Chapter 13
Two weeks later
Aaron hung back and watched Gieselle’s horse gallop ahead as she chased a calf that wandered from the large herd. The little varmint had been tempted by the lush clover-covered ground. He had to admit she was doing better at rounding up strays than he was. Both of them were green, but over the past week they’d graduated from drag, which wasn’t too bad as the grass was so thick there wasn’t much dust to eat.
More experienced cowboys were riding flank with them—a good thing, too. The little calf got away from Gieselle, and Skipper took off after him while she angled her horse around and, laughing, returned to ride beside Aaron. How had he been so blessed to have found this woman? She was beautiful, smart, spunky, and kind-hearted. And amazingly, she loved him. She’d not only captured his heart but made it swell every time he saw her. Or heard her. Or thought of her.
They were driving this herd to the far off fenced-in pasture, to make way for the last shipment of steers. Eventually, he intended to have all the pastures fenced, which would make driving unnecessary, except for taking the beeves to the cattle cars.
Bert Dagmar rode up to them. “This is the last of them. We’re going to work through the mid-day meal. If you folks are going in, tell Claude we’ll be about an hour late, but we’ll come in hungry.”
Claude was the new bunkhouse cook. In his most polite way, Dagmar was telling them they were dismissed and should leave the men to do their job in peace. “Will do,” Aaron said.
“Let’s have a picnic,” Gieselle said, pointing toward the wide stream cutting through the forested area.
“Good idea.” They needed to talk. Aaron had the ring resting in his inside coat pocket, but they had to sort out a few things first. The seclusion of the stream would give them the privacy they needed.
And what a lovely place to propose to the woman who held his heart in her small hands.
They dismounted and strolled through a pine needle strewn path until they were hidden from view. “This is such a beautiful place. I wish the ranch house had been built out here.”
She stood with her back against the trunk of a tall pine as squirrels chattered above them. “Would you like to live here?” he asked.
Confusion crossed her features. “You mean build a house here?”
“If you wish. I want to give you your heart’s desire.”
She took his coat lapels in her hands, her eyes sparkling. “I wish to live in a house with you and any place will be beautiful if you are there with me.”
Emotion clogged his sinuses and he cleared his throat. This was the opening he’d been looking for and he’d rehearsed this moment many times. All the words he’d practiced flew from his brain. He took her hands and raised them to his lips. Lifting his gaze, he watched her reaction play over her features from under his lashes. Her mouth twitched into a smile, and if he didn’t speak soon, she would and he’d lose his train of thought. What little he had.
“There’s something we have to talk about.” His voice cracked on the words. “You know since I left the Pinkertons, I became a land investor. I enjoy the opportunity to help others improve or keep their land. I enjoy moving from one place to another, but staying in one place long enough to get to know the people and the land. I’ve become a nomad of sorts.”
A bit of worry had touched her brow. “Yes, I know all that. It’s one of the many reasons I admire you. In fact, I wrote my parents all about it…the type of life you live. I think Mama understands you to be like a sales drummer.” She laughed lightly. “She says I can live with them while you are on the road.”
That wouldn’t work at all. He had no intention of living apart from Gieselle. “I should’ve written to your parents before now…asked their permission to court you, at least.”
She shrugged in that cute way she had, a slight smile tugging at her luscious lips. “I’m of age.”
“Yes, but it would’ve been the polite thing to do. Now it will be awkward explaining. But I want them to know I want my wife with me, wherever I go.” He was putting this badly. Making it sound like he didn’t take her feelings into consideration. “That is, if you want that type of life. If not, we can settle down somewhere and I’ll get another job—one that doesn’t require traveling.”
“But I like the idea of traveling all over the country. You said we’d be here for another year, and—”
“That’s another thing. With your aunt and Wally marrying and all, I feel they won’t need my help as long as I’d thought. The truth is, another opportunity has come up. I don’t have to take it, but you need to know about it so we can make the decision together.” He took a moment to moisten his lips.
“Where will we be going? You won’t leave without me, will you?”
