“Why are you worried about that?”
“Because they’re your friends and nobody likes to have his friends insulted, but I thought I should point out hazardous spots. And because you haven’t taught me all your tricks and talents. There’s no guessing when or where I may need to use a whip or hatchet or know better tracking skills.”
“Is that all you want and expect from me?”
She noted his serious—perhaps anxious—tone and expression. Uh-oh, Beth…“That was our deal: I do my best to help you solve this case without your friends getting hurt, and you enlighten me. Right?”
“Right. Just wanted to make sure you hadn’t forgotten our bargain.”
“You worried I’m going to chase you after what happened last night?”
“Are you?”
Navarro looked and sounded worried about becoming the object of her affection. She knew it was dangerous to distract him with personal concerns when his full attention should be on his duty. Hers, too. If they were meant for each other—and she believed they were—they would get together later, after the mission and after his feelings for Jessica were put to rest as hers for Steven had been. Calm his fears for now. “Even if I were tempted, it would be a foolish chase because diehard lone wolves have a knack for eluding traps,” she said with a feigned mischievous grin. “Why did you ask?”
“Just wanted to be sure we understand each other.” Caray! even Jessie didn’t make me act and think as loco as you do! I best be on guard against your charms or I may find myself in a painful snare.
“Your message is clear, boss. Don’t worry, I realize our mission is all we should think about until we complete it.”
He couldn’t tell if she believed him, and that failure frustrated him for a moment. He scolded himself when he realized he was almost disappointed she didn’t argue or reason with him to change his mind. As soon as the case closed, she’d be riding out of his life, back to her dreams and memories of Steven Wind: a full blooded white man without a mark on his birth, body, or record. “It will be,” he mumbled. If I can keep my feelings corralled. And you, woman, you aren’t doing anything to help me keep them under control. One look or touch from you and he wants to bust down the gate and run free, and I want to—“We’d better get downstairs and eat. Mrs. Gray said meals are served promptly. I’m starved. You ready to go?”
She’d witnessed the odd way he was staring at her and how he mussed his black hair in wariness. Don’t know what to think and do about me, about us, right, my nervous darling? “Lead the way.” For now…
* * *
Beth looked at Navarro and said, “You don’t have to sleep on that hard floor; I promise I won’t attack you if you come up here with me.”
“Trouble is, I can’t make the same promise,” he replied, chuckling.
She dared not tease. The legendary Navarro Breed afraid of anything, especially a delicate female? Maybe he just needed to be in charge of everything; maybe he wasn’t ready to let go of the past; maybe he simply dreaded rejection. “As you said, I can think of worse predicaments.”
“Me, too, but I don’t encourage problems; breaks my concentration.”
“Let me know if you change your mind.” You can’t be stubborn and leery forever. You think we lost our heads last night, but what would you think if we savored our lovemaking next time? Next time…
Thursday morning, Navarro was quiet as they dressed, ate, packed, and left the boardinghouse; so Beth let nature entertain and distract her. They traversed the verdant Davis Mountains. Patches of tall grasses with intermingled earth-snuggling ones covered many areas, all swaying in a nice breeze. They weaved their way past lavender and white cenizos, creamy yuccas, fiery ocotilla, and a variety of cacti. Bushes were thick and most trees were short; both were adorned with heavy jade-colored foliage. Darkbrown boulders and cliffsides jutted from the rolling or hilly landscape. Rocky eruptions created emerald humps on the surface, which they skirted. They journeyed through picturesque canyons and avoided hazardous ravines. She was awestruck by lovely red and orange paintbrush, yellow flax, green milkweed, blue sage, and white milkwort. They crossed a stream and passed Mitre Peak. Long lengths of dense grassland appeared, then rugged scrubland. It was spring, and the semi-desert region was beautiful.
As they approached a valley, Navarro slowed and murmured, “We’re on Cordell land. Look over there.” He motioned to where they had spooked a herd of graceful antelope. “We disturbed somebody’s hunting.”
