by Caroline Fyffe - Prairie Hearts Series 02 - Before the Larkspur Blooms
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
With Jessie and the children settled in at the house, Chase saddled up, checked in briefly at the bunkhouse, then made his way out to the north pasture. The temperature, downright chilly after slipping several degrees since the town meeting, forced him to shrug into his leather coat before riding out. He loped Cody for a good two miles before reining up, then they climbed to a lookout point on top of the bluff. From this vantage point, he could see much of the prairie that made up the Broken Horn. He bristled, remembering Dwight’s comment.
The five hundred head below were calm. Chase could barely make out Jake as he rode slowly between the herd, but he caught a strain or two of some song he was singing softly to the peaceful cattle.
Chase relaxed in his saddle, taking in the sight. The night sky was clear. Because the crescent moon was no more than a sliver of a nail clipping, a blanket of twinkling stars stood out vividly in the inky black sky, reminding him of the first night he’d arrived at Jessie’s small cabin. A sky like this one always made him remember.
A smile played around his lips as he recalled how young she’d looked when she’d first opened the door, invited him in. He’d been hungry as all get-out and distracted. Wondering how he’d fill his belly. He’d been trail weary and saddle sore. He aimed to deliver his message and be on his way.
He chuckled. Hadn’t quite worked out that way. At all.
He’d been expecting a much more mature woman, someone closer to Nathan’s age. Almost fell on his face when the beautiful slip of a girl admitted she was Nathan’s wife.
His insides warmed; his body reacted. He was one lucky cowboy to have won Jessie’s love. His life had changed. He would do anything for her. Ride to the moon and back if she asked. As if Sarah wasn’t enough, she’d given him Shane, too. The boy was a combination of the two of them, with Jessie’s inquisitive expressions and playful temperament and his looks and sometimes volatile nature. These were the best years of his life.
Cody cocked his hind hoof, getting comfortable, and Chase shook his head in disbelief of it all. Three years ago he’d been a loner, drifting wherever the wind blew. Thought it his destiny. How wrong he’d been. Glancing up at the heavens he heaved a hearty sigh, thanking God for showing him the error of his ways. Logan Meadows had welcomed them warmly. It was a good, wholesome town with honest, hardworking people. The perfect place to raise a family. That’s why this rustling problem was so unsettling. Chase didn’t want to see it go the way of so many bigger, rougher places. He didn’t want Gabe or Jake, or anyone else, to get hurt or killed. So much was at stake.
Silence slipped by. Cool wind caressed his face. A coyote yipped far off in the hills, and instantly a chorus from several more erupted from the opposite direction. He’d promised Jessie he wouldn’t stay out late. Something was up with her, but he couldn’t figure it out. It had been tugging at the back of his mind, and he meant to ask her about it but things kept getting in the way. Thoughts of slipping into the comfortable bed beside her warm body chased away his concerns.
The unexpected scrape and clip of horseshoes slipping on shale shattered the quiet. Chase lowered his hand to Cody’s shoulder, steadying the gelding so he wouldn’t give them away. Whoever was coming up this way was not using the trail.
“There’s the herd.”
Chase recognized the voice of his hired hand, Blake Hansen. He and another man reined up twenty feet away.
“Seems quiet enough.”
Dwight. The deputy actually did work now and then. Question was, what kind of work was he up to? Blake had been in the bunkhouse when Chase had stopped in. He was due to relieve Jake in about an hour. Could be he offered to ride out with Dwight and show him the way.
“How many head did they get from Cotton’s last night?” Dwight asked.
The coyotes yipped again. Chase used the cover to quietly dismount, then creep a few steps behind his horse to a cover of large rocks. He wanted to see just what they were doing up on the ridge. And he didn’t want to get blown to bits by mistake while doing it.
“More than enough to make it profitable.”
A quality in Blake’s voice gave Chase pause.
Cody stomped a hoof, and Chase swore under his breath as both men drew their guns.
“Hold it right there!” Blake shouted.
“Put your guns away,” Chase said, coming out from behind the barrier. He kept his hand low, his leather coat pulled back. He didn’t trust anyone in the dead of night. He mounted up and rode toward the men, Cody picking his way through the darkness. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as both men holstered their firearms.
