Journey of the Heart (27 page)

* * * *

Michael was up early the next morning and out to the barn to catch Gabe before breakfast. “I have something to ask you, Gabe,” he said, as Gabe finished watering the horses.

“Yes, Mr. Burke?” It was unusual for his employer to be out before breakfast and all of a sudden Gabe wondered if Michael somehow knew what had gone on between Caitlin and him behind the barn. He looked serious enough. But he was sure that Miss Cait would not have told her father.

“I am weary of Mackie always taking the initiative in this. After breakfast I intend to ride over there and tell him that whatever he does, I’m not giving in to him. I told Mrs. Burke and she is a wee bit worried because I planned to go alone. I said I’d ask you. But I know this may put you in a different light with Mackie. ‘Tis one thing to be my wrangler. ‘Tis another to ride in with me for a confrontation. I want ye to know I have no problem with ye staying here. I’d think no less of ye, especially with yer sister here.”

Gabe didn’t even have to think about it. It was time Mackie knew that Michael Burke wasn’t alone and high time they pushed back at him. “Eduardo was a friend of mine, Mr. Burke. I told you I was in this with you to the end. I don’t like waiting around anymore than you do. I’ll saddle the horses.”

Michael clapped him on the shoulder. “If ye’re sure, Gabe, I’ll welcome yer company. Elizabeth will have breakfast ready for us, so come up to the house after ye’ve got the horses saddled. I don’t believe in facin’ anything on an empty stomach,” Michael added with a smile.

Gabe brushed and saddled Patch and Snowflake quickly. It had been foolish of him to think that Caitlin Burke might have mentioned their kisses to her father. There wasn’t that much to tell, anyway, and it wasn’t likely to happen again.

They rode out after a quick breakfast and Elizabeth and Cait watched them from the porch. The two men were armed, Michael wearing his army revolver and Gabe with a Colt strapped to his left leg. Gabe didn’t wear a gun on a regular basis and Cait was a little shocked when she noticed how well-worn the holster was. It hung on his left side; she’d forgotten he was left-handed. ‘A left-handed gun.’ The phrase popped into her mind and she gave an involuntary shiver. This was a side of Gabe she’d never seen before. He worked so gently with the horses that it seemed incongruous to think of him as having any talent for violence. But she realized to her own surprise, that she was wishing he had, for then he could help keep her Da safe if it came to a fight. But please God it never will, she murmured to herself.

* * * *

It was a half-hour ride to the Bar M and they made it in silence. When they reached the main gate, it was Michael who leaned down to open and close it while Gabe kept his eyes open for any sign of Mackie’s men.

“I don’t like cows, Gabe,” he said with deadpan humor as they rode past a part of Mackie’s herd.

Gabe laughed. “Then you are certainly in the minority out here, Mr. Burke.”

“Oh, I’ll admit I don’t like sheep too much either. They are silly animals, but look at all this range,” he added more seriously, waving his hand in both directions. “It can’t support cattle. Not for too long, anyway. At least my silly buggers don’t eat that much. A few small ranches aren’t bad,” he continued, “but these men like Mackie who want to run thousands of cattle…the land just can’t go on supporting them.”

“Is that why you won’t sell?”

“ ‘Tis one reason, boyo. I don’t like being pushed is another.”

As they rode into the main compound, they encountered a few of Mackie’s men who gave them hostile looks, but said and did nothing. “Ye can stay here with the horses, if ye want, Gabe.”

“I’ll go in with you, Mr. Burke.”

They tied their horses to the corral rails and walked toward the house, while several of Mackie’s hands, including Juan Chavez, watched.

“Lookee here, Bill,” called one of them. “ ‘Tis the mick and his horse breaker.”

Chavez was intrigued and rather amused. It was possible, he supposed, that Burke had changed his mind and was here to sell. But somehow he doubted it. No, he thought that Señor Burke had decided to bring the fight into Mackie’s territory. He only wished he could be there to see Mackie’s reaction. But he’d hear about it soon enough.

They were admitted by the housekeeper who kept them in the hall until she could find her employer. “Señor Mackie is just finishing his breakfast,” she said when she returned, “and he asks if you would like to have a cup of coffee with him.”

Michael and Gabe nodded and followed her into the dining room. They stood there in the doorway until Mackie looked up.

