“They were the only two talking.”
“You mean yelling, don’t you?”
“They were getting pretty loud.”
“Why is Jake so mad?”
“He’s jealous. Inside he probably knows Rena did the only thing she could to get rid of Wigham, but he’s furious that she flirted with him.”
“But it worked.”
“I know it worked, but all Jake can think of is that the woman he wants flirted with another man.”
She climbed into the bed. “They’re still screaming at each other.”
“It may go on for a while. Try to tune them out.”
“It isn’t easy, Silas. I’m not used to so much yelling.”
“If you had been the one playing up to Wigham, you and I might be doing the yelling.”
She laughed. “I could never do anything like that.”
“I’m glad you couldn’t because I wouldn’t like it.” He took a long breath. “I think they’ve left the kitchen. Their voices are getting closer.”
The sound of Jake’s voice came through the wall. It was full of anger. “Are you really going to his place?”
“If I have to, I will.”
They could tell she was angry, too.
“I guess that’s the way they do it in your time.”
“We do what we have to do to stay alive in my time. You said you do here.”
“That’s different.”
“It’s time to forget the whole thing. I’m tired and I want to go to bed.”
“Hell no! I won’t forget it.”
“I don’t see why not. I did it for you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. For you, and for Adela and Silas, too.”
Nobody said anything else.
Silas whispered, “Maybe they’re winding down.”
“I guess so. I hear her coming down the hall.”
There was a short silence then Rena almost screamed. “How dare you follow me into my room?”
“I want some answers.”
“Answers to what, Jake? I told you everything that happened. Which was nothing but conversation.”
“Adela said he touched your arm when he left.”
“So? He touched my arm. That was no big deal.”
“I guess it would be no big deal if he touched your face. Your shoulder. Your breast.”
“Jake!”
“What if he’d tried to kiss you?”
“He didn’t.”
“Are you interested in him, Rena?”
“No, Jake. I told you, I only played up to him so he wouldn’t harm anyone tonight.”
“How far would you have gone with him, Rena?”
“How dare you ask that!”
“I have a good reason to ask you that.”
“And what reason would that be?”
“Oh…it got silent all of a sudden,” Adela whispered to Silas.
“I bet he’s kissing her.”
“Do you really think so?”
“I sure do. He’s been aching to for a long time.”
“I think she likes him, too, but she won’t admit it.” Adela almost giggled.
Rena’s voice broke into their conversation. “How dare you kiss me like that, Jake Haywood!”
“You liked it, I could tell.”
“That’s beside the point. You had no right to kiss me.”
“What would you have done if Wigham had grabbed you and kissed you like I did?”
“I would’ve shot him.”
“Really?” Some of the anger was out of his voice.
“Yes really. And stop grinning at me.” There was a slight pause. “Don’t come any closer to me, Jake. If you do, Wigham won’t have to shoot you. I will.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“I might.”
“But you wouldn’t.”
“I…”
There was another pause.
“See, I told you, you wouldn’t shoot me.”
“I don’t have a gun.”
“A woman who is going to shoot a man doesn’t kiss back and, honey, you kissed back.”
There was a rustling sound; she must have moved away from him. “You need to leave my room now, Jake Haywood.”
“Do you really want me to go?”
“Yes.” Her voice was high, but not angry.
“You’re sure about that?”
“I’m positive about that.”
“All right, I’ll go, but I want you to get one thing straight. You’re not going to Wigham’s party. I won’t have you with that man.”
“You don’t own me, Jake.”
“Not yet, I don’t.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know exactly what it means.”
“No I don’t, and stop grinning at me.”
“I see it. You’re trying to hide it, but it’s there. Just like kissing back, you’re grinning back and you can’t help yourself.”
“Go!”
There was silence, then Rena asked, “Why did you do that?”
“It was a simple good night kiss. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Rena’s door closed and Adela let out a sigh.
Silas whispered in her ear. “Disappointed because he didn’t stay with her?”
“No. I’m relieved. They’re not married, Silas.”
“But we are.” He reached for her. “And I think it’s time we started being married in the right way again.”
“Silas, are you sure?”
“Yes, Adela. I want to make love to you. Regardless of what I’ve said or how I’ve acted or what I’ve done in these past few months, I never stopped loving you.”
“I never stopped loving you either, Silas.”
His mouth covered hers for a few seconds. “Can we start again? Will you give me another chance to be the husband you deserve? This time, I’ll do my best to get it right.”
She didn’t answer, but her responding kisses gave him the answer he was seeking.
* * * *
Breakfast was in progress when Rena went into the kitchen. Gil was getting up from the table. “It was mighty good, Miz Adela.”
“Thank you.”
Silas nodded toward the door. “I’ll be out shortly, Gil. Send Curly back to the bunkhouse. We don’t want him wearing himself out.”
“I’m gonna track more of our rustled cattle,” Jake said. “I have a feeling we have more missing than we first realized.”
“I think so, too.” Gil tipped his hat. “Good morning, Miss Rena.”
