The Horseman's Heritage

by Jacki Bentley

  Reese grinned at the sight. His Aunt Pelly's white fur ball of a dog bounced at her heels like a wind up toy. The fancy little dog looked mismatched to the wide expanse of grassland rolling for miles against a larger-than-life sky. A larger dog, a shepherd, or a cattle dog would be more appropriate to the surroundings. But, judging from the smile-like expression on his tiny face, another dog couldn't enjoy the surroundings any more than this little mite did. Ashley laughed with joy.

  "Well, we're here.” Ashley heard Reese say. She sighed as she clasped the door handle. She'd always been a little overwhelmed and intimidated by the scope of the Caldwell ranch. It offered only a few mesquite trees, or a rare oak or cottonwood to shelter a person from the bright southern sun and block the wind.

  And there'd always been the specter of the strong hold it had on Reese. Now she gauged his expression as he looked around.

  Odd to be jealous of a chunk of soil and Coastal Bermuda grass, but she was. She had been all along.

  Already, Reese walked on ahead of her, absorbed in the ranch sounds around them, as though he had forgotten her presence.

  As she watched, the land's hold on him wavered a moment. He stopped to pick up Mandy. Mandy leaned from Reese's arms and reached for her. Ashley took her in her arms.

  "You're alive, you're alive, Mommy,” Mandy whispered into Ashley's shoulder. After a long hug and a long look at her mother, Mandy got down and followed the little dog across the yard.

  "She seemed so intense, so relieved. She's independent, not a child that desperately needs her mom,” she mused. “I don't understand it."

  Reese smiled. “Yeah, she's relieved to have you here. Can't take her eyes off you. No mistake."

  Ashley recognized the workaholic-distracted look of Reese right now. He'd donned his Texas businessman persona. He used to square his shoulders in that attractive way he had, then head for his study and try to do three weeks of work in one afternoon and evening.

  At first light tomorrow, he'd head for the range and do the same there.

  But suddenly he jerked to a stop, then looked back at her.

  Offering a hand, palm up, he waited for her to catch up.

  She walked to him and took his hand and let him lead her to the house.

  "You really are trying to change aren't you?” she pondered.

  He laughed. “Yes, ma'am. I am."

  When inside the coolness of the old home, they headed down the hall toward the combination library and study that was his domain.

  But it was different this time.

  Some of his usual single-minded intent had left him. His sense of workaholic urgency was missing.

  Upon entering the room, they found his brother, Clay, well entrenched there, settled in behind the old desk. The matching bookshelf was closer to the desk than Ashley remembered from four years ago. She'd always admired the unusual animal carvings on the nice old piece of furniture.

  Ashley thought Clay belonged in this room somehow. It had become his place. Maybe it always had been his, she thought fancifully.

  She looked to Reese to gage his expression. Would he be angered? But she could tell he saw the rightness, too. His thoughtful frown communicated as much.

  She watched him look about at the things his brother had changed—the myriad of small details that stamped the room Clay's.

  "Well settled in aren't you, pard?"

  Clay's eyes, so like his brother's, returned Reese's steady gaze. “Yeah, I guess I am."

  "What'd you do with the place?"

  "Needed more space to spread out. I like to move when I work. Moved some of your things to the basement.” He grinned. “Figured you wouldn't want them tossed out."

  "You figured right,” Reese answered good-naturedly.

  "Easy to move it back when the time comes."

  Reese made no further comment on the desk. “What happened with the deal for the black angus bull?"

  "Fredericks came down five hundred dollars."

  Reese whistled. “That's better than I expected."

  "That's better than you could have gotten."

  "True,” Reese smiled. “The old bastard seems to like you for some reason these days. Birds of a feather, I guess."

  Clay laughed at that half-insult. “I resent that. I'm waiting for the trap to close around me. Fredericks invited us to his annual barbecue, by the way. In honor of the reasonable price for the bull, we should attend, I reckon."

  Reese nodded in acknowledgement. He found he liked the idea of having an opportunity to show off his new wife.

  "Hey, Ashley, good to see you,” Clay said, looking toward Ashley. “I'd appreciate it if you'd keep this brother of mine out of my hair for good. I like running things around here."

