Blessing (Widows Of Wildcat Ridge Book 2) Read online

  Blessing

  The Widows of Wildcat Ridge Series

  Book 2

  By

  Caroline Clemmons

  Cover © Charlene Raddon, silversagebookcovers.com

  Copyright © 2018 by Caroline Clemmons

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

  Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events, or locales is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Epilogue

  About Caroline Clemmons

  Chapter One

  Wildcat Ridge, Utah

  Early on June 5, 1884

  Blessing Odell conferred with Dub Reilly, her ranch foreman who was like a second father, in her study. “Dub, we’d talked about holding the horse sale here. Yesterday, the women’s committee changed the plan so the sale will be at the livery stable corral. I figure we’ll have to hire more men to get the horses to Wildcat Ridge for the sale and then guard them while prospective buyers look them over.”

  Dub pounded a fist into his palm. “If that doesn’t beat all. Don’t those women comprehend the problems of moving a hundred horses into town—even a small town like Wildcat Ridge?”

  She tidied her desk during their meeting. Since her papa had died in March, she had fallen a little behind on her paperwork. “Don’t suppose they do. Still, I don’t fancy having a bunch of strangers roaming around our place, do you? Better to keep them in town where they can find a room and take their meals.”

  “That’s a good point.” He eased back in the chair that faced hers. “We could use a couple more men fulltime now your papa’s passed and I had to fire that worthless polecat Jordan. Reckon we’ll need even more than that to help with the sale and all. Maybe two permanent hands for the ranch and three or four temporary cowboys for the sale would do us.”

  The foreman plowed his fingers through what was left of his graying brown hair. His brown eyes sparked with anger. “That durn Quartermaster Morse. Morse has a lot of gall reneging and saying he ain’t doing business for stock owned by a female. Your papa, God rest his soul, had a verbal agreement with Morse to sell those hundred horses to the Army just like we’ve done for years.”

  Thinking about that rejection made her mad enough to bite clear through a horseshoe but she didn’t want anyone to know how much the snub embarrassed and crushed her. “His loss, Dub, and in this case it’s fortuitous since I promised to split the profits fifty-fifty with the women in town.”

  Dub sent her a fond glance. “Sounds like the kind of thing you’d do, Buster.”

  His voice softened when he called her by the nickname she preferred, her birth name of Blessing being too sissified as far as she was concerned. Buster went better with ranch work and so did the men’s overalls she wore for everything but church. For Sunday she wore one of her split skirts but no corset, which still caused snooty remarks from one or two women. She hadn’t even worn her skirt to attend the meeting yesterday with the other women in town.

  No point dwelling on that now. She pushed the strap of her men’s overalls back up on her shoulder. Annoying thing wouldn’t stay in the right place. She was thin except for her bosoms. They were why the straps wouldn’t stay in place.

  “I hate Papa’s passing something awful and miss him every day, probably always will. At least I’m lucky he left me with a home, this ranch, and a good bit of money in the bank. I have you and Marnie and the hands to help me. Those widows have no one else to look out for them.”

  “So, you think taking care of the less fortunate in the world is your job? Now I come to think of the situation, your papa would likely do something similar. That yellow-bellied snake Mortimer Crane trying to throw women and children out of their businesses and homes is plain not right.”

  “Notices will go out Tuesday advertising the sale. Other ads will state that several widows are looking for husbands to help run their businesses. He’s even making Priscilla move out of the parsonage. We don’t intend to let Crane oust anyone else from her home.”

  She sent a loving glance to the man who’d worked for her father longer than she’d been alive. “I know this sale means more work for you, and I’m sorry for that.”

  In return, he sent her what she called his aw-shucks grin. “Don’t worry about me, gal. We have to get shed of those extra horses before they eat all your stock’s feed.”

  A bell pealed.

  She stood from behind her father’s desk. “Speaking of food, sounds like our breakfast is ready.”

  They strolled into the kitchen where Dub’s widowed sister, Marnie Keith, was in the process of setting a steaming platter of ham steaks on the table. Her apron was neat as ever but strands of her brown hair had already worked free of her bun. Thin and wiry Lucy Garton helped carry bowls of sliced and fried potatoes, eggs, biscuits, and oatmeal to the table. Marnie was cook and housekeeper and Lucy Garton helped.

  Tony Ortiz, Sam Jameson, and Mac MacPhearson entered the kitchen from outside. The three ranch hands couldn’t be more different in appearance. Tony was thirty-two, of medium height with black hair and neat mustache and flashing dark eyes. He’d worked for the Rafter O Ranch for seventeen years.

  On the other hand, lanky Sam Jameson was thirty with dark hair and blue eyes and had only worked on the ranch for two years. Mac MacPhearson was tall with broad shoulders and had red hair and beard and blue eyes. He was twenty-three and had worked for the ranch for five years.

