by Caryl McAdoo
Rose joined her son and Levi. She reached in brushing his chest with her hand and arm pulling the boy away. Levi held him tighter and turned a bit and tickled the boy.
They both laughed, then Levi released him. For a moment, she stood in the flickering firelight staring into his eyes. The little wild man wiggled until she let him down; then he ran toward the wagon.
“Uh, here.” She smiled and handed him the gelding’s reins then turned and followed the boy. “Where you going, Charley?”
Wallace joined him. He spoke under his breath. “So, ready for me to ride ahead?”
Levi tore his eyes away from Rose and faced his friend. “What are you talking about?”
Smiling, Wallace glanced over his shoulder, then leaned in close. “Taking care of your and Sassy’s problem.”
“Stop fooling about that.”
“Who’s joshing? I could shoot him with an arrow then scalp him. Everyone would blame the Comanche.”
For a heartbeat, he entertained the notion. But as much as he might love living the rest of his life with Rose and Charley, it couldn’t be built on murder. “No.” He took the hobbles and kneeled.
Wallace squatted beside him. “Well, you best do something; I’ve never seen anyone more smitten with each other as the two of you.”
All that night, Levi dwelt on his friend’s words. He did need to do something. She had married, and for all he knew, Charles Nightengale might be a prince of a man.
If only Uncle Henry could advise him, or even Aunt Sue. Wallace’s only answer? Hunt the man down and kill him, and that would never do. He needed wise counsel.
The story of David and Bathsheba came to mind. King David fell hard for her and had her husband murdered. The deed cost him his baby’s life, and the sword never left his house.
Even the thought of something happening to Charley sent shivers down Levi’s spine. How could he be happy knowing he caused harm to his littlest partner?
Aunt Sue called God just, but as far as he was concerned, the man upstairs meted out a hard justice. Just because she had married Andrew Baylor without her father’s blessing, her God took her husband’s life, and in the horrible accident, Levi’s dad’s, too.
For a long time now he hadn’t been able to remember what his daddy looked like, but he had a headful of mental pictures of the evening he died.
He couldn’t be the cause of any heartache for Rose or Charley. Sleep finally found him.
In the pale light of false dawn, he and Rose gazed over his best field along the creek back home. The rows of cotton stood heavy with white bolls. An owl’s hoot wove its way into his dream; she hung on his arm gushing with pride over the bounty of lint. The owl hooted again, three quick calls.
He shook off the most pleasant night vision and reached for his Paterson kicking at Wallace. His boot only caught air, his friend gone. Another hoot sounded. This one from right above him. He rolled out and eased to the wagon’s back end. Rose searched the shadows.
He touched her arm; she looked at him and shrugged.
A dove cooed, followed by another owl hoot, both real close. Shortly, Wallace strolled in with the young girl they’d rescued from Bold Eagle’s camp in tow. “Look what I found, Captain.”
The girl must had lost five pounds from her skeleton and tucked it all away in her belly. Dark half-circles accentuated a hollow look to her eyes, and her cheekbones seemed much more prominent than he remembered.
Wallace smiled at the girl. “Had a mind it might be Bold Eagle, downright glad to see you instead. You learned a right good owl call; got a talent for it.”
Rose jumped down from the wagon and stepped toward her. “Laura, what are you doing here?”
She just stood there a minute staring at the ground then looked up. A single tear escaped the corner of her eye. “I’m sorry. Didn’t know where to go. Heard these here rangers was taking you home.” She rubbed her belly. “Thought maybe I could tag along.”
Wallace leaned in and faced her. “Where’s the horse you stole?”
She glared at him. “I ain’t no thief, and I didn’t steal no horse. I traded for that ol’ nag, but she ran off last night.”
Rose took her shawl off and wrapped it around the girl’s shoulders. “You must be freezing. What did you trade, Laura? You didn’t have anything.”
