Sweetwater (29 page)

Long ago Alvin had distanced himself from the Havelshells that the quality folk in St. Paul considered trash. He had shoved the memories of his family to the back of his mind. Now the snooty bitch had brought it all back. He wasn’t even good enough to address her by her first name!
Damn her!

Alvin was still fuming about the sacrifices he had made to get to where he was now: marriage to that fat cow, kowtowing to the old man, taking shit from the likes of Hartog, when Frank rode up and grabbed the halter on the horse pulling the buggy.

“You tryin’ to kill this horse?” he said when he had stopped the running, lathered animal.

“It’s my horse! Let go!” Alvin snarled.

“She’ll drop in another mile runnin’ full out pullin’ this buggy. Then how’ll ya get to town?”

“How come you let that old woman come over to the school? I’ll have no man working for me that can’t take orders.”

“Ya didn’t say nothin’ ’bout the old woman. Ya said keep the girl there, and that’s what I done.” Frank released the halter on the horse and backed his own mount away.

Alvin walked the horse slowly down the trail, and Frank fell in behind the buggy. For sure, the teacher had gotten under the agent’s skin. Frank had never seen him so riled. He was pretty well riled up himself after being dumped from his horse and laughed at.

But what the hell! He wanted to wring the neck of that blue-eyed witch in men’s pants, but he’d never touch her. He wasn’t so low-down he’d beat a woman. He wasn’t too sure about Havelshell, and something told him that he’d better hit the trail and put some distance between himself and the agent before he found himself in more trouble than he could handle.

The remainder of the day passed in slow motion for Jenny. As the hours dragged by and evening approached she recalled the last words Trell said to her.

“I’ll be back, Jenny. I’ll be back.”

When she closed her eyes, she could summon up his face, serious most of the time, but when he smiled … so endearing.

I’ve fallen in love with you. Please come back. If you don’t love me … I’ll understand—

Never in her life had Jenny felt such an overpowering feeling of dread. Never had she felt more like praying. Sweet, gentle Trell could be somewhere suffering … alone. She tried to close her mind to the possibility that he was dead, would never come back, and she’d never again know the joy of being held close in his arms, giving and receiving his kisses—

Cassandra dashed into the kitchen. “Whit’s back! He went into the school.”

Jenny dropped the towel she had been using to dry dishes and hurried out the door. By the time she reached the yard, Whit had come out of the school with a large bundle in his arms.

“Whit!” she called to him. “Whit! Whit—” He ignored her, jumped on his pony and rode into the woods.

“Forevermore!”

“What’s he doing? What did he take out of the school?”

“I don’t know what he’s doing, but it looks like he took his wood carvings. I wonder why.”

“He’ll have a reason, and I’ll probably not agree with it.” A note of frustration echoed in Cassandra’s voice.

“I’ll look around.” Colleen, wearing her six-gun and carrying her rifle, started up the path to the school. “One of us should stay here with Granny and the girls.”

“I’ll stay here.” Jenny felt in her pocket for her little pistol.

“Be careful, child.”

“I will, Granny.”

To those watching, it seemed to take an unbearably long time for Colleen to circle the building, then look inside. She came out, stood for a moment, then went to the edge of the clearing. Loping along with the rifle cradled in her arms, she circled the area, then disappeared in the deep shadowy forest.

Night was coming on fast. Waiting with Granny and the girls, Jenny kept her eyes on the edge of the forest. Her heart thumped heavily, her breathing was shallow. No one spoke, not even Cassandra or little Beatrice, who clung to Granny’s hand.

Then Ike, on his mule, came out of the woods with Colleen. They spoke for a brief moment, before he turned Trouble toward the pond and Colleen trotted toward the house. The women and the girls moved in a group to the edge of the yard to meet her.

“They’ve got Trell. He’s been hurt. Whit came ahead to see if Linus was snoopin’, and if he was, to lead him away so they could brin’ Trell in. Ike’s lookin’ around the pond makin’ sure nobody’s there.”

“Thank God! Oh, thank God!” Jenny’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Is Trell hurt … bad?”

“I … think so. They’re bringin’ him in the peddler’s wagon. Ike said get the bed in the bunkhouse ready.”

“Oh, but … if he’s hurt, he should be in the house where we can take care of him.”

“Ike said bunkhouse. For some reason they don’t want anyone to know he’s here. Ike said he’d explain it later.”

