Dusty Britches (50 page)

“
So I guess it
’
s time I was gettin
’
up,
”
Dusty said.

Kenna nodded and smiled,
her tangled curls of hair bouncing along like a happy tune.

Dusty dressed quickly and entered the kitchen to find Feller shoveling breakfast into Jakie
’
s mouth. She clamped her hand over her own mouth to stifle the giggle
wanting
to leap out at the sight. There sat Jakie in one of the big kitchen chairs, an apron at his waist
—
the ties wrapped around him and the back of the chair and knotted securely to hold him steady. He kicked his feet with deligh
t
as Feller awkwardly fed him applesauce straight from a quart jar with one of the biggest spoons owned by the Hunter family.

“
Now ain
’
t that good, boy?
”
Feller chuckled.
“
Yeah…you eat your applesauce good
,
and it
’
ll put hair on your chest!
”

Dusty wondered if Becca had ever seen Feller in such a light. Knowing Becca would be delighted at the sight, she felt sad her sister had been the one to be away for the night helping
Alice
.

“
Good mornin
’
, Feller,
”
she greeted with an amused grin.

“
Mornin
’
, Miss Dusty,
”
Feller grumbled, clearing his throat
. He seemed
humiliated at having been caught with his perpetual guarded manner abs
ent. “Just sloppin’ the piglets…
though that Miss Ken
na’s finickier than all get out.”

“
I
’
m not surprised,
”
Dusty sighed, going to the cupboard and
removing
a loaf of bread and a jar of jelly. Experience had taught Dusty that, indeed, Kenna wouldn
’
t eat well when away from home.

“
Quite a ruckus last night
’
round here, wasn
’
t it?
”
Feller sighed, lifting the apron at Jakie
’
s lap and clumsily wiping his face.

“
I was wrung out! I didn
’
t even stay awake long enough to find out what happened after Daddy went out to talk to the sheriff,
”
Dusty admi
tted, a little ashamed. All she’
d cared about was making sure Ryder had been tended to.

“
Your daddy sent Ryder o
ver this mornin’ to fetch Becca—
Miss Becca and Guthrie home. Your daddy
’
s gone into town to round up a couple a hands to help Alex out
’
til he
’
s up to snuff, and Ruff and Titch are long gone to the pastures a
-
countin
’
head.
”
It was amazing how much information Feller could give a person in two sentences.

“
Well, it looks like you
’
ve got things well in hand in here, Feller,
”
Dusty teased.
“
I guess I
’
ll just be about my business cleanin
’
up the mess in here and the parlor. I
’
m glad you swept the glass up though.
”

“
Couldn
’
t have them young
-
uns a
-
runnin
’
around with it like that,
”
Feller mumbled.

“
You
’
ll make a mighty fine daddy to somebody one day,
”
Dusty told him. He simply rolled his eyes and shook his head the way he did when he was embarrassed.

The parlor was destroyed!
The lamp in one corner had been shattered, no doubt by the gunfire the night before. Whoever the wounded man was, he had bled all over the carpet her mother had ordered all the way from
Chicago
. It was lost
,
and it made Dusty profoundly sad to have to roll it up and pitch it outside to wait to be cremated. Feller helped her right the table and ran around after Kenna and Jakie like he hadn
’
t ever been so amused in his life.

Before lunch
,
Ryder and Guthrie returned, Becca riding behind Ryder, arms tightly around his waist. Dusty felt a small shiver of jealousy run through her and scolded herself in silence. She knew where Becca
’
s heart belonged, and her poor sister looked completely done in as she slid off Ryder
’
s mount.

“
You look whipped,
”
Dusty said, hugging her tightly.

“
I am,
”
she exclaimed with a fatigued sigh.
“
I
’
ve never been so tired. Alex was so miserable all night
,
and Miss Raynetta and I sat up with
Alice
,
and…oh, I
’
ve got to sit down a spell.
”

Dusty looked up to where Ryder had dismounted and was walking his horse to the corral. He nodded and tipped his hat with a smile. She turned and led Becca to the porch swing.

“
How banged up is he?
”
Dusty inquired as she sat down next to Becca
. Pushing
with her toes at the porch floor
, she started
them rocking back and forth.

