by Kit Morgan
“She saved ya a plate. I wouldn’t worry ‘cept it might be cold by now. How was the huntin’?”
Newton froze and stared at him a moment. “It was … interesting.”
“Willy the stagecoach driver said he saw ya with an Injun huntin’ party the other day.”
“I … met them,” Newton said, his face a mask.
Cutty’s eyes widened. “Were ya with ‘em?”
Newton went to the dresser where a water pitcher sat and poured himself a glass. He drained it, then turned to Cutty. “They are a fascinating people. I plan to spend more time with them.”
“Ya mean yer goin’ back?” Cutty asked in surprise.
“As soon as I can, in fact. I’m only here long enough to gather up a few things to take with me to show them.” He set the glass on the dresser, then went and sat in the only other chair. “Well, that and catch a nap. They’re very eager to learn our ways and I theirs. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow?” Cutty said in shock. “But ya can’t go!”
“Why not?”
“Well, because… what about Ryder’s house? We need yer help.”
“There are plenty of men who want to help – you don’t need me.”
“But I … well, what about Nettie? She was just tellin’ me how she ain’t seen ya for days.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” he chuckled. “Nor the last. She’s gone days without seeing me before – she is married now, after all. Besides, I’ll have more to tell her after this trip.”
Now or never. “I’m comin’ with ya.”
“What?!”
“Ya heard me. I wanna come with ya.”
Newton raised a curious brow. “You do?”
“Course I do. Yer not the only one interested in Injuns.”
Newton rubbed his chin a few times. “I’m not sure if you can.”
“What do ya mean?”
“I had to have an invitation – Ryder procured it for me. You’ll probably have to go through the same protocol.”
“So get me an invitation.”
“That’s not as easy as you make it sound. Ryder or Seth would have to do it, and they’re working on the house for the next few days.”
“Come work with us, then we’ll go see the Injuns,” Cutty suggested.
Newton left his chair, turned toward the window and sighed. “I’ve got to get back,” he said softly. “I’m afraid I can’t wait.”
“Why in tarnation not?” Cutty asked. Really, what had his son so interested in a tribe of Indians?
Newton turned his head ever so slightly in his direction. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Understand?” What was he talking about? Cutty scratched his head. “If’n ya say so. At least come help Ryder out for a day.”
“I’m afraid not, sorry.” He turned around. “I’ve got to get back out there.”
Cutty studied him. His son looked tired yet excited, like a boy who’d just discovered a whole new world. Which, come to think of it, he likely had. But there was a brightness in his eyes that went beyond the look of an explorer. It made Cutty want to share in his son’s excitement all the more. “Are ya sure I can’t go with ya?”
“Not this time. Let me see about an invitation, then you can go. And when you do …” He smiled. “… you’ll love them, I’m sure.”
Nothing for it, then. “Guess I’ll just hafta wait,” Cutty said with a shrug.
Newton nodded and smiled again. “I’m sure you won’t have to wait long.” He headed for the door. “In the meantime, come have some coffee with me. I’d love to share what I saw while I was with them.”
Cutty smiled back. A few more moments with him was better than nothing, and if Newton wanted to spend that time with him, who was he to argue? “Sure, and we can have some cold pancakes and bacon too. At least that’s what it smelled like when I came into the hotel to see ya.”
“Whatever Mrs. Upton managed to save for me will be wonderful. Anything she cooks usually is.”
They went downstairs to the dining room, sat and within minutes had steaming hot cups of coffee and plates of food in front of them. But it was all Cutty could do to concentrate on his food, because Newton’s excitement grew as he talked. Cutty began to wonder what sort of spell those Indians had weaved around his son. Now more than ever he wanted to spend more time with Newton, Indians or no Indians.
“Well, I must be off,” Newton suddenly announced and stood.
“What? So soon?” Cutty watched him turn on his heel and stride off. “Hey, wait for me!” But Newton didn’t – he strode for the lobby, reached the stairs and took them two at a time. Cutty had to run to keep up with him. “What in blazes is yer hurry?”