“I’ll get the medical kit I brought from home. Oh, I’ll wait. I don’t know what we’ll need. Oh, dear—” Jenny’s hands were clasped tightly together.

“Now isn’t the time to get all clabber-headed, Virginia.” It upset Cassandra to see her sister so distraught.

“You’re right, honey. Let’s get$$$ the medical kit and some extra sheets and blankets.”

“I’ll light the lantern.” Colleen disappeared inside the bunkhouse.

“Guess I ort to get a meal goin’. Them men’ll be hungry. Come help me, sugarfoot.” Granny and Beatrice hurried to the house.

Chapter Nineteen

Trell had awakened from a laudanum-induced sleep to see his brother bending over him. He thought he was dreaming.

“Trav—?” His voice was hoarse from disuse.

“Yeah, it’s me. How ya feelin’?”

“Rougher’n a cob. How’d ya … find me?”

“Long story, bud. Who did this to you?”

“Don’t know who or why. Feller shot me. Fell over the bluff into the river. When I crawled out, I heard ‘em talkin’. Wanted to find … me. Make sure—”

“Messed ya up a bit. Yo’re a sorry sight.”

“Yeah. I don’t have enough strength to spit.”

“Don’t fret about it. We’re takin’ ya home.”

“I’d … not make it.”

“Takin’ ya in the wagon, bud. Take another dab a this laudanum and go back to sleep.” Trell held a glass to his brother’s lips.

“Trav, pay … these good folks.”

“I will. Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

Travor had been elated to find his brother alive, and shocked at his appearance. One side of his face was raw and covered with a heavy coat of salve; his lips were puffed and his cheeks sunken. In order to treat the cut made by the bullet that passed across his skull and knocked him into the river, the peddler or his mother had cut away a strip of hair.

Devin McGriff had told him about the broken leg and ribs, and about the fever. Travor thanked God the peddler had come along and had been decent enough to pick up his brother and hide him, or he’d surely have died either from his injuries or another bullet from Crocker.

Ike had suggested taking him to Stoney Creek when Travor mentioned that the man who had tried to kill him would be watching the ranch. Travor was pretty sure that Crocker had mistaken Trell for him, and would still be around looking for the body to make sure of the kill. He would have to take all or part of it back to Silas Ashley to collect the rest of his money.

Rage at what had been done to his brother boiled up in Travor. Trell was the most decent man he knew and didn’t deserve to be cut down just because he was his twin. After he finished with Crocker, Travor vowed, he would pay a call on Ashley and that sniveling daughter of his. He had just flirted with that little feather-head, nothing more. It certainly wasn’t a reason to kill a man. His own stupidity had almost cost his brother’s life. It would be a long time, if ever, before he could forgive himself for that.

Trell awakened off and on during the long day in the slow-moving wagon. Frequently Travor or the peddler brought him some water. He hurt in places he didn’t even know he had. His mind was foggy, and he couldn’t keep his eyes open for very long at a time. He didn’t even try to figure out how his brother had found him. He felt only a tremendous relief that he had.

After dark Ike led the wagon past the school and into the yard of the homestead. As soon as the wagon stopped, Travor dismounted and tied his horse to a corral pole. The other horses in the enclosure nickered a greeting. Jenny and Cassandra waited beside the bunkhouse door. But Travor saw only Colleen waiting with a lighted lantern.

“Ain’t nobody ‘round ‘less’n it’s that Indian, Head-Gone-Bad. He be the one that saw McGriff put Trell in the wagon. He ain’t sayin’ nothin’ to nobody but Whit.” Ike slid from the back of his mule. “Whit must’a led Linus off on a wild-goose chase.”

“Ike, is Trell hurt … bad?” Jenny asked, her heart pounding so hard she was almost breathless.

“Bad enough, I reckon.”

Travor opened the double doors at the back of the wagon and stepped inside. Colleen held up the lantern. Trell lay on his back his face turned away.

“He’s still sleepin’. Let’s get him out before he wakes up. He’s goin’ to hurt like hell when we move him.”

Trell was lying on a canvas litter on a feather bed placed on the floor of the wagon. With Travor at his head and with help from Ike and the peddler, they pulled him from the wagon and carried him into the bunkhouse. Even in a deep sleep, Trell cried out once when the stretcher bumped against the doorframe.

The light from the lantern fell on Trell’s sunken eyes and ravaged face. The blanket that covered him reached only to his knees and Jenny could see that one leg was encased in wooden splints, the other splotched with cuts and bruises.

