Desert Fire

by Marcia Lynn McClure

  Maggie threw her napkin down. “I don’t know it, son! This frightens me!” Then she turned to Annie. “Lilly Smithe was taken by renegades. They did unspeakable things to her, Annie! Then they took her back to her daddy and murdered her right in front of him.”

  Annie looked at Jackson who returned to eating his meal.

  “Um...Mama,” Matthew ventured. “I don’t know if you wanna get too all detailed about that story just now.” Then he turned to Annie. “Black Wolf is scared of Jackson, Annie. He’s scared of all of us boys. You ain’t got nothin’ to worry about.”

  “That’s right, darlin’“ Baker said, reaching across the table and taking her hand. “You got three knights in shinin’ armor here to protect you. You’re safer here than you’ve ever been in your life, I’ll bet.”

  His smile was so contagious, but Annie startled when Jackson reached out and slapped Baker’s hand, causing him to release hers.

  “She’s mine remember, little brother?” he said chuckling.

  “It’s not funny!” Maggie cried out. Everyone looked at her. She wore a terrified expression. “Are you sure, Jackson?” she asked in a whisper.

  He smiled warmly at his mother. “I’m sure, Mama. And if he did come back, I can whip him. So, don’t worry.”

  “He’s a beast, Jackson! He’d carve you up like that girl!” she sobbed.

  Jackson got up from the table. He walked over and crouched down beside his mother. “No one’s gonna carve me up, Mama. I’m too mean,” he whispered lowly.

  The woman took the man’s face in her hands, kissed his forehead and smiled. “You’re my pretty baby, son. I just worry,” she whispered.

  “Nothin’ to worry about, Mama,” he assured her.

  Annie felt panic rising in her bosom. She had to get away! She was putting this precious group of people in obvious danger. But what could she do?

  “Excuse me,” she said, smiling and pushing her chair back.

  “You all right, darlin’?” Maggie asked.

  “Fine. Fine,” Annie said smiling. “Just need a little air.” And she walked out the back door and toward the barn.

  Her mind began racing. How could she get away? Where could she go? These people who had taken her in and cared for her were in danger! She could go to the sheriff. Maybe someone was looking for her. She could have Mary go into town toorrow and check. She didn’t have any money for a train ticket to anywhere. No horse or supplies to ride away with.

  “Stop it right now, Annie,” Jackson spoke from behind her. She spun around, startled.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I know what you’re thinkin’. Stop it. You’re not goin’ anywhere.”

  “But I’ve put you all in terrible danger! If I leave...”

  “If you leave, it’ll break my mama’s heart. And we don’t like to have our mama upset. I’ll tie you up in your room if you don’t stop thinkin’ this way. Understand?”

  She looked up at him with desperation in her eyes. “You could help me. Just give me the means to buy a ticket east. I can go somewhere and get a job! I’m a burden to you all here.”

  “Oh quit playin’ martyr, Annie. You’re no burden. Mama needs to have you here. You’re good company for her. And besides...it gives us boys somethin’ to look at besides the hitchin’ post.” He flashed a brilliant smile at her.

  But there was more that she couldn’t tell him. She was following in Mary’s footsteps. She felt nervous whenever he was near her. Her bosom ached whenever he almost touched her in some way. She dreamt of him...thought of him almost constantly during the idle and working hours of the day. She found herself watching his mouth when he talked and wondering what his kiss would feel like.

  “Hey!” Baker’s voice boomed as he approached. “What are you two doin’ out here? Are you tryin’ to start sparkin’ with my girl, Jack?” He laughed and put a comforting arm around Annie’s shoulders. “We all know what you’re thinkin’, sweet pea. And Jackson may mean well, but he’s got as much charm as ol’ Root. You ain’t puttin’ us out, or in danger or inconveniencin’ us in any way...other than I gotta listen to Jackson talkin’ in his sleep every night now. But we couldn’t very well let him sleep in his old room with you...now could we?”

  “I don’t know,” Jackson said grinning. “I never thought of that before. I’m sure Annie don’t snore as loud as you.”

  Annie reached up and patted Baker warmly on one rough, unshaven cheek. “You always make me feel better, Baker. Thank you.”

