“Gema, I didn’t get a chance to tell you about why I’m going to town today. The hogs getting out of their pen messed up our evening. Believe me, it’s no fun trying to round up escaped pigs in the dark.”
Gema chuckled. Red hadn’t come home until after she’d gone to bed.
“I’m planning on buying the Tanner place. I have plenty of savings for a good down-payment. I’m staying on as foreman on Hawk’s Wing. Hawk’s going to sell me five mares, and we’ll run them with his herd. We’ve got it all arranged. It’ll be several years before I can build a house and barns, but it’s a start to my own ranch. I’m talking with the banker and the lawyer today. You should have plenty of time to visit with whomever you want. Put whatever you want to buy on my charge.”
Gema nodded. She wasn’t planning on purchasing anything unless Myra thought of something she needed to accomplish her purpose. She smiled to herself. Red didn’t know it yet, but their marriage was going to an entirely new level tonight.
~~~~~
“I’ll leave you here and go do my business with the banker and the lawyer. I don’t know how long it will take. How about I meet you at Sanctuary House?” Red asked. They were standing in front of Cutler’s General Store. Ralph had been stabled at the livery.
“Yes. Will be there. Going to talk with Myra first. She at dress shop maybe. I go see.”
“See you later, then.” Red descended to the street, heading to the bank.
Gema entered the dress shop owned by Leah Steele, wife of the town doctor, Eli. The bell above the door jingled.
“One moment,” said a voice from the back room. It wasn’t Myra’s. Gema didn’t know if she was relieved or disappointed. She wanted to get the discussion over with as soon as possible, but the topic wasn’t one to be overheard while it was going on.
Leah Steele came into the room carrying her son, Steven, born in late December. The boy flashed a wide grin at her.
“Good morning, Mrs. Dickerson. How may I help you?”
“Good morning. Is Myra here? Want to see her.” Gema waved her fingers at Steven, who grabbed at them.
“Watch out. He bites. He has two teeth now.” Leah smiled at him. “She’s not here today. Troy wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed home. I’m sure she’d love to see you.”
“Thank you.” Gema said goodbye and left the shop, heading to Sheriff Riverby’s house. Myra hugged Gema when she answered the knock.
“Come in. I’m so glad to see you. We all miss you so much. You being out on the ranch and all.” Myra led the way into the parlor. Troy was upstairs napping. Myra made tea, and they chatted about Hank and Laura’s wedding that had occurred the previous Saturday.
“So, how’s you likin’ bein’ married?”
Gema swallowed. This was so embarrassing. To actually speak to someone about the lack of the physical aspects of being married was much harder to do than think. “Much is good. Juanita, very good friend. I teach English her. She teach Spanish me.”
Myra began laughing and had trouble stopping. “You’re teachin’ English. That’s just ‘bout as bad as me a tryin’ to. Twixed my back hills Tennessee accent an’ my messed up grammar, ain’t no way I’d be tryin’ to teach somebody to talk right.”
Gema realized how strange it was for her to try and help someone learn the language. It was working though. Juanita had added many words to her English vocabulary. Many more than Gema had acquired of Spanish. “Yes, strange, but work much good.”
She waited until Myra’s giggling subsided before bringing up the topic she wanted to discuss. “Have problem. You help, yes?”
The smile on Myra’s face vanished. “Is he hurting you? You just say the word, and we’ll get you away from him.”
“Oh, no, no. Red good man. He good husband. He want good for me.” Gema took a deep breath and said, “He not think I want him. He… I… We not… He think he too old. Me too young. Stupid man.”
“Well, that dog won’t hunt. You want to…” Myra circled her hand, not saying the words.
“Yes, not know how show Red I want. You help?”
A sly grin grew on Myra’s face. “Yeah, I can help. We’s gonna be real subtle ‘bout it. You been working a lot in the garden, right?”
Gema drew her eyebrows together, puzzled. “Yes. Much work planting seeds. Hoeing.”
