"Yes, of course, Mr. Wellman..." Roxanne halted, "I'm sorry, Brad, that would be fine."
Brad decided to leave it at that and said his goodbyes. He would be back and soon Black Rock would be his.
Three
Mr. Ramsdell came later the next day with the papers for Roxanne to sign, making her the official owner of Black Rock. Some how, signing those papers made her parents being gone seem so much more real and she suddenly felt very lonely.
"Your father was very determined about making sure the ranch was legally put into your name as soon as possible in the event of his passing. So, now that's done and I only need one more thing for the records. I need to see your record of birth. Most likely it's just written into your family Bible. That's how most around here are done."
Roxanne nodded and went into the front parlor to retrieve the large family Bible from the corner table. Holding the book in her hands brought back warm memories of Christmas. The house would smell of ginger and fresh pine. She could see the fireplace burning brightly. Papa would be in his chair by the fire as she snuggled into her mama's warmth on the sofa and he would read the story of Jesus from this Bible. It was a very happy memory and Roxanne wondered if she'd ever again have such a happy Christmas. She hoped some day to have her own children to read the story to.
"Here is the Bible, Mr. Ramsdell," Roxanne said, carrying it into the office. Mr. Ramsdell took the book and sat down at her father's big mahogany desk to leaf through it.
"Ah yes, here we are. This Bible goes back several generations, but yours would be the last listing," he said as he turned the pages. "Well now, that's a little strange," Mr. Ramsdell looked confused.
"What is it?" Roxanne went to look over his shoulder at the pages. He was pointing to the last page of entries where her father had neatly written:
Jacob William Ingram - Opal Ann Smith - Married October 21, 1866
Roxanne Jane Ingram - Born 1875? Given Birth Date November 8
Joseph William Ingram - Died: July 9, 1877
Martha Jane Wells Ingram - Died: May 2, 1880
Opal Ann Smith Ingram – Died: November 21, 1888
"I don't understand, why would Papa write it that way? And the date is wrong, I was born on November 8, 1877." Roxanne was confused. "This November I will be 21 years old."
"It's confusing to be sure, your father always kept meticulous records. There must be more documents around here about this. I will go see Doc Jones and look at his ledgers. You will have to go through all your father's papers to see if anything else can be found."
Mr. Ramsdell rose to leave. "I'll go see Doc as soon as I get back to town. Now don't you worry, my dear, we'll get it all straight."
After he left, Roxanne sat at the desk looking at that entry. She felt as if her entire life had been turned upside down.
"Papa, what does it mean?" She whispered.
She opened the middle drawer in the desk and began removing papers. Most were just receipts of things purchased and sold, but in the back she found a key that would open the side drawers.
Unlocking the top one on the right, she found a bundle of letters tied together with string. She untied the string and began reading the letters. They were from her mama to Papa. Mama had gone to Ohio to be with her ailing mother in 1870. The letters were full of love and the longing she felt to be back home with her husband. They were lovely romantic letters.
Roxanne had known her parents loved one another, but these letters had shown her the depth of that love. She wanted to find her father's letters to her mother and knew they would be upstairs in her mother's little vanity. For now she gently tied the packet of letters together and returned them to the drawer.
She must continue to look for something to clarify her birth date. After searching through all the drawers and finding nothing relating to herself, she went to the little safe hidden in the bookcase. It was locked and she had no idea where the key would be. She looked everywhere she could think of downstairs and finding nothing decided to look upstairs.
Going into her old bedroom at the top of the stairs, Roxanne was taken back to her childhood. The room was exactly as it had been ten years ago when she left. A large, spacious room, it was bright with sunlight coming in the large dormer window. The big bed had belonged to her father when he was a child, as had this room. Her mama had painted the iron bedrails white and hung white lacy curtains on the windows.
Her grandmother's white crocheted spread lay over the log cabin patchwork quilt on the bed and the floors were glossy from a fresh scrubbing, probably Mrs. Kennedy's work. A blue and white woven area rug lay under the bed and reached almost to the door. It had kept Roxanne's feet from the cold on winter mornings.