Rena nodded.
When Gil went out the door, Rena asked, “Is Finn going to be here today?”
“Why?” Jake looked up from his coffee.
“Do I have to explain everything I say or do to you?”
“Yes. Nobody knows what you’ll do next. We have to try to keep up with you.”
“I’m not going to argue with you this morning. I want somebody to teach me to ride a horse. I figured Finn would be the one.”
“Finn’s going to work the cows with Gil and Silas while I track our stolen cattle. Curly will be here, but he’ll be too tired to show you when he gets in.” Jake still looked at her. “If you think you have to learn to ride, I’ll teach you when I get the time.”
Rena bit her lip to keep from retorting. She went to the stove and dished up her breakfast without answering.
* * * *
It was late afternoon when Jake and Silas rode in. They took care of their horses then headed toward the house.
“I hadn’t had a chance to say anything to you, but you and Rena sure had some harsh words for each other last night, brother.”
“It made me mad to think of her sitting there making eyes at Wigham.”
“You’re in love with her, aren’t you, Jake?”
“How the hell could I be in love with her? She has only been here a few weeks.”
“I didn’t know Adela that long and I married her.”
“Yeah, I know. I also know t
hat you never give her a good word any more. Maybe if you’d known her better…”
“We’re working it out, Jake.” Silas turned toward his brother. “I know I treated her shamefully, but that’s ended. It ended the night that we were stranded across the river.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Adela’s a good woman.”
“Yes, she is and I’m ashamed of the things I’ve done to hurt her.”
“You’re talking about the Silver Slipper, aren’t you?”
Silas was silent for a moment then said quietly, “I went upstairs there with Molly for the last time. I’m going to be the husband Adela deserves.”
“Maybe if I went to town and took Molly upstairs I could get Rena off my mind.”
Silas shook his head. “Wouldn’t work. I tried it with Molly and most of the others, but I still couldn’t get Adela out of my mind. Once you fall in love with a good woman, substitutes won’t do.”
They reached the back porch and stepped inside. Adela stood at the stove stirring a pot. “Hello,” she said.
Silas walked over and kissed her cheek. “Hello,” he whispered.
Jake stared at him, but only said, “Where’s Rena, Adela?”
“I’m not sure. Curly helped her ride a horse this morning and she’s been out several times today. She left again about an hour ago.”
“Damn stubborn woman.” Jake frowned. “She shouldn’t be riding alone. Anything could happen.”
Adela continued to stir the stew. “When Curly came in for dinner he said she was a natural on a horse.”
Jake shook his head and hung his Stetson on the peg by the door.
The men sat down at the table and Adela was pouring coffee when Curly ran up to the back door. “Boss! Boss!”
“Yeah, Curly,” Silas said as he and Jake both went out the door. “What is it?”
“The horse Miss Rena was riding came in, but she’s not on it.”
“Damn fool woman!” Jake grabbed his hat. “I’ll find her.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“You stay here, Silas. I’ll fire two shots if she’s all right. If I fire three, it means we need help.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.” He went out the door muttering, “If she’s gone to Wigham’s ranch I’ll break her pretty neck.”
It didn’t take Jake long to saddle his horse and head out, his mind reeling. What the hell was she thinking? In her time, it might be all right for a woman to go out alone in a deserted area, but that wasn’t the case in Arizona Territory in 1876. Not only were there dangers from unscrupulous men, but there were wild animals that could attack. A cougar wouldn’t care if its prey was a defenseless woman. Damn, her! Why couldn’t she wait to learn to ride? He told her he’d teach her when he had time. Why didn’t she listen to him?
At first it was easy to track Rena’s trail. Then it became a little confused. She would pause, go back, and move forward again.
He frowned. What could she be looking for? Surely she hadn’t made arrangements to meet Wigham out here. Maybe the way she behaved with the son of a bitch last night wasn’t an act. Maybe she was attracted to the man. When this thought crossed Jake’s mind, he boiled inside. “I swear I’ll kill her if she doesn’t stay away from that bastard. She’s going to be mine and I don’t intend to share her with anybody. No man is going to touch that woman but me!”
The trail was clear and straight until he came to the fork in the road. The right went to Wigham’s place. The left led to Yellow Creek. He swallowed anger when her tracks turned to the right. He cursed, fumed and planned what he was going to do to her when he got her back.
Then without warning, the tracks took a sharp turn toward the mountains. New worry descended on him as he followed them.
“What the hell is she up to?” He spurred his horse to a faster trot. He hadn’t gone far when he spotted something blue in the distance. She’d worn a blue skirt today; his heart leaped into his throat. Was she hurt? Why didn’t she move? He spurred his horse into a fast gallop.
When he got closer, he saw the skirt on the ground, but Rena was nowhere in sight. Maybe it wasn’t hers. He dismounted and scooped it up and his breath quickened. It was Rena’s all right, but he didn’t see her anywhere.
