Dark Journey Home

by Cherie Shaw

  “Maria, really.” Olivia put in. “Lulu did say that she’s just helping out her widowed sister, who owns the business.” Olivia paused. “I wonder if she will show up for supper at the hotel restaurant. She didn’t mention it. But then maybe she doesn’t realize that we are with Lord Beckford. She may have thought that we were just being friendly with him on the stagecoach. She does not know that he’s a titled man either.”

  Just then a knock sounded at the door, and Lord Beckford himself called out. “You ladies about ready for supper?” He asked.

  Maria promptly opened the door, and admitted Olivia’s uncle. “Maria.” He nodded to the Spanish lady, who had proven to be a fine companion for his niece. Then he looked at Olivia, and said, “Niece, I have a cable from your brother, Garth. But if you don’t mind, we’ll wait for you to read it after supper, as it is very lengthy, and I know you two are as hungry as I am.”

  “Oh, Uncle Claude, that is fantastic, and I can’t wait to read it. Garth always did write lengthy telegrams, though they have been so rare. Yes, we’ll wait, and then I’ll have time to read it over several times.”

  “Actually, he did send another wire also, a longer more detailed one. So it will take time to read the both of them.” Claude smiled, then escorted both ladies out to the hallway, down the stairs and into the dining room.

  Lulu had been early by about ten minutes, and she was seated by herself at a small cozy table, which sported a red checked tablecloth with a decorative lit candle in the center. The table was in a secluded corner of the dining room. She was hoping the wealthy rancher, with the British accent, didn’t forget about their supper engagement. Maybe she’d been a bit forward in inviting him, but she’d used that same aggressive technique in trapping her husbands into marriage, and she was desperate for another husband now.

  Lulu fidgeted with the cutlery that was on the table, then took a sip from her cup of tea that the waitress had brought a few minutes earlier. She patted her bright red hairdo, and tucked a loose curl behind her ear, hoping that she looked gorgeous for the rancher, in her dark purple velvet tightfitting gown, with the extremely low-cut bodice. Dire straits took extreme measures. She had hurried to change when she’d finished working at the mercantile, and had no clue as to how gaudy the tight gown now looked on her over-ample figure.

  Lulu breathed a sigh of relief, as the handsome older grey-haired rancher entered the room, but then she gasped as he held the door open for the two lovely ladies she’d seen on the stagecoach, then at the mercantile this afternoon. Her face reddened. She was fuming. Unbelievable! He was bringing two more ladies to supper with her. The attractive older Mexican woman, with the flashing black eyes, then also the gorgeous young golden blonde lady. Lulu was livid. She had to cover up her astonishment quickly, before the group reached her table.

  What in the world was his attachment to these younger women? She wondered. As the trio approached her table, she pretended to be flustered and shy. Olivia and Maria gave each other a look as if to say, “That would be the day.” Though they just smiled at the woman, then gave curious looks at the only remaining chair at the table, for two.

  Claude spoke first. “Well, we meet again. You are the lady from the stagecoach. Lulu, right? Do you mind if we join you for supper?” At Lulu’s brisk nod, he took two chairs from the next table, and placing them on each side, then seated Olivia and Maria between himself and Lulu. He sat across from her.

  Lulu began, “I thought……..I thought that this was to be……” She couldn’t finish the sentence. Then to make matters worse, she began batting her long eyelashes at Claude, thinking to entice his interest.

  She figured he was beginning to take interest, when he leaned across the table and looked into her eyes, then asked, “Do you have something in your eye, my dear?”

  “No….no, that is, there was, but I believe it’s out now.” Damn, nothing was working.

  Then the ever helpful Maria said, “Perhaps it was a piece of the small dust particles, left over from the long ride across the prairie.”

  Claude turned to Olivia and asked, “Ollie dear, have you formally met Miss Lulu here?”

  “Oh, no, Uncle, I have not.” Olivia sweetly answered.

  Well, Lulu thought, that clears that up. She may have referred to him as uncle on the stagecoach, but I don’t recall hearing her say that.

