Winning His Wife

by George H. McVey

  She nodded and smiled. “Thank you gentlemen, I was just about to send my husband out to get all of that. Could you just set them on the table for me?”

  The one with the dishes nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

  The other one looked down and then smiled. “Hey, you’ve got Bob!”

  “Yes he seems to have decided I need his protection.”

  “Oh you’re lucky then, Mrs. Knight. Bob’s a real hero. Why my little sister was out last summer on my folks’ farm and she reached for a rattlesnake that had slithered up in front of her. Before it could strike ole Bob here came racing out of nowhere and grabbed that snake behind the head and tossed it, then hopped up and pecked it in the head until it was dead.”

  Adelle looked down at the Rhode Island Red rooster with new respect. “Really, he saved your sister from being snake bit and killed the snake?”

  The man nodded. “Oh yes ma’am, and that’s not the only strange or heroic story you’ll hear about Bob. He’s known all around these parts. Why he even attends Mister Redfern’s Poetry Class at the bookstore. Hops right up on a stool and listens just like the rest of us. Then when the class is over he hops down and strolls right on down the street. Proper as you please.

  “Well we better get to work. Ma’am, you have a good day and don’t worry none. The boss done told us not to let any strangers anywhere near you or the cabin. We’ll keep you safe when Mister Knight can’t be around.”

  She smiled. “Thank you, gentleman.”

  “Awe shucks ma’am, ain’t no need to thank us. It’s just what cowboys do. We ride fer the brand and you being the wife of one of the bosses makes you part of the brand.”

  “I still appreciate it. If you’re around at lunch, stop by and I’ll have some cookies for all you boys.”

  “We’ll be here for certain.”

  They exited and Adelle spun when she heard Gavin chuckle behind her. “They’ll be taking orders from you if you keep promising them sweets.”

  “It was just a way to thank them for their help and letting me know they’d look out for me.”

  He walked over and kissed her. “I know love. You did right. I just meant they’d like the fact that you see and reward what they do anyway.”

  “It’s what’s right.”

  “It is and that’s one of the reasons I love you.”

  She stopped and looked at him. “Do you mean that, Gavin?”

  He frowned. “Mean what?”

  “That you love me?”

  He stilled, and she turned away not wanting him to see her tears. He’d not meant it. He was just using it as an expression. Then he caught hold of her arm and pulled her back around. “Yes I mean it, Adelle. I don’t know how it happened but I love you. When I think of that snake trying to take you away from me, my whole inside feels empty. I want to make you smile and see you fall asleep in my arms to have you wake in them, too. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what it is.

  She beamed and kissed him with every ounce of the love in her heart pouring out of her lips. “I love you too. When I thought he was going to take me away, all I could think about was never seeing you again. Never holding you, kissing you. Growing old with you.”

  Gavin put his finger over her lips, stopping the flow of words. “Adelle Knight, know this: if anything should ever separate us, I will never stop looking until I find you. Never.”

  Then he kissed her before swatting her backside and telling her to fix his breakfast so he could get to work.

  Everything went well the rest of the day. Gavin spent a couple of hours working with Diablo, getting him used to other people. He had several of the hands enter and exit the ring. He even got the big stallion to let a few of the other cowboys mount him and ride around the paddock. He’d kept a close watch on the big horse, looking for any indication that he would try and attack any of the other hands. There wasn’t a single aggressive move.

  Gavin had even gone so far as to leave the paddock and have several of the hands enter and go right up to the big horse without him there. Again, not a single aggressive move. That really pleased Gavin because it meant that the aggression against Bennett hadn’t been because he’d gotten close to Diablo, but because he’d acted aggressively against Adelle. The horse was completely saddle-broken and able to be ridden in towns and cities. Granted a place like Denver might make the big horse skittish, but it would make most horses not used to all the sights and sounds reactive. He was a stallion too so he may, if he came upon a mare in season, act aggressively. But they wanted to use him for stud services as well, so he’d just have to deal with that if the time came.

  Tomorrow Gavin would get some of the hands to bring in several of the small herd that Cooper kept for training purposes. It was time to start working with Diablo and turning him into a cow pony. Especially if he wanted to enter him in the rodeo in Topaz next month. Winning, or even showing well, would help increase the training business for the ranch. But that was tomorrow; for now he took Diablo into the stable and rubbed him down, gave him some feed and water and then headed to the cabin to have lunch with his wife.

  When he got there she had made bacon sandwiches and they drank the last of the milk that Hattie had sent over that morning. He needed to remember while they were in town to get an ice box, and have ice delivered to keep things like milk and butter and meats cold for his wife. As he was finishing there was a knock on the door and Gavin couldn’t help but laugh at the guilty look on the face of the ranch hand standing there when he opened the door. “Came for those cookies, didn’t ya.”

  The man simply nodded. “Yes sir, Mister Knight.”

  “It’s Gavin and you have no reason to look guilty. My wife told you to come and get them and she meant it.”

  Just then Adelle came up beside him and handed the cowboy the basket the eggs had been in that morning. “Here you go, make sure that all the hands get some, please. Then if you would be so kind as to leave the basket on the porch, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Yes ma’am, and thank you ma’am. Cook can fix beans and grub but he don’t do so well at sweets like cookies or pie or cakes.”

