Cooper met him on the other side and clapped him on the back. “I have to say, Gavin, that was impressive. No one has gotten that horse to even let them in the ring with him, let alone get him to come to them at a whistle. If you called him now, would he come to the fence?”
Gavin shook his head. “No, he’s just starting to trust me, he doesn’t trust anyone else yet. I need you to make it plain that for the next three days no-one does anything with him. They don’t move him to the barn, try to get in the ring with him, nothing. I’ll do everything with him for now.”
“All right, you’ve impressed me enough to listen to ya. I’ll let everyone know. You done for the day?”
“No, I’m going to go get my stuff situated and I’ll work with him a few more times today. Then I’ll put him in a stall in the barn and feed him, brush him down. By tomorrow he’ll trust me enough that I can start trying to get a training bridle and blanket on him. Maybe even the saddle by end of the day tomorrow. Then will come the hard work.”
“This how you break every horse?”
Gavin shook his head. “No, this is how I’ll break this horse. He’s big and I can tell by his actions he’s used to being the lead stallion. He’s used to being in charge. So we have to teach him how to let someone else be in charge; that’s what the stomping and switching was about. Then we have to show him there are rewards for doing what’s expected of him. Once he learns those things, breaking him will be easier. He’s smart; when he learns he can please by learning, he’ll take to his training quickly. I’ll break him in the three days and have him cattle trained in two weeks.”
“But you’d do another horse differently?”
“Yes sir, you got to learn to read the horse and see what that particular horse needs to learn. Kind of like a child, I reckon. You can’t train children all the same way, we’re all different and we learn different.”
The look that came over Cooper’s face told Gavin something he said struck a chord in the rancher. “My wife was a teacher, she’s said the same thing a time or two since we’ve known each other.”
Just then the sound of horses could be heard and the dust coming from the lane leading up to the ranch showed that Roger Kleburg and the King Ranch hands had arrived. “You get yourself settled and I’ll take care of the King Ranch fella’s. Come to the main house for supper. I want to introduce you to my wife and best friend.”
“Will do.”
Gavin turned and walked to the cabin. This might just be the break he’d been looking for. Seems old Cookie Bullfincher might have been right. Gavin stopped and looked toward the King hands. Where was the old cowpuncher anyway?
Chapter Four
Two days later Adelle and her two escorts finally arrived in Creede. This was a larger town than Durango had been, but it also seemed friendlier somehow. What bothered her most was that she would soon have to have a confrontation with Rufe Bennett. She kept praying that God would help her and make things okay for her. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d made the wrong choice leaving Denver at all.
“Welcome to Creede, Miss.” Cookie smiled as he indicated the whole town with a wave of his hand. “It’s still a mining town and a bit rough around the edges but with so many women coming to town and marrying the townsmen the last couple of years, it’s much more civilized than it was before the last fire.”
“Well Cookie, I’m glad to get here. I will say that I’ll be glad to get off this horse and find that boarding house you were telling me about.”
“Well I for one just want to get paid and find the closest saloon and get a game going,” Rufe said with a pointed look at Adelle. She opened her mouth to say something to him when Cookie pointed again. “Oh there’s Julianne Fontaine. She’s one of the owners of the Hearth and Home.” He called out to her, “Mrs. Fontaine, hello!”
The woman stopped and smiled at them. “Hello there. Cookie, we haven’t seen you in a long time.”
“Yes Ma’am, I’ll be around for a while I think. Got a job to do.”
“You usually do when you show up.”
“Yes Ma’am. This is a friend of mine, she needs a room for a while; do you have any available at your place?”
Julianne smiled. “Sure do, y’all come on. I’ll walk you over and get you signed right in. Cookie, I think Hugh is there if you want to stop in and say hi.
The old cowboy smiled. “I wish I had time, Mrs. Fontaine, but I have to get on out to the White Ranch. I hear there’s some excitement going on out there today.”
“Yes, we’ve heard a new hand is trying to break Diablo. Heard he might just be able to as well.”
The cowboy nodded. “You take care of my young friend here and see to it she’s safe and sound for a while.”
Mrs. Fontaine stilled and then smiled. “We’ll do the best we can, my friend. I’m sure if we need some divine help it will be just around the corner.”
“There is always that possibility, Ma’am.” Cookie turned to Adelle. “You remember what we talked, about young lady.”
Adelle nodded and the old cowboy rode off heading toward the far side of town.
Adelle dismounted and followed Julianne to the boarding house. “I’m Julianne Fontaine. My husband and I run the boarding part of the Hearth and Home. Our friends the McRae’s run the restaurant side.”
Speaking low so as hopefully Rufe wouldn’t hear since he’d stayed on his horse, Adelle said, “I’m Adelle Cordovia and I’m in some trouble.”
Julianne smiled. “I figured you might be. Cookie seems to have a way of showing up when someone needs help.”
“The man on the horse, I hired him to bring me here. He arranged to have me robbed and violated in Durango. Thankfully Mister Bullfincher showed up in time to stop me from being violated but I lost the money to pay Mister Bennett.”