Blake was surprised. He looked from him to Dwight and back again.
“Thought you said you were heading south?” Blake said. “This is a damn good way to get yourself killed.”
“Changed up.”
Dwight’s horse threw his head several times and nervously champed on his bit. Its strawberry roan coat practically glowed, even in the dimness. “Logan,” Dwight drawled.
“Good to see you out doing some work, Hoskins. Where’s Albert?”
Dwight holstered his gun. “He don’t tell me his every move.”
“You taking over for Jake?” Chase knew the answer to his question but wanted to keep them talking.
“Yeah. It’s almost time for me to go now,” Blake said.
Chase turned to leave. “Heading back, Dwight?”
“Not yet. Think I’ll just stay up on this ridge and keep watch.”
Dressed in a clean and pressed shirt and pants fresh off the line, Thom pulled the buggy to a halt in the sunny meadow next to the other vehicles. Nerves played havoc with his mood. As the buggy settled, he took in the wholesome sight under the cottonwood trees bordering a narrow creek. Ivan, obediently sitting at his feet, waited to be released. He let out a long complaint.
“Hurry up, Thom, and come around,” Violet said impatiently. “Come help my ole bones out of this contraption.” She’d been belting out directions and demands the entire forty-minute ride out.
Why had he accepted Mrs. Logan’s invitation? Jessie, he reminded himself. She was among the men as they set up two tables and laid out several blankets under a grove of towering trees. A picnic. Really?
“Well, jist don’t sit there—get the larder out!”
Thom hopped out and Ivan did, too—at the same time. Thom stumbled one stride but caught himself before he fell. Embarrassed, he rounded on Ivan. “You obey today!” he said, pointing in the dog’s face. “No sneaking off with any of the goodies. Understand?” Ivan barked, wagged his tail, undaunted by his master’s indignation.
Thom crossed behind the buggy, then reached for Mrs. Hollyhock’s large basket. “What in the blazes you have in here? An anvil?”
“Quit your bellyaching and help me down.”
A screech went up just as he took Mrs. Hollyhock’s hand. Sarah had spotted the buggy, and now, with bouncing braids and a flutter of petticoats, raced toward them faster than any girl he’d ever seen. Then out from the trees popped Markus, and Thom almost pulled up short, which would have left Mrs. Hollyhock no better off than he’d been when Ivan had jumped out of the buggy between his feet. If the boy’s here, so is his mother.
Sure enough, Hannah stepped out of the cottonwood grove a few feet behind her son and stopped by Jessie’s side. The two women laughed as they watched Markus tear after his taller friend in vain, trying to catch up. Thom chuckled as the children passed by in a flurry of excitement and stopped beside Ivan.
“Here’s the dog I told you about, Markus. He’s big. Looks like a wolf.”
“I know Ivan,” Markus said, puffing out his chest. The boy grabbed the shepherd around the neck and squeezed. “He used to be Nana Katherine’s before she died.” Mrs. Hollyhock touched Thom’s arm. Her soft smile said everything.
Markus turned and regarded Thom cautiously for a moment. Then a smile broke out. “He’s your dog now, right?” He tipped his head in a very adult
manner. His eyes, so much like Hannah’s, searched his own.
All Thom could do was nod. He swallowed. “That’s right, Markus,” he finally got out. “Go,” he said with a wave of his arm, releasing the animal. Ivan trotted off a few feet then stopped. He looked back at the kids as if waiting for them to follow.
“Seems I’ve been replaced by that beast!” Mrs. Hollyhock complained to Jessie as she and Hannah walked out to meet the buggy. The men were still setting up in the meadow.
“Morning, ladies,” Thom said, tipping his hat. “You both look lovely today.” Their smiles were his reward. “I’m going to take this basket and go help the men before they have everything done.” He took a few steps toward the meadow.
“You don’t need to do that, Thom,” Jessie said. She glanced back. “It’s all done. Come on and walk with us.” She hooked her elbow into Mrs. Hollyhock’s. “You know nothing could replace you.” Hannah smiled her greeting, turning a pretty shade of pink.
