Packing Iron (6 page)

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. Raven, delighted that Gabriel was accompanying them to Las Cruces, was on her best behavior and did all she could to be helpful. She fetched water for her mother, hung clothes out to dry, swept the cabin and even finished the reading and arithmetic lessons that Ingrid composed for her – all without complaint.

She also tried to be around Gabriel as much as possible, fetching things for him, sewing buttons on his shirts, and offering to groom the stallion so that he didn’t have to risk re-injuring his healed wound.

Ingrid, though accustomed to mercurial mood swings in Raven’s personality, was nonetheless astounded by the change in her daughter.

‘If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,’ she remarked to Gabriel, ‘I wouldn’t have believed it possible. Thanks to you, she’s turned into a little angel.’

He was skeptical. Though he enjoyed Raven’s company, he felt uneasy about the way she fawned over him when they were alone. Occasionally he caught her staring at him with such intensity it made him uncomfortable. He sensed there was more behind her adoration than she let on, and was worried that her ‘crush’ might develop into something
more than he could handle. But when he mentioned it to Ingrid she only laughed and assured him that it was a perfectly normal reaction: all young girls had crushes, she said. It was part of growing up. Why, she herself had mooned over her neighbor’s son while growing up, and when he and his family moved away she was convinced her heart was permanently broken.

Having no prior experience with teenage girls, Gabriel accepted her explanation and said no more. He wasn’t sold, but he just decided not to worry about it. In two more days they were leaving for Las Cruces and once he put them on the train, he’d never see either of them again.

Raven, however, had no intention of losing Gabriel. For days now, while busy with her chores, she had been trying to think of a way to keep everyone together. Finally, on the night before they departed, she made a point of helping her mother pack the few personal belongings they were taking with them just so she could be alone with her.

‘Momma, know what I wish?’

‘No, lamb. What?’

‘I wish Gabe was coming with us to Old Calico.’

‘Mr Moonlight to you, young lady.’

‘But he told me to call him Gabe.’

‘I don’t care what he told you. You know better than to address your elders by their first names. As for your wish, dear, I wouldn’t get your hopes up. I very much doubt if he will change his mind.’

‘But you wouldn’t mind if he did, would you?’

‘N-no … I suppose not. Ridiculous as it sounds after such a short a time, I’ve grown used to having Mr Moonlight around. I’d enjoy his company – not to mention his
protection
– on such a long journey.’

‘Why don’t you ask him then?’

‘Ask him what – to come with us? Oh, no, I couldn’t 
possibly do that.’

‘Why not?’

‘It would be much too forward of me. It not only would embarrass him but it’d be very awkward for both of us.’

‘Why?’

‘Well, for one thing he has a lady friend in Las Cruces.’

‘No, that’s not true!’

‘But it is. He told me so himself.’

‘When?’

‘The other day, when he offered to accompany us to the train station.’

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘Believe what you like. It’s still true. She’s at the mission … waiting for him, I presume.’

‘Liar!’

‘How dare you!’ Ingrid went to slap Raven but at the last moment controlled herself and lowered her hand. ‘Now apologize, this instant.’

‘Why should I? I ain’t the one making up stories.’

‘Neither am I. And don’t say ain’t. Why would I make up a story like that?’ she added, as Raven sulked.

‘So you don’t have to ask him to come with us.’

‘That’s ridiculous. I’ve already said I’d like him to come.’

‘Then I’ll ask him.’

‘You’ll do no such thing. It’s not your place. Now stop being foolish and help me carry these valises into the other room.’

Sullenly, Raven obeyed. But as she set her mother’s old worn suitcase down by the door, tears welled in her eyes and she said suddenly: ‘I hate him.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous. ’Course you don’t hate him—’

‘Do, too. Wish now I’d never helped him when he was dying.’

‘Shame on you! That’s a dreadful thing to say.’ 

‘I don’t care. It’s how I feel. An’ I’m never gonna change my mind, so there!’ She stormed from the cabin.

Gabriel was perched on the corral fence watching the
stallion
prance around when Raven ran past. Noticing that she was crying he called out to her. She ignored him and kept running. He called out again, louder this time, and again she ignored him. Puzzled, he watched her get swallowed up by the darkness. Wondering why she was so upset, he climbed down and went to the cabin.

Ingrid answered his knock and invited him.

‘What’s wrong with Raven?’

Before answering, she poured them both a cup of coffee and sat across the table from him.

‘Why? Was she rude to you?’

‘No. But she was bawlin’ like a sick calf an’ took off into the desert.’