Her father had shown her a secret hiding place when she was little and she'd hidden all her treasures there. She thought perhaps he'd hidden the key to the safe there. Going to the far corner on the other side of the bed she lifted the rug and there in the floor was a false piece of flooring that could be lifted out to reveal a wonderful little hiding place under the floor.
She laughed as she looked at some of the treasures she'd hidden there as a child. Some pebbles, a feather from a Blue Jay, a blue ribbon and the lucky rabbit's foot that had been given to her by Slim when she was seven. I could use that luck now, perhaps I should tie it around my neck as I had when I was a child, she thought.
Then she saw a white ribbon she didn't recognize and pulled it out. At the end was the key to the safe. Roxanne excitedly ran down the stairs to open the safe. When it was open, she found two leather pouches and a bundle of papers. Taking everything to the desk she looked into the pouches.
One contained twenty silver dollars, the other gold nuggets. Goodness, she thought, these nuggets are probably worth a lot of money. There was also a note that read, mined from Black Rock Mine 1865. She'd never heard of a mine being on Black Rock. She'd have to ask Slim or Collin if they know anything. From what Collin said, her father and he were good friends. Papa may have said something about it to him.
She went through the papers and found documents signed by both her mama and papa giving all they owned to Roxanne Jane O'Malley. Roxanne's hands trembled as she read those words. She didn't understand. Papa had made and signed a will that Mr. Ramsdell had shown her, leaving everything to her. Who was Roxanne Jane O'Malley? Roxanne took the papers and pouches to her old room and hid them in the secret hiding place before going to her parent's bedroom and lying down.
Her mind was in a whirl. Did those papers mean that Black Rock wasn't hers? If anyone saw those papers, would she lose her home? Or did it mean that she was Roxanne O'Malley? Was I adopted? She had no answers for any of the strange discoveries and fell into a troubled sleep.
* * * * *
Bradford Wellman was a man with a dream and he intended to make that dream a reality. He paced the den in the huge stone ranch house and remembered Roxanne's words. She'd have to think about it. He'd have to woo her carefully.
He knew he could be charming, but his patience was wearing thin as well as his resources. He glanced at the bare walls where valuable paintings had once hung. He'd have them all back as soon as he took control of Black Rock and could legally reopen the mine.
His grandfather had come here to Texas when his mother was just a child and settled next to Black Rock Ranch with dreams of making the most powerful and wealthy ranch in these parts. He'd worked around the clock to make those dreams a reality.
He'd read everything he could find on ranching and breeding cattle. He had succeeded beyond anyone's expectations. He'd built the Wellman Ranch from scratch into one of the wealthiest in Texas even though he had less land than some. This house was the finest around and his grandmother had filled it with treasures as valuable as the ranch itself.
His mother had the best of everything and then she'd fallen in love with one of the ranch hands and married against her parent's advice. Timothy Johnson was a wastrel. He had no use for ranch life and as soon as his wife's father died, h
e took over the Wellman spread and proceeded to bankrupt it. He went about spending the family fortune on women and gambling, leaving his wife and small son at home alone to worry about the failing ranch. He was shot and killed in a poker game when caught cheating by another player who didn't take kindly to cheaters. Brad was twelve at the time and he was glad someone had killed his father. He had always planned to do it himself when he was grown. His mother had returned to the use of the Wellman name after his father's death and Bradford Johnson became Bradford Wellman.
Over the years his mother began to sell the silver, antiques and paintings to keep the ranch going, but it had still been losing money when she died last winter. Brad was determined to bring the ranch back to its former glory and he didn't care who had to get hurt to do it.
He'd marry Roxanne Ingram. She was the only one left standing in his way. He'd have her and he'd have Black Rock. With Roxanne's money he'd be able to reopen the mine and the gold would build the two ranches into the most powerful and wealthy in the country.
Brad remembered the last time he'd made an offer for the ranch to Jacob. He'd been riding along the base of the hills looking for the opening of the old mine that his grandfather had told him about. He saw Jacob riding along the ridge looking for early spring calves. He rode up to talk to the old man.
