Dark Rivals: Lijuan Wilde Tale 0f Suspense (Half Breed Haven Book 3)

by A. M. Van Dorn

  “What do you think of this shotgun?” he asked, handing the rifle to Mick. “It is the latest model, Mick. I just got it in Saddle Gap yesterday.”

  “Damn fine weapon, Foster. ‘Course you can afford it on a foreman’s salary.” Mick said handing it back to Dale who began to load it immediately.

  “Now look, let’s not go down that trail again. I have no idea why they didn’t make you foreman and hired me from my old ranch instead.” Dale muttered as he kept loading, “Nothing we can do about it. Mr. Bell made the arrangements, so let’s forget it, huh?”

  “You sure it was Bell who did the hiring?” Mick chuckled. “Maybe it was that step daughter of his. The shine she’s taken to you is as bright as the noon day sun.”

  Dale laughed when he noticed the suspicious eyes his co-worker threw at him. “She’s something alright, but too much a blasted hellion for my tastes. I doubt she was whispering in Mr. Bell’s ear to hire me, in any case.” he said, still shaking his head at the idea.

  Their discussion was interrupted though, as they heard the bellow of a steer in agony. Both men dashed towards the watering hole, and as they got close, they could see a cougar had just killed a steer. Both men raised their weapons to fire, but it was too late. The cougar saw them and bolted off towards the hills and out of sight. Dale fired in vain, then sighed, in disgust as he looked over the dead animal.

  “Mr. Bell ain’t going to like to hear we lost another one, no sir he ain’t.” he growled.

  ***

  The Wilde’s’ carriage rocked gently back and forth as it moved on the road, the curtains of the windows slowly dancing to the wavering breeze. The sun was in full bloom now and its shiny brightness reflected through the brown polished wood of the carriage. Unlike most carriages, the Wilde’s custom-built carriage had a sophisticated look, its wheels being the best part of it. They rolled steadily on the earth, firmly attached to the carriage looking like round gold-platted disks on the run. Inside the carriage, comfortable leather seats filled up the interior space and were being sat on by the trio of Wilde travelers. It had been a long ride, but they were a close family and had no problem riding in the enclosed space together.

  “It is going to be an absolute pleasure to do business with a man I can trust through and through.” Whip was saying to the rest, “Carson Bell and I go back as far as my first assignment on the USS Marlborough. Think of it, two old navy men now ranching in the west.” He said in remembrance.

  “From what you’ve said, you encouraged him to come out west when he retired right?” Lijuan said.

  “I did indeed. He also had the misfortune of losing his wife long before her time. It is a dreadful thing when one’s own body turns against you.” The judge said solemnly.

  “That it is, Papa.” Catalina agreed, her usually mirthful eyes taking on a dark look to them.

  “As if losing his wife wasn’t enough, her death left him to raise his step daughter from Ellen’s first marriage when she herself was widowed. He has raised her since she was eight years old, but what a go it has been.” Whip added.

  “What do you mean, Father?” Lijuan asked through slightly parted lips.

  “She took the anger over losing both of her natural parents at a young age and turned it against Carson.” Whip explained, “He has tried to do his best by her, but her irrational resentments run deep. He once told me he thought there was darkness inside of her and that she could be close to becoming dangerous. She’s something of a hellion.” he finished.

  “That’s what folks like to say about me, only they call me a hellcat.” Lijuan pointed out with a laugh.

  “Sure as sugar well earned!” Catalina chimed in happily.

  “Earned or not, you are going to be on your best behavior around the Bell’s, aren’t you, Lijuan? Also, for goodness sake, would you leave that hammer you like to tote around in the coach please?” Whip asked Lijuan, referring to her weapon of choice; a small foot-long blacksmith’s hammer that rarely left her belt.

  “Not to worry, father. The only Lijuan Wilde they will see is the one who runs the family business affairs. I am only here to write checks and handle the paperwork for the sale of Mr. Bell’s Cattle to Cedar Ledge.” Lijuan assured her father.

