by Morgan, Kit
“He was real!”
“Aye, he was real enough, and huge! Big enough to toss those outlaws about like rag-dolls.”
“No one will believe us,” she told him, her eyes downcast.
“Aye, they will. At least Seth and Ryder. The man gave me a note to give to them. Speaking of which, we’d best be on our way. I’ve got to get these men locked up and get ye home. Yer family is probably worried sick.”
He moved to stand, but she stopped him. “Did you mean what you said? About marrying me?”
“Aye, I did.”
“Did you also still want me to remind you to … tan my hide?”
He smiled. “Aye, right after we’re married. But I think I have a better punishment for you.”
She swallowed. “Wha … what?”
He gave her a devilish grin, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.
* * *
“But Harrison, Sheriff Hughes is doin’ everything he can to find Apple. There just ain’t been enough time to round up more men.” Henry Fig paced to the other side of the Sheriff’s office and back. “I’m sure Deputy O’Hare is with her. They done gone missin’ about the same time.”
Harrison gritted his teeth and looked at Colin. “Let’s head out and hope to God she’s all right. If Deputy O’Hare has compromised her in any way …”
“Calm down, brother. We don’t know the details, nor do we know if he’s the one responsible for Apple’s disappearance.”
Harrison took a calming breath. “You’re quite right, as always.” He looked at Henry. “My apologies, but we’re responsible for her, and she is family.”
Colin put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a healthy squeeze. “Don’t worry, if we discover that Deputy O’Hare is the one behind her disappearance, then we’ll kill him together, how does that sound?”
Harrison shook his head then gawked at the ceiling. “Colin!”
“I can’t help it, humor helps ease my tension.”
Harrison laughed then looked at him. “Yes, well, your idea has merit.”
“Now boys!” Henry said and stepped over to them. “Calm down! Let’s not let this get out of hand!”
“No need to worry, Henry,” Colin reassured. “I was only joking. But we do need to get out of here. It’s sun up.”
“We could try looking up at the caves,” Harrison suggested.
“Yes, but didn’t Harvey and Wilfred head that way already?” said Colin.
“Ah, yes. This business has me more flustered than I thought,” said Harrison with a heavy sigh.
“We’ve been up all night, brother,” Colin told him. “One more round of searching, then we’ll have to rest.”
“Agreed. Let’s go …”
“Henry!” a voice called from outside. Tommy Turner burst into the sheriff’s office, completely out of breath. “The … they’re … that way …”
“Slow down, boy,” said Henry. “And try again.”
Tommy took a few deep breaths, then looked at Harrison and Colin. “Your cousin, she’s ridin’ this way. I seen her comin’!”
“Good Lord!” Harrison cried and shoved past him, Colin on his heels. They ran out into the street, looked south, saw nothing, then turned north. Off in the distance, they could see a rider—no make that two ... three… “Apple?” said Harrison as he squinted to get a better look.
“And Deputy O’Hare,” added Colin. “If my guess is right. But who else is with them, or rather … what?”
“Let’s go find out.” They mounted their horses, and were off.
* * *
“Uh-oh, lass. Looks like we’re about to have company,” Bran said and pointed. Two riders were fast approaching, raising a cloud of dust behind them amidst the dewy dawn.
Apple swallowed hard. “It looks like Colin and Harrison. From the way they’re riding, I don’t think they’re very happy.”
Bran let out a long sigh. “Let me handle this.”
“What are you going to tell them?”
“The truth, of course.”
“You’re going to tell them that I tried to go to town to get arrested?” she asked, her voice shaky.
“Yep.”
“Oh dear …”
“And I’m going to tell them that you succeeded.”
“What?”
“Aye,” he chuckled, then leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “I’m going to say you arrested my heart, locked it up with your own, and then we threw away the key.”
Apple blushed a deep red. “They’ll probably demand that you marry me. We were out all night, you know.”
“With a band of blood thirsty outlaws …”
“Well, yes, but still… think of the awful scandal.”
