Rachel (Bride Brigade Book 5)

by Caroline Clemmons

  He tapped the brim of his hat and left. She vowed to make coffee in the morning and invite him to have a cup on his rounds. Probably she should keep a pot going every morning for whoever came to the office.

  What was she thinking? She’d have to ask Zane before she did something like that. Maybe he didn’t want people dropping in to chat over coffee.

  Besides, she had more serious problems than coffee to consider. Her world had exploded only a few weeks after she’d believed she had a chance at happiness.

  She was still deliberating when the other women arrived armed with shovels, plants, seeds, and lemonade. She should have thought of refreshments. She joined them in front of the office.

  Lorraine hurried up, carrying gardening gloves and a package. “Mrs. Murphy insisted on sending a cake. Can I put it on your desk for now?”

  “Of course. Zillah has brought lemonade. I apologize because I should have thought of that. I do have an old pair of gloves to wear while we garden.”

  Lupe had set down a dozen pots earlier and was now returning with more. Didamia and Mary Margaret helped her by carrying others.

  Ruby held a shovel. “You got to tell us where ever’thin’ goes.”

  “Ladies, here’s what I have in mind so you tell me if this is possible.”

  She took a shovel and drew an arc from the front walk to the corner of the building. Then, she did the same on the other side. There wasn’t actually a paved walk, more a trail from the road to the door.

  Didamia said, “I know where we can get rocks to line that. There’s a pile behind the warehouse left over from the foundation. Some are big enough to use for stepping stones.”

  “Let’s get the plants in today then we can work on a border and walk.” Mary Margaret dug a hole near the office.

  Lupe picked up a large cactus-like plant. “That will be good for this yucca.”

  They set other plants in place to gauge where they would look best. Lupe moved them around until she was satisfied. They set to work until the sun drove them indoors. Lupe continued working until they coaxed her inside.

  The spirited woman sat on the floor. “I am from the desert and the heat doesn’t bother me. I won’t turn down a drink and some of that cake.”

  “I’m sorry I put all the chairs where they go. I’ll get those from Zane’s office.”

  Carrying her cup and plate of cake, Lorraine sat beside Lupe. “Don’t bother, Rachel. You’d just have to rearrange them again.”

  Rachel put her hands on her hips and looked around the room. “What we need are a couple of benches, maybe a drop leaf table against a wall. I’ll have to ask Zane about those, though. I’ve already made the changes he authorized and I don’t want to annoy him or give the impression I’m a spendthrift.”

  Zillah joined Lorraine and Lupe. “We’ll soon have this job finished. Why don’t we come to my house next week for tea?”

  Rachel clapped her hands. “What a wonderful idea.”

  Ruby narrowed her eyes. “You think we each gonna have a tea at our house?”

  Zillah smiled at the other woman. “Of course not, Ruby. But, I love having people visit. We’d be cozy, of course, because my house isn’t large, but I think it’s comfortable. I’ve been able to give dance lessons there by clearing the parlor.”

  They agreed to meet next week on the day the men would return. Rachel looked forward to seeing Zane again, but feared his reaction to her story. She’d decided to confess to him as soon as she saw him alone.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Zane surveyed the bodies over their saddles. He figured one was Cole, but there were three others. Two robbers were wounded and each sat astride his horse with hands tied to the pommel.

  Zane and his men had bandaged one another as best they good. Mick was hurt worst. Both he and Ken had been shot in the back by the lowdown, yellow-bellied drygulchers.

  “Vic, you’re in charge now and you drive this wagon. Buck, you relieve Ken. After you turn these polecats over to Adam, take the wagons to the warehouse. Tell Adam to bring rope and a wagon and come get Bronco and me.”

  Vic protested, “Boss, you ain’t aimin’ to go after Bronco with you shot up like you are?”

  “He works for me and I won’t abandon him or rest until he’s in his home or Doc’s office.” He picked up his Henry and walked to the edge of the ravine to shout, “Bronco? You conscious?”

  “Sí, I grabbed hold of a tree to stop my fall but I’d already busted my leg.”

