Читать книгу Settling The Score - George McLane Wood - Страница 51

Chapter Fourteen

Before sundown, they’d stopped just below the low hill behind Jorn’s place. Jeff didn’t want him to see them coming in. The pinto had his head down; he was tired, and so was Ed’s horse. They could smell the barn nearby. Soon, ponies, soon. Jeff eased up and looked over the ridge. “Lay down over there and take a nap, Ed. We got time.” Later, when Jeff could barely see the barn, he said, “We can move now, Ed.” They walked slowly toward the barn, keeping it between them and Jorn’s house. Behind it now, Ed tied both horses. He opened the barn’s back door, glad it didn’t make a noise, and he and Jeff entered, moving to the ladder between two stalls.

Ed climbed up into the loft and threw down a bale of hay. Jeff lugged it outside and busted it open between the two tired horses. They snuffled thanks to Jeff then stood side by side and ate their supper. Jeff climbed up the ladder to the hayloft and cracked open the hayloft door just enough to peer out. A lamp was burning in the ranch house. No dog was about. That’s good for us, bad mistake for you, Jorn. Jeff would not have enjoyed silencing a dog. Both men settled down in the hay. Ed dozed, emitting a soft, occasionally sputtering snore. Jeff watched the ranch house door and remembered…

Sally had said yes when Jeff asked her to marry him. Jeff was surprised when she said yes so quickly. Her Poppa had married them in his church, and Sally went to live as Jeff’s wife at his ranch. Sally was a born western woman. She could do it all—ride horses all day, herd cattle, help with the branding, help doctor sick cows, help ’em birth calves when needed, and then she’d come into the ranch house at sundown, kick off her boots, and bake the best peach pie Jeff had ever tasted.

Her fried chicken, biscuits, and cream gravy was a wondrous meal. Ed swore Sally was a better cook than his own mama. Ed worshiped Sally. He treated her like she was his queen of the West. Sally was the best thing that ever happened to both Jeff and Ed and the JN Brand. Jeff wished he could turn back the clock. “Damn that man, Jorn Murphy. Damn him to hell,” Jeff muttered.

Ed heard him. He knew Jeff was remembering, and he stayed quiet.