Corsets and Cuffs: (Sweet Historical Western Romance) (Baker City Brides Book 3)

by Shanna Hatfield

  Sammy nodded then ran off with the coin tightly clasped in his hand.

  Milt helped Brianna mount. She turned to him with a grateful nod as she draped her bag over the saddle horn and accepted the reins he held out to her. “I don’t know what time I’ll return.”

  “Don’t worry about that, Miss Dumont. I trust you won’t skedaddle with my horse.”

  She tipped her head to him then guided the horse down the street. At the edge of town, she wondered how she’d convince Tully to let her go with him. She was almost to his lane when the sound of running hoofbeats reached her ears and she watched Cotton take the turn onto the road at a fast lope before Tully urged him into a full gallop, heading north of town.

  Brianna squeezed with her knees and made a kissing noise that sent her horse racing forward.

  Since Tully didn’t give her the chance to ask, she would just follow him wherever he was going. She stayed far enough back she hoped he wouldn’t notice her. Several miles later, he reined the horse off the road onto a lane.

  Slowing her mount to a walk, she made her way up the lane. Trees surrounded a big corral where Tully had stopped and spoke to another man. Impatient to hear what they were saying, she tied her horse to a branch out of sight and crept closer to the corral.

  Bent down as she edged along the fence, she studied the variety of horses in the enclosure. If the horse rustler took the sheriff’s horse, she wondered why the thief didn’t steal them all.

  Before she could further contemplate the reasoning of a thief’s mind, Tully mounted and rode back to the road.

  Desperate not to lose sight of him, Brianna made her way back to her horse and managed to climb into the saddle. She rode him down the lane in time to catch a glimpse of Tully continuing north on the road.

  Another mile later, he and Cotton turned onto a little used path that led into the hills. Brianna followed behind him and stopped her horse when Tully dismounted, studying an area of churned mud. He mounted and continued deeper into the hills, riding to the north and west.

  The air was cool and Brianna was glad she’d thought to bring her warmest jacket. She stopped long enough to slip it on before trailing after Tully.

  When she topped a rise, she saw him walking around what could have been a makeshift corral, constructed of tree limbs and fallen timber.

  She dismounted and left her horse tied where she was sure Tully wouldn’t see it then made her way toward the enclosure.

  Intent on watching her footsteps, she sucked in a gulp as a twig snapped behind her.

  “You better have a dang good reason for being here, Fred.”

  Brianna turned around with her hands held in the air, relieved it was Tully and not some hardened criminal who’d come upon her. “I can explain, Sheriff.”

  Tully holstered the gun he’d held pointed at her then rocked back on one hip. “I’m waiting.”

  “The first-hand knowledge I could glean from accompanying you would prove invaluable to the story. I planned to ask your permission, but you were already galloping down the road when I arrived at your place.”

  “So you decided to come along.” Tully’s gaze raked over her, taking in her golden brown braid, jacket and riding skirt. “If you think you were being sneaky, I knew you were back there before Cotton ever hit full stride. I don’t have time to take you back to town, darlin’, so you either do exactly what I tell you or you turn that horse around and get your sweet little backside home.”

  “Sheriff! You mustn’t speak in such an uncouth manner.” Secretly, Brianna thrilled that he’d called her backside sweet, but she certainly didn’t want him to know that. “Your choice of words is highly unacceptable.”

  Tully’s hands were on her arms so fast, she didn’t know when he’d moved. Roughly, he pulled her against him and lowered his head until his lips hovered above hers. “From now until I get you home, you’ll put up with whatever I say and do. Is that clear?”

  When she started to protest, he pressed a hard, unyielding kiss to her mouth then raised his head. “Is it clear, Miss Dumont? You listening to what I say could mean the difference between life and death for us both.”

  Rattled by his kiss as well as his proximity, Brianna nodded her head. “I’ll do what you say,” she whispered, wishing he’d kiss her again.

  “Good.” Tully picked her up and carried her back to her horse, setting her on the saddle. His hand brushed down her leg and he patted her knee. “Ride over to where I left Cotton. I’ll be right there.”

