by C. J. Petit
After tying off Vulcan, he entered the store wearing a smile in anticipation of finding Sara waiting for him. His smile instantly vanished when his eyes revealed the other Smith daughter looking back at him. While Kay wasn’t as big as he expected, she was noticeably heavier with an even more impressive bosom. Despite the shock, Jake continued walking closer while Kay seemed to be evaluating him. He didn’t even notice her father and brothers as he drew nearer to his ex-girlfriend. But he did wonder where Sara was.
Before he stopped before her, Jake smiled and said, “Hello, Kay. How are you?”
He expected her reply to be nothing short of a verbal slap in the face, so he was surprised when she smiled and quietly answered, “I’m fine, Jake. It’s good to see you again. You changed quite a lot over the past few years. You’re even bigger than your father.”
Jake didn’t comment on his father or her noticeable changes, but said, “That’s what everyone keeps telling me. Sara said that you have three baby boys already. That must keep you busy.”
“It’s a challenge most of the time. Sara’s watching them right now, but I promised her that I’d return soon, so she could go to lunch with you. Can we sit on the bench for a little while?”
“That’s fine. You can tell me about your boys.”
Kay continued to smile then took his arm before they walked to the door. Once outside, they turned right and soon reached the bench. Jake waited for her to sit down, so he could leave space between them, but soon realized it wasn’t possible. Kay sat in the center of the bench leaving less than three feet of clear space on either side.
Jake sat on her right as far as possible, but he still felt his left thigh pressed against her right. He had no idea why she would force the contact. Surely, she didn’t believe that he was going to commit the sin of adultery with her. His father may have had fallen prey to his lust, but he wasn’t about to take that path. Suddenly, his decision to arrive early was nothing short of a disaster. Even if Kay had to relieve Sara by eleven o’clock, that still left almost an hour of embarrassing conversation with Kay as the townsfolk passed by. But there was nothing he could do about it now.
Kay smiled at him as she asked, “Are you really going to leave to find your father, even after you told Sara that you would court her?”
“I need to find him, Kay. I hope to return soon, though.”
“Sara is already very excited and I’m sure that you’ll make her happy.”
Jake was growing suspicious of Kay’s ultimate goal. After his and Sara’s joint discovery of Kay’s motives that drove him to enlist, he found it difficult to believe that she would be pleased with Sara’s happiness.
But he smiled back and said, “I’m excited myself and I’ll do all that I can to make her happy.”
“I’m sure you will. But what if your father returns? She told me that you would have to leave again if he did.”
“I’ll worry about that when it happens, but whatever the future holds, I’ll still marry Sara and do my utmost to be the best husband possible and a good father to our children.”
Kay then asked, “How long do you expect to be gone?”
“I have no idea. Originally, I thought it might be as long as three or four months, but now, I doubt if I’ll spend more than a month on the road.”
“Orville and Emmett were gushing about their new horses and Sara said you were going to give her one, too.”
“I’m going to give her Vulcan. He’s standing right there.”
She glanced at the horse and asked, “You’re going to give her that big animal? She can barely ride a pony.”
“I’ll teach her after she moves to the ranch. I’m sure she’ll learn quickly.”
Jake wasn’t surprised when Kay asked, “Will your give one to me when you return? After all, we were close to being husband and wife.”
“Of course. After I return, you can visit and choose one. I’ll even give you a set of tack.”
“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”
Jake nodded and still had no idea of Kay’s motives which he believed were hidden deep within her mind busily selecting each word she spoke. He began to wonder if she knew about his father’s affair with Mrs. Kemper and planned to spring it on him shortly.
“May I select a horse as handsome as the one you gave to Sara?”
“I doubt if you could find another one to match him other than Mars. He’s my dark red horse and Vulcan’s older brother. But you can search the entire ranch to find one you like.”
“I’ll do that.”
Then she put him on the spot when she asked, “Why didn’t you comment on my figure, Jake?”
“It wasn’t my place to mention it. You’re Mrs. Homer James, and only your husband would be allowed to speak of such things.”
She laughed then said, “He does speak such things, but they’re always complimentary. He’s very fond of my larger breasts and hips and was actually annoyed when I started losing weight. In another few months, I’ll lose even more and have a figure that is closer to the one that excited you so much.”
Jake finally got an inkling of Kay’s intentions and said, “I’m sure that Homer will appreciate you even more when you do.”
“Sara will never be as voluptuous as I am, Jake. You know that; don’t you?”
“Sara is Sara, and I don’t care if she was as skinny as a fence post. It’s her character that matters more than anything. It so happens that she’s far from being thin, nor is she plain, so that’s just a bonus.”
Kay seemed irritated by his answer and quickly asked, “How can you be in love with her after just a few days? That’s impossible. Were you seeing her behind my back while you were visiting me? Is that why you wouldn’t satisfy me?”
Jake was taken aback by Kay’s unexpected accusation and stared at her without replying for a few seconds.
But before Kay could reinforce her bizarre belief, he said, “That’s absurd, Kay. Surely you can’t believe that I spent that much time with Sara. But I wish I had,”
“Is it because she reminds you so much of me and you decided to settle for my sister? Or is it that you wanted to use her to hurt me for not running away with you?”
