Brazos Bride

by Caroline Clemmons

  “I thank God with you. You are fine men and I would not have wanted you to make that choice.”

  “There was no choice. I would die before I shot one of my brothers.”

  “That I know.” She patted his hand where it rested on her shoulder. “Is that why you do not want to shoot at anyone? I mean, is this because you were in the War?”

  “War’s experience would have been enough to sour me on killing forever. But no, it was when I was a Texas Ranger.” He paused, hoping to block the memory that haunted him. He took a deep breath before he continued. “We were rounding up a gang that had robbed a bank and a stage. One of the bunch refused to surrender and fired at us. I fired back.” He scrubbed his hand across his face, wishing he could erase the recollection. “What looked like a man turned out to be a young woman dressed in men’s clothes. I never would have shot at her if I’d known.”

  “But then you might be dead, and that thought is too horrible to consider.”

  He turned toward her. “Do you mean you have begun to care for me a little?”

  Before she could answer, a soft knock interrupted. Maria entered carrying a

  tray, followed by Lizzie.

  So much for being alone.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  From his saddle, Micah peered around as he and Zach rode warily along a brushy trail. He tried to shift his hat to shade his eyes from the sun’s glare without pressing on his bandage. “This is a big ranch, but by now we should have found clues to where the cattle are disappearing.”

  “We’ll find them.” Zach rode as if he and the horse were one. “You should have stayed indoors a couple more days.”

  “I’m fine.” A bald-faced lie. His head was a gourd ready to explode.

  “Riding out here is sure better than skirt sitting, Glad Joel’s stuck with Hope today.”

  “Stuck with her?” Micah bit out.

  “Now, don’t get riled. Hope’s a fine lady and tries to set Joel and me at ease.” Zach scratched his chin. “Keeping watch without alarming her gets tiresome. Whew, I swear I’ve stared at the pages of that dadblamed book when it’s been my turn at the house, but I couldn’t tell you anything about the story.”

  “Can’t believe that. You always lose yourself in a book once you start reading.”

  “Couldn’t afford to let myself get interested in Verne’s story, even though it seemed like it’d be a good one. I’d turn a page now and then so Hope didn’t realize I was always on alert. Guess I’m more comfortable riding the range than sitting around while you and Joel get to hunt for bad guys.”

  “I see what you mean. I want Hope to feel safe, but she sure as hell isn’t. At least, not yet.” Micah had that sensation again...prickles on his neck. Was he in someone’s crosshairs? “Zach, you get a notion someone’s trailing us?”

  “Thought about it. Had an itching between my shoulder blades. You?”

  “Yep, like the day I was shot.” Micah peered around, but saw nothing out of place. He spotted a flock of turkeys grazing among the trees ahead, a good indication no one waited there.

  “You have a plan?”

  “When we get to this outcropping of rocks, you keep going and I’ll peel off behind them. If someone’s trailing us, I’ll catch him.”

  At the massive pile of boulders from a long ago landslide, Micah turned behind them and waited, hidden from view by anyone coming up from the rear. He didn’t have long to wait before he heard the creak of leather and horse’s hooves. He saw the shadow before the rider appeared.

  “Hold it right there.” Colt drawn, he guided his horse forward. “Eduardo? Damn it, you egg-sucking coyote. I should have known it was you. Get off your horse.”

  Eduardo dismounted and held his hands out from his body. He glared at Micah. “Go ahead and shoot. That’s what you are good at, gunning down innocent men.”

  “One more time, you no account loafer, I did not shoot your uncle!” Micah dismounted and walked toward Eduardo, then retrieved the man’s weapons.

  “You are the one who wanted Montoya water, and now you have it. If not you, then who?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to find out. You know damn well your uncle agreed to let me have access to the river.”

  Zach rode up and climbed down. “Caught him, I see.”

  Ignoring his brother, Micah holstered his revolver. “What’s your excuse for tracking us?”

  “As if I need an excuse to follow the man who wants my cousin’s ranch. If it were not that you wear the bandage from your injury, I would teach you a lesson.”

