1. Honeymoon Hazards
Circle C Ranch,
California, June 12, 1886
Music! Dancing! Food! Merriment! Let the
party begin!
Chapter 1
Andrea
Carter couldn’t wait to finish the wedding ceremony and get right to the reception.
She’d
overcome the first hurdle—descending the wide staircase without tripping,
thanks to Justin. She had stood patiently during Reverend Harris’s longwinded prayer
and his even longer words about marriage.
Andi
listened attentively while Riley recited his half of the vows. He only stumbled
twice. Poor Riley! He looked as jittery as a bronc rider competing in
his first rodeo.
Now, the last hurdle: her own vows. She
knew them word perfect.
“I,
Andrea Rose Carter, take thee, Riley Jared Prescott, to be my husband, to have
and to hold—”
She
paused when a breeze wafted through the open window, sending the aroma of
prime, spit-roasted Circle C beef into Andi’s nostrils. She swallowed. Her mouth
watered.
Then
her stomach rumbled.
Amusement
twinkled in Riley’s hazel eyes. He’d heard that loud, hurry-up-I’m-hungry
growl.
A
giggle bubbled up in Andi’s throat, but she squelched it. This was a serious
moment. She willed herself to ignore the tantalizing barbeque odors and her
grumbling stomach. She must focus on these all-important words. Now, where
was I?
Her
mind drew a blank.
A
gentle squeeze to her hand brought Andi’s panicked gaze to Riley’s face. “From
this day forward,” he mouthed.
“From
this day forward,” Andi picked up where she left off. “For better or for worse,
for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; and
I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us.”
The
last hurdle conquered. Maybe nobody noticed her long pause. Or if they did,
perhaps it would be overlooked out of consideration for the bride’s nervousness.
Ten
minutes later, and after another long prayer, Reverend Harris finished the
ceremony with his solemn, “I pronounce you man and wife.”
And
just like that, Andi and Riley were married.
As
a proper bride and groom should, they walked down the short aisle without
looking to the left or right. Heaven forbid that someone might accuse the newlyweds
of demonstrating “bad taste” by acknowledging their silent guests.
A
minute later, Andi and Riley burst outside. She drew in a deep breath, enjoying
the mouth-watering barbeque aroma to her heart’s content. As an extra gift from
above, the usual scorching midday heat this time of year had dropped to bearable
levels.
Andi
knew this pleasant temperature would not last. If she wanted to dance and eat
and enjoy the reception in her heavy wedding silks, she’d better not waste a
moment. By late afternoon, she would be too hot to do more than sit in the
shade and greet her well-wishers.
Andi
clasped Riley’s hand and smiled up into his proud, happy face. “What about that
first waltz, my knight in shining armor?”
Riley
grinned from ear to ear. “Absolutely, my princess. Lead the way.”
*****
Andi
lost count of the number of guests who swarmed into the Carters’ spacious
backyard that afternoon. They admired the decorations swaying in the breeze and
the profusion of flowers of all kinds and colors. They consumed quantities of Circle
C prime beef, Luisa’s famous tamales, mounds of creamy whipped potatoes, and
trays and trays of fresh fruit and small, decorated cakes. As the temperature
climbed, they drank gallons of iced lemonade.
The
Circle C ranch hands had outdone themselves putting the outdoor dance floor in
order. They swept it clean. Not one speck of dust marred the hard-packed
surface. Sid McCoy shook his nephew’s hand until Riley grimaced like it might
fall off. Sid then took Andi’s shoulders and drew her close. For the first time
in her life, the old foreman planted a fatherly kiss on her cheek.
“Welcome
to the family,” Sid murmured with shining eyes. “I reckon you finally did grow
up, and I’m mighty pleased.”
After
recovering from her surprise at Sid’s kind remarks, she smiled and hugged him.
The
rest of the afternoon passed in a whirl of merriment. True to Andi’s
prediction, the day turned blistering. She felt sticky with sweat under her
tight, hot stays. Her veil offered no protection from the bright sun, but she dared
not ask her young nieces, Betsy and Hannah, to run find her wide-brimmed hat.
No,
indeed! A black Stetson did not go well with her formal, white wedding
dress.
As
the afternoon grew hotter, Andi felt more like a limp noodle than a fresh
bride. She sought out the shadiest part of the yard and headed for it, much
like a snake seeking respite from the sun’s scorching rays.
Andi
sat down on the bench and winced. What a terrible comparison! How could she
think of snakes on her wedding day? Riley would certainly get a kick out of it when
she told him.
A
smile played across her lips imagining Riley’s reaction. She leaned back
against the valley oak’s rough bark and closed her eyes. This feels much
better.
“You
look beautiful today, Mrs. Prescott.”
Andi’s
eyes flew open, and she sat up.
Riley slid onto the bench beside her.
“I’m happy to just sit here and look at you.”
Heat
jumped into Andi’s cheeks before she could order her emotions back into a
corner. Mrs. Prescott? That sounded
like an old lady, not a girl who had turned eighteen years old only a month ago.
Riley
sure seemed to enjoy saying it, though. He’d called her “Mrs. Prescott” about a dozen times already, ever since the
ceremony ended three hours ago.
A
stray thought tickled Andi’s mind before she could shoo it away. What have I gotten myself into?
Yesterday
she’d been a free and laughing young girl. She and her colt, Shasta, had ridden
all over the Circle C ranch from dawn ’til dusk. Her only worry had been
wondering if big brother Chad would find something to boss her about.
Andi
smiled. At least that part of her life was over. No more big-brother bossing!
Riley
chuckled. “What are you smiling about?”
“Chad
can’t ever boss me again.”
His
eyebrows shot up. “That’s what you’re
thinking about on your wedding day?” He burst out laughing.
Andi
felt the heat in her cheeks spread over her face and down her neck. Good thing
the sun was hot and bright. It would look like a sunburn.
She
ducked her head until Riley put his arm around her. “I’m sorry, my princess. I
couldn’t help it. You always make me laugh. Don’t ever change. I want you to
make me laugh every day.”
That shouldn’t be too hard, Andi
thought. It didn’t take much to make life-loving Riley Prescott laugh or break
into a wide smile. “All right,” she agreed. “Just so long as you promise never
to boss me. I’ve had enough of that for eighteen years, and I’m done with it.”
