Where The Four Winds Collide

by Hildie McQueen

  No use in answering, there wasn't anything to be said to make matters better. Lucas had his reasons for worrying. Jackson watched the man urge his horse further away, and he went in the opposite direction to round up the herd. Butch and Buck, his herding dogs, barked and raced past the horse toward the cows. They ran in zigzag patterns, effectively nipping at the beasts while nimbly avoiding their hooves. The cattle began to move towards the enclosure, not seeming to mind the dogs pinching at their legs.

  Out of the corner of his eye, movement caught Jackson's attention. Across the clearing, several cows grazed lazily. One raised his head and looked in the direction of the dogs' insistent barking. Jackson whistled to Lucas to signal he was leaving him to finish alone, and then he galloped toward the stragglers. These four or five cows would not make up for the amount missing, but every one they found helped.

  Late morning already, he'd been up for hours seeing to the animals in the stables, checking on his fields and now what was supposed to be an easy task, would take hours. It was going to be a long day.

  When evening finally came, a rain-soaked Jackson entered his dark house and collapsed into the nearest chair.

  Needing to warm up, Jackson could only sit for a few moments. He rose and lit a fire to take the dampness out of the rooms and the chill out of the air and undressed quickly, his wet clothes plopping with a slosh at his feet. His bathtub stood dry and empty in his bedroom. The idea of hauling enough water in for a bath and waiting to heat it made Jackson even more fatigued.

  So instead he padded to the door. Fully nude, he grabbed the pail of water he'd left inside earlier in hopes of keeping it less frigid, and he headed outside.

  On the front porch, Jackson poured the chilly water over his head. The shock of the cold liquid took his breath away, and he gasped to keep from shouting. Teeth chattered while he lathered up with haste and after a second dousing raced back inside to find dry clothes.

  A hot dinner would have been more fitting than the stale bread and leftover dry beef he'd have. As he yanked a blanket over his shoulders, Jackson thought about Lucas. No doubt, his friend’s wife, Peggy Ann, had a hearty dinner waiting for him, possibly even a warm bath next to the fireplace.

  Damn, it sure would be nice to have a wife. Jackson shook his head at the thought. There wouldn’t be a wife anytime soon for him.

  Unfortunately, women were scarce in Four Winds, Texas. He went to town at least twice a month and had yet to see any single women arrive on the stagecoach.

  His brother, Heath, had placed a notice for him in the mail-order bride section of a newspaper back east, but it had gone unanswered for nearly a year. Finally Jackson received one response only a couple of months earlier.

  Heath had written the woman a reply for him, but he’d yet to get a picture or a second letter in return.

  Jackson dressed and started a second fire in the fireplace in his bedroom and then turned to his empty bed. Yes, a wife would be very good on a chilly night like this one. He shook his head. No use thinking about what he couldn't have.

  His stomach grumbled. Evidently the meager dinner was not enough. As usual, Lucas had invited him to supper, but he'd declined. Didn't want to be a bother to them. Besides, he'd eaten there twice already that week.

  He thought back to Lucas' worried expression after they'd discovered the missing cattle. Sometimes it could be a blessing not to have a partner in life. A wife also brought the burden of having to support and fret over another person. He and Lucas could weather a winter with half-empty bellies, finding work where they could to make enough to buy feed for their breeders. But no real man would stand by and let his wife go without. A true man ensured his family was well- fed and warm through the long winter months.

  Well Lucas didn't need to fret, Jackson would make good on their deal with the buyer. Somehow he'd find those missing cattle or figure out some way to replace them. God help the thieves who'd dared take from his land if Lucas got ahold of them. The normally gentle bear of a man was a force to be reckoned with when he lost his temper.

  Feeling better after sorting his thoughts, Jackson watched the fire in the fireplace grow, its heat beginning to fill the cabin. He sat on a chair he kept next to the fireplace and lifted a cup of freshly brewed coffee to his lips. Relaxation began to seep into him along with the warmth.

