Finding Promise

by Scarlett Dunn

  Promise got to her feet. “I’ll see to Hero.”

  “I’ll take care of him,” Colt replied.

  Once they were out of earshot, Jake thought he’d set things straight. “I like your cooking fine.”

  Promise started gathering the plates, but she turned to look at him. “I know you blame me for what happened.”

  Jake held up his hand. “Stop right there. I don’t blame you for a darn thing. I just can’t stand being in that wagon all day. It’s driving me crazy.”

  Promise could appreciate how he felt, yet she was sure there was more going on than sheer frustration from riding in the wagon. The whole time on the trail he had made her feel safe and secure, but since he’d been shot, his attitude had been nothing but cool. She was distraught over the change in their relationship. Tears were welling up in her eyes, and she absolutely refused to let him see her cry. She turned away, saying, “I need to get some blankets.”

  Jake sat alone, staring into the dying embers and wondering how everything could have gone so wrong.

  “Did you apologize?” Colt asked when he returned with their bedrolls.

  Jake wasn’t really sure if she understood he was apologizing. “I tried.”

  Colt plopped down on his bedroll and gave Jake an exasperated look. “Either you said you’re sorry or you didn’t. It’s not that difficult.”

  “I said that her cooking was fine,” Jake replied, as if that was a grand apology.

  Strait snorted. “Colt, I didn’t know your brother was such a dumb son-of-a-buck,” he said, shaking his head.

  Colt looked at Jake in disbelief. “Neither did I.”

  “Well, it was a dumb idea taking her to Wyoming anyway!” Jake said, trying to redirect the blame.

  Colt and Strait stared at him, confused by his outburst.

  Glaring back at them defiantly, Jake expounded on his reasoning. “She’s led a pampered life. Hell, she’s never had to help anyone out, and she had servants! Her clothes come from Paris, France.”

  “Tell me how that pampered gal managed to get in the back of a wagon and travel two thousand miles if she’s so fragile?” Colt ground out. He felt like knocking some sense into his brother’s hard head.

  “Yeah, and I bet she didn’t whine like a little girl every five minutes,” Strait added.

  Jake shut his mouth.

  Promise returned with some blankets and gave one to each man. She spread her blanket near Colt, as far away from Jake as possible. “Good night,” she said.

  Colt and Strait said good night and Jake, not one to give up, said, “That stew was real good.”

  Colt gave Jake a look that said stop digging that hole. “Wake me in two hours, Jake.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Jake had minded his manners for several days, trying not to complain every time Strait hit a rut. Promise still wasn’t talking to him, other than when it was absolutely necessary, and that aggravated him even more. Now, he was sitting with his back to the side board so he could see what was going on in front of the wagon. He sat in silence, watching Colt ride beside Promise for miles. It looked like they had a lot to talk about.

  Colt and Promise slowed their mounts so the wagon could catch up to them. “Two riders,” Colt said to Jake and Strait.

  “We saw them,” Jake answered. “They’re riding at a pretty fast clip.”

  “Yeah. Is your rifle beside you?” Colt asked Jake.

  “Yep, and my pistol’s in my lap.”

  “Promise, get behind me,” Colt instructed as he maneuvered his horse closer to the wagon. “Do you have your pistol on you?”

  “Yes,” she replied, moving Hero behind Colt’s horse and pulling her pistol from her saddlebag. She stared at the riders in the distance. “I think that is Rodriguez.”

  “How do you know that?” Jake thought she had to be guessing because the men were still too far away for him to identify.

  “By the way he sits his horse. And the other man . . . well, he sits a horse like you, Jake.”

  “The only man who looks like Jake on a horse is—” Colt stopped midsentence and stared hard at the riders. “I can’t believe it!” Giving his horse rein, Colt headed toward the two men.

  Watching as his brother reached the riders, Jake saw Colt lean over in his saddle to embrace one of the men, darn near pulling him off the horse. “It can’t be!” Jake exclaimed.

  “What?” Strait asked. “Who is it?”

  Jake laughed. “That’s our younger brother with Rodriguez. Get this wagon moving!”

