by C. J. Petit
Jake glanced at the open door and said, “I think we should show ourselves to Emmett. I don’t want him to get in trouble. For all he knows, we could be spending this time in my bedroom.”
“That’s where I’ll be in my dreams until it becomes real. But I think you’re right about letting Emmett see us. But I doubt if he’ll inspect my dress to make sure all the buttons are in place.”
Jake smiled as he stood and held out his hand.
Sara placed her hand in his before she rose, and they began walking to the door still holding hands.
As they left the house, Jake wondered if he should have kissed Sara, but figured if she had wanted him to, she would have told him.
After they stepped to the ground, Jake spotted Emmett winding his way among the horses in the corral and said, “It looks like Emmett is still undecided, but that’s Bill Jackson walking next to him. Bill will make sure that Emmett finds a good one.”
“You have a lot of nice horses. Do I get to tell him to choose one for Orville?”
“Be my guest.”
As they began walking to the corral, Sara said, “The horse you rode yesterday was the handsomest one I’ve ever seen. Is he yours, or is he one of the remuda horses?”
“I was there when he was foaled. He’s an offspring of my father’s amazing stallion, Emperor. I named him Mars and even though he’s been gelded, he’s still pretty touchy about who rides him. He seems to like me, though. As Emmett doesn’t have his own horse, can I assume that you don’t either?”
“That’s a good assumption. I’ve never really needed one and haven’t spent much time in the saddle.”
“Come into the barn and I’ll introduce you to Mars.”
“He won’t bite or kick me, will he?”
Jake laughed before he replied, “No. He only gets annoyed when someone other than me tries to climb onto his back.”
When they entered the barn, Sara asked, “You’re not going to use that big black for your packhorse; are you?”
As they approached Vulcan, Jake replied, “Just once. I asked Big Tom McCallister to find me a good packhorse and he surprised me when I saw his choice. He’s Mars’ younger brother, but I never even saw him. Tom said that my father was planning to have him replace Emperor, but never even got a chance to ride him.”
“At least you gave him a good name; didn’t you?”
“I think so. He seems to like it.”
She turned and looked up at him as she asked, “And what is his name, sir?”
“I was going to name him after a planet, but that didn’t work. So, I named him after Mars’ brother, Vulcan. Vulcan is the Roman god of fire.”
Sara slipped into Vulcan’s stall then began stroking his neck before she asked, “Can I have him when you return?”
Jake laughed then replied, “I thought I’d surprise you by asking you if you’d like to have him. I should have expected that you would beat me to it.”
She looked away from Vulcan and smiled as she said, “I hope you’re not getting annoyed with my direct manner already.”
“Not annoyed, but I am having to adjust. Even my sergeants weren’t as, um, brusque as you are.”
Sara laughed before she said, “You meant to say rude; didn’t you?”
“No, I really didn’t. I just used the comparison as a small jibe to get a rise out of you. Trust me, I’ve had to deal with other privates who were much more aggressive.”
Sara continued to rub Vulcan as she asked, “How was it in the army, Jake?”
“Boring. Even some of the veterans of the War Between the States said that it’s that way most of the time. When they weren’t moving from one place to another or engaged in a battle, they just sat around getting sick or losing their money playing poker or dice games. The officers had them drill and do target practice if they had enough ammunition, but for most of the time, they were bored to distraction. Even the most experienced sergeants only saw six or seven engagements over four years.”
“Did you have to fight the Indians?”
“Not once. I never even fired my Spencer carbine other than target practice. My greatest value to my commander was that I could speak Lakota Sioux.”
“So, you’ve never shot a man?”
“No. I know what you’re going to ask. Will I be able to shoot my father if it becomes necessary?”
“I was going to ask you if you could, but also if you believe that your father was capable of shooting you.”
Jake stared into Sara’s dark blue eyes and for the first time, asked himself that question. He’d only been concerned about what he might have to do after he found his father and hadn’t given a thought to what his father might do.
Sara continued to watch Jake as he tried to answer her question. It was only after she had asked him that she realized he hadn’t considered what his father’s reaction would be when he saw Jake.
After almost two minutes of silence while Sara continued to pet Vulcan, Jake quietly said, “I don’t know what he’ll do. If you’d asked me last month, I would be confident that he wouldn’t even point a pistol at me. But after what he did to my mother, I’m not sure any longer. There are so many things about that horror that are beyond confusing.
“My father was a hard, dispassionate man, but never violent. I can’t imagine what might have triggered such a loud and tragic argument. Another thing that bothers me is why he ran away. I could understand why most men would run, but not my father. I would have thought that he’d just tell the men that she’d fallen and hit her head on the fireplace. No one would have questioned him.”
Sara said, “Maybe after he hit her harder than he had realized, he was so ashamed for what he’d done that he felt he had to leave rather than face you when you returned.”
“That’s possible, I suppose. I just don’t know. I haven’t even been back to the ranch for three years, and something could have come between my parents during that time. My mother never mentioned any troubles with my father in her letters but wouldn’t have included any problems even if they’d become serious. She knew that if she had, I’d return quickly, and she wouldn’t have wanted me to come back to face my father. None of the men on the ranch knew anything was wrong either.”