She glanced upward where he pointed second to a hawk that was circling and shrieking as if fussing at them. “How far to the house?”
“About an hour at this walk. The horses need to cool and rest after taking those hills and rough terrain.”
Beth liked the slowed pace that allowed them to travel side-by-side and chat, which he seemed ready to do. “Is the entire spread this rugged?”
“Nope, it’s a thing of beauty. You can judge for yourself soon.”
Beth agreed as they rode on. “Where is the stock?”
“What’s left has probably been rounded up by now. Or they might be feeding in the south pasture if marking and counting’s been done. This is one of the busiest times on a ranch. New calves and colts have to be branded and have their ears notched.”
Despite his explanation, the ranch seemed too deserted for a huge and prosperous cattle empire, and wasn’t at all what she’d expected. Navarro’s expression and tone indicated he thought it was odd, too. “What’s ear notching?”
“Putting a certain cut in a partic’lar spot; that’s added safety in case rustlers change the brand. Nobody can replace a piece of ear and it’s harder to change a notch to another pattern than to alter singed hide.”
“Why is it necessary to also brand them?”
“Brands show up quicker and easier. Lets wranglers know which ones have been marked, and helps in separating stock during a combined cattle drive to market. Theirs is an L and a C with a slash between ‘em. The males are castrated, so all they’ll want to do is eat and grow.”
“They remove any desire to…romance the females, eh?”
“Right, that’s left up to the bulls chosen for the best breeding. If just any male mated with the cows, it would ruin the bloodline and lower the offspring’s value. You’d wind up with a bunch of half-breeds nobody wants.”
Beth caught his dual meanings and resentment. “Tell me more about branding. I take it you’ve done that task plenty of times.”
“A team of cutters, ropers, a marker, flankers, and ironman can do everything to forty or fifty animals in an hour. I’ve done my share of all those jobs. Every one of ‘em is a dusty, bloody, smelly, bone-tiring chore.”
“Do women help?”
“Sometimes, when the ranch is big and there’s lots of stock. Jessie does, or she did. She might not have time now with the house, children, and garden to tend. I’ve worked a few ranches where the women were too soft and squeamish for the task. You could do it without a problem.”
“How do you know?”
“Anybody who gets shot and hides it can do anything needs doing.” When he saw how his compliment affected her, he rushed on, “Cattle are prime sales at four years. That’s a long time to tend them to have ‘em go and die on you. It’s a long, tough spell to ready new calves. Makes it hard to ride in tricking them when they’re having a run of bad luck.”
And perhaps breaking the law? “Are you nervous?”
He noticed how bright sunlight enflamed her fiery locks below the shade cast by her hat brim. He saw how her pale complexion was flushed and her cheeks were rosy. She was wearing a brown riding skirt, vest, and boots with a green shirt that enhanced the color of her expressive eyes. “Nervous?” You bet I am, about a lot of things, includingyou, partner, and what we did back there. “A little. I don’t like what we have to do to them.”
Beth was aroused by the furtive way he was examining her. It scares you to be attracted to me when you think you’re still in love with Jess
ica, doesn’t it? I wonder if you’re unconsciously duping yourself. We’ll both know soon, won’t we, dearest? “You’re eager to see your friends again?”
“Yep. Those boys are a lot of fun. I learned you can’t force people to like you or respect you; either they do or they don’t. I was lucky they let me fit in here for a while. When I was young and cocky, I did all sorts of crazy things for attention, but it got me the wrong kind. I had this fierce need to be superior to other men, ‘specially men like Carl. I was bad and bitter, and I let folks know not to mess with me; that was stupid, since what I really wanted was friendship and acceptance. I couldn’t stand for anybody to prove me wrong or make me look weak or yellow. I’m damn lucky I lived through so many showdowns and fistfights, not to mention prison.”
“I’m glad you did.”
Stop her from thinking in your direction. “A word of warning, Beth, watch playing with that ring so much; nervous habits can give away secrets.”