After all the introductions were made, the group stood around talking while Shane toddled around in the grass looking for grasshoppers and the kids took off after Ivan.
“Donovan,” Chase said. “We’re glad to have you back in Logan Meadows. Frank Lloyd wanted to be here, too, have a chance to say hello. He sends his regards and says to drop by the bank when you have a spare moment to talk.”
“Thank you. I’ll do that,” Thom responded, feeling much like a beetle at the bottom of a jar. Everyone, including Hannah, was looking at him. The two young men, Jake and Gabe, were letting Chase do the talking.
“You able to get out much?” It was Chase again, trying to be subtle. “I heard Win gave you the use of one of his horses. If you need a place to ride, or want to hire on now and then, just ask.”
Thom smiled. “You’d hire me to tend your cattle?” This is getting deep.
“Why not?”
“I think you know.”
Chase’s eyebrow lifted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Let’s have a three-legged race,” Jessie called as she hurried forward with a handful of gunnysacks.
“What?” All the men turned in surprise.
“It’s perfect weather for one, a cool breeze, not a cloud in the sky.” As if to prove her point, she held up a hand and her unbound hair rippled in a soft puff of air. “You men can just stop making those faces because there’s nothing you can say to change my mind.”
“I want to, Mommy. Can Markus and me be tied together?” Sarah giggled. Her face glistened from chasing after Ivan. The dog cantered into the group of adults, stopped, and flopped to his side, tongue lolling from the side of his mouth.
“Yes, honey,” she said, handing Sarah a red bandanna. “Run down to that bush and tie this to a branch. That will mark the spot to turn around.”
“But it’s not very far.”
Jessie nudged Sarah’s little back to get the child going. “It’s plenty far, sweetie. Go on now.”
Jessie handed a gunnysack and a piece of twine to Thom. “This is for you and Hannah.”
She almost laughed at Thom’s pained expression as he looked at the length of twine. “Me and Hannah? You want me to tie this around her leg?”
Jessie nodded, her expression full of innocence.
His eyes narrowed.
“You don’t want to be a stick-in-the-mud, do you?”
He started to protest, but the sight of Hannah tying Sarah’s leg to Markus’s smaller one touched his heart. She’d been there for him so often. Maybe this was one little thing he could do for her.
Jake and Gabe began backing away as Jessie turned in their direction. “Here you go, Gabe.”
He shook his head. “I’m sitting this out.”
Jessie’s face fell. “Sarah will be so disappointed. Come on.”
“No. I don’t have a partner.”
“Of course you do. Jake.”
“Jake!” Both Gabe and Jake said in unison.
Jake took several long strides back, holding out a stiff arm to keep Jessie away. “I’m not getting’ hitched to Gabe. No, sir!”
Jessie leaned in close. “If you don’t, I’ll bet Mrs. Hollyhock may want to join the fun. She’ll need a partner.” Gabe looked at Jake as Jake looked at Gabe. Jake took the brown sack and long length of twine with a shake of his head.
Thom almost chuckled as he watched Jessie. She was having fun. She picked Shane up and handed him to Mrs. Hollyhock, then hurried to her husband’s side.
“Attention, everyone. Get tied up. Make it tight enough that you have to use your two legs together as one. No cheating!” She looked directly at Gabe and Jake. “When you’re ready, come over here to the starting point. When Violet counts down, we’ll race to the bush and touch the red bandanna tied there. Then race back. I have a little prize for the winning team.”
Thom couldn’t stall anymore and joined Hannah as she put the finishing touches to Sarah and Markus. The children stepped into the gunnysack, and Hannah pulled it up, handing them the edge.
“Now, hobble over there and wait for the rest of us,” she said, sitting back.
The children promptly fell over in a gale of laughter. Hannah looked up at Thom, the smile on her face contagious. “Those two may not make it to the starting line.”
Feeling suddenly shy, he held out the gunnysack but didn’t say a word.
Hannah looked up at him with the most sincere eyes. “I’m sorry about this,” she said in a choked voice. “Jessie came up with this ridiculous game and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I tried to tell her it wasn’t a good idea.”