  He smiled and pointed to his other cheek. “Well, then I at least deserve a little peck...don’t you think?”

  She giggled and smiled as she stood on tiptoe and planted an affectionate kiss on his cheek.

  “Hey!” Matthew called from the door. “What’s goin’ on? After all, Annie, ain’t I the one that shares secrets with you?” he said, pointing to his own cheek and bending down.

  Annie giggled again and placed a quick kiss on his cheek as well.

  “Well, I’m the one that fought off them renegades today, ain’t I?” Jackson added, pointing to his cheek.

  Annie’s smile faded and she felt butterflies take flight in her stomach.

  “He don’t bite, Annie. Really,” Baker chuckled.

  She stood before him and just as her lips would’ve brushed his cheek, he turned his head, causing her to kiss him directly on the mouth instead.

  “Slap him, Annie!” Matthew chuckled. “He’s slick as ice.”

  Jackson smiled slyly down at her and she blushed.

  “Red is definitely your color, darlin’,” he whispered, grinning triumphantly before heading for the barn.

  “He’s still a kid when it comes to some things, Annie. Now come on in. Mama’s still upset,” Baker laughed as he put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

  After convincing Maggie that she shouldn’t worry, Annie went to her room to prepare for bed. She was still shaken by Jackson’s boyish gesture at stealing a kiss. He was a puzzle. Serious one minute, boyish and playful the next. And even though it had lasted only a split second, she could still feel his lips brushing hers and smell the familiar scent of leather and hay that was him.

  5

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Several days passed before Mary visited again. When she did, she looked solemn and was quiet. Maggie sent a questioning look at Annie more than once and Annie played ignorant to knowing what was wrong with the girl.

  At lunch when the boys came in, Annie watched Mary closely. She never once looked at Jackson. She hardly joined in the conversation.

  “You feelin’ okay, Mary?” Matthew asked.

  “Fine. Just quiet today, I guess,” she answered, forcing a smile.

  “How’s your mama, Mary?” Jackson asked, smiling at her warmly.

  She glanced at him only briefly before answering, “She’s right as rain. We’re workin’ on our dresses for the Harvest Dance already. Sewin’ tires her eyes more now than it used to.”

  “Harvest Dance?” Annie asked.

  Mary’s eyes lit up. “Oh! It’s just the best thing all year, except for the Christmas Dance, of course! Punkins with faces cut in ‘em! Apple Cider! Punkin pie! Waltzin’! Mr. Daniels plays his fiddle and he’s wonderful. You’ll love it, Annie! I can help you with your dress. Maybe you could do my hair all fancy up for me. I can never do it myself.”

  Annie smiled. With her simple question she had managed to break the bleakness of the girl’s mood.

  “Are you gonna go this year, Mrs. McCall?” Mary asked.

  Maggie looked skeptical.

  “Oh come on, Mama. It’ll be so fun if you go with us this year. I mean...someone will have to go with us to chaperon Annie here. It wouldn’t look good at all to have us three boys goin’ alone with her,” Matthew said between food bites.

  “Oh...I don’t know,” Maggie whined.

  “Oh, come on, Mrs. McCall. I need someone to keep me company while Annie’s dancin’ all night long. I’m sure she’ll be the prettie
st girl there,” Mary said, patting Annie’s hand.

  “Well, I don’t think either one of you will be wallflowers, girls. I know several young boys that have their eyes on our own Miss Mary,” Jackson remarked before standing up to leave.

  Mary smiled at him finally and he winked at her.

  “You wanna go for a walk with me, Annie?” Mary asked unexpectedly.

  “Of course. Goodness knows I need some exercise. Mrs. McCall, your cooking has turned me into a complete piglet!”

  “Sow,” Jackson corrected her. “Fully grown female pigs are sows.”

  “Thank you for enlightening me, Mr. McCall,” Annie sneered. “I suppose that would be comparable to referring to a colt’s hindquarters instead of a fully matured horse’s behind.”

  “She’s gettin’ good, Jackson,” Matthew mumbled.

  Jackson tipped his head in agreement.

  The girls linked arms, exited through the back door and headed toward the pasture.

