by Kristen Iten
“I don’t imagine you’d be any bother to him at all.” Rosie suppressed a smile and turned back to her work.
The truth was, there was nothing Abigail wanted more than to spend time in Jake’s company. But she had agreed to stay away from the ranch, and he had agreed to stay away from town. An inescapable sadness crept into her heart when she thought about the fact that their days together were numbered. It ate at her to know that he was so close, but she couldn’t be with him.
Long hours passed, and afternoon turned into evening. Abigail sat on the spacious front porch with Miss Rosie, watching as twilight began to fall.
She had truly come to feel at home in Sweet Creek. This was her favorite time of day. The sights of a town winding down for the night were comforting somehow, but her usual feeling of contentment eluded her this evening. She turned her head every time she heard the sound of a horse and rider making their way down the street, hoping against hope to catch a glimpse of the man she missed so dearly.
“You expecting someone, dear?” Abigail could tell by the look on Miss Rosie’s face what someone she was referring to.
“No, not really.” Abigail leaned back in the rocking chair, resting her head against the smooth surface.
“If you’ll take my advice, you’ll do something about that fine young man. Sitting and hoping never put a ring on any woman’s finger. I would know best.” Rosie held her left hand up for Abigail to have a good look at and wiggled her naked ring finger.
Again, the sound of horse hooves plodding along the main road reached Abigail’s ears. She decided to ignore it. I can’t keep doing this to myself.
“Gracious sakes,” said Miss Rosie in a hushed tone. She reached over and squeezed Abigail’s hand.
Abigail followed Rosie’s gaze. An exhilarating thrill jolted through her body when her eyes landed on the man in the saddle.
“Ma’am.” Jake touched the brim of his hat and nodded in Miss Rosie’s direction. He leaned forward and rested his forearm on his saddle horn. “Abby,” he said. A wide smile softened his chiseled features.
Abigail jumped up from her seat. “What are you doing here? I didn’t expect to see you until … well, I didn’t know when I’d see you again.”
“Should I go?” His playful grin broadened.
“No!” Both ladies blurted at once.
“I’m sorry,” Rosie said. “It’s none of my business, but I just can’t stand it any more. This girl has been pining for you for a week. Don’t you know it’s bad manners to keep a lady waiting, young man?”
“Miss Rosie!” Heat instantly shot up Abigail’s neck and into her cheeks. Her eyes were as big as Rosie’s finest saucers.
“I was only joking, dear,” said Rosie, but she gave Jake a look that said otherwise.
“I was only joking myself,” said Jake. “Seeing as how we both have a fondness for stars, I thought you might enjoy a starlit ride.”
“It’s a perfect night for it,” said Abigail. “I’d love to.”
Miss Rosie laid a hand over her heart. “You two be good now.”
Jake helped Abigail into her usual seat in front of him, and Horse headed for the countryside beyond the boarders of town.
“The stars look so much brighter tonight,” said Abigail.
“They shine their brightest during a new moon.” Jake allowed his animal to choose their path. “I’ve always said that starlight is the most pure light of all.”
“Why is that?” asked Abigail.
“When you look at someone in starlight, you can’t see any of their flaws. All you see are the best parts of them—they shine.” Jake took Abigail’s hand in his and spoke softly in her ear. “Some people don’t need starlight to shine.”
Abigail leaned back and rested against his chest. A sigh of contentment escaped her lips.
“I’ve missed you, Abigail.”
Abigail hesitated for a moment before speaking. “How much time do we have, Jake?”
“We can ride for as long as you want.”
“That’s not what I meant. How much time do we have?” she said.
“You mean before I have to be moving on? I don’t rightly know.” They rode on for a few minutes, taking in the sounds of the night.
“I can tell you what I do know,” said Jake. “We have right now, and this moment is to precious to waste by fretting about the future.”
“I’ve missed you, too,” said Abigail.