  “Anyway,” Claude continued, “Miss Lulu, this is my niece Olivia, and Olivia, this lady is Lulu, and I didn’t get her last name. So sorry about that.” Then he turned to Maria, “Maria, this is Miss Lulu, and Lulu my dear, this lovely latino lady is Maria. My niece’s traveling companion, and a friend of the family.”

  Lulu could only nod, and wonder just how much of a friend of the family was this Maria person.

  Then Claude continued, “Also allow me to introduce myself, being as we have not been formally introduced either. I am Claude Beckford.”

  Lulu was saved from answering, by the appearance of the waitress to take their orders, and Claude ordered a full dinner for each and all of them. He also told the waitress to immediately bring the teapot and three more cups. He missed his evening tea lately, and had begun drinking coffee since arriving in America. He liked the stuff, but a spot of tea would taste good for a change, and Olivia and Maria agreed, though Maria offered information on the benefits of ‘sun tea’, which they made a lot of in the southwest, but mainly in Mexico. Without being asked, she began explaining to Lulu how to make the cooling drink. By the time she’d finished with the lengthy recipe, she then began to inform Lulu how to make enchiladas, tacos, tortillas, green corn tamales, just about every kind of rice and bean dish that was ever prepared in Mexico. By the time she’d finished with explaining all the tasty recipes from Mexico, their meal had arrived, and then between bites, Maria continued to ‘entertain’ Lulu with how to make the full decorative skirts that the latino ladies wore. She explained exactly how many yards she would need of yard goods, along with the measurements of each tier that would be gathered and sewed together.

  As Maria talked to Lulu, nonstop during the meal, keeping all her attention, and smiling the whole time, Claude and Olivia kept up their own conversation about their journey thus far, appearing not to even notice that Maria was indeed keeping Lulu entertained.

  When dessert, slices of delicious pecan pie, arrived, Maria explained just how a variation of the same tasty treat is created in Mexico. She recited the whole recipe, over again three times, to make sure that Lulu could ‘remember’ the exact ingredients. Olivia had to bite her tongue several times, to keep from laughing at the twinkle in Claude’s eyes. Her uncle was enjoying the lady’s discomfort. She hadn’t realized that her normally kindhearted uncle was so ornery, though she really needed to speak with Maria about her overly enthusiastic treatment of their dinner guest. Recipes! Indeed!

  The meal was finished, and Claude was the first to stand, interrupting right in the middle of one of Maria’s recipes. He smiled down at Lulu, and said, “Now, if you will excuse us, my dear, I must escort these two ladies to their rooms. It has been a long trip, and I know they are rather weary.”

  Lulu started to bat her eyelashes in one last attempt, but thought better of it, so she just said, “Oh, are you going to retire too, Claude? The evening is so young.”

  “Maybe for you, I’m not sure how far you have traveled, but we came all the way from New York.” He said, as he assisted Olivia from her chair, then Maria stood as well, though she was still attempting to tell Lulu of yet another recipe, one for Spanish frijoles.

  Lulu hesitated before standing, though Claude hadn’t gone near her to give assistance. Suddenly she realized what he had just said. “Did I hear you to say that you are from way up there in New York?”

  “That’s where we have traveled from.” He looked her right in the eye.

  “I thought……..I thought you had a ranch. They don’t have ranches in New York, do they?”

  “Haven’t seen any.” Claude stated a fact. “
I saw a few farms there though.”

  “Oh.” She looked sullen and uncomfortable. “I thought you were a rancher.”

  “I own a small ranch somewhere, but that doesn’t make me a rancher. I never claimed to be one. You must have heard me mention the small ranch, while we were on the stagecoach. I have never even seen the place.” He stated in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. The fact that it was a small place was just a little bit of a fib. A stretch of the imagination. Claude knew it was a large working ranch, and Olivia innocently smiled at this fact, as she had heard her uncle mention how huge the spread was many a time.

