She did know that Rayne made her feel as if a part of her long forgotten self was coming alive. To feel the woman’s hands simply brush her, for the simplest of reasons, caused her body to feel things that it had never felt before.
“Oh, boy. I’d better figure this one out quick,” she told herself.
She took one last look out the window before turning away. Her eyes gazed over the cabin’s interior and she felt her shoulders relax. “Now, what shall I do next?”
Chapter Seventeen
From the rim of the canyon, a lone figure watched as Rayne rode through a narrow pass. With his rifle aimed and steady, his one thought was how easy it would be to kill the bitch. One shot and all my problems would be over. The ranch would revert to the bank and I can take possession of it. With the prime prairie grass and the creek that ran through it, he knew his cattle would fatten quickly.
“No, not yet,” he murmured aloud.
He got up from his prone position and his body protested—he’d been lying there for well over an hour. He walked to his horse and stuck his rifle in the scabbard before leading the horse farther away from the rim to minimize the chance of the bitch seeing him when he climbed into the saddle. He couldn’t afford for her to suspect he was watching her.
He figured that soon he’d be able to start rustling some of the cattle without leaving any traces of his being there. It wouldn’t be long before the ground would freeze so hard that there would be no trail to follow. He knew of a shallow spot in the creek where he could herd the cattle across to a break in the fence.
“Very soon,” he mumbled. He thought about how close he had been that one time when his plan to get hold of the land was going so well. Wilson, the sniveling coward at the bank, was about to foreclose on the land and had assured him once that happened the spread would be his. Then, from out of the blue, old Mathews up and paid off the balance a week before it was due. Wilson told him there was no way he could get his hands on the place after that.
Then, fate jumped in and Mathews and the old lady had died. He figured he could pick the ranch up for next to nothing since there was no one to claim the land. It wasn’t long after that Wilson informed him the place had been taken out of his hands since Matthews left the land to a relative who was about to show up. Wilson told him that Benton had opened an account and placed the money from the cattle he sold into the account. The banker told him the new owner was on his way to take possession.
Who would have guessed that the new owner was a woman?
Sprigs thought he could sweet talk and charm the woman into selling her land to him. But, she wasn’t falling for it or interested in what he had to say so he had to formulate a new plan. It would take longer but it would work. One way or another I’ll own that land, he thought.
†
Rayne felt the hairs on her neck prickle and she looked up at both sides of the canyon’s rim. She saw nothing. She rubbed the back of her neck and cautiously continued riding deeper into the canyon. The trees were already starting to change color and she knew it wouldn’t be long before winter hit. She looked down at the ground close to creek bed to see if there were any shoed horse tracks. Not finding any, she increased Apache’s gait and rode toward the herd. Her cattle were contentedly eating the sweet grass, drinking the cold water from the stream, and some were lying in the sunny areas. She grinned knowing that she made a good decision when she bought the cows. With a tug on the reins, she guided Apache over to the creek and followed it for a while before crossing the water. She rode to the fence line and she guided the bay along it at a steady pace. After she rode it for a good while, she came upon a broken length and frowned.
“I’m sure I fixed this part of the fence,” she murmured.
Rayne got off Apache and walked closer to the fence before crouching to inspect the wire. Sure enough, someone had pulled the wire off and then lightly tacked it back into place so it would appear structurally sound. It was unfortunate that the ground on that side of the creek was hard and dry, making any tracks invisible.
“Well, shit.” Rayne set her jaw and strode with purpose toward her horse and her saddlebags. With her pliers and gloves in hand, she moved quickly to mend the fence. “This time I’m gonna have to fix it so it won’t come undone again.” Her eyes scanned the area hoping to glimpse the person responsible.
After counting the herd, Rayne was thankful none were missing. I’m still going to have to go to the sheriff about this, she thought anxiously.
Assured that the mend to the fence was sufficient so that the cattle wouldn’t get out, Rayne mounted Apache and headed toward home.
The thought of home and Emma being there made her smile and she nudged Apache on to an easy gallop.
Chapter Eighteen
The late afternoon sun hit her back causing the sweat to drip from her face and soak the collar of her shirt. She had just ridden up to the house and was walking toward the barrel of water, when she heard Lucifer growl. Rayne looked up and saw one of the men that had been with Sprigs the night before riding toward her. She instinctively lowered her hand to the 45 strapped to her waist.
“Relax, ma’am, I ain’t got no beef with you,” the man said as he got close. “‘Sides I think that dog of yours would kill me fore you even cleared leather.” The man got off his horse.
“What do you want, mister?” Rayne held her ground with her hand resting on the hilt of her gun.
“Name’s Roger MacMillan. Like I said, I ain’t got no quarrel with you…just wanted to make that clear. You need to know that Sprigs seems to have a burr under his saddle where you’re concerned and I think ya need to watch your back.”
“Why are you warnin’ me?”