“Cross
my heart,” Riley said solemnly. “I love you too much to boss you.”
“I
love you too,” Andi whispered.
She
peeked past her new husband and studied the crowd from this shady,
out-of-the-way spot. Everybody was laughing, eating, and dancing despite the
rising temperature.
The
Mexican music reached a fever pitch. Old Diego strummed his guitar as if he were
a young vaquero again.
“¡Otra
vez, otra vez!” the Mexican guests chanted when Diego paused to rest. He
laughed, nodded, and played another song, one even faster than the previous
tune.
It
looked inviting, if only Andi were allowed to change clothes and rest awhile
before the next round of merrymaking. She slumped against Riley’s shoulder and
stifled a yawn. “I’m tired.”
“I
know.” Riley squeezed her hand. “It’s been a long day. I feel a little glassy-eyed
myself.”
The
wedding ceremony had been a quiet family affair, but the barbeque reception afterward
swelled with more well-wishers than Andi had expected. It appeared that half
the valley had accepted the Carters’ invitation, and nobody looked in a hurry
to leave.
“I
had no idea your family would host so many guests,” Riley said. “I’ve talked to
every friend and relative you have.” He grinned.
“Well,
not every relative.” It was Andi’s turn to smile. “Uncle Benjamin, Aunt
Lydia, and Daniel weren’t able to attend.” Thank goodness, she added
quietly. Even after two years, Andi’s knee sometimes twitched painfully, a
stark reminder of how her cousin had nearly destroyed all their lives.
“Thank
the good Lord for small blessings,” Riley murmured. “I don’t miss that young
man’s company.”
A
loud yee-haw brought the couple around. Across the yard, two
scruffy-looking soldiers descended on Riley’s father, Captain Prescott, and
slapped him on the back in congratulations. His glass of lemonade went
flying.
“I’ve
met all your relatives and
friends too.” Andi giggled at Riley’s embarrassed look. “Half the soldiers from
those forts you lived at showed up for the barbeque. I was sure there must be
an Indian uprising somewhere when I saw all those blue uniforms.”
“Pa’s
men have some rough edges,” Riley admitted, “but they’re good soldiers.” He
shook his head. “They’ve added a bit of extra commotion to this gala, I’m
afraid.”
Andi
didn’t worry about the wedding festivities spiraling out of control. Her
brothers would keep things well in hand. She glanced up through the oak leaves
at the blazing, late-afternoon sun. Fatigue swept over her in another wave.
As
much fun as this fiesta had been, Andi was ready to admit she’d had her fill. Too
much sun. Too many people. How much longer before she and Riley could slip away
to start their Yosemite wedding trip?
Andi
had never been to Yosemite, but she’d heard plenty about its natural wonders
from the townsfolk who had made the trip. When the Fresno Daily Expositor
ran a story about trailblazer John Muir’s efforts to turn the wilderness into a
national park, Andi plopped the newspaper onto Riley’s lap. “I’d like to go
here for our honeymoon.”
Not
everyone had expressed enthusiasm for the young couple’s destination choice,
however. Melinda let out a disappointed groan when she learned Andi wanted to
explore the High Sierra. Big sister sang the praises of her own bridal trip
with Peter Wilson to San Francisco a year and a half ago. The opera! The Palace
Hotel! The Embarcadero!
Andi
shook her head. San Francisco held no good memories. It was the last place she
would choose for any destination, much less a weeklong honeymoon. No
sirree! Yosemite sounded like heaps more fun than the city. “And the sooner,
the better.”
“What
did you say?” Riley asked.
“Oh,
just wishing we could—”
“So,
this is where you two snuck off to,” Chad greeted, strolling up. “I haven’t had
a spare moment this afternoon to wish you congratulations, little sister.” He winked.
“You know, of course, that Justin and I arm wrestled to see who would walk you
down the aisle in Father’s place.”
Andi
rolled her eyes. “Sure you did.” It was never a contest. Justin had taken over
for Father more than ten years ago.
Laughing,
Chad pulled Andi off the bench and into a hug. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m
not moving back east,” she retorted. “You know our new place is only a
half-hour ride on a fast horse.”
“Ah,
but you are so much easier to tease when we’re living under the same roof.”
The
flamboyant Mexican music suddenly slowed to a waltz. Chad cocked his head to
listen. Then he took Andi’s hand and looked at Riley. “One more dance with my
sister?”
When
Riley nodded, Chad led Andi across the yard to the dance circle. He kissed the
top of her head and whispered, “For luck.”
*****
Andi wriggled out of her hot, heavy silk gown. She carefully hung it from the top edge of her
wardrobe and added her veil. “You are very pretty,” she told her wedding apparel,
“but certainly not suited for a week in the wilderness.”
She wasted no time slipping into her
familiar split skirt and plaid shirt. Then she unbound her stiff bun and braided
the mass of dark waves into one long, thick plait. “There,” she declared to the
floor-length mirror. “I’m back to the Andi that Riley knows and loves.”
Before
she looked away, Andi caught the reflection of a gold ring encircling her
finger. A cobalt-blue sapphire with diamond chips on either side sparkled. A warm
glow enveloped her when she remembered Riley’s words on the day he’d presented
it to her.
“I
want you to wear a ring that matches your eyes.”
It
was a beautiful ring. “I will never take it off,” she promised her
reflection.
“Andrea,”
her mother’s voice called from the hallway. “You’ll miss the train if you don’t
hurry.”
Andi
glanced around her room. She thought this morning was the last time she would
linger in her childhood surroundings. But no. She’d forgotten she had to
change, so this time really was the last time.
The
Circle C was no longer her home. Even on Sunday dinner visits, this would not
be her room. “Don’t be silly,” she scolded herself. “Riley and I have a house
of our own. That will be my home.”
Still,
Andi couldn’t stop the shiver that skittered up her spine. She had just taken a
major step in life. What had she written in her journal this morning? I will always remember June 12, 1886, as my
most memorable milestone.
She
smiled. Her journal whispered the truth. The wedding ceremony was
memorable, and the reception even more so. She would never forget the laughter,
the food, the dancing, and being together with her family and her new husband.
