Chapter Fourteen
"You keep your damn mouth shut while we're here," Thomas warned Herman and the man nodded.
"Sure, I'll keep it shut. This is sheriff Atkinson's spread and I sure as hell don't wanna say nothing to piss him off. I heard tell that he once branded a man's forehead!"
Thomas pulled his horse to a stop outside the barn and Cookie eyed Herman warily, "Who is he?" he grumbled.
"A prisoner. I'm taking him down to Tortulla," Thomas replied. He had already said goodbye to Elizabeth and the rest of the family yesterday and he had seen Nathan in town with Brody and told him goodbye. He knew he should have just headed straight out but he had wanted to say goodbye to Sally first. He didn't want her to think that he had taken what he wanted from her and then forgotten about her.
He felt bad about leaving without waking her last night but she had seemed so peaceful as she slept that he hadn't wanted to disturb her, and staying with her until morning hadn't been an option because someone may have caught him there or seen him leaving.
"What did ya bring him here for?" Cookie asked.
Thomas gave Herman a sharp look, "You better stay right here. If you try to run, I think I should warn you that I can shoot a gnat off rover's ass with this rifle so you wouldn't get far."
"I'll be a good boy," Herman promised with a sneer as he made the sign of the cross on his chest with his shackled hands.
Thomas jumped from his horse and led Cookie out of hearing distance of Herman, "I wanted to say goodbye to Sally," he said.
Cookie frowned, "She's still asleep, Thomas. Weird for her too since the girl is usually up at the crack of dawn. Jacob seemed a bit worried a few minutes ago when he came out and told me before heading into the field. She must have gotten to bed late or something."
Thomas hoped the heat he felt rising in his cheeks wouldn't tell the old man exactly what had kept Sally up last night, "Damn. I was hoping she'd be awake. I don't know when I'll be back."
Cookie nodded knowingly and pointed at the door, "You can go on in and wake her up. Jacob is out in the fields so you'd be safe," he assured him wiht a wink.
Thomas shook his head, "I don't trust old Herman. It would probably be best if he doesn't know about Sally I guess."
Thomas looked up at the house with so much longing that it made Cookie hurt for the boy, "Are you sure?" he asked.
Thomas sighed, rubbed his hand over his scarred eye and nodded, "Just tell her that I stopped by.... And that I'll be back just as soon as I can." Cookie nodded, "I'll do that. You take care of yourself, Thomas."
"Thanks Cookie... You too." Thomas replied as Cookie lowered himself into his favorite chair.
Thomas turned and walked away and as he jumped on his horse and rode off, leading Herman with a rope, he felt as if he was leaving half of himself behind. He chose not to think about what that might mean and instead focused on getting this worthless waste of oxygen to Tortulla so he could come back to Sally.
***
Sally stretched her deliciously sore body and reached out for Thomas, only to find that the bed beside her was empty. She sat up quickly and looked around but he was nowhere to be seen. His clothes and guns were gone and her window was closed. She wanted to cry but then reminded herself that he had warned her that he could not make any promises and that he wasn't looking for love.
She had known those things and had accepted him into her bed anyway. If her heart was breaking, she had no one to blame but herself. She stood and washed herself off with the water still left in the washstand. She was still sore from Thomas filling her and the reminder of their lovemaking filled her with both pain and wanting.
Sally wondered why he hadn't at least stayed long enough to tell her goodbye but maybe he had been worried about being caught in her room and causing trouble. That must have been it. Thomas wouldn't just make love to her and then take off--that's what men did to whores, not women they cared about.
She pulled on her clothes and hooked her gun belt around her hips. She had to go check the far south pasture today for breaks in the fence and it would take her until dark. She stopped in the kitchen long enough to grab a fresh baked biscuit and slather it with butter.
"You slept late," Susie accused.
"I couldn't sleep well last night," Sally replied, wishing that she was a better liar.
Liza looked at her over the top of the book she was reading and her eyes widened, "You're glowing this morning," she said with a knowing smile.
"What do you mean?" Sally demanded as Ellie turned from the pie crust she was making and looked at her.
