Unbroken Hearts

by Anna Murray

  Crane watched as the man called and raised twice. When it came time to show their cards he had nothing. Not even a pair, just a pathetic jack high.

  The urge bit harder. Crane watched the older man, seated next to the loser rancher, happily raking a pile of bills to his corner of the table, barely able to contain his glee at winning the easy money. Ansel Crane decided the ranch owner was a fool. He wanted some of the easy action.

  The dealer was shuffling. Crane ambled over.

  "Can I git in?"

  Roy's eyes flickered up as worked over the deck.

  "It'll cost you, but we ain't been playing long."

  Crane pulled a roll of bills from his pocket.

  "I reckon I can cover it cowboys." His fat jowls wagged.

  The other men glanced up at the stranger. He wore one six shooter holstered on his right side. Reminded of Sarah's unspeakable hurt, Cal tightened his jaw.

  "OK with you boys if he joins us?" Roy scanned the other players.

  "Suits me," replied Cal.

  Crane smiled smugly and pulled a chair up between Cal and Ned, in the space intentionally left open for him. As was the custom where he came from, he introduced himself. "Ansel. Ansel Crane."

  Roy nodded. "I'm Roy. And that's Ned Kingman to your right. Cal Easton on your south." He shuffled with steady hands, rearranging the cards as he worked. "Five card draw. Ante up. Mr. Crane. Give up twenty dollars."

  Crane's foul breath hissed through the holes in his teeth as he rolled off the notes and tossed them onto the table. He won on his first hand but then began a long losing streak.

  The sun crept down. It turned out Crane was thicker than a mudslide. In his liquor-loosened state Crane should have recognized the cheating. Roy couldn't have been more obvious about his bottom dealing. And the cowboys blinked their code. But Crane just looked at them and rubbed his gray eyes, commenting on how the plains dust must be a problem for them, too.

  Cal had seen prairie chickens with more for brains than Mr. Crane. They'd take his money, but forcing Crane to draw was quickly becoming a lost cause. Most of the customers recognized the cheating, and they were backing away and preparing to run for the exits before the shooting started.

  Less than an hour later Crane was flat broke. He couldn't believe it. The "heartbroken" rancher had suddenly donned a poker face and learned how to play the game. And the one called Roy turned out to be a master at bluffing. Whenever Crane had a good hand, someone else somehow bettered him.

  But like an avalanche picking up speed as it travels down the mountain, Crane hadn't been able to control himself after the losses started.

  In the end he threw up his hands in disgust. It was always like this. He knew he'd suffer the next morning from the dreaded gambler's hangover.

  "I'm busted boys. I lost $400," he slobbered, and his swag-belly jiggled as he pushed away from the table.

  Cal growled. "Darn cryin' shame."

  He reached into a pocket and pulled out a stack of gold coins. Just as he finished placing them on the table, Roy carefully pulled a small sack of gold nuggets from his boot. Then Ned produced the deed to a gold claim.

  "It's time to play a hand for the high stakes," announced Cal with a smirk. "Darn shameful you're broke, Crane. Better luck next time."

  Ansel Crane looked longingly at the booty spread between the men. He sat back down and planted his elbows stubbornly on the table.

  "Well . . . there's one thing I have . . . .not right here, o' course."

  The men turned their heads and gazed at him expectantly.

  "What might it be?" Cal held his breath. His hands remained steady, but his chair creaked as he shifted uncomfortably.

  Crane wiped beads of sweat from his brow with the back of his puffy hand.

  "A lady. Real pretty filly. Trots as Sarah Anders. She owes me $350. Well leastways her guardian owes me that. But I come to find he's dead. Our deal was I can take her 'stead of the money." He licked sweat from his upper lip. "I'll bet her. She's worth a heap more than $350, mind -- worth as much as anything you men have there." He motioned to the spread on the table with a sweep of his meaty hand. "An' she never been touched by a man, lessen you count the dead uncle slapping her up a bit. Ole Orv used to say, 'Ansel, she don't get all fussy, and she don't cry none. She'll make you a fine good woman.'"

  Cal's eyes narrowed and his neck reddened.

  Crane rambled on, oblivious to the angry reaction his words caused.

