Dear Miss Cucinotta

by Kit Morgan

  Since then, her hunger to go somewhere, anywhere else – where she didn’t have to ride herd on a passel of siblings and other little relatives – had only grown. She stayed silent because it would hurt the close-knit Weavers, and she didn’t want that. But what about her own pain?

  “Rufi, are you gonna eat your flapjack?” Sebastian asked.

  She cut it in two and gave him half.

  “Thanks!” he enthused before attacking it.

  “Don’t let him eat too much,” Charity warned. “He’ll give himself a bellyache.”

  Rufi smiled stiffly. “Sebastian, slow down.” She wished she didn’t have to worry about how much Sebastian was stuffing into his mouth. Yes, that was why she was there. But oh, she was tired of being an unpaid governess for other people’s offspring, relatives or not.

  Sebastian grinned, syrup running down his chin, and took another bite.

  Rufi shook her head. It would be different when she had her own children, she was sure. She poked at her potatoes, wondering about that, then sighed, gave up and set down her fork, her appetite gone.

  “What’s the matter?” Sebastian asked as he eyed the rest of her flapjack. “Aren’t you hungry no more?”

  “No, I’m not.” She stared across the dining room into the lobby. Mr. Brody was behind the counter, but she couldn’t see anyone else. She knew he had a wife but hadn’t met her yet – apparently she was with child and had been resting a lot lately. Their little girl Aideen made up for it, diving right in among them last night at supper, going from one table to the other, talking and visiting until her father put a stop to it. Rufi wondered how he could do his job if he couldn’t see, but he appeared to do it well.

  Clear Creek certainly had its oddities. For instance, how could the Bennetts have a rare bird around all these years and think it was a rooster? What sort of rooster leaves for months at a time, then comes back? Was it a bird or a tomcat? Well, she’d soon find out if all went well; she’d begin searching for it with Mr. Branson and Mr. Melvale soon.

  Mr. Melvale had said he would give them each a map this morning, but there was no sign of him yet – was he still drawing them up? What a fascinating man – she wouldn’t mind getting to know him better. Where was he from? How old was he? Not too old, she hoped, but he didn’t look much older than Calvin and Benjamin’s younger brother Daniel. But then, he didn’t look like a lot of things, including normal.

  “Good morning! Sleep well, everyone?”

  She gulped as the man himself strolled into the dining room, dressed in buckskins and a dark brown Stetson, his open-collared shirt exposing a deep, muscular chest. She stared at her plate, lest she start drooling. How embarrassingly unladylike would that be?

  “I sure did.” Calvin wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Ya got them maps for us? I cain’t wait to start lookin’ for that bird.”

  Melvale raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I can see that.” He pulled a small knapsack from … somewhere, and removed several rolled parchments. “This is for you,” he said in his sing-song voice as he handed one to Calvin, then to Benjamin. “And one for you. One for Harlan. And …” He turned to Rufi. “… one for the enchanting Miss Cucinotta.”

  Rufi blushed head to toe. Sebastian giggled next to her, and she glared at him in warning before reaching for the parchment. “Th-thank you, sir.”

  “You’re welcome. Be sure to study it with Mr. Branson when he returns.”

  “Mr. Branson?” she said in surprise then composed herself by wiping her hands on her skirt. “Oh yes, Mr. Branson.”

  “The two of you can search your section this evening, if that’s convenient.”

  Rufi stared at him. He just stared back, his dark eyebrows arched in question. “Yes, that’s fine.” Why did he have to be so handsome? Was he royalty? She didn’t know. She did know he was like a living work of art. She’d never seen a man so magnificent – and it made her feel small, unimportant. Not like Mr. Branson, whom she felt comfortable around – that was why she’d struck up a conversation with him last night. And he was attentive too. But why would someone like Mr. Melvale notice her? Her face fell at the realization.

  “Anything wrong, Miss Cucinotta?” Melvale asked as he studied her.

  She looked up and shook her head.

  “Very well. Find him as soon as he returns and begin studying your map. You have some difficult terrain to traverse.”

  “How difficult?” Calvin asked. “I don’t want her gettin’ hurt, ya know.”