  First thing in the morning, he'd leave Lucas to keep watch over the cattle and head to town. He'd find Heath, his younger brother, and enlist his help in finding the criminals responsible. Heath was like a dog with a bone in cases like this, and he usually resolved issues before they became bigger problems. The rascal could solve anything he set his mind to. Never gave up either.

  Four Winds was lucky to have Heath Pruitt as sheriff.

  When his head lolled to the side, Jackson snapped awake. It wasn't time to sleep yet; first he had some reading to do. He stood and stretched his arms over his head and walked back to the kitchen.

  The sun had set and Jackson lit the lamp on the center of his kitchen table. He began to read over the agreement papers for the upcoming cattle sale to a rancher named Logan in Oklahoma. The bargain was for two hundred head to be delivered within three weeks. The cattle drive would last at least one week, maybe ten days. They had a little over a week to find the missing beasts. Perhaps he'd send a telegram to Robert Logan while in town. Make up a reason for a delay and ask for another week to buy more time. Unfortunately, that would make the drive dangerously close to first frost. An early snow could waylay them further or even prevent the whole drive.

  Jackson rested his head in his hands and closed his eyes. Perhaps they should leave as scheduled whether they found the missing cattle or not -- no matter the outcome. They could drive the herd to Oklahoma, and hope the rancher settled for what they delivered.

  The answer did not come and the more he pondered it became clear that they were in a quandary as to what needed to be done. In hopes sleep and rest would bring an answer in the morning, Jackson blew out the lamp on the table and went to his bedroom.

  To his cold and lonely bed.

  Chapter Three

  The lively music lingered until almost dawn, its sound lulling Adeline to sleep. Several times, loud guffaws woke her, but pure exhaustion helped her sleep through most of the night.

  When the morning sunlight flickered through the curtains, she hurried out of the soft bed. She was not used to lying about being taken care of, and since she'd accepted hospitality, Adeline meant to pay Mae and Miss Lady in return, doing what she could to help out.

  She stifled a yawn, poured water into the bowl, and reached for a soft cloth. After washing up and braiding her hair in a long braid down her back, Adeline pulled on a clean skirt and blouse. Once her boots were laced up, she picked up her soiled clothes. She'd ask Miss Lady's permission to wash them and hang them out to dry.

  After she gave the room a quick look-over to ensure everything was in order, Adeline headed towards the kitchen.

  Miss Lady glanced up from the kitchen table when she appeared. The warmth of her smile reassured Adeline in her decision to come to the brothel. "Well good morning, Miss Adeline. How did you sleep, honey?" Miss Lady got up and went to the stove. "How about some warm coffee before you go to do whatever you plannin' to do with those dirty clothes?"

  The smell of fresh coffee almost made her swoon. "I slept quite well, thank you, ma'am." She took the empty cup from the woman's hand. "Miss Lady, please sit. It's not necessary to serve me, I need to make myself useful around here." Adeline placed the soiled clothes on the floor next to a chair. "I'd like to wash and mend them, if I could bother you for soap and sewing notions."

  Without argument Miss Lady sat down, but she pulled a small plate from a stack on the table and set it across from her for Adeline. "There’s soap and water over by the garden. What exactly are you planning to do around here?"

  Startled by the question, Adeline faltered and her cup rattled onto the plate on the table. She slumped onto the chair not daring
to look at Miss Lady. What was she willing to do for a roof over her head? Yesterday she was convinced it was better to whore to than marry Billy Johnson, but today, she wasn't as sure. Although she still refused to marry a man who'd already struck her and would in all probability continue too, the idea of life in a brothel, as a prostitute, terrified her.

  "I don't rightly know, Miss Lady," Adeline stuttered. "I mean, I could help around here. You know, clean up, and make beds... cook." She stopped, not sure what else to say on the matter.

  Miss Lady nodded, her lips pursed in contemplation. "We will lose Lizzy next week, and I'm not getting any younger. I'm not sure I can do all the upkeep to this huge house by myself. I can use the help, but if you're running from somebody, it's not safe for you to stay here for too long. Men from town come and go. Word will get out."

  "I don't know what to do." Adeline sank further back in the chair and brought the coffee cup to her lips. "I'm not going back to father." She met Miss Lady's concerned gaze. "Ever."

