Pony Express Courtship (16 page)

“Thank you for asking. I'm not sure I'll find her this way.” He leaned his hip against the doorjamb.

Fay shook her head. “It's a long shot for sure.”

“We'll keep asking,” Rebecca assured him.

Seth nodded and then pushed away from the door frame. “Good night, ladies.”

Both echoed back. “Good night.”

He stepped out into the cool night air. Maybe he should start thinking about moving on so that he could find Charlotte. If Fay hadn't come back in when she had, Seth was pretty sure he would have acted on his feelings and hugged Rebecca.

His thoughts went to the excitement and joy that the boys had gotten from running into the Indians, and he knew he still had work to do here at Dove Creek. He couldn't leave knowing the Young men weren't well trained. It was his job to keep them safe.

His inner voice taunted him,
Are you sure it's because you want to keep them safe, or have you allowed yourself to become attached to the Young family? Especially Rebecca Young?

Chapter Seventeen

S
eth watched as the boys took turns racing past a fence post and trying to shoot a can off it. They all were able to knock it off on their first run-through.

Jacob stood beside him. “The target needs to be moving.”

“Any suggestions on how to make that happen? We can't have them shooting at each other.” His frustration was showing but Seth didn't care.

“I think so.”

Seth turned to face him. “Let's hear it.”

“Well, you could tie a rope around a can, toss it over a limb of a tree. Get behind the tree, so they don't shoot you, and then pull on the rope to make the can go up and down. They ride their horses past and try to shoot the can.” He grinned.

It wasn't a bad idea, as long as he stayed behind the tree. “I noticed you said
I
could hold the rope and hide behind the tree.”

Jacob tried to look serious, but his eyes danced with merriment. “Well, you wouldn't want them to have to live with killing their oldest brother if they were to miss, would you?”

Seth laughed. “I might be willing to risk it.” He slapped Jacob on the back. “Go get the rope.”

By the end of the day, Seth's nerves were shot. The young men were great at shooting nonmoving objects, but terrible at shooting moving ones. Earlier in the day he'd made the mistake of stepping out from behind the tree and a bullet had whizzed past his right ear. The poor tree had more holes in it than one of Rebecca's colanders.

It hadn't helped that Jacob had stood by the barn door and laughed. Seth didn't really see what was so funny and was beginning to lose his sense of humor. He'd noticed Rebecca had come out and stood on the porch for a few minutes watching. Her pretty face had confusion written all over it. What she had to be confused about, he had no idea.

Still standing behind the tree, Seth called the boys to a stop. He waited a couple of minutes before stepping out. Jacob walked across the yard to join him.

“Want me to wave the can for a bit?” Jacob asked. When Seth didn't answer immediately, he suggested, “You might be able to tell the boys what they are doing wrong.”

Why not let Jacob stand behind the tree and have bullets whiz around him for a few minutes? Who knew, Jacob might realize how serious this was. Jacob might even feel bad for laughing at him. “All right.”

Jacob looked to his brothers and raised his chin as if to say “take your best shot, boys.” He went behind the tree and began pulling on the rope.

Seth watched as the Young men lined up to practice again. He rubbed his hands together gleefully at the lesson Jacob was about to learn. They'd already decided they'd go in order of oldest to youngest.

Andrew raced toward the can and swerved just as he came within a few feet of it. He fired off his shot and the sound of metal hitting metal pinged in the afternoon air.

He'd hit it! Seth couldn't believe it. Andrew tipped his hat at him as he rode past and went to the end of the line.

Clayton took off at a dead run. His horse was sure-footed and, using both hands, Clayton sighted his rifle at the moving can. He fired his rifle and within seconds the sound of the bullet hitting the can echoed in the yard.

He'd hit it, too! Seth stared at the moving can that now had two bullet holes in it. Clayton also tipped his hat at Seth as he rode past.

Thomas and Philip decided to go together. Their argument earlier in the day was that since they always rode the trail together, they should train together, too. Their horses raced toward the tree and at the last minute both boys fired on the moving can. Thomas hit it high, Philip hit it low. They passed him, eyes dancing and lips twitching.

He'd been had. Seth didn't know whether to be angry or amused. All afternoon he'd heard their bullets whiz over his head and around the tree. Not once had any of them hit the can.

As Noah raced past, Seth knew he would hit the can. Noah was the best shot of all. Using his Colt, he emptied it into the can. Why hadn't he realized sooner that the boys had been playing with him? He should have known that Noah could hit a moving target. Just weeks before the boy had brought down a running elk.

