Whispering Pines

by Scarlett Dunn

  It angered him each time she let him know how little she thought of his character. Well, she could just stand in that kitchen and talk to herself, because she wasn’t going to insult him again. What did the woman want from him? He helped her when she was injured, protected her from her brother, he’d seen her home safely, he’d offered her and Granny the security of his home, and promised to take care of them. What more did she want?

  * * *

  Rose watched Morgan from the kitchen window. He stopped at the corral as he ate his sandwiches, and it looked like he was talking to the black horse. After he ate, he pulled a knife from his pocket and started slicing an apple. He held the slices out to the horse. When the horse finished the first apple, he sliced the second one for him. Morgan braced both arms on the top rail, and the horse nudged his shoulder. He stood there for a long time stroking the animal’s neck. Rose could tell Morgan was indeed talking to the animal, and it looked as though the horse held his head close to Morgan’s and listened.

  “Did you talk to him?” Granny asked over her shoulder.

  Rose jumped a foot off the ground. “Granny, I didn’t hear you.”

  “No, you were busy watching your man.”

  “I don’t think he’s mine. He said he was with another woman last night.”

  Granny could not believe Morgan would do such a thing. “Now, Rose, I’m sure you misunderstood.”

  Rose repeated their conversation and Granny said, “He didn’t say he was with another woman. He said that was what you expected of him. Is that what you truly believe he would do?”

  “I don’t know what to think. My emotions seem to be getting the best of me.”

  “Rose, Morgan could have had another woman long ago if he wanted. You need to trust in God’s plan.”

  Rose wasn’t sure she knew God’s plan, but she was willing to trust Him. “I’ll try.”

  “Good. You’ll never be disappointed when you give your trust to Him. I’m confident He wouldn’t have brought Morgan to you if he wasn’t the one.”

  Rose couldn’t seem to pull her eyes away from Morgan as he talked to that horse. “Morgan told me to stay away from that horse. Do you know why?”

  Granny looked out the window. “I don’t know. Morgan used to ride that horse years ago. I remember thinking it was the most beautiful animal I’d ever seen.”

  “You can’t see them from here, but he has a lot of scars over his body.”

  “Maybe he had some sort of accident,” Granny said. “That’s a shame, he’s so beautiful.”

  “He’s still beautiful, but it comes from the inside.”

  Rose left her bedroom door ajar again so she would hear Morgan when he came home. He hadn’t come home for dinner, and they’d waited for him for two hours before they ate. Finally, she heard his footsteps on the staircase. She listened as he walked in his bedroom and quietly closed the door. She glanced at the clock on the mantel. It was almost midnight. He kept mighty late hours for a rancher.

  Nothing changed over the next few days. Morgan left the house before dawn and didn’t come home for lunch or dinner. Occasionally, Rose would see some men ride in midday, but Morgan was never with them. Joseph was always around the ranch, caring for the animals or working on anything that needed repair. Rose was devastated, and she didn’t know how to repair their relationship if Morgan wouldn’t meet her halfway. They needed to talk if they were going to go through with their marriage. She thought perhaps he was trying to tell her he no longer wanted to marry her. If that was his aim, she needed to find out soon.

  Rose and Granny were eating lunch, and Rose was tired of sitting around waiting on Morgan to get over his anger and talk to her. “Granny, Stevie’s horse is still here, so I’m going to take him to the farm to see if Stevie needs him. I’m worried about him.”

  “I’m worried about him too. I’ll go with you.” Even though the farm was just a few minutes away through the pines, Granny didn’t want Rose to go alone. She felt sure it would upset Morgan even more. She’d hoped she would have a chance to speak with Morgan on Rose’s behalf, but since he wasn’t coming home, the opportunity hadn’t presented itself.

  * * *

  Rose led Stevie’s horse from the stable, and she and Granny walked through the pines. Stevie was not home, but they could tell he’d eaten there recently. They washed all of the dishes and straightened the house before they went outside to care for the garden.

  “Rose, I need to start canning some of these vegetables,” Granny said.