“But you’re still leaving on Tuesday to find your father.”
“I have to find him, Sara. I want him to tell me why he killed my mother. I doubt if he has any excuse that could justify what he did, but I want to hear what happened. Dave only heard their loud and muffled argument inside the house, but not what started it. Only my father can tell me what led to my mother’s death on the second of July. I’d much rather talk to him than shoot him, but it won’t be my choice. It’ll be his.”
Sara then took his hand and said, “Let’s go talk to Emmett.”
Jake nodded then stepped out of the stall towing Sara with him. When they started walking to the big doors, she said, “I still expect you to buy me lunch tomorrow, Mister Elliott.”
Jake smiled as he replied, “Yes, ma’am.”
Not surprisingly, as soon as they emerged from the barn, there was a full audience of male spectators aligned near the corral wearing assorted grins. Dave seemed to have recovered sufficiently to join the crowd, and even Emmett was in line with the others.
Jake tried to release Sara’s hand, but she wouldn’t let him before he said, “Prepare yourself for some off-color comments, but at least they’ll all be directed at me.”
As they continued to approach the currently silent bachelors, Sara said, “Feel free to fire back, Jake. If you don’t, then I might launch my own salvo.”
Jake softly snickered as they neared the corral and didn’t doubt that she could verbally emasculate each one of them.
They stopped just six feet in front of Dave Forrest and before any of them could launch his first barb, Jake said, “Be careful what you say in front of the future Mrs. Elliott. I may become your boss, but she’ll be mine. I’m not ashamed to admit it, either.”
Afte
r they laughed, snickered and chuckled, Dave removed his hat, bowed and swept his Stetson in a wide arc as he said, “Thank you for making Jake your responsibility, ma’am.”
Sara curtsied then replied, “I intend to, kind sir.”
Dave then asked, “Will you be able to talk him out of leaving, Miss Smith?”
“I won’t even try. I understand why he needs to go.”
Dave looked at Jake but didn’t say anything. When John Hatcher had popped into his house to tell him that Sara Smith was visiting Jake. Dave hoped to convince her to add her voice of reason to his. After learning that she was alone with him in the barn after spending forty unsupervised minutes with her in the house, he hoped he wouldn’t even need to have Miss Smith change his mind. But after seeing Sara’s determination shattered that notion.
Sara then said, “Emmett, did you find your horse?”
“Bill helped me. He’s a really nice five-year-old chocolate gelding with black boots. He said I could have a whole set of tack, too.”
“Well, mister, you’d better have him select another one for Orville. My fiancé has generously donated a second horse to your brother. After you have both horses and their tack tied to the buckboard, bring it to the front of the house and I’ll join you.”
Emmett looked at Bill Jackson, who beckoned him to follow then walked to the corral. Emmett trotted after him as Sara watched and smiled.
Jake watched them leave then turned to the others and said, “I’ll see you boys at supper, and you’ll be able to release all those jibes that you had ready to fire. You’ll have a couple of hours to invent some new ones, too.”
“You got that right, boss,” Al Pope said with a grin before Jake and Sara turned and headed back to the house.
After they had walked a hundred feet, Sara said, “It sounds odd for you to call them boys when they’re all older than you are. Some must be twenty years older.”
“I know. I thought the same thing. Hearing them call me ‘boss’ has been another adjustment. Whether I’m still the boss next month is open to question.”
She squeezed his hand as she said, “I don’t care if you decide to join the army as a private again. I staked my claim on Jake Elliott, the man, not Jake Elliott, the boss.”
_____
After another thirty minutes of couch-based conversation, Jake and Sara heard the buckboard pull up outside the front door.
Before Jake could stand, Sara stared at him for five seconds before she asked, “Well? Are you going to kiss me or not?”
Jake suppressed his laugh as he slid his arm behind her back and pulled her closer. As he leaned forward to kiss her, she tilted her head back invitingly. Jake may have had to lean a bit more, but he found her simple shift in position to be more exciting than any of Kay’s much more overt invitations.
He kissed her gently, but Sara had put her left hand behind his head and poured herself into the kiss. Jake responded and what had begun as a short farewell kiss soon evolved into one with much more passion and meaning.
When the long kiss ended, Sara smiled at him and whispered, “I don’t want a long courtship, Jake. Please?”
Jake was so disoriented that all he could do was to smile and nod before he pulled back then slowly rose to his feet. He took her hand and after she stood, she wrapped her arm around his waist before they stepped to the door.
“I wonder if Emmett is going to tell my mother that we were alone for so long and when we left your house this time, I was holding onto you and the top two buttons on my dress were undone.”
Jake was startled and looked down to the front of her dress. When he found all of the buttons in place, he looked at her face and found her smiling with her eyes laughing.
He smiled as they sidestepped through the door and onto the porch. She didn’t let him loose until they reached the buckboard.
Sara glanced at the two saddled horses before she climbed into the buckboard.
Jake smiled as he said, “Thank you for your very pleasant visit, Sara.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Jake. You can find me at my father’s store.”
“I should be there before noon.”
