Valley of Bones

by Dusty Richards

  Chet drove the team taking the foursome to the Verde, being cheered on by the ranch workers as they left. There was no doubt that Lisa was their candidate for becoming first lady of the ranch. He winked at her and she shook her head. “You’re spoiling me.”

  Anita pushed on her back. “Enjoy it.”

  “I am trying. I really am.”

  At the big house, Rhea hugged her and then Anita. Adam broke in and took her fingers. “Come, Lisa, come see my sheep.”

  “How many sheep?”

  “I had two sheep. Then two babies came. One minute there was one. Then two. Now there are four sheep.”

  Chet was laughing. “Those things happen, Adam.”

  “Adam can sure count. The next day he asked that ewe if she had any more lambs in her for him.” Rhea told them proudly.

  Ric arrived, with two of Tom’s hands on horseback behind his light wagon. Chet sent them over to Camp Verde and the dance hall. He said there would be someone over there to direct them where to put the pig.

  “See you at the dance, boss man,” one of the riders said and saluted him.

  He returned the high sign. “I have so many employees I don’t know all of them anymore.”

  Jesus chuckled. “Neither do I.”

  “His name is Jeff Ross,” Rhea said. “He’s been here about three months.”

  “Thanks.” Chet hugged her. “Rocky has ridden with Lisa twice. The boys are growing up fast.”

  “They are both smart boys. They will make good men like you.” Then Rhea stood on her toes and whispered. “You two don’t sleep together yet?”

  “No.”

  She nodded. “I have two rooms ready for you and her. Victor and I are going to the dance. I have a nice girl watching Adam. It’s only a few miles away, but with Victor working on the farm all the time, we have not been to a dance there in a long time.”

  “I will talk to him. I know he is doing his best, but he needs to sit back and enjoy life.”

  “God bless you, and you have very good taste in taking Lisa out.”

  “Thank you, Rhea.”

  “Sarge and Susie are coming. Tom’s daughter and Cody are coming, too. I think Robert and Betty will be down as well.”

  “That’s great.”

  “Yes. I will have a house full tonight, but that is why I have this big house. It is the ranch’s hotel.”

  He went to find Lisa. She was in the kitchen helping serve cool tea to all the new arrivals. Betty caught him and moved him aside.

  “We are so sorry. We did not get word soon enough to be there. I loved Liz and know it has not been easy for you.”

  “I know that. She knew that. She spoke about you two often and what a great marriage you have. Elizabeth left us way too early. The doctor found that she may have had cancer. Nothing they had would have helped.”

  “You are in my prayers.”

  “The girl?”

  “My sister is up there with her.”

  “Thanks.”

  Susie and Sarge drove up with Cody and his wife Sandy. Lisa moved to Chet’s side and they met her with tears in her eyes. His sister hugged him. “Oh, Chet, I am so sorry—”

  “I knew you were hung up. I talked to her before she left us. It wasn’t a long talk, but she said to tell everyone she loved them and to not to let her leaving stop anyone’s lives, most of all not block their lives.”

  “Lisa,” Susie began. “I hope you two are holding each other up?”

  “We are. Chet told me I needed a new dress for tonight. Not a black one.”

  “Good for him. I have felt so bad we weren’t able to attend.”

  “Have no regrets. We managed. Life goes on.”

  Sarge turned to Chet. “Spencer and Fred came by. We talked about the Arnold cow count. Four of my men are helping them.”

  “Thank you. He has a section of land between you and Toby somewhere south of the Marcy Road.”

  “I know it. He fenced it and tried to grow some corn in the bottomland along a wash. A big rain swelled the dry bed into a flood and washed most of it away. He left it after that.”

  “He told the banker it was irrigated.”

  Sarge laughed. “It could be a good native grass hay place.”

  “It is in the deal.”

  “Spencer said they had to burn the house.”

  “That’s not a problem. Do you know if he has any British bulls with those cows?”

  “Some crosses.”

