by DiAnn Mills
Bert understood every person had a purpose, but did she have one apart from Simon?
Davis’s story continued to repeat in her mind. The child’s story gave her fresh hope that life could get better.
So far Bert had made a mess of things, and the situation wasn’t getting any better. With Simon admitting he’d shot John and her knowing what he’d done to other folks, she assumed he’d been the one working with Leon to rustle cattle. She needed help … answers now before anyone else got hurt.
Don’t try runnin’ or I’ll leave a trail of blood behind you.
Bert had a choice to start trusting God or to fall prey to whatever Simon planned. The old way had filled her with grief and shame—often made her wish she was dead. She didn’t want to die or be filled with sorrow one more day. She wanted to live.
Lord, I’m trusting You with my life. Help me to never let go.
Leah had been up most of the night. And in the predawn hours, she made a decision: Ember belonged at their home, not at the hotel. Although Bess was a fine woman, Leah had seen Ember first. She’d never had a girl, and Ember was her chance to be a mama to a girl who’d never known that special kind of relationship. No matter that Ember was full grown. Mothering didn’t begin and end with age.
She finished turning the bacon and checked on the biscuits. Aaron stacked plates on the table—his turn this week to help her with breakfast. With Ember gone, she needed help inside so she could tend to the garden and other chores outside. And Davis needed to be independent from her.
“Aaron,” she began, “as soon as breakfast is over, I want you to get the wagon hitched up for me. I’m riding into Rocky Falls and getting Ember.”
Aaron laughed. “I’ve missed her too.”
“Then don’t be teasing her so much.”
“Ah, Mama. We only tease her because we like her.”
Leah remembered how Parker and Frank used to tease their sisters. “She is like a sister to you.”
“I don’t think John and Evan would agree.”
Leah shot him a silent warning. “You didn’t have to remind me.”
“What are you going to do when they’re fightin’ in the dirt over her?”
She wagged a fork at him. “Your brothers have more sense than that, and I won’t allow it.”
Aaron took on a serious look. “Mama, I’m not a boy anymore. Both of them have feelin’s for Bert.”
“Do you think I should leave her in town?”
Aaron crossed his arms over his chest. How many times had she seen his father do the same thing? Frank, are you lookin’ down at your sons? “If you leave Bert in town, then John and Evan will continue talking about everything but what is wrong between them. If you bring her back, then it will force them to deal with it.”
When had Aaron gotten so wise? “Then I guess I’d better make sure I have a talk with both of them before the trip to town.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “If they take to fighting at the breakfast table, you reach for Evan and I’ll reach for John. In the meantime, we’d better pray.”
Footsteps thumped on the porch steps, and Aaron grinned. “I’d better make sure there’s plenty of honey for the biscuits.”
Soon John and Evan had finished breakfast, and Leah still hadn’t brought up the subject of Ember. She inwardly told her galloping pulse to slow down. These were her sons, and she had no reason to think her discussion with them would end badly.
“I have something to discuss with all of you,” she said. “It won’t take long, but it’s important.”
Five pairs of blue eyes peered back at her.
“I’m going into town this morning and bringing Ember back here. I feel it’s the right thing to do, but there are a few matters we all need to talk about first.”
John’s face revealed no signs of emotion.
Evan smiled from ear to ear.
Aaron played the part of the surprised brother.
Mark’s eyes sparkled like the mischievous boy she knew him to be.
Davis looked just plain happy.
Leah directed her attention to each boy. “Davis, you took advantage of Ember before. Although you need to be helping your brothers, I do expect you to maintain a few of your own chores, like feeding Rowdy. Mark, teasin’ is a sign of caring, and I know that’s your way. But too much is aggravating. Aaron, you don’t need to be teasin’ so much either. Evan … and John, both of you have indicated a fondness for Ember. To the best of my knowledge, you two have not talked this through. I will not have you two fighting and fussing over her. If, and I say if, she has any caring for one of you, let her make that decision. I’d prefer you think of her as a sister, but if you can’t, at least be sensitive to the awkwardness it places on her—and the rest of us.”
She could have heard a biscuit crumb fall to the floor. “I guess I owe all of you an apology. Bringing Ember into our home means we all need to take a vote.” Leah caught her breath. “I’ll abide by your decision.” She turned her attention back to Davis. “What is your vote?”
“I like Bert. And she plays Pa’s fiddle real nice.”
Leah focused on Mark.
“I’d like to see her again too.”
On to Aaron.
“I miss her, Mama. And I know you enjoy her playin’ and singin'.”
Leah nodded and moved on to Evan.
“Of course I’d like to see her here again.” He looked into John’s face. “You and I have always gotten along. Since it’s no secret that both of us care for Bert, I’m willing to stand aside and be her friend while she decides which one of us she prefers.”
“She may not be interested in either of you,” Leah said. “Be prepared for that.”
John nodded and reached across the table to shake Evan’s hand. “I’ll do the same.”
Leah swiped at a tear. “Do you know how proud I am of you two? There are many grown men who would be tearing into each other right now.”
