Brazos Bride

BRAZOS BRIDE, Chapter Twelve

Brazos Bride

Chapter Twelve

Bert threw open the door and took off. Slim, Joel, and Zach followed.

Micah called, "Hope, stay inside and bolt the door in case there's someone out there after you. Don't come out unless the fire spreads toward the cabin." He slammed the door behind him.

She hurried to the window and looked outside. Fire, a rancher’s nightmare! The brothers led screaming horses from the barn. Bert whooped, driving them away from the flames and into a paddock. If the fire spread, at least the animals could run away.

Next the men dragged tack and saddles and a few tools out. There was no time to rescue more. In the dry air, flames licked up more and more of the barn. Black smoke billowed.

Buggy horses still tied to the cabin hitching post stamped and pulled at the reins, their eyes rolling in fear. She wished she knew what to do to calm them. If fire spread she’d set them free, but she wouldn't unhitch them yet.

She couldn't watch and not help. Leaving a beautiful flower garden quilt on one bunk she imagined as Micah's, she gathered other bedding not so fine and took it to the horse trough. Panic drove her and she plunged the wool blankets into the water. The men divined her intentions.

Micah threw down a singed horse blanket and took a wet one from the trough. "Thanks. Now go back inside the cabin where you’ll be safe. This may spread."

Quickly, Zach traded blankets. "Thanks, Hope, but this work’s too hard for you. Go back in the house."

On a run, Joel said, "Wait on the porch away from the sparks, little sister. We’ll handle it from here on out."

Bert warned, "Best stay well back, ma’am, lest a spark land on that fine yaller dress. You ought to take care of yourself."

Slim stopped long enough to ask, "Can I fetch you a chair, ma’am? Cap’n won’t want you tiring yourself out."

She gathered strength from deep within, but declined all their offers and commands and pushed the horse blankets into the water, then watched the men's progress from the trough. They had given up on the barn and only sought to stop the fire’s spread to the dry grass around it. Bert worked with a shovel, but the others whipped at the flames. As fast as they beat out a finger of fire, another stretched elsewhere. She prayed they'd be careful and not let the blaze surround one of them.

Smoke and flames ballooned high and wide. The men had pulled bandanas across their mouths and noses, but how much longer could they stand the fire’s heat and smoke? Already her throat and eyes stung. Heat scorched her skin. How could the men bear to be closer?

Plumes of sparks drifted to start new fires. She sought to calm the horses hitched to the rig and thanked God the other animals had made it out of the barn.

Feeling helpless, she attempted to lift a horse blanket. The wet wool’s weight defeated her. She couldn’t carry it, much less beat at the fire with it. Glancing around, she thought surely she could do something to help.

She reached under her and pulled the back hem of her skirt up between her legs and tucked it into her front waistband the way she'd seen some of the servant girls work on washday. With her yellow silk skirts up to her knees, she stood at the edge of the blaze and stamped out sparks before they caught the grass on fire. Her shoes weren't made for hard wear, but it was all she could think to do.

Soon she saw cowboys riding in to join the fight. She recognized her own men but there were others on whom she had never laid eyes. Everyone who saw the smoke would come to help. Fire could sweep across the dry range, endangering other ranches and cattle.