All the anger Rafe had held back came out, and Ward felt the brunt of it.
Lacey struggled against the hold Fletcher had on her, his warnings silencing her protest and orders for them to stop.
Rafe grabbed Ward’s shirtfront in his left hand and landed a solid right to his jaw that sent Ward’s head snapping back as Rafe released his hold on Ward’s shirt and let his left fist connect with his jaw again. Ward raised his hands, instinctively protecting his face as Rafe drove sledging blows to his midsection with brutal efficiency. Ward tried to hit Rafe, but he moved easily to dodge him.
The men stood watching, eyes narrowed and judging, for most men would rather use their fists as a last resort in a fight. More than one whispered that Rafe’s blows were measured to fall solidly where he aimed them.
Grabbing Ward’s shirt again, Rafe flung him to one side. His breathing was labored, his voice harsh. “Lacey said you were finished. Since I’m half owner of the Reina, I’ll back her orders with my own brand of talking.” He spun around to face the men circling them, challenge glittering in his eyes. “Anyone else?”
Lacey pulled free of Fletcher’s grip. She was both angry and frightened of Rafe, but anger won. “That’s enough, Parrish. I don’t need you to back up my orders. You had no right to beat him.”
For a moment in the dark she could feel his hot gaze, and she had to force herself to stand still. Without a word he stalked off, his body rippling like a coiled whip.
Ward got to his feet painfully. “Someday that bastard is gonna pay for this.” Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he moved toward Lacey. “You’d better let me stay on. You can’t control a greaser like that.”
“He’s not a greaser. He’s a man, Ward.” But she had already admitted to herself that she wouldn’t be able to control him. “My orders stand. Meet me in the office.”
Maggie waited for her at the back door. “How bad is Bo?”
“It’s a leg wound. This is the beginning, Maggie. I know Darcy was behind this. I said I would fight him and I will, but Maggie, I hate the thought of the bloodshed.”
“To keep the Reina, you’ll do whatever needs doin’.”
Lacey nodded and left her. Once in the office she stared at the little cash remaining in the strongbox. Curt was right. She would need to extend her credit with the bank and soon. If only she knew what Sy had done with the mortgage money he had received from the bank against the sale of the cattle. He had never told her, and she had never found the money. Rubbing her temples, Lacey knew that if the rustling continued, she wouldn’t have enough cattle to sell. And the Reina already had notes against it.
Counting out the wages Ward had coming, she wondered if the judge had bothered to tell Rafe that they were land rich and cash poor. The new quarantine statutes, forbidding the import of Texas cattle into east Kansas, added problems.
Ward’s entrance demanded her attention.
“You’re gonna regret this, Lacey. That greaser’s trouble. You got enough already. I’ll stay on ’round Sonora or San Angela for a few days till you calm down. Sy wouldn’t have handled it this way. You’re a woman and need a strong man to stand for your rights with him as part owner.”
“He won’t stand in my way.”
Ward took his money. “I ain’t much of a bettin’ man, but I’d gamble this—that afore the year is out, he’ll have it all.”
“You’d lose your money, Ward.”
“Would I?” he countered. “You’re ripe for a man’s takin’, woman. You got more snakes in the grass ’round you than you can count.”
“But I shoot what I aim at. Don’t forget, Ward.”
“You ain’t wearin’ a gun. An’ you never shot a man.”
“But I could learn.” Her hand cleared the desktop. She clicked back the gun’s hammer. “Clear out.”
Ward backed away. “Count your enemies, Lacey. But start on the Reina.”
Chapter 7
Lacey woke to a throbbing headache and exhaustion that she couldn’t shake off as she dressed. The sun was full up, and she was annoyed that Maggie hadn’t come to call her. Buttoning her calico shirt, she glanced at her closed bedroom door and wondered if Rafe was asleep. They had not exchanged more than ten words after he and Fletcher brought Bo James back to the house last night. His wound was not serious; the bullet had passed through the fleshy part of his upper thigh. She remembered how gentle Rafe had been in handling the older man, and that gentleness puzzled her.
