The Last Celtic Angel

by Wallace Jan Ecklof

  “Jamie my boy I got here as soon as Rosa called and I brought over some of my parishioners to help with tonight’s festivities as well. They’re enthusiastic that they can help.” Tom is as excited like a school kid, and red faced and puffing.

  “Did you run all the way,” Jamie kids him. “All kidding aside Tom, thank you so much, this was a spur of the moment idea, but I know many of those invited will come out of curiosity, some out of obligation, but I think the timing is right for us after acquiring the Delaplane Estate. I’m hoping to smooth out quite a few feathers tonight as well.” Jamie confides in his old confidante.

  “I think the idea of a fiesta is absolutely outstanding, much better than a formal gathering. By the way, your lady friend was out to see me yesterday and asked about your past. I told her how we met and Mary, and all that happened from San Rafael to here. I’ve still no clue what it is that you hope to accomplish, what with her digging into your past and all. When she asked me more about it, I told her the truth, the confessional holds me silent, but what if she finds out all of the past?”

  “Tom, it’s alright, I want her to know the truth. Don’t ask me why, but I know that she will do the right thing with it. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. She’s a very special person, and I believe we’ve all been guided here for a specific reason that only time will unveil. So we play the cards we’ve been dealt old friend, you and I still have much to do yet and miles yet to go.” Jamie smiles and puts his arm around Tom’s shoulder.

  “That we do son that we do.” Toms says to him in that lilting Irish accent that Jamie has come to love so much.

  “I think Rosa still has hot coffee and some fresh donuts in the kitchen, why don’t you have some? You will give the Benediction tonight before we all eat, won’t you?” Tom says it would be his pleasure and strolls out to the kitchen to spend some time with Rosa.

  Jamie’s cell phone rings and its Tanner, “You better get out here right quick we’re in for a long night. It’s Dyon’s mare she’s going into labor.” Jamie tells him they will be there immediately and hangs up. He notes that when he wants, Tanner speaks perfect English.

  He finds Dyon out by the paddocks with the other girls and motions for her to come with him.

  “What is it Jefe?” Dyon excuses herself from what she’s doing and runs over to him.

  “Come with me, Tanner just called me and said Penny is going into labor.” Placing his hand on her arm, he restrains her from sprinting toward the barn.

  “Stay calm she’s in the best hands that she could be in with Tanner. He knows more about bringing in foals than any person alive, and you know how he is about people interfering with him about the care of his horses. We are only going over to check on her and see what he says.” She looks at him with fear in her eyes, but nods her head in agreement. When they get to Penny’s stall the mare is standing and appears very nervous and sweating.

  “How is she Tanner, she looks terrible, what’s wrong with her?” Dyon cries out putting her arms around Penny’s neck.

  “You let her go now, let Old Tanner be about his business, she is just a little uncomfortable right now, and she ain’t going to drop nothing for a while yet. Maybe she will give birth late tonight, but that baby ain’t dropped yet, but it is sure enough coming. I will be with her the whole time, you know that Missy, I’m gonna take good care of her, and you go do what you got to do for this fandango. Let me be about my work, bringing this here young’n into the world…. Don’t you be coming down here all the time either? I’ll call you when you have to be here. Jamie and I, we have done this a few times, I’ll call the saw bones when I think we need him too. Now you go get them kids ready, because I got to stay here.” He looks right into Dyon’s face waiting for her to answer.

  “Yes Tanner, I will do as you say, please call me if you think she needs me,” she answers him with tears welling up in her eyes.

  “Now don’t you be getting your eyes all puffy, you got to look pretty for your guest’s?”

  “I love you,” she wipes her eyes and gives him a big hug and kiss. With that, she runs back to her chores getting the children and mounts all ready.

  “Wish she wouldn’t do that, makes me feel funny.” He grumbles and looks away, so Jamie won’t see the smile on his face and the sparkle in his eyes. “You are old fraud; you love her as much as I do. Call me if any changes happen” Jamie says to him and returns to the house.

