“That’s better.” Thad turned the offensive man and shoved him toward his friends.
The disrespectful Walter shrugged back into his tattered dignity and stalked toward the saloon.
Buster rushed to look at Thad’s face. “Oh, Thad, you’re going to have a heck of a black eye and your poor lip needs attention.”
Cordelia strode up. “Heard there was an altercation going on at the corral. Looks as if I missed it.” She assessed Thad. “Must have been something to see.”
Buster turned to the marshal. “One of the cowboys I didn’t recognize made rude remarks and Thad defended me.” She turned back to him. “Jasper won’t mind if we use the stable and take care of that lip.”
She guided Thad inside the livery to a bale of hay. “Sit right there while I dampen my handkerchief at the pump.”
He worked his jaw and felt of his back teeth. “Good, my teeth are all still attached.”
She pumped water to soak her handkerchief and also filled the dipper to take to Thad.
She handed the dipper to him first. “Can you drink without too much pain?”
He drank every drop of water she’d given him. “Thank you. I’m fine, Buster.”
She cupped his chin. “Be still. I’m going to clean this lip.” As gently as possible, she dabbed away the blood. She was conscious of his eyes watching her face and feared the nervous sensations his gaze ignited would cause her to hurt him.
She straightened and stepped back. “There, I’m sure your lip will be sore but I’ve cleaned off the blood.”
He captured her wrists loosely in his large hands. “Don’t you think you should kiss it to make it better?” Gently, he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped an arm around her. His other hand cupped her face and she met his mouth with hers.
Their kiss was soft then she kissed the bruise on his cheek.
He smiled at her, wincing slightly. “If that doesn’t restore me, nothing will.”
She allowed her hand to linger on his shoulder. “You didn’t have to defend me, though I appreciate what you did. Papa taught me to defend myself against bullies like that man.”
He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. “Honey, he was double your weight and mean as a snake.”
“I know. I admit he scared me a little but I can bluff.” She grinned. “Okay, he scared me a lot.”
“You were smart not to let him know that. Men like him feed off the fear of those weaker than them.”
A shiver skittered up her spine. “He’ll get back at us. I don’t know how, but he will.”
“He may try but we’ll be watching for him. Wish I knew who his boss is. Durned if I wouldn’t report him.”
“Likely they’re only here for a few days. His boss probably wouldn’t care. He must know what his employee is like.”
“Don’t want that man having your fine horses.”
“Me either. If you learn who he works for, please tell Dub and me or the auctioneer.”
“Has the auctioneer shown up?”
“No, wired he’ll be here the evening before the sale and will stay at the Ridge Hotel.”
“He gets a cut of the money you raise, doesn’t he?”
“Afraid so, and a hefty one at that, but he’s good. The overall take will be more with him in charge. I’ve seen him work—you may have too. His name is Cesare Delaney.”
Thad’s face shone with pleasure. “Sure thing, good man. Colin always used him for an auction plus we’ve bought horses where he’s been in charge.”
Buster rose to her feet. “Guess I’d better get back to horse-watching.”
Slowly, he stood as doing so hurt. “Suppose so, but it seems a shame not to take advantage of our time alone.” He bent to kiss her again.
“Are you two at it again?” Dub’s voice startled Buster so she jumped.
Thad kept his arm around her. “In my place, wouldn’t you be?”
Dub forked a thumb toward the corral. “Aw, get back out there. I sent Tony to see if he can find out who that man works for. Don’t cotton to his sort owning Rafter O horses.”
Thad smiled at her and strode toward the corral.
Buster looked at her foreman. “That’s what we’d just said.”
“Hmph, didn’t look like talking to me.”
She linked her arm with his. “You’re not fooling me, you old bear. You like Thad.”
He pretended to scowl at her. “I like a lot of people. Doesn’t mean I want them pawing you.”
“He wasn’t—”
“Spare me the details, would you? Watching you grow up is downright painful.”
