The Touch of Sage

by McClure, Marcia Lynn

  He sighed again and patted Bullet’s head as the dog settled at his feet. At least Charlie was with him now. Charlie would help him keep his head screwed on straight, help keep him from getting distracted by that delicious Sage Willows. He grimaced, guilt washing over him as he thought of Sage hiding her own kind of heartache. Although he didn’t fully understand what things in life now haunted her, he suspected it was pure disappointment—for the most part. She had sacrificed her own happiness to ensure that of her younger sisters. Those kinds of sacrifices scarred a woman—left her lonely and hopeless no matter how strong and independent she might appear.

  Turning, he walked toward the creek. Well, he surely wasn’t the man to fill her lonely heart. He thought again of Ivy, beautiful Ivy—Ivy and her heartbreaking ways. He would keep thinking of Ivy too—let Ivy’s memory stop him from making another mistake with Sage like the one in the barn.

  “Ivy,” he mumbled, as Bullet barked once, begging for attention. “Ivy,” Reb whispered again. He frowned, disturbed by the fact he still could not clearly recall the young woman’s face.

  

  “What’s on your mind, sweet pea?” Eugenia asked, sitting down across the table from Sage. Sage hadn’t been herself since the day Reb’s herd arrived over a week before. Although Eugenia was hoping her nephew would bring about a change in her young friend, further despair was not the change she had hoped for.

  Sage shrugged her shoulders and said, “Just…just a little too hot today, I suppose.”

  Eugenia’s eyes narrowed as she studied Sage.

  “It is pretty warm today,” Eugenia agreed. Sighing she said, “I saw Charlie Dugger in at Mr. Getcher’s today.”

  “Really?” Sage asked.

  “Yep. Seems him and Reb have the herd settled in. They did see an old mountain lion out in the east acreage yesterday,” Eugenia said.

  “Oh no! Are they worried for the herd?” Sage asked.

  “For the calves, mostly,” Eugenia said. “Charlie says the cat looks old…probably come down from the hills looking for easy prey. Bud Phillips had another dog go missing a few days back.”

  “Doesn’t make me feel very safe,” Sage mumbled.

  “You might want to be careful goin’ out to Ruth’s grave ’til someone brings that cat down,” Eugenia suggested. Then taking a deep breath and mustering her courage, she said, “Boy, Reb sure got upset when that cowpoke mentioned Ivy Dalton the other day out at the ranch, didn’t he?”

  Sage’s eyes instantly lit up—her expression that of extreme curiosity. “Yes,” she said. “I-I had the feeling there was…well, some history there.”

  “Ooooh, yeah,” Eugenia admitted, raising her eyebrows. “History would be the word for it.” Eugenia looked at Sage. The girl was desperately interested.

  “Well?” Sage urged impatiently. When Eugenia paused, Sage said, “Oh, come on, Miss Eugenia. You and Livie’ll gossip ’til the cows come home usually. Are you tryin’ to have me believe ya don’t want to share what you know?” Eugenia smiled, delighted by Sage’s excited interest.

  “Well,” Eugenia began, leaning forward across the table and lowering her voice, “by the time Ivy Dalton was sixteen she was the prettiest girl for three counties. Beautiful blonde hair, porcelain skin, and the deepest brown for eyes anybody ever saw.”

  Sage glanced away, obviously disappointed in hearing of the girl’s physical perfection.

  “Anyway,” Eugenia continued, “she was plum gone on Reb for most of her life, and when she hit courtin’ age, he finally set up and took notice of her.” Eugenia shook her head. “That girl chased after Reb somethin’ embarrassin’. A finer flirt you never did see, and Reb eventually fell prey to her charms…courted her for near to three years before proposin’ to her though. I always thought his waitin’ so long was a bit suspicious on Reb’s part…a mark of uncertainty. Do you know what I mean?” Sage nodded, but Eugenia could tell the story of Ivy Dalton was upsetting her. Still, if the girl were ever going to understand Rebel Lee Mitchell and his often unpredictable behavior, she had to have all the checkers on her board.