  "I'll try my best,” she offered with sincerity. “You seem to fit here."

  Clay nodded. “You did good raising the kid so far,” he said.

  "High praise, considering your recent confrontation with Mandy.” He hadn't seen her at her best, Ashley was sure. Mandy had never had such a prolonged separation from her mother. She was horrified had Mandy behaved in such an odd manner.

  "She's amazing."

  "I'm sorry to hear she threatened you. I'll speak to her about that right away."

  "She said I wasn't listening and she was right."

  At that very moment a little speed demon, bubbling with raw energy burst through the doors and half-tackled the back of her knees.

  "I missed you, sweetheart,” she said as she bent and lifted the small daughter into her arms.

  "We missed you, too, Mommy. I made Uncle Clay give you back to me."

  As usual Mandy's words were a speedy blur. Oh, goodness, Ashley thought, hiding her smile in her daughter's curls, they couldn't give her the upper hand like this. She mustn't allow Mandy to know she had manipulated them so easily. It might consolidate the already too considerable power this beautiful little girl of hers wielded on the adults in her life.

  "I heard about that, Mandy. You must be very careful not to touch dangerous weapons. And never point them at anyone.” She tried for a stern, scolding tone of voice. Difficult after so long a separation, but she felt it necessary.

  Mandy frowned adorably and jabbed her own chest with a tiny finger. “Uncle Clay says, ‘Mandy, you're a dangerous weapon all on your own'."

  "He could be right,” Ashley agreed, hugging her tightly. She'd missed her so, even though the days had been precious time spent with Reese.

  He caught her eyes over Mandy's head.

  "I had a psychic dream. A true dream, Mommy. They were going to hurt you."

  At the frantic words, Ashley's heart jerked, then pounded. What on earth?

  "I had to make Uncle Clay get you here. To get you safe."

  "Who, honey? Who would hurt Mommy?” Reese asked sharply.

  "Bad policemen. They had real badges, but they weren't good police. You believed them, Mommy. In my dream, you trusted them. They made you get in their car. Near here. At a nice bedroom place—a hotel place. With a pretty river place with people and boats."

  Ashley gasped at the true ring of the words.

  "San Antonio.” Reese whispered shock resonating in his deep voice.

  Clay said, “Well, I'll be damned. She has that same psi gift you and Josie have."

  "What?” Ashley asked.

  "Peacewatcher stuff. “Psi is short for psychic. They have the gift of seers. They receive messages of how the future will be. I've been doing some more reading,” Clay admitted, grinning a flash of white teeth as if he found it all a cosmic joke.

  Ashley looked at Clay as he talked. “So you said at the wedding."

  Mandy rocked up and down on her tip toes. “Aunt Josie told me about the Peacewatchers People, but I knew it already. For a long time. Since I was born.” Mandy looked at Reese, urgency in her brown eyes. “Next time, you can stop them, Daddy, but not this time. I had to get you here ... to stop the bad policemen."

  The certainty in her tone chilled Ashle
y.

  "I'm mad at you, Mommy,” the little girl mumbled, pushing a bit away within her mother's hold. “For sending me away. I could ‘tect you. I always watch out for you. It's my job to do that."

  Reese grinned, standing back watching mother and daughter. He recognized some of himself in the little girl's indignation.

  Mandy was angry with Ashley, but holding on as tightly as she could.

  Just like her dad.

  "But I'm so glad you're both here now,” Mandy whispered and lay her head on her mom's shoulder.

  "Thanks for the warning, Mand,” Reese said. The courage it must have taken to get them to listen. She reached for him with a tiny hand and he took it with a gentle squeeze of thanks.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Reese and Ashley settled in at the Triple C to wait for a break in the investigation at Braxton. They needed the mystery of who wanted her work solved and over so they could go on with their lives.

  Each day Ashley spoke with Braxton's director. Reese insisted on taking part in the talks. Ashley was a little annoyed but secretly pleased by his protective attitude. Quantum physics she understood. Theories of the formation of the universe, she was somewhat comfortable with, but unknown saboteurs scared her. She was glad for his ideas. Braxton's investigation of the break in had turned up nothing so far.

