by Bobbi Smith
Nick managed a slight grin as he went on, "Speaking of surprises, I've found that things aren't always what they appear to be here in Hard Luck."
"Why? What happened to you?"
"When I first got to the stable, there was a boy working outside, harnessing a horse. I didn't see anyone else around, so I went to ask him about renting a buckboard."
"And?"
"Turns out the `boy' was no boy. I know you warned me things were different here, but I had no idea Texas women wore pants. It was quite a revelation for me."
"A girl at the stable was wearing pants?" Michael frowned. "What did she look like?"
"For all that she was so unorthodox in her dress, she was quite pretty. She had dark, curly hair and-" Nick stopped as he saw Casey's buckboard tied up before the general store. "That looks like her buckboard." He pointed it out as they drove by.
Michael glanced toward the store just as two young women came outside carrying supplies. One was a pretty blonde wearing a dress, and the other was
"That's her," Nick said.
It was just as Michael had suspected.
The girl in pants was Casey Turner.
Though Casey and Anne had both changed during the years he'd been away, Michael recognized them. Anne had matured into a very attractive young woman.
And then there was Casey.
She was the one female he would never forget, no matter how hard he tried.
"She said her name was Casey Turner," Nick told him, smiling.
"Yes," Michael answered curtly. "I know."
Michael hadn't planned to acknowledge Casey and Anne, or to even slow down. He had intended to keep on driving, but Anne spotted him and called out before he could get away.
"Michael? You're back!"
He had no choice but to rein in and speak with them. He quickly introduced Anne to Nick.
"Why, hello," Anne greeted him, seeing immediately what Casey had been talking about. He was one handsome man.
"It's nice to meet you, Anne," Nick said enthusiastically. He was growing even more impressed with the women of Hard Luck. Casey was darkly pretty in her unorthodox style of dress, while Anne was lovely, too, in a more classic, feminine way.
Michael looked over at Casey.
"Hello, Casey." His tone was less than friendly. "1 understand you've already met my cousin."
"Yes, Mr. Paden and 1 ran into each other at the stable."
"Please, call me Nick," Nick said, smiling at her.
"And I'm Casey," she returned. "I told Anne about meeting you at the stable, Nick. We were trying to figure out who you had come here to visit. Now we know."
"When Michael got the news about his father's injury, I wanted to make the trip with him," Nick explained.
"I'm sorry about what happened to your father," Anne told Michael sincerely. "1 hope he'll be better soon."
"Thanks."
"I'm sorry, too, Michael," Casey put in.
He only nodded at her in response.
"Give your father my best mother, too," Anne said.
"I will." Michael was more than ready to move on.
"And, Michael-" Casey called out, unable to resist as she eyed the fancy suit he was wearing.
He glanced warily her way.
"I like your clothes," she finished.
The look he gave her was meant to kill, and his jaw locked. He urged the team on without responding.
"Ladies." Nick didn't know what was going on. He tipped his hat to them as they drove away. He wondered at his cousin's reaction to Casey's remark about his clothes.
"Bye," Anne called out.
Nick waited a few minutes before broaching the subject.
"I get the feeling you're not too fond of Casey Turner," Nick ventured.
"That would be putting it mildly," Michael answered.
His tone was such that Nick knew better than to ask any more about her.
Casey stood with Anne as they watched the two men drive away.
"Michael certainly looks different now, doesn't he?" Anne observed.
"It's those fancy clothes he had on. He's been away so long, I wonder if he even remembers how to break a bronc or handle a gun."
"Of course, he does," Anne said. "Michael was always good with a gun, and he definitely was one of the best when it came to breaking horses. He hasn't forgotten."
"Well, you couldn't prove it by looking at him."
"I kind of like the way they were dressed," Anne remarked. "They looked so..."
"So what? Silly?" Casey teased, unwilling to give Michael any slack.
"No, they looked like honest-to-gosh, real gentlemen, just like you said Nick was when we were first talking about him. We don't see many real gentlemen around these parts very often."
"You're right about that, and there's a reason for it. It's probably because they're such dandies they don't last very long out here in the West."
"I hope Michael and his cousin stay on for a while. I'm sure Mrs. Donovan needs all the help she can get."
"I'm sure she does," Casey agreed. She could only imagine how hard it would be to try to run the Bar T without her father's help.
Casey and Anne finished loading the supplies, then Casey started home. She was anxious to let her pa know about Michael's return. Since her pa had been cleared of any involvement in the shooting by the sheriff, she wasn't too worried about any real trouble with the Donovans, but the ill will between the families had always been strong, and judging from Michael's reaction to her, it wasn't ever going to disappear.
"It's Michael!" Elizabeth cried when she heard the sound of a wagon approaching and brushed the curtain aside to look out the bedroom window. "Frank here! And Nick's with him!"
Since the shooting, Frank had been too weak to leave the bed. Elizabeth had been staying by his side in case he needed anything.
Frank opened his eyes, and, for the first time since the shooting, he managed a smile.
"Michael's finally here?" he repeated.
"Yes. I'll go bring him up."
Elizabeth rushed from the bedroom.