  “There you go again telling me how I feel and how to do my job. Go take care of your elbow rubbing,” he says gruffly. Jamie just smiles and goes back to arrange for their guests, knowing the mare is in the best possible hands……

  The neighborhood kids are starting to ride in and tying up in the front corral.

  “Hi, I’m glad you all could make it, are you ready for some fun today?” Jamie quizzes them.

  “You bet Uncle Jamie were ready.” One of the boys around thirteen answers him.

  “Our folks will be over tonight, is it true that you are throwing a big party, and we are all invited?” Another youngster called Mark asks.

  “Yep, we sure are and yes you are invited to our very first fiesta, you guys will have your party in the game room, and I know how you hate that place.” Jamie says jokingly as a chorus of denials erupts from them all.

  “Rosa has some donuts for you guys over in the kitchen and the girls are down at the staging area. We still have some more folks coming so we’ll be leaving in about an hour.” They all rush off knowing Rosa makes the best donuts, Mary would have loved to see this, happy kids having a great time, doing wonderful things.

  He finds himself thinking, he should have called to see if Deanna was coming, maybe she ran into a problem and can’t make it, or she changed her mind after talking with Father Tom.

  “Is something wrong Patron?” Asks Eduardo as he comes to his side.

  “No, my friend I was just watching the drive, you didn’t hear from Ms. Gaynor today did you?” Jamie tries to sound not so interested.

  “Patron if the one that lights such a fire were to have called me, I would surely have told you. She will be here this I know, her Nino has the eyes for our Senorita Dyon, and they will come.” Jamie looks at him sheepishly and nods. Suddenly, he sees her truck coming up the drive pulling her horse trailer.

  “Eduardo, do we have any extra hands to help unload the Senora’s horses?” Eduardo turns and looks at him with that big grin of his.

  “Si Patron, you and I will be the hands.” He laughs and directs Deanna where to park the truck.

  “Hello, I was beginning to think you had forgotten about today, it’s good to see you all.” Turning to Jonah, he asks, “Jonah how are you,” and shakes Jonah’s hand.

  “I’m fine Sir, thank you for inviting us; we all have been very excited about today.” Jamie likes this young man, he’s honest and straight forward like his mother.

  “Katy are you all set, I hope so, and we have some great things planned for today and tonight. Tia told me to tell you as soon as you arrived, to go down to the barn and meet her.” Jamie tells her.

  “Mother may I? She asks Deanna.

  “Yes, we’ll get your horse off, go and see what Tia wants” Katy whoops and runs toward the stable.

  Jamie turns to Deanna taking her hand and giving it a tiny squeeze, while he gives her a kiss on the cheek.

  “I hope you don’t feel I was too forward, but here we welcome all our guests with warmth and friendship, I wasn’t ignoring you just saving you until last.” He smiles still holding on to her hand.

  “Not at all I would have given you a kiss had you not done so first.” She blushes at his smile.

  “Come, let us give you a hand getting your horses off the trailer, and then you can introduce them to us.” Jamie says changing the subject.

  “Hello Eduardo, how are you,” Deanna greets Jamie’s top hand as he moves inside the trailer.

  “I’m fine Senora now that you are here; Don Diego was worried that you would not come
.” He winks at Jamie as he passes.

  “Maybe I should fire you as Segundo[29], and make you a groom.” Jamie quips at him.

  Deanna can’t help but notice a real sense of camaraderie between the two of them that goes far beyond an employer and employee relationship.

  “As the Patron wishes, but it would not change that you stood and watched.” Eduardo chuckles leading off Katy’s horse Legion, next Jamie leads off Buck, Jonah’s horse. Last to come off is Misty, Deanna’s Hanoverian mare.

  “These horses are fantastic, you are to be complimented on what excellent shape they’re in, and you must run a fine farm.” Deanna swells with pride that he thinks the horses are in such good shape, praise from someone like him is really gratifying.

  “We will take them to the staging area and tack them up. Did you wish to lunge them first, before we head out?” He inquires.

  “No they will be alright, Legion is the only one that might be a problem, but he should be alright with the others, he doesn’t trail ride much.”

