Linda Ford (16 page)

Chapter Ten

W
hat was right and fair?

Eddie stared after her. The woman certainly had definite ideas about the matter. Shouldn’t she stay inside the house and let the men decide such things?

He turned toward the big house. She’d never sit quietly indoors and ignore the challenges of creating a new world. She seemed to think her ways would make the new world better. His insides twisted mercilessly. New world. New ways. Those in the old country favored the old ways. And why not? They had worked for centuries. Why not here?

He released a blast of air from his tight lungs. Her interference left him facing a dilemma—show frontier justice or show mercy. Which was right? His heart said one thing, his brain another. He kicked at a lump of snow then crossed to the barn where the cowhands waited. Young Cal swung a rope before the Indian, taunting him with the loop he meant to throw over the rafter above their heads.

Ward and Slim didn’t look quite so eager for a hanging and poor Roper looked ready to bring up his lunch.

“Boys, you know that big old steer mixed in with the breeding stock?” All winter they’d joshed about how good the critter had it just because he refused to leave the yard.

“Yeah, boss.” Slim sounded relieved, as if he understood what Eddie had in mind. The others merely looked curious.

“I couldn’t find any deer and we’re getting real short of meat. I think fresh beef would be great. What do you all think?”

The whole works cheered. “Nothing like well-fed beef,” Slim said.

“Yes, sir.” Eddie looked about. “Cal, Ward, Slim—butcher that steer. Cut off the back quarter, wrap it in canvas and throw it in the back of the wagon.”

“Boss?” Cal didn’t want to believe what he’d just heard.

“I think we have plenty enough for sharing. Anyone disagree?” His words were soft, but not one of the boys missed his silent challenge.

“Nope.” The three tromped off.

“Let the man go,” he said to Roper.

The Indian shook his wrists once then faced Eddie.

Eddie wasn’t sure how much of the conversation the man understood. “I’ll give you the hindquarter. You don’t need to steal from me. If you’re in need come and ask for help.”

The man nodded slowly as if struggling to comprehend. “Boy right. He say not all white men bad. I go now. Not wait. Family need me.”

Eddie nodded. “I’ll bring the meat later.” He had seen enough signs to guess the Indians camped in a grove of trees a few miles away.

He hummed as he headed for the cabin. Linette would be pleased with his decision.

He stepped into the warm room. Linette glanced up from a tiny garment she was folding and his heart stalled. Baby clothes. How he wanted babies to fill his house...his heart. Babies of his flesh and blood. He drew in air that caught several times on the way in. Did she have a secret she hadn’t revealed? A hidden pregnancy?

“I saw the man ride away.” Her face beamed with gratitude. “You let him go.”

“I told the boys to butcher an animal. I’ll take some of it to him.”

“I knew you would.”

From the other side of the room Cassie snorted. “Bertie says they’re a thieving bunch.”

Neither Linette nor Eddie even looked at the woman.

“What do you have there?”

“I brought this with me, intending to use it as a pattern if I ever needed it. Well, I think I need it.” She held up the tiny sweater. “I want to give it to the baby.”

She meant to give it away. Thank goodness. His heart resumed a normal pace. “Do you want me to take it when I deliver the meat?”

Her expression grew thoughtful. Shifted to determination. He knew her answer before it came.

“I want to deliver it in person. Make sure Bright Moon is okay.”

“It’s not a fit journey for a young woman.” He knew the fact wouldn’t influence her.

“I thought by now you would realize I will not be controlled by such things. When are you going?”

He hesitated. “What if I forbid you to come along?”

Her look held steady. “Why would you do that?”

“It could be dangerous.”

She shook her head, unconvinced, unyielding. “I crossed the whole country getting here. Is it any more dangerous than that was?”

“I’m wasting time while daylight passes.” He turned to leave.

She bolted to her feet. “I’m ready.”

Could he hope to trot away and escape her? He snorted. She’d likely trot right after him.

“I’d like to give the mother something, too. But I have nothing except...” She paused. “My coat.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “I expect they have lots of furs to wrap themselves in.” He would forbid her giving away her coat, but he didn’t think she would take kindly to orders from him. “What they need is food. Why don’t you take a sack and fill it from the supply shed.”