Everything
had gone perfectly. Then why was she feeling
such a sudden, inexplicable wave of anxiety?
“Andrea!”
Mother’s voice grew insistent.
“Coming!”
Andi called.
No
time for further musing. Her guests waited downstairs. She and Riley must say
their good-byes. Andi squared her shoulders, picked up her traveling satchel, and
left her childhood room behind once and for all.
Chapter 2
Madera,
California, June 13, 1886
Today is my first
full day of being Mrs. Andrea Prescott. I confess, this whole idea of being
married is a little hard to get used to.
“Wake up, Andi.”
Andi snuggled deeper under the fluffy quilts.
“Go away.”
She knew what would happen next. One of
her brothers would splash water on her head, but she was too tired to care. She
kept her eyes tightly shut.
When no water sprayed her face, she
opened one eye.
Riley sat next to her on the bed.
“We’re not going to catch that stagecoach to Yosemite if you don’t get a
move-on.”
Andi blinked. Visions of being rousted
from bed for school flew from her head.
Silly goose, she chided herself. She hadn’t been
in school for over a year. Well, if she didn’t count her short term as a
substitute teacher last winter.
Her mind cleared. No more school. Not
ever. No more mean brothers trying to pull her out of bed on school days. No
more icy water in her face.
She was so happy she sat up and flung
her arms around Riley’s neck. “Good morning! What time is it?”
“Eight-fifteen.” He untangled Andi’s
arms and stood up. A few strides took him to the window where he flung the
curtains aside. “The sun’s been up for hours, sleepyhead. Stage leaves at nine-thirty.”
Andi’s exhaustion from the day before
overwhelmed her just then. She fell back against the pillows and tried to
remember how yesterday’s reception had ended. Saying good-bye to hundreds of
guests? A fuzzy blur.
Dodging handfuls of rice and the
occasional thrown slipper? She certainly remembered that. Rice speckled her
hair all the way to the railroad depot in town. And why did people throw shoes
and slippers at the departing bride and groom? What a silly tradition!
“We don’t have to go if you’re tuckered
out,” Riley said. “We can stay in Madera.” He pressed his nose against the
windowpane. “Though, I’m not thinking there’s much to do or see here.”
“No, I’m fine.” She threw aside the
bedcovers and hurried to the washroom to splash water on her face and get
ready.
The Yosemite Hotel was a dream come
true. Rustic but with modern conveniences, like a private washroom instead of sharing
one down the hall with the other guests. I
reckon that’s why they call it the bridal suite. It must have cost a fortune.
Andi didn’t know how long it took other
brides to wash, dress, and do up their hair, but she managed it in fifteen
minutes. As a final, finishing touch, she let her braid hang down her back. All
too soon, a gossipy old matron would likely tell her to put it up now that she
was a married woman, but until then she could avoid a headache.
Besides, Riley liked Andi’s hair down.
“What’s the point of putting all that lovely hair up where nobody can see it?”
he’d complained more than once after a Sunday service.
Very forward
thinking, that young man.
Riley had been up for at least an hour.
He was shaved and dressed in his familiar duds—a long-sleeved shirt, dungarees,
high-topped boots, and a vest to hold odds and ends. His waist sported a shiny
silver buckle and new leather belt, Andi’s wedding gift to him. His jacket lay
slung over a chair, topped by his broad-brimmed Stetson.
The newlyweds breakfasted in the hotel
dining room along with eight or nine other people, who were obviously headed up
into the mountains. An older gentleman and his wife, both white-haired and
jolly-looking, chatted at the table next to Andi and Riley.
Across the room, two young couples ate
heartily. It wasn’t hard to overhear their conversation.
“Do you think we’ll be robbed on this
trip?” a young lady with tightly pulled-back hair and a pouting lower lip asked
the waiter as he served them.
“Oh, no, madam. There is no danger at
all.”
The woman’s mouth showed even more of a
pout. “Oh, that’s too bad. I do wish we were.”
Andi rolled her eyes at the silly
comment. Who would wish to be robbed? She caught Riley’s amused grin.
“Greenhorns,” he whispered.
Just like everyone else for miles
around, Andi knew the stories. The Yosemite Stage had its full share of robberies.
Highwaymen hid and waited, usually where the coach slowed down around the steep
mountain curves.
That’s when the thieves popped out and
demanded the strongbox. They also took watches, rings, money, and even buttons.
But that was all the robbers ever
did.
One would think that the reports that
showed up in the Expositor newspaper during
tourist season would scare visitors away. Instead, the incidents were looked on
as romantic.
Adventure
for the city folks, Andi
thought with a giggle. The idea of a romantic encounter with a real, live highwayman
in the dark forests surrounding a mountain road clearly added excitement to the
women’s otherwise dreary lives.
“Be assured, Miss Barbara,” the woman’s
tall, blond companion was saying. “I and the other gentlemen aboard the stage
will stay alert for any kind of confrontation.”
Riley stifled a snort, and Andi nearly
choked on her orange juice. “Time to go,” she whispered. “Before I change my
mind.”
Riley gave her a puzzled frown. “You
scared of getting held up?”
“Not at all. However, I might not want
to spend six hours stuffed in a stagecoach with this present company.”
“I see your point.” Riley rose and
helped Andi with her chair.
“Will you be one of those gallant young
show-offs to come to our rescue, Sir Galahad?” Andi quipped.
“Indeed, I will, my princess.”
Chuckling, Riley and Andi left the
dining room. They were first in line on the wide veranda when the Yosemite
Stage and Turnpike coach rolled to a stop in front of the hotel.
The
coach looked spanking new. It was painted bright red with large, red-and-yellow
spoked wheels. It wasn’t like other stagecoaches Andi had seen in the valley,
though. For one thing, there were no doors. Instead, the sides lay wide open to
the air . . . and the dust and dirt.
“Step
right up, folks,” the driver called from his seat in front.
Andi
stepped into the coach. Three rows faced forward, not including the driver’s,
which rested a little higher. Each bench seat looked like it could hold four
passengers, or five in a pinch.