  “Well then. I’ll see what I can do from time to time to make sure you men have something for those sweet teeth every now and again.”

  “Thank you ma’am, we’d be much obliged.”

  The man looked and acted just like a giddy school boy being told that there was ice cream at the church social. If he and Cooper weren’t careful, Adelle would be the one running the ranch. All the hands loyal to her for the sweets she made them. He grinned at her. “I don’t know how I like my wife offering to keep other men in sweet treats that should rightly belong to me.”

  Adelle smacked his arm. “I told him every now and again. You, dear husband, will have my sweet treats every day if you want them.”

  Gavin smiled knowing his still mostly innocent bride had no idea how her words could have been taken. He, on the other hand, planned to have both the treats she baked and the ones that were hers naturally as often as she’d share them. As a matter of fact he was thinking about sampling them right then when he saw Cooper’s wife heading their way. “I think Mrs. White is on her way to go shopping with you, Adelle. I’ll go hitch the wagon to take you both into town.”

  “Thank you, I have my list; is there a limit on how much I can spend?”

  He shook his head. “No, get everything you need to make this our home, Sweetheart. And I want you to get yourself some clothes and personal things as well. I’m going to talk to the builder about putting in one of those indoor water closets and a bathing room for you too. Maybe later we’ll have to make a budget but for now I got the money and we need to get settled. Get what you need and want.”

  He was out the door as Hattie came in. He could hear her laugh. “Well I’d take advantage of that while you can, Adelle. I doubt either of our husbands will be that free with their money for long.”

  He shook his head as he went to hitch the team to the wagon. Mrs. White wasn�
��t wrong, it took money to make money and they’d have to quickly sit and look at the books. Figure out how much they needed to make, and how much they needed to put back into the ranch to grow and become the place to buy quality horses in Colorado. But for now he was going to spoil his wife because he could.

  Chapter Nine

  Two weeks passed. Adelle and Gavin grew closer and more in love each day. They both worked hard. Him training and practicing with Diablo, and now he was also breaking several other horses to the saddle. The first step in getting them ready to be cattle horses, army horses, or even horses for stage coaches or lawmen. They wanted several saddle-broken and several completely trained in the two weeks they had left before the rodeo. So his days started early and went late. Still when he came home Adelle was waiting for him. She’d have hot water on the stove and the copper wash tub that was going to be installed in their bathing room ready for him to sink into the heated water and soak his aches and pains. Then when he’d get out as the water cooled she would meet him in the bedroom with the liniment, and just as she’d dreamed all those days ago, rub his sore muscles until his aches were forgotten. More often than not forgotten because they would be busy engaged in an act as old as time. Then finally exhausted they’d fall asleep in each other’s arms.

  Then dawn would come and Bob would be sitting on the foot rail of their bed and crowing his annoying crow, alerting them to another day to do it all again. While Gavin worked with the horses Adelle worked on their home. She cleaned and made curtains and cushions. She worked on clothing for herself and cleaned Gavin’s. Then she’d mend and cook and every few days she’d make extra of whatever sweet treat she made for her husband and would deliver them out to the bunkhouse. All and all they were settling into the life of a married couple nicely. Yet something continued to eat at Adelle’s happiness. As she worked she dreamed about her future. Growing heavy with Gavin’s children. Watching them grow up and marry and have families of their own. Every time she would end that dream upset because her own parents knew nothing of where she was and the happiness she’d found. The time for her wedding to Reginald had passed and she realized she needed to write her parents and let them know she was married to a good man who loved her and took care of her. She needed them to know she was happy and content. She needed them to know they didn’t have to worry about her any more. She needed to write them a letter telling them where she was and what had transpired in her life.

  With that determination in her heart she moved the stew she was cooking for Gavin’s supper to the side of the stove, where it would continue to simmer without burning, and headed over to the White’s house. She knew that since Hattie kept the books for the ranch she would have paper and ink that she could use. Then once the letter was written, she’d saddle up her horse and ride into Creede to drop it in the mail. She’d order a few supplies she was running low on as well, like coffee and sugar.

  Shortly she returned with ink, pen, paper and envelope in hand and settled herself at the table. She thought for a moment and then began to write.

  Dear Mother and Father,

  I’m sure by now that you are both frantic with worry. I left with just a few short words and then you’ve heard nothing from me until now. As the letter I left you stated, I couldn’t and wouldn’t marry Reginald Masterson, a man more than twice my age who all but confided to me that he’d killed his previous wives and if I didn’t please him as he wanted he’d do the same to me. As I’m sure you’ve surmised, I didn’t take the train or a stagecoach. Instead I withdrew my inheritance and bought horses and supplies. I hired a guide and made my way over land to the mining community of Creede. Once here I met a wonderful man who is part owner of a horse ranch. He is a talented horse trainer who breaks the most difficult of horses, ones no one else can. Then he trains them until they can do the most amazing things. Shortly after we met, we married. That’s right, I’ve been a wife now for two weeks.