“Well you stick close to me. Usually one of the town’s lawmen are in the Hearth and Home getting food so maybe we can get you taken care of.”
“Thank you. I didn’t know what I was going to do. He’s going to be livid when I can’t pay him what I owe him.”
Julianne looked at the gambler. “I think K.C. or Henry will be able to set him to rights. Don’t you worry any.”
Adelle let some of the tension loose from her body. “Oh thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without running into you.”
Julianne smiled at her. “Oh I have no doubt you’d have been alright. Things have a way of working out for the best here in Creede. You could say we have angels to watch over us.”
“Well I could use one the way my life has been going.”
“Well I’m sure if you need an angel, you’ll get one.”
They arrived at the boarding house and restaurant. “Well this is our place, come on inside.”
Adelle started to follow her when Mister Bennett spoke up. “Just a minute, you owe me money Miss Smith. I’d like to have it now.”
Julianne turned on him. “You are a rude sort, aren’t you? You can wait and let her get settled before you go demanding your payday.”
With that she took Adelle by the arm and directed her inside the building. Rufe dismounted and followed right on her heels. “I did what I promised, and I want my pay. Don’t make me have to get the law involved, Miss Smith!”
Once inside Rufe grabbed Adelle’s arm. “Now then you are inside, pay me my money.”
Adelle pulled away. “About that, thanks to the two men you sent to rob me I don’t have the other half of your money. You’re lucky I haven’t gone to the sheriff myself.”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “You said that old cowboy saved you from being robbed and I didn’t know anything about any robbery.”
“That’s funny, Cookie saved me because he overheard you tell those men where to find me and what you wanted them to do to me. I think the town Marshal would like to know about that.”
Rufe moved close. “Not his town, ain’t nothing he can do about that, but he can put you in jail for indebtedness. You owe me seven
ty-five dollars and I’ll have my payment one way or another.”
He looked at Julianne. “How much for a room for today?”
Adelle’s new friend gave Mister Bennett a hard, disgusted look. “For you, five dollars a day.”
“Five dollars? That’s outrageous. I’ve stayed in fancy hotels for less.”
“That’s the price, take it or leave it.”
The gambler reached into his vest and pulled out five dollars. “There you go. Now give me my key, Miss Smith and I have business to attend to.”
Julianne looked at him. “Excuse me? Are you expecting to take this young lady up to your room?”
“She owes me and I plan to collect my due one way or another.”
“I don’t think so, not at my establishment you aren’t. We don’t allow our guests to have unrelated women in their rooms or vice versa. I think you should let my friend go and leave my business, we don’t want your patronage.”
Just then the door opened and in walked a man with a U.S. Marshal’s badge on his chest. “Henry, I think my friend needs your help here.”
The lawman headed their way. Mister Bennett leaned close and whispered to Adelle. “I think you should tell the good marshal everything’s fine, Miss Cordovia, unless you want me to send a telegram back to Denver. I’m sure Mister Masterson would like to know where his runaway bride is hiding.” He stared at her. “What, you thought I didn’t know who you were and who you were engaged to? Your picture was on the society page, little girl.”
“How can I help, Miss?” the marshal asked.
“Oh there’s nothing for you here, Marshal. The young lady and I had a misunderstanding about some money she owed me. We’ve worked out an arrangement. Haven’t we, Miss Cordovia?”
Adelle refused to cry in front of this evil man. “Yes, I guess we have.”
She turned and looked at Julianne. “Thank you for trying to help me. Sometimes I guess we don’t get those angels when we need them.”
“Well I don’t have enough money for a hotel room yet, so let’s go over to the saloon, Adelle. I’m sure I can find a game or two there.”
Rufe nodded to the marshal. “Marshal. You have a good day.”
“You too Mister?”
“Bennett, if you have a hankering to play some cards later you’ll find me at that saloon we passed coming in. The Nugget, I think it was called.”
“Just keep the game fair and clean, Bennett, or you’ll have trouble with me.”
“I’m not looking for no trouble, Marshal. I’ll not be causing any.”
With that he pulled Adelle back out and walked over to their horses. He reached inside his saddle bags and pulled out a two-foot length of rope. “Hold your hands out in front of you.”
“What for?”
“Until I’m sure you won’t try and run off, I’m tying you to me. Once I have enough money we’ll be finding a room. Tonight you’re mine. Tomorrow you’ll start working off your debt to me unless you want to go back and make Masterson a widower three times over. I hear his wives don’t last long after he gets their fortunes.”
Adelle couldn’t stop the tear that escaped from her eye as she held her hands out for the gambler to tie them together. She did the only thing she could think of and sent a silent plea to God. “Please help me.”
Gavin couldn’t help but smile as Robert Kleburg counted out ten one-hundred-dollar bills into his hand. “I honestly didn’t think you’d be able to do it, Knight. I didn’t think anyone could break that demon horse.”
“I told you, Mister Kleburg, there isn’t a horse that can’t be broke. You just have to know how to read them.”
“So you’ve said but at what cost? You’re plumb stove up from head to feet.”