Benjamin grinned as he passed Seth. Seth spread his legs and waited for the boy to miss. Beni was only eight years old. Seth fully expected the youngster to miss. Metal hitting metal brought the realization that he was wrong again. The boy whooped as he raced back to his brothers.

Jacob came out from behind the tree. He rubbed his chin. “I don't know how they got so good so fast.”

The other boys rode over to them.

Seth looked from one to the other. He tried to keep his face stern as he met each of their laughing eyes. “I guess they've had a lot of practice.”

Jacob and all the boys howled their merriment.

Seth tucked his hands in his back pockets and waited them out. He was proud of them. Each would be able to hold their own on the trail, even Beni. But he didn't enjoy the fact that they'd let him believe they were horrible shots all afternoon.

When he quit laughing, Jacob said, “Aw, Seth. You taught them all well.”

Seth shook his head. “Not me. I believe your Papa John taught you all well.”

It was Andrew who spoke for all of them this time. “With guns and rifles, yes. But not about safety. We all listened last night and realized we haven't been taking the dangers of the trail serious enough.”

He didn't understand what that had to do with them tricking him all day. They'd been able to shoot the can, so why hadn't they?

As if to answer his question, Andrew continued, “Don't be angry, Seth. If we had all hit the can earlier, would you feel as confident about our shooting abilities then as you do now? We wanted to show you that given the choice, we can hit the target or we can hit close enough to the target to scare it. Like you said, never take a life if you don't have to.”

The dinner bell began clanging. Each boy—no, each man—looked at him, waiting to be dismissed. They were good men and they could do their job. He was proud of them.

“Go on. Enjoy your dinner.”

They didn't have to be told twice. Six of the boys took off for the porch. They each tied off their horses and hurried to the washbasin outside the back door.

Jacob stood beside him. “Are you angry with us?” Weariness filled his eyes.

Seth grinned. “No, I'm proud of you.”

The young man continued to study his face. “Don't think we don't need you anymore. We do.” He turned to join his brothers at the house.

Seth called after him, “Jacob, would you mind asking your ma if she'll fix me a plate and bring it to me after you all are done with supper?”

Jacob nodded. “Be happy to.”

Seth walked to his room in the bunkhouse. He wanted to believe that the Young men needed him, but was beginning to think he'd been fooling himself. His legs felt like lead as he walked. He had some powerful praying to do. Maybe it was time for him to go. Time to fulfill his promise to his grandmother. Time to leave the Young farm. He'd ask the Lord. If he felt God release him to go search for Charlotte, he'd leave.

* * *

Over the next few days, Rebecca noticed that Seth was quieter than usual. Their nightly visits were all business, and half the time he took his meals in his room. She missed him.

Today he and the four of the boys were mending fences. Noah was hunting and Benjamin was in his room with a cold. Andrew was on the trail.

Fay stepped out on the porch with her. “The stage is late.”

“Yes. Do you think we should send for Seth?” Rebecca asked. Her gaze scanned the direction in which she'd seen the boys leave.

Joy came out on the porch carrying her dolly. “I'll go get him,” she offered.

“Oh, no, you won't.” Rebecca ran her hand over the little girl's silky blond hair.

“Want me to wake Beni up? He can go get Seth,” Joy said, not the least bit upset that her mother had told her no.

“No, he's too sick to be going out to the pasture.” Rebecca looked at Fay. “Will you watch the kids for me? I'll go see what Seth and Jacob think about the stage being almost an hour late.”

“Be happy to,” Fay answered. She looked down at Joy. “Let's go sample those sugar cookies. We can take a couple up to Beni, too.”

Joy ran to the door and yanked it open. “All right.”

Fay laughed. “I wish I still had that kind of energy or knew a good store where they sold it.”

Rebecca grinned. She knew just how the older woman felt. “I'll be right back.”

It had been a while since Rebecca had ridden a horse and she wasn't sure she wanted to take the time to saddle one now. She looked down the road again. An uneasy feeling crept up her spine and into her hair, causing goose bumps to run up and down her arms. The need to hurry had her jogging across the yard and heading toward the north pasture. Saddling a horse would be time wasted.

Her thoughts went to Andrew as she ran. The long grass pulled at her shoes and skirt. Rebecca slowed to a fast walk. It wouldn't do for her to step into a gopher hole and twist her ankle.

She didn't know how long she'd been searching, but Rebecca was glad when she heard a horse whinny a greeting. Turning in the direction of the sound, Rebecca began to jog.

Seth saw her first and stopped hammering. He said something to Jacob, who had been holding the log in place. Both men dropped what they were doing and got on their horses to meet her.