“So, your arms is real tired and sore. It’s real hard to reach behind and untie your corset strings.”
“But tie string bow in front.” Gema didn’t understand.
Myra let out a frustrated breath. “I know, but you want him to get close enough and to touch you, right? So you need to give him a reason. Tying the bow in the back gives you a reason.”
“But, seems like lie. I no hurt.”
“Well, chop some wood.” Myra waved her hands in the air. “You’ll hurt. You got a greater purpose here.”
Gema fought between disappointment and delight. She was beginning to understand what Myra was getting at. That she probably wouldn’t accomplish her goal tonight was a delay she didn’t want but could handle. Then again, if they got back to the ranch early enough, Gema could do some hoeing and chop some kindling.
“I get Red untie strings, loosen laces. He get idea?”
“Maybe, depends on how stubborn he is. Don’t move away when you take your corset off. Then…” Myra went on describing some ways to encourage Red toward the ultimate goal.
When Gema left, she headed to Cutler’s General Store. She was going to purchase a sweet smelling lotion for Red to rub onto her sore arms and back.
~~~~~
Red was in a good mood. Arrangements to purchase the Tanner spread were begun with C.J. Ritter, the banker. Forsyth Franklin Fredrick Farnsworth the Fourth, the new lawyer in town, was going to write up a contract between Red and Hawk, outlining both sides of their agreement. Red would soon be on the way to owning his own ranch.
Gema sat in the saddle in front of him, tucked close to his chest. Once they’d left town, she’d pulled his arm around her waist and still held his hand as they rode back to Hawk’s Wing.
She was chattering about her visits with the Ladies she’d seen. They’d had lunch at the café, enabling her to chat with Blanche Basking and Chloe McIlroy. Gema had even made a small purchase: lonament, as she called it. He thought she meant liniment. When he’d inquired about it, she’d blushed and mumbled that her arms sometimes got sore from working in the garden and other chores.
Red had made a purchase, also. An order, actually. He was keeping it a secret, but knew Gema would like it. Like the Stetson hat he’d bought last year, it was expensive but would last her a lifetime.
Ben Cutler had told Red the news about the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad a couple of days earlier. A gold spike had been the final one driven, connecting the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads.
Another stop Red made was to the jail. He’d asked Sheriff Riverby if there was any news about the outlaw gang who had kidnapped Gema and abandoned the four children. There wasn’t, but he said the children seemed to be adjusting to living at the House fairly well.
Mae, who still wasn’t speaking, was becoming attached to Blanche Basking. Boone was very protective of her. Nina cried for her mama quite often, who the Ladies had found out from Boone was the woman named Sally.
Tadpole, Mae’s brother, was curious about everything in the House and town. He would turn up at various shops or homes, coming in without knocking which upset most of the women. Newt had sat him down, explaining some of the rules of society and how Tadpole had to obey them. After that, the boy mainly stood outside the homes and waited until he was invited in, or loitered on the street looking in the shop windows.
Ruth Naylor began teaching the older three their letters and numbers. None wanted to go to school since they had no background in learning and were having to start out at the very beginning. That helped keep Tadpole at the House rather than on the prowl around town.
Red rode up to their house, l
etting Gema dismount. She glanced up at him. “Thank you, for taking me to town. Was good to see the Ladies.”
“Anytime, honey. If I can get away from the ranch, I’ll take you to town whenever you want. I’m heading to the main house to talk with Hawk about what I got done today. I’ll see you at supper.”
For some reason, which Red couldn’t figure out, Gema blushed and lowered her eyelids.
~~~~~
Gema went into the house, knowing she’d acted strangely. She could see it on Red’s face. Later on, he might like what she was keeping from him. She unwrapped the bottle of lilac-scented lotion. If Myra was right, this might be what tipped the scales toward Gema and Red becoming husband and wife in every sense of the words.
