The Rancher’s Spirited Bride

by Chloe Carley

  He retrieved the blanket from Thunder’s back and then handed it to the young woman. He was regretting not having taken time to grab his saddle bags before riding out to search for Sara Jane. His extra blanket and other supplies were all back in the barn.

  The young girl eyed him suspiciously, but her need for warmth won out and she took the blanket, pulling it around her body as best she could. Carl nodded at her encouragingly and then looked around for any sort of kindling. Outside the shelter, the wind was whipping around something fierce. But inside, there was just enough protection he believed he could get a fire started and keep it going until the storm passed over them.

  Carl found enough dry wood to get a small fire started, but it wouldn’t last long and there wasn’t enough wood to keep it burning all through the night. With a little heavenly help, he didn’t intend to be here come morning. He settled on the ground and then introduced himself.

  “My name is Carl. What are you called?”

  “Wenaka,” the young woman replied softly. “Thank you.”

  “You are very welcome. Wenaka, did you find the bark you were looking for?”

  “No, the snow started getting heavier and then I couldn’t find my way back …”

  “Once the snow stops, I’ll see if I can help you.”

  Wenaka looked worried and she lifted her fingertips to her mouth and blew on them. They were bright red and he pulled off his gloves and handed them to her. She took them and looked at him curiously.

  “Put them on your hands. They will help warm them up.”

  He watched while she did so and then he struggled for something else to say. Carl was helpless for anything he could do or say that would ease her mind. She was young, much younger than Sara Jane, but the Indians lived differently, and childhood meant something entirely different when every day was a struggle for survival.

  “How old are you?” Carl asked, holding his hands out to the fire and wishing he knew where Sara Jane was. Hopefully, Shawn had already located her, and she was safe back at the ranch house.

  “Twelve summers,” Wenaka replied softly.

  Twelve years old? Out here by herself. Carl shook his head, thinking that was way too young, but then he recalled Sara Jane at that age and could have easily seen her trying something like this. Not that her brothers or family would have allowed her to do so, but she still would have tried.

  “We’ll get you back to your camp,” Carl promised her.

  “My brother will find me,” she told him with certainty in her voice.

  “And your brother is?”

  “The chief.”

  Great! Let’s hope he’s in a thankful state of mind when that happens.

  They lapsed into silence and half an hour later the snow began to let up. There was still just a hint of daylight left behind the thick clouds and Carl struggled with venturing further to help Wenaka find her people or just taking her back to the ranch with him. At least that option ensured they would both be safe come morning. The other was a huge risk and would put Carl at a disadvantage if Wenaka’s people decided not to be friendly.

  He looked over at Wenaka and saw the young girl’s eyes half-masted and made his decision. She was clearly exhausted, cold, and probably hungry and thirsty. She was going home with him. He was confident that Pearl and James would welcome her wholeheartedly for the night.

  He began gathering his things up, sorry that he had to take the saddle blanket away from her, but he wouldn’t endanger Thunder by making him carry weight without it and the only other option was to walk back. With the storm still threatening to dump more snow down upon them, they needed to get moving and right now.

  “I need to get my horse saddled back up and then we’ll see about getting you someplace safe and warm for the night.”

  Wenaka looked shocked at his words and quickly shook her head. “I should try to find my people.”

  “Do you remember right where the camp is?” Carl asked her, towering over her with his hands on his hips. He was concerned for her safety and there was no way he could allow her to go off on her own unless she could convince him she knew exactly where her camp was located. He wouldn’t have her death on his hands and if she got lost in this storm, without any protection from the cold and moisture, that was exactly what might happen.

  Wenaka shook her head slowly. “Before the snow I could have followed my own tracks …”

  “Which is why you’re coming home with me. I promise no harm will come to you, but I need to get back and make sure the young woman I was searching for has been located and also make sure you’re safe until we can reunite you with your brother and your camp.”

  “My brother will not know where to look for me,” she argued.

  “I promise we’ll head out at first light and locate him. It’s simply too dangerous to do that with night closing in on us.” Carl pulled a bandana from his around his neck and tied it around a tree branch that was mostly sheltered from the lightly falling snow. “If your brother sees this, he will know to come to the ranch.”

  She appeared to be mulling over his words and then she nodded and stood up. “I will come with you.” She pulled off his gloves and handed them to him.

  “Thank you. Do you need any help …” Carl let his words die as Wenaka walked to her horse and easily sprang onto the animal’s bare back. She leaned forward, retrieving the long end of the leather thong that had been fixed around the animal’s head and served as both a bridle and reins.

  Realizing she was now waiting on him, he quickly pulled on his gloves and then finished saddling Thunder. He stepped into the saddle, settling his hat back on his head. He was glad the snow had almost stopped and now he could see clearly the landmarks that had been hidden before. They were only a short distance away from the ranch house and barns, but it would take them half an hour to get there in this snow. Going faster would put the horses at risk and Carl wouldn’t do that, no matter how cold it was.