“I’ve already packed most of what I’ll need,” Newton informed him as he reached his room. He unlocked the door and entered.
Cutty took a second in the doorway to catch his breath. “Ya mean to tell me yer still headin’ out there?”
“I wasn’t quite awake when you came to my room earlier. Now that I have my wits about me, there’s not a moment to lose. I’m leaving right away.”
“Now?!” Cutty said in shock. “Dagnabit, we just talked about this! At least wait ‘til tomorrow. I want to spend …” He snapped his mouth shut.
Newton stopped pulling clothes from the dresser and stared at him. “You want to spend what?”
Cutty looked away. “Ah, it ain’t nothin’. Fine, go ahead and visit yer Injun friends. But when’ll ya be back?”
“Not long – a few days at the most. I’ll see if you can come with me the next time.” He crossed the room and put a hand on Cutty’s shoulder. “You’re not disappointed, I hope?”
“Kinda … I mean, it’d be excitin’ to travel ‘cross the prairie with ya …”
Newton gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Right you are, my good man! They’re a wonderful people. You’ll see.” He grabbed a holster and put it on.
Cutty noticed the Colt .45 in the holster. “Thought ya said they were friendly.”
“They are. But not everyone out there is. Seth and Ryder told me that sometimes cattle rustlers pass through.”
Cutty shuddered. He’d had his share of run-ins with cattle rustlers and outlaws, enough to last him a lifetime. “Then make sure ya got plenty of bullets.”
“I do.” He threw some clothes into a saddlebag along with a couple of books. “Right, I’m off then.”
“Just like that,” Cutty said in amazement. “Well … I’ll look after yer sister while yer gone. Ya’ll be back after a few days, right?”
“I said I would. And when I do come back, you’ll be ready to leave again with me, won’t you?”
“Ya can count on it.”
Newton left the room, and left Cutty in shock. His son hadn’t even bothered to close the door. Cutty listened to the fading footsteps, hands on hips. “What in blazes is out there that has him so excited?” he mumbled in his own voice. He supposed he’d find out for himself a few days hence.
* * *
As it turned out, Newton was gone more than a few days, and Cutty began to worry. He’d work on Ryder’s house during the day, come back to Clear Creek to spend time with his son, and find there was still no son to spend time with.
“I’m sure he’s just having a good time and wanting to spend a couple of extra days out there,” Seth explained. “He was quite taken with … er, everything.”
“Everythin’? Just what’s everythin’?” Cutty asked. “They teachin’ him how to make his own bow and arrow to hunt with? What makes a bunch of Injuns so fascinatin’?”
Seth shrugged in his seat behind the hotel’s front counter. “It’s all new to him, I guess. If you were some fancy Englishmen and you had an opportunity to study another people, would you do it?”
“Depends on the people, I suppose,” Cutty mused. He got a mental picture of Imogene walking amongst the Indians – the real Indians, in India – and had to suppress a smile.
And speaking of which … “I most certainly would,” Imogene announced as she entered the lobby.
“Imogene!” Cutty said in delight and went to her. “Ain’t you a sight for sore eyes!”
“And to think it’s only been three days since I saw you last,” she replied. “Welcome back to Clear Creek. How’s work going on Ryder’s new house?”
“Fine. The place’ll be done ‘fore we know it.”
“And then you move into your own house?” she asked with a wink.
He scratched the back of his head. “That’s the plan. But Ryder and I’ll still have work to do.”
She glanced around the lobby. “Seems to me you have other work as well.”
His eyes darted here and there. “Newton ain’t here. He’s been gone for days.”
“So I just heard. And you haven’t had a chance to tell him?”
Cutty walked over to Imogene in an effort to get out of Seth’s earshot, but it wasn’t far enough to change to his real voice. “If’n he don’t come back soon, I might not get the chance,” he whispered. “Once Ryder’s house is done, he plans on workin’ me to death from the sounds of it.”