Another
man stashed everyone’s luggage in a boot at the back of the coach. A Yosemite
adventure was not a day trip. By the time the stage pulled into the Mariposa
Grove six or seven hours later, the passengers would be too tired from rattling
and bumping around to ooh and ahh at the giant sequoias.
One
needed a good night’s sleep to appreciate Yosemite.
Riley
found seats for himself and Andi in the first row, just behind the driver.
“Less jarring,” he whispered in her ear.
Andi
nodded and looked out. She had a sudden urge to ask Riley to trade places with
her. There was no door, and no sturdy side. If the horses raced around a curve,
she might be tossed out like the end boy in a game of crack-the-whip.
A man with a moustache and hair that
curled around his ears settled himself next to Riley. “Howdy.”
“Howdy yourself,” Riley answered.
The man leaned back. “First time up to
the valley?”
Riley nodded. “But we’ve heard lots
about it. You been there before?”
“My brothers and I run the Wawona Hotel,”
he replied. “Came down to Madera on yet another business trip. I look forward
to going home.”
“Hey, Henry!” The driver poked his head
through the opening. “Mind riding up with me? Got extra passengers this trip.”
The man sighed. “Reckon so, Eddie.” He tipped his hat to Andi. “Have a good trip, ma’am, sir. Wait ’til you see the giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove. You’ll get an eyeful, no two ways about it.”
Chapter 3
Sierra wilderness,
June 13, 1886
“I forgot what a rough ride these
stagecoaches give a person.” Andi shifted her weight on the hard bench for the
dozenth time in an hour. “I can’t believe we paid forty-five dollars each for
the privilege of being churned like butter.”
What
a crazy way to spend a honeymoon! Melinda’s
laughing voice suddenly echoed in Andi’s head.
For once, Andi was forced to agree with
her sister. A horseback trek along the Yosemite Valley trails would be much
more to her liking than being stuffed into this rattling sardine can.
Every spot on the coach was filled. Along
with Henry Washburn, two male passengers sat in the driver’s seat, wedged in
next to the driver. Inside, the rest were laid out like sardines, with not a
speck of free space to stretch.
Two men shared Andi and Riley’s
front-row seat. The man closest to the other side of the coach had rusty-red
hair, a close-shaven face, and a quick smile. He pulled out his harmonica and
played a jaunty tune to pass the time.
Squeezed between the harmonica player
and Riley, an older man clutched a wide, flat case on his lap. When he caught
Andi’s curious look, he smiled.
“Howdy, ma’am.” He tipped his hat.
“Might I interest you in a reliable derringer?”
Andi stiffened. “No, thank you.” She
never wanted to see another of those tiny pistols again, not so long as she
lived. Once was enough. She’d used one to shoot her captor, Mateo Vega, in the
belly just over a year ago. Then she’d thrown Lucy’s empty derringer far and
wide.
“Don’t be hasty,” the salesman urged.
“I carry all types and brands. The Remington Model 95 Double Deringer is the
best protection on the market for ladies. Why settle for one shot when you can
have—”
“We’re not interested.” Riley cut him
off, and Andi relaxed.
Just behind them on the second row, the
two couples from breakfast laughed and joked. “We sure don’t have holidays like
this in Chicago,” one gentleman said.
“It is quite exciting,” the young lady
named Barbara agreed.
The back seat held an older gentleman
and his wife. They hadn’t said a word so far, at least as far as Andi could
tell. They were hemmed in on either side by two business-type men.
Conversation was hard to keep track of over
the rattling and banging. All except for the derringer salesman. He held the
harmonica player captive with a lengthy spiel on the merits of his various handguns.
Andi tuned him out, braced herself to
keep from sliding, and endured. Yosemite was worth the inconvenience.
Nearly five long, bumpy hours later,
Riley’s hand encircled Andi’s waist. “Steady. We’re coming to another curve.”
He peered past Andi to the rough terrain just outside the coach. “Looks like a hairpin
turn. Hold on.”
Andi shifted her weight away from the
open doorway, planted her feet, and leaned against Riley. The horses slowed to
a crawl. Not only was it a hairpin turn, but it was also uphill.
The worst turn so far.
Just then, the coach’s front wheel struck
a rock in the road, jarring the coach and jolting the passengers. They yelped
and shifted. Andi landed on Riley’s lap then bumped back into her seat.
“Sorry about that, folks,” the driver
called. “We’ll be there in an hour or two. This here’s the Ahwahnee grade, not far below the Wawona Hotel.”
Andi gripped the support pole next to
her seat. If we live to see it, she
thought with a groan.
Another tune poured out from the
harmonica player. The salesman seated next to him began to sing. Then Riley joined
in.
Andi grinned. She’d heard this song about
the California Stage Company many times.
There’s no respect for youth or age
On board the California Stage,
But pull and haul about the seats
As bedbugs do about the sheets..
Andi hummed along through the chorus
and the rest of the verses, enjoying the truth in the song’s simple humor.
The ladies are compelled to sit
With dresses in tobacco spit.
The gentlemen don’t seem to care,
But talk on politics and swear.
The dust is deep in summertime,
The mountains very hard to climb,
And drivers often stop and yell,
“Get out, all hands, and push up hill.”
The coach’s wheel slammed over another
large rock, and Andi’s humor vanished.
The stage eventually rounded the curve,
but no one was given time to breathe sighs of relief. “Whoa!” the driver
shouted.
Andi and Riley looked at each other as
the stage came to a dusty, clattering standstill.
“Landslide?” one of the passengers
wondered.
It was a reasonable cause for delay.
The steep mountain slopes often gave way to boulders large and small. They
tumbled down the mountainside and landed in the road.
Andi slumped in her seat. “Are we never
going to get there?”
“Patience, sweetheart,” Riley replied. “This
is all part of the adventure.”
“I reckon.” Andi couldn’t deny she was
ready for supper, a bath, and a soft bed. The noon dinner stop a few hours
earlier in Fresno Flats had faded to a dim memory. Andi leaned out her side of
the coach. “I wonder how big the pile of rocks—”
She caught her breath. It wasn’t a
landslide. It wasn’t a downed tree across the road.
It was two masked men.
Chapter 4
Unbelievable! Barbara’s
silly wish has come true. Our stagecoach is being held up.