  “Oh hell. Things are tough enough in today’s ranching. It’s damn fools like that that make it worse.”

  Sarge lowered his voice. “You and Lisa?”

  “We are getting acquainted.”

  “Good. Life must go on.”

  “Liz told me to do that, too.”

  Sarge nodded. It was time to go to the supper and dance. Lisa came dressed in her blue dress and everyone bragged on it.

  “It is all his fault.” She laughed and pointed at Chet.

  “Lisa, that dress is darling. Chet, Lisa said the ranch fixed a pig for tonight so that the ones coming a distance and have no dish are covered?” Susie asked.

  “Yes. There’ll be plenty of meat. Raphael and the ranch women cooked some briskets, too. No one will go home hungry.”

  “Thanks.”

  They loaded up and knew from all the parked rigs when they got there, there would be a crowd. Toby and Talley, all dressed up, came to greet them.

  They both blinked at Lisa and him together, then rushed to hug them. After their sympathies were expressed, Talley proudly told Chet, “You would not know those cows you brought us. They are fat.”

  “And next spring we’re having a baby,” Toby said.

  That brought a cheer from everyone. Lisa and the girls went to check on things inside and Chet told Toby about the Arnold situation. Sarge told him about the section and Toby added, “He damn sure fenced it. I like that place. I really never knew who owned it. He got away?”

  “Yes. The men said they thought he was warned that my posse was coming.”

  “Who would have done that?”

  “No telling. We had a shoot-out with the gang that hung your men. He got away from there, too.”

  Toby shook his head. “How will you ever get him?”

  “He will slip up. When he does, I’ll get him.”

  Chet and Lisa in the blue dress were well received. Many gave them their condolences and regret that they could not be there because of the distance and short notice of the funerals. Others bragged on the meat and the vaquero in the apron yielding the sharp knife to cut the meat. They wanted him to work for them.

  Chet and Lisa danced the night away. Finally, in private, she whispered. “Am I asking too much to wade in the river tomorrow?”

  “No.”

  “I know this sounds brazen, but can we wait until we get back home to do the rest?”

  “Anything you wish.”

  She wet her lips. “Liz said she had such fun talking about the river and wading. I always thought about it as part of a test leading up to a climax. “But that will be in the big bed at our—house where. . . .” Tears began to spill down her cheeks. “Oh, I—I wish I could tell you how proud I am. I never yearned for you. I had Miguel. But these last weeks you have turned me around, and her words are ringing in my head, for us to continue our lives. Damn it, Chet Byrnes, you have taken my heart and mind.” She put her hand on his chest. “I look back and you saved me, but now I can pay back all you have done for me.”

  He kissed her forehead and realized how tall she was. My dear wife, thank you for telling me to continue. The two of us will carry on the tradition.

  Chapter 19

  Lisa waded in the Verde, held her regular dress up, and kicked the water.

  “Can you swim?” he asked.

  “I did as a teenager.” She shaded her eyes with her hand from the sun. “I was a big tomboy growing up.”

  He was seated on his butt watching her. “We better not today. People might come
by and think we’re crazy.”

  She agreed. “But we need to do that, too, someday.”

  “The Verde is a little muddy. I know a tank up on the Valley place that is better to do that in.”

  “You ever take Liz there?”

  “No.”

  “Your first wife or anyone else?”

  “No. We can go and it will be our place.”

  “Yes. Then that will be our place.”

  “Yes.”

  “I am ready to go home.” She waded out with the skirt hem held up to her knees. He had her sit on an old peeled cottonwood log and dried her feet.

  “Thank you so much for pleasing a silly girl. I love the red rock mesas around here.” They kissed hard and he held her tightly for a long time, then, loaded up in the buckboard, they drove back to the big house. Jesus and Anita had left earlier, catching a ride with someone else. After playing with Adam for a while, they thanked Rhea and Victor for all their work putting people to bed and feeding them breakfast.

