Ben reached down and kissed Gabby on the cheek. "See ya."
When he left, Helena turned to Gabby and broke out in laughter.
"Did you see his face?" She watched Gabby's eyes widen with surprise.
Gabby glanced at her; her voice had a far off quality about it. "Yeah, why?"
"It scared him witless." Helena laughed infectiously.
"It's not funny." Gabby protested.
"Ben's in love with you!" Helena informed her.
Gabby's face flushed and she was unable to meet Helena glance.
Jimmy was watching Pedro bury the dog out the kitchen window, and crying.
"Oh honey, don't cry. Killing him was a blessing to him. He was out of his mind with pain and misery. He had rabies. Another animal must have bit or scratched him that had them. Killing a rabid animal is the only way, Jimmy. He could have hurt Miss Clara, or Sugarfoot." Gabby explained.
Jimmy stopped crying and dried his eyes.
She realized that Jimmy was trying to be a big boy and she loved him for it.
"I won't cry no more."
"Good."
That evening the story of the dog was related at the table and Jason looked at Gabby. "Glad you had the sense to climb the ladder."
"I was going to run, but I was afraid he might catch me." Gabby chuckled.
Seeing the serious look on Ben's face, she changed the subject quickly. "So…did you bring Miss Clara into the barn because you knew she was about to deliver?" Gabby asked.
"Yeah, had Pedro bring her in?" Ben replied, his face very serious.
"Jimmy tried to milk her and got nothing." Gabby told him. "So I went out to check on her."
"I should have told you about her. It'll be a while before you can milk her Jimmy. But I'll bring Miss Buttercup in and you can milk her, how's that?"
"Alright…I thought she was sick."
"No, but we'll have another calf in a couple of months." Ben informed him.
"Can I watch it being born?" Jimmy asked.
"Sure, why not…"
"Well, I've got a surprise for you…" Jason announced looking at Jimmy.
"What is it, grandpa?"
Jason left the table and walked outside for a minute then led a dog inside the house.
"This is a pup from Herman Todd's dog, Grandy. She's just been weaned and we'll have to train her. Do you think you can help, Jimmy?"
"Sure grandpa, she's pretty!" Jimmy got down on the floor and played with the pup.
"She's a border collie. Pure bred. She'll make a fine cow dog. Your Pa is good with dogs; he can show you a lot of things about training." Jason told him. "You pay attention and you can help train her."
"You want to learn, Jimmy?" Ben asked him with a smile.
"Sure do."
"Well, then maybe we should start by naming her." Ben suggested coming around the table and petting the pup.
Jimmy looked very serious at Ben. "It'll have to be a special name, won't it, Pa?"
"Yep, I imagine so."
"Then I gotta think on it." Jimmy responded.
"Take your time." Ben bent to pet the pup. "She's got good markings. I'm glad you got her, Pa."
Two days later a gully washer came up and the men were all out on the range. The storm was so bad the men had to pack it in and head for the house.
There was a creek on the property where the men were working that day and a bridge, but the water had swollen the creek bed, flooding the land.
The herd had to be moved to another pasture. Ben had several of his men tend them while he went after some strays.
Still, Ben didn't come back and Gabby was afraid for him when she saw the others come in and not him.
"The bridge might have been impassable as the water was rising fast. He wouldn't attempt crossing if it was too high." Cal explained to Jason.
"We'll wait a while; he might just be waiting it out somewhere until he can cross." Jason determined. "Ben's been in a few floods before, he knows what to do."
"He had some stragglers he was trying to round up and told us to go on." Cal kept on. "Otherwise, we wouldn’t have left him there."
"He usually uses his head pretty good, don't fret about it. If he ain't back by morning, we'll go take a look." Jason told his men.
Although the men seemed reluctant to sit around and do nothing, Jason assured them that Ben knew what he was doing.
All during supper, Gabby was silent. She was worried. She wished the men had gone back to look for him. But she said nothing. She wasn't about to try to tell them how to do their jobs.
