Cattle Baron's Daughter
Page 16
Olivia rose to her feet. She was shaking with fury. “There was a time when I had a father who was caring and kind and loving. Who would hear a man out before he condemned him. Whose heart was bigger than his ranch and who delighted in the idea of having and being a good neighbor. What happened to that man, because he doesn’t live here anymore. If you know where he is, Daddy”—the sob rose in her throat and burst out—“if you know where he is, let me know. I’d love to talk and laugh with him again.” She plucked at the knots of the apron and swept it from her body as she rushed across the room.
“Livy! Livy, come back here—”
She didn’t stop until she got to the corral where a hand saw her running. She smeared the tears away. “Please, saddle up the mare.”
“Yes ma’am, Miss Sattler.”
Olivia glanced over her shoulder, waiting, almost hoping, that her father would appear, beckon her back, and wrap her in his arms. But the door didn’t open, and she was soon riding into the early-morning wind.
thirty-nine
The sun was high in the sky when Ryan wiped his neck with the kerchief and adjusted his hat. It had taken all morning to break the pretty little mare, and his mind had begun to wander from the task, a dangerous thing when on the back of a bucking horse. He opened the gate and gave the mare a slap on the rump to send her off into the pasture to graze.
No sign of Olivia. No sign of Sattler, and he wondered after Cody, too. The man must be hungry by now, and he hadn’t given specific instructions to the hand other than to watch over Olivia and report on strange activity among Sattler and his men.
His mother appeared on the porch and raised her hand. He thought she was shading her eyes until she extended her arm. A lone rider was coming from the direction of Buffalo and Sattler’s ranch. The silhouette didn’t match that of Olivia, nor did the dark horse seem familiar. Whoever it was must know they were giving him plenty of time to collect his guns, and that meant the person came without ill intentions.
“It’s Jay Sattler.” His mother’s voice sounded breathless. Her dark eyes filled with worry.
“Go inside. Leave this to me.”
“I’ll go inside, but that rifle will be keeping me company.”
Ryan put his arm around his mother, amused by her spirit. “You do that.” He leaned to pick up a stick, took out his knife, and relaxed on the step.
When Jay Sattler brought his horse to a stop right in front of the step where Ryan sat whittling on a stick, he angled his hat to get a better view of the man. “Good afternoon, neighbor. Light and sit.”
If Jay wanted trouble, nothing in his body language gave hint of it. “Olivia went off this morning. Thought she might be here.”
“Haven’t seen her.”
Ryan rose to his feet as Jay advanced. “She’s all I’ve got, Laxalt. And you. . .you’ve turned her against me.”
“You come to talk or to accuse? Because if it’s the latter, I’ve got my own accusation to level.”
“I didn’t shoot your pa if that’s what’s got you riled.”
The confession came so swift Ryan felt his breath leave him in a rush. “Then you must know who did.”
“Reckon you plugged him already.”
Skinny Bonnet. “Who ordered it?”
Jay swallowed and frowned. “Now that would be telling.”
Fury ate at Ryan’s calmness.
“You’ve got my daughter all twisted up inside. Her loyalty should be to her father.”
“Her loyalty, Sattler, should be to the side she chooses to believe.”
“You killed a man.”
“It wasn’t my shot that put Bonnet in the dust. If there’s any question of his innocence, then we kept his boots as evidence. When the marshal rounds up Bradley, we’ll hand all that over.”
“Just you remember that my hands are clean. I don’t want no trouble.”
“But you’ll be glad to give trouble to others.”
Jay’s jaw went hard. “I just want what’s mine.”
Ryan gripped his knife tighter. “When a man proves up a claim, it’s his. That’s the law. You can’t take land or what’s found on it just because you think you have a right to it.” He forced himself to relax. “You started somewhere. Why can’t you give that chance to others?”
Jay stared toward the horizon. “Things change.”
“Things change people—for the better or for the worse. My father thought you were a good man. A good neighbor. What happened?”
“This from a hotheaded kid who went off on his own? Who’re you to give me life lessons?”
“I’m the son that wouldn’t listen, who pulled a knife on his father because I felt he was making me work too hard. I’m not proud of that, and I’ve never forgotten it, but I have learned from it.” Ryan felt a weight lift from his shoulders, as if giving voice to his past wrongs was a cleansing. “And there are other things, too. Things life has taught me about morals and fairness.”
He saw Jay’s gaze shift and felt a presence at his side. His mother’s hand held on to his arm. “I am sorry about Lily, Jay. I’d like to visit her sometime. Maybe I can help her do the needlework she was once so fond of.”
