by Caryl McAdoo
“Get me and the babe a roof, and a piece of ground to work, and you could keep on rangering or whatever you want. Come and go.”
“I see.”
Shrugging, she smiled, ducked again, and squeezed his hands. Looking back up, she grinned. “I’d probably need a baby ever year or so, but that weren’t no hill for a stepper like you.”
He ducked his own head down to her level and squeezed back. “If that lightning did strike – now I don’t want to lead you on, but if it did – we would do it right.”
“That’s be grand.”
Easing his hands away from hers, he stepped back. “We best get going. Sammie Jo’s got beans and cornbread, and I know for a fact, Captain Baylor will fish out the best chunks of what’s left of that shoat.”
She pushed him toward the door. “Save me a seat. I needs a smidge.”
She folded both shirts and tucked them under a blanket and put Rose’s sewing kit on top. She didn’t want Charley figuring out what she was doing. After a quick trip to the little house out back, she hightailed herself to the big room. The four of them sat at the table closest to the fire.
Wallace spotted her then patted the seat next to him. “Hurry, Laura, he’s doing just like I said.”
Her heart swelled as they all greeted her. She couldn’t remember the last time beans and cornbread tasted so good, or that she’d enjoyed just sitting and listening.
More than once, Wallace touched her forearm while he was telling a story. She loved just sitting next to him while he talked. Too soon for her, Captain Baylor stood.
“We’re heading out first light. Best get some shuteye.”
After her turn out back and some packing, she trimmed the oil lamp to a soft glow and slipped in bed next to the already sleeping boy. “I had me a little private parlay with Wallace earlier.”
Rose rolled up on her elbow and propped her chin on her hand. “Oh, you did? Well, what’d he say?”
“You was right. He be hankering after the Captain’s sis on account he heard so many stories and all.” She smiled at her friend. “That Levi of yours can tell a good tale, you know.”
“Where did you two talk?”
“In here. In the room.”
“You and him didn’t –”
“No, no. We just jawed some. I marked his shirt, so I could finish it.” She laughed. “Charley’s goin’ to love his. Anyways, I told him if it weren’t in the cards for him and her, I’d make him the goodest wife he’d ever want.”
Rose laughed. “You didn’t.”
“Yes, ma’am, I sure did. Reckoned I best throw it all down. Told him all I needs was a roof and a piece of ground to work, and that he could keep on rangering or whatever.” She laughed. “I did mention I’d want a new little ‘un every year or so.”
“What’d he say to that?”
“It were so sweet. He took my hands and squeezed ‘em gentle, like he didn’t want to break ‘em, then leaned over ‘cause I be studying on the floor boards. I just knew he were going to laugh or get mad or something bad. Anyways though, he said if we did get hitched, we’d do it right.”
Rose let her prattle on about how much she enjoyed the evening. Both of them seemed different, sounded a little like Wallace might have led her on trying not to hurt her feelings.
Maybe she should say something to Levi and see if he thought he should mention it, or if she should. On the other side of the fence, maybe he only wanted to give the girl a little hope.
A bit of hope could go far. She’d learned that personally.
After all, he didn’t really know Rebecca, except through Levi’s stories. Sure enough, if she was getting to pick, she’d take Rebecca over Laura for the ranger, but who knew? Her childhood friend may have already found someone right there in Red River County and fallen in love since Levi last talked with her.
Mid sentence the girl fell silent. For a minute, she thought about Laura and Wallace picturing them together. “Wouldn’t that be something?”
Laura raised up. “Yes, ma’am.” Then flopped back down.
Images of Levi soon crowded out all others. She closed her eyes and studied on her ranger. She loved it that after the ride that afternoon, he had her hunt through all of Code’s knickknacks and bric-a-bracs for presents for the little Buckmeyer girls.
She wasn’t going to know them; hadn’t ever even seen Baby Bonnie. Almost the same age as Charley, not really a baby anymore. Him being with all those girlie-girls brought a smile. He’d want to do boy stuff, and they’d want to baby him. Should be fun.
