West Winds of Wyoming (31 page)

C
harlie! You devil! Are you trying to frighten the life right out of me?”

What he could see of Nell’s face made him bust out in a laugh. Her mouth was a perfect O, her eyes were wide, and she was smashed flush up to Coyote’s side for protection. “What’d ya think? That I was a big ol’ bear come to cart you off?”

“No. Eat me alive is more like it. Don’t do that again, or be ready to face the consequences.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He chose a steady rock, then went from step to step where the stream appeared deep. He scooped a bucketful of water, then made his way back to the shore.

“Thought you were going for firewood,” she said.

“I did. There were several half-decayed oak branches close to camp. Enough for tonight and tomorrow morning. The boys helped drag them over.” He patted Coyote on the neck. “Supper’s almost ready.” He reached over and took two of the horses’ leads. “You never answered my question about Coyote. What’s he have to say tonight?”

He caught her soft laugh. “For one, I believe he’s glad to be off the ranch. The scent of the wild horses has him excited.” They both watched the paint as he studied the horizon. Alert, his ears flicked back and forth, then he let go a deep, loud call, rousing the other animals. They danced around nervously.

“I see what you mean. What about the black?”

“I’m not sure if you believe me or you’re making fun.”

He realized he wasn’t making fun of her. Something about her made him want to believe. “Trust me, Nell. Your ability has me thinking harder than I have for some time.”

Nell stepped under Coyote’s neck and reached up to the top of the black’s neck, placing her hand on his coat. After a moment, she turned and started back toward camp with the horses.

“Well? Anything?” he asked, hurrying to catch up. They fell in side by side as they walked.

“He’s a bit harder to read. One thing is he’s never been up this far in the open country. He seems jittery for different reasons than Coyote. The black is frightened. Mountain lions are just as common as bears up this way. Much more dangerous to horses. He’ll need all the confidence you can muster when we start after the herd.”

“You sound pretty sure we’re going to find them.”

“I’m certain we will now. It’s just a matter of time.”

Something in the air has me skittish, as well
, Charlie thought. Maybe it was that their kiss was always on his mind. Every time he tried to tell himself it was Brenna he needed to court for Maddie’s sake, Nell popped into his head. Maddie had grown attached to Brenna; Nell lived too far out for the tutor’s liking. Agitated with thinking of the two women, he realized he’d given precious little thought to Grover Galante since they’d set out.

Nell stopped about halfway back to camp. “Let’s hobble them here, but take one to camp and tie him there. We can switch him out later.”

The horses immediately dropped their heads and began cropping the grass. Dog bounded into their group, his tail wagging happily as if he were on a grand adventure. Nell laughed and patted his head. They made fast work of hobbling the horses’ front feet, and then they led Jake’s horse back toward camp and snubbed him to a tree.

“I’ll switch him out with Coyote later tonight,” Nell said when Jake came close to see if anything was wrong. “Being they don’t know the country, they may be skittish. This way the others won’t wander off.”

His reply was a grunt. Gabe squatted before the crackling fire. “Supper’s on,” he finally called. With a large spoon he ladled out generous portions to all and Nell ripped chunks of bread to pass around.

As hungry as Charlie was, the simple fare was satisfying and tasted good. But a slather of fresh butter would make it a whole lot better. Like the sweet, creamy goodness his stepmother used to glob on a crumble-topped apple pie as soon as the sweet was out of the oven. His mouth watered and his taste buds squeezed just dreaming about it. He couldn’t think of one thing he wouldn’t give to have a nice, big slice in front of his nose right now.

Nell cleared her throat. “Charlie?”

He jerked his gaze up, realizing he’d been mesmerized by the recollection of the tasty boy-taming concoction he missed so much.

He skimmed the faces. “Yeah?”

“Gabe just asked you about the horses. What you remember most about where you found them and numbers and such.” Her excitement was palpable from the opposite side of the campfire. The golden light made her hair gleam as the shadow of the flame danced across her face.