He threw the skirt across the front of his saddle. Looking around, he saw where she’d got off her horse. There were broken weeds and her horse’s hoofs were plain to see. He guessed she’d taken off the skirt on her own. Though he had no idea why she’d do that, he breathed easier. She’s hardheaded enough that she probably got hot and took it off thinking there was nobody around here to see her. But why the hell did she throw it on the ground? Did she drop it or did she throw it away? He shook his head. Aloud he muttered, “If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never understand this woman. Why the hell can’t I get marrying her off my mind? My life would be one big turmoil, tied up with her.” But he knew inside that getting tied up with her was exactly what he wanted to do. And the quicker he did it, the better off he thought they’d both be.
He got back in the saddle and moved ahead, still wondering why she wanted to undress here on the desert. Or did she? Was she wearing something else? If so, why’d she do it, and what was she wearing? Did she arrange for someone to meet her in the mountains? Would Wigham come out here for a rendezvous?
He hurried Spider to the rocky incline and began edging toward the plateau and the caves above. He almost lost her tracks when the trail up the mountain became rocky, but broken twigs and misplaced rocks pointed the way. When the ground leveled out, the tracks were clear again.
He saw the caves in the distance and his heart pounded. Maybe she hadn’t come here to meet anyone. Maybe she’d tried to send herself back to her time. He thought she was beginning to care about him. Would she leave him, now, before he had time to tell her he loved her and wanted to marry her? She couldn’t do that. He wouldn’t let her. He sped his horse to a gallop.
At the first cave he saw nothing. He wondered if she was inside and started to dismount. But first he looked farther down the ridge and caught his breath. There was a figure sitting beside the mouth of a cave some distance away. He knew it had to be her.
He rode up to her and jumped off his horse. She sat with her back against the edge of the cave and with her legs drawn up. Her backpack was beside her on the ground. She was wearing the clothes she’d had on the day she was brought to the ranch. They still looked like underwear to him, but right now he didn’t care. She was here and she was safe. That was all that mattered.
She glanced up at him, and dropped her head back to her knees. She didn’t speak when he approached.
He pulled the rifle out of the scabbard. “I’m going to signal Silas that I’ve found you.” He fired the gun twice, then returned it to the scabbard. He moved to stand in front of her, his legs almost touching her knees. He waited several seconds, but she said nothing. He broke the silence. “Rena, what are you doing?”
“I’m trying to go home.” Her voice was calm.
He moved to her right and squatted beside her. “Rena, the Flying H Ranch is your home now.”
“No, Jake. I don’t fit in here. You and Silas have made that clear. Even Adela knows I’m out of place.”
“You fit here fine.”
She shook her head. “I can’t cook like Adela. I can’t grow a garden. I complain about the hot weather. Everybody looks at me funny when I say simple words that are second nature to me.” She raised her head and looked at him. “I’ll never be able to have a normal life here.”
“Rena, your life will eventually become normal. None of that other stuff matters.”
“But it’s too hard. I don’t have the strength.”
“Don’t say that. You have more strength than many men I know. You’re learning to adjust. I know it’ll take time, but you’ll get it.”
“No I won’t, Jake. I’ll not change. I’ll always be opinionated and I’ll do what I want to do, even if it isn’t right in your eyes
.”
“You think you won’t change, but you will. This land has a way of changing people whether they want to or not.”
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and abruptly changed the subject. “I was only trying to keep Wigham from killing you when I flirted with him last night. I didn’t know it would be so wrong in your eyes. It was all I could think of to do. Then you got mad at me and then you kissed me and got me all mixed up.”
He grinned, then reached out and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest without protest. “Rena, I’ve been mixed up since the day I got home and found you unconscious in my bed.”
“That’s why I have to go, Jake. I can’t mess up your life. I can’t…”
He cupped her chin in his hand and looked into her eyes. “Listen to me, Rena. My life would only be messed up if you were to go. Don’t you know I think about you constantly? I’ve told myself all the reasons why I shouldn’t be attracted to you. Yes, we’re from two different worlds. Yes, you’re headstrong and say and do things that most women of today can’t or won’t do. Yes, we’re as different as any two people can be and we’re probably asking for trouble if we give in to our feelings for one another. I tell myself these things over and over, but it doesn’t help. I still want you so bad it hurts. I think you’re the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen. It makes me want to…”
She pulled away. “See. I’m mixing you up as much as you are me. I have to go back. It’s the only way.”
“No, Rena. Gray Feather said you could never return to your time. It’s too dangerous. You could fall into the wrong past or if you went forward you could miss your time all together.”
“But…”
“No, buts. You’re safe here. We want you here. Adela loves having you around and Silas is beginning to think maybe you aren’t a witch after all. Of course the hands think you’re special. They have ever since the day you threw Silas on the floor.” He grinned. “Curly thought you were an angel to tend him so gently when he was shot. He even asked me if I thought you might become interested in him if he showed you some attention.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him there was no way in hell that…Well never mind what I told him.” He shifted his gaze. “It goes without saying, that you’re special to me and I want you to stay here forever.”
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