  Promise and Strait caught up to the riders, and Lucas jumped from his horse and ran to the wagon. “Brother, I’ve been worried about you,” he said, not knowing whether to hug Jake or not. He settled for putting his arm around his shoulder. “But I should have known you’re too damn mean to die!”

  “I couldn’t let that happen,” Jake replied, choked up at seeing his baby brother.

  Rodriguez rode his horse next to Promise. “Señorita, this is a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t expected to see you with this party. You are looking lovelier than ever.”

  “What are you two doing here?” Jake asked.

  “You mean you weren’t expecting me?” Lucas asked in mock surprise. “Hell, you had every lawman in the country looking for me. I’ve been expecting to see my mug on a wanted poster before long.”

  “I expected to see you in Wyoming,” Jake told him. He glanced at Rodriguez and said, “If you will stop flirting, I can introduce my baby brother to Promise.”

  “I feel like I already know her,” Lucas said, giving Promise a wide smile. “I’ve heard all about her from Cole and Rodriguez.”

  Promise returned his smile. “They were kind enough to put up with me on the way to Denver.” She couldn’t stop staring at Lucas. At a distance, he looked very much like Jake. All three brothers were tall and they all had black, wavy hair, but where Colt and Jake had black eyes, Lucas had the most striking blue eyes she’d ever seen. The color of turquoise.

  “We didn’t think she would be with you,” Rodriguez commented to Colt.

  “She’s coming to help Victoria out for a few months,” Colt said. “What are you two doing out here?”

  “I was at the ranch when your last telegram came, so I figured I would ride this way,” Lucas responded. “I met up with the drive just a few days from the ranch.”

  Rodriguez took up the story. “Since we were so close to the ranch, Cole figured I should ride along with Luke.”

  “Cole wanted to come, but he’s bound and determined to see the cattle arrive at the ranch,” Lucas added. “I imagine the cattle are already grazing on McBride land by now.”

  Colt smacked his youngest brother on the back. “I’m glad you’re here. Let’s get going. I’ll fill you in on the way. We don’t want to waste daylight.”

  Sitting around the fire that night, Promise was quiet as she listened to Jake and Colt pepper Lucas with questions. While it was joyful to hear them laugh together, it brought back memories of the many times she’d laughed with her brother. Choosing not to allow her melancholy mood to dampen their high spirits, she walked to the wagon to collect the blankets, allowing them some private time.

  After a few minutes, Rodriguez excused himself to check on the horses, and Colt used that moment alone with his brothers to ask the question he’d been longing to ask since he first laid eyes on Lucas.

  “You ready to come home and settle down at the ranch like Jake?”

  Jake chuckled. “Well, you managed to wait about six hours to start badgering him.”

  “I’m not badgering him, I just wanted to tell him we’d like to have him home,” Colt said.

  “I’ve thought about it,” Lucas admitted. Coming home had been on his mind for a long time, even before he’d heard that his brothers were looking for him. The only thing that had held him back was his concern that Colt might not welcome him since he’d worked the ranch with no help from his brothers. After he arrived and saw for himself what C
olt had accomplished, Luke was even more fearful his brother might resent his coming back now. “Is that the reason you had lawmen looking for me?”

  “Yeah. We haven’t heard from you in a long time. Since Jake was coming back, well, we agreed it would be nice if you did too. I’ve wanted you both to come home for a long time.”

  “I don’t have twenty-five hundred head of cattle, but I do have some money. I’m half owner of the Lucky Sunday silver mine,” Lucas said.

  “You don’t need anything to come home. It’s your home. Jake didn’t need anything either,” Colt assured him.

  Colt’s words brought a lump to Luke’s throat. He collected himself and glanced at Jake. “You’re really finished being a lawman?”

  “I am. I want to go home and stay there,” Jake answered without hesitation. “And Colt didn’t ask me for any investment. I had saved some money and decided we needed more cattle.”

  “More cattle?” Luke grinned. “Hell, big brother here”—he jabbed a finger at Colt—“has built an empire.”

