by Steve Hayes
About to follow her, Ingrid paused in the doorway and gazed at the barn. Lamplight showed through the chinks in the boards. In her mind she saw Gabriel stretched out on the straw, head resting on his saddle, smoking Sven’s tobacco….
The thought of her late husband made her feel lonely, and suddenly she had a strange yearning to join Gabriel. Shocked and at the same time titillated by her feelings for a stranger, a man who in almost every way was the exact opposite of Sven, she scolded herself for having such lascivious thoughts and hurried indoors to give Raven her supper.
CHAPTER NINE
Gabriel awakened just before sunup the next morning. The pain in his lower back was less excruciating and he knew now he could tolerate it. Pulling on his boots, he gently stretched the stiffness from his muscles then left the barn and walked slowly to the water trough.
The sun was still below the eastern horizon, while overhead a sliver of moon still lingered in the cloudy, lavender-gray sky. A cool, dry breeze off the desert washed over his face, tugging at his unruly black hair. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fragrance of candlewood and desert lilies, and expelled it in a long deep sigh of satisfaction.
For the first time in three days he felt truly alive. Ever since he had ridden away from Cally’s sister, Ellen, who had begged him to let her take him to a doctor, he’d expected to die. He had hung on for as long as he could, all sense of time and reality suspended in his mind. But as his life-blood slowly drained from him, saturating his shirt and reddening the flanks of the Morgan, he’d gradually lost consciousness.
But every man has a time to die and this hadn’t been Gabriel’s. And now, thanks to strangers, here he was, alive and on the mend.
As he bent over the trough he saw the moon floating on the surface of the water. He playfully poked it with his finger and the reflection dissolved into shimmering ripples. Splashing cold water on his face, he straightened up and patted himself dry with his kerchief.
High overhead, a hawk screeched. He looked up and saw it, wings outspread, drifting on a thermal as it searched the desert for breakfast.
Off to his left the circular vane of the old, patched windmill creaked in the wind above the well. It reminded him of yesterday, of how the woman’s quick thinking had saved his life a second time, and he looked at the cabin, hoping to see Ingrid standing in the door beckoning him in for breakfast. But the door was closed and no light showed inside. Glumly, he realized he’d have to wait a little longer for his coffee.
As he walked to the barn he heard a familiar snorting behind him, followed by pounding hoofs. Whirling, he looked at the corral – in time to see the Morgan charging toward the fence. A collision seemed inevitable. But at the last instant the stallion leaped, effortlessly clearing the fence. It landed and without breaking stride charged toward him. Its teeth were bared and there was red fire in its eyes and Gabriel knew the horse intended to run him down.
There was nowhere to hide and in his condition it was useless to try and run; so Gabriel stood there, wishing he hadn’t left his Colt in the barn, watching the stallion rushing at him.
‘C’mon, you black devil,’ he yelled at it. ‘Do your goddamn worst!’
The stallion was almost on him now. Gabriel felt the ground trembling underfoot. He tensed himself for the blow. But it never came. At the last instant the charging Morgan swerved, narrowly missing Gabriel, its body so close that its flowing tail whipped him across the chest.
Relieved, and at the same time angered by the stallion’s erratic behavior, Gabriel watched it stop a short distance past him. He expected it to charge him again. Instead it reared up, front legs pawing at the air and whinnied triumphantly – as if, Gabriel thought, to remind him who was really the boss.
‘I knew he was foolin’ with you,’ a small voice said.
Gabriel turned and saw Raven approaching from the desert, slingshot in one hand and two dead rabbits in the other.
‘That so? Know all about horses, do you?’
‘Not all,’ she said, unfazed by his sarcasm. ‘But enough to know a bluff when I see one.’
‘Maybe you’d feel a mite different if you were standin’ right in front him.’
‘I doubt it,’ she said brashly. ‘Brandy tried to ramrod me for a spell yesterday while we were hiding in Furnace Canyon. But once he saw I wasn’t gonna get riled up like you do, he soon got his manners back. Did you know he likes piñon nuts?’ she added. ‘Well, he does. Lots. In fact if I was you, mister, I’d fill my pockets with ’em and then maybe you’d be able to win him over like I did.’