  Befuddled by his kiss and touch, she nudged her mount forward until they waited next to Tully’s faithful horse.

  The sheriff appeared from behind a large rock, carrying a piece of frayed rope covered in blood.

  Eyes wide, she looked at him in question.

  “The rustler isn’t as smart as he thinks,” Tully said as he swung onto Cotton’s back and rode along a faint trail. “Thanks to the storm and warm temperatures this morning, he’s leaving tracks even a toddler could follow.”

  Brianna didn’t know about a toddler, but she could see tracks in the mud, although she had no idea what they meant.

  Tully pointed out four different sets of prints. “I think there’s one rider with three horses. Luden said the rustler took three horses sometime between when he checked on the horses last night and when he went out to feed them this morning.”

  “And one of the horses is yours?”

  “Yep.” Tully stopped and studied the tracks then turned Cotton into the trees to his left. They rode up a steep hill before cresting the top. In the distance, a man rode at a leisurely place, leading three horses.

  Tully motioned for Brianna to ride closer to him. The moment her leg brushed his, he leaned toward her and spoke in a hushed tone. “We’re gonna ride down this hill as quiet as we can and get closer to our rustler. When I give the signal, you grab tight to your reins and keep control of your horse.”

  Before Brianna could ask any questions, Tully straightened and clucked to Cotton. Curious what the sheriff had planned, she would do as he commanded.

  Smug with the success of his thievery, the rustler remained oblivious to their presence as they closed the gap between them. They were only a hundred yards behind him when Tully pointed to Brianna. She took a tighter grip on the reins and stopped her horse as Tully tugged off his glove and set two fingers in his mouth.

  The shrill whistle emanating from him made Brianna cringe and wish he’d told her to plug her ears.

  One of the three horses the rustler led reared and struck at him, knocking him from the saddle. He landed in an unconscious heap.

  Tully raced forward and had the thief in handcuffs before Brianna had moved more than a few feet.

  Quickly grabbing the reins of the rustler’s mount and the lead ropes of two of the horses, Tully gave them to Brianna to hold.

  The horse that had knocked the rustler to the ground continued to rear and snort.

  Tully grabbed his lead rope. Softly talking to him, he didn’t make any move to touch him until the horse kept all four hooves on the ground. Unhurried, Tully sidled closer to the horse and ran a gentle hand along his neck.

  The horse visibly calmed as Tully brushed a hand across his muzzle. He pulled something from his pocket and let the horse nuzzle it from his hand.

  With a relieved sigh, he turned to Brianna. “Fred, I’d like you to meet Loco.”

  “Well, he certainly appears to live up to his name.” She studied the handsome gelding, admiring his straight lines and unique coloring. “What is he?”

  “Besides a little crazy?” Tully grinned at her and continued to rub a calming hand over the horse. “His father was a mustang and his mama was a quarter horse. He gets that pretty chestnut color and long legs from his mother, but the rest of him is all mustang.”

  “Is that why his mane and tail are both dark and light?” Brianna thought the flaxen color mixed with black quite striking.

  “The proper term, since you’re so insistent on them, is
bi-color. He also has a dorsal stripe down his back. Loco isn’t so much loony as he’s just opinionated about how he wants to do things.” He handed Brianna Loco’s lead rope then grabbed the rustler by the back of his coat collar and hauled him to his feet as the man came to.

  “Dale Darcey, you’ve got some kind of gall showing up around here. To add insult to injury, you rustled horses while you’re at it. I have a few friends who’ll be most anxious to see you.”

  The man blinked to clear his vision and stared at Tully, realizing he’d been caught. “Sheriff. I’d like to say it’s a pleasure, but it ain’t.”

  “Where are the rest of the horses, Dale?” Tully gave the rustler a shake hoping it would loosen his tongue.

  The young thief just sneered at him. “You think you’re so clever, figure it out.”

  “If I had to guess, I’d say you run the horses up to the mining road then into Haines and board them on the train to The Dalles. You have a partner there waiting for their delivery.” Tully shoved the young man onto his horse and took the reins from Brianna.