After kicking her feet into an old pair of boots, Lacey left her room, checked on a sleeping Bo, and headed for the kitchen.
She stood with cup in hand as Maggie came in from the pantry. “Think we need to get Doc for Bo?”
“Don’t ’spect we will. Rafe even said as much.”
“Rafe? He saw Bo this morning?”
“Yep. An’ if you’re wonderin’ where he is, he’s gone. Rode out afore first light. Said to tell you he’ll track those cattle.” Maggie stared at the stormy expression in Lacey’s eyes and set a bag of dried beans down on the table. She winced at the thud Lacey’s cup made as she set it down. “Don’t get riled,” she cautioned. “You know I ain’t never told you nothin’ that wouldn’t do you some good, even if you ignore me at times. Girl, this isn’t one of them.”
“I won’t be treated like some dim-witted child.”
“Don’t aim to lessen you act like one. Set down.”
Lacey hesitated. Rafe had better than a four-hour start on her. She could never catch up with him. And she did have questions to ask Maggie. Questions that bittered the taste in her mouth.
“All right, we’ll talk, Maggie. But I’ll ask the questions. I need to know the truth about Sy and my mother.”
With a weary sigh Maggie sat down across from her. “Honey, I know how hard you’re takin’ what your pa done.”
“Don’t call him that. He was not my father. But I swear that I’ll find out who is.”
Gripping Lacey’s hand, Maggie’s gaze softened. “I know you’re upset ’bout that. Rafe figures that bothers you more’n anythin’.”
“He does? And what else did you two talk about?”
Maggie had to ignore the bitterness in Lacey’s voice. “You got questions, and that boy does, too. Listen and think, honey. I’ve never seen hunger like that boy’s got in his eyes. Don’t know all that much ’bout him, I admit it, but I’ll tell you this, girl. Push him hard an’ he’s gonna shove right back. Might not like the direction his shoves are gonna take, either.”
“What are you asking from me?” she snapped, pulling her hand free. “Should I welcome him? He’s arrogant and insolent and—”
“An’ jus’ like his pa?”
“No. He’ll never be the man Sy was.”
Maggie thought back to the talk she had earlier with Rafe. He had revealed more than he knew about his feelings for Lacey, Sy, and the Reina, but Lacey wasn’t ready to hear them.
“I don’t want to talk about Rafe, Maggie. Tell me about Sy and my mother. Did you … well, did you know that I wasn’t his daughter?”
“No. An’ that’s the truth. Your ma left here, oh, was summer’s end. Sy let her go till he got a letter from her. An’ then he lit out to find her. Sent us word near Christmas that he wouldn’t risk travelin’ till spring since she was with child. I figured she knew that when she left, maybe left ’cause she lost the others. An’ then, come spring, they were back, an’ soon after you were born. A tiny mite, too. Didn’t figure you to make it, but you were a fighter even then. Sy never once said you wasn’t his.”
“My mother never mentioned someone else?”
“Not once. I ain’t the type to pry. She was unhappy but kept to herself. Fletcher an’ me didn’t know ’bout Rafe, either. Sy was his own man. Don’t know why he left half the ranch to Rafe, but he wouldn�
�t have done it lessen the boy was his. Sy left Fletcher here when he’d go off for months to buy stock till he built up a herd. An’ you ain’t the only one hurt. Sy fooled us, too. Can’t believe he kept so many secrets. Why, Bo was shocked. Got choked up an’ angry when I told him. I’d swear that if Sy was alive, he might’ve gone after him for doin’ this to you.”
“Bo has always been there for me.” Lacey’s smile was bittersweet. At least someone was totally on her side.
“Rafe mentioned that the judge had papers you should see. You could—”
“I won’t leave here now, Maggie. I can’t.”
“That boy ain’t gonna run off with the Reina.”
Lacey stood up abruptly, shoving her chair back. “You seem mighty fast to defend him.”
“An’ you’re bitter.” Maggie’s patience was at an end. “You ain’t listenin’. Do what’s best for the ranch, Lacey. Be the woman I know you can, an’ the man won’t hurt you, seein’ as how you both want the same—”
“I have a ranch to work,” she snapped.
