by Kit Morgan
“Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!” Oscar quickly picked Eli up like he was a rag doll and carried him to the sofa near the fireplace just as Anson – who must have heard the whole thing – came running into the room. “Anson, fetch some water, then get Ma. He needs doctorin’.”
“But what ‘bout Emeline?”
“We ain’t gonna find out ‘bout Emeline if we cain’t bring Eli ‘round. Now git!”
Anson spun, tripped, righted himself and ran outside to the pump. He was back in a minute with a cup of water, then raced upstairs, and soon everyone was gathered around Eli’s limp form.
“What th’Sam Hill’s goin’ on?” Ma asked, then saw the cut on Eli’s forehead and turned to Henry. “Get m’doctorin’ bag.”
“Right away, Ma!” Henry was off like a shot into the kitchen.
“He looks like he’s been running through the woods,” Sadie said as she examined him. “But what’s he doing here?”
Henry returned with Ma’s bag and set it on a small table near the sofa. Ma opened it and dug through the contents. Sadie and Lily watched in fascination as she quickly cleaned and bandaged Eli Turner’s head. “Is he alone?” Henry asked.
“Good question,” Ma said. “Oscar, best y’have a look ‘round.”
“Right.” He headed for the door, shotgun in hand.
“I’m coming with you,” Lily called after him.
“Not unless yer a crack shot, ya ain’t. Stay here.”
“But what if something happens?” She pressed her lips together in defiance.
He almost laughed, not because she was angry (though she was) or being ridiculous (though, again, she was), but because she looked so adorable. “Nothin’s gonna happen, but even if it does, I don’t want it happenin’ to you – I’d never forgive myself. Now stay here.” He went outside.
As he descended the porch stairs, Sadie’s question echoed in his mind: what in tarnation was Eli Turner doing way out here? And what had he said about his sister – that someone had Emeline? Were there outlaws in the area? Had she been abducted? Great Scott, what would he do then? If someone had taken the girl, they’d have to go look for her, but Sheriff Hughes would be in charge of that – where was he? Had outlaws struck Clear Creek and abducted her from there? Was Eli part of a posse?
Too many questions, and no answers yet. He hated that.
Oscar checked the perimeter of the house and barn, but nothing was disturbed. Other than the stock wanting to be fed and the cows needing a good milking, things were fine. Nothing seemed to be stirring in the near woods either. He quickly returned to the house to find Eli sitting up, dark hazel eyes blinking, looking utterly disoriented.
“He got quite a bump on his head,” Ma said. “Best we take ‘im upstairs ‘n put ‘im in one o’ th’guest rooms. He’ll rest better there.”
“We will in a minute Ma,” Oscar said. “Can he talk?”
“Course I can,” Eli snapped. He glanced around the room, still weaving a bit. “Whoa, them varmints got me good.”
“What happened?” Oscar asked.
“Some men came through town. They looked familiar – I think they stayed at the hotel in the last month or so, but I cain’t remember. I’m not one to go for tea every day, but Emeline did. Maybe they got a look at her and liked what they saw, I ain’t sure. Mr. Van Cleet said he watched them leave town, but what brought them back … and …” Eli’s eyes rolled up and he crumpled back onto the sofa.
“Now’s as a good time as any t’take him upstairs, Oscar,” Ma advised.
“All right, Ma,” Oscar said. “But when he comes to again, I gotta find out what happened. If there are outlaws ‘round here we need to take precautions – and we need to go after Emeline.”
“Percautions never hurt nothin’, but nobody’s goin’ nowhere ‘til we find out what’s up,” Ma said. “‘Zat clear, Anson?”
Anson glowered. “Yes, ma’am. But anyone harms even a hair on her head, I’m gonna …”
“Keep yerself in check,” Oscar boomed. “Don’t let that hot head of yers get in the way.”
Lily and Sadie exchanged a look. Neither of them had seen or heard of Anson acting hotheaded before. Apparently they didn’t know him as well as they thought.
Oscar carried Eli upstairs to a guest room and laid him on the bed. “Concussion, must be.”
Lily entered the room. “What can we do?” she asked.