  "She's 'sposed to be around this territory, least last I heard from her. Mights you know something?" He raised thick eyebrows and quickly scanned their faces.

  Cal checked a raging torrent beneath the surface.

  "Yeah, she comes to town now and again. Seen her at the general store once." He frowned and shuffled his feet under the table. "She's pretty all right . . . you got yourself a bet."

  Roy feigned an uncertain expression. "Well, I'll go along with it but I don't much like it. And I don't put stock in that about her not being touched." He flashed a grin. "I heard a man by the name of Cal, I mean Carl Weston had—"

  "Fine by me," Ned interrupted. "Good women are scarcer 'n hens teeth."

  "Hmmm, that's settled then." Roy shuffled the deck, surreptitiously arranging the cards.

  If not for the blood pounding in his ears the silence in the saloon would have made Cal wonder if he'd gone deaf. Customers who hadn't left when they saw the cheating stampeded out the swinging doors when the gold hit the table. High stakes and bottom dealing were lethal, and the risk of getting caught in the crossfire was a high price to pay to see the game. As they deserted none bothered to tell Crane that the Easton brothers, with their steady eyes and flawless coordination, drew faster than lightning and always hit their chosen targets.

  Roy commenced dealing the cards, hoping he'd stacked the deck properly. When he finished he set aside the pile. The men picked up their fates.

  Cal saw Crane's eyes widen slightly. So the man thought he had a good hand.

  Ned opened the bidding. Crane called with five dollars he scrounged from the surprise 'last chance' fund he suddenly found inside his boot, and Cal decided to simply call.

  Ned ordered up one card, and Crane took two. At the signal from Roy, Cal asked for three cards. Roy took one card himself and swept the discards to the bottom of the deck.

  Ned began the betting again with a five-dollar note. Crane and Cal simply called, and Roy, anxious to get to the showdown, threw in his cards.

  "Time to tell," announced Cal.

  Ned tossed his cards face-up on the table. "Two pair. Queens and eights."

  Crane looked excited and eagerly eyed the pot and he showed.

  "Three aces. Ya' beat that?" He grinned toothlessly at Cal.

  Cal lazily flipped his cards, one at a time to gave Roy's hand time to move under the table and nudge his gun up in its holster.

  "Nine. Ten. Jack. Queen. King. Straight flush," he called.

  All hearts. Blood ran across the table.

  "Guess I win the lady," said Cal. His mouth set in a taut line.

  Crane hung his head. "Yah. If you know where to find her."

  Cal drawled. "Oh, I 'spect she's on a ranch."

  Crane flashed a glare up at Cal. "Which ranch?"

  Cal's dark eyes narrowed and his voice tightened. "Mine."

  Crane's face instantly registered surprise and then anger.

  Crane bolted up and caught the table underside, toppling it over. Drinks crashed on the rough wood floor, and cards went flying.

  Crane went for his gun too late. He'd barely unshucked, and Cal was on his feet firing with blinding speed. His bullet hit Crane's hand and sent his weapon skidding across the room.

  Crane was angry and defenseless. Roy and Ned guffawed and collected up the scattered bills, gold coins, and nuggets.

  "You boys can't ride away with this. I'll git the law!" Crane's face was scarlet with anger.

  Roy pitched back his head and laughed. "Ain't you heard mister? Th
is here's Montana Territory. We ain't got no fancy law."

  Cal lowered his weapon. He peeled $400 from a roll of notes and threw them on the table.

  "Call it even Mister. Take your money and go home. But if me, or any of my men see you nosing around here looking for Sarah, we'll shoot first and ask questions later."

  Crane had soiled his pants. He clawed the bills off the table and, humiliated, backed out the door.

  "I don't expect we'll see him again," Roy laughed.

  "No, don't expect so." Cal holstered his weapon. "But just to make sure, Benton will escort his sorry backside out of the territory."

  Chapter 26

  Cal, Roy, and Ned rode into a golden glowing sunset. The homebound ranchers atop their horses cast long shadows across the trail.

  Cal was busy rounding up stray thoughts and herding them in one direction. He thought about how to tell Sarah; he considered truth to be the best path, but then again a woman could up and get surly about her man playing poker, especially when she was the bet. So in his mind Cal began to weave a version of events that would satisfy his lady. He reckoned Crane was history, and it was all she needed to know.

