Linda Ford (15 page)

“You’re welcome to any of the books there,” Eddie said. “In fact, anything there.”

“Thank you.” She’d been curious about the items on the shelves but out of respect for his privacy, she’d only glanced at them. Now she pulled out a box that she’d wondered about. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.” Both her words and his smile were inviting and she tried hard and without success to ignore the sudden racing of her heart.

She lifted the lid to reveal a beautiful hand-carved chess set.

“Do you play?” he asked.

“I love the game.”

“Any objections to playing right now?”

“Not unless you have objections to losing.”

He laughed. “I think you’d better give me a chance to see if you can beat me.”

“Prepare to be challenged.”

They set up the game and she soon learned they were pretty evenly skilled. She won the first game but only, she guessed, because he underestimated her. He didn’t expect her to be his equal. A lesson he would do well to apply to more than a chess game.

He won the next match.

Grady shoved aside his playthings. “I’m hungry.”

Linette bolted to her feet. “Is it that late already?” She served a simple meal of creamed peas and boiled eggs on toast.

“My nurse used to make this every Sunday,” he told her. “It was my favorite meal.”

“Mine, too.” Linette’s smile came from a warm spot deep within. She couldn’t break free of his look as they silently shared enjoyment of a favorite childhood meal.

“Comfort food,” he said with a chuckle that landed in her heart with a happy sound.

She laughed, feeling for certain they’d made progress during the past few hours.

Then Grady’s hand slipped as he tried to cut his toast and she turned to help him.

They laughed often as they ate the simple meal and finished with bread and jam. Even Grady laughed when Linette and Eddie reached for the jar of jam at the same time and sent it skidding to the edge of the table. Only Eddie’s quick reflexes prevented it from falling to the floor.

Later that evening, Linette couldn’t force herself to head for bed as soon as Cassie and Grady left. She wondered if Eddie felt the same way, as he appeared to be prepared to sit by the fire and visit. She counted it as further evidence of progress in gaining his acceptance.

“I saw some Indians pass earlier today,” he said. “Moving to their winter camp. I wonder why they aren’t with the others.”

“Others?” She kept every emotion out of her voice, but the stories she’d heard about Indians tensed her muscles.

“The larger bunch went by a few weeks ago. Usually they travel together.”

He didn’t seem concerned with their presence. Nor had she been alarmed at the few she’d encountered in her travels. “There was an Indian lad in Edendale. Would he be part of this group?”

“Probably.”

“He was sick, probably with hunger.”

“The boy? Was he alone?”

“The storekeeper said he’d been hired by a freighter who no longer had need of him.” She doubted she managed to keep the anger out of her voice. “The boy looked like he hadn’t been allowed a decent meal in a long time. I asked why he hadn’t been given food.”

Eddie dropped his chair to all fours and stared at her. “You said this to the storekeeper?”

Linette snorted. “No, I saw the freighter and confronted him. Asked him if he starved his mules and expected them to serve him well.”

Eddie’s eyes widened. “Took kindly to that, did he?”

She chuckled. “I expect if I was a man he would have used his fists to give his opinion. As it was, he settled for directing a stream of brown spit to one side and telling me in very colorful language to mind my own business.”

Eddie sighed deeply and shook his head. “Some might have not been so generous. Out here a man considers his business to be his own.”

“I guess you know by now that I don’t turn my back on someone in need. In my mind, people are equal. Doesn’t matter their station in life or their race.” She silently challenged him with her words. “Would you turn your back on someone in need?”

A grin began at the edges of his mouth and drew his lips wider. “I allowed you and Cassie and the boy to stay, didn’t I?” His eyes reflected his amusement, but something more. Something that allowed her to think he didn’t regret his decision, didn’t see it as a hardship.

Her heart tipped sideways and poured out a bolt of hot hope. “Why would the Indian boy trust himself to the man? Why would he give up his freedom?”

Eddie studied her a moment before he answered. “He won’t likely trust so easily again, will he?”

“I expect not. It’s a hard lesson to learn.”

“’Spect so. What happened to the lad?”