“Come in, Mr. Burke, Mr. Hart. Come in. Helen, you know Mr. Burke, of course. Perhaps you could see to Cook getting them some breakfast?”

“No, thank ye, ma’am,” said Michael. “We ate before we left.”

Mackie gave his wife a quick look and she made her excuses and left the men to themselves. “Sit down, gentlemen. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” he asked blandly as though it were usual for Michael to be making a social call.

“Em, I don’t know that ye will be takin’ much pleasure in our visit, Mr. Mackie,” said Michael with dry humor. “Have ye spoken with Sheriff Butler lately?”

“I saw him just the other day. It was a shame about your sheepherder, Burke. I know what it is like to lose stock to rustlers.”

“If ye talked to the sheriff, then ye know that I don’t think it was ‘sheep rustlers,’ Mackie,” responded Michael, the humorous tone gone from his voice. “I can’t say that sheep-stealing is too common in the territory now. ‘Tis usually cattle they are after.”

“I know that you think that I was somehow behind this, Burke,” said Mackie, in a conciliatory tone. “I suppose I can understand your suspicions. I
am
eager for your land, I won’t deny it. I will even admit to a little intimidation in trying to get what I want. But murder?” Mackie wiped his mouth and set his napkin down on the table. Looking directly into Michael’s eyes, he said, “I swear I had nothing to do with Eduardo’s death, Burke. I have accepted the fact, much as I don’t want to, that you are as stubborn a mick as I am,” he added with a smile. “I don’t believe that anything I say or do will make you sell.”

“Sure and I hope ye believe that,” Michael said firmly, “for it’s true.”

“Indeed I do. And now that we’ve settled that I won’t be buying and you won’t be selling, maybe we can find a way to get to know each other better as neighbors? You and Mrs. Burke have been in the valley for a long time, but my wife and I are relative newcomers.”

“We all need good neighbors,” Michael responded blandly.

“My wife’s birthday is in a few weeks and I was hoping to invite all our acquaintances from in town and the valley. Will you and your family come?”

“Em, we would be happy to, Mr. Mackie.”

“Call me Nelson. And Hart, I’ll be sure to invite you and your sister, if she is still here. I noticed that my man Chavez seemed taken with her at the dance. Neither of us is as black as we’ve been painted, you know, Burke.”

“ ‘Tis glad I am to hear it, Nelson.”

Gabe listened to them trading polite compliments and had to concentrate to keep his mouth from hanging open. But he could feel the current between them and realized that underneath the polite fencing, a message was being given and received.

Chavez was waiting by the corral when they came out.

“
Buenos dias, señores.
I see that your mare has recovered, Señor Burke,” he added, patting Snowflake’s neck.

“Completely, thanks to Gabe’s good doctoring,” Michael answered in the same tone he’d been using with Mackie.

“I hope your business with Señor Mackie has been concluded satisfactorily,
señor?”

“I think we understand each other, Señor Chavez,” Michael replied as he mounted Snowflake. “
Hasta luego
.”

Gabe said nothing until they were off of Mackie’s land and on the road back home. “Did you believe all that, Mr. Burke?” his own incredulity obvious.

“Sure and why shouldn’t I, Gabe?” asked Michael humorously.

Gabe let out a huge sigh of relief.

“You were worrying that I’d be thinking that the fox had suddenly turned into a rabbit?”

“Not exactly.”

“Look,” said Michael, turning in his saddle to face Gabe. “One thing we hoped was he’d give up when he realized nothing, even Eduardo’s murder, would make me sell. Now maybe he has given up. Only time will tell. But ye didn’t really expect him to say: ‘Yes, Burke, I had Chavez murder Eduardo and I can see it didn’t intimidate you so I give up,’ did ye, boyo? How else could he play it but the way he has all along?”

“I guess you’re right. Does he believe you?”

“Oh, he believes me, all right. He knows he’ll never get my land by buyin’ it.”

“Well, then,” said Gabe with a grin, “you’ve won, Mr. Burke.”

“We’ll see, boyo, we’ll see.”

* * * *

After Michael and Gabe left, Mackie summoned Chavez.

“You were right, Juan. He is not a man to give in easily.”

“Or at all,
señor
.”

“He won’t give in even after Eduardo’s unfortunate…encounter. He went to the sheriff, of course, but Butler is mine, so no one will be accused of murder, as I am sure you are glad to hear.”

