Country Wishes

by RaeAnne Hadley

“He took it with him.” Adam answered his own question.

  “Uncle Will is a good shot, even if he’s only got one hand. He rests the barrel on his stump.”

  “I’m glad he’s still able to shoot, a man has to be able to protect himself out here.”

  “I can shoot, but I’m not very good.” Addy’s admission surprised him, even though it shouldn’t have. He had learnt how to handle a gun at a young age. Reno made sure of it.

  “Can you show me how to shoot good like you?” Addy asked.

  “It’s up to your mother. If she says it’s okay I will.”

  They sat at the kitchen table playing cards for a while. The boy was a fierce competitor who wanted to win even if it meant cheating.

  The fire in the cook stove threw out enough heat to warm the room, and by the looks of it, the fireplace under the mantel wasn’t used much. It was a comfortable cabin. The split log walls had been left in their natural state with what looked like clay, filling the cracks.

  “Do you have a root cellar?”

  “Yes, near the back door.”

  “Do you mind not going to school?”

  “Yes, but Ma teaches me to read and write and do my numbers.”

  “That’s good.”

  “You look tired, Adam.”

  The boy was obviously observant. “I am. I’ll go and lie down, I’m not as strong as I thought I was.” His ribs ached and he felt weak and ill. It had been crazy to think he could ride out of here in a day or so. If the weather turned bad, and it looked like it might, in such a weakened state he could die. The thought didn’t frighten him, just frustrated him. Death courted him every day, yet he felt no fear. Being permanently maimed would be a different matter altogether, he would hate it.

  By the time he made it to the bedroom his whole body trembled. Sonofabitch, he felt bad, barely having the strength to take off his boots. Addy hovered nearby anxiety darkening his eyes.

  “You okay, Adam?”

  “I sure am. No need for you to worry I just need to lie down for a while, then I’ll be out to beat you at cards again.”

  “You lose all the time.” The child was quickly diverted.

  “I’ll be harder to beat after I’ve had a rest.” He stretched out on the bed. I should put a blanket over myself.

  Addy trotted off and returned carrying a patchwork quilt. “This will keep you warm.” He spread it out.

  Adam was nearly going to tell him to take it back to his mother’s bed, until he caught the scent of Emmie on it and changed his mind.

  “Thanks, pardner. I sure will sleep better now.” What a relief to close his eyes.

  Chapter Nine

  For three days Emmie and Will went out to move the livestock and did other chores, preparing for a cold winter. They left in the morning and came home at dusk, cold and exhausted. Apart from helping Addy milk the house cow, Adam would have the fire burning for their return, with the coffee ready and beans, ham and fried potatoes organized for supper.

  He had sent Addy down to the root cellar for supplies as he couldn’t risk falling down the steps. All the while his frustration grew. It was terrible to feel so useless. Addy read to him and he was able to help the child with his spelling, but hadn’t had much education himself, so was unable to teach him much.

  On the fourth day, Adam could stand it no longer. He waited until Will and Emmie rode off then he decided to go out to the wood pile. He knew he wouldn’t have the strength to cut the wood into logs, but at least he could split the logs for the stove. He didn’t know how Emmie had been able to chop the trees down even if they looked to be only small ones. Will could split the logs with one hand if he used his stump to hold the log in place. How in tarnation was Emmie able to cut the tree up into logs?

  After splitting several of the logs, the perspiration poured out of him and he had to sit down for a rest. After a while he walked over to Addy who was playing with the dog. “How about you show me around?”

  With the dog prancing around their feet, they strode toward the stable, which wasn’t much of a place yet it gave the horses shelter, being enclosed on three sides. It led directly into a well grassed paddock where Phantom and another couple of horses grazed.

  A long, loud whistle had Phantom raising his head and trotting over. “How are you, boy?” He patted the gelding’s neck.

  “I looked after him good.”

  “I know you did. Where’s my saddle?”

  “In the corner of the stable with the bags on it. Are you going for a ride?”

