Kitty nodded. “I needed more room for my mustangs.” She turned to the little boys. “Would you like to have a look at my latest herd?”
“Yes’m.” Cody nudged his little brother, who nodded.
With her arm around her brother’s waist Kitty led the way toward her corral, with Aaron and Cara trailing more slowly.
When Cody started to climb up the rail fence that surrounded the corral, Kitty put a hand to his arm to stop him. “These are wild critters, son. They’ll take any opportunity to charge you and stomp you. So you have to be very careful around them. You’d best keep well back from the fence.”
She pointed. “So far I’ve only broken half a dozen to saddle. But I hope to break the rest of them before the soldiers return.”
Yale’s head came up. “What soldiers?”
She shrugged. “Had a troop of them come through Misery about a week or more ago. I brought one of their officers out here to see my herd, and he said he’d buy all I had, as long as they were broke to saddle.”
“Did he say when they’d be back?”
She shook her head. “I guess whenever they do what they came to the Territory to do.”
She saw a look pass between Cara and her brother. “You in some kind of trouble, Yale?”
He tugged on a yellow curl. “Are you always going to believe the worst about me?”
She turned to Cara. “Maybe I’ll get a straight answer out of you. Is my brother in some kind of trouble again?”
Cara shook her head. “To my sons and me he’s a hero. Yale saved us from a gang of outlaws. If it hadn’t been for your brother, we wouldn’t be here now.”
“Well.” Kitty’s smile grew. “Maybe you really do know how to do something besides shuffle a deck of cards.” She turned toward the shack. “How about some coffee, and those hard rocks Aaron calls biscuits?”
Cara saw the affection between this young woman and the old man, and recalled the story she’d heard as a child, about how he’d opened his heart and home to three orphans who had wandered in from the Badlands.
She liked him instantly. And liked, even more, the bond of love she could see between Kitty and Yale.
“I’d love some.”
“Have you come back for a visit?” Aaron sat in the rocking chair on the porch, with Yale and the boys sitting on the steps, while Kitty and Cara sat on wooden chairs brought from the kitchen. “Or are you back to stay?”
When Yale said nothing, Cara set down her cup of coffee. “I think I’d like to settle in Misery. I’d like my boys to grow up here, the way I did.”
Aaron nodded in understanding. “Will your husband be joining you?”
“My husband is dead.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kitty look over at her brother.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Aaron said softly. “You said Yale saved you from a gang of outlaws?”
She nodded. “The Fenner gang.”
At that both Aaron and Kitty shared a knowing look.
Kitty cleared her throat. “Gabe got word that you were running with the Fenners, Yale.”
“For awhile.”
Seeing that Yale wasn’t about to explain, Cara said, “Your brother saved the life of one of the gang members. When he was invited to join them, he thought one of them might know something about your father.”
Kitty jumped up, her face animated. “Oh, Yale. What did you learn?”
He saw the light of excitement in her eyes and hated that he had nothing more to offer her than empty words. “Nothing, Kitty. Nobody’s ever heard of him.” He looked up at the fading sunlight. “I think we’d better get started toward Misery before it gets too dark.”
He reached into his pocket. “I almost forgot. Aaron, these are for you.” He handed the old man a box of fine cigars.
Aaron accepted them as though they were gold. “Thanks, Yale. You always know just what pleases me. I’m mighty grateful.”
“What did you buy for me?” Kitty was beaming like a child.
“What makes you think I bought you anything?” Yale was grinning from ear to ear.
“Because you always bring me a gift. I just hope it’s not another gown.”
“You didn’t like the gown I bought you?”
“It was beautiful. And it’s still in the wrappings, up in my loft.” She looked down at her buckskins. “Can you imagine me in a dress, trying to work this ranch and break those mustangs?”
“There must be some place you can wear a brand-new gown.”
She shook her head, sending yellow curls tumbling around her face. “Don’t bother much with that visiting preacher. And when I do, it’s usually after I’ve tended to a dozen or more ranch chores first. And there’s no one beating down the door to ask me to a town dance.”
