Her heart swelled with self-satisfaction as she followed him. Half the cattle belonged to her. Half the profits would go into her pockets…along with an independence that no man could ever take from her.
The cool March air surrounded them, and she saw wisps of smoke curl in front of Harry’s face as he breathed. She knew in her heart that he was probably right. She should stay behind. What sort of investor was she not to trust her comrades?
One who had paid a dear price for betrayal.
As they neared the wagon, she saw the men mingling around, talking, waiting. None were mounted. It seemed odd to see the trail hands without horses beneath them. She noticed Kit standing near his bay gelding. Harry gave his friend a brisk nod as he drew his horse to a halt and dismounted. Jessye slipped her foot out of the stirrup.
Harry wrapped his hand around her ankle. “Stay where you are. Kit will join you.”
She watched him walk toward the other men, leading his horse behind him. The lonesome image he created surprised her.
Kit mounted his horse and guided it around to Jessye’s side. She’d never realized how small she was in comparison to him as he sat tall in the saddle. Even though Kit was beside her, Harry’s presence dominated the camp. He spoke not a word, but the men who had been mumbling fell into silence. Other men stopped fidgeting. Into the autocratic stillness, Kit finally spoke.
“We have close to three thousand head of cattle and a short span of time in which to move them to Sedalia, Missouri. The days will be long, the nights longer. My father taught me that a man was better able to meet his expectations when he knew what they were so here is what I expect: hard work, no grumbling, no cursing, no drinking. You men spent three months burning our brand into the hides of those cattle. A T that rests on top of an L. The Texas Lady. She’s traveling with us because she’s financing this venture. She’s your boss as much as I am. Her voice carries as much authority as mine. Display any disrespect toward her, and you’ll find yourself on a long walk back home with no coins jingling in your pockets. If you have any problems with my expectations, don’t bother to mount up.”
Silence grew thick until Harry swung up onto his saddle. Magpie quickly followed his example, then Dan Lincoln. One by one, the men mounted their horses.
Kit gave a brusque nod. “Gentlemen, let’s take these cattle to market.”
He started to guide his horse away. Reaching out, Jessye grabbed his arm. He glanced back at her.
She swallowed, her mouth dry, her heart pounding. “Thank you for that.”
“Don’t thank me. They were Harry’s words.”
Jessye walked through the camp, her muscles protesting. The first day of their journey had begun before dawn, and they’d continued moving until dusk. The cattle were settling down for the night, several riders circling the herd to calm them.
She smelled the aroma of baked beans and fresh coffee. Her stomach rumbled, but she wanted to remove some of the dust before she ate. Kit was talking with the young wrangler he’d put in charge of the remuda. She had to give Kit credit. He left no details to chance.
Slim walked away as Jessye approached. Kit smiled. “Rough day?”
“You’d think after all these months I’d be used to it.”
“We pushed a bit harder today, plus there’s the excitement of actually being on our way.”
She jabbed the toe of her boot into the dirt before peering up at him. “You’re still upset with me over that contract I wrote up.”
“I think you’ve misjudged Harry.”
“He doesn’t seem to have a problem with it.”
Kit scratched his chin. “He wouldn’t let you know if he did. British pride and all that rubbish.”
“Maybe you’ve been his friend for so long that you no longer see his faults.”
“Or maybe I’ve simply learned to see beyond them.”
“Then you have an advantage over me, but I’m not going to change the terms of the contract.” She angled her chin defiantly. “But I am going to mosey down to the creek and clean up a bit.”
“I think most of the men are either with the herd or at the wagon eating.”
“If you hear gunfire, come running.”
“Did you want me to accompany you?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m just gonna wash up, not take a real bath. Have you seen Harry?”
“Not since we stopped for the night.”
Nodding, she glanced around the campsite. The men they’d hired were all respectful toward her, but deciding where to bed down wasn’t going to be easy. “I’ll be back in a bit for supper.”
“If you see Harry, tell him he has first watch.”
She smiled broadly. “He’ll love that.”
“No, I imagine he’ll find some unsuspecting man and gamble his way into a full night of sleep.”
Laughing, she strode into the copse of trees near the camp. Kit was no doubt right. Until the men learned that they couldn’t trust Harry with a deck of cards, he would probably never have a watch.
She heard the gurgling of the nearby brook, smaller, more secluded than the river beside which they’d left the cattle. She should have some privacy here. She was on the verge of stepping into the opening when she spotted Magpie sitting on a log near the edge of the water, poking a stick into the mud. She’d never seen such a dejected soul. She took a step forward.
“Magpie,” Harry called out, striding along the bank, “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Jessye stepped back, hiding in the brush, watching as Harry crouched beside the young man.
“What’s troubling you, lad?” Harry asked.
“Nuthin’.” Magpie tossed the stick into the creek.
“You’ve been awfully quiet.”
“Got nuthin’ to say.”
“Kit’s going to be disappointed to hear that.”
“I doubt it. I ate dust most of the day.” Magpie jerked his hat off his head and scrunched it. “I ain’t complaining.”
“Of course, you’re not.”