"Jacob, good morning. I'd like a word with you."
Jacob didn't like Brad, he could see too much of his father in him. Johnson had been a man who didn't seem to care who he hurt to get what he wanted and Jacob thought Brad might be the same. He hadn't trusted Johnson and he didn't trust his son.
"Morning, Brad, if you've come to make another offer for Black Rock, the answer is still the same." Jacob said, turning his horse towards Brad.
"Come on, Jacob, you're getting up in years and can't work the ranch forever, With what I pay you for Black Rock, you could move to Boston and be close to your daughter. I'm sure she'd like that."
For just a moment, the idea appealed to Jacob. He missed Roxanne and her being gone had left a big aching hole in his heart. But he loved Black Rock and Roxanne would be coming home in another month or two.
"Roxanne will be returning home soon and Black Rock is not for sale. I'm sorry, Brad but that's the way it is."
"Roxanne is coming home?" Brad asked surprised. He hadn't known she'd be returning so soon.
"Yes, in a month or two." Just thinking about it put Jacob in a cheerful mood.
Brad was thinking hard as Jacob began to move off along the ridge. He had often thought of marrying Roxanne for the ranch but with her in Boston, it had been impossible. Now with her return, he could court her.
He knew Jacob didn't like him and would do his best to stop a marriage between the two. Of course that probably wouldn't stop Roxanne from marrying him, but he couldn't take the chance that Jacob's influence was strong enough to thwart his plans. This might be his best opportunity to do something about it. He kicked his horse and rode hard at Jacob.
When Jacob heard the other horse's fast approach he turned and saw Brad bearing down on him. He tried to move his horse away from the edge, but it was too late. Brad's horse plowed into Jacob's and when the poor horse lost his footing, horse and rider went over the edge of the cliff.
Brad looked over the edge and saw Jacob lying under his horse at the bottom. Brad could see that Jacob's neck was broken and he was dead. The horse lay still but wasn't dead yet. Brad thought it wouldn't be long before he too died. He smiled in satisfaction.
"Stupid old fool, no one will keep me from having Black Rock."
* * * * *
Roxanne awoke from her restless sleep when Lucy knocked softly on the bedroom door.
"Miss, are you all right? I've fixed some dinner and I think you should eat something."
"Thank you, Lucy, I'll be right down." Roxanne went into the water closet and bathed her face in cool water. It was refreshing and made her feel much better.
When she went downstairs, Lucy had a place set in the dinning room and Roxanne picked up the dish and silverware and carried them to the kitchen.
"Lucy, I feel too uncomfortable eating at that big table by myself. Lets eat here in the kitchen together."
Lucy was surprised and thought Roxanne much nicer than the previous lady she'd worked for.
"Oh, Miss, that would be very nice. I get lonely eating by myself too."
"And Lucy, please call me Roxanne."
"Oh no, Miss. That wouldn't be proper."
"I insist. Please, Lucy."
"Alright, I think I'd like that, Roxanne," Lucy said shyly.
As the girls had their dinner, Lucy seemed to lose her shyness and chatted gaily about her family in town and the boy who worked at the blacksmith.
"Charlie is the apprentice blacksmith and we're to be married next year as soon as he can get our little house built. He's building it on the lot behind the general store. There are a few more houses being built back that way. Charlie says the town is growing by leaps and bounds and soon there will be houses all over."
Roxanne could tell that Lucy was proud of her Charlie and listening to her gay chatter took Roxanne's mind off the problems she'd discovered that day. Later as she prepared for bed she decided to go see Collin the next day and see if he could shed any light on some of the mysteries she'd uncovered. She also admitted to herself that she desperately wanted to see him again.
Her father had obviously trusted him and may have told him things he hadn't told others. Roxanne thought she might as well be honest with herself, that wasn't her only reason for wanting to see Collin. She was very attracted to the rude man and didn't understand it. She only knew that when he'd kissed her, she'd been swept away by feelings she'd never experienced before.
