When the meal was done and all the greasy fingers had been licked or washed, Carrie announced that the boys wanted to have a tournament. Rebecca was standing near Zach when the proclamation was made. She glanced over at him, raising a brow.
“A tournament?”
“They had one at the Fourth of July picnic. It was pretty interesting.” He took a step closer, relishing the opportunity to be near her. “The boys pretend they are knights of old attempting to win a fair maiden’s hand. See the poles Michael is putting up?”
Rebecca nodded as she watched Michael poke a pole in the ground every sixty feet or so. The poles each had an arm that extended out and held a ring even with a mounted man’s shoulder.
“The boys use wooden lances to take the rings off the poles. They each get several passes and someone keeps tally of the number of rings each boy manages to hook and keep on his lance. The one who gets the most is proclaimed the champion knight and is given the honor of selecting a queen.”
One behind another, the young men lined up on their horses, Frank among them. People gathered on both sides of the three hundred foot track where the horses would run.
Matthew Reading galloped to the center of the track holding up a tightened fist and made the first announcement in a deep clear voice. “Knight of the Triple Bar, ready, ride!”
Luke Reading lowered his lance, spurred his horse and galloped down the line. He knocked the first ring to the ground, hooked the second. He galloped to the third, hooked the ring but it slipped off his lance. He continued the ride to the end, missing the last two rings, then turned around and galloped back to Matthew, presenting him with the solitary ring that had managed to stay on his lance. Carrie wrote the number down and Michael hung the rings back on the arms of the poles.
Matthew made the next announcement, “Knight of the Rocking R, ready, ride!” and Frank took off, gathering all the rings along the way to the chant of beginner’s luck.
More than anything else, Jake enjoyed watching his wife when she was enjoying something. Her face was alight, her eyes pools of blue taking in everything that was happening before her. Slowly, he eased his way up through the crowd to stand behind her. Slipping his arms around her, he brought his mouth close to her ear. “No.”
Rebecca’s smile increased. She turned slightly, poking her finger into his chest.
“As soon as this baby is born, Jake Burnett, I’m going to do it.”
He laughed. “It wouldn’t be fair to the boys.” He lowered his voice. “You know you’d win.”
She returned his laughter. “In private then.” She leaned back against him. “But I am going to do it, one way or the other.”
Jake looked over at Zach. “You should see her when she’s not riding for two. Those boys wouldn’t stand a chance.”
The riders rode the length three times. When the numbers were tallied, Frank was declared the Champion Knight and given the privilege of selecting someone to be his Queen. Searching the crowds, he spied the woman he wanted and his smile grew. Now was his opportunity to make her feel special. “Ruth Reading!”
Ruth groaned. Only at her mother’s persistent prodding did she move forward to receive a kiss from Frank. Frank hadn’t known he’d be expected to kiss her. He decided he was being offered the ideal opportunity to show Ruth that he was indeed a man, and not some gangling boy. Taking her in his arms, he leaned her over backwards, intending to impress her with his romantic embrace. But just as his lips reached hers, he lost his balance and they both plummeted to the ground.
Jake lowered his head moving it slowly from side to side. Rebecca covered her face with her hands. Zach walked off, laughing.
The velvet darkness had descended over the land and the people gathered around the campfires. They were singing ballads and listening to tales. Rebecca was sitting beside Jake, her hand in his.
Zach leaned against a tree and watched as Jake said something to Rebecca, something that made her smile. She tilted her head up and said something to him. Of all the couples sitting before the dancing flames, Rebecca and Jake seemed to have the most to say to each other, and Zach was fascinated watching how easily Jake could bring a smile to her face. Jake’s fingers splayed across the top of Rebecca’s stomach. Zach saw a softness sweep over both their faces simultaneously, and he knew they had felt the baby move. He stomped down the green monster that threatened to rule him. He had hated Jake when he was a boy because a son wasn’t supposed to hate his father. He wouldn’t envy him now because he was married to Rebecca. He shoved himself away from the tree and walked off into the night.
Sitting outside the ring of fires, Frank wondered what the hell he could do to make Ruth like him, to make her want to be with him. He had intended to sweep her off her feet with his kiss that afternoon. Well, he had certainly swept her off her feet, but not the way he had intended. He had wanted her to take notice of him and she certainly had when he’d dropped her before falling down on top of her. He’d made a real fool of himself and he hadn’t even been drinking. Solemnly, he went to get his horse. There was nothing for him here.
Dropping down on the bed, holding out a buttonhook, Rebecca stuck a foot up, batting her eyelashes several times. “Please?”
Jake took the buttonhook from her and she pressed her foot against his thigh. He had such firm thighs. She watched his fingers struggling with the buttons on her shoes.
“Why do they make these things so tiny?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Here I’ll do it,” she said as she reached for the hook.
He pulled it back. “No, I’ll do it.”
She lay back, resting up on her elbows. “I enjoyed today.”
“I could tell. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you laugh so hard. Felt sorry for Frank, though.”
Rebecca sighed. “I wish he would leave Ruth alone. She’s obviously not interested in him.”