  “That’s if they check out!” Catalina pointed out, “That is why I passed on the cattle drive back home. I got Cassandra and Blue River to fill in for me because nobody knows a good steer like I do, least that is what you always say, Papa.”

  The last few words left Catalina’s lips with a little blush appearing on her cheeks. She looked at her father and smiled, always loving the way he pampered her with words.

  That I do, Peppercorn,” Whip affirmed with a fond look. “That I do,” he said again. Their conversation briefly lulled as they passed around one of the new oversized canteens from Treadwell’s Lijuan had brought along. Each enjoyed a refreshing drink as relief from the sweltering day they were traveling in.

  “It is a shame we couldn’t all have made the trip, isn’t it? Yet with the cattle drive to New Mexico, and poor Honor so sick—she really was sick, wasn’t she? —sick as a dog with that cold, it wouldn’t have made sense for everyone to come. It sure was nice of Cassandra to offer to stay behind and look after her until Bright Feather takes over though,” Catalina said brightly.

  “Two Gun Cassandra as a nurse maid! Now to see that almost makes me wish I could have stayed behind,” Lijuan said with laughter that spread to the others due to the image she had conjured for them.

  It was not long after that, that they passed between two twin hills that marked the entrance into the Circle B Ranch with Lijuan quickly glancing out the window to admire the lush grassland and the hilltops that surrounded the entire spread. She noticed the pastures that were strategically built and fenced along the eastern roads too, while a few trees filled up some part of the west side of the land, looking like a planned reserve. As the carriage halted before the ranch house itself, Whip disembarked first, quickly making the introductions as soon as Carson Bell stepped out of house to welcome them. With their warm embraces and good-natured backslapping, it was clear to his daughters that he was very glad to see his old friend.

  Carson Bell, unlike Whip, was short and slim. He looked healthy, too, and his gray hair did nothing to make him look old. Instead, he looked dashing especially when his lips turned upward into a wonderful smile as Whip re-introduced him to his daughters, as they had been very young the last time they had met. He in turn welcomed everyone to his ranch before glancing behind his shoulder to urge a dark-haired beauty forward.

  “This is Lettie, my stepdaughter,” he said. “Lettie, meet Judge Wilde and his daughters, Lijuan and Catalina.” As was her way, Cattie gave a big hello while pumping the woman’s hand. She then stepped aside as Lijuan approached.

  “Hello, Lettie, nice to meet you,” Lijuan said, stepping forward kindly to shake her hand.

  “Nice to meet you too,” Lettie said. “I’ve never met a real Chinese woman before,” she announced loudly, leaving Lijuan to sarcastically wonder if all the ones she met were fake.

  Everyone ignored the rudeness, but when they shook hands, Lijuan made sure to make it an extra firm handshake. She noticed the woman flinch slightly under the pressure, but she hid it well.

  “Well, my friends, we have had a meal prepared, so we must feast. We can go to the corral after we dine,” Carson announced, satisfied with the introductions and already urging everyone into the ranch house.

  Lijuan followed along, grateful for the first time since their journey started, as she was surely famished, not to mention she would be happy to get inside as a bank of dark clouds were rolling by overhead carrying the threat of rain.

  ***

  A few hours later, Carson, the judge, Lijuan, and Catalina went down to the corral to inspect the cattle that the ranch had for sale. On their way, the group was careful to pick their way through the puddles that now seemed to be everywhere. While they had dined, the approaching storm had dro
pped its fury over the ranch but just as quickly had continued on its way. The endless skies they walked under were now a clear azure blue showing no hint of the storm that had been.

  Arriving at the pen, the Wildes found the corral, much like theirs at Cedar Ledge, to be a very large pen made of strong timbers that kept all the cattle within their specified and spacious area. After spending a good amount of time looking at one of the steers, Catalina, with her hands on her hips and a nod of her head, admitted they were a fine group of animals.