  While the women said good-bye, he told Victor, “This ranch will always be here. You have done lots for it. Now you tend to Rhea. Picnics, dances, whatever she likes because you never know how long the Good Lord gives us to be together. You can’t make that up when she is gone.”

  “I understand. I can do that.”

  “Play the guitar more, too. I love your music.”

  They shook hands.

  After all the good-byes, they climbed on the spring seat to go home.

  “I really didn’t know Adam before, and I have learned lots about Rocky since they moved down. They both are amazing boys.”

  “Rocky acts more like my nephew Tye. He loves horses. As for Adam, who knows? They are going to be educated and what paths they choose will be theirs.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind about my inability to have children? If you wish to find a more fertile woman, please tell me.”

  “Let’s not worry. I have two sons. If God gives us one, fine, but don’t ever fret or worry about that for me.”

  “It has left me a more than a little upset. All these ranch women having children. Now Talley.”

  “I have no problem with it. Stop your concern. I won’t ever love you less because of that.”

  “My past—”

  “Is your past. All that is over. Buried. No need to even be concerned about it. Today we start a new life. You are a delightful, generous pretty woman. Continue to be that as we share our lives.”

  She hugged and kissed him as he drove the mountain road. “I will do that. I promise I will do that. I thought, when Liz began to really fail, I would not know what would happen to my life. Then when I lost Miguel I wanted to commit suicide and not face the world one more minute. But you told me we would support each other, we would have each other to lean on. That made me feel like I could go on.”

  “And to be a husband and wife—”

  “I guess that’s your purpose though I never heard you propose?”

  “When we get on top of this dang mountain, I will officially ask you to marry me.”

  “Oh, that will be the best place. Looking over all that country.”

  He clucked to the horses. “You can have that private memory, too.” He parked the horses and they walked to the edge of the sheer cliff. “Lisa, will you marry me?”

  “Chet Byrnes, I certainly will. To love and keep you forever.”

  “Amen.” They hugged and kissed.

  At the ranch it was quiet. A boy came and took the team.

  He swept her up and carried her, protesting, all the way into the house.

  She called out for Josey. No answer.

  Still in his arms, she frowned. “Put me down. I don’t want you lamed by doing this. I wonder where everyone is.”

  He put her down. “There’s a note on the table.”

  “It says, the house is all yours. We know you two need to be left alone. Tonight you have the whole house to yourselves. Love Josey and the crew.”

  “That is real nice. You reckon they know what we planned?” he asked.

  “It may be pretty obvious. You can’t carry me upstairs. We might fall. I bet your bed is fresh made.”

  “I can’t wait to find out.”

  He swung her around and kissed her hard. “I can’t wait to see it.”

  She poked him. “It won’t be that grand.”

  “I say it will be.”

  They rushed up and found the bed freshly made. They laughed.

  He went over to the door and closed and locked it. Then he turned and winked at her. “Just in case.”

  Chapter 20

  Monday morning they slept in. When they finally went downstairs, the strong aroma of coffee filled the house. In the kitchen, holding a pancake flipper, Josey turned, “I see you two came down to have breakfast.”

  “Yes. Thanks for the notes and the fresh sheets.”

  “Well, when’s the date?”

  Lisa spoke up. “Saturday. Two weeks. Here. We’ve got lots to do.”

  “The wedding dress?”

  “The blue one.”

  “Oh yes. I like that.”

  “Some men just rode up into the yard,” the house girl Soli said.

  Chet went to see. It was Tom and his son-in-law Cody. They both sat their horses as they talked to him.

  “Chet, yesterday Cody and I rode up into Falcon Canyon and caught two men butchering a yearling. I plan to have them charged with rustling.”

  “Aw hell, why? Do you think they thought a big rancher like you wouldn’t miss one big calf,” Chet mocked at him.

  “If they needed food, they could have come and asked. Stealing is serious. When I asked, they told me they have wives.”

  “Do they have kids?”

  “They said no, but now I am I worried the women might starve because their husbands are in jail.”