She bowed her head and rubbed her belly again. “Uh, well, see? The guy at the livery, he, uh –”
“Doesn’t matter.” Levi waved her off. “You’re here and safe, and unless I hear otherwise, I believe you are not a horse thief.”
Realization dawned on Rose seconds after Levi had stopped Laura from her confession. She should’ve thought a little more before asking. How insensitive could she be? What a dear gentleman to guard the girl from embarrassment. “Have you had anything to eat, Laura? Are you hungry?”
“Yes, ma’am, I am. Hadn’t had nothing but a handful of berries since I lit out.”
Just as the first of the sun peeked over the horizon, the girl ate the last biscuit and washed it down with the last drop of coffee. Rose sympathized with her remembering how hungry she always stayed when she carried Charley.
She would have eaten just like that, too, but first wife barely let her have enough to stay alive; a complete wonder that her baby turned out so healthy, no thanks to that jealous old woman.
Soon enough, the men had the mules hitched and underway. Rose didn’t much like it that Laura sat between her and Levi, but first chance, she’d remedy that situation. Not that she should.
Oh Lord, why have you put us together? Wasn’t five years with the Comanche torment enough?
No answer came, not that she expected one; only condemnation which was not only expected, but warranted, too. Loving a man who wasn’t her husband couldn’t be pleasing to God.
She made herself concentrate on her precious son’s father. They say time heals all wounds. Surely after getting back home to Charles, she’d forget about Levi and wipe this time with the ranger from her memory. She laughed out loud.
Levi leaned forward and looked across the girl. “What’s funny?”
She shook her head. “Only trying to convince myself I could do the impossible, and my cynical side refused any part of it.”
“Care to elaborate?”
She thought on it a moment. If the girl wasn’t hanging on every word, maybe, but most likely, better to leave such thoughts unspoken; she shrugged and grinned. “Some other time.”
A mule brayed. Wallace galloped toward them, slowed the gelding to a trot when he got close, then came alongside the wagon. “They’re about half mile ahead grazing both sides of that same creek.”
Levi reined the mules to a stop then locked the brake. “What do you think?”
He shrugged. “You and Sassy on my gelding like last night? Except don’t miss this time?”
“That’s what I was thinking.”
See? See what I was talking about, Lord?
She didn’t even suggest it, but here it came – riding bareback with Levi again. It wasn’t fair. By the same token, her insides rejoiced. Her heart beat double time, and those flutterbyes attacked her midsection with their slathering.
She could barely believe she’d be so close to him another time. Knowing full well she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help that she looked forward to it--greatly.
Wallace eyed the girl. “You ever drive a team?”
She cocked her head and pursed her lips. “Since I were knee high, my pap skinned a mess of mule in his day.”
Levi looked at her then back to Wallace. “Why’d you ask?”
“Her mare is running with the herd; shouldn’t be too hard catching her once you get the gray back. That would make three of us on horseback.”
“You still thinking about cutting out a few mustangs?”
“Why not? If we were to drive them hard, then bed them down somewhere with grass and water, they shouldn’t stray too far tonight. We can be at Code’s before dark tomorrow, and he’s likely
to give a good price for ‘em. We might even stay and get paid a little more for breaking ‘em.”
“It’s a thought. Code’s got that big ol’ corral behind his barn.” Levi looked to the girl then to Rose. “What do you ladies think?”
Rose smiled. She liked the idea of him and her riding double too much, and the rest didn’t matter one way or the other to her, except.... She looked back at her sleeping son then at Laura. “Think you can handle Charley?”
She shrugged. “Don’t know why not. Ma popped out six lil ‘uns after me. Been wrangling babies my whole life.” She looked over at Wallace. “If my mare’s in that herd and y’all catch her, you gonna count her mine or yours?”
Rose glanced at Wallace then Levi, and they looked at each other. Nods went all around. Rose smiled. “If we can catch her, she’s yours.”
Wallace spoke up again. “On the condition we can borrow her.”
“Why sure you can. She ain’t much to look at, but the old gal’s sound.”
