by Caryl McAdoo
At last, she shot a whistle toward the two rangers. Bay-lor turned his head. Charley waved, then jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Me ride now!”
The wagon rolled on up the trail while his partner worked on tacking up the filly. Once he finished, he tossed Charley into the saddle then handed him the reins. “There you go.”
“Thank you, Partner.”
He swung back onto Shooter, then clucked him into a walk. “You eat?”
“No.”
He reached back and pulled a chunk of jerky from his saddle bag. Charley took it and slipped it into his pocket. “Bad men.” He couldn’t remember the English word. “Bad nighthorse.”
“Bad dream?”
“Yes, sir.”
Bay-lor nodded. “Nightmare, but I get it. You fine now?”
“At night, me stay with you and Sarge?”
“I don’t think your mama would go for that.”
He figured he’d say that. “Then you sleep in the wagon with us?”
The man laughed. “She for sure wouldn’t go for that.”
He didn’t understand. It seemed the best answer to him. They loved each other. “The bad man, he hurt me. Mama tried but not stop him.”
Bay-lor rode in silence then threw him a nod. “Tell you what, Partner, how about we have a little target practice this afternoon?”
He sat taller in the saddle. “Me shoot the Baby?”
The man grinned. “That’s what I’m thinking, but we’ll have to see.”
Charley liked that answer fine. We’ll see almost always turned into a yes. He pulled the chunk of buffalo from his pocket and tore off a big bite. He loved riding the trail with his partner.
Chapter
Eighteen
Rose waited while Levi, with Charley holding the other flyers, nailed one of them to a pine tree. He finished then both of them joined her.
“You ready?”
She raised the Baby Paterson, closed one eye, then looked down the barrel. “Guess so.” Holding her hand as steady as possible, she squeezed the trigger. The pistol belched fire and smoke but didn’t have near the bang as her daddy’s long gun, but it had jerked her arm back and up. “How bad was it?”
Charley handed her the stack of flyers, ran the fifteen paces to the target, then turned back and smiled. “Him nose gone.”
“Ah, so pretty good then; that’s exactly where I aimed.”
He ran back. “Me now.”
She looked from him to Levi. “I don’t know about that.”
Levi moseyed over next to her. “How about if I help him?”
She wanted to say no, but on careful consideration, figured she had only a slight chance of her way against the two of them. Careful to keep the barrel pointing upward, she handed the pistol to Levi.
He kneeled on both knees beside Charley and went to explaining about the five shot Baby Paterson.
Stepping back, she admired the man’s patience with her baby. He might not have any when it came to keeping a gift a secret or waiting on someone when he was ready to go, but with teaching Charley how to shoot, he’d probably stay there all afternoon if need be.
Finally ready, he placed his hand over her baby’s small one, and the pistol banged out a shot. From where she stood, looked like a bad man’s ear had a new hole in it. Twice more with his hand around Charley’s, the gun fired, and each time it tore more rips into the paper.
Levi held the pistol with the barrel to the ground then turned and faced her. “Want to shoot some more?”
She waved him off with the rolled up fliers. “No, we’ve wasted enough powder and shot.”
Charley ran toward the wagon holding the bullet-ridden flyer. “Sarge! Miss Laura! I shoot the Baby.”
Levi tucked the Paterson under his belt then slipped his hand into hers. “He tell you about his nightmare?”
She looked at him and shook her head, a bit taken back that her son had shared with the ranger, but not her. “No, not a word. Was he talking about last night?”
“Yes, said the guy we were shooting at just now hurt him, and you couldn’t stop the bad man.”
She nodded understanding. “I wondered what brought on this little exercise.”
“He wanted to know if I’d start sleeping with you and him.” Levi chuckled. “That was after I told him you wouldn’t go for him bedding down with me and Wallace.”
She bumped her shoulder against his. “He didn’t. You’re making that up.”
Levi held his right hand over his heart. “Oh, yes, he did.”
“What did you tell him?”
“The first time, that you probably wouldn’t go for that, the second, that you for sure wouldn’t go for that.” He laughed.
She wanted to tell him that he was wrong. That it would be just fine with her, but of course, she couldn’t—wouldn’t—say that, so she joined in laughing with him. “Did you tell him that you and Wallace take turns standing guard at night?”
“No, I figured he already knew.”
“I don’t think so; once he’s out, he’s out cold ’til he wakes up.” She stopped short of the wagon. “That might make him feel better about the bad men. I know it’s a huge comfort to me knowing there’s a Texas Ranger watching over me at all times.”
He stopped laughing and grinned. “You make it sound so formal, like there’s a whole company of us.”
She squeezed his hand. “You and Wallace are plenty enough for me. I feel perfectly safe with the two of you on duty.”
“Hmm. But we’re officially off duty. You know that, right?”
Rose looked behind. Laura stood smiling, acting a bit sheepish. “Thinkin’ maybe I could fit that dress now. You got time? I gots beans boiling and the cornbread on for supper.”
“Sure, now’s a good time.” She let her hand slip from his and followed the girl to the back of the wagon.
