by Barbara Goss
Amanda didn’t panic immediately. She fought to gain control of the horse, which she thought she could do, being an expert rider. But when Helen’s horse reared and pawed the air, he caught Amanda’s horse’s head. Immediately her horse whinnied, shook its head, and bucked forward. He raced forward, despite Amanda’s best efforts .The scenery flew by rapidly and holding on was about all she could manage. She heard shouts behind her and knew the men were trying to rescue her. The more she yanks on the reins to stop the horse, the faster it ran.
Holding on helplessly, Amanda watched the countryside fly by. The frantic horse jumped over a small creek, dodged trees, and trampled brush blindly, while she sat frozen with fright. Suddenly she knew they’d come to the end of their reckless ride. The horse was headed for a canyon area strewn with rocks of all sizes. The first one they hit sent Amanda flying one way, the horse the other. As she arced through the air Amanda prayed and even thought about which part of her body she should try to land on. Then everything was lost in darkness.
12
Amanda’s first view of the ranch was the ceiling in the guest room, though it took her several days to realize it.
When she first opened her eyes, she closed them again quickly, for bright sunlight flooded the room. Slowly she became accustomed to the light, and her first thought was that she was back in her own room in Ohio.
“Mama?” she heard herself whisper. “Mama?” she ventured more loudly. Soft footsteps from a distance came nearer. She tried turning her head, but sharp pain halted her. “Mama?” she asked.
Warm, soft lips kissed her cheek and forehead. She smiled. Mama! Mama took her hand and held it gently, caressing it lovingly. Amanda felt safe in Mama’s presence and relaxed into darkness once more.
When Amanda opened her eyes again the room was dark, and she became frightened. “Mama?” her call was only slightly louder than a whisper.
The footsteps weren’t so far away this time and reached her side quickly.
“Mama?” she heard her voice choke in fear.
“I’m here,” Mama whispered, smoothing her forehead.
“I…I… My head hurts…” she groaned.
“You’ll feel better tomorrow,” Mama whispered.
“You’ll stay with me?” she asked, groping for the loving hand.
“I’ll stay right here,” Mama assured her, squeezing her hand gently.
Amanda relaxed into peaceful slumber.
Whispering voices drew Amanda from her darkness. Her head hurt, so she didn’t open her eyes, but listened. Was that Phillip or Pa?
“Didn’t Doc say she’d be all right? Didn’t he say she’d wake up soon?”
Mama told him, “She’s been awake twice. Don’t worry. She’ll be fine.”
Phillip sounded worried. Amanda tried to open her eyes to reassure him, but again the sunlight blinded her. She shut them quickly. Amanda tried opening them several more times. By the time she succeeded, Phillip was gone. But Mama had kept her promise. Amanda still clung to her hand. She felt less panicky and lay gazing at the ceiling. Slowly memories began peeking into her consciousness. She frowned.
The wagon train kept poking into her memory, then the graves. She snapped her eyes shut. Her family was dead. Luke! She remembered Luke. Helen’s face popped into her mind. Then she remembered Ruby sticking her horse with the pin and the reckless ride.
Whose hand was she holding! Who had so lovingly played Mama for her? Where was she?
Opening her eyes slowly and turning her head just slightly, she could see strange flowered wallpaper, white flouncy curtains, and a wooden door painted white. She couldn’t make her head turn enough to see who sat beside her, holding her hand.
“Hello?” she whispered, confused as to how to address this person. “Who are you? Where am I?” she asked.
The comforting hand left hers, and the woman walked to the foot of the bed, directly in Amanda’s view. Sparkling brown eyes smiled in her middle-aged face, and Amanda liked this woman immediately. Her dark, braided hair was wrapped about her head like a crown, flattering her eyes and golden skin.
Returning the smile, Amanda wondered who this gentle Spanish-looking lady could be. Why had she treated her so lovingly?
With eyes still beaming, the lady spoke, “I’m Margaret Sterling, and you are an honored guest in our home. My son Luke has told me all about you.”
