CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
After five days of ranching, Blake had insisted Moses take the girls back to the hotel so they could bathe and rest in comfortable beds, as well as check on Mavis and Katie. Belle was relieved. She felt like the sole of a worn-out shoe that had walked a thousand miles. Just the day before, she’d lost the soreness from the saddle, but her arms still felt like limp rags from lugging the hot branding iron to the wranglers waiting to push the red-hot metal into a poor animal’s hide. The chore was difficult to watch. Most times she looked away. After several seconds of the sizzling brand with hide and hair burning, the calves would jump up, bawling so loudly it broke her heart. Their tails quivered with pain as they raced away to find their mamas. The practice seemed cruel, but Blake assured her marking them was the only way to keep the cattle from being rustled.
All the while, Katie was never far from Belle’s thoughts. Mavis had sent word out to the ranch that her little sister was feeling better and was now comfortable going downstairs to the café to eat instead of taking all her meals with Mavis in the room. They’d shared a few walks around town and visited Henry. Karen Forester, the motherly waitress, was always there to help. And friendly Dr. Dodge checked on her every day. That was all fine to hear, but Belle still needed to see her sister’s progress with her own eyes.
“I’m exhausted,” Lavinia mumbled.
“That’s because you’ve been a mighty help to me, missy. You too, Miss Emma and Miss Belle.” Moses held the reins in his large hands and worked the brake with his foot as they rattled down a steep grade in the road. “I couldn’t have done all that cookin’ without y’all, my ribs being as sore as they are.” Turning, he gave them a wide smile.
“We were glad to help.” Emma gripped the side of the wagon as they descended the hill. “I’ve never peeled so many potatoes in my life—my hands have been in water so long I don’t think they’ll ever lose all the wrinkles. Or plucked so many chickens. That’s a chore I can honestly say is not close to my heart!”
Lavinia laughed. “That actually wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I’m just glad Moses didn’t ask either of us to do the killing. I would have drawn the line.”
Emma nodded, then grimaced when they bumped over a rough patch. “That bloody hatchet stuck in the post still gives me the shivers. Who would’ve done such a thing? I’m glad Blake didn’t see any humor in it either.”
Praig. Or possibly Nicole? The girl had taken an instant dislike to her, but would she think such a stunt funny? The action was most certainly aimed at her and her sisters since the hatchet had been stuck in the homestead’s porch post, not the bunkhouse’s. Poor Emma and Lavinia had been traumatized. And Blake had been fuming mad to think Praig might have sneaked onto the property when the men were gone.
Belle was too exhausted to even participate in the conversation. She wouldn’t feel normal for some time.
“So you got to know our boy pretty good.” Moses gazed over at Belle with a strange look in his eyes. From the affection in his voice, he was referring to Blake. The two shared a special bond.
“I did. As we all did.”
“Was he patient with ya? Learning to ranch, I mean?” He cast another sideways glimpse, his brow arching at her bedraggled condition.
A bath in the hotel couldn’t come fast enough.
“Yes. He was, Moses. But why on earth are you asking? He was a perfect gentleman the whole time.” Well, mostly.
She thought of how tenderly he’d held her in his arms as she’d cried out her heart concerning her father. She still felt like she had an ocean of tears welling at the surface, ready to gush forth at any given moment. They’d never be completely gone. She’d been the most steadfast against their father for many years, and because of that, she had the most regret.
“Just wonderin’, is all.” He slapped the lines over the horses’ backs as the buckboard leveled out. “Get up there, you two lazybones! These gals have things to do!”
“How long before we reach town?” Emma asked, her eyelids at half-mast.
“Approximately a mile. You’ll be there before you can count to a thousand.”
Belle sneaked a look back, all three too drowsy to count to ten. “We’ll take your word for it, Moses.” She wondered if he would tell them what had happened to Blake’s family. Each time she’d asked Blake, he’d skillfully avoided the topic.
“Moses, we’re curious about Blake,” Belle said. “He’s half owner of the ranch, so it’s natural we’d want to know a little about him. I’ve inquired a couple of times, but we’ve been interrupted or he changes the subject.”
Moses glanced over, the dark skin of his forehead crunched in consternation. “I don’t like talkin’ about nobody, Miss Belle. Especially not Blake.”
She glanced at Lavinia and Emma for help.
“Please, Moses,” Emma said quickly. “It’s kinder to learn from you if he’s reluctant to speak of his past. We’re going to be working so closely together.”
“Are you staying, then?” he asked, also cunningly changing the subject. “You and your sisters will be part of Eden? Your pa’d be so proud if he was alive.”
Moses wasn’t stupid. He’d turned that around on them in a heartbeat.
“We can’t say for sure,” Emma replied. “Depends a lot on how Katie feels.”
He shook his head. “I sure don’t like what you told me about that. Her being stole away.”
“Neither do we.”
Slapping the reins over the horses’ backs again, he sent the team into a trot. “What would you like to know?” He had to raise his voice to be heard over the racket of the wagon and horses.
Belle straightened. “Where’s Blake from? And how did he get the scar?”
They rounded the final corner before town. Moses would drop them off at the hotel and then pick up more supplies.
“Well, since we’re here now, I don’t have time. Sorry.” In front of the hotel, he worked the brake.
Belle was just getting ready to climb down and hurry inside before anyone noticed her peeling nose and windblown hair when the tall sheriff came striding over. He held out his hand. “May I?”
Mortified at her appearance, she forced a smile. “Thank you, Sheriff. I appreciate the help.” To his credit, he didn’t mention her state. He helped Emma and Lavinia out as well.
“I was wondering if you might pass along a message to your sister? Mrs. Applebee. She asked a favor of me a few days ago, and I’ve taken care of the matter.”
The three of them were intrigued.
“Just tell her that the men in the jail are gone. I’ve transported them to Dove Creek, a small town north of here. They’ll stay there until a judge arrives. After that, I can’t promise where they’ll go.” He looked from one to the other. “Katie won’t be bothered anymore, worrying about seeing her abductors so close. If I can work it out to only use Blake as a witness, she may not even have to testify.”
“That’s thoughtful, Sheriff. Thank you so much.”
He dipped his chin and strode away.
Katie’s kidnappers. That was such a horror, still. Mavis and Katie must have been living in that shadow all week.
She rushed upstairs, eager to see her sisters.