John laughed. “Now, Mama, you have no idea what we’ll be doin’ when you’re not around.”
All she could do was pray her older sons would be able to keep their word.
CHAPTER 29
Bert tapped her foot against the buckboard floor and silently urged Aaron to hurry the horse along. For a moment she considered jumping from the wagon and running the rest of the way to the 5T. But that would have made her look like a child, and she was full grown. Ever since Leah had walked into the hotel this morning and announced the time had come for Bert to return home, she’d felt like dancing — and for certain singing.
“I need to bring our Ember home,” Leah had said. “We all miss her too much.”
“How can I argue with you?” Bess said. “I see the love you have for that girl, and as much as I’d like to stomp my feet and demand she stays, I can’t do it.” She tilted her head at Bert. “If things don’t work out, you have a place here to live and work.”
“Thank you for taking me in.” She turned her attention to Leah. “What about—” She couldn’t bring herself to say John and Evan in front of Bess.
Leah waved away her concern. “We had a family meeting this morning. Any problems at home have been talked through.”
However, the problem with Simon would not go away. Bert clung to the belief that it made little difference if she lived at the hotel or at the Timmons ranch. When her brother was ready to strike, God would provide a way to make things right. Trust. She had to believe in the God of her new faith.
“It won’t take long to put my things together,” Bert said. “In fact, less than five minutes.”
“Don’t forget the Bible I gave you.” Bess planted her hands on her hips and nodded at Leah. “We have a new believer.”
Leah gasped. “Oh my. On the way home, you’ll have to tell me all about it.”
“I’ll sing it,” Bert called over her shoulder.
Once they were on the road, Bert had a moment of hesitation. Surely Simon wouldn’t stop them as they traveled.
�
��Leah, I am so happy about being a believer. I’m still fearful about things—things I can’t talk about. But I’m happy for the first time in my life.” Could God take care of Simon so Bert would never have to deal with him again? She wanted to believe, and from what she’d read, God could do anything. But He might choose not to. She breathed in deeply. Whatever happened, He’d be there with her. That should be enough. If only the terror of what Simon might do would leave her alone.
Leah patted her knee. “When troubles come along, remember the joy you feel now.”
“Someday I want to be just like you.”
“Now I’m going to cry. But Ember, be yourself.” Leah swiped at a tear. “I’m waiting for your new song.”
“All right. This one came to me this morning. Hope you like it.
I thought the river far too wide
The chasm much too deep,
Until I took the leap toward grace
And fell at Jesus’ feet.
I heard the rushing waterfall
The white-churned roar of time,
And plunged into its endless depths
And let His breath be mine.
“My dear child,” Leah’s voice cracked. “You have such a passion for life. I hear it in your soul.”
While Aaron drove Mama into town to fetch Bert, John kept himself busy all morning making shingles to repair the roof of the house and barn. Mark worked alongside him, lending a good hand since John’s bandaged arm slowed him down. Evan had fired up the blacksmith forge. He had a talent for hammering and bending iron to form tools and horseshoes and repairing wagon wheels.
Excitement and longing wove through John at the thought of Bert coming home. Home. A good place for all of them to be.
But John had other problems occupying his mind. Victor Oberlander had another twenty head of cattle missing. He needed to be helping Bob, and the work on the ranch didn’t get done by itself. Evan was more than capable, but John hated to rely on him when he planned to leave soon for school. The clang of the hammer hitting the anvil reinforced his confidence in Evan’s abilities. John had to sidestep his big-brother attitude and let his brothers be their own men.
Laying aside the saw, he made his way to the small three-sided shed where Evan worked. Davis sat on a stool watching his brother.
“Can you spare a few minutes? I’d like to talk,” John said. His brother nodded, and it occurred to John that Evan might think this was about Bert. “It’s not about Bert.”
Evan offered a grim smile. At least they were keeping their truce. “That’s good to know. I’d hate for Mama to get back and find you all bruised up worse than what you already are.”
“Yeah. She’d have us cut our own switches and then march us to the woodshed.”
Evan wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his shirtsleeve. “Been a long time since we’ve gotten ourselves into that much trouble. Even then we were bigger than she is. Pa always said messin’ with Mama was like getting stung by a bee—small but mighty. What’s on your mind?”
“Cattle rustlers. Leon wasn’t working alone. In fact—” He glanced at Davis. “Would you fetch a bucket of water from the well? All of us could use a cool drink.”
Davis jumped down from the stool and was gone without a word.
John turned back to Evan and noted Mark stood in the shadows of the shed. “I haven’t told Mama this, but Leon couldn’t have been the one who shot me.”
Evan frowned and stepped from behind the hot forge. “I don’t understand. Weren’t there other riders who witnessed it?”
“Leon was inside the shack and did open fire, but he couldn’t have shot me.” John drew a line in the dirt with his boot. “I was here at the corner of the cabin. The bullet had to have been fired from the woods to get me at this angle.”
“Sounds like whoever shot you wanted it to look like Leon did it,” Evan said. “That tells me Leon was working with at least one other man, or maybe Leon had nothing to do with the rustlin’ at all.”
