The men all nodded at her words, and Royce sighed. “Now I just have to catch ’em and prove they’re working for that Thrilway fella. Wish we could find out who he’s working for.”
The men nodded, and they all got quiet as they dug into the food on the table. When it was gone, Jake excused himself and headed for the bunkhouse and some well-deserved rest. Marta started clearing the table as Fuzzy and Royce talked about which men they’d send where for the day. When the sound of several horses coming up the trail could be heard, Royce and Fuzzy both stood. Royce grabbed the riffle off the pegs over the fireplace. He turned and looked at Marta. “Go into the back and keep quiet until we find out who this is.”
Marta nodded and did as he said. She was worried it was that Jasper White and his men again. He told her he’d be back, and Royce had told her he was a gun for hire known as the Ghost. He had a reputation for shooting men and taking what he wanted. Marta knew from the way he looked at her that what he wanted in Creede was her, and that scared her worse than anything she’d ever felt before.
Royce walked out on the porch with the rifle ready in case the people coming were the rustlers or Thrilway and his escorts again. He smiled as he saw who was riding up to his ranch. Leading about ten men was a man on a black stallion with white mane and tail. His badge was prominently displayed on his black duster. “Well, I guess that answers one question we had, Fuzzy.”
The old man was still somewhat cautious. “What’s that, boss?”
“If my telegram made it to New Mexico, that is Marshal Nathan Ryder, otherwise known as The Preacher.”
Nathan and company pulled up in front of the ranch house. Royce stepped down off the porch to meet him. “Nathan, I’m sure glad to see you.”
The marshal swung out of the saddle and walked up to Royce. The two men shook hands. “Royce, sorry I didn’t wire you back. I didn’t get your telegram until the day before yesterday. I was already headed this way. Felt like I might be needed here soon.”
"As usual, your feeling was correct. We got a serious problem going on here.”
“Well, I brought my deputy and eight ranch hands with me. You want to tell me why I felt the need to do that?”
“Let’s get you and your men settled, and then we can talk.”
Nathan nodded. “The boys brought tents if we need them. I would appreciate it if there might be a place my wife and kids can stay; it would save me from having to ride into Creede to stay in my Pullman with them.”
Fuzzy spoke up. “You and yer family can have my place, Marshal. I’ll bunk in with the hands. Yer men can bunk in with them, too. Well, most of them anyway. We might consider sending a few out to some of the line shacks after we all talk.”
Nathan nodded to the foreman. "Much obliged.”
Royce smiled. “Nathan, this is my foreman, Fuzzy Knight. As he already offered, I reckon Grace and yer young’uns can stay in his place. I warn you, though, it ain't what they’re used to."
Nathan laughed. “You forget, Royce, I run a ranch too. While my place may be bigger, they know what a typical foreman’s house is like. Especially an old bachelor one. I’ll send one of the men back to bring Grace, Cindy, and the boys out if that’s all right. I know Grace was looking forward to catching up with Lucy.”
“Umm. Lucy passed away about two and a half months ago.”
Nathan put a hand on Royce’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, what happened?”
“She passed giving birth to my baby. I ummm… I had no choice but to remarry for the sake of the kids. My new wife is inside.” Royce looked at Fuzzy, “Will you go let Marta know it’s okay and to expect company. She may need to cook up some more breakfast; I doubt Nathan and his men have eaten yet.”
“I’ll let her know.” Fuzzy disappeared inside to tell Marta what was going on. Royce looked at Nathan. “Let’s get your boys settled. Then I’ll tell you why me and some of the other ranchers sent for you.”
Nathan nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll send my deputy back for Grace and have him give her a heads-up about the changes in your family.”
Royce cleared his throat. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” They walked to where the ranch hands were all dismounting. Nathan gave a few orders, and they watched as the men took the horses to the barn to brush them down before taking their stuff to the bunkhouse. Nathan’s deputy dismounted and took his horse over to the trough by the pump to drink some water before he mounted back up to go retrieve Nathan’s family.
