Randall Pride

by Judy Christenberry

  He reached for the zip on the sleeping bag and ripped it down the side until he reached Elizabeth’s foot. He eased the elastic holding the leg of the warm-ups over the swollen area, but after Elizabeth pulled them up, her cheeks red, Toby still saw a problem.

  “Damn, that elastic is tight on your ankle, isn’t it?”

  She nodded, her expression full of misery.

  He got out his knife again and sliced through the material and the elastic. The tension went away and it lay flat against her swollen ankle.

  “Thanks,” she whispered.

  “Your mom may not thank me. I’ve just about ruined your wardrobe.”

  “B-b-but you saved me,” she pointed out with a shiver.

  “Get back inside the sleeping bag,” he ordered. As she did so, he zipped it up, enclosing her in its warmth. “Your jacket is a piece of ice this morning. Even if it was wearable, your foot would be exposed to the weather.”

  “What are we going to do?” Elizabeth asked. She knew better than to try bravado, assuring Toby she could make it. They had all been taught as children to respect Mother Nature. “Too bad I can’t ride down the mountain in the sleeping bag,” she said in an attempt at humor.

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Toby said slowly. “Yeah. I think that’s what we’ll do.”

  “Wait a minute! I don’t understand.”

  “Don’t worry, you will,” Toby assured her with a grin. “Let’s eat so we can be on our way.”

  They drank the coffee and hurriedly ate the sandwiches. Then Toby went out to get the horses ready. It was still snowing but the wind had died down. He was still debating exactly how he would get Elizabeth down the mountain. He could carry her in his arms while he rode Cocoa. He figured Cocoa could carry that much weight. He was a big gelding. But it was dangerous. Especially with the snow making the path tricky.

  He decided the best way was for him to lead Cocoa down the mountain with Elizabeth on the horse’s back, the other horse following. Once they got on the down side of the mountain, what wind there was wouldn’t be a factor because the mountain would block it. That would help. And they’d be in the sunshine. Until later, no sunshine would reach this side of the mountain.

  “Toby?”

  He ducked his head back in the tent. “Yes?”

  “What should I do?”

  “Just give me another minute.”

  He loaded all the gear he was taking home on the other horse. Then he returned to the tent. “I’m going to put you on Cocoa.” He lifted her out of the tent.

  “But I can’t hold on,” she protested.

  “You’ve heard of ladies riding sidesaddle? Well, that’s what you’re going to do. Through the sleeping bag, I want you to hook your knee over the saddle horn. That will help stabilize you. Then hold on the best you can through the sleeping bag.”

  He set her in the saddle, then helped her arrange herself as he’d said. Zipping the sleeping bag to the very top, he lifted his Stetson off his head and settled it on Elizabeth’s red curls. It was a little large, but it would protect her.

  “Toby! You mustn’t give me your hat! You take it. You’ll get cold.”

  “I’ll be moving. You won’t.” He ignored her continued protests and surveyed their little campsite. Everything was taken care of. He grabbed Cocoa’s reins and turned him toward the trail. Over his shoulder, he said, “If you feel yourself slipping, yell!”

  Then he started their return.

  A half hour later, they’d crested the trail and looked down on the valley. Toby noticed there wasn’t much sunshine since it was still snowing, but he thought he could see a vehicle at the base, which meant there was someone waiting for them.

  He indicated that direction to Elizabeth, who was silent, but she gave a nod and a small smile. He suspected she was in a lot of pain, but he couldn’t give her another pill. She wouldn’t be able to stay on the horse.

  “Are you doing all right?” he asked.

  She nodded but said nothing. He patted her leg and went back to lead Cocoa. The horse was doing a good job on the trail. A couple of times he’d slipped a little but going down should be easier.

  The trek down the east side was better, especially because the snow had stopped. He let the hood of his rain slicker fall back. Checking on Elizabeth, he got another small nod, no smile this time. He hoped Anna had come with the others. She was a nurse and would know what to do for Elizabeth.

  When they were almost down, Chad and Jake joined them. They couldn’t wait at the bottom with the others. There were two vehicles there, a pickup with a horse trailer behind it, and a Jeep Cherokee.