He pulled her to his chest and rested his chin on the top of her head. She could surely hear his heart beating frantically. “I’ll never leave you. A farmer in North Dakota has asked for help. He owns his land, but the acreage next to him is available for settlement under the Homestead Act. He wants it for his son, but the boy is only sixteen, not married, and not qualified. There’s someone looking to settle in that one-hundred-sixty-acre plot next summer.
“What I’ve proposed is we—you and I—settle there before the snows fall, and prove up the land. Normally that would take five years, but we could do it in no more than two. After I take title, I can sell it to the man, who’ll hold it for his son. It’s very fertile wheat land, but has never been tilled.”
“I’m assuming we would move somewhere else after we sell to the farmer?” Gieselle said, and she didn’t sound as if that would be a problem for her to live in such primitive conditions for two years.
“The little nearby town is much smaller than Rattlesnake Ridge even. I don’t think there’s anything there except for a general store and a few other small businesses. The nearest civilized place is sixty miles away and there isn’t rail service.”
“But it will be growing as I’ve heard all prairie towns do. When will we be leaving?”
“We have to be on the land no later than spring, but we could file on the claim and live in Grand Forks until then.”
She moved back and looked up. “We’ll have to be married before then.”
“Of course. Will that give you enough time to prepare for the wedding? I know your folks will want us to be married in New Orleans.”
“We’ll be ready by this fall. That will give us plenty of time to return to the Circle A to tie up loose ends before moving to Grand Forks.”
They kissed and he was sure the temperature in these woods had increased by at least ten degrees. Good sense overcame passion. He pulled away. “I should have written your parents before this, but I can’t wait a moment later.”
He dropped to one knee. “Your ring came in.” Pulling the ring out of his pocket, he took her left hand. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife, sweetheart? I love you, Gieselle Dubois, and always will.”
Tears formed in her eyes and her hand trembled. “Oh, Aaron, it’s so beautiful. Of course I’ll marry you. No later than this fall. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He slipped the ruby and diamond ring on her finger, and she added, “This ring won’t leave my finger after the wedding ceremony.” Her eyes, sparkling with unshed tears met his. “It’s so beautiful, Aaron. When the Lord calls me home, this ring will go to our oldest son to give to his bride. That’s how sixth great grandmother and grandfather, Gieselle and Aaron did it.”
Thoughts of their future children made his heart swell.
Suddenly she looked past him. “Did you hear that?”
He sprang to both feet. It sounded like a galloping horse, and coming fast. None of the working men would be coming from that direction. Pulling his pistol, he took her arm and urged her behind the tree. “You stay here out of sight.” The horse was approaching straight for the place where their horses were tethered.
Gieselle’s gelding and his stallion nickered a greeting. It was Wally. He halted as Aaron stepped out of the woods.
“Sheriff McCullough wants to see you right away. Something’s come up but he wouldn’t tell us until you get there.”
Having heard Wally’s voice, Gieselle joined them and she and Aaron got into their saddles. All three of them made tracks toward the house. Aaron prayed nothing bad had happened to spoil this perfect day.
The sheriff was standing on the porch with Liddy. They turned to watch as Aaron, Gieselle, and Wally rode into the yard. Aaron swung from his saddle and helped Gieselle to the ground. He draped his arm over her shoulders and they strode up the steps.
“Afternoon, Sheriff. This must be important to send Wally for us.” He kept his tone casual. Neither the sheriff nor Liddy looked worried.
“It surely is important.” He held his hat in one hand, and in the other, held a bunch of flyers.
“Now that we’re all here, let’s go inside and I’ll get us all a cup of coffee,” Wally said. “I think there’s some pie left to go with it.”
They all trooped to the dining table, the sound of Liddy’s crutches clip-clopping on the hardwood floor. She had come so far since falling off that roof. Doctor Gracie had measured the most injured leg and pronounced that it was the same length as the other. A big relief to Liddy and Wally. She wouldn’t walk with a limp for the rest of her life.
