A Hopeful Heart (28 page)

“Mm-mm, that was good grub.”

Abel nodded to acknowledge Vince’s satisfied statement.

The old cowboy leaned back in his chair and patted his belly. “Reckon we could talk Aunt Hattie into sendin’ food over ever’ day? That was the best chicken an’ noodles I’ve had in years.”

Considering the reason Aunt Hattie had sent Abel home with a crock of chicken and noodles, Abel hoped she wouldn’t ever find need to repay him with dinner again. Every time he thought about Tressa lying facedown and unmoving in the grass, he experienced another jolt of panic. “Don’t get to countin’ on it. This was a thank-you.”

“What’d you do for her?” Ethan asked around a mouthful of noodles.

Although Abel hadn’t intended to discuss the afternoon’s search for Tressa with his hired hands, he decided if someone was out there firing a rifle, the men should know. He told them about Tressa being frightened by three rifle shots, one of which injured her horse.

Ethan sat bolt upright, his eyes wide. “She all right? She didn’t get hurt, did she?”

“She’s fine. But she was plenty shook up. Can’t blame her.” Abel scowled. “Bothers me that she was so close to my land when it happened. Makes me wonder where those shots came from. . . .”

Vince cleared his throat. “Uh, Abel? Was she out by the northwest pasture?”

Abel sent Vince a puzzled look. “Yes. Why?”

The man scratched his chin. “Might’ve been me, then, that shot at her.”

“Pa!” Ethan nearly came out of his chair.

“Now, not on purpose, mind you. I was out checkin’ the fence, an’ I spotted a badger. Sent off three shots to scare him away.” Vince’s face twisted with remorse. “If ’n I’d known Miss Tressa was ridin’ out there, I wouldn’t’ve fired my gun, but I was down along the creek— that rocky place where the water made a gulley. Hard to see from down there.”

Abel blew out a breath of relief. Even though Tressa had a close call, at least he knew no rustlers were roaming his property. “I’m sure it was an accident, Vince. Tell Aunt Hattie about it at church tomorrow. It’ll ease Tressa’s mind to know nobody meant to hurt her.”

“I’ll do that, Abel. I surely will.” Vince unfolded his lanky frame and reached for his hat. “Since Ethan’s on clean-up duty, I’m gonna head on out an’ check what’s left of the herd one more time—bring ’em in a little closer. I sleep better knowin’ they’re closer to the house.”

“Fine, Vince. Thanks.” Not until Vince had closed the door did Abel consider what he’d said.
“What’s left of the herd
. . .” The words were a reminder of how much Abel had lost. He was relieved Tressa was safe, but what would it take to keep his ranch safely in his hands?

28

“Gage, I’m telling you, I saw a Double H branding iron on Mr. Samms’ land!” Tressa folded her arms across her chest and glared into Gage’s smirking face. “Do not presume to tell me what I have or haven’t witnessed with my own eyes!”

Gage laughed. “You’re cute when you get all fired up.”

Tressa blew out a breath of aggravation. She had hoped the man who claimed a desire to court her, wed her, and share his life with her would do more than ridicule her story of the missing branding iron. “I am certain that branding iron was carried away by the person who shot at me—no one else was out there. And he’s probably the same man who has been stealing Mr. Samms’ cattle. I will discover the truth, Gage—whether anyone wants to believe me or not!” She whirled away from him and headed across the churchyard.

Gage clumped up behind her and caught her arm. The mischievous expression of moments ago had disappeared. His lips formed a surly line, and his eyes sparked with something that sent a chill through Tressa’s body. He pulled her behind the flowering bushes that grew at the corner of the church building and gave her arm a shake. “Spunky’s one thing, but you’re takin’ this too far.”

Tressa puckered her brow in confusion. “But the truth needs to be uncovered, Gage.”

“Tryin’ to uncover the truth could cause you a heap of trouble, Tressa.”

The threatening tone stole Tressa’s breath. “Gage . . . you?”

His hand tightened painfully on her arm. “Don’t go jumpin’ to more conclusions. You think you got it all figured out, but you don’t, so it’d be smart to just keep your mouth quiet.” Suddenly his grip relaxed. “I ain’t out to hurt you, Tressa. I like you—like you lots. I want to marry up with you. But it grieves me deep down to have you thinkin’ ill of me. You need to let those ideas go. A man and wife . . . they gotta trust each other, now, don’t they?”

