Wildblossom (16 page)

"Shelby Matthews and I have reason to believe that our cattle are now on the Bar B Ranch, which adjoins our property to the south. I asked Bart Croll about it, and he assured me that he hadn't seen our animals, but Miss Matthews identified them among his steers."

Deputy Ted fixed Geoff with a watery eye. "Oh, yeah? How'd she do that when they ain't been branded yet?"

"She... recognized them. Unique markings." He shrugged. "You know how women are. They remember the most amazing details."

A loud crashing sound interrupted their conversation.

Determining that it had come from the alleyway next to the jail, the deputy heaved himself out of the chair. "Geez-us! Sounds like our bank robber from Sheridan's tryin' to escape!"

Pure instinct made the fine hairs on the back of Geoff's neck stand up. "Let me check for you, sir. It might be a cat in someone's garbage." Before the fat old man could move, Geoff was out the front door. He caught up to Shelby with just a few long strides, grabbed the collar of her flannel-lined jacket and pinned her against the jail's brick wall. "I
knew it! This time I really
am
going to thrash you! I suggest that you run for your life!"

"But you mustn't tell him anything else, Geoff!" she whispered excitedly, not frightened a bit by his threats. "Ted is Bart Croll's cousin! I've seen them together more times than I can count! I completely forgot that Marshal Burns had hired him."

Geoff's eyes changed as he took this in. "All right, I'll take care of it, then, and you make haste to the Cody Trading Company. I'll see you there momentarily."

She went tearing down the muddy alley, her coppery braid flying behind her, and Geoff had a funny sensation of warmth in his chest as he watched her. It went away, though, when he thought about Deputy Ted. Grimly, he went back inside and found the old geezer sneaking a swig of whiskey from a bottle in the desk drawer.

"Was it a cat?" he asked as he licked his lips.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I believe so. It knocked a crate over."

"Oh." He yawned. "Well, nothin' left for you and me to talk about, Weston. I kin tell you that Bart Croll is as honest as the day is long. Prob'ly the finest, most upstanding citizen in the Bighorn Basin, an' you're mighty lucky to have him for a neighbor. Helluva man."

"I see." Geoff nodded slowly. "And the cattle...?"

"Like you said yourself—we know how women are. And everybody knows Shelby Matthews is crazy as a bedbug." Ted tapped the side of his head with a stubby finger. "I wouldn't waste my time worryin' about this if I were you, Weston. Folks lose cattle from time to time out here. Plenty of bad luck to go around fer everyone."

"I appreciate your advice." Smiling, Geoff stood up to go, then gave the other man a perplexed glance. "What did you say your last name was, sir?"

"I dint." He winked at him, then spat out more tobacco juice. "Ted's plenty."

* * *

"I tried to tell you that visiting the town marshal wasn't a good idea," Shelby whispered as she and Geoff examined the harnesses on display in the Cody Trading Company. "The law's a very iffy thing in the West."

His only reply was a decidedly ironic glance, accompanied by an arched eyebrow.

"Talking to Ted Croll has probably made our problem worse. Now Bart'll know we're on to him."

"I begin to think that Ted's advice that we forget this entire matter was sound. It's not worth the trouble we're making for ourselves." Geoff moved toward the row of rocking chairs, adding softly, "In any case, I assured the good deputy that we would simply write the lost cattle off to bad luck, and I pretended to believe his assertion that Bart Croll is a man of sterling character."

"Bart joined a matrimonial club, I heard, and found himself a mail-order bride." Shelby shuddered at the thought. "Poor woman!"

"I met Vivian Croll." Seeing the store owner coming toward them, he added, "I've been meaning to tell you about her. Remind me during the ride home."

Jacob Schwoob, just twenty-six, was one of Cody's earliest and most prominent citizens. He and his wife Louisa also claimed the distinction of producing the first baby born after Cody's incorporation in 1901. The Cody Trading Company occupied a big new building and was filled with an ever-growing array of merchandise, including groceries, hardware, furniture, clothing, and ranch equipment.

