Journey of the Heart (21 page)

“It could have happened to any of us, Sadie,” Elizabeth reassured her.

“But it didn’t,” Sadie said with a rueful smile. “It happened while I was riding her and you have been so kind to me.”

“At least it was an accident, Sadie,” said Cait. “Not your own foolishness, like me with Sky. And we’re all relieved that you were in no danger.”

Sadie gave her a grateful look. “I did meet one of Mackie’s men out there, Mrs. Burke,” she admitted. “Señor Chavez, as a matter of fact.”

Elizabeth paled. “He was not…unpleasant to you, was he?”

“No, no, not at all. In fact, he offered to ride double and lead Snowflake. Of course, I said no,” she added. “But he stayed with me the whole time and saw me to the entrance gate. I am grateful to him for that.”

“I wonder what he was doing up there,” said Caitlin, and then wished she hadn’t as her mother pushed back her plate.

“I am not hungry after all,” said Elizabeth, her voice strained. She was ashamed of her reaction, but Juan Chavez threatened everything she loved. “I think I’ll just walk down and meet Gabe and your Da. Will you put the coffee on for us, Cait?”

“Yes, Ma.”

* * * *

Later that evening, Elizabeth put down her book and said to her husband: “Sadie told us about meeting Chavez, Michael.”

“Gabe said he accompanied her most of the way home. I must admit I was surprised. I don’t see him as the chivalrous sort, do you,
a ghra?”
he asked with a quizzical smile.

“No, I don’t, Michael,” his wife replied, her voice tight with emotion. “What was he doing up there by the sheep, Michael? Setting out more poison?”

“We don’t know that he actually did that, Elizabeth.”

“Oh, Michael….”

“ ‘Tis the work of Mackie’s men, no doubt about it, but we can’t be sure which one.”

“There is something about him, Michael. It goes beyond my fear of what he can do to us.”

“He can’t do anything to us, Elizabeth,” said Michael, putting his arm around her and drawing her close. “His talent is bullying people into doing what Mackie wants and I am not a man who’s easily bullied.”

* * * *

“
Vaya con Dios
.” Juan Chavez could hear Sadie’s clear tones sounding in his head all the way back to the Mackie ranch. He, the man known as ‘
El Lobo
,’ go with God? He hadn’t believed in the Almighty since he was ten and finally stopped praying for his parents or sister to come and find him because “they could be alive, God, if you wanted them to be.” No one was ever going to come for him, he had realized. He would be a slave for the next eight years and then, if he was lucky, the Romeros might pay him a pittance of a wage. He hadn’t felt much for those next eight years, for himself or anyone else. And when he walked out the gate of the hacienda at eighteen, no one even tried to stop him.

He’d worked for men like Mackie ever since. He’d had women, of course, some whores and some who were sorry to see him go, who professed to love him. He believed the whores’ moans of delight a lot more than he believed the others. Love him? No, they didn’t love
him,
but their manufactured fantasy of him.
El Lobo.
It was one of these women who’d first called him that. He knew once she began using words of love, she believed she could be the one to change him from a lone wolf to one who mated for life. He’d left her brokenhearted.

There were some who would say he used these ‘good’ women. But they used him too. They wanted him for his wildness, his inability to care, for they were the
señoritas
, Texan or Mexican, who had been gently raised and hemmed in by the conventions of their society and he represented freedom.

Sadie Hart was a ‘good’ woman. A schoolteacher from Texas who’d raised her two brothers, if the gossip he’d heard was correct. He’d renounced good women a long time ago. He was tired of the tears and recriminations.

She certainly didn’t seem to fall for his charm or seem impressed by his notoriety as a man who rode the knife edge between respectability and outlawhood. He smiled as he thought of her insistence on walking all the way home rather than take any help from the man who was threatening her brother’s employer.

She was no beauty, this Sadie Hart. Too tall and rangy for his taste, which ran to small, plump
señoritas
. There was no danger there for him, he thought, and then immediately wondered why he had needed to reassure himself.

That evening Mackie called him into the big house after dinner.

“Have your plans progressed any further, Chavez?” he asked bluntly.

“Plans?” Chavez replied mildly.

“I assume you have something in mind for Burke?”

“I think he is aware of the position he is in,
señor
. I met a houseguest of his coming down from the sheep camp. She’ll pass the word that I’ve been seen around there. He’ll know that more of his sheep could become sick.”

