A Heart Renewed (20 page)

Someone asked him a question, jarring him from his thoughts.  “Pardon?”

“Heard you are going to that fancy Governor’s Ball tomorrow.  Guess horse trainers are higher up than us cowboys,” Owens stated, looking none too pleased.

While what Owens said was true to some extent, Adam tried to think of how to diffuse the situation.  “Will wants me there to meet some potential customers.  Nothing more.” 
You hope there is more.  You hope to dance with Julia.

“On a first name basis with the boss, too, I see.”

“Will’s family and mine have been friends and neighbors my entire life.  So, yes, we’re on a first name basis.”

Owens harrumphed, but let it lie after a stern look from Ben.

The four Mexicans gathered up their things.  After thanking Rosa for their packed lunch, they headed out the door to start their turn with the cattle.  That was another difference between the ranching in Texas and here.  Back home, they often corralled the cattle at night and had one or maybe two men on watch.  But to send four out to the field?  When he questioned Will about it earlier, he said it was not safe to do otherwise.  From Jed, he learned that the Apache were a constant threat and cattle thieves seemed particularly active in the territory.

Snake, Cahill, Webb, Whitten, and Owens pulled out their deck of cards.  Owens jabbed a giant wad of tobacco in his cheek.

“Deal you in Larson?” Snake asked.

Adam shook his head.

“Another goody-goody church going man,” Owens said, sending a stream of tobacco juice near Adam’s feet.

Ben looked up from the book he was reading.  That was usually all the warning any of them needed to straighten up.  But Owens failed to heed the silent warning.

“Too good for us Larson?”

Adam sighed inwardly.  He had no idea what he had done to get on this man’s bad side, but that’s where he was.  “No.  Just not interested in poker.”

When Adam turned to join Jed and Hawk in whatever they were discussing, he heard the scrape of a chair before the impact of Owens’s weight knocked him face down to the floor.  Trying to free himself, Adam kicked at the man’s shins.  Before he could make any further attempt, Ben lifted Owens off his feet.  Dragging him by the shirt collar, Ben threw him outside.

“Don’t know what’s gotten into you but you go cool off on your own, before I make you,” Ben said before slamming the door shut.  He took a deep breath and returned to his chair picking up where he left off in his book.

Adam stood and brushed the dust from his pants.  Jed and Hawk were looking at him wide-eyed while the card players went on without Owens.

“What was that all about,” Jed asked as Adam took a seat on the floor next to him.

“Wish I knew.”

The next morning, as Adam was working in the corral, a rider came down the road toward the ranch house.  Dropping his hold on the bridle, he walked into the barn where Will was working on some piece of furniture.

“Got a rider from town,” he said before returning to the corral.

Within minutes, the rider was close enough for Adam to get a clearer view.

Standing straighter, he tightened his jaw.  “Bates,” he forced the name through gritted teeth, just as Will stepped from the barn.

“What are you doing here?” Will thundered as Bates dismounted.

“A good day to you too, Mr. Colter.”  Bates’ sarcastic tone belied the friendly words.  Tossing the reins over the edge of the corral, he used it as a temporary hitching post.

Adam quickly removed the bridle from the horse he was working with.  Then he moved around to the other side of the corral, letting the horse run free for the time being.

“I’ve come to inquire about employment,” Bates said, changing to a more amiable tone.

“Mighty long way to come looking for a job,” Will said, folding his arms across his chest.

“Well, I didn’t initially set out with that in mind.  But, things change.”

“I know you were on our wagon train,” Adam said.

Will said, “So, let’s start with why you left Texas.”

For the next half hour, all three men stood there with defensive postures.  They listened as Bates told about Reuben hiring him to bring Julia back and how he met up with them in Santa Fe instead of chasing them down on the trail.

“But, after I heard that man in Santa Fe say you married Miss Colter,” Bates said, looking at Adam, “I knew it wouldn’t be smart to force her to go back.  Might not be one for always walking the straight and narrow, but I ain’t too fond of outright breaking the law either.”

“Married?  Who said we were married?”

“When you were loading your wagon, that man addressed Miss Colter as Mrs. Larson.”

Thank God Bates had misunderstood.  Who knows what he’d have done with Julia then.  And maybe it would be better to play along for a while.

Apparently, Will thought so.  “So you gave up your mission for Reuben when you learned Julia was with Adam?”

“Yeah.  When I found out they were married, I figured there was no chance Reuben would pay me for returning her.  Honestly, I wasn’t too sure he would pay me if she hadn’t been married.”

“Why’s that?” Adam asked.

Bates snorted.  “He still owed all of his hands two months back pay.  We hadn’t seen a penny from him for a while.  Then, all the sudden when Miss Colter—I mean Mrs. Larson—took off, he had a stack of cash.  He happily handed over some of it to send me off to fetch her.”

Will eyed Bates warily.  Adam guessed he was weighing the truth of the story.

Getting an idea, he asked, “So, if you’re not such a bad guy, why did you agree to go after Julia when she was running from Reuben.  Surely you knew about the abuse?”

