After they entered the Sheriff’s office, Tom closed the door behind them.
“Please, Miss Mathews, take a seat.”
Rayne sat in a sturdy wooden chair. “Thank you for taking time to speak with me, Sheriff.”
“Always glad to oblige.” The sheriff sat behind his desk and gave Rayne a stern look. “I hope you don’t take Jeremiah Sprigs to be the best example of the folks around these parts. Most are very kind and caring of their neighbors,” the sheriff said.
“My name is Rayne and I’d appreciate it kindly if you called me that.”
Rayne smiled.
“As for Sprigs, no, I don’t hold him as any example of folks around here. I met Bessie last night, and like you, she assured me that he is the lowest life form around.”
With a deep laugh, Tom shook his head. “That sounds like something Bessie would say.”
He looked at Rayne. She was tall for a woman, had long black hair and a pleasant face. He suspected that many of the bachelors in town would try to court her. Somehow, he didn’t think that was what she wanted. “So, Rayne, what can I tell you about your Aunt and Uncle?”
“I don’t know. I guess there’s no way to know if they suffered, or…”
“Rayne, Luke and Martha… they was good people. I’m sorry to say there isn’t any way to tell just how long they laid out there in pain or if it was quick. They didn’t even have anyone to send for the doc.”
The sheriff looked at Rayne as he gauged what to say next.
“Whose land borders mine?” Rayne asked, as if reading his mind.
“I’m sad to say, Sprigs is your neighbor on three sides of ya. His land takes up a little past the creek.”
“Oh, that’s downright nice. I supposed I should expect to see him often then.” She frowned.
“Look, I won’t say ya got nothing to worry about as far as he goes, cuz word is he would love to have that land of yours. But I don’t believe that he would do anything to harm you…or your kin folk…in order to get it,” the sheriff stated. “Is that what you’re worried about?”
“I guess that was some of my concern. Thanks, Sheriff. I suppose I should head on back to the place. I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me.” She put her hands on her knees ready to stand.
“Was that all you wanted to know? I mean, I kinda got the feeling that you had something specific in mind. I don’t see how I could have answered anything,” Tom said.
“Sheriff, I was just…oh hell, I don’t know. Just seems like Uncle Luke and Aunt Martha were fine one day and gone the next. In the last letter I got from Uncle Luke some time ago, he mentioned some troubles he was having, but he didn’t go into detail. Did he ever come and talk to you about anything?”
“No, he never stopped by or said anything to me.”
Tom thought about the last time he had seen Luke Mathews. It had been about a week before the illness took them. He remembered that at the time, Luke seemed to have something on his mind. It was nothing he wanted to talk about and Tom was in a hurry so he didn’t push the man. Now, he was wishing he had. He meant to ask him about it the next time he’d seen him unfortunately the chance never came. He was escorting a prisoner to a neighboring town when the deaths happened. When he returned, he heard the sad news.
“Rayne did your Uncle give you any idea of what was going on? Now that I think of it, he was acting kind of strange the last time I saw him. I meant to ask him about it but I’m sad to say that never happened.”
“No, he didn’t. He just wrote that he was having some troubles. It was nothing specific.”
“Okay. If you think or remember anything, let me know. In the meantime I’ll see if I can find anything out from the folks in town.”
“I’ll think about it and see if I can remember, but I’m thinking that was the only time he ever mentioned any trouble.” Rayne stood, nodded at the sheriff, and held out her hand. “Sheriff, thank you for your time.”
Tom took Rayne’s hand and shook it. “I am always available. If you can’t find me just ask one of my deputies and they’ll know where I am.”
“I’ll remember that, Sheriff.”
“I’d be pleased if you’d call me Tom. That’s what most folks call me.”
Rayne smiled. “Thank you, Tom.”
Tom watched as Rayne left his office and made her way across the street to her horse. From what he could tell, she would be a nice addition to his town.
†
The eyes watching from across the street were cold and held rage. How dare she speak to me the way she did. Once I’m married to her, I’ll have to teach her exactly how to speak to a man. The thought played in Sprigs’ mind of all the ways he would teach the dark haired woman to obey him. Some thoughts brought a little thrill as he could almost feel the pain radiate from the woman’s body, while other thoughts made his groin tighten a bit.
“Oh, yeah, Miss Mathews, you’re gonna learn how to respect a man.”
He let out a cold laugh as he watched her mount her horse.
Chapter Five
The weeks flew by as Rayne either worked on her place or went into town for more lumber and nails. The first thing she did was buy a wagon and two horses. Once that was done, Rayne picked up her order from Gillum’s Mercantile and headed to her place to start working on repairs.
Now, as she surveyed the place, she realized that she had pretty much finished all the hardest work. Rayne stood with her arms resting on a shovel and looked at what she accomplished thus far. The outbuildings were complete and the fencing around the barn done. She had the blisters to prove that she split all the rails by hand, but damn, she felt good. She smiled fondly as she recalled all the times she pestered her uncle into letting her help him around the place. He taught her the proper respect for the land along with how to swing a hammer and cut a board.