  “Excuse me Mr. Doyle; I was wondering if you might have a Western saddle that I might borrow. Mine broke a fender last week and the saddle shop did not have a chance to repair it as yet.” Jonah asks.

  “First, let’s drop the Mr. you may call me Jamie, or Uncle Jamie that’s what all the kids call me or any of the other names that my people call me here. No one calls me Mr. around the ranch, as to the saddle, no problem. Why don’t you accompany me to the tack room, you may select any one that you like? Excuse us Deanna, Eduardo will see to your horses while Jonah picks out a saddle.”

  Jamie takes Jonah to a tack room; he unlocks it for the first time in a long time. Turning on the light switch Jamie hears Jonah gasp, “Oh my God, this looks like a saddle shop, look at all these beautiful saddles and things.”

  “Where did you get so many, do you sell saddles here as well?”

  “No, I don’t sell any, in a past life I once competed, I won these as prizes. I think I should have some that will fit you, what do you ride in seventeen or eighteen?

  “Seventeen will be just fine.”

  “Here we are, these five should fit you, pick which ever you like, the breast collars and headstalls are with them. We should have a bit in the tack room for your horse, or we can swap out yours to the new headstall.”

  He goes over and looks them over. “This says it’s for “All Around Cowboy, Calgary Rodeo 1974.” You won the Calgary[30]?” he looks at Jamie with a look of excitement on his face as his hand caresses the hand tooled saddle.

  “Yes but let’s keep it our secret, as I said that was another life. Remember I told you, I barreled raced once.” He looks at the saddles undecided.

  “I can’t go on a trail ride with your show saddle this is brand new, I might ___damage it.” He stammers not taking his hands off the fine leather.

  “Nonsense, I can only use one saddle at a time beside I am a little bigger now, and I ride a eighteen inch, you would be doing me a favor and use it.” Jamie snaps up the breast collar and headstall and heads for the door.

  “You coming, come on grab that one if you like it. Let’s go, we’re burning daylight.”

  “Yes sir,” And he grabs the saddle throwing it over his shoulder and follows Jamie out the door.

  “Mother, look at the saddle that Uncle Jamie is letting me use, he won it at Calgary, isn’t it beautiful.” Even as he says it he looks at Jamie knowing that he said it would be a secret between them. “I’m sorry sir.”

  “It’s Ok, Jonah; she would have seen the plaque anyway. By the way, it’s yours to keep if you like it, consider it a bonus for taking the job here. Saddle up and go.”

  “Yes sir, I mean Jefe, thank you again.”

  Jamie likes the word Jefe coming from him, only Dyon and Pita call him that. Deanna pulls Jamie to the side and says very quietly, “I think you have won my son and daughter over. I have never seen them so excited, but really that saddle is too much to give him. I can’t have him accept it.”

  “A gift given from the heart has only the value that one puts on someone’s honor. His eyes told me it was the right one; you would diminish him by not letting him accept it. You are right though, I should have asked you first, so I ask your indulgence and let me make it up to you this evening.”

  “Tonight, what do you mean I thought you were just having a small barbecue tonight?” Deanna asks him.

  “Yes we are, but I thought that as you and a few others would be coming, I might as well use it to celebrate my birthday and anniversary of the Rancho. I have taken the liberty of inviting some other guests for tonight, along with Mr. Ellsworth and his wife, I hope you don’t mind.”

  Deanna’s a little upset because she would have liked to have gotten him something as a birthday gift or at least a card. Now she’s not sure that they have brought the right clothes.

  “I thought it was going to be an informal type of thing I didn’t bring anything for a formal dinner.” Deanna says rather tersely.

  “You will have time to go home if you wish or Rosa has many fine things that I’m sure you would fit into. Besides anything that you wear you will look beautiful, of that I’m certain.” And he squeezes her hand, “Shall we join the others, I believe all the children have arrived. You and I will be the chaperons; their parents will be here tonight for the fiesta.”

  Walking over to the staging area Deanna sees at least thirty young people all talking and laughing around saddled horses. Dyon comes over to Jamie and tells him all is ready.