Chapter
Eleven
Charley’s eyes popped open. He stared at the overhead canvas. Had he grown so tall that he almost touched the lodge’s top? Movement pulled him back to reality.
He wasn’t with his people anymore. Images of Little Squirrel and the others playing the stick game saddened his heart. Would he ever see his brothers again?
What if they came to count coup on him? Bay-lor wouldn’t know them. He might shoot them dead like that yap that tried to steal his mama and Miss Laura.
His stomach growled. He rolled over then crawled to the wagon’s front. “Me hungry.”
She looked over her shoulder. It wasn’t his mother, but the Laura lady. He climbed farther out and looked around. “Where Mama? And my partners?”
She handed him something wrapped in a cloth. “They be wrangling mustangs. Here. Ya ma saved this here fer ya.”
He took the offering and went to work on the food. Didn’t much care for old biscuits and cold pig, but hated hungry more. He scooted out next to the lady and stood on the seat.
Blocking the morning sun with his free hand, he scanned the surroundings. Nothing but scrubby little trees, cactus, and sharp grass, the kind a horse didn’t want to eat, but would in the starving time. “Where mustangs?”
She pointed to a far hill. “See yonder? They be raising a right nice dust cloud.”
He nodded and sat back down. The mules plodded along in that direction. Why didn’t he notice that before? He chewed on his cold breakfast until half eaten then punched her with his elbow, handing her his leftovers. “You eat.”
“Thanks.”
He stood and stepped to the wagon’s side. Just as he was about to jump, she grabbed hold of his britches.
“Whoa now, young’un. Where you going?”
He turned around and wrinkled his nose. “Make water.”
She threw a nod behind her. “Whiz off the back. We got to keep moving and stay close as we can.”
Rose leaned forward on the gelding’s neck and looked to the ground. Star Shooter snorted then returned to grazing. She stayed down. Levi scooted forward, both legs touching hers.
The rope whirled though the air and landed around the stallion’s neck. He froze a moment then jumped sideways. Levi slid off then wrapped his end of the rope around his waist.
She dismounted and watched him work up the rope before joining him cooing soft words to the gray. A part of her hated it that he’d got his mount back, but she didn’t need to be riding double. Oh, if only she could talk to her daddy. He would know what to do.
Finally calming the stallion, Levi got an arm around his neck, and then looped the rope over his nose. She looked behind. Wallace, carrying his saddle, blanket, and Levi’s bridle walked toward her. “Good job.”
“Let’s see how you two do getting that mare.”
Levi joined her and took his bridle. “The three of us would work much better.”
That surprised her. “How do you figure?”
Slipping the bridle over the gray’s head, he fitted the bit into his mouth. “You and I on Star Shooter with Wallace riding flank. If she spooks, we still have a shot at her.”
She nodded. She’d never jumped from one galloping horse to another, but this might be her last chance to ride with him. “Sure, we can do that.”
Much to her delight, the mare didn’t even flinch when she and Levi rode up. He eased his rope over her neck. Sassy slid off, untied Laura’s broken rope and went to work getting his lariat tied into a halter.
Levi extended his hand. “Come on, we’ll lead her. I’ve got some leather strips in the wagon. We can make her a bridle.”
She took his hand and let him pull her back onto the gray. She leaned in close and hugged him hard then whispered into his ear. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”
He nodded but made no comment.
She rode for a while snuggled next to him then forced herself to scoot back even though that was the last thing she wanted to do. No matter how much she desired Levi Baylor, he was still forbidden fruit.
She had promised before God, her family, and friends to forsake all others and cling to Charles only for the rest of her life. Her whole life.
Not her fault she got stolen. She certainly never dreamed such a thing would happen. And if not for Charley, she would have run off the first chance she got. How many times had she wished she’d only listened to her husband that morning and not decided to visit her mama?
Even though she never asked for it, she couldn’t blame anyone but herself. Well, Swift Arrow and Little Beaver.
