When they were both off, she removed his socks and stood. “Do you need help with anything else before I go?”
“I might. If you’ll have a seat in your chair you’ll be here if I need you. I’m awfully tired, and I could fall.”
She gave him an unbelieving look. “I can’t stay in here while you bathe.”
“Why not? We’re married.”
“Well, I—but—I …”
He smiled inwardly. He understood now, though it hadn’t been his plan to force her into a corner. It had worked. He’d figured she was snippy because she really did care about his welfare. This pleased him more than he thought it would. He now knew he wanted to keep her. Finally, he said, “Just sit down, Drina. You can turn your back if you want to.”
She hesitated, then without speaking, she turned the rocking chair to face the door and plopped down.
* * * *
Drina pulled the quilt up around her neck and turned over again on the narrow couch. How long had it been since they’d gone to bed? She’d been trying to go to sleep for what seemed like hours, but it couldn’t have been that long. The hall clock had struck ten the last time and she knew it was almost nine when she got Aaron in bed and settled for the night. Exhausted, she decided she’d go to bed, too. After all, tomorrow promised to be a busy day. She was going to ask Salty to take her into town so she could get some things Milly needed before the wedding since Milly couldn’t go into Hatchet Springs. Until she was married, she wouldn’t be safe there.
Then, there was Aaron. Why had he been so insistent she stay with him as he bathed? She figured if he could spend the day out with his men, he was certainly capable of taking a bath and going to bed on his own. But for some reason, he wanted her with him.
She frowned into the dark and listened to his gentle snores. Was she here because of he wanted her near him, or was it because he wanted to show her he could tell her what to do? And why had she listened to him? Why was she trying to sleep on this uncomfortable sofa when there was a perfectly good bed upstairs where she could be comfortable? What was the matter with her?
Before she could decide, there was a loud explosion. She felt herself being thrown from the sofa. There was no more time to think as she was wracked with pain. Then, everything went black, and there was nothingness.
Chapter 20
“Yahoo!” Art Keller yelled as loud as he dared as he sat on his horse and watched the side of Wilcox’s house go up in flames. “You ought not of killed Pa and Eli, you son-of-a-bitch. I jest hope you didn’t get knocked out so you burn up alive afore anybody gits you outta thare.”
Art was smart enough to know he should probably ride off before somebody started looking around for how dynamite could have been shoved against the house and lit. But he had to enjoy his glory for attacking the house all alone. He told himself he did it for his Pa and his brother, and he figured they’d be proud of him, if they knew. Of course, his pa would never believe he had the smarts to do it on his own.
But he had. He didn’t need his pa or his brother or Brit Vance or anybody to tell him what to do. He’d figured it all out. After escaping the shootout at the Wilcox ranch where his pa and brother had been killed, his only thought was to get away before somebody caught him and put him in jail. Then he spent a couple of nights in the old man’s cabin in the mountains. He was searching for food when he found two jugs of homemade brew and the dynamite. He took a swig from one of the jugs and looked at the sticks of explosive for a long time, wondering what he could do with them. He was still wondering when he came across the stored ham.
Forgetting the dynamite, he cooked a big hunk of ham, cut up a couple of potatoes to fry and made coffee. It wasn’t the best meal he’d ever eaten because he wasn’t the cook his brother was, but it was filling. He was about half through eating when it hit him that if his pa and Eli were here, they could take the dynamite down and blow up Wilcox’s house.
Then he quit eating and muttered, “Why can’t I do it by myself? If Eli was here, he’d try to talk me out of it; and if Pa was here, he’d say I didn’t have sense enough to do it.”
He shoved his plate aside grabbed the jug and took a swig. “That’s what I’ll do. I’ll blow the place up all by myself. Ain’t nobody here to tell me I can’t. I’ll show ever’body. I’ll kill the man and maybe his new wife, too. They both deserve it for killing Eli and Pa.”