“Not too much, since I thought I was just passing through.”

“What about a stallion?” Gabe asked. The boy hadn’t said more than a few words on the ride here, so Charlie didn’t have a measure on his disposition. Nell thought a lot of him, though. If she believed he was a good-enough hand when the pushing started, that was enough verification for him.

“Never saw him,” Charlie said. “Probably caught my scent and took off. There was plenty of white in the herd. Paints, grays, roans, lots of solids with tall socks and large blazes. Some pretty nice-looking animals.”

Nell took a sip from her cup. “I’d venture to guess the stud is probably a paint himself, with what you’re saying about the makeup.” Dog lay with his head on Nell’s boots as if they were a pillow.

Gabe and Jake exchanged glances. “I wonder why no one else has rounded them up before this,” Gabe said. “Sounds too good to be true.”

“Maybe they have.” Nell tossed the scant remains of her coffee behind her. Dog lifted his head at the sound. “Who knows how large the herd used to be before Charlie’s sighting. Staying in the high country keeps them pretty secluded. We could come away with just a handful ourselves.”

Again a glance passed between Nell’s friends.

“Jake,” Nell said. “What’s new with you and Daisy?” Jake lifted his cup to his mouth as she added, “You two have weddin’ plans yet?”

“Nothin’ set in stone.”

Gabe perked up. “He’s waiting on gettin’ a place of his own. So he don’t have to live at the ranch afterwards.”

Jake sent his younger companion a disparaging look. “You talk a lot.”

“Nell asked.”

Nell sat forward, clearly interested. “Jake?”

“I’ve worked out a deal with Chase about buying a small place he owns on Shady Creek. Not much bigger than a chicken coop, but there’s room to grow.”

“And you’ll need stock.” Charlie admired these hardworking young men.

“That’s right. That’s why I pounced on the chance to go with you. A few mares crossed with Chase’s stud will be a nice start.”

“It sure will,” Gabe added.

Dog stood and shook, then settled his head in Nell’s lap, making her laugh. “And Daisy?” she asked, scratching behind his ears.

“Don’t know if you heard, but Hannah hired her on.”

“At the Silky Hen?”

“Yep. In the kitchen. Hannah says when people forget her past, she’ll let her start waitressing a day or two.” Jake shook his head. “I don’t know. People can be cruel.”

Although curious, Charlie didn’t ask for an explanation. If the fella had wanted to say, he would have. “Well, that was a nice supper.” The vastness of the stars expanded as he shrugged down deeper into his coat. Didn’t matter that it was still only fall, evenings in the high country got cold at night. “What does everyone say we get to bed? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m beat and tomorrow’ll come early.”

Gabe stood and stretched. Jake followed and Nell handed Gabe her bowl and cup along with her utensils. The two started toward the creek with a lantern and Dog at their heels. Charlie heard their grumbles until they were out of earshot. Nell sat on the far side of the fire on a rock, looking pretty small in her sheepskin coat.

Time to set up bedrolls. He was exhausted and was looking forward to stretching out on the ground. He went over to where he’d unloaded the packhorse, hoisted his saddle and Nell’s, and brought them close to the fire. “Where would you like yours?”

“I guess that’s as good a place as any.”

He set hers down, horn to the ground, then placed his beside it. He waited for her to object but she didn’t. “I just think it’s smart if we all sort of stay close,” he said to her unspoken question. “You know—snakes.”

“Snakes?” Amusement tinged her voice.

“Yeah. Snakes. Like the one you shot the first night I arrived out at your ranch? You remember that, right? You admitted yourself that the rattler was large.”

“I wasn’t questioning you, Charlie.”

“I think you were, Nell.”

Her gaze did funny things to his stomach as he laid out his bedroll and then positioned his saddle for a backrest. He got down on his knees and patted down his blanket and then hers, reaching under for the stones that would be sure to keep them awake if left to chance. The brightness of the fire between them kept him from seeing her eyes but if he was right, she was smiling.