Drifting off on a dream about a life with Levi, everything was all peaches and cream for the longest, then Charles rode in on the black stallion Shooter had dueled. The full moon shone bright at his back. She didn’t want to look at him, but couldn’t look away.
He glared, then his eyes turned blood red and all the skin and muscle melted off his face. He raised a bony finger and said something, but she couldn’t hear well enough. His words ran together, garbled and unintelligible. She couldn’t understand them.
Straining to hear what he said, she sat up. For a breath, she expected him to be in the room. Movement caught her eye.
Laura held her hand out toward her. “You was dreaming, Miss Sassy. It be all right.”
Rose lay back down. She closed her eyes then popped right back up. “What are you doing?”
“I opened my eyes ‘membering I went and bragged to Wallace about his shirt getting done by this morning, so I was jes over here sewing; the lamp troubling you?”
“No.” She shook the night vision away. “Have any idea what time it is?”
She shrugged. “Only one rooster been fussing, but I ain’t usually up ’fore the sun, so Sammie Jo might of cooked all the others.”
Rose loved the way this girl butchered the King’s English. She’d resisted correcting her, but maybe she should. She might have a better chance with Wallace if she could catch on, but who knew? He might like it, too.
Swinging her feet over, she sat on the side of the bed closest to the young woman. “You getting close?”
“Yes, ma’am. A stitch or three more and this hem’ll be a done deal.” She looked up. “Think it would be too forward if I were to ask the Captain for a smidgen of my mare money?”
Rose shrugged. “I don’t see one reason why it would. What are you wanting to buy?”
“Miss Sammie Jo has some right pretty bolts and lace to jump the fence over, and I needs buttons by the bucket.” She smiled. “You hear Captain Baylor bragging on my new dress?”
Rose stood and stretched. “Yes, I sure did. You certainly impressed him. I’d say you definitely throw way better than a middling stitch.”
“It were kind of him to pay me for doing something as simple as sewing him some shirts. I’d like to make you a dress, Miss Sassy, iffin that would please you, but I wouldn’t charge none.”
“Oh, Laura, that’s so sweet.”
“It could be tit for tat; you was so kind to give me material for my new dress what started all this.” She held the shirt up in the moonlight. “There. All done. I was hoping he might want to wear it this morning.”
After coffee and beans and three of the hostess’ biscuits with cream gravy, Levi couldn’t wait any longer, even though first light was at least ten cock crows away.
He marched to Rose’s room and tapped lightly on her door. Shortly, it opened, and she peered out. “Yes? You need something?”
He smiled. A wagonload of things raced through his mind, all of them concerning her that he needed, but instead, he focused on the boy. “Hoping Charley was up.”
She stepped around the door into the hall. “Something wrong?”
“No, I’ve got business with my littlest partner is all.”
She laughed. “Oh, you do?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Care to elaborate?”
“No, it’s between us Texas Rangers.”
“Can’t it wait? He gets pretty grumpy if he doesn’t ge
t his sleep aplenty.”
He took her hand. “He’ll want to get up. He can nap later on the trail if need be.”
She shrugged. “I’ll wake him then.”
Charley floated, grabbed wildly then found his mother’s neck. He snuggled in. He loved the feel of her soft skin, and her sweet smell tickled his nose every time. She touched his ribs. “Wake up, little man.”
“No, me sleep more.” He lifted his head. “Still night.”
“The Captain needs you.”
He leaned back and forced his eyes open. “Why?”
She pouted her bottom lip, like sad about something, but she was only playing sad. She and Bay-lor both stopped being sad yesterday. “He wouldn’t tell me, said you and him had business.”
“Good, me like ranger business.” He wiggled down, wondering where he’d put the pictures of the bad men Bay-lor had given him. Figured he better get another look at all of them just in case.
The Laura lady held out a shirt. “Try this.”
He fingered the material, soft and heavy. He slipped it on. “You sew it?”
“I sure did.”
“For me?”
“Yes, sir, made it just your size, and Sarge has one like it.”
