“Take off your hat,” Bertie silently mouthed, and as if he’d heard her, the old man slowly removed his hat.
Even before she heard his name whispered, she figured out who the man was. This time Bertie did turn around and then stood up, pushing past Bess and Gideon, stepping over the twins and on Corrie in her hurry to get to Thomas.
To say that Thomas looked surprised to see his father at church was an understatement. Such a mixture of shock, denial, and anger crossed his features that Bertie momentarily paused and lost the opportunity to reach him. When she reached the church’s exit, Thomas was already on his horse and galloping down the street.
A gentle hand rested on Bertie’s shoulder, and Bess whispered, “Give him time.”
Thomas Hardin the elder was no longer a typical cowboy. He sat at Bertie’s table and passed his sheriff’s badge around. Bertie poured him another cup of coffee and tried to imagine him stealing cattle.
The restaurant had no more room, and customers were eating while leaning against the wall. Josiah Temple was conspicuously absent. Even Albert Smit, looking pained, came to hear what Hardin had to say. Bertie didn’t think Smit had ever put out money for a meal, not even for baked goods.
Jim and Luke frowned at the badge but listened to Hardin’s story while Thomas’s cowboys, Rex and Davey, flanked the sheriff as if worried he’d bolt.
Sheriff Hardin had no trouble talking. “I found the Lord, or should I say, He found me? I need to make sure my boy knows the truth. I didn’t steal them cattle. I admit, I’m not proud of my behavior in those days. I was young and had more responsibility than I felt I could handle. I took to the liquor a bit more than I needed to. I did make mistakes, and I’ve laid my guilt at the foot of the cross. But I didn’t steal them cattle. I had me a good job and good wages back then.”
Jim spoke up, “Then why didn’t you protest? Why didn’t you say you weren’t guilty? I remember the day you were run out of town. You acted guilty.”
The sheriff had the grace to look at his feet. “Somebody paid me off. Just a few minutes before the posse arrived, I found a note in my saddlebag along with enough money to give me and my boy a new life—if we left and didn’t say anything. I’m ashamed now to say I took it. That money meant the kind of life my late wife had always dreamed of for our son.”
“Is that how Tommy got enough money to buy the Kincaid spread?” Amos Freeling asked.
Both Sheriff Hardin and Donald Potter shook their heads.
Rex said, “Tommy hasn’t taken a cent from his old man. Not that it’s anybody’s business, but he’s made his money from the railroad and more recently right here in southwest Wyoming, investing money in a very lucrative mine.”
“That’s right,” Sheriff Hardin said. “It didn’t take me but a few weeks to realize that in accepting that bribe, I’d paid the ultimate price—my son. He had no reason not to believe I’d become a rustler, and before I realized the importance of telling him the truth, he’d run away. If it weren’t for Scotty tracking me down, I’d not know Thomas’s whereabouts today. Looks like, in spite of me, my son has made something of himself.”
“How many cattle were you accused of rustling, Mr. Hardin?” Frank Llewellyn stood up. He’d just finished a bowl of jackrabbit stew and clutched a spoon in his fist, swinging it like a judge’s mallet.
Sheriff Hardin shrugged. “About twenty.”
“And,” Frank continued, “that was roughly eight years ago. Does anybody know about how much cattle would have been worth back then?”
Jim and Luke looked at each other.
“Depends on the weight of the animals,” Jim said. “And where they were sold,” Luke added.
Frank gripped the spoon tightly, deep in thought. “Mr. Hardin, just how much money were you given?”
Sheriff Hardin took a piece of faded leather pouch from his belt. He unfolded it so that a small pile of bills spread across the table. “It’s right here. Once Tommy left, I didn’t spend no more, and I replaced what I had spent. It’s a hundred and fifteen dollars.”
“Cattle were fetching good prices back then,” Luke remembered.
“Then we can figure you were given the cost of the cattle,” Frank said.
“Makes sense now, but that sure didn’t occur to me then.”
“So, you were paid for stealing the cattle?” Luke asked. ”
But I didn’t steal the cattle.”