“Do tell.”
The pain of betrayal flared in Lacey’s eyes, but Maggie knew her, and Lacey turned away. “I’m sorry for snapping, but I can’t spend time mollycoddling him.”
“Ain’t asked you to, has he?”
“No. But he’s a taker, Maggie. You’re seeing him in need like a maverick bawling for its ma, but I can’t give over a grassblade to him. He’ll grab it all.”
“That kind of talk’ll tear the Reina apart! Is that what you want? War on the ranch? Got yourself a hide thicker than boot leather, but Rafe can help you. You remember Darcy—and he ain’t alone in wantin’ to slice the Reina into bits. All I’m tellin’ you is do some clear thinkin’ afore you make decisions you’ll choke on.”
Maggie had yelled at her before, but now there was an added harshness that Lacey had to listen to. She left her and walked down to the corral. When she noticed the big grulla gelding was gone, the throbbing in her head increased. It was Sy’s favorite horse, and she knew without being told that Rafe had taken him for his own.
“Damn him to hell and beyond!” Lacey leaned against the pole rail fence, weary, fighting the knowledge that she would never control Rafe Parrish. She was tempted to remain at the home ranch today, but a need to know how the men felt about Rafe drove her to saddle a gray gelding for herself.
The sun was past midmark and Lacey had ridden for almost two hours before she reached the first golden-coated stragglers of cattle. She cut off toward a small stand of mesquite, where there was always water near, and dismounted by the dying embers of a campfire. The coffeepot was half full, and she poured out a cup just as Cal rode up.
“Didn’t ’spect to see you, Miz Lacey. Rafe was here before light and took Luke and Ragweed with him. It’s been quiet.”
“That’s what I came to find out.”
“How’s the old man?”
“Don’t let him hear you call him that, Cal. He was blaming himself for what happened last night. But Maggie said he’ll be fine.”
Cal hunkered down by the fire, poking a few twigs into the coals when Blewett Montell joined them. Both men had worked for the Reina for as long as Lacey could remember. Where Blewett was a big man, lantern-jawed and rawboned, Cal was lean, stoop-shouldered, and had a wry twinkle in his eyes. Blewett accepted the coffee Cal handed him and came to stand next to Lacey.
“Kinda hard to believe all hell broke loose last night. Weren’t need for you to ride up here. Rafe gave us orders. You ain’t to worry. It won’t happen again. That Parrish is young, but got to give him knowin’ what’s right.”
Inside Lacey there was a surge of fury and resentment. Rafe again. But there was hurt, too. Blewett did not give his approval easily.
But he was waiting for her to say something. With an angry toss of her head that sent her long chestnut braid swinging, she faced him. “I’m here to find out how you and the others feel about him, Blew. But I also wanted it clear to everyone that I still own part of the Reina. Rafe Parrish doesn’t have the final say.”
“Hold on, Miz Lacey,” Cal said. “We figured you sent him here. Like Blew said, man knows his business. Picked up some dried blood spots near the ridge above where Bo got shot.”
“With Ward gone we’ll need a ramrod,” Blew pointed out in a soft voice. “Figure him for the job.”
Lacey heard the underlying question and knew he was probing in his own way for what her feelings were about Rafe. The tension of having to choose her words carefully strained her voice.
“Rafe is Sy’s son. But he must prove himself a full working partner to take title to his claim. I’ll not stand in his way, but I won’t be pushed out. Pass that on,” she warned. “We didn’t have time to get things straight last night, but we will. And when we do, there’ll be no question of who is running what.”
She tossed the last of her coffee out, set the cup down, and walked away. Mounted, she leaned over to adjust her stirrup and met their studied looks. “I don’t want trouble.” Lacey kept her horse to a walk. Was this the way it would be? If Cal and Blew were an example, the men could feel that Rafe should be giving orders. All the years she strove to prove herself capable of running the ranch meant nothing. They were respectful, but she sensed an underlying feeling that men’s business should be left to men. She wanted to be angry and felt a forbidding sense of loss.