Everything about this woman was gentle. At first Amanda thought she must be in heaven, and this was the biblical Mary.
“Then that was Luke’s voice I heard?” she asked.
She nodded. “He has been here many times, and is extremely concerned.”
“What is wrong with me? My head hurts terribly.”
“Doc Hawley examined you shortly after the boys brought you home. He diagnosed a concussion, a sprained ankle, and fractured wrist. “She smiled brightly. “It sounds horrible but actually is minor, considering how serious it might have been.”
Amanda’s mind flew back to that day, and she gasped suddenly. “Helen! Is Helen all right?”
“Helen is fine. She wasn’t injured at all. From her account of the story, her horse kicked yours. She was able to bring hers under control.”
“Did she say why our horses panicked?” Amanda asked.
“Explicitly,” Margaret said, a blush accompanying her slight grimace.
Amanda started to laugh, but the pain in her head halted her. Margaret rushed to her side.
“Are you all right, dear?”
“Yes. I’m fine,” she answered. “I did want to apologize for Helen’s language. She’s just found God, and her past…”
Margaret patted her hand affectionately. “I know, dear. Luke explained everything. Actually, I’m very fond of Helen. She’ll make a fine lady with a little help.”
Amanda smiled. Her eyes felt heavy and kept trying to close.
“Get some sleep, Amanda,” Margaret whispered, moving toward the door. “I’ll leave you for a while, but if you need me, just call.”
“Can I ask you something first?” Amanda asked drowsily. “Why did you pretend to be my mother last night?”
Beneath heavy lids, Amanda could see Margaret’s eyes twinkle as she smiled and said simply, “I never pretend.” She spun around and was gone.
Amanda next awoke to the rattle of china. The room was dimmer, so her eyes adjusted easily. She smiled, in spite of her pain. At the foot of her bed stood Luke, holding a tray. Despite his wide grin, his eyes were filled with concern. Amanda’s heart thumped at seeing him and felt warmed by his caring look.
Her smile in return and perhaps some twinkling still left in her eyes arrested his apparent worry. He sighed. “You certainly know how to make a grand entrance! Welcome to the S.O.S. ranch.”
“Thank you. Your mother is lovely.”
“As untimely as your grand entrance was, it was a blessing for my mother.”
“A nuisance, you mean.”
“No. A blessing. You see, she’d just been told about Celia. Mother accepted God’s will yet suffered extreme depression. She’d built her hopes on Celia’s riding in with us. Not only did your accident take her mind from her own grief and pain, it gave her someone to mother.”
“She is a loving lady. Spanish?”
“Half. Her mother was Isabella DeLa Rosa Cardellia.” At her blank look, he laughed and explained. “An extremely prominent family, of which I am very proud.”
“And her father?” Amanda asked.
“Theodore Randall, a second cousin of Sam Houston.”
“I’ve certainly heard of him; I’m impressed. What about your father?”
Luke grinned. “A cowboy from Kansas named Stewart Orin Sterling. Which is how the ranch got its name: S.O.S. ranch.”
Amanda smiled. “There must be a story to go with that!”
“Oh, there is, but if I tell it, Mother will have my head on a platter! Don’t worry, there’s no way you’ll get out of hearing every detail.”
He nodded to t
he tray. “Will you have tea with me, so I can put down this awkward tray?”
She nodded with a smile.
He set the tray on a nearby table and righted the turned over china cups in their saucers.
“But, Luke, there are three cups,” she observed.
He turned with a mischievous grin. “Someone wants to join us, if you’re up to it?”
“Who? Helen?” she asked anxiously.
“No. Dad. He can’t wait to meet you, unless you don’t feel well enough. I can tell him you’ll see him tomorrow.”
Amanda couldn’t imagine why his father would be so anxious to meet her but was flattered enough to agree.
“Be right back,” he said, hurrying to the door.
