Dark Journey Home (48 page)

Olivia, as always, was wearing a pale blue satin gown
with a full skirt of white chiffon covering the satin, and it was hard for Logan to keep his eyes off of her the rest of the afternoon.

The ceremony was kept short as the local preacher
knew, from years of experience, that the visitors, especially youngsters, could
only be kept still for so long.  Also knowing cowhands, that bunch would soon
begin fidgeting.  Last, but not least, Lord Beckford had instructed the
preacher to keep the ceremony, as well as any sermon he wished to give, within
reasonable minutes.  Folks came for the wedding ceremony, and a minimum of
preaching, then well-wishes and plenty of food.  That was fine with the
preacher, as he, and his family were invited to stay on for the festivities,
which included food, drinks, music, and for those who wished to dance, the
brick patio would be sufficient. 

A neighboring rancher had brought his fiddle and,
while he began lightly playing the instrument, food was being served.  Joining
in the music, Hank, the cook, proved to be a talented guitar player.  Then
Ricardo joined in, strumming a Spanish guitar, and, while the guests began
eating, Ricardo’s rich baritone voice rang out in a Spanish love song with many
verses.  After which he began a series of songs sung only in the colorful Spanish
language.  Then Maria surprised everyone by singing a duet with her husband,
which by all appearances, had been practiced many a time.

Olivia sat at a long table at the edge of the
courtyard, across from her uncle and his newly wedded wife.  Amelia was
radiant, and the couple had eyes for each other only. Olivia couldn’t be
happier for them.  Now she had Amelia for an aunt, as well as a dear friend.

Maria and Olivia, assisted by several of the women
guests, had served the food and then, as they listened to the delightful music
and watched the few dancers on the patio, they had filled plates for
themselves. 

As she was finishing up the last bite of chicken on
her plate, Olivia felt a strong hand touch her shoulder lightly.  Quickly
looking up, she gazed into the serious piercing green eyes of Logan Wakefield. 
He motioned towards the dancers, and said, “Shall we join them?”  Olivia
started to make an excuse, “Oh, well……I…..um.” 

But Maria nudged her, saying, “Do not play hard to
get, Señorita Olivia.  Of course you wish to dance with Señor Wakefield, so
go!” 

Claude Beckford grinned and watched as Logan led Olivia to the patio.  Amelia raised an eyebrow, and suppressed a smile. 

“I’ll try not to step on your toes, Olivia.”  Logan began, as they walked away.  “It’s been awhile, you know.” 

“Oh, of course.”  Olivia flustered, “I……I’ll try not
to step on yours too.”  Oh heavens, was she going to be close to Logan on a dance floor?  Then she let out a nervous giggle as he took her into his arms
and began keeping time to the music.  It was a slow, romantic tune and Olivia
was floating on air. 

“You were so busy all afternoon; I had wanted to talk
to you, before now.”  Logan began.

“Oh, well, yes.  Maria and I had our hands full there
for a while.”  She answered, as she swayed in his arms. 

He tightened his hold on her, as the dance floor began
to fill up with more couples.  Lord Beckford and Amelia began dancing and the
dancers formed a circle around them so the bride and groom could have the
center of the floor.  Olivia noted that Sheriff Denton and Lulu Haskell were
joining in also, and had been inseparable all afternoon.  As they kept perfect
time to the music, everyone seemed surprised at what a nice couple they made. 
Most folks were romantics at heart anyway and enjoyed watching a blossoming
romance.  Maybe the good sheriff had found his match after all. 

Logan and Olivia had danced several dances, lost in
each other’s arms, and only stopped when they realized that the music wasn’t
playing any more.  The fiddler and guitarists had taken leave of the patio, in
order to fill their plates while there was still any food left. 

“I thank you, ma’am, for the pleasure of your
company.”  Logan quipped, as he gave a slight bow, and then escorted her from
the dance floor. 