“And what of his shepherd?”

“The old man, Eduardo? What of him? He is no threat to anyone.”

“What if it weren’t the sheep who fell victim this time but their shepherd? Burke wouldn’t hold out after something like that.”

“It might be effective,” said Juan slowly as though he was giving the idea his serious consideration. “On the other hand, Burke might be so enraged that he’d dig his feet in more. I think he can be a very stubborn man, Señor Burke.” Chavez had killed, but never cold-bloodedly, without provocation. It had always been in self-defense. And he always informed his prospective employers that that was the way he preferred it. Not from any tenderheartedness, he would assure them, but because it was best to stay on the side of the law, if possible.

“I think hitting Señor Burke in the pocketbook will be more effective in the long run,” he said without inflection.

Mackie, who was drinking whiskey, pointed his finger at Chavez and gestured with his glass, slopping some of the whiskey on his employee’s boots. “I know, I know. You told me you don’t shoot unless you’re shot at. You’d rather intimidate people.”

“I’d rather keep my neck out of a rope,
señor
.”

“All right, for now, we’ll do it your way, Chavez,” said Mackie, turning his back and dismissing him with a wave. “But your way better work soon. Send Wilson in to see me, will you,” he added.

“
Si, señor
.”

* * * *

“How does it look, Gabe?”

“Still a little swollen, but the arnica wrap is helping. She’s even put a little weight onto it, haven’t you, girl?” he said as Snowflake whuffled at the back of his neck.

Sadie was perched on a nearby bale of hay and when Gabe was finished, he came and sat next to her.

“So, Miss Sarah Ellen, how are you enjoying your visit?”

“Very much, Gabe. How could I not? The countryside is beautiful, and the Burkes have been so welcoming. And I am liking Caitlin better than I thought I would.”

“You didn’t like her?” asked Gabe, his surprise evident in his voice.

“From what you told me, she sounded young and spoiled. Marrying an Eastern gentleman and going off to teach in a fancy school.”

“Now, Sadie, that doesn’t make her spoiled. She fell in love with the man.”

“Be honest, Gabe. What was your first opinion?” Sadie asked jokingly.

“Wal,” he drawled, “I must confess that she seemed a mite spoiled to me too. Especially around Sky. But I think it was just hard for her to come home and find someone else working with her horse.”

“What is this Mr. Beecham like?” Sadie asked curiously.

“He sits a horse well, even though he’s used to a postage-stamp saddle.”

“I meant aside from how he is with horses, Gabe,” said Sadie, jabbing her elbow into her brother’s side.

“I guess women would consider him handsome. He must be smart as a whip, because he’s going to be a lawyer.”

“Is he right for Cait?”

“I reckon,” Gabe replied slowly. “He loves her, that’s for sure. They’ll go back east and be real happy together.” Gabe slid off the bale of hay and said, “There’s a dance in town Saturday. I want you to promise me at least one waltz, Sarah Ellen, because I am sure all your dances will be gone with all the men flocking around you. It’s high time you found someone to take care of you.”

It was almost suppertime and as Sadie walked to the house, leaving Gabe to wash up, she thought about his description of Henry Beecham. His words were certainly all positive, but his tone had seemed a little forced. She decided to keep an eye on her brother when he was around Caitlin Burke, especially at the dance on Saturday.

It wasn’t as easy to keep an eye on her brother as Sadie had supposed. Just as they arrived at the dance, an attractive red-haired cowboy came up to Cait and stood shyly, his hat in his hand. “May I have the first waltz, Miss Cait.”

“
Miss
Cait? Jimmy Murdoch, where have
you
been this past month? Out collecting more freckles?”

The cowboy looked down at her and gave her a wicked grin. “Why, I’ve only been off on a cattle drive to Dodge City. But you’ve been away for two years to a fancy school, so I figured I’d better treat you with the respect a proper young lady deserves.”

“How many times did we ride for the mail together, Jimmy Murdoch? I didn’t notice you treating me with any respect then!”

“Aw, Cait, you know I’m only teasing you. But my broken heart will feel a lot better if you’ll only dance with me.”

“Broken heart?” she replied skeptically.

“I hear you’ll be leaving us soon.” Sadie could tell he was only half teasing this time.