  Reese's parents lived nearby and visited the large ranch house often. They put off their travel plans in order to enjoy their new-found grandchild.

  The presence of so many other people, even in the spacious ranch house, contributed to delaying any progress toward a resolution of the questions that still formed a wall between herself and Reese. He wasn't withdrawn from her as he'd been the middle days of their honeymoon, but there was still a distance—a certain wariness between them.

  Ashley found herself surprised and relieved no one else in the family held any animosity toward her for the choice she'd made.

  One day she summoned her courage and asked his mother.

  "Do you resent my keeping Mandy from her family?” Ashley had blurted out a hastily worded, tactlessly formed question.

  "No, of course not. I count us lucky to have Mandy.” Stephanie Caldwell laughed. Dressed in gardening grab, a huge straw hat, pink floral gloves and high, British gardening boots, she worked in the lovely combination flower and vegetable garden that lay just beyond the kitchen's back door.

  Her eyes became sad a moment. “I was missing Gabe so much. Clay's showing no signs of starting a family,” Stephanie continued. “Lori's only twenty-two. A bit young to nag her for grandbabies yet.” She laughed again.

  "You don't regret the way things have happened, then?” Ashley was hesitant. She wasn't sure she would feel so benevolent if their positions were reversed.

  "'Beggars can't be choosers', as they say. Of course, Wade and I would've loved having Mandy presented to us in the conventional way.” Her eyes lit with the precious new memories of her granddaughter. “I'll always regret missing those first years.” Her voice held an aching sadness that touched Ashley's heart. “But listen, I know Reese. I know in my heart Reese would've certainly kept to what he thought was a logical, well-reasoned decision not to have any more children."

  Ashley nodded. “I know."

  "I heard the conviction in his voice on the rare occasions when he spoke on the subject. Besides, with Peacewatcher blood, birth control can be a chancy thing, I've learned. I understand that fact well."

  "Really?"

  "Odd, isn't it? To be of time-traveling, alien stock, or whatever we are?"

  "You're a Peacewatcher, too?"

  "Yes, elephant clan. The stories of gifts are fewer, less clear in my family. Other than a solid green thumb.... Every plant I touch ... literally, every plant I touch ... thrives. I collect them when we travel.” She waved a hand to encompass the garden. “But I have no ESP or anything like that."

  For sure, Stephanie had the nicest garden Ashley had ever encountered.

  Reese's mother went on, “After the tragedy, Wade and I gave up on more grandkids from Reese. He's protective of his family. Losing a child nearly destroyed his soul.” She smiled through a mist of tears forming in her eyes.

  "I thought he didn't like ... or want children."

  "Let me guess. He didn't explain to you about Gabe at the time?"

  "No. Just that he wouldn't have children with me. I thought he was being selfish and arrogant."

  "Of course he wouldn't tell you the whole story. He expected blind faith and trust. I tell you, he's just like his father. Reese expected you to follow his lead without too many pesky questions. Strong-minded, guardian males are common among the Peacewatchers.” Stephanie pulled a bit more viscously at a tenacious weed than necessary, as if remembering clashes of wills with her husband.

  "Tell me about Natalie and Gabe.” Ashley suggested as she picked up a trowel and busied herself with the garden, too.

  "So he doesn't have to relive the pain?"

  "Yes. I suppose I would save him from that."

  "Natalie was a bit younger than Reese in school. A sweet girl.... “Stephanie Caldwell shook her head sadly and looked out over the yard, absorbed in memories.

  "She taught elementary school. She was on the last week before her maternity leave with the new baby...."

  "Oh, dear God,” Ashley interrupted. “Reese lost two babies,” she whispered.

  "Yes. Such a terrible day. Natalie's poor family was devastated, inconsolable. They blamed Reese. Said he worked too much, neglected her. That she was distracted by that."

  "And he believed them."

  "Oh, yes, he bought right into it,” his mother confirmed. “He was already blaming himself plenty."