"Mr. Schwoob," Shelby greeted him brightly, "how are you? I was just telling Geoff here that every time I come in, you have a larger selection of goods! I hardly know where to look first!"

"Have you seen our new dishes? Louisa chose the patterns herself, and some came all the way from Paris." He turned to Geoff then, exclaiming, "I've missed seeing you, my friend! Did you survive our spring blizzard? I hope you all waited out the storm, tucked in before the fire."

"Well, we survived, Jakie—though it was difficult to persuade everyone to come indoors, where it was safe." Geoff cast a sidelong glance at Shelby and was pleased to see her looking perplexed as she tried to figure out his friendship with Jakie Schwoob. Clearly she'd forgotten all the trips he'd made to Cody on his own in those first days after coming to the ranch. "How's the town band coming? Have the uniforms arrived from Colonel Cody?"

"What band?" Shelby asked.

"Oh, some of the boys started a brass band this past winter," Jakie explained, "and when Colonel Cody heard about it, he offered to donate the uniforms. They got here a while back, and they're quite handsome—embroidered, cowboy style, with matching hats!" He was smiling broadly. "My brother Loren has joined, and he's been urging me to do the same... but I don't play an instrument. I'll confess that those uniforms are mighty tempting, though! Do you suppose the crowds would heckle me if I just dressed up as a band member and marched in the parades?"

They all laughed, including a group of eavesdropping women from the next aisle. The ladies seemed especially anxious to hear Geoff speak, and they were rewarded by his revelation that he had played the French horn in his youth.

Jakie threatened to give Geoff's name to the band president and then rambled on a while longer. Eventually it came out that he was thinking about buying an automobile. "It would be the first machine of its kind in Cody."

"How exciting!" Shelby exclaimed as she picked out canned goods for her pantry shelves.

Schwoob trailed along after the pair as they shopped, regaling them with a tale about a recent trip that Colonel Cody and George Beck, one of the other town founders, had made to Washington, D.C., to raise funds for the road to Yellowstone Park.

"Speaking of automobiles," Jakie revealed, "George and the colonel got hold of one and went for a ride down Pennsylvania Avenue. George was at the controls, and apparently not making fast enough time to suit Colonel Cody." All shopping in the big store had come to a halt while everyone within earshot openly listened to Jakie Schwoob's story. He spoke with relish, gesturing for added entertainment value. "George Beck made the automobile rush down the avenue at a great speed, and soon it became apparent that
pedestrians might be at risk! The colonel suggested that George slow down, but when he tried to shut off the power, nothing happened. Policemen chased them on foot and members of Congress, crossing Pennsylvania Avenue, were knocked down by the auto!"

"That's terrible!" Shelby covered her broad smile with both hands, delighting in the drama. "How did it all end?"

"Alas, the motor car finally struck a granite fence and George Beck and Colonel Cody were thrown out on the grass! The nearby policemen charged them with racing through the streets. Fortunately, an influential friend happened to be passing and he persuaded the policemen to let our founding fathers go free."

Geoff was laughing with pure pleasure, leaning against a display case. "It sounds like a scene from Buffalo Bill's own show!"

"He says that this just proves to him that it's better to stick to horses, especially in the Wild West Show!" Jakie affirmed as he laughed along with his customers. "And when George Beck returned recently to Cody, he refused to speak about the misadventure."

"Rather a lowering experience for the president of the Cody Club," Geoff agreed with a chuckle. "I suppose that we should be going, if my partner is ready...?" He looked at Shelby with raised brows.

"Now that I've filled my basket with items chosen on impulse, I'm trying to decide among them." A pretty flush crept into her cheeks.

Geoff looked into the basket filled to the brim with ribbons, cooking utensils, a new lace tablecloth, writing paper, a pepper mill, and a box of rifle shells. "Don't deprive yourself, Shelby. We'll get all of it." He took the basket from her before she could protest, and he and Jakie walked together up the aisle. "Did you have my other purchase loaded in the buckboard?"