  “Anyhow, Reb was pretty smitten. He really loved Ivy…and so he asked her to marry him, and she said she would,” Eugenia explained. “But that Ivy…oh, she loved Reb…I don’t doubt it for a moment. I think she loved him in a frightenin’ manner, really. So much she thought he loved her just as frightenin’…thought nothin’ could ever change his mind about her.” Eugenia paused, noting the way Sage shifted uncomfortably in her chair—an unhappy frown puckering her brow.

  “Ivy figured if she could capture Reb Mitchell’s heart, well then…it stood to reason she could catch any man she put her mind to,” Eugenia said. “So she took to flirtin’ with anything wearin’ a pair of blue jeans under the age of fifty. But Reb wouldn’t have it. He ain’t like that. He’s true, loyal, and strong, and he told Ivy he wouldn’t have her flirtin’ around with every man in town the way she’d taken to doin’.” Eugenia batted her eyelashes and raised her voice to a sickeningly sweet tone. “ ‘Oh, Reb!’ ” Eugenia said imitating the girl. “ ‘You wouldn’t want me to go through life wonderin’ if I married the only man worthy of me, would you?’ ”

  “You’re teasin’ me, Miss Eugenia!” Sage exclaimed with disgust. Eugenia shook her head.

  “Nope. That’s what she told him,” Eugenia said. “Well, Reb really loved Ivy, I believe…really loved her until that very moment. But Reb’s pretty good about keepin’ his wits about him, and he told her, no, he didn’t want her goin’ through life wonderin’ if he was the only man worthy of her. He wanted her goin’ through life already knowin’ it. She lost everythin’ that day…lost the best man in the world. Reb told her they were through. Took back the ring he’d bought for her, closed up his heart, and went into the cattle business.”

  “And she just…she just let him go? As easy as that?” Sage asked.

  Eugenia shook her head. “Oh no! She begged him, pleaded with him, told him she was sorry, that she was just tryin’ to make sure he loved her. But Reb had wised up. I don’t mean he isn’t the kind to not forgive. He just isn’t stupid. Ivy took up with a local cowpoke named Joe Stone, all the while beggin’ Reb to take her back, tellin’ him it was his fault she’d taken up with Joe…Reb’s fault for breakin’ her heart.”

  “But you…you don’t think she really loved Reb?” Sage asked.

  “Oh, I think she loved him all right…in a downright unhealthy manner. But she was bad through and through all the same,” Eugenia explained. “And that’s probably what hurt Reb the most…that he’d fallen for that kind of a woman. Bad thing is…I think he’s convinced himself that all women are like Ivy…insincere, not to be trusted…incapable of lovin’ him and nobody but.”

  I’d love him and nobody but, Sage thought to herself. She was grateful for Eugenia’s telling her about Ivy Dalton and Reb. The story seemed to explain so much, from his confusing behavior in the barn to his reasons for not falling prey to the flirting ways of Milly Michaels. She could understand his distrust after having his heart betrayed and broken. Her own heart ached for him, for although she hadn’t shared the same kind of experience, she understood heartache, and she loathed Ivy Dalton.

  “Well, I’m glad he finally saw her for what she was,” Sage said. “He had a narrow escape. Imagine bein’ saddled with that kind of a woman for your entire life.”

  “True,” Eugenia agreed. “But I worry it ruined him for any other woman, all the same.”

  Sage sighed and thought of the blissful moments she had spent rendered delirious in Reb’s kiss in the barn. Reb Mitchell was the finest man she had ever known. He was kind, caring, strong, handsome, intelligent, and fun—and although her heart ached for his pain, she was glad Reb hadn’t married Ivy Dalton. If he had, she would have never known so many breathless moments in his presence. Still, it would take a unique woman to heal his heart, and Sage regretted not being unique enough to do it herself.

  “Oh, someone will come alon
g someday, Miss Eugenia,” Sage sighed, wistfully. “Some pretty young girl with a fresh, innocent heart.”

  “Well,” Eugenia said, placing one of her hands on Sage’s, “you’re a pretty young girl with a—”

  Sage pulled her hand away from Eugenia’s and stood up from her chair. “I’m none of those things, Miss Eugenia,” Sage told her. “And I’m not blind either. You’d like nothin’ more than to see Reb save me from bein’ the town spinster…but…”

  “Oh, nonsense, Sage!” Eugenia argued, rising from her own seat. “Spinster my fanny, girl! You’re all of twenty-three years old!” Sage shook her head, which was beginning to pound with the discomfort of aching.

