Land of My Heart (36 page)

“Are you okay?” came the soft voice of a woman.

She moved out of the shadows and crept along the wall until she’d reached him. “My name is Annabelle. I work over at the Looloo Saloon. Thanks for saving me from them.”

“I guess I at least distracted them.”

“I ain’t never had nobody fight for me like that. Fight over me, sure, but not
for
me.”

He couldn’t see her face, but she smelled of cheap perfume, smoke, and whiskey. Not exactly the kind of woman his mother would suggest he avenge. Still, a thought ran through his mind as she tried to help him sit up. If he hadn’t been out so late gambling, he wouldn’t have been around to rescue her. Maybe this act of heroism would set aside the sin of his evening in the saloon.

“Just doing my gentlemanly duty,” Trenton said with as much of a laugh as he could manage.

“Well, let me do my duty now,” Annabelle said, helping Trenton to his feet. “Let me take you to wherever you’re staying and get you fixed up. I know a bit of nursing.”

Trenton had no doubt she did but wondered if her type of nursing was the kind he most needed at this point. Having no other recourse, however, he pointed her in the way of his hotel, unable to keep from leaning heavily against her.

“We’ll get you put to bed,” she said, her breathing labored from bearing his weight.

Trenton felt a moment of panic. What if she were to rob him? He wasn’t going to lose all that hard-earned money to a lady of the night. “Don’t … take … my boots off,” he muttered. “Not … my boots.” He was gasping for air but needed to make sure she understood.

“You men,” she panted. “You’re all alike. Wanna die with your boots on.” She reached the front of his hotel and paused to rest against the doorframe. “Well, you aren’t gonna die. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

CHAPTER 26

D
IANNE’S FIRST VIEW OF THE VANDYKE RANCH CAME ON A BEAUTIFUL
May afternoon. The scene spread out before them on a canvas of rich green velvet. Lush pines and ripening vegetation added character and charm to the landscape, while the Madison River wended along the valley in ripples of liquid crystal. The sight caught her breath. After the barren, stark hills of Virginia City, the artistic masterpiece of her uncle’s land nearly brought tears to her eyes.

“It’s something to behold,” Cole said, halting the oxen. Cole had agreed to drive the team, and the twins had insisted Dianne ride in the wagon. There was no telling what they might encounter along the trail, and they figured her to be safer there than atop Dolly.

Dianne followed Cole’s gaze across the landscape and nodded. She then turned to her brothers. They seemed just as captivated. “I’ve never known anything quite so lovely,” she murmured, knowing in her heart that it was so much more than that.

Seeing the dots of cattle in the fields, hearing the birdsong and the music of wind in the trees, Dianne felt as though she had come home at last. A need that had been buried so long deep within her seemed to stretch and awaken … slowly unfurling. Her heart soared and for the briefest span of time, Dianne felt herself lifted beyond the present moment. Here, she would live. Here, she would die.

The skies to the west suggested rain, but overhead the brilliance of the sun and the startling blue almost hurt the eyes. Dianne wished that instead of a bonnet she had a wide-brimmed hat, as her brothers and Cole wore. Perhaps she’d check into that once they were settled.

They moved on in silence, reaching the cabin, barn, and stand of corrals. Dianne allowed Cole to help her down, all the while taking everything in at once. It was more than she could have hoped for or imagined.

Bram Vandyke came out of the cabin, his young Indian wife by his side. Dianne thought the woman very beautiful. She was dressed much as she had been that day in Virginia City. A simple skirt and blouse showed her to be a very petite woman, standing a few inches shorter than Dianne and at least a foot shorter than Bram. Koko Vandyke offered her a sweet smile and came to embrace Dianne with a warm welcome.

“I’m so glad you’ve come to live with us.”

Dianne nodded as she pulled away. “So am I. I’ve never seen anything so lovely as this valley.”

Bram smiled proudly. “God’s handiwork at its best. You can see why I fell in love with it.”

