by Steven Gray
‘I’m on my way.’ The rancher put down his rifle and reached for his hat and slicker. He picked up one of the oil lamps.
Greeley smiled: it was obvious who ruled the roost in the ranch-house.
‘Come along, Mr Greeley, over to the fire. Let me take your hat and coat and you’d best take off your boots too. I’m Betsy Peel, by the way. That was my husband, Orson, and the girl is my daughter-in-law, Amelia. My son, Joseph, is out with the men looking after the cattle seeing what damage has been caused by this storm. They’ve been out most of the day and I’m expecting them back any minute now.’ She bit her lip and stared towards the door, anxious that her son and the men with him should return in one piece. ‘What happened? With the stage?’
Greeley told her as best as he could remember.
‘Is Bill, Mr Brown, is he OK?’
‘Yeah, he stayed with the coach and the horses.’
‘He would,’ Betsy agreed with a smile. ‘He prefers horses to people. And you say that someone died in the river?’
‘Yes, ma’am, when we were crossing the ford. It was real treacherous and I’m not sure what happened exactly. He was a farmer by the name of Clarence Lewis. He comes from near Serenity. His wife is pretty shook up.’
‘I can imagine. Well, don’t you worry none. It’s not your fault. Now, there’s a stew on the go in the kitchen and there’s plenty enough for everyone. Isn’t that right?’ she added to Amelia, who had just returned from the kitchen.
‘It certainly is,’ Amelia agreed with a little smile. ‘We’re used to dealing with emergencies out here.’
‘Ah, here they are now.’ Betsy turned as the door opened and, led by Peel, the others all tumbled in.
Ruth immediately sat down and began to cry. Betsy went over to her and sat beside her, holding her tight and speaking to her softly.
Meanwhile Peel pushed aside one of the rugs revealing the trap in the floor and pulled it open.
‘Down you go,’ Greeley said and gave Norton a shove.
‘Ma, the water should be just about boiled,’ Amelia said.
‘Good. A hot bath for everyone. And then coffee and stew. In the meantime your outer clothes can be dried in front of the fire and I’m sure we can find some nightclothes for the ladies to wear later on. Mrs Lewis, perhaps you would like to go first? I’ll come in and help you if you like.’
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Greeley sank into the tin bath, set out in the room off the kitchen, and sighed in relief. The water had been heated up several times and was no longer all that hot or particularly clean. But he felt so much better, he might have been in the hottest, cleanest bath in the best hotel ever.
Dressed again in his damp clothes, he emerged into the main room, to find the place buzzing with people and activity. The passengers were sitting at the table eating stew and a place had been left for him beside Daniels. He took it gratefully while Betsy ladled meat and potatoes onto the plate.
The only one not eating much was Ruth Lewis. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying and she looked as though she might start crying again at any minute. Greeley felt extremely sorry for her, losing her husband as suddenly as she had and having no body to bury. It was made worse because she was amongst strangers.
In the middle of the meal, Peel’s son, Joseph, returned to the house along with the foreman, a gruff looking individual called Toby Williams. Betsy and Amelia started to fuss around them as well, glad they were back without mishap.
‘So?’ Peel said, after they’d both sat down. ‘What’s the damage?’
‘Could be worse,’ Joseph said. He gulped down some hot coffee before starting to report on the situation. He was about twenty-five and very much like his father. Waiting to be served with stew, he said, ‘The cattle were spooked but they’ve calmed down now and aren’t in any danger of stampeding. We lost two or three head but we got most of ’em on to higher ground before the storm really hit.’
‘That’s good. What about the land?’
Joseph frowned. ‘Washed out in places and I reckon the river, especially higher up, will be impassable for some while.’
None of that sounded good; Greeley hoped it wouldn’t delay for too long his departure with his prisoner.
Peel said, ‘Tomorrow, so long as the weather don’t get bad again, you and Toby can ride out and take a proper look round. And hopefully we can start bringing the cattle back down onto the lower pastures before long. Some of the men can try and get to Bill.’ He gave his wife’s hand a squeeze; he knew she was worried about the driver being left alone with nothing to eat or drink in the cold and wet. ‘If there’s no more rain the ford might be passable for horses by then.’