Olivia laughed, and said, “I really enjoyed the
dancing, Logan, so you are very welcome.  It has been a while since I have
enjoyed myself so much, and I haven’t danced recently either so I believe we
did well, considering we at least didn’t bump into anyone.”   

“No, I don’t believe we left any casualties or
fatalities on the floor.”  Logan grinned.   

Soon it was time to cut the wedding cake, after which
there was much congratulating, and some visiting, though many families with
small children were already packing their wagons,  planning to be home before
dark.  

Olivia and Maria were cleaning up the last minute
dishes from the tables in the courtyard, when Maria said, “Did you see how Señor
Olson kept that Trudy Perkins at his side all afternoon?” 

“I did notice, Maria.”  Olivia answered, “It seemed
like he was making sure she kept out of trouble, and I believe some of the
wives were glad that she was with Cougar Olson.”

Maria laughed, and looked at Olivia, “Only the
wives?”  She asked, then, “Well, maybe the little she-devil will grow up after
all, though I do believe Señor Olson has his work cut out for him.  If I know
that Perkins girl, she was only on good behavior today and will lead him a
merry chase.”

“Is she really that bad, Maria?  Well, anyway, I don’t
see them now, maybe they left.”

“Si, most everyone has.”  Maria stated, as they walked
into the kitchen with their arms full of dishes.

Well, the ceremony and reception were a huge success. I
loved meeting all of our neighbors.   Speaking of ceremony, just where are the
bride and groom?”  Olivia asked.

“Oh, the Señor and Señora went into the hacienda a while
ago.  They just slipped away, right after shoving cake into each other’s
mouths.”  Maria snickered. 

“Oh?  …………Oh!”  Olivia answered. 

Logan
had stood at the
edge of the courtyard watching Olivia and Maria enter the house, then he slowly
turned, deep in thought, and walked towards the bunkhouse.  He had a lot of
thinking to do.  He’d never been in love before, but was sure that this was
something that he couldn’t just ignore as he had previously thought.  Maybe
sometime during the trip north to Wyoming, he could approach the subject with
Olivia’s Uncle Claude, and if the old fella didn’t shoot him first, maybe they
could at least discuss the situation.  Then he’d at least find out just where
he stood in that respect, and Olivia did appear to like him, somewhat anyway. 
Maybe……….just maybe.

Three days after the wedding the town of Coyote
Springs was once again being drenched with a steady drizzling rain, creating
mud puddles in all the wrong places, though the rose bushes and other plants
were thriving.  Rose petals laden with sparkling droplets of rainwater, filled
the air with heavenly aromas.  Amelia breathed in the essence as she lowered
her wet umbrella and climbed aboard the northbound stage.  Olivia followed
behind, having made a mad dash from under the overhanging roof over the
boardwalk, to the protection of the stage interior.  Amelia had no intention of
using her umbrella, upon entering the stage, as a weapon this time.  Her only intention
was keeping dry. 

Also her new husband, Lord Claude Beckford, with a
twinkle in his eye, had informed her that as she was now a married lady, she
must also behave as one, though she knew that deep down that Claude loved her
strong-willed nature and would have her no other way.  She heaved a deep sigh
and smiled, as Olivia, with a heavy woolen shawl covering her head, climbed
aboard and took the seat across from her. 

The team had been unhitched and fresh horses were
straining at the bit, anxious to move out.  Logan and Claude had tied their
horses onto the back of the stage, and now they climbed aboard, hat brims dripping
rainwater.  Claude sat with Amelia, and Logan took a seat next to Olivia. 

“Too wet out there to ride today.”  Claude said, and Logan agreed. 