Chapter 17
The day Abigail had been waiting for had finally arrived. The ranch was nearly finished and today was the big reveal.
The sky was ablaze with the rich colors of a fiery sunset. The hottest part of the day had passed. A soft breeze blew over the open country, bringing with it relief from the thick air of late afternoon.
Abigail inhaled the sweetness of the fresh air, stretching her legs out in front of her. The rhythmic plodding of horse hooves paired with the squeaking of leather harnesses captured her attention. She moved her feet in time with the beat and leaned back against the rough pine boards of Pastor David Holtz’s wagon. She closed her eyes and let the rustic cadence wash over her.
Jake rode alongside the wagon. His animal knew the trail to the ranch well by now. He kept in step with David’s two horse team. The men were deep in conversation. Abigail smiled as she listened in. How these men can talk about fence posts for twenty solid minutes is beyond me. There was no denying that Jake was meant for life on a ranch.
Abigail couldn’t help but notice the regular glances that Jake threw in her direction. Each one made her heart skip a beat.
A large rock hidden in the tall grass jolted the wagon and everyone in it.
“Is everything all right back there?” Rebecca’s voice was soft and sweet, the kind of voice that sounded like a smile. She rode up front next to her husband on the single raised plank of wood that served as a bench seat.
“I knew I shouldn't have brought a stew, but it's David’s favorite,” said Rebecca.
Abigail’s hand rested on the lid of a large crock sitting next to her.
“No spills so far,” she said.
“One of my husband’s favorite pastimes is eating my stew. It was his idea to turn this little outing to your ranch into a late night supper.” Rachel’s shoulders shook with quiet laughter. “Who has a picnic this time of day?”
“I’m glad he thought of it. This stew smells delicious.” Abigail cracked the lid open and breathed in the meaty scent. “Do you think I’d be breaking one of the Commandments if I snitched a bite before supper?”
Rebecca threw her head back and laughed much harder than Abigail had expected from such a small jest. Rebecca’s hysterics were infectious and before long, both ladies were laughing uncontrollably.
“What’s the joke? I missed it,” said David.
Rebecca managed to regain her composure long enough to recount the story but it fell flat. Neither of the men saw the humor in what Abigail had said. Their straight faces were enough to send the two friends into all new rounds of laughter, wiping tears from their eyes and holding their sides.
There hadn’t been a sign of trouble at the ranch since the gunfight. In the two weeks that had passed, Jake had finished the barn and put up a corral. All that was left to do was cross fence portions of the property near the main house. Abigail hadn’t been back in all that time. Her suspicions about her brother’s death had faded a little with each uneventful day that had passed.
David guided the team around the final bend in the road. Abigail rose to her knees when the ranch came into sight. Her ranch.
Jake sat tall in the saddle and looked over at Abigail.
“It’s not done yet, but it’s looking real good,” he said.
Abigail’s jaw hung open. She could hardly believe the difference that a couple of weeks of hard work could make. Jake had taken a rugged, unfinished homestead in the middle of nowhere, and turned it into a ranch.
“Jake,” said Abigail. She brought a hand to her mouth. “
It’s beautiful. You’ve worked so hard. All it’s missing are the animals.”
“And its owner,” said Jake.
Butterflies filled Abigail’s stomach when her eyes met his. Something silent passed between them. Abigail wasn’t quite sure what it was but she liked it.
“Ho, boys.” David pulled back on the reins, and the wagon came to a smooth stop next to the barn. “That’s an impressive amount of work,” he said.
They all sat for a moment admiring Jake’s handiwork when Abigail noticed an odd scent hanging in the air.
“What’s that—”
“Kerosene,” shouted Jake, whipping Milly out of her scabbard. He tossed the gun to David and leapt from the saddle in one fluid motion.
Abigail was still trying to figure out what was going on when a lean man broke cover and sprinted toward the craggy ridge that overlooked her property. Jake was in hot pursuit.
