His moments with Amelia left him shaken. He’d tried to remain composed, but his emotions were far stronger than he believed. He’d finally admitted it to himself. He loved her. He was in love with Amelia Donnel.
He sighed and looked up at the stars from his seat upon the back of his horse. That night, he was monitoring the fences in the west plain. It was the lowest part of the ranch and often the quietest. Dawn would be there soon and with it new truths.
Glenore was a ranch of rolling plains and hills. Oliver loved every bit of it. He could see what his father saw when he first came to Rattleridge to stake his claim. The wild grasses, the thick forests, the hidden retreats like the lake and the mountains which marked the sky like watchtowers. He wanted a part of that, something he could leave to his descendants, to leave a legacy, and Oliver was that legacy. There was just one problem. There was no one to follow after him. Oliver never thought of it before, but now he was. He was thinking he needed someone in his life, a special someone, a particular someone. Amelia.
She was everything he never knew he wanted and then some.
If she returned your feelings Oliver, then it changes everything. She isn’t repulsed by you like most. You know that. There is a chance that you won’t lose her. She did say she wasn’t going anywhere. That was different.
The last thought brought the most fear to his heart. Losing her. Oliver had lost everyone he loved deeply. First, his mother and then his father. Amelia tugged his heart in a way no one ever had before. He could only imagine what pain there would be to lose her.
Oliver looked up at the stars as if his answers could be found there. His horse shifted to the right suddenly as the sound of a gunshot rang through the air. Oliver ducked immediately, his eyes searching for the source. Someone had shot at him.
“Yah!” he cried out as he kicked his heels into his horse’s flanks and held on as he tore toward the house.
Oliver’s heart beat loudly as the horse raced for home. Someone was out there, someone he couldn’t see but who could see him, someone who wanted him dead. He was pretty sure he knew who.
The horse’s hoof beats matched those of his heart as Oliver neared the main property. He couldn’t believe someone would dare to try to hurt him, but after this new incident and the shot through his window, it couldn’t be denied.
I can’t let Amelia know about this.
His mind was considering how the news would affect Amelia when he noticed a steer wandering in the field. Then another. It wasn’t long before he realized that the entire herd was roaming the ranch freely. He turned his horse toward the corral. What he found made his blood boil. The beams were completely dismantled as far as he could see. Some of the steers were roaming the garden and helping themselves to the lettuce. Others were in the other field trampling the saplings. Oliver was furious.
He kicked his heels harder and directed the horse to the house. The perimeter checks were supposed to ward off anyone trying to cross onto the property, but clearly, their presence wasn’t enough, as Oliver’s men could only cover so much ground at a time. Someone was watching them who had learned their schedule and snuck in when they knew no one would be close.
Oliver stopped the horse outside the house. He didn’t bother to tie it. “Melvin!” he called out before he stepped onto the porch. “Melvin!”
The other man met him in the living room. “What is it?”
“Someone’s damaged the corral. The cattle are wandering all over the place out there,” he informed Melvin in a rush. Amelia walked out of her bedroom as he was speaking, and again he was struck by her beauty.
“What’s all the yelling about?” she asked.
“Someone’s damaged the corral,” Oliver informed them as he turned to Amelia. He looked back at Melvin. “We need to get out there and get those animals back where they should be.”
A look of fear flashed across Amelia’s features. “You mean someone was able to get up here? I thought you said that everything would be safe?”
Oliver looked at her as frustration filled his veins. “I did,” he replied. “Clearly someone was paying attention to what we were doing and took the opportunity when they saw it.”
Amelia stepped toward him. “Does that mean we need more men? Did they take any of the cattle?” She was surprisingly calm about it. Oliver didn’t expect that.
“I won’t know until we count them,” he replied. “First we need to get that corral fixed and them, back in it. Melvin?”
“Give me two minutes to get on a shirt and my boots and I’ll be right behind you,” his friend replied. He turned immediately and scampered up the ladder to where he slept.
“Oliver?”
“It’s all right,” he assured Amelia as he took her hand. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone hurt you or this place,” he stated firmly. “From now on, I’ll be right here to protect the house. I’ll get more men if I need to, but right now I need to deal with the cattle.”
“Do you need help? Garrett and the others aren’t back yet. I could get my horse and come with you,” she offered.
“No, you stay here. We’ll be hungry by the time we get back. We have a lot of work to do this morning. It’ll take us forever to get those steer herded and back to the corral after we make repairs. Then we’ll need to see how much damage was done to the crops.”
“I can check the crops,” she offered. She wanted to help, but Oliver was afraid of what might happen if she left the safety of the house. He wouldn’t risk her life.
“No, Amelia. Just stay here. It’s safer.”
Her eyes shifted rapidly as she looked at him. She was frightened, but also determined, he could see it in her gaze, but all he wanted to do was comfort her. He couldn’t, there was work to be done. Securing her safety was of more importance then quelling her fears or entertaining her bravado. She didn’t understand what was really at risk. If she did she wouldn’t make such an offer.