“I am, Jimmy. But since you have been loving and leaving girls for years, you have gotten your just desserts. But I will save a waltz for you. Sadie, this is my old friend, Jimmy Murdoch. The Murdochs own the ranch next to ours. Jimmy, this is Sadie Hart, who’s visiting from Texas.”

“Pleased to meet you, ma’am. Will you be my partner for this dance, Miss Hart?” he immediately asked as the caller summoned the dancers to the floor.

“I’d be delighted.”

It was lucky that Gabe had reserved his dance ahead of time, for a new woman in town was never without partners. By the time the first waltz was struck up, Sadie had to turn away three men and gave Gabe a relieved smile when he came over to claim her.

He smiled down at her and said: “See, I told you, Sarah Ellen. You could have your choice of any man here.”

“Gabe, those cowboys would flock around any new face, they’re so starved for women, and you know it.” She smiled as she saw Caitlin and Jimmy Murdoch waltz by them. “There goes one charming cowboy.” Gabe glanced over. “I haven’t seen him before.”

“He’s been out driving cattle. Evidently his family owns the spread next to the Burkes’. He and Cait are old friends. You’d think she’d have chosen someone like that, wouldn’t you?” she continued.

“Not with her education. She can do a lot better than a cowboy.”

“She’s such a graceful dancer, isn’t she, Gabe? Are you going to ask her for a dance?”

“I might, once I’ve had my turn with some of the other young ladies here,” he replied noncommittally.

* * * *

“Are you not dancing this one, Sadie?” Michael asked when he came upon their guest sitting out a
schottische.

“I haven’t been off that floor for two hours, Mr. Burke,” laughed Sadie. “I’m just waiting for Jimmy Murdoch to bring me a glass of punch.”

“Jimmy Murdoch, eh? Now, there’s a fine lad. I was hoping once that he and Cait…but since they are not suited, maybe he’d be someone for you to consider, Sadie.”

“Mr. Burke, you are as bad as my brother! I just got through taking care of my brothers and I am not panting to take on another responsibility.”

“Ah, but marriage shouldn’t be like motherin’, Sadie,” he said. “Not if you find the right man. But here comes Jimmy. I’ll leave you two alone,” he added with a wink.

“Here you are, Miss Hart.”

“Thank you, Mr. Murdoch.”

There was a stir at the door and Jimmy and Sadie watched as a well-dressed older man and his wife came in.

“Damn Mackie,” Jimmy said under his breath without thinking.

“Oh, is that Nelson Mackie?” asked Sadie curiously.

“Beg your pardon, ma’am, for swearing. Yes, it is. He’s been after my ma to sell since Pa died last spring.”

“And she’s refused?”

“She says she’ll hold out as long as Michael Burke does.”

Mackie settled his wife with the doctor’s lady and went over to join the bank manager who was in a cluster of businessmen from town. “He has them all in his pocket,” Jimmy muttered.

Sadie was no longer watching Mackie, for her eyes had been drawn back to the door. Juan Chavez was standing there, surveying the room like the predator he resembled, she thought with a shiver. Then their eyes met and he gave her a nod of recognition. She should ignore him, she knew, but no matter what he was rumored to be, he had seen her safely home the other day, and so she gave him a quick smile.

Oh, dear, that was a mistake, she thought, for he started to make his way around the room to where she was sitting. There was a dance already in progress, so she couldn’t ask Jimmy to take her onto the dance floor. She was trapped.

“
Buenas noches
, Señorita Hart.”

He was directly in front of her and she could hardly ignore him. He would be a hard man to ignore, Juan Chavez, in his dark green shirt tucked into black trousers studded with conchos.

“
Buenas noches,
Señor Chavez,” she replied calmly. “Jimmy, do you know Señor Chavez?”

“Can’t say that I do,” Jimmy answered coldly. “Given who he works for, can’t say that I want to,” he added, giving Chavez a look of distaste.

“The feeling is mutual, I am sure, so perhaps you would like to get Miss Hart another glass of punch. Her glass is empty.” Chavez spoke politely, almost as though they were in someone’s drawing room, thought Sadie. But the look in his eyes would have convinced a lesser man than Jimmy Murdoch. Jimmy flushed red and Sadie saw his fists clench. The last thing she wanted, the last thing that was needed, was a fight over her!