  “No need for the wives to suffer while the men do prison time. Find them, set them up so they can eat and live while the men learn their lesson that rustling doesn’t pay.”

  “I’ll get that done or have Millie do that for them.”

  “Good. You guys did the right thing. Now do the two of you have any plans past that?”

  Both shook their heads.

  Lisa had come out and stood at the top of the porch steps. Chet pulled her down to him and hugged her. “Be here at the ranch on Saturday in two weeks.”

  The two men turned their horses around and Tom said over his shoulder. “Count on Millie and me to be there.”

  “I’ll be heading back to Gallup, but Sarge and Susie and my wife will attend.”

  “Hey, we will have fun.”

  * * *

  Spencer’s wire came on the cow count.

  WE FOUND AROUND FIFTY COWS.

  THERE MAYBE MORE. HE HADN’T SOLD ANYTHING. THERE’S LOTS OF YEARLINGS AND TWO-YEAR-OLDS. MAYBE OVER A HUNDRED FUTURE COWS, TOO. SPENCER AND FRED.

  Chet and Lisa drove into town, where he told Bo to set up buying the Arnold ranch since the cattle numbers were there. Then he told Bo that he and Lisa were getting married in two weeks and if he and his wife could come, they were invited. Then they were taking a honeymoon for a week, so if the ranch stuff could be done before he left that would be good.

  No baby at Bo’s house yet.

  Chet took Lisa to lunch at the Palace, and several people who knew him came by to meet her. Chet told them the plans and he knew they’d have more people there for the food and music than they could shake a stick at.

  He was really charmed by his wife-to-be, and the ranch settled back down to normal. Their intimacy only grew stronger with each passing day, and he started to wonder if they were perhaps better suited for each other than his other relationships. Not dismissing his past but they simply felt like one, rather than a couple.

  Lisa set to filing things in a more orderly fashion and could find a paid receipt or invoice he wanted in a flash. She always re-added things before she filed them. If something didn’t suit her as right
, he checked it and would find the mistake. She did most of the recording and that saved him time.

  She discussed expenses, and had good ideas on ways to save. She made a list of all the farm machinery. If a mower was reported broken, they needed to explain if it could be fixed, when and where, and the cost. But not to spend more money on ones that needed frequent repairs.

  One day Lisa mentioned that Sarge’s men were all cowboys. She suggested he needed some farm hands. Cowboys were good with cattle but not mowing machines. Mowers were not made for running over wooden fence posts or barbwire tangles left in the field, and the use of bronc horses as mowing teams needed to be abandoned for the cowboys’ safety as well as the horses’.

  As for their loving—he never had to ask her. His blowing in her ear was enough to arouse her. A familiar squeeze, a rollover, and his arm thrown over her was enough to ready her to be engaged. She slept in her own skin, which he found very natural and alluring—all a man could want.

  They packed a picnic lunch and rode up to the spring-fed tank and they swam. She got a little sunburned without a bathing suit. She agreed the clear water up there beat the Verde’s dingy-colored flow.

  Any wedding at the ranch required lots of work, and for the boss’s they went all out. More tables and benches were required. Then the area to park needed mowing and hitch ropes strung. Things like kegs of beer needed to be ordered and were barely ordered in time.

  In the middle of getting ready, Lisa got word Bo’s wife, Shelly, was in labor, so she and Josey took a fast buckboard to town to help. Word was out later that Lisa finally ran everyone out of the room so she and Josey, without a midwife and the doctor off in the hinterlands helping another woman, got the delivery moving and they delivered a bouncing baby girl into her arms.

  Later, snuggling in bed, Lisa told Chet, “I bet she makes love to him with her clothes on. We were working our backsides off to get her going. Us the only two in the room and she kept saying, “Cover me up. I can’t stand to be naked.”

  “Heavens to Betsy, who cared?”

  “I sure wouldn’t have at that point.”

  “And I love it.”

  He’d have sworn she blushed and he didn’t care. He liked her this way.