“Maybe that’s because you’ve never bothered to put on that gown.” Yale walked to the cart and removed a parcel. “Well, let’s see how you like this.”
She tore off the wrappings, then gave a squeal of delight. “Oh, Yale. Peppermint sticks. There must be a dozen of them.”
“Two dozen. I figure that ought to fill your sweet tooth for a few days.”
“Oh, I love them.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.
Pleased, he kissed her back and swung her around before setting her on her feet. Then he crossed to Aaron and the two men shook hands before embracing.
In his courtly manner Aaron caught Cara’s hand between both of his. “I’m so glad you’ve returned to Misery, Cara. I hope you and your sons will come to visit often.”
“I’d like that, Aaron. Thank you for your hospitality.”
She turned to Kitty. “Will I see you in town?”
“Not very often.” Kitty walked with Cara to the cart and watched the way her brother gently lifted this woman, allowing his hands to linger at her waist. If she hadn’t been certain of his feelings before, she had her answer.
She shaded the sun from her eyes as her brother climbed up beside Cara and picked up the reins. “I hope you intend to have a visit with Gabe.”
Yale shrugged. “He won’t be happy to see me.”
“Gabe’s changed, Yale. He has a wife now and…”
“A wife?” Yale’s jaw dropped. “Gabe is married?”
Kitty nodded. “Her name’s Billie. She cooks at the Red Dog.”
Yale couldn’t hide the grin that curved his lips. “My brother, the straight-arrow lawman, is married to a girl who cooks in a saloon?” He threw back his head and let out a roar of laughter. Then he flicked the reins and called over his shoulder, “I guess I’m going to have to pay a call on brother Gabe, just so I can meet the woman who could put up with him.”
“Welcome to Misery,” Yale muttered as the horse cart rolled along the dusty main street.
“It’s grown so much.” Cara felt a wave of nostalgia as she studied Swensen’s Dry Goods, and caught sight of Inga and Olaf Swensen inside. There was the giant, Eli Moffat, the blacksmith who owned the town stable, his boots caked with mud and manure, his big hands holding a piece of molten steel to the fire. Further along the street she saw Jesse Cutler, still rail-thin, with his hawkish, angular face and a cap of monk’s hair surrounding a shining bald head. Two of his sons were sweeping while he was brandishing his scissors to a cowboy’s mop of hair.
As they rolled past Doc Honeywell’s surgery they saw the doctor mopping sweat from his forehead while he bent over a blanket-clad figure on the table.
“Oh, my. Look at all the additions.” Cara pointed.
There was a small cabin with a sign that read Rescue Mission, though she had no idea what that meant. And at the end of the street, she was astounded to see that the jail had been enlarged. Beyond the jail was a large cabin with several buildings and pens surrounded by fencing.
At least half a dozen more buildings were under construction. The town appeared to be a beehive of activity.
When Yale reined in the horse in front of the Red Dog Saloon Cara shot him
a look of surprise. “Why are we stopping here?”
“There’s no boardinghouse in Misery. We’ll have to sleep here tonight.”
She glanced at her sons in the back of the cart. “Yale, I can’t have my boys sleeping in a saloon.”
He touched a hand to her shoulder. “It’ll be all right. Trust me, Cara.”
After the bright sunlight outside, it took Yale a moment for his eyes to adjust to the gloom of the saloon. Spotting a woman just walking through the deserted room he called, “Where is everybody?”
She turned and he could see that she was prettier than most of the women Jack Slade usually employed. Things were definitely improving in Misery.
“Sorry.” Her voice sounded breathy, as though she’d been rushing around. “If you’re looking for a game, I can find Mr. Slade. He’s always happy to oblige. If you’re here for supper, you’re early. It won’t be ready for another hour.”
“I was thinking of getting a couple of rooms. Where’s Roscoe Timmons?”
“Oh.” She nodded in understanding. Roscoe Timmons was not only the bartender, but handled room reservations for those men looking for female companionship. “I think he’s upstairs. I’ll have to find him. Who should I say is looking for him?”