Laura handed her the new dress, then held up a sheet making an impromptu changing room with her on the outside. “I done sent Wallace and Charley to fetch water.” She looked off, then back. “I see Captain be heading there, too.”
“It’s beautiful.” Rose went to unbuttoning her dress, removed it, then quickly slipped on the new one. “Got it.”
Laura peered over the sheet. “How is she?”
Rose tugged on the bodice. “The top seems a little tight.”
“It were just right back at the trading post. Is it your woman’s time? That’ll swell you up some.”
“No, that isn’t it.” She tried to count the days, but wasn’t sure. She took to unbuttoning the new dress. “Maybe I ate too much of that tasty buffalo.”
“For sure, that were some good eating.” Laura patted her own extended tummy. “We all done went and ate like we ain’t never tasted meat afore.”
All that evening, the waning moon reminded her that Aunt Flo had not come to visit. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t calculate exactly how many days it how been. How late was she?
She thought back to the first wife’s unconcerned words. I see you no more after this day.
Oh, dear God, please. It can’t be so.
After another hearty supper and the dishes washed, she joined the rangers and Laura who sat around the campfire visiting. Charley climbed into her lap and snuggled in tight. She kissed his cheek then bent over and whispered in his ear, “Did you know that Captain Baylor and Sergeant Rusk take turns standing guard over us through the night?”
He leaned back and opened his eyes halfway and smiled. “Good.”
Soon, his breathing slowed, and he found his sleep rhythm. She gave him a few minutes before holding out a hand toward Levi. The ranger stood and helped her up. She carried her son to the wagon and got him settled then decided to stay with him.
Maybe her letting him sleep alone contributed to his bad dreams.
Levi waited for her to return, but when the girl joined her in the wagon, he decided she wasn’t coming back. He toed Wallace then nodded toward the pine he’d picked out earli
er.
His friend followed him to the lookout post. Once there, Levi leaned against the tree trunk and glanced at the wagon. “You believe in omens?”
“No. Do you?”
“Not really, but my Aunt Sue claims God warns us with dreams.”
“You going Sunday School on me?”
“No, but.” He shrugged, not really wanting to put the foreboding he’d been feeling all day into words. “I don’t know.”
“But what? Know what?”
Levi looked out across the valley ahead. “Wish we weren’t going to Nacogdoches.”
“Kind of late for that.”
“Anyway, sleep with one eye open.”
“Who sleeps? Not me. I haven’t slept in years. Partner! Have you been sleeping behind my back?”
He waved him off. “Well, go do whatever it is you do under the wagon.”
Wallace turned his duster’s collar up. “Wind’s freshening out of the north. Want your robe?”
“No, I’m fine.”
While he settled in for his watch, he let a part of him relive the last few days. He couldn’t remember working so hard and enjoying it so much. Then her insisting on staying an extra day to work the hides so supple, made it even better.
He thought of his new buffalo robe and watched the three-quarter moon slip into the west. In a twinkle, extra stars covered the heavens, and he forgot about the cold.
Between star gazing and shadow watching, he chided himself for being such an old woman. In six days, seven at the most, he would get them to Nacogdoches, stay a night or two, then turn north and take them home.
He would not visit the disreputable establishments where Nick Ward or any of the other desperadoes were liable to haunt.
Just because the boy had a nightmare about the worst one of the bunch, didn’t mean he’d run into the man.
The next four days practically flew by for Levi in a sea of loblolly pine and pecan. He loved the piney woods of east Texas, but hated that they offered so much cover for whatever lurked.
Seemed he spent half his day chiding himself for being so jumpy and finding one or more of Charley’s bad men behind every tree.
The morning of the fifth day, he woke looking forward to the little township named in honor of Davy Crockett. Once there, he’d be on the San Antonio Trace, and hopefully, could find pilgrims or teamsters heading to Nacogdoches to join up with.
That afternoon, as had become their custom, Wallace and Rose switched once the boy settled in for his nap.
She eased the gelding next to his gray. “You still think we’ll make Crockett tonight?”
“Yes, ma’am, sure should.”
“You sleeping any?”
He looked at her. The circles under her eyes didn’t bode well. “Some, how about you?”
“Some, I guess. Not well, though.” She gave him a smile that looked forced. “What’s bothering you, Levi? The last few days, you’ve not been yourself, and Wallace hasn’t been himself either. Y’all worried over something I should know about?”
He didn’t want to tell her. Neither did he want to give voice to the gut feeling that only seemed to be getting stronger. But maybe it would be worth it. “Is this an I’ll-tell-you-mine and you’ll-tell-me-yours moment?”
She pursed her lips and shook her head. “What are you talking about?”
“The bags under your eyes. You’ve been staring at the moon every evening, not smiling much at all through the day. Been borrowing trouble again?”
“I don’t know, maybe. What about you? Are you borrowing trouble?”
“Maybe, but it could be God, or providence or the Comanche’s Great Spirit trying to warn us.”
“Warn us? Warn us of what?”
He looked away, checked each shadow on both sides of the trail, then looked back. “So I’m spilling my guts first?”
She nodded. Maybe hearing what was bothering him would ease her own troubles. No way did she want to give any voice to her suspicions, like if she said it aloud, it would make it true.