“Whose cattle were stolen?” Linus Hatch wanted to know. ”
A few head, here and there,” Luke said.
“Josiah Temple’s,” Jim remembered.
Zeus had arrived with the broken surrey; and as of yet, none of the cowboys had been willing to climb on the beast’s back. Over fifteen hands and high-strung, the stallion was purchased for breeding purposes, but every animal on the Two Horse needed to pull its load, and it was time for Zeus to be broken. The horse snorted and threw his head in a catch-me-if-you-dare attitude.
The horse’s rebellion reminded Thomas of his father. Just how long had the man been in the area? Thomas shook his head. He wanted to blame his father for the mishaps on the ranch. But why? His father had nothing to gain by sabotaging his son. Why come back now?
Thomas stood, one foot perched on the bottom rung of the gate and the other planted firmly in the dirt. He’d been standing thus for over an hour trying to clear his mind, all the while debating the foolishness of breaking Zeus without the help of his men.
It was his fault. He had saddled up this morning bound for church. Rex, blinking away sleep and surprise, had followed, which inspired some of the other cowboys to see just what was going on. Susan and Jack always attended.
His cowboys were still in town with the church crowd. A crowd that hadn’t blinked twice when he entered the door. Thomas actually felt welcomed as he took his place on a bench. At the moment, he couldn’t figure what inspired him to saddle up this morning carrying the Bible Scotty had given him so many years ago. A Bible that hadn’t entered a church since Scotty owned it.
Nothing had gone as planned from the moment Thomas stepped into Lickwind. He’d stuttered in front of Josiah. He’d bent the rules to allow Trieu on his place; and before he could blink an eye, along came Susan. Bad luck plagued the ranch, and the culprit eluded detection. His bank account reflected activity he had no control over. And now his father was in town and going forward in church.
The door to the main house burst open. A small figure in a brown hat came tumbling out and ran toward Thomas.
“Father says,” Anna announced regally, “not to even think about climbing on Zeus’s back. He says he has his gun, and he’ll shoot you in the leg.”
Thomas glanced at the house. He could see both Tien-Lu and Trieu staring at him from the window.
“Tell them I won’t do anything foolish.” Thomas plucked the hat from Anna’s head. “Bertie said to wear this when you’re doing homework. Why are you wearing it now?”
“I want to wear what Miss Roberta gave to me.”
Roberta.
Thomas glanced at Zeus and plopped the hat back on Anna’s head. “Go tell your family that I’ll not be doing any riding today.”
Roberta.
It was all her fault. It began the moment he climbed off the train, encountered Miss Craig, and stuttered in front of Josiah. He half blamed Bertie for the ease of Susan’s entrance to his ranch. And, if Thomas were honest, part of the reason he’d not caught those responsible for stealing and destroying his property was because he spent more time thinking about and worrying about Bertie than he did thinking about and worrying about his ranch.
The only thing he couldn’t blame on Bertie was the bank activities and his father’s arrival. Zeus snorted one last time and pranced over to where Thomas stood. The horse cocked his head as if confused. Thomas stretched out his hand, wanting to touch the beast on the nose, but the horse backed up.
No, Thomas thought, nothing has gone as planned from the moment I stepped into Lickwind.
&nbs
p; But he’d never been happier, and it all had to do with the presence of Miss Bertie Craig.
What was it Donald had said? The Craig girls had a reputation for setting their sights on a man and turning his life upside-down until he married her.
Married?
Chapter 8
Thomas had been feeling some camaraderie with Frank Llewellyn as they tried to figure out who was depositing money into his account, but he didn’t expect that the banker felt the same. Monday morning dawned without interruption; and before Thomas could down his first cup of coffee, he saw the banker arriving at the ranch. Most bankers didn’t make house calls, so Thomas figured something important had spurred the man into riding the hour plus it took to get to the Two Horse Ranch. They sat on Thomas’s front porch. Tien-Lu poured coffee, and Frank shared the conversation that had taken place back in town at the restaurant. Thomas had heard it already from both Rex and Davey. “I believe in your father’s innocence,” Frank said.
