They retired to the bedroom and closed the door. Anyone trying to spy would have heard moans, sighs and the occasional giggle coming from the room.
* * *
Trace, Clint and Rance set out for Trace’s Rocking A ranch before sunup the next morning. They rode cross country at a trot, without any conversation.
When they arrived and took care of their horses, they went to the well house and filled their canteens with some cool water. Trace told them about the burning of the old house and rebuilding of the stone building in which they were now standing.
Rance said, “This is really nice. Were you living here before you married Miss Sarah?”
“Yeah. While I was rebuilding, I lived in the barn. A lot of people from the church helped me. I gathered all of the stone.
The well has good water. We own two sections. Our land buts up to the Nueces River so we have plenty of water. At the last count, I had about 100 head of cattle so it’s not overgrazed. It’s good land. That’s probably why Jess Clayton wants it.”
“Rance, what do you think? Could you live here?”
“Yes sir, we sure could.”
“Here’s the deal. You stay here, keep the place up, take care of the cattle until we merge them into the main herd. After that, you can run your own cattle. While you are taking are of our cattle, we’ll pay you $50 and found.
Clint, do you think that’s fair? It’s more than we pay the hands at the main ranch, but out here, he’s going to have more responsibility.”
“I think it’s more than fair. What about you Rance, what do you think?”
“Yes sir. I think it’s good. When can we start?”
“You just did. You can move in anytime you want. Tomorrow if you want.”
“Darcy is going to love this. It’s the nicest place we’ve ever lived.”
His enthusiasm was almost touchable. Trace smiled at Clint, who said, “Thank you. He’s a good kid and he’ll do a good job for you.”
“I’m going to go through Cimmaron on the way back. I need to see Jess Clayton and the sheriff .
* * *
Trace was heading towards Cimmaron at a nice easy trot when a shot rang out, the sound echoing off the rocks. He didn’t hear the echo because the blow of the bullet knocked him from the saddle and he fell to the ground. He lay still. Bleeding.
His horse, like any well trained animal when there was no grip or restraint on the reins, headed for home and food.
* * *
Josh came into the kitchen. “Ma, where’s Pa?”
“He went to the other ranch with Mr. Clint and his nephew.”
“They’re back.”
“Why don’t you go find him?”
They took off at their usual pace, a dead run. “Mr. Clint, where’s Pa?” asked Josh.
“He was coming back through Cimmaron. He wanted to see some people.”
“His horse is in the barn. He still has his saddle on.”
“I better take a look, he wouldn’t leave his horse saddled unless he was getting ready to ride him. You boys go tell your ma.”
Clint walked into the barn, and found the boys were right. Trace’s horse was there, eating grain. “Now ain’t that strange?”
Sarah came hurrying out to the barn. “Clint, has something happened? Where’s Trace? Didn’t he come back with you and Rance?”
“No, we came back cross country because it’s quicker. He wanted to go through Cimmaron and see Jess Clayton and the sheriff.”
“We’d better backtrack to Cimmaron and see if he’s all right. Let me get my bonnet and we’ll take the buckboard. The housekeeper will look after the boys.”
“Sarah, there’s no need for you to go. I’ll get a few of the hands and we’ll go back and find him. He’s probably running late with the meetings and all.”
“Then his horse wouldn’t be here. I’m going. Why don’t you send a couple of men on ahead and we’ll follow.”
“Yes ma’am.”
When the buckboard rolled into Cimmaron they were met by Clint and the other hand. There’s no trace of him being here, Miss Sarah. The sheriff hasn’t seen him. I didn’t ask Jess Clayton.
Come with me and I’ll ask him and then I’ll go to the preacher’s. Then we’ll head toward the other ranch.”
Sarah and Clint went to Jess Clayton’s office. He was at his desk facing his door rather than the window. “I’m Sarah Atkins, formerly Bartlett. Mr. Clayton. I’m looking for my husband, Trace.”