  “Not today, maybe tomorrow. Don’t tell your mother, it’s a secret? Do you have a horse?”

  “Yes, Nutmeg.” He pointed to a brown pony. Dougie was barking and prancing around, although the horses didn’t seem to mind.

  The barn when they got to it was quite large and in much better condition than the stable. Hay was stacked neatly, reaching almost to the roof in some parts. With more time and effort spent on it, this place could be a prosperous little spread.

  A plan had been germinating in his mind for the last couple of days now he was starting to get his wits about him. To ensure Emmie kept the place, he would need to let the townsfolk know about Dodd’s plan and the fact that the jobs they thought they would get would be given to foreign workers. They then wouldn’t be so sympathetic to Dodd and all fired up about Emmie’s refusal to go. It could work. With the town against him the sonofabitch would be too scared to go on with it. The more he thought about it the more he liked the idea. Simple plans were often the best ones.

  A few words in the saloon and the diner. The news wouldn’t take long to spread. Dodd wouldn’t blame Emmie but him. And I’ll ride out of town and not come back. No other plan had come to him.

  Two days before Christmas, Emmie watched Adam ride off on his way to town. She didn’t think he should go in, better for Dodd to think he was dead. He had a burr under his saddle blanket and wouldn’t be told. Fretting and fuming would do no good. He had made his decision and nothing would dissuade him. Having agreed to spend Christmas with them, she at least had got that concession out of him.

  She felt like she was walking a tightrope when it came to Adam. She had seen the burning need in his eyes, felt the heat of his desire. If she gave him what he wanted, and in all honesty, she wanted to. Would he stay? To what low depths had she sunk, to even contemplate such a thing – blackmailing him with her body.

  He had started helping around the ranch and even though he wasn’t completely recovered, his help had been most welcome. He would go out with Will, which gave her a chance to catch up on household chores. She had found several old horseshoes and bound them with pretty ribbon with Addy’s help, and hung them up for decorations. Combined with a few more colorful paper chains, the sitting room looked festive.

  She had baked oatmeal and raisin cookies and placed them in airtight jars. Her Christmas cake and plum pudding had been ready weeks ago. Christmas would be special this year because Adam would be sharing it with them.

  “Adam will come back, won’t he, Ma?” Addy’s query interrupted her musing.

  “Of course he will, he promised.” What if he didn’t keep his word? Addy would be heartbroken.

  “You do know Adam can only stay until Christmas day, then he has to leave.”

  “Yes, but why won’t he stay? Doesn’t he like us?”

  She knelt down and put her arms around him. “I think he might like us too much, and he’s worried the bad men will only leave us alone if he goes away.”

  She didn’t think they would. Dodd wanted their place. Adam had been adamant he had a plan, which would stop Dodd causing any more trouble. No matter how she questioned him he wouldn’t say what it was, only that it would work. Trusting his judgement was one thing, but worry still weighed her down.

  Adam rode into Hopeful determined to stop Dodd once and for all. He dismounted outside the saloon and tied Phantom to the hitching rail before striding inside. He didn’t like drinking in the morning, it was a bad habit to
get into. How many retired gunslingers had turned to drink to deal with no longer being quick on the draw? From morning to night they would drink until they had run out of money or died.

  If he stayed with Emmie he would escape such a fate. Could he make her happy? Look after Addy and bring him up decent? He couldn’t believe the soul-searching he had indulged in since finding Emmie, and he didn’t like it. Having never been one to dwell on things he was now doing it constantly.

  “Howdy, Petrie, you’re early?” the barkeep said.

  “Yeah, I’m supposed to meet someone here. Maybe I got the times mixed up.”

  “Whiskey?”

  He shook his head. “I hear tell Bryson Dodd is going to open up a new goldfield a couple of miles north of Red Bluff Canyon.”

  “Yeah, it will create quite a lot of jobs.”

  “Not for the locals it won’t,” Adam said. “He’s bringing in foreign workers.”

  “What!”

  “He reckons they work cheaper than us.” After pulling out his pocket watch and glancing at it, Adam said. “I can’t wait any longer, I’ve got other business to attend to. If anyone asks for me tell them they’re too late.”