  ‘You okay, son?” Jake asked as soon as he reached him, automatically reaching out to take the reins from his hands.

  “I’m fine, Dad, a little tired, but fine.”

  Chad had gone to Elizabeth’s side. “How are you, little girl?” he asked anxiously.

  Jake stopped Cocoa so Chad could check on his daughter, and all three of them saw the tears form in her eyes. “I’m f-fine,” she said with a gasp.

  “She needs another pain pill, but I couldn’t give her one or I wouldn’t have been able to get her down the mountain. We need to get her to the bottom so she can get some relief,” Toby said, hoping they’d take the hint and cut the greetings short.

  “Right,” Jake said, urging Cocoa forward once again.

  Chad strode beside the horse, helping to steady Elizabeth and they reached the bottom a few minutes later. Anna and Megan were both there, waiting. Chad lifted Elizabeth from the horse and carried her to the Jeep Cherokee where she stretched out on the leather back seat. Megan tucked a pillow behind her shoulders as she comforted her.

  “Anna?” Toby called. He held out the white pills he’d given Megan. “Here are the pain pills from the first-aid box I’ve been giving her. She hasn’t had any this morning. If you’ll give her some now, she’ll soon be comfortable.”

  “Thanks, Toby. I will. Megan, where’s the water?”

  Toby knew Elizabeth was safe. Now he had to tend to his animals. He turned to discover Cocoa and the other horse being loaded into the trailer by his dad and Uncle Chad.

  “Here, I can do that,” he called.

  “No problem,” Jake assured him. “We’ve got them in. We’ll unsaddle them when we get to the barn. You get in the cab. The heater should be running pretty well.”

  “I’m going with the girls,” Chad called as he headed for the Jeep. Jake nodded and waved. He got behind the wheel of the truck and was putting on his seat belt when Chad appeared at the window and knocked. Jake rolled down the window.

  “Here’s Toby’s hat. Elizabeth wanted to be sure he got it back,” He grinned as he handed it through the window.

  “Thanks,” Toby said, reaching across to take it.

  “I owe you, boy,” Chad said, tears in his eyes. Then, before Toby could respond, Chad hurried back to the other vehicle.

  “No! I—” Toby wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but it seemed important to say something.

  “Let it go, son. You did good. They should feel grateful.”

  Toby couldn’t say anything. He wanted to explain that Elizabeth was his, his to save, to love, to protect. But he couldn’t do that. Not yet. But he would talk to his dad and Uncle Chad soon. He would let them know what Elizabeth meant to him. Then he’d see.

  IN SPITE OF all the loving care she was receiving, Elizabeth felt like an idiot. The doctor had insisted she remain in bed for twenty-four hours. Then she had to stay off her feet for three more days. She would miss three days of school.

  It was almost impossible to find a substitute.

  When she fretted about that, her mother promised to take her place until she could return.

  “But your shop, Mom? What will you do?”

  “Evelyn will work a few more hours. It’s no big deal. I’ll call her right now.” Evelyn was a widow who worked in the antique and consignment shop Megan ran in Rawhide. “I might even hire another lad
y I’ve talked to for part-time work. I liked her, but I wasn’t sure I’d have enough hours for her.”

  “I am going to get well. This isn’t anything permanent, you know,” Elizabeth pointed out. Her mother sounded as if she’d be in bed forever.

  “Of course you are. Anna said you’re doing very well.”

  Yes, she was, as long as she got a pain pill on a regular basis. Elizabeth sighed. “Are you sure Toby is all right? Have you actually seen him?”

  “Of course I have. He was at the table last night for Sunday supper. And we embarrassed him to death by heaping praise on him. He’s out working today. Did you want to see him?”

  Elizabeth thought about that offer. “Yes, I would, when he can spare a minute. Just to be sure he’s all right. He didn’t even have any cover Saturday night because I was in the sleeping bag.”

  “And he let you wear his hat down the mountain. That was very gentlemanly of him.”

  “Yes.” Elizabeth closed her eyes. “Mom!”

  “Yes, dear?” Megan said, turning around. She’d been about to go downstairs.

  “Mom, Toby’s not really kin to me.”

