The fried pies were a big treat and cheered everyone up. When Chet figured Jesus and his men had a good start, they rode on toward the squatters. When he saw the place in his field glasses, he saw some women in the yard, but no men.
“What is it?” Liz asked, seeing his frown.
He made a face. “I think the men left them.”
“Why?”
“They figured the law would be coming.”
She nodded. “How will we know if they really left?”
“Ride down and challenge them.”
“Don’t you get shot,” Liz said, her brow furrowing into a frown.
“We better make a flag,” Chet said, and rode over to Hampt who fished out a white feed sack. The news spread among the dozen men drawn up on the rise. They were sending in a man with a truce flag—Hampt.
“That will beat getting any children hurt,” Chet said.
Hampt rode in and spoke to four women in front of the house. Even at that distance, their dark eyes kept checking on the posse. Their men were gone. He had another mess on his hands, about like the one he had on the ranch down south.
“Come on,” he said to the posse. “We need to make plans to move this bunch. Who has two wagons to haul them to Preskitt?”
“I can provide them,” Raphael said.
“I’ll put Jesus in charge. We’ll set them up there and they can find work. Save them eating Hampt’s cattle all winter.”
“What about their men?”
“Hampt will file charges against them for wounding his men. We’ll let the sheriff arrest them, if he can. No need in us spending our money and men on those worthless trash.”
Cole, seeing there was no threat, rode in and joined them.
He came back with Hampt. “Their men are gone?”
“Obviously. I want a list of the women’s names, and Raphael has the wagons to haul them. I want Cole to rent them a place for three months in Preskitt. We’ll furnish them enough food for three months. Then they are on their own.”
Cole, Hampt, and Liz all nodded in agreement with him.
“Who’s the leader?” he asked Hampt.
“Mrs. Taylor.”
“You gonna shoot us?” asked the tall woman with stringy gray hair.
“No. There’ll be two wagons here to move all of you to town. I’ll furnish three months’ food and rent. Then you must find work and be on your own. The law will want your men for shooting my men. The sheriff will, no doubt, arrest them if they come around. You’ll not be my wards, nor will I be concerned after the initial food runs out. They’ll move you there in the next few days.”
“You that Byrnes guy?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am, I am, and this is my land. Be ready to move.”
“Why can’t we stay here?”
“If you don’t accept my offer, you can start walking. I consider it generous.” He checked the big horse.
She dropped her shoulders. “We’ll be packed up when your wagons come for us.”
“Each of you, give your name to my man. I also want the names of your men and children. Cole, get that for me.”
“Yes, sir.”
He turned to the posse. “Thanks to all you men who rode with us. If Quarter Circle Z can ever help you, call on us. We’ll return the favor.”
Then he rode among them and shook their hands. He told Liz to find Jesus and tell him that they were going home. When he had the names gathered, Cole could come on with Raphael.
“Hampt, this matter, I think, is settled. Tell May and those kids I love them.”
“Good to be home, boss man. I’ll tell them.”
Jesus joined them. “I told Cole and Raphael to come on when they got the names.”
“Let’s ride.” He smiled at his wife, and the three left at a lope. It would be late getting home, but they’d sleep at the Preskitt Valley Ranch in their own bed.
When they reined down to walk the horses, Liz said, “You are generous with them.”
“Only for the children’s sake. Those women can do what they want. The kids were my concern. I helped Indians when we first got here. Those little ones worried me more than the grown-ups.”
“It was still nice of you to do that.”
“Owning all these ranches sure has its drawbacks.”
“I was proud of you. They may not appreciate you, but you are a fixer. What next?”
“Get my business going better.”
“What does that include?”
“I need to find some more British-bred bulls. You and I may go on a search for them.”
“With Cole and Jesus.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jesus chuckled. “Good. We still have work.”
She turned in the saddle, laughing. “Yes, you do. I agree with Monica, he needs you two to look after him.”
“How in the hell did I make it this far?”
“You didn’t always head an operation the size of these ranches.”
“Mrs. Byrnes, I will take them along, and you, too.”
“Good. I am happy to be a part of this whole operation.”
“We are, too,” Jesus said.
“Jesus, tell Cole when he gets back tonight, he can go see his wife, if he wants. We won’t leave tomorrow.”
“Good,” Jesus said. “I can do that. He won’t be long behind us.”
Liz gave Chet a firm nod. “That was nice of you. He will appreciate some time with her.”
They put their mounts into a gallop. When they reached the ranch, the sun was low. They dismounted and two boys came to get their horses.
“You can stay at the house,” Chet offered Jesus. “We have plenty of beds.”
“Thanks, I’ll do that.”
Monica met them. “Have you three eaten anything?”
Chet smiled. “No, we’ve hurried to be back in your company.”
“I have some food in the oven I planned to throw out if you didn’t get here.”
They laughed. Liz came to their aid. “Sounds wonderful. Thanks.”
“Did you get them?” Monica asked.
“The men had run off,” Liz said as the men washed up. “Raphael and Jesus will move the women to town tomorrow. Chet will feed them for three months.”
