Bran (Prairie Grooms, Book Six) (16 page)

“Back to where? Who are you? And what in blazes are ye doing out here in the middle of the night?” Bran held Apple tighter, confused at the presence of the stranger, yet concerned about Apple’s safety.

“I have sought out what belongs to me, and will now leave,” the stranger said.

“What?”

The man laughed, a deep booming laugh. It was frightening, in its own way. “I have come from … far away.”

“You’re an escaped slave, aren’t you?” Bran asked. It was the only explanation.

“No, little bro-dar. I am free.”

“You won’t be for long if you stay here. You won’t be welcome anywhere in these parts,” Bran said then looked to Apple. He rested his head on top of hers for a second. “Are ye all right lass?” She didn’t respond. “Apple?” Bran said, his voice laced with panic. “Lass? Say something!”

She looked at him, her eyes dull.

He pulled her to him and began to rock her back and forth. “It’s all right, it will be all right.” He then glared at the stranger. “I’ve got to get her warm!”

“Yes,” the stranger agreed. “You do. I have some-ding dat will help. You must take de men back wid you, yes?”

“Aye, but I can’t concern myself with them now.”

“I will take care of her, while you secure your catch.”

“Stay away from her.”

The giant studied him then smiled. “You are good for her, dis I can tell. But I have… furs… dat will warm her. My camp is but feet away.”

“What business have ye here?” Bran asked, his voice gruffer than he wanted, but he wasn’t sure he could trust him. It wasn’t everyday one ran across such a man, and if he was some sort of escaped slave from the south, especially with all the trouble brewing there …

“My business is my own, little bro-dar, but … you can deliver a message for me.”

“A message?” Bran asked as he stood with Apple in his arms. Thankfully, she stood with him, and now leaned against him and stared at the big man.

“You are familiar with two bro-dars. Seth and Ryder Jones?”

“You know Seth and Ryder?”

“Yes, I know dem.” He reached into his robes, and pulled out an envelope. “Give dem dis for me.”

“Why not go into Clear Creek and give it to them yourself?”

“I must be getting back.”

“Where?”

The huge man grinned, reached out, and snatched Apple from his arms. “She is cold. I will let her rest in de furs, while you take care of dem,” he said with a toss of his head at the pile of men near the horses.

Bran stood and stared in shock. How in Heaven’s name did he do such a thing? Even more shocking, he’d let him! The man was downright frightening, yet … there was a peace and gentleness about him that Bran had never felt before.

And
some have entertained angels unawares …

Bran’s eyes widened as the scripture entered his head, at least part of it anyway. Was that what this was about? But no, it couldn’t be. What angel would hand him a note to give to Seth and Ryder Jones?

Before he could think on it further, he suddenly realized that the dark stranger and Apple, were gone.

Sixteen

Apple turned over and snuggled into the deep warmth that surrounded her. She felt as if she’d been wrapped up in the softest furs, and could hear the sound of a heartbeat, as if she lay against a huge animal. She even dreamed she heard purring …

“Apple, wake up.”

She moaned. She didn’t want to get up, to leave the safe confines of … wherever she was.

“Apple, lass, ye’ve got to get up.”

Another moan, this one louder, enough to catch her attention. Suddenly, she wasn’t so warm. “Wha?”

“C’mon, sweetheart, we’ve got to get going. It’s dawn, and they’re looking for us.”

Apple opened one eye, then the other. Bran was staring at her with a face full of concern. “Bran?”

“Aye, it’s me,” he whispered, then reached out and brushed some hair out of her eyes. “What…?” Suddenly, it all came back. “No!”

“Shhhh, it’s all right, they’re gone, they can’t harm you. I’m here.” He pulled her into his arms and sat on the blanket the dark stranger left for her. “There, now, yer going to be fine.”

She looked around, nervous. “Where are they? Those outlaws?”

Bran looked over his shoulder at the horses. He’d slung each man over a saddle, and tied him to it. “Over there, and ready to pay a visit to Sheriff Hughes.”

She peeked over his shoulder and saw them bound to their mounts. “They… can’t get away?”

Bran looked at her, cupped her face with a hand, and smiled. “No, lass. They can’t get away. Yer safe, we both are.”

“But how? You and I were both tied up!”

“You don’t remember?”

“I remember … well, Penelope and August’s rooster attacking one of them, and men … flying through the air?” She looked at him, her mouth hanging open. Then snapped it shut. “Did one of them hit me on the head?”

Bran chuckled. “No, I’m afraid not. I must also be the first to tell ye that we were not saved by a … chicken.”

“Clyde is a rooster, and where is he? Did that man shoot him?”