Though Michael had been desperate to get home, now that the moment of their reunion had finally come, he was dreading it. He knew he had to be strong for his parents' sake, but that didn't mean it was going to be easy.
"Nice place," Nick remarked, looking around at the prosperous spread. The house was a large two-story structure with a porch that wrapped around three sides. In the back, there were numerous outbuildings, the stable and a corral.
"Pa's worked hard over the years to build it up."
"Looks like Uncle Frank's done a fine job."
Michael reined in before the house just as his mother came outside. He quickly climbed down from the buckboard and went straight to her, embracing her fiercely.
"You're here! You're really here!" Elizabeth fought back tears as she gazed lovingly up at her son. It seemed an eternity had passed since she'd seen him last.
"Are you all right? How's Pa?"
"I'm fine," Elizabeth answered quickly, "but your father"
"I heard the truth of what happened in town. I talked to Reverend Harris and the sheriff."
"Then you know about the shooting and his condition."
"Yes."
"He's not doing well." Her tone was solemn. She glanced toward the upstairs bedroom window, then back at Michael.
Michael could only nod. The news was not unexpected.
"Nick, it's good to see you again." She put on a gracious smile as she turned to welcome her nephew.
"It's good to see you, too, Aunt Elizabeth. I just wish the circumstances were different." Nick went to give her a supportive hug.
"So do I," she agreed quietly. "Let's go inside. Michael, your father is anxious to see you."
She led the way into the house and showed Nick to the parlor.
"Make yourself at home," Elizabeth bid.
Nick went into the parlor to wait, while Michael followed his mother upstairs.
F
rank turned his head when the bedroom door opened and his wife and son walked in.
"You came-" he managed in a weak voice.
"You knew I would," Michael answered fiercely. Pain filled him at the sight of his father lying so pale and still on the bed. His father had always been a vigorous, powerful man. Michael had never seen him looking weak before.
Frank lifted his hand to him. Michael quickly moved to take it in a firm grip.
"What happened, Pa? Why would anyone do this to you?"
"I don't know, son."
They took comfort in each other's presence, and Michael noted that his father seemed to draw strength from him.
"Will you stay, Michael?" Frank asked. It had always been his hope that Michael would one day return to the Circle D.
"Yes. I'll stay."
"Good. We need you. I need you."
Michael silently offered up thanks that his father had survived the ambush. Though his injuries were traumatic and terrible, it would have been far worse if he had been killed.
Michael couldn't imagine life without his father. Frank Donovan had always been the guiding force in his life.
As Michael stood there holding his hand, he vowed silently from the deepest part of his soul that he would see justice done. He swore to himself that he would stay on at the Circle D for as long as it took to find the one responsible for ambushing his father.
Casey reined in before the house and jumped down from the buckboard. She noticed Ron Maguire's horse tied up at the hitching rail and wondered why the other rancher was there. She hurried inside, anxious to tell her father about Michael Donovan's return.
"Casey, you're back."
"Yes, Pa. Hello, Ron," she greeted him. "I have some news from town."
"Ron has news for us, too," Jack put in before she could go on. "He's moving on."
"You're leaving?" she asked, surprised. The Maguires had lived in the area for as long as she could remember.
"Yes. The last few years have been hard hard. There was some rustling going on, and then the drought hit. I didn't have the money to hold on any longer."
"Times have been hard for all of us," Jack agreed.
"Who did you sell out to?" Casey asked.
"John McQueen made me a fair offer, and I decided to take it."
"He's bought up a few of the ranches in the area, hasn't he?" Jack asked, feeling uneasy about the news. He'd never fully trusted McQueen. Something about the man bothered him, but he was never sure exactly what it was.
"Yes, the Royal is getting to be pretty big. I wish him luck. As hard as times are for ranching right now, he's going to need just like you are."
"Well, I hope things go better for you, Ron."
Ron shrugged. "1 can't say for sure they will, but I can always hope."
"What happened in town, Casey?" her father asked.
"Michael Donovan is back. I saw him! He came in on the stage today."
"You had to figure Michael was going to show up, with Frank being shot and all," Ron said.
"I know," Jack said tersely. He was still angry about being accused of the shooting.
"Well, I'd better be going." Ron shook Jack's hand. "Good luck to you, Jack, and to you, Casey."
Jack tried to smile, but he was going to miss Ron. "You take care of yourself. Where are you headed?"
"Back to Missouri. We've got family there."
Jack walked his friend outside to see him off. He was feeling tense and decidedly uneasy when he came back inside.
"What do you think is going to happen, Pa?" Casey was worried about the trouble with the Donovans and the news that Ron had been forced to sell out.
Jack didn't want Casey to know how concerned he really was about their situation. He managed a smile as he said, "I can tell you what's not going to happen. I'm not going to sit around here worrying about losing the Bar T.I'm going back to work and make sure we don't."
"I like the way you think." Casey smiled back at him. "Give me a minute to unload the supplies, and I'll be right with you."
Later that evening Michael, Elizabeth and Nick were having dinner in the dining room.
"What does the doctor say about Pa's condition?" Michael asked his mother. "Is there any hope he can make a full recovery?"