  “She’ll be fine – the MacDonalds will accompany them this evening after supper. You’ll find Dallan and Shona to be wonderful chaperones.”

  “Chaperones?” Calvin said in alarm. “I know ya said they wouldn’t be alone, but what do they need chaperones for? I thought we was lookin’ for that bird of yers?”

  “Yes, of course we are, Mr. Weaver,” Melvale consoled. “But they are young – and you must admit neither are, shall we say, hard on the eyes?”

  “I guess not.” Calvin leaned in Rufi’s direction. “He’s right. Ya watch yerself ’round that young man.”

  “Calvin!” Rufi said as heat crept into her cheeks. “He has no interest in me.”

  “Yeah, like a boy bunny has no interest in a girl bunny.”

  “Calvin!” Bella smacked him on the arm. “Do not compare my sister to a rabbit!”

  “I’m just sayin’, darlin’ …”

  “I know what it is you are saying. I do not want you saying it about Rufi!”

  “That’s enough, you two,” Ma said. “Rufi will be fine. I’m sure Mr. Branson is a perfect gentleman, and they’ll have folks with them. There’s nothing to get riled up about.”

  Calvin frowned at his plate, then looked sheepishly at Rufi. “Guess I wasn’t givin’ ya ‘nough credit. Sorry.”

  She nodded in return before she glanced at Melvale. Why wasn’t he coming with them? Did they have to be paired with the scary-looking Scotsman and his wife? But then, that was the way things usually went for her.

  After giving each couple a time frame to search, Melvale excused himself and left the dining room. They family finished breakfast and went to their rooms to prepare for the day’s fun. Harlan and Ma were assigned the first round with the Mulligans, going out to the Bennett ranch and coming back at eleven in the morning. Then it would be Benjamin and Charity with the Van Cleets, followed by Calvin, Bella and Melvale. After supper, Rufi and Mr. Branson would take their turn with the MacDonalds. Tomorrow, other folks would get their turns.

  Rufi sat in a chair in her hotel room and watched Sebastian, Truly, Thatcher and Hugh play on the floor with their toys. It was a large room with two beds, one big and one small, in case she needed to keep some of the children with her overnight. Mr. Brody had told her the Callahan sisters once stayed in the very same room. She wondered if she would meet them at some point.

  She looked out the window over the street below and wondered if she would meet anyone. Or would she be constantly watching the children and only get to venture out to look for Mr. Melvale’s bird? She studied the street below. Clear Creek was smaller than Nowhere, with just the one street. Nowhere had a main street with a couple of smaller ones branching off it. Still, she wanted to go outside and explore, but wasn’t sure if Calvin and Benjamin would allow it. Almost surely not, if she was chained to the little ones.

  “Whatcha looking at, Rufi?” Sebastian asked, tugging on her skirt.

  She leaned down to his eye level. “Nothing, really. An empty street.” As empty as she felt. She didn’t like the feeling one bit, but what could she do about it?

  “Wanna play with me?”

  “Sure.” Rufi guided him back to the other children, got on the floor and played with them for the next hour. But all the while she wondered what the handsome Melvale was doing and how she could be doing it with him.

  “Bowen Drake,” Melvale drawled. “A pleasure to meet you.”

  Bowen, Clear Creek’s “miracle doctor,” looked over the tall silver-haired
stranger. He glanced at Doc and Grandma Waller who were both staring at Melvale with something between anxiety and awe. The MacDonalds stood to one side, patiently waiting for something. “Have you met my wife Elsie yet?”

  “Not yet,” Melvale said. “But it’s you I wanted to meet. I cannot tell you what an honor this is, sir.”

  Bowen swallowed hard. The man seemed to radiate charisma. The MacDonalds did too, but they paled in comparison. It was a little intimidating to have Melvale stare at him with those mesmerizing steel-gray eyes. Grandma had warned him, but being warned and being under their gaze were two different things. Unsure what else to do, he offered the man his hand.

  Melvale smiled and took it, sending an odd tingling up Bowen’s spine. “Oh my, to shake hands with such a wonder!”

  “Dinna make too much fuss,” Mr. MacDonald said. “Ye’ll scare him.”