  “This is a first-rate herd, sure as sugar!” she said running her hand along the animal’s flank in approval.

  “I hope so, I got ‘em from one of the best ranchers over Texas way,” Carson told her, and she nodded again, agreeing that he did. Lijuan simply looked away, always disdainful when Texas was mentioned, as her pride in Arizona was larger than the entire Lone Star State.

  They were still discussing the cattle when the sound of boots slapping the earth at a fast past drew their attention to a tall man that hurried towards them and pulled Bell’s arm to draw him aside. He said a few low words and Bell shook his head in understanding, but with clear frustration. Dale was the name Lijuan had heard Carson referring to the man as he approached the corral. Lijuan couldn’t help but notice that he was ruggedly handsome with sparkling blue eyes and blond hair. Her eyes went wide with admiration when she noticed his wide shoulders too; the combination of everything was always spectacular to Lijuan for her own private reasons.

  Carson’s emotions changed after the rather inaudible news Dale had given him. He acquainted Dale with the Wildes, and it did not go unnoticed by Lijuan that Dale held her hand an extra-long time before releasing from their handshake, their eyes seemingly locked on each other. He’s interested. Good, very good, she thought. With the introductions over Carson abruptly got the cattle inspection back on track as he pointed to another herd nearby. The others followed Carson as they moved to the next pen, Catalina still enthusiastically praising the well-bred cattle. Oblivious to everyone, Lijuan and Dale were already finding it hard not to look at one another. Unable to resist getting to talk to each other, they walked away from the corral together in an unconscious move for some privacy.

  “I must say, Miss Lijuan,” Dale whispered immediately once they were out of earshot, “we’re not used to seeing such sweet girls as you around here. They are all mostly noisy tomboys like Lettie. Look at her riding towards us now,” he said, nodding at a distance where Lettie was riding at full speed towards the group at the corral. Lijuan smiled at the compliment and was about to set him straight that when it came to her looks were deceiving. She might look like this petite and gentle little flower, but there was a hellcat inside of her. However, she found herself remaining silent at the thought that his mistaken belief made her more attractive to him. Before the pair could say anything else, Lettie’s booming voice crackled through the warm air.

  “Ya, ya, ya! Everyone, out of the way! Look out!” She cried as she rode up. Her horse went right through a puddle and splashed mud everywhere, especially on Lijuan’s dress as she tugged the mare to a hard stop.

  “My dress! You did that on purpose, girl!” Lijuan said harshly, trying to shake out the water and mud from her dress. Lijuan felt her body temperature suddenly rise. She didn’t even like wearing dresses, that was Honor’s deal. But when she was conducting ranch business, it was appropriate to look one’s best, and of all her dresses, this was truly her favorite one.

  “I ought to shove your face in that puddle, you little minx!” she found herself spitting at before she even realized it as Lettie confidently hopped down from her horse.

  “Just go ahead and try to. I dare ya,” Lettie said in an angry and nonchalant response as her lips pressed into little more than a white slash.

  Lijuan paused with anger coursing through her veins. She had no idea why the woman would be angry with her. They stared at each other for a minute, a chill passing between them. Lijuan seriously considered using her skills, from a homeland she never knew, taught to her long ago by the ranch’s caretaker, Old Mr. Chow, and kicking her legs out from under her and then hitting her a few times for good measure. She restrained herself, though, and watched as Lettie led her horse away with a sneer. Whip came over as if on cue and led Lijuan off to the side, away from the others who were pretending to look at the cattle and not at the two angry ladies. Lijuan was not one to be easily embarrassed, but she felt like she was five years old again, just having been caught in some type of mischievous act.

  “I knew the hellcat in you would bust out, Lijuan. Remember I am here to buy cattle from Lettie’s father. One of my oldest friends. I turned our ranch over to you long ago because there was none more suited for it than you, but you need to rein in that temper and act like that superb business woman I know you to be,” He said in a loud whisper, his blue eye sparking.