  Striding along the boardwalk to the mercantile, he ran into one of the town’s Deputies, and just in passing, all casual like, mentioned Dodd and his foreign workers before continuing on his way.

  He had never celebrated Christmas, or given out presents before but wanted to buy something for Addy and Emmie. Stepping up to the counter he purposely engaged the woman serving in conversation.

  “Good morning, Ma’am. I’m looking to buy a few Christmas gifts. Could you recommend something for an eight year old boy?”

  “Clothing?” She raised her eyebrows in query

  “No.”

  “A picture book then?”

  “Yes, a picture book with writing in it.”

  The woman showed him several and he picked one with animals in it. He spied a pile of kerchiefs and selected a blue one for William. Now, the hardest of all, something for Emmie.

  “I suppose you heard about Bryson Dodd’s plans for a new goldmine.”

  “Yes, it should bring in more business for us.” Her eyes gleamed.

  “A pity about the jobs, though,” he said, making a great pretense of looking around to make sure no-one else was in earshot. “I hear tell he’s bringing in foreign workers because it’s cheaper than employing men from Hopeful.”

  “If it’s true, that’s disgraceful.” The woman sniffed indignantly.

  “Oh, it is true all right.”

  He suddenly spotted a pretty hair brush, pale pink with gold lacy trim on it. “The hairbrush, I’ll have it.” He pointed. “Could you wrap it in fancy paper?”

  “I’ve only got brown paper, although I could tie a ribbon around it and make a pretty bow for you.”

  “Thanks, I’d be obliged.” A few minutes later he was walking out of the store with his purchases. Feeling a bit of a fool, he strode over to Phantom and stowed his purchases in his saddle bags. Bread, he’d go to the bakery and buy a loaf of fresh bread to go with supper.

  It was a good feeling buying items for someone else, something he had never done before. He glanced at the wishing well as he rode by. His wish on the night of the Beaver moon not long after he had ridden in here, had come true. He had found Emmie. In a few days he would be leaving her, because a gunslinger like him who had little money and no prospects, couldn’t bring her down to his level. She owned a ranch. He had virtually nothing.

  A cold wind blew down from the mountains. Winter was going to be vicious by his reckoning. A sinister aura hung over Red Bluff canyon as he rode along. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he passed near the spot where a bullet from some cowardly varmint had smashed into his chest.

  Soon he would be at the cabin with Emmie. Would she be out working? Of course she would be, her and Will doing what they could. Addy was only a child yet he also performed chores.

  The boy rode well, he could milk the cow, help with rounding up the cattle but the heaviest work fell to Emmie.

  Smoke spiraling up from the chimney welcomed him. Addy dashed out on to the porch and started waving his hand. Dismounting in the front yard, Adam collected his saddle bags and strode inside.

  “I’ll take Phantom and give him a rubdown,” Addy said.

  “Thanks, pardner, I’m mighty grateful for the offer. I’m feeling weary now. Guess I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was.”

  Addy led the horse away, leaving Adam to slowly make his way inside. His ribs were aching now, his head a little less so. He had accomplished his mission letting the townsfolk of Hopeful know that regardless of whether Dodd forced Emmie off the ranch, there would be no jobs for them.

  It was warm inside the cabin and he stepped over to the stove to hold his hands out to the warmth. A coffee then he would lie down for a while. Before taking his saddlebags into the bedroom, he retrieved the bread and placed it on the table. His presents would be a surprise for Christmas Day.

  Addy returned with a wide grin on his face. “I looked after Phantom real good.”

  “I know, you’re one of the few people I trust to treat him right. If a man looks after his horse, his horse will look after him.”

  “Ma said her and Uncle Will should be back for a late lunch.”

  “I bought a loaf of bread at the bakery. Maybe we could have a slice while we wait for them.”

  “Ooh yes, I want the crusty bit.”

  Adam laughed. “It used to be my favorite part when I was your age. How about we have a piece each, then leave the rest of it for the others.”

