Dashing Druid (Texas Druids) (4 page)

Tye realized he’d passed a test by standing up to the old geezer. Glad of it, he was also well satisfied with the glossy brown mare Sul chose for him. She was a vast improvement over the old plug Tye had rented, to be returned while they were in town. However, any pleasure Tye derived from his new mount vanished the moment he climbed into the saddle. Jessie’s wintergreen oil hadn’t helped; he was sore as hell from yesterday.

“Boy, you can’t even set a horse proper,” Sul complained as they started out. “Settle your rump and quit bouncing around thataway, or pretty soon you won’t be good for anything.”

“I’ll do my job, don’t worry,” Tye snapped, attempting not to bounce. Damned if he’d admit how miserable he already was.

Later, outfitted with denim pants, cotton shirt, thick-heeled boots, and a wide-brimmed Stetson hat, Tye felt briefly like a real cowboy. However, his keeper made sure the feeling didn’t last long. As soon as they returned to the ranch, Sul put him to work mucking out stalls in the barn. Then there was fresh hay to fork, wood to chop, water to tote, harnesses to clean – in short, every dirty job the man could think of.

Tye also got a thorough taste of the hazing David had warned him to expect from the other hands, who took pleasure in taunting a greenhorn. He suspected being the boss’s brother-in-law made him an even riper target. Gritting his teeth, he put on a good-natured front and that night, over Jessie’s objections, he moved into the bunkhouse. He was determined to prove he would not curry favor from his relatives. Why the other men’s approval had become so important, he couldn’t say. Since when did he want to be a cowboy, he asked himself, falling onto his bunk, exhausted and hurting all over.

Tom Pearce’s face flashed into his mind. Again, he heard his friend scream, saw him collapse beneath tons of falling rock. The image brought a tide of grief and guilt, followed by a panicky sense of suffocation. Ashamed of his fear, yet unable to rid himself of it, Tye knew anything, mucking stalls included, was better than going back down into that black hell.

He threw a bare forearm over his eyes and sought a more pleasant subject for his thoughts. Instantly, he conjured an image of Lil Crawford. Aye, she was a pleasant subject indeed.

CHAPTER THREE

The intense August sun was beginning its climb across the sky when Lil and her family arrived at the Rocking B Ranch. They’d come to help Morgan Bayliss put up a new barn to replace the one destroyed by a recent cyclone. Since his spread lay a fair distance from theirs, they’d left home long before dawn in order to make it here for the start of the barn raising.

Lil stifled a yawn as her father reined the buckboard team to a halt. Shaking off her drowsiness, she snatched up her skirts and jumped awkwardly from the wagon box where she’d ridden with her uncle. She’d donned a dress today at her mother’s insistence and, as always, she felt ridiculous in a skirt and petticoats.

“Quite a few folks here already,” Uncle Jeb said, joining her with the basket of food they’d brought to share. Up front, Pa was just helping her mother climb down.

Glancing around, Lil saw several families gathered near the Bayliss homestead. “I expect more will be riding in soon.”

“Yup, cuz it might be them needing help next time. The storm that tore down Morg’s barn could’ve just as easy hit somebody else’s place.”

Lil nodded, knowing he was right. Morg dealt mainly in horses and he’d lost not only his barn but also one of his best mares and her foal to the deadly wind. Word of the disaster had gotten around fast, and everyone had pitched in to organize this barn raising. Neighbors helped neighbors if they wanted to survive for long on the frontier. Then too, gatherings like this were chances to socialize, something the womenfolk appreciated.

Not that Lil counted herself among them. Most of the women looked down their noses at her and her mother because of their Indian blood. Lil didn’t give a hoot. She didn’t like them anymore than they liked her, with one exception: Thea Knudson, who came rushing toward her now.

“Lil! I’m so glad to see you!” the blonde woman gushed, throwing her arms around Lil and hugging her tight. “I was afraid you wouldn’t make it, and we haven’t seen each other in a coon’s age.”

Lil had known Thea – short for Althea – since they were both in pigtails, when Thea’s folks, the Hewitts, had owned a small spread near the Double C. Even after the family gave up ranching and moved into Clifton, Thea had remained Lil’s friend, her only female friend.

“I’m glad to see you, too,” Lil replied, smiling as they drew apart. “Looks like married life is still agreeing with you.” Thea was married to a big Norwegian named Arni Knudson, who owned a farm over near Cranfills Gap. The pair had three children at last count.

“I couldn’t be happier, Lil.” Thea’s round, freckled face took on a sympathetic expression. “I only wish you’d find the same happiness.”

