Damaged Hearts (4 page)

~VI~

George and Robert rode in silence until they were halfway out of the canyon.  George was the first to speak “What was that between you and James back there?” he asked aggravated.  “You almost ruined everything just for a chance to antagonize him.  I told you a while back, wait a little longer and then you can take him out however you choose; but for right now, we follow the “Boss’” instructions.  Once we make our money from the sale of the cattle, James and Frank are done for.”

“You promised me that a long time ago,” Robert complained.  “Almost as long ago as you promised me a woman.  The old lady is about used up and I want something young and fresh.  You said Kat Carson would be an easy catch when you got done with her I could have her but so far you haven’t held up that agreement either.”

“I told you that you could have what was left of Kat.”  George ground out.  “AFTER I’m done with her and not until then.  She and I have some unfinished business that I really need to get back to.”  George self-consciously rubbed his temple.

Robert started to argue again but having heard enough and deciding that he didn’t want to share anymore after all, George efficiently sliced his knife across his throat shutting him up permanently.  “Look what you made me do” George cussed the dead man.  “Now I have to find somewhere to lose you plus think of something to tell the “Boss”.  What a mess you’ve made of things.”

Rolling Robert’s dead weight off the horse was easy; finding somewhere to leave the body to make it look like robbery was a different matter entirely.  Huffing and breathing hard, George drug Robert several feet away then attempted to wipe out the tracks.  He then took the gun out of Robert’s holster, wrapped the dead man’s hand around it, and fired a single shot into the air.  Remounting his horse, George took up the lead rope for the packhorse and left Robert’s horse there to forage and hopefully be found by the same person that found the body.

Kicking his horse into a gallop, George left the area and headed for town thinking of a story that would place him anywhere but here.  That woman had a huge lesson coming to her.  Everything bad that had happened to him in the past ten years just had to be her fault.  If she would have acted like she should have and not gotten out of that small cabin, the “Boss” wouldn’t be all over his ass right now.

“Oh my god Matt, did that really just happen?”  Angel asked horrified, stepping out of the brush where they had hid when they heard the horses coming.  “What should we do?  We have to find Kat and Rick and let them know what’s going on.  Kat’s in some real trouble.”

At that moment, Wolfe came running up silently snuffing at Angel’s hand wanting acknowledgement.  Angel reached down and scratched his ruff as Matt checked to see if Robert was in fact dead.  “I’d kill the bastard myself if he wasn’t already dead” he growled.  “George had better watch his step.  You don’t touch what belongs to a Jamison and I have a feeling that Rick has already laid claim.”

“Laid claim to what?”  Rick asked as he and Kat came up from behind Matt and Angel.  “I only caught part of that and I’m half afraid to hear the rest repeated.”

Kat’s face went pale and she sat down heavily on the ground as Matt and Angel replayed what had happened just a short while before.  “If you guys had come up any earlier…”

“They’d both be dead” Rick interrupted.  “As it stands now, we need to get the herd back to the ranch.  From there, we’ll all sit down and discuss what’s to be done about this new turn of events.  By the way, Kat hired a couple ranch hands while we were gone.”

Matt and Angel looked questioningly at each other but Rick didn’t offer an explanation.  Instead, he turned and went back where Kat still sat on the ground.  “I take it this has something to do with our earlier issues.  We don’t have to talk about it now hon but later you’re going to tell me all about it; and this time I’m not taking no for an answer.  This is getting personal and you’re not safe anywhere anymore.  I know now is not the time to tell you this but it can’t wait any longer.  I love you Kaitlyn Elizabeth Carson and I don’t want anything else bad to happen to you.  I realize you’re going to fight me tooth and nail but if I have to move into that bunkhouse myself to make sure you’re safe, then that’s what I’ll do.  Now, before you start arguing, let’s go get both you and the cattle home.” 

They readied the horses and mounted up then headed deeper into the canyon.  Thirty minutes later, the four met up with James and Frank.  Rick and Kat rode up to talk to them while

Matt and Angel stayed back discussing what they thought of the new recruits.  “I’m not sure about having two outlaws living in the bunkhouse right across from your home,” Matt said uneasily.  “I mean, what does Kat really know about them anyway.  There’s nothing that says they won’t sneak in and kill you both one night and then take all the cattle and the horses.”

You’re right Matt, nothing says that but you forget; Kat picked them, they didn’t come asking for a job.”  Angel argued.  “Kat is a great judge of character and if she felt the least bit uneasy, believe me they’d already be dead.”

“I know I don’t have any right to disapprove but I just can’t help feeling uneasy about it.”  Matt sighed.  “I guess if Rick doesn’t oppose the idea maybe I shouldn’t either.”

“It’s ok Matt.”  Angel said giving him a close hug.  “You care for me so you worry.  Just try to remember that we are grown women and occasionally we can make a good decision or two.”