“Come on in and let me introduce you to my wife Marta. Her story is one you need to hear, too. We might keep you busy for a while, Nathan. There’s more than one problem in Creede right now.”
“Yeah, I saw that the town had a fire recently.”
“Yeah, and that’s the least of our problems. Let’s go get you some food and coffee and we’ll explain. I’ll send for the other ranchers later and let them know you’re here.
“Sounds good. Let’s get started.”
Royce led Nathan into the house with lighter steps than he’d taken for the last week.
Nathan Ryder stood inside the foreman’s cabin on the Circle C ranch. His wife, Grace, and children had just arrived, and he was helping Grace get everything situated for their stay. “I don’t know how long we’re going to be here, Grace. There're a lot of things I feel like God sent us here to help with.”
Grace smiled at him and placed a hand on his cheek. “Nathan love, you know I’m fine with whatever God has planned for us. Is it something you want to talk to me about?”
Nathan nodded. “First, there are some problems in Creede so I’d appreciate it if you wore your gun belt if you go to town. There were some women snatched about six months ago. Royce’s new wife was one of them. The man responsible was just released by the sheriff.”
“Why would he let a man like that go?”
“He told Royce and another rancher there wasn’t enough evidence. However, it sounds to me like he might be on someone's payroll.”
Grace shook her head. “Why is it we always seem to be drawn into these situations?”
"Part of our mission, I reckon.”
Grace kissed him and then looked around at the messy foreman’s cabin. “So obviously, I’m going to need to clean this place up. I’ll go meet Royce’s new wife and see if I can get some cleaning supplies from her. I’ll never understand how you men can live like this.”
Nathan laughed. “It just doesn't seem to matter to us as much as it does you. I can send for Stillman to come help you if you want. He’s as picky about cleaning as you women are.”
“You leave Stillman alone. He needs to stay with the Pullman. You know how much he worries when you pull him from his duties.” She bit her lip, “What do you think about the new Mrs. Clark?”
Nathan looked his wife in the eye. “I like her. She seems like a good woman. I can tell you that Royce is struggling. It was obvious from talking to him that he’s in love with her. I just don’t think he knows it. I get a sense that he might feel guilty since it has only been a couple of months since Lucy passed.”
Grace nodded. “Well, I hope he figures it out quickly. I can’t imagine what his new wife must be going through; taking on a whole family and a husband who is clinging to his past. That has to be tough.”
Nathan hugged his wife. “Maybe that’s why you’re here, Grace, to be someone she can talk to. All I know is, we’re here for a reason. I don’t often get a calling that includes taking you, you know. This time I was just as sure you needed to come as I did.”
“I know. I’ll keep my eyes open for the reason God has us here. On a different subject, why is it every Lucy we know seems to die young?”
“I don’t know, darlin’. I hadn’t even thought about it.”
“We’ve been married six years and we’ve lost three in that time. I just find it strange.”
Nathan shrugged. “Who knows what God’s plan is? Let's see if we can figure out what He brought us to Creede for and then get back home. I’d like to make it
by fall round up.”
“Yes, and I’m sure your father would appreciate it if you spent some time in town and fulfilled your part of the Reverendal duties at the church, too.”
Nathan laughed. “Probably.”
He kissed Grace once more and headed out to meet Fuzzy and Royce. They were going to see if they had any better luck tracking the rustlers than the ranch hands had.
Nine
Marta stood in the center of the front room of the foreman’s cabin. She’d come with Grace to clean the place. She’d offered when Grace asked for some cleaning supplies and a bucket. It seemed that Fuzzy was as much a slob as Marta’s new husband was. “I’m so sorry the place looks like this. If I’d known you were coming with your husband, I’d have cleaned it.”