She clapped her hands in delight. “I’ll do that.”

He remembered a woolen blanket in a box of belongings and said he’d get it as well.

“Thank you for being so generous. You are a good man.” She took a sack from the shelf, grabbed her coat and headed for the door where he still stood.

She saw him as good? Or was she simply pleased to get her own way? What did it matter either way? Except it did. “I’ll go with you and get the blanket.” He stole a glance at her. Her face fairly glowed. She liked helping these people. She didn’t seem to care about race or station of life, rich or poor, respected or outcast. The knowledge seeped through the cracks in his heart brought about by the many comments of disapproval over his lifetime, the frequent whispered and hurtful words about his birth, and softened their sharp edges.

Together they marched to the storage shed and selected a container of loose tea, dried apples and raisins. He lifted the lid on the box and pulled out the blanket.

The wagon rumbled past on the way to the cabin. “The beef is ready to go.” He took the sack of food to the wagon then they headed up the hill.

It was easy enough to follow the trail the Indians had left. The cold had deepened throughout the day and it was growing late.

“We should perhaps wait until morning,” he suggested.

“I’m okay. Besides, I fear that baby will perish if his mother doesn’t get adequate nourishment.”

Eddie didn’t mind pushing on. He was used to the cold but Linette wasn’t. She might suffer for it. She’d been pampered and protected all her life. He pulled the buffalo robe tighter about her knees and edged a little closer on the wagon bench to protect her from the chilly air.

She made no protest at his actions.

They smelled the smoke from the Indian camp before they saw the tepee.

Linette gasped. “They’ll freeze.”

“They’ve survived centuries doing things their way.”

She relaxed. “Of course, you’re right.”

The Indian man lifted the flap and stepped out to greet them. “Red Fox.” He tapped his chest to indicate it was his name.

His son ducked out after him. “Little Bear.”

Eddie gave his name and Linette’s then accepted an invitation to step into their abode. He’d been inside native tents before, but Linette had not and she glanced about with interest then hurried to the woman resting on the furs.

“How are you feeling?”

Little Bear translated for her. “She say much better. Stew good.”

“I brought the baby a gift and Eddie brought some food.”

Eddie put the sack on the floor.

Red Fox crossed his arms and stood up proud.

Linette saw that he was about to refuse their offering and spoke again to the woman. “White women give gifts to each other when there is a new baby. This is my gift to you.” She indicated the sack.

Little Bear explained what she’d said and the woman nodded.

Linette handed her the baby sweater. “I hope it will help keep him warm.”

The woman took the sweater and chuckled softly. She spoke to Little Bear. A quick smile crossed his face before he translated for Linette.

“Mother say thank you and baby now have to live to prove worthy of the gift.”

Linette turned to Eddie, a radiant smile on her lips, then spoke to the mother again. “I will pray for him to grow into a strong, noble man.”

When her son explained what Linette had said, the woman nodded vigorously, her eyes expressing her appreciation so clearly that no words were necessary.

“Snow come,” Red Fox said.

Eddie didn’t ask how the quiet man knew, but understood they must hurry. “Let’s get the meat unloaded.” He and Red Fox slipped outside to do so.

A few minutes later Eddie and Linette were back in the wagon. Red Fox stood at Linette’s side. He touched her arm as he spoke to Eddie in words Eddie did not understand.

Red Fox stopped, searched for English words and shook his head. “She good woman. You keep her. Now go. Snow come.”

Eddie needed no more urging. The cold had deepened enough to hurt his bones. “Stay close to preserve your body heat,” he urged her when they settled on the wagon bench.

Five minutes after they left, snow began to fall in big lazy flakes.

“He knew.” Linette sounded pleased that Red Fox had been correct.

“They seem to feel the weather.”

She lifted her face to the heavens. “It reminds me of the first day I was here. It snowed then, too.”

“Except for the fact we are two months further into winter and it’s about twenty degrees colder.” He didn’t point out that darkness was falling and the wind had picked up. They could be in for a snowstorm. He’d hunkered down against many storms but never with a woman to guard and protect.

“You’re worried about us getting home safely.”

