A continued distrust of Americans or any stranger had left Tom Sax cautious. Caleb had been met at the outskirts of the sprawling ranch by several Mexicans who took his weapons and demanded to know who he was. One of them had brought Caleb this far and now went inside to tell Tom, with orders that Caleb should wait outside—unarmed. The man returned momentarily. “Come in,” he told Caleb.
Caleb went inside. The doors opened into a cool hallway that led in two directions, left and right, while ahead of him was an open door that led into an open court, where Caleb could see roses blooming. A young man walked toward him from the court, using a cane. Caleb felt a piercing pain at the man’s limp. His hair was cut short, but there was no mistaking who it was.
“Nehoe!” Tom walked faster, his eyes already tearing.
Caleb grinned, walking toward him in long strides. “Nahahan,” he said lovingly, hurrying to Tom and embracing him tightly. Tom dropped his cane, unable to control his tears with any more discipline than his father, who also wept. What had this precious son been through? How hard it must have been for him to suffer it alone. How much he must love the rest of his family not to burden them with it.
They exchanged loving words in the Cheyenne tongue, laughing and crying at the same time, neither of them wanting to let go of the other.
“I cannot believe you are really here,” Tom said, finally pulling away slightly. “You must have got my letter.”
Caleb shook his head. “I got no letter. It must have come after we left. I just came to find my son. I was going crazy with worry, Tom.”
The boy grinned, wiping at tears and standing back a little, looking the man over. “Do you never change, Father? Look at you, still so tall and strong. You never age. You still look like a man I would think twice about crossing.” He sniffed and grasped the back of a wrought-iron garden chair while Caleb took his own inventory.
“Well what about you? You’re thinner, Tom. And that leg—I’ve seen Father Juarez. I know all about the wound. You should have told me sooner.”
Their eyes held, then Tom looked away. “I couldn’t. You had your own problems. I brought it on myself.”
Caleb walked closer, putting his hand on the young man’s shoulder. Tom was as tall as his father, and normally as strong and broad. But his healing was still not done. “Tom, those raids—”
“I had to do it. I made a vow that until Juanita was well again, I would kill every American I could find and destroy their farms.” He sniffed and swallowed. “I knew what might happen, but it didn’t matter.” He turned and faced the man. “It was as when you went after the Crow when my mother was killed. Surely you understand that feeling. What they did to Juanita—” He looked down and sighed. “It was worse than death, for both of us. For a long time she was like a crazy woman.”
“I know. Father Juarez told me. You don’t have to go over all of it now.”
Tom shook his head. “Even after she got better and agreed to marry me—she was so afraid.” He picked at a rose that bloomed near him. “I did not touch her for nearly three months after we were married. I could not do it until she was herself ready for such a thing. Even though she loved and trusted me, that part of it terrified her. But finally—” He smiled sadly, shrugging. “Finally my love and patience won her over.” He met his father’s eyes again. “But I would have waited forever if I had to. We are such good friends. You will understand when you meet her. I just wanted to be near her. She is my strength, Father. It is as with you and Sarah.”
Caleb nodded. “I understand.” He put an arm around the young man, leading him to a garden bench where they both sat down. “What about the leg? Does it still give you pain?”
Tom rubbed at it. “Sometimes. Not all the time. Today it is bothering me a little. I don’t always use the cane as I have been today. I can ride and do ranch work.” He smiled, forcing himself to ignore the ugly memories. “How do you like my ranch! Is it not beautiful?”
Caleb grinned at the heavy Spanish accent Tom used now. “It’s very beautiful. And what is this about gold?”
Tom laughed, grabbing the man’s hands. “I am a rich man, Father. The land is mine—legally—through Father Juarez. I have hired a mining company to mine the gold for me. I want to spend my time with Juanita and with the ranching. That is what I really love. And now I have the money to build it up all I want. Life is good now, Father. God has blessed us greatly. Juanita is even going to have a baby.”