  Dale gaped at him. “How could… How did…”

  Tully winked at Brianna then turned back to Dale. “After the horses arrive in The Dalles, you haul them to the stockyard and then…”

  “That ain’t true. We line up buyers and sell them one at a time.” Dale winced when Tully tightened a rope around his ankle and tied it to the stirrup so he wouldn’t fall or jump off the horse.

  Tully looked over at Brianna. “You’re the witness to his confession, Fred.”

  “Yes, sir,” she said, amazed at how easily Tully had overcome the thief and tricked a confession out of him.

  She watched as Tully tied Dale’s cuffed hands to the saddle horn. Before he did, he looked at the young man’s bleeding palms. “One of the horses almost got away from you back there a ways, didn’t he?”

  “Sure did.” Dale scowled in the direction of Loco. “That beast is plumb berserk. If I’d known he was your lunkheaded cayuse, I woulda left him alone.”

  “I’m kind of glad you stole him, Dale. I was tired of trying to track you down.” Tully took the lead ropes from Brianna then boosted her up to the saddle. When she was settled, he gave her a questioning glance. “Can you handle these two lead ropes, Fred? I don’t want to lead Loco, my prisoner’s horse and the other two, but if you’d rather not try, I’ll manage.”

  “I can take them,” Brianna said with more confidence than she felt. Although she was comfortable around horses and a good rider, she’d never had to lead a horse for any distance. They were miles from Baker City and it would be dark in a few hours.

  Tully nodded at her and mounted Cotton. Rather than go back the way they’d come, he rode east before heading south.

  Dale Darcey bragged about all the people he’d robbed since he’d taken Thane Jordan’s money and left him to die at the mine along with his men last November.

  Shocked and repulsed, Brianna almost cheered when Tully stopped long enough to pull Dale’s boot off his foot and remove his sock.

  “Good gosh, almighty!” Tully turned his face away and wrinkled his nose, quickly shoving Dale’s boot back on his smelly foot. “You had a bath in the last year?”

  “There’s no call to be insulting, Sheriff.” Dale frowned at him. “I ought to…”

  After stuffing the malodorous sock in the idiot’s mouth, Tully yanked the kerchief off the thief’s neck and tied it around Dale’s face to keep him from spitting out the dirty sock.

  “That should make for a much more peaceful trip,” he said as he mounted Cotton again and continued toward Baker City.

  For the next hour, Tully acted as if he and Brianna were out for a scenic ride. He pointed out plants native to the region, and mentioned the delicious berries that grew wild in the area.

  The discussion about berries made her stomach growl. She’d missed lunch and the dinner hour had come and gone. Hunger gnawed at her, leaving her uncomfortable and wishing she’d taken time to pack food and a blanket.

  Brianna was cold, tired and considering what Tully would do if she begged to stop for a rest when he pointed to a clearing ahead near a creek.

  “We’ll stop there for the night,” he said, over his shoulder.

  “Are you insane?” Brianna asked, riding closer to him. Loco kicked at one of the horses she led so she dropped back and raised her voice. “We can’t stay there.”

  “Why not?” Tully stopped and swung off Cotton’s saddle.

  “Because… it’s… we shouldn’t…” Brianna didn’t want to tell Tully her reputation would be in tatters if she spent the night alone in the hills with two men, even if one of them was in handcuffs and the other was the sheriff.

  “I promise everything will be fine, Fred. Don’t worry your pretty little head. It’ll be too dark soon to see the trail and I don’t want this ignoramus trying to get away.” Tully tied Loco’s lead rope to a sturdy tree then lifted Brianna from her mount.

  He handed her the reins for Cotton and Dale’s horse before he untied the ropes holding the young man to the saddle. With a jerk, he pulled the thief to the ground and dragged him over to a tree where he tied him up so he couldn’t escape.

  “Are you planning to leave him like that?” Brianna asked, somewhat relieved the rustler couldn’t go anywhere. From watching Tully with the young man, she surmised that he held little mercy for those who broke the law and flaunted their lawlessness in his face.