* * * * *
The next morning Roxanne awoke feeling as though she had never gone to bed. She'd had the nightmare again and then she'd lain awake for hours with her head spinning from the events of the previous day. She took a nice warm bath and then donned her mother's riding clothes again, thinking that she'd better make time for a shopping trip for riding clothes.
Roxanne ate breakfast in the kitchen with Lucy and then went to the bunkhouse to find Jim. The sun was just beginning to rise and she stopped on the porch to watch the magnificent display. She turned toward the black rock and watched as the dark sky around the black stone became streaked with muted shades of red, purple and orange before the bright orb began to rise over the horizon. It was a familiar and beautiful sight. One she would never tire of watching.
She heard a noise behind her and looked back at the bunkhouse. Jim was just coming out and headed towards the cookhouse. Roxanne hurried to catch him before he had his breakfast.
"Jim," she called. "I'd like to speak to you for a moment."
Jim stopped and turned to face her as she hurried up to him. "You're up bright and early this morning, Ma'am. What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to ride over to Collin O'Neal's place. I understand there's a trail on the other side of the ranch that goes right to it."
"Yes there is, but it's much faster to take the trail behind the black rock. Just behind the outcrop is a trail and it goes right to the back of his house. Not far at all. The other trail is pretty long, but if you want to go that way, I'll have Jeb ride with you and show you the way."
"Oh that's ok. I'll take the trail behind the rock. I didn't know about that one." Roxanne didn't want to tell Jim that Collin had warned her to stay away from the black rock. He'd probably think they were both crazy. "Thank you, Jim. I'll talk to you later."
"Yes, Ma'am, any time. And, Ma'am, I'd not get too close to that hunk of rock. Your Pa said rocks would sometimes fall without warning. Had strict orders for none of his men to go near the thing. But you give it a wide berth and you'll be safe enough." Jim turned and continued on to get his breakfast.
So now I've had two warnings to stay clear of that silly rock.
There was no one in the stables. Slim was probably having his break
fast. Roxanne saddled Sally herself and rode away towards the massive black stone. She rode close to the rock and started to ride around it in search of the trail. The closer she got, the harder it seemed to pull on her emotions. It was as if something in the stone called out to her.
She fought the urge to go to the stone and run her hands along the smooth surface. Seeing the trail to her right, she hurried Sally down the well-packed path and with a sigh of relief could feel the pull on her emotions diminish.
The trail was narrow and rough, but Sally negotiated it easily and Jim had been right, it led to the back of Collin's cabin. Trees surrounded the clearing where the small house had been built and to the left side of the log structure she could hear water running.
Riding Sally that way she could look down and see the crystal clear water of the creek bubbling happily over the rocks in the bottom. The cabin itself was small and sturdy. Roxanne thought how charming a place it was. She heard a noise from the front of the cabin and riding around the side, pulled Sally to a stop and stared in amazement at the half naked man.
Collin was stripped to the waist and was using an axe to chop wood. His tanned body gleamed in the streak of early morning light filtering through the trees. Roxanne could see the light sheen of sweat clinging to his back and the muscles rippled under the skin with each powerful swing of the axe. She'd never seen a man with his shirt off and her mouth went dry, as she tried to swallow. She couldn't tear her eyes away.
Roxanne continued to watch as Colin raised and lowered the ax. Her eyes roamed over his chest and down to the faded Levis that hugged his bottom. She licked her dry lips and imagined she could still taste him there. She remembered the warmth of his hard lips pressing against hers and the way they had softened, coaxing a response from her with a sensuality that she could only half comprehend.
Sally whinnied and Collin turned around to see Roxanne sitting there staring at him. He realized she'd probably never seen a half naked man before and the gentlemanly thing to do would be to put his shirt on, but then he'd never been accused of being a gentleman. He walked over to the horse and reaching up, pulled Roxanne from the saddle. He let her body slide down his bare chest. She gasped as her hands came up against his chest.
E. G. Parsons - Black Rock: Page 4