“I got him a hot meal and arranged a ride on top of the stagecoach so he could join his family.”

Eddie held her gaze for a moment more. “Can’t say I’m surprised.” He pushed to his feet, signaling an end to the evening. Then he seemed to think of something and sat again and leaned back, tipping his chair to the back legs. “Who taught you to play chess?”

“My brother, Austin, and I learned under his tutor.”

“You’ve mentioned your brother several times. You must miss him.”

“I miss him dreadfully. We used to spend a lot of time together until—” She didn’t want to ruin the day by mentioning how her freedom had been curtailed.

He grinned. “Until your father learned that you weren’t acting like a proper lady.”

She relaxed. So long as he saw the humor in the situation and didn’t judge her as unsuitable because of her activities. “Yes, and then he joined Father in the business. Pushing numbers across a page is how he described it. Father saw to it that Austin had little time for frivolous activities unless they were with a proper young woman.”

“Has he found one?”

“Sorry?” She wasn’t sure what he meant.

“A proper young woman.”

She laughed merrily. “If you saw what Father considers suitable young women—” She shuddered. “Poor Austin. I wish he could come to Canada and live an adventure.”

“What’s to stop him?”

It was a strange question from a man who lived to fulfill family obligations. Might it provide an opportunity for her to point out how stifling obligations were? “I suppose he feels duty bound to do as Father dictates.”

Eddie nodded.

She’d planted the thought that a person might wish to be free of obligations. It was enough for now.

“I’m heading out in the morning to hunt some game.”

“I will bid you good-night. Thank you for playing chess with me.”

“It is I who should thank you for giving me an opportunity to play with a worthy opponent.” His smile seemed like a blessing and she ducked into the bedroom with hope and joy warming her insides.

He’d soon realize how much they had in common and see that duty wasn’t reason enough to marry Margaret.

But what did she offer? A marriage of convenience? Though what was wrong with that? Convenient sounded very close to comfortable...or even wanted.

* * *

Eddie was gone when Linette rose the next morning. After breakfast, Cassie took Grady with her to visit Cookie, leaving her by herself in the cabin.

A little later, a scratching sound came at the door. Linette listened. It came again. She tensed and rose slowly. For the first time she was apprehensive that she was alone. Very alone. Though she hoped a scream would bring people from every direction. With that assurance, her nerves steadied. She set aside the shawl she was crocheting as a Christmas gift for Cassie and went to the door and cracked it open. “Why, hello.” It was the boy she’d helped in Edendale. And beside him a woman who looked about ready to faint.

“Remember me? Little Bear.” The boy patted his chest to indicate it was his name. “My mother, Bright Moon,” he murmured with silent appeal.

Linette helped the woman inside and to the nearest chair, where she unwrapped the bundle in her arms to reveal a baby. A very new baby.

Little Bear stepped to her side. “Baby brother.”

“Where is your father? The rest of your people?”

The boy struggled with English but managed to explain his mother had been too weak to keep up with the others and his father had gone looking for food.

“You did right to bring her here.” Within minutes she had hot sweet tea for the woman. She spread syrup on several biscuits and handed a plateful to both the woman and her son. They ate slowly, savoring each bite. The woman nodded toward the furs in the corner that Eddie slept on.

Linette understood her silent appeal and spread the furs. The woman lay down, cradled the baby to her breasts, which likely had little to offer by way of nourishment. Both baby and mother soon fell asleep. The boy sat cross-legged at their side, his gaze never leaving them.

Linette filled a pot with meat and vegetables. She didn’t know how long the little trio planned to stay, but when they left they would go with full stomachs and a jar of stew.

The woman slept until the baby’s weak mewling woke her. She nursed the baby, her eyes dark with worry and fear.

Linette offered food. “You need to eat.”

The boy translated.

The mother nodded and squeezed Linette’s hand in gratitude. The boy accepted food as well but stood at the window as if he felt the need to keep watch. As they ate, Linette filled a jar.

She glanced up at the sound of several horses riding hard. The boy jerked from the window and murmured something to his mother. They scurried to the door.

