Chapter Twenty One
Reeves, was furious. He’d searched all through the house and all over the ranch headquarters. He realized her horse was missing when he checked the barn, and he got mad. “Martinez, I know you had something to do with this, now where did she go?” “I do not know Senor. She must have snuck out when everyone was asleep.” Martinez shrugged his shoulders and played the part of innocence.
Reeves saddled his horse and rode to town. He would search there first and if she was not there he would go see that gunslinger. His father was due back any day and he didn’t want him to see how bad he’d screwed things up.
He rode into town and hitched his horse in front of his grandmother’s place. The last time he’d stepped foot any where near here, he had crossed words with her. He regretted some of the things he said to her. She was his grandmother and he loved her dearly. He should not have been so disrespectful to her, but what’s done is done. He had to put it in the past and let bygones be bygones.
He hadn’t expected to find Virginia so easily. She sat at a table eating with non other than her gunslinger. Reeves stomped his way over to their table and grabbed her by the arm. “Come on, Virginia. It’s time to go home.” “Let go of me, you’re hurting my arm, Reeves.” Reeves heard the sudden scrape of a chair sliding across the floor and looked at Jax. “Let go of my wife.” “Excuse me, your what, you better think again.” “I don’t think, I know and if you don’t let her go you’re going to regret it.” He released her arm. “Maybe, you want to take this outside on the street.” “I don’t.” “Well, I do.”
Virginia stepped toward her brother, and grabbed his arm. “Reeves what are you doing? You’re going to get yourself killed.” Reeves shook his sister off his arm. “Let go of me, Virginia.” She turned to Jax. “Jax please don’t do this.” “I have to honey. He called me out in front of everybody.”
Jax followed Reeves out into the street. Onlookers gathered on the porches and huddled in windows to watch. Virginia closed her eyes, and stood by on the porch with her grandmothers arms wrapped securely around her.
Jax flipped the snap on his pistol and readied himself. He wouldn’t draw first. He never did. He waited for what seemed like forever. He almost thought Reeves would change his mind. When he went for his gun, Jax was a little slower; but not slow enough to let him pull the trigger. When the gun blasted, Virginia opened her eyes, afraid she would see one of the men she loved laying in a puddle of blood on the street.
What she saw was her brother, reaching down to pick his gun up off the ground. Just before he reached it, another shot was fired, and Reeves’s gun went skidding across the ground. “Let’s get a few things straight, Reeves. One,” he fired a third shot hitting the gun again. “I love your sister.” Reeves bent down again to pick up his gun. “Two, I can protect her.” Another shot rang out but Reeves didn’t try to pick the gun up this time. “Three, in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of God, she is my wife, and nothing and nobody is going to take her away from me.” Two more shots rang out rapidly. “Four, if you ever hurt her again; I will kill you, brother or no.”
Jax put his pistol back in its holster and walked away. He laid his hand on the small of Virginia’s back and guided her back to their table. “Thank you, for not killing him,” she whispered. “Honey, I love you more than my whole life, did you really think I would kill your brother?” “I guess not.”
They had just started eating their meals when they heard a loud commotion at the door. They turned to see what it was all about and Virginia’s pa walked through the door. He looked around the room, until his eyes fixed on their table. Removing his hat he made his way to their table. “Mind if I sit down?” “Help yourself, pa, I’d like to meet Jax Tanner, my husband.” “I heard; I rode up right before everyone gathered out on the street. I must say my heart stopped when I saw Reeves standing out on that street. He’s good with a gun, but he ain’t a gunslinger. I thought for sure, I was witnessing the death of my oldest child. I thank you, for sparing his life.” Jax shook his head, “I couldn’t very well kill my own brother in law and have Virginia hate me for the rest of her life, now could I?”
“I’m right ashamed of how Reeves’s been acting. Martinez rode in with me and filled me in on what’s been going on. I guess, I owe you many thanks, son. You saved my daughters, life and spared my son’s. I’m pleased to welcome you to the family.” He extended hi s hand to his new son in law and shook his hand.
“If you’re willing, I’d like to host a party at the ranch, kind of a welcome to the family party, to celebrate your nuptials.” Jax looked at his wife and graced her with a smile. “I think we’re willing, aren’t we honey?” “We are,” she answered. “That settles it then, how’s tomorrow night, sound to you two lovebirds?” It was Virginia, who answered this time. “Tomorrow night, sounds good to me, Pa. We’ll see you there.”
Jax looked up at his new father in law. “Why don’t you join us for lunch? We’ve barely had time to touch our meals, and I’m guessing Mrs. Ellen has plenty fixed in there.” “Well now, that sounds good, but I learned a long time ago not to sit here and wait on my mama. She likes waiting on her customers, but she will skin my hide if I don’t fix my plate myself. I’ll be right back.” Mr. Barnett slid out of his chair and headed to the kitchen. A few minutes later he came out carrying a plate and a cup of coffee.