Jacob got to her first. “Ma, is everything all right? Is it Beni?”

Seth joined them.

“Everything is fine at the house but the stage is over an hour late.” She looked up at Seth. “I thought I'd better tell you. I have an uneasy feeling about it.”

“I'm glad you did.” Seth looked to Jacob. “Go tell the others to finish up here and then head to the house. You and I are going to go ahead and check on the stage.”

Jacob nodded and then returned to his brothers.

Seth kicked his foot out of the stirrup and leaned over with his hand extended to Rebecca. “You can ride with me back to the house.”

She eyed the big horse. “I don't know, Seth. It's not really proper.”

“Jacob's horse is a Pony Express horse.” He wiggled his fingers at her as an invitation to take his hand.

Rebecca didn't know what the significance was of Jacob's horse being a Pony Express horse. But her feet were aching from walking across the uneven pasture and she decided no one was going to see her on Seth's horse anyway. She put her hand in his, put one foot in the stirrup and then swung up behind him.

Jacob joined them as Rebecca was tucking her skirt modestly under her legs. “Done.” His gaze moved to Rebecca and he grinned.

Seth nodded. “Good.” He touched his heels to the big horse's sides and took off back to the house at a gallop.

Rebecca wrapped her arms around Seth's waist and hung on. She hadn't expected him to run the horse back. Did he sense, like her, that the stage was in trouble? Could road bandits or Indians have attacked them? She rested her cheek against his warm back and silently prayed for the people aboard the stage.

Chapter Eighteen

S
eth enjoyed the feel of Rebecca's arms wound tightly around his waist. He almost hated to see the house come into view, but also felt an urgency to find the stagecoach. Since it wasn't sitting in front of the house, he assumed it hadn't arrived.

He kicked his boot out of the stirrup once more and helped Rebecca swing down from Sam's back. He missed her closeness immediately.

Fay stepped out onto the porch.

“Any sign of them?” Seth asked.

She shook her head and answered with a worried frown. “No, and now they are really late.”

“Jacob and I will see if we can find them.” Seth spun Sam around without waiting to see if Jacob was in agreement with him or not. He headed in the direction that the stage should have arrived from.

“What do you think happened to them?” Jacob asked, pulling along beside him.

Seth looked in his direction. “I'm not sure. Perhaps they broke a wheel.”

They rounded a bend about a mile and a half from the farm and there stood the stagecoach. The driver sat on the seat of the coach in just his pants. No hat, shirt or boots. No horses, either.

Seth recognized him as Ty Walker. He reached the stage first. “What happened, Ty?”

“Bandits.” The poor driver sounded downtrodden. “Three of them, came in hard and fast. Hit us before we knew what had happened.”

“Is anyone hurt?” Seth asked.

“Just our pride,” Ty answered. He kept his gaze focused on the horizon.

“Why didn't you walk the rest of the way to the farm?” Jacob asked. His gaze was on the alert in case the bandits were still about.

“Can't get the womenfolk to budge.” He continued to look straight ahead as if looking back at the carriage might scald his eyeballs.

Seth got down and started to walk to the coach. He had a feeling he understood the coachman's strange behavior when he heard a woman's voice call out from inside the wagon. “Stay there. Don't come any closer.”

Jacob frowned. “What is going on here?”

“I gather the bandits took everything?” Seth asked as he walked back to Sam and began to remove his saddle.

“Just about.”

“Jacob, I believe we are going to need your saddle blanket.” He laid his own saddle on the ground and pulled the blanket that it rested on from the horse.

Giving the blanket a good shake, he waited for Jacob to finish unsaddling his horse. Jacob looked confused but did as Seth asked him to. Within a matter of minutes Seth had both blankets and was walking back to the wagon.

“I've got a couple of blankets you ladies can wrap up in. Do you want me to hand them to you through the door?” Seth asked.

“Yes, please.” A hand snaked out the door and a woman's fingers wiggled as if to say “give it here.”

Seth placed the blankets in her hand and then walked back to the other two men. Jacob's ears had turned a soft pink and the stagecoach driver tried not to smile. The man now wore Jacob's jacket for a shirt.

Jacob dropped his saddle back on his horse's back and tied the cinch. “What now?” he asked Seth. “We can't ride them back without saddle blankets.”

“It's not that far—we'll walk,” Seth answered.

They could hear the women in the carriage fussing.

“I don't think this is much better,” one complained.

The other answered, “Would you like to try this one instead?”

