Rocky Mountain Sister (8 page)

Anna walked over and kissed Cassandra on the cheek. “Thank you Jessie for bringing her home safe. I would really hate to think what would happen to you Jessie, if she occurred any danger on your part.”

Rosa set the hot pot of freshly made coffee on table. Everyone sat down at the table as Rosa poured them all a cup of coffee. “This should warm your insides.”

Elizabeth entered the kitchen to find everyone laughing at the story Cassandra was telling. Holding Joseph, she sat down to join in on the laughter as Jessie added to the story of Ole Boss.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The crash of door jolted everyone to look. Nathan carried Makenzie in, blood dripping from her for head. “Get a bed pulled down for her.” Nathan yelled. The wind was blowing harder now, it slammed the door so against the wall hard enough that Nathan thought the glass window would break.

Elizabeth put Joseph in the cradle that sat close to the stove, then followed Anna into the hall toward the downstairs bedrooms, Nathan following right behind her, Rosa behind him. Cassandra grabbed a pot and started to boil some water. Nathan laid Kenzie on the bed. Everyone was asking questions at once.

“I heard a couple shots. By the time I got to her, she was on the ground unconscious. I don’t know exactly what happened. It wasn’t her rifle though. I figure someone took a shot at her just to scare her, and she fell of her horse and hit her head on a rock.

Cassandra carried in the pan of hot boiling water and Elizabeth brought plenty of clean towels. Rosa pushed everyone out of the room except Cassandra, who stayed to help undress Makenzie while Rosa cleaned and stitched the wound on her head.

“How bad is it Rosa” Cassandra asked the older woman.

“I don’t know yet, I have to get it all cleaned up. It doesn’t appear to be very deep though.” Rosa wiped the blood from around the wound. Then study it to figure out the best way to stitch it up.

Cassandra was undressing Kenzie when Elizabeth brought in fresh night clothes for her. “How is she?”

“Oh don’t fret now, she will be just fine. Just a few stitches will do it all.” Rosa assured the girls. “She will have a bad headache for a couple days though.” Rosa stitched and dressed the wound, then left the girls to finish getting her settled in for the night.

Rosa walked into the kitchen to a bunch more questions. She looked at them with ease. “She will be fine, just a few stitches, and a headache I am sure. She should stay in bed for a couple days. She isn’t awake yet, so I think one of us should stay with her at all times.”

By the time Cassandra and Elizabeth came into the kitchen, Rosa had everyone settle down with another pot of coffee and assurance that Kenzie would be fine. When Cassandra grabbed her cup to take with her back to the bedroom to sit with Makenzie, Anna went with her.

Around ten o’clock, Elizabeth came into the room and offered to sit with Kenzie for a while. “The storm has calmed, Jessie is getting ready to head out. He needs to check on his own family. I thought you both might wish to say good night to him.”

Cassandra stood and let Elizabeth sit in the chair she was sitting in. “Thank you Elizabeth, I won’t be long. I suppose I will get a bath over with also.”

“Take your time, Cassie, I am fine. Joseph is fast asleep. Go on now and visit a moment with Jessie.” Elizabeth smiled at her sister-in-law, then ushered her out of the room. “Grandma, why don’t you go on to bed, you are exhausted. I promise that one of us will come get you if she stirs even a little bit.”

Anna was exhausted. She worried that after being reunited with one granddaughter, she would lose the other. “Thank you honey, I think I will do just that. It won’t do her any good for me to be down in the bed too. Good night dear.”

“Good night” Elizabeth said as she watched Anna walk out the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Makenzie moved her hand toward her aching head.
Why is my heading hurting
? she thought to herself. She tried to open her eyes. It hurt to even do that. Makenzie spoke in a low voice. “Grandma, Nathan?”

Rosa was sitting beside the bed. She jumped at the sound of Makenzie soft voice. “Kenzie girl, just lay still. I will get you some water dear.”

“What happened? My head hurts something awful.” Kenzie whispered to Rosa.

“You took a fall off of your horse and hit your head against a rock.” Rosa tipped the glass to Kenzie’s lips and let her take a small drink.

“All I remember is the storm coming up fast on us.” Kenzie barely got the words out. She did manage to open her eyes and look at Rosa.