“
Pretty bad. Both eyes black…one
’
s completely swole shut. I
’
m certain he
’
s got half his ribs, a
t least, crunchin’ up in there…
probably a broken arm. Doc
’
s out from town again this mornin
’
. Ol
’
Alex looks like somethin
’
the dog upchucked.
”
Dusty smiled at her sister
’
s use of one of Ryder
’
s terms.

Feller and the children came out of the house
.
Becca stared at Feller, an expression of wonderment in her eyes at the sight of him with the children. Kenna jumped up in
Becca’s
lap
, and Becca
gave the child her attention, smiling lovingly at her as Jakie sat comp
letely content on Feller’s hip. Dusty giggled as she watched Jakie
inquisitively staring up at
Feller’s unshaven
face and ever sucking his two middle fingers.

“
Did you see my daddy, Becca?
”
Kenna asked.

“
I did! He
’
s gonna be just fine. A few bruises and all, but otherwise he
’
s ready for you to come home and give him some sugar!
”
Becca said, kissing
Kenna’s
forehead and smoothing her hair.
“
Miss Raynetta
’
s gonna come get you in a while and take you home to see your mama and daddy. I bet you
’
re ready to sleep in your own bed.
”
Kenna nodded.

Feller slapped at some insect on his arm.
“
Flies are bitin
’
. Hope Miss Raynetta don
’
t waste too much time a
-
gettin
’
here.
”
Dusty knew flies nipping at something other than the stock was a sure sign of a storm.

“
Maybe I oughta take these babies home now,
”
Ryder offered, stepping up onto the porch.
“
That litter of puppies out behind the barn are chewin
’
the grass down to nothin
’
.
”

“
Storm. Bad one
. Bad
lightnin
’
for sure,
”
Feller agreed.

“
I
’
m goin
’
in. I am so tired,
”
Becca mumbled. She stood and stumbled toward the house.

Dusty watched her exhausted sister go into the house
and
then looked at the two tired cowboys.

“
How long
’
til the storm gets here?
”
she asked.

Feller looked up at the clouds starting to gather in the west.
“
Don
’
t know. But
I figure we better get these kids home now if they wanna be sleepin
’
with their mama tonight.
”

Ryder looked so tired. Dark circles shaded his eyes, and the dried blood on his sleeve told her the wound on his arm had been bleeding again.
“
I should check your arm, Ryder,
”
she
said
.

“
Naw. I just bumped it in the barn this mornin
’
. It
’
ll be fine. Let
’
s get them kids home.
”
He yawned
,
and Feller, ever chivalrous and realizing Ryder
’
s need to recover, took Kenna by the hand and descended the porch stairs.

“
You let Dusty tend that arm, boy,
”
he grumbled.
“
I
’
ll take the kiddies home.
”

“
But I
’
m saddled up and…
”
Ryder began. Feller turned and raised his eyebrows. Ryder nodded in agreement.
“
All right then.
”

“
Bye
-
bye
,
Dusty!
”
Kenna called.
“
We
’
re goin
’
home now!
”

Dusty smiled and waved at the little chubby-cheeked angel.
“
You give your mama my love now! Tell he
r I’ll be over as soon as I can.”
Kenna waved her assurance and skipped along contentedly beside Feller. Dusty paused to note how natural Feller looked walking alongside the girl, hauling Jakie on his hip. Yep. She
’
d like to see Feller Lance be the daddy to her nieces and nephews someday.

“
Now,
”
she said, turning to Ryder
,
“a
s for you…strip that shirt off
,
and let me see your bandages.
”

A low chuckle rumbled in his throat as he stripped off his shirt in one swift move.
“
I understand you wantin
’
to see me with my shirt off…but my arm
’
s gettin
’
sore now
,
and I don
’
t know if I want you pokin
’
at it.
”

Dusty felt the blush on her cheeks
—
though she tried to act unaffected.
“
You hush up,
”
she said. She examined his arm and determined the bandages needed to be changed. Taking his hand, she led him into the kitchen and directed
him to a
chair.

“
Bossy little thing today, ain
’
t y
a
?
”
Ryder asked, smiling as if he had some secret amusement. His persistent, teasing smile unnerved her as she worked to change the bandage. There was mischief in his tired eyes. Although her heart began to hammer furiously, the door of fear within her soul, struggling to protect her, began to bolt itself against him.