by Cherie Shaw
“Take whatever you need, Consuelo.” Beckford replied. “Sam Beckford wouldn’t have wanted you to do without, nor do I.”
“Gracias, Señor.” She turned, then left the dining room.
As soon as Consuelo had gone to the kitchen, Maria spoke. “I will prepare the meals from now on, Señor Claude.”
“No hurry, Maria.” Claude assured her. “We can all eat with the cowhands, at Hank’s cookhouse. He’s quite a cook, from what I hear, and I haven’t tried his steaks yet.”
“I would not hear of it. That is final.” Maria announced.
Ricardo joined in, “Señor Claude, do not hurt my Maria’s feelings. You insult her cooking and we will, after all, go to Mexico. And that is final.”
“All right, all right.” Beckford laughed. “I see I am in over my head. I will graciously accept your new position, Maria, and no arguments. Now, let’s enjoy our breakfast, after which I have an announcement to make.”
“Uncle Claude, what is that?” Olivia asked.
“Later, my dear, later.” He answered.
“I wish to see more of the Triple-B Ranch, so I am going horseback riding after breakfast, and Logan has graciously offered to ride with me, however, we can postpone the ride until after your announcement.” She said.
“Riding?” Amelia queried, “H’mph, just don’t you be riding too far from this ranch, young lady.” She ordered. “There may be savage Indians lurking in those hills. Also there are other kinds of dangers out there too.” And she gave Logan a hard look that said more than mere words possibly could.
Maria gave Amelia a look which said that Amelia was possibly going too far with her act. Amelia only smiled, then looked down at her plate and began eating.
Olivia, looking puzzled, answered, “But I won’t be alone. I will have protection.”
“And who’ll protect you from that protection?” Amelia glared in Logan’s direction and added, “I have heard that some folks in this western territory have brought forced marriages onto themselves with their carelessness.”
“Oh, Amelia, really.” Olivia flustered. “You are being absurd. Force a marriage on me? Nonsense!” Flushing, she began stirring sugar into her cup of hot tea, vigorously.
Logan grinned, while Lord Beckford began busily pouring molasses onto his flapjacks, though his white eyebrows were raised, as he glanced over at Amelia, who was doing her best to hold back a giggle.
After breakfast was finished, Consuelo refilled coffee cups as Claude and Ricardo lit up fresh cigars.
“Alright, Uncle Claude, out with it. What is this great secret announcement of yours?” Olivia asked. She hadn’t expected the answer he gave.
“Well, Niece, and others here at the table. The announcement is actually both of ours.” And he glanced at Amelia.
“Both?” Olivia was confused. “What do you mean both?”
“Amelia’s and mine. To get to the point, she, after years of procrastinating, has finally consented to become my wife.”
Olivia was ecstatic. “Oh my, Uncle, and Amelia……..congratulations! I can only say that it’s about time you two admitted your feelings for each other.”
Maria shook her head of thick dark hair, and said, “Congratulations to you both. Though poor Lulu will be devastated. I suppose I could console her with a few more of my Spanish recipes.”
Olivia laughed, “Maria, really, please no more recipes. Besides, after Lulu’s recent experience with Mr. Henry Adams, I believe she has pulled herself out of circulation, for the time anyway.” Olivia then jumped up and gave Amelia and her uncle both big hugs. Logan and Ricardo shook hands, all the way around, with congratulations.
Amelia caught her breath long enough to state firmly, “Well, there’s no fool like an old fool, so I may as well take this one out of circulation. Now you two ladies can tell your friend, Lulu, that this ‘old fool’ is taken.” Everyone laughed at Amelia’s statement.
“Oh, Amelia,” Olivia exclaimed, “you two have never fooled anyone. Even all the employees at the Manor knew about the both of you. It was written all over your faces. They were even making bets about how long you could keep up the charade, but I will say I didn’t expect this announcement today. I thought it had to do with the ranch. I’m happy for you both. Now, what I want to know is when is this wedding supposed to take place? Another ten years from now?” She queried.
Claude spoke, “All the employees at the Manor, huh? Well, we thought we hid it so well.” He chuckled, then, “As far as when we will marry, let’s say, just as soon as we can get to Coyote Springs, if travel after that rain last night is permissible. We’ll look up that Methodist preacher at the church, that is, before Amelia can change her mind.”
“I’m not changing my mind, Lord Beckford. Not on your life.” Amelia announced firmly, then added, “After the ceremony, I intend to go shopping……at the Mercantile.” She looked at Claude, and asked, “Do you still have that ring, you purchased for me ten years ago?”
“My love, you can bet your life I do.” He answered, with a tender smile.
<><><>
A young stable hand had saddled the Pinto horse for Olivia, and Logan was glad that Trudy Perkins hadn’t taken it upon herself to take the young horse down to the Perkins place. He had begun saddling his own sturdy roan gelding, as Olivia walked into the stable. She was wearing a pale blue split riding skirt of denim material, and a plain white blouse, with only a small embroidered decoration on back of both sleeves. Her wavy long golden hair was tied up in a blue ribbon, on the back of her neck.