“Let’s go,” Melvin said calmly as he returned to their side. “The longer we take the more damage those steers are gonna cause.”
Oliver nodded. He patted Amelia’s arm comfortingly. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”
“I’ll see you when you get back,” Amelia replied somewhat defeated. Still, she smiled at him briefly and Oliver returned it before he headed out the door.
Melvin was waiting for him outside. He looked at Oliver sternly. “I’m sorry, Ollie. I didn’t hear anythin’.”
“You wouldn’t,” Oliver replied. “The corral is far enough from the house to make sure that their actions would go unnoticed. They were probably watching as well, buying their time until they could strike.”
“Do you think they took off with any of the cattle?” Melvin asked. They strode to the barn to get Melvin’s horse. Oliver led his stallion behind them by the reins.
“I think we’ll find they’re all there,” he replied.
Melvin frowned. “You don’t think the rustlers took any?”
Oliver stopped and looked at Melvin squarely. “I don’t think it was rustlers.”
The wrinkles in Melvin’s brow deepened. “What do you mean?”
“Look, I didn’t want to say anything in front of Amelia, but someone took a shot at me out there. I heard it fly pretty close to me.”
Melvin’s jaw slackened. “You don’t think…”
“I do,” Oliver replied sharply. “Someone tried to kill me, twice. I’m convinced that the last incident was a threat directed at me.”
Melvin took a deep breath. “What do we do?”
“We go after them,” Oliver replied sharply.
“You can’t!” Melvin declared. “You have no proof. Besides, you promised your father you wouldn’t make his mistakes.”
“Do you want me to just sit back while someone tries to kill me? Do you want me to allow this entire ranch and everything we’ve worked for to be threatened?”
“No,” Melvin replied. “I just don’t want you running off half-cocked thinking it’s
one thing when it might be another.”
“Oh come off it, Melvin! You know as well as I do who’s behind all this,” Oliver retorted. “And if he comes here again he’s gonna be sorry.”
“Oliver, we have to have proof. How will you explain it to the sheriff if something happened? We’d be facing bigger issues then. I know you’re angry but you have to calm yourself and think. The best way to handle this is through the law. Get proof and then have Sheriff Manchester arrest him.”
He sighed with exasperation. He knew Melvin was right; it just wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He wanted this to be over and done with. The law sometimes took longer than he liked to get things done. Sometimes, it did nothing at all.
It was early evening by the time they reached town. The corral was in a state. Nails had been stolen from the wood, brackets too, there was no way to get it back up without getting the required items, which meant that Oliver and Melvin found themselves in town while Garrett and the other men remained at the ranch to watch the cattle and protect the house. Everyone was disturbed by what had happened, and the tension was thick as they left the men with their duties.
Glenore had two large corrals, each shaped like a large octagon and connected by two gates between them, and two large gates, one on either corral to allow the cattle to be driven in. It was all a mess. The linking gates were broken off, the main gates had been removed and several of the posts were uprooted. It was going to take a lot of time and work to get it all repaired, both of which Oliver had little of. Also patience.
They left the wagon by the blacksmith. Oliver paid his usual price for the service, and the blacksmith continued to try to refuse it even though they both knew he would take it in the end.
Oliver and Melvin walked toward the general store. There were several things they needed to collect and Melvin had the list of items in his hands.
“Let’s just get in and out,” Oliver stated. “I don’t wanna leave Amelia at home for too long.”
“Amelia…such a fine woman,” a familiar voice chortled. “Such a pretty little thing, and young, too. Ripe pickings.”
Oliver stopped immediately.
Melvin’s hand went to his shoulder. “Take it easy,” he whispered.
Oliver turned to face the speaker.
Even his choice of colors reflected the heart of the man.
He was dressed in black from head-to-toe and a sly grin spread across his face. Oliver felt his hand tighten at his side, but Melvin’s voice in his ear stopped him from acting on the thoughts that were running through his mind. He moved to leave.
“Tell me, how is she?”
Again, Oliver’s feet stilled. He glared at the other man. “That’s none of your business.”
“Why? I’m just askin’ a polite question. Such a woman must be quite something,” he continued.
Oliver felt Melvin’s hand tighten around his upper arm. Was he inferring what Oliver thought he was? It was clear that Melvin thought it, too.
The other man stepped closer. “Tell me, have you been bold enough to mount that filly of yours or you too afraid that you might scare her away if she saw what you look like under all those clothes?”
Melvin’s hand seemed to disappear. Reason left Oliver’s head as the words he just heard burned through his mind like a brush fire. The balled hand tightened and before he knew what he was doing, it connected with the other man’s face, sending him reeling. It was over after that. Fists flew in all directions. Legs kicked out trying to catch the other in the gut as horrified onlookers try to stop the brawl.