This was her place. She was pouring her heart, blood, sweat, and tears into it and she was damned proud of that fact. With the barn and the fencing done, she could now start on her herd. By her count, she still had close to seven hundred dollars in hard cash in the bank so that should get her well on the way to a great start.
“Yup, we’re looking damn good here, Apache. Don’tcha think?”
The big bay standing next to her was grazing on a patch of luscious green grass. He gave her a soft snort and lifted his head slightly before going back to eating. Her eyes rested on the two younger horses that she had recently bought. She had named them Samson and Delilah because the moment she saw the mare the name Delilah had popped into her head.
“What do you think, Samson?” She rubbed the velvet nose of the horse. “You feelin’ up to headin’ into Sulfur Springs and seein’ if we can get a few head of cattle? Think you’re up for a cattle drive?”
The horse neighed.
So far, the only thing Rayne had used the two horses for since coming to her ranch was to pull the wagon to and from town loaded with supplies, lumber, and grain.
“Tomorrow morning we’ll head out, stop in town and set Apache and Delilah up either at the livery stable or maybe over at Mark’s place,” she said as she continued to stroke the bay’s nose before giving him and the other two horses pieces of carrot. “We’ll have to see if he’s up to watchin’ over you two while I’m gone.”
With plans made, Rayne led the three horses into their respective stalls inside the barn. She gave each a bucket of oats before heading in to take care of her own meal.
As she walked toward her house, she looked at the setting sun and the beauty of the land that lay in front of her. A feeling of calm fell upon her. “This is what it’s all about. God, this is beautiful.”
With a final look, she went inside and started dinner.
†
The next morning, Rayne rose early and headed out to the barn to saddle Sampson. While working at her task she spoke to Delilah and Apache. “Okay, here’s the plan. Ol’ Samson here is gonna go with me and you and Delilah are gonna stay in town. There’s no way I can ride thr
ee horses and drive cattle so ya both will stay in town and not cause trouble, ya hear. I’m thinkin’ Lucifer will be goin’ with us as well. He can keep the cattle in line.”
She looked over at the big black dog who sat staring at her. The dog had appeared one night and just made himself at home. She had no idea if the animal was good with cattle or not but at this point, she had to try something since it was about time the dog did something to earn his keep. She really had no idea why she named the animal Lucifer other than when he bared his teeth and growled, it sounded like the devil himself had been unleashed.
That’s exactly what the dog had done when she unexpectedly happened upon a rattler sunning on a rock. The rattle on his tail started shaking and the snake looked like it was about to strike when the dog appeared at her side, baring teeth and growling fiercely. Before she could react, the dog had lunged at the snake and caught its neck between his teeth. Up until that point, the only thing Rayne had called the animal was dog. At that moment, the only thought in her head was that the dog looked like Lucifer himself waging war on some unsuspecting creature. The minute she thought that, the dog looked at her as he licked his lips and the look in his eyes was one that had reminded Rayne of the devil. Luckily for her, the dog seemed to like her and had never showed her that side of him since that day—she never encouraged him to either.
Together, the dog, three horses, and their owner set off toward town. True to her word, she rode up to Marks office, tethered the horses to the hitch, and told Lucifer to sit while she went in to speak to Mark. When she came out, Mark was with her and Lucifer let out a low growl.
“Lucifer, no. He’s a friend.” Rayne’s voice was firm and Lucifer backed off.
They walked toward Mark’s home with the three horses in tow, making their way to the barn behind his house.
”Thanks, Mark I really appreciate your helpin’ me out like this.”
She mounted Samson and looked down at her friend. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She rode away with the dog trotting behind her.
Rayne’s next stop before leaving town was the bank where she once again had to deal with the unpleasant banker, Timothy Wilson. His manner was condescending and bordering on rude where Rayne was concerned. He acted as if giving Rayne her money was robbing his own pocket when in fact the money was hers, not his
“Miss Mathews, I think you’re making a big mistake thinking you can manage a ranch. Why don’t you let me make some inquires. I know quite a few men who would be interested in taking the place off your hands. As far as a withdrawal, I believe the best thing to do is leave your money and the account alone.”
“Mr. Wilson, thank you for your concern over my account but I assure you I am very capable of managing my own affairs. And since it seems so very hard for you to understand that, I do believe I’ll be closing this account.”
“I don’t believe that would be wise nor do I believe that is what Mr. Benton would want.”
“First off, you have no right to decide for me what is wise or not. Mr. Benton is not my father nor is he my husband. He did what he thought was best at the time when he sold my uncle’s cattle and placed the money in an account in my name. Mr. Wilson, the account is in my name and therefore I can do anything I please with it. So now, if you would kindly bring me the money that this statement…” She held up the piece of paper he’d given her when she arrived. “…says is in my account I’ll be taking it with me and closing this account.”
Yet he persisted. “Now, Miss Mathews, I don’t think that would be the smart thing to do.”
“Mr. Wilson, is there anyone else listed on the account?”
“Why, no there isn’t.”
“As far as you know, I am Rayne Mathews, the owner of the account in question? Have I provided papers and letters as proof that I am who I claim to be?”