Gabriel was tempted to hold her over his knee and spank the daylights out of her.
Raven, sensing she’d gone too far, got ready to take off. ‘Had a dog like him once,’ she said. ‘A Mescalero named Two Bears gave him to me. Well, that ain’t entirely true. Apaches were gonna eat him so I stole him ’fore they could. But you think that mutt was grateful? Heck, no. Used to growl and snap at me whenever I got too close. I took a switch to him a few times but it only made him worse. Got so I almost quit taking him hunting with me—’
‘If you’re tryin’ to make a point,’ Gabriel broke in irritably, ‘now’d be the time to get to it.’
‘He saved my life, that’s the point, mister. Got himself all tore up by a mountain lion just to give me time to run away.’
‘Brave dog, all right. But with Brandy you’re mistaking courage for meanness. He wouldn’t fight a mountain lion for me. He’d sooner watch me get all chewed up.’
‘That so?’ Raven said in the same tone he’d used earlier. ‘Well, if that’s how you figure it, mister, reckon there’s no use in me telling you ’bout how many miles he carried you without water when you was all shot up … or how many buzzards he kept from pecking your guts out till Momma an’ me got back with the wagon. No sirree. I mean I’m just a runt of a girl. Wouldn’t be right for me to tell a growed man how wrong he was, now would it?’ Whistling insolently, she walked off to the cabin.
‘Hold up, missy.’
Raven turned and saw respect had replaced the anger in Gabriel’s pale blue eyes.
‘I’m obliged to you for bringin’ that to my attention. Some times even a “growed man” gets to thinking so much ’bout himself he forgets how much he owes others around him.’ With a tip of his hat, he headed back to the barn.
‘Wait….’ Raven, impressed by his response, held the dead rabbits up by their ears. ‘Wanna help me skin these?’
‘Only if I get to help you eat ’em.’
‘Deal.’
That night they ate rabbit stew for supper. Ingrid flavored it with onions or ‘skunk eggs’ as Gabriel called them, carrots, potatoes and herbs, all from her garden, and as an extra treat whipped up flour dumplings. She also intended to bake a pie. But Raven surprised her by offering to make one for her – ‘You got so much else to do, Momma.’
‘Well, thank you, lamb. That would be most helpful.’ Ingrid, not fooled by her daughter’s unusual eagerness to help, got an even bigger surprise when just before Gabriel arrived Raven walked out of the bedroom with her hair brushed and wearing her one and only Sunday dress. It had been so long since Ingrid had seen her in anything but frayed jeans and a soiled boy’s shirt that her mouth fell open.
‘Why you gaping at me like that?’ Raven demanded. ‘It’s nothing but a silly old gingham dress.’
‘And very pretty you look in it, too. I’m sure Mr Moonlight will be delighted—’
‘I’m not wearing it for him, Momma. I just felt like putting it on is all. So don’t go making a big fuss out of it.’
There was a knock on the half-open door and Gabriel poked his head in. ‘Hope I’m not too early,’ he said when Ingrid beckoned him in. ‘But the smell of that pie baking got my mouth to waterin’—’ He stopped, surprised, as he saw Raven in her primrose dress and then turned to Ingrid. ‘You didn’t tell me you were invitin’ a lady to supper.’
‘That’s because I wasn’t aware of it myself,
’ she said, smiling. ‘Puts us all to shame, doesn’t she?’
‘All right,’ Raven scowled. ‘Dang it, that’s enough. You two can quit your teasing now or I’m gonna take this dumb thing off.’
‘Why, bless me, it’s Raven,’ Gabriel deadpanned. ‘I never would’ve guessed.’
‘I’m warning you, mister.’
‘Now, now,’ Ingrid soothed. ‘That’s enough. Let’s all be nice and polite and sit down to supper. But I feel obliged to tell you,’ she added to Gabriel. ‘The berry pie you mentioned – I didn’t bake it. Raven did.’
Gabriel arched his brows, impressed. ‘Well, ain’t you a daisy. Territory’s full of pretty women but a pretty woman who can bake a pie smells like that – now that’s a rare commodity an’ somethin’ a fella would find hard to resist.’
Raven blushed, murmured ‘good-God-almighty’ under her breath and ran into the bedroom.