  Thinking about Sarah made Cal want her. He relaxed in the saddle and let the feeling wash over him. He knew it was going to be terrific between them, and he could hardly wait.

  Roy took one look at lost-in-the-back pasture Cal, rolled his eyes, and decided to chew the fat with Ned.

  "Heck Ned," he laughed, "was that a real deed for your gold mine? Looked more like the pieces of paper they give for deposits at the bank."

  Ned indignantly tossed his head. "I needed to come up with somethin'. As you boys had golden eggs, I decided as I'd hold the goose."

  Cal heard Ned's comment, broke from his reverie, and he laughed and joined the banter.

  "Brother, how could you give the vulture three aces? Three aces! One of those was 'sposed to be mine, for a royal!" Cal hung his head in mock disappointment. "Damn lucky I got the straight flush."

  At first Roy looked sheepish. Then his saddle groaned as he stiffened. 'Yep, brother, you are lucky. Me? I win a string of scrawny mules playing at poker but you, you win a beautiful woman." He waved his hand wildly. "And, that's the second time I've had to fix a bidding game so you could have her."

  Cal flinched at the reminder of Roy's bid to win Sarah at Lola's. "Sure, she's worth every bit of it. I'm plannin' to step off the trail and make her my wife."

  Roy's blazing eyes stabbed at Cal, but his grin was a keeper. "Damn straight you will. She's a treasure, same as her sister."

  * * *

  As soon as she saw them on the homebound trail Emily rang the bell. She'd been keeping an eye out most of the afternoon.

  The men were oddly mute during supper. Afterwards Emily and Roy disappeared outside. Cal rushed to help Sarah clean the dishes, and then guided Mama into the parlor.

  Positioning his large frame on the long sofa Cal motioned for Sarah to sit next to him. He eagerly took her hand firmly into his own, and a broad smile reached to his eyes.

  "Sarah, we were in town for a spell today." His gaze fell into emerald green eyes, and he wondered why it was that every time he saw her he felt he'd been away far too long.

  "After you fetched those lost cattle?" She frowned.

  He cleared his throat. "Well, it turned out not many were lost," he replied, nearly as smoothly as Roy would have done. He figured it was almost the truth, and he trotted on before she could say more on the topic. "A stranger blew into town today, fellow by the name of Ansel Crane."

  Sarah gasped, and a look of horror raced across her face.

  It was over. She'd secretly hoped Crane would meet with some unfortunate accident before he stepped into Montana territory.

  Her shoulders slumped forward, and she hung her head like a condemned outlaw, waiting for Cal to tell her exactly when Crane was coming to fetch her. Anticipating the blow, she squeezed her eyes shut and bunched her hands into tight balls.

  "This Crane fellow asked about you. Said you owed him some money, or at least your uncle did." Cal smiled at her again and placed his hand over her fist, gently loosening the fingers and coaxing them to wrap around his own calloused hand.

  She trembled, and opening her eyes to a squint she studied Cal's face. How could the man smile about her misfortune?

  "Yes, he did." Sarah's voice quavered. "But honest, I didn't know about the d-debt when I came to work for you." She was nearly choking now. "I never meant to bring t-trouble to your house. I only found out when I received a wire, which came the same day I said . . . I said I couldn't marry you." She sobbed on the words as though a rock had lodged itself in her throat.

  Cal quietly nodded as she continued her story.

  Sarah was burning with humiliation, but there was nothing for it now. She forged on.

  "A man from the telegraph office came by while you were out with the Sheriff and Mr. Peck."

  Cal squeezed her hand and spoke rapidly as he suddenly wanted to give her relief from the pain and horror so clearly visible in her eyes.

  "Listen, Sarah, love, I have very good news for you! For us! As it turns out, Mr. Crane is a gambling man. He wanted a poker game," he grinned, "so we obliged him, down at the Copper Strike. He lost $400 to us. And we gave it back to him to pay your uncle's debt." His brown eyes shone. "There's no debt."

  Sarah's jaw dropped several inches and she stared blankly. "You didn't use your own money to pay him?"