“Especially since I did not kill anyone,
señor
,” said Chavez softly.

“I think it is time to pull back, Juan. Accept that Burke won’t sell. Let all the speculation about Eduardo’s death die away. Whatever he believes about Eduardo, Burke won’t ever prove anything. I want him to believe I’ve given up.”

“And have you,
señor?”

“Burke will never
sell
me that land, Chavez,” said Mackie, looking up at his henchman. “So you can lay off your persuasive tactics. We are going to show the townsfolk and the Burke family that we can be good neighbors. Why, you can even go courting that pretty sister of Gabe Hart.”

Chavez’s mouth tightened and his hands clenched on the chair in front to him.

“Yes,” said Mackie thoughtfully, “I think that’s just what I want, you to be doing, Juan.”

“
Si,
señor
.”

“It shouldn’t be a hard job,” said Mackie with a smile. “After all, you haven’t had a woman since you’ve been working for me, at least not that I’ve been aware of.”

“No,
señor
.”

“I’m glad we understand each other so well, Chavez,” said Mackie, dismissing him.

“What did Mackie say, Da?” Caitlin asked as they all sat down to dinner.

“That he is sorry that a wandering bunch of sheep-stealers killed Eduardo. That he realizes I will never sell. And that he wants to be a good neighbor. I think that was it, wasn’t it, Gabe?” said Michael, looking over at him with a grin.

“That about covers it.”

“Do you believe him, Michael? Has he given up at last?”

“I know in my bones that he was responsible for Eduardo’s death, Elizabeth, though I can’t prove it. But there is a chance he has given up.”

“Well,
I
for one will never be his good neighbor!”

“It sticks in my craw, too,
a ghra. I
will always see him as a murderin’ bastard. But it does no one in the valley any good to have us feudin’.” Michael cleared his throat. “He’s actually invited us all to Mrs. Mackie’s birthday party.”

“We won’t go, will we, Da?”

“The whole town will be there and many of our neighbors. I think it is a good idea to give this truce a chance, don’t you, Elizabeth?”

“I have nothing against Helen Mackie,” she replied stiffly. “Except the man she’s married to. And I feel more sympathy for her than anger. I doubt that she is involved in any of his scheming.”

“Then we’ll all show our faces. You were invited too, Miss Sarah Ellen,” added Michael, giving Sadie a smile. “And Elizabeth, maybe you can even make your famous black cake?”

“Why, that’s more of a holiday recipe, Michael.”

“I know, but Mrs. Mackie would appreciate the gesture, I am sure.”

“Then I’d better start soaking some raisins! I must say,” said Elizabeth ironically, “the last thing I ever thought I’d be doing is baking for Nelson Mackie!”

Cait avoided Gabe the first few days after his kisses, for she was embarrassed and a little ashamed. What must he think of her, kissing him on the very day she saw Henry off? She had revealed so much…well, passion was the only word for it. And when she saw him, would he guess that she desperately wanted him to kiss her again?

After three days of going off for long rides and keeping busy with her household chores, she told herself she was being foolish. After all, she had been watching him train Sky for weeks now. Surely she was making the kisses seem more important than they were if she avoided him completely? She wouldn’t want him to think he had offended her. So that afternoon, she walked down to the corral and sat on her usual perch on the fence.

Gabe was just finishing his work and Cait could see that Sky was even further along, for Gabe was actually able to place his arms on Sky’s back and rest some of his weight while the horse stood quietly.

“He looks almost ready to ride, Mr. Hart,” she called out.

“I think it won’t be long before I can give it a try, Miss Cait,” Gabe acknowledged. “Would you take him into the barn for me?”

Cait slipped down and after giving Sky his treat, she led him into the barn, and after cross-tying him, began to brush him down. The rhythm of the familiar activity calmed her, and when Gabe came in carrying a saddle blanket, she had lost some of her self-consciousness.

“Why, that’s one of the blankets Serena wove.”

“Yes, your ma brought it out last week. She told me she thought Sky should have something special for all he’s been through. So I’ve been rubbing him down with it and letting him get used to it.”

Cait watched as Gabe slid the red-and-black blanket down Sky’s back and legs. “You are so patient with him, Mr. Hart. It almost seems like you know what he’s feeling and thinking. I thought my Da was the best man with horses I know, but now I’m not so sure.”