Gently, as if they were handling a baby, Travor and the peddler lifted Trell off the stretcher and onto the bed. When Trellis moaned, Jenny’s heart dropped like a rock. She tried to blink away the tears as she looked at Travor.

“Has … he been sleeping long?”

“Most all the day. He be havin’ the laudanum to ease him.” The peddler, McGriff, answered. “He better not be havin’ more to my way a thinkin’. Doctor say he could be gettin’ a cravin’ for it.”

“I’ve seen it happen,” Travor said. “It got him through the day. But I agree, no more for several days.”

“Ma’am, I be Devin McGriff.” The peddler pulled the shabby cap from his head when he spoke to Jenny. She held out her hand.

“Virginia Gray. And … thank you for looking after Trell and bringing him back to us.”

“’Twas but what any decent mon would be doin’.”

“This is Miss Murphy, and my sister, Cassandra.” Jenny made the introductions automatically.

“It be a pleasure, ladies. I got ter tend to my Rosie. ‘Twas a hard day she be havin’, pullin’ the wagon.”

“Mr. McGriff, I’d like to look at your goods and place an order before you go.”

“Ya don’t hafta be doin’ it, ma’am.”

“Oh, I’m not doing it to pay back for what you’ve done for Trell. I’ve no intention of going back to Sweetwater, and it’s too far for me to travel to Forest City. I need supplies, sir, and if I can arrange for them to be delivered to me, it would take care of the problem.”

“Well, in that case, I’d be happy ter be of service ter ye.”

“Supper’s bein’ readied.” Colleen looked at Travor for the first time and saw that he was watching her. She picked up the lantern and followed Ike and McGriff outside.

Jenny went closer to the bed and looked down at Trell, then up at his brother.

“I’m glad you brought him here. Ike said that whoever did this to him may try to finish the job and would be watching his ranch. He’ll play hob getting to him here.”

“I’ll be here … off and on.”

Jenny reached out and smoothed the hair off Trell’s forehead. She let her palm linger there.

“Oh, Trell, I’ll never forgive myself if this was done to you because of me.” She looked up at his brother. “I’m not good at doctoring, but Granny is. I know she’ll want to feed him. Honey,” she said to Cassandra, “run to the house and tell Granny that Trell will need something to eat when he wakes up. She’ll know what to fix.”

“I told my sister that Whit would find Trell, but she’s been in a terrible snit ever since we found out he was missing and didn’t believe me.” Cassandra looked up at Travor. “I’m beginning to suspect that she’s in love with your brother.”

“Cassandra!” Jenny gasped and put her hands to her flaming cheeks. “Oh, Lord!”

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you, Virginia. I only said that I
suspect
. I never said that you were. Don’t I have the right to suspect things about my own sister?”

After Cassandra walked calmly out the door, Jenny looked everywhere except at Travor. Finally his words and tone of voice brought her startled gaze to his face.

“Do you think my brother so far beneath you that you’re ashamed your sister may think you’re in love with him?”

“No! I don’t think that at all! Cassandra is bright beyond her years but far too ready to make judgments and speak her mind. And so are you!”

“Is my brother in love with you?”

“No!” she said for the second time and just as emphatically. “He’s … a very good friend.”

“How about Colleen?”

“You’ll have to ask him.”

“Did Colleen tell you that the man who shot Trell may have been after me?”

“Yes, and she didn’t know why. I had thought he might have been shot because he had been here helping me.”

“Do you think Havelshell would go that far to run you off?”

“I don’t know.”

“More likely it was a man named Crocker, a hired gunman. I got on the wrong side of a feller, and he sent Crocker to kill me. He didn’t know I had a twin brother. I’d just as soon folks didn’t know that there are two of us. I’ll go over to the Double T and tell Joe, our foreman, to keep quiet about me being here. I’d be obliged if you’d let Trell stay till he’s on his feet.”

Jenny nodded. “If you want to go in and eat, I’ll stay with Trell.”

“I’ll hunt meat while Trell is here.”

“We have enough for now.”

When she was alone with Trell, she covered him with one of the new blankets she had bought in Sweetwater. His chest was bare except for the cloth wrapped around to support his broken ribs. A dark bruise extended from his collarbone to wrap about his shoulder. His legs were also bare. If he wore anything at all beneath the sheet it would be a pair of drawers. A cool breeze blew in through the open door. She partially closed it before she moved a chair over to the bed and sat down.