“Well, yes…but…”
“No buts about it. I want all seven hundred dollars that this bankbook says is mine and I want it now. Otherwise, I suppose we can both take a walk over to Sheriff Kennedy’s office and talk to him about it,”
“Oh, very well, Miss Mathews, I’ll be right back.” The balding, fat man’s face burned red with fury. In a few minutes, he returned with two stacks of bills and a paper for her to sign. She had him count out the bills to make sure there was the exact amount, not a cent less or a cent more than what was due her. And once she was satisfied, she signed the paper, placed the money in her saddlebags, and walked out of the bank, hoping and praying she would never have to deal with the man again.
With the saddlebag secured to her saddle, she mounted and headed out of town.
Rayne had a smile on her face for the way she had stood up to the obnoxious banker. She had grown from a subservient daughter to a confident woman. She had been so preoccupied about getting away from her home in Boston and keeping out of the law’s way that she forgot about her birthday three months before. So far, no one had treated her like a seventeen-year-old child and she was pleased that no one realized just how young she was.
That night found her, Lucifer, and Samson under the stars next to a nice warm campfire. As she thought and gazed at the stars, it occurred to her that she was finally home. In fact, the only area where she felt any dissatisfaction was that she was alone. She had no one to come home to after she finished her chores, and no one to share her life. It was the companionship of couples and families that she missed so much. At times, it made her hurt. When she saw her new friends, Mark and Emily, and all the love and closeness radiating from them, she felt lost. It was the one point of running away from Boston that made her sad.
“This is the life you chose, Rayne,” the little voice in her head said.
“Well, yeah, but damn, at times it’s lonely.” She answered herself as she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. Again, she dreamt of a little blonde woman with blue eyes.
With the rising sun, Rayne was ready to finish her ride to the small town of Cherokee Falls. Armed with money and a couple of names, she was ready to fulfill her dream for the ranch. By mid morning, she had arrived and, with a few questions, she was able to locate Joel Matters and Abel West.
“What can I do for you little lady?” Joel Matters asked.
“I’d like to see about buyin’ a few head of cattle from you.”
“How many you thinkin’ about?” Abel West asked.
“If your cattle are as good as I hear, I’m lookin’ to buy around thirty head.”
“We can handle that. Why don’t you git off your horse and follow me to the corral,” Matters said.
With both men in the lead, Rayne followed them to the corral that was located behind the barn.
“These here are ones we were fixin’ to sell. As you can see, they are fat and happy.”
Rayne went inside the corral and, running her hands over each one, she noted they all looked healthy and free from disease. “How much?”
West ran his hand over his face. “Now, these here are prime beef cattle and we would probably be sellin’ them for.…” He looked at his partner. “Three dollars and two bits.”
“That there is the lowest price you’ll find around these parts,” Matters added.
Rayne calculated it would cost her almost a hundred dollars. She walked back among the cows and looked them over again.
“Do you have any milk cows?”
“We can sell you one for the same price,” West said,
Rayne nodded. She suddenly realized the enormity of driving thirty cows along. “I have a place outside of Willow Springs, how much to have you drive them there?”
“What’s your name, little lady?” Matters was studying her.
“Rayne Mathews.”
“Hell, why didn’t you say that from the beginnin’, girl. I know’d your uncle Luke ever since he started ranchin’. I sold him his first cattle. Sure a shame what happened to him and the missus.” He took his hat off and with his sleeve wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Tell you what I’
m gonna do for you. You can have the thirty head, the milk cow, a young bull, and we’ll drive em to your place for a hundred and twenty.”
“That sounds good to me.” Rayne held out her hand and shook each man’s hand. “Thank you.” She reached into her saddlebags, counted out the money, and handed it to West.
“Thank you kindly.” West tipped his hat.
“We should have the cattle to you by the end of the week,” Matters said.
“I’m much obliged.” Rayne put her foot in a stirrup and swung her other leg over Samson. “See you then.”
With a smile, Rayne headed to the bank with what was left of her money. She hoped that the banker there wasn’t a complete ass like Timothy Wilson who apparently held women in low regard.
As she walked into the Cherokee Falls Bank, she was greeted by a dark haired man dressed in a well-made suit. He stood immediately and flashed a welcoming smile at her.
“Welcome, I’m Jefferson Smith. How can I help you?” he asked as he held out his hand.
“Hello. I’m Rayne Mathews and I’d like to see about opening an account here.” She accepted the outstretched hand.
“Of course, Miss Mathews. I’d be glad to set you up with an account.”
The man pulled out papers and began the process of opening an account for Rayne. Within an hour, Rayne had a new account that held the remainder of her money.
With a huge smile and a satisfied feeling, Rayne once again mounted her horse and headed for the town hotel in search of a good meal before she returned back home. She debated about getting a room. It was already mid-afternoon and the ride back was long. If she left now, she was looking at riding all night just to get back to her ranch. As she rode down the main street of the town, she saw a couple of saloons and licked her parched lips. A drink would be a nice treat.
Rayne Comes to Town Page 4