Bates’ head jerked towards him in genuine surprise.  “Abuse?  Are you suggesting Reuben handled her roughly?”

“Not suggesting it.  Witnessed it myself.  After she broke off the engagement with Hiram Norton.  He was strangling her.  Not sure if he wouldn’t have killed her if I hadn’t shown up.”

Now both Will and Bates looked at him, disbelief on their faces.  Though he hated for Will to hear the details in this way, he was glad he said it, because it showed that Bates had no idea what happened to cause Julia to leave.

“I just thought she was a rebellious young lady.  Never thought she might have good reason to take off,” Bates muttered.

Silence settled over the group for several minutes.

Finally, Will spoke.  “Why’d you come here, Bates?  Last time I hired you, you broke our agreement for more money.”

“Guess I came here ‘cause I know you to be an honest man.  Good to your word.  And you’re right.  What I did was wrong.  I don’t blame you for being leery.”  Looking down at the ground, Bates kicked a small rock with the toe of his boot.

“Not so sure I trust you enough to hire you.  What’s to keep you from taking Julia back even now?” Will asked.

“She’s married.”

Adam shook his head.  Will mimicked his movement before saying, “No, she’s not.”

Gideon Bates couldn’t believe his ears.  Here he’d come all this way for such wrong reasons.  Turns out the one right thing he did—not taking a married woman from her husband—was all based on a misunderstanding.

Yet, he could see in Will Colter’s eyes the complete distrust. 
I’m sure he thinks this piece of information will change my mind.
  But, he made up his mind already.  Even if there was some reasonable way to return Miss Colter to Reuben he wouldn’t do it.  He had no desire to make that long trip again.

Knowing what he knew now, he certainly would not take her back to an abusive brother.  No, he’d watched his little sister suffer too much at his drunken father’s hands.  He wouldn’t knowingly put any woman in that kind of a situation.

Will and Larson were still staring at him.  Probably waiting for him to say something.  Better give it a shot.

“Look, no matter what you’ve said or what I’ve done in the past, I ain’t here to take Miss Colter back to Texas.  I firmly gave up that idea in Santa Fe.  And what you’ve said now—well, I think she’s with the brother that will treat her best.”  Hopefully they would see he meant the words.

After several more minutes of silence he figured it’d be a slim chance in Hades for him to get a job here.

“Well,” he said, “I appreciate your time.  Sorry to have wasted so much of it.”

Taking the reins of his horse in hand, he started to mount.  “Best be on my way.”

“Wait!” Will said, stopping him.

As Gideon turned, Will continued, “I’ve been looking for another man for the night shift.  If you want it, the job is yours.”

Smiling, Gideon accepted the offer.  “Glad to have it.”

“Just make sure you don’t abuse my trust.  I’m not prone to giving third chances,” Will said, glaring at him.

Swallowing hard, Gideon heard the message loud and clear.  Might be a good time for sticking to the straight and narrow.

After Will had Adam show Bates to the bunkhouse, he went in to talk to Julia.  Kicking himself, he wondered why on earth he consented to give Bates a second chance.  Wasn’t the best idea he had.  Especially since it would probably send Julia into a fit.

But something about his story and his demeanor made him think Bates might have changed.

Regardless, he would talk to Ben later about keeping close tabs on him.  The idea to put him on the night shift was brilliant.  He’d be out in the field with Pedro and the other Mexicans.  He would have no opportunity to sneak anything by Will at night.  During the day between him, Ben, and Adam, there was no chance of Bates getting within ten feet of Julia.

Slowly, he opened the ranch house door, apprehension filling him.

Julia and Hannah were both in the kitchen baking.

“How are my ladies?” he asked, getting their attention.

“Just fine,” Hannah smiled.  Oh, that look melted his heart every time.  “What brings you in at this time of day?”

“Can we sit for a minute?” he asked.  “All three of us.”

Julia quietly took a seat at the table while Hannah poured some coffee and brought it to the table.  As soon as she sat down, he started his explanation, hoping it would be received well.

“We had a visitor this morning.”

He paused.  There was really no way to ease into this.

“Gideon Bates came looking for work.”

At Julia’s gasp, Hannah took her hand.

“He explained why he was following you and why he never took you back to the Star C.”

“And you believe him?” she shrieked.

“I do.”

The look of betrayal she shot him seared his heart like a hot branding iron on a young calf’s rump.

“I hired him for the night shift,” he added.

“How could you!” she screamed, standing so fast that her chair threatened to tumble.

“Calm down!” he shouted back.

“I will not calm down.  He’s one of Reuben’s men.  He was following me to take me back.  You even just said it!  Why would you think hiring him was a good idea?”  Julia accused.

Hannah’s expression wasn’t much better.  Confused.  Wary.

“Look, he had plenty of opportunity to drag you back if he had wanted to.  But, along the way he realized it wasn’t the right thing to do.”  Well, maybe he only fully realized that just this morning.  But that wouldn’t help his argument.  “You don’t have to worry about anything.  You’ll be safe.  He’ll be out in the fields at night.  Pedro will keep close watch on him.  The rest of the time, me, Ben, and Adam will be around.  You have nothing to fear.”