"Funny thing happened," Liza added. "I couldn't sleep last night.. It was a few hours before dawn and I walked down to the river to get some fresh air... I saw a man leaving the ranch."
Sally stuck half her biscuit in her mouth and shrugged as she headed for the door, "Musta been a hand or something," she muttered through her stuffed mouth and then she slipped from the kitchen to make a quick exit.
"It was not a ranch hand," Liza stated, "I would recognize that ranger's backside anywhere."
Susie squeaked, blushed and turned her back to Liza and Ellie. Ellie shook her head and let out a long breath, "Oh dear..... Jacob will not be happy."
"Maybe they didn't do anything," Susie quickly came to her sister's defense, "Maybe he just came to talk."
Liza snorted, "If that man showed up in my room in the middle of the night, there wouldn't be any talking."
"Liza! What am I going to do with you! I didn't work so hard to make sure you'd have a good life to have you act like this!" Ellie scolded.
Liza frowned and looked down at the table, "I lead a boring life, Ellie. I'm a school teacher for heaven sakes! I just like to act like a different woman when I'm away from Austin."
"I have to go get started on the laundry," Ellie said with a sigh as she laid her hands over her belly. "Liza, finish this pie crust." Liza stood quickly and took over the crust while Ellie walked out of the kitchen. Ellie stripped down Liza and Susie's beds and she walked into Sally's room with her arms loaded down with dirty sheets. She pulled the blanket back and saw the small smudge of blood on the whiteness of the sheets. She was sure her heart stopped beating for a full minute before it kick started back to life in her chest.
She hoped Sally knew what she was doing but deep inside she feared the girl was heading for a heartache. Should she tell Jacob about her findings? No! That answer was pretty easy to come by. Jacob would lose his mind if he knew and until there was a real problem Ellie would keep it to herself.
She stripped down the bed and carried all the linens outside to get started on the washing.
***
"Good morning, Cookie." Sally said cheerfully as she approached the barn. She couldn't seem to erase the smile that seemed permanently fixed on her face. She was sure that Thomas would come this morning and see her before he left for work. Last night had meant so much to her and she knew it had to have meant just as much to him. There was no way he could have faked that look of love in his eyes, even if he hadn't said any pretty words out loud.
"Good morning, miss Sally," Cookie replied as he stood from his chair, his old bones creaking.
"You don't have to get up, old man, stay in your chair." Sally scolded. Cookie snorted, "I ain't that old," he argued. "Thomas stopped by this morning. He wanted to speak to you but you were still sleeping."
Sally's heart fell even as it filled with love. He had come... But why hadn't he awoken her so they could talk? "Why didn't he wake me?" she demanded.
Cookie shrugged, "He had a prisoner with him. A man he has to take down to Tortulla. I don't think he wanted to leave him alone. Thomas looked like a kicked puppy though when he heard you was still asleep. I think he really wanted to talk to you."
"What direction did he head and how long ago did he leave?" Sally asked. She wanted to see him this morning.
Cookie frowned, "He had a prisoner with him, miss Sally. I don't think he'd want you chasing after him."
Sally stuck her hands on her hips and glared at him, "I didn't ask for your opinion," she snapped.
Cookie scowled, "He headed southeast about fifteen minutes ago." Frank came out of the barn then with a saddled horse and Sally held out her hand, "I'll take that horse."
Frank shook his head, "I was about to take her out to the field." he replied.
Sally glared at him, "I'll take her. Give her here."
Frank knew he didn't really have a choice. Sally was the boss after all and so he handed her the reins and walked back into the barn to get another horse ready. Sally jumped in the saddle, tipped her hat to Cookie and then took off at a fast gallop to the southeast.
***
"Looks like we got company riding in," Herman whistled as he glanced over his shoulder, "That looks to be a woman in that tight blouse." The dirty man licked his lips and wiggled his brows.
Thomas pulled his horse to a stop and turned it around to see Sally approaching them. He saw the lust filled look on Herman's face and fought the urge to blow it right off with one quick shot of his .45 revolver.