“No, not exactly. But I’m afraid the little beast is gone.”

“Gone?” Apple said, her eyes wide. “But Penelope loves him!”

“A man showed up and helped us. I guess the bird, chicken, whatever, belonged to him. But he’s gone now too.”

“Where’d he go?” She pulled a hand out from between their bodies and rubbed one temple. “I feel so confused…”

“Aye, lass, that makes two of us. But the important thing, is that yer safe, and we have the men responsible.”

“He was a black man … tall …”

“You remember?”

She looked at him in confusion. “How can I remember anything? For Heaven’s sake, I just dreamed I was sleeping with giant … kittens?”

Bran laughed. “Yer speaking gibberish, lass, but then, ye went through a lot. I think it was too much for ye and… I’m sorry ye did. I promise I’ll not let anything like that happen to ye ever again if I can help it.”

She stared at him, her eyes filling with regret. “It was my fault … all my fault …” her voice wavered, and he held her to him again.

“And mine. I underestimated these men because I was so worried and got carless. Once I figure out the woman they’d taken had to be you, I was also furious.”

She sniffed back a few tears and looked at him. “Do … do you forgive me?”

He smiled. “Aye lass, I forgive you, but I’m also never going to let you out of my sight!”

“You,
forgive
me?”

He gazed at her, and looked deeply into her eyes. “I forgive you, Apple. For everything.”

Her lip trembled, and she wept. “Thank you …” she blurted through her tears.

“Here now, what’s this?”

“I’ve been waiting for you to say it, and you didn’t for the longest time and …
hic…
I didn’t think you’d ever forgive me for locking you in that safe!”

She fell into his arms and he realized it wasn’t Apple he couldn’t forgive, but his father. “I’m sorry, lass. So sorry.” He tucked a finger under her chin, and brought her face up so he could look at her. “It had nothing to do with you. I … there were things that happened to me that I’ve not found any forgiveness for. Any to give that is, and, well, I guess it kept me from forgiving you. I never meant for it to hurt you, Apple.” He brought his face to hers, and kissed her.

She pulled away when he broke the kiss. “I thought you hated me.”

“Hate you? I want to marry you!”

“I know. Before that, and then when you still didn’t forgive me, I didn’t think you really wanted me as your wife … how could you after what I’d done?”

“Ah, my dear sweet Apple,” he said as he drew her close once more. “I had no idea it was so easy to misunderstand another, or in this case, myself. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too, for running off, and …”

He gently pushed them apart. “Why did ye run off? What were ye doing out by yerself?”

He could see her blush in the dim light of dawn. “I … well … I was going to town to … get arrested.”

He shook himself. “You what?!”

“I thought it would be a good way to get to spend time with you?” she said with a lop-sided smile and a shrug.

Bran burst into laughter. “Oh, lassie! Only you would come up with such a cockeyed idea! But I must say, it is quite flattering.”

She bit her lower lip. “I wanted to spend more time so I could see if the curse is real.”

He stopped laughing. “What curse?”

“The Sayer curse, the one that is suppose to strike any and all suitors of the Sayer women.”

He looked at her, his face twisted in confusion. “So ye set out on yer own to come to town to get arrested, and then see if … something would happen to me?”

“Looks like I didn’t have to get arrested to find out,” she said sheepishly.

“No, and nothing happened to me either. I think what we just went through proves there’s no such thing as this curse. How else can ye explain getting saved by a crazy rooster and a giant?”

“He
was
real!”

“Aye, he was real enough, and huge! Big enough to toss those outlaws about like rag-dolls.”

“No one will believe us,” she told him, her eyes downcast.

“Aye, they will. At least Seth and Ryder. The man gave me a note to give to them. Speaking of which, we’d best be on our way. I’ve got to get these men locked up and get ye home. Yer family is probably worried sick.”

He moved to stand, but she stopped him. “Did you mean what you said? About marrying me?”

“Aye, I did.”

“Did you also still want me to remind you to … tan my hide?”

He smiled. “Aye, right after we’re married. But I think I have a better punishment for you.”

She swallowed. “Wha … what?”

He gave her a devilish grin, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

* * *

“But Harrison, Sheriff Hughes is doin’ everything he can to find Apple. There just ain’t been enough time to round up more men.” Henry Fig paced to the other side of the Sheriff’s office and back. “I’m sure Deputy O’Hare is with her. They done gone missin’ about the same time.”

Harrison gritted his teeth and looked at Colin. “Let’s head out and hope to God she’s all right. If Deputy O’Hare has compromised her in any way …”

“Calm down, brother. We don’t know the details, nor do we know if he’s the one responsible for Apple’s disappearance.”