  After the meal was underway, Marnie speared Buster with a stare. “Blessing Odell, are you planning on us feeding all these folks you expect to show up for this here horse sale?”

  “If they can’t afford to stay in a hotel then they’re not going to buy a horse. The ads that went out of town mention the Ridge Hotel for lodging. Garnet Chandler will be selling her café’s food. She’ll set up a stand by the corral on the actual sale day in town.”

  Mollified, Marnie picked up her fork. “That suits me fine. I don’t want a bunch of strangers messing about in my kitchen.”

  Buster didn’t comment that it was really her kitchen because she didn’t want any part of cooking and cleaning. Thank goodness, Marnie and Lucy took care of those awful chores. She’d rather muck out stalls any day than do housework. What she loved best was riding the range on her favorite horse, Sundown.

  The following day, Buster was in the corral working with one of the horses she planned to keep. She spotted a familiar figure riding toward the homestead.

  “S
am, would you take over. That looks like Mayor Fugit.” She handed the lunge line to the cowboy before she left the corral.

  Removing her gloves as she walked, she greeted her friend, “Hello, Hester. Nice to see you.”

  Hester dismounted but clung to the pommel. “Standing is always so hard when I get off a horse.” She held on for a few more seconds then straightened. “There, now I can walk. Do you have time for a chat? Um, maybe in your office.”

  “That sounds serious. Come into the house.” As they entered, Buster spotted Lucy dusting. “Would you bring glasses of cider and something to go with it for Mayor Fugit and me?”

  Lucy nodded and hurried toward the kitchen. After working here for a decade, she still wouldn’t speak in front of visitors. In spite of her crippling shyness, Lucy was a good worker and a sweet, kind person.

  Curiosity fueled Buster’s steps. In the study, she gestured to the chair facing her desk while she took a seat in what she used to call her father’s throne.

  “I know you don’t like to ride, so tell me what’s on your mind.” She pushed her overalls strap onto her shoulder.

  Hester shoved her gloves into her coat pocket then removed her coat and scarf, which she draped on the back of the chair before she sat. “I’ve so much to tell you I hardly know where to start.”

  “I saw you only two days ago. What on earth’s happened since then?”

  “Yesterday Priscilla, Etta, and I went up on the mountain. Lawsy, lawsy, you wouldn’t believe the changes. This is strictly in confidence and we must prevent anyone else from knowing—especially Mortimer Crane.”

  Hester leaned forward. “The explosion caused a mineral spring to erupt and there are several warm pools up there. We thought if we could buy the land and build a road, people would come here to bathe in the pools for arthritis, rheumatism, and the sort.”

  “What surprising news. Is it pretty around the pools?”

  Hester leaned back and sighed, staring into the distance. “Beautiful. I’ve never seen a prettier place.” She sat up and focused her gaze on Buster. “It means building four miles of road plus we’d have to get the land before Mortimer Crane learns about it. He’d snap it up immediately.”

  “If there’s money to be made, he would. Actually, if he even knew you wanted the land, the devil would buy it for spite.”

  Hester licked her lips. “Here’s the thing. If you could advance me the money, then I can buy the land and get a surveyor up there. As soon as I have his report then I can start hiring men to build the road.”

  “That’s exciting, Hester. Why, that could save the town. Of course I’ll give you the money. How much do you need?”

  Hester held up a restraining hand. “Not give, Buster, just loan against what you’ve already allocated from the horse sale. You’re too generous to us already. I wouldn’t have the nerve to ask you today but we have to move swiftly and there’s simply no one else.”

  Lucy brought in a tray holding glasses of apple cider and slices of cake. She set it down and scuttled out of the room before Buster could thank her.

  When Lucy had left the room, Hester spoke again. “We aren’t telling anyone about the hot springs, Bless… Buster, but I could hardly ask you for money without explaining why.”

  Buster took one of the drinks and toasted her friend. “Take a breather while you eat, Hester. I’ll come back to town with you and get the money from the bank. That way, Mortimer won’t know anything about our business.”

  Relief swept across the other woman’s expressive face. “Thank you. I know you’re busy with the ranch, but we have to act fast before someone else makes the same discovery.”

  Buster tried to visualize the springs from Hester’s description. “Oh, I agree. What sort of development do you plan?”

  Hester’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Once the land is ours and the road built, we want to fence the springs and build a cottage up there for a caretaker to live in year round and protect the place. We’ll need changing rooms, a ticket booth, and a place to sell refreshments and picnic supplies, souvenirs, that sort of thing.”

  “When people come to visit the springs, they’ll help the town. I’d worried that Wildcat Ridge might die, so this is great news.”

  After finishing the refreshments, the two set out for town. The day was sunny but a chilly breeze swept down from the mountains.

  Hester pulled her scarf tighter around her head and throat. “I hope we don’t have more snow to slow the road construction.”

  Buster smiled at her friend. “It’s like rabbit stew.”