Andi’s throat felt dryer than the dust
swirling around the coach.
Two bandits stood in the middle of the steep
roadway, mere yards away from the stomping, snorting horses. Both men were
dressed in black and wore their clothes inside out.
The smaller man was armed with a sawed-off
shotgun, but it was the tall man who grabbed Andi’s attention. He held a .44
Colt pistol like he knew how to use it. This fellow meant business.
Andi ducked her head back inside the
coach and tried to make herself small. “The stage is being held up,” she
whispered to Riley.
His eyes widened. His fingers found
hers and he squeezed. “Stay calm. If we do what they say, they’ll let us go on
our way.” He smiled, but his hazel eyes turned dark with concern.
When the horses had settled down, the
taller of the two men hollered, “All right, everybody out!”
From the seat behind Andi, Barbara
gushed, “A robbery. A real-live robbery. How romantic!” She tittered and
pretended to swoon against her companion.
Andi bit her lip and said nothing. Foolish
young woman. There was nothing romantic about being robbed at gunpoint in the
middle of nowhere.
The tall highwayman stomped to the
coach’s open side. He yanked Andi’s arm and yelled, “I said get out!”
Andi flew from the stage but caught her
balance just in time. She pushed away from the road agent and stormed, “Let go
of me.”
He backed away and raised his pistol
higher. “Shut up, miss, or else.”
Andi shut up. But she couldn’t help
staring. There was something familiar about this man’s voice. Where had she
heard it before? She peered up at him.
To her surprise, the highwayman stared
back. The brown eyes behind his mask opened wide. Then he growled, “Get going,” and motioned Andi to
stand clear of the rig.
Riley sprang from the stage. “We’ll do
whatever you say. Rob us and be on your way.”
The highwayman jabbed his pistol into
Riley’s chest. “I’m giving the orders
here, cowboy.”
Andi puckered her brow at his tone of
voice. I think I know him.
“What are you waiting for?” The tall robber
poked his head inside the coach and waved his pistol around. “Do I have to yank
you all out? Get out!”
The rest of the passengers scurried
from the coach.
The shorter highwayman waved his
shotgun at the driver and the two others riding with him. “Throw down the box.”
Thunk! The heavy Wells Fargo strongbox landed
in the road. It no doubt held the payroll for any loggers or other businesses
up near Yosemite. One shot from the tall bandit’s Colt, and the lock sprung
open. He lifted the lid and grunted his satisfaction at the contents.
“Shorty” lined the fifteen passengers
and the driver up against the stagecoach. “Empty your pockets.” He removed his
Stetson and placed it on the ground. “Put your money in the hat and be quick
about it.”
The hotel owner, Henry Washburn, looked
furious but said nothing. He dropped his pocketbook into the hat. Andi took her
cue from him and kept silent. She had no reticule or any cash. Riley, however,
tossed his pocketbook in with the others.
There goes our honeymoon, Andi mourned silently.
With frantic jingling, the hat began to
fill up.
“You ladies.” The tall bandit motioned
them with his pistol. “Take off your charms, bracelets, rings, and other
jewelry and put them in the hat with the cash.” He dropped his own Stetson on
the ground. “Fill it up, folks.”
Barbara yanked the earrings from her
lobes and dropped them in the hat. When she passed the road agent, she batted
her eyelashes at him. “I do hope you won’t hurt us.”
“Shut up.” He yanked a diamond-studded
brooch from the lace at Barbara’s throat. “Don’t forget this, ma’am.” He
chuckled and tossed it in the hat.
Barbara pressed her lips together and
returned to the arm of her companion.
Male passengers added their watches and
cuff links. When the bandit waved his gun in front of Riley’s silver belt
buckle, he sighed and began to remove his belt.
Andi choked back a cry. Riley had worn
her wedding gift to him for only one day. She opened her mouth to protest, but
Riley shook his head. He looped the belt and lowered it into the hat.
“Quite a haul today, Big T.” Shorty
grinned. “Two hats’ worth, especially after we empty the strong box.”
Big T nodded and turned back to the
passengers. “Please, your buttons too.”
Gasps rose.
He laughed. “Not from the ladies’
frocks, but from the gents’ shirts. I see some of you wearing pearl buttons.”
He singled out the older couple. “Hurry up.”
The older gentleman was clearly a rich
man. He popped his shirt and sleeve cuff buttons off and dropped them into the second
hat. His wife trembled. Her face had turned chalk white.
Andi’s blood boiled. How dare these
lowdown thieves terrorize an old man and an old woman!
“You there,” Shorty snapped.
Andi whirled.
“Yes, you. Hold out your hands.”
Andi’s stomach turned over, but she did
what she was told. Sparkling in the sunlight, her brand-new wedding band—the
one with the pretty blue sapphire and tiny diamonds—came into view.
“Toss that ring in with the others,”
Shorty ordered.
Andi thrust her hands behind her back. Never! she screamed silently. She’d had
this ring for barely a day. She’d promised herself that she would never take it
off.
“Andi,” Riley said gently, “give the
man your ring.”
“I can’t. It’s stuck tight.”
Big T snapped his head around. His eyes
narrowed, as if he had guessed correctly about something. “We’ve got enough loot.
Wouldn’t want to cut off the little girl’s finger just for a ring.”
Not
funny, Andi thought.
The robbers stooped over to collect
their stolen treasure. “Let’s get outta here.”
A sudden
flash of movement and two loud bangs told Andi that the derringer salesman had taken
matters into his own hands. She
and Riley dove for cover.
The other ladies screamed.
Andi raised her head in time to see the
salesman toss his Double Derringer aside and dig into his case for another small
pistol.
Shorty’s shotgun went off, and the salesman
dropped to the ground.
Andi squeezed her eyes shut. Had the road agent killed him?
“Fool,” Shorty muttered. He walked over
and looked in the case. “These are some right-nice derringers.”
The short robber should not have turned
his back for even a second.
“Let’s overpower them, men!” the driver
shouted. “It’s twelve against two.”
Leaping forward, the stage driver and Henry
Washburn flew at the highwaymen. The driver snaked an arm around Shorty and
began to wrestle him for the shotgun.