“Yes,” Dianne replied. “Without a doubt.”

The twins stepped forward and shook hands with their uncle. “We’ve come to help but most likely won’t stay,” Zane offered.

“I’m glad for the help. As we add to the herd, we’ll need more hands, so if you decide to stay, I’d pay you and provide your room and board.”

“We’ll think on it,” Morgan answered.

Cole stepped forward. “I see you and Gus got those trees felled.” They all turned their attention to a pile of logs that stood just beyond the back of the house.

“Levi helped too. Matter of fact, here he is now. You folks remember him, don’t you?”

Dianne turned to greet Levi Sperry. She knew he’d been sweet on her and wondered if time had diminished his feelings. Brawny and brown, he had filled out with thick muscles and an air of self-confidence that made her smile.

“Miss Chadwick,” Levi said, then turned immediately to her brothers. “Zane. Morgan.” They all three nodded before Levi let his gaze go once again to Dianne.

Dianne warmed under the scrutiny, even though his look was not leering. “How do you like working for my uncle?” she questioned, hoping it would ease her discomfort.

“It’s a good job—good life here,” Levi said, pushing back his black felt hat.

Dianne couldn’t help but notice the way thick black lashes framed Levi’s dark brown eyes. Her mother had once commented that such lashes were wasted on a man. The thought made Dianne smile.

“Well, we’ve got a great deal of work to accomplish in a short while,” Bram said, breaking the spell of the moment. “I figure we men can sleep in the barn. Dianne and Koko can share the house.”

“I couldn’t put you from your own house, Uncle Bram,” Dianne declared.

“No arguing. I’ve already got this thought through.” He smiled to soften the gruffness of his voice. “I figure it’ll take us a month to get everything situated. We’ll add two rooms onto the side—over here,” he said, pointing to the east end of the cabin. “I figure they might as well be good-sized rooms. If you’re going to put in this kind of work, might as well make it worth the trouble.”

“I agree,” Cole announced.

“It sounds reasonable,” Zane answered, studying the cabin as though trying to figure out all of the details of the job.

“We can get started tomorrow, after you’ve had a chance to rest up. Gus and I can show you how this will work out.We’ve staked out where we’ll put the walls. I figure to just build on to the present cabin and then after the rooms are in place, we’ll cut a door for passage into the addition. It’ll require a little bit of extra work to fit the ends together and keep out the cold, but I’ve got that all figured out as well.

“It won’t be anything special, but in the years to come I hope to build something even better. I figure once the land starts getting settled in earnest, supplies will be easier to come by. They’re already getting some lumber mills up and running and stone is being quarried.” He stopped and put his arm around Koko. “I plan to build us a grand house. Something to share with my family.”

“Well, looks to me this conversation will have to wait,” Gus said, pointing to the western skies. “I’m thinkin’ it’s comin’ up rain. Best get this wagon unloaded and unsaddle these horses.”

They all worked quickly, but Dianne couldn’t help but think on her uncle’s words. He planned to create an empire ranch—one to rival the big ranches of Texas. Cole had told her that Bram Vandyke owned a great deal of land. It was hard to imagine just how much space the Vandyke ranch actually encompassed, but Dianne was fairly confident that for as far as she could see, she stood on her uncle’s land.

Lightning flashed across the valley and Dolly spooked, dancing away from Dianne as she untied her from the wagon. “Easy, girl,” Dianne whispered softly. She drew the mare close and gently stroked her head, whispering all the while in Dolly’s ear. The mare calmed and followed Dianne to the barn stall.

“You have a natural way with her,” Koko said, coming beside Dianne as she worked to free Dolly from her bridle. “The Blackfoot believe animals are messengers between humans and divine forces. People who are accepted by animals are honored.”

“She’s a good-natured horse. We fit together, to be sure.”

“You enjoy animals, don’t you?”