After the dishes were put away and Jimmy had gone to bed, Gabby sat by the fire a long while. Offering a prayer for Ben while she waited. She remembered the many nights she had sat waiting for her father to come home during times of stress. This was no different.
Helena was right; she was madly in love with her husband.
All her good memories here came flooding into her head at once. The good times they had shared, the kisses, the talks. Ben had come to mean something to her and tonight she realized how much.
She was about to go to bed when the door opened and Ben came dragging in. He was soaked and looked so tired, but the weary smile on his face said he was glad she was up and waiting for him.
Without thinking, she rushed into his arms and hugged him so tight he could barely breath.
"You'll get all wet," He wrapped his arms around her.
"I don't care. I was so worried…" She cried aloud.
"I thought you'd have been in bed at this hour." He barely uttered.
"I couldn't sleep, knowing you were out in this weather. I'm so glad you're home!" She murmured. Then without thinking, she grabbed him around the neck and pulled him, wet clothes and all against her once more.
He didn't object. His arms went around her and he kissed her solidly on the lips. She moaned aloud.
"Sorry I scared you," He murmured between kisses. "I had to get those cows across though and it took me forever before I found a shallow enough end." He smiled into her face.
"I'm sorry, you're father told us all you could handle it, but I just kept worrying," she apologized for grabbing him so.
"Don't apologize Gabby. I liked it." He winked at her. "Kind of nice coming home to someone who's been worrying about me."
"Your soaking wet. You need to get some dry clothes on…" She insisted.
"I'll go change. Would you wait up for me?" He asked.
She nodded. She went back to the couch and sat down, a sigh of relief flooding her. He was home! Nothing compared to the relief she felt at seeing him. Realizing just how much she was worried she knew her concern for him was genuine.
When he came back he had on a pair of dry pants, but nothing else, his feet were bare, and his chest.
She stared at him in the light of the fire and couldn't move.
"Want me to put some more clothes on?" He asked huskily.
"No," she whispered.
"You're staring…" He smiled sheepishly.
"I guess it's because I never seen my husband without a shirt on." She felt breathless.
"Never seen my wife without one, either," He chuckled.
She shivered from that statement, but saw the twinkle in his eyes and knew he was kidding her.
She waited until he came to sit by the fire with her.
"So…how was your day?" He asked and grinned.
She sighed again happily this time. "Full of worry."
"About me?" He asked, turning his head for the answer.
"Yes…" she barely breathed.
"I'm sorry, honey. There was no way I could get home any faster in that mess with all those cows. They got bogged down in the mud first, had to drag them out, then it rained so hard I had to figure out a way to get them across the creek, it was flooding the place and the current was faster than a racehorse." He explained. "I took my time because I didn't want to lose them."
She leaned back on the couch, and he had his arm behind her, when she did
, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "Sure is nice to come home to someone who cares though…I figured everyone would be in bed."
"I care…" She whispered.
"I know…and it's nice to hear." He smiled before he kissed her.
Carried away with the kiss and her happiness that he was home safe, she let the kiss wander, as he held her close and his hands traveled up and down her.
"Gabby, I want you…" He whispered in her ear. "Tell me you want me, too…"
"Yes…" she didn't hesitate to tell him. He stopped everything and looked into her eyes.
"You mean that…?"
She blushed, "Yes, but…not tonight. You are wiped out tired, and it's late."
He pulled away reluctantly. "You sure do use your head at the wrong times, honey."
She smiled. "I'm glad you're home…" she kissed his nose and got up to go upstairs.
"Gabby," He called her name as she mounted the stairs.
She turned to look at him.
"You mean that? I mean are you sure?"
"Yes," she replied, sending him a hot glance. "Are you?"
He snickered under his breath, "I've been ready a while now…Thanks for waiting up for me."
She smiled and went to bed, alone.
Chapter Seventeen
The men were all glad to see Ben the next morning, and before he left he took Gabby in his arms and kissed her hard and fully.
She didn't mind. She always looked forward to his goodbye kisses. Although she had to admit, this one was profoundly deeper. She nearly moaned when he turned her loose. The look in her eyes smoldered into his.