“No, yours is smaller and I need the bigger one. Make sure it covers me completely.” After a couple of seconds she demanded, “Well?”

“You are decently covered.”

Seth picked up his saddle and put it on Sam's back. He called over his shoulder, “Ladies, we need to get going. Those bandits might decide to return.”

They shot out of the coach like two cats in a room full of rocking chairs. Like the coachman, they wore no shoes or hats. Wrapped in the blankets they were decent enough, but their dispositions were not to be trifled with.

“If you ladies are ready, Jacob and I will lead the way.” Seth led Sam back down the road they had just traveled. He didn't look back and he tried not to chuckle as the ladies followed the two horses and three men back to the farm.

Sam's blanket barely covered the robust woman behind him. She was short and fat with a double chin and black ringlets that hung about her shoulders. The other woman was tall and slender and looked to be about Jacob's age. She was pretty with light brown hair and blue eyes the color of a clear riverbed.

Seth glanced to Jacob. If the young man had noticed the young woman, he showed no sign of it. He walked beside his horse and looked forward.

“We sure are blessed you came along, Seth,” Ty said, hobbling along beside him. “Not sure what I would have done, if the sun had set on us.”

Seth nodded. “It still gets chilly here at night. You would have been cold, that's for sure.”

Jacob glanced over his shoulder. Then turned back around.

“How they doing?” the driver asked in a low voice.

“Seem to be doin' just fine,” Jacob answered. “I don't think they're very happy about the way things have turned out.”

“None of us are,” the driver answered. “If only I could have gotten to my gun faster.”

Seth shook his head. “If you had, you might be dead right now. Didn't you say there were three of them?”

“Yep, and nasty, too. Could have killed us. They had no trouble stripping us down to our unmentionables and taking everything.” He glanced over his shoulder, then turned around. In a low voice he continued, “But that big one, she gave them what for. Said she'd have her husband hunt them down like a couple of foxes and skin them alive.” He chuckled. “You should have seen their faces.”

Jacob looked to Seth, who shrugged. Like Jacob, he couldn't see the humor in it, but then again, he hadn't faced death and lived to tell about it, either.

Rebecca, Fay and Joy stood on the front porch waiting for them. Seth focused on Rebecca's sweet smile. Her twin dimples winked in her cheeks. She said something to Joy and the little girl ran into the house.

Both women hurried off the porch and came out to meet them. Rebecca spoke first. “Is everyone all right?” she asked, rushing to the older woman's side and wrapping a supportive arm around her thick waist.

“We're much better now,” the older woman said.

“I'm Rebecca Young and this is Fay Miller. I sent my little girl to get you both clean blankets to wrap up in. I'm so sorry to see you've had trouble.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Young. I'm Martha Ranger and this is Emma Jordan. A clean blanket will be nice. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. It was nice of the men to loan us their saddle blankets in our time of need.” Martha sneezed.

“Please, call me Rebecca.” The women walked past the men as if unaware that they'd stopped walking and let them pass.

“Then you must call us Martha and Emma. I hope we aren't too much trouble. Those scoundrels took all our dresses and shoes. It might be a while before we can replace them.” She pulled the blanket up to her chin.

Rebecca helped her up the porch just as Joy burst through the door.

“Here are the clean blankets, Ma.” She stopped and stared up at the newcomers.

“Thank you, Joy.” Rebecca took the blankets and draped them over her arm. She looked to Seth. “Would you take Mr. Walker to the bunkhouse and see if he can wear any of the boys' extra boots?”

Seth felt like one of her children. “I'll be happy to,” he answered.

“Jacob, I'll send Joy out to the barn in a couple of minutes with your horse blankets.” Rebecca held the door open for the women, who hurried inside. She turned to look over her shoulder at Seth.

He didn't know what to make of her glance. Her gaze connected with his and she offered a soft smile. Was she simply grateful they had found the passengers? Or had she been concerned for him? Seth didn't know and he didn't want to read too much into that expression.

* * *

As the women told her and Fay what happened when the bandits attacked them, Rebecca worried more and more about Andrew. He was out there alone. Her gaze moved to the window, praying that her son would arrive soon.

The sound of a bugle filled the air. Rebecca ran to the window and watched as Andrew raced into the yard. His horse stopped in front of the barn, where another rider was prepared to take the mailbag.

Andrew jumped from the horse and tossed the bag to the other rider. He turned to the house and waved to his mother. Relief washed over her even as she prayed for the other young man, who now was alone on the Pony Express trail. She bowed her head. “Thank You, Lord, for bringing my boy home.”