  Zane grabbed his bedroll and fitted the strap over his shoulder. Inside the roll, he crammed the medical supplies they had left. He hooked his canteen onto the bedroll and stuffed what food they had left into his pockets before he lowered himself over the edge.

  “I’m coming after you.”

  Bronco shouted, “Wait, Boss, and send others with ropes.”

  “The men will send them, but until they get here you have me.”

  Among the brush halfway down he spotted Bronco’s red shirt. The man might as well wear a target on his back, but he loved bright colors. He said it was his job to draw fire from the wagons.

  Above him, the sounds of wagons, horses, and mules moved down the incline. He trusted Vic to get the load to town and get the men to Doc Gaston. Adam would bring a posse to help get Bronco up to the top.

  Using his rifle stock as a brace, he carefully made his way down the almost straight side. Carrying the bedroll was awkward and he fought catching it on brush or being knocked off his feet. If he broke a leg or his back, he’d be no help to Bronco. He had to get to him before dusk, which would come early in the ravine shaded by the mountains.

  After a long scramble, he reached his friend.

  Bronco appeared ready to faint. “I can’t hold on to this branch much longer.”

  Zane grabbed Bronco around the chest. “I’ve got you. Protect your leg and I’ll try to get us down to the bottom.”

  “Go up so they can see us.”

  “Vic marked where you went over. I’d never be able to get us up there. We need to get where you can stretch out on my bedroll and I can get a fire going.”

  Bronco slumped against him. “Sí, I admit this does not sound bad. I am very tired.”

  Zane sensed sticky wetness where he held Bronco. “How bad are you hit?”

  “Missed my heart, but something bad is wrong. I need to lie down.”

  “Just a little further. I see a nice sandy spot for our camp. I stuffed some jerky and hardtack in my pockets.”

  When they reached the base of the mountain, Zane leaned his friend against a boulder and gave him a drink before he spread the bedroll. When he had the other man tucked in, he gathered wood.

  Once he had the fire blazing, he checked Bronco’s wounds. He was no medic but he’d do the best he could. Cleaning the chest wound, Zane tried to hide his shock at how bad it was. He’d brought his spare shirt and he tore it into strips. Their bandages had been used on the other men and himself.

  “I can’t do much for your leg but I’ve tried to stop the bleeding where you were shot.”

  “Sorry you had to come down, Boss, but I tell you I wouldn’t have made it otherwise. May not now.”

  Zane sent his friend a stern frown. “You’ll make it, Bronco. You’re not leaving me to face Lupe alone. That woman loves you and she’ll skin me alive if I don’t take care of you.”

  The other man offered a weak smile. His voice was fading, but still understandable. “She will be angry, yes. Still, she is glad I have a real job and we have our little casita.”

  “Buck didn’t leave us much food—you know how hungry he stays. You want something to eat?”

  “Another drink of water will be enough.”

  Zane held the man’s head while Bronco drank. When he waved aside the canteen, Zane placed it where his friend could reach it. He gathered more fuel to keep the fire going all night.

  Then, Zane collapsed against the boulder. He should have brought a pan so he could make broth from the jerky
. Was he crazy? With his load, he’d barely made this far without falling.

  He sat with his rifle across his lap and his revolver ready. There were all kinds of critters in this ravine who’d love to have Bronco and him for a meal. Zane was counting on the fire to keep them away.

  ***

  Days dragged by while Rachel waited for Zane’s return. She couldn’t resist a surge of pleasure when she arrived each morning. What a difference the plants made.

  Didamia had borrowed a four-wheeled freight dolly to move rocks for stepping stones and smaller ones to border the cactus garden. Rachel had never realized there were so many kinds of cacti. Although they’d poured water around them when they were planted, Lupe assured her they were carefree.

  Now Rachel longed to see Zane again. She’d made up her mind to confess everything. If he still wanted to marry her, then she’d agree. If he didn’t, she’d ask him to keep her confidence.

  Michael Buchanan stopped by. “A letter came for Zane, so I thought I’d drop it by and see how you’re doing.” He handed the missive to her.

  “Bored because there’s no work for me, but they’re due back today.” She smiled conspiratorially at him. “Did our picnic make Josephine jealous?”