  Her friend sent her a glare. “I know, I know, first catch the rabbit. Well, with your help, I hope that will be possible.”

  “I hope so, too. The town needs diversity to replace the mine.”

  Chapter Two

  Thad King and the two ranch hands with him had worked a fourteen-hour day. He figured Bart and Pick were as tired as he was. As they rode in, he noticed the barn doors were open wide.

  He rode Goldie to the barn and dismounted. The ranch’s four most important stalls were empty. That meant the four horses they’d groomed for breeding were missing.

  His employer and friend, Colin Ross, would never leave the barn in this shape. From the hoof prints, he saw that several strange horses had driven the four prize horses from the ranch. Where was Colin when this happened?

  Thad King ran to the house, looking for Colin. In the hallway, the battered body of his friend lay twisted on the floor. By some miracle, he was alive.

  Thad called to the two ranch hands with him. “Bart, you and Pick get a door or… I don’t know—something flat—quickly so we can get him to bed.”

  Bart took the door separating the kitchen and parlor off the hinges and laid it on the floor beside Colin.

  Thad eased his boss’ shoulders onto the door. “Easy, he’s likely bleeding inside.”

  Pick scooted Colin’s legs while Bart slid his hips onto the door. Slowly, they got the injured man upstairs and transferred him onto his bed. He moaned but didn’t appear conscious. Thad sent Pick to town for the doctor.

  Thad and Bart cut away Colin’s clothes so when the doctor arrived he would be able to treat the injuries.

  When Thad saw the extent of the bruising, he gasped. “What was the point of this? They must have been crazy to beat him this badly.”

  In spite of his healthy tan, Bart turned pale. “Oh, man, I almost lost my last meal. Thought I was going to have to stick my head over the chamber pot.”

  As gently as they could, Thad and Bart bathed the cuts and bruises on their employer and then covered him with a sheet and a blanket.

  Thad scooted a chair near the bed. “I’ll sit with Colin. You might as well get something to eat and turn in.”

  Bart paused at the doorway. “I’ll be back and bring your supper. Later I’ll take a turn, depending on what the doctor says. Way the boss looks, I reckon we’ll need to have someone with him round the clock.”

  While he was waiting, Thad bathed Colin’s face again and talked softly to him, not knowing if the man could hear him. “I’ll get who did this, Colin. I promise you I’ll find the men who hurt you and make them pay.”

  Colin’s only response was a groan that sounded as if he tried to talk.

  Thad leaned closer. “What did you say?”

  The rancher managed a raspy whisper, “Three… men…horses.”

  “Three men did this to you then took your horses? Is that right?”

  “Yesss….” Colin’s voice went from whisper to a puff of air as he returned to unconsciousness.

  The doctor arrived an hour later. His fast ride had caused his white hair to blow upward on his hat brim. Without his hat, he looked as if he was wearing a white bowl on his head.

  He opened his medical bag and went to work. “Appreciate you having him ready for me. You did right sponging off the blood.”

  “We did our best. Colin’s a good man and there was no reason to treat him this way.”

/>   “You’ll need to help me turn him on his side so I can check his back. Any idea who did this?”

  “No, but they stole four horses and I can follow the tracks once Colin is better.”

  The doctor met his gaze and Thad almost wept at the message he saw in the other man’s eyes. “I doubt Ross will last a week. On second thought, I know he’s got sand so he may linger longer, but he’ll never walk again.”

  Thad didn’t want to believe the prognosis. “How can you be sure?”

  The physician pointed at Colin’s back. “Look right here where the spine is broken. Imagine that hurt like a son of a gun if he was conscious when they inflicted that blow.”

  Thad didn’t need to be a doctor to see where Colin’s spine separated beneath skin bruised almost black. How the skin didn’t tear was a wonder. How Colin survived with his spine in bits was a mystery.

  Thad’s knees threatened to give way and his stomach churned. He balled his hands into fists. He wanted to strike the men who did this to his friend, shout obscenities at them, then shoot them.

  The doctor put his hand on Thad’s shoulder. “Calm down, son. I don’t need two patients. Save your anger for when it will do some good.”

  What point was wishing he could rid himself of this overwhelming feeling to get revenge? Wishing he could help Colin? Wishing his friend had never been hurt?

  He exhaled and forced himself to rein in his rage. “You’re right. I can’t do anything right now. I can ride out in the morning to follow their trail, though.”

  “Aren’t you the foreman? With Ross laid up, you’ll have a full time job taking care of Ross and running the ranch. I know he depended on you, thought of you like family. I’ll have to depend on you, too, unless you have someone who can nurse him or his kin can sit with him.”

  Thad looked at the doctor. “I don’t know anyone who would nurse Colin and do a good job. We have a woman who cleans and cooks but she wouldn’t agree to be a nurse. Chances of his kin coming are slim to none. In spite of that, I’ll have someone ride to town and send them a wire in the morning.”