Cowboy Caveat

by Vanessa Brooks

  Amy thought for a moment about her wedding night. She knew what to expect in the bedroom - after all, she bred horses. But she was curious to see how a manhood looked. Was a man as big as a horse or as small as a dog? Surely not! Amy was keen to experience the act of mating. She wasn’t worried about the mechanics of sex; mares seemed unconcerned when they mated, after all. Yup, marrying Ethan would be a good thing all round. She would be married and in control of her own destiny and together they would raise a herd of sought-after horses that she hoped would become renowned. Humming happily, Amy trotted down to breakfast.

  Lucy had a million and one things buzzing around in her head and she knew she didn’t have enough time to do them all herself. She would have to delegate some tasks. Lucy didn’t have a problem with that, but she also knew the rest of her family was totally unreliable and could not cope with responsibility. As she was pondering this, Amy shot down the stairs, grabbed a biscuit and made for the door. Lucy ran after her sister-in-law, grabbing her arm before she disappeared.

  “We are going into town in ten minutes Amy, where do you think you’re going?”

  “I’m fixin’ to see Max about Duke. He needs to school him for me today if’n I’m gonna be in town all day!” With that, the screen door banged and she was gone.

  Lucy swore quietly and set to clearing the breakfast. Ed swallowed his coffee and stilled when he heard his wife swear softly under her breath. He didn’t like to hear her using language like that, and he’d noticed her doing it a lot more of late. Ed remembered Ethan telling him about his Pa’s rules, the ones that he and Lucy had lived by under their parents’ roof, so Ed knew that Lucy had not been used to swearing like that before she was married.

  Ed sighed. He would have to talk to Lucy and find out what was making her so riled up that she felt the need to swear. He downed the dregs of his coffee because he had to find Max his foreman and discuss splitting the herd ready for the stock yard....now where in tarnation did he put his hat last night?

  * * * * *

  Lucy, Millie and Amy came out of the store with a bag of ribbon, a length of lace and some sticks of peppermint candy, which Millie was already enjoying. The happy, chattering group was making its way along the sidewalk to the St. James Hotel for a bite of lunch when a shout slowed them down, and looking around, they saw Jim from the R.P.O. running toward them, waving a piece of paper.

  “Telegram and a letter for you, Mrs. Campbell!” Jim said, handing over both and then heading off with more letters in his hand.

  “Who could these be from?” Amy asked Lucy curiously.

  Lucy studied the addresses, “Well, actually they are addressed to you and Millie, ‘The Misses Campbell Sisters,’” Lucy said, handing them to Amy.

  Amy studied the writing on the letter. “It’s from Grandma,” she said, surprised.

  “No, don’t open them here, Amy. Wait until we reach the hotel and are sat down,” Lucy said as Amy begun to rip the letter open.

  “Good idea. . . Hurry up, then. I wonder what she wants?”

  Once they were all settled at a table and their lunch ordered, Amy opened the letter, scanning the contents quickly.

  “What’s it say?” Millie asked, leaning forward and twisting her plait with one hand while trying to read the letter upside down from across the table.

  “It seems she wants you and me to go stay with her for a time in Dallas to keep her company and broaden our education. She sent us tickets for the train!”

  “Do what?” Millie exclaimed. “You can’t possibly go, Amy. You’re gettin’ hitched on Sunday!”

  Amy looked crestfallen. “Oh, what a darn shame! Maybe I could talk to Ethan about postponing....”

  “Not an option, sorry!” Lucy interrupted firmly.

  Just then, their food arrived and all went quiet for a while as they all tucked into the delicious lamb. Millie spoke up, “Ed would be so mad if’n he knew we were eating lamb!”

  Amy nodded. “So would Eth, but you know, I wouldn’t mind running some sheep after we’re wed. This is real sweet meat!”

  “Yuh know, I do want to go to Grandma’s even so.”

  Lucy looked at her little sister-in-law and sighed, saying, “I don’t see how, honey. You can’t travel alone.”

  Suddenly, Amy had a wonderful idea. “Ethan and I can take her, stay a couple of days as a honeymoon and come right on home, leaving Millie with Grandma!”

  Lucy looked pensive; she knew her brother Ethan and she didn’t think he’d take kindly to Amy’s plan.