“None of us can do anythin’ ‘til he comes to again,” Oscar said. “And when he does, Ma always tries to keep someone with this kind of injury awake.” He looked at her and at Sadie, who’d just joined them. “That’ll be yer job.”
They nodded without question.
Oscar put his hands on his hips and glared at the floor. What a day this was turning out to be. And they hadn’t even eaten breakfast yet.
Chapter 15
“Then what happened?” Ma asked.
Eli gingerly touched the bump on his head and winced. “If ya ask me, I think they musta overheard somethin’ ‘bout Oscar’s weddin’ present from the Cookes …”
“What?” Sadie said in shock. “But they discussed that with Oscar well over a month ago, on his wedding day! How could they … wait. You said they looked familiar?”
“I’m sure I’ve seen them ‘round town before, Mrs. Cooke,” Eli said.
“Cyrus did have a group of men stay at the hotel about that time,” Sadie said. “But would they have waited that long just to get their hands on a measly eight cattle?”
“Beggin’ yer pardon, Mrs. Cooke,” Eli said. “But ‘a measly eight cattle’ could mean food for a whole winter for some folks.”
“I’m sure it would,” Lily agreed. “You’d be surprised what suddenly becomes valuable during hard times. But what I don’t understand is what happened to Emeline.”
“Well, to tell ya the truth, I ain’t sure.”
“Wha’d’y’mean yer not sure?” Ma asked. “When’d y’last see ‘er?”
Eli repositioned himself on the bed to better look at her. “Emeline kept … now please don’t take this wrong, Mrs. White …”
“Go on.”
“She kept goin’ on ‘bout this letter yer son Anson sent, frettin’ over it and frettin’ over it. Even wrote him back a few times, but she’d always crumple up them letters, throw ‘em away and start new ones.”
“She did?” Lily said in surprise, glanced at the others and quickly calmed herself.
“You don’t think she was on her way here, do you?” Sadie said.
“I hate to say it, but I think so,” Eli said.
Sadie began to pace the room. “Now let’s not panic until we have this figured out. Logan is supposed to arrive with the cattle today or tomorrow.”
“And if them varmints that took my sister are after them, they’d be ‘round here too.”
“And that’s why you’re here?” Lily asked.
“Yep. I figger Emeline might’ve decided to try answerin’ Anson’s letter in person. Or maybe she just wanted to see what it’s like to ride in this direction. I know that sounds silly, but that’d be Emeline. She’s kind of a dreamer sometimes.”
“You mean she’d saddle a horse and take off for the day, alone, just to … look around?!” Lily asked, aghast.
Eli nodded sagely. “On the surface my sister’s one of the most practical gals ya ever did see. But once in a while she gets these notions in her head …”
“So th’men who might be after the Cookes’ cattle might’ve run ‘cross her ‘n took her with ‘em?” Ma asked.
“That’s what I think,” Eli said. “After all, Emeline’s not one to let herself get abducted. In fact, I’d feel sorry for the man fool enough to try.”
Sadie nodded. “Yes, that does sound like Emeline.” She looked at Ma. “When will Oscar and Anson be back?”
“Any time now,” Ma said. “Oscar’ll wanna make sure the stock’s okay ‘n check th’fences, but if those men’re after his weddin’ present, they’ll probably try’n t
ake ‘em well ‘fore they get here. This place’s too busy – too many folks here to stop ‘em.”
“Stop who?” Anson asked as he came back into the room. “All clear out there, Ma,” he added quickly, then turned to Eli. “What are ya talking about? Where’s Emeline?”
“Calm down, son,” Ma advised. “We’ve got this figured out. Now we need to decide on what to do next.”
“What happened?” Anson asked again in agitation.
“I’ll tell him.” Lily took Anson by the shoulders and turned him to face her. “It seems Emeline was unable to determine what to do about your letter,” she told him calmly. “She was apparently quite emotional –”
Anson’s eyebrows shot skyward. “What do you mean?”
“Let me finish. It looks like she may have been riding this way to talk to you, but was waylaid. Perhaps – and this is only our best guess, but perhaps – by a group that found out about the cattle the Cookes are sending here. Some men may have overheard the Cookes talking with Oscar about it and were lying in wait when Emeline stumbled across them. That’s the way it looks right now.”