  Megan stared at her daughter, not moving. “Well, he’s not blood kin, dear, but he’s part of our family.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Why is that important, Elizabeth?”

  “Because I feel—different about Toby.”

  “Oh.” Megan sat down on the side of the bed.

  “Is that horrible?” Elizabeth whispered.

  Megan reached out to take her daughter’s hand. “No,” she said slowly, “it’s not horrible. But you were so recently engaged, it seems a little sudden.”

  Elizabeth’s cheeks flamed. Her mother was only saying what everyone would think. “I’ve been in love with Toby forever. But he went away and didn’t come back. I knew he wasn’t interested in me. I tried to find some—some alternative. Sometimes I think that’s why I was blinded to Cleve’s faults. I was looking for someone the opposite of Toby so I wouldn’t—”

  “I was afraid of that,” Megan said softly as she squeezed Elizabeth’s hand.

  “What do I do now?”

  With a sigh, Megan stood and bent over to kiss Elizabeth’s forehead. “I don’t know, dear. But I’ll talk to B.J. Maybe she’ll have some idea. You need to take a nap now, and if you’re very good, I’ll try to induce Toby to visit you tonight.”

  With that, Elizabeth had to be content. Besides, it helped that someone understood her agony.

  Megan left her daughter’s room, a frown on her face. Poor Elizabeth. Many a girl had fallen for Toby. He wasn’t cruel. He just didn’t realize how he affected young women. Besides, Megan was sure he cared about Elizabeth.

  As a cousin, or maybe even a little sister.

  Since he’d come back this time, Megan had thought there was some tension between the two of them, but she’d figured it had something to do with readjustment.

  She would be pleased if they married. She couldn’t think of a finer son-in-law than Toby. What about Chad? It would be a little weird, but the more she thought about it, the more she thought it would be wonderful.

  She’d heard B.J. come in from her appointments about an hour ago. She crossed to her and Jake’s room and knocked on the door. “B.J.?”

  After a second, B.J. swung open the door. “Hi, Meg. How’s Elizabeth?”

  “She’s recovering nicely. But I need to talk to you.”

  “Sure. Shall we go down to the kitchen and have some coffee?”

  Most of their conversations occurred there, but Megan couldn’t guarantee privacy. “Why don’t I fix us a tray of coffee and bring it up? That way we won’t be interrupted.”

  B.J.’s eyes darkened as she nodded. Megan hurried away before she could ask any questions. She certainly didn’t want to discuss the problem in the hallway.

  Megan had fixed a tray, adding the pot of coffee, when Red came into the kitchen.

  “You taking coffee up to the invalid?” he asked with a grin. “Here, let me add some cookies. I just baked them an hour ago. We want to keep our little Lizzie sweet.”

  She started to correct him about the coffee’s destination, but then she changed her mind. B.J. would like some cookies as much as Elizabeth.

  Anna came in from outside, her nursing bag in hand, and Megan didn’t hesitate to ask her to join them. She’d never had any sisters, but in the past twenty-five years, her sisters-in-law had easily filled that role. She added another cup and started up the stairs, Anna in her wake.

  When she turned right instead of left at the top of the stairs, Anna called, “Megan, what—”

  She shushed her and knocked on B.J.’s door.

  B.J. swung it open. Megan hurried in, as if afraid of being detected. “Anna’s here, too.”

  Each couple had a sitting room linked to their bedroom. B.J. had two big sofas in front of the fireplace and a coffee table between them. Megan set the tray down. “Red sent fresh-baked cookies, too.”

  “Did he ask why we’re having them here instead of in the kitchen?” B.J. asked.

  Megan looked guilty. “No, because he thought I was taking the tray to Elizabeth’s room.”

  “Come sit down,” B.J. invited the two of them. “I’m dying to know what this is all about.”

  Megan didn’t know where to look. Or how to begin.

  “Are you sure I should be here? I don’t want to intrude,” Anna said.

  Megan leaned over and hugged her. “Oh, Anna, of course you should be here. I’d ask Janie to join us, but she’s at her mom’s. I need advice and y’all are the best friends I have.”

