Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Zach spent the day checking on the men and cows.
After telling Amelia his suspicions, he’d found a couple of the hired hands at the fringes of where they should be and asked them to join Morgan near the river.
He’d sent two others to take their place on the range’s eastern side.
It was imperative that no one drive the cattle further from water and grazing.
Not for the first time, his gaze went to the west. The mountain areas had received rain. According to other ranchers, the herds up there were doing well.
If only Pa had chosen to start ranching further up the slopes.
But the Bar T—the Taggerty quarters—had been here since his pa was a young married man who brought his bride into the wilds. At the time, the grass had been abundant.
Of course, given rain, it would thrive again. Zach just had to ride out this bump.
In the meantime, he needed people he could trust to be helping him. He didn’t have time to supervise each man day in and day out.
In the short time she’d been here, Amelia had proved capable of helping Pa, guiding Gil and Kat along safe lines as well as taking care of Poppy’s needs. It was a lot, but she made it look easy. She remained cheerful, despite how someone acted dishonestly, representing himself as Zach. Who and why?
Coming toward suppertime, he rode home with more anticipation than he’d known for… well, for a spell. Believing Amelia would have things under control was a good feeling.
He tended his horse, then strode toward the house and stepped inside. Kat and Poppy played at the table.
Gil looked up at Zach’s entrance. “We been hopin’ you’d get back soon.”
Amelia and Pa weren’t in sight, and Zach’s nerves twitched. “What’s wrong?”
Gil and Kat both tried to tell him at the same time. In seconds, Zach made sense of their overlapping words.
“They’ve been missing most of the day?” What disaster had befallen them?
Poppy patted his leg. “Mama?” Her bottom lip quivered, and tears clung to her lashes.
He picked her up. She buried her face in his neck and sobbed. He rubbed her back. “Hush, baby. Your mama is okay. I’ll go find her now.” He tried to put her down, but she clung to him. What could he do but sit and hold her until she stopped crying?
Her sobs ended, and she tipped her face up to him. “Find Mama?”
“I will.”
“Gampa?”
“Him too. But I need you to stay with Kat. Can you do that?”
“Want you.” She pressed her head to his chest.
His heart refused to beat. His lungs stopped working. How could she trust him so readily? It made him feel powerful—and so weak.
“Kat?”
His sister lifted Poppy from his arms. “Would you like a biscuit and jam?”
“Uh-huh.”
Kat sat her at the table as Zach turned to leave.
“Bye.” Poppy waved.
Zach chuckled at how quickly she switched from teary to cheery. “Bye. I’ll be back.”
Gil had said the last time he saw Amelia, she headed south, so Zach went that direction.
He scanned his surroundings, hoping to see them, hoping for some idea of where they’d gone.
Nothing provided a clue. He rode one direction, saw nothing, turned, and rode back a mile.
He continued to sweep the countryside for almost an hour before he reached the area they’d nicknamed the Giant’s Ball Game.
The huge lumps and boulders here made Ma say it looked like giants had a fight that involved tossing stone balls at each other, hence the name.
He circled the section of land, knowing how perilous it was to ride a horse through the area. All the while, he kept a sharp lookout for any indication of Pa and Amelia. A flash of gray caught his attention, and he reined in.
“Pa, Amelia.” His voice boomed and skipped over the rocks.
Amelia popped up. “Over here.”
Where was Pa? Zach didn’t see him. He dismounted and, on foot, zigzagged his way through the lumps and rocks. All sorts of possibilities raced through his mind. Pa was hurt. Or worse.
He stepped past a mound of dirt, and his breath whooshed out. Pa sat in front of Amelia.
Zach’s relief lasted but a second as he saw Pa’s blank, faraway expression. He sidled up to Amelia. “How long has he been like this?”
“Since I found him. I’ve tried to talk to him and get him to go home, but I’ve failed.” She caught his arm as he moved toward his pa. “He’s waiting for your ma. Thinks she’s picking berries.”
Zach stopped to consider what to do. He had to get his father home as soon as possible. Being in his own house might bring his mind back at least to a degree. He squatted in front of him. “Pa, how are you?”
His father didn’t seem to notice him.
“Pa? Do you hear me?” He gathered his pa’s hands and rubbed them. “Pa, it’s time to go home.”
His father inched his gaze to Zach. “I can’t go. I’m waiting for Evelyn.”
“Why don’t we see if she’s gone home?”
Pa rocked his head back and forth.
Zach gave Amelia a helpless look. What was he to do?
Amelia stood at Zach’s side and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Her touch comforted him in a way he couldn’t explain. How pleasant not to deal with this alone.