“I admit I am.” Eddie knew they would need divine intervention to make it back, and he didn’t mind asking for it. Without closing his eyes or relaxing his grasp on the reins, he prayed aloud, “God, protect us and guide us home.”

The snow fell heavier, making it hard to see the tracks they had left only a short time ago. He leaned forward, peering into the swirling snow. A shadow caught his eye. It moved like quicksilver. It wasn’t the shadow of a tree. It was a wolf. And likely only one of several.

He didn’t say anything. Didn’t want to alarm Linette.

“What was that?” She’d noticed.

Not that he was surprised. But he didn’t answer.

“There it is again. It’s some kind of animal.”

He held the reins tightly as the horse grew nervous. He leaned back for the rifle he had behind the seat.

“It’s wolves, isn’t it? I read about them.” Her hard tone informed him she knew enough not to think this was a lark.

He couldn’t put his hand on the rifle. Didn’t dare loosen his grip on the reins. “My gun is behind you. Can you reach it?”

She shifted away, letting a blast of cold air separate them. “I’ve got it.” She handed it to him but left space between them for him to maneuver.

“I need you to hold the horse. Think you can do that?”

“I can do whatever I put my mind to.”

For once he didn’t mind her stubborn determination. He showed her how to hold the reins. “Don’t let up no matter what.”

He cradled the rifle against his shoulder and watched for the slinky shape of a wolf.

A shadow erupted from the darkness. It left the ground, grew larger. The horse whinnied and jerked away.

“Hold him.”

“I have him.”

The wolf disappeared in the darkness before Eddie could get a shot off. They’d been the animal’s intended target. Sweat pooled in Eddie’s armpits. He didn’t dare miss next time. He had no intention of becoming wolf food. Nor of letting Linette be torn by vicious fangs.

He squinted into the shadows of the trees. Was that a moving shape among the snow-shrouded branches? He cocked his gun and fired. A yelp! Had he shot one of them?

Something thudded in the wagon. He turned in time to see a wolf coming at them from the back.

Linette glanced over her shoulder and gasped.

Eddie didn’t have time to reload. Instinct took over and using his rifle as a club, he clouted the animal as hard as he could. The wolf yipped and stumbled back. For a second he faced Eddie, challenging, then he jumped over the side and disappeared.

“Are you okay?” Linette demanded, her voice quivering.

“Yes. Are you?”

“Yes.” But the wail in her voice told him just how frightened she’d been.

He reloaded and glanced about. After a few minutes he decided he had succeeded in scaring off their attackers. “I think they’re gone.” He put the rifle across his knees, ready to use, and took the reins. He had to pry her fingers loose. He gripped the reins with one hand and pulled her close to his side with the other. “You did good.”

She clung to him, her fingers knuckling into the lapels of his coat. The grasp seemed to go further, deeper, right into his heart to wrap around it and squeeze from it admiration and something sweeter that he didn’t want to identify at the moment.

“We’ll soon be home.”

She didn’t speak.

“You held the horses. You didn’t panic.” Not once had she screamed. “You make a good pioneer woman.”

She gave a thin laugh. “I’ve been trying to tell you that.”

“So you have.” His words rumbled in his chest, easing back the tension that had held him for the last few minutes.

She relaxed her grip, but continued to press to his side. “You’re a good rancher. You scared off the wolves. You handled the situation with Red Fox well, showing wisdom and compassion. You’re a born leader.”

Each word drifted through his mind like a warm summer wind, full of the perfume of affirmation, full of sunshine and blessing. He tightened his arm across her shoulders.

For this moment he would allow himself to bask in her approval. For the rest of the trip he would enjoy sharing the challenges of frontier life with her.

* * *

Linette groped from one heartbeat to the next, one breath to the next. Her fear would not subside.

Eddie seemed to think she’d shown courage. But as she’d held the reins, stories she’d read filled her mind—men hurt by wolves, scarred for life. Or worse—torn to pieces. She knew how the animals hunted in packs, diverting attention to one or two animals so the others could surprise their prey. If the horse had bolted and they’d been thrown from the wagon they would have been easy victims. She would not be responsible for such a predicament. She’d held the reins so firmly they’d bitten into her palms.