Although the words were warm, they were delivered with a menacing undertone that chilled Tressa from the inside out.

“No sense in gettin’ everybody all worked up over some brandin’ iron that prob’ly wasn’t even there to start with. What rustler’d be foolish enough to leave his runnin’ iron layin’ out in the open?” Gage laughed, shaking his head. “Silly little city gal, don’t know how things’re done in the West.” He gave her arm a squeeze and then released it. Hooking his thumbs in his pants pockets, he winked. “We ain’t gonna talk about this no more, Tressa. You just tell yourself that fall you took from the fence made your head fuzzy, an’ let it go. Everybody’ll be better off.”

Tressa gaped at him. “Did you see me fall when I tried to remount Spotty?” If he saw her fall, he had been out in the pasture, and that meant— Curling his arm around her waist, he pulled her tight against his side. “Didn’t I just say to let it go? You think too much, Tressa. Purty girl like you has no need for thinkin’.”

His possessive arm around her waist bound her as tightly as a new rope to his side. He escorted her to the wagon, where Aunt Hattie and Mr. Hammond stood visiting with Glendon Shultz, Fred Pennington, and Jerome Garner. Aunt Hattie frowned briefly when she saw Gage and Tressa approaching, but she quickly flipped it into a smile.

“Here you two are. We was just fixin’ to head to the Flying W for dinner. All the fellas are comin’ so they can spend the afternoon with their gals. Gage, you comin’, too?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Gage aimed his lips at Tressa’s temple, but she shifted her head slightly, avoiding the contact. His eyes sparked, but he released her and offered an easy grin. “Pa, I’ll get our rig.” He turned a loving look on Tressa. “You wanna ride with Pa an’ me, darlin’?”

“The girls’re comin’ with me so’s we can get lunch put on the table before you fellas get there,” Aunt Hattie interjected.

“All right, then.” Gage sauntered to the Hammonds’ buggy.

Tressa scrambled into the back of the wagon with the other girls, all the while wondering what she should do about Gage. Was he a rustler? A liar? If so, who should she tell? Aunt Hattie was set on marrying Brewster—she couldn’t burden the older woman. Abel didn’t believe her. Oh, if only Sallie were here! She could share these troublesome thoughts with Sallie.

Oh, Lord, what should I do?

Aunt Hattie’s succulent beef roast stuck in Tressa’s throat. She picked at the stewed carrots and potatoes, moving the chunks of vegetables back and forth on her plate rather than carrying them to her mouth. The others around the table chatted while they devoured the meal, seemingly unaware of Tressa’s discomfort. Gage sat on her right, leaning close to whisper in her ear, smiling and attentive as a good beau should be, but she couldn’t set aside the look in his eyes when she’d told him about the Double H branding iron lying out in Abel’s pasture. He knew more than he was willing to concede, and mistrust had formed a gigantic stone in her stomach that blocked the desire for food.

Unable to bear his presence one second longer, she pushed her chair back and tossed her napkin onto her plate. “Aunt Hattie, I believe I’ll go to the kitchen and whip some cream to put on our dessert.” She forced a smile as she informed the men, “Spice cake, baked fresh this morning before we left for church.”

Luella jumped up. “I’ll help you.”

Tressa sent Luella a startled look. The girl had never volunteered to assist Tressa with any task. But perhaps Luella needed a brief escape from Fred Pennington. Although the man wasn’t unkind, his inattentiveness to Luella stood out in stark contrast to the other young men who gazed with adoration at their chosen brides-to-be.

“That’s fine, Luella.”

Luella trailed Tressa all the way to the cellar. As Tressa skimmed cream into a small pitcher, Luella said, “I’m glad to see you’re allowing Gage to court you.”

Tressa placed the wooden lid on the milk crock and sighed. “I can imagine what it looked like in there, with Gage constantly touching my arm and whispering in my ear, but we are
not
courting.” She wouldn’t accept wooing from someone she distrusted. “I’ll make sure he understands that before he leaves today.”

Luella’s eyes widened. “But you have to let him court you! If you don’t, he’ll—” She clacked her jaw shut and headed for the cellar stairs.

Tressa hurried after her, mindful of the full pitcher. “Luella, please wait!”