  “I was thinking the same thing. Do you think we should do it here, or take them to Morgan’s? I hate to do something without asking him. Since I haven’t seen him, I’m wondering if he’s trying to tell me he’d like to call off the marriage.”

  “I’m sure if he felt that way, he would let you know.” Granny had faith in Morgan, but even she was disappointed that he was avoiding them.

  They heard a horse behind them, and when they turned around, there was Morgan glaring at them. “I thought I told you two not to come here without me.”

  “It’s difficult for us to tell you anything when you are never around,” Rose snapped before turning her attention back to weeding the garden.

  Granny looked at Morgan and raised her gray eyebrows at him. “We haven’t seen much of you the last few days. We brought Stevie’s horse back, but he’s not here. We need to start some canning soon, and Rose and I were just discussing if we should do it here.”

  “We’ll take what you need to the ranch,” Morgan said. His eyes were fixed on Rose’s backside as she was bending over, pulling weeds. She was ignoring him. He couldn’t blame her, he’d been acting like an idiot. And he was the one getting the worse end of the deal. Instead of kissing her good night and climbing into his nice soft bed, he was bedding down with his horse and sleeping on the hard ground. Every bone in his body was aching. “We can come back tomorrow with the buckboard.”

  Morgan heard a sound at the side of the house and was about to draw his gun when Stevie came strolling around the corner.

  “Stevie, we brought your horse back,” Granny said.

  “Thanks.” Stevie remembered Frankie wanted him to pretend he was staying on the farm. “I was just out walking. I planned on coming to the ranch to ask what you wanted me to do with the vegetables.”

  Granny was pleased that he was offering to help. “Rose and I are going to start canning, but you can gather the ripe vegetables and we’ll pick them up tomorrow.”

  “Sure thing.” Stevie looked at Rose. “So when’s the big day?”

  Rose glanced at Morgan. She had no idea what to say.

  “In two weeks,” Morgan said. “You’re welcome to join us.”

  “Thanks, I will.”

  “If you ever want to join us for supper, you’re welcome anytime,” Morgan added. “I’m sure Granny and Rose would like the company.”

  Morgan wasn’t fooled by Stevie’s sudden interest in the farm, or their marriage. Something was up, he just didn’t know what it was yet. He sure as heck wasn’t out for a walk. He started to tell Stevie about meeting Reuben in Denver, but he didn’t want to tip Stevie off if Jack was looking into the stagecoach robbery.

  Rose felt a surge of relief at Morgan’s response, and that he was trying to be cordial to Stevie. After Stevie’s past behavior, Morgan was more forgiving than she expected.

  Stevie wanted them to leave so he could take Frankie’s horse back to him. “Well, thanks for bringing the horse home, and I’ll get the vegetables together.”

  “Do you want to come to dinner tonight, Stevie?” Rose asked. She thought he probably hadn’t had a good meal since they’d left. Granny was right, he needed to work if he was going to eat, but she couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.

  “No thanks, I’d best get to work,” Stevie said.

  “As I said, you’re welcome to work on the ranch,” Morgan said.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “We’ll come back in the morning for
the vegetables,” Granny told him.

  Morgan dismounted and offered to let Rose and Granny ride his horse, but they said they preferred to walk. The three of them walked through the pines back toward the ranch.

  When they reached the house, Morgan said he was going to take a bath in the bunkhouse and would be home for dinner.

  As soon as he was out of earshot, Granny said, “You see, he is still planning on marrying. He told Stevie when the wedding would be.”

  “Yes, he did. I still think we need to talk.” Rose would see what kind of mood he was in before she tried to have a discussion with him tonight. She didn’t want to ruin another evening and have him take off. Particularly since she didn’t know where he’d been spending his nights.

  That night, after Granny retired, Morgan walked in the kitchen and told Rose he’d like to talk to her. Rose removed her apron and walked with him to the parlor. He sat on the settee and asked her to sit beside him.

  “Rose, I’ve had a hard time understanding why you don’t trust me. What you said the other night about me having another woman didn’t make a bit of sense.”

