by Caryl McAdoo
She rested her hand on her belly. If he’d give her a passel of young’uns, she wouldn’t need much more to be happy as a gopher in a hole. She found a right nice piece of dead fall. Dragging it back, she pictured him and her together.
It could work. Wasn’t as handsome as Bear Fang, or as passionate maybe, but who knew how he’d be if she could find just the right spot in his heart? The one the warrior had found in hers.
She wiped a tear from her cheek. Why’d he have to get his fool head blown off? If she’d of only knowed he was coming for her, she’d of slipped out and made her way to him.
Stupid Buffalo Hump, and the even more stupid President Houston for splitting families apart. She whacked the stick against a tree busting it in two, and put the smaller piece on the fire.
“Why you cry?” Charley stared.
“Oh, I was missing Bear Fang.” She said his name in Comanche.
The boy frowned then replied in the same tongue. “No good yap.”
She wanted to slap the little booger, but Bear Fang was a yap, not that there was anything wrong with gathering roots and herbs. Everyone liked meat, but you needed more than buffalo flesh to live on. She stared at the child and spoke again in the people’s tongue. “You didn’t know him. He was a great warrior.”
He held up a horny toad by its tail. “Me better.” He extended it. “Cook it?”
“I ain’t cooking no lizard. No.” She held her hands out and flipped them at him. “Go away and put that critter down ‘fore you hurt him.”
He shrugged, tossed it at her, and then ran. She dodged the reptile and batted it mid air away from the fire. Taking a step after him, she stopped and shook her head. Not worth the effort.
“You little rascal. Better be watching your back, I’m gonna get you for throwing that horned toad at me, ya hear?”
He ran and laughed. For sure all boy.
Once the fire blazed pert good, she got the beans to warming, then grained the mules, led them to water one at a time, and got their hobbles on. Halfway back to the wagon, the first mustang came into view leading a fair-sized herd; she hurried back to the wagon supporting her baby tummy.
Miss Sassy rode up on her mare. She sure seemed more comfortable bareback than Laura ever was.
“Hey, y’all done good. Gone and got yourselves a right-nice looking bunch there.”
The pretty lady slipped off. “Twelve not counting your mare.” She held her hands out, and the boy ran then jumped at the last minute. She nuzzled his neck. “You been good for Miss Laura?” She looked at the young woman.
“Oh, he be’d the finest kind when he were napping.”
“Oh, dear. What did he do?”
“‘Sides throwing an ol’ horny toad at me?” Laura shrugged. “Just boy stuff, ain’t much worth jawing about.”
Rose smiled. She knew all about the boy stuff. Before having a son, she’d only seen big brother stuff. Plenty of times, she had suffered the brunt of their high jinks, but she also gave it back as hard as she got. Then after Charley, she found out all about little boys’ shenanigans.
Charley wiggled down her like he would a tree. “Captain Bay-lor!” He ran toward the man. “Me ride Shooter.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Rose grabbed at him but missed, Levi scooped him up.
“Let’s eat first, Partner, then we’ll think about it.” He tickled the boy’s tummy. “You hungry, or did you and Miss Laura already eat?”
Her little wild man giggled and squirmed. “No, Partner. Stop. Me wait. Me hungry. Eat now.” He climbed down and ran over to her. “Food, Mama. Get me food.”
After beans, hard tack, and a nice chunk of jerky, Levi let him sit the gray while he walked the stallion down to the herd. Once the horse stood properly hobbled, the man let the boy ride on his shoulders. He trotted around in circles bouncing her baby, both of them laughing and Charley squealing, too.
Watching the two play in the last of the day’s light warmed her core. She loved it. Maybe she should let Levi raise Charley, especially if Charles…no, she couldn’t live without her baby.
That night Rose slept in spurts; the muscles in her legs protested each move.
But her heart ached all the more and argued the day had been too wonderful to never happen again. Never ride double with Levi Baylor; never enjoy snuggling in close to him.
Finally, she’d tortured herself enough. No way she could sleep, so she slipped out of the wagon and rekindled the cook fire.