"No. None," she answered solemnly. She explained what the doctor had told her about the bullet wound and how it had severely damaged his spine. "Dr. Murray said he might be able to get in a wheelchair one day, but your pa absolutely refuses to even talk about it."
"What do you want to do?" Michael asked gently. "Do you want to stay on here at the Circle D?"
Elizabeth looked up at him, the turmoil of her emotions revealed in her tortured gaze.
"Right now I hate this ranch!" Her words were almost a snarl. "If I had my way, we'd sell out! Now!"
"Will Pa agree to that?"
"No. Never." The fire that had filled her a moment before was gone, extinguished as if it had never existed. "But I don't know how I'm going to be able to keep things running by myself."
"I'm here," Michael reassured her.
"But for how long?"
"For as long as you need me. I'm not going anywhere."
"And I'm here to help, too," Nick added.
"Thank you." Relief swept through Elizabeth. She took comfort in knowing Michael and Nick would be with at least for the time being. Their presence gave her the strength she needed to face the uncertainty of their future.
"I'm going to find out who did this to Pa." Michael's tone was deadly serious. "It won't be easy, but the coward is out there somewhere. I'm not going to give up until he's behind bars."
Michael awoke early the following morning. He got up and dressed in some of the old work clothes and boots he'd left behind when he'd gone back East. Going to stand at his bedroom window, he watched the sun rise over the Circle D.It was a beautiful sight, and a deep and powerful sense of belonging filled him.
Home.
He was home.
Turning away from the window, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror over the dresser. He stared at himself, studying the serious, determined-looking cowboy who stared back at him. He found himself wondering if this was who he truly was. In the image, he saw no trace of the man who'd ridden into Hard Luck on the stage yesterday. He left the room, troubled by the thought.
After seeking out Tom at the bunkhouse, Michael re turned to the main house to find Nick and his mother eating breakfast.
"I just spoke with Tom, and we're going to ride out to the place where Pa was ambushed so I can take a look around," Michael said as he joined them. "Do you want to ride along, Nick?"
"Yes. I'll go." Nick didn't know if he would be any help, but the ride would give him a chance to see more of the Circle D.
"You be careful out there," Elizabeth cautioned.
"We will be," Michael assured her. He had gotten his six-gun out of the gun case the night before and made sure it was cleaned and ready for action. He would be strapping it on again when they rode out. He planned to be ready in case of trouble.
"Are you good with a gun, Nick?" Elizabeth asked, knowing he'd led a sheltered life in Philadelphia
"No, but I'd like to learn, if Michael has time to teach me."
"I can do that. You're going to need a change of clothes if you're riding out with me," Michael said.
"You don't think I should wear my suit?" Nick asked with a grin.
"Not hardly. Not where we're going."
"Let me see what I can find for you," Elizabeth offered, excusing herself while they finished eating.
"I just hope I can find something there that will help us track down the gunman. There's only one neighbor Pa had any ongoing trouble with, but there's never been any bloodshed between us, and Turner had an alibi for the day.,,
"Turner?" Nick recognized the name. "As in Casey Turner, the girl in town?"
"She's his daughter," Michael answered flatly.
"That explains it."
"Expl
ains what?"
"The way you reacted to her."
Michael was glad his mother returned just then with the clothes. He didn't want to get into a discussion about Casey.
Nick went upstairs to his room to change.
"Well, what do you think?" Nick asked when he came back down.
Michael and Elizabeth were both startled by the complete change in him. Nick no longer looked the dandy. In the denim pants, workshirt and boots, he could easily have passed for a regular ranch hand.
"You look like you belong here now," Michael told him.
"You think so?"
"Yep. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were born and raised in Texas."
Michael went to the gun case, got out another gun belt and handed it to Nick. "Here. I hope we don't need you to use it, but just in case."
Nick strapped the gun belt on as Michael buckled his, too, then got his hat.
"All you need is a Stetson," Elizabeth said to her nephew, and she handed him a hat.
"Thanks, Aunt Elizabeth." Nick put it on as they left the house.
Tom was waiting out front with horses for them.
"Who's this stranger? I haven't seen this cowboy around these parts before." Tom grinned at Nick, surprised and impressed by the change in him. Michael had brought his cousin out to the bunkhouse the night before to meet all the ranch hands.
"He's just some hand I found wandering around in town," Michael joked. "I hired him on."
"We can always use good help," Tom said, winking as they mounted up.
"We'll be back," Michael promised his mother.
The three men headed for the scene of the ambush.
"What exactly should I be looking for?" Nick asked.
"Anything that will help us find out who shot Pa."
"Is there any way we can be sure that it wasn't just a random act by someone passing through?"
"No. We can't be sure of anything right now, except that I'm not going to give up no matter how long it takes."
Nick studied the Texas countryside with interest as they rode on across the seemingly endless miles. Mesquite trees, Johnson grass and prickly pear cactus dominated the landscape, and in the distance a butte rose up against the horizon.
Tom finally spoke up, breaking the silence. "So, Nick, what do you think of the Circle D?"