Caleb grinned as Tom looked around. “Where is Sarah? The rest of the family?”
“They’re camped a few miles from here. I’ll go and get them soon. I just couldn’t wait to see you first, to know for sure it was my Tom Sax who lived here.” Their eyes held, and they embraced again. “This reminds me of the day you came riding to me across Blue Valley,” Caleb said, his words broken. “Everyone was so sure you’d been killed at the Alamo, but I refused to believe it. And then there you were, coming back to me from the dead.” He squeezed the boy tighter. “My son. You’re my only son now.”
Tom frowned, drawing back. “What do you mean, Father? What has happened to James?”
Caleb reluctantly let go of Tom. He wiped his eyes and rose, taking a thin cigar from his pocket. “James left us to see the big cities of the East. He’s working for some big merchant in St. Louis now. I doubt I’ll ever see him again.” He met Tom’s eyes. “James hates his Indian blood. You know that. And he didn’t look Indian. None of us doubts he’s living there in St. Louis pretending to be all white. I’ve lost him, Tom, just as sure as if he were dead. And I can’t help but wonder if it’s because of all the things that happened in Texas. Right after the war, when things were so bad, I wasn’t a very good father to him. And he saw the ugly side of being Indian. I could never quite get through to him after that, and never could share the closeness with him I’ve shared with you.”
Tom watched him lovingly. “We grew up in a different time, Father, different circumstances. For many years I was all you had, and you were all that I had. Even when you married Marie, that didn’t really change. It has never really changed. And don’t you worry about James. For all you know there is nothing you could have done about it. Each man chooses his own way, Father. You know that.”
Caleb lit the cigar and took a puff. “That’s true. Cale isn’t with us either. He’s with the Cheyenne—living with them. He even participated in the Sun Dance ritual last summer.”
Tom stared at him for several long, quiet seconds. “And you would like to be with him.”
Caleb grinned a little. “Sometimes. But there is something more important to me and that’s Sarah. I’ve brought her here hoping the climate will be good for her.” He sobered—sitting back down. “She hasn’t been well, and the trip here was pretty rough on her. Her lungs get congested so easily, and she has bad pains in her joints a lot of the time. I thought maybe a place where it’s not as hot as Texas and not as cold as Colorado would be good for her.”
Tom put a hand on his arm. “Then you have brought her to the right place. It is beautiful here, Father. I don’t think I could ever leave California now, in spite of some of the bad memories. But that is over. God has given us a good life, and it will be good for you, too. Is Lynda with you?”
Caleb nodded. “Lynda and Jess and John—and they have a baby daughter now, Jessica.”
Tom grinned. “This is truly a happy day. We can all live right here and be together again.”
Caleb took another puff on the cigar. “Well, now, Jess is itching to have a place of his own. He never has, you know. For one reason and another he’s never been able to strike out on his own, and of course he’s stayed with us partly because of Lynda. But he’s an independent man and I don’t blame him for wanting to try something new now that we’re in California. He and Lynda will go on a ways.”
Tom nodded. “I can understand that. But you and Sarah. You will live with us. Surely you will.”
Caleb frowned, meeting his son’s eyes. “Tom, I didn’t come o
ut here to live off my son. I’ll get settled somewhere and—”
“Father, you would not be living off me.” Tom’s eyes teared again as he slowly shook his head. “My God, Father, look at all the years I lived with you. You have done more for me than I could ever repay. I need you, Father. There are days when I can’t get on a horse and do the things a man who runs a ranch needs to do. You could do that for me. There is nothing you know better in the world than raising horses and running a ranch. Here you can realize the dream that was stolen from you in Texas. I have got it back for you, something I always hoped to do. Here at last you and Sarah can find the peace you deserve, and Sarah can live in total comfort. We even have servants. It is the kind of life you always wanted for her, and if you think you need to do something in return, you will be earning it right out there with those horses—and by staying with me when I need you most.”