Once the coffee smelled ready, she poured herself a cup and stared into the embers.
Maybe she should have just stayed with Bold Eagle.
Chapter
Twelve
The coffee smelled wonderful, but Levi figured he best keep to the shadows. Rose sat staring into the fire and sipped her coffee. He wanted to wipe the worry wrinkles from her forehead, but he could not offer any solace, not when duty-bound to reunite her with her husband. He had to hand her—and the boy—over to a man he didn’t know, turn his back, and walk away.
If he didn’t, he’d never be able to look his aunt or uncle or Bitty Beck in the face again. But how could he? He’d do anything to win Rose, but he couldn’t steal her.
An image of the little Buckmeyer girls running through the house warmed his heart. What would they think of him, if he stole another man’s wife and son? But watching her there, in the firelight, and knowing she wrestled with the same demons, everything in him wanted to go to her and hold her.
Laura eased out of the wagon, poured herself a cup of coffee and headed his direction. He slipped east circling around the wagon then came in from the south. “Morning, Rose, been up long?”
“A while. You?” She lifted the coffee pot with a rag and tipped it to fill him a cup.
He took it. “I don’t sleep much.” He laughed. “I need me a Blue Dog.”
A puzzled look danced across her eyes, then she nodded. “Your Uncle Henry’s mutt?”
“Well, Becky stole him away, but yes, that’s the one. He’s amazing. The best watch dog I’ve ever known.”
Wallace strode into the firelight. “What about me? I ain’t never been snuck up on.”
Rose laughed. “Sergeant Rusk, I’d never figure you to be one who compared yourself to a watch dog.”
“You must not ever been around that Blue.” He winked, smiling ear to ear. “He was with us at San Jacinto, practically won that battle single pawed.”
She laughed again looking to Levi. “Is he pulling my leg? Was Blue really there?”
He loved seeing and hearing her laugh. “You bet, and that dog helped us track down Santa Anna.”
She warmed her hands over the fire then threw him a nod. “That’s right, I remember Becky told me that you and her Daddy were in the bunch that captured ol’ Santa Anna. What a day that must have been. Did y’all really holler, ‘Remember the Alamo’?’”
“Yes, ma’am, we sure did.” Wallace grabbed himself a cup. “See, if it weren’t for ol’ Blue, the general would have escaped. Probably regrouped, rallied his troops, and we’d still be fighting.” He grabbed the rag, wrapped it around his hand, and retrieved the coffee pot. “If I tell you a rooster can plow, just hook him up, and get after it.”
“Thar ain’t no way you could bust sod with no rooster.” Laura walked in holding her belly, smiling, and flashing sparklin’ eyes at Wallace, daring him.
“You sure?” He took her hand and helped her ease to the ground; she hung on a bit long. Levi glanced at Rose to see if she caught it.
“Well, it’d have to be a mighty tiny plow, and how’d a body make the little feller go straight anyways?”
Rose waved her off. “Oh, Sweetie, he was just being facetious. Don’t pay any attention to a thing he says.”
She looked from Rose then to Wallace. “So you was only funning?”
“Well now, you ladies have gone and hurt my feelings.”
Levi looked at his friend. “You check on the herd yet this morning?”
“Yes, sir
. Down along the creek, right where I figured they’d be.”
Soon enough, Levi had them on the way. It pleased him how the younger girl stepped up and cooked breakfast and didn’t flinch at seeing to the boy or driving the team.
With Wallace and Rose flanking the herd, and him riding drag, the mare band kept a steady pace through the Brazos delta. Exactly like he and Wallace figured, they drove the mustangs into Code’s corral just before sundown.
The man himself closed the gate and threw Levi a nod. “You quit rangering?”
Levi laughed. “No, sir.” He swung off the gray. Standing sure did ease his backside. “You buying horse flesh these days?”
“Depends.” He nodded toward Wallace who walked up leading his gelding then pointed to the wagon. “Who you men traveling with?”
“Couple of ladies Houston traded the Comanche for. We’re escorting them home.”