Logan thought she looked adorable though he only cleared his throat, nodded a good morning, and then turned back to saddling his horse. He wore jeans and a dark green plaid flannel shirt with his black Stetson shoved back on his dark head. His skin was well tanned from being out in the Texas sun and Olivia almost held her breath as she watched him saddle the horse.
As they led the horses out of the stable, Olivia held out a small package, wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine, and said, “Maria packed some beef sandwiches, in case we aren’t back in time for lunch. I believe Consuelo has already left so Maria has quickly taken over the kitchen.”
“Thanks, Olivia. Good thinking on Maria’s part. I’ll put the package in my saddle bags. We do have quite a ride ahead of us and should be gone most of the day.” He offered. “I had Luke, the boy in the stable, fill both canteens with fresh water, so we’ll be fine.” He thought to himself, ‘If I can keep my hands off of you, that is.’
He walked over, intending to help Olivia into the saddle, but she surprised him by leaping into the saddle, taking off across the ranch yard, her golden ponytail flying out behind her. Then she raced across the open field, before he had even walked to his own horse. He laughed, as he quickly stepped into his own saddle and took off after her, catching up just as she neared the edge of the Aspen trees, across the clearing.
“Show off!” He shouted to her, as he ran his horse next to hers.
“Ha!” She said, laughing, “Along with being a cowpoke, you are also a slowpoke.”
“If I didn’t think you’d fall off that Pinto, I’d show you just how much of a slowpoke I am.” He laughed. “Seriously though, let’s head north, there’s a turnoff up ahead. The mountains are really something after a good rain. I think you’ll like it up there, much higher altitude though, but refreshing. The smell of pines will come to you as soon as we ride higher, though first you’ll see a lot of scrub oak and more Aspen trees before we get into the pines. This ranch does take in several miles of country. Some of the Triple-B cattle wander up into these hills too, though they’ll be brought down during the roundup.”
“I guess I should have brought a light jacket.” She said, offhand. “But I didn’t think.”
“Don’t worry, Olivia.” He grinned, and looked over at her, with an amused green-eyed gaze, and added, “If you get cold, then I will just have to keep you warm.”
Giving him a toss of her head, she urged the Pinto
into a gallop, and then raced down the trail, towards the turnoff.
“You must be in a hurry to be cold.” He shouted laughingly, as he again raced after her.
CHAPTER 20
When Logan and Olivia reached the pine forest, they reined in and Olivia took a deep breath. “Oh my, this is glorious.” She exclaimed, her silvery blue eyes sparkling happily. “I never knew such a world as this existed. Uncle Claude should have brought me to the Triple-B years ago.”
“Yes, and I would probably have never met either of you folks then.” He ventured.
“From some of the books I’ve read, I learned that if people are destined to meet, it happens.” Olivia contradicted.
“You’ve read a lot of books, I take it?”
“Oh yes. We have hundreds at the Manor.”
“I noticed quite a few on the shelves in your uncle’s study here at the ranch too, and you had said you were going to go through those.” Logan reminded her.
“Yes, and I intend to.” She agreed.
They rode on, through the pines, watching as small animals scurried to be out of the way of the horses’ hooves. Birds chirped their greetings.
Logan looked over at her, as they rode, and said, “Do you miss it? The Manor, I mean.”
“Oh……actually, not really, but a few of my things back there can never be replaced.” She answered seriously.
“Such as?”
“Oh, my spinet, for one. Then there are my favorite horses. But this little Pinto is priceless. She almost makes me forget the others back in England.”
“The Pinto, yes, quite a sturdy little horse. I broke her to saddle, you know.” Logan offered, smiling over at Olivia.
“Really? You did? She seems so tame; I could never believe her being wild.”
“Actually, she was the easiest to break to saddle and I wondered, at the time, if she had belonged to some ranch then got mixed up with a wild bunch. Maybe that’s why she was easy to tame.” Logan said, then asked. “You said you miss your spinet. Do you play then?”
“Oh yes.” Olivia answered. “I had taken lessons, when I was very small. Then when our parents died, and we went to live with Uncle Claude, he had a music teacher come to the manor twice a week to tutor me. Teachers also came to give us lessons in other subjects so Garth and I…….well, we never went back to a public learning institution, after moving to the Manor. It was a good life, although we missed our parents.”
“What happened to your parents, Olivia? Do you mind telling me?” Logan asked.
“No, of course not. They both became ill, with cholera. Garth and I were taken in by neighbors temporarily until Uncle Claude came to take us to the manor. He had never had to deal with children, so I guess we led him on a merry chase when we first went to live with him. But as much as Uncle loved us, he was determined to raise us right. He tried being strict at first but being an active boy, Garth rebelled often. I guess I did too. Uncle finally let up on us to the point that we became even harder to manage. Maybe that’s why Amelia gets a bit grouchy at times. She has taken care of me since I was ten years old. She was strict with Garth but she was the only one he would listen to. Maybe he respected her authority. I had always been quite stubborn back when I was younger, and gave Amelia a hard time, but let me tell you, that woman gave me a hard time right back. She would not put up with nearly as much as Uncle Claude did. Some say we were the cause of Uncle’s hair turning white, but I hope that was not the cause.”
