Dark Journey Home (42 page)

“Actually, I believe she really likes this place.”  Logan laughed, “She’s so impressed that I believe you may have trouble taking her back to England.” 

“Good, that’s good, my boy.”  Claude took up the
coffee mug, and began enjoying the strong hot brew.

“Good?”  Logan questioned. 

“Exactly what I was hoping that she would like
somewhere else, besides Beckford Manor.  Oh, I love the Manor alright, but
there are other places on this earth, just as nice, or better, and it’s about
time that my niece discovered that fact.”  Claude shrugged at Logan’s surprised
expression, then he continued.  “She’s a stubborn lass, that Olivia, but I love
her dearly.  That’s why I suggested this ‘vacation’.  Of course I had to do some
talking her into it.”  He laughed again, then spoke seriously, “I really would
like to retire one of these days, and figured that maybe this western territory
wouldn’t be so bad a place in which to live out my days.”

“It’s a fine country, Claude.  I’ve always been
partial to cattle ranches, though my pa favors horses.  Speaking of my pa, it’s
going to be about time for me to head up to Wyoming before long, much as I hate
to leave this place.  What are your plans, Claude?  “Do you still feel like taking
the trip there with me?”  Logan asked.  “Or should I ask, do you dare leave
this ranch unprotected?” 

Claude set his mug on the table, and pondered Logan’s question.  “Give me one day, Logan, my boy.  I’ll speak to Olivia, and then to
Ricardo and Maria.  Maybe we can work something out.  And yes, I do want very
much to go with you.  I promised my niece a long vacation.  Much as I have
become attached to this ranch already, I intend to fulfill that promise.  I
know how anxious you are to see your folks, and I believe that would be a
wonderful trip for Olivia too.  Yes, let me speak to the others, maybe after
supper tonight.  I do very much want to see your Wyoming, and your father’s
horse ranch.”

<><><> 

Back in her room, Olivia answered the soft rap on her
door.  It was Maria.  “Señorita Olivia.”  She began, as she walked over to sit
on the beige, soft velvet upholstered wing-back chair, in the center of the
room.  Then Olivia seated herself on the edge of the feather bed, careful not
to muss the pink flowered satin coverlet. 

Then Maria continued, “My Ricardo, he has gone to see
your Uncle Claude.  We have a problem.  My husband, he will speak to Señor Claude. 
I will ask your advice.” 

“Yes, Maria?”  Olivia asked. 

“As you know, we are to leave soon for Mexico to visit relatives in Mexico City.  That is a long trip, and I’m not sure I am up to it.” 
She heaved a long sigh, then, “I might as well get it over with.  We have,
Ricardo and I, fallen in love with this hacienda, and do not wish to leave.” 
She looked at Olivia questioningly. 

“Yes?”  Olivia asked again.  “Go on, Maria.” 

“That is it, Señorita.”  Maria answered.  “We have
traveled so much, and wish to settle down.  Your uncle, he needs much help here
and Ricardo and I, we feel that we could do so much to help with the running of
this ranch, but we’re not sure if we will be accepted.  As I have said, Ricardo
has gone to seek your Uncle’s opinion on this.” 

“Oh, Maria.  Did you even need to ask, I am ecstatic!” 
Olivia jumped up and ran to pull Maria from the chair, and hug her so tightly,
to almost take her breath away.  “Believe me, my friend, when I say, that I was
not looking forward to the day when you and Ricardo would leave.”  She sighed. 
“But what about your family in Mexico?  Will they be disappointed?”  She then
asked.

“If it will be alright with you and your Uncle, my
relations, they can visit us here, if they want to see us at all.”  Maria said. 
Then she grabbed Olivia in another hug. “We have been so worried about what to
do, and am so glad you will welcome us.  Ricardo was sure Señor Claude would be
receptive for the help on this Rancho.  He also said that most of the vaqueros
here have welcomed all of us most graciously.

“Maria, you know that Uncle Claude and I have planned
a trip to Wyoming with Logan.  Well, I’m not sure if that will take place,
though, it is still in the planning stage.  Logan seems taken by that Trudy
girl, and maybe he would like to take her instead.”  Olivia finished with a
deep sigh.