“Yeah, I heard the president and ol’ Buffalo Hump smoked the peace pipe. Think it’ll last?”
“Hope so.”
Wallace took off his hat then slapped it against his leg “So you a buyer or not?”
“Oh, I could probably give them a home at five dollar a head.”
Levi guffawed. “We’ll talk about how bad you’re going to cheat us later. Sammie Jo cooking?”
“Yes, sir. She’s got a big pot of stew on. Only two bits a bowl, ranger’s special.”
Levi chuckled. He’d been knowing Code Brown for the better part of six years, always exactly the same: buy low, sell high. “Let us get the mustangs settled, and then we’ll see if that stew is worth its weight in gold. You got hay?”
Rose stood by the wagon and watched the men. Levi’s easy manner and quick laugh impressed her. He seemed so relaxed, even though this Code guy was trying to cheat him on the price of the horses.
According to a conversation she’d overheard in the Austin General Store, mustangs were going for better than twenty dollar gold. More if green broke.
Laura eased down holding her belly. “Should we kindle a fire?”
“No, I heard them talking about stew a minute ago.” She looked to the wagon. “Charley asleep?”
“Yes, ma’am. Little booger conked out right after the captain brung him back.”
“Here, you can take her to Wallace.” She handed the mare’s reins to Laura then climbed into the wagon. She kissed Charley’s neck. “Wake up, sleepy head.”
He scrunched his eyes tight. “Have to?”
“Yes, we’re at Code Brown’s.”
He sat up. “See me ride with Bay-lor?”
“Yes, I saw.”
“Shooter my horse.”
She scooted to the back of the wagon. “Is he? Come on.”
He walked toward her. “Traded Bay-lor, him mine.”
She climbed down and held her hands out. “What did you trade?”
He jumped on her, and she caught him. He wrapped his arms around her neck, kissed her cheek, then hollered. “You!”
She didn’t know what to say. She could see his logic, but the boy even having the idea disturbed her. “What did Captain Baylor say?”
“Him laugh. Me say deal. Him laugh more.”
She shook her head. Movement pulled her sideways. A heavyset woman dressed in a calico skirt and vest over a blue blouse straining against her ample bosom hurried toward Rose with her arms extended.
“What are you doing standing out here? Come on in, and bring that boy. I’ve got stew boiling and cornbread in the oven.”
After introductions, Mis’ess Sammie Jo Brown led her toward a two-story log building that sat a ways from the barn and corral where the men still jawed. Laura stood next to Wallace holding the mare’s reins. The girl obviously had eyes for the ranger, but had the man even noticed?
Rose climbed the steps to the wide front porch that ran the length of the structure. Rows of shovels, hoes, and sundry other hand tools leaned against the building on each side of the double doors.
Traps, several sizes of chains, and a few furs and different lengths of rope and leather decorated the outside walls. Merchandise of so many sorts gave one plenty to look at; she could easily spend the rest of the day perusing all of it.
Once inside, the hearty simmering stew smell put her mouth to watering as the enormity of the building struck her. Sammi Jo waved toward the high rafters. Stairs led to a row of second story rooms.
“Code wanted a grand room for the tavern like one he’d seen back east. So he built it bigger than we’d ever need.” She chuckled. “We hardly ever have to use those rooms up there. Good thing, ‘cause I hate climbing the stairs.”
“Well, it sure is grand. You have to give Mister Brown that.”
Charley clung to her skirt as he first did in Austin with wide eyes scanning the enormity of the trading post. He yanked on her sleeve. “Me hungry.”
“Let me check on the cornbread, darlin’, then Aunt Sammie Jo will fix you a bowl.” She hurried toward the rock fireplace centered in the left wall. A huge iron pot hung over the coals.
Right next to that, she pulled open a black metal door built right into the rocks, revealing shelves inside. One held a big pan of what appeared to be cornbread. She grabbed a thick mitt, lifted it out, and then set it on the hearth. “Looks done to me.”