“And the captain?”
“No, not yet anyways. You like it?”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.” He smiled at his mother to make sure she heard him using his manners. With only a little help from her, Charley dressed and headed out the door toward the grand room.
He needed to make water, but his partner needed him worse, so that could wait. Rangering was important business. Bay-lor sat by the fire sipping coffee. He hated the nasty stuff just like Miss Laura.
The man stood and held out his hands. Charley ran at him then jumped flying into this partner’s arms. “Bad man here?”
He laughed. “No, want to show you something.”
Charley wanted to ask what that something was, but Bay-lor didn’t like it when he talked too much, like Bold Eagle in that way. Out the door, then toward the barn, he scrunched in close against the cold, but didn’t say anything. Great warriors ignored weather.
His mother followed behind, hugging herself.
The man stepped into the barn. Two oil lamps hung from the main center beams. The mules, already hitched to the wagon, hung their heads like they wanted to sleep more, too.
Bay-lor pointed to the bay filly tied to the back of the wagon. “What do you think, partner? You like her?”
“I ride yesterday. ’Member? She good horse.”
A smaller than usual saddle that hung over the rail of Shooter’s stall. “You like that saddle and bridle?”
“Sure, Partner. It good.”
“Well, I was thinking maybe I’d trade you the filly and all that tack for the gray.”
Charley leaned back, looked at his mother who shrugged, then faced Bay-lor again. “And I get her back?” He nodded toward his mother. Her eyes widened, then she smiled.
“No, I don’t think so.” Captain adjusted his hat. “I can’t give you mother up.”
“I like Shooter. Him fast.”
“He is that, but you don’t have a saddle or bridle or blanket. All that comes with the filly, and like you said, she’s a good horse.”
He nodded. The man had a point. “You share Mama. Mine and yours?”
Bay-lor laughed. “Guess that would work.” He nodded toward Mama. “But I have first dibs on your half, so you can’t go trading her to anyone else.”
Charley grinned. He nodded toward the filly. “What her name?”
“You’ll have to give her one.”
He stuck out his hand like Bay-lor had taught him. “Deal. Shake.” He wiggled down and ran over to his horse, his own horse. She put her nose down, and he rubbed and patted her then turned and walked toward his partner. “Bay-lor, you like my new shirt?”
Chapter
Sixteen
Much to Levi’s chagrin, he didn’t get them off at first light, but he did have them out of the Brazos delta by midday. If he had it figured right, the mule team had covered eleven mile that morning.
The boy’s filly maybe twice that, the way he circled her around and around his mama and Miss Laura. Levi wasn’t sure who needed an afternoon rest the most, the boy or his horse.
Spotting a nice spot under a big live oak tree ahead, he rode up next to the wagon. “What do you think Rose? Ready for a little dinner under that tree?”
“Anytime.”
Wallace reined his gelding next to him. “Want to hobble ‘em?”
He looked around. “Sure, there’s grass for the stock.”
Soon he and Wallace had the animals grazing, and the ladies a fire. He joined Rose. “What did Sammie Jo send? I saw you and her loading a couple of sacks.”
“Lots of stuff.” She nodded toward the wagon. Laura held her tummy while she climbed down then reached back for the Dutch oven she’d left on the seat. “Between sewing, Miss Laura fixed us a surprise.”
He looked from her to the girl and grinned. “I like surprises.”
“Good.” Laura set the oven on the fire. “Ain’t no coals for the top yet, so be a wink longer, but Miss Sammie Jo sent half a ham we can gnaw on while we wait.”
Charley squatted down next to the fire. “Me like ham.”
Rose took a knife and returned with a hunk of the shank. She cut everyone a nice slab then handed out hard tack to eat along with it. Shame she hadn’t baked some rising bread while there at Code Brown’s.
But she’d been busy helping him with the mustangs, and Levi would never complain over time she chose to spend with him. Before long, the smell wafting from the Dutch oven set his mouth to watering.