She knew she had a tendency to play with her ring when she was tense and she’d tried to curb the revealing habit. She suspected that wasn’t his real motive for mentioning it. He seemed to be getting defensive with her as they neared his lost sweetheart, and she couldn’t allow that to happen so close to their target. “Thanks, and please keep reminding me.”
He stared at her. “You aren’t mad ‘cause I mentioned it?”
“Of course not; partners—friends—help each other to do their best work and to avoid mistakes, right?”
“Right.” He eyed her again, then smiled. “Do the same for me?”
“I will, when and if the time comes.”
After they topped a rise, he said, “There she is.”
Beth scrutinized the setting with great interest. From that distance and elevated level, roofs revealed the number and sizes of structures. There were two large barns, side-by-side and sharing overhangs. She saw a rectangular bunkhouse, several small cabins, and a chuckhouse where the hands ate. She noticed animal pens, well-kept yards, miles of fencing, a well, corrals, outhouses, a windmill, and a garden. The nearer they got, the more she could discern about the house that was enclosed by a wall about three feet high with an arched entrance; it was constructed in a Spanish style; and the whole setting indicated prosperity and tranquil living.
From a window, Jessica Lane Cordell watched the couple close the span between them. As they did so, her suspense mounted. After years of wondering, some of worrying and praying, she would discover today how it felt to be with Navarro. Those bittersweet days they had shared flashed across her mind: their brief and torrid romance, her torment and confusion at his loss, and her reactions to discovering the reasons why he didn’t return to her. Most of what she’d become and possessed now was because of Navarro Breed—his love for her and effect on her, his help with Fletcher, and his absence since their coerced separation.
Since that day, all she knew about the ex-desperado was what Matt and what Navarro’s letters had told her. At times, she had feared he might fight to get her and Lane back. Other times, she had feared losing her and Lane would create a cold and hard bitterness that could return him to the man he had been before they met. But most of the time, she had believed he would honor his word and remain a new man, and she’d lived in serenity in her fresh start.
Jessica reminded herself she had been fortunate and happy for ten years while Navarro had been unlucky and miserable, until now. She hoped life finally was being just and kind with him because he was a good man, a man she still loved and cared about in a special way and always would.
As she headed to greet them, Jessica prayed his recent news was true. From what she could tell about his appearance, he had changed amazingly little; he was still more than handsome, muscular and virile. But the same was true of Mathew Cordell. She loved her husband, children, and home with all her heart—except, she admitted without feeling guilty or wicked, for the corner Navarro owned and occupied. She had only one frightful concern, that when he saw his son for the first time he’d be unable to hide his feelings and their relationship.
She was thankful Lane’s resemblance to his father had lessened over the years. With all her heart, she prayed, Heavenly Father, please give Navarro total joy and peace. Please let this woman be perfect for him. Please let their ranch be successful. Please give him a son or daughter as soon as possible to ease his pain at losing Lane. Please.don’t let him have wrong feelings for me. Free him from our troubled past as you freed me. Please hear my prayer and answer it for all our sakes. Amen.
As they reined in, Beth saw a redheaded female standing stone-still on the porch. Was Matt’s wife hesitant to approach them because of her past relationship with Navarro? Was she worried over what he might have told his “wife” about them? She had assumed Jessica would be very pretty, but she was beautiful, a woman any man would crave. Twinges of alarm and jealousy nibbled at Beth.
Jessica looked at the newlyweds and offered Beth a cordial smile. Then, her eyes settled on a grinning Navarro and her tension faded.
As he dismounted and walked toward her, Navarro’s heart pounded with anticipation and he was flooded with joy. At long last, he mused, he had returned. How different, his thudding heart told him, their reunion would be if it had taken place ten years ago, or even five years ago.
“Hello, Jess,” he said as he reached her. “Shu, it’s good to see you. You’re as beautiful as ever.”
Jessica was surprised at how calm they both were. “You look wonderful. It’s been a long time, but you haven’t changed at all. Wish I could say the same for me,” she jested. “A lot has happened to us since we last saw each other.”