Sara turned to Emmett and said, “You may drive me home now, Mister Smith.”
Emmett grinned and replied, “At your command, my lady,” then snapped the reins and the buckboard rolled quickly away.
Jake watched it as it rolled down the long access road then turn east to return to Fort Benton. Even after it had disappeared, Jake stood in front of the house staring to the southeast. He hadn’t had such a deep conversation with anyone in years. And he knew he could never have another one with the woman who had been his confidant and teacher for most of his life.
He exhaled then turned and walked back to the house. He had to refocus on his more immediate concern.
_____
As Jake had expected, the evening meal was a never-ending session of off-color jabs and lascivious comments, but he let the men have their fun.
When he left the chow house, he wasn’t surprised when Dave hurried to walk beside him. He assumed that Dave was going to keep putting pressure on him to stay on the ranch just as he had said he would.
Just fifteen seconds after leaving the chow house, Dave said, “I think Miss Smith is a good match for you, Jake. She’s a lot like your mother. You oughta make that girl your top priority, not trying to find your father. He’s been gone for three weeks now. He could have ridden all the way to Wyoming by now and caught a Union Pacific train to damned near anywhere.”
“I know that, Dave. He could be a thousand miles away by now, but I still have to try to find him. I owe it to my mother, even though I know she’d want me to stay, too. But I do I agree with you about Sara. She’s a perfect match for me and I appreciate everything about her. Maybe after I’m on the road for a few days, I’ll miss her too much and turn around. But I do have to leave.”
“Why don’t you spend a few more days with her? Twenty-four days isn’t that much different than twenty-one.”
“When I return, I’ll spend almost all my time with her. She asked me to keep our courtship short and I intend to do just that. I’m already planning to marry her within a week of my return.”
Dave was obviously startled by what Jake had said, and Jake wasn’t surprised. He imagined that Dave thought he and Sara wouldn’t wed for a few months.
He smiled and said, “You should find a wife too, Dave. Sara would probably like to have another woman on the ranch to have as a friend and confidant.”
Dave remained silent for another twenty seconds as they continued to walk to the ranch house.
So, Jake grinned as he looked at Dave and said, “I told her that I’d give her a tour of the ranch when I got back. I promised to give her Vulcan, too. She hasn’t ridden much, but I’m sure she’ll master it quickly. She wants to see my refuge, too.”
Dave stopped before he sharply said, “You can’t take her there, Jake!”
Jake was surprised by his sharp reaction, so he asked, “Why shouldn’t I bring her with me?”
Dave shook his head as he replied, “Just a few days ago, I was rounding up a couple of strays when I found some massive grizzly prints near the northeastern end of your refuge. That big boy must weigh over a thousand pounds. I don’t think your Winchester would do anything more than get him riled.”
“I know there are bears in that forest and wouldn’t be surprised to see a grizzly, but all of the critters who call the place home avoid me. I don’t think that a giant grizzly would be any different.”
“Would you be willing to risk Sara’s life on that assumption?”
Jake realized that Dave was right. Even though it was highly unlikely that the grizzly would leave the forest and launch an attack, especially during the summer, Sara was already too precious to take the chance.
“You’re right, Dave. If she asks to visit the place, we’ll ride out there and I’ll just point it out to her while we stay on horseback.”
�
��That’s a relief. I don’t want to lose another Mrs. Elliott for any reason.”
Jake felt a bit uneasy with Dave’s comparison but began walking again and was surprised when Dave turned around and headed for his house. Dave had apparently fired his last salvo in his effort to get Jake to stay. But Jake was glad Dave had told him about the grizzly.
_____
Late that night, as Jake lay under his covers with his eyes open, he reviewed tomorrow’s schedule. The last day before he began his search for his father. He’d visit S.D. Bannister Firearms first to pick up more ammunition for his Colt and Winchester. It should be a short visit because he no longer needed to ask Sam which of the two long-range rifles would be a better choice to bring along. Then he’d visit Jerome L. Wright, Esquire to ask him about the ranch. That might take longer because his father’s longtime lawyer might have some clue of what had triggered his parents’ violent argument. Then it would be a very pleasant lunch with Sara before he returned to the ranch to begin packing.
The next morning, he’d start his long ride. He planned to reach Fort Shaw by the end of the day, which was only possible because he had Vulcan as a packhorse. It was manned by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment but didn’t know who was in command. It was a long-established, well-manned post, and he assumed that a small town had been constructed nearby to entice the soldiers to spend their pay.
He’d ask anyone he met if he could recall seeing an older man riding a brown gelding and leading a matching packhorse. The only other way to identify his father was his choice in headgear. While he may have left the Emperor and taken different guns with him, Jake knew that he’d never part with his favorite Stetson. It was cream-colored with a dark brown custom band. The wide band was decorated with a line of bull elks. What made it special was that none of the elks were the same. Each of the eighteen embroidered bulls had different stances and an assorted number of points on their antlers. The band had cost his father more than the hat itself, and Jake hoped that someone would notice it. Those who had never seen it before invariably asked his father about it. He’d be more than happy to explain why he had it made and what it represented. He was proud of what he built and had every right to be.