“More folks to feed, huh?”
“They had several small children,” Chet said. “How are Rhea and Adam?”
“Fine. Gone to bed. Anita is, too.”
“We rode as hard as we could.”
The roast beef, potatoes, and carrots were delicious and Monica sliced freshly baked bread for them. Anita must have awoken, and came down dressed nice. After supper, she and Jesus sat in the living room to visit.
Sipping coffee at the table, Chet and Liz smiled over the couple.
Cole and Raphael rode in, and Jesus came into the kitchen. “I’ll tell Cole about our switch.”
“That’s fine.”
Jesus went out to tell Cole he could handle the women the next day with Raphael, and Cole could go home. He came back laughing. “That wasn’t hard, to send Cole to his house. He’ll check in, or we can send him word.”
Chet agreed and told Jesus what room he could sleep in that night.
When they went upstairs, Chet and Liz left Jesus and Anita standing close to each other in the living room.
When they were secure in the bedroom, Chet kissed her. “Nice to be in our own bed.”
She stretched out. “I want to include, nice to be with you all day. I had never seen that country and it was interesting. I love your understanding of the range like you do. I look a lot closer at grass and things.”
“I ever tell you I simply love your body?”
She went limp. “I wanted to tell you all the good things you do.”
“How about making love?”
She drew a deep breath. “That would take all night.”
He hugged her tight. “I love you.”
CHAPTER 17
Come dawn, he was dressed and went down to watch the ran
ch operations. Raphael was giving orders for the day. Four men were going back with Jesus and two wagons to bring the women and children to town the next day. Already up and with the men, Jesus was quietly overseeing things.
“You get much sleep?” Chet asked him.
“Enough.”
“What will I tell Anita?”
Jesus shrugged his shoulders. “I was going to talk to her before I left, if she was up.” He looked at the back porch, but saw nothing.
“You stop by and see her before you go. I’ll find a place in town for the women today.” He motioned Jesus toward the house. “Eat breakfast, too.”
“I will. Funny, about yesterday. We went up there to make war and ended up feeding them.”
“Either way, we did the right thing.”
“You are right.”
Chet went to thank Raphael.
“Hello, Patron.”
“Morning, I’m just Chet, remember?”
“Oh, I remember, but where I was raised we always called our boss patron.”
“Chet will do just fine. You’ve done so well, going to help Hampt, and moving those women and kids. We’ll have a fandango for everyone tomorrow night. Tell the women to get the food for it today and put it on my bill.”
“Good, we need to laugh some.”
“Liz and I need to find the women a place to stay today. Have the boys hitch us up a buckboard to use in a little while.”
“Sure, Chet.”
“That’s better. I’m not much of a patron.”
“Oh, yes, you are a good one. I love my job, and if you need anything, I can get it done.”
“Raphael, I appreciate you. And remember, fandango, tomorrow night.”
“Ah, si, like I said, we need one.”
“You had breakfast yet?” he asked Jesus, who still hadn’t left.
“No, I was going to arrange the wagons.”
“Raphael has men to do that. Come and eat breakfast. Anita may be down by now.”
“Sure, mi amigo, we can hitch the wagons,” his foreman said.
“Oh, alright. I am coming.”
“There they are,” Monica said as the men entered the kitchen and she delivered Chet’s plate of food to his place at the table.
“Boy, we are up early today,” Liz said, entering the room. “I asked her if you had left me.”
“Just arranging things,” Chet said, and hugged her, then kissed her on the forehead.
He noticed Anita coming from the living room and acting backward. “Better get in here and eat with him. He was fixing to leave without breakfast.”
She smiled and thanked him.
With Anita and Liz seated, he took his head chair. “We need to find a place for those women today. And Raphael and I decided we need a fandango tomorrow night.”
“Can I do anything?” Liz asked.
Monica shook her head. “The ranch women are great at doing this. They are so proud when he calls for one, they bust their buttons to get it done.”
“Can I go on the house search?”
“You bet,” Chet said. “I noticed one of the ranch men hung your Indian headdress in the living room where you wanted it.”
“Oh, how nice.” She started to get up.
“We’ll go look at it after breakfast,” Chet said.
“They did that last night,” Jesus said.
“It is a real trophy,” Liz said.
“Well, it’s better to have his hat in here, than him,” Monica said.
They all laughed.
With things rounded up, Chet and Liz drove to town. Bo had a few places for them to look at. They found a big enough house to shelter the women and children and close enough to walk to town. He rented it for three months for sixty dollars. They would buy their food the next day. He’d get Raphael to bring a wagonload of firewood to cook and heat with. Then the women would be on their own.
Jenn was pleased to see the two of them for lunch. She fussed over them and chattered to Liz about her daughter, Bonnie, being with child, and writing her letters about the ranch operation down south.
Chet went by and talked to Ben about ordering four more mowing machines and dump rakes to expand his farming operation for the next spring season. While the men talked, Liz and Ben’s wife, Kathrin, looked at some household things the store had just received in stock.