  “Nonsense, he can take it,” Melvale said, his eyes still on Bowen. “Now if it’s all right with you, Dr. Drake, I would just love to sit down and have a little chat while we’re in town.”

  “Melvale,” Mr. MacDonald warned.

  “Oh stab me!” Melvale released Bowen’s hand. “He’s fine!”

  Mr. MacDonald stepped between them. “Ye’ll have to excuse Melvale, Dr. Drake – he gets a little excited. It’s my fault, mayhaps – I’ve told him some stories about ye.”

  That, Bowen was used to. He had a gift, there was no denying it. The good Lord saw fit to put it there and use it – Bowen was just the vessel, nothing more. “What did you have in mind to talk about?”

  “Just a few moments of your time,” Melvale said. “I confess, you … fascinate me.”

  Bowen glanced at Doc and Grandma. He wished Elsie was there, but she was working on quilt squares with Annie King at the church. “Very well. I hear you’re looking for some sort of bird?”

  “Aye,” Mr. MacDonald said before Melvale could. “It’s imperative we find it.”

  “Imperative?” Bowen said. “Land sakes, it’s just a bird.”

  “It’s very special,” Melvale insisted. He reached out and gently poked Bowen in the shoulder. “Oh my … I can’t get over that I’m meeting such a man.”

  “Try,” Mr. MacDonald said dryly, crossing his arms. “Or he’ll no want to speak wi’ ye at all.”

  Melvale took off his hat, exposing the silver-white braid pinned at the back of his head. His hair had to be incredibly long. “Forgive me, Dr. Drake,” he said. “But I’ve never met a, um … a man so used by the Creator.”

  “Bowen is our special treasure,” Grandma said. “But I must say, you’re the first to want to meet him just for meeting’s sake. You sure you don’t have anything ailing you?”

  “Nothing at all, but meeting your esteemed doctor isn’t the only reason we’re here.”

  “Oh?” Bowen said. “Why, then?”

  “Because as we search for the bird, there’s a good chance someone might get … injured.”

  “What?!” Doc and Grandma cried.

  “He’s right,” Mrs. MacDonald said. “The bird’s got a temper – it’ll attack if provoked. It’s why if anyone spots it, they need to tell us right away and let Melvale take it from there.”

  “And you’re just now telling us this?” Doc Waller squeaked. “I know Clyde can be cantankerous, but dangerous?”

  “Ye must remember, sir – ‘tis no a chicken or rooster as ye’ve thought all these years. It’s summat else entirely.”

  “What, pray tell, is it, then?” Bowen wondered

  Melvale sighed as he glanced at the MacDonalds and back. “I’m afraid we can’t say.”

  Chapter Eight

  C.J., Duncan and Cyrus crested a hill and brought their horses to a stop. Men were rounding up cattle a few hundred yards away. “Well,” Duncan said. “Shall we go say hello to my brothers?”

  “Land sakes,” Cyrus said. “I sure hope Harrison doesn’t faint.”

  Duncan laughed. “That makes two of us. For one, Sadie will have my hide if something happens to him. I’m more concerned he’ll fall off his horse.”

  C.J. laughed. Even he knew how excitable Harrison Cooke could get. Colin was much calmer, and Duncan, from what he’d observed so far, calmer still. They kicked their horses into a canter and headed for the men and steers.

  Colin was the first to notice them and turn his horse in their direction. He whooped, then shouted at Harrison before galloping towards them. Harrison, dismounted at the time, took one look at the newcomers, jumped onto his horse and followed his brother.

  Colin reached the trio, brought his horse to a skidding stop and leaped off. “I don’t bloody believe it!”

  Duncan dismounted and opened his arms wide. Colin tackled him, sending them both into his horse. The animal sidestepped and the men fell to the ground laughing.

  Harrison arrived at this point and dismounted. “Good Lord, is my eyesight failing me? Duncan!” He tackled Colin and Duncan, who’d just climbed to their feet, and all three went down.

  “If this keeps up there won’t be anything left of them to take back to the house,” Cyrus whispered.

  “Makes me wish I wasn’t an only child,” C.J. commented as he watched the brothers’ happy if clumsy reunion.