‘I’ll arrange all that,’ Williams said.
Peel nodded. ‘Meanwhile we should get some rest. It’s been a long day.’
‘Certainly has,’ Daniels said. ‘I’m exhausted. So is everyone else.’
Betsy smiled. ‘There’s a spare room and two beds where our four daughters used to sleep, which will do fine for Mrs Lewis and Sarah.’
‘As for the rest of you there’s room in the bunkhouse.’
‘Actually, Mr Peel, iffen you don’t mind I’d like to sleep in here,’ Greeley said. ‘Near my prisoner. I know he can’t get out of the cellar and has nowhere to go if he does, but I want to be where I can keep an eye on him. I think Mrs Peel would feel better too if she knew someone was on guard.’
Betsy gave him a nod of agreement. ‘I’ll get you a pillow and blanket if you don’t mind sleeping on the floor.’
‘I’ve slept on far worse.’ Greeley was so tired he didn’t care where he slept so long as he could sleep somewhere.
‘Talking of your prisoner,’ Sarah said. ‘I know he’s done wrong an’ all, but shouldn’t he have something to eat? And a blanket to keep him warm?’
‘All right,’ Greeley said with a little laugh at her concern.
He poured out a mug of coffee and piled a plate with biscuits, while Betsy handed him a blanket. When he opened the trapdoor, Norton was sitting in a sulky heap at the bottom of the steps.
‘Here, you’ve got Miss Fuller to thank for all of this.’
‘Really?’ Norton grinned.
As soon as the table was over the trapdoor again, Williams picked up an oil lamp. ‘It’s this way, folks.’ He led Daniels and Anderson out into the cold night.
Greeley stood at the door, watching them go. Stars were blinking in the black sky and the air was full of the sound of the trees rustling and creaking in the still strong wind. The ground was thick with mud. But at least it didn’t look like it was going to rain any more.
At last, Darren Norton thought sourly, they had remembered him! But had he been offered a bath or had his wet clothes taken away to be dried off? No! No one had bothered to suggest that. And here he was locked in the dark and stuffy root cellar, the only warmth coming from the room above him and the only light coming from cracks in the floorboards over his head. There was hardly any room for him to lie down and his pillow was a sack of potatoes. Mice scurried about in the walls.
Hell, life sure as hell wasn’t fair. And with Serenity and the noose getting ever closer, that wasn’t fair either and he was desperate to escape.
‘Are you feeling any better, Mrs Lewis?’ Sarah asked as she and Ruth prepared for bed.
Ruth shook her head and gulped. ‘Oh dear, no, not at all. Oh, I can’t believe I’ve lost Clarence. That he’s gone and I’ll never see him again. I know in some ways he wasn’t that good a husband as he always wanted his own way, but he was my husband.’
‘Had you been married long?’
‘Yes, dear, we got married before the War. And mostly we rubbed along well enough together. And, oh, he was so happy about those pigs. It was to be the start of a new venture, one that he was sure would make us a healthy profit. Now I just don’t know what will happen. What will I do without him?’
‘Your son will be able to run the farm, won’t he?’
‘Yes, of
course, but . . . oh dear . . . He doesn’t know he’s lost his father.’ Ruth’s voice faded away and she sank down on one of the beds, holding her head in her hands.
Sarah delved into her bag and brought out a bottle. ‘Here, Mrs Lewis, have a slug of this. It’s good brandy.’
‘Oh no, dear, I couldn’t. Clarence didn’t approve of strong liquor.’
Sarah didn’t say anything about him not being around any more. ‘It’ll make you feel better. Help you sleep. Think of it as medicinal. We’ve been through an awful lot today. What harm can it do? I’m most certainly going to have some.’
‘All right then, dear, just a tad.’
Greeley lay down, wrapping the blanket round him. He planned to lie awake for a while making plans for how to get Norton down through the hills and into Serenity without any more difficulty, but as soon as his head touched the pillow he fell sound asleep.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Greeley didn’t wake up until Betsy Peel and Amelia got up to start breakfast. It was still dark outside. Life on a ranch, even for the owners, consisted of long hours. He dressed in a jacket that was still damp and boots that were wet and soggy, despite having been placed by the stove.
