by Jodi Thomas
“Can you stay in the saddle?”
“I’ll manage.”
“I don’t know. I like working alone. You’d just be in the way.”
“I swear, I won’t even talk to you.” He wished he could tell her he figured he’d be nuts by noon if he had to spend the morning talking to the Watsons about the good old days or Mrs. Allender about her bird’s illness. “I got to do something.”
“You could help cook,” Em said.
“Come on, give me a break. I know even less about cooking than I do about ranching. I may never have this chance again. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to work on a ranch. I’ll do my best to make you a good hand for the day.”
She stood as if to leave.
“How about we flip for it.” He pulled the double eagle from his pocket. “Heads, you take me with you for the day. Tails, I’ll never speak to you again, I swear.”
She shrugged. “It’d be worth the gamble, I guess.”
He flipped the coin. “Heads,” he said, without looking at the coin.
She snorted. “Well, then, we’d better get going.”
He followed her out the back door, wondering if he’d made a mistake. It had to be near freezing, and the material of his suit would be lucky to make it to noon without ripping.
She didn’t seem to care, and he figured he could handle being cold for a few hours. In truth, the look she gave him was probably colder than any norther blowing in.
When she reached the barn, she asked Sumner to saddle him a horse, then tossed him an old work coat that had been hanging on the barn wall.
The old wool smelled like the inside of a barn, and Lewt wondered if it hadn’t been the home of more than one mouse.
“You’re welcome to this if you want it,” she said.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was testing him. If she was, he had no intention of failing.
Straw and who knew what else was sticking to the material of the coat in several places, but Lewt tugged it on.
When he looked up, he saw her eyes for the first time. She was tall, almost his height, with a long straight nose and light blue eyes. To his surprise, she was looking at him as if fully expecting him to refuse the coat.
“Thanks,” he said, trying to button it across his chest. He had nothing to prove to this woman. He didn’t even care what she thought of him, but she seemed the only one around who could teach him what he needed to know to be able to talk to the beautiful McMurray sisters. Davis was from a big farming family, so he’d know all about running an operation like this, and Boyd’s love of horses had made him the leader in most of the conversations at dinner.
Lewt knew how to gamble, how to play the odds, how to stay out of bar fights, and how to collect the table money fast if a fight broke out, but he knew little about ranching. He was a fast learner, though. This woman dressed in men’s clothing and wearing a gun already disliked him. If he asked her dumb questions, she didn’t look like she could think much less of him.
As Sumner brought his horse up, the woman moved to her mount and swung up with easy grace.
The old man held the horse’s head as Lewt tried to climb on the half-wild animal. “Give him his head,” Sumner whispered. “He’ll follow Miss Em’s horse.”
Lewt, who rarely rode, managed to climb on his mount without making a fool of himself. They were out of the barn at a speed that almost knocked him off the horse. The house was out of sight before he felt like he gained control of his mount or got into the rhythm of the run.
A mile later he smiled when he realized what joy it was to ride a fine horse. The animal moved to his slightest command. The woman a few lengths in front of him used no whip or spurs. She didn’t need to. These animals were born to run. He just hoped he was born to ride, because he didn’t know if he could find the ranch house if he fell off, and he had no doubt this M woman would leave him behind.
The sun rose, spreading golden across the winter land. When Lewt finally had time to look at his surroundings, he was amazed at the wild beauty of the place. He could only imagine how grand it must be in summer when everything was green.
The woman finally slowed and glanced back at him. She seemed surprised he was still there.
She didn’t speak or give him any hint of where they were going. He didn’t ask. He simply followed and studied his surroundings. Most of his life he’d traveled by stage or train, but the dirt trails and rails passed no view as grand as this one. They crossed streams, slowed to a walk along wooded paths, and ran full-out in pastures.
When they came over a ridge, he spotted a herd of the most beautiful horses he’d ever seen. She didn’t move as she studied the remuda. He finally had time to maneuver up to her side.
“They’re grand,” he said, more to himself than her.
She nodded, smiling now. “I know.”
“M, promise you won’t leave me out here. No matter what stupid thing I do or say, just make me that one promise. I don’t think I could find my way back.”
She pushed her hat back a few inches. “I won’t,” she said. “I’m surprised you stayed up with me as poorly as you ride. Mind if I give you a few pointers?”
“Blast away,” he said, liking her directness. She recognized ignorance and was willing to help. He’d finally found one good quality in this woman named M.
Five minutes later, when she’d corrected almost everything he did from the way he sat in the saddle to the way he didn’t use his knees to control the horse, Lewt felt pretty much like the village idiot.
“I guess I should thank you,” he said.
“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for the horse. I couldn’t care less how you ride, but you’re probably irritating the horse.”
“Oh.” Lewt wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or feel insulted, but he had a feeling if he didn’t correct everything he was doing wrong, he’d be given the lecture again . . . for the sake of the horse, of course.
They walked among the animals, and he watched as this strange woman touched each horse as if these were her friends. Now and then, she climbed down and walked among them with a saddlebag of tools and medicines over her shoulder. After a while, she let him carry the bag, and he felt like in some small way he was helping.
