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“I wouldn’t worry,” Logan told him. “If Laura hasn’t noticed it already, she will.”
“But will she care?”
It was a question without an answer, and Logan didn’t bother to attempt one.
“Tara’s to blame for this,” Chase grumbled, mostly to himself as they trailed after the others. “The first time she set foot in this house, I should have shown her the door. It would have saved this family a lot of grief—then and now.”
With Logan at his side, Chase thumped into the den with his cane. As he headed for his customary seat behind the big desk, he slid a glance around the room and immediately noticed both Laura and Boone were absent.
“Where’s Laura?” he asked no one in particular.
It was Tara who answered. “She and Boone went outside to enjoy the sunset.” She set a cup of coffee on the table next to Max Rutledge’s wheelchair. “Would you like some coffee, Chase? Or something stronger?”
“Coffee’s fine,” he said and continued on his way around the desk.
“Here you go, Dad.” Cat took the cup of coffee that Jessy had just poured and carried it to the desk.
“Is that the famous map of the Triple C Ranch that I’ve heard so much about?” Max gestured to the framed map hanging on the wall behind the desk. Age had yellowed the background of the hand-drawn map that identified the water courses, outlying camps, and various landmarks as well as the boundaries of the ranch.
Chase stopped to look at it. “My grandfather drew that more than a hundred years ago. The boundaries haven’t changed more than a few inches since that time.”
“Not many family ranches can make that boast these days,” Max declared.
“It’s no boast. It’s a fact.” Chase maneuvered himself in front of the oversized swivel chair, gripped the armrest, and lowered himself onto the cushioned seat.
“Naturally.” Max nodded briefly in a kind of respectful apology. “I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.”
“Don’t pay any attention to him, Mr. Rutledge.” Cat smiled affectionately at her father. “Dad’s gotten a bit testy lately.”
“She’s trying to make you believe I’ve turned into a crotchety old goat,” Chase declared.
“I am not,” Cat protested, then saw the teasing light in his eyes. “You are impossible, Dad.”
“So you’ve told me before.” His attention strayed to the window and the couple moving down the steps and striking out in the direction of the ranch buildings.
“I must say,” Max began, drawing Chase’s glance back to him, “I never expected to see a set of Texas longhorns this far north. That’s quite a pair you have hanging above the mantel. What are they, six feet across?”
“Closer to seven,” Chase replied. “They came off the old brindle steer that led every Calder herd north from Texas. Old Captain was always something of a legend back in those early days of the Triple C. It’s good to keep a reminder like that around.”
“I don’t imagine a lot of people know you Calders came here from Texas,” Max said with seeming idleness. “In fact, that ranch you own near the Slash R, it originally belonged to your family, didn’t it?”
Chase nodded. “My granddaddy Seth Calder settled the place.”
“The next time you go down there, you need to look me up,” Max told him. “Give me a chance to return some of your hospitality, one neighbor to another.”
“I appreciate the invitation,” Chase acknowledged, “but I’m getting too old to make a long trip like that.”
“I know what you mean.” Max rubbed a hand over one of his bony, lifeless legs. “Traveling has gotten to be more of an ordeal with each passing year.”
“That’s why I stick close to home.” Chase sensed this conversation was leading to something; he just didn’t know what.
“It can’t be convenient being an absentee landlord, especially when there’s so much distance between the two ranches,” Max observed, providing Chase with his first solid clue. “If you ever decide you want to sell the C Bar, let me know. I’m interested in buying it.”
“Calder land is never for sale.” Chase was cool with his answer.
Max smiled in understanding. “I
feel the same way about Rutledge land. I only mentioned buying it because I think it would make an appropriate wedding present.” He gave Chase a long, considering look. “Almost from the moment I met your granddaughter, I’ve never made it a secret that I’d like my son to marry her.”
