Cole's Redemption (Love Amongst the Pines) (25 page)

             
Judge took in a deep breath. "I happen to agree with you on that. If you're
gonna
have any spitfire tomorrow to finish
puttin
' up this house and woo that lady, you'd best try to get some more shut-eye."

             
"Oh, yes sir, Judge, I will directly. But, you know what?"

             
"What?"

             
"I was
thinkin
' just now about me protecting Miss
Melly

and
all, and I just remembered where I tucked them shotgun shells at
Natty's
cabin."

             
"Good for you, Dermott. Get some sleep. In the morning, you can ride out to the mine and fetch them. Right now, we need to rest or we won't get a lick of work done tomorrow. This house needs to be ready soon. I don't think I could stand staying at my place with Mrs.
Remmington
much longer. It gives me an awful itch."

             
"Yeah, me too, with Miss
Melly
. What we
gonna
do, Judge? You and me are single men. You
thinkin
' about maybe getting hitched?"

Judge sighed softly. "I think it's a bit soon for that. We don't even know if those ladies want our attentions, Dermott."

             
"Well, if I was a
bettin
' man, Judge, I'd put my money on it."

             
He heard Judge laugh beside him. "Me, too,
Derm
.
Me, too.
Now get yourself to sleep so you can get an early start in the morning. I want you back here by noon so we can get finished throwing paint on that back room."

             
Miriam slept as soundly as she had since leaving Boston. Of course, it wasn't
her own
home, nor was it even a decent hotel. It was a man's bed she slept in, with the scents of a man still there. She couldn't help but feel the growing sense of contentment that came with each passing day. A part of her mind told her she was being silly. A woman her age did not attract the attentions of a man so engaging. But, she remembered courting Charles, and she realized that she had that same jittery feeling that stirred in her stomach whenever she so much as thought about Judge Cummins.

             
"Must be peptic," she chuckled silently. Could it be possible that she might too have a future so far away from Boston? Would her son stay happy with his situation, enough to be settled in his heart as well as his body? In the end, she admitted that's all she really wanted for him. If that fair-haired imp of a girl made him happy, what was wrong with that?

             
Settling back into the pillows, she started drifting again. Just as she tipped the edge of unconsciousness a dark thought whispered across her mind. Was it really safe here? Suddenly, a sense of foreboding crept into her thoughts. Instantly, she had the impulse to leave this place immediately. Her heart beat rapidly and her breathing quickened as she considered how she might sneak out of the house, out of the town of Whispering Pines, and
convince
her son to come with her.

             
As quickly as the thought came, common sense shooed it away. Cole couldn't leave now, even if he wanted to do so. And, remembering their conversation on the subject before, he didn't want to even if he could. She shivered, pulling the blankets closer. Something was wrong, and she didn't know from where the feeling came. Carefully, she got out of bed, and pulled the robe over her shoulders. Walking through the quiet house, she went to the front window and peered out. Nothing moved outside except for the trees in the distance, dancing like puppets whose strings were pulled by the wind.

             
"Is that you, Mrs.
Remmington
?"

             
Miriam turned back to see
Melly
poking her head out of the guestroom door.

             
"I thought I heard something. I guess I was imagining it. You go on back to bed."

             
Melly
nodded, and pulled back in the room, closing the door behind her.

             
Miriam glanced at the window and into the dark night. The sense of unease didn't leave her. Tomorrow, she would get the judge to take her to the mine, and she would make sure everything was all right.

             
The warmth of the morning's first light touched Cole's shoulder. Turning over, he stretched languidly. Coming to full consciousness, he awoke with amazement at the warm bundle that lay sleeping at his side. Gently pulling away so that he wouldn't wake her, he slid from the cot. Shivering slightly from the early morning chill, he stepped quietly to the fireplace. With his still bound fingers, he managed to set the cook fire, though it took him several clumsy attempts to do so.

             
Doc Evans had said a few more weeks before the splints could come off, so Cole made do as best he could. For a moment, he examined his hands. They remained straight and still slightly bruised. He was certain they would be pretty stiff for a while. The Doctor had told him to get himself some fist sized rocks and squeeze them to build the muscles back up when the splints came off. It didn't matter if he lost most of the use of his fingers. What he'd gotten in return was far more valuable than he'd ever hoped for or deserved.

             
For a few moments longer, Cole watched the flames build until a warm glow filled the room. Sighing, he went next to the coffeepot.
             

It was empty, as was the water bucket beside it.

             
"I guess I'll just have to fetch some water if I want coffee." He whispered quietly. Walking over to the bed,
he picked up
his clothing, and after pulling on his trousers and shirt
,
he headed for the door
. He went barefoot, since he'd need to wake Natty to help him get his boots on.