  “I guess you’ve noticed that I’m not quite myself lately, Annie,” Mary began and took a deep breath to help hold in tears. Annie knew it was time to listen.

  “I spoke to Jackson the other day. You see...I’ve been so terribly in love with him for as long as I can remember...and, I was tired of waitin’ to see if he felt anything for me. I just need to talk to someone about this, Annie. I told him how I felt the other day...out in the barn. I was so sure that he felt somethin’ for me. But...as it turns out...he doesn’t.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I just love him so much, Annie. I feel like I’m just gonna shrivel up and die inside.”

  “I do understand, Mary,” Annie said, smiling at her. “More than you can imagine.”

  “There’ll never be anyone else for me, Annie. Never.”

  Annie put a comforting arm around her friend’s shoulders. “I know you think there won’t be, Mary. But there will. There might be somebody close, right this moment, that’ll treasure you and love you more than you can fathom. And I think you’ll find that he’s more suited to you...and you’ll love him more than you ever did Jackson.”

  Mary looked up at Annie and smiled. “Nice speech.” They both chuckled and hugged.

  Just then the back door slammed and the girls turned to see Matthew walking toward the barn.

  “Matthew is so sweet,” Annie remarked. “He’s got a special way of knowing how people feel. He’s very understanding and compassionate.”

  Mary looked at Annie and smiled knowingly. “You wouldn’t be trying to steer me toward my old lover’s brother, would you Annie?” she asked.

  Annie shook her head innocently. “He’s very handsome, too. Don’t you think?” Annie added.

  They giggled. “Well, Miss Annie,” Mary started. “I’ve got an awful handsome older brother myself who is very interested in meetin’ you. Collin is a dream and...what’s the matter, Annie? Annie!”

  Annie put her hands to her head. The pain was excruciating! Everything was going dark and the name ‘Collin’ kept echoing through her mind.

  “Help me!” she whispered just before she fainted.

  5

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  She could hear voices. They sounded far away at first. Then closer.

  “Is she all right?”

  “Yeah. Annie. Wake up.”

  “We were just talkin’ and she grabbed her forehead and fainted. No warnin’ that it was comin’ on at all.”

  “Annie?” It was Jackson’s voice. “Annie? Wake up now.”

  “Malaina,” she whispered as she began to regain consciousness. “My name is Malaina.” She opened her eyes to see Jackson searching her face.

  “Malaina?” he repeated. She watched his mouth as he repeated her name. “Malaina. Can you hear me?” he asked.

  “I can hear you.”

  “Do you know who I am?” he commanded.

  “You’re Jackson McCall. Do you think I’m ignorant?”

  Malaina heard chuckling and Jackson smiled. “You know darn well I think you’re ignorant. She’ll be all right, Mama. Looks like the memory is comin’ back, too. Malaina. At least we can go back to namin’ the stock ‘Annie’ now.”

  Maggie leaned over and smiled at her as she smoothed her hair back. “Malaina. That’s a beautiful name. It suits you much better. You had me worried, sweetheart! As if these three boys don’t keep my insides stirred up enough as it is.”

  “I’m sorry,” Malaina whispered.

  “Anything else? Do you remember your last name?” Jackson asked.

  Malaina’s head ached brutally. “No. But there’s someone evil...a man. I don’t know why...but I know he’s evil. Collin something. That’s all I can remember.”

  “We were talkin’ about my brother, Collin. It musta triggered a memory for her, Mrs. McCall,” Mary said.

  “We’ll go and let you rest, honey,” Maggie said with a smile.

  “Oh, no! No. I’m fine. Really. I need to get busy if Mary’s gonna teach me how to sew a new dress for this Harvest Dance,” Malaina said frantically. She didn’t want to be left alone.

  “Okay, sweet pea. Why don’t you and Mary have Matthew drive you into town? The general store should have some cloth that’ll do for a dress.”

  Malaina paused as realization hit her. “On second thought, Mrs. McCall...maybe I better just wear one of the dresses you’ve already given me.”

  “Nonsense, child! You’ll be needin’ some clothes of your own. We might as well start with a dress for the dance,” the woman exclaimed.

  “But...I don’t...” Malaina stammered as she looked up into Jackson’s scowling face.