Definitely needed to talk with someone, but should that someone be Levi? She would much rather talk to her mother, or Rebecca. “Yes, maybe.”
He laughed. “Maybe?”
She loved that laugh. Hopefully, he could still find humor in her situation after she told him what was becoming more and more evident each day. “Fine, no then. I mean, I’ll go first if you want me to, if you insist.”
He laughed again. “Insist? I’m not insisting on anything. Did that maybe mean that you’re too much a lady for any gut spilling?”
“No, and if you’ll remember, I was elbow deep in guts not so long ago.”
“Fine, Charley’s nightmare. That’s what’s been bothering me, and I guess I got Rusk going.”
Wow, she never expected that. “Really? How come?”
“Nick Ward and I have a history. And well, Charley picking him to dream about.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t sound so bad if you say it aloud.”
He probably figured her silence meant she agreed, but she didn’t. Her saying it aloud would sound horrible, nothing could make less terrible. She reined the gelding to a stop then swung off.
Picking up the horse’s left front hoof, she checked his shoe. It was tight. The wagon drew close, and she waved them on.
Wallace leaned out. “Something wrong?”
“No.” She wanted to shout yes, everything, but squeezed her eyes shut to hold back the tears. “Iron’s tight; he’s good.”
Once the wagon pulled past a ways, Levi dismounted. “What is it Rose? You can tell me.”
She studied the ground for a moment then looked up. “I’m late. It’s getting to be a couple of weeks.”
First, he stared at the same piece of ground a minute, then looked her square in the eyes. “Maybe it’s for the best.”
“How can you say that?”
He smiled. “If Charles Nightengale had wanted you before, our chances are much better that he will not if we show up with you expecting.”
She could see his logic, but forget Charles, how did Levi feel about it? “So you don’t care that I may be pregnant with Bold Eagle’s baby? He’d be a – a –”
“A baby, and he might be a she.” He grinned. “And oh, yes, I care, Rose. But I care for you more, more than anything. Don’t you know that?”
She wanted to believe him, but was he just saying the right words? “Half-breed is a horrible name.”
He laughed. “Well, Charles might have a problem with it. But with me for a daddy and Charley for a big brother, I guarantee you that no one is going to be saying a cross word to this baby.” He reached out and patted her tummy. “If it is a boy, we can name him Bay-lor. Charley will love him for sure.”
“And if it’s a girl, Lilly.”
“Wouldn’t that be Lillylene?”
She whacked him hard, and he burst out laughing. She hit him again. “That’s awful! You are so bad!”
He wrapped his arms around her, and she laughed until she cried. He quit laughing when she started crying for real. He held her cheek against his chest.
“It’s going to be alright, Rose. Everything will work out. You’ll see.”
Chapter
Nineteen
Crockett appeared pretty much like Levi had remembered with maybe a homestead or two more than the last time he and Wallace were through. He had Laura stop the wagon a hundred paces or so east of where the rectangle fort sat in the middle of town.
He wasn’t expecting to need its protection, but one never knew. That night, after the women retired, he pulled Wallace away from the wagon.
Levi studied the moonless, star-studded night then looked to his friend. “Rose thinks she’s pregnant.”
“We were wondering what was going on between you two. What did you say?”
“Told her it was a good thing. More likely that Nightengale wouldn’t want her back now. It could work in our favor.”
Wallace snorted. “Well, that’s one way to look at it.”<
br />
“How else could I? What about Laura?”
“That’s different. You shot Bear Fang.”
“So? She’s still pregnant.”
“True, but I’ll never have anyone show up claiming to be little Wallace’s daddy.”
“Is that what you’re calling the baby now?”
“She started it, but it does have a nice ring to it.”
“What if it’s a girl?”
“Laura claims she knows how to read the signs, and it’s a little fellow for sure.”
“What about Rebecca? You giving up on her?”
“No, I was thinking I’d marry them both.”
Levi laughed. “Henry would have you gutted and hanging in the smokehouse for even suggesting such a thing.”
“No, I believe Colonel Buckmeyer would understand about true love.”
Levi patted Wallace’s shoulder. “You’re going to have to choose one, my friend, and forget about the other.”
“I know, but I figure I need to at least meet Rebecca before I decide anything.” He rocked back on his heels. “I know Laura’s got her hopes up, but she knows why I came with you.”
“Well, if this weather holds, you should get that chance in a few weeks.”
Rose watched the rangers until Wallace headed her way then lay back down. Shame she couldn’t have heard what they were talking about; wished she knew for sure exactly what Levi thought about her being pregnant.
Made a good point about Charles. Little Charley was one thing, but her expecting a half-breed would surely stick a knife in his heart.
Again and again, she tried to bring up an image of him, but all she could remember was his hair, and how much store he set by it. She had loved it, too. It was the first thing she’d noticed about him.
Was that why she’d married him? Good Lord, would she really have to admit she wed the man because he had about the best looking head of hair in the county? How shallow could a fifteen-year-old be?
She pondered that question for a bit, the absurdity of it, but for the life of her, couldn’t come up with another reason why she let him sweep her off her feet.