Going home in the buckboard, Liz spoke to Chet about Kathrin. “She and I had time to talk today. I knew part of the story about you saving her in Utah. But she gave me a lot more information today. You know she never got over you doing that for her. She still feels she owes her life to you. She said I was lucky to have you. You were so dedicated to Margaret, she knew there was no way for her to ever have you, but she told me I am lucky to have you, and she understood why—but if we ever needed anything, she wanted to help to repay you.”
“I was only doing what I thought was right. She needed a break from her situation.”
“Well, woman to woman, I got the big confession and I thanked her.”
“Susie said once, ‘Oh, my God, haven’t you even noticed her? She’s been there to help whenever you had a crisis.’”
“She and Ben will have another child next spring.”
“I’m glad they have each other and a family.”
She hugged him. “I am so glad I have you, hombre. You still plan in November to go to the south?”
“Yes, the citrus will be ripe. We can bring home a wagonload for Christmas. You want to go home then, too.”
“Yes, if I don’t risk your life.”
“I’m not afraid of Mexico. My men will ride along. They are about out of federal funds for the Force, and Roamer has been promised a job with Wells Fargo. Whenever we shut things down, Shawn McElroy wants to come back home. The two younger Morales brothers have enough cattle to start a working ranch of their own at Tubac. Ortega and JD are getting along well, and the Rancho Diablo is working.”
“Will you miss the law work?”
“No. Things are going better in the territory, law wise. I wish they’d leave the capital up here at Preskitt, but in the end, the compromise is for a new capital that will be in the valley. It’ll be in the Salt River Valley at the village of Phoenix.”
“Not Hayden’s Mill and Ferry?”
“More politics are involved. Phoenix will get the dome someday.”
“We are still going elk hunting?”
“You bet.”
She squeezed his driving arm. “You are so good to this poor Mexican girl you found wandering in the desert.”
“Oh, no, the princess who came in the white and red coach from Mexico, and I stole her in a wild, crazy fairy tale.”
“What wonderful memories I have of our life. It has been a fairy tale.”
“You ever have an ounce of regret, leaving your land and coming to mine?”
“Oh, no. I didn’t need—even want—a man when we arrived at what I thought was a goat ranch. Surely, they had made a mistake bringing me there to find the man who owned such a high-priced yellow horse. This lawman who struck fear in the hearts of Mexican bandits would not be there. Then he was standing there with his hat at his side—I knew then I was at the right place. My heart hurt. I was a young girl all over again. I must have blushed that day.”
He smiled and nodded. “Before I left for Tubac, I spoke about our life to Marge’s spirit at the grave, and closed the book softly like a final chapter. But I needed no woman. I promised to raise her son.”
“Here I was. You offered to show me a ranch, no strings attached. My mind was like a dust devil churning up the land, whirling me around about what to do. Then you dried my feet like Jesus did his disciples at the Last Supper.” She laughed. “Somehow, I had to have this grande hombre.
“Oh, I was bold and shameless after that. I thought I may not win you, but I will do my damnedest to do that.”
“That’s how your husband did you when you met him?”
“Yes, but I was a very innocent girl ba
ck then, not the owner of such a large hacienda of so many hectares. I wanted to escape with him. He was very much another man, but you two are so different. If he came by after I became a widow, I doubt he could have turned my head like he did the girl in me back then. Oh, his death was a greater loss in my life than the Grand Canyon you showed me.”
“Two things I recall the most was the cinnamon you wore for perfume and the haystack.”
“Oh, I told myself not to make love to you in a bed or hammock. You are a man of the outdoors—I could tell that camp not being fancy did not bother you. You were a man who easily slept outdoors. Where would a boy seduce me and remember it?
“I worried so much about what I did that day. My chances to impress you were desperately short on time. Would he think I was some whore? That was my conscience needling me. I saw you were a big man in frame, but in that bathtub you were a giant.”
“Did that scare you?”
“Some, but I was so brazen by then, I had to have you—at any cost.”
“What if I’d made you pregnant?”
“I never considered it. My luck at that had been so slim, I had written it off.”
“No worry.”
“It really would not have mattered—I would have had a piece of you.”
He drew the team down to a walk. “I knew that yellow horse was a good investment, but I never figured he’d get me you.”
“Bonnie told me about her life. How she ran off to find a more exciting life and then regretted it, but she was in too deep to get out. And you trading those colts for her life.”
“Even if she went back to her old ways, which I’m glad she didn’t, she was well worth two horses.”
“And you paid for Cole’s wife to come up here, too.”
“Another lost girl. We met Valerie in Tombstone while looking for Bonnie. She really hated the trade, but was trapped. I gave her a few dollars for expenses and bought a one-way stagecoach ticket to Preskitt.”
“I knew nothing about your past, except I met Margaret in Mexico before you married her. I knew she had died, but I don’t think I put two and two together until the coach door opened.”
“I’m glad you came.”
“My only regret is I am not with your child today.”
“That’s up to God. Nothing we can do but try.”
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