Caleb saw the pleading in his son’s eyes. Tom grasped the man’s forearm firmly. “Please say you will stay, Father, right here. We have many rooms. And it would be good for my Juanita. It has been many years since she had a mother, and I can think of no woman who would be better for her or love her more than Sarah. And if Lynda is moving on, then Juanita could be a companion and friend to Sarah. Besides, Juanita will deliver soon. I would like nothing better than for Sarah to be here for her. And after that she can help take care of the baby, and she would have another grandchild to hold.”
Caleb smiled sadly. “You make it all very tempting.”
A tear slipped down Tom’s cheek. “The last couple of years have been hell,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion. “Seeing you is better than finding the gold. The important thing is that my Juanita is well, and now my father is here. Don’t leave, Father.”
Caleb put a hand over Tom’s. “All right. We’ll try it for a while, at least; but I’ll by God do my share.”
“I have no doubts about that.” Tom smiled through his tears. He looked past his father. “Juanita! I told them not to disturb you from your nap.”
He rose, and Caleb turned to see a young woman with a swollen belly entering the garden. He was struck by her provocative beauty, seeing immediately why Tom Sax had fallen so madly in love in spite of the gap in their ages. Tom limped to Juanita’s side, putting an arm around her and leading her toward his father.
“I woke up,” she was telling Tom. “They said your father is here.”
Caleb rose, meeting the girl’s eyes as they came closer. She seemed to be reddening under his gaze, but she smiled.
“Juanita, this is my father, Caleb.” Tom smiled proudly. “Father, this is Juanita. See for yourself how beautiful my wife is.”
Juanita looked down bashfully. “Tom, you make me embarrassed.”
Tom just laughed, and Caleb reached out and took her hand. “You are indeed beautiful—not just in looks, Juanita. You are beautiful because you love my son.”
She raised her eyes at the remark, already loving this new father-in-law. “I know you are a good man. Tom thinks so much of you, talks about you all the time. I feel I already know you. And now that I see you, I know why my Tom is such a strong, good man. I am grateful that you raised such a fine son, and that he is my husband.”
She suddenly hugged him, and Caleb patted her shoulder, feeling the softness of her dark, long hair against his hand. Already he could feel some of the rage Tom must have felt at what happened to this treasure. She was so young and sweet, and it was easy to see what an innocent she must have been. She pulled away, sniffing and wiping at her eyes.
“You are here to stay? You will live with us, won’t you?”
Tom put an arm around her. “I have already talked him into it. My stepmother and my sister and her family are camped not far from here. I will ride with Father to go and get them. I am anxious to see my family. Do you mind, Juanita?”
“Of course not. I have plenty of protection here. I will have the servants get rooms ready for them.” She looked up at Caleb. “Those that are finished anyway. The house is still not completed. But enough is done to accommodate my husband’s family.”
Caleb was struck by her gracious manners. This girl was well-bred. “We don’t need anything fancy. Lord knows we haven’t lived fancy in a long time.”
“Oh, but Tom has told me much about his stepmother. She is a fine lady who deserves all the comforts. I will see that she gets them.” She looked back at Tom. “I will have plenty to do to get ready. You go with your father. When will you leave?”
Tom looked at Caleb. “It’s up to you.” He threw up his hands. “I haven’t even asked you if you are tired. Would you like something to drink, or are you hungry?”
Caleb grinned. “A little. Why don’t we have some lunch and then leave. We can make the camp by nightfall.” He looked Tom over. “Are you sure you feel up to it? You seem to be in pain today.”
Tom shrugged. “I am used to it.”
Caleb noticed the pain and sorrow in Juanita’s eyes. All of Tom’s suffering had been for her. Surely every time she watched him limp she remembered those awful days.
“I can ride.” Tom turned to Juanita. “Honey, why don’t you go tell Luisa to get some lunch ready?” He kissed her cheek and she blushed.
“Yes, I will do that.” She looked up at Caleb again. “I am so happy you are here. It is another prayer that has been answered. So many have been answered for us lately.”