  Although Olivia was choking with repressed laughter, she did feel a slight tinge of pity for the woman. Maybe it had been love at first sight. Her uncle was a very handsome man. Olivia didn’t for one moment believe that though, but it was just a thought.

  Maria kept a straight face, as she turned to Lulu and said, “If you need to learn any more about south-of-the-border cooking, just call on me, Señora. I would be so very pleased to assist you once more, in learning this way of cooking delicious meals. Your husband would be so very pleased. Oh, wait a moment; you aren’t married, are you not?” Lulu did not answer, so Maria continued, “I cannot remember when I have enjoyed a meal so much. It was so nice seeing you again, and formally meeting you this time.” With that she turned, and carefully laid her hand on one of Claude’s arms, and Olivia took the other. They would protect Lord Beckford with their lives, though that probably wouldn’t be necessary after tonight.

  Olivia waved an overly sweet goodbye to Lulu. She was secretly glad when Maria finally stopped talking, as the woman had more than made her point. Claude graciously bid the brazen Lulu a pleasant goodbye. He felt they probably would not be seeing her any time in the near future. Hopefully she would go on to greener pastures, though you never knew. Some people just never give up. Time would tell. Meanwhile Claude paid the waitress for all four meals, giving her a very generous extra amount for her good service, and he, along with Olivia and Maria, left the restaurant and headed for the stairway. They could feel the looks they were getting from Lulu as they left.

  Back in her room, after bidding Maria goodnight, and informing her traveling companion, and assistant, that she had been just a bit overly helpful during the meal, and they had both snickered at that thought, and Maria had gone to her own room, to await her husband, Ricardo’s, return, from his ‘night out’ with Logan, Olivia began reading the two missives from her brother, Garth. Her uncle had told her that he would talk to her about what Garth had written in the morning.

  CHAPTER 9

  It was after midnight when Ricardo tapped lightly on the door of his and Maria’s hotel room, at the far end of the upstairs hallway, after he had first made sure that no one had followed him. Clad in her nightgown, with a light shawl thrown over her shoulders, she opened the door, then, after Ricardo had stepped inside, Maria immediately sniffed, then looked him over very closely, before accepting his kiss.

  “Why are you checking me over like that, my love?” He grinned, then, “You know that I would carry no woman’s essence other than yours. I was with Logan at the three saloons in town, and he will agree that I was the picture of loyalty to my wife. Now Logan, he is another story. The señoritas and señoras alike would not let him be. He would literally charm the rouge from their lips. But I, no, I saved all of my many charms for you, my lovely Maria.”

  “Ha!” Maria laughed, “The charm, no? It oozes from the pores of your skin, like sweat. There is no control over that. But as long as you come home to me, I suppose this evening was for a good cause.” She became serious then. “Just what did keep you so long, my husband? Did you and Logan find out anything about Lord Beckford’s rancho, the Triple-B?”

  “Your caballero husband just may be a working man, as of mañana, so let us get some rest, as I will need to arise early, probably pull Logan’s weak bones out of the proverbial sack also. The poor gringo is not used to the strong tequila, and no doubt will be feeling a bit poorly about this time.” He laughed heartily at that thought.

  After Ricardo had gone on ahead to the Coyote Springs hotel, Logan made a believable showing of a drunken swagger, as he slowly made his way across the darkened dirt road towards the picturesque two-story building, with its various flowering pots of geraniums hugging the walkway edges, along with red verbena plants and yellow African daisies fighting for growing space throughout the small yard.

  The spreading branches of a nearby mesquite tree threw a dark moonlit shadow across the entrance, as Logan opened the door, then entered the hotel lobby. Seeing that the desk clerk was not on duty at that time, Logan quickly ascended the stairs, taking two at a time, then checked the upstairs hallway, and tapped lightly on Lord Beckford’s door, which was the next room just past his own.

  “It’s me….Logan. Claude, are you still up?” He said, in a low voice, after being asked who it was at the door. Then when the door was opened, Logan stepped into the small room, then, shutting the door, he nodded at the older Englishman.

