West Winds of Wyoming (35 page)

“You want to roll over so you can see the stars? It’s a mighty fine show tonight, if I do say so myself. I’m always amazed how they glitter like water splashing down a creek bed of rocks in the sun.”

She shook her head and hung on more firmly. “That’s quite poetic, Charlie Rose.”

Dog scooted closer and dropped his head onto Charlie’s midsection. Charlie reached down and scratched the animal’s head. “This is turning into a party.”

“He scared me, Charlie. I’m not too proud anymore to say it.” Her voice was soft and vulnerable.

“Your father?”

She shook her head again. “No. There was another stranger who came out to the ranch. The week before you showed up. I couldn’t put my finger on why he seemed so evil, just a feeling I had inside, like when I can tell what the horses are feeling. All I wanted was for him to ride away. Leave and never come back. Guess it’s me thinking about him that’s brought back these memories of my pa. That’s the only thing that makes any sense.”

“Are you talking about the rider on the hill?” Charlie about stopped breathing. The week before he’d arrived? What was she talking about?

“No. A stranger in the ranch yard. Seth was still gone with the army horses and you hadn’t arrived yet.”

Fear gripped his insides. Tracking him, ahead of him—the stranger on the ridge, the footprints near the river. If whoever it was had been after him, wouldn’t they have made a move by now? Or was Galante biding his time for some reason? Would he make a move on Maddie if he couldn’t get to Charlie? He wanted to jump on his horse and beat his way back to Logan Meadows right now in the dark. But he couldn’t. This job had to be done. “Try to forget about him now. He’s long gone.”
I hope.
“We’ll get our job finished tomorrow, then figure out who’s been watching you out at the ranch, and why.”

Nell sat up on her elbow and looked down into his face. Through the darkness he could barely make out the curve of her cheek. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “I can hear it in your voice. There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“Sh, now,” he said. “It’s time for sleep. All the rest can wait.”

She nodded and snuggled back onto his chest. A hush fell back over the campsite and her breathing evened out. Everything was quiet, except the thudding of Charlie’s heart.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

N
ell sat loose and comfortable in her saddle even though her stomach clenched with excitement. Some thirty feet from the trail, behind a stand of trees, she drew in a deep, steadying breath and tried to calm her nerves. What she wouldn’t give right now for a strong, hot cup of coffee. All she’d had since rising was a handful of beef jerky.

She went over in her mind all that needed to be checked before taking on an endeavor of such magnitude, knowing full well her cinch was tight, Coyote’s hooves divested of even the smallest grit, her supple, split-leather reins knotted, just in case she were to lose one. Her bandanna was tied around her neck in case the dust got bad and she needed to cover her nose. Swallowing down an egg-sized ball of disquiet, she clenched the stock whip that was neatly curled and held in her right gloved hand against her thigh. Her heart beat triple time.

Charlie and the herd should be here any moment.

He’d departed camp around five, saying he should be passing her pickup point around seven or eight. That gave him time to go at an easy pace back to the herd, get around behind the horses, and then start them off. The five miles at a gallop wouldn’t take long. “Don’t get antsy,” he’d told them all yesterday. “We don’t know what problems I might encounter. I’ll get there when I get there and not a minute before. Just be ready.”

Nell’s thoughts circled around to the subject she’d been trying to avoid by staying busy. Charlie. And lying in his arms most of the night. He’d been so tender. He must have been a devoted husband, judging by the way he’d treated her. Just his tone had the power to chase away her fears and calm her racing heart. When he’d finally told her about his wife, he’d even said more that she hadn’t picked up on in her drowsy state. That he wanted
more
children. That meant he must have had a child, or children, who had perished in the wagon accident. Poor Charlie. A surge of compassion pressed her heart. That fact must have been just too hard for him to share with Seth.

Where did they go from here? Anywhere? He’d alluded to wanting a family again—to mend his broken heart. Brenna had that family built in and ready to go. Was that the thing that kept attracting him to her side? But if that were so and he didn’t feel anything for Nell, how could he possibly hold her so gently all night long? Anger threatened to spoil her mood. She’d not speculate things she didn’t have the answer for. She cherished last night. And if she read him correctly, trusted the sense she felt from him, he had, as well. That was good enough for her.

Dog whined, unhappy she insisted he stay put by her side. He sat at attention beside Coyote’s hip, watching up the trail as if he knew exactly what she was anticipating. Coyote’s ears flicked forward, then back. He seemed calm and collected. She’d know when the herd was close because he’d be hard to hold.

She closed her eyes and visualized the section of trail along which she had to drive the horses. For the most part the ground was level, with an easy downhill slant. But toward the end, where Jake would be waiting, there was a section of land that years ago had given way to a small slide. They’d have to go over and down a good twenty feet, and at a very steep angle. She’d taken Coyote over it several times yesterday to give him confidence when the time came, but the obstacle would be different going at a full run. Now she just needed to bolster her own resolve.