  “Sure did. Thanks for being a good sport.”

  “I enjoyed myself.” And she had, but she’d wished she was with Zane instead of Michael.

  He tapped the brim of his hat. “I’ll be on my way.”

  “Thanks for the delivery. I’ll put the letter on his desk.” She looked at the address and realized the writing was Zane’s. Why would he write to himself? Having no answer, she laid the paper in the center of his desk.

  She had asked the other women what time the men and wagons usually arrived and learned usually around midday. At noon, she locked the door and ambled to Lydia’s. She couldn’t stop pacing.

  Lorraine touched her arm as Rachel passed her—again. “You’ll hear the wagons going by. You might as well sit down and relax.”

  “I have a bad feeling. I can’t explain exactly but like a dark cloud surrounds me.” She shivered.

  Prudence guided her to a chair. “They’ve made this trip dozens and dozens of times. They know what they’re doing.”

  Rachel sank onto the chair, somewhat mollified. “I guess I’m being silly, but I have this awful foreboding. We Scots are a bit superstitious, you know.”

  Lorraine stared at her. “You’re telling me? Have you forgotten my last name is Stuart?”

  “I heard the sheriff talking about a gang of outlaws who had escaped prison and were supposed to be headed this way. What if they decided to attack the wagons?” Rachel wrung her hands, picturing Zane caught in gunfire.

  “That’s what the riders are for. Didamia told me they’re grateful to Zane and won’t let anything happen to him or his freight,” Lorraine reminded her.

  “They’ve been attacked in the past, though. Zane and two of his men have been shot.”

  Prudence patted her shoulder. “And they’re that comes from not having enough work to keep me busy at the office. Leaves me too much time to overthink everything.”

  She stilled and tuned her ears to the windows. “That sounds like them now.” She rose along with several others.

  “What did I tell you?” Lorraine walked beside her.

  Rachel opened the front door and stepped onto the wide porch. “Something’s happened. Vic’s driving in Zane’s place.”

  She ran to the front wagon. “Where’s Zane?”

  Vic nodded to her. “He’ll be all right, Miss Ross. Don’t you worry none. He went to help Bronco. Sheriff will go after them soon as we get these fellas behind us all turned in.”

  That was when she saw the string of horses with bodies over the saddles and two men tied to their saddle pommels.

  She ran to keep up with the wagon. “What happened to Bronco?”

  “Got shot and fell over the side. Mick and Ken got hit in the back. Buck and me got off pretty light.”

  She noted the bandage on his arm. “Lupe and Ruby. I’d better go to Lupe. She’ll be so worried.” She hurried toward the riders’ homes.

  The women were at the road, each looking toward the wagons that had stopped in front of the doctor’s office.

  “Ruby! Go to Doctor Gaston’s office. Mick was hit. So was Ken.”

  Ruby took off running. That brought the other three toward her.

  “Mary Margaret, please go tell Zillah and stay with her, would you?” She took Lupe’s hands. “Bronco got hit and fell over the edge into a ravine. Zane went after him. The sheriff and others will go get them.”

  Lupe stared, her eyes filling with tears. “Over the edge from a mountain road? He could be dead.” She wailed in grief.

  Rachel restrained the small woman. “No, listen to me. Vic said he talked to them, told Zane not to come after him. But, Zane loaded up with a bedroll, canteen, and things he’d need and climbed down to help Bronco.”

  Keening, Lupe rocked back and forth. “I want to go with them.”

  “It’s near dark. They’ll probably wait until morning. Let’s walk slowly to the sheriff’s office and see what the plans are.”

  Rachel supported the smaller woman on one side, Didamia on her other. About halfway to the sheriff’s, Lupe pulled herself together.

  “Bronco would not want me to be so weak in public. I must be strong for him.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Didamia gave her a hurried hug before she ran toward Vic and climbed up on the wagon seat beside him.

  Zillah ran toward the doctor’s office, Mary Margaret struggling to keep up with her. At the sheriff’s office, the string of horses was tied to the hitching rail, bodies draped across the saddles. Seeing the dead up close sent Rachel’s stomach roiling. Her rubbery legs threatened to fail her.