Changing into her work dress, Gema went out with her hoe and worked her way down five long rows in the garden. The seedlings were small, so she had to be careful not to hoe them up. Then, she moved to the wood pile. They needed kindling, didn’t they? It was needed for all the stoves and fires on the homestead. Gema chopped small logs into splinters until her muscles ached. Now, she could honestly tell Red she hurt and ask him to rub the lotion onto her back and arms.
Juanita came out of the house, took one look at the sweating young woman, the ax in her hand, the pile of kindling, and shook her head. “Come, chica, bath.”
Gema soon found herself in the bathing room of the main house in a tub filled with warm water. Juanita scolded her in a mix of mostly Spanish with a few English words sprinkled in. Gema caught the meaning and had to hide a grin. Red wouldn’t like his wife working so hard it made her sore. Wouldn’t be happy she was too stiff for loving.
Although it wasn’t a day they normally ate at the main house, Juanita sent word to the stables that Red should come there for supper. She wouldn’t let Gema do very much to help prepare the meal.
Gema was seated at the table in the kitchen when Red, Hawk, and Alberto came in. Juanita met them at the door to the mudroom and chattered in Spanish. Gema knew the housekeeper was complaining about her doing so much hard work. Chopping wood was a man’s job. If Gema thought they needed more kindling, Red, or one of the cowboys should do it.
Red came and squatted down in front of Gema as the others moved into the dining room. “Honey, you didn’t have to chop wood. I know this is a busy time of year for the cowboys, but if the kindling was low, I would have set one of them to chop it.”
Gema was touched by his concern. She laid a hand on his cheek. “It not matter. Done now. Plenty for many days.” She stood up, and a groan she hadn’t known was coming escaped. She was sore. Very sore. More sore than she’d planned on. Maybe she had chopped too much wood. She might need Red to rub that lotion into her muscles for real. Gema just hoped she was not too sore to accomplish her goal.
~~~~~
Juanita had shooed Gema away when she began stacking dishes to take to the kitchen. “Go home. Rest. You sore mañana.” Another spate of Spanish followed. She turned to Red and began giving him orders. At least that’s what it sounded like to Gema.
Red folded his napkin and laid it on the table. “Come on, honey. I’ve been told to take you home and make you rest.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and escorted her out the door.
Gema was glad to be heading home. She hurt all over, especially her arms. They ached. If she had to raise them over her head, she didn’t think she would be able to.
Red used the boot jack once they were in the house to remove his boots. Gema watched with envy. Her boots were laced. His simply slid off when the heel was pressed against the boot jack. She was going to have to bend down and unlace them. Her muscles protested at the thought. Sighing, she headed to the bedroom. Red followed.
While Gema was unbuttoning her work gown, Red changed into his nightshirt. It was almost beyond her to ease the garment off her shoulders. It fell in a heap around her feet. There was no way she was going to bend over and pick it up. It could lie there until morning.
“Honey, can I help you? You look pretty stove up to me.”
“Stove up?”
Red chuckled. “Sore, stiff.” He began unbuttoning her corset cover. “Seems like we’ve been in this position before.” Red grinned at her. Gema grinned back.
“Not cold and wet now,” she said.
“No. There,” he said, slipping the last button through its hole. “Let me unlace your boots.” He knelt and soon her shoes were set under the edge of the bed with her stockings rolled up inside.
“You haven’t made much progress on that corset cover while I slaved to get your boots off,” Red teased.
“Too stoved up.”
“Let me help.”
Red helped remove her corset cover and petticoats. When they were set aside, Gema turned her back to him. “Please help with lacings. I not reach.”
While he worked the strings, Gema began to giggle. Soon she was laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Red pulled the laces loose, and Gema undid the hooks holding the front sides of her corset together. She tossed it onto the dresser and wrapped her arms around him.
“My plan. It not go as I want. My fault. All my fault.”
“What plan?” Red held her close.
“Plan to show I want you as wife want husband and husband want wife. Talk to Myra. She help with plan. Plan you help with corset and rub lonament on sore arms and back. Showed some ways to make you, as she say, on fire. Not want to lie. Work hard to make some sore. Work too hard. Now stoved up.”