Jake may have been startled, but he was growing angry over Kay’s apparent refusal to believe that he could actually love Sara because she was so different from her sister and so perfect for him.
But he managed to remain calm as he quietly replied, “No, Kay. I love Sara because she’s Sara, not because she’s your sister. I thought you were happily married to Homer and pleased to be a mother. You have a good life, and I thought you’d be happy for Sara. I wouldn’t hurt you for any reason, Kay.”
Kay seemed mollified as she said, “I’m sorry that I seemed so upset. It’s just that when Sara told me that you were going to marry her, I couldn’t understand why you proposed so quickly. I was worried that you might have a less than honorable reason for courting her and I didn’t want her to be hurt.”
Jake didn’t bother mentioning that it was Sara’s idea before his, nor did he believe that she worried that he might break Sara’s heart but said, “I understand. But I promise you that Sara will never be disappointed after we’re married. She’s become the focus of my life.”
Kay smiled then said, “I’m happy to know that. Well, I’ll head back to my house and send her back, so you can take her to lunch.”
Jake smiled as she rose and was relieved that she had decided to leave earlier than he’d expected.
She looked down, smiled and said, “Good-bye, Jake. I’ll hold you to your promise to let me find a horse when you return.”
“And I’ll honor that promise, Kay.”
She nodded before she turned away and began walking west along the boardwalk. Jake continued to watch as she crossed the street and soon disappeared when she turned down Missouri Avenue.
He sighed and didn’t bother leaving the bench. Despite Kay’s apparent acceptance of his and Sara’s relationship, he couldn’t shake
the belief that she was plotting something very different. He’d ask Sara about it when she arrived. He suspected that Kay might try to drive a wedge between them when he was gone and wanted Sara to be ready for whatever she might do.
Jake continued to watch the street traffic pass for another ten minutes before Sara appeared at Main Street’s intersection with Missouri Avenue. She waved when she spotted him, and he waved back. He could see the big smile on her face which lessened his anxiety, but the disturbing conversation with Kay had displaced Jerome’s revelation about Mrs. Kemper. He may not have decided to tell Sara yet, but it was no longer in the forefront of his mind as she crossed the street.
Sara’s face still reflected her anticipative joy when she reached him and before Jake could stand, she quickly sat down beside him just a bit left of the spot that Kay had used. It created another four inches of empty space between them, so they weren’t bumping lower extremities.
She quickly asked, “How was your surprise meeting with Kay? I didn’t even realize that she knew you were going to take me to lunch until I entered her house.”
“It was more than just a surprise, Sara. She kept me off balance from the very start. What did she tell you when she returned?”
“Nothing more than you would be waiting for me on the bench. How long did you two talk?”
“For about ten minutes, and it was about nine and a half minutes too long. At first, I thought she was trying to, well, sort of seduce me. She sat in the center of the bench, so I had to sit so close that our legs were pressed against each other. After some probing comments about her figure, which she described as voluptuous, she began questioning my motives for wanting to marry you. I thought she was going to press her attack when she suddenly backed off and said that she was happy for you. I was still disoriented when she left.”
Sara seemed just as befuddled as Jake as she digested what he’d told her. When Kay had asked her to watch her babies to let her meet Jake, Sara thought she was just curious and nothing more.
After a minute of silence, Jake could understand why Sara hadn’t replied, so he said, “I think that Kay might try to convince you to break off our short engagement while I’m gone. I can’t imagine which direction she would take, but I wanted to let you know of my concerns.”
Sara quickly discarded her own thoughts then smiled at Jake and said, “There’s nothing that she can do or say that would make me change my mind. You know how stubborn I can be, and nothing is more important to me than becoming your wife.”
“I didn’t doubt your ability to stop anything she might try, but I wanted you to expect it. I don’t care if she tells you that she discovered that I’d been killed. Don’t believe it and just wait for me to return. If you want to stay at the ranch, I’ll leave word with Dave Forrest to expect you.”
“That won’t be necessary, Jake. But when you’re about to return, send me a telegram. Okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll still write those letters if I’m gone for more than a couple of weeks.”
“You’d better. I know it’s early, but I’m already hungry. Will you escort me to Finney’s so I can stuff my stomach. I suddenly have an urge to have a more voluptuous figure.”
Jake laughed then said, “I told Kay that I wouldn’t care if you were as skinny as a fence post, but trust me, I’m more than pleased with your figure just as it is.”
Sara was still smiling as they stood and began walking to the restaurant.
As they passed Vulcan, Sara said, “You left Mars in the barn to give him a day’s rest before you leave in the morning.”
“Yes, ma’am. One of Kay’s many unusual questions was when she asked me if I would give her a horse, too. I told her she could have whichever one she liked from the remuda.”
Sara looked at him as they continued walking along the boardwalk and said, “That’s odd. I never saw her ride before. I’d be surprised if it was a genuine request.”
“It doesn’t matter. If she visits the Elk to find a horse, you’ll already be in charge of the place.”
Sara laughed and took his hand.