“He’s not here and I haven’t seen him. If you can’t keep up with him, don’t expect me to do the job for you. He’s probably at the saloon upstairs with one of the whores. ” His two men in the office laughed along with him. Sarah didn’t.
“Jess Clayton, apparently my name doesn’t mean anything to you. We own the Bar S. If anything has happened to Trace, I will muster every resource the Bar S and the Kleburne ranches have and come after you. Believe me, you won’t survive it.”
“What do the Kleburnes have to do with this,” asked a now intimidated Clayton.
“My father is a Kleburne. Let’s go find my husband, Clint.
“I haven’t seen your husband,” protested Clayton.
“If anything has happened I hold you responsible.”
Sarah and Clint left the office. I’m going to the preacher’s. You and one of the boys go on out toward the Rocking A. I’ll be along in a few minutes.”
* * *
At the preacher’s she heard what she expected. They hadn’t seen or heard from Trace either, leaving only the route to the Rocking A to be followed. She and the cowboy left by Clint set out in that direction knowing Clint was ahead. They encountered no riders until they met Clint, who was headed back to town, riding fast. It took a second glance to see he had someone tied in back of him.
“I found him in the road about a mile ahead. He’s been shot but he’s alive and has lost a lot of blood. We have to get him to the doctor.
They loaded him on the buckboard. Sarah checked him and he had a wound in his lower abdomen, below the ribs. His face and arms were burned from the sun. His forehead felt hot to the touch. Sarah tore a piece from her petticoat and poured water on it from one of the canteens they had brought. She put this on his head. Next she elevated his head and gave him sips of water. The cowboy had taken the whip to the horses to get them to go faster.
Sarah called out to the men standing around looking, “Someone help us get him into the doctor’s office, please. He’s been shot.”
Two cowboys came to the buckboard and lifted Trace out and carried him into the doctor's office. The doctor was a relatively young man and was new in town. Cimmaron was fortunate to have him since he was schooled in the use of anesthetics.
He rolled Trace over and checked. He could find no exit wound. “The bullet is still in there and it has to come out. I will put him to sleep and remove the bullet and also see if there is other damage.” He sterilized the wound area with carbolic acid and put a cloth wet with chloroform over his nose and mouth and soon he was asleep. The doctor made a small cut in the flesh to widen the area and saw the bullet, which he promptly removed. “He’ll wake up and I’ll give him laudanum to reduce his pain. I’ll keep him here where I can keep an eye on him for a few days. He’s going to have to be monitored for a while to make sure it heals properly and does not get infected.”
Trace had an uneventful recovery, having moved from the doctor’s office into a bedroom in the preacher’s house.
Sarah had gone to see the sheriff. “Sheriff, what are you going to do about Jess Clayton ambushing Trace? He nearly killed him and this is twice he’s tried.”
“Now Miss Sarah, I’ve talked with Clayton and he had witnesses that he never left town.”
“Did you check his men. I’ll bet some of them left town.”
“I can’t do anything without proof, Miss Sarah.”
“Well, I have all the proof I need. If there is anything else done to the Rocking A or to my husband, the Bar S
and the Kleburnes will handle it.”
“Now I won’t stand for vigilantes in my town.”
“Look around, Sheriff. How much does this town depend on the Kleburnes and the Bar S for their business. Compare that to how much Jess Clayton contributes. You better pick a side and you’d better pick the right one. If we have to go after Clayton, and we will, you don’t want to be in the middle.”
She turned and left the sheriff pondering his dilemma while she headed to the preacher’s house.
When she got there, the preacher was excited. He had received an answer to the telegram he had sent shortly after the first attack on Trace and the Rocking A. The telegram told him the San Antonio and Mexican Railway was going to extend a line from San Antonio to Corpus Christi and pass right through the Rocking A. They were ready to begin acquisition of the right-of-way. Finally, here was the reason for Jess Clayton’s interest in the Rocking A.