  “Yes, would you and Jonah mind taking point, while Deanna and I ride drag, keep them heading out the north end through the Willows and down the creek.” She nods her head looking at Deanna intently,

  “Si Jefe, you are going to eat a lot of dust, is that what you wish?” She imitates the speech of the vaqueros.

  “Yes it will give me some time with the Senora, and we will ride far enough back so the dust will settle.” Jamie answers her smiling.

  She turns and gives the order to mount up assigning positions to each rider and instructions to maintain distance. “There will be no galloping or heading out on your own, wait for my signal for a run.” She is used to being obeyed Deanna can see that, she uses much of Jamie’s style in the delivery.

  “She is quite a young woman, isn’t she?” Deanna comments to him, remembering what Rosa said about her being protective of Jamie.

  “Yes I’m very proud of her, you have no idea what she was like a while ago, she was hurt and angry, an outcast rebelling against everything, following in her adopted family’s footsteps. Now she has the confidence and ability to create her own destiny. She is going to be a huge success. The one thing she never lost was her pride; she just had to know that someone cared; now the world is going to be hers.” Jamie says with his head held high.

  Deanna sees a pride in him about Dyon that shows he genuinely loves her and wants the best for her. Riding along I ask him about Ed Haskell, and how he is connected to the ranch.

  “You already know that Ed was my father-in-law from Tom. Ed is not connected here except through the connection that we both shared, his daughter Mary, whom I understand you knew long ago. He is like a grandfather to the girls as I am a father figure, Rosa is a mother, and the men are as uncles. Ed loves Dyon, as if she were his own grand daughter, Mary and I were unable to have children, so he was never given the opportunity to enjoy that, now he can. And he does a wonderful job at it too.” He answers her in such a manner that she believes what he tells her and that Ed Haskell is not a partner in a land development scam.

  “I heard yesterday you purchased the Delaplane place. Are you going to develop it for housing or what?” She almost accuses him.

  “You have a right, I supposed to be suspicious, what with so many trying to find a way to develop the Green Zone[31], but I’m not one of them. I bought it because I want to build a ranch, one that will raise fine cattle and provide a way of life for my people. It was a dream that Mary and I had to raise kid
s and horses here. To help those that were not as fortunate as we were, it’s with my money plus her inheritance that we can make this possible. Nothing sinister about it, I hope to make you believe that Deanna, I really mean that.”

  He reaches over and takes her hand in his. She doesn’t try to take her hand away as she looks at the beautiful country there about to ride through, feeling like she never has before. He has nice hands, strong but not overpowering. He also rides like no one she’s ever seen, with an ease about him that is sure and determined. He has an affinity of oneness with the horse and his surroundings.

  “We are getting close now to the quarry.” Suddenly he’s alert; as if searching for a source of something out of place. Dyon is riding back toward them, a posture of concern about her. Deanna senses something is wrong without knowing why.

  “Jefe, the trail from this side seems to have washed away a little, do you still wish to travel down this way or should we go around?”

  “You’re the one riding point. What do you think?”

  “I think it will be alright, but I am going down first and then Jonah can send the others down, but one at a time, he’s good in the saddle, I trust him to take care of the rest of them at the top.” Dyon waits for him to answer, testing to see if he will have the trust in her judgment.

  “It’s your call, take them down.”

  Jamie looks at her and tells her it will be alright.

  Dyon heads down the slope toward the old rock quarry with D.C. taking it slowly and keeping his hind quarters low. She gets to the bottom and signals Jonah to send the next rider down, as each reaches the bottom; he lets the next one go down.

  It finally comes to Katy’s turn, and she’s nervous as is Legion, he has never faced anything like this before. He starts down and about thirty feet down; he starts to shake his head and refuses to go any further. Deanna can hear Katy’s voice, she is starting to panic. Before Deanna can react to the situation, Jamie is off, going over the edge without a hesitation. He reaches Katy’s side as Legion start to plunge and rear. Jamie places Storm on the outside edge, gently pushing Legion away from edge and steep drop-off. In a calm voice he reaches over to Katy and touches her arm.