“Cuz he’s got something in the works. He ain’t telling any of us about it, being real close to the vest about it all. But, he don’t like you none at all. That he’s real clear about.”
“I ain’t got no love for him either,”
“Miss Mathews, I ain’t sure you’re gettin' my drift here. He’d soon as see you dead as he would look atcha.”
“Yeah, well, not much I can do about that, now is there?”
“No, I suppose not, but I just wanna make sure you is clear on me not havin’ no part of it.”
“Look, Mr. MacMillan, I don’t intend on endin’ up dead just yet, and I do thank ya for lettin’ me know. I’ll keep in mind you tryin’ to warn me an’ all. Now, if there’s nothin’ else, I’d like to go in and grab some dinner before I have to tend to the rest of my ranch.”
“Oh, yeah, sure. Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt nothin’. Like I said, I just wanted to let ya know.” The lanky man turned to mount his horse and began to ride away only to be stopped by Rayne’s voice.
“Hey, MacMillan, you know anything about visitors to the canyon? Seems someone decided to loosen some wire that marks the boundary and keeps my herd in place.”
“Nah, I ain’t got any idea. But sounds to me like you’re fixin’ to have a whole heap of troubles on ya.” The man spurred his horse and rode off.
“Well that’s just dandy…” Rayne muttered as she entered the small house.
“Hope you’re hungry,” Emma said.
Rayne saw Emma looking up from the fireplace and smiled. The table was set with two places, and two cups of milk sat at each setting.
Emma was pulling ham steaks and mashed potatoes from kettles over the fire and she placed filled bowls on the table. She then went back for the biscuits, poured gravy into a bowl and set these items on the table as well.
“I sure am.” Rayne’s mouth was watering when she saw the bounty on her table. “Wow, you did all this with what I had in the house?”
“Well…yes, of course. And there is peach cobbler for dessert as well,” Emma answered with a smile.
“Are you serious? Where did you find it all? I mean I…” Rayne was overwhelmed with what she saw. “Lord, it smells great in here.’
“Sit down, Rayne, and eat before it goes cold.”
Every so often Rayne looked at Emma, who had a distinct look of satisfaction on her face. Her eyes tracked to the window and saw that the sun slipping toward the western horizon. Its rays shining through the clouds, cast the sky in pink and violet colors with occasional yellow streaks of sunlight reaching the ground. Rayne reluctantly stood before Emma got up to get the dessert. “Sorry, Em, I need to do the rest of my chores before the cobbler.”
“I’ll help you.” Emma also stood.
”I’d like that.” Rayne smiled and opened the door for Emma to walk out first.
“We need to feed the horses and throw fresh straw down in their stalls, and settle them for the night. It shouldn’t take long.”
“Let’s get started then. We have cobbler waiting for us when we’re done.”
Within an hour, they finished their chores and headed back to the house.
“Sit, Rayne, and I’ll fetch the coffee and cobbler.”
“I still can’t believe you found all the ingredients in my kitchen.”
“Did you know you have a root cellar?”
Rayne shook her head.
“Well you do and your aunt put up peaches, apples, rhubarb, and all sorts of vegetables. I’d say it is enough to last for at least a year.”
Rayne looked at Emma. “I thought I knew every part of the house…where did you find a root cellar?”
“Well, I was in the pantry lookin’ for something’ to make for dinner. It occurred to me that your aunt probably put up some fruits and vegetables so I began looking around. I saw a stack of bushel baskets and when I moved them I saw a door and opened it. After I lit a lamp and went down the stairs I found all the jars.”
Rayne shook her head and chuckled. “Amazing, you’ll have to show me where it is. I can’t believe I didn’t see it all those summers I stayed here. Anyway, that was a delicious meal. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I take that, from the way you ate, it’s been a while since you had cobbler.”
“God, yes. My mom use to make it….” Rayne tamped down her threatening emotions.
”What happened?” Emma whispered.
Rayne heard the softly spoken words and quickly shut down her emotions and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She took a moment and cleared her throat.
“Thank you for the delicious meal. I was thinkin’ I need to ride into town tomorrow to talk to the sheriff. Wanna go with me? If you don’t want to, maybe I can stop by the saloon and pick up your clothes for you.”
“Oh…I’m not sure.…” Emma’s eyes shifted to the floor.
“I know it’s kinda soon for you to wanna go to town, but I figure the sooner you show you ain’t afraid the better. I mean, I’ll be with ya and all.”
“I know that and I suppose you’re right. Rayne, will you promise not to leave me alone?” Emma trembled.
Rayne locked eyes with Emma.
I’ve spent a lifetime searching for you. I will never again leave you alone.
Rayne felt conscious thought return and she reclaimed her mind. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable and looked away. Where’d that come from? Her eyes re-found Emma’s face. “I’ll stay beside you for as long as you need me to tomorrow.”
“I’d like that.”
“Good. If that’s a plan then I suppose we should head on to bed.”