“Señorita, I can’t believe you have even said that,
much less thought it.  Logan is so in love with you that he can’t take his eyes
off of you, when you are in the room together.  And you must have had a good
afternoon, touring the grounds with him.  Did you not?” 

“I thought there for awhile, as he did mention his
intent to, well…….kiss me.  But I outran him.”  Olivia finished.  “Then that
Trudy girl was in the courtyard, and his interest seemed to lay with her.  When
I glanced out the window from the front entry hall, she had her hand on his
cheek, though he did take her hand away.  But I didn’t hear what was being
said.”  She finished lamely. 

“That she-cat!  I’m sure Señor Logan was only trying
to get away from her.”  Maria said. 

“I didn’t watch.  So I’m not sure what happened.” 
Olivia went to sit on the edge of her bed again. 

Maria followed her, and sat beside her, putting her
arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “You can be sure that Señor Logan knows how to
handle that Trudy, Olivia, and we can be sure that he made a hasty getaway, and
is probably right at this moment in the kitchen talking to Hank, and possibly Señor
Claude.  Maybe Ricardo has found them by now too.”  Maria stated firmly. 

There was a steady rap on Olivia’s door.  Maria went
quickly to open it.  Consuelo stood there looking agitated.  “May I speak with Señorita
Olivia at once?  Please?”  She said.

Olivia stood, and walked over to the door.  “Of
course, what is it Consuelo?”  She asked.

“Señorita Olivia, can you ever forgive me for my
foolishness in the courtyard?  I was disrespectful to you, and have no excuse,
except that I can’t stop thinking of Trudy as a small eight year old child.  But
she is now a grown woman, capable of answering for herself.  I was never
blessed with children of my own, so with Trudy, I was always very protective of
her, even when she was so full of mischief. 

“After you went into the hacienda, I told her not to
come back to this ranch again.  She causes nothing but trouble.”  Consuelo
folded her hands in front of her, and tearfully asked once again, “Will you
please excuse a foolish woman?  I love the Triple-B Rancho, and would not want
to leave here because of such a small thing.”

“Of course, Consuelo, there is nothing to forgive, and
you are such a good worker, and cook, how could we get along without you? 
Besides Trudy did nothing to me.  I shouldn’t have been so hard on the girl,
perhaps Mr. Wakefield enjoys her visits, and I would be the last to question
his taste in females.”  Olivia finished lamely. 

“Oh, no, Señorita.  You have it wrong. It’s not Trudy
he likes.  The Señor Wakefield, he left the courtyard quickly, soon after you
came into the house.   Trudy, she knows that, and only wants to stir up
trouble.  That is fact.”  Consuelo stated.  “Now with your permission, I shall
go finish dinner.  It will be ready in one hour, Señorita.”  Consuelo turned to
Maria, “Señora.”  She said, then went back down the corridor. 

Olivia stood in the doorway for a moment, looking
after the housekeeper, then turned to Maria.  “Is it so obvious?  Am I so open?” 
She asked.  “I’ve never felt this way before and don’t know quite how to handle
my feelings.  Maybe I’m afraid to venture into an unfamiliar world.  What
if………what if Logan is only grateful, because Uncle and I rescued him back there
in England?”  She moaned.

“Is Señor Claude, so wrong in his judgment of
character?”  Maria asked, “He appears to set much faith in your Logan
Wakefield.” 

“He could be wrong, Maria.  Just once in his life, he
could be mistaken.”  Olivia cried.

In the Cookhouse, Ricardo now sat talking to Claude
and Logan, while Hank was busy frying up beef steaks and potatoes for the crew
for supper.  Now Hank wiped his hands on his apron, and walked over to the open
door, looking outside.  “Clouding up out there.”  He said.  “Maybe rain
tonight.  Hey, rider comin.’”

Logan
got up, and
walked to the doorway, peering out.  “Looks like Sheriff Denton.  That’s his
horse alright.”  He stated.  “Wonder what’s up.” 