“Let’s head out!”  Kat called to them.  “We gotta get this herd back where they belong before someone notices they’re gone from here.”

The group, now six of them; worked their way down into the canyon where the cattle had been kept.  As the horses approached, the cattle began to mill around nervously.  Kat picked out Onyx and moved Golddust in to intercept her and get her turned heading in the right direction.  Knowing that the rest of the herd would follow, she made quick work of it and headed Onyx towards home. 

Rick sat in the saddle just watching in amazement once again.  That woman could sure work cattle, he whistled then laughed as he noticed Wolfe having a ball helping to drive the herd towards the mouth of the canyon.  Within minutes, the six people and one dog threaded their way through the herd keeping them bunched up and moving at a slow but steady pace.  Kat and Angel rode point, leading and keeping the cattle moving in the right direction.  Rick and Matt kept mostly to the middle chasing any stray cow or calf that thought they could break away from the main herd.  Frank and James rode drag, the dirtiest least favored position of any cattle drive; doing penance for taking part in the theft.  Kat permitted her mind to wander as she let Dusty take charge of keeping the stock moving. 

She still wasn’t sure what or how she was going to tell Rick about her earlier life.  Between her mother’s private hell and hers, she had quite a lifetime of misery to explain to him about.  With her history, she might not have to worry about what Rick thought for long though.  After all, how many men wanted a used or damaged woman?  That’s the way she felt about herself after having been raped when she was just thirteen.  It seemed family history just had to repeat itself; first her mother had been raped by the sheriff resulting in Kat being conceived and then thirteen years later after her step-father and her mother had been killed, Kat herself had been kidnapped by the man who was her father, and given to George as a play toy.  He had used her every possible way he could before she managed to club him in the head with a kerosene lamp and escape away from that little cabin that had been her prison for over two weeks.  That was the part she didn’t want to tell

Rick.  What kind of mother would she make with a past like that?  After all, if her own mother couldn’t put her past behind her, how could she think she was any different?  She knew one damn thing for sure though, it was not any kind of life to offer a child.  Kat shook her head to clear her thoughts and decided she would worry about that when the time came.  Until that point, they had cattle to get home and a bunkhouse to move her new hands into. 

“You sure have been quiet, Sweetheart” Rick said approaching.  “Whatcha so deep in thought about?”

“Oh a little of this and a little of that.”  Kat answered evasively.  “I’m thinking that we should put this twenty head in the same pasture with the others.  It won’t be much longer before they are ready anyway; with any luck I can get them all covered when it’s time and get Coal back to you within a couple weeks.”

“Sounds like a sound idea to me.”  Rick replied.  Once we get everyone and everything settled in at your place, I’ll go check on my kids and stock then be back to your place again by dark or shortly thereafter.”   

After making plans, Rick quickly dropped back in the herd avoiding the argument that he knew would be coming, only to be antagonized by Matt.  “So what are you going to do about her?” he asked, “I know that look in your eyes and I know it’s only a matter of time before you decide you can’t live without her.”

“I’d like to marry her and give her a baby of her own instead of returning these twenty head of cattle to breed” Rick answered.  “Maybe that would keep her busy and keep her outta trouble for a little while.”

~VII~

George rode straight to the front of the sheriff’s house the next morning and flung his reins over the hitching post.  He ran up the stairs and began beating on the front door.  Within a matter of seconds, Simmons opened the door and looked down at him grumpily.  “What seems to be the problem sir?  You seem to be quite agitated and beating the door into splinters will not help your situation.”

“Let me in Simmons, I need to see Henry right away.  Things are not going at all as he had planned.”  George pushed his way past the butler.

Marie was coming down the stairs as George barged in.  “Well hello Mr. Jenkins, how are you doing today?”  She smiled politely.

“Marie, where’s your father?”  George asked impatiently not bothering to take the time to admire her pretty frame as he normally did.  “I need to speak with him now and he’s not going to be happy.”

“You know father does not tell me his schedule Mr. Jenkins.  I, a mere female am not entitled to that much information.  “Would you like to stay for a bite of breakfast while you wait for him to return?  I’m sure he won’t be gone too terribly long.”  She added stifling the urge to shout at him for being so horridly rude to her; a lady did not shout.

“I don’t have time for food Marie.  If you see him, tell him that I went to look for him at the jail and then I’ll be at the Tumbleweed.”  He turned and stormed out the door much the same way he had come in it.

“Well, I never!” she huffed.  “Simmons, please have Willie ready the buggy; I must go post a letter and go to the General Supply for Cook.  I do believe I have lost my appetite for breakfast.”

Marie marched upstairs to change into her driving clothes summoning her maid as she went.