“Why? Because he’s claiming to be a Christian or because he’s now a sheriff?”
Frank took a deep breath. “Those are both sound reasons, but it’s these money transactions. The money your father was given sounds close to what the cattle would have brought at market. Whoever is doing this to you did somewhat the same to him. It has to be an original settler. That narrows it down considerably. The Collingswoods, Kincaid, or Albert Smit.”
His father had been given money? None of this made sense, not even the banker’s interest. “Why are you so interested?”
“Funny how things work out.” Frank fiddled with the top button of his coat. “When them Craig girls first arrived, I agreed with the Collingswood brothers. Lickwind was no place for women. But I admit I was wrong. Them women have turned the place into more than a mud street and a few lost souls. The whole town acts like a community now.”
“What’s on your mind, Llewellyn?”
“When you came to town, I was back East visiting my sister. She’s sick. I went home, put things in order, and returned here.”
“And?”
“I recently received a telegram. My sister’s dying. I can either bring her three children here or I can go there.”
“You’re going there?”
“Yes. Watching the way those Craig girls stay together has made me realize that I’m all my nieces and nephews have. I’m putting my family first.”
Thomas took a sip of coffee and waited.
“I’m thinking about asking Miss Regina to marry me. She’s been taking care of me at the restaurant, always makes sure my coffee cup is full. And now that she’s my housekeeper, I can see the riches having a woman’s touch brings to a home. Lately I’ve been looking forward to seeing her smile. Plus, the way she always looks out for Walter, no matter the sacrifice, makes me think yesterday morning’s service about forgiveness is truer than I ever imagined. If Miss Regina will have me, I’ll take her away from here. Start a bank in my hometown and give us all a fresh start.”
There was that word again: forgiveness. He kept hearing it from Scotty, and last week the preacher in town seemed quite taken with the notion of forgiveness. Thomas needed more time. He’d never admired men who made decisions without thinking them through.
“The way I figure it,” Frank continued, “there are only two men in Lickwind who have enough money to purchase the bank.”
“Me and Josiah Temple?” Thomas guessed.
“I’m not counting Josiah.”
“Then who else?”
“Albert Smit.”
“Smit has money? Now that’s a surprise,” Thomas could not help but muse aloud.
Frank agreed. “He doesn’t look or act like he has much, but what that man can do with numbers is amazing. He knows when to sell and when to hold off. He’s had money in the bank since it opened. Unfortunately, he’s barely literate. Owning a bank wouldn’t appeal to him in the least.”
“You’re friends with Josiah. He’d probably love to own the bank, so why are you sharing this news with me?”
“I’ve built that bank up from nothing. I’m proud of it. For a town with only one street, we have a bank to equal Philadelphia’s. I don’t want Josiah near it.” Frank leaned forward. “The man owns Margaret’s bordello, and it’s about to go out of business. He’ll run the bank into the ground for his own gain. And,” Frank admitted, “truth is, Josiah has very little money. Right now he’s land rich and money poor. But he’d find a way to purchase the bank, be it honest or not.”
So Josiah owned the bordello. Thomas supposed he should be shocked, but he wasn’t. “Fact is, as you well know, you can’t stop Josiah from buying it if he can get the money. Law says you have to publicly announce that it’s for sale.”
“That’s true, but—”
A horse and rider came over a nearby crest. Frank squinted, trying to make out the identity. Thomas stood. Donald Potter rode into view.
He reined in his horse, slid off in one fluid motion, and said, “I need to speak with you, Thomas.”
“Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Llewellyn.”
Donald didn’t look inclined but went ahead. “You’ve got trouble, Thomas. Looks like the rustling problem has returned along with your father.” It didn’t take long to set up a town meeting in Lickwind, especially when the price of cattle, the state of cattle, or the disappearance of cattle was in question. The town’s leaders, except for Josiah Temple, wound up at the Back Porch. Bess, with a I’m-not-in-the-mood-for-nonsense look, told Bertie to stop making moon eyes at Thomas and to start peeling potatoes. All Bertie wanted to do was listen to the men like Bess got to. Distracted, she sliced her finger with the paring knife.
