Guardian Bride (14 page)

Rodney refer to him as Scott had been as out of place as a

fish out of water.

With a wave Rodney and Dora drove away, and Summer,

once again carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders,

turned to shuffle back to the house.

The day became one that minutes barely crept into hours.

She stayed busy, baking a cake and preparing a roast for

supper, and checking on Snake every two to three minutes.

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He barely moved, and more than once, she rested a hand on

his chest to make sure he still breathed.

He awoke only moments before wagons rolled into the

yard. She was assisting him to the water closet, his arm

looped over her shoulders and hers around his waist, when

the front door flew open. September glared at them and then

stomped toward the stairs that led to the loft.

August on the other hand, shone like stars filled his head

as he raced across the room to hold the water closet door

open. "Need me to help you with your britches?" he asked.

Snake ruffled his hair as they walked passed. "No, but

thanks for asking, partner."

The grin on her little brother's face never faltered as he

waited and then pushed the door closed, leaving Snake to his

privacy. Summer wrapped an arm around August and tugged

him toward the kitchen. "How was your day, young man?"

"Kid let me drive the wagon, Summer. All by myself!"

"He did?"

"Yup. He was sitting beside me. But I had both reins. He

said I did a good job. Said I was a born wagon master."

"I never had any doubts." She pulled plates from the

cupboards and carried them to the table.

"But you never let me drive."

"No," she said in agreement, "I didn't. But that's mainly

because we never had too many places to go in the wagon."

"I guess you're right about that." He reached out to help

with the plates.

She stopped him. "Not until you wash."

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"Oh. I guess I forgot." He rushed to the sink and pumped

enough water for ten people. When the water closet door

opened, he threw the towel toward the counter. "I'll help you,

Snake." The towel landed on the floor.

Summer helped, too, and the two of them settled Snake

on a kitchen chair as September clomped her way down the

stairs and across the room.

"August! We have chores to do."

"September," Summer said as the girl grabbed the door. "I

would like to speak with you."

"I have chores to do."

Snake had had about all he could take from the young girl.

"September," he stated in a way that reminded him much of

his father. "Your chores can wait. Your sister wants to talk to

you."

Her faded blue eyes shot daggers at him.

"Now." He met her glare.

September folded her arms across her chest. Her lips

puckered, and her eyes squinted.

He stared back, but instead of scowling, he grinned.

She gasped and her nostrils flared.

Summer's hand left his shoulder. Snake glanced up. Her

expression was unreadable. "August," she said, "I'll be right

back. Will you get Sn-Scott a glass of water, please?"

Taken aback, Snake reached out and took her hand.

"Who?" August asked.

"Sco—

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"Snake," he interrupted her. Glancing quickly toward

August, he clarified, "Me." He settled his gaze on Summer.

"Snake."

Her only reaction was a slight nod before she moved to

follow the still fuming September out the door. Snake didn't

have time to dwell on why she'd called him by his given name

because August was full of questions and began firing them

faster than a repeating rifle.

"Why'd she call you that? Is Scott your middle name? I got

a middle name, too, it's Milton. August Milton Austin. That

there's my name. So is your name Snake Scott Quinter?" His

questions didn't slow down his ability to follow orders. After

he set a glass of water on the table, he kept on talking. "Does

Kid have a middle name too? He let me drive the wagon. You

gonna let me drive the wagon someday? Kid says I'm a

natural born wagon master. Yup, that's what he called me. A

wagon master. Are you a wagon master, too?"

Snake set the now empty glass on the table. "No, it's not

my middle name. It's my nickname."

"Nickname?"

"Yes, my father gave it to me. He gave all us boys

nicknames. Kid's real name is Kendell and Bug's is Brett."

August tapped his lips with one finger, as if he deeply

contemplated nicknames. "Do you got a middle name, too?"

"Yes. It's Andrew."

His little hand slapped the table. "Aw, shucks. I was hoping

it was Milton."

"Sorry, partner." He liked this kid more and more every

day. For years his nickname had irritated him, after all, what

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grown man wants to walk around being called Snake? But,

when Summer had called him by his given name, a power

deep down inside him rose up. He liked the way she said

Snake. Hell, if August could go around being named after a

month, who the hell was he to complain? Besides, his father

had given him the nickname, and right now, that made pride

swell in his chest. It was a gift, that's what it was, one his

father had given him, and no one could take it away.

"So, you think you'll let me drive your wagon someday?"

August, off to his other questions, asked again.

"Sure," he agreed, partial to the idea of riding around with

the kid. "As soon as this leg heals up, we'll go for a wagon

ride. And you'll be the driver."

The door opened as August was ya-hooing. Ma and Kid

entered. "What you so fired up about now, August?" Kid

asked, grinning.

"Snake says I can drive his wagon as soon as his leg's

healed. I told him you said I was a natural born wagon

master. That's what you said, Kid. Remember? A natural born

wagon master."

"Yes, that's what I said." Kid chuckled as he made his way

to the table. He leaned a wooden crutch against the table.

"You need a glass of water, Kid? I already got one for

Snake. Oh, it's empty. I'll get you each one." August leaped

from his chair, glass in hand. A matter of seconds later, he

set two on the table. "You two don't mind me none, I'm just

gonna set out these here plates that Summer left."

Snake looked at Kid and felt a kinship as they shared their

enjoyment of the boy.