Oliver could hear nothing, see nothing, all he wanted to do was destroy the man in front of him. He’d done so much already, now he was insulting Amelia’s virtue? That was too much. He was going to teach that man a lesson he would never forget.
“Stop it! Both of you!” Sheriff Manchester’s voice boomed above the crowd. Still, Oliver couldn’t rein in his anger.
Suddenly, strong hands grabbed him about the arms, far too many to get away from. The distance between Oliver and the man increased as three deputies dragged him away, leaving the other man sitting on the ground tending to his bleeding face and staring at him with hatred.
“Someone tell me what is going on here?” Sheriff Manchester demanded.
“He attacked me.”
“You had it coming,” Oliver retorted.
Sheriff Manchester looked at him sternly. “In this town we have law and order, you of all people should know that,” he stated as he met Oliver’s gaze.
“He was provoked,” Melvin interjected. “The man insulted my niece’s dignity. He was lucky it was Oliver and not me who got to him first or it might have been worse.”
Sheriff Manchester looked at the man who was pulling himself to his feet. “Is that so? Did you insult Miss Amelia?”
“I said no such thing,” he replied.
“Liar!” Oliver yelled as he strained against the force that held him in place.
Sheriff Manchester turned to him. “Melvin, get Oliver out of here. I think everyone should calm down. I’ll get to the bottom of all of this.” He nodded to his deputies to release Oliver. He fought the urge to lunge at the man again.
“Come on, Oliver,” Melvin encouraged him.
“You stay away from Amelia, Rayner, you hear me,” he said coldly.
“Come on, Ollie,” Melvin insisted as he led him away.
They strode away from the scene and Oliver fumed with every step he took. He wanted to go back and finish what he’d started, repay Rayner for everything he’d done, but he couldn’t. His senses were returning to him and he knew that it was the worst idea to go back.
“You go back to the wagon and wait for me there,” Melvin instructed.
“I can go with you…”
“No,” the older man stated frankly. “And have that man incite another incident? Sheriff Manchester won’t take kindly to another disturbance in his streets, you know that.”
“He had it coming,” Oliver repeated.
“I know that, but that doesn’t mean you had the right to pummel him like that in front of the entire town. It will only bring trouble.”
“He did that long ago,” Oliver retorted.
Melvin grabbed him by the arm and brought him to a halt. “Well, you might have just started an all-out war and it’s gonna bring all of us into it. Are you ready for that?”
Oliver’s heart froze in his chest. He hadn’t considered the repercussions of his actions, only his desire to shut Rayner’s mouth forever. Now he realized that he might have just caused them all more harm than good, and it was no longer him and Melvin, but Amelia and the ranch hands who might be made to pay the price of his temper getting the better of it.
Chapter Nineteen
Four days had passed since the incident with the corral, and since that day things were strange around the ranch. Oliver seemed more distracted than ever. He spent most nights staying up late to watch over the house, even though there was no sign that that rustlers would return. Melvin was taking longer shifts to patrol the ranch and the other men seemed just as on edge. Something was coming. They could all feel it. So did she.
Amelia couldn’t stand the tension. Glenore was a place of peace to her, and now it was slowly being transformed into something it was never intended to be. Everyone kept insisting that there was nothing for her to do, but Amelia still wanted to. She might not be able to hold off some cattle-stealing bandits, but she could do something to preserve the sanctity of their peaceful home.
She stepped out onto the porch to survey Glenore. Despite what was happening and the threat from the wranglers, it was still a magical place to behold. “I just can’t let them ruin this,” she said to herself. She propped her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. “I’m gonna do something about this.”
Amelia turned back into the house. She rolled up her sleeves as she marched into the kitchen. It was time the men on the ranch had some fun. They’d known nothing but stress and anxiety for weeks
, they all had, but there was only one of them who could change that, and for once it wasn’t Oliver or Melvin, it was her.
Amelia stacked new wood into the fire beneath the stove and got it burning. She began to pull out pots and pans of varying shapes and sizes, mixing bowls, spoons, and other utensils. Tonight, they were going to have a feast, a celebration of the home they now shared. It didn’t matter who was threatening it, Glenore was theirs and they were going to enjoy it no matter what happened.
“That’s it,” Amelia stated as she continued to gather the items she needed to make the special meal she had in mind.
Though Amelia was never called to cook in the mayor’s house, she did learn a lot from those who were. She never got to employ the lessons but she still remembered them. Tonight, she would call upon all of the skills she’d learned to make Oliver and the others a special meal. He needed it. She didn’t like how he was looking, as if the weight of the entire world was on his shoulders. She hadn’t seen him enjoy himself since their fishing trip to Hidden Lake, even their run-in in the woods could hardly be called amusement, just happy coincidence. She wanted to do something deliberately.
For the Love of a Wounded Cowboy: A Historical Western Romance Book Page 17