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Rebecca turned to look at the young woman beside her. “Praying was the only thing that kept me calm during the robbery. I'm glad God brought your son home.”

“Thank you, Emma.” Rebecca patted her hand and then turned to face her. “That dress looks pretty on you.”

Emma twirled about. “It fits me nicely. Thank you for sharing it.”

Pretty pink material swirled about Emma's slim ankles. It brought the color out in her cheeks, giving her a fresh, happy appearance. Rebecca smiled. “I'm not sharing it, Emma. I'm giving it to you.”

The girl stopped turning. Her face sobered. “You are? Why?”

“Because it gives you pleasure and I want you to have it.” Rebecca watched as the girl studied her face. It was as if Emma was looking for an alternative reason to be given the gift.

Emma ran her hands down the soft fabric. “Thank you. This is the nicest gift I've ever received.”

Martha stepped out of Rebecca's bedroom. Rebecca had given the older woman one of her mother-in-law's dresses. It had to be taken out a little on the sides, but with Fay's swift needle, they had altered the dress to fit the older woman.

“You look lovely,” Rebecca said.

The older woman huffed. “Well, it isn't as nice as what I'm accustomed to, but it will do.” She looked at Emma. “It's nice to see you wearing something appropriate for your station.”

Did the woman realize how rude she sounded? Or was it just her social position that caused her to speak in such an impolite manner?

Emma looked away. Her joy from a moment earlier now seemed clouded. “Thank you.” She walked to the window and looked out across the yard.

“What are you looking at?” Martha demanded, coming to stand beside her.

Rebecca's gaze moved past the women. The boys were returning from mending the fence. It was obvious that they'd raced back to the house.

Joy stood between Jacob and Andrew. Her little face lit up at the sight of her brothers.

Martha huffed. “Rebecca, I don't believe I'd let my little girl socialize with the help. It's not the proper way to raise a young lady.” She turned from the window.

It took all Rebecca could do to smile. “The hired help, as you call them, are her brothers. I guess we need to get something straight.”

Martha raised her chin. “Yes?”

“As long as you are staying here, under my roof, I expect you to treat everyone as equals, including Emma. This is first and foremost my home and I will have peace and politeness at all times.” Rebecca crossed her arms over her chest and held the woman's gaze.

Fay stepped through the bedroom door behind Martha and nodded her approval.

“I can treat her any way I please.” Martha mimicked Rebecca's stance.

Rebecca nodded. “But this is my home and Emma is my guest, just as you are. Now, if you want one of the boys to take you to town, I'll be happy to make the arrangements.” Martha started to interrupt but Rebecca held up her hand. “But there is only one place to stay in town and they don't accept credit.”

Anger filled Martha's eyes. “So what you are telling me is that I really have no choice. Abide by your rules or find myself out in the cold.” Martha dropped onto the couch. Her lips were pinched into a pucker.

Behind Martha's back, a small grin twitched at Emma's lips. She covered her mouth with her hand to hide her pleasure at seeing Martha made to show respect for others.

“I think you'll find it easier to do than what you think. And it may only be for one night,” Rebecca added. She turned to walk into the kitchen. “Emma, would you mind helping me peel potatoes for dinner?”

Emma followed her. “No, I don't mind.”

Rebecca told the young woman where the root cellar was and asked her to gather twenty-six potatoes. She figured two potatoes per person would be enough. While the girl was gone, Rebecca wondered if she'd been too hard on Martha.

A few months ago she'd been living quietly with her boys and Joy. Then Seth had arrived and they'd all adjusted, to the point where it felt as if he belonged with them. Fay had joined them shortly after Seth and she, too, now felt like a member of the family.

Instinctively, Rebecca knew that once more everything was about to change. How long would Martha, Emma and Mr. Walker be her guests? Would Martha make things harder than they needed to be? Once the boys saw how pretty Emma was, Rebecca knew she could be facing a whole other set of problems. Even Seth might find the girl attractive.

Something in her heart ached at the thought. Would he be interested in Emma? If so, would he give up his search for Charlotte? Rebecca took a deep breath. She'd allowed herself to care for Seth and now she wasn't so sure she wanted to see him become involved with another woman.

Perhaps Emma was too young for Seth. Still, he had his heart set on marrying Charlotte. Plus, John's memory was too important to the kids for her to even think that she might have feelings for the station keeper.

But a part of her ached at the thought that he would be moving on as soon as he found out where Charlotte might be. If only she hadn't promised to help him search for her. Rebecca knew she wouldn't go back on her word, even if her word broke her heart.