Big T moved like lightning. Before Andi
or Riley could react, Big T grabbed Andi by the arm. Pulling her to her feet,
he jammed his pistol against her temple. She winced.
“That’s enough,” Big T barked. “Let my
partner go.”
Chapter 5
Andi’s heart pounded. Anger, despair,
and a sick feeling in her stomach all swirled together. A hot flush worked its
way up her neck.
How
dare he! Without thinking about
the consequences, she doubled over and moaned, clutching her stomach.
The man lowered his pistol, but he
didn’t let go of her arm. “What in tarnation’s wrong with you?”
By now, Shorty had been released. He
smacked the man who’d tackled him and hurried over to the tall road agent’s
side. “These folks are crazy, all of them.”
Mustering her strength and courage,
Andi elbowed Big T in the stomach. Oof! He released her and stumbled
backward. Quick as lightning, Andi reached for his mask and ripped it away.
“Troy,” she whispered in horror. It
couldn’t be true, but it was. Her sister’s outlaw husband was at it again. How
long had it been? Six years? Hadn’t he learned anything?
Troy swore and swiped for his mask.
“Too late for that now, Big T,” Shorty
muttered. “They’ve seen you.”
Breathing hard, Andi backstepped until
she bumped into Riley.
“Of all the ridiculous stunts,” he
whispered. “He might have killed you.”
Andi didn’t reply. She laid a shaky
hand on Riley’s arm and watched this new drama unfold.
Troy stood frozen. He seemed to have
forgotten about the robbery. He gripped his pistol but pointed it at the
ground. “Yeah, Andi,” he admitted after a minute of tense silence. “It’s
me.”
“How could you?” Andi burst out. “When you rode off that day at the
creek, you had the perfect chance to turn your life around. You could have gone
back to Kate and the kids. I know they miss you. Why did you—”
“Shut up.”
Andi’s mouth snapped shut.
Troy raised his six-shooter and glared
at the group of frightened passengers. “No more surprises. I’ve had me a
bellyful. First, the gunshot. Now this.”
The injured man groaned.
Andi’s heart leaped. He was alive! But
probably not for long, not here in the middle of the wilderness. “I never took you for a killer, Troy.
A swindler and an outlaw, yes. But not a killer.” She motioned to the still
form lying on the ground several yards away.
“Scolding him won’t get us out of this
fix,” Riley warned softly.
“Have you any idea who this thief is?”
Andi snapped.
Riley shook his head.
“Troy Swanson.”
A look of realization dawned on Riley’s
face. “Your brother-in-law?”
“Former
brother-in-law,” Andi said. “We disowned him six years ago. I haven’t seen
him since.”
Troy glowered at her. “If it were up to
me, you wouldn’t be seeing me now, either.”
“Does any of this matter?” The older
gentleman stepped up. “Mr. Peterson is in great agony. He needs a doctor’s attention
before he bleeds to death.”
The gentleman’s wife lowered herself
next to Mr. Peterson. She examined him briefly then stood and faced Troy.
“Please, sir. I was a nurse during the War. I can stop the bleeding, but he
needs a doctor.”
Troy and Shorty exchanged looks. Shorty
shrugged.
“We’re a couple of hours from our
destination,” the driver put in. “They have a doctor there.”
Silence fell.
Andi’s heart drummed against the inside
of her chest. Please, God, have Troy do the right thing, she prayed
silently.
Troy chewed on his lower lip before
speaking. “Here’s what you’re going to do,” he finally said. “Two of you load
Mr. Peterson onto the stage. Then all of you men will accompany him up to
Wawona. I don’t want to be hounded by the law for murder.” He looked pale and
uncertain.
Andi relaxed. “Thank you, Troy.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” He pointed his
pistol at Barbara, Andi, and the other young lady passenger. “The nurse can go
along to tend Mr. Peterson. You three ladies will stay with Shorty and me. By
the time the men return, we’ll be gone. We will leave the ladies behind.
They’ll be tired and cold, but still here.”
“Over my dead body!” yelled Barbara’s
companion.
Troy stepped up and slammed the young
dandy’s face with the butt of his pistol. He dropped like a stone and lay cowering.
Andi looked at Riley. He was simmering
in rage and in fear for his new bride’s safety.
“We’ll be all right,” she assured him.
“I know Troy. He won’t hurt us.”
When Riley didn’t answer, Andi urged the
men, “Hurry, before Mr. Peterson dies right here. Troy will have no reason to
keep us alive if he’s marked as a killer.”
Troy nodded. “That’s a fact, Miss
Carter.” He shaded his eyes against the westering sun. “You’d better get a
move-on. It’s still quite a ways to Wawona, and it’s getting late.”
Three men carried the limp and bleeding
Mr. Peterson into the coach and laid him on the front bench. The older woman settled
herself beside him. She pressed a cloth against his shoulder wound. Her lips
moved in silent prayer.
The rest of the men reluctantly joined
her. The driver climbed up into his seat. “Giddup.” The horses took off.
Andi followed the stagecoach with her
gaze. Riley’s worried face peered back at her. He waved. “I love you,” he mouthed.
“Stay safe.”
Andi’s heart squeezed. Would she ever
see Riley again?
Chapter 6
The coach disappeared around a curve in
a cloud of dust.
Barbara burst into tears. “Oh, Martha,
what shall become of us?”
Not
so romantic now, is it? Andi
didn’t voice her thoughts. That would be unkind. She felt sorry for the two city
women. She felt sorry for herself. How
would they get out of this fix?
She turned to Troy. “Were you telling
the truth when you said you’ll leave us here and go on your way?”
Shorty snorted. “No.”
“Yes,” Troy cut in. “I don’t want three
weeping—I mean two weeping—women
around our necks. They’ll just slow us down.” He gave Barbara and Martha a
disgusted look. “Stop blubbering.”
The women threw their arms around each
other and collapsed to the ground. Their cries turned to muffled sniffles.
Shorty squatted next to the hats and
started transferring the loot into a rough burlap sack. “You’re gettin’ soft,
Big T,” he muttered. He shook his head and kept scooping.
Troy ignored him. He took Andi’s arm
and led her a little distance from his grouchy partner and the weeping women.
“Sit down.”
Andi sat.