  “I suppose,” she said, not sounding very encouraging.

  Amy ignored Lucy’s tone, deciding she would convince Ethan and Ed. She knew just how to get around the both of them.

  “Alright everyone, finished?” Amy looked at her sisters in turn and got up to leave. Lucy went to settle the bill and met Amy and Millie in the hotel foyer.

  “Where we fixin’ta go now?” asked Millie.

  “The Reverend Norman has arranged to meet Amy in church,” Lucy told them.

  “What...why?” whined Amy, horrified. She did not like the Reverend and his pious ways, especially his Sunday sermons which dragged on for ages!

  “He has to see you and discuss the marriage with you before Sunday.... Amy, it’s the law! Come along, it won’t take long and then we can go home and I can start work on altering my wedding dress so that it fits you.”

  Amy rolled her eyes. Oh, joy, she thought irreverently.

  The three women walked away from the busy part of town, along the boardwalk toward the church. A large man suddenly rounded the corner of a building and pushed through the middle of them, knocking Millie right off the walk.

  “Millie, are you alright?” Lucy exclaimed, jumping down to the prone girl.

  “Hey you....varmint!” Amy yelled after the man, who had carried on regardless.

  He slowed his pace and turned to face her. “Are you addressing me girl?”

  Amy gasped: it was Henderson himself... the bastard!

  “You knocked my sister over, you big oaf!”

  Henderson took a menacing step toward Amy, removed his cigar and sneered at her, “We-ll now if it ain’t Daniel Campbell’s spawn and all decked out in their cheap finery. Been buying shiny little gee-gaws have you? Come to think of it, it’s Saturday night tomorrow. Maybe you’re tarting yourselves up for all the cowhands comin’ into town?”

  Amy felt inside her reticule for her small palm pistol, the Derringer that Ethan bought her last Christmas. Feeling a sense of cold, calm detachment roll over her, Amy lost all normal, sensible behavior and pulled her gun out smoothly. Shooting fast, Amy felt a deep satisfaction as Henderson fell to the ground, screaming and clutching his shoulder. Amy lowered the gun. Finally, she had done something to avenge her parent’s death. She had known all along that this evil man was behind what happened. She just knew it!

  Lucy stared in shock at Amy from her position kneeling beside Millie. There were footsteps running from both directions, and Lucy realized she had to get them all out of town as quickly as possible. After ascertaining that Millie was unhurt, Lucy quickly yanked a tearful Millie to her feet and jumped up onto the walkway next to Amy, just as Sheriff Leason arrived with another man who went straight over to Henderson and shouted for someone to call for the Doc.

  * * * * *

  “Right that’s enough, just pipe down, I can’t hear any of you all talking at once!” The Sheriff ran a distracted hand through his hair, frustrated by the gaggle of high-pitched women all chewing his ear off. He was wondering if he had been wise to bring the three girls back to his office.

  “Look Sheriff, Henderson threatened Amy and so she fired at him so if’n he claims otherwise, he is just lying, the low-down rattlesnake that he is!!!”

  “Well I don’t rightly know ‘bout that, ma’am. I think this is a real serious matter, real serious and I have to keep Miss Campbell here at least for tonight, that’s the law.” The Sheriff reached out to take hold of Amy’s arm, but
Amy stepped back quickly and hid behind Lucy.

  “You would say that, Grant Leason... the law!!! You mean that’s what Henderson’s law says! You’re just in his pocket Sheriff!” Lucy sneered and swept a disdainful look up from the Sheriff’s toes to his head.

  The Sheriff shifted uncomfortably. “Now see here, Lucy, you can’t say things like that! I’m the Sheriff and you’ll do just what I say, dammit!”

  Lucy took a deep breath and calmed herself down, realizing she wasn’t helping matters and that she had to stay calm. “I’m sorry, Grant. You’re right, of course. This is very serious, and Ed will be punishing us all tonight, I don’t doubt! He’ll want to bring this very bad girl to see you tomorrow morning and straighten this whole mess out. So we’ll do exactly what you suggest right now and go straight on home. Ed will bring this naughty girl into see you first thing in the morning as agreed. Come along, girls!” Lucy turned and swept a stunned Millie and Amy out of the Sheriff’s office and clanged the door shut behind them before Grant Leason realised that they’d gone.