“Although,” Logan added, “I remember many a day that I
have ridden horseback for long distances in worse weather than this, though the
stage interior sure beats getting soaked for no reason.  Besides, it’s much
more comfortable in here.”  He grinned down at Olivia and she gave him her most
brilliant smile right back.  Amelia thought it certainly was a change from the
way Olivia had been playing hard to get for a while.  Amelia knew that Olivia
would miss Maria, as they had become very good friends.  The long farewells,
back at the ranch, had been sad, however, Ricardo and Chester Burns were very
capable of handling things while they were gone, and they all knew that Logan was certainly looking forward to seeing his folks again.  It had been a long time
and, a few weeks from now, they would be in Wyoming at the Wakefield horse
ranch.  Claude and Amelia secretly hoped that Logan and Olivia would, by that
time, have decided on a future together, possibly at the Triple-B.  H’mmm…..why
not?

Soon the stage was rolling down the muddy road out of
town, then across the wooden bridge, and out into the wilds of the desert
trail.  There were only two other passengers, and they sat in the rear seat. 
Both were older tough looking men appearing to be asleep, however, as Logan had glanced their way, he strongly doubted that fact. 

“Are you comfortable, Olivia?”  Logan asked as he
looked at her.

“Oh, yes, thank you.  I have plenty of room, not the
least bit crowded.”  She answered.  “I am looking forward to seeing more of
this western part of the country, but I do hope the weather clears up soon.” 
She added. 

Logan
gave a chuckle,
“Well, ma’am, hopefully we’ll ride out of the rain, unless it follows us. 
Anyway, it’s nice weather for ducks, though I don’t see any of them around.”

Olivia snickered, “Of course not, no ducks around
here.  I think even your western coyotes are in hiding.”  She offered. 

“Well, seems there’s plenty of other critters out
there to take their place.”  Logan offered.  “Cougars, bears, mostly crawlin’
varmints though, but they’re likely hidin’ under rocks an’ such.” 

Olivia shivered, and gave him a strange look to see if
he was kidding, but Logan just looked away innocently.  Then Amelia raised an
eyebrow, as she joined in, “Well, at least this rain will possibly keep those Indians
away, if it keeps up as hard as it’s pouring now.”  She stated firmly, giving Logan a hard stare. 

Logan
smiled but said
nothing.  Claude chuckled and put his arm around Amelia’s shoulders, who only looked
out the window at the rain.  However, both of the tough looking passengers in
the rear seat, with eyes still closed, laughed out loud. 

As the stage wheels creaked and grinded, sloshing
through the muddy trail, the passengers relaxed, each deep in his and her own
thoughts. 

Logan
leaned his head
back, closed his eyes, and pulled the wide-brimmed black Stetson down to cover
his eyes, his thoughts drifting back to his friend, Ricardo.  When he had bid
him goodbye, back at the ranch, they had shook hands.  Then, as Ricardo gripped
Logan’s shoulder, the vaquero had looked him in the eye for a moment before
speaking, then he’d softly said, “Adios, Amigo.  Via Con Dios.”  Then he had
turned abruptly and walked quickly back to the courtyard.  They had not known
each other very long but a friendship had been solidly established, a comradeship
which would be hard to sever.

Logan
began thinking
of his pa and ma, whom he would soon join on his pa’s horse ranch.  He’d been a
long time returning home.  Also he would soon see his three former shipmates, Jim
Reynolds, Mack Parsons, and Gabe Johnson, who were now ranch hands at pa’s
spread.  He was eager to hear of how the three had managed their escape to America. They had all gone through hell and back together and had survived - which was a
miracle in itself.  Their story should prove worth the telling.

Olivia gazed dreamily out the rain-streaked stage
window at the glistening desert, her thoughts wandering back to the Triple-B
Ranch.  She hoped this journey would be at least half as fascinating as her
stay at the ranch had been.  She missed Maria and the ranch already, but tried
to arrange her thoughts in a more cheerful manner.  She was seated next to
Logan Wakefield.  Heaving a deep sigh, she adjusted her seating as far away
from him as was reasonably possible.  She didn’t know if Logan was asleep or
not, however, as she moved away, he slid over just a bit closer to her.