Chapter 17 #2
“How many head of cattle do you have, Mort?” Every person in the place turned to look at her before she realized she’d spoken aloud.
Mort wouldn’t probably have deigned to answer her question except it gave him a moment to boast in front of all Muriel’s customers. “Over ten thousand head.”
“And how much land?”
“With my water claims, I control forty thousand acres. It’s the biggest spread in western Montana.”
Cassie shook her head. Mort and Wade watched her with curious expression.
There might even be a gleam in Wade’s eye, as though he thought she was considering whether she’d chosen right to marry Red when she could have had a Sawyer.
“If you’re so well-to-do, then surely a thousand dollars isn’t that much to you.
Why are you so upset about spending it?”
“I can afford twenty times that amount if I want to!” Mort roared at her.
Two weeks ago, Cassie would have fainted dead away in the face of all that male anger, but Red was beside her, and he’d even been angry with her before and it hadn’t been so bad.
Somehow Mort had lost a lot of his power to intimidate, and it was easy for her to stand face-to-face with the two of them. “And why do you need me for a wife?”
She turned to Wade. “Or you? With all your land and cattle and the nice place you live, can’t you go find a wife somewhere who wants to marry you?
I know women are in short supply, but get away from here for a few months.
Denver is a big city. Go spend the winter in Denver and bring yourself a wife back.
Chasing after me the way you’ve been isn’t necessary for a rich man like you. ”
She really wasn’t being rude. It just seemed like common sense. Of course, a man ranching alone couldn’t abandon his place and go wife hunting. But with all the hands on the Sawyer place, Wade didn’t have to be alone if he didn’t choose to be. So his reaction took her totally off guard.
Like a striking snake, he grabbed her arm and yanked her forward until she was so close to him, their noses touched. “No little snip of a woman is gonna tell me…” Wade’s eyes flickered with a stunned look, and he loosened his hold on Cassie. He sank to his knees in front of her.
Red’s arm had closed around Wade’s neck, choking him so tight that Wade lost consciousness within seconds. Red grabbed Wade by the collar to stop him from falling on his face.
Muriel stepped to Cassie’s side and pulled her back as Cassie babbled, “I didn’t mean to be insulting. I—I just thought… It’s just common sense that he’d?—”
“Let up on him, Red,” Mort said quietly.
Red stepped back, grim lines etched around his mouth.
“He’s not gonna lay his hands on Cassie.
” He still spoke calmly, but there was iron in his voice.
“Get him under control, Mort, before he comes to a bad end. You’ve raised a poor excuse for a man.
He’s been prowling around my place, and he poisoned my water hole this week.
I’m letting it pass because none of my stock died, but I’m watching for him now. He won’t get off so easy next time.”
“You can’t prove nothin’, Dawson.” Wade dragged in a deep breath, his voice hoarse.
“I can read signs, and every man here knows it. Your horse steps high and takes a long pace, and your boots leave a mark as good as a signature. There’s law out here, Wade, even for a Sawyer.
And if you ever touch Cassie again, you’d better hope I remember I’m a Christian man, because that’s the only thing that will protect you. ”
Cassie was standing well back from Wade as he struggled to his feet. Red was right behind him, not looking at Wade. He focused on Mort.
Right before Cassie’s eyes, that hard old tyrant shrank to something far more human.
Red was Mort’s equal. He stood just as tall.
He wasn’t as broad, but that was because Mort had gone more and more to fat over the years.
Red had broad shoulders and corded muscles in his arms. But the thing that really made Red a man to respect was the force of his will.
He held Mort’s eyes and spoke with a confidence no one could deny.
There was no threat in Red’s voice, only promise.
Wade staggered sideways as he stood and knocked into his father, breaking the stare-down between Red and Mort. Mort looked at his son, and disgust crossed his face.
For a second, Cassie felt sorry for Wade.
Wade had grown up weak because his will had been broken by his father.
Mort might respect Red and leave him alone, because Mort was the kind of man who would face anyone head-on.
But Wade would turn to deviousness—like poisoning a water hole or manhandling a woman or shooting someone in the back.
Mort couldn’t promise anything for Wade, and Cassie knew it. Hopefully, Red did too.
“It’s over, Red.” Mort turned to Wade. “You hear that, boy? There’ll be no feudin’ with the Dawsons. You stay off his land and keep away from the China Doll. She ain’t for you. Not anymore.”
“I hear you, old man.” Wade sneered and started for the door. “I hear you bawlin’ ’cuz you’re afraid of the preacher here.”
“Remember what I said, Wade,” Mort snapped. “It’s over.”
Wade jerked the door open and left the store, slamming the door much as he had the Sunday before.
Mort turned to the gathering of people, and stepping past them as though they were stray dogs beneath his notice, he went up to Seth. “I’ll be back for my order in an hour, Bates. Have it ready.” He thrust a piece of paper at Seth and left the building.
Cassie rushed to Red’s side. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to start all that. I didn’t mean to be so bad-mannered. I’m the cause of?—”
Red leaned down and kissed her. He didn’t kiss her for long, but she quit talking to try and catch up with the kissing.
He pulled away and said flatly, “Don’t go anywhere alone, Cassie.
” He looked up and said to Seth, “You see she minds me, Seth. You have to watch her every second. She’s a wily little thing. ”
Several people laughed, and some of the tension in the room fell away.