The Rancher Takes A Bride (The Burnett Brides Book 1)

and smiling. Walking through the rooms, he could almost swear he'd smelled her perfume. But he knew better. She was gone, out of his life for good unless he could find her.
    "Is that you, Travis?" his mother called from the back of the house.
    "Yes," he replied, eager to be on his way.
    Eugenia stepped into the entryway and glanced around. "Where's Rose? I thought she was with you."
    Travis set his gear down. When Eugenia left, Rose had been deliriously happy; now she was gone and he was going after her, to confess his love and beg her forgiveness. He would have to tell his mother what had happened while she was away.
    "I can give you five minutes, and then I've got to be on my way," he said, turning toward the parlor.
    Her forehead wrinkled in a frown, but she didn't say anything, only followed him into the parlor, where Eugenia took a seat on the loveseat. Travis began to pace the floor.
    "What's wrong, son? You seem upset. Has something happened to Rose?" Eugenia questioned.
    Clenching his hands, he turned and faced her, dreading giving her the news. "Rose has left for good, and I'm about to follow her."
    He waited for her to absorb the information and watched as she looked at him, surprised.
    "What do you mean, she's gone? She was here when I left Saturday morning, and the two of you seemed to have reached an understanding. I thought that maybe ..."
    Her voice trailed off. Travis wasn't surprised his very observant mother had realized that the two of them had become a couple.
    "She went with the acting troupe on to Waco. They left on the stage yesterday morning," he said, unable to tell his mother how it had taken every ounce of will power he possessed to keep from riding after Rose. In fact, he'd ridden out to the farthest pasture to work, just so he couldn't change his mind and go after her. Now he knew how foolish he was to have let her get away.
    "But I thought the two of you . . ." She paused. "I thought that maybe you would eventually ask her to marry you. It was pretty obvious you wanted the girl."
    Travis shrugged. "I did ask her to marry me."
    "She turned you down?" Eugenia exclaimed.
    "No. She accepted." Travis ran his hand through his hair.
    Eugenia stood and walked over to her son. "What happened? Why did she leave, if you asked her to marry you?"
    He glanced at his mother and shoved his hands in his pockets. Why did he feel that he was ten years old again and had to explain why he had gotten in trouble at school?
    "After I brought Rose back to the ranch from that roadhouse in Waco, Tucker told me about an investigator in town who could search out her background. I thought I would find out how unscrupulous she was, and then I could prove to you that this woman was meant to be behind bars."
    He glanced at his mother, feeling awkward. It wasn't often that he admitted to anyone he was wrong, but to have to tell his mother was tough.
    "The investigator gave me the report last week. Rose is a con artist, but she's not even close to how bad I wanted her to be. Until she stole your wedding band, running a séance parlor was the worst thing she'd ever done."
    "I thought that was a more creative way to earn money myself. But you still haven't told me why she left," Eugenia pointed out.
    "Saturday she found the report on my desk," he stated. "She was upset that I had her investigated instead of asking her these questions directly. She said I didn't trust her. And then, when I couldn't tell her I knew for certain she hadn't stolen the ring, she left."
    He sighed and sank down on the couch. "At the time, I thought I had to investigate her. She was a con artist; after all, and your ring disappeared while you were with her. But now I realize how much I love her, and I don't care what's become of your ring. I'm going after her."
    Eugenia laid her hand on her son's arm in a comforting gesture. She took a deep breath. "You love her?"
    "Yes, with all my heart. I don't care if she took your ring, I only know I love her."
    "There's something I need to tell you about my wedding band," his mother said, a dire note in her voice.
    She paused, and he could see the apprehension in her eyes. "Rose never stole my ring."
    Unable to comprehend what she was saying, Travis stared at his mother in disbelief. "How do you know for certain she didn't take it?"
    "Because I still have it."
    "What?" Comprehension slowly dawned. Travis groaned and leaned his head in his hands. How? Had she lied to him? He couldn't be that wrong about Rose.