“Some how I think that if there wasn’t one, you’d make one.”
She turned and smiled. “Regardless, as a gentleman, you’ll have to marry me.”
“I’m already going to marry you!”
She giggled, leaned against him, and watched as Colin and Harrison rode like the very devil toward them.
“Deputy O’Hare!” Harrison snapped as he reined in Romeo. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Bran turned in the saddle, and pointed behind him. Harrison and Colin both did a double take. “What? Where did they come from?” asked Colin.
“Not sure, but I know where they’re going,” said Bran.
“Apple, are you hurt?” Harrison asked.
“Does she look hurt?” Bran pointed out.
Harrison ignored him. “Apple?”
“No, not now.”
“What do you mean, not now?” asked Colin.
“Well … after I was kidnapped …”
“KIDNAPPED?” Colin and Harrison cried in unison.
“Yes,” she stated simply. “And after they left the ransom note, they packed us up and hauled us off.”
“Ransom note?” Harrison said, his voice cracking. “What ransom note?” He looked at Colin who could only shrug. “And what did you say? They hauled us off?”
“Us as in you and um …” Colin said and pointed at Bran.
“Yes, Bran and me.”
“Bran and you?” said Harrison. “And just how and where did they get their hands on you?”
“And where were his hands while they were doing it?” tossed in Colin.
Bran rolled his eyes. He’d had enough. “Apple took off on her own, trying to get to town to … see me.”
Harrison sent a dagger of a glare at his cousin. Apple leaned further against Bran.
“But she decided against it, turned to go home, and made an unplanned hike down to get a peek at ‘His Majesty’.”
“And that’s were I met the outlaws!” Apple put in.
Colin and Harrison exchanged a quick glance. “Then what happened?” Colin asked Bran. “How did you wind up with her?”
“I was heading to the Triple C to see Apple, when I heard her scream. I hightailed it down into that canyon of yours, and tried to find her, but got ambushed.”
“So then they had the both of you,” finished Colin.
“They were going to ransom Apple and me …” said Bran.
“What? Both of you?” Harrison asked, confused.
Bran smiled. “Aye, I told them I was her brother. It kept me alive long enough to be able to do something.”
“How did you get away?” Harrison asked as he leaned to one side to count how many men and horses Bran was leading.
“Well, we had a little help. Seems a stranger was in these parts searching for something. The outlaws happened to stop near his camp. He helped me … subdue them, more or less. Actually, he did more, and I did less, but …”
“But he saved us, and that’s all that counts!” said Apple. “You should have been there!”
“Yes, we should have,” said Harrison. “I’m sorry we weren’t. We apologize, to both of you.”
“It wasn’t your fault, cousin,” Apple told him. “It was mine for taking off in the first place. And all beca
use of the …” she snapped her mouth shut.
Colin and Harrison exchanged a quick look. “Because of what, Apple?” Colin asked.
She took a deep breath, bit her lower lip a few times, then pushed out, “because of the Sayer curse!”
The brothers gaped at her. “Curse?” asked Harrison. “You took off because …”
“Because she was convinced it was real, and was trying to … ah … test it,” explained Bran.
Harrison rubbed his face with his hand a few times. “Test it?”
“Aye,” Bran said, and tried not to smile, for Apple’s sake.
“Sayer curse…” muttered Colin. “I say, isn’t that the business that started with cousin Charles’ untimely demise?”
“Yes, and what’s caused Duncan and our dear cousins so much trouble. But he found a way.”
“Yes, by sending them here, where they’d be safe.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Apple.
“We’ll discuss it at home,” said Harrison. “Which is where we’re going, straight away.”
He turned his horse and started off.
Colin brought his horse along side Bran and Apple. “You were in the company of the outlaws all night?”
“Yes,” said Apple. “Except of course for the time they were all out cold.”
“All of them?” he asked in disbelief.