“I just…I just thought since you hired me first that I’d get to be trail boss. Instead you give the job to Dan Lincoln.”
“Kit and I discussed it late into the night. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but Lincoln has a lot of experience herding cattle in very unfavorable conditions.”
Magpie nodded solemnly. “And I’m just a bogger.”
“On the contrary, you’re our chief advisor.”
Magpie snapped his head around. “What?”
“Kit’s concern was that if he gave the responsibility of trail boss to you, you wouldn’t have time to advise him, and he wouldn’t know for certain if he was making the right decisions. Why, this very moment he is waiting on a report regarding your thoughts on the progress we made today.”
“You’re joshin’ me, right?”
“Certainly not. Kit values your opinion and writes down every word you say.”
“There was a few things I noticed today that I think we oughta do different.”
“Then you’d best let him know.”
“On account of me being the chief advisor?”
Harry placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Let’s keep the title of your position between us, shall we? We don’t want to cause discontentment or rebellion among the men.”
“Yes, sir. You’re right about that. You reckon I oughta tell Kit everythin’ I’m thinkin’?”
“Every thought.”
Jessye waited until Magpie had disappeared through the brush before stepping from her hiding place. “Chief advisor?”
Groaning, Harry glared at her over his shoulder. “How long were you there?”
“Long enough.” She sat on the log Magpie had vacated. “Didn’t think you liked Magpie.”
“I don’t, but it’s bad enough riding at the back of the herd without having a morose rider beside you. Besides, I needed to punish Kit. He botched his speech this morning.”
“You mean he botched your speech.”
He narrowed his gaze. “That’s exactly how he ruined it—by telling you they were my words. I wanted to throttle him when he told me this evening. Instead Magpie will do it with constant chatter.”
“Don’t you worry about losing Kit’s friendship?”
“Our friendship was forged within the fires of hell. It can withstand the heat of anger.”
“You’re incredibly lucky,” she said quietly.
His eyes widened. “I thought you thought I cheated.”
She scowled at him. “I do think, no, I know you cheat at cards, but I meant you were lucky to have the friendship with Kit that you do. The closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend is Abbie, but I’ve never bared my soul to her.”
“I would think that you would have an abundance of friends.”
She frowned. “Working in a saloon? Men were only willing to be friends if I was willing to give them more than friendship, and women always worried that I was flirting with their men. Abbie had no worries because her first husband never came to the saloon.”
“And neither does her second.”
“Not now that he’s married to her.”
“Must have been lonely,” Harry said with a hint of speculation in his voice.
She shrugged. “I had my pa. Reckon he was always my friend, but there are some things you can’t tell your pa.”
“Like finding yourself in a troubling situation?”
She stared at the small creek. “Yep. I never told him about all that. I was afraid he might go after Gerald—”
“Gerald?”
Grimacing, she felt the heat burn into her cheeks. “The man I loved.” She jerked her head around and held his gaze. “I did love him.”
“Of course you did. You wouldn’t have lain with him otherwise.”
She pressed her hands between her knees. “You believe that?”
“Why shouldn’t I? Good God, Jessye, you’ve got two dozen men out there, and you’re doing your damnedest to make certain none of them think of you as a woman. Your morals are commendable. Your judgment…questionable.”
“You never knew Gerald. He was such a dreamer, and he had me dreaming right along with him. But then the dream turned into a nightmare. I never told Pa anything. I was afraid it would hurt him too much. He never asked me why I left or why I came back.”
“I suspect he knew. He was aware your heart had been broken.”
“But I don’t think he knows the specifics.” She held his gaze. “I suppose you mentioned my shameful past to Kit. He told me once that you bare your souls to each other.”
“I would bare my soul to him, but never yours. As for your shameful past, I’ve told you before that the shame rests with the man who abandoned you.”
“I can’t figure you out, Harry. You only let me see tiny parts—”
“Believe me, you would completely dislike the whole portrait.”
“I’m not so sure. Kit wants me to make you a partner.”
“There are many things that Kit wants. Ignore him.”
She averted her gaze, trying to find the words.
“Jessye, you worry about things that are of no consequence.”
She twisted around and faced him. “I trust you more than I once did.”
He grinned wickedly. “As well you should.”
“But you gotta understand that this cattle drive is everything to me, and I can’t afford to make errors in judgment.”
“I do understand. More than you realize.”
She nodded. “I’m a little curious. What were your father’s expectations?”
Harry looked toward the water. “That I would fail, and I was quite successful at meeting those expectations.”
“I wish I could make you a partner, Harry, but I just can’t. Not on this cattle drive.” She rose to her feet and walked away, wondering why the guilt continued to fester.
The camp grew quieter as the darkness deepened. Jessye sat on the fringes of the camp, close enough to hear, far enough away so she wouldn’t be noticed. She enjoyed watching the camaraderie between the men, wanted to be part of it, but knew she was safest if she kept herself apart from them.
Some of the men slept, preparing for their watch. Most were studying the cards Harry had just dealt them. She’d considered banning gambling—after all, Harry had banned cursing and drinking—but what else was there for a man to do but stir up trouble?