             
Slipping outside, Cole took a deep breath. The air was crisp and cool, and the morning sunlight almost painfully bright. Cole picked his way down the path to the creek and was met by the bubbling sound of the stream as it moved down the side of the mountain. As he reached the edge of the water, a strange sensation came over him. For a moment, he stopped. Carefully, he scanned the wilderness for any sign of danger. The hair on the back of his neck prickled up. Something was wrong.

             
The forest was quiet. Deadly quiet. He turned full around surveying the land. That was when he heard it.
The snap of a branch underfoot.

             
"Stop right
there
son and no one gets hurt!"

             
Natty turned on her side, sleepily reaching for her husband. Feeling the place empty, she came to wakefulness searching the room. A sudden fear crept into her chest.

             
"Cole?" she called out. Seeing that his clothes were gone from the bed, she scooted herself out, and grabbing her cotton shift, slipped it over her head. It was a new experience, sleeping without clothes, but she was quick to realize that even the thin undergarments were
a help
against the cool, fall mornings.

             
Standing, she stretched her stiff muscles. Her husband had already started a fire and, even from the distance, she felt the first fingers of warmth reaching across the room.

             
"He probably went for some water," she muttered, gathering up the blanket that had fallen to the floor.

             
The early morning silence shattered with a sharp crack. The rifle shot was so close that it split the morning silence like an arrow piercing through wood.

             
"Cole!" Instantly she ran to the door and, flinging it open, fell into the arms of a stranger.

             
Grappling with the man twice her
size, that stunk of buffalo hide and long unwashed male odor,
she was subdued in a matter of seconds when he grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her off the ground.

             
"Let me go!" She screamed and fought with all of her strength, but the man only tightened his grip, nearly cutting her in half in the process.

             
"Stop!" Cole yelled from across the yard. "Don't hurt her!"

             
Natty saw him on all fours, an older man standing over him holding a rifle pointed towards his head.

             
"Do as you're told, boy, and she won't get hurt. Now, lay down on the ground."

             
Horrified, Natty watched as Cole slowly lowered himself down to lie on his belly. "I'll do anything you ask, just let her go! She's not a part of this. She doesn't deserve to get hurt."

             
Natty nearly choked. He was bargaining for her. These men were thieves, and they'd likely leave them all dead when they realized there was nothing here but too few precious supplies.

             
"Take what you want," she cried out, "just leave us be!"

             
The older man shot her a wary glance. "I'll take what I want, all right. This young buck here, for starters." He prodded Cole with his weapon. "Put your hands behind your back, now!"

             
Cole did as he was told. The old man pulled a length of rope from his waist and yanked Cole's arms back.

             
"Please, your grievance is with me," Cole twisted slightly trying to look at his captor. "You've got no reason to hurt Natty. Take me with you and leave her alone!"

             
"Cole, no!" Natty struggled harder but the man who held her didn't loosen his grip.

             
"What happens to your whore is up to her and you. If she stays outta my way, then she likely won't get
nothing
but a few months in jail. If she obstructs the law in any way, she'll hang alongside of you."

             
"You're the law?" Cole closed his eyes momentarily.

             
"That's right, convict. I am.
A Texas Ranger, to be exact.
I believe you met my son? Jared Greene? I was informed by a reliable source that you killed him. You are Cole
Remmington
, the third?"

             
"Yes, sir, I am." Cole closed his eyes.

             
Natty felt her heart snap as the fire went out of his expression.

             
"You've got no right being here! I bought his sentence! He's mine to keep. You can't hang him!"

             
"You're wrong, girl. What I have is a federal warrant! Your
piddly
-assed county document means nothing to the United States government!"

             
Another man walked into the clearing. Carrying a pistol in one hand and a length of rope in the other, he walked up to the old man.

             
"Here you go, Mister. I
brung
what you asked."

             
"Good. Go find a tall tree with a solid branch." He turned to the man who held Natty. "Where's your brother, Jonas?"

             
"He'll be along, Mr. Greene. He's just checking the perimeter."

             
"Set that girl down and bring me a horse. I've changed my mind. It's best we string up this bastard here and save the taxpayers the cost of keeping him in jail until a hanging."

             
"No!" Natty cried out, when her captor tried to set her down. She twisted sideways, but he struck her hard against her face. Stunned, she went down to the ground, the force of the blow knocking the breath out of her.

             
"You
git
your damn hands away from her!" Dermott came barreling into the clearing. Jumping from the Judge's gelding, he landed between Greene and
Natty's
assailant.

             
"Stop or I'll shoot!" Greene shouted.

             
Natty could only watch paralyzed as her uncle threw himself towards the man who'd struck her. Just as he reached the bounty hunter, another shot rang out. Stunned Natty stared at Greene, who was grasping the smoking rifle pointed at Dermott.

             
"No!" She screamed. Dermott fell face first into the dirt beside her. Scrambling, she forgot everything around her and landed beside him.