Amused, Ingrid whispered to Gabriel. ‘I fear she has a crush on you.’
‘I’m flattered. But I don’t want her missin’ supper over it.’
Ingrid motioned for him to remain seated and entered the bedroom. Shortly she reappeared, pushing Raven ahead of her.
‘Now,’ she said when they were all seated. ‘Perhaps you’d be kind enough to lead us in prayer, Mr Moonlight.’
‘My pleasure, ma’am. And please, call me Gabe.’
CHAPTER TEN
By the end of the week Gabriel, though still sore, had healed enough to help Ingrid and Raven gather vegetables from the patch beside the cabin. When that task was finished and Raven had gone off to hunt quail, he offered to make a few much-needed repairs to the corral fence, barn and cabin.
Ingrid thanked him but said it wasn’t necessary. She had already sold the ranch to Mr Lylo Willis, who ran the telegraph office in Santa Rosa, and because of its rundown condition had accepted a lower price than it was worth.
Surprised, Gabriel asked her when she and Raven were moving.
‘End of this month. We’re going to live with my stepbrother, Reece, in California. He’s been nagging me to come ever since Sven died. But I couldn’t bring myself to leave here.’ She looked sadly about her. ‘This is all I have left to remember him by … and it’s taken me this long to find the will to pull up stakes and go on without him.’
Wondering why it mattered to him if she or her daughter left or not, Gabriel said: ‘How’s Raven feel about movin’?’
‘She’s undecided …. changes her mind from day to day. She loves the desert and the freedom it gives her, but at the same time she’s excited about going somewhere new and living in a big fine house with servants—’
‘Your stepbrother’s fared well, then?’
‘Very well. Reece owns the town bank, a general store and from what he says in his letters a lot of land as well.’
‘Then you shouldn’t want for anything.’
‘Absolutely not. He’s made that very clear. Says I won’t have to lift a finger. He’s also made plans for Raven to attend a school for fine young ladies in Sacramento.’
The idea amused Gabriel and he couldn’t help grinning.
‘I know what you’re thinking and I felt the same way. Poor Reece has no idea what a handful she is and, frankly, I haven’t let on. I know that’s dishonest but, well, there’s always the chance that once she gets there and settles in, she’ll change. People do, you know,’ Ingrid added when he frowned. ‘I know in Raven’s case it’s hard to believe—’
‘That’s not what was on my mind, ma’am. I was thinkin’ that if she was my daughter I wouldn’t want her to. I’d want her to stay just like she is. Not often you find a young’un with her kind of savvy an’ grit.’
‘Heavens, now you sound like my husband – that’s exactly what he would have said.’ She paused, troubled by her thoughts. ‘Sven didn’t like my brother much. He only met Reece a few times, but he formed a bad opinion of him. And whenever I tried to defend him, Sven would accuse me of turning a blind eye. We seldom argued about anything, but when it came to Reece we disagreed vehemently. I can remember Sven saying to me once: “For God’s sake, woman, open your eyes and see this man for what he really is – a greedy, ruthless land baron who’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants!” Of course, that was just his opinion, and a very biased opinion at that—’
‘Biased?’
‘Reece didn’t want me to marry Sven. He thought he was a good man, but felt financially I could do better. In fact he was angry at me when I ignored his advice and married Sven. Said I’d rue the day.’
‘Did you?’
‘Never. Not once, not even for a second. But somehow Sven found out about what Reece said and never forgave him. Which was sad. Though Reece is only my stepbrother, he’s always done his best to take care of me. I love him very much and because of the rift that sprang up between him and Sven, I was forced to make a choice – my husband or Reece. As a result, we didn’t see each other for several years.’
‘An’ now you’n Raven are gonna go live with him.’
‘Sounds like you think I’m making a mistake.’
‘Wasn’t my intention.’
‘Well, I’m not,’ Ingrid said adamantly. ‘I admit Reece can be pugnacious and difficult to deal with at times, like any businessman … and he does enjoy getting his own way. But he’s not ruthless and he’s not greedy. He’s generous. In fact he’s one of the most generous men I’ve ever known.’
To Gabriel, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself that her stepbrother was a fine man and instinctively he wondered why.