“I’ll explain when we get back to town,” said Bran But first things first. Apple needs food and water, and I need to get these men behind bars. After that, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you and Harrison in regards to Apple.”
Colin looked at him, caught the determined gleam in his eye, and smiled. “Right you are, old chap. Right you are.”
* * *
They reached town, locked up the bandits, and retreated to the hotel for breakfast. Apple was famished, and wolfed down whatever Mrs. Upton put in front of her. “Good Heavens,” said Apple. “But I never thought being kidnapped could work up such an appetite!”
Bran stood off to one side of the dining parlor, and spoke in low tones with Colin, Harrison, and the sheriff. Eloise had come down the moment she heard the news, as did Seth, and the two of them sat at the table with Apple. “Are you sure you’re all right? Do you want to spend the night with us?” Eloise asked.
Apple chewed her bacon, and swallowed. “It might be nice to stay. You’ve been so kind, cousin.”
“Penelope was going to come into town today. I’m sure she’ll want to see you once she finds out what happened.”
Apple stopped, a forkful of pancake halfway to her mouth. “Penelope? Oh dear …”
“What’s wrong?” asked Seth.
“Oh, er … nothing … it’s just that … well you see … she’s not going to be happy when she finds out about Clyde.”
“Clyde?” said Seth. “You mean August’s cantankerous rooster?”
Apple nodded.
“What happened to him?”
“After he attacked the outlaws, he … went away.”
Seth stared at her. “Attacked the outlaws? You mean he did it again?!”
Apple nodded solemnly. “Then he had to go away.”
“Had to go away?” said Eloise. “What are you talking about?”
She never got to answer. Sheriff Hughes came to the table with Bran, Harrison, and Colin. “Well, little lady, you’ve had quite a night.”
She nodded and looked to Bran. “Yes, sir.”
“Deputy O’Hare tells me you were very brave,”
Apple looked up at Bran and smiled.
“He also said we need to prepare for a wedding,” added Harrison, his face stern.
Apple swallowed. “Er, yes.”
Harrison and Colin both smiled. “Is this what you want, cousin?” Colin asked softly.
Apple again looked at Bran, her eyes bright. “Yes.”
“Well then, so long as the two of you can manage to keep each other alive, then we give our consent,” said Harrison.
Everyone laughed, including Bran. “Oh, I almost forgot,” he said and reached into his shirt pocket. “I have a message for you.” He handed the envelope to Seth.
“What’s this?”
“The stranger that helped us said to give it to you. Says he knows you and Ryder.”
Seth turned the envelope over in his hands and looked at the wax seal. “What is this?”
Eloise peered at it. “I’ve never seen a symbol like that before. Open it.”
Seth was about to when Willie came into the dining parlor. “Colin? Harrison?”
The brothers turned to him. “Willie,” said Harrison. “What is it?”
Willie glanced at everyone, then back at the Cookes. “Somethin’ came in on the early stage for ya.”
Harrison smiled and looked at Colin. “It must be our Christmas presents! They’re here already!”
Colin rubbed his hands together. “What a brother! I say, he’s certainly gotten generous since he took up the dukey!”
“Yes, I hope he didn’t send anything too extravagant,” said Harrison as he turned to follow Willie out to the stage.
“Your other cousin, Imogene? She’s already at the mercantile. I done run into her and Jefferson. He brought her into town to see if ya found Apple.”
“Why then, is she waiting at the stage?” asked Colin.
“Don’t know,” said Willie. “Maybe she wants to see if Duncan sent her a Christmas present too.” Colin and Harrison chuckled at the remark as they continued to where the stage was parked. Willie stared at it, and scratched his head. “Now where’d they go?”
“Where’d what go?” asked Colin. “Did you take them off already? Maybe Wilfred took them into the mercantile?”
“They must still be inside,” Willie muttered to himself.
“Cousin Imogene,” said Colin with a smile. “Apple is going to be fine.”
“Of course she is, she’s a Sayer! Sayer’s always bounce back after adversity!”