She turned and left, and Tom watched her lovingly, then turned back to his father. “Luisa used to be a nursemaid to Juanita when she lived with her father—before all the bad things happened. We sent for Luisa after we got settled and built this bigger house. I knew Juanita could not take care of it all by herself, and I don’t want anything to go wrong with the pregnancy. Now that Sarah will be here, I feel extra good about it. It is very important that Juanita have a nice healthy baby to love. I am not sure she could handle it emotionally if anything went wrong. She has had enough loss and pain.”
Caleb sighed deeply, meeting his son’s eyes. “She’s beautiful, Tom—more beautiful than I anticipated.”
Tom smiled proudly. “I wanted her the first day I saw her, in spite of her youth.” He turned. “Come. I will show you around, and then we will eat.”
“Tom.”
The young man turned, Waiting.
“What about Los Malos?”
“What about it? That is over now.”
“Father Juarez said all of them were killed the day you were wounded—but that later you discovered one had lived and was hung. What is the possibility that someone knows who led The Bad Ones? Maybe the one who lived told someone.”
Tom shrugged. “If he did, someone would have come for me by now. I am known in Sonoma. The leader of Los Malos is a legend. If anyone knew who it was, they would jump at the chance to expose him and be the one to capture me.”
Caleb studied him thoughtfully. “I suppose you’re right. It just gives me an uneasy feeling.”
Tom put on a grin, hiding his own similar concern. “Well, now my father is here, so it does not matter. If something goes wrong, between the two of us we can fight it and win, right?”
Caleb smiled himself, deciding not to go into it any further and spoil this happy moment. “Right.”
The two of them embraced once more. Caleb had not felt this happy in several years. Being with Tom even helped ease the pain of saying good-bye to James. This would be a good life for Sarah. At least she would live the way she deserved to live. This place called California was going to be a happy chapter in their lives.
• Chapter Twenty-four •
Caleb stretched out in the huge, comfortable bed. The room Tom had given Caleb and Sarah was quite large, decorated with richly polished mahogany furnishings handmade by a Spanish carpenter Tom had hired. Paintings of matadors and mountains hung on the walls, as well as a picture of a Mexican man with his head bowed, covering himself nearly completely with his large sombrero as he took his afternoon siesta. The stucco walls of the ramblin
g Sax home kept the rooms cool, and there were so few insects in the air that most of the time Caleb and Sarah slept with their windows open, breathing the fresh night air.
“I never dreamed it would be this beautiful, Sarah,” Caleb told her. She lay curled up beside him, reaching her arm over his bare chest when he spoke.
“And it’s so good for you. You actually seem younger and stronger, Caleb.”
He laughed lightly. “I never thought working so hard would actually give me more energy. Tom’s got me riding down wild mustangs, training horses, teaching the other men the best breeding practices, building fences, herding horses and cattle; we’ve even been going out to the mine and doing some work there.”
“You do seem to put in a full day,” she said jokingly.
He grinned, moving an arm under her and pulling her closer. “I love it. But mostly I’m just so damned happy to see Tom doing so well. He’s smart not to be counting on that mine. He takes all that money and turns right around and invests it in this place. He knows someday that mine will probably play out and when it does he’ll have plenty of other resources. I can’t believe how wealthy my own son is.”
She smiled, kissing his shoulder. “But still the same good man. He is so unaffected by it. And he’s so much in love with Juanita. She’s so beautiful, Caleb, so sweet. With Lynda moving on, it helps having Juanita. I already look at her like a daughter. I just pray she’ll never suffer again—that life will always be good to her now. I hope she has a nice healthy baby.”
Caleb rubbed a hand over her back and hips. “I think Jess will be happier, too, having a place of his own. According to that letter, he’s got a nice little spread started already. I promise to take you there as soon as I get a free day.”
“They’ll do fine. Jess is such a capable man. But I do miss Lynda so.”
He lightly kissed her hair. “I know. But Tom says the town they live near is only a two-day ride from here.”
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