Fated Memories (22 page)

“
I will break him,” the young man stated in a clear voice.

Eathen rubbed his chin, watching the man standing in front of him, then he smiled. “All right, if you can break that spirited bastard, you got yourself a job.”

“
Gather round, boys.” Tom swung his arm in a wide arch. “We’re fixin’ to see a show.”

Charlotte, who had already begun walking away, stopped when she heard what Eathen said. Retracing her steps, she walked over to stand beside her husband. “Eathen, do you think this is a good idea? That horse could kill him.”

“
He’s the one who thinks he can do what none of the rest of us can.” Eathen touched a match to a long cheroot he held between his fingers. “He breaks his neck: he’s just got hisself to blame.”

All eyes watched as the young Indian wrapped his horse’s reins around a fence post. Turning, he walked through the open gate, all the while speaking in a language no one present could understand.

The big horse stepped back, snorting, his ears pinned flat against his head and his nostrils flaring. The Indian stopped a short distance away and, holding out his hand, palm down, stood very still. Neither moved as each measured the other. Then to the disbelief of all who watched, the horse walked forward as far as his tether would allow sniffing the Indian’s hand. The man walked closer, loosened the reins and lifted the halter from the horse’s face.

“
You better get the hell outta there, you stupid bastard!” Eathen yelled, throwing his half-smoked cigar into the dust. “That big son-of-a-bitch knows he’s loose! He’s gonna charge!”

“
Do not move,” the young man raised one hand, his black eyes never leaving those of the skittish horse. With ease, he ran his hand down the horse’s back then up over his neck, all the while speaking in a calm, quiet voice.

The stallion remained still, his ears perked, no longer pinned against his broad head.

“
I never saw anything to top this in all my born days.” Eathen stooped to retrieve his still smoldering cigar.

“
How’s he doin’ that?” Charlotte asked, as stunned at what she witnessed as the man who stood beside her.

“
Damned if I know. It’s almost like he’s got him in a trance or somethin’.”

To the surprise of everyone present, the Indian reached up taking a fistful of the horse’s long mane, then in one fluid motion, swung himself onto his broad back. For a long moment, no one moved as man and horse remained still. Then, as though wakening from a deep sleep, the big horse took off at a full gallop around the enclosure.

“
Open the gate so he can run!” the Indian called out.

“
Mister Eathen,” Tom ran forward, “none of us’ll ever lay eyes on that horse again if we open that gate!”

“
Open it!” Eathen clamped the cigar between his teeth. “After what I just witnessed, he won’t be worth a shit to the rest of us anyway.”

“
All right, but remember what I said. That redskin’ll be back in the hills fore you know what the hell’s happened. Only now,” Tom swung the gate wide before stepping back out of the way, “he’ll be ridin’ the best damn horse he’s ever laid eyes on!”

Seeing his escape, the horse ran towards the opening.

At a slight touch on her arm, Charlotte turned to find Jessie standing beside her.

“
Who is that?” Jessie breathed, her deep blue eyes staring after horse and rider as they tore across the prairie.

Without taking her eyes from the man in question, Charlotte replied, “He’s a young Indian who came to the ranch lookin’ for work. Only now,” she laughed, brushing the long, dark red hair back from her daughter’s flushed face, “I don’t think he needs our help anymore.”

“
He’s beautiful,” Jessie whispered.

“
Yeah, he would’ve sired some beautiful foals.” Eathen placed an arm around her slender waist, draping his other arm over Charlotte’s shoulders as they walked towards the house. “But,” he glanced down, winking at Charlotte, “I think that’s out of the question now.”

Not bothering to correct him, Jessie declared, “In other words, you think the Indian’s stolen him!”

“
Hell yes, I think he’s stolen him!” Eathen growled. “He’s an Indian, ain’t he?”

“
If that’s how you feel,” Jessie squinted up at him, “why’d you let him get close to the stallion in the first place?”

“
He said he could break him.” Eathen dropped his arm from Charlotte’s shoulder and, shading his eyes, tried to peer through the dust still hanging over the prairie. “I told him if he could break that wild bastard, I’d give him a job.”