“Oh, Grandmother’s bloomers.” She stuck the offending digit in her mouth and looked around the kitchen, finally grabbing a clean dish towel and blotting at the blood.
Bess came back, more than a little annoyed. “They’re done for tonight.”
“I need to know. Is Thomas in trouble? Did his father do something? What’s going on?”
“All I know is that some folks out near Cheyenne are missing cattle. Thomas is getting the blame, and now that his father’s here, it’s not looking good.” Bertie stood. “Thomas has nothing to do with that.”
“I believe that. Oh, Bertie, whatever you’re up to, I can’t help but think it won’t work. Thomas Hardin is not a churchgoing man. In all good conscience, I cannot permit you to consort with him.”
Bertie moved the potatoes from the table into a pan of water. “I love him.”
“You’re too young to know about love.”
“I’m the same age as Adele was when she married Ellis, and I’m the same age Corrie was when she married Brian.”
“Adele was born old, and Corrie was born to be a wife and mother. Besides, Thomas Hardin is not a marrying sort of man.”
Bertie closed her eyes, the urge to pray strong. “Bess, you know what this conversation reminds me of?”
“I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“It reminds me of how you felt when you realized you were falling in love with Gideon. You had the same doubts about his character, about his walk with the Lord. But somehow you knew the true man—just the way I know my Thomas.”
Bess’s lips puckered, and tears shimmered in her eyes.
“I love him,” Bertie repeated.
Bess stood still, so still that only the rise and fall of her chest proved life. “This is my fault. I should have curbed your actions. It’s just,” her voice broke, “you remind me so much of Papa, always dreaming, always moving, always so full of energy. I thought I was doing right by you.”
“You did do right by me.”
It didn’t matter. Bess was sitting in a chair with her head in her hands. Bertie started to go to her, but Bess held up a hand. After a moment, Bertie quietly slipped out the back door.
The full moon did a good imitation of a lantern as Bertie walked the few feet to Gideon and Bess’s home. She let herself in the front door
and headed for her room. How silly and young she’d been this morning.
She hung the green dress Matty had sewn for her on a peg and put on her nightgown. Huddled in bed, her stomach and mind flip-flopped with reaction to the day’s events.
She loved Thomas Hardin.
She had to tell him.
Chapter 9
Thomas Hardin!” The cry, actually loud voices blended into one, sounded too close. Thomas let go of the post he was holding and stared at two frowning Collingswood brothers and one visibly irate Gideon Riker. “Where’s Bertie?” Gideon demanded.
Thomas walked to meet the men, giving a backward look at a barn that should have been finished long ago. He was missing about fifteen head of cattle and in no mood to hear about how he wasn’t good enough for Roberta Suzanne Craig.
“She’s at home with you,” he growled.
“No, she left early this morning!”
Luke rubbed a hand across his face, worry lines running deep. “Bess thought you’d eloped.”
“What!” Just when Thomas thought nothing else could surprise him, Bertie managed something.
“Bertie definitely insists that she’s in love,” Gideon said slowly. “Bess caught on yesterday that it wasn’t just Bertie making moon eyes.” His eyes narrowed. “I agree.”
“W–we haven’t t–talked m–marriage.” Thomas’s throat was closing again. Cattle were missing, his father was nearby, and now Bertie was nowhere to be found. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like it at all.
“Which way do we head now?” Luke asked.
Soon every man from both the Two Horse and the Rough Cs was out looking for Bertie.
Bertie stood behind a cottonwood tree and watched as Josiah Temple and the outlaw moved Thomas’s cattle south. She finally recognized the other man. Not an outlaw really, but he’d scared her and Bess a few months ago when he shot up the town after the railroad drove the last stake in.
One of the calves got his foot stuck between two huge rocks. Josiah got off his horse to dislodge the dogie.
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