Trace was up and about now but was still weak. He and Sarah, who had been going back and forth to the Bar S walked over to Jess Clayton’s office. Trace said, “As you can see Clayton, your latest try failed. We know about the railroad coming through and about your little scheme. There is no Rocking A any more. It is now part of the Bar S.
Sarah, who had been silent up until now said, “The Bar S does not sell land. We never have and never will. If there is anymore trouble, and I mean anymore, you better not be around when we come for you, and we will come. Come on Trace, let’s go home. The boys are having conniptions from wanting to see you.”
“Have a good day, Mr. Clayton,” Trace said in parting.
Chapter 7 A New Member Of The Family
“Pa, come quick, Ma’s sick.”
“Where is she?”
“She’s on the back porch throwing up.”
Hurrying out the back door, Trace said, “Honey, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. When I started fixing the eggs, I had the sudden urge to throw up. I almost didn’t make it out of the kitchen.”
“Is this the first time?”
“No, it’s happened several times this week.”
“When you feel better, I’m going to take you into town to the doctor.”
“No, I’ll be all right. I’ll go sit down.”
Sure enough, in a few minutes, she was okay and had no further problems that day.
The next morning, the same thing happened as soon as she sat down to eat breakfast. “Honey, are you sure you don’t want to go to the doctor?”
“I’m sure.”
Trace went out to help with the cattle. When he came in for lunch, Sarah was fine.
Sarah said, “Honey, I need to talk to you.”
They went into the living room. Trace sat on the couch, Sarah came over and sat on his lap. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a big sloppy wet kiss. “What was that for? “ Trace asked.”
“You remember telling me you always wanted to be a papa?”
“Yes, and now I am one, thanks to you and Thomas and Josh.”
“Well, there’s going to be another one.”
“You mean someone is coming to live with us?”
“You might say that.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’re going to be a papa again. I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant. I was looking at the calendar. I’m never late. You could set the clock by me. Well, I’m late by five days. That would explain my upset stomach every morning.”
“We’re going to have a baby?”
“We are.”
“Listen, I don’t want you doing anything. I’ll get another girl to help out.”
“Trace, I’m fine; I’m healthy. Don’t forget, I’ve been through this twice already.”
“Well, I haven’t and I want you to take care of yourself. I don’t want anything happening to you.”
“There is something you can do for me.”
“You name it.”
She gave him a mind blowing smile and said, “Take me to bed and make love to me.”
“Are you sure that will be all right? I mean it won’t hurt the baby or anything will it?”
“It’ll be all right. It’ll be too bad for you if you don’t.”
“Well, in that case…” He scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom. He closed the door and turned to see another of her big smiles.
“I might need your help getting my clothes off,” she said.
He obliged her. Soon she was standing in front of him, totally naked. He took his clothes off and took her to bed.
He kissed her cheeks, the tender spot on her neck and then full on the lips. He massaged her beautiful breasts and kissed each of them tenderly. He then kissed his way to the opening of her inner self.
“Trace, do you remember the spot you touched and said you would remember it? Do you think you could find it again.” With his fingers, he began probing, moving around inside her. “You’re getting close. Oh… Ohhh… That’s it. Stay right there.” A moan from deep within escaped her tight lips and then she lost it. Twisting, writhing, thrusting, and moaning, she went to the top and back down again. “Ahhhh… that was out of this world. Now it’s your turn.”
He was teasing her with the tip of his shaft, when all of a sudden she grabbed it and guided it home. She began undulating her hips to meet him. She felt him tense and knew he was approaching. She tightened her muscles to tighten around him, his thrusts became quicker and quicker. Deeper and deeper. He shuddered. He began pumping, emptying himself within her. All at once he was spent. He rolled off her and lay back with a contented sigh. He pulled her over to him until she was almost on top of him. She had one leg resting between his legs and the other outside. He had his arms around her. Her breasts were pressed against his chest.
“Ohhhhh… This feels so good. I love the feeling of your body against mine. I feel so loved and safe when I’m here,” she said.