Anson took a few seconds to digest that, then turned to Eli. “Ya saw her with these men?”
Eli shook his head, and wished he hadn’t. “Mmph. I was trackin’ her horse, picked up the trail of a half-dozen riders I figger must’ve caught up to her, and tracked the lot to ‘bout a few hours ride from here. At least I think it was a few hours ride – somebody hit me on the head with somethin’, so I don’t got a good sense of where I was. Took my horse too. When I came to, I knew I needed help, and this was the closest place, so …” He began to sway.
“We’d best let ‘im rest a li’l,” Ma said. “Anson, where’s Oscar?”
“Checkin’ the barn again.”
“He’ll be back soon, then,” his mother said. “‘N fer Heaven’s sake, where’s Henry?”
“Downstairs guardin’ the front door,” Anson said. “Why?”
Ma rolled her one good eye and shook her head. “Well, least he’s doin’ his duty – better’n starin’ out at th’road. All right, ever’one back downstairs so we can decide what t’do.” She laid Eli back down, then shooed everyone else out the door and into the hall.
Lily hung back a moment. “Mr. Turner, er … may I call you Eli?”
“Sure.” He settled himself against the pillows.
“Are you hungry?”
“I was ‘til I got hit on the head. Now not so much.”
“I’ll check on you later. You get some rest.”
“Mrs. White?”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t wanna say this in front of Anson, but … I think Emeline’s kinda sweet on him too. But he’s so far away, ya know?”
She nodded with a sigh. “Yes, I know. You rest.”
“Someone needs to warn Logan,” Sadie said.
“Agreed,” said Oscar. “I’ll go.”
“Not this time,” Anson said. “I’ll do it.”
“And get yerself killed?” Oscar countered.
“But I’m the best shot!” Anson argued. “And I know yer worried I’ll do somethin’ foolish if ya find Emeline, so I’m puttin’ myself someplace else.”
“Both true. But they’re also why ya need to stay here with Henry and protect the family.”
Anson was about to retort, but snapped his mouth shut and looked at his mother.
“He’s right,” his mother said. “I’d feel safer if ya stayed with us.”
“Don’t worry, Ma,” Henry said. “Anson and I’ll make sure nothin’ happens to ya.”
She smiled at her sons. “I know.”
“Then it’s settled,” Oscar said. “I’ll find Logan and escort him back here.”
“But what about Emeline?” Anson asked. “Who knows what those scoundrels have done to her by now!”
“If they have her,” Oscar pointed out. “Remember, her brother never actually saw her with them, only that a group of horses had caught up to another horse.”
“I don’t know,” Henry said. “Willie told me Eli Turner’s a real good tracker.”
Sadie nodded. “He is good – he’s tracked quite a few times for Sheriff Hughes before.”
Oscar thought a moment. “Well, as I see it, there’s only one way to catch these men, provided there are any to catch. That’s to lure them out with the Cookes’ cattle if that’s what they’re really after.”
“But Emeline!” Anson pleaded.
“And what if they show up here?” Oscar asked. “And poor Henry’s left to defend the womenfolk on his own?”
Anson bit his lower lip, probably to keep his mouth shut. It didn’t work. “Dagnabit, Oscar! What makes ya think ya can handle six outlaws by yerself?”
Oscar smiled. “Pure size, intimidation and a couple rifles.”
“Yeehaw!” Henry whooped. “My brother’s gonna pound some heads!”
“Th’only poundin’ he needs to do is t’fix th’loose shingles on th’roof,” Ma said. “‘Member, Oscar, Eli said there were six o’em. There’s only one o’ya, two if ya count Logan, ‘n I don’t like them odds.” She turned to Anson. “Son, I know yer sweet on this gal, but we dunno where she is or if these men got ‘er. Wisest thing t’do is warn Mr. Kincaid, as he’s standin’ ‘tween them outlaws and the cows. Let’s face it, if they want th’cattle bad ‘nough, they might kill fer ‘em.”
“Ma, ya cain’t expect me to stand by and let …”
“I can ‘spect ya to do as I say, long as yer under my roof, son,” Ma said in a voice that allowed no argument. “Now we’re gonna get t’Logan first – then ya got yer outlaws. Then ya can ask ‘em ‘bout Emeline.”