“Of course. That sounds like a good idea.” Emma shifted her feet. “I need to do up the dishes first.”
“I’ll help you with the dishes.”
Emma gathered the coffee cups and plates from their dinner and from the cobbler. After she set them down near the wash bucket she walked to the fireplace for the kettle she had placed on the hearth to heat before they sat down to eat. And with the glove that was near the hearth, she picked up the kettle and dumped it into a washbasin that contained cold water. She then began to wash their dinner dishes. She splashed the dishes all over with the water before using a rag to wash away the remnants of their meal.
Rayne grabbed a dry cloth and began drying the dishes as soon as Emma rinsed them. She stacked them on the shelf to the right of the window.
With the dishes done, there was nothing else to do but blow out the lantern they had burning on the table and head for the bedroom. Rayne turned down the lantern in the living area as well. Once in the bedroom, the two took off their clothes. Rayne, on one side, discarded her clothes and tossed them on the chair that sat in the corner before crawling under the covers. She covertly watched as Emma folded her clothes neatly before laying them at the foot of the bed. She felt the mattress shift as Emma lay down and pulled the covers over her.
“I had no idea how really tired I was,” Emma mumbled. “Good night, Rayne.”
“Good night, Emma.” Rayne heard Emma’s breath even out and knew she was asleep. Jumbled thoughts filled her mind as she too drifted off to a restless sleep…
Rayne felt the blonde clutching at her clothes with tears streaming down her face as she begged her not to go. It was Emmashe knew this without a doubtbut she was dressed in clothing from another time maybe even from another continent. It was hard to tell. Their home, lined with rock and sod, was more of a hut than anything else. There was a pit dug in the corner for warmth and cooking, and animal skins piled on the floor for bedding.
Rayne watched as the scene unfolded.
“Let the others go and fight. This isn’t our battle, I beg of you to listen,” the blonde cried.
“It is though, my love. If we don’t fight for one another, who is there to fight for us? What they did to Marsh could happen to us just as easily. We were lucky it wasn’t our home and livestock burned and killed,”
Rayne heard the words come out of her mouth yet she was unable to speak.
“And if you’re killed, will Marsh see to your family…to your responsibilities here…will you have him see to me as well?”
“Will I be me if I don’t go fight? You taught me the importance of standing up for one another and for honor. Does that all go away just because you fear I may die?”
“Honor means nothing if you’re not alive to have it,” the blonde spat out. She turned, opened the makeshift door, slamming it after she entered the hut.
“I’ll be back; I swear I’ll not leave you alone.…”
Rayne watched as she climbed up on a steed and joined the group of men that were waiting on the knoll.
The mist was cold and dense, the fighting long and hard. Maybe her love had been right, she should have stayed out of it. The battle was one they couldn’t…wouldn’t win. She heard the screams of dying men, the hissing of arrows as they flew past her head. She never heard the man sneak up on her, all she remembered feeling was the blade of the knife plunging into her heart. In one unguarded, unsuspecting moment, all had been lost. With her dying breath, she remembered her words to the blonde, and knew it was a promise she would not be keeping…
Rayne woke with a start and a burning pain in her chest. The air she sucked into her lungs burned and sweat poured from her brow.
Emma bolted up in bed and immediately wrapped her arms around Rayne. “Shhh, it was just a dream. You’re safe.” She ran her hand down Rayne’s long hair and soothed her with words.
She knew about the dreamsshe’d had them too. It was always the same. Someone was always bringing a body back to her. She remembered waking from the dream in the same state as Rayne was in now. She recalled her heart breaking as she saw the dark-haired woman leave, and then breaking even more when a few straggling men returned with her body as well as so many other bodies.
The hate and bitterness she
felt in those moments fueled the hate and rage that kept her going through countless life times. Rayne calmed down in her arms and soon fell back to sleep. Emma slept fitfully until the light of dawn broke through the clouds and filled the room. With great care, she gently untangled herself from Rayne’s tight embrace. After dressing quietly, she went through the bedroom door closing it softly behind her.
“It’s a new day,” she said softly as she smiled and made her way to the kitchen to make breakfast.
†
Rayne woke to the aroma of coffee and frying bacon, with vague remnants of the dream from the night before refusing to let go of her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more than just a dream. In her heart she knew that the blonde of her dream was Emma. As she dressed, she shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. Hard as she tried, she couldn’t shake the memory that she had been there before. That thought alone left her shaken.
She walked out of the bedroom and saw Emma standing by the fireplace and again she was struck by a vision or memory so strong it nearly knocked her to her knees. A memory that took her back in time to when her dream took place….
Instead of the fireplace, Emma stood next to the crudely formed hearth with an infant in her arms. She was quietly humming the baby to sleep.…
As quickly as the memory filled her mind, it was gone. Rayne was once again standing in her house with Emma standing in front of the fireplace humming. It was the same exact melody that she’d heard in the memory. Rayne took in a sharp breath.
Rayne Comes to Town Page 9