Jake pulled her shoe off and dropped it to the floor. She rubbed her stockinged foot up and down his thigh, enjoying the feel of his hardened muscles against her instep. His hand came to rest over her foot, stilling her actions. She looked up into his intense gaze, wondering what she had been thinking, realizing she hadn’t been thinking at all.
“I’ll do the other one,” she squeaked before clearing her throat.
“I’ll do it,” Jake said as he patted his thigh.
She lowered one foot to the floor and replaced it with the other. His eyes left hers to concentrate on his task. He dropped the second shoe to the floor and pressed her foot against his thigh.
“Did you need to rub this one?” he asked, his intense gaze back on her.
She closed her eyes, trying to think. To breathe she had to bring air into her lungs and then blow it out. She could do that. She opened her eyes and he stepped back, her foot dropping to the floor.
“Maybe another time,” he said. He turned, breathing deeply.
“Jake?”
Turning back around, he gave her a small smile. “What?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have …”
Reaching out, he touched her cheek. “Don’t apologize. Partnerships aren’t easy.”
“But we should have a marriage.”
“Maybe someday we will.”
“I’m your wife. You have the right—”
Quickly, he pressed his finger against her lips, silencing her words. “Lord, Reb, I can’t think of anything that’d be more degrading to either one of us.”
“Don’t you want to?”
“Do you?”
“I don’t know,” she replied honestly.
A banging on the door made them both jump. Jake gave her a small smile before moving around the quilt, heading for the door. Rebecca followed him, wondering what exactly it was she did want.
Jake lifted the bar and opened the door slightly. He peered out and then ushered Zach into the house.
“I’m sorry to bother you so late,” Zach began, “but coming home, I ran across Frank’s horse, still
saddled, about a mile from here. Looked like it had done some pretty hard riding.”
Rebecca sidled up to Jake and he put his arm around her, his hand resting on the small of her back. Zach wondered if these two were even aware of how much they touched each other.
“I take it Frank’s not in the bunkhouse,” Jake said.
“Nope. No one’s seen him since he left the Readings’.”
Jake released a deep sigh. “If Ethan’s harmed that boy, he and I’ll be settling up.”
“The line starts behind me,” Zach said.
Jake nodded acceptance of Zach’s feelings, knowing, however, that if Ethan were involved, no one would get to him before Jake did. “Go get the men. We’ll split up into groups and go searching for him.”
The two men walked out of the house without another word and Rebecca went to change clothes.
Moments later she stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” A harsh voice sounded and she turned to confront Zach. His face was set in stark lines, his lips pressed so tightly together they were almost invisible, his brown eyes almost black.
“I’m going with you,” she said.
“The hell you are.”
Taken aback, Rebecca stated calmly, “Zach, you’re overstepping your bounds on this.”
Zach turned to Jake. “Tell her she’s not going,” he demanded.
Jake handed the reins to his wife. “Why would I do that?” he asked as he helped her mount. “She’s the best tracker I know.”
The three rode out together. The absence of a moon was a hindrance as their horses plodded along. All they could see was what surrounded them—a black abyss. Jake and Zach each held a lantern which aided them in their search as much as the moon did. No breeze whispered across the land to bring them any scents, the occasional howl of a coyote raised the fine hairs on the back of their necks. Their quest for the missing Frank seemed hopeless but each rider was equally reluctant to turn back.
Rebecca reached out to touch Jake’s arm.
“Over there. I think I see some burning embers.”
Jake squinted towards the blackness. “I think you’re right. Let’s check it out.”
Zach stared in the direction they had both looked and all he could see was the darkness.
Frank lay on the solid ground, his hands tied to his ankles, his ankles bound together. He hadn’t been brave but he didn’t think he had been a coward either. What man wouldn’t have reacted the way he had under the circumstances?
Trouble had come in the form of galloping riders, brandishing torches, shouting, and firing random shots that whizzed by him so close he was certain they were meant for his skinny hide. He had urged his horse into a full gallop back towards the Rocking R but he had known his actions were futile. He heard the whistling of the lariat before the circle of rope closed around him, pinning his arms to his body. His horse continued galloping towards the ranch as Frank was jerked out of the saddle by the unrelenting master of the rope. The air was painfully knocked out of his lungs as his body made contact with the hard ground. Descending on him like starved vultures, the men had tied his hands before him and dragged more than walked him back to their camp.
Their small camp had had a temporary look about it. A fire set in the middle was heating up a branding iron. Frank had thought as he’d watched the metal glowing brightly that it was a damned odd time of day to be branding cattle. In the firelight, he’d noticed all the men were wearing their bandannas drawn up over their noses and wondered if they were cattle rustlers.
One of the men had dismounted and started untying his hands.
“Got us a maverick here,” he’d said in a raspy voice that sounded like someone had scrubbed his throat with a stiff-bristled brush.
The man closest to the fire had lifted the red-hot iron out of the flames and said, “Then I guess we’d best brand him.”
The full impact of those words had hit Frank like a bucking bronco. Yelling his usual curse, he had managed to break free. His dash for freedom had been cut short as a man near the fire had sent out a twirling rope and lassoed him. Laughter had echoed around him as the men trussed him up, worked his pants down and applied the fiery hot brand to his tender, young flesh. His agonizing scream rent the still night air.
