Always

by Jessie Rose Case

  “Ready?”

  “Yes, let’s go home,” she replied.

  Elizabeth signed for them to leave. Carl mounted and joined her. He told her that the brave was back from the Bank, Mr. Bell seemed none too happy, but he would do as she’d asked.

  Elizabeth smiled, she didn’t expect he would be, but he’d do it.

  “Let’s go.”

  She turned her pony and rode out. Carl rode beside her this time followed by White Dove, their goods and men.

  Caroline stood with her family watching them leave. She thought Carl looked very handsome and set about making plans to visit Elizabeth after a suitable interval.

  It was late when they got back. Everyone helped with the unloading. Dinner was served as soon as possible; the large tables were put together and everyone sat down to eat outside including Elizabeth. Tomorrow was Sunday. An easy day on the ranch. Most had the day off. Elizabeth decided she would spend the day over by Bend river. It was a lovely natural spring.

  She rose from the table and spoke to Jake about her intensions for the next day.

  “I’d rather not take Black Dog and his braves with me, Jake.” She told him.

  “Let them return home for a couple of days if they wish,” she continued.

  “Like some company?” Carl asked her knowing Jake would be unhappy at her riding alone.

  “I’ll be finished early?” he told her, as if to tempt her.

  She smiled. “Sounds like a plan. Good night.” It suddenly hit her she was bone tired. It had been a tiring couple of days and she’d been grateful for it, at least, she wouldn’t have to think.

  ***

  Carl was waiting for her as she came out of the house next morning. Both her pony and his horse saddled.

  “I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind.” He teased.

  “Sorry, I guess I was rather more tired than I expected.” Elizabeth answered him as she mounted.

  “Ready?” he asked her. Elizabeth smiled and decided to use the one word that meant her life.

  “Always,” she replied, and she kicked her pony into action and rode off with Carl, following closely behind her.

  The spring was a couple of hours ride. It was a cool and inviting place. In the heat of the sun, it was a welcome sight. Both dismounted and unsaddled the horses to let them graze.

  Elizabeth picked her spot and laid the blankets Carl handed to her. A pic nic had been provided and Elizabeth found a copy of her favourite book inside.

  “How did you know?” she asked him.

  “I asked White Dove what we should take. She told me how much you liked it but never seemed to get the time to read it.” He told her grinning.

  Elizabeth smiled. “I read it several times back East but she’s right I love this book.”

  Elizabeth settled herself under the shade of the tree and looked out over the river bed. ‘It’s lovely here,’ she thought. The lands so welcoming.

  Carl got busy making a fire not that it was needed for the heat, but he could do with some coffee and put it on to brew. He walked down to the river and decided to swim.

  “I’m going in.” He called back to her and without waiting for her response, took off his outer clothes and jumped straight in.

  Elizabeth couldn’t stop herself from laughing. He was like a child, splashing about and diving under.

  “What’s so funny?” He asked her as he popped up for air.

  “You are,” she responded. “Your jumping about like a fish.” She shouted and continued to laugh.

  “Maybe you should join me.” He asked her teasingly.

  “Oh no, I like the view from here just as I am. Thank you.” She answered him.

  “Well I’m not sure that’s ok.” Carl teased and started to exit the water. Elizabeth realised he had very little on. As the water got to the point of below his waist, in desperation, she called out

  “Alright, stop, I’ll come in.” Carl had the biggest grin on his face.

  She shook her head. “That’s not funny.” She told him coming to the water’s edge. “Someone may have seen you.” Elizabeth took a look around.

  “No one would have seen me Elizabeth apart from you.” He challenged.

  ‘Yeah well,’ thought Elizabeth wryly, ‘that might not have been a good thing either.’ The fact that she wasn’t blind wasn’t helping. He had all that maleness going on. Carl was strikingly good-looking man. Hardened by the life and a strong male.

  ‘He would make someone very happy,’ she mused.

  Elizabeth pinned up her hair and took off her shirt and trousers and entered the water in her underwear. It was cool and refreshing.

  Carl couldn’t help but notice that she hadn’t removed all her clothes. The western woman was back. He swam beside her for a while. Kept his distance and came out to dry off. He banked up the fire for her and helped himself to coffee. It was hot and strong. He’s senses came flooding back having been dulled by the cool water.

  From the bank he watched her. Her hair a cascade of colour trailing behind her. Elizabeth turned, realising she was alone. She waved to him and swam for the shore. The water had made her white shift pretty much see through. As Elizabeth walked towards him. Carl couldn’t believe his eyes. He desperately wanted to tear his eyes away but could not, she was as beautiful as he remembered.

  It was only when Elizabeth saw his struggle that she looked down and realised that she was practically naked. She turned quickly and froze. Her shock, woke Carl from his dream. He picked up a spare blanket that he had warming by the fire and approached her from behind. He raised the corners of the blanket and surrounded her with it. Elizabeth caught hold of it and turned to face him.

  “Umm I’m sorry,” he told her. “I should have spoken earlier.”