“You just relax dear, you are going to be fine. I am going to go and make you some tea. I told your grandmother that I would let her know when you woke. I won’t be a moment dear.” Rosa left the room to go do as she said.

Anna came into the room and sat with Makenzie until Rosa came back in with her breakfast. Making sure that Makenzie drank a little and ate a small amount of the soft biscuits. Rosa didn’t want the girl eating a lot. Soon Makenzie was back asleep.

Sitting in the kitchen Cassandra, Anna, Rosa and Elizabeth drank coffee and wondered about Nathan and Jessie. They had left early that morning to try and find any kind of evidence from the previous night’s shooting.

“Well, I hope they find something, I just don’t think they will. The storm has surely washed any evidence away.” Anna spoke softly. She was tired from a restless night.

“Delaney is an excellent detective. If the boys do not find anything, then he will. He may have something in the works already.” Cassandra spoke with confidence as she talked to everyone at the table. “I certainly don’t know why we haven’t heard anything from him.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The day was passing quietly, everyone was sitting outside on the front porch. Kenzie was even allowed up for a short spell. They were enjoying a nice cool drink when a cloud of dust rose in the road coming toward the house.

Anna noticed and spoke up, “Humm, I wonder who would be coming to visit today. We don’t get much company. I do hope it is nothing bad.”

Kenzie watched the dust grow closer. “Grandma, don’t be so negative, I’m sure it someone out for a visit”

“Hopefully it is Delaney with good news. I haven’t heard from him since I have been back. He surely has something by now. It has been over a week since Cramberry was locked up.” Cassandra had excitement in her voice.
Please let it be Christian, I hope you have arrived.
She thought to herself.

The dust cloud grew closer as the group of women watched. The men rode up to the porch. Cassandra just about jumped off the porch before they even reached it when she saw her brother Christian riding in the buggy with the doctor.

“Christian, oh Christian, I have missed you so much.” Cassandra barely waited for the buggy to stop. She wrapped her arms around her brother tightly with a big squeeze.

“Cassandra, please, I cannot breathe, I have missed you too.” Christian picked her up and swung her around.

A ton of questions were asked back and forth before they went to the porch for introductions. Everyone was soon introduced Anna served coffee and cold lemonade. Doctor Bailey checked Makenzie’s head. “Who stitched this child up?” Doctor Bailey asked in a stern voice.

Anna smiled at Rosa, “Doctor, Rosa did a wonderful job caring for our patient.” Rosa smiled with blushed cheeks.

“Well, I have to say, I couldn’t have done better myself. The small stitches will leave only a tiny scar. You won’t even know that you have a scar Kenzie.”

Rosa smiled even bigger. The Vandeviers complimented her on a lot of things, but to hear an outsider and someone she didn’t know say something made her very proud.

“Now, I am going to leave some laudanum for the pain. I don’t think you will need it much, but just in case, it will help you sleep. You have had some good doctoring.”

Rosa looked at the doctor, “Lots of good tea and rest.”

“Yes that does help, she is healing just fine Miss Rosa.” The doctor put his things back in his doctor’s bag and sat it on the rail. He sat down in a chair, picked up his cup of coffee and took a long drink. “Mmmm, good coffee Anna, good coffee, hits the spot after the ride out here. Makes my job much easier when I don’t have to do anything and then get served with the best cup of coffee in Forest Heights.”

“Thank you Doctor Bailey, I am glad you feel better. Now we women need to get some dinner started or everyone is going to go hungry.” Anna smiled as she walked in the door. Rosa followed her into the house.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Nathan and Jessie came home with no news. The storm washed any evidence away that may have been there. After dinner, the men went outside to talk. Nothing could be done until Delaney could prove Ferguson was behind everything. The men decided to leave out first thing Monday morning and find the trail of the cattle being taken away. The thought wasn’t a happy one, everyone knew the storm washed the tracks away too.

They decided to try and start looking for canyons or ravines the cattle could be hidden in. Jessie didn’t know the area very well. Nathan would have to ask a few of the other ranchers to join the search. They needed to get this over with quick. Jessie knew that he and Nathan wouldn’t be going on the cattle drive this year. Every extra day would be spent searching for the cattle.