He lost breath staring at her.
Finally, he turned her lose and left.
Her and Helena finished the dishes and Helena glanced at her and Jimmy. "It's getting cooler now, and I need to stock up our supplies before the winter weather sets in. But I'll need help; will you come with me?"
"Of course, do the men know you are going into town?" Gabby asked.
"Yes, Jason does, he'll tell the rest. They are going to be busy cleaning up the mess the storm made yesterday. So it is a good day to go on into town and get the supplies. I do this twice a year." She informed her.
"Do you mind if Jimmy comes with us?" Gabby asked.
"No, not at all." Helena smiled.
Gabby went outside to call Jimmy in. He was in the barn with Pedro, he came running out and Butch was with him.
"Helena and I are going to town, want to come along?" She asked.
"Sure, can Butch come."
"Why not. The new puppy can't, he would tear things up before we get them home though."
"Thanks…" Jimmy smiled and hopped in the back of the wagon when Pedro pulled it around front for the women.
"Have you thought of a name for the new pup yet?" She asked him.
"Yep, but I can't tell no one until I tell Pa and Grandpa." He affirmed seriously.
Gabby smiled. "Sounds fair."
"We'll be back later, Pedro, I'm going to get the winter supplies so it might take a while." Helena explained.
"Si, I'll be here if you need me." Pedro nodded.
"Thanks."
They pulled out of the yard and the trip into town was easy although there were a lot of downed trees and branches.
Most of the floodwaters had receded already because the sun had come up quickly and it was very warm. Only a hint of October wafted the air. The leaves were beginning to fall, summer was fading.
All morning, Helena read her list to the shopkeeper at the General store and he loaded one thing after another for her in the wagon. Lots of dry goods, sugar, flour, cornmeal, beans. Jimmy got a bag of candy. The butcher came into the store and saw Butch.
"Isn't that Butch?" He asked Jimmy.
"Yes sir."
"Well, I tell you what, you come over before you leave and I'll give him a big fat juicy bone to naw on to take home." The butcher told Jimmy. "He's a good dog."
"Thanks…" Jimmy smiled.
"It was nearly noon when they stopped off at the butcher shop. Seeing the time, Mr. Leroy treated them to a ham sandwich and Butch got his bone.
The three of them sat on the side of the boardwalk and ate and then got into the wagon and started home. They were laughing and talking when they came to a place in the road where a big tree limb had fallen in its path. It was too big to dodge or go around, they knew somehow they'd have to try to move it to get the wagon around it.
"That's strange; it wasn't there when we came into town. I'll need you to help me move it." Helena told her. "I'm not sure we can. If not, we'll have to ride back into town and get some help."
"It wasn't there when we came. But it does look dead, so maybe it just fell over." Gabby looked around and that's when she spotted him, Colby was on his horse and stopped by the side of the road slightly hidden from them. When Gabby saw him she jumped.
"Morning ladies…" He tipped his hat as he came out from the brush.
"Colby, I thought you'd left by now." Gabby grabbed her chest.
"Apparently not. Looks like you need a little help getting that branch out of the road." He got off his horse and with their help he moved it to the side of the road.
When they headed back for the wagon he called out to Gabby.
"I just found out."
"Found out what?"
"Who you married." He smiled cagily. His eyes went from Gabby to Helena's. Then he looked at the branch. An uneasiness crawled over Gabby. She looked at the limb, then him.
Helena was about to whip the horse into action when he got right in front of them.
"Now. Let's talk about that new husband of yours. That wouldn't be Jason Wyler, of the Crooked W Ranch now would it? Yeah, I can see that now. All that money and all, I can see where you'd take to the Wyler's real easy like."
Gabby's mouth flew open, but nothing came out.
"I thought you were just passing through?" Gabby finally managed to say.
"Mama, isn't that…"
"Yes Jimmy, it is. Let's go home." Gabby cried her fears multiplying by the minute, as she and Helena tried to go around him.
But Colby kept blocking them.
"Not so fast, now!" He grinned again.