‘It’s nothing. She’s just upset about something I said and as usual has gone off to sulk.’

‘Was it about me?’

Ingrid hesitated, loath to reveal Raven’s problem. Then deciding no harm could come from it, she explained what happened.

Gabriel didn’t answer. Rolling himself a smoke from Sven’s makings that he now kept in a pouch in his pocket, he licked the paper, flared a match and exhaled a lungful of smoke toward the ceiling.

‘I don’t blame you for being angry with me,’ Ingrid said, misunderstanding his silence. ‘I’d no right to reveal
something
personal that was told me in confidence, but—’

‘I’m not angry,’ he said. ‘An’ what I told you wasn’t in confidence. Fact is I was hopin’ that when we got to Las Cruces you’n Raven would come to the mission with me. I’d like you to meet Ellie. An’ I’m sure she’d enjoy meetin’ you.’ 

Ingrid felt the same twinge of jealousy she’d felt previously. Controlling it, she said: ‘That’s her name – Ellie?’

‘Ellen – Ellen Kincaide, yeah.’

‘If there’s time before our train leaves, I’d love to meet her.’ Ingrid smiled without humor. ‘It might be better all around if Raven waits in the wagon, though – considering her crush on you and how unpredictable she is.’

‘No,’ Gabriel said firmly, ‘it’s important Raven meet her too.’

‘Why’s that, if I may ask?’

‘It’ll ease her mind.’ Stubbing out his cigarette, he went to the door. Pausing, he looked at her with a trace of regret. ‘See, Ellie’s got her heart set on bein’ a nun. An’ though she’s got feelings for me, God’s corralled all her love.’ He left, the door banging shut behind him.

Rising, Ingrid went to the window and stared out after him. Her heart was pounding. She knew it was ridiculous to care for a man she hardly knew – worse, a gunfighter wanted by the law – but she couldn’t control her emotions. Nor did she want to. For the first time since losing Sven, she realized she cared about a man and felt whole again.

That night Gabriel was sound asleep in his bedroll when Ingrid knocked on the barn door. ‘It’s me, Gabe. Don’t shoot.’

Gabriel lowered the hammer on his Colt. ‘Come in.’

The door creaked open and Ingrid entered. She wore a robe over her white nightgown and carried a kerosene lamp. ‘I’m sorry to wake you, but I’m worried. Raven hasn’t come home and it’s way past midnight.’

‘Damn.’

‘She’s never stayed out all night before—’

‘Meet me by the corral. Go, woman,’ he said when she lingered. ‘Longer you stand there, longer I can’t get my duds on.’

Within minutes Gabriel joined Ingrid at the corral gate. A full moon was all the light he needed to saddle the
stallion
.

‘I want to go with you, Gabe.’

‘No.’

‘But I know all the places Raven hides.’

‘An’ she knows you know an’ those are the places she won’t be.’ Mounting, he leaned down and cupped her chin in his hand, tilting her face up until he could see the
reflection
of the moon in her eyes. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll find her. Got my word on it.’

As the Morgan galloped out into the moonlit desert, Gabriel ignored the twinges of pain shooting up his lower back with each powerful stride and concentrated on how good it felt to be back in the saddle.

Earlier, the stallion had made no attempt to bite or kick him when he threw the saddle on its back or fed the bit into its mouth, suggesting it too was glad to be free of the confines of the corral. Hoping that its good disposition would continue, Gabriel reined the horse in a little and the Morgan settled into a steady, mile-consuming lope.

The flat reddish scrubland, bathed in silver, fell behind them on both sides. In the distance thunderheads gathered above the peaks of the Organ Mountains. There was a strange quiet to the desert and Gabriel wondered if a storm was coming. Flash floods were common in the region and people trapped by them often drowned. He had to find Raven quickly.

He had no idea where she was. But remembering that she’d told him how Brandy had tried to ramrod her while they were hiding out in Furnace Canyon, he guided the horse in that direction.

Soon they reached the hills. He slowed the Morgan to a walk and followed the winding trail upward for about a mile before reaching the clumps of piñon trees and large craggy rocks that guarded the entrance to the box canyon.

As he rode into the canyon Gabriel saw it was little more than a narrow, deep gash in the hills. Scraggly pines and shrubs clung to the steep sides. Ahead, the far end of the canyon was boxed in by a wall of rock. Gabriel gave the
stallion
its head. Brandy carefully picked its way along the trail, its hoofs clattering loudly over the loose stones. Along the ridgeline a pack of coyotes announced intruders were
coming, their yip-yipping echoing off the canyon walls.