She’d stop and check hooves or study a cut to make sure it wasn’t infected. Each time she patted the animal as if silently saying hello and then good-bye.
“Do you think they’d let me pat them?”
“If they like you, they might. Stand still and give them a chance to come up and smell you first.”
Lewt froze. The first two mares who came near snorted as if blowing the smell of him out of their nose, but the third one stayed close, bumping his shoulder with her head.
Lewt raised his hand slowly and brushed her neck. When he laughed, the mare shook her head, splashing mane in his face, but she didn’t run away.
Lewt glanced at M.
“You’ve made a friend,” the woman said. She smiled at him and Lewt smiled back, proud of himself.
After a time, they collected their mounts and walked away from the herd.
Lewt knew he had to be honest with this woman. He had a feeling she’d settle for nothing less. “I’ve never ridden a horse like this one,” he said, patting the horse’s neck as they walked. “In fact, I’ve never owned a horse. I’ve only rented one now and then from the livery.”
“Then what are you doing out here? Why do you want to see the herd if you can’t tell a broken-down livery animal from a McMurray-bred?”
“I’ m thinking that one day I might marry a woman like one of the McMurray girls. I’ve been saving my money; who knows, I might even buy a ranch. A small one, of course, nothing like this one. If I’m ever to get a word in at dinner, I’ve got to talk about horses, and I can’t do that without knowing something.”
“So you want to follow me and ask questions?” She stepped across a stream and stopped to let her horse have a drink. “What’s in it for me?”
Lewt thought a second. “I’ll pay you for your time. Fifty dollars if you’ll help me.”
“Help you marry the girls?”
“No, help me learn about horses. Let me ride out with you every morning and answer my questions. That’s all. I’ll take care of getting one of the Misses McMurray to fall in love with me.” He almost laughed at his own boldness, but it felt good to tell someone of his hopes. “It shouldn’t be all that hard. My competition is a boy and a bore.”
M laughed. “Which one of the girls you planning on walking down the aisle?”
Lewt shrugged. He could tell she thought him a joke and was probably just amusing herself. He felt like a barn mouse being batted around by a cat. “It doesn’t matter who I marry. Will you help me?”
“All right, on one condition. You help me work the stock, not just watch. If I have to stop and answer questions, you’ll need to make sure I don’t get behind in my work.”
He couldn’t tell if she was being honest or just wanted to torture him for a while. “Fair enough. Where do we start?”
“We ride,” she said swinging back into the saddle.
While he stood admiring the way her trousers tightened over her body, she took off at a full gallop.
He forced his already stiffening muscles to work as he climbed on his horse and tried to catch her. This was more the reality of his life. Here he was, chasing after a woman who wanted to torture him. Courting one of the McMurray girls was a long shot. Even staying alive till dark looked like a gamble.
CHAPTER 7
The Rio Grande
AFTER STRUGGLING TO GET A FEW HORSES UP THE bluff near the water, McNelly ordered the men to move in on foot. The Las Cuevas Ranch was only three miles from the river, and they needed the cover of night more than they’d need horses.
Duncan was tired, but excitement pumped in his blood like the pounding of war drums. He believed all the way to his bones that he was doing something that would make life safer for Texans, and if he lived the day, he’d have a grand story to tell. Only attacking on foot had its problems. How could they herd the cattle if the raiders turned them over? Or, if the rangers ran into Juan Flores, who was said to have two hundred men who stayed at his ranch, how could the rangers retreat? But logic and determination rarely held hands in the captain’s mind. He saw the fight coming, and all other parts of the plan didn’t seem to matter.
They moved over the land like shadows, silencing sentries before the men could fire a warning. Almost within sight of the ranch, they encountered a group of Flores’s men, maybe thirty or forty, well armed and on horseback.
The rangers spread out and stood ground, waiting for orders. Duncan knew if the rangers ran, they’d be cut down before they could reach the river. Their only chance was to stand and fight. McNelly marched them to within a hundred yards of the outlaws before he shouted orders demanding a quick retreat.
While the rangers took cover, the outlaws hesitated, suspecting an ambush. It must have looked obvious that only a few rangers had come forward, hoping to have the outlaws chase them. Just beyond they figured McNelly’s full force waited.
As the cattle rustlers tried to decide whether to follow, the rangers took cover and began to fire.
Duncan laughed as the outlaws ran, thinking there were far more rangers than thirty.
When the shooting stopped, Duncan leaned back against a rock he’d used for protection and smiled. Maybe he would live another day. He half wished Lewt Paterson was with him. Though Duncan wasn’t convinced Lewt didn’t sometimes step over the line, they’d formed a solid friendship. He admired the way the gambler took life as it came. The only flaw he saw in Lewt was that the man had nothing he loved, nothing he’d fight for, nothing he wouldn’t risk in a card game. It was hard for a man to be a hero when he didn’t care about the outcome, but if Lewt were there right now, he’d be taking bets on how the night would come out. Duncan had a feeling the rangers didn’t have the odds to win.