  Wenaka was quiet on their journey, her face expressionless, and Carl wondered what was going through her mind. She didn’t seem exactly afraid of him. He caught only a glimmer of wariness when they rode into the yard and he called out, “Anyone in the barn?”

  The house doors opened and Shawn and James both came hurrying forward. He could hear Pearl yelling at Sara Jane as she too burst through the doors a few seconds behind the others, in her stockinged feet and without either a coat or a hat on.

  Carl shook his head and hollered to her, “Sara Jane! Get back in the house before you catch your death of a cold.”

  Sara Jane kept coming and, as his feet landed on the ground next to Thunder, he found his arms full of one Sara Jane Lawson, both crying because he was alright and yelling at him because he’d scared her.

  He grabbed her arms and was relieved when Shawn pulled her the rest of the way off of his person, wrapping his arms around his sister to contain her. “Settle down, Sara Jane. He’s back and he has company.”

  Sara Jane froze when she caught sight of Wenaka. “What’s she doing here?” she whispered harshly, her breath coming raggedly amidst her waning tears.

  Carl took a calming breath and explained so that everyone could hear. “I took shelter in that cutout, behind the bushes. Wenaka had also taken shelter there from the snowstorm. She wasn’t positive that she could find her family’s camp in the snow and, with it getting dark, I brought her here so that she would be safe for the night.”

  Pearl smiled at him. “You did exactly the right thing, Carl.” She then turned to Wenaka. “Do you understand English?”

  “Some,” Wenaka spoke so softly it was hard to make out her words.

  Carl reassured her, “No one will harm you here. Consider us your friends. Why don’t you let me take your horse into the barn and give it some feed? You can go with Mrs. Lawson and Sara Jane and get warm and some food for yourself.” He turned and told everyone else quietly, “Her name is Wenaka.”

  Wenaka looked undecided until Pearl held out her hand.
“Please, won’t you come into the house with me?”

  She slid from the horse and allowed Pearl to lead her inside, but Sara Jane held back.

  James looked at his daughter and then nodded at the house. “Why don’t you go help your ma?”

  “Uhm … I …”

  Carl was just about to offer a reprimand about Christian charity and such when Shawn spoke softly to her. “She’s not going to hurt anyone, she’s a child. At first light, we’ll help her find her camp. Carl did the right thing by not leaving her out there in this storm to fend for herself.”

  Sara Jane absently nodded, and then took several deep breaths. “I know that, I do. But … her brother will come here …”

  Shawn shook his head. “Don’t go borrowing trouble. Her brother will hopefully find out that she is safe and well.”

  Sara Jane glanced toward the barn door and then back at the men. “You’ll come back inside right away? All of you?”

  “As soon as I speak with Carl for a few minutes,” Shawn told her.

  Sara Jane nodded and then looked at Carl. “Will you come inside and talk to me as well?”

  “If you like,” he offered her a soft smile.

  Sara Jane headed for the house. Her steps were slow and measured, and it appeared as if she were going to some unpleasant event rather than into the family home she’d known all of her life.

  “I don’t understand her,” Carl told the others.

  “It’s because Wenaka is Indian. Whether Sara Jane is afraid of her, or afraid her presence here will bring others, the fear is still there. What was a girl that young doing out in a storm all by herself?” James asked.

  “Looking for the bark of some tree to help with pain in her brother’s knees. Her brother who happens to be the chief.”

  “Do you think she’s from the same camp we saw yesterday?” Gideon asked.

  Carl nodded. “I think so. I was tempted to try and help her find her camp tonight, but decided it was better to wait until morning. Just in case this isn’t the same group of Indians.”

  “I thought they were moving on,” Shawn shook his head.

  “Wenaka said one of the babies is sick so they decided to wait out the storm rather than risk getting caught in it.”

  “It’s what I would have done if I had little children to care for,” James replied with a nod.

  “Let’s get these horses taken care of and go put your sister’s fears to rest,” Carl suggested, leading Thunder into the barn and efficiently removing the tack. He quickly brushed the animal down, gave him a double portion of feed and then shut the stall door. “Thanks for getting me home safe, boy.”

  Shawn and James had seen to the other animal and the mare appeared to be fine with being confined in the warm stall. “That’s probably a first for her,” Shawn stated, concerning the mare.

  “You’re probably right. Let’s go save your sister from her thoughts,” James said as the three men left the barn and headed into the ranch house. Carl wanted a chance to talk to Sara Jane. He hoped that doing so with her family present would enable them to discuss things rationally and calmly. With Sara Jane, one just never knew how things were going to go. What Carl did know is that he needed some answers and Sara Jane needed to get over her fear.