  Elizabeth shook her head at him. “It’s not the first time you’ve seen me naked Carl,” she whispered. They locked eyes. Elizabeth searched his face and saw the hunger he had for her. She leaned forward to kiss him. At the same time, she opened the blanket and encircled him in it, drawing him to her.

  His warmth and the kiss was sweet and light. Her face cold against his.

  Carl had a choice. She had kissed him. He desperately wanted to kiss her back and touch her, but he didn’t. Elizabeth sensed his hesitation and withdrew.

  “Did I make a mistake?” she asked him.

  Part of Elizabeth needed to know, if the pleasure she had experienced with Red Wolf could be found with another man. She knew she wasn’t being fair, but fair didn’t come into it. Her struggle to get passed it was never far away.

  Carl touched her face with his hand and stroked it.

  “What are you asking me Elizabeth?” She ran her hand across his chest and down the curves of his body. There was no mistaking what she was asking.

  Carl realised her need went further than wanting him.

  “Any man would want you Elizabeth,” he told her honestly.

  “But I don’t want any man Carl.” She answered. He nodded at her.

  “That’s the point isn’t it Elizabeth. You don’t really want me,” he told her gently. Elizabeth wound her hands around his body and stood on her toes to kiss him.

  Carl moved out of her embrace and took hold of her hands. “It would be very easy for me to take what you’re offering and in doing so, I’d be taking advantage of you.”

  Elizabeth looked up into his face and shook her head in denial.

  Carl smiled at her kindly.

  “The intimacy between men and women,” he continued as Elizabeth blushed. “Is easily done, the passion, the emotion, the feelings.” He told her. “These are all normal feelings between two people who want to share pleasure. The trick is.” Carl said as he lifted her chin to look in her eyes. “Is that it should be with the right person, who fires those passions for the right reasons.”

  Elizabeth had her answers. She squeezed his hands in her embrace and then covered herself with the blanket.

  “Thank you, I’m sorry I don’t kn
ow why I’m behaving in this way or what came over me. I did not mean to put you in a difficult position, apart from being an emotional wreck, it would seem that my judgement isn’t too clear either.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with your judgement Elizabeth, your instincts told you right.” Carl told her kindly if a little sadly. Elizabeth looked at him. “For now. It’s not the right reasons, that’s all.” She nodded, turned and went back to the fire.

  As she bent down and warmed herself. Carl came up behind her and touched her shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

  “Hungry?”

  She looked up smiling. “Yes – starving.”

  Neither of them allowed the moment they’d shared spoil the rest of the day. Both settled themselves on blankets and ate, both felt revived by the coolness of the water, sunned themselves and talked easily of nothing.

  Later Carl slept, and Elizabeth read her book. The meadow and the spring had a calming effect on both of them and brought a measure of peace to her life.

  Elizabeth recalled as she got into bed that night, that it had been a long time since she had felt so at ease.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Next morning Black Dog and his braves rode into the yard. They came to her with information from her father, then set about their business. Patches was waiting for her. She rubbed at his ears while she finished her coffee taking in the new day. She cleaned up and mounted ready to leave as unexpected visitors arrived, a lot of them. Elizabeth had been discussing feed and stock with Jake and Carl before moving out when they rode in.

  The Sheriff, Mr. Bell, the Preacher Mr. Jones and Town Mayor Mr. Green, along with Mr. Jenkins and the rest of the Town Council rode into the yard. They were closely followed by Jeff Brenner the owner of the Saloon and pleasure house. She’d never heard of him going to visit anyone. She’d only seen him a couple of times in town in passing. And certainly, he’d never come to the Double T before.

  They were escorted in by several of Black Dogs men. Elizabeth found it waring that after all this time and the things that had happened, that the men still looked very comfortable in the Indians company. Except that is for Mr. Brenner.

  She sat on Patches and waited for them. They rode in towards her, she signalled to the braves to withdraw. The moved their horses to behind her.

  “Morning gentleman, a fine day for a ride. Can we offer you refreshments?” she asked them.

  “Morning Elizabeth.” The Sheriff answered her coming to a stop near her. “We err had a break out of the jail yesterday. They took the Bank this time as well,” he told her, he looked angry. Elizabeth looked at Mr. Bell, he was looking decidedly ill. Elizabeth knew the news was not going to be good. Elizabeth signalled to the braves. She would not be leaving.

  “You’d better come in gentleman and take that refreshment. I think we are going to need it.” Elizabeth indicated the main house to them. As they moved off towards it. Elizabeth gave silent instructions to Black Dog regarding her guests.

  For those fascinated by it, you could not miss the command she held. White Dove alerted to the guests, greeted them as they entered the house. Elizabeth dismounted and handed off her pony. Many of the towns men knew White Dove. Elizabeth pulled off her gloves and made introductions to those who didn’t know her.

  Then called to Anna and asked her to arrange for drinks, food and coffee and for White Dove to join them in the dining room. Elizabeth on instinct, turned in the doorway.

  “Can you join us Carl, Jake you to.”

  Having dropped her gloves in the hallway. She joined the men. Black Dog walked in behind her and took up position by the door. The men were standing around as refreshments were laid out taking everything in. For some, it was the first time they’d been in her home.