“You do that well.”

“Thank you. I’d rather take more time now than be sorry in the morning.”

Off in the distance, Dog barked.

Charlie, a little self-conscious, stood and looked around. “Guess I should go swap out a horse.”

Nell lunged up. “I meant to do that and forgot. I’ll do it, Charlie.”

A coyote yipped and the sway of the tops of the trees drew his attention. When he looked back she was halfway across the clearing, her body shimmering in the gloom like something otherworldly. Somehow it felt a whole lot more desolate out here with her, this far away from civilization, than it had even when he was out here himself. It’d be easy to forget that any other life existed. And all too easy to let his desires run away with him.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

T
hree o’clock couldn’t come fast enough. Brenna checked the watch pinned to the bodice of her blue cotton dress as the children worked feverously on the essay, “What I Did over the Summer Break,” that Mr. Hutton had asked for.

Eleven whole days had passed since the first day of school and even though she had a schedule that kept her busy, she’d settled into a routine that was no longer fearful or draining—although her feet did ache by the time the children went home. If she was lucky, she caught a glimpse of Jessie now and then bringing Sarah to school or picking her up. It was like living on a deserted island with the children and Mr. Hutton—
married
Mr. Hutton. That knowledge still hurt.

Thankfully, his was the only case of measles to appear in Logan Meadows so far this year. His spots had faded to a light-rose color and he was feeling much better, always up and about when she checked in on him twice a day. He’d try to engage her in conversation, but since learning about the wife back in Pennsylvania that he’d failed to mention, she’d kept her distance. A home wrecker she was not.

“Time’s up, class. Please be sure your name is on your paper—and is legible. I’ll collect them as you leave the room.” She went over and pushed open the door, allowing a rush of fresh air into the room. Conversations twittered as the children gathered their things. “Have a nice weekend. I’ll see you on Monday.”
Only one more week and I’ll have my life back.

Penny, followed by Jane and Maddie, approached and stopped at the door. The two handed in their assignments. Maddie handed her a drawing of a flower she’d done from memory, not much more than some curved lines, but to Brenna it was a masterpiece. Prichard and Stevie had been the first out the door as they scampered on ahead. “Thank you, thank you,” Brenna said, collecting the papers from the children as they passed.

“Do you want us to wait for you, Mama?” Penny asked.

“No, honey. You go on ahead and I’ll be right along. I’m going to the mercantile for some flour.”

“I can get that for you if you’d like.”

“I’d rather you make sure the boys aren’t tearing down the house in our absence. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
After I check in with Hannah.
The math books were always on Brenna’s mind. She’d hoped they would have already arrived. She caressed Maddie’s cheek. “You did well today, sweetie. I was so proud when you raised your hand and named the first president of the United States.”

A ghost of a smile crossed Maddie’s face. “My pa used to tell me.”

Brenna’s eyes cut to Penny’s. This was new. The first time she’d ever mentioned her father. “He did?”

Maddie nodded. “’Cause he was in the war. Said history is important.”

Penny and Jane watched with curiosity. “Did he say anything else?” Brenna asked.

Maddie scuffed her foot against the floor. When a teardrop landed with a splash between her small feet, Brenna quickly bundled her into a hug. “Girls, why don’t you two run along. I feel like spending some time with Maddie today. I’ve been so busy with school, I’ve missed out on more meaningful things—like snuggling her in my lap.”

Brenna picked Maddie up and sat on the bench against the wall. Jane and Penny stepped out the door quietly. A good five minutes went by without a word being said. Brenna rocked back and forth, crying inside while she felt the wetness of Maddie’s tears on her neck.

Brenna put her hand on Maddie’s forehead just to be sure she wasn’t coming down with something. As she suspected, the child’s head was cool. She was just tired. Probably homesick. Off-kilter with her stepmother’s new role as teacher taking time away from seeing to her needs. Maddie never complained. If not cheerful, she was quiet. She was no trouble at all. Brenna prayed this time the child would open up to her.