  Micah took a step forward and braced his legs. “Yeah? I’ll never be too hurt to take you on, you sorry polecat. Time I did the teaching.” He drew back to swing a punch.

  Zach stepped between them with his arms outstretched. “All right, you two. Step back and let’s clear the air. Eduardo, why were you following us?”

  Shooting a scowl at Micah, Eduardo said, “Figured you two were up to no good. That you are the ones stealing Hope’s cattle. I intended to catch you in the act so I could report to Sheriff Ryan.”

  Hearing that riled Micah even more. “We’ve been trying to find where they’re held so we can spot who’s rustling them.”

  Zach spread his hands. “Sounds like we’re after the same thing. How about combining forces?”

  “You crazy?” Micah pointed at Eduardo. “He’s the one who stands to gain from Hope’s death.”

  Eduardo’s lip curled in a sneer. “You accuse me when you are the one who would inherit her ranch?”

  “I didn’t poison her or her mother. Your parents had every opportunity.”

  Eduardo’s eyes widened. “Poison? What are you saying?”

  Zach the peacemaker interceded. “It’s true, Eduardo. Someone was poisoning Hope. She believes the same thing happened to her mother. That’s why my family is staying with her and Micah and why our aunts are doing all the food handling.”

  Eduardo’s brow furrowed and she shook his head. “No, no. How could this be true? Dr. Ross, he says she has a wasting disease. She only speaks from wishing.”

  “It is true, you sorry--“

  Holding up a hand, Zach interrupted Micah, “Now that she’s wed my brother and our aunts are cooking and serving the meals, she’s gaining weight and strength.”

  “I knew nothing of poison.” Eduardo resettled his sombrero on his head. “It is true her strength to ride her horse three days ago, that surprised me. But poison? How can this be?”

  “Her food or her tonic was tainted.” Zach looked at Micah. “We asked our aunts to cook for Hope so she eats only what we know is safe.”

  “Incredíble. If not you, then who would do such a thing?”

  Micah pointed a finger at Eduardo’s chest, wishing it were a gun. “Your parents had plenty of opportunity. I reckon they figured a way to inherit her land. And your father covered his ass when he said if she died he’d hang me.”

  “You lie! Can Hope believe this horrible thing? My parents love her as their own daughter. She is like my sister.”

  Zach held up his hand. “Easy now. She believes that keeping your parents away until the culprit is caught will protect them.”

  “Gracias a Dios!” Eduardo glared at Micah. “But you, you should not have accused my parents. For that I owe you a pounding.”

  “Listen, you good-for-nothing dandy. I’ll pound you into the ground.” Micah stepped forward, ready to wipe the smirk off Eduardo’s face.

  Zach stepped between the men again. “Stop this. Best put this behind you and shake hands.”

  Micah stared at Eduardo, who glared back.

  Zach said, “Micah! Do. It. Now.”

  Giving in to his brother’s demand infuriated Micah, but he finally offered his right hand. After a few seconds’ pause, Eduardo shook on the agreement. An uneasy alliance to say the least, Micah thought.

  Zach lowered himself to a boulder. “All right, let’s work out a plan. Eduardo, you know this ranch pretty well?”
>
  “Not like ours, but I have searched every inch of this land for clues to where the cattle are hidden. Only a few at a time could be taken without leaving many clues. But where they are, I do not know.”

  “Damn, that’s too bad. I was hoping you had an idea of places where they could be corralled temporarily.

  “Sí, I know many places where cattle could be held for a short time. But there they are not.”

  Micah looked at his brother then back at Eduardo. “We considered that spread across the Brazos. Who owns that land?”

  “It should belong to Hope and my family. It’s on the ranch of my...how do you say mas abuelo?”

  “Great grandfather?” Micah looked at Zach for confirmation.

  Before Zach could answer, Eduardo nodded. “Sí, the land belonged to my great grandfather, Cesare Montoya.”

  Micah counted up the generations and years they represented. “That far back? How did he keep it from the Indians?”

  “He was a younger son in Spain and must seek his fortune. He came with his men to explore. When he found this river, he stopped.”