“He rides this way often, right in time for supper
with the hands.  Guess he misses the old times, on the Triple-B.”  Hank
answered.  “An’ I see some of the hands ridin’ in from the south range.  Guess
I’d better get that hot grub ready.”  Hank went back to the cook stove, to turn
the steaks, and Logan walked outside to greet the Sheriff

Sheriff Denton reined his horse in near the corral,
and stepped down from the saddle, then led the horse to the nearest water
trough.  Logan approached him, as he walked towards the smell of supper cooking
in Hank’s kitchen. 

“How’s it going, Paul?”  Logan asked the sheriff. 
“You’re in time for a good meal, and I figure on joining you and the hands for
supper tonight.  Consuelo mixes up a tasty meal, but it smells so good in here,
I can’t resist one of Hank’s good steaks. 

“Good to see you, Logan.  I’ve a bit of news, but
it’ll keep.  Is Beckford around?”  Denton asked.

“Sure thing.”  Logan replied, as they walked together
to the door of the cookhouse, “He’s right inside, talking to Ricardo Cortez.  I
think they’re comin’ to some sort of an agreement for Ricardo to run the
Triple-B for Claude, while Beckford, and his niece, travel to Wyoming with me. 
That is, if it is agreeable with the womenfolks.”

“Sounds like quite a venture for them.”  Denton replied.  “I’ve seen that Wyoming territory.  Good country, an’ nice folks up that
way.  Most of ‘em anyway, that is if you avoid that outlaw trail.” 

“Heard of that trail.”  Logan chuckled, “But for
myself, I’ve no use for it.  My folks have a horse ranch up northwest of there. 
I’ve been on my way home for quite a spell now.  It’s about that time.”  He
added. 

Lord Beckford walked into the dining room of the
Hacienda of the Triple-B, right at suppertime, with a smile on his face, and a
warm greeting for the ladies.  Ricardo followed, and he was grinning ear to
ear. 

As Consuelo brought steaming bowls to the table, Lord
Beckford turned to Olivia saying, “That Perkins girl was here at the ranch for
awhile, but those cowhands, Cougar Olson and Bart McCain, rode with her back to
her father’s place.” 

Olivia shrugged, and retorted, “I really couldn’t care
less about the movements of the Perkins child or who is with her.  Are you sure
Logan didn’t ride along with her too?”  She asked, then added, “The more the
merrier.” 

Beckford raised his eyebrows, and stared for a moment
at Olivia.  Maria shook her head, and gave a deep sigh. 

Amelia looked seriously at Olivia, and spoke, “Well,
the bloke isn’t here at the table now, is he?  He probably did ride back with
that one.  Maybe the Perkins girl could have a regular harem down there at her
pa’s place.  However, that cowboy, Logan, and Trudy would suit each other
perfectly.”  She finished. 

“Oh……I didn’t mean……well, I…….”  Olivia stammered, now
embarrassed by her former outburst.

Lord Beckford cleared his throat, and said, “Shall we
all enjoy our dinner?  And as for Logan Wakefield, he is enjoying beef steaks
in the cookhouse, with the cowhands, and with Sheriff Denton, who rode in a
while ago.  The Sheriff had a bit of news, which we can discuss after supper in
my study.”  Lord Beckford then began passing bowls of food around the table.   

After supper, as everyone gathered in Lord Beckford’s
study, Beckford began explaining what the Sheriff had told him.  “It’s about
the Perkins chap.”  He began.  “It seems Mr. Woody Perkins is somewhat of a
poor loser, also a bloke who can’t hold his liquor well, and, as a result, should
never drink.  Mr. Perkins rode into town this morning, and went directly to
Hawk’s Red Eye Saloon. 

The man’s always been known to be a bully, so after
drinking more than a man of his character should, then causing a disturbance
and trying to pick fights with everyone in the saloon, he then started an
argument with the bartender and he was asked to leave.  Hawk keeps a weapon
under the bar, to encourage men like Perkins to leave when they’ve had enough. 
Woody had other plans anyway, so with his courage built up he headed on down
the street to the bank.