When Colby didn't move, Gabby put her hands on her hips and stared at him.
"What do you want?" Helena burst out.
"Mrs. Wyler. That's what I want."
"W-what are you going to do?" Gabby gasped, aware that he had pulled his gun on them.
"I'm kidnapping you, Mrs. Wyler."
"Kidnapping?" Helena's voice rose with indignation. "You can't do that?"
"I can and I will…now get down off that wagon Mrs. Wyler." Colby demanded aiming his gun at Gabby as she was preparing to get up on the seat.
When Gabby didn't move he moved his gun and aimed it at Jimmy. "I said get down off the wagon."
Gabby jumped off the wagon. Jimmy rose up to watch her. Butch growled at the man.
"Call that dog off." Colby shouted.
About that time, Butch jumped from the wagon straight at Colby, knocking him off his horse. Colby wrestled with him a minute, then he drew his gun and shot him.
Butch screeched, then fell over.
Gabby had run to the wagon to jump back on, but Colby was up again.
Gabby looked at Butch, they all did.
"Aye, yi, yi." Helena shook her head, raising her hands in the air. "You killed him."
"Had to. He bit the hell out of me lady." Colby dangled his hand in front of them, it was bleeding profusely.
Gabby, Jimmy and Helena all stared as though they couldn't believe Butch did that.
Jimmy nearly jumped out of the wagon; he was crying and shouting at the same time. "You killed him… You killed Butch."
"Frank's kid, ain't it?" Colby flashed his eyes at Gabby.
"Yes."
"Reckon he won't be of any use."
"What are you gonna do with me?" Gabby asked as he motioned with his gun for her t
o get down once more.
"Everyone in these parts knows Wyler is one of the richest ranchers in the state. At least this way I'll get my money back, won't I? And then some."
"I don't have your money, Colby. I don't even know if there was any money." Gabby admitted.
Jimmy stood up in the wagon, watching him.
"Get over here, Mrs. Wyler." He sneered at her.
"Please…don't do this." Helena pleaded. "She's been through enough…"
"Now that's a fact, she has. Her first husband was a no account. That was her first old man's fault, not mine, lady," he looked at Helena. "You're gonna get back to the ranch and tell Mr. Wyler, I got his new bride, and I want fifty thousand or she's dead meat. Tell him I'll send a note where to leave the money and how to get his bride back." Colby snarled at Helena. "Tell him if he brings the law with him, I'll kill her. No questions asked."
"Ben Wyler will kill you for this." Helena promised.
"Ask Ben to take care of Jimmy for me please, Helena." Gabby wailed.
"Ben Wyler, I thought the old man's name was Jason?"
"She's Ben Wyler's wife now. Ben is Jason's son."
"Don't matter to me which one of the Wyler's she belongs to, they better see I get the money, if they want her back alive." Then he whipped at Helena's horses so the wagon went into a run.
Helena grabbed the reins trying to slow the horses, but they were on a run now. Jimmy hollered as he was tossed around on top of the sacks of supplies. "Mama…mama! Poor ole Butch." He wailed.
When they practically flew into the ranch yard a couple of the regular hands came up to the wagon trying to stop the horses. Pedro was right behind them. "Something wrong, Helena?" He shouted as he steadied the horses and hobbled them for her.
"Yes, get both Mr. Wyler's, quickly!" she shouted.
Pedro nodded and ran for his horse, the other hand helped her down and she reached to pick Jimmy up in her arms he was sobbing hysterically now.
"Where did he take my Mama?"
The hand, Joel Haney looked up at her.
"Mrs. Wyler's been kidnapped." She explained.
"Good Lord…I'm so sorry." The man opened the door for her and stood by her.
"I don't know, Jimmy, but your Pa and Grandpa will find out!" Helena promised him as she carried him in the house in her arms, trying to console him. Tears ran down her face as she rocked Jimmy in the chair and tried to calm her own racing heart. Joel Haney didn't move, he just stood there in the doorway, staring at Helena and the boy.
Love As Big As Texas Page 17