  “Gentleman please take a seat and make yourselves at home.” She told them. They looked tired, she thought. It had to be bad. Everyone settled being served or helping themselves. Elizabeth turned to the Sheriff. He was thanking Anna for his breakfast. “So. How bad is it?” she asked.

  The Sheriff told her everything of the breakout and the Bank heist between bites of his steak and eggs.

  “How much is gone?” Elizabeth asked, thinking she already knew the answer to that seeing as everyone was here.

  Mr. Bell cleared his throat. He continued to look ill. “All of it apart from change.” He told her wiping his face.

  Mayor Green cut in quickly leaning forward.

  “Apart from what you have lost Ms. Trelawney, the town is bankrupt,” he told her flatly. Elizabeth looked around the table and turned back to Mr. Bell.

  “Did the transfer go through?” she asked him.

  “Yes, it was on the next train out.” He nodded.

  “Insurance?” she asked him. Mr. Bell shock his head.

  “We cannot get it out here.”

  “So what did we lose?”

  “Do you want me to discuss it here Ms. Trelawney?”

  Mr. Bell asked her looking around the table, it was hardly private.

  “Mr Bell if the town is bankrupt then I feel it right to discuss our loses right here with everyone else’s don’t you?” She asked.

  He looked nervously around then hummed for a bit.

  “I err transferred the entire deposit account but the 1/10th of the cash account as you asked and that left about $50,000 that was taken.”

  There were several intakes of breath around the table. If that was 1/10th he’d just told the table she had half a million somewhere. It felt hardly important at that moment.

  Elizabeth nodded “And the town?” she asked.

  “About $290,000, in total.”

  Elizabeth was surprised. “I wasn’t aware the town was so well healed Mr. Bell.” Elizabeth countered.

  “That would be because of me.” Jeff Brenner cut in. Elizabeth turned to look at him for the first time. He was a handsome man. Tough. Hardened and very good looking in his fine jacket and expensive leather boots. He looked quite the dandy.

  “As you may or may not know, I recently took over the Jade and brought finances to cover it and invest in this town. It has a trail going through twice yearly and it’s on the expansion track for the railway. I had visions of expanding.” He told her wirily.

  She nodded. She knew about the plans for the train. She was invested in it, her steel was making it happen. The sooner it arrived, the easier it would be to move stock. “Do you have insurance Mr. Brenner?”

  He became all charm. “Please call me Jeff, all my friends do.”

  From the corner of her eye she could see that Carl disliking him intensely. Black Dog stepped forward and Mr. Brenner sat back.

  Elizabeth smiled “You can save the charm Mr. Brenner. It doesn’t work on me. Do you have insurance Mr. Brenner?” She asked again.

  “I had the same problems Mr. Bell had.” He told her giving up the charm and digging into his breakfast.

  The Mayor felt it time he explained what they were doing here. Picking up his coffee he drank deeply. Then put it down.

  “I will get straight to the point Ms. Trelawney if I may. The reason the Town Council is here. Well, we were hoping that the Double T could see its way clear to covering some of the towns losses and keep the town going. Otherwise. Its dead.”

  There was an embarrassed silence. Carl looked at the man. “You can’t be serious, she just lost $50,000.” He told him.

  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The Double T had just lost $50,000 and they wanted her to cover their loses too? It was unbelievable. He looked to Elizabeth who calmly re-filled her coffee and offered it to those around her. The Pastor took more thanking her.

  She put the pot down and turned back to Preacher Jones. “Pastor, how much did the church loose?”

  “Everything we had child and I cannot cover the loan from the bank that was used to fix the heating.”

  She nodded then looked at Mr. Bell. “Mr Bell, did you bring the towns accounts with you.”

  “Yes Ms. Trelawney.”

&
nbsp; “And the business accounts?” she asked.

  “We have each brought our own and the other businesses.” The Mayor told her. Elizabeth looked at Mr. Jenkins. The jovial man was gone. He was worried.

  “Well gentleman, this will take some time, make yourselves comfortable. I will go over the books with Mr. Bell and give my decision later today. In the meantime, my home is yours. Pastor Jones I will cover the churches loses immediately and the loan. It is my gift to the town. Anna please offer the gentlemen brandy if they wish it.”

  Elizabeth went to rise from the table as Mr. Brenner spoke. “Urr Ms. Trelawney. I’ve no wish to offend you but do you have any experience with handling accounts.”

  The was another stunned silence in the room. Elizabeth continued to rise, and Carl thought he would thump the man.

  “Rest assured Mr. Brenner, I did not spend seven years of my life East, with the family I have, doing nothing but sitting down at dinner and being fixated with the latest fashion. My Aunt would never have allowed such a stupid child,” she told him.

  “I meant no offence as I said, but the town is depending on this, I’m sure you understand my concern.” He told her. She did understand his concern only too well.

  Turned to Mr. Bell. “If you would come this way to the office. Mayor join us and bring the other businesses.” And herded him towards Ben’s study, without hesitation Mr. Bell and the Mayor picked up the books and followed her. There was little point in asking the Sheriff if his men had caught them. They wouldn’t be here if they had and it would only make it worse for him.