by Rita Hestand
"Oh, what's going on?" Cole asked with interest as he looked out over the spread.
"It's a cat, boss. A big one."
"A cat?" That caught his attention.
"Yeah, no run of mill cat either, spotted him a time or two, even got a shot off, but he was quicker than molasses. Every night for two nights now. A big cat."
Cole studied on it, "Alright, I'll ride night herd myself for a couple of nights, see if I can get a shot off at him."
"He's been makin' the rounds according to Haywood. Been scaring his chickens to death and the Conroe's had one calf killed." Slim told him.
"Thanks for letting me know. I'll sit the saddle and see if I can get him before he does any more damage." Cole told him. He was usually a good shot and he figured he could get the drop on him, if he kept at it.
Slim nodded and let the others know.
For the next two nights, Cole rode with the night herders. He heard the cat long before he got a glimpse of him. He fired a shot at him the first night and missed him by a hair. The cat had perched on a cliff, and was above him, he fired almost immediately only managing to scare him off.
"Dammit." Cole exclaimed.
The second night he heard him but didn't see him.
The cattle were restless.
When he came into camp that next morning, he was dead on his feet tired, and he still hadn't gotten the cat.
"Boss?"
Slim came striding up to the camp after tying his horse with the others. "Haywood done put a bounty on the cat."
"A bounty. Good gosh that means every man with a rifle will be out here trying to get him. It'll get crazy. Keep the herd tight, all the shooting that might go on could cause them to stampede and with all the barbed wire, it could get messy."
"I know, but he's already posted it. $500 reward."
Cole slapped the dust off his chaps, "Just what we need."
Slim studied him a minute.
"Something else on your mind Slim?" Cole asked.
"Well yeah," Slim stirred the dirt with his boot, hesitating blurting it out. "I guess there is boss, me and the boys were wonderin' if you have checked on Gabby lately. I mean, she's alone over there and she's got stock too." Slim scratched his chin as he spoke, as though hating to mention it to him.
Cole sighed, "No, I guess I should, though."
Slim nodded and walked off. It was the expression on Slim's face that bothered Cole. He bowed his head, he'd thought about her, but his pride didn't want the world to know that.
Martha was right, everyone was thinking about Gabby these days. And the news of the cat would be all over the town.
He mounted up and told Slim to stick close to the herd. Slim nodded without a word.
He rode over to Gabby's and was dumbfounded when he spotted her at the chicken coop. She was sitting down in the coop, crying her eyes out.
Cole looked around, to see what the problem might be, but the silence told him. The cat had been here and got her chickens, all of them.
"Gabby…. Get out of there?" He told her coming around to the coop door.
She looked up. She was in her men's clothes, dirty and not caring. "They're dead…. all of them…cat got them. I tried to shoot him, but he was too quick…"
"Get out of there," he demanded, worried at what she said.
She came out and stood up and looked at him. Her tears were still flowing down her cheeks. "I tried to kill him, but he was just too fast for me. He was so big!"
He pulled her to him and let her cry on his shoulder.
"That settles it. You are coming home with me." He told her.
She jerked her head off his shoulder, "I can't do that. I've got stock to tend to…" she cried.
"Don't worry about that, I'll send a couple of my boys over to take care of them. Now, pack yourself some clothes and whatever else you need."
"But…I can't…. just leave." She cried.
"Sure, you can. I'm not leaving you here alone again. Understand?" his voice boomed at her. He took her by the arms and shook her a minute.
She stared at him.
"Dammit, you could have been hurt. I should have been here." He was reprimanding himself, not her. Pride had kept him away, and he knew it.
"You can't tend your place and mine."
"I don't have time to keep running over here…so you're moving over there, now!" He said and began hitching her wagon for her. "I've got to get that cat before it does any more damage. Not just to mine or your herds, but others in the community too. I know you want to discuss this, but it's not the time. I've got too much on my mind honey to worry about you too. So, you are moving over to my place and that's the end of it."
"Has it killed before?" She asked innocently.
"Oh yeah, several others had the same problem, some calves, chickens. One of my boys was hurt, as the cat jumped it hit him in the head."
"I tried to get him…but it was dark, and he was so fast."
"My God, you could have been killed Gabby!" He grabbed her to him again. "I'll get you to the house, then I'm going after him."
She stared up at him. "Alone?"
"It's the best way. He wouldn't come around a crowd of people."
Then he saw her face, full of concern, tears streaming down her cheeks, and that lovely hair, blowing slightly in the wind. It took his breath.
Her protests went unheard when his head bent, and he kissed her hard and unrelenting, then softened swiftly as her lips moved against his. He felt her fingers splaying through his hair, and his kiss deepened. They both seemed to need this kiss, soaking it into their hearts. He was just afraid, and concerned, that was all. Wasn't it?
When they came up for air, they stared into each other's eyes and suddenly he grinned down at her. "Get your stuff, I’m taking you home."
She went inside swiftly, as though her legs would barely carry her after that kiss. She glanced around the cabin, and after adding a few things to it, she dragged the trunk out on the porch. He pulled the wagon up beside the porch, jumped down and loaded the trunk. "Is this all?"