"What other purchase?" Shelby asked as she hurried to keep up with the two long-legged men.

"Can't you ever allow yourself to be surprised?" Geoff retorted. He heard the fond note in his own voice and wondered at it.

Shelby looked confused.

"My stock clerk took it out," Schwoob assured Geoff. As he added up the bill, along with the past amount due that the Englishman wanted to pay, he made idle conversation. "So... are you two partners in more ways than one these days?"

Turning pink to the roots of her hair, Shelby said, "Why, Mr. Schwoob—I—"

"I
see!"
He winked broadly at both of them.

"No, it's not like that! I mean, Mr. Weston and I are friends—nothing more—except for business associates."

Jakie looked disappointed as he wrapped up her purchases. "Too bad. This town could use a lively romance." Another thought occurred to him then; he studied Geoff over the tops of his wire-rimmed spectacles. "Since you're unattached, maybe you'll be interested to know that Cody will soon have three new, unmarried female citizens! Our new doctor, the esteemed Louis Howe, tells me that his family is arriving soon—including a trio of lovely daughters!"

Frowning, Shelby reached for one of her parcels, but Geoff had to linger to count money into Jakie Schwoob's hand. "It's a little stuffy in here. I think I'll wait for you outside. Nice to see you, Mr. Schwoob!"

Striding up and down on the boardwalk that protected pedestrians from Sheridan Avenue's mud, Shelby found that she was upset by the notion that Geoff might be interested in another woman. What if he decided to court one of Dr. Howe's pretty daughters? They were probably ladylike and graceful, with carefully coiffed hair and stylish gowns. She glanced down at her divided skirt and dirty boots, frowning.

"What's amiss, scamp?" Geoff asked as he came up behind her, his arms full of packages.

"I don't think you should call me that. It makes me sound like some sort of... ragamuffin tomboy."

"I disagree." He took her elbow and set off toward the buckboard. "I think the word scamp could also refer to an enchanting gamine..."

"What's my surprise?" She found that she liked the feeling of his hand holding her arm as they approached the buckboard.

"I'll show you when we get home. Waiting will develop your character." Geoff led her away from the back of the wagon, adding, "Your impetuous nature could lead to serious trouble for both of us!"

Geoff insisted on stopping to pay bills at the other businesses where the Sunshine Ranch was in arrears, explaining to Shelby that he'd looked at the ranch ledgers for her own good. By the time they began the long ride home, the late afternoon light was luminous as the sun slid down behind the mountaintops to the west of Cody. The Shoshone River sparkled in a wind that sent tumbleweeds rolling across the road.

"You promised to tell me about Bart Croll's wife," Shelby reminded Geoff. "Is she awfully horrible?"

"No," he replied, laughing in spite of himself. "How can you live like that—saying the first thing that jumps into your mind?"

"If you knew my family, including assorted grandparents, you might understand. Everyone is very strong-minded and enthusiastic, so as the baby daughter, I had to learn to fend for myself at the dinner table—or never be heard at all!" She propped her feet on the front of the buckboard and smiled at him. "Your family meals must have been very proper in comparison."

Geoff smiled derisively. "Most of my meals were taken at private school, where conversation was generally forbidden."

"That's awful." Stricken, she reached for his hand as her eyes filled with tears. "How sad to be a child and have to grow up away from home and the love of your family! How old were you when you went to live at school?"

"Eight, perhaps—or six? I don't recall. And it wasn't terribly tragic, since my family isn't warm and demonstrative by any means. Most evenings, when I
was
at home, I dined with my nanny."

"Stop! I'll start crying, my nose will run, and I don't have a handkerchief!"

Geoff laughed, warmed by her spirit, and squeezed her hand. "Don't waste your tears on the past. I certainly don't; I locked my memories away years ago. They aren't so much sad as boring." He reached over and touched her cheek with a newly roughened forefinger. "You'd be better off weeping for Vivian Croll. There's a tragic character if ever I've seen one."

"I can see why you'd feel sorry for anyone who had to live with that man, but why did she marry him in the first place?"