  "What happened to you?" Mae's voice startled Adeline. Wearing a pale green dress, Mae had walked through the door and into the kitchen. She bent to kiss Miss Lady's cheek, her worry-filled eyes on Adeline. "Who hit you Adeline?"

  Adeline's hand went to her bruised jaw; she hated recalling the horror of the last two days. "I am... was engaged to Billy Johnson, Rush Johnson's younger brother. Two nights ago, I went to their ranch to help Rush's wife, who was in labor. Once the baby came, I went outside to ask Billy to take me home. I found him in the stable with a woman. They were..." She couldn't finish the sentence; the memory of Billy and the farm hand's daughter naked on a blanket in the hayloft remained fresh in her mind. "He must have heard me running back towards the house, because he caught up with me and stopped me. When I told him I wouldn't marry him, he grabbed my arms and shook me with so much violence, I think my teeth rattled. I told him we were through, and he slapped me. He said he'd tell my father we'd been intimate so I'd have to marry him anyway."

  "Were you?" Mae's expression was of concern, not judgment.

  Heat flushed her cheeks and Adeline gave a slow nod. "He kept pressuring me, saying it didn't matter since we'd be married anyway. I should have remained strong, but he finally wore me down, and I gave in to him just days prior. Only once, but it was enough to make his threat good."

  "Oh, honey." Miss Lady leaned over and patted her hand with her much smaller one. "Those Johnson boys are like night and day. Rush is a good boy, but Billy has always been rotten to the core. Gave their parents fits since he was old enough to ride into town. Always a wild one."

  Mae was pensive for a few moments. "What happened to make you run?"

  "Billy made good on his threat. Yesterday morning, Father woke me by dragging me out of bed by my hair. He hit me so many times I lost count, and he brought me to the front room where Billy was. Billy had the nerve to look embarrassed and kept apologizing to my father and acting all pitiful. When my father turned away to chastise me, Billy actually smiled wide and winked at me behind his back.

  Father called me all kinds of horrible names." Her voice broke. "He then told me we'd be married today, in case I was with child."

  "So the first chance you got, you made your escape." Mae filled in for her. "I'm surprised your father didn't lock you up."

  Tears filled Adeline's eyes, and she scrubbed them away with both hands. "I have never defied my father before. He's a hard man -- drinks and gets angry -- so I learned to keep safe by doing whatever he tells me to. I'm sure he didn't expect me to disobey him this time." She jumped to her feet at the sound of horses approaching. "Oh God, is it them?" With a hand over her mouth, she waited for Mae to look.

  "Don't fret," Mae told her, waving her back to her seat, the entire time her attention out the kitchen window. "It's a cavalry captain coming to get his boys. Some of them couldn't make it home last night. Had too much to drink and passed out. No matter what we tried, we could not wake them up."

  "Lord!" Miss Lady exclaimed, standing next to Mae and peering around her shoulder. "It's the nasty one, too, Captain McClain. He's going to tear into those poor boys' hides."

  "I'll handle him," Mae replied with a grim look, pulling her robe together. Shoulders squared and eyes narrowed, the beautiful blonde was as intimidating as any man Adeline had ever seen.

  After an angry knock, the captain pushed the kitchen door open, not waiting for them to open it. The handsome man was tall and lean with closely-cropped, glossy black hair, which suited his square jawline.

  His icy gaze swept over them, hesitating for a moment on Adeline, before locking on to Mae. Instead of softening, he became angrier. "I came for two of my men, who I'm told were not able to leave last night."

  "Well good morning, John," Mae's lips curved into a smile which did not reach her eyes. "Can I invite you for a cup of coffee while Miss Lady goes to see about your boys?"

  The captain's dark brown eyes widened at her use of his first name, but he regained his hard expression. "I'll wait outside."

  Mae shrugged, "Suit yourself. Your men are welcome in to have coffee if they wish." She pointed toward the side of the house. "There's a trough for your horses, if you need to water them."

  "I'm obliged," Captain McClain reached for the brim of his hat. Mae turned to peer out the window at his two men outside. "I don't believe I've seen those two soldiers come in here before."