  "No. no," he nodded his head furiously. "Honey, we used his money. The money we won from him. His money. It cost us nothing." Cal figured he might have to repeat himself again because she hadn't shaken the stunned look of disbelief from her face.

  Sarah tried to comprehend the importance of what had passed. Cal knew the instant it hit her.

  "Did you cheat?"

  Cal looked flustered. He couldn't see how as this was important, but he opted for telling the truth. "Yes. But just a little. Knowing how to blink in code helps," he added, with a nod.

  Sarah laughed, bolted up, and a joyful cry broke from her lips. "Yes!"

  It was Cal's turn to be confused. "Yes? You approve of our gambling and cheating?" His face held a bewildered expression. Well hell, he thought, maybe he could tell her she was the bet.

  She laughed. "Crane is despicable! Oh, I don't know how I can thank you and Roy." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

  Her heart was singing with delight.

  "I almost can't believe it." Then a wrinkle of concern swept across her brow. "Where is Crane now?"

  "On his way home. I sent a man along to make sure he clears out. Don't you worry, sweetheart. He won't be coming back."

  Sarah sighed and collapsed onto the sofa. "Well, thank you again." Her hands were full of nervous energy so she worked them, smoothing and arranging her skirts. Yet she wondered: Now that Cal knew her story, would he still want her? It was too much too hope for.

  Taking her unruly hands Cal clasped them between his, and he drew her into his smoldering gaze. "You could do something to show your gratitude." His tone was dead serious.

  Sarah sucked in her breath. "What?"

  "Marry me."

  Sarah's heart caught in her throat. She threw herself into his embrace. "Oh, oh!" She buried her head in his neck and cried. Her heart was bursting with joy. Then she thought of something, pulled back and shook a finger at him. "No more gambling."

  He smiled and gave in to his need to kiss her deeply. She responded instantly, passionately. He pulled away, breathless. "I agree to your terms," he whispered.

  Sarah threw back her head and laughed. To Cal's ears it was full and rich and beautiful. He hauled Sarah tightly up against him and trailed kisses down her cheek and neck.

  Then Cal looked at Mama, sitting across the room. Tears filled her blue eyes as she blinked her congratulations. He'd fought his own loneliness, never admitting to it, for so long. Somehow Mama knew it. Roy knew it, too, and that was why he br
ought Sarah home to him, to the place she truly belonged, in his heart.

  "Sarah," he whispered inches from her ear. "You make me proud. Without even trying you woke feelings in me that were long dead. You gave me the strength to try again. Loving you is worth any risk."

  Unashamed, she wept. "Cal," she sobbed in a small voice. "I never expected a fine man to want me. You gave me back my dreams, and then you made them come true."

  They held each other close for long minutes.

  After a time Roy and Emily came back in from the barn, and Cal announced their good news.

  Sarah took out her fiddle. The bow danced across the strings as she played all the joyful music she knew. Emily danced, and they sang until it was time to fall into bed.

  After Cal lifted Mama into her bed, he took Sarah's hand and led her back into the hallway to say goodnight. He pulled the silver combs and pins from her hair to watch it fall freely to her waist, and he threaded his fingers into the silky darkness. Then his gold-brown eyes coaxed her close up against him. He inhaled her heavenly honeysuckle scent, and kissed her slowly and tenderly.

  "I want to marry you on Saturday in the parlor," he murmured, his mouth against her ear.

  She shivered. Thinking she was cold, Cal wrapped his arms more snugly around her and softly nuzzled her neck. "Oh." She smiled coyly up at him. "You know I can't wait."

  "Neither can I," he whispered. But I will.

  Chapter 27

  Sarah asked Mama to give her away at her wedding, and of course Mama was delighted.

  Saturday was a perfect day -- not overly hot, as it could often be in late August. Billowy white clouds filled the sky and a skirt-swishing breeze caressed Sarah and Emily as they donned the same dresses they'd worn to the social. They hovered around Mama, like bees at a flower, fussing over her dress and her hair.

  Roy could be heard from upstairs, teasing Cal, as the men donned their Sunday best.

  Ned wandered in, all spit and polish in new clothes he said he'd purchased for the occasion. He fooled nobody. The old veteran had been seen visiting Miss Geneva Grayson on two occasions since the school social.