“You going to work while you’re here?” Mark asked. “I got room at the lumber mill, if you want to do some physical work.”
“Physical work?” Adam asked, raising an eyebrow.
Mark gave him an amused look. “It’s like you never listen to anything I say, Adam. What are you, my wife?”
The three men laughed.
“What are you talking about, Mark?” Adam asked.
“You said physical work like you don’t know Gabe makes a lot of money writing for that journal.”
“Oh, I’d forgotten. Yeah, I understand.” Adam nodded in understanding.
“I don’t need to do either for a little while. The sale of my ranch brought in a lot of money. I’m sitting on some cash right now, enough to purchase another ranch, a smaller farm, or even just a house, if I just want to stick with writing and not work with the land. I could do that and work at the lumber mill to get my daily exercise.”
Chuckles went around the table. Sam was back with the drinks, setting the large mugs in front of the men one at a time.
“Thanks, Sam.”
They all thanked him and then looked at each other. “You know I gotta raise one to you being back here, Gabe. I’ve enjoyed our correspondence over the years. Now I reckon we’ll make some of our own memories.”
Gabe lifted his glass and clinked it against the others when they did the same. “To my return,” he said.
Anxiety slid through him as he tossed back a big swallow of beer. There was so much his cousin didn’t know about him. He was afraid if Mark knew the truth, they might not be sitting here, toasting his return. He had a secret and he wanted to tell Mark so much but didn’t know if he’d ever have the courage to do it. It might change the way Mark looked at him. Change the way Adam looked at him and perceived him. It would change how everyone in the town thought of him.
He couldn’t bear the weight of it and pushed it to the dark corners of his mind so he didn’t have to think about it. It was something he would have to carry with him until he had the courage to bring it to light. For now, he didn’t, so he filed it away in the back of his mind for contemplation another time.
The beer was cool and refreshing. It slid down his throat easy, giving him a slight chill. “That’s some good brew right there,” he said, smacking his lips. “I think I gotta get another one.” He finished off the glass, to the amazement of his companions. Both looked at him in shock.
“I didn’t know you drank like that, Gabe,” Mark said in surprise. Gabe set the glass down loudly on the table.
“I must have another!” He announced loudly. He gave them a large, exaggerated smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you two.” He had a twinkle in his eye that made Mark smirk.
“Oh no,” Mark said. “Have we toasted to your return too soon?” He looked at Adam. “I think we may have just unleashed the lion.”
Gabe laughed. “No, no, I’m just joshin’ with ya’ll. Just playin’. I’m not gonna get rowdy and loud. I’m just exerting a little energy. Plus, that was some doggone good beer! And I want another!” He looked over his shoulder. When he caught Sam’s eye, he smiled and lifted his empty glass. Sam nodded. Gabe turned back to rest both elbows on the table. He looked at them both. “Back at my ranch, I used one of the rooms like a saloon. Had some friends over. We’d get some bottles and some barrels and had a lot of good nights. Hardly ever had a bad night, as a matter of fact.”
“You had a lot of fun these last fifteen years, haven’t you?”
Gabe thought about it for a moment. He pictured people he’d met and his Kentucky ranch, as big as it was, its vast fields and the cattle he’d come to actually care about. One of his favorite things to do was get on his horse in the bright early morning hours and go out to wander through the pasture, looking at his cows. He talked to them, treated them with respect, and found that it was almost like having a lot of pets, a lot of four-legged friends. He didn’t name them, because they would eventually be taken to the slaughterhouse. However, he cared about their well-being and made sure they were fed well and had enough water to drink.
“I did have fun.” He eventually nodded in agreement. “And I’d say it was about fifteen years, too, because I had to have at least five to find my place in this world. I thought I’d found it, I really did. But you know, things don’t always go the way you want them to. And in this case, I got a lot of good years out of being in Kentucky, but frankly,” he said the last part with pain in his voice. “Frankly, it was time I got away from there, absolutely vital, really. And I’ll never go back. That’s one thing I will promise both of you sitting right here and now.”
They looked at him with surprise. He nodded up at Sam when he brought over a fresh mug and took the other one. He immediately drank from it, upset with himself because he’d almost revealed too much.
CHAPTER SIX
HORNSWOGGLED AND DUPED
HORNSWOGGLED AND DUPED
Gabe walked back to the hotel by himself. Mark and Adam went back to what they were doing before their lunch. As he approached the hotel, he scanned the outside, hoping no one was there to bother him. He was in the mood to be left alone with his thoughts. Being back in Wickenburg had brought back a lot of memories. Most of them were good. He had left at only 19, looking forward to his life. He couldn’t say he’d had a bad one… just difficult despite the amount of money he had in his account. He’d been fine until six months ago. Living his life. Enjoying his friends, his ranch, and his little town in Kentucky. Then it all came crashing down on his head. In one fell swoop. His life was shattered.
