Chapter 17 #2
“Hmmpf.” His glare flicked over her from head to toe. “No, you don’t.”
Her sharp exhale flung a stray strand of hair from her cheek. “I’m trying to.” She twisted her hands together. Couldn’t the man see trusting him was like extracting shrapnel?
His shoulders eased down. “I believe you are.”
The ratcheted tightness in her chest loosened. “You could talk to me before you sign any final papers.” Was she really going to let him handle this without her?
“These men don’t sign papers. They shake on it. A man’s word is his bond.”
Like Ben’s bond to Jeb. He’d traveled to Texas to honor his word to her brother.
Paid Coffin a thousand dollars, endured her ingratitude…
and she was worried about trusting him? It was amazing he still talked to her.
The way he looked at her, letting him negotiate would just be the beginning of her making amends for not believing in him today.
She dug her nails into her hands and swallowed a stomach full of objections and temper. “All right, but I want a full report.”
An hour later, she sat on a log, nibbling on bites of pork roast, ignoring the conversations going on around her.
Goodnight and Ben talked so long that Mrs. Gary carried their food to where they’d taken up residence on two barrels beneath the oak tree.
Charlie sat with Tyler. A few people stared at Charlie, probably due to his skin color, but proceeded to treat him naturally.
She swatted a fly. The shadows lengthened. If those men didn’t hurry—
Cora’s tin plate clunked as she set it down and jumped to her feet.
Ben strode around the corner, empty plate in hand, head high, shoulders back, no trace of a glare or clenched jaw.
She hurried over. “So what happened?”
He shrugged. A hint of a smile twitched at his lips. “Hadn’t you better finish your meal?”
“I want to hear every word.” She latched onto his arm and peered into his face.
He glanced at her hand on his sleeve. His eyes lit like coals, a slow, steady burn. The anger was gone. This was deeper, more welcoming, drawing her to him with the force of two magnets.
Heat streamed through her, sending a fit of fidgets and wobbles through her limbs. She dropped her hold. What was she doing touching him? It must be the leftover effects of walking around the yard on his arm. “You’d better tell me, or I’ll march up to Mr. Goodnight and ask.”
“He probably wouldn’t tell you.”
She glowered at him.
“I’m just having fun with you, Cora.” Ben’s smile broadened. “Why don’t you get your food, and we’ll sit in the front yard beneath the oak? I’ll fill you in while you finish eating.”
“All right.” She started to scurry, then slowed her step. No use acting like a child.
Skirts swishing, she grabbed her food and quickstepped back to Ben.
Charlie rose from his spot on the grass and headed toward them.
Ben pointed at the boy. “Stay there for now.”
Good. It’d be their private conversation.
She walked up alongside the man, and he slipped her plate into his hands as they strolled away from the crowd.
He led her around the side of the house to the front, past the roses, and down the lane.
Near the tree, weathered acorn hulls crunched beneath their feet.
She sat down on the wooden barrel where Goodnight had rested earlier. “Tell me what happened.”
“It went well. Goodnight’s willing to help.” Ben handed her the plate and laid his empty one against the scaly ridges of the tree trunk. “He’s agreed to include any cattle we can muster on his drive and take them to market. We’d give him a thirty percent cut.”
“Thirty percent sounds like a lot.”
“You’ve got to consider that he’ll be using his hired men, and they’ll ride the horses he purchased and work to feed, water, and safeguard our cattle. But he’s leaving the first of June, so we don’t have much time.”
“That’s less than two weeks.” Her voice faltered.
Ben took his hat off and ran his hand over his hair.
Sweat dampened a couple of strands across his forehead.
“I’ll make it work. We’ll be back to ou—”—he cleared his throat—“the ranch tomorrow afternoon. Next morning, I’ll hit the trail looking for your mavericks.
Goodnight told me about a couple of creeks where he’d noticed gatherings of renegade cattle.
He’s even agreed to loan me one of his men.
A young Mexican, not quite hardened to the trail yet, but he’s been around enough to know the county and beyond. ”
She bit her lip. “The man’s generous.”
Ben shrugged. “He says folks have to help each other out here on the frontier if they’re going to survive.
Plus, he stands to make a profit.” He fumbled with his hat, knuckling a shallow dent around the circumference of the crown.
“All the same, he said it’s best not to get our hopes up about the number of your family’s cattle we might find. ”
“Why not?”
A frown crept across his face. “There’s been a lot of rustling. Men collecting strays and mavericks, claiming the animals are part of their herd, putting their brand on them. There’s been others abusing the tally system.”
“What’s that?” She swallowed a bit of pork.
“A system set up by carpetbagger courts. His words, not mine. He gave me a dirty look when he mentioned the word.” Ben settled the hat on his lap.
“You are a Yankee.” Her voice softened the word.
“Yeah, but I reckon he’s willing to overlook it since I’m helping a Texas damsel in distress.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a damsel or in distress.”
“But even a fiery mistress of a ranch can use help from a knight now and then.”
Knight. Is that how Ben saw himself? She flickered a glance his way. The description fit. No armor, but his rugged, stubble-covered jaw, his strong hands covered in leather work gloves, the gun on his hip, and his whole demeanor said he’d protect her.
His hazel gaze met hers.
She glanced away. She’d best not forget the wound this man carried, deeper than flesh. “You were telling me about the tally system?”