  The three Cookes sat up and stared at each other. “Why didn’t you bloody write and tell us you were coming?” Harrison asked as he punched Duncan in the arm.

  Duncan returned a similar blow to Harrison’s leg. “Because I wanted to surprise you, you silly oaf.”

  “Where’s Cozette?” Colin asked as he stood and held a hand out for Duncan.

  “At the house with your wives, where else?” Duncan let his brother pull him to his feet. “She’s anxious to see you both.”

  Harrison noticed Cyrus and C.J. for the first time. “Cyrus, Mr. Branson” He threw his arms wide. “What do you think of our brother’s homecoming?”

  “I think it’s better he had his first meeting with you here than in town,” Cyrus said. “With as many folk as were gathered around him yesterday, someone might’ve had to visit Doc Drake.”

  “And how about you, Mr. Branson?” Harrison asked with a smile as he got to his feet. “I must say I’m jealous you got to meet our brother before we did.”

  “He surprised everyone,” C.J. said. “And he’s not the only visitor in town, is he, Cyrus?”

  “No indeed, he’s not. The MacDonalds are here and brought a friend by the name Melvale.”

  “Dallan and Shona are here?” Colin smiled. “How wonderful! It’s been an age.”

  Harrison studied Duncan a moment. “Speaking of age, you look… well, good. How do you do it?”

  Duncan shrugged. “Like I told everyone in town, exercise, decent food.” He glanced at Cyrus and C.J. “Cold baths.”

  “What?” Colin and Harrison said at once.

  Duncan laughed. “I’ll explain later. Perhaps it’s simply English weather. Different climate, you know.”

  “Cozette looks just as young as he does,” Cyrus commented as he gingerly dismounted. “Maybe I ought to go to England. I can barely sit a horse anymore. In fact I’m surprised I’m doing so well.”

  “I can only hope to do as well when I’m your age, Cyrus.” C.J. felt as if he was intruding on a private moment and wanted to get back to the house. “Maybe we should let these three visit for a time.”

  “Good idea,” Cyrus replied. “That all right with you?”

  “Jolly good,” Colin said brightly and smacked Duncan on the back. “We’ll return shortly, right after we tell Logan we have a visitor.” He glanced at the group of men rounding up steers. “He’ll be quite surprised to see you, brother.”

  “And I’ll enjoy seeing the look on his face.” Duncan grinned, put an arm around each of his brothers and together they went to retrieve their horses.

  C.J. turned his around as Cyrus remounted and followed. It was a half-hour ride back to the ranch house, and C.J. was glad for the time alone with Cyrus. “How long have you and Polly
been married?”

  Cyrus smiled. “Oh, let me think … fifty-two years, I believe.”

  “That’s a long time.”

  “Indeed. And at least fifty of them happy years, which is more important.”

  “And you never had any children?”

  “No. That’s the one unfortunate thing.”

  “Who will you leave everything to?”

  “That’s a good question – I’ve thought a lot about it. Your grandfather, of course, has you. Then one day, when the good Lord blesses you and your wife – whoever she may be – with children, you’ll have someone to pass it all on to. As far as Polly and I … I have something in mind. But I’m not ready to voice it just yet.”

  “I didn’t mean to pry, Cyrus,” C.J. assured him.

  “Oh, I don’t mind you asking, considering why you’re here. And let’s face it, a certain raven-haired young lady has caught your eye. She’s a beautiful woman, C.J., and available. You might not get a better chance.”

  “Yes, but she barely knows I exist. Did you see the way she was staring at Melvale yesterday?”

  “Son, all of us were staring at him. With his looks he could have any woman he wants with a snap of his fingers. But he hasn’t shown any such inclination. I’ll find out more about him today, I’m sure.”

  “Didn’t you meet with him and the MacDonalds last night?”

  “As a matter of fact, yes, but all we talked about was that bird. I didn’t even think to ask whether Melvale is his last name or his first.”

  “And what will they do with the bird once they find it – stuff it and put it on display? Stick it in a zoo?”

  “No, they’re going to take it back where it belongs and turn it loose,” Cyrus explained.