  My home is simple but lovely and everything I wanted in a house. My husband is handsome and loving and we grow more in love each and every day. Gavin is a good husband and he takes care of me just like I always thought a husband would. Please don’t worry about me anymore. Know that I am married, happy and settled in a good community with friends and even a rooster named Bob who is something of a pet more than livestock.

  I pray that things are going well for the two of you. Know that I love you both and hope that one day when we are more settled and the ranch is a little less busy, we can come visit so you may meet my husband for yourselves. Until that day perhaps we can write each other so that you can be part of my life and I part of yours.

  Your loving daughter,

  Adelle Knight

  Ps. I married a knight after all, Father. Maybe there is something to be learned in those silly fantasies you let me read, after all.

  She sealed the letter and placed it in the envelope and addressed it to her mother and father at their house in Denver. Then she slipped it into her apron pocket and went to saddle her horse for the ride to Creede. Once the letter was mailed and her coffee and sugar purchased she came home and started to make the biscuits to go with the stew. Once they were done she wrapped them in a towel and sat them on the table. Then she started pumping the water to fill the big pot that she would use to heat the water for Gavin when he staggered through the door around dark, dirty, achy and hungry. Yet handsome and loving.

  Sure enough, as the sun settled in the western sky her husband strode through the door and headed straight for her. She held out her arms and stopped him. “Don’t you touch me, Gavin Knight. You are dirty and sweaty and smell of horse and manure. Did you get thrown in a pile of the stuff?”

  His face showed his embarrassment. “That might have happened.”

  “Get out of those clothes and into the tub. If you want me to hug and kiss you tonight, you’ll get yourself clean. Do not toss your clothes on my clean floors. I’ll take them from you and hang them on the porch rail until tomorrow. At least you had the sense to take your boots off outside.”

  Once she had the clothes, she took them out and left them on the rail. She’d have to soak them to get that smell out. It might be best if she just burnt them and didn’t tell him what she did.

  She entered and already the room smelled better. While he bathed she dished up the stew and got him clean things to wear. Not much, they weren’t expecting company and she could already see the knots in his muscles and knew she’d be rubbing him down with liniment tonight. Thankfully he was almost done breaking horses. Soon all that would be left was to train those they wanted to start training.

  “How many left to saddle-break, Gavin?”

  “I need to make sure the last one is fully broke but she’s the last of them, Adelle.”

  She walked over and leaned down to kiss him. “I’m glad, you’re almost one big bruise again.”

  “I told you, but it’s almost over then I’ll have a few months until I have to do as many at once. One or two for a contract isn’t as bad as a whole group like this.”

  She smiled. “You smell better; get out and let’s get you fed. Then I’ll see about making you feel better.”

  Gavin smiled and she knew she’d done it again. That was the smile when she said something innocent that he could take to mean something not innocent. “That wasn’t what I meant, but we might be able to do that as well if you hurry.”

  She’d never seen him get out of the tub and dressed so fast. She couldn’t help but giggle as he pulled her onto his lap. “I’m feeling better already.”

  She bit her lip. “Yes I noticed.” They ate and were soon in bed. “Yes” Adelle thought “I’m very happily married,” before she drifted off to sleep in Gavin’s strong arms where she dreamed of children with sandy hair and blue eyes like their father.

  The day of the rodeo had come. Gavin and Cooper had gotten together several hands, and they’d driven the horses Gavin had broken and trained the past two weeks to the auction that would be held the second
day of the rodeo. The ranchers and cowboys would all have a chance to look them over the first day while the rodeo events took place. Cooper had bought the other stud horse and placed him in a separate paddock so ranchers could look him over, and Cooper stayed close to schedule service blocks for the horse.

  They would use Diablo for a stud as well but Gavin and Cooper both knew that the draw for Diablo this year would be the ranchers and cowboys who recognized White’s demon horse being ridden around the crowd of rodeo attendees. When they found out the cowboy riding him was the bronc buster and horse trainer that finally brought the big beast to heel, their training and breaking schedule would fill up fast.

  When Gavin won the cutting contest later that day, they were guaranteed work for most of the rest of the year. Adelle had promised to be at the rodeo before Gavin and Diablo had to perform, but it was Tuesday and she had been invited by Julianne and Millie to be part of the Ladies Tuesday Tea party. He loved that his wife was making friends and part of the ladies community in their new home. He’d kissed her this morning, watching her ride off on her mare with Bob sitting behind her, reminding Gavin of the day that crazy rooster rode into their life on the back of Henry Wheeler’s horse.

  That thought made him think of Cookie Bullfincher. He hadn’t seen the old cowboy since that day either. Which was strange when he thought about it. Originally he thought the old timer worked for the King Ranch but once they were in Creede he’d thought he’d worked for Cooper. But Cooper had told him he didn’t know the old man. They thought he might have worked at one of the other ranches but no-one besides the Fontaines, the Wheelers and the Jacksons seemed to know who the cowboy was. Even those couples just said he was someone they’d seen around town and he tended to show up when someone needed a helping hand with something. Like Adelle getting away from those robbers or even Gavin deciding if he wanted to come to Creede in the first place, or helping with getting Adelle free from Bennett.