All would be fine. She’d been riding as far back as she could remember. She’d just sit tight and let Coyote do the work.

Dog leaped to his feet and barked. Coyote’s head snapped up and his body quivered with excitement.

Thundering hooves announced their arrival. Nell reached down and steadied Coyote with her hand to his withers.

The first horse galloped around the bend.

With a blaring neigh, Coyote reared, but she held him steady, talking softly but keeping a firm hold on his mouth. He tossed his head and she spun him in a circle. “Whoa, now,” she said deeply. “Whoa, Coyote. Your time’s coming, boy. Just hold on. Let some of them pass.”

The pounding of hooves to earth was almost deafening. Nell searched for Charlie amid the galloping horses but with everything happening so fast, that was next to impossible. Horses raced by. It was all she could do to keep her horse from grabbing the bit and joining them. Dog was gone. She hoped he had sense enough to stay out from under the mass of horses or he’d be killed.

A loud crack rent the air.

Charlie?

She searched the far side as the horses galloped past. Where was he? Frantic to see him, she scanned from one side to the other. There. Her heart swelled at the sight. His hat was low over his eyes and seeing his bandanna up, she yanked up hers, getting ready.

In a matter of seconds she’d let Coyote go. She counted, held her breath, then leaned forward and yelled, “Hee-yah!” giving Coyote his head.

With a ferocious snap, Coyote bolted away. In seconds they pulled in next to the horses and their ground-eating strides at about the middle of the herd. Nostrils flared. Manes and tails flew everywhere. It was the most exhilarating feeling she’d ever experienced. “Hee-yah! Hee-yah!” she cried.

Fresh, Coyote had no problem keeping pace. Horses surged behind them, then moved around like a river, drawing Nell in until she and her mount were surrounded. A dark roan veered in and clipped the bay in front of them. Coyote jerked up, trying to keep his hooves from getting entangled. His footing once again strong—and Nell’s heart in her throat—she crouched close to his neck, watching between his ears as they galloped. Squinting through the dust, she was surprised when the throng of horses curved right, when they should have gone left. The bush barrier they’d constructed yesterday hadn’t held them. She needed to do something, and fast.

Taking hold of Coyote’s mouth, she guided him back to the outside of the galloping herd, now urging him on for all she was worth. She squeezed with her legs and he gave her more speed. They passed two horses, then three, then winged ahead of a handful. Coyote’s belly expanded as he gulped in huge amounts of air, giving her all the swiftness she asked.

With a frightful jerk, she suddenly recognized the lay of the land. She hadn’t put the pieces together yesterday, but the small buffalo jump was approaching about a mile ahead. She needed to get the wild horses turned before they all went over.

“Hee-yah!” she yelled into Coyote’s ear, now desperate to get to the front. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”

Coyote surged forward. She’d never ridden him this fast. She couldn’t imagine where he found the energy. His breathing now rasped in her ears but he didn’t waver, and he didn’t slow down. At this rate she didn’t have much time. The trees ahead were thinning. The mustangs labored, some glistened in their own sweat. Still, they didn’t have her weight to carry, or that of the saddle. They galloped on with no signs of slowing down.

“Faster, faster, boy,” she chanted over and over into Coyote’s ears as she moved her hands along his neck, matching his strides, urging him on. Doing whatever it took to help her courageous mount forward. They needed to be in the front of the herd to be able to turn them. Certain death was fast approaching.

Charlie reined up when Nell bolted out of the trees to take command of the herd. He eased back, slowing the black to a lope, then down to the jog. His horse labored for breath but he’d done well. Soon the herd was out of sight, and Charlie veered toward a hill that was dense with trees but would be in a direct line to the corral, cutting off several miles. He let the gelding take the first part slowly, but after he’d caught his breath, Charlie asked for more power to the top, to where the trees became sparse.

He reached for his canteen but was surprised when he caught sight of the herd in the distance running along an elevated plateau. His brows dropped. They must have veered off the path!

His breath caught. Where was Nell? Had she fallen? Suddenly a very ominous feeling filled his heart. He searched the area the horses were heading. The buffalo jump! The other one Nell had told him about was directly ahead.

“No!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. A flash of yellow toward the front of the herd caught his eye. Nell! Standing in her stirrups as she cracked her whip over her head in an effort to turn the mass of horses. He’d been a damned fool to let her take the herd alone. “Turn, turn.” His whispered plea lodged in his throat.

His heart thwacked painfully against his rib as he watched in stunned horror.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

A
light tapping at the door barely registered in Brenna’s head as she went about her living room with her duster in hand. Saturday morning was allotted to household chores. After that she’d get to her mending, and then baking. Stevie and Prichard, already finished with their short list of things to do, had gone off to Shady Creek to try to catch something for supper. The girls’ giggles, coming from their bedroom where they were making their bed with fresh linen, made Brenna smile.