Taking one more swig, he sat the jug aside and went to the bin where he’d found the dynamite. He gathered all that was there, then hurried to stuff it in his saddlebags. After finishing this task, he turned back to the shack and finished eating his meal. “Can’t let this go to waste. Might have to run after I blow the place up and I need a full belly to do that.”
He reached for the jug again, but it dawned on him he wouldn’t be able to blow up the house if he was drunk. He might even blow himself up. He pushed the jug aside and grinned.
“Pa would never believe I turned down a good jug so I could do a job.” He laughed out loud and headed to the door. Shaking his finger at the jugs on the table, he muttered, “You set right there. You’re going to be my prize when I get the job done.”
When Art got to the Rocking Chair Ranch, he sat in the woods and watched for a while. It looked like everyone was in bed because there were no lamps burning, but he had to be sure. No matter what his pa thought, he did know how to be careful.
After another few minutes passed, he decided it was time. At first, he wasn’t sure where to place the explosive, but he knew he wasn’t going to plant it close to the back door. He figured that led to the kitchen and the bunkhouse was across the yard from there. If he went to the front, he didn’t think he’d be able to kill Wilcox. He didn’t want the man slipping out the back door. He decided he’d go to the end of the ranch house which was positioned in the direction of a small group of trees and a side yard where it looked like maybe a flower garden grew. He figured the bedrooms were there.
It took him about twenty minutes to place the dynamite under the edge of the house and connect them with the small sack of powder he’d brought along. He was sure he was doing the job right and grinned as he ran a streak of powder several feet from the house. When he finished he squatted and lit the powder with a stick match, then he turned and ran as fast as he could to where he’d left his horse. He’d just climbed into the saddle when the explosion obliterated the end of the house. Though his horse reared, he got it under control and sat there watching the reaction.
Men ran from the bunkhouse and headed to the main house. Some were trying to put on pants. Others were struggling with their boots. A couple ran toward the pump in their long-johns.
Then one looked like he was going to the barn. Maybe to saddle a horse and go looking for the culprit.
“Ain’t no way that fool’s gonna catch me.” Art turned his horse and eased deeper in the woods. When he was sure he wouldn’t be heard, he spurred his horse into a gallop and headed back to the cabin and the jugs waiting for him.
* * * *
“What the…Drina!” Aaron yelled as his bed collapsed and the mattress hit the floor. The fire lit the room enough that he saw his wife on the floor. The couch where she’d slept was turned on its side, and flames were edging toward her.
Aaron tried to get up, and managed to get to one knee. He grabbed for his crutches, but wasn’t able to get his hands on them. “Honey, are you all right?”
She didn’t answer and he forced himself to crawl to where she lay. He quickly checked her arm and felt a pulse. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he managed to drag her toward the hall.
Boots ran down the hall. “Boss,” Salty’s voice came to him.
“In here, Salty. Help us.”
Salty entered the room. “Come on Aaron. Let me get you out of here.”
“Get Drina first.”
“But…”
Gus and Felix came in.
“Get Miz Wilcox, Salty,” Felix said. “Gus and me’ll get the boss.”
&
nbsp; Beulah came running from her room behind the kitchen and into the sitting room. “Bring her in here.”
Salty put Drina on the settee in the parlor. “Anybody else in the house?”
“Milly’s upstairs,” Beulah said.
“I’ll get her.” Gus headed toward the stairs, but met Milly on her way down. She flew into his arms.
“Oh, Gus. What’s happening?”
“I don’t know, honey, but let’s go to the parlor where everybody is.”
Aaron’s heart pounded with the worst fear he’d ever had as he leaned on Felix and looked down at Drina. “You’ve got to do something to help her, Beulah.”
“I’m trying, Mr. Aaron. You can help me if you’ll get out of my way.” Beulah knelt on the floor beside the couch. “Her breathing is strong. I think she’s just knocked out.”
“Boss,” Felix said, “I’m going to put you in a chair here beside your wife and I’m going out there to help the fellows fight the fire.”