  Lijuan’s mouth opened. She was about to mention the fact that both Dutch and Cassandra had been offered the ranch before her, but they had both turned their back on it in favor of other careers, Dutch in the military and Cassandra in law enforcement. She held her tongue though because deep down she knew that he was right.

  “Now you’ve got a touch of the devil in you, just like your mother did, but please, my little Daisy, I need you to tamp it down. In fact, I’ll just bet a hundred dollars you can’t act like a lady. Prove me wrong,” he said, daring her.

  Lijuan could hear her father’s worried tone underneath his dare, but what had mattered most was he had mentioned her mother. He so rarely spoke of her that she thrilled at any mention of her even if what he was saying about them being alike wasn’t meant to be endearing. She truly hoped the day would come when he would open up more about the brief time he had shared with her after being shipwrecked off China. Lijuan knew she couldn’t push him on it but she knew someday she would know much, much more of the woman.

  With her spirits brightened, she thought of the further benefits of not letting her fangs show. By his own admissions, Dale liked his girls sweet and ladylike. Did Lettie have an interest in him? Was she jealous? That had to be it! That had to explain her trying to make her mad just to ruin any chance of her having a relationship with Dale. She wasn’t going to let her do that.

  “I’ll take that bet, Father,” She finally whispered. “A hundred dollars,” she finished, right before she shook her father’s hand.

  “That’s my little Daisy!” Whip exclaimed, his eyes crinkling in happiness as being stern with his children was one of his least favorite exercises.

  Lijuan smiled at him, determined. She was really doing this, or at least was going to give it her best … if Lettie allowed it. If not, well … Lijuan traced her foot in a small sweep on the ground, once again imagining what it would be like to take down this unwanted rival in one easy move. In time, she would learn Lettie was far more formidable than Lijuan could imagine.

  Chapter Three

  Later that day, Dale and Lettie were at the corral, overseeing selection of the cattle for the Wildes. Dale was intent on the scene before him—he was always doing that and never truly noticed Lettie, who had eyes only for him. Lettie decided she needed to make conversation to get his attention this time around. She approached him with a wide grin, while her eyes fluttered in a clumsy attempt to look sweet and seductive at the same time.

  “Hey, Dale, where are the Wildes at?” she asked, not really caring.

  “They went back to the ranch house for a while. I am expecting Lijuan shortly though,” he told her with a glance and a smile before returning his eyes to the cattle. There was a brown Hereford he had his eye on that would make a fine animal to sell to Carson’s old friends.

  Lettie shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment at the news Lijuan was on her way. She watched in silence for a while as the ranch hands headed for the barn, having separated the cattle to be sold from the rest in this batch, before muttering words again.

  “You know, Dale, I was thinking that when we
get married, we should buy the Lazy Circle ranch. It would make sense with its location and all,” she whispered flirtingly.

  Dale obviously wasn’t good at hiding his shock. He glanced sideways at her, his eyes lifting up with a confounded frown.

  “Wait a minute, Lettie? Are you proposing to me?” he asked as he turned to look at her in amazement.

  Lettie was surprised that he questioned it. She watched with a frail heart as he stepped closer and looked down, obviously wanting to be firm with her as he laid his hands on her shoulders. For Lettie’s part, she thrilled at his touch.

  “Look, Lettie, I have always liked you, but I am not in love with you,” he told her with an apologetic look on his face.

  He didn’t mean that! she thought. Lettie raised her arms and put her hands on his chest, his strong and broad chest, her eyes staring frantically into his. She knew she looked annoyed, and there was a shadow in her green eyes that she could see disturbed him. Dale did indeed wonder what had come over her or why there was such danger in her eyes; he just didn’t know why.

  “So, you fell for that painted doll, did you?” Lettie said, nearly choking on the words. “Well, she won’t get you, Dale! No matter … what is she doing?” she said angrily as she looked towards the ranch house. Following her gaze, Dale noticed that Lijuan was riding towards them now, waving.