And trouble they didn’t need.
Kit sat beside her, his ever-present pad of paper and pencil in hand. The man did more writing than a school marm.
Jessye pointed her spoon toward the circle of men. “So how come you never join them?”
“Because I value the worth of my dollar more than they do.”
She cast him a sideways glance. “Because you know Harry cheats.” She moved the beans around on her plate. “I don’t like to see him taking their money.”
“He doesn’t win every hand.”
“He wins enough. He doesn’t realize that the money these men make at the end of the trail has got to last them all year.”
“I would say that was their problem, not his. He offers the game. He doesn’t force them to play.”
“But gambling is like whiskey. Some men just can’t say no to it.”
“So perhaps your father should close down his saloon.”
Jerking her head around, she narrowed her eyes. “Your point being?”
“You can’t condemn one vice without condemning them all. Life is a series of choices, and as my father taught me, you live the remainder of your life with each choice made.”
“You always think with your head?”
“No. Unfortunately, when the situation warrants it, I tend to think with my heart. It is not so wise, and the regrets are—”
“Hot damn!” Magpie cried.
Jessye returned her attention to the men. Magpie wore a grin that spread from one ear to the other.
“Two aces. Who would a thought I’d beat you with two aces? How much do I owe you now?”
She watched Harry glance at his tally sheet. Playing on credit was another idea she didn’t approve of, but she wasn’t about to start doling out anyone’s pay until they reached Sedalia.
“Let’s see, lad,” Harry said, making notations. “You owe me eighty-three dollars.”
Magpie’s smile eased. “Well, at least I can still get me a new pair of boots. Reckon I ought to call it a night.”
“You ain’t gettin’ them boots if you play him tomorrow,” one of the men sneered.
“Don’t know why you’re so uppity,” Magpie retorted. “You owe him ninety-six.”
“Yeah, but I feel Lady Luck is about to kiss my cheek,” Red said.
“That’s the only lady what’ll kiss you,” Magpie said with a guffaw.
“That’s one more than will kiss you,” Red told him.
“Now, gentlemen,” Harry said, raising a hand. “Enough with the insults. Who wants to play another round?”
Jessye watched the men toss in their rocks. Rocks instead of coins. She should have known Harry would work out a way to gamble with men who had yet to earn any dollars. She sighed. “Three weeks on the trail, and he’s already got most of their money in his pocket. No wonder it didn’t bother him when I wouldn’t sign him on as a partner. He’s gonna end up with a bundle of money anyway.”
“They only owe him on paper. If a good wind snatches it from his hand, they’ll have to start over.”
“You think he’d do that?”
“I know he would. He cares nothing for the money, Jessye. He cares only about winning.”
Jessye watched one of the hands amble into camp, a worried expression on his face. “Cows are restless tonight, Dan. I think we need a few more riders circling the herd to lessen the chance of a stampede.”
Dan looked toward Kit. “It’ll make the men tired tomorrow, but a stampede could leave a few of them dead tonight.”
Kit nodded. “Take as many as you need.”
/> Without hesitation or complaint, the men tossed their cards into the circle and scrambled to their feet. The one thing they all knew and feared was a stampede. Jessye was surprised to see Harry gather up his cards before standing and heading for his horse. She didn’t want any of the men in harm’s way, but at least the Texans knew how to handle a stampede. The Englishmen…she didn’t want to think about what might happen to them if the cattle took off at a haphazard run. “We don’t need all of them out there,” she said.
“Harry?” Kit called. “I want to talk with you.”
She felt her stomach loosen. Why she worried about the scoundrel she’d never know, but she was grateful he wouldn’t be circling the skittish cows.
Harry strutted over like the lord of the manor. Only a contract kept him from officially being recognized as one of the partners. No man in the outfit questioned orders he gave, and he gave them as though he had the right. She’d considered putting him in his place a time or two, and she would if he ever gave an order with which she didn’t agree. Unfortunately, he had yet to make that mistake.
He hunkered down in front of them. She wondered if he realized how much like a cowboy he actually looked posed as he was, his trousers tight across his thighs. Certainly not the way a man would sit in a lady’s parlor.
“What did you need?” Harry asked.
Kit reached into his pocket, withdrew his map, unfolded it, and spread it over the ground. “Do you remember my mentioning David Robertson?”
Harry narrowed his eyes. “Yes, but I thought we’d agreed—”
Kit smiled. “Hear me out before jumping to conclusions. They live near Dallas. By the end of the week, we’ll be close enough that I’d like to pay them a visit if you have no objections.”
“Why would I object to having an opportunity to engage in a meaningful conversation with people who appreciate the finer aspects of life?”
Jessye felt the sting of his words as though he’d delivered each one with a bullet into her heart. She knew nothing of the finer aspects of life, and she wondered if he found conversations with her meaningless. But if he did, then why did he talk to her at all?
The answer hit her with an unerring truth: she was the only woman around.
“I have no idea how the war might have changed their financial situation. I did write him about our cattle venture. He views it as a great folly. Still, I would like to see for myself that they are well,” Kit said.
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