  * * * *

  The next evening, Ashley heard Reese returning to the house from a day's work and found Mandy was already by his side. She smiled as she watched them.

  "Scraps is worried.” She heard Mandy say, her young voice serious and urgent. Mandy sat on the back porch steps. Aunt Pelly's fuzzy little dog was by her side.

  Mandy was worried, not the dog. Ashley knew with a mother's intuition.

  Scraps, looked up adoringly at Mandy. With pink tongue out and doggy smile, he looked perfectly content to Ashley.

  "He is?” Reese asked, solemnly. In his newness to parenting Mandy, buying it hook, line, and sinker. He looked over his aunt's small dog, checking the color of its gums, listening for healthy tummy sounds.

  "You think he's sick, Mand?"

  "Nah. Scraps just wants to know if you like me. Do you like me like a real daddy likes his real children?” Mandy asked, rushing on, biting her tiny lip between her teeth.

  Ashley felt her heart pounding in her chest.

  Reese looked at a loss as to how to handle this situation. From the look on his face, this had not been what he expected.

  Then he gave Mandy a wide grin. “Oh. Scraps wants to know. I see."

  Ashley started to step forward out of the shadowed hallway to rescue him, when he spoke again.

  "Sure, Scraps doesn't have to worry a bit. I like you little one, very much. In fact, it's a whole lot more than like.” He ruffled Mandy's blond hair.

  "Really? It is?” Mandy's smile was priceless. “Miss Josie thinks you're my real daddy."

  Ashley felt a lump of tears forming in her throat. The perception of her little girl surprised her.

  Reese sat down by Mandy on the porch step and took her up onto his knee. He placed his arm protectively around her.

  "Actually, I love you, urchin."

  "You do?” She frowned. “Then why didn't you come see me ... all those years?"

  Ashley leaned into the doorframe. Taking a deep breath, she spoke into the silence, “It wasn't his fault, sweetie."

  "Oh, I had plenty of fault in the matter, Mand,” Reese countered, but his eyes seem to plead that she not recount his words about not having children. “Grown ups make mistakes."

  "He didn't know a
bout you,” she pressed on.

  "Why didn't my own daddy know about me?"

  "Sometimes grownups do things backwards, darlin'.” She had to ignore her own pain and try to make sure her little girl understood as much of this grownup confusion as she was ready for. She left the darkness and came to sit on the bottom step in front of Reese and Mandy.

  "Grownups do make mistakes. They do things that hurt each other and sometimes a child gets caught in the middle of all that,” she continued before her courage could desert her, not daring to look into Reese's eyes.

  "Why would you want to hurt each other?"

  Ashley absently pulled at a plug of grass from the lawn, separating its green blades with trembling fingers. She'd envisioned this day—facing the truth with her daughter—but not so soon. She wasn't even sure how much the little girl would understand.

  She looked to Reese for some kind of signal that he agreed she needed to hear the truth. Ashley found it in an almost imperceptible nod and soft eyes that encouraged her onward.

  His words of love to Mandy emphasized the lack of the same for her. Say you love me, too.

  Reese was frowning now, puzzled by her expression, she supposed.

  "They don't mean to hurt each other.” She held Reese's eyes for a second then turned her gaze to Mandy.

  "You mean like when a grown up forgets you're there and sits down on you or steps on your toe?” Mandy asked helpfully, prodding her mother onward.

  "Well, sort of,” Ashley agreed, trying to smile with reassurance. “Let me try to explain it."

  At her words, Mandy nodded eagerly. Her little girl loved a good story.

  "Once upon a time,” Ashley said, “a lady met a handsome man. The lady was me,” she said in a stage whisper, tapping her own upper chest and smiling through a battle with her tears. “Well, the handsome prince lived far, far away. Too far way for them to live together happily ever after."

  "Like Texas and Ohio?"

  "Yes. Exactly. The lady wanted to be a mommy ... more than anything in the world.

  "So...” she paused to search Mandy's little face and at last meet Reese's worried eyes.

  She'd leave out the complications of a ticking biological clock, the financial independence of a career woman. The failed condom. And her mistaken belief Reese was too selfish to have a child with her.