  Zach frowned. “But that was back when there were no Europeans here. How’d he keep his scalp?”

  Eduardo shrugged. “I am told he had great charm. He must have because he married Aiyana, the daughter of a powerful Comanche chief. My great grandfather allowed the tribe beef and a peaceful campsite in exchange for safety.”

  “Still, he must have had plenty of sand and savvy to keep his hair.”

  “Verdad. He was un grande hombre. Mexico conceded our land to us.” He grimaced as if he spoke of a recent pain. “But then after the War--I mean the last one--we fought hard even for what we have on this side of the Rio Brazos.” His face shadowed in sorrow. “We lost the land across the river. Many palms we had to grease even for what we kept.”

  “Whose cattle have I seen grazing across the river?”

  Eduardo shook his head. “This worries me. The owner does not live there. He died several years ago, and no branded stock should be there. Should not be any at all.”

  “Let’s ride over there and take a look around.” Micah said. “If someone drove the stolen cattle over there, where would they cross?”

  “Quicksand along that part of the river is very dangerous. Best to go upstream to your new land to cross or downstream to that of my family.”

  Zach shook his head. “No, if you’re not involved, Eduardo, using your family’s land would put you in danger. And for the past couple of months, Micah, his two hands, our brother, and I have been keeping an eye on the land by the river. The land that is now Micah’s.”

  “So, there has to be somewhere on Hope’s ranch where there’s a safe crossing,” Micah insisted.

  Eduardo shook his head. “I do not know where it would be. Hope, she might, because she knows this land better than anyone alive. Her foreman, he also might know a place.”

  “You trust Wooster?” Micah asked.

  “I know only that anyone who could please Tío Alfredo has to be good at his job.”

  Zach said, “Perhaps Wooster has grown greedy.”

  “Perhaps, but I do not think this is true. Even Papa said Wooster is a good foreman. He wanted to go after the rustlers, but Papa thought it a waste of time and that searching would only leave the others unguarded.”

  “What about you?” Zach asked.

  “I think if you let a man steal from you a little, he soon will steal a lot.” Eduardo shrugged and made a face. “The way of mankind, no?”

  “My feelings exactly,” Micah gathered up his horse’s reins. “One of us has to go into town, check on that land’s ownership. Maybe whoever had it died and left it to a relative who’s not above a little midnight rustling. I’ll go.”

  “Wait, Micah. You’re asking to be shot if you ride off alone.” Zach rubbed at his chin, then asked Eduardo, “You mind going? Since the land also borders on your family’s, you can ask questions with no one getting curious.”

  “Sí, I can do this.” He gestured toward the river. “If someone up to bad things lives there, we should all know of this.” He glared at Micah. “I am not sure I trust you, but you are the husband of my cousin so I warn you. Before you cross that river, you find out from Hope or her foreman where you may go. Entire wagons and teams of horses and mules have been lost in the quicksand. A man or a horse has no chance.”

  Micah appraised his wife’s cousin. “We’d heard that, but didn’t know if it was true.” Still didn’t. Was this a lie or the truth? Did Eduardo want to keep Micah and his brothers from learning what lay across the river?

  As if he read Micah’s mind, Eduardo raised his eyebrows and gestured toward the Brazos River. “When I was a boy of ten years, with my own eyes I saw a wagon pulled by four horses dragged under before the driver could cut the harness. Never will I forget the screaming of the horses before they drowned, No one could reach them in time, but vaqueros tossed the looped end of a rope that the man slipped around his chest. He lost his boots to the quicksand, but he lived.”

  Micah scrubbed the image from his face. “Damn, that gives me the shivers. Worse story than swimming into a nest of water moccasins.”

  With an indifferent shrug, Eduardo said, “Mocasin de aqua always wait for those who do not use caution. But the beach you now own is safe. That’s where we played and swam as children.”

  Micah longed to think of his and Hope’s children playing there, but he couldn’t give in to his dreams. He sent his so-called ally a glare. “You send word if you find out anything. We’ll need to meet and discuss it.”