  Rose looked into his eyes. “I do trust you. I explained things badly the other night. It felt so good when we were kissing and then you just stopped.” Rose hesitated as she tried to put into words what she felt. She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. “I think I was afraid you didn’t want me as much as I wanted you. I’m not experienced, and I know you are, and I felt inadequate.” She couldn’t be much more honest. Plain and simple, she was worried she couldn’t please him.

  Morgan couldn’t have been more shocked if she’d pointed a pistol at him. “You must be out of your mind to think you want me more than I want you.” He pulled her on his lap. “Honey, I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you.”

  Rose rested her head on his chest. “I loved the way you made me feel.”

  Morgan took her chin in his hand and kissed her. He kissed her so long and so thoroughly they were both breathing hard when they pulled apart. “I love the way you make me feel too.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her again. Like before, his lips moved to her ear and he whispered sweet words to her.

  Rose wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, “You are so beautiful without your shirt.”

  Hearing those words from her excited him beyond belief. He held her to him and continued to kiss her. It was apparent that she didn’t want him to stop. But he had to stop. “Rose, we need to stop.”

  Rose pulled back and looked at him. Her eyes were glazed over, just as they had been the other night. “Rose, I don’t want to stop, but we have to. Do you understand?” He wanted to explain this time so she wouldn’t get the wrong idea.

  “I’m trying to understand.”

  The way she was looking at him nearly made him forget his vow to wait until he married her. “Honey, there’s a point when a man has to stop, or he risks losing control.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean,” Rose said.

  “I mean if we keep kissing like this, I’ll want to take you to my bed. I don’t want to lose control of the situation. It’s been a long time since . . .” He thought it might not be wise to finish that thought.

  When he didn’t finish his sentence, she said, “It’s been a long time since what?”

  He took a deep breath, hoping she would figure it out.

  She did. “Oh.” His words meant the world to her, and she wanted to be equally honest with him. “Thank you for explaining. I’ve been jealous since that day in town when I saw how all those women flirted with you right in front of me. You are so handsome, and I was afraid you might want someone else if I didn’t live up to your expectations.”

  “I don’t want another woman. I want you.”

  Rose hesitated to ask a question about another matter that had troubled her, but she thought they needed to clear the air. “I have another question. Why did you get angry with me for touching that horse? You know I would never hurt him.”

  “I know. It’s just, that horse can be skittish, and I don’t want you in danger if he acts up.”

  “He seemed very gentle when I fed him the apple.”

  “Some particular sounds make him nervous, and he might rear unexpectedly,” Morgan warned.

  “What happened to him?” She remembered Granny told her Morgan rode that horse years before.

  “It’s not important. Just be careful around him.”

  She could tell he didn’t want to discuss it further. “Does he have a name?”

  “Judge.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Stevie rode to the old Conner place, backtracking several times to make sure he wasn’t being followed. He thought Granny and Rose bought his act, but he couldn’t be sure about Morgan.

  “What are you doing here?” Frankie asked, stepping from the brush before Stevie reached the cabin.

  “I brought your horse back.”

  “So Morgan returned your horse?”

  “Yeah. I did like you told me and made them think I would do some work around the farm. They even invited me to their wedding in a couple of weeks.”

  “The wedding that won’t take place. Do you know where the cattle are grazing?”

  Stevie knew Frankie was talking about Morgan’s cattle. When he’d left the farm, he’d seen Morgan’s men moving cattle. “Yeah, I saw them moving part of the herd to the west. Are you planning on rustling soon? I wanted to tell you that I’m meeting Reuben tomorrow at the same place, if you want to come along.”

  “I do want to meet him.” Frankie expected Walt to show up soon, and hopefully he’d have some information to share about Reuben. “What time are you meeting him tomorrow?”

  Stevie gave him the time and place. “I’ll ride this way and we can ride together.”

  “No, you go on your own just in case someone is watching you. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Okay. I’ve got to go back now. I told Granny I’d do some work in the garden before tomorrow. Frankie, I still wish we could take that money from the stagecoach robbery and head on down to Mexico now.”