  “For cryin’ out loud, Mama,” he growled. “She’s flat broke. Ain’t that what you’re tryin’ to say, girl?”

  Maggie broke into laughter. “Is that what you’re worried about, sweetie? Well, I’ll be. You’re part of the family now! Money we have is yours. too.”

  But Malaina shook her head. “Oh, no, Mrs. McCall. I’m a big enough burden as it is. I can’t possibly expect you to...”

  Jackson heaved an exasperated sigh. “You know, Miss Malaina...you’re sickenin’ly sweet.” Then he reached into the pocket of his well-worn pants, pulled out a wad of paper money, turned Malaina’s hand palm up and put the money in it. “Now, go to town, buy cloth and make yourself a new dress. We can’t have you lookin’ like a ragamuffin at that dance. We got our own reputations to protect.” After rolling his eyes to show his irritation with the situation, he put his hat on and left.

  Malaina sat stunned for a moment and then looked up at Maggie and Mary. Mary’s mouth was still gaping open in surprise, but Maggie was smiling maternally, as usual.

  “I can’t possibly!” Malaina exclaimed at last.

  Maggie laughed. “Of course you can, dear. Where do you think I would’ve gotten the money anyway?”

  “Oh, but Mrs. McCall...a lady just doesn’t accept money from a gentleman,” Malaina began to explain.

  “You’re out west now, dear...and this is family. We all work together to keep this ranch goin’ and we all get paid for it in one way or another. Now let me get Matthew.” And she left Malaina staring at the wad of money in her hand.

  “Jimineeee!” Mary squealed. “What I wouldn’t give to trade places with you!”

  Malaina counted out the money. “It’s far too much, I’m sure. I guess I’ll just use what I need and then return the rest. But Mary...taking money from a man! It’s so improper!”

  5

  Mary giggled. “She’s right, you know, Malaina. You’re gonna have to change your way of thinkin’ now. You do chores around here same as anyone else, don’t you? Just think of it as your wages. That’s all.”

  Malaina frowned. “I guess so. Well, let’s go then. I haven’t been anywhere besides church yet, and you can’t see the town from there.”

  

  Half an hour later they set out for town. Baker decided to go with them, too. Malaina had managed to get Mary to sit up front in the buggy with Matthew a
nd she sat behind them with Baker.

  When Matthew and Mary started their own conversation finally, Baker winked at Malaina and whispered, “I know what you’re up to. Don’t think I don’t.”

  Malaina giggled. “Now all I have to do is to find a suitable young lady for you, Baker.” His smile faded and as he looked away she felt she had said something very wrong.

  “Not just yet, darlin’,” he muttered. He was quiet for a few more moments then looked at her with an apologetic smile. “I ain’t quite ready again. And when I am...well, I got you right here, now don’t I?”

  But she didn’t laugh at his flirt. “What do you mean...’again’?” she asked.

  He looked away for a moment. “Well, I guess you might as well hear it from me. I got married, Malaina. Two years ago next month.” Malaina’s eyes widened. “Yep. Not every young filly finds me as homely as you do, you know.” She smiled. He went on. “Elizabeth. Elizabeth Johnson. Perty name, ain’t it? And she was a vision, darlin’! A vision! Deep brown eyes...so dark you could hardly tell where that little black spot in her eye was. And yeller hair. Yeller as gold and soft as silk. A purty spunky little thing, too. She kept me in line all right.” He paused and Malaina began to feel depressed.

  “We got married in October. She died in December, darlin’.” Malaina gasped and put a hand to her mouth. She couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t even begin to think of what to say to such a revelation. Baker continued, “Doc Pritchard said her appendix busted. It was all so unexpected...and so fast. It was over before I even knew what was goin’ on. Mama’s got the weddin’ picture up in the attic somewhere if you ever wanna see her.”

  “I’m sorry, Baker. I had no idea,” Malaina whispered, feeling miserable through her tears.

  Baker put a finger under her chin and lifted her face to look at him. “Here now! What are you sorry for, sugar?” He took a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and began dabbing her tears. “It’s clean, don’t worry,” he said with a smile and Malaina laughed.