"Well hello there beautiful," Herman said with a leer as Sally pulled her horse to a stop beside them, "I like them trousers," he added, his eyes traveling across her body.
Sally shivered under his gaze and looked at Thomas. The anger on Thomas's face shocked her. He looked ready to kill and he wasn't looking at the prisoner, he was looking at her, "What the hell are you doing here?!" Thomas demanded.
"I wanted to say goodbye to you," Sally replied, sitting up straight in the saddle and refusing to let her hurt show. "Cookie told me you stopped by and wanted to see me."
"Is this your woman then, Thomas?" Herman asked with a raise of his brow.
Thomas glared at the other man and then turned his sharp gaze on Sally, "Hell no she ain't my woman. Just a pain in the ass little girl who doesn't know when to leave well enough alone." Thomas saw the hurt and pain so intense on Sally's face and he nearly broke down and blew his cover but he couldn't. Herman was going to be a free man one day, as much as that fact made Thomas's head want to explode, and Thomas did not want the man to know how much Sally meant to him.
"Thomas..." Sally gasped through her tear filled throat.
"Get the hell back home and leave me alone," he said harshly. Damn her for making him hurt her like this! Why couldn't she see that he couldn't spout out his feelings right here in front of this damn outlaw who lived for murdering women... The thought of him getting free from the rangers and coming after Sally to get revenge on Thomas made Thomas's blood freeze in his veins.
Sally couldn't believe Thomas was treating her like this. Surely he couldn't mean what he was saying.... He wouldn't hurt her like this. Not Thomas. Sally squared her shoulders and glared at him, refusing to let her tears fall, "Is there a reason you're being a complete ass, after everything we shared last night?!" she demanded.
Thomas shrugged, keeping his posture and his face indifferent, "Nope, this is just me, sweetheart. Last night didn't mean a damn thing. It was just rutting plain and simple. Now get home before you make a fool of yourself in front of this man here."
"Don't mind me," Herman said as he chewed at his dirty fingernail. "The longer it takes to get to Tortulla, the longer I get to enjoy breathing."
"Shut up you son of a bitch," Thomas growled, "You'll get to keep breathing forever by the looks of it. I done told you that they want you kept alive or else you'd already be a damn corpse."
Suddenly Sally understood, or at least she hoped she understood. Thomas was acting cold because he didn't want this nasty man to know that he cared about her. She prayed she was right and not just fooling herself.
"Fine then Ranger Cooper. I'll leave you alone. Just so you know though, you've lost the best thing you ever had," she spat, "And last night wasn't that great, just so you know. I had certainly had better," she added with a cruel smile.
"I never wanted to have you woman, least not for anything other than a quick roll between the sheets; now get the heel out of here," Thomas sneered.
Sally turned and quickly galloped away, fighting back tears and praying that she was right about his reasons for doing what he had done.
"She's a pretty thing," Herman mused, watching her go.
Thomas wanted to punch the other man square in the face but he couldn't do that because then Herman would know that he cared about Sally, "You don't need to be worrying about pretty things, Herman. By the time the rangers get done with you, you'll probably be an old man."
"Even so, I may have to come back down to Bakerstown and have a go at her."
Thomas felt his blood freeze in his veins and his hand twitched as he urged his horse onward, "I wouldn't do that if I was you. She's sheriff Atkinson's sister and crazier than a damn loon."
"Shit!" Herman spit into the dirt, "Well that sealed it for me. I ain't scared of many men but sheriff Atkinson is at the top of that list." Thomas picked up the pace of their horses, wanting to put as much distance as he could between Herman and Sally.
"Slow it down, ranger! My side is killing me!" Herman grumbled. Thomas rolled his eyes but didn't slow the pace, "If only," he mumbled under his breath. He had to get Herman to Tortulla and then get himself back to Bakerstown as quick as he could. He needed to make things right with Sally and pray that she'd listen to him long enough to realize he hadn't meant a word he'd said to her.... She was as important to him as oxygen. He needed her. He knew that now. He just prayed she'd believe him when he told her.