Amanda hoped the surprise she felt didn’t surface in her face when Stewart Sterling filled the doorway, moments later. She never expected Luke’s father to look as he did. Standing about six foot two, he towered over Luke, who had always seemed so tall to her. His body reminded Amanda of a Greek statue, with a large, muscular chest and small waist held up by long, lanky, slightly bowed legs. He cut a magnificent figure, with hair lighter blond than even Celia’s had been. He had the same bushy eyebrows as Luke and Jared, except his were yellow and, like his hair, slightly streaked with white. Stewart Sterling’s face appeared rosy, and the smile included his bright-blue eyes.
“So this is Amanda!” His melodic, low, powerful voice filled the small room. “Sorry to barge in so soon, but after the introduction Luke gave, well, I couldn’t wait to make your acquaintance. Welcome to our home.”
His presence filled the room so completely that Amanda was at a loss for words. Finally she managed a small, “Thank you.”
He sat lightly, for a man his size, on a chair Luke provided.
Luke propped pillows behind Amanda and stroked her cheek lightly. He then poured tea and handed them each a cup.
Looking at his father, Luke smiled and said, “Well, can we keep her?”
Mr. Sterling’s booming laughter nearly startled Amanda. She’d have to get used to this huge, loud, yet gentle, man. She blushed at Luke’s remark.
Seeing her color, Stewart explained. “This is a long running family joke. Luke always brought home something he begged to keep. Let’s see.” He scratched his chin as Luke often did while thinking. “Once it was a black-and-white kitten, another time a stray dog that had only three legs, and we’ll never forget the Indian boy!”
“Indian boy?” Amanda asked in wonder.
“Yep.” Stewart laughed. “Luke found him in the woods. The boy was about twelve, spoke no English, and Luke wanted to keep him. That was the only one we made him return!”
Amanda smiled. She was picturing Luke and his Indian in her mind. Luke had a delightful family. She loved them all.
They chatted casually for some time before Stewart and Luke stood to leave. Walking toward the door, Stewart turned and smiled at her, then winked at Luke. “Well, Son, I guess we’ll keep this one.”
“Come in,” Amanda responded to the light tap on her bedroom door the next morning.
Helen’s red head peeked into the bright room. “You accepting visitors?” she asked.
“Helen!” Amanda cried. “Oh, I’m so glad to see you!” She opened her arms to enfold her friend.
Helen hesitated initially to enter Amanda’s warm embrace, then returned it lovingly, as if the gesture were foreign to her, but welcome.
“You gave us all a pretty scare, I’ll tell ya!” she exclaimed, sitting at the foot of the bed.
“Tell me everything that happened from the moment the horse threw me.” Amanda sat up straight, with wide eyes, and folded her hands. “Don’t leave out one detail.”
Helen laughed. “Guess that bump on the head didn’t hurt ya none. Same old Amanda!”
“Do begin the story! I’m on pins and needles!”
Smoothing Amanda’s coverlet, Helen began, “You recall that sword Ruby drove into your horse’s rump, don’t ya?”
Amanda laughed, “Helen! That was a hat pin!”
“Could have fooled my horse!” She grinned. “Anyhow, my horse kicked yours, but I was able to control mine. Not soon enough though, to help you. The men took off after you, but your horse ran like lightning! The men found you only moments after you were thrown. In fact, Aaron claims he saw you hit the ground.”
Helen shook her flaming curls, “Never realized how much those fellows cared for you until then. You could have been their own sister the way they fussed and worried.”
Tears burned Amanda’s eyes, it felt as if she had a family again. Knowing she’d soon be in tears, she changed the subject quickly: “What happened to Ruby? Is she here? How did the men deal with her and what she’d done?”
“I’m ashamed to say I almost pulled every hair from her head, and the men had to pull me off her. I thought she’d killed you, and I saw red! Can’t ever recall being so angry! Robert said he hadn’t heard such language since the last time he’d visited the London waterfront.
“Jared,” Helen continued, “took Ruby aside, once they had made you comfortable and ready to travel, and talked to her. I don’t know what they said, but she cried. He seemed kind yet firm. They made a stretcher for you from horse blankets and tree limbs and dragged you behind their horses, which slowed us considerably and brought Luke out looking for us.”