He passed through the front door and looked around the lobby. It was thankfully empty. He started up the stairs and went directly to his door, hoping no one would be in his way or open their door. He wanted to think. He wanted to be alone.
A dark fog slowly enveloped his mind. He could feel the anxiety creeping up to the surface. He put his fists to his head and sat on his bed. He wanted to scream. Maybe that would let out some of the frustration he felt.
He was a good man, he told himself. He was a good man. If anyone knew what he’d done, why he’d left Kentucky, they might not think so. He felt like a fool. A fool who had been used by two hustlers who nearly took him for everything he had – including his life.
Gabe wasn’t a cowboy. He wasn’t a violent man. He didn’t get in fights at the saloon and he didn’t try to get other men’s women. He kept to himself and watched the drama unfold before him. He didn’t have to say anything or do anything to see it. However, he’d been hornswoggled. He’d been duped. He’d been made a fool of. It hadn’t ended well for the perpetrators.
Gabe pulled in a deep breath and stood up again. He paced around the room, his hands clasped behind his back. He pictured his ranch in his mind. He already missed it. He would find another here in Wickenburg. However, he’d had that ranch for nearly the entire twenty years he was in Kentucky and he’d made it his own. He could barely stand the thought that it was no longer his, that everything inside had been sold that was of any value, that someone else would be living in it. Maybe it would be a family. At least then it would be appreciated and loved.
His heart clenched at the thought of leaving the small cemetery he’d put on the land for his animals. He cared about his horses and his dogs. He even had two cats at one point but they didn’t stick around. They ran off after only a few months, probably scared by the dogs. Or they just wanted their space.
He smiled, remembering them, two brother cats he’d named Andy and Randy. They were both black and white but in opposite ways. Where one had a black spot on the forehead, the other had a white spot. Andy was mostly black and Randy was mostly white. Their markings revealed they were brothers. Gabe even thought he could see it when he looked at them. Not all cats are the same, he told himself. I can see the resemblance between these brothers.
He’d been sad when they ran off, but at least they were together.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
He let himself smile at the thought. He stopped pacing in front of the window and stood there looking through at Wickenburg below. The street was nearly empty. It was the middle of the afternoon and people were busy taking care of themselves and their families. Lunchtime was over and most people were inside, children were in the schoolhouse, grocers in their shops.
The main road in front of him went from one side of Wickenburg to the other, East to West. Another street directly in front of the hotel went north and stretched on for several miles. He couldn’t see the end of the street because it went over hills and down into valleys as it made its way out of town.
He knew this town from twenty years ago and still had a map of it in his head. It would be different now. He would have to make amendments. There were two thousand more people here than there had been, which wasn’t a tremendous growth, but enough to make it worth his while to come back. He didn’t want to be in a ghost town. On the other hand, he didn’t want to live in the big city.
When he’d first decided that it was best to flee to Wickenburg, he’d checked with Mark and with the mayor, Daniel Beam, to see if there was any land available for building a ranch. They had both said yes and told him the current statistics about the town. He was going to move back to Wickenburg regardless but what they had told him was encouraging. He was happy to move back, despite the difficult circumstances that forced the change.
His shoulders slumped again as he thought about his problem. He was nervous about it. He wanted to talk to Mark about it but fear kept him back.
A knock at the door drew him out of his thoughts. He turned around and looked at it. “Yes?”
A female voice came through the door, muffled. “It’s me, Gabe. Can we talk?”
He frowned. He couldn’t tell if it was Agatha, Elizabeth, or Claire. He walked to the door, silently praying it was Claire he would see when he pulled it open.
He grasped the knob, turned it and pulled the door open.
With a sinking heart, he saw the smiling face of Agatha. He forced a smile. “Hello, Agatha. How are you doing? Have you recovered from your fainting spell?”
“I’m well, Gabe. I want to thank you for helping me.”
“It was my pleasure. I was just admiring Wickenburg on a crisp fall afternoon.”
“Yes, the holidays will be here soon.”
“The cold weather will beat them.”
“I’m sure we will have a white Christmas this year,” Agatha said. “I sure do love white Christmases.”
“As do I.” He stopped and waited for her to give her reason for coming. Surely she didn’t think he would invite her into his room. That would probably get him kicked out of town. He tried not to chuckle. It was more likely they would drive this poor woman out of town.
“Will you still be coming down for the special dinner tonight?” Agatha finally asked.
“I’d almost forgotten about that, but, yeah, I do plan to. You will be there?”
She looked at him with utter admiration, a look he’d come to know well. He had to look away not to be embarrassed by her obvious attraction. He regretted asking if she would be there. He could see she was overly pleased he was inquiring whether she was going. It was almost as if she thought he was asking her out on a date.
“I will, yes. I am probably going to help Elizabeth in the kitchen. I know she has Sue in there and they are both good cooks, but there’s nothing wrong with having a third woman helping out.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
“Thank you, Gabe.” She beamed up at him.