  “Ma has some left over butter, which she put in a tin on the back porch to keep cold.”

  “What a clever idea.”

  While Adam cut off a couple of thick slices for them, Addy dashed outside, returning within seconds carrying a square tin with a lid on it.

  Soon they were eating the bread washed down with coffee. Addy’s was mostly milk, but if it made him feel grown up, where was the harm?

  “Don’t tell Ma I was drinking coffee, she might get mad.”

  “I won’t tell her if you don’t.”

  It was flattering to have the boy hanging on his every word, no-one else ever took much notice of what he said. I wonder what Dodd will think when it becomes public knowledge that no new jobs would be forthcoming for the locals when he opened his goldmine.

  While Addy did his school work, Adam lay on the bed fully clothed with a quilt covering him. Another couple of days and he’d be gone from here and back on the trail again – alone. This small taste of a normal life would have to last a lifetime.

  He heard Emmie’s voice, Addy’s laugh and closed his eyes. Until she had arrived home he couldn’t fully relax. His eyes grew heavy, and it was too much effort fighting to keep them open.

  Chapter Ten

  A volley of shots followed by Emmie’s scream had Adam springing from the bed. Gunfire. Someone from the cabin returned fire. Grabbing his gun he raced into the sitting room.

  “Addy, get down into the root cellar,” Emmie yelled.

  William was returning fire from the side window. A dozen men were circling the place. Emmie was firing from the front, so he took a position at the rear. The dog was barking like crazy near the back door.

  “The root cellar, pardner, and stay there.”

  “I want to help.”

  “You’ll help us more by staying safe down there,” Emma said.

  Sonofabitch. His plan had backfired. Dodd’s hired guns, it had to be. Dirty varmints.

  They fought a pitched battle, which Adam knew they couldn’t win. All the men had to do, was wait until they ran out of ammunition, then charge the place.

  Adam who was closest to Addy yelled. “Don’t come out of the root cellar no matter what.” He suddenly realized the boy had grabbed his dog and taken him down as well. At least the creature would be of some comfort to him.

  Will brought a man dow
n, Emmie winged another. No more messing around, Adam thought, he would deliberately shoot to kill, perhaps that might frighten them off. He aimed carefully and fired. One of the gunmen screamed and dropped to the ground.

  Emmie couldn’t believe what was happening, their cabin was under attack. She quickly glanced around to make sure Addy had safely made it into the root cellar. Adam was near the back window. Crouching, he took aim and fired. She reloaded Frank’s Winchester and crawled over to Will and handed it to him, took his gun and reloaded it.

  Suddenly firing came from behind the men, and she saw half a dozen riders racing up. Was that the sheriff?

  The firing stopped, the silence was ominous. Not knowing what was happening was even more frightening than the pitched battle they had fought.

  “You sonsofbitches get on your horses and high-tail it out of here. Don’t come back unless you want to see the inside of my jail, and take your men with you,” the sheriff yelled. He inclined his head at a couple of bodies sprawled out on the ground.

  Once the gunmen had ridden off, the sheriff rode up to the porch with a posse of about six men. Emmie recognized a couple of men from town.

  The sheriff touched his hat. “I’m sorry that had to happen, Mrs. Jamieson. I’ll make sure Dodd doesn’t send anyone else out here. No-one from town will bother you, either. The townsfolk thought your refusal was costing them jobs.”

  A couple of the men looked shamefaced.

  Adam stepped out on to the porch.

  “Petrie? What are you doing here?”

  “Mrs. Jamieson and her brother are friends of mine.”

  “Yeah?”

  “We’ve known each other since childhood,” Emmie said. The expression on the sheriff’s face clearly said he didn’t believe her.

  “Would you and your men like a coffee?”

  “No thanks, Ma’am. We need to be off.”

  Addy darted out clutching Dougie with Will limping after them. The sheriff nodded and William did likewise. A couple of men stared stony-faced at him. Ridiculous really when Colorado provided men and supplies to both the Confederate and Union armies.