Grace laughed. “Don’t worry about it, Marta. This is nothing. You should see what our stable manager’s place looks like. I don’t think Sandy Bob has ever cleaned that place as long as I’ve known him. Why, my friend Maryanne and I tried to clean it once and gave up. We figured if it didn’t bother Sandy Bob, maybe it shouldn’t bother us.”
Marta laughed along with the red-haired woman. “Do you do this often? Travel with your husband when he goes to do marshal assignments?”
Grace shook her head. “No. Honestly, this is only the second time I’ve ever gone with him when he felt a calling to go somewhere.”
Marta’s forehead wrinkled. “A calling? What’s that?”
Grace stopped and turned to look Marta in the eye. “My husband gets these feelings that he and his family believe are from God. They are never wrong and they always send him somewhere that his special skills are needed. His grandfather, Nugget Nate, used to get them, too. About a week and a half ago, he got one that he needed to bring some ranch hands and come to visit Royce. Only this time he was adamant that I needed to come along. So tell me, Marta, why did God send me to you?”
Marta burst into sobs. Just this morning she had been wishing God would send her a married woman she could talk to, one who might be able to help her understand why an angel told her to marry a man who couldn’t, or wouldn’t, love her. Now here was Grace Ryder asking her why God would give her husband a message sending her to Marta.
Grace was suddenly wrapping her arms around her. “My goodness, honey, it was a simple question. I didn’t think it would cause that kind of a response.”
Once she got her crying under control, Marta pulled back. “You don’t understand. I needed someone I could talk to about all this, but I would never have told anyone my whole story until you just told me what you did.”
Now it was Grace who looked confused. She pointed to the small table indicating Marta should sit. “Well, I’m here; tell me what I can do.”
Marta and Grace sat. “I don’t know. I just know I need advice, and I had no one who I thought could understand. You see I never intended to get married.”
The whole story poured out of Marta. How she was left on the orphanage doorstep and no one ever seemed to want to adopt her. How she never had a beau or caught the eye of any man. How she had become a nanny and when that position ended, she’d answered an ad for a nanny position in California. She went on to tell about being abducted and thrown in the root cellar. How she and Julianne had finally escaped, and the fight with Dougal that caused his death. Then she told about the letter from the family in California and the strange woman who claimed to be an angel who told her to go to the mercantile and then to marry Royce Clark. When she was done, she sat there watching as Grace thought about the whole thing.
“That sounds like God has a plan for you, Marta. Why would that upset you?”
“Because my husband doesn’t want a wife; he wants a housekeeper and nanny. He gave me his name and I thought I was getting my prayers answered with a husband who would come to love me, or at least want me, and a family that would be mine. Instead, my husband doesn’t want to be alone with me. He has no desire even to kiss me, let alone the things you hear a husband wants. The children call me by my name and made it plain from the moment I married that I’m not their ma and never will be. I don’t understand why even God thinks I don’t deserve love. What’s wrong with me?” She burst into tears again.
Grace sat there looking at her. “Well, that is a lot. You’ve been through a lot in the last few weeks, haven’t you? Tell me, Marta, how long ago were you thrown in that root cellar by this Dougal fellow?”
"Just over two months ago.”
“So before Lucy Clark died.”
“I believe so.”
“So God used the actions of a couple of evil men to make sure that you were here on the one day when Royce Clark was so overwhelmed by trying to be a rancher and take care of his family after his wife's death, and you think God isn’t a loving God?”
“I didn’t say God isn’t loving; I said He doesn’t think I deserve love. I’m in a marriage and family that don’t love me. They may never love me.”
Grace shook her head. “That’s not true. I’ve only been here a few hours and I can tell you those kids adore you. Okay, so they don’t call you Ma or anything but your name, but they want to be with you. I watched those two boys; they think you are wonderful. They loved the food and the little games you had them play to do their chores. Then there’s Rachel; she copies everything you do. I watched her. She wants to be just like you. That’s love, my dear. The love of a child for a mother. Look at those two little ones. Why, they cling to you just like mine have clung to me since the day they were born. God didn’t put you into a place without love. This is all new for them. Remember they are still mourning their mother's death. Give them time.