Gabriel knew that surprise was out of the question. He didn’t care. He’d already figured out that he would never find Raven unless she wanted him to, so instead of wasting time tracking her he decided to lure her to him. Dismounting, he made a big fuss out of examining the Morgan’s right hoof.

‘Goddammit!’ he said loudly. ‘How the hell’d you cut yourself like that?’ He looked back down the trail. ‘Must’ve stepped on a sharp stone or somethin’. Of all the bad luck….’ Keeping hold of the reins, he sat on a rock and shook his head in disgust. ‘Reckon all we can do now is sit here till daylight comes an’ I can see exactly what’s painin’ you.’

As he spoke he listened carefully, trying to pick up any noise among the rocks surrounding him. Nothing stirred. If Raven was hiding within the sound of his voice, she was keeping still until she decided what to do.

Taking out the makings, Gabriel rolled a smoke and lit it. Then cupping his hands around the match, he again hunkered down and held the flame near the same rear leg. The match sputtered. Gabriel deliberately grabbed the leg and jerked it around. As he expected the stallion, tired of him messing with its leg, snorted and tried to cow-kick him.

Gabriel jumped back, avoiding the kick, yelling: ‘Stand still, dammit – oww!’ Pretending to be burned by the dying flame, he threw the match away and stood up. As he did he heard a faint giggle among the rocks to his left.

‘That does it,’ he told the horse. ‘Come daylight, I’m leavin’ you for coyote bait an’ walkin’ out of here.’ He sat back on the rock and finished his smoke.

‘You’d do it too, wouldn’t you,’ a small voice said. He looked up and saw Raven perched among the rocks.

‘Damn right. An’ don’t go to frettin’ about him either,
’cause he’d sure as hell’d do the same to me.’

‘What do you expect,’ she said, making her way down toward him, ‘he’s a horse. He doesn’t know right from wrong. He just knows what he likes and doesn’t like an’ he doesn’t like you.’ She landed lightly on the ground beside Gabriel, moved close to the Morgan and began rubbing its velvety black nose.

The stallion nuzzled her, snickering softly. ‘I’m sorry,’ she told it. ‘I don’t have any piñon nuts. But I’ll find you some on the way down.’

‘Here,’ Gabriel dug into the pocket of his jeans. ‘Give him these.’

Raven saw the piñon nuts in the palm of his outstretched hand and looked at him as if he was giving away gold nuggets.

‘What’re you lookin’ at?’ Gabriel said wryly. ‘You think I’m too old to learn?’

For another moment she continued to look at him and then she started giggling.

‘What’s so damn funny?’

‘You,’ she said. ‘Thinking I’d fall for that dumb ol’
horse-gone
-lame trick.’

‘If it’s so dumb, why’d you show yourself?’

‘’Cause I got what I wanted.’

‘What might that be?’

‘You – to come after me.’ Moving close, she hugged him. ‘Now I know you care about me.’

He wanted to spank her. Instead, he held her away from him and looked sternly at her.

‘I’m only here,’ he lied, ‘on account of your mother. How worried she was.’

‘Fibber!’ She jerked free and glared at him. ‘If Momma was so worried why didn’t she come an’ look for me herself?’ 

‘She wanted to. But I wouldn’t let her.’

For a moment doubt showed in Raven’s large black eyes. ‘You’re just saying that to make me feel bad.’

‘Is it workin’?’

‘Would you be happy if it was?’

‘No. But, least I’d know you learned a lesson tonight.’

She gave him a confused, angry look. ‘Why’re you being so hateful?’

‘Teachin’ you to be responsible for your actions, that don’t mean I hate you. Means I want you to grow up special.’

She wasn’t buying it. ‘Grown-ups,’ she said bitterly. ‘All you care about is preaching and punishing people.’

A coyote suddenly yipped high above them and at once his relatives all joined in, their yowling bouncing off the canyon walls.

Gabriel waited for the chorus to end before saying: ‘If I was lookin’ to punish you, girl, I would’ve put you ’cross my knee a minute ago.’

‘You wouldn’t dare!’

He lunged for her. But she was too quick. Grabbing the Morgan’s mane, she swung up onto its back and dug her heels into its flanks.

‘Git!’ she yelled. The stallion launched itself into a gallop and disappeared into the dark box canyon.

Gabriel sighed, thinking as he did that he wasn’t cut out to be a father. He then rolled another smoke and leaned back on the rock to enjoy it while he waited for her to return.

That Raven, he thought as he smoked. When she grows up, she’s gonna be some kind of hellion.