The man’s lips trembled, and his eyes reddened. He spun away and stomped back to his horse then stopped, reins in hand. “That’s right kind of you, ma’am.” He grunted into the saddle but sat still. The horse pranced a bit. “Laxalt.”
Ryan met his eyes.
“You find Livy. Tell her—” His voice caught. “Make her happy.”
forty
When the wagon crested the hill and the cabin came into full view, Ryan caught sight of Olivia and Lily sitting side by side at the edge of the pond, their hands clasped together.
“It’s like a ghost,” his mother whispered. “After all these years, to find out Lily was here all the time. No wonder that poor girl was so devastated.”
Olivia heard the rattle of the wagon before Lily did. He could see the smile on her face even from the distance that still separated them. He’d been headed out on the mustang when he’d crossed Cody’s path coming in. He learned from the cowhand that he’d followed Olivia out to a cabin. Ryan had known right away where Olivia had gone and the reason. He’d returned for his mother and to exchange the horse for a wagon while his mother gave Cody supper.
“She looks happy,” his mother said.
He didn’t know if she spoke of Olivia or Lily, but both women did look happy. If only Jay Sattler could see his women together. When he brought the wagon to a halt, he took the bag from his mother and helped her down.
Olivia guided Lily toward them. The younger woman looked paler than normal. She seemed tired but happy.
“This is your neighbor, Mother, Mrs. Josephine Laxalt.”
Lily tilted her head, and her smile revealed a dimple. Her skin was smooth and pale. “Have you come to be a friend to me?”
“I have. This is my son. He’s a special friend of Olivia’s.”
Lily giggled. “I have a special friend, too. He comes to visit me sometimes.”
Ryan heard Olivia’s gasp. “Yes, a tall man with a red beard?”
Another giggle. “Yes. He tells me I’m pretty, and he brings me peppermints.”
Olivia’s eyes filled, and she stared out over the shallow pond.
“Why don’t you two take a walk while I show Lily what’s in my bag?” Josephine suggested. She opened the bag wide, and Lily looked down inside. “Do you know how to use these?” Josephine asked.
Ryan turned toward Olivia and touched her arm.
She fell into step with him. His chest tightened when they were alone. “Tell me what just happened back there.”
“She recognizes my father. He said it had taken her years to let him get close.” She stopped. “There’s so much to tell you, Ryan.”
He opened his mouth. “We’ll have time for it later.” The pond shimmered. It was a peaceful place. “Your father said you ran off.”
She gasped. Stopped.
Reached out to clasp his arm. “Ryan?”
“He came for a visit.”
Fear crept into her eyes.
“It’s not what you think.”
Her breathing eased along with her grip on his arm.
“Livy.” He released her hold on him and held her hand in his. He was afraid of the answer to the question he needed to ask. “Your father thinks you should be loyal to him.”
“I’m sure he does, but you know I can’t, Ryan.” Her lip trembled, and she bit it. “I think mother’s illness shattered something deep inside him.”
“Then maybe we can help bring him back to the light.”
“I don’t know. He’s gotten so hard.”
“We’ll work it out. Little by little the Lord will guide us along the way.” He held her shoulders and smiled into her eyes. “Can you believe that?”
She nodded.
He sucked in the warm air and raised his hand to her cheek then touched the tip of her sunburned nose. “Your father told me something right before he left. We didn’t agree on much, but on this we did.” Her eyes were round with curiosity. “He told me to find you. To make you happy.”
Her eyes were luminous, and a veil of tears bore out her relief. “Oh Ryan.”
“There’s more.” He held her chin and brought her hand up to his chest. His heart raced. “Could you care for me, Olivia? A Laxalt?”
She took a step closer. “I love you, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I want to court you. Proper-like. Long rides. We could come out here to be with your mother. Whatever you want.”
“Cowboy style.”
He laughed and took in her eyes, the curl of her lashes, and the brightness of her cheeks and nose. “What more do I have to do to take care of you?”
“You could buy me a hat that fits.”
Her soft smile encouraged him. His finger traced along her lips, and he leaned forward to kiss the sunburned freckles on her nose. She moved closer and tilted her head. He lowered his lips to hers.
A laugh echoed across the water to them and shattered the moment. He turned to see his mother and Lily watching them closely. His mother was holding up a ball of yarn. Something was tied to it that looked like. . .
Olivia’s eyes went wide. “A baby booty?”
Ryan pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her nose before releasing a laugh. “Or we could just fast-forward to the wedding.”
About the Author
S. Dionne Moore is a multi-published author who makes her home in Pennsylvania with her husband of twenty-one yearsand her daughter. You can visit her at www.sdionnemoore.com.
Dedication
To the heroes of the West, who stood their ground and believed in the dream of home, land, family, and peace.
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S. Dionne Moore
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