“
Do you mean to keep your word?” Jessie watched her father out of the corner of her eye, her heart pumping with anticipation.

“
Jessie, he’s already back in the hills offerin’ that horse to the highest bidder.”

“
But if by some chance he does come back, are you gonna give him a job workin’ here on the ranch, like you said you would?”

“
Why sure, Jessie,” Eathen pulled her against his hip. “Just as soon as he sobers up.”

“
Good! Because here he comes!” Jessie shouted.

“
Well, I’ll be damned!” Eathen breathed, as the young man rode towards them.

The Indian gave Jessie but a brief glance, his surprise well-hidden, at seeing a girl dressed in jeans. He gave the man still staring at him his full attention. “He will be a good horse now.” With fondness, he slapped the horse against the side of his long neck. “He should sire many fine ponies for you.”

“
Yeah.” Eathen nodded.

“
Do I still have a job?”

“
I said if you could break him, I’d give you a job,” Eathen growled. “I’m a man of my word.”

“
What’s your name?” Jessie asked.

A slight smile touched his wide mouth at her boldness. “My name is Two Spirits.”

“
I’m glad to meet you, Two Spirits. My name’s Jessie Thornton.” She stared up at the dark young man with long black hair that was held at bay by a leather thong tied about his forehead, and held out her hand.

Still smiling, he leaned down, gripping her hand and forcing his eyes away from her full pink mouth.

The moment their hands touched, Jessie felt something strange and wonderful.

Eathen felt a cold chill pass over him. With a roughness in his voice usually reserved for his men, he growled, “Jessie, I think it’s time you headed to the house with your mother. I’m sure Hattie can use your help gettin’ supper ready.” He pulled Jessie away from the corrals and gave her a slight push in Charlotte’s direction.

“
Come on, Jessie. Your father’s right.” Charlotte linked their hands together. “Hattie’s probably lookin’ out the window, watchin’ for us right now.”

“
You go ahead, Mother,” she pulled her hand free; “I’ll be along in a minute.”

“
All right, but don’t be long.” Charlotte pushed up the sleeves of her white cotton shirt. “You know how Hattie gets when she’s kept waitin’.”

“
Tell her I’m on my way.” Jessie’s voice held an impatient edge as she turned her attention back to her father and the young Indian.

“
After you rub him down,” Eathen said, “go ahead and put him in a stall with some hay. The boys’ll show you where to bunk down.”

As Two Spirits pulled the horse’s reins to the side, Eathen turned back to him. “One more thing; I can’t promise how well you’re gonna fit in around here. You’ll be the first Indian ever hired on this ranch. I’ll tell you one thing though,” Eathen looked him in his eyes, “if any trouble starts, you’ll be the one to go. You might wanta remember that.”

Nodding, the young man continued on his way to the barn. Slipping from the horse’s lathered back; he let him stand untethered while he gathered handsful of grass. As Two Spirits came back into his view, the horse tossed his head, emitting a soft whiny.

“
What the hell do you think you’re doin’?” Jake, one of the ranch hands, growled walking towards him.

“
I am going to rub him down. He has ridden hard. He is very lathered,” Two Spirits told him, rubbing the horse with vigorous strokes.

Without a word, Jake disappeared into the barn. A moment later he returned with a rough blanket. “This is what you rub down the horses here with. Grass can’t absorb sweat. All you’re gonna accomplish is makin’ him sick with the chills.”

“
The grass will not make him sick,” Two Spirits explained with patience. “When the wild horses are left on their own, they roll in the grass to wipe moisture away.”

“
Look, injun,” Jake slapped the grass from his hand, “this ain’t just any horse. He’s a prize stallion. The boss’s gonna expand his herd with a lotta fine foals with him. You keep your Indian ideas to yourself and do things the way you’re told. Otherwise,” he cocked his shaggy-haired head to the side, his heavy dark brows lifting, “we’ll send you back to the hills where you belong.”