"I think so. I'll leave the cookin' stuff for the boys who come over to make themselves at home with." She told him.
"That's a good idea. Thanks." He helped her up the wagon and drove her home.
When he arrived Slim was waiting for him. Slim slanted a quick glance at Gabby, gave a slight smile and told Cole that a cow had been killed overnight. "Must have got the tail end of the herd. Joe Murphy was injured, cat nearly got him, jumped on him. Haywood said one of his boys tangled with him too but one of his hands shot at him before the cat did any really bad damage. Got Jim Prichard in the arm though nearly took it clean off."
"Sounds like Haywood is really having a time with the cat too. No wonder he put up the reward. He's got some pretty good guns working for him, I'd have thought they would have gotten him. Got Gabby's chickens too." Cole told him.
"We got to get him boss." Slim said taking the trunk toward the house.
"Soon as I get her settled, I'm heading out. How fresh was the kill?"
"Must have just happened, it was still bleeding."
"Good, at least I know where to start looking for him." Cole remarked as he helped Gabby down from the wagon.
They followed Slim in the house. Slim left the trunk in the hallway. "I better get back out."
"Take over the herd for me, I'll be out looking for him."
"Right boss, oh and uh, welcome, Mrs. Martin," Slim smiled at her and left.
Not used to anyone calling her that, she started to say something, but quickly shut up.
"Pick yourself a room. I've got to get after that cat. Sorry I can't stay a while but make yourself to home here."
"Where's your room?" She asked.
"At the end of the hall there." He pointed.
"Uh…this one will be fine, then." She told him, picking the one closest to him.
He nodded. "I'll be in when I can…" He started to walk off.
"Cole," she called
to him.
"Yeah," he turned to look at her.
"Be careful," she told him with a slight smile.
"I aim to." He grinned, then left. "And, I'm sorry about your chickens."
He stared at her a long moment before he turned and walked away.
Chapter Eleven
Cole's ranch was so big, and his house so grand. Gabby was shy about going inside. She was amazed it was so big and comfortable looking. Gabby looked around now, the house was a big and wide-open ranch house made of adobe, so it was cooler in the summer than most places. She liked that. He had big windows too, which was something she never had the pleasure of. There was such a beautiful view of his place and she sat on the leather couch for a long time, just looking out at the land. She always had a deep appreciation for the countryside. She admired the wildflowers growing in the meadow.
There was an old war relic posed above the big fireplace on an elegant wooden mantle.
The bright red and gold curtains decorated his windows.
Beautiful cowhides decorated his floors all the way through his house. The room was filled with character, some things had to have belonged to his family. She wondered about them too.
In the dining room was a big long wooden table, made of solid wood that was finished and shiny. Mason jars made into a chandelier charmed the room with its soft candlelight. She seen something like that in a catalog once that her father brought to her.
After a while, she went into the bedroom she had chosen.
She moved the trunk to the foot of the bed. It was a big bed that was covered in a beautiful quilt. It was so lovely, and she ran her hand over it. It had beautiful flowers all over it and the work that went into it amazed her. She wondered who made it. She knew Cole's place was much bigger than her home, but being here, seeing it firsthand, she suddenly realized that Cole was a man of means. The way he acted, no one would guess it though.
There was a nice size dresser there and on top was a porcelain pitcher and wash bowl, it was porcelain. Her washbowl at home was just made of pewter, nothing fancy. Beside the washbowl was a comb and brush set of silver. She'd never seen such beautiful things. She wondered if he combed his beautiful hair with it. She shouldn't be thinking about his hair, but she admired it secretly.
There was also a place to hang her clothes up. She busied herself hanging her new dresses up and then she couldn't resist it, she flopped up on the bed and bounced on it. It was so soft and comfortable. She closed her eyes and before she realized it, she was asleep.
Two hours later, she woke up when she heard some of his hands working in the corral.
She went to the big kitchen and looked around for supplies. There was a lot of food there, potatoes, fresh picked beans, and there was a smoke house too, not far from the house. She ventured out and Pedro, one of the workhands came up to her.
"I was going to see if there was some meat in the smoke-house." She told him. "I'm Gabby…Martin." She introduced herself. It was hard to think of herself as a married woman.
"Si, I am happy to meet you, and yes, there is beef, or pork, or sausage and ham. What would you like?
"Beef I think." She smiled. "I can get it though."
"No senora, I will get it for you." He told her.
"Oh, well, then would you bring it up to the house for me?"
"Si." He smiled.
She went back to the house and planned a meal. When Pedro brought the meat, he had already sliced it for her, and it was so tender it nearly fell apart. She tasted it, 'Hmm, this is good." She told him. "Want some?"
"Si," he tasted it too. "Very good."
"I guess I'll be here a while. So, I'll cook for everyone as long as I'm here."
"You will?" Pedro turned his head.
"I see there is a big table, and surely we can all fit there." She told him.
"Si, thank you…" He walked off with a question on his lips.
She wondered if they had ever eaten in his house.