A few hours passed with only a few shots echoing in the night. With the sun would come the attacks from Flores’s men. Again and again they advanced, only to be held by thirty tired Texans. The captain sent a call for help, and thirty cavalrymen crossed the Rio and fought the day but returned at dusk, saying McNelly’s quest was hopeless.
Duncan was so tired he could feel his heart pound when all was still. Part of him wanted to go back with the cavalry, but he knew he’d stay. He’d gone two nights without sleep and his mind began to play tricks on him. When he closed his eyes, he could almost believe he was back at Whispering Mountain. When the firing started up, he was sure he was in hell.
A Mexican spokesman carefully approached with a white flag flying. He told McNelly and his men to leave Mexico.
The captain said he would only leave with the stolen cattle. McNelly wanted this to be the end of the cattle wars.
The small delegation sent to stop the fighting left to deliver McNelly’s demands. Duncan heard one man say, “Los Diablos Tejanos.” He’d been called the name before. It meant “the Texas Devils.”
Duncan settled in to try to get a few hours’ sleep. He knew, without a doubt, that there was one helluva fight coming.
CHAPTER 8
BY MIDMORNING EM DECIDED THE TALL MAN FOLLOWING her every step must be the dumbest greenhorn alive. He barely knew which end of a horse to feed. He fell several times in the damp pasture because of his slippery shoes. He frightened his own mount once by yelling, and she had to go round up his horse.
If he hadn’t been so funny, she might have given up pushing him. The man was a walking train wreck, and the idea that he thought he might marry one of the McMurray women made her laugh. At this rate she’d be dead of old age before he learned enough to even talk ranching and make sense. But she had to give him credit. He never stopped trying.
By midafternoon she admitted that Lewt was strong and determined. He took in advice like a sponge takes on water. He didn’t seem to mind that his suit was torn by bushes in several places and his shoes were ruined. Once she showed him how to do something, he worked at it until he mastered any chore. He might not know horses, but he had a hunger to learn. She had a feeling that whatever he did for a living, he was good at it. She’d tried asking him twice, but he didn’t give her an answer. She figured he must be out of a job. That might explain his determination to find a rich wife.
As they rode back toward the house, she noticed that his leg was bleeding an inch above his knee. He hadn’t said a word about being hurt. She thought of several times he’d tumbled during the day. Once off his horse when he’d roped his first wild colt, once in the stream when he lost his footing, and once to his knees when he lifted a horse out of the mud. The city slicker who’d had coffee at dawn with her now looked worse than a drifter down on his luck.
“You’re bleeding, Lewt,” she snapped, angry that she hadn’t noticed.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “The stock comes first, remember.”
She fought down a smile. “Yes, of course, but you’re bleeding on the horse.”
He looked too tired to catch her joke. “I’ll wash it off when we get to the barn.”
“It might get infected,” she snapped, sounding angrier than she’d meant to.
“There’s nothing I can do about it until I get back, so I refuse to think about it. Another hour and we’ll be back. Even you will have to stop at sundown.”
She pointed to a stand of trees a few hundred yards up the hill. “There’s a little place up there. I’m guessing we’ll find something to at least wrap it there.”
As he had all day, he didn’t argue. He simply followed her to the cabin her uncle Drummond and aunt Sage stayed in when they were at the ranch and not in their house in town or on the road helping others. Sage had built a reputation as one of the finest doctors in the county She ran a clinic in Anderson Glen and Drum served as sheriff. Their place on the ranch was small but offered them the privacy they seemed to always crave. Strange
, she thought of her aunt and uncle as newlyweds even though they’d been married for years.
When Lewt climbed off his horse, Em didn’t miss how he favored the leg. Either he was an idiot for not mentioning he was hurt, or he had more grit to him than she’d guessed.
The door was unlocked and the tiny two-room place was neat and organized, as Em guessed it would be. She had no trouble finding bandages and the smelly black ointment Sage always put on cuts.
“I’ m not a nurse, but this will keep the infection down. Take off your trousers,” she said as she lined up what she needed on the table.
“Not a chance.” He winked, making her laugh. “You’ve finally given an order I don’t plan on following.”
“Look, mister, if you don’t have four legs and eat grass, I’m not interested in you. Do we have that clear?”
He shrugged. “So this is no love nest you tricked me into, planning to get me in bed and take advantage of me?”
“Lewt, the only way you’ll be laid out in that bed is after I shoot you for wasting my time. Now strip off those trousers.” She tossed her hat on the table and let her thick blond braid fall down her back.
“The lady has sunshine hair,” he said softly. “I never would have guessed.”
She looked over her shoulder. “What’s so unusual about blond hair?”
“Nothing. I just figured your hair would be short like a man’s.”
“Don’t worry about my hair. We need to take care of that cut.” She fought the urge to tell him not to look at her. Men, with their stares, made her uncomfortable. She laughed. Men, period, made her uncomfortable.
He tugged off his shoes, then unbuckled his belt. “If you take advantage of me, I want my fifty dollars back.”
She smiled. No one had ever talked to her so boldly about such a thing. She liked the honesty between them.
He lowered his trousers. Blood dripped from the gash above his knee.