  “You can never have too many cattle,” Jake retorted. “Cole turned in his resignation at the same time I did, saying he wanted to experience a real cattle drive.”

  Colt laughed. “I’m sure this particular cattle drive has been an experience he will never forget.”

  They were quiet for a moment before Luke looked at Colt and said, “Well, the house you built is large enough for all of us, unless you plan on filling it up with young ones with that beautiful wife of yours.”

  “I’m doing my best.” Colt shoved more wood on the fire, his thoughts centered on Victoria. “How does she look?”

  His brothers heard the concern in his voice.

  “She looks beautiful,” Lucas told him. “I’ve never seen two more beautiful women,” he added, glancing at Promise.

  Oh, hell’s bells, not Lucas too, Jake thought.

  “Is she minding the doc?” Colt asked.

  “That Mrs. Wellington wouldn’t let her do otherwise,” Luke said. “That woman is a tough ol’ bird.”

  “She is that,” Jake offered, but his attention drifted to Rodriguez and Promise. They were standing beside Hero, and it looked like they were having a serious conversation.

  Following Jake’s gaze, Luke said, “I think Rodriguez is in love. He talked about her the whole time.”

  “Every man on the drive is in love with her,” Jake grumbled.

  “You mean everyone but you,” Colt added.

  “Yeah,” Jake replied. “I told you what it would be like when we get to the ranch.”

  “You jealous?” Luke noticed how his brother watched Promise. It seemed to him he had more than a passing fancy where she was concerned.

  Colt laughed and Jake frowned. “Hell no! I just want the men to concentrate on work when we get to the ranch.”

  “I’ve told you, Promise will be busy in the house. You’re wasting your time worrying about something that will not be a problem,” Colt told him.

  Jake decided to change the subject. “Luke, you and Rodriguez stay alert. We don’t really think those killers are headed to Mexico, but we didn’t want to worry Promise.”

  “Have you been dogged so far?” Luke asked.

  “We haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary,” Colt said. “But these are bad hombres, and they are not opposed to hiding in the trees to waylay us, like they did Jake.”

  “Cole told me Rodriguez is good with a gun,” Luke said.

  Jake nodded. “Cole’s better, but Rodriguez is pretty good. I’m sure that’s why Cole sent him with you.”

  “How many men attacked that wagon train?” Luke asked.

  It angered Jake each time he recalled that scene. “Best I could figure, there were about a dozen.”

  “That’s a lot of meanness in one gang,” Luke mused.

  Three days passed peacefully. Even Jake’s mood improved because Lucas drove the wagon, and listening to his stories kept Jake occupied.

  Colt pointed to the Rockies so Promise could see the magnificent sight. It was a perfect day; the clear blue sky was the perfect backdrop for the glorious mountains stretching over the landscape. “Oh my, I don’t think I ever expected anything so lovely. How fortunate you are to have that view every day.” She planned to paint the mountains while she was at the McBride ranch. “This is beautiful country.”

  “They are a sight to behold,” Colt agreed. He knew the artist in her would appreciate the beauty of the land.

  Rodriguez had been riding alone, sometimes well in front of the group, sometimes behind. It almost came as a surprise a few days later when he found signs they were being followed.

  It was past midnight when Colt whispered in his brother’s ear, “Jake, wake up.”

  Quickly coming alert at the urgency in his brother’s voice, Jake reached for his pistol. “What’s going on?” It was so light under the full moon that Jake thought it was morning and he’d overslept.

  “Shhh . . . they’re coming in, and we need to get to those rocks.” Colt lifted his chin, indicating the direction.

  Colt assisted Jake from the wagon, and Lucas grabbed his rifle. “I counted ten horses,” he told them.

  They moved quickly and quietly, positioning themselves behind some rocks fifteen feet from the fire.

  Promise was waiting for them with her pistol gripped tightly in her hands. Colt and Jake wedged her between them.

  “Where’s Strait and Rodriguez?” Jake asked.

  Indicating their location with his drawn pistol, Colt responded, “About ten yards away.”