She had spent two long, hard years out east at finishing school becoming the lady that her father had wanted her to be after her mother had passed away.  Her hard work though was paying off.  The duties of a sheriff’s daughter in an up and coming town like Franklin were becoming more and more demanding every day.

Tomorrow she had luncheon scheduled with the mayor’s wife and daughter Frances.  They were due to start planning the town’s annual Welcome to Summer bar-b-que and dance and needed to get a head start on the Fourth of July picnic. 

After allowing Susie to help her change, she checked her appearance, grabbed up her reticule and driving gloves, and went back downstairs.  Stopping by the kitchen to get the list from Cook, she sneaked a pinch of bread dough savoring the yeasty flavor as she skipped out the door and to the buggy.  She adored shopping almost as much as she enjoyed baking.  She picked up the reins and slapped the horse lightly as she happily set off across town for the store.  Johnson’s had such a lovely assortment of items that she could spend half the day looking at them all.  Today however, she needed to hurry so she could get back to help Cook prepare dinner.  Father was expecting guests after all
.

Handing Mr. Johnson Cook’s list, she then wandered through the isles with her basket choosing a small assortment of items like embroidery floss, a couple buttons and other necessary things that she needed.  She took just a few minutes to admire their selection of ready-made dresses and hats before she returned to the counter to order some of Father’s favorite tobacco, a few licorice whips for Willie, a sliver of chocolate for Simmons, and a bottle of rum for Cook for “medicinal purposes” of course. 

“Can you put that on our account please Mr. Johnson?”  Marie asked politely.  “And I also need to post this letter if I might.”

Taking care of the business at hand and offering a quick word of thanks after Mr. Johnson had loaded her purchases in her buggy, she headed back towards the house.  Smiling to herself, she marveled at what a glorious day it was. She was enjoying the late spring temperatures as she adjusted her stylish hat and let her mind wander.  Who had Father had invited to dinner tonight?  She wished he would give her a little prior warning so that she could make the proper seating arrangements but she knew that was asking a lot of her very busy father. 

She pulled up to the house and after accepting Willie’s assistance getting out, asked him to carry in the purchases for her.  She sailed through the front door dropping her reticule and gloves on the entry table as she took off her hat and set it beside them.  Entering the kitchen, she called for Willie to wait for just a minute before going back out to put the horse away.  Pulling out the licorice, she smiled as she handed it him enjoying the look of pleasure on his face before he went back out to take care of the horse and buggy.

“How’s dinner coming Cook?” she asked, already knowing the response before it came.

“How’s it going?”  Cook asked frustrated.  “How am I supposed to prepare dinner when I do not know how many to expect?  You must really speak to your father about that.”

“Well just do your best Cook.”  Marie answered good-naturedly.  “No one has ever complained about your food before.”

“I am preparing beef medallions with mushrooms, pearl onions and gravy and throwing in a side of potatoes to go with them.  If it meets your approval,” Cook added.

“Sounds wonderful.”  Marie applauded.  “I will be down after I get changed to start the rolls and maybe see if I can pull off a decent apple pie.”

Once upstairs she quickly traded her driving clothes for a work dress and headed back down to the kitchen.  As she passed the front door, it flew open as her father made his entrance. 

“Father,” Marie greeted him.  “Good morning.  Mr. Jenkins was here earlier and asked me to relay a message to you for him.  He said that he was going by the jail to look for you; if he didn’t find you, he was going to the Tumbleweed and wants you to meet him there.”

“Thank you for the message Marie.”  He replied brushing his lips across the top of her head.  “What’s for dinner tonight?  Do you have everything ready?  I’ve decided that we will go with between eight and ten guests, of course the Andrews family will come with Frances as well as the Jamison’s with their daughter, the new schoolmarm”

“Cook is making up one of her newer recipes; beef medallions with mushrooms, pearl onions, gravy, and a side of potatoes.  I was just coming down to get the rolls started and work on an apple pie.”  She answered and then asked.  “Is there anything we can add to that for you Father?”

“Sounds fine, sounds fine.”  He distractedly patted her arm.  “Did George say anything else when he was by earlier?”

“Only that he needed to talk to you immediately.”  She told him.  “He seemed very agitated.”

“Well, I best go find him then hadn’t I.”  He turned and headed back out the door he had just come in.

Going back into the kitchen, Marie dug out the chocolate she had brought back for Simmons and went in search him, postponing her baking.  Finally finding him, she smiled and handed him the treat.  “Oh you sure do spoil me Ms. Marie,” Simmons declared smiling back at her.  “But I do appreciate a bit of sweet every now and then.” 

“Nonsense Simmons.  If it’s anything, then it’s the other way around; you spoiling me.”  She argued.  “What’s a bit of chocolate every so often?”  She glided out of the room having delivered her present and went back to begin her neglected baking.  The hair on the back of her neck prickled telling her it was going to be a long night.