“Ahem.” Catamount was taking in their behavior with a speculative glance. “You ain’t alone here, y’ know. Whatever y’ got on your mind, young man, you might wanna put it off for a while.”
Teddy was pressing cool hands to the hot blush of her cheeks. “He has a point. Because if Pa—if Pa…Paul.” She stopped, looking bemusedly around. “Paul, where’s Pa gone off to?”
“Uh.” His mind still being focused on what delights lay beneath that thin cotton shirt, it took Teddy’s determined slap on the arm to return him to the here and now. “Ezra. Well, he took Raintree out. Huh. A while ago. Too long ago,” he suddenly realized.
Apprehension had supplanted passion, and she drew in a quick breath. “Paul—”
“Yeah, darlin’, I hear you. Grab your weapon.”
“No.” Like a great epitome of retribution, Clemens had already risen to strap on his gun belt and start for the door. “You and I both know what’s waitin’ out there. Stay inside. I’ll check t’ see what’s goin’ on.”
“But, Catamount, you shouldn’t just—”
Amazingly, he paused to give her a swift but hearty embrace. “Yeah, I can. Now, take an old outlaw’s word for it, and listen t’ me.”
Slowly and silently he opened the front door that had screeched to heaven above just yesterday afternoon. Then he disappeared, and Teddy reached for the solace of Paul’s hand.
“Please tell me Pa is okay,” she whispered. “Please tell me nothin’s wrong, that he’s only not come back right away, for some reason.”
Before he could answer, a shot rang out, zinging through the air with sharp clarity to smack hard into unprotected flesh. Another shot, from the same direction, then two back in reverse. And another. Several more. The sound of a body collapsing to the ground. The sound of a loud groan. The sound of horses, disturbed in their stable, stamping and neighing. Then nothing but silence.
Agonized, her gaze set on Paul’s worried face, Teddy let out a half-whimper, half-sob.
“C’mon,” he said fiercely, and led the way.
They found Catamount where he had fallen on the damp earth, just around the corner of the cabin and halfway past its window. Blood was already pooling through the fabric of his shirt in several places. They found Raintree in a gory heap amongst the scrub grass farther away, with brain matter oozing from a hole in his skull and dark scarlet fluid leaking from a hole in his chest. They found Ezra just outside the privy. A lump on his forehead had split the skin and knocked him out cold, but there seemed no other injury.
Teddy raced for a cloth wrung out in cold water. While she was ministering to his needs, Paul returned to the gunslingers. Raintree was dead. A fitting end, perhaps, for a less than admirable individual. Still, this was a human being, and Paul could be forgiven if he mourned, just a little, for the loss of any life.
Clemens was still alive—just barely. The bullets had taken him in lungs and gut, and no one survives that kind of damage without excellent medical care. Paul lifted the outlaw’s head slightly and wiped away the blood from his lips as he tried gamely to speak.
“Ssssh,” urged Paul. “Save your strength.”
“Gotta—thank you…”
“It’s okay. You done that already.”
“—Story—good…” He coughed, and more blood bubbled up. “Write it down, sell it…wanted world—t’ know…”
“They will. I’ll get it done, I promise.”
Amazingly, a faint chuckle. “Raintree figured—so smart, takin’ me in…Huh. Dyin’, anyway.”
“Dyin’?” Paul jerked slightly in surprise. “Whatddya mean, dyin’?”
The raspy voice was growing fainter, less coherent. “Got diagnosed—few months ago… cancer. Wouldn’ta lived—t’ see jail time, nohow…”
“Jesus.”
“Didn’t wanna—couldn’t…do…” Another bubble that painfully burst out into a stream pouring forth. With that gush of blood, the man’s body seemed to deflate, like a full balloon gone flat. No more movement. No more words. No more gasp for breath. Only the stark end to life.
Sickened, Paul gently laid him aside and went back to give aid to Teddy.
“He’s come around,” she reported, with the barest look of hope in her eyes. “Said a little to me, and tried to get up.”
“That’s a good sign,” agreed Paul, kneeling to check over the guide’s condition. That lump on his head would bear watching; Ezra was not a young man, to take injury easily in stride. “Should prob’ly try t’ get him inside, doncha think?”
“No, I don’t think,” said Ezra flatly from out of the blue. “I’m gonna just lay here for a few minutes, till the sky stops spinnin’. What happened t’ the other two?”
“Gunfight. Both dead.”
“Hmmph. Good shots.”
“What happened out here, Ezra? D’you remember?”
Annoyed by the question, he frowned. “Course I remember. What kinda fool d’you take me for, anyway?”
“You got a horrific knock on the head,” Teddy reminded him, blinking back tears. “That’s enough to addle anyone’s wits.”