She leaned forward to peer into his face. “Does that mean you finally agree that I’m grown?”
“No, it does not. You’re also getting too big for your britches. I can still swat you, you know?”
She sent him a mischievous grin. “Better be careful. I have a protector now who won’t let anyone manhandle me.”
“Ha, just as I said, too big for your britches. Now listen here, Buster Odell, you can’t dress like a hoyden and expect men to respect you. If you’re grown as you say then it’s time you started dressing like a grown woman. Think on that.” He strode off and left her standing in the livery doorway.
His remarks caught her by surprise. Dub had always defended her wearing overalls on the ranch. But, they weren’t on the ranch now. Maybe she’d wear her split skirt tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty
The sound of hooves pounding woke Buster. She rose and rushed to the window. Over a dozen riderless horses raced around the yard.
Her insides coiled into knots. What had happened that some of the herd had broken loose and returned? A vise clamped her chest and she gasped for air. What happened to the men on guard? The dogs raced around trying to bunch the horses as if they were cattle.
After dressing as quickly as possible, she raced down the stairs. She met Dub hurrying from his home as new hands Zeb Parker and Joe Appleby rode up.
Joe reined in between Buster and Dub. “All hell broke loose, pardon my language, ma’am. Someone knocked out Mac and Eddie and stampeded the horses. They’re scattered all over creation now.”
Buster asked, “Mac and Eddie, how are they?”
Zeb shook his head. “Lumps on their skull but appear all right now. They’re mad as all get out, though. Thad sent for Doctor Spense to look at them.”
Buster’s anger increased. This proved her premonition was right. That Walter person had caused the stampede and had harmed two men who worked for her. “That man, Walter something or other, the one who insulted me is to blame, I’m certain of it.”
Dub ignored her. “You two get down and help calm these horses. Watch Buster and do what she does. Get them bunched.”
Buster walked up to the most frenzied while making soothing sounds. “Come on, baby, everything will be all right now. You wanted your oats, didn’t you?” She kept talking as she calmed the horse while walking it toward another.
Dub did the same with horses on the other side of the yard. Within an hour, they had them bunched together and chowing down oats. While they were eating, Buster and Dub saddled their horses and led them out of the barn.
Wearing her robe and slippers and with her braid dangling, Marnie brought out sandwiches and coffee. “You can’t go off hungry. No telling when you’ll have another chance to eat.”
Lucy carried the coffee pot for refills.
Buster hugged her housekeeper. “Thank you, Marnie. You take good care of us. You too, Lucy.”
After the escapees had milled around for a few more minutes, Buster said, “Let’s park them in the paddock until morning. We’d better go help round up the rest of them. I told you that man Thad punched would cause trouble.”
Dub climbed into the saddle. “Naw, I tell you this is the sort of thing that rat Crane would do to get even. He wants to level Wildcat Ridge and doesn’t want you to bail out the women.”
After the dozen horses were secure in the paddock, Buste
r, Dub, and the two hands rode toward town. Along the way, they gathered more strays foraging by the road. When they got to town, chaos reigned.
She spotted Thad driving three horses into the corral with a sleepy Jasper Jones at the gate.
She drove in the horses they’d gathered. “I know this will cost us extra, Jasper. Sorry to disturb your sleep.”
“Reckon it disturbed everyone’s tonight. Never saw the like of the fuss this raised. I’m keeping count and that makes seventy-three.”
“Thank you, Jasper.” She pulled alongside Thad. “A dozen showed up at the ranch and we put them in the paddock until daylight.”
Tony and Mac—wearing a bandage around his head—herded four horses toward the corral.
Jasper opened the gate long enough to let the escapees inside. “Seventy-seven.”
Buster stopped at Mac’s horse. “You shouldn’t be riding after that blow to your head.”
His face was grim and looked ghostly in the night. She didn’t know whether his expression was from pain or embarrassment that he was guarding the horses when someone slipped up on him. Or, it could be from both.