  “Is it Elizabeth?” B.J. asked.

  “Sort of. And Toby.”

  B.J.’s spine straightened. “Toby? What’s he got to do with anything? He saved Elizabeth. You said you were grateful.”

  “Of course I am—we are!” Megan exclaimed.

  “He didn’t do something wrong while he and Elizabeth—” B.J.’s eyes widened, a touch of fear in them. “I don’t believe it!”

  “No, B.J., no. It’s not that he did anything wrong. But it—concerns him. You know, he’s not blood-related to any of our children and—”

  “You don’t think he should inherit anything? Is that it? He’s made his own way, Megan. He doesn’t need—but the hurt—” There was hurt in B.J.’s face, too.

  “No! No, I’m doing this all wrong. Anna, help me.”

  “Well, I would if I could, but I’m completely lost. Do you feel that Toby isn’t a part of the family?”

  “Of course not! He’s as much a Randall as any of us. In fact, he’s always been more a Randall than our kids because he works so hard at it. Don’t you think that’s why he’s always achieved so much?” She saw B.J.’s face stiffen again. “I don’t mean he’s not as smart either. It’s because he is as smart but keeps trying so much more than the others. If our kids would try as hard as Toby, there’s no telling what they could do.”

  B.J. had relaxed once again, a faint smile on her lips. “Now, I’m as confused as Anna. If Toby’s not the problem, then what are we talking about?”

  Megan tried again. “Elizabeth just broke her engagement.”

  Anna and B.J. exchanged a look. Finally, Anna said, “We know.”

  “Yes, well, I told her it was too soon, but I think maybe it’s not. I’m not sure.”

  “Too soon for what?” B.J. asked, frustration rising.

  “Well, that’s what I’m trying to tell you.”

  Anna chuckled. “But you’ve been trying for several minutes and we’re still at a loss. Can’t you just come right out and say it?”

  “Yes, I can,” Megan agreed. Then she stopped, braced herself, her hands clenched in her lap. “Elizabeth is in love with Toby!”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Toby waited until dinner was over before he approached his father and Uncle Chad. Quietly, he asked each of them to meet him in the barn.

  As he turned away from his father to hel
p with the cleanup, Megan touched him on the arm. “Toby? Elizabeth wondered if you could stop by her room this evening. She’s worried about you.”

  “Worried about me?” he asked, confused. What was there to worry about?

  “I think she’s afraid you may have caught a cold.”

  “Why no, I haven’t.”

  “I know, and I’ve told her, but she wants to be sure. Would you mind?”

  He checked his watch. He could manage a quick visit before he went to the barn. Afterwards, who knew if he’d be able to face Elizabeth or not. “Sure. I’ll run upstairs as soon as I finish here. Will she be able to get out of bed soon?”

  “Tomorrow. And she can go back to work on Thursday,” Megan assured him with a smile.

  “Good. Tell her I’ll be up in a second.”

  Russ, who must’ve overheard their conversation, said, “Go on up now. You’re not so good at the dishes anyway and there are plenty of us.”

  Toby looked at the others. “Are you guys okay with that?” He didn’t want his cousins thinking he was too good to wash up.

  “Yeah,” Rich agreed. “We’ll excuse you for tonight. For Elizabeth’s sake. Though why she needs to see your ugly mug I’ll never know.” Several of the young men laughed, but not Toby. He didn’t know why Elizabeth wanted to see him, but he was glad of the opportunity to see her.

  He missed her.

  “Shall I just go on up?” he asked, feeling a little awkward about going to Elizabeth’s bedroom.

  “Sure. I’ll come up with you and get her supper tray. If I don’t, Red will get it and inspect the remains. Then he’ll lecture her if she didn’t finish it.”

  Toby grinned, knowing Megan was right.

  After knocking on the door, Megan pushed it open and announced Toby’s arrival.

  When he entered behind her, he stared at a rosy-cheeked Elizabeth, dressed in a long-sleeved nightgown, in soft cream, her red curls on the pillow. He thought he’d never seen a more beautiful sight.

  Clearing his throat, he said, “Well, you look a bit happier than the last time I saw you.”

  “So do you. Do you have a cold?”