He shrugged. “Well, nothing to do about it now. Come on. We don’t want to hold everyone up.”
Jessie and Chase were almost ready, and Gabe and Jake stood sullenly at the starting line, their legs already bound together and set in the rough tan bag. Sarah and Markus had clutched together and were rolling over the tall grass toward the group.
Hannah hiked up one side of her dress to her knee while Thom stood alongside. He took the twine and, as quickly as he could, wrapped it around their legs, trying not to notice Hannah’s shapely calf. Hannah’s right. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.
Hannah wobbled. She gasped, then grasped on to his middle, clinging to him to keep her balance. Despite his efforts, they fell into the grass with a thunk amid her laughter and snorts.
“Oh, oh, ouch. That hurt,” she wheezed.
He rolled, taking his weight off her. “You OK?”
She opened her eyes and looked straight into his, sending an invisible current zipping through his body. “Yes, I think so,” she said, still laughing.
“Everyone’s ready and waitin’ on ya.” Mrs. Hollyhock stood over them with Shane resting on her hip. Her crinkled eyes looked as sharp as an eagle’s. She leveled them on his Hannah-filled hands. He jerked them up. “Stop playing patty-cake and get up.”
Hannah, still on her back, stifled her giggles with a fist pressed to her mouth. Setting back on his heels, he rocked once and pulled them to their feet. She clung to him like a leech, her head laid tight on his chest and her arms circling his waist.
A round of applause went up. He looked down into her flushed face and shook his head. Not a good idea at all. Hobbling slowly, carefully, they made it to the starting line.
Mrs. Hollyhock stood off to the side, holding Shane. Ivan sat at her feet. “Get on your mark, get set…go!”
Sarah’s shriek almost split Thom’s eardrums. From the corner of his eye, he saw her and Markus fall into the grass first thing. Gabe and Jake, still standing motionless on the starting line, reached down and righted the tiny people-filled gunnysack, now three paces behind the two sets of grown-ups.
Chase and Jessie took a stride and then jumped together, finding a good rhythm. They led the race, and to Thom it almost looked as if Chase was carrying his wife. Challenged, and never one to give up easily, Thom slung his arm around Hannah’s back and clenched her to his side. “Step,” he ordered. “Hop. Step. Hop.”<
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In the screaming, laughing excitement, Ivan bounded between the racers. He barked and ran back and forth as Mrs. Hollyhock screeched his name over the cacophony, demanding he return to her side.
Chase and Jessie would reach the red bandanna in moments. Chase was barking orders as the Logans kept a rhythmic pace over the grass. Thom glanced back to see who was closing in, and found the kids close behind and Jake and Gabe still standing at the starting line, laughing.
Distracted, Thom stepped a little too soon, throwing Hannah off balance. Before he knew what was up, they landed on the ground. Hannah gasped for breath, and his hip stung from hitting hard. The children whooshed past.
“You OK?” This time she lay on top of him, and he was acutely aware of her every curve. When he realized his right hand rested on her backside, he jerked it away as if it were a branding iron straight out of the fire.
She nodded and then laughed. “I’m sorry! I keep messing us up. We’re going to lose for sure.”
“Not if I have anything to do with it.” Thom rolled them to the side and dragged her up with him. He was getting used to having Hannah in his arms, smack tight up next to him. It wasn’t a surprise that he liked her feel more than he wanted to admit.
“Come on, Mommy!” Markus’s little voice reached them. “Come on!”
“You’re being summoned. Let’s go.”
Chase and Jessie had already reached the halfway mark and were on their way back. They were just about to pass Thom and Hannah, but Thom reached out his untethered leg and stuck it between Chase’s. The couple went down.
Hannah gasped. “Thom!” She tried to turn her head to see her friend, but Thom wouldn’t let her. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“Pay attention, Hannah. Here come the kids.”
Markus and Sarah passed them on their way back to the finish line. Even though she was taller, Sarah’s arm wrapped Markus’s back as the team struggled to keep their balance. Markus’s face was one of total concentration, and Sarah’s smile could outshine the sun.