Anson stiffened, closed his eyes, but finally nodded in surrender. “Yes, Ma.”
Sadie touched his. “Your mother’s right. You could spend hours or days trying to find these men. Let them come to you, or to Oscar and Logan. They’ll have a much better chance of locating Emeline if they’re able to interrogate one of them.”
“But what are they gonna do to her?” Anson was almost weeping in frustration.
Ma put a hand on his other arm to calm him. “Rest easy, Anson, we’ll tend ‘er when we find ‘er. She’ll be in good hands. And women’re valuable in these parts – they ain’t gonna kill ‘er.”
Anson’s lip twitched. “If they hurt her … I’ll kill them. I’ll kill them all.”
Ma sighed again. “Anson Ezekiel White, ya’ll do no such thing! Last thing that poor girl needs is for ya t’go chargin’ in, guns blazin’ and puttin’ her in worse danger. Now you ‘n Henry go out ‘n do what needs doin’ t’get this place ready fer battle. Oscar’ll take care o’yer girl, y’know he will.”
Lily and Sadie stood off to one side watching this exchange, mouths flopped open like hooked fish. Battle?
Anson, though unhappy, took the hint. He smacked Henry on the arm and nodded at the front door. “C’mon, let’s go saddle Oscar’s horse.”
“I’ll get the rifles ready for ya, Oscar,” Henry said, then followed Anson out the door.
Oscar went straight to Lily and pulled her into his arms. “Don’t worry, Lily Fair. Everything’s gonna be all right.”
When he released her, she nodded and looked into his eyes. “I know. But please, please be careful.”
He gave her a light smile. “Always am.” He left the house to fetch his horse and a second rifle.
Lily paced the kitchen.
“Land sakes, chile,” Ma said as she put a batch of cookies in the oven, “stop that ‘fore y’wear out th’floor.”
“I’m sorry, Ma.” She leaned against the dry sink, her hands gripping the edge like a bird’s talons. “But this is just like when …”
“When what?” Sadie asked as she poured a bowl of cut-up potatoes into a hot pan. They sizzled and popped in the bacon grease.
“When the soldiers came. The war …”
Sadie looked at Ma, who wrung her hands in sympathy, then back to Lily. “Are you okay?”
Lily relaxed her grip. “Yes. This just brings back a lot of terrible memories.”
“I think I understand,” Sadie said. “Some of my father’s hands went to fight, on both sides. A lot of them never came back.”
Lily pressed her lips together and nodded. Both sides … for all she knew, some were in Sherman’s army that had ravaged and burned … she shook herself. No, she wasn’t going to think of such things, not now. She looked at Sadie, saw her sad expression and nodded slowly. “I’m sorry.”
“So were we.”
“‘Nough of this talk, y’two,” Ma said. “We got chores t’do, a patient t’take care of ‘n a couple hard-workin’ men that want breakfast.”
Lily and Sadie smiled and got back to work.
Soon breakfast was ready and the five people still in the house (aside from the sleeping Eli) sat at the table. Ma clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head. “Oh Lord, Ya know what’s what wi’this outlaw business, ‘n Ya know what’s happened to Emeline …”
Lily swore she could feel Anson stiffen in his chair across the table. He sure had it bad for Emeline Turner – she had no doubt he’d take a bullet for her. That made her think of Oscar - would he die to protect her, risk life and limb to keep her safe? Her heart warmed as she realize he was more or less doing that right now.
So what about her – would she do what was necessary if they were threatened? Would she give up her life to save his? She’d seen others do it during the war. She’d done it herself when she tried to save her mother in-law. How could she do any less for her husband? Why wouldn’t she do whatever she could to …
“Amen,” Ma concluded.
Lily couldn’t suppress her smile. … to save the man she loved?
By the time they’d finished breakfast, she was giddy with the realization that yes, yes, YES, she was in love with Oscar. And then some. She whipped through the rest of her morning chores in no time, despite the threat of outlaws hanging over them.
“What’s going on?” Sadie finally asked as they settled in to do laundry. “You seem awful happy for some reason.”
“I am,” she said.