“Son of a bitch tripped me,” admitted Ezra. Now that the sky had stopped spinning, he was ready to sit up, and struggled to do so, with his daughter’s help. “Umph. Still a little woozy. Anyway, he straddled me and wiped me out with a rock. Musta grabbed holda my pigsticker to cut hisself loose. Goddamned renegade.”
“Took your gun, too,” said Paul impersonally. “Then he waited, figurin’ Clemens would come out t’ see what was goin’ on. Helluva mess.”
“Paul.” Teddy lay a strong hand over his forearm. “Catamount did what he wanted. He got his story told. Now it’s up to you from here on.”
Still feeling sick at heart and sick to his stomach, Paul nodded. “That’s about what he told me, too. Feel sorta like it’s a sacred mission.”
Her hand glided easily up from his forearm to his chest to smooth back the hair that always refused to lie smoothly. “That’s your talent, Paul,” she told him tenderly. “So, in a way, it is sacred.”
“If you two are finished makin’ moon eyes over top my wounded body, I’d kinda like t’ get up now,” Ezra interrupted. “I’m thinkin’ we got a lotta work ahead of us.”
They did, indeed. Two graves, at opposite ends of the property; one looking down into the valley, one looking up toward Mount Whitney. Two crosses made of pine wood, lashed together and stationed for as long as they would stand. A brief memorial, more of silence than of spoken tribute.
Breakfast, next, and coffee. A quiet meal, with the heavy mood of death hanging over every clink of spoon or clunk of enamel cup. Teddy, wanting to leave things as orderly as possible after their use of the cabin, cleaned up while the men packed all the belongings brought in last night.
Reluctantly Paul began exploring through all the books and papers piled onto Catamount’s shelves. Much as he disliked ravaging any man’s private property, this was a necessary chore. As it was, a small stack of documents tied together with string came to light and were added to the pile of everything else destined to go down the mountain.
It was early afternoon by the time they were ready to leave. The horses were saddled, the mules packed. Paul surveyed the string with a look of dismay. “Good God. Y’ know we now got us nine animals to deal with? I hope they all got a sweeter temperament than Weedy does.”
Spirits rising just for the fact of leaving behind this sad and tragic scene, Teddy patted his hand. “Remember, it’s easier and faster goin’ down than comin’ up. And there’s still that lake halfway here. I’d like to explore that lake again.”
Paul brightened. “You invitin’ me along?”
She sent him a coy look. “If you think you’re up to it.”
“Woman, I’m up t’ anything you wanna try,” he told her roughly.
Ezra was farther down the line, checking on packs and straps. Paul made sure of that before he moved in. He was hungry for her, starving for her, craving her warmth and generosity. Alone, h
e would have pulled her to the spongy grass underfoot, thrown her buckskin pants aside, and made her his.
But they weren’t alone. All he could do now was assuage a small bit of his longing with hot fierce kisses and caresses that nearly steamed the flesh off her bones.
When Ezra finally came shambling back to their vicinity, after having deliberately given them space for privacy, Paul was waiting for him.
“I’d like t’ ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage,” he informed the old man smartly and concisely.
Ezra looked from one to the other. “About damn time.” His brows beetled. “You in love with her?”
His future son-in-law sucked in a great shaky breath. “Love?” He grabbed her hand to tuck along his side. “I’m so much in love with this girl that it’s makin’ me crazy. If she dared say no t’ me, I think I’d throw myself off that cliff.”
“Paul! You wouldn’t!”
“How soon?” was the next practical question.
From the haven of Paul’s arms, Teddy glanced up with a radiant face. “As soon as we can make arrangements. And get all his brothers rounded up for the weddin’.”
Paul laughed like a loon, in an excess of emotion all spilling loose and scattering around. “That’ll be an undertakin’. But if anybody can do it, my Teddy girl, it’s you.”
“Paul.” Her quiet voice got his attention. “Remember the bet we made?”
“Ahuh. Sure do. You wanna claim somethin’ now, sweetheart?”
She closed her eyes as a tear overflowed. “It’s this, Paul. Just this. These are the stakes I wanted.”
“Hmmph,” said her father. “Well, if you’re plannin’ t’ jump the gun when it comes t’ your marriage bed, I don’t wanna know about it.” Ignoring their astonishment at such a pronouncement, he grinned hugely. “Well, congratulations. Can’t say I’m surprised. Can say I’m happy as a kid in a candy store. Now let’s start movin’ and get down off this danged mountain.”
X
It is safe to say, in some instances, that a wedding can go off without a hitch.
This was one of those weddings, set in mid-August in the Carson City All Saints Church.