“She’s at the hotel,” said Harrison as Willie opened the stagecoach door.
“I know, but … I wanted to see what the Duke has sent. We both do.”
Cutty, her constant companion stood at her side. “She does, not me. Ain’t my Christmas present on that stage. I’d rather see how the little miss is doin’. She is okay, ain’t she?”
“Perfect, and now betrothed,” said Harrison with a smile. He then noticed Willie was speaking to someone… inside the stagecoach.
“Isn’t this the last stop before Willie heads out again?” Colin asked Harrison.
“Yes, I was just thinking the same thing.”
Imogene stepped forward and joined them. “What’s this about?”
Cutty snorted. “Is this all because of a box of tea? You three oughta be down at the hotel comfortin’ the likes of your cousin, and instead you’re …”
Willie stepped aside, and a handsome young man poked his head through the door, then disembarked from the stagecoach. He brushed off his coat, which had seen better days, then extended his hand toward the darkened interior.
“Who the bloody …” began Harrison.
“Is that?” finished Colin.
A woman’s hand extended forth, and the young man took it. The vision that stepped out of the stage caught every man’s breath. She alighted, took a shaky breath, and stared at the onlookers.
The young man pulled her against him in a protective manner, reached into his pocket, and pulled out what looked like a sheaf of documents wrapped in leather. “I’m looking for Colin and Harrison Cooke. Would that be you, sirs?”
His accent was very English. “Yes, it would,” said Colin as he stepped forward. “This is Harrison, and I’m Colin. And you are?”
He handed the documents to Colin, then wrapped his arms around the girl, who was clearly frightened.
Colin took them, unfolded the covering, opened it, and began to read. “This is from Duncan all right.” He looked up at the pair. “Who are you?”
&n
bsp; Imogene stepped forward and studied them intently. “Oh, good Lord,” she muttered under her breath.
“Imogene?” said Harrison. “Do you know them?”
Colin continued to peruse the documents. “What?” he cried out in shock. “Duncan!” His head snapped to Harrison. “These are… oh, dear, but … these are…”
“Who?”
Cutty had had enough. “I don’t care who they are, I’m gonna go down and see the little miss!” He turned and started to stomp off.
“Suit yourself,” huffed Imogene.
“Who are you?” demanded Colin.
The young man stepped forward, pulling the girl along with him. “I am Newton Whitman, and this is my twin sister, Nettie.”
Colin looked at the documents in his hand. “That’s not what this says.”
Imogene grabbed the documents from him, and started to read. “Good Heaven’s!” she cried.
Cutty stopped up short at the sound and turned. “You all right?”
She looked at him, he was two buildings down, then waved him away. He shrugged and turned. “This says you’re name is Newton and Nettie Holmes!”
The young man nodded. “True, our mother was Elizabeth Whitman, we have used her name most of our lives. But … our father …” he looked at Colin and Harrison. “You must understand, when the duke learned of our existence, he sent us here to make a new life for ourselves, as our father … was Thackary Cuthbert Holmes.”
A sudden hacking caught everyone’s attention. They all looked to see Cutty grab at his chest, heave, hack, and then fall flat on his face.
Epilogue
“I do,” breathed Apple with one of the most euphoric looks anyone had ever seen.
Preacher Jo smiled, and glanced at Bran. “You may kiss the bride.”
Bran smiled back. “Yes, sir!” He took Apple in his arms, bent her back, and kissed her soundly.
Hats flew through the air, as did a few other things not nailed down, much to Annie and Josiah King’s dismay. But, at least it wasn’t anything breakable. Though Wilfred wasn’t too happy when a hymnal landed on his head.
The Cooke family stood, clapped and cheered with the rest, as Apple and Bran tried to fight their way through the cheering crowd to get outside to the wedding wagon. The wedding supper was being held at the hotel, and Mrs. Upton was beside herself with the chance to do more of the cooking and not just the cake. She and Mrs. Dunnigan only got in a few fights over what to serve for the main course.