But in a sense, it was not his father he was telling this to. His father had wasted away, and was almost a total stranger to him. The feelings of love flowing
from him were the same, though. Shane recalled quite vividly the love he had shared with his father all those years ago. That sort of love could never die.
"Shane isn't going anywhere," Melanie said, looking adoringly down at Shane. "Jared, you go on to sleep. Shane will be here when you wake up."
"Shane," Jared said, reaching his hand from beneath the blankets again. He touched Shane's cheek softly. "You're staying on, not only for now, but for always. You're entitled to. What is mine and Josh's, is also yours."
Jared looked past Shane, up at Josh. "Josh, you show Shane to a room," he said, wheezing. "You show him the ropes of running a cattle farm. Son, he's going to take my place at your side. Together, you're going to keep this farm going. Do you hear?"
Josh stiffened, yet forced a smile. "Yes, sir," he murmured. "Whatever you say, sir."
Jared patted Shane on the shoulder, looking at his buckskin attire. "And, Josh, take your brother into St. Paul and get him fitted with new clothes," he said flatly. "Get him the finest duds St. Paul has to offer. We're goin' to make a new man outta him, from his head to his toe."
Nodding toward a drawer in a table beside his bed, Jared looked up at Shane. "In that drawer, in my wallet, you'll find enough money to buy you several fancy outfits," he said, his voice growing weaker. He looked up at Josh. "Son, take Shane today. It's time for him to look like a Brennan again."
Melanie saw the look of utter contempt in Josh's eyes, knowing that he dreaded the chore of taking Shane into town to have him fitted with clothes.
He dreaded the chore of teaching Shane the cattle business. Well, she would show him! She would take over all of these chores and do them herself. Nothing would please her more than to be able to be with Shane while he learned to live his new life. She would make sure that all barriers were torn down for him.
"Jared, I need some things of my own in town," she said suddenly. "Shane could go with me. There's no need to trouble Josh. He's got things to do. All of the cattle that were purchased yesterday have to be branded. I know how Josh likes to oversee the branding, so that it is done properly." She turned to Shane. "Would that be all right? Would you mind going with me instead of Josh?"
Shane smiled at Melanie, his eyes gleaming. He understood her motive. She wanted to rescue him from having to be under Josh's thumb at such a vulnerable time. She had to know that he had never worn anything but buckskins and would know nothing about choosing white man's attire. She knew that Josh could use that opportunity to humiliate him.
"That would be just fine," Shane said gratefully.
"Then we shall go this afternoon," Melanie said, squaring her shoulders proudly. "Right after lunch." She leaned down and gave Jared a soft kiss on the cheek, then rushed across the room. "We can go in my buggy, Shane. Be ready right after lunch."
Shane nodded and watched her until she left the room, then looked down at his father, who was panting for breath. He slipped his father's hand
beneath the blankets and drew the blankets up to his chin. "Father, should I leave today, to go into town with Melanie?" he asked. His eyes troubled, he peered down at his father's face. In the last few moments Jared had grown ashen in color. "Will you be all right?"
"I sleep most afternoons away," Jared said weakly. "Just be here tonight. I'd like to go asleep knowing that you are here at my bedside."
"I will be here,' Shane said, his eyes misting with tears.
Jared nodded toward the table again. "In my wallet," he said hoarsely. "Get the money. Go and have a hell of a time in St. Paul." He closed his eyes wearily. "It's sweet of Melanie to take the time with you. She's a saint. A saint."
Shane watched his father fall into a deep, quick sleep. He watched his shallow breathing for a while, then rose to his full height. He eyed the drawer, then Josh.
"Take the money," Josh said dryly. "If you don't, father will have a conniption when he wakes up. When he sees you again, you'd best have on new clothes. I think he'd like to see you that way, instead of in buckskin."
Taking a wide step, Shane stepped up to the table. He slowly opened the drawer and lifted his father's wallet into his hands. When he opened the wallet, his eyes widened and his pulse raced. He was looking down at many bills that showed hundreds on them. His father was a rich man and he was not ashamed to show it.
"Take several," Josh said, going to Shane's side.
"It takes a lot of money to dress the part of a rich man." He cleared his throat nervously. "But, Shane, don't get any ideas that everything is going to be this easy for you. Take my word for it, things aren't going to be."
Suddenly, Josh leaned closer to Shane and whispered harshly, "Damn it, Shane, I'm not going to allow it! You just can't waltz in here after all these years as though you belong and take charge. I won't allow it!"
Shane turned and gave Josh a cold, icy stare. Josh's insides turned inside out when he saw the utter contempt in his brother's eyes. He felt as though his brother were nothing but savage at that moment. Was it safe to live under the same roof as Shane? Had he killed many men? Had he taken any scalps? Would it be easy to kill a brother who had shown nothing but contempt for him?
Josh feared that a sleepless night lay ahead of him.
Chapter Nine
The sun stood high overhead as the morning evaporated. The streets of St. Paul were deep gulleys of dried dirt, heavily traveled by horse and buggy and men on horseback. False-fronted buildings of planked lumber lined the streets, saloons and bawdy houses the most prominent. There had been a rumor that the railroad would come through, but the main mode of travel was still the steamboat. Sixty-two steamboats could make more than a thousand landings in a year's time, bringing new settlers, mail, and supplies on the Mississippi River.
In her pale green, tailored walking suit that was smartly cut, accentuating the soft curves of her breasts and the narrowness of her waist, and with