  He slumped in his chair, drew out his handkerchief and wiped his damp brow. He let out a sigh of relief; they’d gone. Then he jerked up in his chair. Hang on a cotton pickin’ minute! He hadn’t suggested they go...had he?

  The women ran as fast as they could until they reached a quiet street near the station and stopped to catch their breath. Amy recovered first and said, “That was quick thinking, Lucy, telling Grant that Henderson threatened me.”

  “Oh God, Amy, what have you done?” Lucy groaned, clutching her side where a painful stitch had formed.

  “I’m glad I shot the bastard. I just wish he was dead!” Amy declared.

  “You silly, stupid girl....if Henderson dies you’ll hang!!” Lucy cried. Then Millie burst into tears and Lucy put a distracted arm about her thin shoulders. She wasn’t sure what to do next. They couldn’t go back home because if Henderson insisted that Grant Leason lock Amy in the jailhouse, the Sheriff would be there soon.

  Amy said firmly, “I’ll use the train tickets and go to Grandma’s. I’m sure she’ll know what to do. Lucy, you explain to Ethan and he can come on later.”

  Lucy went cold at the thought of her brother Ethan – he was going to go insane and she wouldn’t put it past him to larrup her for this mess. If only Ed were here; he would sort it all out! “Okay, yes, I can see that is a good idea, but I warn you, Amy: Ethan is going to blister your butt for this and probably mine, too!”

  “That’s alright, Lucy, I know Ethan’ll be madder than a box of frogs but Ed won’t let him lay a finger on you - you’ll be just fine so don’t you worry none bout that.”

  Just then Millie piped up with, “I’m going with Amy. She can’t travel alone anyhow! I want to go to Grandma’s!”

  Lucy was beyond caring at that point and just wanted everyone safe so that she could go home to Ed and their boys. “OK, let’s get on down to the station and see when the next train is due out.”

  The rail line had just recently opened, and it would take the girls all the way to Dallas, where Grandmother Hilda Campbell lived. It seemed the next train was due in the morning at eight o’clock. Lucy made sure they had booked seats in the best carriage using their pre-paid tickets from Grandmother. Lucy then took the girls to her old school friend Rose, who lived near the station. Her husband worked nights for the railway, so Lucy planned to beg beds for Amy and Millie to stay overnight.

  Once the girls were settled at Rose’s with all explanations told to Rose’s satisfaction, Lucy went back into town. Keeping a very low profile, she bought each girl a store dress that she put on Ed’s account. Lucy added underwear and stockings with garters, a nightdress, soap and brush for each and a travel valise for the goods to be packed in. Lucy also put in the newly bought ribbon and lace purchased for Amy’s wedding dress.

  Lucy hurried back to her friend Rose’s house and delivered the valise to Amy. They all hugged a tearful goodbye and Lucy walked slowly back to where the trap and horses had been stabled in the livery all day. When she got there, she set off home with a heavy heart. There was a lot of explaining ahead and Lucy dreaded the telling of it, and the consequences that would surely follow.

  CHAPTER 4

  Ed was surprised that the girls had been gone so long, but he was not overly concerned because a wedding was an exciting time for womenfolk, and he knew there was a lot to organize before Sunday. He was only worried when he saw the trap arrive back with just his wife on board.

  Lucy had time to think about what to tell Ed while she drove the buggy home. The hands that worked for Ed wouldn’t go into town until Saturday night for a drink and so it was unlikely that Ed would find out about what had happened in town today. So when he met her as she slowed the walking horse to a stop outside the ranch house, she gave him a wide smile and although she was tense inside, she hoped Ed wouldn’t realize something was wrong.

  “Hi, honey, where are the boys?” Lucy called as she tied the reins up.

  “I was just going to ask you where the girls are,” Ed replied, helping his wife down and kissing her as he set her down on her feet.

  “Oh, they are staying at Jayne’s overnight, talking weddings!” Lucy said, moving toward the stoop.

  Ed frowned. “Jayne Littleton? But I thought she was after Ethan and Amy loathed the sight of her.”

  “I-I know. Isn’t that the oddest thing? They were at school together so maybe they were friendlier than we thought. Jayne has set her hat at Max, now that Ethan is engaged, and Max seems smitten with Jayne.”