“I think the real shooter wanted Leon to take the blame for everything. As jumpy as the men in the posse were, anything resembling gunfire would have caused them to pull the trigger.” John resisted the urge to massage his wounded arm for fear one of them would tell Mama.
Mark stepped up to his brothers. “Sounds like the shooter wanted to show you he could shoot you and get away with it. Have you made anybody mad?”
John studied Mark, who seemed to grow faster than Aaron, and took a moment to consider his response to the fourteen-year-old. “I don’t know of anyone who’s mad enough to shoot me. I make a few enemies now and then but not the murderin’ kind. If you’re right, then we have a dangerous man out there—one who isn’t afraid to take chances.”
“And he’s still stealin’ cattle,” Evan added.
John carefully chose his words. “That brings me to what I wanted to talk to you about. I need to be helping Bob bring this to an end. Would you handle things around here while I’m gone?”
“Of course. What about your arm?” Evan said.
“I’ll be fine. Praise God it’s my left and not my right.” He captured Evan’s gaze. “You need to have a loaded rifle with you at all times—Mark and Aaron too.”
“Maybe I should put off visitin’ the school in Fort Collins until things settle down.”
John shook his head. “No sir. I want you continuing with your life plans. Just be careful.”
“Are you thinkin’ if the shooter missed you once, he might aim for one of us?” Mark said.
With those words, the air grew heavy, almost stifling. One of John’s brothers being the next victim hadn’t entered his mind. “I hope not. Pray not. All of you need to be alert for trouble. Watch the house. I’ll talk to Mama about keeping her rifle loaded too.”
Davis walked toward them with a sloshing bucket of water and two ladles. His small frame made him look younger, and with his freckles and strawberry blond hair, he looked a lot like Mama.
“How much do we say to Davis?” Evan said. “Not so sure he ever got over those outlaws nabbing him five years ago.”
As much as John wanted to keep his youngest brother free from worries and let him remain a boy, the coddling wouldn’t mold him into a man. “You were quick.” He took the bucket from Davis. “We’ve been talking about avoiding trouble and the cattle thieves. You need to hear this too. I plan to ride into town tomorrow, and while I’m gone Evan is in charge. Your brothers are going to keep their rifles loaded in case of trouble. So will Mama. I need you to keep your eyes and ears open.”
“I’ll do whatever you say,” Davis said. “Just like Mama says. She’s not raising boys, she’s raising men.”
CHAPTER 30
John thought he’d never seen a sight so pretty as when Aaron returned from Rocky Falls with Mama … and Bert stepped down from the wagon. Her honey-colored hair clung to her shoulders, and she wore a dress he hadn’t seen before. Maybe Widow Bess had gotten it for her from one of the women at the hotel and saloon.
His insides flipped when she smiled at him and waved. Come to think of it, the last time he’d seen her was in the dark hours of the morning when she ran off. Now she looked rested, and her cheeks had a pink tinge to them. He could barely suppress an all-out grin.
Is this what love is all about? He felt like staring at her forever. Quickly he glanced to Mama, who wore a smile too. His weak knees and the foolish inclinations of his heart nearly gave him away.
All the boys stopped their chores and made their way to the wagon, gathering around Mama and Bert. He made sure he was the last one to state his welcome. No point in everyone finding out how his insides tossed back and forth like a canoe jumping over rapids.
This had to stop. Grown men didn’t behave like this. “Glad you’re back,” he said as calmly as he could.
Bert blushed as red as his face felt. “Thank you. I … I’m grateful to all of you.”
“We voted,” Davis said. “And Mama said John and Evan couldn’t be fu
ssin’ over you. But I don’t know what that means.”
He peered up at Bert with one eye shut to block the sun. “Do you, Bert?”
She grew redder, and John probably did too. Mark snickered.
“I’m sure it was nothing,” Bert said.
John walked to the other side of the wagon. “I’ll take care of the wagon. Davis, why don’t you help me?”
John worked on the shingles with Mark the rest of the afternoon. While he hammered and sawed with one arm, he recalled the circumstances surrounding the shooting that left him wounded and Leon Wilson dead. What had he missed? Once he was back in Rocky Falls, he’d ride out to the abandoned cabin to see if he could find any evidence the shooter might have left behind. The last time John was there, he’d seen two sets of tracks leading to and from the cabin. Those boot prints had to be the shooter’s.
Every time his thoughts moved to Bert, he attempted to push them away. How could one man’s mind be fixed on so many things?
The hours rushed by until suppertime. Mama and Bert had prepared thick slabs of beef fried up tender and juicy and lots of vegetables from the garden. This winter, they’d still be enjoying the vegetables Mama was canning and drying today. The cornbread melted in his mouth, but then again, Bert had baked it.
“So there’s no changing your mind about helping Bob look for the rustlers?” Mama hadn’t eaten much, and the color of her face had faded to white.
“I’ve talked to everyone except Bert about taking precautions while I’m gone. I could be back day after tomorrow or in a week. There’re a few things I need to see for myself.”