With courage as steadfast as the rocks ahead of him, Jake raced across the meadow guided only by his resolve. Determination glinted in his eyes as his heart pounded in his chest, sending waves of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He could think of nothing but apprehending the man he believed to be Abigail’s attacker.
The trespasser beat Jake to the steep, rocky face of the escarpment, and had a sizable head start on the climb. Jake launched himself onto the rocks, blinded to the fact that this unsavory character would have every advantage that higher ground could afford. He couldn’t stop. This was his chance to make sure that Abigail would be safe once and for all.
Sweat poured down his temples and soaked his shirt. Loose stones and few hand holds made for a treacherous climb. He holstered his revolver to free both hands for the ascent.
Jake looked up in time to see a pair of tooled leather boots disappear onto a rocky ledge above his head. He pulled himself onto the ledge soon after. He hadn’t even risen to his feet before he found himself looking down the barrel of a pistol.
“Get ‘em up.” The stranger’s gruff voice left no room for doubt; he meant business. The man took several steps backward as Jake slowly raised his hands out of reach of his own gun belt.
He took in his surroundings in search of a way to turn his predicament around. To his left was the drop off, to the right was a natural stone wall that extended all the way to the top of the ridge. Years of erosion had exposed its smooth surface.
A tangled stand of prickly pear cacti taller than a man grew out of the rocks directly behind his assailant. Its large, yellow blossoms had not yet fully closed for the night. Any chance of escape was blocked by the large paddle-like flesh of the cacti covered in countless barbs.
Jake pressed his lips together, exhaling sharply in frustration. The man had gotten the drop on him, and there was nothing he could do about it.
A tree at the crest of the ridge had dropped its dead limbs on the ledge long ago. They lay in a heap near the feet of the middle-aged gunman. The lines of his weather-worn face were hard and unflinching. His bottom lip bulged with chewing tobacco. A brown stain traced a line from the right corner of his mouth down to his chin.
He reached out behind him with his foot, searching for solid footing as he continued to back away from Jake. He froze when he heard a blood chilling sound. A diamondback rattlesnake had sounded his warning.
“Don’t move, mister,” called Jake.
“You ain’t in no position to be givin’ orders.”
“That snake is calling the shots, not me,” said Jake. “I can get him if you let me.”
Bitter laughter filled the air. “It’ll be a cold day in Hades before I let you draw on me again.” He glanced down at a grimy bandage around his left arm, spitting a stream of tobacco juice in Jake’s direction.
“It was you that had us pinned down,” said Jake. His eyes narrowed.
“Yeah, and it was you that shot me up. I ain’t never had such a time trying to heal up before. What kind of bullets do you shoot out of that rifle of yours?”
The snake spat a second warning, flicking his black tongue in and out smelling the air around it. Its thick body was coiled underneath a raised head. The deadly reptile was just as trapped as the two men and was poised to strike at any moment.
“If you’re not going to let me get him, you’d better do something about him yourself in a hurry,” said Jake.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” The man’s lips curled into a sneer, showing off tobacco-stained teeth. “You’d plug me the second I take my eyes off you.”
“I’m not interested in killing you,” said Jake. “All I want is for you to leave this ranch and the lady who owns it alone.”
“That’s something I can’t do.”
“Then you’re about to have a bigger problem on your hands than that rattler.”
“Says the man with his hands in the air.”
Refusing to take his eyes off Jake, he stepped to the side. His foot landed on a large dead limb. It rolled beneath his weight, bringing him to the ground. The commotion was more than the snake could bear. He struck the man, landing a solid bite just below the knee.
A forty-five caliber Colt Peacemaker hit the ground when the man grabbed his leg with both hands. He rolled from side to side, a stream of curses flowing from his mouth in quick succession. He stopped suddenly when he saw Jake standing over him with his weapon drawn.
“What’s it going to be?” he asked. “You going to shoot me or that snake?”