Without taking his eyes from Drina, he only nodded and dropped to the chair.
“If you’re sure Miz Drina’s going to be all right, I’ll go help, too.”
“Go, Salty. If we need you, we’ll get you,” Beulah said.
“I’ll be right behind you.” Gus looked at Milly. “I’ll be back soon.”
She nodded and moved beside Beulah. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Get some wet cloths and look in the medicine box in the kitchen pantry. I think I have some smelling salts.”
Aaron reached out and took Drina’s hand. “Are you sure she’s going to be all right?”
Beulah shook her head. “One can’t be sure of anything in this life, Mr. Aaron, but I have hope Miz Drina will be fine.”
“She has to be, Beulah.”
Beulah gave him a smile and asked almost in a whisper, “You care, don’t you?”
When he answered his voice was barely a whisper. “More than I ever thought it possible to.”
Beulah didn’t say anything, but she reached over and patted his arm.
There was a moan from the sofa.
Aaron bent over Drina as his heart pounded harder than ever. “Honey, are you waking up? Drina, please speak to me.”
There was no response.
Milly came back in the room. “Here you go, Miss Beulah.”
Beulah took the smelling salts and held them under Drina’s nose.
* * * *
An hour later, Drina sat by the fire with a blanket around her. The weather was cooler and the absence of the end of the house made the place cold, though a fire roared in the fireplace. Beulah walked up to her and straightened the blanket. “Would you like some more tea, Miz Drina?”
“No thank you, Beulah.” Her voice was weak as she looked up at the kindly face. “Maybe the men would like coffee, though.”
“I’m making a big pot, and I’m cooking breakfast for everybody. Felix is helping the men board up the hole in the house and I told him not to worry about cooking for the men.”
“I should get up from here and help you.”
“No, ma’am, you shouldn’t. You had quite the bump on your head—and look at your wrist. If it’s not broken, it’s a bad sprain. I’m thankful you and Mr. Aaron weren’t killed. Besides, Milly is helping me.”
“Are you sure Aaron wasn’t hurt?”
“He was shook up a bit, but no, he wasn’t hurt. As soon as you come to and he saw you were going to be all right, he said he wanted to go see what happened out there.”
“Is he able to be outside?”
The back door opened and interrupted them. Aaron came in. “How’s it going in here?”
“We’re fine. Why don’t you come sit here by your wife and warm up a bit.”
He hobbled to the chair beside Drina and took her hand. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine. How are the men coming with the repairs?”
“We almost have the section the explosion blew off shored up. We only had enough lumber to do a patch job to keep the cold out. We can’t do extensive repairs until we get more. One of the men will go to town to get it later today.” He reached over and took her hand. “The important thing is you.”
“I’m fine, Aaron. You don’t need to fuss.”
“Good.” He smiled when Beulah came up to him with a mug of coffee. “Thank you.”
“I figured you could use it. How long before the men finish enough to eat?”
The question was only out of her mouth when the door opened and Salty came in. “We’re about done, Boss. Felix asked if Beulah needed any help in here.”
“I don’t, but I’m gonna put it on the table. Tell the men to come in and get it.”
After the men finished eating, thanked Beulah and Milly and returned to the bunkhouse, Salty sat in front of the big fireplace with Aaron and Drina.
“Tell me what I need to do now, Boss.” Salty sipped the coffee he’d taken from the table.
“You need to go into town and get enough lumber to rebuild the end of the house. If they don’t have enough in town, you’ll have to go to the sawmill on Cunny Mountain. I’m sure they’ll have what we need.”
“I’ll get one of the men to come with me. We’ll need to take both the wagons.”
“Sounds good. And while you’re in town, go by Doc’s and tell him to come out here. I want him to check Drina.”
“I’m fine, Aaron. I don’t need a doctor.”
“Maybe not, but I want to be sure. Your wrist needs to be looked at.” He smiled at her and looked back at Salty. “Also, tell the sheriff to get his a—I mean, tell him to come out here today. Somebody is trying to kill me. I can handle that, but when they attacked Drina, they went too far. I want them caught and locked up for what they’ve done.”