The fact that it was a simple ceremony helped. The fact that no high expectations were held, other than to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony, also helped. That fact that all nine brothers, their wives, their offspring, and their extended families and friends were able to attend only added to the pure joy of the occasion.
Teddy wore a dress. Nothing too elaborate. Nothing too fancy. Just an ivory tulle, whose full skirt was sprinkled all over with ribbon roses, whose scoop bodice and short sleeves showed off her magnificent bosom to perfection. Turned out she had always wanted a pretty dress, especially if there might be a handsome man in her future.
And handsome he was, waiting for her at the altar. Paul could have eaten her up on the spot, as beautiful and as delectable as she looked, like a vanilla ice cream sundae. As for Teddy, her heart was pounding so ferociously, and her corseted breath coming in such short gasps, that she could barely stand in place to speak their vows without keeling over.
She, Theodosia Ferguson, scared to death of a little old nuptial in front of what seemed like half a thousand guests!
Especially scared of Paul’s brother, Nathaniel, who was delighted to be performing the ceremony. She just knew he could see right through her virginal act, that he was totally aware she and her almost-husband had already celebrated their wedding night, up there in that clear mountain lake, under the stars. Paul’s tender, careful, dedicated love-play had easily overcome any hesitation she might have felt, and she had given herself to him with joy and rapture. Again. And again.
Things had worked out exactly as Ezra had hoped.
During the time since the party had returned from their Mount Whitney expedition, Paul had settled in with the Fergusons to write his long-anticipated article about Catamount Clemens. A number of newspaper offices had already requested copies; a New York publisher was looking into the possibility of putting together all of Paul’s Western gunslinger stories into a book.
As an epilogue, both men had reported the mountain killings of Vincent Raintree and Catamount Clemens to the sheriff. Paul had also turned over all the documents he had collected from the outlaw’s cabin, for future reference.
As soon as this ceremony and the ensuing celebration was finished, Ezra planned to get out of this damned uncomfortable suit he was strapped into and trade it off for his favorite buckskins.
Teddy’s set had been hung in her closet, waiting for the next wilderness trek.
As a beaming Nathaniel presented the newlyweds to those packed inside the pews, the one- month-old son of Cochinay and Raquel Drayton set up an acid wail.
The whisper of an eleven-year-old is usually not quiet. Thus, when Rob Yancey whispered a comment to little Alejandro, his words carried throughout the church: “Yeah, kid, I don’t blame you for cryin’. But look on the bright side—we’re gettin’ all of ’em married off, one by one. Only two more t’ go and then we’re finished.”
The End
Thank You
I hope you enjoyed this western historical romance story and would love to know what you thought about it. If you have a moment to spare, I would appreciate it if you could leave a review of this book at Amazon. Your opinion goes a long way in helping others decide if a book is for them.
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Morris Fenris, Western Romance Publications House
About the Author
Morris Fenris was born into a poor family in the Fiji Islands. Thanks to his own grit, determination and the support of his loving parents, he was able to embark on a journey that has seen him attain a good education and work in many parts of the world.
Morris has been writing since childhood, drawing on his experiences in life and emulating the styles of his favorite authors.
Morris enjoys reading and writing in a wide range of genres and has plans for many more books. If you’d like to get in touch with this author, please message him on Twitter at #MorrisFenris or find him on Facebook.
Book List
Links to the previous 7 books in the Western Mystery Romance Series by Morris Fenris:
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Romance-John-Yancey-Taking-ebook/dp/B00QH2FD98/ref=sr_1_49?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429900492&sr=1-49&keywords=western+romance
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Romance-Matthew-Yancey-Taking-ebook/dp/B00RAT7DYK/ref=sr_1_18?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429900254&sr=1-18&keywords=western+romance
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Romance-James-Yancey-Taking-ebook/dp/B00S3YP280/ref=sr_1_17?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429900217&sr=1-17&keywords=western+romance
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Romance-Thomas-Yancey-Taking-ebook/dp/B00T727PKK/ref=sr_1_12?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429900111&sr=1-12&keywords=western+romance
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Romance-Travis-Yancey-Taking-ebook/dp/B00U1DALKU/ref=sr_1_38?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429900422&sr=1-38&keywords=western+romance
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Romance-Nathaniel-Yancey-Taking-ebook/dp/B00UZOWEIW/ref=sr_1_22?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429900254&sr=1-22&keywords=western+romance
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Romance-Nathaniel-Yancey-Taking-ebook/dp/B00UZOWEIW/ref=sr_1_22?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429900254&sr=1-22&keywords=western+romance
Other romance stories by Morris Fenris is also available on Amazon.
A Western Romance: Paul Yancey: Taking the High Road (Book 8) (Taking The High Road Series) Page 11