  “I waited up for you, Logan, as I had told you I would.” Lord Beckford clasped Logan’s hand, motioned him to take a seat on the upholstered chair next to a small round table, and asked, “Did you find out anything useful to us?”

  Logan grinned, “Ricardo and I just may be hired on as hands at the Triple-B in the morning. That is, if I can sober up in time to ride out there.”

  “Well, you must have put on quite a show then.” Claude chuckled quietly, then raised an eyebrow, “Sober up? You? Well, that was the game you played, right young chap?” At Logan’s nod, he continued with his questions, “Just who did you and Ricardo run into in those saloons tonight?”

  Logan muffled a yawn, as he leaned back in the high-backed chair before answering. “Sorry about that, Claude, it’s been a long day……..and night. That stuff that Ricardo drinks like it was water, well, that goes a long ways. Tequila…… though you have probably never heard of it. Let me warn you now, if you are ever offered a snifter of it……don’t take it.”

  Lord Beckford chuckled at Logan’s statement, then, “Well? Was it worth it?”

  “Ricardo and I ended up in a dive called ‘Hank’s Red Eye Saloon’. Of course we pretended to have just met as we stood at the bar. I bought him a drink, and then he procured a bottle. We ended up sitting at a table near a group of fellas who were playin’ cards. I acted like I’d been drinkin’ a lot, but after a few swigs of that strong stuff Ricardo swears by, I really did feel a buzz coming on. Not so much though as I put on.” Logan stifled another yawn, and Beckford told him, “Maybe you should turn in for the night Logan, my boy. Can’t handle the stuff any more, can you?” He had seen that the young man was having trouble staying awake.

  “No, sorry. I haven’t had a drink of alcohol for over eight years, and over at Hank’s place, it had gotten to the point that I almost didn’t have to pretend any more.” Logan laughed. “I don’t believe I’ll be a steady customer of Hank’s, that’s for sure. I do need to finish telling you what we learned tonight though. Ricardo and me, well, we, as I said, were sitting near a table where the ‘ramrod’ of the outfit, the foreman that is, and three of the hands were sitting, engaged in a friendly game of cards. The spread they work for is the ‘Triple-B’. Sound familiar?”

  At Claude’s interested nod, Logan continued, “The foreman’s name is Jinx Holderman, and I wouldn’t bet on his being the ‘straightest’ pretzel in the jar. In other words, he doesn’t appear to be that upstanding of a citizen. Tough hombre, and mean looking. He didn’t bother to introduce the other three men, but my bet is that they’re just honest hands anyway. The ranch needs a few extra hands for roundup soon. There’s also some mustangs that need to be broke to the saddle. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that kind of ridin’ but this must be my lucky week, as we told Holderman that we’d be there in the morning.”

  Lord Beckford was thoughtful a moment, then said, “Be careful Logan, and tell Ricardo the
same for him too. No holding of mine would be worth the loss of either one of you boys.” At Logan’s nod, he continued, “Anyway, try to get back here in a few days. You shouldn’t need more than two or three days at the most, to find out what we need to know. The main thing is to find out if there is someone on the property who is pretending to be the owner, and if they are living in the house, which is supposed to be kept up by a housekeeper only. I’ll know what to do about the situation as soon as you two report back to me. It could be that they have quite a little scheme going here, and never dreamed that I would travel all the way from England to view my property. The attorney has been sending me monthly reports, but they could have two sets of records too. He has never mentioned anything about any cattle sales either. I didn’t think to bring my deed with, as it’s locked up in a safe back in London. Didn’t think I’d need it, and it would take weeks to have it sent here.”

  He put his hand on Logan’s shoulder, and then continued, “You get some rest, young man. And as I have said, I’ll stay here with my niece and Maria until you and Ricardo return. Make up some kind of an excuse as to why you aren’t staying on, but get back here. Oh, and don’t break your fool neck while riding those mustangs.”