Dianne looked to Koko and smiled. “I love them. I didn’t think I would. I was terrified of the milk cows when I first learned to handle them. Chickens scared me too.” She laughed at the thought. “I remember the first time I had to gather eggs. I was determined to do a good job, but the hens seemed just as determined to keep me from their nests. I was pecked and scratched until I gave up and decided I would never eat eggs again.”

Koko laughed. “What happened to change your mind?”

Dianne stroked Dolly’s nose and grinned. “I came to understand just how much eggs played a part in my life. I’ve always been the determined sort, so I went back to those hens, shooed them away, and gathered their eggs. It was really all about setting my mind to do it.”

“Just as you set your mind to coming here?” Koko asked.

Dianne felt suddenly embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to impose myself upon your house and life.”

Koko looked momentarily confused and then shook her head. “No, not here. I meant Montana. You are very welcome to be here. Please know that.” She glanced over her shoulder, then lowered her voice. “It gets lonely here without another woman. When we lived north, near the great falls, my mother’s people were close enough to visit. But here, there are few who will speak to me, much less call me friend.”

“Well, I’m hoping we shall be great friends,” Dianne declared. “When we moved here, I gave up my dear friends in Missouri. Then after losing my mother and sisters, I thought I might never feel like sitting and talking with women, but I find that the loss of female companionship is so hard.”

“We have much in common,” Koko said. She drew back a small gate that opened out onto the corral. “There, now she can spend her time right here or go on outside.”

Dianne stepped from the stall and Koko followed. They secured the gate with Dolly looking at them as though they’d slighted her with this dismissal. Dianne reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of dried apple. “Here you go, girl. I wouldn’t forget your treat.”

With the mare satisfied, Dianne and Koko walked back to the house. The men seemed caught up with the last crates from the wagon—sending some of the Chadwick possessions to be stored in the barn and taking others into the house.

“I’m so glad you don’t mind that we’re here,” Dianne told Koko as they stepped to the cabin door.

“You are a blessing to me. In some ways, an answered prayer,” Koko replied.

Dianne was startled for a moment. “You … you pray?”

Koko laughed and the sound was delicate and light like wind through chimes. “Of course I pray. Your uncle helped me to know the Lord Jesus as my savior. I pray all the time.”

Dianne nodded, wisps of blond hair falling into her face. “Then we truly are sisters.”

The month passed quickly and except for intermittent rain showers, the progress of the rooms went on without pause. Day by day the men stripped logs, notched them, planed, and filed where needed. To Dianne’s delight, they even cut in holes for windows. Of course, they would be empty of glass for a time, but with the nice shutters Uncle Bram built, Dianne would still be able to open the windows and let in the sunshine and view the beauty of the mountains and close them to keep out the chilly night air.

A camaraderie developed among the men. Often in the evening after supper, they would sit around and tell stories, joke, and tease each other about the work yet to be done. For the first time in years, Dianne felt at ease and completely happy.Well, maybe not completely. She still worried about Trenton and where he might be. She’d stopped writing letters to him after her friend Ruthanne wrote to say that word had it he had left town for parts unknown. Ramona wrote to say her folks had heard he’d gone to Texas, but Dianne couldn’t be sure of any of the stories.

Sometimes she thought about her sisters and missed their laughter and animated excitement. When the emptiness seemed particularly acute, she would go to the trunk and pull out their dolls. There was something about seeing those toys, just touching them, that allowed Dianne to move forward.

It was hardest to think of her mother. Dianne used to figure her mother would outlive them all. She had been such a genteel lady, but at the same time Susannah Chadwick had a strength and determination about her that would have made any Southern person proud. No one had counted on her growing weak in the head. It just hadn’t seemed likely, given the woman’s nature.

There were days when Dianne felt the loss of her mother more acutely than others. Sometimes Uncle Bram made a gesture or told a story from his childhood that Dianne recognized as something her mother had done or said. Sometimes, Dianne could even see a hint of her mother’s expression in Uncle Bram’s face.