“What’s his favorite song?”
He stared at her. “Why?”
“I just had an idea. I wonder if we sing it, would it make him willing to move?”
“It’s worth a try. Both, he and Ma liked ‘Amazing Grace.’”
She began to sing, nodding at him to join her. Their voices blended perfectly. As if they were created to sing together. How foolish of him to think so. Only the emotion of the moment made him consider such a thing.
She took one of Pa’s hands. He took the other, and they drew the older man to his feet.
Pa’s gaze went from one to the other, a distant expression lingering in his eyes, and yet he followed along without hesitation.
They reached the horse. Zach caught up the reins and led it.
The three of them—four, counting the horse—crossed the dry grassy field toward the house, two of them singing along the way.
Gil stood on the doorstep watching them approach. Soon, Kat joined him, Poppy in her arms.
Poppy waved and called, “Mama. Gampa. Mis’er. Hi.”
Mister, huh? Seems he should have a better title than that, but what? Would Amelia object to the child calling him Zach? Probably. How about Uncle Zach? He didn’t care much for that title either, but it was preferable to Mister.
Gil and Kat stood back as they reached the door.
Zach handed Kat the reins. “Look after my horse, would you?”
Amelia cuddled Poppy.
Kat, to her credit, tended the horse without arguing.
They led Pa into the kitchen and to a chair. He sat and blinked.
“Hi, Gampa,” Poppy said again.
Amelia sat the child on the chair next to Pa, but her hands hovered, obviously prepared to snatch the little one away if either one seemed unsettled.
Pa looked at Poppy. “You hungry too?”
Poppy nodded.
Pa clasped her hand. “Is supper ready?”
Zach dropped to the nearest chair as relief sucked away his strength. When Amelia’s head drooped to her chest, he touched her shoulder. “You must be tired.” She’d been out almost the entire day.
Sighing, she straightened her posture and slid into a chair. “Tired, but so grateful he’s home safe and sound.”
“Thank you for keeping him safe.” He squeezed her shoulder.
She shook her head. “I should have been watching him more carefully.”
“I’m not blaming you. It only takes a minute for him to disappear.”
Kat skidded into the house. “Is everyone all right?”
Pa smiled. “Why wouldn’t we be?”
“Yes, Kat. Why wouldn’t we be?” A wagonload of irony weighted Amelia’s words. She winked at Kat, and the two of them started to laugh.
At the humor in the situation, Zach laughed with them.
Pa and Poppy joined in, though probably as much for the simple enjoyment as anything.
Gil gaped at them. “You all been out in the sun too long.”
Soon Gil set a meal before them. Pa ate like a starving man.
Amelia grinned at Zach as if sharing the same thought. For now, he’d enjoy having Pa back to this state instead of staring into space, waiting for Ma. But weary lines pinched around Amelia’s mouth. It had been a difficult day for her. He’d have to make up for it.
He did chores while Amelia helped Gil clean up from the meal. When he returned to the house, she was headed upstairs with a sleepy Poppy in her arms. Afraid she might decide to go to bed too, he said, “Would you join me for a walk after she’s settled?”
Amelia studied him as if trying to understand what his request meant. Then she nodded and continued into the bedroom she shared with Poppy.
“You courtin’ her?” Kat sat on the bottom step, watching him.
He blinked. “Why would you think that?”
“Well, I don’t understand why she’s here, is all.”
“She mistakenly came to Golden Valley and has no place to go until other arrangements can be made.”
Kat shrugged. “It’s nice to have someone around to help with Pa and all.” She sauntered away before Zach could think of how to answer. But she was right. And he meant to thank Amelia.
Amelia returned downstairs. “Is Kat around? I need her to listen for Poppy.”
Kat reappeared. “I’ll stay here.”
“Thank you.” Amelia squeezed the girl’s hand. “I don’t know if you realize how much help you’ve been. While I was out with your pa, I knew Poppy was safe with you.”
“I didn’t do nothin’.” But Kat plunked herself back on the bottom step.
Zach had no intention of correcting her grammar and ruining the moment.
He led the way to the door and held it for Amelia.
Then realized he had no notion of what he wanted to do.
His chuckle sounded self-mocking, even to himself.
“I wanted to go for a walk with you, but after the hours of walking you put in today, it seems foolish. What would you like to do?”
“For the most part, I sat with Pa, trying to persuade him to come home.” That sigh could signal exhaustion or frustration. “I’d like to enjoy the view of the mountains. Don’t suppose I’ll see much of them in the Dakotas.”