  “I told you, we need a lot more money. Are Granny and Rose coming to the farm often?”

  “Not much, but they’re coming back tomorrow morning for the vegetables.”

  Stevie mounted his horse, and Frankie said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Not long after Stevie left, Walt returned and Frankie walked outside to talk to him privately. He hadn’t told the other men why Walt was in Denver. “Did you bring more whiskey?”

  Walt pulled four bottles from his saddlebag. “That should hold you over.”

  Frank opened a bottle and drank greedily. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “That’s good whiskey. What did you find out about Reuben?”

  Walt shook his head. “Frank, that fellow don’t do nothing but work. He goes to work, goes home for lunch, eats dinner every night at the hotel, and then goes home. I don’t know if you’ve seen him, but I can’t imagine him being a help if you plan on robbing the bank. He doesn’t have family in Denver, and no friends according to the waitress at the hotel. Nobody knows much about him.”

  That wasn’t the news Frank wanted to hear. He needed somebody on the inside if he was going to rob the bank. He didn’t want to pay Reuben half the take, but if he didn’t have someone or something to hold over his head, Reuben might not agree to help him. “Does he go to the saloon? Does he drink? He’s got to do something besides work at the bank.”

  “He doesn’t go into the saloon.” Walt shook his head and smiled. “Frank, you have to see this guy to understand. He orders hot tea with his meals.” Walt held his hand in the air four feet off the ground. “He’s about this tall, and I doubt he weighs much more than a baby calf.”

  Frank smiled at Walt’s description of Reuben. He figured a man like that would be easily intimidated. “Walt, I don’t want you to say anything to the men about Denver. I’ve got a lot to think through, and I don’t need their
opinions on what I’m planning. I don’t want anyone running their mouths if they get a little liquor in their gut.”

  Walt wondered if Frank would even include the boys in what he was planning. Walt nodded. “No problem. What about Stevie? Does he know what is going on?”

  “Yeah, but I’m thinking the two of us could handle the bank robbery. We have no reason to split the money, not even with Stevie.” He inclined his head toward the cabin. “Remember if you get liquored up, keep your mouth shut.”

  “Yeah.” Walt figured he just needed to watch his back and make sure Frank didn’t try to double-cross him, or eliminate him. If Frank was willing to double-cross his own brother, he wasn’t above shooting him in the back. He’d been smart to listen to Reuben last night at the restaurant.

  * * *

  Stevie waited until LeMasters, Rose, and Granny left with the vegetables the next morning before he left to meet Reuben. Frank had been watching all of them from his usual hiding place. He’d timed his trip to the farm hoping to see Stevie leave. After Stevie rode away, Frank waited a few more minutes to make sure no one was coming back. He left his horse out of sight, grabbed his saddlebag and quickly ran inside the house. In Stevie’s room, he wasted no time removing the loose board in the corner. He pulled the money bag from the opening, removed half of the contents, and stuffed it into his saddlebag. He replaced the money with old newspapers he’d removed from the walls at the Conner place. He palmed the bag to feel its weight, and then placed it exactly as he’d found it in the cubbyhole. Stevie would be none the wiser unless he looked inside the bag.

  * * *

  “Did you have any trouble?” Stevie asked when Frankie reined in at the designated area.

  “No, I was just being real cautious.” Frank looked at Reuben. “I’m Frank Langtry.”

  Reuben removed his glasses and peered at Frank. “I’ve heard about you.”

  Frank didn’t like the sound of that. “Who’s been telling you about me?”

  “Stevie, who else? He was quite concerned about you being hanged.”

  Frank’s first thought was that Walt’s description of Reuben was dead-on. He couldn’t see how tall he was since he was seated in his buggy, but he was definitely a little fop of a man. This was going to be easier than he thought. He didn’t waste time getting to the point. “Stevie’s told me about the stagecoach robbery, and how you planned everything out. I think you could be very helpful with what I’m planning.”