“My job was to see they weren’t bothered. Don’t know how it happened. Eddie and me were on guard duty in different spots. Neither of us saw whoever hit us. Had to be more than one man, though.”
“Not your fault, Mac. You go on and get a room at the hotel and catch up on your rest. If you see Eddie before I do, tell him to do the same. If you’re all right by noon, you can help then.”
“I’m responsible for the horses getting out—”
“No backtalk, Mac. I’m responsible for the welfare of my hands and I won’t have you complicating a concussion.” Buster tried to look fierce. “I’m ordering you to the hotel.”
He offered a weak smile. “All right. I’ll take care of my horse and leave him here and walk to the hotel.”
Thad forked a thumb toward the Ridge Hotel. “I’ll take care of your horse. You get going.”
Reluctantly, Mac dismounted but clung to his saddle as if too dizzy to stand unaided.
Buster grabbed his arm. “Get back on the horse if you can. I’ll walk you and the horse to the hotel then bring your mount back here. Maybe I’ll see Eddie on the way.”
When she had delivered Mac inside the hotel, she brought his mount back to the livery stable. “Anyone seen Eddie?”
Dub scanned the “No, and I’m starting to wonder if he’s too hurt to ride. He rode north on Pine Street into town chasing after two or three horses.”
“Thad, come on and help me look for him. People are more important than animals. He’s injured and should be resting.”
She and Thad rode north. They checked between houses and businesses but found no one. After riding around the school, they met Alex, the undertaker.
He pulled his suspenders onto his shoulders. “Heard the commotion and figured you need help. What can I do?”
Buster quickly related the details. “Now we’re looking for one of the men who was hit in the head. His name’s Eddie Phifer, he’s blond and in his late teens.”
“I see Miss Plunkett peeking out her window. I imagine she’s frightened so I’ll go tell her what’s happened and check around her house.” He tipped his hat and strode toward Thalia’s.
Buster and Thad rode toward the end of the street, which made a right turn just before it reached the Black Bear River. The church was on the left and had open land on each side and behind the building where the cemetery was. The sight of a horse standing alone captured her attention.
“Thad, that horse is wearing a saddle.” She rode toward the steed.
A still figure lay on the ground nearby.
Buster and Thad dismounted. She knelt on one side of Eddie and Thad did the same on the boy’s other side.
Buster laid a hand against his jaw. “Eddie, can you stand?”
“Dizzy… Tired... Headache.”
She looked at Thad. “How are we going to get him three blocks to the hotel? No, we should take him to Dr. Spense.”
“I can ride double with him and keep him from falling. If we can get him upright, maybe he can hold on long enough for me to mount my horse. Then, I can lift him up to my saddle, side-saddle style.”
Buster turned the boy’s face so she could see his eyes. “Eddie, did you hear Thad?”
He didn’t appear to focus on her or anything around her. Instead, he closed his eyes and tried to turn on his side. After a groan, he muttered, “Sleepy. ’S bedtime. Oughta be in bed.”
She pulled him to a sitting position and Thad got behind him. Working together, they got Eddie upright and Buster held him against the horse while Thad climbed into the saddle.
“When you’re ready, I’ll put my shoulder under his rear and push upward as you lift.”
“Eddie, don’t go dead weight on us. On three. One... Two... Three.” In spite of Thad’s admonition, Eddie was like a rag doll.
On the second try, they succeeded in getting the boy onto the saddle in front of Thad. Buster handed Thad the reins because he couldn’t reach them while supporting Eddie.
Thad slowly turned his horse with Eddie leaning on Thad’s chest and caged between his arms. “I thought he was going to pull me off my horse before we got him onto the saddle. Good thing you were able to steady him and push. You okay?”
“I’m fine. I’ll lead his horse and follow you. There are several of our horses behind the church. Guess they won’t cross the river before we can get back there.”
“Does Dr. Spense have a place where Eddie can stay overnight?”
“He has space for two patients. He’ll be better off there than at the hotel where Mac is.”