  “Let’s don’t discuss it anymore, please, Miss Eugenia,” Sage said. “I need to take a walk before I start supper. Reverend Tippetts and the others will be here earlier tonight. Rosie invited them all for cards.”

  “Um…Sage?” Eugenia began. Sage turned and looked at her. The older woman wore a guilty, timid expression.

  “Yes?” Sage urged, nervous to hear what she had to say. Surely she realized Sage didn’t want to talk about Reb Mitchell and Ivy Dalton anymore.

  “I-I plum forgot to tell you,” Eugenia stammered. “I invited Reb and Charlie out for supper tonight too. You always fix us so much when Scarlett and the Reverend are out that I didn’t think you’d mind. Do you?”

  Sage felt her innards begin to tremble. Of course she minded! She needed more time! Not for preparing supper, but for preparing herself to face Reb again. Still, she forced a smile.

  “Of course I don’t mind, Miss Eugenia,” she lied. “But…I really do need some fresh air.”

  “Thank you, Sage,” Eugenia said. “I just worry about them boys eatin’ nothin’ but hardtack and jerky all the time. It isn’t healthy.”

  “I know,” Sage agreed. “It’s fine. I’ll be back shortly.” She left by way of the back door, pausing to pinch a few leaves of sage from one of the plants in the barrel.

  

  Drifter seemed to enjoy the hot, dry air of summer as much as Sage did. Still, he was thirsty when they finally reached the creek bed. Sage tied his reins to a nearby piñon, still pinching the sage leaves between her fingers and inhaling their fragrance as she strolled toward Ruthie’s grave. She gasped as she walked up over the hill to see Reb. He was putting the finishing touches on a new fence surrounding Ruthie’s gravesite.

  Sage wondered how long he had been there—working to protect Ruthie from the destruction that might be caused by grazing cattle. It was obvious Reb had taken great care in constructing the fence, for it had nine posts in its square, and the wire was pulled taut and straight. It wasn’t a tall fence by any means. It wasn’t much higher than Reb’s waist. Sage realized her breathing had stopped when she had come over the hill and seen him. She hoped he wouldn’t turn and see her before she had a chance to escape down the back side of the hill. However, her hopes were vanquished as Reb’s gelding stomped the ground, causing the man to look up—to see her.

  “Sage,” he called out, waving to her with one hand indicating she should join him. “What do ya think?”

  Sage swallowed hard and forced herself to walk toward him. The last time she had seen him was the morning the herd had arrived at the ranch—at breakfast—before he left the table after squelching the conversation about Ivy Dalton. He had been angry then but seemed happy enough now.

  “I wanted to make sure ya didn’t feel she was bein’ smothered by this new fence,” he said as she approached. “So I kept it open and a ways away from the other little fence. Think it’s all right?”

  Sage forced a smile and nodded. “It’s perfect,” said. “Thank you…for goin’ to all the trouble.”

  Reb smiled and said, “Ain’t no trouble. Yer doin’ me a favor by lettin’ me run my herd out here. Remember? Look here,” he said, slipping between two posts sunk close together with no wire strung between them. “No gate to mess with. Ya just slip right though these two. I sunk ’em far enough apart so a person can get through easy, but a cow can’t get more than a head in.” Sage smiled and followed him between the two posts. “I was worried this new fence might make ya feel too closed in. What do ya think?” It was the third time he had asked her for her opinion.

  “I think it’s perfect,” she said.

  He breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m mighty glad to hear that. Been workin’ on it all day,” he said.

  “Thank you,” Sage said.

  Reb nodded and smiled, but a moment later his eyes narrowed and his smile faded. “I-I was hopin’ it would turn out good enough that maybe you’d forgive me for the other day,” he said. Sage looked away from him, feeling a blush instantly rise to her cheeks. “I was just…just so glad to see the herd come in, and I—”

  “It’s fine, Reb,” Sage interrupted, turning toward the gate leading to Ruthie’s grave. The kiss in the barn had been the stuff of dreams, and she knew if Reb were to apologize to her, the memory would be tainted. She wanted to pretend he had wanted to kiss her, enjoyed kissing her—might kiss her again one day. If he told her it was a mistake—told her it would never happen again…

  “But it ain’t fine, Sage,” he said, interrupting her thoughts and catching her hand in his. She looked up to him, afraid she might not be able to hold back her tears were his apology to be a long one. “We’ve come to be good friends, Sage…and I don’t want ya thinkin’—”

  “I’m not thinkin’ anythin’,” she lied, turning from him. He held tight to her hand, however.