“Oh dear, that will never do. I hope Newton returns soon.”
“So do I.” He glanced around again. “I spoke with Preacher Jo.”
“Oh?”
“I done told him …”
Imogene gasped. “You mean … you told him?” Cutty nodded, and she put a hand to her chest. “Well, this is news. How did he take it?” she asked, her voice just as low.
Cutty shrugged. “It’s Preacher Jo. He’s a real forgivin’ man.”
She smiled. “Dear sweet Cutty, when will you learn that there’s nothing to forgive?”
“Not for him there ain’t. For others there is, and ya know who I’m talkin’ ‘bout.”
She sighed in resignation. “True, but I’ll back you up. First, however, take care of Newton.”
“I will once I see him. If I ever see him again.”
Seth must have heard the last part. “Tell you what, Cutty – if he’s not back by tomorrow, what say you and I ride on out and fetch him?”
Cutty looked over his shoulder. “Ya mean it?”
Seth nodded. “I’d hate to think that something happened to him. I’d feel better if we checked. I’ll let Mr. Van Cleet know today so he can mind the desk tomorrow.”
“Much obliged, Seth. I don’t mind sayin’ I’m kinda worried ‘bout m … that boy.”
“I’m sure he’s fine, but better safe than sorry. Things can happen when a man’s out there by himself.”
A shiver went up Cutty’s spine at his words. “Don’t I know it.”
Imogene looked between the two men. “Newton can take care of himself if something happens – right, Mr. Jones?”
“He does all right for a city fella and an Englishman besides,” Seth told her. “But they don’t have rattlers in England, or packs of wolves, or outlaws wandering the prairie.”
“That’s because England doesn’t have a prairie,” Imogene huffed.
“My point exactly,” Seth said with a chuckle.
“Ain’t no laughin’ matter if somethin’ happened to him,” Cutty said and began to pace.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Imogene said and touched him on the arm to stop him. “Don’t worry yourself.”
He looked her in the eye. “I cain’t help it.” He leaned toward her and whispered, “That’s my boy out there – I wanna make sure he comes home.”
She smiled. “My dear sweet man, I’m positive he’ll come home straightaway.”
Cutty smiled back. “Imogene, ya know just what to say to make me feel better.”
She patted her hair. “I do try.”
Thirteen
One week later…
“They went where?” Grandma asked as she took her chair for the ladies’ sewing circle. “Land sakes, what are they all doing out there?”
Nettie shrugged. “First Seth and Cutty went to look for Newton. When they didn’t come back, Ryder and Amon went after them. That was three days ago.”
“Oh, you poor dear,” Fanny Fig said, patting Nettie on the knee. “You must be sick with worry.”
“Not at all, Seth came back and said everyone’s fine. Seems the men have been hunting and having a grand time. One would think they were on holiday. But I do hope they come home soon.”
“What’s the matter?” Eloise asked. “Am I not good company?”
“You’re very fine company and I do enjoy staying at the hotel, but I need to get home.”
“Seth doesn’t mind riding out to feed the stock,” Eloise said. “But you must miss Amon.”
“How right you are,” Nettie agreed.
“I know I miss Ryder,” Constance chimed in. “It’s a blessing that I’ve gotten good at riding to town by myself or I wouldn’t be here. I’m glad Banjo is a gentle horse.”
“A two-hour ride isn’t that far to come,” said Grandma. “Unless it’s an emergency …”
Constance shuddered, remembering riding like the wind to get her husband to town after he’d been bitten by that rattlesnake. “Let’s pray there are no such emergencies ever again.”
“Wishful thinking around here,” Irene stated. “This isn’t England – you’d best remember that. Things happen to good folks and bad out here. It’s the way of things.”
“In that case, I hope Newton doesn’t shoot himself in the foot,” Nettie commented. “It would be just like him to do something foolish like that.”