  Although the first time she’d met him, she assumed Tully Barrett was a thickheaded, conceited bully, she realized there were many facets to his character. Around women, he was as charming as he could be. His male friends and peers were given respect along with a generous helping of teasing and jokes. Children were entertained, protected, and loved.

  “He’s lucky I didn’t string up a rope and leave him dangling from a tree.” Tully grinned at Dale when the thief’s eyes bugged and he looked panicked. “After all, he not only stole more than a dozen horses, including mine, he’s wanted for robbery and assault, attempted murder, not to mention what he did to Thane.”

  Brianna watched as Tully let the horses drink from the creek before tying their lead ropes and reins to thick branches. With practiced ease, he removed the saddles and saddle blankets. He looked over each horse before leaving them to nibble on the rich carpet of grass.

  “What did Mr. Darcey do to Thane?” Brianna asked, observing Tully’s movements as he kicked a spot clear of grass with the heel of his boot then hauled up rocks from the creek to line a circle around the bare patch.

  He motioned for Brianna to follow him as he walked into the pine trees. “Last year, right around Thanksgiving, Thane rode out to check on his mines. He owns several, spread all over the area. Anyway, he was almost to the last one when there was a loud explosion. By the time he got there, the tunnel in the mine had collapsed and his men were trapped inside. Two men were at the mouth of the mine when the explosion happened. One of them was injured badly but the other one barely had a scratch.

  “And the one who barely had a scratch was Mr. Darcey?”

  “Yep. Thane had an injured man in need of nursing and a bunch of men stuck in the mine in need of supplies from town to free them. Rather than leave Mr. Darcey at the mine, Thane chose to stay and sent Dale into Baker City with instructions to find me. Thane gave him more than enough money to cover the costs of necessary supplies and waited for his return.”

  Much to her surprise, Tully removed his hat and gathered a few handfuls of pine needles and dried moss, tossing them inside his upturned head covering. After handing the hat to her, he selected several twigs then picked up some smaller pieces of wood. Together, they walked back to the campsite.

  “What happened?” Brianna asked as Tully piled the pine needles and moss in the middle of the spot where he planned to build a fire.

  “Mr. Darcey, over there, took the money from Thane and disappeared. Those poor men were left in the caved-in mine tunnel for five days and the injure
d man almost died before some of Thane’s ranch crew located him.” He arranged twigs around the top of the pile so that it almost looked like a teepee. From his pocket, he pulled a small piece of flint and a knife.

  “Oh, that’s horrid!” Brianna scowled at Dale Darcey over her shoulder then jumped when a spark Tully produced from striking the knife blade against the flint caught in the moss and a flame flickered.

  Tully bent down and blew on it until the moss and pine needles began to burn. The twigs soon caught fire and he gradually added bigger pieces until a warm, cheerful fire burned.

  Amazed at Tully’s skills, Brianna held her hands out to the blaze and smiled at the sheriff. “You are a man of many talents.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her and grinned. “Don’t forget it, Fred.” The gleam in his eye, a mixture of longing and something that sure seemed a lot like love, made her shiver.

  Tully started to remove his coat to hand to her, but she shook her head. “I’m fine, Sheriff. Really.”

  He carried the saddle blankets over to the fire and made a place for her to sit off the rapidly cooling ground then retrieved a pouch of jerky and hardtack from his saddlebags.

  When he handed her a piece of the dried meat, she sniffed it, deciding it had a beefy aroma mixed with a few spices. “What is it?”

  “Jerky. It’s the best you’ll get for supper tonight, so dig in.” Tully took a small coffee pot from his bedroll to the creek and filled it with water then set it on a smooth rock by the fire.

  He removed the kerchief and sock from Dale’s mouth and shoved in a piece of jerky. The young man had no choice but to chew it or go without any food.

  Brianna held back a giggle, but Tully caught the amusement on her face when he returned to the fire.

  Eventually Dale demanded something to drink. Tully held a tin cup full of creek water for him, gave him a piece of hardtack to eat then disappeared into the darkness.

  Brianna stared into the flames until he came back with an armload of wood. He added a piece to the fire and settled down, leaning his back against a log he’d rolled over to make them more comfortable.