  “Yes, ya are!” he argued. “Yer thinkin’ I’m disrespectful of ya somehow. But I ain’t. I just…I just lost my head for a minute…I was so dang happy to see the herd finally come in. And I don’t want ya to think I’m gonna take to slobberin’ on ya all the time the same way Bullet does.”

  Sage looked at him. He seemed so concerned, so desperate she forgive him. Yet she was saddened. She liked the idea of his “slobbering” all over her—if what had happened in the barn was his definition of it. He had done exactly what she had feared he would. He was apologizing for the kiss.

  “Are ya gonna forgive me?” he asked.

  Sage forced a smile. “There’s nothin’ to forgive,” she told him.

  He smiled, seeming relieved, and nodded, squeezing her hand for reassurance. “Thank ya, Sage,” he said, still holding her hand. “But there is one more thing,” he added. He looked down at her hand he held, taking the sage leaves from her fingers and waving them under his nose before stuffing them in his shirt pocket.

  “What’s that?” she asked. In truth, she simply wanted the conversation to end. She wished the rain would come and give her its permission to cry.

  “Well,” he began, raising her hand to his face and rubbing her fingertips over his mustache as he sniffed their sage fragrance. “I done a right terrible job of kissin’ you.”

  Startled by his words, Sage pulled her hand from his grasp and turned toward Ruthie’s grave. Whatever was he talking about? His kissing her had been the most wonderful moment of her life. How could he possibly think otherwise? Furthermore, the sound of his voice even uttering the word kissing caused her skin to tingle.

  “I hope ya’ll forgive me for that too,” he said. “And that ya’ll give me a chance at doin’ a better job of it someday.”

  Sage felt her mouth drop open in astonishment as she whirled around to face him. Her heart was pounding madly, and she could feel her palms begin to perspire.

  “What?” she whispered.

  Reb chuckled and said, “Oh, quit lookin’ like yer gonna drop dead. I’m just funnin’ with ya.”

  “Hey there!” Charlie Dugger called, reining in next to the fence at that very moment. “Howdy, Miss Sage,” he greeted. “Fence looks good, Reb.”

  Reb winked at Sage as he said, “Yep. It come out fine.”

  “I’m lookin’ forward to supper tonight, Miss Sage,” Charlie told her. He dismounted and slipped between the fence posts to join them.

&
nbsp; “I’m lookin’ forward to havin’ you, Mr. Dugger,” Sage stammered. She was still rattled from her conversation with Reb.

  “Call me Charlie,” he told her, taking one of her hands in his, raising it to his lips, and kissing the back tenderly. Sage smiled, delighted by his gesture.

  “Well, ain’t we just all propered up today?” Reb chuckled.

  “Don’t mind him, Miss Sage,” Charlie said, linking her arm through his. “He spends too much time wallerin’ with the hogs to have a stitch of manners left in him.”

  “What time ya want us in for supper, Sage?” Reb asked.

  “Well,” she began, distracted by the way Charlie kept smiling at her, “the others will be over about five tonight. There’s a mad game of rummy planned.”

  “I’ll follow ya home right now, if ya want, Miss Sage,” Charlie flirted. Sage giggled. He was a charming man.

  “Can’t afford to have ya do that, Charlie,” Reb said. “I already got Bullet, thanks to Sage here. Don’t think I can have you turnin’ into one of her unruly mutts.”

  “Oh! That reminds me,” Charlie said. “Ol’ Bullet was barkin’ to the moon earlier this mornin’. I took a look out by the crick but didn’t find nothin’.”

  Reb scowled and nodded. “That ol’ cat’s just a-waitin’ for a calf to wander close enough,” Reb mumbled. “I think we need to hunt him down in the next couple of days. I don’t want to lose any stock.” Reb looked to Sage then, a worried frown puckering his brow. “You be careful comin’ out here alone, Sage.”