Lil stiffened. “I am happy,” she said more sharply than she intended. At that moment, her mother walked over, stopping her from saying something she’d regret. Thea meant well and Lil didn’t want to lose her friendship, but she couldn’t stomach her unwanted sympathy.

“Hello, Althea. You are well?” Ma asked with a hint of a smile.

“Yessum. I was just telling Lil how glad I am to see you folks.”

“Seeing you is also good.” Turning to Lil, Ma said, “There is work to do. Come.” With that, she stepped away, expecting to be obeyed.

Lil and Thea shared understanding grins and joined the other women, who were setting up long plank tables to accommodate the throng of people when noontime rolled around. As she worked, Lil listened with only half an ear to the gossipy women’s chatter. She wasn’t interested in who was courting who or what the newest bonnet style was. She’d rather work with the men as she was used to doing.

Although it galled her to admit, she was also preoccupied, watching for the River T crowd to show up. The thought of seeing David and Jessie set her on edge. She hadn’t seen them in several months but had heard Jessie was in a family way again, and although she hated herself for it, she still resented their happiness. Beyond that, she wondered if Jessie’s brother would be with them or if he had already lit out. Not that she cared. She was curious, that’s all.

When the Taylors rode in a short while later, she noted Jessie’s rounded stomach and the tender way David handed her down from their buckboard. Lil looked away. She might not want anyone’s pity, but it did hurt to know she would never be treated that way by a man, much less have a child of her own.

Her gaze shifted to the River T riders, unwillingly searching for Devlin. It took her a moment to spot him because he looked so different from the first time she’d laid eyes on him. Gone were the silly duds he’d worn that day by the creek. Now he was dressed sensibly in sturdy corded trousers, a tan work shirt, boots and Stetson. Mounted on a decent horse this time, he sat relaxed in the saddle, and when he dismounted, he stepped down smoothly, as if he’d been doing it all his life.

Lil noticed all these things in a matter of seconds. She also saw that while Devlin wasn’t quite as tall as David, he still topped most of the other men by several inches. Unable to stop herself, she took in his broad shoulders, trim waist and narrow hips.

He glanced around as if searching for someone. Lil hastily lowered her eyes and busied herself with spreading a tablecloth. Was he looking for her? Mercy, what a fool thought! Even so, her cheeks grew warm.

* * *

Tye was looking for her, all right, and it took only seconds for his gaze to home in on her. Expecting her to be wearing britches again, he was pleasantly surprised to see her in a plain but pretty calico gown. The deep rose color nearly matched the roses in her copper-gold cheeks. Was she blushing? And could he be the cause?

Begorrah! You’re full of yourself to be thinking such a thing, boyo. She probably hasn’t spared ye a single thought since the day ye met her.

He’d surely thought of her, though, calling up her image whenever his black memories threatened to crush him over the past few weeks. So often, in fact, that she’d become a kind of talisman against the guilt and terror. But there was more to it than that. He felt a kinship with her because he knew she, too, was bedeviled by hidden sorrows, although he didn’t know their cause.

Recalling his desire to draw a smile from her if they ever met again, he was tempted to approach her right now, but he hesitated when she abruptly turned to speak to the blonde woman standing beside her. Then he was put to work sawing lumber and didn’t get anywhere near Lil until mid-morning. By then he’d built up a fierce thirst, for both water and a moment with her.

Tye laid aside his saw and stepped over to the water bucket for a drink. He took a long pull from the dipper, hung it back on the bucket and sauntered toward Lil. She was arranging covered dishes on a cloth-covered table. With her back to him, she didn’t see him approach.

“Good morning, Miss Crawford,” he said, halting a couple of paces behind her.

She whirled around, lips parted, brown eyes wide. Her chaotic mix of emotions – surprise, wariness and perhaps a hint of excitement – blasted him, bringing on a dull pain behind his eyes and causing his smile to slip for a moment. Seeing her nostrils flare delicately as if testing his scent, she made him think of a frightened doe poised to leap away.

“H-how do you know my name? I never . . . .” She paused, then answered her own question. “David and Jessie told you.” 

“Aye, colleen, and I’ve been wondering, is it Lil for Lily?”

“Th-that’s none of your business.”

Tye cocked an eyebrow but didn’t press her for an answer. “Ye look very lovely this fine day, if ye don’t mind me saying so.”

She stiffened and scowled at him, her color heightening to that angry, beautiful shade of rose he remembered so well. “Save your smooth words, mister. I know how I look, and I’m not lovely.”