"As for Royce, honey, that man is so twitterpated it isn’t funny. He may not realize it himself yet, but he has feelings for you. As a matter of fact, I think he does know it. I think what he feels for you makes him feel guilty. His first love is barely gone and already he can’t take his eyes off his new wife. A wife he didn’t expect to feel anything more than gratitude for.”
Marta shook her head. “He doesn’t, he won’t even kiss me. When I force it he kisses me like he would a child.”
Grace smiled. “Marta, that's because he’s afraid to kiss you the way he feels. I would wager he thinks he’s being disloyal to Lucy by even thinking about wanting you the way he does. I saw him and so did Nathan. When you’re in the room, he can’t take his eyes off you. Honey, you just need to be patient. That angel didn’t get it wrong and God is going to give you that loving family. It’s just going to take a bit of time.”
“Do you think?”
“I know, Marta. Tell you what, let's talk a bit about how you can turn the heat up on Royce and see if we can’t get him to at least act on those feelings he’s trying not to have.”
“What do you mean?”
Grace smiled at her. “I mean, Mrs. Clark, I’m going to teach you how to seduce your husband. When we're done, that man won’t be able to deny his desires.”
Royce looked around the church in Creede. It had been closed since the last Reverend had angered the miners by always preaching against whiskey and loose women. They’d threatened to hang him right here in the church and he’d up and took the next train out of town. Now the only time it was opened was when they needed a place where a lot of people could meet. He’d sent word and gotten Reverend Bing to come and open it for the ranchers in the community so that they could tell Nathan what was going on. He looked around at the men and woman sitting in the church. Waylon was here, as was his mother. Most of the ranchers had shown up, and they all had the same question; what was Marshal Ryder going to do about the men who were destroying their ranches and stealing their livestock?
Royce stepped to the front of the crowd. He’d left Marta at home with Grace Ryder and the children. However, he knew that another reason several of his neighbors had come was to see his new wife. They could see her at roundup if they came to help or at church Sunday in Bachelor if they were there. Today he wanted to focus on getting Nathan the information h
e needed and make some plans to start catching the rustlers. “Thank you all for coming out on such short notice. I know we are all having the same issues. Our cattle are getting stolen. Some of you have had men run off and fires set. We all believe we know who is behind it but there isn’t any proof.
“Most of you, like me, have asked Black Jack to look into it and were told the same thing. It’s not his job. Well, I sent a telegram to a U.S. Marshal, and he’s here today to look into it for us. This is Marshal Nathan Ryder. Most of you know about his reputation as The Preacher even if you haven’t met him before.”
Royce motioned to Nathan who stood and walked up front. “Gentlemen, as I understand it, each of you has been affected by this menace. I came and brought a deputy. I also brought eight men; they can help anyone whose ranch hands either left or are laid up. Just let me know. I’ll personally come to each of your ranches to see the damage done. All I ask is if you have cattle rustled, you send someone out to the Circle C to get me. I’d like to be in on as many tracking parties as I can. I promise you I won’t stop until we stop these rustlers, and if they are linked to this man trying to buy your ranches, I’ll see them all in jail or hung for their crimes.”
“What if we don’t catch ‘em, Marshal? We know you have your own ranch and territory in New Mexico. How long you willing to stay?”
Nathan nodded. “You’re right, partner. I can’t stay indefinitely; I do have to get back to my own territory and my own ranch. I’ll make you this promise. If by the end of August we ain't ended all this, I’ll make sure you have a Marshal here who will stay as long as you need him. I don’t just mean to catch the rustlers, but to make sure that the law is being upheld in this area. I’ve already sent a telegram to the U. S. Marshal headquarters asking for a Marshal to be permanently assigned to this area. They’ve yet to deny me any such request. I aim to see justice brought to the area. You have my word on that.”
Rescuing the Rancher (Cowboys and Angels Book 3) Page 8