He tugged off his gloves. “If a cattleman comes across somebody’s cattle like yours mixed with his, he’s supposed to keep a record of it.
He can sell your livestock, but then he’s supposed to settle accounts next time he’s in the area and give you money or cattle equal to what he took.
Only, there’s too many scoundrels. Take the cattle, sell them, then never show up in this county again. ”
She shuddered. “So…am I going to have any cattle left?”
He leaned forward, forearms on his knees. “Goodnight says he’s seen several dozen, and I’m sure there’s more he hasn’t seen. I’m going to work hard to round up every one of them before June first. I bet I can gather at least a hundred for the drive. Rest assured.”
Her fork hung in her fingers. It would be hard work. Maybe she should go, too, but she had a garden to look after.
His gaze dropped to the slice of cherry pie on her plate. “You going to eat that?”
“I reckon—”
He reached out and broke off a piece of the top—crunchy brown crust.
“Well.” She gaped at him. “Aren’t you taking liberties?”
He grinned as he stuffed the bite into his mouth. “A man needs to be fed well if he’s going to venture out to round up cattle for you.”
For her. “Didn’t you already have a piece of pie?” She covered hers with her hand.
“It was about half the size of yours.” He wiped the crumbs from his mouth.
“I bet if you go ask Mr. Gary’s sixteen-year-old daughter, she’ll give you another piece.”
“I’m not interested in sixteen-year-olds.”
What was he implying here? “You have to be interested in a girl to ask her for pie?”
“No. I just figure it’s part of my pay.” He slipped two fingers beneath her hand and nabbed another piece of crust.
She swatted at him, almost toppling the remainder onto her lap.
He laughed.
The sound warmed her all over. My goodness. Was he flirting with her? She needed to bring some sanity to both of them. “You’re in pretty good humor for having just found out we might not have that many cattle to sell.” We. He even had her saying we now?
The merriment faded from his face. “There’s more news.”
“Bad?”
“No. It’s a good opportunity. But it’s a serious undertaking.”
She sliced her pie in half with her fork and slid half to the side of the plate nearest him. “What is it?”
His eyes lit at her gesture, and he dug his fork out of his trouser pocket.
“There’s a widow, southwest of Weatherford, right over the border in Palo Pinto County interested in selling all of her cattle.
Goodnight heard about her while he’s been here.
He doesn’t have time to travel down there and round up her scattered herd before he heads out on the trail for New Mexico.
He’s willing to give me a letter of recommendation, advising her to sell the herd to me.
Of course, if he makes a second drive before fall, he’d be willing to take our newly acquired cattle to market for a percentage. ”
Her throat tightened. “Buy a herd?” Was he serious?
“A small herd.” He devoured a bite of pie. “From all indications, your original herd won’t be enough to put your ranch and income on solid footing.”
She fingered a fold in her skirt. “But how much would that cost? We don’t… We can’t afford that.”
He swallowed another bite. “Don’t worry about the cost.”
Her stomach dropped. “You’re going to spend more money on us, aren’t you?”
He blew out his cheeks. His gaze didn’t quite meet hers. “It’ll be an investment. You and I will split the profits fifty-fifty.”
“Do you have sufficient funds with you in Texas to make a purchase like that?”
“I can cover it.” But the deepening of trace lines at the corners of his eyes into crevices said differently. It was no light matter.
Her tongue scraped her mouth like sandpaper. “I can’t ask you to invest that much.”
“You’re not.” He cocked his head toward her.
“I’m volunteering. I’ll still have enough to purchase a horse.
By the way, I decided to buy a quarter horse instead of the mustang.
The black is a beauty, but I need a trail-broken animal that is used to cattle since I’m going to hit the range in a couple of days, not one that’s never been ridden before.
” He finished off his portion of the pie, pressing the plate against her lap as he scooped up the remnants.
“And I’m betting Mr. Miller back in Weatherford will allow me to purchase supplies for the trail on credit.
Just until Goodnight returns with our share of the money from the cattle sale.
I’ll put the quarter horse up as collateral. She’s a fine-looking animal.”
His horse as collateral? Buying supplies on credit?
He wouldn’t have enough to get home to Philadelphia if this gamble didn’t pay off.
The thought throbbed in her head. What then?
And she had no idea if this was money he’d saved for years, or the profits from a previous business venture, or his inheritance.
What part of his life was he risking for her and Charlie?
“Do you know you get this little furrow…” He touched the tip of his finger above the bridge of her nose. Touched her. Actually dared touch her. “Right there. When you’re worried.”
His hand fell away. But the heat that swept over her didn’t. Her gaze drifted into his, soft, steady hazel irises. Eyes filled with determination. Had she ever witnessed such commitment? Goosebumps spread over her limbs.
She opened her mouth to protest, then shut it. She would honor this man’s sacrifice. This man was not like her father. Not yet. Maybe he never had to be. Maybe she could help him not be. Risky thought. Unquenchable.
Quiet words bubbled forth, uttered with her gaze on the horizon. “There’s more to being a hero than breaking a horse.”
His eyebrows shot up almost to his hairline. “What did you say?” His voice a low rumble of disbelief.
“You heard me.” She stood. The corners of her mouth edged upward despite the rock in her throat. “I’m not repeating it.”
She struck out at a fast clip as if she could outpace the compliment.
But the deep tone of his voice reached out to her. “I heard you.” And she would have to be deaf not to sense the smile that followed.