  “Sí, I will come to your hacienda. The library there has thick walls and is a good place for such talk.”

  “Say, Eduardo,” Zach said. “While you’re in town, could you check the saloons and learn if there are any strangers around?”

  Eduardo placed a hand on his heart and smiled, “If I must, I must.” He climbed on his horse and turned to wave. “Adiós.”

  Micah stared after him. “I still don’t trust him.”

  “You don’t like him. That’s different than trust.” Zach clapped Micah on the shoulder. “All the same, you keep your friends close...”

  “And your enemies closer.” Micah finished for his brother.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Late the following evening after the women were in bed, Eduardo rapped softly on the door. Micah ushered him into the library where Joel and Zach waited.

  Micah looked at his wife’s cousin. “Quite a shiner you have there.”

  Touching his cheek gently near a blackened eye, Eduardo said, “Some do not like my questions.” He settled on the sofa. “I waited outside tonight until I saw a lamp in my cousin’s room appear and then go out. She would be upset if she saw me like this. I do not wish her cause for worry.”

  “Good thinking,” Zach leaned back and crossed one ankle over his knee.

  Micah saw no reason to waste time with pleasantries. “What have you found out?”

  “Bad news, I think. Diego Gonzales has inherited the land from his...how do you say, mas tio?”

  Micah said, “Great uncle.”

  Eduardo appeared as if he’d made a connection. “Sí, his great Tio. Ah, like great grandfather.” He waved away his new knowledge. “I know this Diego, and he is a bad hombre. Always he made trouble, but he was in prison. I learned he is now free.”

  “He ranching this uncle’s spread full time now?” Joel asked. “Wonder how many cattle he runs. Could be his beeves we see.”

  “No, this is not possible. His uncle had not lived there for many, many years. No cattle were there. We would have noticed if someone drove cattle through this area, for he would come from the east or south.”

  Zach nodded. “Makes sense.”

  “Only a year ago, Papa and I rode there to see the hacienda. It was deserted and looked very sad. The only thing on four legs, it was a herd of deer. We rode for many hours and saw no cattle, no one. Papa thought perhaps taxes were owed and we
could purchase the ranch.”

  Micah massaged his forehead, hoping to ease his headache. “If this Gonzales was in prison, wonder who paid the taxes?”

  Eduardo gave his characteristic shrug. “Papa asked, but all he learned is that a woman paid.”

  “Young, old, Mexican, anglo?” Micah asked.

  Eduardo shrugged.

  Micah said, “Your father is wealthy enough that he should have influence to learn her identity.”

  “The man in charge does not like Mexicans, especially wealthy ones.” Eduardo touched his swollen eye, then caught himself and looked at Micah. “I am afraid there is more. At the Red Horse Saloon--not the Texas Star where I usually go--I saw three strangers. Very bad men, I think.”

  Joel asked, “You talk to them?”

  “No, Señor, nor would you have. One was very large and looked like a bull. But I think the most dangerous was a small man with eyes like a snake. The men sat in the corner drinking and watching. Always watching. For what, I do not know.”

  “You overhear then talking?” Micah asked.

  “No. And they do not speak to anyone else. When one of the girls stopped at their table, they told her to keep away. The small one raised his arm as if to strike her, but the bartender yelled at him. He said he would not put up with any more trouble from them.”

  “More trouble? Hard cases. Diego Gonzales one of the men?” Micah asked. When Eduardo shook his head, Micah said, “That might mean they work for him, but they could have no connection.”

  “I don’t believe in coincidences.” Joel rose and prowled the room.

  Micah asked, “If they do work for Gonzales, wonder where they cross the river?”

  “I spoke with one of the women in the saloon.” Eduardo pointed to his eye. “She also had been hit. I asked her if those men had done this. She was very afraid and would not look at me, but she nodded. She said the small man, she called him Pedro, was very mean. She refused to go with him ever again.”

  “Think she might spy for us?” Micah asked.

  “Sí. Even though she has much fear, she hates this man for hurting her. I pay her money and go upstairs with her.”