To her surprise, Troy joined her on the
ground. “Really, Andi, we’re only keeping you here until we know for sure that the
stage has gone on to Wawona. I don’t want any sneaky passengers jumping off the
coach and coming back to capture us, or any other fool heroics. Shorty and I
will be on our way at sunset.”
Andi glared at him. She wasn’t sure she
believed his words.
Troy sighed. “I reckon you’re wondering
why I’m here.”
To
rob stagecoaches, Andi was
tempted to shout. She took a deep breath. “Yes, the thought did cross my mind.”
He looked at the ground. “After I left
you and the kids under that tree all those years ago, I debated turning myself
in. I thought that a short prison term—or even a long one—would be worth
returning to a better life. When I got out, I could settle down with my wife
and kids in San Francisco and find another way to make a living.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Troy shrugged. “I couldn’t.”
Andi waited. Stinging, accusing words
rose to her lips, but she swallowed them. A quiet voice warned her to be
silent. It was probably best not to aggravate him. After all, she had two other
lives to consider.
“I made it out of the hills and down to Madera,”
Troy continued his tale. “I figured the law was after me, so I made myself
scarce.” He sucked in a deep, regretful breath. “I panicked. I didn’t want to
pay the price of turning myself in. I couldn’t see myself behind bars.”
“That’s too bad,” And said softly. She
meant it. If Troy had turned himself in six year ago, he would have been
released by now. Robbery didn’t carry as stiff a penalty as murder or
kidnapping.
She looked into his eyes. She didn’t
need to tell him what he must already know.
“In the end, my current life seemed
best. Robbing coaches is easy pickings. Especially up here.” Troy nodded toward
the forested slopes that rose on either side of the road. “Lonely place, this
Yosemite road.” He chuckled. “And we have the reputation of never hurting
anyone.”
“Until now,” Andi reminded him.
Troy winced. “Fool. If he’d kept the
derringer in his case, we’d be gone by now. You and the others would be on your
way to the Grove and Wawona. A little poorer, of course, but alive and well.”
Andi glared at him.
Troy chuckled, but then a puzzled
expression covered his face. His laughter faded. “Hold on a minute.” He paused
in thought. “I saw only you on that stage. No brothers. No escort. Just that
young fella.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Isn’t that a
rather improper thing for Andrea Carter to do? To go traipsing off in the
wilderness without a family companion, and in the company of a young man?” He
grinned. “I’m surprised at you.”
Andi ducked her head and clasped her
hands around her knees. She didn’t reply.
Troy’s eyebrows rose. “No. It can’t
be.” He took her hand. “Is this what I think it is?”
Andi jerked her hand away. Troy had let
her keep her ring, but he’d apparently only made the connection this minute.
Thank goodness Riley was safely away. Who knew how Troy might use such a
discovery?
He whistled his surprise. “The
dark-haired fellow who donated his silver belt buckle?”
Andi nodded.
“What’s his name?”
None
of your business, Andi
snapped silently. “Riley Prescott,” she murmured.
“Huh.” Troy grunted. “He looks mighty
young. I can’t believe those brothers of yours would let you marry him.
Nobody’s good enough for a Carter girl.”
Andi met Troy’s bitter expression. “Riley’s
been Chad’s top wrangler for two years. Now, we have our own place.” Her voice
dropped. “We were married yesterday.”
Troy chuckled. “Is that a fact!”
Andi stormed inside at his
lightheartedness at her expense. “Yes, it is. We were on our way to the valley
for our honeymoon when you showed up.”
“Yosemite’s a bit untamed for a
leisurely bridal trip. What do you intend to do there?”
“Rent some horses and go camping and hiking.”
Andi felt her eyes light up. Then she slumped. “I reckon the whole trip is ruined
now. You took all our money.”
Troy scratched at his stubble. “How was
I supposed to know you were on that stage?”
Andi shrugged.
“How are—” Troy paused. He cleared his
throat and finished his question. “Katie and the kids?”
“Fine. Levi is as tall as Mitch now and
has really filled out. He comes out to the ranch every summer for a few weeks
to give Chad a hand with the hay harvest.” Andi smiled. “He’s a handsome boy.
Looks just like you, Troy. Brown eyes, brown hair. The girls have turned into
young ladies. Betsy just turned twelve, and Hannah turns nine next month.”
Troy said nothing, but his face showed
his longing.
“They miss their father,” Andi said. “It’s
hard to believe, but that’s the truth. Why don’t you go to the city and see
them?”
“Nah.” Troy shook his head. “By now,
Katie’s probably found some other fellow . . . an honest, upstanding,
God-fearin’ one.”
“No, she hasn’t,” Andi told him. “She’s
staying faithful to her marriage vows. She’ll never marry. She’s focusing on
raising the children. They’re going to turn out well.”
“Good to hear.” Troy picked up a stick
and tossed it into the forest.
“She loves you, Troy,” Andi said. “I
can’t imagine why, but she does.”
Troy grew silent.
“I thought—I’d hoped—you’d think about turning to God and straightening out your
life. Maybe even own up to the crimes you’ve committed.” Andi took a deep
breath. “You still could, you know. When I go home, I’m going to tell Kate I
saw you. That I talked to you. What shall I tell her?”
Troy’s eyes flashed. He stood up and
marched over to the loot. With a sweep of his hand, he yanked the silver buckle
and belt from the burlap sack.
“What the—”
“Shut up,” Troy snapped at his
companion.
Shorty shut up. There was no doubt about
who was boss.
Troy walked back to Andi and dropped
the belt and buckle in her lap. “Congratulations on gettin’ hitched, Andi
Carter. Consider this a wedding gift.”
Andi clutched the belt. She did not say
thank you.
Troy squatted beside her. “Listen,
Andi. If that fellow we shot lives, I’ll turn myself in. I give you my word. If
he doesn’t live, I can never give myself up. You understand, don’t you?”
Andi nodded, silently praying, Lord, please keep the derringer salesman
alive!
Troy’s voice dropped to a whisper. He
clearly preferred that Shorty not overhear their conversation. “Tell Kate I
love her. I didn’t know how much until I lost her. I reckon it’s all my fault,
and I see that now.” He drew a deep breath. “Tell the kids I . . . well, tell
them I’m sorry. I’ll come back when I straighten all this out.”