Red pulled back and studied her face. “You want…”
Gema nodded. “Very much want old geezer.” She giggled.
“You heard Hawk and me talking?”
“Yes. Come to spend time to show interest. Hear you. Make my plan.” She sobered. “Now plan spoiled.”
Red drew her close, tucking her head against his chest. “Your plan isn’t spoiled, honey, just delayed. Believe me, as soon as you aren’t stoved up, we’ll make sure your plan works out.”
~~~~~
Red helped Gema off Ralph’s back after he’d been tied to the hitching rail at the church on Sunday. Worship service would begin in a few minutes. She linked her arm with his.
Gema saw Myra Riverby entering the yard holding her son’s hand with Newt following close behind. Myra turned and gave Gema a questioning glance. Gema just smiled and winked.
CHAPTER TEN
Sheriff Newt Riverby was studying the new wanted posters that had arrived that morning. The jail door opened, and three women he didn’t know walked in. Two looked to be in their late twenties. The third couldn’t be very far into her teens. Their clothing was ragged. They were dirty and thin. He stood.
“Ladies. How may I help you?”
“We come needin’ help, Sheriff.” The woman who spoke was large framed but thin, with brown hair and eyes. “We done walked from the King Gang camp. We escaped. We’s wantin’ asylum. I think that’s the word. Protection from the men.” The woman who spoke had a large bruise on her cheek. The other woman had red marks on her neck. The teen stood behind the other two as if she were trying to hide.
Newt was dumbfounded. These women had just walked away from the most notorious outlaw gang in a two-hundred-mile radius. Then he realized that, if they’d walked away, the gang couldn’t be very far from Stones Creek.
“How’d you get here? I know you walked, but how did you find the town?”
“We could hear the trains in the distance. Figured the tracks must not be that far. The men left to go rob somethin’. Don’t know what. They never say. We waited a while, then headed out. Found the tracks an’ followed them. That were yesterday. Figured they’d come to a town sometime.”
Thoughts flew through Newt’s head. They must be hungry. Tired. The gang had to be close. Close enough for the women to have walked here in one day. They needed a place to stay where they’d be safe. He needed to gather up a posse to hunt the gang. They might already have fled the area if they’d gone back to their camp and found the women gone.<
br />
Newt realized he’d never asked their names. “Ladies, will you tell me who you are?”
“I’m Flora Potter,” the brown-haired woman said. “This be Sally Rife.” She pointed to the blonde. “An’ she’s Ada.”
Newt waited for a last name. When it didn’t come, he remembered that the children didn’t have last names. They’d all been born in the gang. Ada must have been, too.
“Sheriff?” This woman, Sally, was smaller, a little on the short side. Her hair, which like the others was pulled back and tied at the nape with a thong, might be blonde. It was so dirty and oily it was hard to tell. The teen’s hair looked to be red under the grime.
“Yes?”
“Did that Gema girl get back?” Sally twisted her fingers together. “When it done started to rain an’ snow we got worried about her.”
Newt grinned a little. “Yes, a cowboy found her and brought her back. She’s well.”
The women hugged. Their joy at the news evident. “It were all worth it then. All we took was worth it.” It was Flora who spoke.
“What’d you take?” Newt was afraid he knew but had to ask.
“Nothin’ we weren’t used to. Just harder and more often.” Flora’s gaze dropped to the floor.
He looked at the marks on the women and gritted his teeth.
“That were part of why we left. Other part was the kids. T’weren’t right to leave ‘em in that cave all by themselves. Leavin’ ‘em to die.”
The blonde began to cry. The teen hugged her.
“Ladies, we found some of them. Four. They were burying one.”
Sally broke Ada’s hold and grabbed Newt’s arm. “Who’d you find?”
“Mae, Tadpole, Boone, and Nina. They are all well.”
Sally collapsed onto her knees, sobbing. “My Nina, my Nina. She’s alive.”
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