Helen chuckled and shook her head as if recalling a loving memory. “When he saw the stretcher— well, I never saw anyone so alarmed! We were only a few hours travel from the ranch when he met us, but the rest of the trip you rode in royal style!”
Amanda cocked her head, “What do you mean, royal?”
“I mean Luke Sterling immediately picked you up from the dusty stretcher and placed you in front of him on his horse. He rode all the way home with you, like a baby in his arms.” Helen smiled in fond remembrance. “He talked to you the whole time, too, but I couldn’t hear what he said. Soft, crooning things.”
“Oh, Helen!” Amanda whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You make it sound so- so-“
“Romantic?” Helen put in.
She nodded.
Helen continued, “That isn’t all. Wait until you hear the rest! Ruby was terribly quiet the whole time. She rode alone and spoke to no one. Luke ignored her completely until you were tucked into bed safely and the doctor was examining you. Then he summoned her into the study, and…” she whispered secretly, “I wasn’t eavesdropping, mind you, just happened to be passing by, you understand... and he was shouting…”
Amanda smiled knowingly. “Go on, Helen!”
“He ordered her to leave the ranch in a very impolite way!”
“But where did he expect her to go?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t hear the whole conversation, but the next thing I knew, Aaron was escorting her off the premises.”
“Where did he take her?” Amanda asked, eyes wide.
“The nearest town, Laredo. According to Jared, she found a job right away in a saloon.”
“Poor Ruby,” sighed Amanda.
“Seriously?” asked Helen.
“Yes. I’ve discovered that people with different backgrounds acquire different slants on life, like you, for instance. Not everyone is blessed with a loving, Godfearing, Bible-reading family like Luke’s or my own. I suppose the more difficult the background the harder the crust around that heart.”
“But,” Helen reminded her, “It was that very emptiness that lead me to accept God in my life. I’ve never felt loved before. You’d think Ruby would be as hungry for God as I was.”
“Her misfortunes may have been different,” Amanda said thoughtfully. “She may have been loved her whole life, but by the wrong type of people. Evidently her need isn’t love. If only we knew what her life was missing, maybe we could help her.”
“Ruby’s beyond help,” Helen protested disgustedly.
“No, Helen. No one is beyond help.”
“But Jared told me he tried for hours to hel
p her, and she plain refused to have anything to do with religion or God.”
“If we get another opportunity we’ll try again,” said Amanda, “and pray for her.”
“I guess,” Helen said slowly, with down cast eyes, “I have a long way to go with God. I’m trying, but some things are still difficult for me, like forgiveness.”
“Me, too!” Amanda smiled. “I gave Him up completely and am so ashamed.”
“And I thought thrashing Ruby was the right thing to do, after what she did. Figured God would allow it, seeing as you’re one of His and all!”
Amanda threw her head back in laughter, until her pain forced her to stop. “Oh, Helen! I’m so glad I have you here!”
Helen sobered. “Yes, but not for long, I’m afraid.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t stay and sponge off these wonderful people. I have to find a job and…“
“Hush!” Amanda scolded. “We’ll think of something. Together we’ll figure out what to do. You can travel to California with me!” she suggested excitedly.
13
While Helen’s visit had cheered Amanda, it had also given her much to ponder. Her goal of reaching California and Aunt Hattie seemed to diminish more as her feelings for Luke grew. What should she do?
She tossed restlessly, and then wished she hadn’t, for now her bed was crumpled and sloppy. It would be just like Luke to pop in and see her like this. Yet she continued to toss about, trying to find a solution and a cool position that didn’t cause pain.
Amanda tried to envision Luke cradling her upon his horse; tears streamed down her cheeks. She punched her pillow. He cared! She cared, too! How could she leave? By then she was sniffling and wiping tears and didn’t hear footsteps approach until a loving hand caressed her shoulder. Amanda looked up into the soft eyes of Margaret Sterling. The gentle lady wiped Amanda’s tears with a white lace handkerchief, which felt as soft as her touch.