“Wait,” Linette called. “Take this.”

The boy grabbed the jar and bent his head in thanks. They slipped silently away. Apart from the unfolded furs on the floor and the used dishes on the table, she could almost believe they hadn’t been there.

Outside, the men were making a racket.

She went to the step to see what the cause was. Three ranch hands she recognized had a fourth man tied—an Indian. Ward held a rifle at the man’s back.

She grabbed her coat and headed to the fray. “What’s going on here?”

“We caught this Injun trying to steal one of Eddie’s cows,” the young man, Cal, said.

The suspected thief was most likely the father of the two boys and husband of the woman she’d just helped.

“There’s only one way to deal with a rustler,” Slim said, his expression indicating he would not give an inch on frontier justice.

Cookie, Bertie and Cassie stepped from the cookhouse, Grady behind them. Several more men came from the barn.

“Where’s Eddie?” Bertie asked.

Ward answered. “Out hunting wild game. Even he doesn’t butcher a young cow.”

Linette trotted closer, confronting the knot of men. “This is his decision to make. Why not tie the man in the barn and wait for him?”

Ward and Slim exchanged looks.

“Look,” she tried again, “I know it’s none of my business, but maybe Eddie would like to handle this himself.”

Again they silently consulted each other. Ward shrugged. “If you think it best.” He sounded less than convinced, but he directed the men to lead their prisoner away.

Linette watched until they were out of sight then hurried to the cabin. Grady had retreated inside and pulled a chair to the window to watch. His eyes were wide with fright. “That a bad man?”

“Maybe he and his family are hungry.”

Cassie followed on her heels. “The men weren’t happy about your interference. Cookie said they have to act swiftly and justly in order to prevent losing so many head they might as well pack up and go home.”

Linette wanted to protest that many a man turned to stealing if he was starving, but she kept her thoughts to herself. There was only one person she had to convince.

She watched out the window for Eddie’s return, hoping to speak to him before the men, but he approached the ranch from the other side. Even before he dismounted, his men crowded around him.

She could not leave the man to be hanged or shot. Not when he had a wife and children to feed. She grabbed her coat and hurried toward the barn.

Eddie stepped out before she got there. He saw her and strode in her direction. He grabbed her elbow, turned her aside. “We need to talk.”

“I had to stop them from carrying out their plans.”

He grunted—a sound full of distress.

“What would you do if your wife and children were starving and a thousand cows grazed close by?”

He led her to the far side of the cabin...the same place they had first confronted each other.

Her heart thudded deep in the pit of her stomach. Despite a few times that offered hope, it was plain things had not changed a great deal in the recent weeks. She had a choice. Give in to the opinion of Eddie and his men, which would no doubt earn her favor in his eyes, or risk disfavor and defend the Indian.

She didn’t even hesitate over her choice. “Remember that Indian boy I told you about in Edendale?”

He nodded.

“He showed up on the doorstep this afternoon with his mother who had a newborn baby at her empty breasts. They’re all starving to death. I fed them and gave them a jar of stew. How long do you think that will last? How long before the baby dies...before they all die?”

“A thieving man of any race has to be stopped.”

“Rather than force the man to steal, give him enough meat for the winter. Isn’t that a better way to stop him?”

Eddie looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.

She pressed the matter. “Does not God say He wants us to show mercy? Hasn’t He shown us undeserved mercy?”

Eddie looked past her and sighed deeply. “This is what your father had to deal with?”

She drew up tall. “I told you from the first I will not turn my back on those in need. I’ve said my piece. I’ll let you decide what is fair and right.” She turned and walked away, her head high, her heart beating hard.

Lord, give him a heart to show mercy. Spare these poor people.

If Eddie didn’t help, the family would starve to death. And she’d have to reconsider her desire to marry him, which left her facing the fact that her father would find her, drag her home and insist she marry according to his wishes.

She shuddered and prayed Eddie would live up to her opinion that he was a noble man who wouldn’t turn his back on another in need. She included herself in that statement.