Harrison took a calming breath. “You’re quite right, as always.” He looked at Henry. “My apologies, but we’re responsible for her, and she is family.”

Colin put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a healthy squeeze. “Don’t worry, if we discover that Deputy O’Hare is the one behind her disappearance, then we’ll kill him together, how does that sound?”

Harrison shook his head then gawked at the ceiling. “Colin!”

“I can’t help it, humor helps ease my tension.”

Harrison laughed then looked at him. “Yes, well, your idea has merit.”

“Now boys!” Henry said and stepped over to them. “Calm down! Let’s not let this get out of hand!”

“No need to worry, Henry,” Colin reassured. “I was only joking. But we do need to get out of here. It’s sun up.”

“We could try looking up at the caves,” Harrison suggested.

“Yes, but didn’t Harvey and Wilfred head that way already?” said Colin.

“Ah, yes. This business has me more flustered than I thought,” said Harrison with a heavy sigh.

“We’ve been up all night, brother,” Colin told him. “One more round of searching, then we’ll have to rest.”

“Agreed. Let’s go …”

“Henry!” a voice called from outside. Tommy Turner burst into the sheriff’s office, completely out of breath. “The … they’re … that way …”

“Slow down, boy,” said Henry. “And try again.”

Tommy took a few deep breaths, then looked at Harrison and Colin. “Your cousin, she’s ridin’ this way. I seen her comin’!”

“Good Lord!” Harrison cried and shoved past him, Colin on his heels. They ran out into the street, looked south, saw nothing, then turned north. Off in the distance, they could see a rider—no make that two ... three… “Apple?” said Harrison as he squinted to get a better look.

“And Deputy O’Hare,” added Colin. “If my guess is right. But who else is with them, or rather … what?”

“Let’s go find out.” They mounted their horses, and were off.

* * *

“Uh-oh, lass. Looks like we’re about to have company,” Bran said and pointed. Two riders were fast approaching, raising a cloud of dust behind them amidst the dewy dawn.

Apple swallowed hard. “It looks like Colin and Harrison. From the way they’re riding, I don’t think they’re very happy.”

Bran let out a long sigh. “Let me handle this.”

“What are you going to tell them?”

“The truth, of course.”

“You’re going to tell them that I tried to go to town to get arrested?” she asked, her voice shaky.

“Yep.”

“Oh dear …”

“And I’m going to tell them that you succeeded.”

“What?”

“Aye,” he chuckled, then leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “I’m going to say you arrested my heart, locked it up with your own, and then we threw away the key.”

Apple blushed a deep red. “They’ll probably demand that you marry me. We were out all night, you know.”

“With a band of blood thirsty outlaws …”

“Well, yes, but still… think of the awful scandal.”

“Some how I think that if there wasn’t one, you’d make one.”

She turned and smiled. “Regardless, as a gentleman, you’ll have to marry me.”

“I’m already going to marry you!”

She giggled, leaned against him, and watched as Colin and Harrison rode like the very devil toward them.

“Deputy O’Hare!” Harrison snapped as he reined in Romeo. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Bran turned in the saddle, and pointed behind him. Harrison and Colin both did a double take. “What? Where did they come from?” asked Colin.

“Not sure, but I know where they’re going,” said Bran.

“Apple, are you hurt?” Harrison asked.

“Does she look hurt?” Bran pointed out.

Harrison ignored him. “Apple?”

“No, not now.”

“What do you mean, not now?” asked Colin.

“Well … after I was kidnapped …”

“KIDNAPPED?” Colin and Harrison cried in unison.

“Yes,” she stated simply. “And after they left the ransom note, they packed us up and hauled us off.”

“Ransom note?” Harrison said, his voice cracking. “What ransom note?” He looked at Colin who could only shrug. “And what did you say? They hauled
us
off?”

“Us as in you and um …” Colin said and pointed at Bran.

“Yes, Bran and me.”

“
Bran
and you?” said Harrison. “And just how and
where
did they get their hands on you?”

“And where were his hands while they were doing it?” tossed in Colin.

Bran rolled his eyes. He’d had enough. “Apple took off on her own, trying to get to town to … see me.”

Harrison sent a dagger of a glare at his cousin. Apple leaned further against Bran.

“But she decided against it, turned to go home, and made an unplanned hike down to get a peek at ‘His Majesty’.”

“And that’s were I met the outlaws!” Apple put in.

Colin and Harrison exchanged a quick glance. “Then what happened?” Colin asked Bran. “How did you wind up with her?”

“I was heading to the Triple C to see Apple, when I heard her scream. I hightailed it down into that canyon of yours, and tried to find her, but got ambushed.”