And now with his backside still bringing tears to his eyes, he lay alone wondering what he was going to do to get out of this unjust predicament, hoping those howling coyote weren’t hungry, wishing he’d stayed at the Reading Ranch. Ruth’s snubs hadn’t hurt his pride as badly as the beating that had just been delivered to him.
He saw the flickering light of lanterns, heard the riders and, praying it wasn’t the men returning, he lifted his head to get a better look. Goddamn, it was Rebecca.
“Oh, Frank!” Rebecca wailed with tears in her eyes when she caught sight of him.
“Get her away from me!” he yelled. He looked imploringly at Jake as the man knelt down beside Rebecca and started to cut the bindings. “I’m exposed!”
“Relax, Frank,” Rebecca said as she ran her fingers along his brow. “I’ve seen your bare backside before.”
“The hell you have! I swear, Jake, I’ve never shown her anything!”
Zach sat on his haunches, intrigued. Whether she had seen Frank or not, she had the young man so upset that he wasn’t paying any attention to the ministrations she was now carefully bestowing upon him.
“Sure you have. At the watering hole at the Lazy A,” Rebecca explained.
Frank’s eyes widened.
“That’s right,” she said as she carefully examined his burn. “When you cowpokes were supposed to be out watching the herds, you’d sneak off when you got too hot and go swimming in my watering hole.”
“How did you know?” Frank asked, trying desperately to remember everything they’d said and done. Hell, men might say or do anything if they thought no women were around.
“Because I was swimming there first and had to get out when the bunch of you showed up. So I decided to stay and watch the show.”
“Is that all you did?” Frank asked. “Watch?”
“Nope. I listened too. And you know that story Lee told about that contortionist woman he said he bedded?”
Two harsh curses were uttered at once, and Zach worked hard to stifle his laughter, making a mental note to ask Jake about this particular story.
“I didn’t believe a word of it,” Rebecca said. She turned to Jake. “I think we ought to cut the backside out of his pants and take him home. I can tend him better there.”
“But these are my best pants!” Frank wailed.
“I’ll buy you another pair,” Jake said as he set about the task before they began the long trek back.
Rebecca tended Frank’s burn and then returned to the house while Jake took some time to talk with the returning men. She sat on the bed, her legs curled up, her stomach protruding out as far as it could. She heard Jake come in and saw the light before the quilt dim, but he didn’t come to bed.
“Are we still friends?” she asked as she came to stand before the sofa where he was sitting, elbows on his knees, his shoulders hunched over, his head bowed. His head shot up.
“Why the hell wouldn’t we be?” “Because of what I did earlier when you were taking off my shoes … the things I said.”
Leaning forward, he took her hand in his and pulled her down to the sofa. He brought her head to rest in the crook of his shoulder.
“We’d be in a sorry state if our friendship was that fragile. Our marriage didn’t come about like most. But I haven’t changed my mind about anything I said when I asked you to marry me.” Jake rubbed a hand down his thigh, and then said softly, “Don’t take offense at what I’m going to say.” He looked down at her, and she was looking up at him with such concern that all he wanted to do was ease the worry lines between her brows. “You’ve been with a man … a man you love. I imagine there’s nothing finer than when two
people who love each other—” He moved a hand slowly through the air as though it were a blanket covering two lovers. “What I have to offer you … it won’t be as fine … so it has to be what you want.”
“It seems so unfair to you.”
He shook his head. “You were honest with me about your feelings when I asked you to marry me. I got no cause to complain. Besides … winter’s coming soon and you can start earning your keep.”
Rebecca put her hand on her expanded girth. “Somehow I don’t think I’m going to look very springlike.”
“Close enough to keep me happy.”
She snuggled up closer. “You’re a good friend, Jake. Always have been.”
He pressed his lips to the top of her head. “Zach and I are going to ride out first light and see if we can figure out what was going on tonight.”
“Promise me you’ll be careful. Men that would do that to Frank are capable of doing anything.”
Jake hunkered down before the barren ashes watching as the wind caught and swirled the dry remains of the campfire. He lifted the iron that had been heated to a redhot glow and pressed against Frank’s backside. A wellspring of anger, too long suppressed, gushed forth.
“It’s a poor imitation,” he said, his voice harsh.
Zach knelt down beside him, his eyes studying the offending object.
“Guess they chose your brand to make a point.”
Jake nodded as he slowly twirled the stem of the brand.
“I don’t think Frank was sought out,” Zach added. “I think he just happened to be the unlucky one passing by. Whoever did this would have probably preferred someone who wasn’t one of your men.”
“Lord, I’m thinking of John Reading riding all over the place, laughing, telling people about those geese. What if they’d happened upon him first?”
Jake dropped his head wondering if he was at fault. Was someone making a statement against him, his fencing? Or were the men who had attacked Frank just mean bastards with nothing better to do than harass decent folks? Jake looked off into the distance. They hadn’t found one thing to tell them who was responsible. And yet he couldn’t help but feel that somehow Ethan was involved.
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