♞ Claiming His Filly ♞( Complete )

♞ Chapter 6 ♞

Chapter 6

           
              Harley had some business to take care of, as much as he hated leaving Myley's side. he couldn't put it off any longer.
    he debated on the wisdom of going at all but after the shooting...well, now it was just long overdue.

Saddling up Legend, Harley stuck his rifle in his gun boot and headed out across the yard. He hoped to the great maker, he did not have to use that rifle but after what happened to Myley, no one at the ranch was riding unarmed.

Harley took his time enjoying the solitude of riding on the same land where he had grown up.
He remembered when Mrs. B and Myley had come to stay with them; he himself was only 14 at the time. His own momma had fallen into a depression after she had given birth to Dusty; Harley always wondered why she married their Dad. She hated being so cut off from everyone, she loved the horses.  he remembered a time, she and his dad had spent time riding the pastures together in such a way that he never realized how unhappy she was... until she got pregnant with Dusty, that is.

Harley still wondered how and when it all really started but it was like one day she woke up and decided she hated the ranch and everything to do with it. She now wanted fancy clothes and days spent with her woman friends rather than the quiet solitude they all lived in.
After she had givin birth to Dusty it was like she just gave up on living. He remembered his dad's low voice trying to hide behind the closed door of their bedroom as he begged his momma to take a bath and come out to supper, to take a walk outdoors, to spend a little time with her sons. His dad never knew that Harley stood silently, ear pressed to the door, listening as his momma refused to live this "Heathen life" as she called it.

            Eventually the brothers quit asking about their momma.
they would go in every now and then and try talking to her. she always sat quietly in her room. in the corner sat a small, writing desk, where she spent days writing letters to friends and family that did not live nearby. She never even acknowledged them when they were in the room so that too stopped. Luke had given up also and placed an ad for a housekeeper, one willing to be a live in cook.
Mrs. B had come like a whirlwind and swept them all off their feet the day she arrived. She looked over their momma with a "Bless her heart" and then flew in the cleaning the house while cooking a lunch big enough to feed an army. Sweet little Myley had stood on the porch watching all the boys standing around gaping at her momma. She had to be no more than 8 years old; Dusty was only six and the first to approach her. "Hey there." Dusty had spoken with his sweet little boy smile. Myley had smiled back and hesitated as if afraid before finally answering. "Hi"

Harley had never heard a sweeter voice in all his life, all his protective instincts had come screaming to the surface as he watched her be so sweet and gentle with his baby brother.

            Myley's first day at school, one of the boys had noticed her. Not surprisingly considering she was such a fragile and angelic thing.

Harley and Kevin had been walking out on to the playground when they spotted the little boys approach. Harley had nudged Kevin and they had side stepped to head over in Myley's direction just in time to pick up the last half of the conversation.

"So you ain't even from around here?" The little boy had asked her. Myley reluctantly shook her head.

The boy had to be 2 years older than Myley, as he was bigger than she was. Harley and Kevin recognized him as the town drunk's boy, Everett.  "Well I hear your momma is the new maid out at the Hutch place and daddy always says that a maid is a fancy word for Mr. Hutch's whore." The little boy said nastily to Myley.

Myley just stood looking up at him with a confused expression on her pretty little face.

Seeing this, the boy felt inclined to explain, "Ya know, she allows Mr. Hutch to have sex with her for money." Myley was still confused and just as Harley stepped forward to shut the dumb kid up, he spoke again and this time Harley saw red.