With everyone seated, Wally and Gieselle served the coffee and blackberry pie. Gieselle even dropped a dollop of whipped cream on the desserts.
Whatever the sheriff’s news was, it must be good. He hadn’t wiped the smile off his face yet. After his first long draw of coffee, he set the cup down and spread a flyer out in the middle of the table where all could see.
All eyes turned toward the poster. Brom Schilly was wanted for theft, conspiracy, forgery, and embezzlement with a ten thousand dollar reward on his head. Wally whistled. “Never saw one that high. He must be a big-time operator.”
“He was,” McCullough said. “He conspired with the Coley cousins to use false documents and take possession of Liddy’s cattle. He then sold them to the army.”
“So that’s what happened to them,” was all Liddy said. She apparently didn’t understand the importance of this poster.
Neither did Aaron, for that matter. He held his coffee mug in both hands, elbows on the table, hunched over the poster. “This Schilly has been captured, I presume?”
“He has. Hollis and I captured him. We were given the reward money to be distributed in accordance with the terms.”
“What are the terms?” Gieselle asked.
“It belongs to the one with information that would lead to the capture and arrest of Schilly. That would be you, Aaron.”
With a quick intake of breath, Aaron darted a glance to Gieselle, then to Liddy. “Actually, the information came from Liddy. She’s the one who mentioned the Coleys’ partner.”
Liddy looked aghast. “Ten thousand dollars? I couldn’t take all that when you did the work, Aaron. And you, Sheriff McCullough.”
“Why don’t you divide it up, Aunt Liddy?” Gieselle asked. “But you need to take out the market value of the cows you lost.”
Liddy scrunched her brow, then her face split into a grin. “I know. I’ll give a thousand dollars to Doctor Gracie. She can use it in the clinic, and she really deserves it. That will leave a perfect split of three thousand dollars for the sheriff’s office, you, Aaron, and Wally and me.”
The sheriff shook his head like he didn’t believe it. “Don’t know what to say, but the sheriff’s office can certainly use the money. Rattlesnake Ridge is growing. We could use another deputy and another cell.” He settled his hat on his head. “Guess I’ll be going. I’ll let you know when the money comes in.”
“Wait.” Aaron stopped him. “What happened to the Coleys?”
“Oh, the marshal out of Carson City offered Boney and Dack immunity for their testimony against Marsh. Last I heard, Marsh was convicted for the murder of your brother, Anthony, but since it wasn’t premeditated, he’ll be sentenced to life in prison. Hope that brings some comfort to you.”
“It does,” Aaron said. The men shook hands and Aaron slipped his arm around Gieselle’s waist, pulling her close for a kiss.
“Oh, Gieselle, dear,” Liddy said, “the sheriff brought me a letter from your mama. She and your father, along with Mary and Boyd, are coming for a visit next month. She says they want to make sure I’m doing well, but I’m sure they really want to meet your young man.”
Gieselle sent Aaron that special look and grin that never failed to set his heart racing. “I think I told you Mary and Boyd are my younger sister and brother, but I have so many siblings you may have forgotten.”
“I look forward to meeting them all.” Aaron stole another kiss. “Saves me a trip since I intended to get to know your family. I guess this way, you and your mother can make plans for the wedding.”
Liddy cleared her throat, clearly meant to get their attention. “Your mama says the wedding will be the Sunday after Thanksgiving in their backyard garden.”
Gieselle laughed. “That sounds like Mama. She has to set a date when all the family will be in town.”
“Is that fine with you?” he asked.
“No, I’d rather marry you tomorrow, but we have to get the family’s blessings. How about yours?”
“I doubt my stepfather and stepbrother really care. I have no other relatives.”
“But we’ll invite them and if they don’t come to New Orleans, we’ll stop off in St. Louis on our way to North Dakota.”
Aaron nodded his agreement. He had a feeling if anyone could break through his stepfather’s hard reserve, Gieselle could. He sent up a silent prayer of thanksgiving for sending him this amazing woman who fit by his side and in his heart so well.