Brazos Bride

BRAZOS BRIDE, Chapter Twelve

Water in the trough was used up and the well emptied. Men continued with their own dry blankets. They beat the sparks and set small backfires to halt the flames' spread. A few joined Bert and used shovels in the battle.

Crashes shook the ground as the barn’s roof caved. It seemed they worked hours before only charred wood, smoke, and ash remained of the large barn, with occasional bursts of flame in the smoldering interior. Blackened grass in a huge circle smoked, but only the central area harbored flames.

At long last, everyone stopped. Micah went from man to man thanking each one personally. Her cowboys tipped their hats to her and waited together while her foreman, Chip Wooster, rode over.

The stocky man wore his customary leather vest even in this heat. He rolled down his sleeves as he approached her. "You all right, Miss Montoya?" She understood the question in his eyes. She must look terrible and here she was on the Stone ranch with no explanation.

"Until the fire started, I was fine. Micah Stone and I were married yesterday. We stopped here before going home. Thank you for your help. I will be fine now that the fire is out."

If he was surprised, he gave no sign, not even a twitch of his ginger colored mustache. "Then I’d best get back to work." He turned to go.

She called him back, "Oh, Mr. Wooster? Mr. Stone’s men will be cutting the fence and moving his cattle to the river."

"Yes, ma’am." He tipped his hat and rode away.

Other cowboys from who knew where simply got on their horses and rode back from wherever they'd come.

Hope collapsed onto a front step, too exhausted even to make it onto the porch or into the cabin. She peered at what remained of her ruined shoes then smoothed her dress. Black streaked the yellow silk where it hadn’t been folded, creating an odd pattern of clean and soiled fabric.

She hated to think what her face and hair resembled, but she straightened her spine as she’d been taught. At least she’d only been at the edge of the fire. She couldn't imagine how tired and disheartened these men must be. Her throat still ached from the smoke and her mouth was so dry she wasn’t sure she could speak, but she was proud of herself for the little help she’d provided.

Micah dropped beside her, his body covered in soot. He slouched in fatigue. He stared at the remains of the barn that had looked new when they arrived only hours earlier. The other four men slumped beside him. Their appearance matched his. No one said a word.

Finally Bert raised himself up. Tears pooled in his eyes and made trails down his smudged cheeks. "Cap’n, I swear I put out the cook fire. Didn't want to waste the water, so I covered it with dirt real good. Plenty of dirt, honest I did." He shook his head in disbelief as he stared at the barn. "I can’t figure how this happened."

Micah didn't move. He looked too weary. "I know you put out the cooking fire, Bert. You're always careful. Did any of you smell kerosene when we first got to the barn?"

Joel said, "Sure smelled like it to me."

"Yeah, me too," Zach agreed. "Strongest on the back corner away from us."

Micah glanced first at her, then at each of his brothers. "Some lowdown polecat sneaked in and set that fire while we ate. What kind of protectors does that make us?"

Relief spread across Bert’s face. "You mean that fire weren’t my fault?" His temporary consolation instantly turned to anger. "Who’d do such a terrible thing a purpose?"

Slim shook his head. "Dry as everything is, the whole county could of burned up."

Micah stared at what had been his new barn. "That’s right. More to the point, each of us might have." He looked at his brothers. "You see what we’re up against."

"Your barn, your poor, lovely barn." Hope touched his arm. "I am sorry, so very sorry. When I asked for your help, I thought all the threats would be against me. You warned me you might be attacked, yet I had no idea anything like this might happen."

He covered her hand with his and gave a gentle squeeze. "I did. Whoever wants you out of the way has stepped up the plan. That’s why we need Zach and Joel helping at your place, why we need our aunts to cook."

"Don’t worry, little sister." Joel smiled through the soot covering most of his face. "You’ll be safe now."

She looked at what remained of the barn and then at Joel, Zach, and Micah. How could these men protect her when they couldn’t save Micah’s barn?

Zach rubbed at his jaw. "After what happened you may not believe us, Hope, but we plan to make sure you’re safe while we catch whoever’s doing this."

"I hope you can." She shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "I have no other plan to save myself." She looked at Micah. "You are not backing out then?"

Micah took her hand in his and rubbed a finger over the gold band he’d given her last night. How could she ask that question? "We’re married until you say different. You’re a Stone now, and we stick together through whatever comes."

He stood and pulled her up. "Why don’t you go in and rest. We’ll get things cleaned up enough to leave Bert and Slim here without making a hardship on them."

She examined her hands and looked down at her skirts. "I could not possibly touch anything inside until I have washed."

Bert shook his head. "Sorry, Miz Stone, but there ain’t no water left for a spell."

Micah scooped her up and carried her inside. "You rest on my bed." He flipped the pillow to the unused side then lowered her to the bed.

"Move that lovely quilt so we do not get black on it." She sank against the narrow mattress. "I told my foreman we are wed and your men would be cutting the fence and moving cattle to the river. No one will stop you."

"That’s good to know. I saw you talking with him. Now your ranch hands know we’re wed, Bert and Slim will go to the river and bring some water for washing." Micah unfastened her shoes and slid them from her feet.

She closed her eyes and sighed, as if relieved to be lying down.

"We’ll let the cattle start drifting to the water. It’ll save most of them."

"This side of the bank has a nice sloping beach, so they’ll be all right on their own today." She wriggled, as if trying to burrow into the thin mattress and pillow.

Need for her erupted inside him, a desire so strong he could barely restrain himself from taking her in his arms. He slid the sheet over her soiled dress then strode to the door, not daring to linger for fear he’d reveal his feelings and make a damn fool of himself.

Hand on the latch, he stopped and called over his shoulder. "I’ll be right outside. Call if you need anything."

The other four men were already at work stowing gear and tools they’d salvaged in the shed and lean-to they’d used before they’d built the barn. He motioned for them to join him beneath a stand of trees twenty feet from the house. "Looks like we have a tough row to hoe. We’d best talk over our plans."