“I thought he was quite good with a gun,” Penelope stated.
“Nonetheless,” Nettie replied, then changed the subject. “Now what are we going to make once we’re done with this quilt?”
“Imogene’s wedding dress, of course,” said Mary Mulligan. “And it’s about time too.”
“I’m in no rush to wed,” Imogene said as she sewed. “And neither is Cutty.”
“He will be once Ryder starts working him,” Constance said. “He’s already set money aside to pay him – if they ever come back to start work, that is.”
“Don’t you find it strange that they’ve spent so much time out on the prairie?” Belle asked. “They can hunt around here as well as they can near the Indians’ camp, can’t they?”
“I’m sure they can,” said Sadie. “But I think Nettie’s brother finds the Indians more interesting than hunting. Isn’t that right, Nettie?”
“Indeed – Cutty said he was quite excited when he spoke with him last. I can’t wait to hear what my brother says about them.”
“Well if you want to hear something in the meantime, just ask Seth,” Eloise suggested.
“I have,” Nettie told her. “But he didn’t say much.”
“He didn’t?” Eloise said in surprise. “Maybe he was busy at the time.”
“He did have his nose in a ledger. Perhaps I’ll ask him again.”
“Come to think of it, he hasn’t said much to me either,” Eloise remarked. “But I haven’t really made it a point to ask him. He did tell me a few things …”
“I think I’ll wait until Amon comes home and hear what he has to say about the Indians and Newton’s fascination with them. After all, he will have seen it firsthand.”
“I think you should stop talking about it and start talking about making a wedding dress for Imogene,” Irene snapped. “This is a sewing circle – how about we sew, not flap our gums to high heaven?”
“We are sewing,” Apple said, holding up a quilt square. “See?”
Irene was not placated. “We’d get more done if everyone would stop talking.”
“What would a sewing circle be without talk?” Fanny asked. “Personally, it’s one of my favorite parts.”
“Talking is your favorite part of anything!” Irene was quick to point out.
Fanny rolled her eyes. “That’s not true. I don’t talk all day – just ask Henry.”
“My husband had better be doing plenty of talking when he gets home,” Nett
ie said. “Or I’ll wind up talking to myself.”
“Why is that?” Apple asked.
“Because he knows I’ll be ready to throttle him for staying out there so long!”
The women laughed. What she said rang true – the men had been gone for too long. What on earth was keeping them?
* * *
Nettie felt more and more disgruntled as time wore on. The weekly meeting of the ladies’ sewing circle ended and the women began to disperse. She gathered her things and looked at Eloise with a sigh. “I could use a spot of tea about now.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Eloise said and turned to Grandma. “Would you like to join us for some tea?”
“Don’t mind if I do,” she said happily. “Doc’s probably taking a nap about now anyway.”
“Elsie, would you like to come?” Eloise asked.
Elsie Drake looked up from her quilt squares and smiled. “Yes, some tea would be lovely. I have no idea where Bowen is, so why not?”
The women left the mercantile and headed for the hotel. They got no further than the bank when Grandma cried, “Land sakes, are those our missing men over there?”
Nettie peered at a group of men standing in front of the livery stable. “It most certainly is! Amon!” The four started for the men, who were circled around something.
When they reach them, Amon looked up. “Nettie,” he gasped, took her in his arms and buried his face in her hair. “Nettie,” he said again, as if he hadn’t seen her for years.
“Amon?” She mumbled against his chest. “What’s wrong?”
Amon pulled away, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. And kissed her, and kissed her some more. When he stopped he gazed into her eyes. “Nothing, except I was without you for far too long.” He wrapped his arms around her again and held her close.
“It hasn’t been that long! But I have to admit, I was starting to go mad without you.”
“Ease up, Cotter – yer embarrasin’ the single folk.” Cutty stepped away from the group. He was dirty, bruised and had a cut over his bad eye.
“Good grief, what happened to you?” Grandma asked.