  Chapter 13

  Sara Jane entered the kitchen to see the young Indian girl sitting at the table while Ma fixed the girl a cup of hot tea. She stood in the doorway until Ma saw her and beckoned her forward.

  “Sara Jane, could you get the sugar bowl off of the table?”

  Sara Jane nodded and retrieved the bowl from the dining room. “Here you go, Ma.”

  “Thank you.” She added a liberal amount to the tea and then slid the cup in front of Wenaka. “Drink this, child. It will help warm you up.”

  Wenaka lifted the cup and sniffed before taking a small sip. A smile spread across her face as she took another drink. “It’s sweet. Like honey.”

  “Yes, it is. So, you got separated from your family?”

  “I was looking for willow trees.”

  Pearl smiled and then offered, “There are several growing near the pond. It’s probably mostly frozen over now, but they offer some much-needed shade during the summer.”

  “You know where these trees grow?” Wenaka asked, hope shining from her eyes.

  “Yes. Maybe in the morning Sara Jane can take you there. What do you use the trees for?” Pearl asked.

  “The bark is boiled in water to make tea. Honey is added because it is very bitter, but it helps with pain.”

  “I’ve never heard of that particular remedy. Someone in your family is hurting?” Pearl asked.

  “My brother. He is chief but his knees are very painful. They swell up and he can barely walk. It’s not good for the chief to show weakness to his people. He must be strong and set a good example.”

  Pearl nodded. “Sounds like he has the rheumatism.

  Sara Jane moved closer to where Wenaka sat and asked, “Do your people know your brother is in pain?”

  Wenaka smiled. “Yes, but everyone pretends not to notice. Pondu is getting old and no one would show him such disrespect by mentioning it too him. In the mornings he sometimes walks with a limp because his knees are stiff and painful. The younger warriors have taken over the hunting and such so that he can concentrate on important matters.”

  Sara Jane smiled, thinking how Shawn, Gideon, Jace, and Carl had attempted to do the same thing for her pa. James was still capable of working the ranch, but not with the same speed and efficiency of his younger years. The other men had all taken some of the burden off of his shoulders to lighten his load. She assumed her Pa was aware of what was happening, but it wasn’t a topic she’d ever heard discussed and probably wouldn’t.

  “It sounds like everyone takes good care of your brother.”

  “He has taken good care of us for many years.” Wenaka’s smile faded and she looked down. “He did not deserve the shame I have brought to him this day.”

  Sara Jane asked, “What shame? What are you talking about? You were trying to help him …”

  Wenaka looked up with tears in her eyes and shook her head. “I went off alone, against the advice of others. If they went looking for me in the storm, I endangered their lives.”

  “They didn’t want you to go,” Pearl surmised as she placed several biscuits and some gravy on a plate and then set them on the table in front of the young girl.

  “Sincho commanded me not to go.” Wenaka looked at the food and then tentatively picked up the fork, turning it over several times in her hand.

  “Who is Sincho?” Sara Jane asked as she picked up her own fork and slowly cut one of the biscuits and then scooped it into her mouth. Wenaka watched her for a long moment before answering.

  “The warrior who has asked for and been promised my hand in marriage when I turn fourteen. He thinks he can order me around all of the time.” Wenaka watched Sara Jane demonstrate using the fork once more and then proceeded to mimic her actions, successfully taking a bite of the food.

  Sara Jane watched her chew for a moment and then asked, “Do you like it?”

  “It is very different from the food we normally eat, but …yes. It is good.”

  Sara Jane redirected Wenaka back to her story. “Tell me more about this warrior you are supposed to marry.”

  Wenaka’s smile fell away. “Sincho is always telling me what to do and then telling me I did it wrong.”

  Sara Jane’s brows rose as the young girl’s story sounded like a replica of her and Carl’s story. “I’m sure Sincho was only looking after your safety.” Just like Carl is always looking out for mine. A sliver of guilt struck her conscience and she silently vowed to remember her promise to God and do better at considering others before she acted.

  “He’s not my husband yet.”

  “But it sounds like he will be,” Pearl added. “I’m sure he already feels a responsibility toward you. Do you have feelings for this man?”

  Wena
ka shrugged. “Maybe.” She sighed and then nodded. “Yes. Sincho has held part of my heart for many moons now. I just wish he would ask and not tell.”

  Pearl chuckled and then shook her head at both Sara Jane and Wenaka. “It seems you two girls have much in common and could learn from one another. Sara Jane also has problems with men telling her what to do. She believes she is invincible and doesn’t realize how many times the men around here worry about her because of her headstrong ways.”

  James and Shawn entered the kitchen, having overheard the end of the conversation. “Ma’s right. Today could have turned out really bad for Carl or me. Or you, Sara Jane. You need to start thinking about how your actions are going to affect others.”