_____
Jake returned to the ranch early in the afternoon after having a long and pleasant lunch with Sara. They had avoided talking about Kay or his pending departure and kept the conversation about what they hoped would happen when he returned. Because they limited their topics to their future, Jake never mentioned Jerome’s disturbing revelation about his father. But after he watched Sara enter her parents’ house after escorting her home, he felt a surprisingly powerful sense of loss when he realized that he wouldn’t be seeing her again until he returned. Not knowing when that would be only added it its intensity.
Before he walked Vulcan into the barn, Jake had only seen Bill Jackson as he inspected the horses in the corral. He could hear Big Tom working in the smithy but assumed Charlie was in the cookhouse and the others were all out with the herds. It was just as well because he wanted some time to think about all he’d learned that morning. He needed to find answers for the new questions that had been generated as well, but suspected they’d remain unsolved unless he found his father. He left the Kay issues to Sara and was confident she could deal with her sister better than he could.
After unsaddling Vulcan and returning him to his stall, he brushed down his coat before he chatted with Mars for a minute or so to assure him that he was still his favorite. He then hefted his weighty saddlebags but didn’t hang them over his shoulder. He left the barn carrying the saddlebags in his left hand and two empty panniers in his right. He glanced to the north before heading to the house but didn’t see any riders, so Dave must not have seen him return.
He soon entered the office, stepped behind the desk and set the saddlebags and panniers on the floor before he sat down. He opened the bottom desk drawer and pulled out the latest ledger, then opened it to the last page that contained entries. He didn’t see any large expenses other than the payroll for the entire month of June. He closed the ledger and returned it to the drawer. He didn’t know how much money had been in the safe before his father emptied it, so he wouldn’t be able to balance the books. But Jerome had told him that he had paid off Mrs. Kemper’s mortgage and added the five hundred dollars to her bank account and there was no reason for the lawyer to invent the story. There were only three people who could access the ranch’s bank account: his parents and himself. Now only he could withdraw the ranch’s money.
He leaned back and absently stared at the rifles as he reviewed the timing of the month’s events. If his mother had discovered the unreported withdrawal somehow, she probably asked his father about it and that might have been the catalyst for the explosive argument. He may have confessed the affair which would be the only revelation that would ignite his mother’s fury. Maybe she’d tried to hit him with some nearby heavy object, and he’d blocked her assault and, in his rage, hit her even harder.
It may all be logical and almost predictable, but to Jake, it was still no excuse for what his father had done. He may have found a theory, but he still desperately wanted to talk to his father and have it confirmed.
After another couple of minutes of reflection, Jake began moving the boxes of cartridges that he wouldn’t be bringing with him to the desk. He stood and began shifting the extra Sharps cartridges and all of the Martini-Henry ammunition to the cabinet’s drawers with their brethren.
Five minutes later, he was in the kitchen with his Winchester, the Sharps and five boxes of ammunition on the table. One was for the Sharps and there were two each for his Colt and Winchester. Like Sam Bannister said, there’s no such thing as too much ammunition. He removed his Colt from his holster and set it alongside the repeater and the breech loader. He was tempted to take his father’s Winchester ’76 rather than use his own just in case their confrontation came to a shootout but decided to keep his. Besides, his father’s repeater was a carbine, and Jake preferred the longer barrel length of his rifle.
He unloaded the Colt and Winchester, then bega
n cleaning each of the guns. As he worked, he avoided thinking about his recently developed theory of what had caused his parents’ deadly fight and its aftermath. He couldn’t slip into daydreaming about Sara, either. He needed to concentrate on the search for his father.
The guns and ammunition were the first step. When he was with the boys for supper, he’d ask Charlie to prepare enough food for a week and add some trail food for backup. He’d leave a pannier for him for the food and fill the other with his clothes and other personal necessities. He wasn’t planning to do any cooking, so he wouldn’t need to weigh Vulcan down with those heavy items. Vulcan would carry the Sharps, but he’d keep all the ammunition in his saddlebags. The black gelding would also carry two canteens, a long coil of rope, his bedroll, a spare blanket, and his small tent. Aside from a couple of large canteens, Mars would only be carrying himself, his Winchester, a rain slicker, and another pair of large canteens.
He had a compass and a pair of field glasses in the house but didn’t see the need for either. He’d be taking the westbound road to Fort Shaw before he headed south on the road to Helena. It was possible, but highly unlikely that his father had taken the northbound road out of Fort Shaw. He wasn’t even sure that the small town of Woman’s Breast even existed anymore. He suspected it was only on maps now because of its titillating name.
It was Helena where Jake expected to find his father. Although there was the possibility that he’d continued south until he reached the Union Pacific rails, Jake thought it was unlikely. His father was as smart as he was hard and confident. It was why Jake found it so difficult to understand why he’d run off. Jake was almost certain that his father had stayed in Helena, whether he was planning to return or not.
With his weapons cleaned and reloaded, Jake walked to the office and picked up the panniers before heading to his bedroom. Ten minutes later, he carried the stuffed pack to the kitchen along with the still-empty pannier. The one loaded with his spare clothing and other necessities wasn’t nearly as heavy as the bag he’d carried out of Bannister’s.