“Will I be telling them the truth?”
Andi held Troy’s dark-brown gaze.
He nodded and rose. “Shorty,” he
called. “Let’s get outta here.”
Chapter 7
Shorty slung the heavy burlap sack over
his shoulder and started for his horse. Troy followed. Andi heard a lot of
yelling and arguing, but when the two men rode off, the burlap sack remained on
the ground.
Andi, Martha, and Barbara ran to
it. The sun had set, but the last rays showed that the road agents had left their
stolen goods behind.
Barbara gasped her surprise and
fished out her brooch. “My stars! Why would those two villains do such a thing?
They robbed us, and then they gave it back?”
Martha’s eyes were huge. “I
don’t understand.”
Andi did. She smiled in the evening’s
growing darkness. Returning the loot was the first step toward Troy’s
redemption.
She fished out Riley’s pocketbook,
stuffed it in her split skirt’s deep pocket, and set the sack aside. “It’s getting
close to nightfall,” she told the women. “We’re free from the robbers, but we’d
best get ready for a long night.” She shivered. “Highwaymen aren’t the only
dangers on this wilderness road.”
Barbara’s jaw dropped. “We’re alone.”
Her voice shook. “In the middle of—”
“The men will be back for us as soon as
they can,” Andi told the shaking young woman. She pointed to a grassy area
under a large pine tree not far off the road. “We’ll make camp over there.”
Grasping hands, the women followed her.
“What about wild beasts?” Martha asked.
Andi shrugged. “What about them?” Her
insides quaked, but she answered matter-of-factly. She didn’t want frightened,
shrieking women to call hungry predators to their front door.
“What will we do?” Barbara whispered.
“I’ll light a fire,” Andi said. “Just a
small one, but it will be enough to keep coyotes and other creatures away. None
of them care for a blaze.”
“You can do that?” Martha gaped at her.
Andi reached into her pocket and drew
out two items. “I never go anywhere in the backcountry without a tin of matches
and a pocketknife.”
Barbara’s high-pitched giggle sounded anxious.
“You carry around a knife?”
“Oh, yes. My brother Mitch gave it to
me on my twelfth birthday. It’s often come in handy.” A long-ago memory tickled
Andi’s mind. Mitch shot, helpless. Her knife cutting away his blood-soaked
trousers. She shivered.
The women didn’t reply.
Andi showed them how to find pine
needles and dry lichen, as well as dead branches. In no time, she’d kindled a
small, hot fire. “Now, we wait.”
“For how long?” Barbara inquired.
“Until somebody comes for us or until
daybreak. Then we walk.”
To fill the dark, lonely hours, Andi
asked the women to share stories about their lives. It was a kind act, one Andi
wished she hadn’t undertaken. She was stuck listening to dull accounts of
balls, the opera, and the ladies’ travels on the European continent.
But it worked in calming the women
down. When they asked about Andi’s plans, she smiled. “Riley and I are on our
honeymoon. We’re going camping in the valley.” She chuckled at their
astonishment. “So, you see, this campfire is just the beginning.”
Later, when a nearly full moon stood
high overhead and cast its silver light on the road, Andi heard a rustling
noise. It came from the forest.
“Shh,” she cautioned her companions. “Scoot
closer to the fire. I hear something.” She reached around the pine tree and found
a thick branch. It wasn’t much good against a real threat. A bear or a cougar
would tear them apart, but it might scare off a pesky coyote.
The girls huddled together. “What is
it? A bear?”
“Just me.” Riley stepped into the
firelight with his pistol drawn.
“Riley!” Andi threw the branch aside,
leaped up, and flew into his arms. A sob caught in her throat.
Riley holstered his gun and enfolded
Andi in a heartfelt embrace. “Hey, everything’s fine. I’m here.” He gently
pulled her away and looked down at the others. “Are you ladies all right?”
They nodded.
“As soon as the stagecoach pulled up to
the Wawona Hotel, I rented a horse and headed back.” He nodded at Barbara and
Martha. “Your gentlemen friends were itching to join me, but what I needed to
do I could do better alone.” His looked turned grim.
Andi bit her lip. Riley had clearly
planned on disarming, or killing if necessary, the two robbers. He meant
business.
“My horse is tied up about a hundred
yards away,” Riley continued. “I waited until dark then slipped through the
forest until I saw the fire. Then I waited some more. When I heard only you
ladies, I assumed Troy and his cohort had left.” He frowned. “Which surprises
me. The outlaw actually did what he said he’d do.”
“Yes,” Andi said. “He did.”
Riley drew her close. “Like your mother
is fond of saying, ‘All’s well that ends well,’” he whispered into her tousled
braid.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Barbara
wrinkled her forehead in confusion. “Let’s be on our way.”
“With one horse?” Riley shook his head.
“No, ladies. We’re here for the rest of the night. The stage will come for us
in the morning.” He winked at Andi. “Keep the fire going while I fetch the
horse and bring him back. He’s packing supplies and some extra bedrolls.”
“We can’t stay here all night,” Martha
wailed.
“You can walk if you really want to,”
Riley said pleasantly. “Follow the road straight up. It’s two hours or more by
horse; probably the rest of the night on foot.”
Andi muffled a giggle when she saw the
ladies’ faces.
They slumped their acceptance.
When Riley left to bring back the horse
and supplies, Andi gathered more firewood. It would be a long night.
Later, when their bellies were full of hot
coffee and beans from tins, the two city ladies curled up in their bedrolls.
Andi and Riley stayed up. She wasn’t sleepy. Not in the least. She shared the
reason she believed Troy had left them.
Then Andi popped her surprise. She
dropped the silver buckle and belt, along with this pocketbook, in Riley’s lap.
His eyes widened.
“Troy had a change of heart,” Andi said.
“He made the other fellow leave the rest of the loot behind.”
Riley whistled softly. “Well, I’ll be.”
He curled an arm around Andi’s shoulders and drew her into his arms. “How’s the
honeymoon so far?” he whispered so as not to awaken their guests.
Andi snuggled closer. “The best ever.
This day has turned out better than I expected. I can’t wait to see what
happens next.”
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