The other girl came to a stop at the base of the earthen stairs. Sunlight poured in from the cellar’s opening, highlighting the fear in Luella’s face.

“Has Gage threatened you in some way?” Tressa placed her hand over Luella’s forearm. “Please tell me.”

Luella turned and grabbed Tressa’s shoulders, giving her a little shake. Cream splashed out the top of the pitcher and dotted Tressa’s dress. “Gage wants you, Tressa, and Gage always gets what he wants. Do you really believe you’ll be able to live happily with someone else in this community if you deny him? Gage will make your life miserable, just as he’s—” Again, she broke off.

Tressa wriggled free of Luella’s grasp. “You’ve been after me for days to accept Gage’s attention. I know you aren’t pushing me at him because of any affection you feel for me. So why are you so interested in seeing me married to Gage? What hold does he have on you?”

Luella’s eyes filled with tears. “I can’t tell you.”

“Then he
is
threatening you!” Tressa held the cream pitcher against her stomach with one hand and captured Luella’s hand with the other. “We need to tell Aunt Hattie, Luella. Gage needs to be stopped before—”

“No!” Luella jerked loose. She dried her eyes with her skirt. “You don’t understand. If Gage doesn’t get what he wants, everyone—you, me, Aunt Hattie—we’ll
all
pay the price. So stop asking questions and let him have what he wants.” Her voice turned wheedling. “It’ll be a life of ease and comfort, living on the Hammond ranch. And Aunt Hattie will be there, too—I know you like being with her. So accept him, Tressa. Take what he’s offering and be grateful.”

Luella spun and charged up the stairs. Tressa followed more slowly.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee
. . . . The words whispered through her heart. She set the pitcher of cream on the ground and closed the cellar door, then slipped to her knees in the grass. “I can’t trust Gage, God, but I can trust You.” She spent several minutes in communion with her heavenly Father, discovering a sense of peace despite the uncertainties that still plagued her mind. After whispering amen, she rose and carried the cream to the kitchen.

As she stepped through the back door, she heard a commotion at the front of the house. She set the pitcher aside and hurried down the hallway. The girls and their guests were all crowded around the front door. Sheriff Tate stood in the center of the group, holding out his palms as if staving off a fight.

“That’s all I know, folks. Telegram from Dodge didn’t give me no more details than that.” He puffed his chest with self-importance. “I gotta head over to the Lazy S now an’ let Abel know Jacobs has been apprehended.”

Tressa’s heart skipped a beat. She grabbed the closest arm. “Paralee, what is happening?”

Paralee crowed, “Cole and Sallie were arrested in Dodge City! Sheriff says they’re sitting in a jail cell. Soon as the sheriff there can arrange it, they’ll be brought to Barnett for prosecution!”

Aunt Hattie followed the sheriff out the door, and the gentlemen hurried after them. Tressa clung to Paralee’s arm, her knees quivering. “Prosecution? For what?”

Paralee stared at Tressa as if she’d taken leave of her senses. “For cattle rustling! The night Cole Jacobs and Sallie sneaked off, Abel Samms lost over thirty head of cattle. Everyone knows Cole and Sallie stole those cattle. When the judge finds them guilty, Cole might be hanged!” She broke loose of Tressa’s grip and charged out the front door after the others.

Tressa stood in stunned disbelief.
“Everyone knows Cole and Sallie stole those cattle. . . .”
Tressa started to run after the sheriff to tell him about the branding iron she’d seen, but Gage’s threats and Luella’s advice stopped her. She didn’t dare talk to the sheriff—and especially not in front of Gage.

Luella had intimated Gage might harm Aunt Hattie if Tressa refused his attention, so she wouldn’t involve Aunt Hattie. The only other person who knew about the branding iron was Abel Samms. He hadn’t seemed to believe her tale, but if she told him how Gage had threatened her, he might be more willing to listen.

Tressa turned and ran out the back door. She made her way to the barn and saddled Spotty as quickly as her trembling hands would allow. With luck, she could sneak off without being seen. Cole Jacobs was certainly guilty of stealing the heart of one of Aunt Hattie’s girl, but if her suspicions were correct, he was innocent of cattle rustling. Regardless of the harm Gage might inflict, she couldn’t stay silent and allow an innocent man to be hanged.