Levi didn’t know what to say. She was right and should have ridden Laura’s mare in. He had no business riding double. Even though Wallace rode fifty paces away, he still saw the expression on his face when she got back on with him after catching the mare.
What was he going to do? Could he just turn her over to this Charles guy and ride away? Humph, what else could he do? He didn’t even have any choices. The man was her husband. That was that.
Might as well get his mind straight and quit thinking anything aside from that truth. The image of his little partner clinging to him as he tried to hand him over to a strange man cut his heart.
Would he miss Charley or Rose the most? He loved his cousins with his whole heart, and his Bitty Beck couldn’t be more like a sister, but this little guy had burrowed into his soul like no other young’un ever had. Parting with his right arm would be easier.
A wild idea struck him, and he laughed out loud.
She poked his side. “What’s so funny?”
He looked over his shoulder. “I had a thought, but my cynical self tickled my funny bone.”
“What was it you said, ‘Care to elaborate’?”
He glanced at Wallace, who seemed not to be paying attention. “Oh, just thinking about offering to keep Charley, but you wouldn’t stand for that.”
She scooted back close and whispered. “Earlier, I was trying to convince myself that after a while I could forget about you. Tried to tell myself that time heals all wounds.” She paused a minute laying her cheek on his back. “I know it’s going to be hard for Charley, too, and I’m sorry – for the both of you.”
An urge to tell her he loved her—would always love her, no matter what—washed over him, to try and convince her Charles probably counted her dead and didn’t even know he had a son.
He could take her and the boy south and settle down somewhere. But he shouldn’t mention anything of that sort. And his knowing she harbored like imaginings only made it worse.
Even riding double was wrong. How could he profess his love?
Wallace reined his gelding closer. “Hey, Captain, Miss Sassy, the wagon is just over that next ridge, think maybe we should walk that mare.”
Rose pushed back and slipped off. “You’re so right, Sarge.”
His friend definitely spoke the truth, but he hated the thought that they might never have a reason to be so close again. Levi and the gray sparred with
the black long enough for Wallace and Sassy to cut out a nice-sized mare band from the herd and drive them out of sight.
Waiting a few minutes more, he fired three shots to set the herd on the run. Galloping, he shortly caught up. “Those mustangs may not stop until they reach Austin.”
“Hope so; you best ride drag.” Wallace headed to the opposite side of the band from Rose.
The mustangs acted just like he’d expected from a mare band. Wherever the lead mare took them, the rest followed. And as he figured, she wanted to stay close to grass and water. Shouldn’t be hard getting them to Code Brown’s trading post, but turning north and trying to take them through the piney woods would be another story.
Laura reined in the mules and put both hands up one on top of the other, the sun exactly where Captain Baylor said for her to stop, at the top of the ridge that ran along the creek and on level ground. A good spot, so she set the brake, grabbed her belly, and eased on down to the ground. Turning, she held her hands out toward the boy.
Charley waved her off. “Me no need you.”
She shrugged then backed up a step.
He jumped, landed hard, found his balance, then smiled. “See? Me big.”
She tousled his hair. “Big enough to help me get a fire going? I’m pert near starved.”
“Me hungry, too.” He ran around picking up little sticks and twigs for the kindling, bringing them back to her. “Mama and partners comin’?”
“Yes, sir, they be along soon enough. ‘Fore dark for sure. We can get dinner to cookin’ iffn’ you’ll help me.”
After he gathered a good pile of sticks for her, he found an ants’ nest to mess with and lay on his belly herding the tiny insects. Why did little boys always want to play with something that could hurt them? Or jump off wagons?
She rubbed her belly. A baby girl would be best, knew more about them. Better than that though would be if she could find herself a good man who would claim the child as his own.
She looked west thinking about one of the rangers. Miss Sassy had eyes for Captain Baylor, but what about Wallace? He was funny and had himself a good job. Wouldn’t be home much, but if he got her a nice piece of dirt, a mule and some seed, and helped her throw up a little cabin, she’d be content.