Well, they would now. She wasn't going to be alone with Cole any more than she had to. He was such a force. She didn't know how to handle him. She handled her father well over the years, but this relationship was much different and when Cole kissed her, she went to pure mush. She couldn't help it.
But when night fell only a few hands drifted in for supper and she fed them. They introduced themselves and she told them she would endeavor to remember each of their names. They were friendly and happy to have a good home cooked meal. They ate heartily, as the food was good, and plentiful. Later, when most everyone left, Pedro stayed to help her do the dishes.
"I get the feeling you men aren't used to eating in here."
"We usually eat in the bunkhouse, ma'am." He told her.
"Why?"
"The boss he cooks for himself or eats with us."
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that."
"I think he might like you cooking for him, though."
"Well, while I'm here, I will."
Pedro seemed to study that comment. "The boss, he's been kind of a lonely man."
"Lonely?" She looked surprised. "Why, he has all of you, and his lady in town, how could he be lonely."
Pedro stared at her with shock. "You know about the lady in town?" Pedro's face scrunched in a frown.
"Polly, of course I do." She smiled.
He shook his head in total confusion. "He does not love her."
"You don't think so?" Gabby turned her head in question.
Pedro stopped drying the dish and smiled, "She is a whore. There is no love there. He needs a real woman."
"A real woman?"
"Like you." Pedro smiled.
Unable to think of anything to say, she smiled.
Pedro finished, took her hands in his and smiled, "It was much good senora. Thank you!"
"You're very welcome."
And then he was gone.
She didn't know when Cole might come in, but she found a tub out back and drug it inside. She knew what it was for, they used to have one, when her mother was alive. But the bottom rusted out of it, for leaving it outside in the rain and from then on, she had bathed in the creek. But this was a very nice tub, and well taken care of. She had to try it out. Cole might be gone all night after that cat. What would it hurt?
She would have herself a real bath. She hadn't indulged in anything so wonderful in such a long time, she was excited.
After heating up the water, she got herself a towel and a bar of lye soap and peeled her clothes off to get in.
It was the most heavenly thing in the whole world to her. Relaxing, she almost went to sleep there.
But when Cole came storming in and threw open her door, she was flabbergasted. Her rag would barely cover her body from him. There was no way she could hide everything.
And his eyes didn't stray from her exposure either. He stood there in her doorway, frozen. He couldn't move, all he could do was look at her, all of her, slowly, from head to toe. When his eyes finally found hers again, he turned a little red.
He hadn't expected her to be bathing obviously. She shouldn't have made herself this at home, but the thought of having a real bath, was too tempting. It had been so long since she'd indulged in such a luxurious bath.
Now she regretted it.
"Oh…I'm…." he started to say more, but he just couldn't find the words. His eyes were glued to her now. And he was speechless.
"I didn't expect you to come in here…." She tried to find her own voice.
Flustered she reached for the towel, and stood up, to cover herself and he just stood there staring at her, his eyes glistening.
"I'm sorry," she began, wrapping the towel tightly around her. "I found the tub and couldn't resist. It's the first time I've ever had anything so wonderful that I can remember." She was babbling now. "I mean, we had a tub too, a long time ago, but it's been years. I just couldn't resist." She kept babbling.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," His grin was infectious. But the way he took her in, was breathtaking.
She wasn't sure if she should smile or throw something at him.
He'd seen her, all of her, and she knew she couldn't distract him from that.
He stared at her so long, she turned beet red. Was there something wrong, she wondered, his eyes wouldn’t leave her.
"I-I guess I should go wash up myself a little, I see you left some food for me." He turned toward the door, but his feet wouldn't move.
"Y-yes, I fed the hands that were here." She explained.
"Oh, you didn't have to do that." He cast her a quick glance over his shoulder.
"I wanted to."
"Well, I'm sure they appreciated it."
"They seemed to."
Here they were carrying on a needless conversation and she had no clothes on, wrapped in a towel that barely managed to cover the important parts of her and his body reacting quite normally.
It wasn't like he'd never seen a naked woman before, she quickly reasoned. He'd been with Polly. So why was she different?
He gave her another glance, from her bare feet to the top of her red curly hair and this time there was no red face, only the look of a man well pleased.
"Well, I-I guess I'll go now…" He tried to move away.
"Cole?" she looked at him now, he was dirty, and dusty, but he looked all man, and she had to appreciate him. "Did you get the cat?"
"Yeah, I got him…."
"Oh…then I guess I can go home now…"
"Uh…" This time his look was wary. Why don't you put some clothes on and we'll talk about it?"
"Of course, but since you got the cat…"
"Put some clothes on will ya?" he made a strange face and left the room.
She stood there staring after him for a long moment. She didn't really want to go home, but she didn't want to impose on him either. It wasn't part of their bargain. She might be married to him, but he wasn't in love with her. If he was, he'd have come to her just then.
Wouldn't he? And what would she have done, if he had?
She flushed bright red.
She'd had the biggest urge to kiss him, right then, right there, but that wouldn't have been proper. She blushed. What was wrong with her? She certainly wasn't dressed for kissing, either.