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Ma had finished washing up, and as she patted August's

blond curls, she asked, "You staying for supper, Kid?"

"No, Jessie will have mine on the table when I get home."

He turned back to Snake. "I need to talk to you. Feel up to a

trip back into the bedroom?" Wrapping his hand around the

crutch he added, "Joe's been staying back at the ranch, and

he nailed this together for you. It looks kind of crude, but

should get the job done."

"Tell him thanks," Snake offered as he pushed off the table

to stand. The crutch was crude, but Joe never claimed to be a

carpenter. Kid's ranch foreman was getting up in years.

"How's Joe feeling lately?"

Kid slid the crutch under Snake's arm. "He says he's fine,

but Jessie makes him take it easy. His rheumatism is catching

up with him."

Snake did his best to hobble to the bedroom. The crutch

helped, and by the time they got to the room, he'd almost

mastered the uneven gate the wooden aid provided.

He plopped onto the bed. "Be sure to give him my thanks,

this thing really works."

"I will." Kid closed the door. "I saw buggy tracks."

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Snake took a deep breath as the memory of the visitors

filled his mind. He'd damn near slept the day away. The

oblivion had stolen Dora's question and his worries. Irritation

returned with the speed and control of a runaway train.

"Rodney and Dora Zimmerman were here to pay a visit," he

growled.

Kid walked to the window. "You don't sound happy about

it."

"Dora's an irritating little snipe if there ever was one."

"She's spoiled rotten, that's for sure," Kid offered neither

in agreement or denial.

Snake wasn't about to tell Kid what Dora had said, it was

Summer he needed to talk to about that. The visit continued

to fill his mind. "Rodney said there was a stampede through

Scott."

"Yeah, some drive making its way up to Ogallala. They

didn't do much damage, but you can bet you'll see more

barbed wire being put up."

He could tell Kid was just making small talk, so he

continued, "The cattle drives are coming to an end, aren't

they?"

"Yes, but that's not a bad thing. The railroads are safer

and less expensive anyway." Kid moved away from the

window. "The harvest is done."

Snake took a minute to gather his thoughts. He'd

practically forgotten the harvest. It was his livelihood, not

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Kid's and he was amiss to forget that. "Thanks, again, Kid.

I'm sorry to be laid up during this time."

"You're welcome. We finished just in time. Something's

brewing out there. An odd storm."

Snake agreed with a nod. The sunshine and blue sky

gracing the window didn't guarantee a thing. It could go from

sunshine to thunderclouds in less than a minute in western

Kansas. Storms cropped up as the air fell over the mountains

in Colorado, often bursting over the plains with a lightning

show that outdid the last.

"It's in the air," Kid said. "I've never seen one like this. It's

like it's trying to make up its mind if it wants to hit or not."

"You'll want to head home then, before it decides."

Kid sat down on the edge of the bed. "Yeah, I will. I have

to show you something first."

"What's tha—" he started, but Kid was already holding

something up. The gold shimmered before his eyes, as did

the engraved initials.
J.Q.
Flabbergasted, he could do little

more than whisper, "That's Pa's pocket watch."

"I know."

Snake took the watch and rolled it between his fingers.

Heavy emotions that had renewed themselves lately coated

his insides. "Where'd you get it?"

Kid remained silent for a few minutes. He pulled his hat off

and twirled it between his fingers. "George Hinkle gave it to

me."

"George? Where'd he come across it?"

"The undertaker found it in July Austin's pocket. He

recognized it from the description we gave when Pa died."

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Snake grew colder than ice. He searched his mind to

remember if Austin had pulled it out during the card game.

Snake hadn't noticed a watch, but then again, he hadn't been

looking for one, either. "You think July had something to do

with Pa's death?"

"I don't know. It's been a long time. I'm sure Austin played

a lot of poker since then. I suppose he could have won it off

someone over the years."

Snake opened the front and stared at the tiny hand ticking

its way around the numbers. "The whole territory knew we

were looking for this. Knew about the reward you offered."

"That was a lot of years ago. People forget." Kid replaced

his hat and stood. "Pa's isn't the only murder to go unsolved."

"Every paper in the nation had a picture of Pa and that

Prince from England when he gave Pa the watch for scouting

his Buffalo Hunt. Ma's even got a copy of the
New York Times

with the picture."

"Like I said, that was a long time ago."

Snake snapped the watch face closed. "Ma seen this?"

"No. I haven't shown anyone else. I don't know if I

should."

"Why not?"

Kid's gaze was solemn. "Because your wife is July's

daughter."

Thunder struck in Snake's head. He planted his feet to

rise, but pain shot up his leg. Grabbing the crutch, he said,

"You can't believe she had anything to do with it."

"Of course I don't." Kid caught his arm and helped him

settle his weight on the crutch. "And I don't want Summer or

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September or August to think we do. That's why I haven't

shown anyone else. It would bring up too many questions,

and a good portion of them would be directed at Summer. I

wanted you to know in case Hinkle mentions it next time he's

out."

Snake handed the watch back to Kid. "You better keep it at

your place."

Kid slid it into his hip pocket. "I haven't even shown it to

Jessie."

That meant something coming from Kid. He shared

everything with Jessie. Snake rested a hand on Kid's

shoulder. "Thanks for telling me. For showing me." The loss of