her. She hoped that he hadn’t discovered that Edwina had been involved.
As she carried the cases down the stairs, Tessa was glad that things in the kitchen were noisy so that they wouldn’t hear her taking them into her and Dean’s room. She put them around the other side of the bed so they couldn’t be seen. She would unpack again later that night when everyone was in bed. Using the training she’d received all her life about hiding her true feelings to get through a social engagement, Tessa put on a smile and entered the kitchen.
Dean looked at her when she came in. There was no smile on his face. Tessa saw hurt and anger in his eyes. She tried to ignore it, but it was difficult. It hadn’t been her intention to hurt him, but she had. Dean had been right when he said deception was going around. Even though she’d had good reason to do what she had, Tessa knew that it would be hard for Dean to see it from her point of view.
Geoff watched Dean and Tessa and could see that there was trouble between them. He hated to be the cause, but he had been bound and determined to find their girl. He planned to dispatch a letter home right away so that the rest of their family knew that Tessa was safe. Though he was angry with Tessa for what she’d done, Geoff knew he should hear Tessa out more before judging her too harshly.
Chapter Fifteen
As Tessa prepared supper, Geoff watched her. Watching her cook and do menial labor was a strange experience for him. He’d never wanted his girls to do that kind of work, but it seemed as if Tessa enjoyed it. She hummed as she worked and seemed very contented in her task.
“Who taught you to cook?” he asked her.
Tessa turned to look at her father. “Lydia Benson, a good friend and neighbor of ours. She’s a wonderful cook and has given me valuable lessons. I’m a fairly good cook and I’m always striving to improve my skills.”
“You’re doing great, Tessa,” Marcus said as he came into the kitchen.
“Papa, this is Dean’s younger brother, Marcus. This is my father, Geoffrey O’Connor,” Tessa said.
Marcus held out a hand. “Pleased to meet you, Geoff.”
Geoff shook Marcus’ hand and said, “Likewise, Marcus. Pardon me for saying so, but you do not resemble your brother very much.”
“I take after our mother. She had dark hair and gray eyes. My brothers take after Pa with their blond hair and blue eyes,” Marcus said. “Your daughter has been learning by leaps and bounds about cooking and all things domestic. She has a knack for it.”
Geoff said, “That’s good because this k
ind of life demands such skill.”
Marcus sat down at the table. “True. Ranching is hard work, but it’s worth it to know that your building something that can be handed down. Someday, the ranch will be divided between whatever children we all have. We’ve talked about that and that’s what we decided. It’s what Pa did with us. We each own a third of this place and we split the profits accordingly.”
Geoff nodded. “And are you making a profit?”
Marcus frowned. “I won’t lie to you. This past year was hard and getting through the winter was tough. But the steer are filling out nicely and our hay crop is doing well since we’ve had enough rain. The garden has been yielding a lot of produce, too. We have a pretty big truck patch. I’ll show you around tomorrow.”
“I would like that,” Geoff said, thinking that Marcus seemed like a very intelligent individual. The way he spoke put him in the mind of Claire a little.
“Good. I know you’ll want to visit with Tessa tonight, but tomorrow night, we should play some poker, if you’re game,” Marcus said.
Geoff smiled. “I would love to.” Playing cards with them would give him a chance to get to know his daughter’s new family better.
Marcus stood and said, “Great. I promise it’ll be a good time. I’ll be back for supper, Tessa. I have a couple things to finish up, or else Dean will be on me about them. Again, good to meet you, Geoff.” Marcus clapped Geoff on the shoulder before exiting the kitchen.
Tessa smiled at Geoff’s expression. “He’s always like that, Papa. I guess you would call Marcus a very ‘hands on’ type of person.”
“I can see that. He seems like a nice fellow, though,” Geoff said.
“He is. So is Seth. I’m sure he’ll be along soon,” Tessa said.
Jack came in the door and plopped down on Geoff’s lap, making him grunt.
“You really are a very stout little fellow,” Geoff told him.
“Thanks,” Jack said. “I’m hungry, Tessa. Can I have a cookie?”
“Not so close to dinner, Jack,” Tessa replied.
Jack frowned. “But I’m hungry now. When’s dinner?”
“In about a half an hour,” Tessa said.
“I want a cookie now,” the boy insisted. “Please?”