“Is that what you wanted to come and ask me?” Gabe looked into her eyes, trying to find some kind of compassion for her. He was more irritated than anything else and wished she would just let him be. Especially right now. He was busy feeling sorry for himself.
He tried not to frown too deep when she looked down and then fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Would you like to go for a walk before dinner? I thought about going to the saloon for a drink.”
I’ll bet you did, he thought and then felt ashamed for judging her. “I have already been there. Just came from there a few minutes ago, actually. I really don’t think it’s a good time for me. I just want to relax before dinner. I want to be refreshed and ready to enjoy the good food.”
“I’m sure it will be delicious.”
“Yeah, I think so, too.”
“So you are sure you wouldn’t like to go for a drink?”
“I think I’ll stay here for now. I’ll see you at dinner time.”
She nodded. “All right.”
When she didn’t move or back away, Gabe slowly moved back and gently closed the door without another word. As soon as the doorknob clicked, Gabe covered his mouth with his hand and tried not to laugh. It was mean. However, she didn’t want to take a hint. Nothing he could do about that.
Agatha looked at the closed door for a moment, picturing him on the other side. She wondered if he was holding his hand against the door to feel her vibrations through it. She lifted one hand and placed it softly on the outside of the door, pretending she could feel him on the other side. She closed her eyes.
She stayed that way until she realized it had been quite a few minutes and if anyone came and saw her, she would look crazy. She jerked her hand back and looked around her. There was no one in the small hallway. She turned quietly and went directly down the stairs. She could hear the women in the kitchen preparing dinner. She had no intention of going in and helping, though she’d told Gabe that in an effort to make him think better of her. She’d seen the way he looked at Claire earlier. She wanted that look in her direction.
She went through the front door and stopped on the porch outside. The sun was beginning to set but there was still plenty of light. She stepped out onto the wooden sidewalk and turned in the direction of the saloon.
A dizzy spell made her stop and sway in place for a moment. She’d waited too long. She needed to get something more to drink. It was the only thing that would make her feel better. She breathed slowly until she was thinking straight again. When she could, she went straight to the Horse N Saddle and went in. She walked to the bar and sat on a stool.
“Hello there,” Sam said. “What can I get for you?”
“I’d like a bottle, please, or a draft. Just give me something that tastes good and burns going down.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Sam said in an impressed voice. “You sound like a lady who knows what she likes.”
Agatha nodded, smiling at him. “I do. And I can shoot like Annie Oakley. Just try me. You’d be surprised.”
Sam grinned back. “Not necessarily. Name’s Sam.” He held out his hand. She took it and they shook.
“Agatha.”
“You just get into town?”
“I did. Just today.”
“How do you like it so far?” Sam set a mug in front of her filled with beer. A bit of it splashed over the side and dripped down the side. She touched it with her finger and licked it off.
“I like it here. It’s a pretty little town.”
“Are you here on business? Looking for a new place to live?”
“I’m looking for a husband. I’ve been traveling around searching for the right one. I think I’ve found him, though.”
“That quickly?” Sam’s eyebrows shot up. “Here in Wickenburg? Who is it?”
“His name is Gabe Stapleton. He’s at the hotel with me.”
Sam nodded. “You mean Mark’s cousin. I’ve met him. He’s a fine young man. But didn
’t he just arrive today, too?”
“He did.”
“That’s quite a coincidence.”
Agatha lifted the mug in the air and saluted. “I don’t believe in coincidences, Sam. I believe in fate.”
He nodded and smiled at her, watching her down half the mug. He tried not to react to it. He hadn’t seen a woman drink like that since he’d opened the bar and that was almost twenty years ago. She slid the mug toward him indicating she wanted him to refill it even though it wasn’t empty. He turned around to top it back off. When he turned around and set it down in front of her, she smiled at him with half-closed eyes. “That’s good brew,” she murmured and hiccupped loudly.
He raised his eyebrows. “Have you already been drinking today?”
“Well yes, I have. I had a fainting spell earlier and Gabe gave me some whiskey. That wouldn’t make me hiccup though. It was that brew. You got good stuff.”
“I always do, my lady, I always do.”
“Do you think I can get some to take with me to the hotel?”
“I don’t see why not. I’ve got containers in the back. You have the money to pay for a container?”
“I do.”
“I didn’t tell you how much it costs.”
She smiled at him. “It doesn’t matter.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
AGATHA’S PROBLEM
AGATHA’S PROBLEM
Agatha drank another before she sensed someone next to her. She glanced over to see Harry Axton had taken the stool beside her. He smiled at her and gave Sam one nod.
“Hello, Agatha. I’m a little surprised to see you in here. Didn’t I hear about a fainting spell earlier today?”
Agatha nodded. “You did. I… didn’t realize you knew who I was.”
He grinned wide. “I’ve been asking around. I like to stay in the know around here. I like to write things down, take notes of new people and characters I meet. It makes things interesting. I figure when I am old and have nothing to do and no energy to do it, I’ll sit back and read all about the people I met over the years.”
An Obsessive Bride Page 5