Without a word, Two Spirits bent down, picked the blanket up off the ground to rub it against the horse’s flanks.

“
Now you got it,” Jake laughed, slapping Two Spirits on the back before walking away. “You just do as you’re told,” he called back over his shoulder, “and maybe we’ll let you stay around awhile.”

As soon as the man walked from his sight, Two Spirits threw the rough blanket to the ground and picked up the grass to begin a through rubdown.

“
You better not let any of the hands see you doin’ that,” a female voice chided him.

Turning, Two Spirits saw the young girl he had met earlier.

“
Don’t worry,” she told him, coming to stand nearby. “I won’t tell on you.”

“
The blanket is rough on his skin.” He moved around to the other side of the horse. “The grass is much better.”

“
I believe you. Jake and the others think they know everything there is to know about horses. And everything else for that matter.” She walked a short distance away to gather the long blades of grass growing nearby.

“
Your father would not approve of your being here alone with me.” He forced his eyes away from her round bottom rising in the air. “I do not want trouble. My father is no longer alive to provide food for my mother and little sister. Now they look to me for their needs.” His hands paused in their circular motion. “I need the money I will make here on your father’s ranch to care for them. Please do not make me lose this chance to do so.”

Stung by his cold dismissal, Jessie tossed the grass back to the ground, slapped the palms of her hands back and forth. “I thought the government took care of your needs.”

Continuing with the rub down, he stared at her over the horse’s broad back. “We do not need the government’s handouts. I can provide for my family. And others of my people, who need my help.” His voice was sharp with the anger he tried to keep at bay. “I ask that you do not ruin this for them.”

“
I’m sorry! I didn’t realize bein’ nice to someone could cause them trouble.” Her full mouth took on a childish pout. “Boys usually ask me to stay. I’ve never had one ask me to leave before.”

“
I do not mean to be cold, Miss Jessie, but I can not stay and talk with you.” Two Spirits walked around the horse, being careful to keep a soothing hand on him as he moved. “If you will not leave, then I will go.”

“
No, stay and finish what you’re doin’.” She put up a restraining hand as he took a determined step towards the barn. “I have to be gettin’ back to the house anyway.”

For a long moment he looked at her. Trying to ignore her high breasts beneath the blue cotton shirt, then, in silence, he returned to the task at hand.

Turning on the heel of her boot, she walked away, her heart pounding with a feeling she had never known before. For some reason, she wanted to laugh out loud. Of all the boys she had known in her young life, none had ever made her feel the way she felt after only a few brief moments with Two Spirits. He was the most handsome boy she had ever seen, with his smooth dark skin and almond-shaped dark eyes. Even in profile, his straight nose and high, prominent cheekbones were breathtaking. His full lips, when parted, showed even white teeth made even whiter against his dark skin. For a scant moment, she wondered what it would be like to press her lips against that full mouth, then scoffed at herself for even thinking such a thought about an Indian.

Almost against her will, she turned back, staring in awe as Two Spirits continued to work. Dressed in tight jeans and a deeply-tanned leather vest left open to the waist, his well-muscled arms grew taut with each stroke his sure hands made down the flanks of the big stallion. Jessie felt her breath quicken as she watched him.

For a brief moment their eyes locked. Two Spirits looked away first.

***

Answering a persistent knock at the front door, Hattie chuckled when she spied the young man standing on the doorstep.

“
Ah specs you’re hyah ter sees Miz Charlotte or Mist’ Eathen.” She opened the door wide.

“
No ma’am.” He grinned, removing his wide-brimmed hat. “I’ve come to see Jessie. Is she home?”

“
Git on in hyah an’ Ah’ll go gits her.” Hattie ushered him inside.

“
Who is it, Hattie?” Charlotte asked, coming down the stairs.

“
It bes dat Sinclair youngin’ come ter sees Miss Jessie.”

“
Jessie’s not in her room. I think she’s outside somewhere. You go ahead with what you’re doin’, I’ll tell him.” Charlotte continued on her way down the stairs.