  Adeline caught the captain eyeing Mae's profile, and his gaze warmed for a flicker.

  Mae began to pour coffee into two tin mugs, "I'll take it out to them so they don't have to come inside, and from the nervous look on his face, the redhead wouldn't set foot in here anyways."

  As Miss Lady left the kitchen, she caught Adeline's eye and motioned toward Mae with her head. Adeline jumped to her feet to take the cups from her. "I'll take the coffee to them." As she went past the Captain, he froze on the spot, jaw tensed. The man was terrified of being left alone with Mae. In spite of her dire circumstances, Adeline had to bite back a smile. Captain McClain cared for Mae, but he was probably too proud to admit being in love with the owner of a brothel.

  The soldiers outside watched Adeline approach, their expressions wary. Both looked to be younger than her twenty-three years. The larger of the two, a lanky boy, eagerly accepted the coffee. The red-haired soldier hesitated, Adeline waited, meeting his gaze. "It'll warm you up for your travel back," she said.

  The soldier frowned for a moment longer and took the offered cup. "Thank you, miss."

  Adeline gestured to the trough, "Miss Mae said you are welcome to water your horses."

  When Adeline ambled back toward the house, she was nearly trampled at the doorway by the scowling captain who rushed out. He stopped in his tracks, taking in her bruised face. "Did someone in this house harm you?" His concern took Adeline by surprise.

  "No, sir, I came here to get away from the person who hurt me."

  He nodded and glanced toward the kitchen. "Mae will take care of you." He moved away. Following after him, Adeline spoke in soft tones so as not to be overheard. "I've just met Miss Mae, but I know she is a great lady. You know it, too, don't you?"

  His curt nod said nothing, but he looked to the house one last time before he climbed on his horse and spurred it toward the road. A couple of seconds later, two wild-eyed soldiers scampered from inside, rushing to their horses, which were tethered at the front of the house. Both dipped their heads as they rushed past Adeline.

  "Better get back in here, girl. We don't want your Father or anyone else who could recognize you riding by and spotting you. That red hair will give you away from a distance." Miss Lady called from the door.

  Adeline had to admit the day turned out to be one of her better ones. After washing her clothes and putting them on the line to dry, she helped Miss Lady and another girl, Lizzy, strip beds and open windows to air out the mixture of perfume and cigarette odor from rooms. The women of the house lazed about reading, sewing, and helping each other with their hair. P
iano music wafted through the air as a woman played one melancholy tune after another, her sultry voice weaving stories of sadness and disillusion as if warning the others to never open their hearts.

  Her arms full of linens fresh from the clothesline, Adeline paused to study the lady at the piano. Her raven hair blocked most of her face, but from what Adeline could see she was lovely, her skin the color of coffee with cream. Without missing a note, the woman must have felt her stare, because she gazed up at Adeline. The loneliness in the woman's eyes made Adeline want to cry.

  "It's best not to dally around Lucinda. You don't want to be drawn into her sadness." Miss Lady gently prodded Adeline forward.

  "Why is she so unhappy?" Adeline asked when they reached the first bedroom. The stiff fabric slipped between her fingers as she yanked the sheets into place.

  "Each girl here has a sad story, much like you does," Miss Lady replied, fluffing up pillows before replacing them on the bed. "Lucinda's is sadder than most. She lost her babies and husband in an Indian attack. She came back to town broken. Since then she begun to work here, and she's done good. Certain men seek her out, and some even have offered marriage."

  "She won't marry again." Adeline replied, somehow knowing. With a steady hand, she ran a rag over the side table and wiped away dust.

  "No, my baby never will." Miss Lady sighed, her eyes misting. Realization dawned. "Oh God, she's your daughter, isn't she?"

  Miss Lady snapped her fingers. "Come on now, child, still got five rooms to do, and then we gotta start supper. I don't trust Lizzy girl to do much more than dig up potatoes, and she somehow figures out how to mess that up."

  Adeline gave the freshly-made bed one last pat and followed Miss Lady out of the room. "Yes, ma'am."