A little bit later the men wandered up from the bunkhouse at the same time that Sarah Fuller and Mrs Lewis began to lay out plates and mugs. From the kitchen came the smell of baking biscuits and frying bacon.
‘Good morning, Miss Fuller,’ Greeley said. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Yes, thank you.’
‘You look cross,’ he said, for the girl looked annoyed, quite unlike her usual self. ‘Is anything the matter?’
‘No, nothing.’ The answer was short and sharp. Then Sarah put out a hand in apology. ‘Oh I’m sorry, Mr Greeley, it’s nothing truly, except for the situation we find ourselves in.’
At that moment Betsy and Amelia came in with jugs of coffee and plates laden with food.
‘Orson! Jo!’ Betsy called. ‘Breakfast’s ready. Sit down everyone. There’s another long day ahead of us.’
‘Will we be able to resume our journey today?’ Sarah asked Greeley.
‘I’d certainly like to try.’
Betsy paused in pouring out coffee for everyone. ‘Oh no, you can’t! You mustn’t. It’ll be much too dangerous. You heard what Jo and Toby said.’
Greeley looked out of the window. While it hadn’t rained any more, deep puddles lay here and there and the wind was chilly and blowing hard. Grey clouds hung low in the sky, a mist forming over the looming hills. Betsy was probably right. Yet he didn’t want to stay here, twiddling his thumbs, for who knew how long, waiting for help to arrive or the storm’s damage to clear away. While he had no reason to doubt these people, they’d lived here a long time and were well versed in their surroundings and how the river behaved, perhaps, hopefully, it wouldn’t be as bad as they feared: the land had a way of healing itself.
‘Tell him, Orson. Make him see sense.’
‘If you insist on going, I certainly can’t spare anyone to go with you,’ Peel said. ‘My men are needed here to care for the animals and carry out repair work. Tell you what, just to satisfy my wife, why don’t you wait for Jo and Toby to report back on what it’s like. They can follow the river some way for you to see if it’s passable lower down.’
Joseph added, ‘It won’t take us long, Gus. We’ll be back in time that, if it is OK, you should be able to reach Serenity before it gets dark.’
‘All right.’ That sounded like a sensible solution. ‘I wouldn’t risk it at all, ma’am,’ he added to Betsy who looked worried, ‘except that I want to hand Norton over to Marshal Rayner and get him locked up good and tight where he can’t cause any more trouble. You want to be rid of him too, don’t you?’
Betsy bit her lip. ‘I have to confess I do.’ She cast a nervous look at the trapdoor. ‘I don’t like having him in my house one bit. But I don’t want it at the expense of you being hurt.’
‘I won’t take any unnecessary risks I can promise you that. And I won’t go if Jo advises me not to.’
‘When you leave, I’ll go with you,’ Daniels said. ‘I can help you with your prisoner and while you deliver him to the jailhouse I’ll let the Wells Fargo office know about the accident. They can send people out to deal with the stagecoach and the horses.’
‘Be glad of the company.’
‘That’s settled then,’ Peel said.
A short while later Joseph said, ‘The men are already saddling up. I’ll give ’em their orders and then me and Toby can get started too.’ He gave Amelia a quick peck on the cheek and went out of the door.
‘Orson,’ Betsy called her husband back from following his son. ‘I hope you’re not thinking of going with them.’ Her voice was stern.
Peel looked sheepish, caught out in his desire to ride with his men. He shook his head. ‘No, all right, there’s some damage to the corral fence. I’ll make a start on fixing that.’
‘Good.’ Betsy stood up to begin clearing away the breakfast things at the same time as Sarah made a surprising request.
She said, ‘Please, Mr Greeley, let me go with you as well.’
Betsy immediately sat down again. ‘Oh no, you mustn’t, my dear. If it’s bad out there and there’s an accident you could be badly hurt.’
‘You’ll only slow us down,’ Daniels said.
‘No, I won’t. I’m a farm girl. I’ve been around horses all my life and I know how to ride. I won’t hinder you, I promise. And I won’t have an accident. Please. I must. Mary is due to give birth any day and I don’t want to let her down. She needs me and expects me to be by her side.’ Sarah turned pretty blue eyes on Greeley. ‘Please. It’s so important to me.’