  One of those bodies could have been Zane. Mick and Ken were gravely injured and she didn’t know if they’d recover. She couldn’t imagine Bronco’s condition after his fall.

  Adam was griping at the two injured crooks. “You’ll get seen to when the doc is finished working on the men you shot. I got no room in my jail until the Army comes for the scoundrels locked in the cells. You two will be handcuffed to the bars and sleep on the floor unless I locate a camp cot.”

  When Adam saw Rachel and Lupe, he left Deputy Stanton and another man to herd the two miscreants into the jail. “We can’t go after them until morning. We’ll leave at first light. Zane has his rifle with him and some supplies. Don’t worry, Mrs. Alvarez, we’ll bring your husband back to you.”

  Lupe stepped up nose to chest with the sheriff and looked up into his face. “I want to go. He will need me.”

  Adam rubbed at his jaw for a few seconds. “Reckon you can ride in the wagon. You have to promise to stay out of our way, though. Can you do that?”

  Relief spread across her face. “Sí, I will do as you say. I will be here before dawn.”

  “Meet us at Dubicki’s livery. We’ll get the wagon from him. You might bring some blankets and a pillow or two.”

  “Gracias, I will do this.” She turned toward her home.

  Rachel walked with her. “Lupe, why don’t we take the mattress from the little bed at the office? That would cushion Bronco more than just blankets.”

  The other woman appeared grateful. “You would help me do this?”

  “Yes, because I’ll be riding in that wagon with you.”

  “This is a good thing. You are worried about Zane. He is more to you than your boss, is that not true?”

  Rachel sensed her face heat. “He’s a fine man. Let’s take the mattress and bedding to the livery now. That will save time in the morning.”

  The two of them stopped at the livery to ask permission from Fabian Dubicki.

  When they explained what they wanted to do, Mr. Dubicki led them to a wagon. “This is the one they’ll take. You let me hitch up a couple of horses now and I’ll park the wagon in front of the freight office. I can load that mattress while
you carry the bedding.”

  Rachel asked, “Do you mind if we meet you there?”

  He looked up from his task. “I’ll be right along.”

  The two women hurried to the freight office. They saw Vic and Buck unhitching the mules and Didamia hovering by her husband. Rachel wondered how much freight had been damaged in the attack.

  She hoped it wasn’t Callahan’s furniture. Although any breakage would be bad, the furniture would be hard to repair. She held no hope for the glass in her picture frame.

  Rachel opened the front door and she and Lupe immediately went to the small bed in Zane’s office. There were two extra blankets folded neatly on a shelf. Rachel handed those to Lupe then stripped the bed and folded the linens.

  When Mr. Dubicki arrived, they were ready. He carried the mattress while they loaded the blankets, pillows, and sheets. Rachel locked the door behind them and she and Lupe climbed into the wagon.

  After they were in the livery, the two women made the bed and stacked the extra blankets near.

  Rachel climbed down. “Do you suppose Bronco and Zane would both fit on that mattress?”

  “I don’t think so. Zane is un hombre grande.”

  “I don’t speak Spanish, though I intend to learn.”

  Lupe shrugged. “Means Zane is a large man. Perhaps how badly Bronco is hurt will decide the question of sharing the mattress.”

  “Will you be all right alone tonight? Why don’t you come to Lydia’s with me?”

  Lupe shook her head. “Gracias, but I will be fine. I will go home to gather what I need and come sleep here. That way I will not worry that I might wake too late.”

  “Then I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight.” Rachel trudged back to Lydia’s with a heavy heart.

  Zane was much more to her than her employer. She realized how deeply she cared for him. But what would he think of her when he heard her confession?

  How long had he worked as a Pinkerton? She couldn’t believe he was one of the crooked agents like Richard Brown. He wouldn’t cheat. At least she didn’t think he would, but how well did she know him? Why had he resigned?

  He’d said he came here because he was tired of traveling all the time and wanted to put down roots. Was that the only reason? She almost stumbled into the man who ran the hotel.