Misunderstanding his silence, she said: ‘My goodness, listen to me carrying on. Forgive me. I usually don’t burden other people with my problems. But I can’t discuss this with Raven. She’s far too young to understand any of it—’
‘It’s no burden, ma’am. Everyone needs to talk to somebody.’
‘I’ve noticed you don’t.’
‘Maybe I’ve been alone too long.’
‘Oh, I’m not criticizing. In fact I’m envious. I’d give anything not to be so needy, so dependent upon the love and affection of others—’ She broke off, embarrassed, and then only half-teasingly said: ‘Perhaps I should have you teach me how to be a gunfighter … then I could be as independent and free as you.’
‘Guns don’t bring independence, ma’am. Or freedom. Truth is they can sometimes keep a fella boxed up.’
‘Then why do you keep using them?’
‘Don’t have much choice.’
‘Because of your reputation?’
His tight-lipped silence answered her question.
‘What if you went somewhere else, some place far away where no one knows you?’
‘An’ do what? Tend bar in a cantina? Sell dresses an’ nails in a general store? Wear a badge for fifty an’ found till some saddle tramp sees a wanted poster an’ puts one in my back? For gunfighters … life ain’t long on options.’
The stress of the past few days showed on his weary, rugged face and her heart went out to him. Moving close, she rested her hands on his shoulders and looked up into his light blue eyes.
‘If by some miracle you could hang up your guns – would you?’
‘I don’t deal in miracles,’ he said. ‘I deal in lead.’
It was not the answer she’d hoped for. She stepped back, upset by his response, and started for the cabin.
He knew he’d hurt her and cursed himself for letting his anger get the better of him. For a moment he considered calling her back and explaining that five years ago Cally had asked him the same thing. Younger then and still filled with hope, he’d answered yes. Encouraged, she had ignored public opinion and a warning from the territorial marshal, and become his woman. And from then on her life had been a living hell.
Not about to put another caring woman through the same anguish, he waited until Ingrid reached the cabin then said quietly: ‘Reckon I’ll be ridin’ on tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow?’ She turned back to him, making
no effort to hide her dismay. ‘But, why? What’s your hurry?’
‘No hurry. Figure it’s time.’
‘I wish you’d reconsider, Gabe.’ When he didn’t reply, she added: ‘It would mean a lot to me if you’d stay on until Raven and I leave for California. It’s only another week or so.’
‘Why till then?’
‘Well, for one thing you’d be completely healed. You start riding too soon and you might reopen your wound. And once it starts bleeding again it could get infected—’
‘What’s the other reason?’
She hesitated.
‘If you want me to stay, ma’am, I gotta know why.’
‘It’s Raven. Before you showed up she was giving me fits. She fought me over everything – refused to do anything I asked and threw tantrums whenever I put my foot down. I thought at first it was just her age and rebellious nature. But as time wore on I realized it went much deeper.’
He waited, wondering how that involved him.
She seemed to read his mind. ‘Raven likes you. More importantly, she respects you. You’re a man and right now she needs a man to look up to.’
‘Ma’am—’
‘No, no, please listen. Although Raven’s never come right out and said it, I know she blames me for Sven’s death and ever since that day has seemed intent on making my life miserable. But now, with you around, she’s seems to have gotten over all that and become her old self again.’
He thought a moment before asking: ‘Why you? You didn’t pull the trigger.’
‘In her eyes I might just as well have. She believes if we hadn’t gone to Melvin’s Haberdashery to pick up my birthday dress, her father wouldn’t have gotten shot. I’ve tried to talk her out of it, but she won’t listen. She’s convinced herself that I’m to blame and that’s all there is to it.’
He slowly digested her words. ‘How ’bout you?’
‘Do I think I’m to blame?’ Ingrid shrugged, dejected. ‘At this stage I don’t know what to think. No, that’s not true. Yes. Occasionally. When I’m feeling really low. Then doubt creeps in and I start wondering. I mean, I surely didn’t need a fancy new dress, not living way out here. Yet I went ahead and helped Sven pick it out of the catalogue … chose the day we rode into town and—’ Her voice trailed off and tears glinted in her cornflower eyes.