“Neither,” said Jake. “He hightailed it out of here beneath the prickly pear as soon as he saw his way clear.”
“What about me?”
“What about you? I’m not in the habit of shooting unarmed, snake-bit, old men.” Jake collected the man’s pistol. He stuck it in his belt and holstered his own gun.
“Let’s get you to town. There’s a fancy-pants doctor from back east that might be able to help.” Jake reached his hand out to the man, but it was slapped away.
“Nothin’ doin’. There may be a doctor in town, but there’s also a sheriff. I got no great desire to cross paths with him.”
Jake folded his arms across his chest. “You can either let me help you now, or I can just wait it out. You won’t be able to stop me once that poison has had a chance to work on you.”
The man still clung to his wounded leg.
“Either way, you’re coming to town.” Jake softened his tone. “Let me help you now while you still have a chance.”
He knew it was risky to bring this man to Sweet Creek. It was sure to attract the sheriff’s attention but there wasn’t anything else he could do. I can’t just leave him out here to die.
Jake extended his hand once more. This time the man took hold.
“I reckon we might as well get moving, hero.”
Chapter 18
A wave of relief hit Abigail as she watched two men make their way down the steep, rocky terrain. She latched onto the side of the wagon with shaky hands and breathed deeply. Her eyes were fixed on Jake. He’s all right.
“It looks like those two could use some help,” said David. He led Jake’s horse to the wagon and secured his leads to the side with a slip knot.
The wagon lurched with the sudden pull of the team as David guided them across the small meadow in front of them. He stood ready to lend a hand when Jake called out.
“He’s been snake bit,” he said. “I’ll get him in the back. I hope those horses of yours are ready to run. He needs to see the doc now.”
Abigail watched wide-eyed as Jake helped the man to the back of the wagon. They walked in step, clinging to one another. The man had wrapped one arm around Jake’s shoulders. He gingerly held one foot in the air and grimaced with each step they took. Jake supported the man’s body with a thick arm around the waist.
Jake hopped into the back of the wagon and locked eyes with Abigail.
“Stay up there behind Rebecca.” The intense look in his eyes left no room for questions, so Abigail stayed put at the front end of the wagon.
Jake pul
led the injured man onto the flat surface of David’s rig. He was careful to keep his body between Abigail and their new passenger. Whether the man was in a weakened state or not, he couldn’t be trusted after his confession on the ledge only a few minutes before.
“Hold on, everybody,” said David.
The horses were off with a flick of the reins and a single command from their master. For the second time in her life, Abigail was carried along by powerful animals careening down uneven ground that could hardly be called a road.
Jake moved to the front of the wagon and sat next to Abigail.
“That’s the man that’s been causing all the trouble,” he said.
A chill ran down her spine. The thought of riding in the same wagon as a man who had tried to kill her was unsettling. She felt the tension in Jake’s body next to her.
“You did it! You said you’d catch the person responsible.” A bright smile spread across her face when she realized what this turn of events meant. “Now, I can move out to the ranch.”
Jake was silent. His eyes remained fixed on their shifty passenger.
“What’s on your mind?” said Abigail.
Jake looked hard at the man lying only a few feet away. “I’d feel a lot better if I knew why he was after you in the first place and if he was working alone.”
Abigail’s smile faded.
“So it might not be over after all,” she said.
Daylight had faded, making it all the more difficult for David to avoid rough patches of ground. The erratic motion of the wagon threw Abigail against Jake’s solid arm. She clamped down onto his bicep to steady herself. Jake laid his hand on top of hers.
“Don’t you worry, Abby. I’m not going anywhere until things are all sorted out.”
Time slowed for Abigail when she interlaced her fingers with his. A thrill shot through her body as she buried her face in his sleeve. She felt her pulse quicken as she leaned on his solid frame. He had become her rock, in more ways than one. It didn’t matter what was going on around her, if Jake was there she knew she was safe.