“Just a few aches and bruises. Nothing a good hot soak and some rest won’t cure. Plus, I got me a fine horse and this afternoon Cooper and I are riding into town to have a partnership agreement drawn up. On top of your money that makes this the best bronc busting I’ve done.”
“You wouldn’t want to finish training that beast and sell him to me, would you?”
Gavin shook his head. “No, I think Diablo will stay with me. He’s going to be the best advertisement we can get for the training program. Cooper was telling me about a rodeo the ranchers are putting together in Topaz. I plan to get Diablo trained and enter into the cutting competition. If we win, just think of the business that would bring us. Both in his stud fees and in training fees.”
“I didn’t think you would sell him but I had to ask. He’s quite the horse. Might have to bring a couple of our mares up to breed next time we come this way.”
“I’ll let you and Cooper make that deal. But if you want me to train any of those horses you bought yesterday, just let me know. I’m sure we can come to an agreement.”
“I’ll keep that in mind next time. I’ve already lined up a trainer back in Texas for this round of horses. However, I’m sure when we make the next run this way to buy we’ll include the training as well.”
Gavin nodded and the two men shook hands. Gavin exited the barn to see Cooper saddling his horse. “You ready to go into town? Thought we’d see Bernard and get him to start working on that partner agreement. Plus it would give you a chance to show Diablo off to everyone in town.”
“Sounds good. I’d like to stop by one of the saloons too; always a good place to run into cowboys looking to buy a horse or a rancher looking for a stud.”
“Sounds like a plan to me. We might run into my best friend Baxter there, he’s been working over at the Clark Ranch. That’s someone we should talk to as well. You should anyway. He’s a cattle rancher but he can always use good horses. Might be a way to sale some horses and get you some training fees too.”
Gavin swung up onto Diablo and they rode into town talking about plans and opportunities the whole way. Cooper mentioned several ranchers who might be in need of their services. “I reckon you’ll meet Waylon Morgan too. If not in town then at the rodeo. He owns the biggest spread around here. I’m pretty positive we can sell him at least stud services and probably training as well.”
They arrived in town and Cooper pointed out the Nugget. “That’s the best saloon for what you’re looking for, I think. There’s a new one called The Frog’s Knees but it caters more toward the miners. The Nugget has been here a long time and most of the more long-term residents go there or the Pub. Might try there another time.”
“I’ll go into the Nugget and you see if you can get that lawyer started on the paperwork.”
Cooper nodded. “Sounds good, I’ll see you there in a bit.”
As Gavin tied Diablo up at the hitching post he could already hear men talking about the horse. “Ain’t that Cooper White’s unbreakable demon horse?”
“Sure looks like him but it can’t be; that horse won’t ever be broken.”
Gavin smiled. “That’s him fella’s, Diablo and I came to an agreement, only took me three days to break him. You’ll be able to see how good a cow horse he is now at the rodeo next month in Topaz.”
“Well I’ll be. What’s your name, mister, and how did you break that horse?”
They all entered the saloon and as soon as they did something pulled Gavin’s attention from the men talking to him. He answered them but he wasn’t really paying attention because his attention was locked on the young lady standing behind a gambler at the table in the center of the room. She wasn’t dressed like a saloon girl and she looked miserable just standing there behind the man. What was someone so out of place doing inside a saloon? Didn’t she realize she would destroy her reputation in here? She moved to push a lock of her hair out of her face and he felt anger rising. Her hands were tied by a rope that seemed to be attached to the chair the gambler was sitting in. What in the world? Then as he moved closer he heard the words coming out of the gambler’s mouth. “I’m telling you, boy, you come back tomorrow and she’ll be ready to work upstairs. I have to get her trained tonight but she’ll be plenty ready to en
tertain after tonight. She owes me a fairly substantial debt and she’ll entertain anyone I tell her to until it’s paid off.”
Gavin looked and saw the fear and defeat in the woman’s eyes. This was wrong; why didn’t anyone put a stop to it?
Gavin walked over to the table. “How much does she owe you?”
The gambler looked up at him. “I’m sorry did you say something, cowboy?”
“I asked how much the lady owes you.”
The man laughed. “Lady, you hear that Adelle? This here cowboy thinks you’re a lady.” The man laughed and the lady looked up at him with her dark brown hair and hazel eyes that seemed to plead with him. “How much?”
“Not that it’s any of your business but she owes me seventy-five dollars.”
“I’ll pay you one hundred right now to let her go.”
Everyone stilled at Gavin’s announcement. The gambler looked at him and snorted. “I don’t think you have a hundred dollars, cowboy, but if you did I still wouldn’t take it. She tried to cheat me and now she has to pay. But you want her bad enough, you come back tomorrow and you can be her first customer for a whole lot less than a hundred dollars.”
Gavin took a seat at the table. “Must be some arrangement we can come to. I don’t like to see a man force a woman to work off a debt. How much to buy her debt from you?”
The gambler laid his cards down and raked in the pot on the table before looking right at Gavin. “I told you, I ain’t selling her debt. She owes me and as soon as I clean out these others I’ll take her upstairs and start collecting.”
Winning His Wife Page 4