‘I’m sorry. I can’t chance you either being hurt or being used by Norton as a means of escape. I can’t be responsible for him at the same time as looking out for you.’
‘I can take care of myself.’
‘No, I’m sorry. But I promise that as soon as I get to Serenity I’ll find someone to take a message to your sister’s farm and tell her what’s happened. She’ll know it’s not your fault if you don’t reach her in time.’
‘That’ll be for the best,’ Betsy said. ‘Don’t fret, dear. I’m sure your sister will understand. And it won’t be long before you can join her. This weather will soon clear.’
‘Oh all right.’ Sarah didn’t look very pleased. ‘If you both think you know what’s best for me.’
Betsy was surprised at the girl’s angry and mutinous tone. ‘I’m sorry, dear, we’re only thinking of you and your safety.’
‘I know and I’m the one who should apologize for being ungracious.’ Sarah smiled.
Betsy got to her feet again and turned to her daughter-in-law. ‘Come on, Amelia, there’s women’s work to be done. I know it’s not washday but with all the rain and all these extra people, there’s an awful lot of wet and dirty clothes and towels in the laundry. Too many to leave. Luckily it’s a good drying day. We’ll get started as soon as we’ve washed up.’
‘You must let Miss Fuller and me help you,’ Ruth said. ‘I shall be glad of something to do to take my mind off my poor dear Clarence.’
‘Thank you, my dear. We’ll be glad of your help.’
‘Mrs Lewis, perhaps you’ll help me sweep the floor and put the chairs away,’ Sarah said, having recovered her good nature. ‘Then we can all set to with the laundry. Mr Greeley, why don’t you carry some of the heavy plates out to the kitchen for Mrs Peel.’
‘All right.’ Greeley didn’t mind being bossed around by a pretty young lady.
When he went into the kitchen, Betsy said, ‘Just put the dishes down there, Mr Greeley. They need to be soaked. And, Amelia, fetch me . . .’
She got no further.
From the direction of the parlour came the sound of a gunshot, followed by a scream, a thump and quickly another scream.
Startled, Betsy dropped the plate she was holding on the floor and it smashed to pieces. Sh
e looked at Greeley, fear in her eyes.
What now?
What the hell was happening?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Several thoughts tumbled round in Greeley’s mind even as he ran back to the parlour, Betsy and Amelia close on his heels.
He’d been right to be suspicious of Harry Anderson. The young man was a friend of Norton’s and had caught the stagecoach to help him escape. Or maybe it was Ray Daniels, the new guard that Brown had never met before.
One of them had shot someone while helping Norton escape from the root cellar. Or someone had shot one of them to prevent a rescue. They were all unlikely but none of them was nearly as unlikely as the shocking scene that greeted him.
‘Oh my!’ Betsy gasped behind him.
Daniels lay on his back in the middle of the floor, unmoving, his shirtfront already stained with blood, while Anderson stood by the table rigid with surprise.
And there, back to the wall, was Sarah Fuller, smiling and holding a gun. She was also holding a terrified Ruth in front of her, pressing the gun barrel deep into the woman’s neck.
Betsy immediately went to help Daniels and Sarah said, ‘No, leave him.’
‘But I must . . .’
‘Ma, don’t.’ Amelia caught hold of her mother-in-law’s arm. She had seen the look in Sarah’s eyes.
The door opened and Peel rushed in. ‘What is it? My God!’
‘Come on in,’ Sarah said. ‘Shut the door. And shut up. All of you stand over there by the table with Harry and don’t try anything stupid or say anything stupid either, else I’ll shoot poor Mrs Lewis, which I really don’t want to do.’
‘Best do as she says,’ Greeley said when finally he found his voice. He’d seen her eyes too and felt sure she meant exactly what she said.
Peel took no notice. Perhaps he couldn’t believe Sarah was capable of what she threatened. ‘Give me the gun, Miss Fuller,’ he said. ‘There’s no need to hurt anyone else.’
Before Greeley could stop him, the man took a couple of steps towards the girl.