Milly came in from the front of the house. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I just happened to come in when you mentioned the sheriff.”
Aaron lifted an eyebrow and she went on. “He’s coming up the road now.”
“Beulah,” Aaron called.
She walked over to the side of the room. “Yes, sir?”
“Can Milly hide in your room? I don’t think it’s safe upstairs where she’s been sleeping until we rebuild.”
“Of course. Come with me, honey.”
As soon as Milly was safely in Beulah’s room, she brought coffee for Salty and Aaron. She had tea for Drina. “It’ll look more natural if you’re sitting here making plans with a cup in your hands.”
“Thanks, Beulah. You think of everything.” Aaron winked at her.
* * * *
Within minutes, Beulah showed Sheriff Zane Mason into the room.
“Glad you decided to show up this morning,” Aaron greeted the man. “I thought I was gonna have to send for you again.”
A little flustered by Aaron’s words, Zane said, “I’ve had a lot going on. I didn’t know it was an emergency to get out here.”
“Well, as you can see, it is.”
“I sure can.” He hoped his words would calm Aaron.
Beulah pointed to a chair and asked, “Want a cup of coffee?”
“That’d be nice, thank you.” He turned to Aaron. “What in the world happened here?”
“Somebody tried to blow us up.” Aaron’s voice was not friendly, when he added, “Probably your good friend, Brit Vance.”
Zane looked confused. “Why would you say that?”
“I say it because the man as much as told me he wanted to see me dead.”
Salty broke in. “Boss, since you don’t need me for this conversation, I’ll get ready to go get the doctor and the lumber.”
Zane glanced at him. “Doctor? Was somebody hurt?”
“If you’ll note the way it’s bandaged, my wife probably has a broken wrist—and I don’t know what else. She took the brunt of the explosion, and was almost killed.”
Zane was abashed. “I’m sorry about that, Mrs. Wilcox.”
“Thank you,” she mumbled.
“Now, Aaron, surely you don’t believe that.” Zane was taken aback. Was Aaron accusing him of aiding Vance?
Again Salty spoke. “I’ll be as fast as I can, Aaron.” Turning to Drina, he said, “I shore hope you get to feeling better, Miz Drina.”
“Thank you, Salty. You’re very kind.”
After Salty left, the sheriff turned to Aaron. “You can’t seriously believe Brit Vance had anything to do with this, can you?”
“Why not? The fool thinks I’ve somehow helped a couple of whores escape from his saloon. It’s no telling what else he thinks. I’m surprised more townspeople haven’t wised up to him and his fancy wife. They should both be run out of town.”
“You’re talking about one of Hatchet Springs’s most prosperous citizens. You better watch what you say about him.”
“Why? Are you one of his servants, too?”
Zane frowned. “I ain’t nobody’s servant, except the people who I represent with this badge and that includes every citizen in the area—including Brit Vance.”
“If that’s true, then why don’t you start trying to find out who is trying to kill me and quit worrying about Vance’s missing women?”
“They ain’t his women. They work at The Swinging Door, and Hal needs them back.”
“I don’t believe you’re that stupid, Mason. Hal doesn’t own The Swinging Door. Vance does. I’m sure he wants to know why they ran away, and he sent you out here to find out.”
Was his mission obvious? “How’d you know I was going to ask you about them?”
“It doesn’t take a very smart man to see you’re always ready to do Vance’s bidding. I’m right about him sending you out here to check it out, aren’t I?”
Aaron had hit a nerve, and Zane couldn’t help blushing when he stammered, “That’s not so. I came to find out what happened when you killed Cleg Keller.”
“I didn’t kill Cleg Keller.”
“Of course you did. It was your gun that shot him. Brit said—” His voice trailed off when he realized he referred to Brit as if he took orders from him. He blushed again.
Drina’s Choice Page 22