  Jake noticed someone had stuffed the bedrolls with blankets to make it look like they were sleeping. Colt’s trick, most likely. He wasn’t surprised to see Colt with a pistol in each hand, indicating he meant business. If the killers had any inkling how deadly Colt was with a gun in each hand, they would have been riding in the other direction.

  Out of habit, Jake checked the cylinder of his pistol. Glancing at Promise, he thought she looked frightened, but one look at the pistol she held steady told him she was handling her nerves. The memory of the day on the trail when she and Shorty fought off the killers alone was still fresh in his mind. Like before, she might fall apart after the shooting was over, but right now, she was displaying her grit. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Ready?”

  In all truth, she was so nervous she couldn’t have responded if she wanted to, but she turned her large eyes on him and managed to nod. She wished she could be as calm and collected as the McBride brothers.

  Lucas took his position next to Jake. “Can you shoot?”

  “These bast—” Jake remembered Promise on his other side and tempered his words. “I’ll manage.” Oh yeah, he would gladly send all of these killers to Hell.

  Strait signaled with a bird whistle, and everyone cocked their guns.

  The killers didn’t seem concerned about coming in silent; they came in with guns blasting, their bullets pelting the empty bedrolls. When Colt shot the lead man out of the saddle, the men behind him were so stunned they stopped firing to see where the shot came from.

  Colt yelled out, “Throw your guns to the ground and you’ll still be breathing five minutes from now.”

  Jake said, “I thought there were supposed to be ten. There’s only six.”

  “Stay sharp, they are probably holed up waiting for their compadres, but we can’t be sure,” Colt said.

  The riders glanced at each other, realizing they hadn’t shot anyone. Instead of throwing their guns to the ground, they started firing toward the rocks. It was only a matter of seconds before the remaining five riders were in the dirt.

  Promise hung back while the men walked to the bodies with guns still cocked. Two of the outlaws were still alive. Rodriguez and Strait rounded up all of the weapons and fetched the scattering horses.

  Colt leaned over one man who was still breathing and examined the wound in his shoulder. “You’ll live,” he said.

  Joining Colt, Jake pointed h
is pistol at the man’s head while his brother relieved him of his pistol.

  One look at Jake’s ominous expression, and the man pleaded, “Don’t kill me!”

  Jake and Colt exchanged a brief glance, and Jake knew his brother was thinking the same thing he was. While he wasn’t in the habit of killing men in cold blood, Jake let the man think that he would when he placed the muzzle of his .45 under his chin. “Where’s Big Ugly?”

  The man didn’t even question who Jake was talking about. “He’s on his way back to Denver,” the man responded quickly.

  His injured friend heard the man talking and yelled, “Shut your trap, Ritter.”

  Jake narrowed his eyes at the man. “Thought he was headed to Mexico.”

  “No, I swear, he’s going back to Denver. Please, don’t kill me. I didn’t even want to do this. I wasn’t there that day when they killed those people on that wagon train. I told them we should leave it alone and go on to Mexico.”

  “Ritter, shut the hell up! This will get back to Schott!” the other man warned.

  Jake saw Lucas standing near the man doing the yelling. “Luke, if that back-shooter says one more word, give him an invite to a dance.”

  “Hell, he’s shot in the leg, so he can’t dance. I’d rather plug him than shoot at his toes,” Luke countered.

  It was Colt who turned the full force of his intimidating glare toward Ritter. “Why are you still dogging us?”

  “The woman. He wants her. And he wants her dead ’cause she saw him, and she shot his brother dead,” he said, his voice ragged from pain.

  “What’s Schott got to do with this?” Colt questioned.

  Ritter hesitated. Jake poked the muzzle deeper into his skin as encouragement. “It won’t take much for me to make you two into cottonwood blossoms.”

  “You can’t hang us!” Ritter shouted.

  Colt arched a brow at him. “No?”

  Ritter decided the massive man glaring at him was more dangerous than Schott and Big Ugly combined. “Okay, okay. He hired us to keep them folks from coming to the Hollister ranch. He was trying to run those people off that land.”