Page 16 of Wellspring
Erick bit back the retort that sprang to his lips.He didn’t need to intensify the situation, but he met Carter’s gaze and cocked the rifle, holding it steady against his saddle horn.
“I’d take Heller over any dozen of your men,” Cade retorted.“Looks can be deceiving.Yours certainly were.”
Carter’s hand twitched on the butt of his rifle.Erick wanted to intervene, but Cade knew the situation far better than Erick did.He just hoped Cade would hold his temper.
“Fuck you,” Carter spat.
“Not if you were the last man left alive,” Cade replied.“Now are you going to let us through or are you going to start a range war?”
Carter looked as if he were giving it serious consideration before pointing his rifle barrel up to the sky.“Tell Miz Roarke if she expects to cross JR land, she best be ready to pay the price.Our generosity won’t last forever.Reckon the bill’s gonna come due soon.”He lashed his reins across his mount’s neck, and the group of them turned and rode off.
“Prick,” Cade muttered.By the time Erick refastened the rifle behind his saddle, Cade had the team back to a trot.He urged Zephyr to catch up, refusing to let Cade’s retort mean what it implied.
“Carter used to work at Wellspring,” Cade said when Erick reached him.“He’s a violent, abusive ass.Payne fired him after he tried to corner Chel a couple of times.She got away before he could do anything, but I’ll never forgive him for it.”
That reminder was enough to smother the arousal Cade’s bravery had sparked.His comment that he wouldn’t fuck Carter if he were the last man alive was meant to insult him in the worst way possible, nothing more.It was a reminder Erick needed to take to heart for his own safety.
Chapter Eleven
CADE DROVEon until well after dark, but since he hadn’t spoken since the confrontation with Carter, Erick didn’t question him.Fortunately the night was clear enough that the rising half-moon provided sufficient light to avoid any overt dangers.Finally, after passing a large outcrop of rock, Cade drew the team to a halt.
“Sorry for pushing so hard, but I wouldn’t spend the night on JR land.We just crossed onto Wellspring property.”
Erick patted Zephyr’s neck, but the horse hadn’t worked up a sweat.“We can continue if you wish to reach the bunkhouse tonight.”
The first smile since they’d left Austin lit Cade’s face, making Erick realize how much he had missed them.“It’s another half-day’s ride to the ranch buildings.Wellspring runs a hell of a lot of land.”
“You know the land and the situation better than I,” Erick said.“If you wish to continue, I will follow.Or we can camp tonight and make the remaining journey tomorrow morning.”
“As much as I want to sleep in my own bed, there’s rough terrain between here and the ranch house, and Payne would have my head for risking the horses.Unless Reichardt is already at the house, he won’t beat us there in the morning.”
“Then let us find a place to make camp.”
Cade gave him another luminous smile and hopped off the wagon.“Here is as good a spot as any.The outcropping gives us a bit of shelter, not that the weather is bad, and it’ll hide our fire from JR.”
“Are you that worried about what they might do?You said this is Wellspring land.”Erick dismounted and began unsaddling Zephyr as they talked.
“Call it being careful,” Cade replied.“I don’tthinkthey’ve gotten desperate or stupid enough to attack us openly on Wellspring land, but I’d rather be safe than dead.”He unhitched the team and hobbled them nearby.
“That seems a reasonable course of action.”Erick got Zephyr settled and began building a fire so they could heat up more beans and fatback for dinner.While he understood and supported Cade’s caution, he would be glad for a bit more variety in their diet.
“Just wait until your first meal at Wellspring,” Cade said as he pulled the pans from the wagon.It wasn’t the first time Erick noted how their minds traveled the same paths, though perhaps Cade was just as hungry as Erick was.“Javier is a wonderful cook, and there’s always plenty for all the hands.”
“Javier?”Erick stumbled a little over the unfamiliar name.
“Javier Trujillo, our cook.I don’t rightly know how we got lucky enough to keep him since his family are Mexican hidalgos.He don’t talk about why he left, but it’s our win.”
It seemed he was not the only one leaving a family behind to start anew at Wellspring.Assuming he would have that chance.“You are confident Herr Payne will take me on?”Erick hoped his uncertainty wasn’t reflected in his voice.He’d agreed to Cade’s offer to accompany him to Wellspring because he had no other option, but over the journey he’d grown to hope he’d find a place—a home—there.
“You’ve more than proven yourself to me on the way here.”Cade opened a can of beans and dumped them in the pan over the fire Erick had started.“He’d be a fool not to hire you on, and Payne may be a lot of things, but he ain’t nobody’s fool.”
Erick held that approbation to his heart.If he could have nothing more, at least he’d earned Cade’s respect.
“And if the JR outfit really does start a range war, we’ll need all the help we can get,” Cade added as he stirred the beans.“I hope it won’t come to that, but I wouldn’t put anything past those bastards.”
“You hate them so much?”Erick asked.
“They don’t have no respect for anyone who don’t think or act exactly like they do,” Cade explained.“They hate Payne because he’s black.They dismiss Miz Roarke because she’s a woman.I’m trash because I lived with the Comanche as a child.They’d give you a chance because you’re a white man, but only if you shared all their attitudes, which you don’t or you wouldn’t be coming with me.And as far as they’re concerned, if you don’t fit in with what they think, you’re worthless.”