“That it has.”
“We’re delighted to share this special occasion. We’ve always wanted the best for you, Navarro. Just as you wanted it for us. We’ve all done well.”
His turbulent mind echoed, “We’re,” “We’ve,” “Us” …“That we have, Jess. Where’s that lucky husband of yours?”
“He took the children for a wagon ride; they’ll return soon. We didn’t know when you’d arrive or he would have been here to welcome you.”
Beth witnessed as the two studied each other, their smiles broadening and bodies relaxing as they did so. As the couple stood with their sides to her, Beth observed them in dread and increased jealousy, as they seemed to have forgotten her presence. Jessica was shorter than her by a few inches, and her complexion was darker from the sun. Her hair, thank goodness, wasn’t flaming red; its auburn shade was so deep, it was almost brown; the luxurious mane drifted halfway down her back in a near-riot of curls and waves. Unlike herself, the rancher had small and delicate features, but there were tiny wrinkles on her face from outdoor work and—Beth had to admit—from an abundance of smiles and laughter. Even without being very close, Beth was aware of how blue and captivating her rival’s eyes were. Yet, there was a gentle, genial radiance and aura about her. Beth couldn’t help but admire and respect Jessica; she’d had the generosity and kindness to forgive and aid the man whom she’d loved and lost, the courage and strength to build a new life with another man, and the wisdom to apparently let go of the past.
“You look happy, Jess; I’m glad.”
“So do you, stranger, and I’m delighted. We worried about you for years. Thank goodness you finally met and talked with Matt.”
“Sorry I couldn’t contact you, but writing from prison would have been selfish and reckless. I didn’t want you to suffer from any misunderstandings with the law. Besides, I doubt the guards would have mailed any letters I wrote, and they probably would have used them against you.”
“I understand and I’m grateful you kept us out of trouble. You always did put others’ needs and safety above your own. I’m so happy you’re free now; you didn’t deserve to be in that awful place.”
“I’d still be locked up if you and Matt hadn’t gotten me out.”
“It was what we had to do for a good friend. It’s what you would have done for us; you helped us so much i
n the past. We appreciated you writing in ‘81 to let us know you’d made a fresh start. I was hoping you would.”
“I couldn’t have done it if not for what I learned from you, your family, Matt, and the boys here. All of you were the first real friends I’d had.” He doffed his hat and ruffled his hair. “I know you two didn’t expect to see me again, but I wanted you to meet my wife and share my good luck. You don’t ever have to worry about me again, Jess. We’ve all settled down now.”
Jessica grasped his underlying meaning and nodded. She gazed at the man who had been her life, hopes, dreams, and joy ten years ago. She’d been devastated when she lost him. But after discovering the truth five years later, she’d understood and forgiven him. She was glad and relieved he’d found someone to love and to fulfill him as she had with Matt. She realized he was no longer the mysterious, wary, restless desperado she’d met years ago. That hungry, bitter, sad glint was gone from his hazel eyes. Yes, Navarro Breed had changed since their first encounter, changed because of her and his new love. Lordy, she mused, he was still a man who stood out from others, as did Matt.
If our goodbye had been different, maybe I’d be over you, too, Jessie. Maybe you wouldn’t still be haunting me. Either I end it for good or I’ll go on yearning and suffering. How can you be my destiny when you’re so happy with Matt? If only I could hold you and kiss you to test my feelings and yours, and to make certain I’ve lost you and Lane forever…
Beth wondered if she should dismount and join them. She’d decided to give them a few more minutes alone, but was envious of their easy rapport and undeniable affection for each other. She was miffed a little at being excluded and ignored. What if Matt arrives? Keep an eye out for him.
Jessica’s gaze traveled to the flaming redhead nearby. “She’s beautiful, Navarro, and I’m eager to meet her. She’s been patient with our reunion.”
“Yep, she’s quite a woman. I think you’ll like her.”
Chase The Wind Page 24