Rafe was one of three mounted men overlooking the valley below. The high ridge where they stopped afforded them an unobstructed view of the sprawling ranch buildings.
“That’s Darcy’s spread,” Luke Hollis informed him. “He had to be behind the rustlin’ last night. There’s been bad blood between him and Garrett long as I’ve ridden for the Reina. Bo James told me they used to make their gather with a few other small ranches, sort out the brands, and drive them together. Darcy claimed Garrett didn’t keep an honest account for all. He refused to ride with him after the first time.”
“It bothers me that it fits a mite too easy.” Rafe pulled his hat brim lower, staring at the scene below.
“We tracked them this far. So, what’re we gonna do?”
Rafe glanced at Ragweed, a lean, sallow-faced youngster who wasn’t dry behind his ears. “We’ll ride down and have a talk with Darcy.”
“You plumb loco? That old man is mean and ornery, and he ain’t one to stand and answer any questions.” Luke shook his head. “He’ll deny it. He always does. I told Bo that we was missin’ calves. Even showed him where some Tumbling D riders cut them out. Didn’t do no good. That Darcy chased him off. They find out we’re this close, an’ they’ll do it to us.”
“Let him try.” Rafe pushed his hat back, wiped the beads of sweat from his brow, and hunched over the grulla’s neck, watching the small figures below. He noticed one rider mount up and head out toward the ridge. A thin, merciless grin creased his lips. He knew they had been seen crossing Darcy land, he hadn’t made any effort to hide, but he wasn’t going to be chased off until he had some answers.
Luke had seen the rider, too. “Gonna wait?”
“Right here,” Rafe answered, dismounting. He loosened the thong from his gun, caught the looks they exchanged, and said, “No sense in not being ready. While we wait, fill me in on Darcy, Luke.”
Ragweed remained standing, but Luke came to sit beside him. “Darcy’s spread is almost as large as the Reina’s, but he ain’t got enough water. He’s been after Sy to sell him southeast acreage that has mountain-fed streams, but Garrett wouldn’t consider it. Lacey don’t let a blade of grass get touched lessen she says. Been with them almost three years and never heard tell of a harder man to ramrod for than Darcy.”
“Any family?”
“A daughter and a son. Evan ain’t around, but I heard aways back he was courtin’ Lacey, and Garrett didn’t take kindly to it. April’s the da
ughter. There’s bad feelings between her and Lacey. April figures herself the prettiest gal around and didn’t like Ward and that lawyer fella sniffin’ ’round Lacey like stallions after a prize mare. Not that Miz Lacey gave them a tumble. This here rustlin’ has been going on for a while. Just a few head, but no one been shot at before.”
“April ain’t to blame,” Ragweed cut in, drawing their attention.
“Boy,” Luke said, “iffen you got yourself a hankerin’ in that filly’s direction, forget it. Darcy’ll skin you alive for lookin’.”
Digging one square-toed boot into the soft dirt, Ragweed hunched his shoulders. “Naw, Luke, you ain’t got to tell me. Ain’t got a chance with a lady like her.”
There was more teasing between them, but Rafe wasn’t listening. He thought about how to handle Darcy. He wouldn’t ride in and demand their cattle back as well as whoever shot Bo. There was something that wasn’t right about this. He had to admit that the last few miles of tracking they had done were blind: The rocky ground had not revealed hoofprints, just a few overturned rocks.
He just couldn’t let Darcy slide by without knowing that he wasn’t dealing with a woman alone. Rafe had no compunction about killing. His past had forced him into situations where a steady hand and clear thinking left no room for emotions. But he wanted peace, a chance to build something, not war. He stopped his musings when Luke shook his arm.
“You hear me?”
“No. Just thinking. What were you talking about?”
“How Darcy bought out the smaller spreads and figured the Reina would be his. Didn’t reckon on havin’ Sy laugh at him. Thought there would be gunplay ’tween them when that lawyer fella took April to a church supper in San Angela and then danced with Lacey most of the night. Darcy was riled like a rattler. He can’t refuse April anything she wants. And she’s just as bad, ’spectin’ a man to come at a run fast as you could chuck down hot bear signs.”
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