“Yale Conover.”
She’d been rushing toward the stairs. But hearing his name she stopped dead in her tracks. Turned. “You’re…Yale?”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “You’ve heard of me?”
She nodded. Instead of continuing up the stairs she walked back down and paused in front of him, rubbing her palms on her skirt before offering her hand. “I guess that makes us related. I’m Billie. Billie Conover. Your brother Gabe’s wife.”
Chapter Nineteen
“You’re Billie?” Yale continued holding her hand, studying her with an intensity that had her blushing.
“Well.” She pulled her hand away. “I’d heard you were a dandy. I just hadn’t expected you to be so…good-looking.”
His grin was quick. “Thanks. I might say the same for you. I never expected Gabe to marry. But especially someone as pretty as you.”
“I guess we’re just full of surprises.” She looked up at him. “Does Gabe know you’re here?”
He shook his head. “We just got in.”
“We?” She glanced around.
“Some special friends. A woman and her two sons. And since there isn’t a boardinghouse in town, I figured I’d need a couple of rooms.”
“I see.” She linked her arm through his and started toward the swinging doors of the saloon. “Since dinner’s cooking, I have time to take you home. Come on. It’s time you saw your brother.”
“Won’t he be at the jail?”
“Not right now. Lars Swensen is there until after supper.”
“Lars?” Yale laughed. “Is he old enough to work at the jail?”
Billie smiled. “You’ve been gone too long. Lars is deputy now, and married to a sweet girl. They have two children.”
“Lars?” Yale’s laughter deepened. Then he merely shook his head in wonder. “You’re right. I’ve been gone way too long.”
Outside he led Billie to the cart and said, “Cara, this is my sister-in-law, Billie. Billie, this is Cara Evans. And these are her sons, Cody and Seth.”
“Nice to meet you.” Billie climbed up and settled herself beside Cara.
When Yale climbed aboard and picked up the reins, he turned to Billie. “Where do you and Gabe live?”
She pointed to the fresh new cabin beyond the jail and said with a note of pride, “That’s our place.”
“Oh.” As they drew near, Cara let out a sigh. “What a nice home, Billie.”
“Thank you.” Billie was flushed with pleasure. “The town built it for us, to make certain Gabe wouldn’t leave.”
“They must think the world of him.”
Billie nodded. “They do. And so do I.”
Yale helped her down, then reached for Cara, tucking her hand in his as he started toward the front door. Not for courage, he told himself. Certainly not for courage. But the thought of seeing his stern-faced older brother had something twisting inside him. He found himself remembering his Uncle Junior, with his quick temper, and the tyrannical demeanor of his grandfather and his litany of rules to be followed. He didn’t want any reminder of his past.
“Gabe,” Billie called, “come and see who’s here.”
At her shout the door opened, and Gabe stepped out. For the space of a full minute he merely stared at the brother he hadn’t seen in more than a year.
“Hey, Gabe.” Yale released Cara’s hand and stepped forward.
“Yale?” Gabe seemed frozen to the spot for a moment, before awkwardly extending his hand.
“I met your wife. She’s beautiful.”
Gabe almost smiled. “Yes, she is.” He drew an arm around her shoulders. “What’re you doing in Misery, Yale?”
“I brought Cara home.” Yale released her hand. “You remember Cara McKinnon, don’t you? Now she’s Cara Evans. And these are her sons, Cody and Seth.”
“Cara. Cody. Seth.” Gabe touched the brim of his hat.
Yale cleared his throat. “Billie says the town built you this place.”
Gabe nodded and, needing something to do, waved an arm. “Want to have a look around?”
“Sure.”
Billie took Cara’s hand. “Let’s let the men look around, while you and the boys come inside with me and have something cool to drink.”
“That would be nice. Thank you, Billie.” Cara herded her sons inside, leaving the two men alone.
Gabe and Yale remained a good distance apart as they walked to the small fenced-in enclosure.
“What’s all this?” Yale studied the hens scratching in the grass. “You’re raising chickens now, Gabe?”