The days turned into a week. Every angle they took came up empty. Delaney had stayed for only two more days, he decided to go back into town. He wanted to wire his brother from Denver. He would send the wire from Forest Heights, but he didn’t want alert anyone in the area.

Christian stayed for two weeks. He wasn’t much help to the ranch. He was a business man. He stayed around the house in case of trouble while all the men were gone. That was fine with both Cassandra and Nathan. They were sitting on the front porch when Thomas Delaney and his brother rode up.

Thomas jumped off his horse before it even completely stopped. Running up on the porch, “Cassandra, you won’t believe it. Roster, the man who shot at Makenzie, turned himself in. He came in yesterday and confessed it all. He even told us where Ferguson was hiding out. He is in the ice house locked up tight.”

Cassandra jumped up from her chair with so much excitement. “Oh, I wish Nathan were here. He and Jessie have been gone for three days now. He is going to so happy that he won’t have to worry about all that anymore.”

“Yeah, but we don’t know where they are to even go find them.” Christian stood up and shook Delaney’s hand. He then walked over to Stan Delaney and shook his hand.

“Just took a little scaring with the right words to get around.” Stan laughed. “These small towns spread news fast. I have had lots of experience with people.

Anna came outside at the sound of everyone’s excitement. She was reading a book when the two men rode up. “Mr. Delaney, how are you?”

“Mrs. Greenwood, just fine. I would like to introduce you to my brother Stan.” Thomas introduced them both. “Now, I really hate to ask, but do you think we could get a cup of that delicious coffee you make mam?”

“Why of course dear, I think I may even have some chocolate cake left over.” Anna turned around and walked back into the house to make the coffee.

“Christian, when do you think you will be heading back home? I am sure that Cassandra will be needed for some questioning before she can leave.” Stan asked him as he looked around the ranch. “I am not sure I would want to leave, quite peaceful here.”

“Yes it is, but, remember, I have a beautiful young lady waiting for me back home. I certainly can’t leave her there while I am enjoying the peace and quiet.” Christian patted Stan on the back. “I have enjoyed the time here though, even with everything going on. I have a feeling I will be back.” Christian was thinking about Cassandra and Jessie. He was for certain something was happening between them.

“Often thought of moving West myself at times. I just don’t think my wife would leave the comforts of the city.” Stan looked around the beautiful skies. “Yep, I sure would love to be out here every morning.”

“Well Stan, you Delaney’s have been part of our family for as long as I can remember. I am positive that you will be invited back. Maybe for some hunting or fishing sometime.” Christian reassured his friend that a vacation would soon come.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Two weeks later Cassandra was home in Vandevier Bend. She woke early. Looking out the window, she only saw the lights on in the rooms above the carriage house where Thorton lived. He must be getting up and around. The man woke up every morning around five. She didn’t hear any noise from down stairs. Rosa must not be up yet. Cassandra missed her room back in Colorado. Her room was above the kitchen, every morning the smell of fresh coffee and the smell of bacon frying filtered up through the vent.

Quietly she made her way down the stairs and down the hall toward the kitchen. Stopping at the doorway, she watched Rosa sitting at the table drinking her coffee. Cassandra stood watching her, thinking of the time Rosa told her about her family. She sat in that very chair. Cassandra wouldn’t talk much in the beginning when she came to the Vandevier home. She was lost, scared and didn’t really know who she was.

Rosa made pancakes and bacon that morning. Placing a stack of pancakes on a plate in front of her. “You know child, I don’t know exactly what you are going through, but I kind of know. I lost my family way back when I was younger than you are. We were slaves back then, two of my brothers were yanked from our plantation and sold by Master. He owned us all, he could do whatever he wanted.”

Rosa placed another stack of pancakes in the middle of the table as she continued to talk. “One day when I was about fourteen, Master done went and sold me and my brother to some guy who owned a restaurant down in New Orleans. He was mean to us and beat us for no reason sometimes.”

“He was a bad man and always tried to have his way with me, and one day I found out I was in the family way.”

Cassandra didn’t say a word, she barely took a bite of her food. She stared at Rosa with her big brown eyes.