  Lucy turned her head away lest Ed see her blushing; goodness, she hated all this lying! If she told Ed what had happened now, Lucy was sure he would fetch the girls straight home. If Henderson pressed charges against Amy, the Sheriff would come and take her into town and lock her up. No, the best thing was to get the girls away before that could happen, then she’d tell Ed later in the morning. Lucy played with her boys all evening, finishing up with a game of checkers, and after bathing them, she tucked them into their beds.

  Later, while Lucy was brushing her hair, Ed came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, his thumbs caressing her nipples through her gossamer-thin nightgown. Lucy stopped her brushing and watched in her dressing table mirror as her nipples surged to hard peaks under her husband’s teasing fingers. Ed grinned as Lucy let out a shuddering sigh and leaned back into his naked embrace.

  “You look beautiful, darlin’. Can you feel how much I want you?” he whispered in her ear. Lucy could feel it, his hardness pressed up against her buttocks, and as she reached a hand around to the front of him to grasp his aching member, it was Ed’s turn to sigh. He turned her around and reached down for the hem of her nightdress, pulling it up over her head and tossing it into a corner. Lucy fell into his arms; this was what she needed, the reassuring arms of her husband holding her close. Ed lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, their tongues dancing, teasing and tasting.

  Ed scooped his wife up and placed her onto the bed, settling beside her, and then he stroked her with work-callused hands. Pressing her soft flesh firmly, he slid his hands slowly down from her shoulders, stopping briefly to cup her breasts, and then tweak her nipples playfully. Keeping one hand on her breast, his hand followed the slope of her belly. Lucy parted her legs with a pretty blush and lowered eyes.

  Afterwards they lay satiated, still and drowsy, drifting gently into sleep. Suddenly a loud hammering on the door below shocked them apart. Ed sat upright, listening, and when the pounding at the door began again, he leaped up and dragged on his trousers. He ran barefoot and bare-chested down the stairs to the door, grabbing his rifle as he went.

  Ed recognized Ethan’s voice as he pulled open the door, and Ethan pushed his way inside.

  “Where is Amy?” Ethan yelled at his sister.

  “Where is who?” Ed asked, bewildered. “She stayed at Jayne’s in town and Millie’s with her.”

  “What? No, she ain’t! Where’s Lucy!” Ethan shouted,
starting toward the stairs.

  Ed stretched out his arm and grabbed Ethan.“Woah, there! What’s going on, Eth?”

  Ethan spun round and glared at Ed. “Where is Lucy!” he demanded again.

  “I’m here. What is this, Ethan?” Lucy had put on her robe and followed the racket downstairs. Her heart sank; Ethan had somehow found out about the shooting but just in case he didn’t know, she would play dumb.

  “Where is Amy hiding?” Ethan asked his sister, his voice still raised.

  “Why don’t we all sit down and you can explain what is going on, Ethan,” Ed suggested.

  “You don’t know, do you? She hasn’t told you a darn thing!” Ethan pointed at Lucy and Lucy paled.

  “I don’t have a clue what you are talking about, Eth. What hasn’t Lucy told me?” Ed asked, frowning.

  Ethan looked at Lucy fiercely. “Will you tell him, dearest sis, or shall I?”

  Lucy gulped and spread her palms upward toward her husband. “I was going to tell you tomorrow when they were safe...ly aw...ay,” she said with a pleading whine.

  Ed was starting to get annoyed and barked, “Will one of you tell me what the hell is going on?”

  Ethan turned to him. “Amy shot Henderson in the shoulder. He was unarmed, and he is pressing charges of attempted murder. Amy and Millie are missing and my dearest sister knows exactly where they are both hiding!”

  Here he turned and looked at Lucy, shouting, “I’m going to beat the answer out of her if she doesn’t start singing right NOW!”

  Ed, shocked, turned to his wife, who had drawn her bare feet up under her and had shrunk back into the corner of the sofa.

  “Lucy?”

  “OK, OK, OK! Ethan’s right, but Henderson barged into us and knocked Millie off the sidewalk into the dirt! Next thing I knew, Amy had shot Henderson. I think...he, he threatened her!” Lucy added and nodded to emphasize the point.