He couldn’t help grinning. “It’s Billie’s doing. She has more energy than ten women. I swear, if ambition has anything to do with it, she’s going to be the richest woman in the territory. She cooks at the Red Dog, and sells eggs to the ranchers, and now she’s planning to start serving chicken suppers once a month after Sunday services. Besides that, she’s raising bees, and starting to sell the honey. Every morning she wakes up with a new idea.”
Yale chuckled. “You don’t sound very upset about it.”
“Hell.” Gabe’s laughter rumbled. “She’s just so cute. How can I get mad at anything she wants to do?”
Yale stared at his older brother, seeing a side of him he’d never before revealed. Had he always had this softness inside him? Or had marriage to this amazing woman given him a new dimension?
“Besides,” Gabe admitted gruffly, “she’s already making more money than I do as sheriff.”
“You don’t say?” Yale leaned on the fence and listened to the clucking of the hens. “It looks to me like you’ve made a good life for yourself here.”
“Yeah.” His brother turned to face him. “How about you, Yale? The last I heard you were running with the Fenner gang.”
Yale’s smile was wiped from his mouth. His eyes grew hard. This was what he’d expected from Gabe. Accusation. Condemnation. “I was, for a while. I’m not proud of it. But I thought they’d be able to tell me something about Pa.”
Gabe straightened. “Did you learn something?”
Yale shook his head. “None of them ever heard of him. I’m beginning to think he never even made it to the Badlands. Otherwise, you’d think someone would have known his name.”
Gabe’s eyes narrowed. “Is that why you started hanging around the Badlands? You were trying to find our pa?”
Yale shrugged. “I suppose that was part of it. A big part of it, in fact.”
Gabe gave a sigh and surprised himself by dropping an arm around his brother’s shoulders. “The not knowing is hard.”
“Yeah.” But it occurred to Yale that just having someone who shared the same pain made it more bearable. “Come on. Show me the inside of your place.”
“You’ll like it. Billie’s made it real nice.”
When they stepped inside, they found Billie and Cara sipping lemonade, while the two boys nibbled biscuits spread with some of Billie’s special fruit conserve.
Billie looked up. “I’ve invited Cara and the boys to stay here with us, Gabe. And I want you to stay, too, Yale.”
Yale was already shaking his head. “That’s too much work, Billie.”
“Not at all. We have the room. And Cara has already said she’d give me a hand over at the Red Dog cooking.”
“At the Red Dog?” Yale’s smile returned. As well as a glint of teasing humor in his eyes. “You’re going to cook in a saloon, Cara?”
She flushed. “Billie said it’s not like working in a saloon at all. I can stay in the kitchen, and she’ll handle serving the tables.”
“What about the boys?”
Billie waved a hand. “I’m going to show them how to feed the chickens, and they can save me that chore while they’re here. I’ll bet, if they ask around town, they can find a few more jobs as well, to keep them busy while their ma’s busy at the Red Dog. And if Gabe gets me that heifer I’ve been wanting, I’ll show them how to feed her and…”
Gabe rolled his eyes and nodded toward the back door. “I think I’ve got a couple of cigars around here someplace. Let’s go sit out back and smoke.”
The two brothers were chuckling as they slipped away, leaving the women to their plans.
Yale stood by the window of the tiny room he was sharing with Cody and Seth. The house had gone still and quiet. The boys had long ago fallen asleep. As had his brother and wife.
He let himself out of the room and walked down the hallway, past the closed door where Cara was sleeping. He longed to go to her. Needed to feel the press of her body to his. But it had been a long journey, and she had looked so overwhelmed by all that had transpired in the space of a single day. Determined to do the right thing, he kept on walking until he came to the back door.
When he stepped outside he saw Cara. She was wearing one of Billie’s nightgowns. A prim cotton thing buttoned clear to her throat. The hem billowed in the breeze, revealing her bare toes. Draped around her shoulders was a blanket.
She had her back to him, and was leaning on the fence, staring at the crude chicken coop.
Badlands Legend Page 18