“You are safe and loved. There are no words that can describe how much I love you.”
“Try,” she said.
“Try what?”
“Try to find some to tell me.”
“I can’t find any, but I can show you.”
“Okay.”
He began kissing her. Deeply. Passionately. Lovingly. “If you went to the end of the world, the bounds of my love for you would still be beyond you. If you took all the love in the world and doubled it, that still wouldn’t be as much as I love you.”
“Nice job, cowboy. Nice job. Now get up. I’m going to take a nap and then I’ll be out.”
“Okay. I know when I’m not wanted.”
“Not wanted. You come back here and I’ll show you how much you’re wanted.”
He did and she did.
* * *
In her previous two pregnancies, Sarah had used the services of a midwife and planned to do the same again. It was too early for her to show a bump but she visited the midwife to make sure she was still active. The midwife told her she was fine and told her when she should come back.
* * *
Sarah began showing a baby bump when she was about four months pregnant. When they were in bed, Trace liked to rub the bump. About a month later, as they were preparing to go to sleep, she took his hand and guided it over her belly. She asked, “Feel that?”
“Yes, what was it?”
“That was your baby son or daughter stretching.”
“You’re kidding?”
“No kidding.”
He held it there, wanting to feel the movement again. As a rancher, he had seen and helped many calves come into the world. This was different. This was his daughter. He was convinced it was a girl. He already had two sons, now he wanted a daughter. For the rest of the pregnancy, while in bed, he would ask Sarah to bare her belly and he would lay there, propped up on an elbow and watch for movement.
Despite Sarah’s protestations to the contrary, he continued with the fear that he might hurt her or harm the baby during their lovemaking, which was also becoming less freq
uent for the same reason. He reduced the vigor of his efforts because of the worry. Sarah decided enough was enough.
“Trace, we need to talk,” she said one evening while they were in bed, after another restrained lovemaking event.
“What is it, honey?”
“Do you love me less than you did before I got pregnant?”
“Of course not. I love you more everyday.”
“Then are you holding back when we make love?”
“I’m not holding back.”
You are too. I know why. It just isn’t necessary yet. I really enjoyed the way you were before.”
“I just don’t want to hurt you or the baby,” he said.
“You won’t. I’ll tell you when we need to be careful. Deal?”
“Okay. Deal. But, you promise to tell me?”
“I promise. Do you remember that spot?”
“I do. Want me to look for it again?”
“Yes, would you please?”
He reached for her and kissed her deeply while he rubbed the nipple of one of her now fuller breasts. He kissed her tender neck and then kissed the breast, taking it into his mouth. “Okay, I’ll start looking for it now and began kissing his way toward the source of heat coming from her body.
When he reached his destination, he put his face near the entrance. He parted her with his fingers and put his face over the entrance guarded by the silky dark hair. He pulled back. “Honey, I don’t see it. I’ll have to take a closer look. He put his face back and slipped his tongue inside and began moving it and his fingers around.
He could feel her tense as her passion built and pushed her toward climax. He retracted his tongue, then began running it around her clitoris. She went over the edge, moaning as her passion took over. Heaving and pushing, thrusting and pushing she continued the climb to the summit. With a loud cry, she gave in completely. The feeling slowly subsided, he continued to move his fingers inside her, one finger slowly rubbing its way backwards, and hitting the exact right spot. She began anew. “Ahhh… Ahhh… Ahhhhhhhhhhhh… She was reduced to a limber, whimpering mass of woman. That was wonderful, she gasped. That’s what I’m talking about.
She kissed him passionately, tasting herself on his tongue. A different, sweet kind of taste. She took him in hand and guided him into her vault, undulating her hips as she did so. She pulled him inside. He began slowly, wanting to prolong the feeling of moist heat. The pace of his thrusts increased. Sarah matched the pace, increasing her pace also. “I’m close, I’m close,” she said.
The Lonely Cowboy (Trace Atkins Family) Page 4