He set his plate down and was soon, joined by Mrs. Ellen and Preacher Man, carrying plates of their own to the table. “Whew, it’s been one heck of a day. I declare I don’t know how much more excitement I can take.” “Mama, don’t go having a stroke now. We want to keep you around a little while longer.” “Somebody’s got to teach Virginia to cook,” Jax said. They all laughed at his joke except for Virginia, who was crossing her arms and fighting the smile that was starting to pull at the corner of her lips.
A bright eyed Craven walked through the front door and made his way over to the table. He was all smiles and laughter. “Well I’ll be, little sister, I was mighty surprised to hear you done gone and got yourself hitched. I think I nearly fainted.” Craven bent over and hugged his sister’s neck. “I sure did miss your ugly face,” he laughed. “Well Craven, I missed your ugly face too. I sure hope you gave the men hell for me.” “Virginia, watch your language, ladies, don’t talk like that.” “Awe, Granny, you know Sis ain’t no lady. I’d be shocked if she had a ladylike bone in her body.” “Well sonny, this here is my establishment and I don’t want to hear no range talk from you or your sister. Now get yourself in the kitchen and fix yourself a plate.” “Yes, Ma’am, you ain’t got to tell me twice.”
The next evening rolled around faster than expected. Jax wrapped his arms around Virginia, and waited for her father to give his toast. He’d invited the whole town out to the ranch for fun and dancing to celebrate their marriage. Mr. Barnett went around pouring whiskey in everyone’s glasses, then gathered them all around for a toast.
“Well I raised Virginia up the only way I knew how, and though she ain’t a lady, she’s definitely one of a kind. She grew into a hard worker, a fine horsewoman, like her mother, God rest her soul, and most of all, she found a man, who could equal her and probably the only man in the county who could best her with a gun. My little tomboy, grew up to be a fine woman. Now, I made a promise to her a long time ago, that on her wedding day, I would sign over to her, the land she picked out for herself. It’s the prettiest piece I own, and I’m handing the deed over to her today. Here you go Sweetheart.” Virginia took the paper her father handed her and hugged his neck. “Thank you.” “Darling, I’m not finished yet.” He turned around and yelled, “Craven, bring out the other gift.”
The crowd of people parted for Craven. Behind him was the gray stallion, Virginia had loved ever since her father received him. “I hear your going into the horse business, so I thought you might like to give your husband some competition. He’s yours Sweetheart.” Virginia wrapped her arms around her father. “Are you serious? Oh my G
od, thank you.”
Epilogue
Virginia wrapped her arms around her husband. Her big belly prevented her from getting any closer. “What’s the matter my Angel?” Jax looked up at the sky and then to the recently finished house. “It’s going to be a bad winter. It’ll probably be one of the coldest we’ve ever seen. I should probably get started on that barn for the horses.” He leaned his forehead against Virginia’s “It’ll be fine, you’ll see.” She said.
Jax rubbed his wife’s belly. “I don’t know why you want to call this baby, Angel. The name has been nothing but bad luck for me.” Virginia, sucked in a deep breath and blew it out. “I don’t think so. You are alive, aren’t you? Besides, your mother used to call you Angel. You said so yourself. Plus I kind of like the way it sounds on my lips.”
“Hmm, I like the way it sounds on your lips, too.” He kissed both her eyes shut and then took her lips in his. Virginia broke the kiss and whispered, “Let’s go inside, Angel. You can work on that barn tomorrow.”
Virginia took her husband’s hand and led him into their house. It was a big cabin, with a big porch wrapping around it. She’d insisted on having a porch like the one at her father’s house.
There was even a big kitchen, in which Virginia had been practicing her cooking. She was getting much better and Jax’s waist was evidence to the fact.
She still preferred being outside, but being pregnant it sometimes made task she normally enjoyed, very hard. “I wish I could work with the horses, like I used to.” Virginia said. “Honey, I tell you what, tomorrow I’ll hitch up the buggy and take you out to look at the herd. It’ll give you a chance to see some of the foals that dropped this spring. They sure are growing fast. I saw a few gray’s running around out there, too.” Virginia smiled, “Really, oh I can’t wait to see them. I told you he was just as good as your black.” Jax nodded, “Yes ma’am, you did.”
Virginia joined Jax in front of the fireplace and he wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, honey. You’ve changed this old gunslinger’s life. I believe my Mama would have loved you, too.” He planted a light kiss on her lips. “Well, I never knew my Mama, but I think it’s safe to say she would have loved you too. I sure do,” Virginia whispered.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Epilogue
The Gunslinger (Barnett Ranch) Page 9