Olivia paused and then continued, “Eventually Uncle Claude sent Garth to military school, but that didn’t last long as they promptly sent Garth home. He was still so very young, so Uncle had him doing work around the manor, taking care of some of the horses until he got older. Eventually Garth left the home to ‘seek his fortune’, as the saying goes. I spent my days reading, sewing, playing my spinet, and riding horses. What Uncle didn’t know was that I spent a lot of time in the kitchen too, cooking and baking, which I really enjoy. I don’t think he even knows that I can cook.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure, Olivia. That Uncle of yours doesn’t miss a thing, though he does hide it well.” Logan laughed, then he mentioned, “There’s a small lake just up ahead on the right, past that next dip in the trail, if you want to stop there and rest the horses a bit. It is a right pretty spot.”
“Sounds good, Logan. We have ridden a long ways. Time flies, when you’re enjoying yourself.” She then added, “I’ve told you a lot of myself, now it’s your turn.”
“Alright, not much to tell though.” He began, “But let’s find that lake first.”
The sun had pushed the clouds away, and was shining brightly by the time Logan led the way through a thick forest of tall lodgepole pines, then out onto the banks of ‘Blue Lake’, which is what it was referred to by the cowhands.
Olivia gazed appreciatively at the calm blue waters of the small lake, as Logan removed the saddles from their horses and then led them to the water to drink, after which he ground-hitched both horses.
Spreading a tarp on the wet grass, then motioning to Olivia, Logan proceeded to unwrap the lunch that Maria had packed for them. The beef sandwiches were delicious, along with a thermos full of cool sun tea. After Olivia had brushed the last crumb from her lap, she said, “Alright, Logan, now I would like to hear the story of your life.”
He grinned sheepishly, “Well, first of all, I lied when I said there wasn’t much to tell, so telling my life story just may take up the rest of the afternoon, and I kind of like sitting here with you anyway. However,” he added, “on second thought, we don’t want Sheriff Denton getting up a posse of tough cowhands with rifles to search for you either, so I’ll try to make it as brief as possible.”
He laughed as Olivia scolded, “Don’t try getting out of telling me your story, Logan Wakefield, and the idea of you being scared of a posse of tough cowhands, even with rifles, is extremely far-fetched. Anyway our Sheriff Denton is surely back in Coyote Springs by now, nor would he need a posse to follow our trail.”
“Actually, he was still at the ranch when we left. I believe he wanted to talk to your Uncle Claude, but he didn’t say why. I know he spent the night in the bunkhouse, possibly because of the rain.”
“Oh. I wonder what he wanted to discuss with Uncle.”
“He didn’t say, so it must not have been too important.”
“So?” Olivia raised her pert little chin a little, as she looked at him questioningly, then asked. “So, you grew up in Wyoming? Then what?”
“Yes, on my pa’s small horse ranch. I learned just about all there is to know about the wild bunch and began breaking mustangs at a very young age.” Logan took off his black Stetson, and set it down next to his long muscular legs, which were now stretched out on the tarp, boots, spurs and all. He then unbuckled his gun belt, which he was in the habit of wearing once again, and laid it carefully next to the Stetson.
Olivia tucked her riding skirt around her ankles, then listened, as Logan began talking of his childhood in Wyoming. “My folks were always easy-going with me, though I must have been a normal, active youngster. The ranch kept us pretty busy, not much time to get into mischief. I did manage my share of it.”
“Your share of the work or the mischief?” Olivia’s eyes twinkled, as she asked.
Logan’s innocent expression betrayed his answer, “Oh, definitely the work, with only a bit of normal boyhood pranks mixed in……that is, now and again.” He answered. Logan’s thick wavy black hair had grown long, down past his collar, and wavy locks had fallen across his forehead, so he now pushed the thick strands back as he talked.
Olivia thought he had never looked more devastatingly handsome as he did this moment, though she made herself look over at the blue lake as she listened to the story of Logan’s life, from boyhood through his experiences as a young ranch hand on various ranches, then on to the gold fields of Alaska, where, after much hard work there, he had been fortunate. He then planned his own cattle ranch and had looked forward to
purchasing a small herd on his way back to Wyoming. Logan paused then, as it all came back to him, and his animated expression quickly changed to one of deep regret as he remembered that night, so long ago, along the docks of the Seattle waterfront.
Olivia looked back at him, as he stopped talking, and, seeing his expression, she gently offered, “I suppose there are some instances in your life that you’d rather not relive. I’ll understand, Logan, if you don’t want to remember those years.”
“Yes.” He said, after a few moments. “Yes, you are right, and I believe those years are best not remembered. They were the darkest years of my life. Stolen years.” He then grinned, and on a lighter note said, as he gazed at Olivia, “Then again, maybe my journey through those years brought me to the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.”
His grin grew deeper, as he gazed at her, and Olivia flustered, “Oh…….Logan, maybe we should be getting back. It is rather late, you know.”