Wallace, who had taken a seat next to Laura, pointed his knife at the cast iron oven. “If your surprise tastes as good as it smells, I’d say we’re in for a treat.”
“It should. I had all the fixings, and I made it just like my pap used to.”
Rose leaned out. “Your daddy did the cooking?”
Laura appreciated the question ‘cause she liked talking. “Mostly he did. Me and the young ‘uns would some, when he were too busy. But I tell you true, our pap cooked way gooder than most women.”
“What about you mother? Did she fix any meals?”
“Oh, yes, afore, but after the last baby, she and little sis took to the bed.” Laura crossed herself. “We had to plant ‘em both. Pap got powerful drunk on home brew and stayed that aways the whole winter long. When spring come, he pulled himself up by his overall straps and towed the line. That’s when he went to cooking.”
“I’m so sorry, Laura. How old were you?”
She blinked slowly looking back to that horrible time. “Happened right about when I was turning ten. It were way afore we come out west; stayed in Kentuck then. Next year or so Pap found himself another woman. She fired him up something terrible to come to Texas.”
She looked around. A part of her enjoyed the telling, but it was such a bad part of her life. “That lady done heard about the free land. Guess no one mentioned them Comanche.”
She stared into the fire. Her days with the people nagged at her. “We’s ‘bout here a year full when Bear Fang grabbed me. They probably all think I’m dead. And that nasty mouth woman came to Austin with us? She were right.”
“Oh, Laura –”
“Pap already said flat out, he didn’t want no more young ‘un. Made that new woman promise. For sure he don’t want no half-breed baby.” Tears filled her eyes, and she ducked her head.
Wallace grabbed the poker stick and racked some coals up next to the Dutch oven, then patted her hand. “You might be wrong about your pappy.”
She looked up and wiped her cheeks, then shook her head. “He were right firm about no more young ‘un. I ‘member that day he laid the law down to his new woman.”
“Yeah, but there’s a big difference between the idea of babies and the real live thing, though. He’d be so glad to know you’re alive �
��”
“Said right out, he didn’t want any more mouths to feed, enough were enough.” She took his poking stick and raked more coals onto the oven.
“Well, I’ll bet you a stack of these new shirts.” He tugged dead center on his. “Against twenty-dollar gold that he’ll take to your baby right off. Grandsugars are different.”
She stared into his eyes for a double handfuls of heartbeats. Wasn’t no lie there, only about the kindest soul she’d ever known. “I’d take that bet.”
Charley jumped to his feet, ran over, grabbed her hand and put it in Wallace’s. “Shake! Captain says no deal ‘til you shake.”
Rose loved Laura’s peach cobbler, as did everyone else. A twinge of jealousy stabbed her heart as the men folk made such a fuss, but she never claimed to be a cook. Her gifts lay elsewhere.
After the good meal and even better dessert and a round of Laura measuring and marking Rose’s new dress, Levi got the wagon back on the trail.
Charley hated that she’d tied his filly to the wagon. “Me want my horse.”
“But she needs to rest. You been riding her hard.”
He folded his arms over his chest and glared. “She ain’t resting.”
“Say isn’t; there’s no such word as ain’t.”
He looked from her to Laura then back. “She say ain’t.”
“Yeah, but your Mama’s right, Charley. You need to be listenin’ to her or your partners and talking like them, not like me. I know I ought be more caring on how I talk. Maybe I could listen better, too.”
Grateful the girl took her side, Rose studied her son. “How about you climb over into the back until you can say you’re sorry.”
He stood his ground, still glaring. “Hers my horse. Me not sorry. Why go?”
“For arguing with me, little man. And I said so.” She thumbed toward the back of the wagon. “Get now.”
His bottom lip pouted, but he obeyed like a good boy. Then, exactly like she figured, sleep crept up and knocked the little booger out in less then a quarter of a mile.
For the better part of the afternoon, she kept one eye on the girl as she worked on her dress and the other on Levi as he rode ahead of the wagon. She got a smidgen of conversation from Laura, but it seemed she couldn’t talk and sew at the same time.