“What?” He stared at her in disbelief, detecting the deep well of hurt from which her anger sprang. “Of course you’re –”

“Hello, Lil,” Jessie interrupted, startling him as she walked up to him. “I understand you’ve met my brother once before.”

Lil shot her a sharp glance; then her dark eyes drilled into him. “Yeah, we met a while back. Guess you heard all about it.”

“Aye, I mentioned getting directions from ye,” Tye said before Jessie could reply. He registered Lil’s anger at him for talking to his sister about her, and felt her resentment toward Jessie. Mystified as to its cause, he went on, “But I neglected to properly introduce myself that day. The name’s Tye Devlin, and delighted I am to be seeing you again, Miss Crawford.” He winked, hoping to lighten her mood.

Her gaze darted uncertainly from him to Jessie and back again. She licked her lips and seemed to search for words. Before she managed to reply, a short, stout, older woman marched up and clutched her arm. Her skin was darker than Lil’s, her features broader, but the two were plainly related.

“Come and help me,” she snapped, ignoring Tye and Jessie completely and paying no heed to Lil’s dismayed expression.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Crawford,” Jessie said with forced sweetness, “but I’d like ye to meet my brother, Tye Devlin. Tye, this is Rebecca Crawford, Lil’s mother.”

The woman’s black gaze whipped toward him. Hatred poured off her, causing Tye’s mental barriers to slam shut against her.

“’Tis a great pleasure, ma’am,” he forced out, inclining his head.

Her features turned stone hard; she said not one word in reply, only boring into him with her hate-filled glare. “Come,” she ordered, yanking on her daughter’s arm.

Embarrassed color stained Lil’s cheeks, her eyes were downcast, but she offered no protest as her mother practically dragged her away. Baffled, Tye stared after them.

“Did I do something to offend the mother?” he asked.

“Aye! You’re my brother. That’s enough to make her wish ye dead, I’m sure,” Jessie said acidly.

“What’s this? Why d’ye say that?”

She tossed him a sour glance. “Oh, ye haven’t heard the tale yet? Well, ye may as well know. Everyone else does.”

Tye had wanted to know why Lil carried such sadness in her heart but the answer came as a shock. He listened with growing dismay as Jessie spoke of Lil’s youthful attachment to David, and how she and her parents had believed he would eventually marry her.

“David admits he kissed her a few times, but ’twas only boyish shenanigans. He was put up to it by her brother. Unfortunately, she took it to heart. I suppose she was smitten with him to begin with.” Jessie smoothed a hand over her rounded belly and sighed. “Anyhow, David swears he never made her any promises, and I believe him. But the Crawfords can’t forgive him for leaving home to fight for the Union and deserting Lil, as they see it.

“As for Lil herself, I’m certain she hoped David would come back for her someday. ’Twas a bitter pill for her to swallow when he returned with me as his wife, I can tell ye.” She shrugged. “At least she and her father are civil these days, but I fear Rebecca will never stop hating us. Lil’s brother was killed in the war and . . . well, ye see how things stand.”

Tye saw, and he experienced a flare of anger at David for hurting Lil, no matter how unintentional it may have been. He also recognized another emotion – jealousy. But that was absurd. He barely knew Lil Crawford. To be sure, she had often occupied his thoughts since their first meeting, but he had no reason to feel jealous over her. Yet he did.

“Stay away from Lil, Tye,” Jessie admonished. “Her father, Del, has a devilish temper, and I couldn’t bear to see ye get hurt.”

He met her worried gaze. “Och, don’t fret, sis. I only spoke to the colleen, and in case ye didn’t notice, she’s none too fond of me. Her folks have nothing to worry about.” Turning away, he ordered himself to stop thinking about Lil. She could never be his. He didn’t deserve any happiness after letting his best friend die. Nevertheless, his gaze immediately sought the dark-haired beauty whenever he looked up from his work.

* * *

As the day progressed, Lil avoided Tye in order to keep peace with her mother
and
because she wanted nothing to do with him, she sternly told herself. But once, when his gaze snagged hers, her heart thundered like a herd of longhorns, and she couldn’t keep herself from furtively watching him. She noticed his fluid movements as he worked and his engaging grin when the men shared a joke. She took in the midnight locks clinging to his damp forehead, the corded throat above his partly open shirt, and the muscled forearms revealed by his rolled up sleeves. The combination made her feel oddly weak. When his deep voice reached her ears, it hummed through her like wind blowing across the prairie.