Using a long handled rod, she swung the pot out from over the glowing coals then ladled out a bowl full. She set the offering on the table closest to the fireplace. “Here you go, darlin’. And I’ll get you a piece of cornbread directly.” She looked to Rose. “You ready, dear?”
She was, but wanted to eat with Levi more. “I’ll wait for the others. Anything I can do to help?”
The lady pointed to the cooling pan. “I suppose you can cut the boy some of that if you want.”
“What do you say, Charley?” She fetched him a square of the cornbread.
He glanced up from his bowl and beamed. “Good grub.”
Sammie Jo burst out laughing, and Rose joined her. “I was thinking a thank you was in order, son.”
He shook his head, rapidly devouring another bite. Shortly, as if the delicious stew aroma lured them, a half-dozen or so men and bigger boys descended on the tavern sitting at the various tables.
Scurrying, she helped the proprietress serve stew, cornbread and drinks to all, and in no time everyone ate, drank, and made merry; then she took a seat on the bench beside Charley.
Boisterous talk and laughter filled the room before Levi, Wallace and Laura came in. Her son scooted away and patted the table between them. “Captain Bay-lor! Sit here!” He smiled at his obvious hero. “Good grub!”
Rose forced herself to keep a straight face, and Levi slid in between her and the boy. “So the stew’s good, is it?”
“Me like it.” He took a big bite of his cornbread.
Levi leaned over and whispered into Charley’s ear.
The boy sat tall. “Yes, sir. I like it.”
Rose looked from her baby to the ranger, smiled then spread a napkin in her lap. “Guess he’ll do about anything for his partner.”
He waved a greeting at a man who just walked in then got close to her ear. “Maybe, but he drives a hard bargain.”
She bumped his leg with hers, grinning. “I heard about that.”
He smiled. “Seems I have to keep trading my mount for you.”
If it were only as simple as him trading his horse for her. She lowered her gaze to the steaming bowl Sammie Jo sat in front of her. It smelled delicious. She willfully kept herself from bumping his leg again, from pressing hers next to his and leaving it there. Nothing about her situation was simple.
Not even proper to want him—though she did—because she married another man five years back; at fifteen, a mere child. And no matter how much Charley loved the ranger, he wasn’t his son.
Oh Lord, why?
As if getting stolen wasn’t punishment enough for her not submitting to her husband. She believed she’d more than paid the price for her transgression.
/> Why did He have to send Levi to rescue her then let her fall in love with the man? And poor little Charley would suffer, too. It wasn’t fair. None of it.
The evening sped by. The food, the beer, and Wallace’s entertainment telling everyone his tall tales of rough riding over the Republic proved to be a wonderful, fully enjoyed time.
She loved hearing stories about Levi, but even better, she loved him letting his friend sing his praises without adding any of his own embellishment.
And Charley? He couldn’t get enough, either sitting on his Bay-lor’s lap or standing at his other partner’s knee. Once things wound down some and Charley started nodding, she stood and lifted her son onto her hip. “Where should I put him?”
Levi waved at the hostess. “Sammie Jo, where you want the ladies?”
She walked over behind the counter, retrieved a key and pulled two matches from her apron pocket. She pointed toward an opening in the far back corner from the fireplace.
“Down that hall, dear. Take one of those lamps there. Last room on the left. It’ll be open, but you can lock it behind you. It’s the farthest from everything.” She laughed. “Liable to get noisy later.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Rose accepted the key and lucifer then nodded toward the girl. “You coming, Laura?”
“Yessum, I s’pose so.” She stood and turned toward Sammie Jo. “Where are the rangers gonna be sleeping?”
She shrugged, eyeing the girl hard. “They usually stay in the first room. Why you asking, sweetie?”
“Uh.” She supported her abdomen with one hand and rubbed it with the other. “Well, my pap says a body best know where to run when the bear comes knocking.”
“You can rest easy ‘cause me and the mister will be right across the hall from you ladies, so you won’t have far to go if any need arises.”
Laura hung her head. “Yes, ma’am.” She headed for the bar. “Here, I’ll carry the lamp for you, Miss Sassy.”