“We’ll see what the good doctor has to say about this patient. I think his concussion is worse than Mac’s.”
By the time they reached the doctor’s office near the corral, Eddie was barely on the saddle.
Thad said, “I’m riding up to the front door. You’d better come catch him when I dismount. I can barely hold him now. He’s a lot heavier than he appears.”
Buster hated to wake the doctor and Martha. She supposed they were accustomed to being disturbed for emergencies. After taking a deep breath, she caught Eddie.
Thad quickly climbed down and pulled Eddie’s arm around his shoulders. “I’ll let you pound on the door.”
Dr. Spense opened his front door. “No one needs to pound, young man. You people have made enough noise to wake the entire town. Get that man in here so I can see what he’s done.”
Buster followed Thad, Eddie and the doctor. “He fell off his horse while trying to catch some who’d stampeded. He’s delirious.”
The doctor scowled, obviously angry. “I told him to lie down immediately. He has a bad concussion and could have a number of complications. Don’t know why people can’t follow my advice.”
Thad maneuvered Eddie onto a narrow bed. “We didn’t know whether to take him here or to the hotel where your other patient is.”
The doctor leaned over Eddie and checked his eyes. “Glad one of them used his brains.”
Buster didn’t mention that she’d had to order Mac to the hotel.
Dr. Spense proceeded to go through his diagnostic checks. “You two can go on and leave this boy here. If he’s well enough tomorrow, you can move him to the hotel. We’ll have to see how he does.”
Buster looked at poor Eddie. “Thank you, Doctor Spense. We’ll see you in the morning. Well… later this morning.”
The good-hearted doctor had a gruff manner. “No, when I said tomorrow, I meant tomorrow and not later today. Now you two go on and take care of your horses while I take care of this boy.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, Goodbye.” She followed Thad outside.
Thad put his arm around her shoulders. “Looks as if there won’t be any peace for a few days.”
“Who’s watching the corral?”
“We have a schedule to keep it guarded around the clock by four of us at a time. Losing
Eddie and Mac put an end to that plan since we’d already lost Sam.”
“I’ll replace one of them. That will give us four at a time if we work twelve hour shifts. You know we do that long a day on the ranch part of the year.”
“Go home. We’ll make do with three guards at a time.” He kissed her. “I’ll be out tomorrow to help move the runaways back here.”
She touched her fingertips to her lips and met his gaze. “Tell me again.”
With a chuckle, he pulled her close and kissed her once more then kept her in his embrace. “When this lip heals, I’ll do a better job.”
“Don’t know how you could improve on that.” When he released her, she stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Take care. There may be more mischief.”
Chapter Twenty-One
When Buster reached home, she crept up the stairs to her room, hoping she didn’t wake Marnie and Lucy. She stripped off her outer clothes and boots. Without bothering to brush and re-braid her hair or don her nightgown, she fell into bed in her chemise and pantalets.
About ten, she woke to bright daylight and the feeling she’d overslept. Considering she didn’t go to bed until after four, that shouldn’t be the case. Quickly, she washed herself then braided her hair.
Today, she decided to wear her blue split skirt and matching shirtwaist. Although she had a matching jacket, she wouldn’t need it in this weather. After stomping into her boots, she hurried downstairs.
Marnie sent her an admiring glance. “Well, look at you. Much better than your overalls, Blessing.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t make a big deal out of me wearing this for a change. I get tired of wearing the same old things, is all.”
Her housekeeper crossed her arms across her ample chest. “Umhum, don’t bother with that ruse, Blessing Odell. Dub’s already told me what happened. Plus, Thad’s here, too, and I saw his eye.”
“Oh.” Dadburn. Marnie knew everything. “Well, the fight was pretty scary for a while. That awful man was huge but Thad whooped him. In spite of what Dub says, I believe that man and his friends were responsible for knocking out Mac and Eddie and stampeding the horses.”
Blessing (Widows Of Wildcat Ridge Book 2) Page 11
