Page 18 of Wellspring
Payne opened the door wider.Cade removed his hat and cleaned the worst of the caked dirt off his boots before going inside, so Erick made sure to do the same.The inside of the ranch house was simple but clean, and when they walked into the kitchen, the woman sitting there—Frau Roarke, or rather Mrs.Roarke, he had to become used to the American honorifics—rose to greet them.She wore a plain cotton gown that didn’t hint at the kind of wealth that could afford to ship a full set of furniture from Europe to Galveston, and her stern expression didn’t change when Cade greeted her.
“This is Erick Heller.I met him in Galveston and he helped me on the trip back.”Again, Cade made his contribution seem larger than it was, but Erick bowed slightly and received a nod in return.
“Now what’s so important that you need to interrupt us?”Payne demanded.
Cade didn’t show any reaction to the pronoun, starting into an explanation of the conversation they’d overheard at the hotel in Austin.“Reichardt and Ulrich are up to no good.They were talking about trying to pressure Miz Roarke into marrying one of them so they could take over the ranch, but that’s not the worst of it.They said if she wouldn’t, they’d find other ways to get her land.”
Mrs.Roarke sighed.“How many times do I have to tell them they’ll take my land over my dead body?”
“That’s the problem, ma’am,” Cade said.“I think they’re starting to believe you, because they said once you married one of them, they’d have control of the land and it wouldn’t matter if something happened to you.”
“You’re not marrying anyone,” Payne spat, surprising Erick with his vehemence.
“Of course I’m not,” Mrs.Roarke replied.“But we still have to deal with them when we go into town or when it’s time for the cattle drive.I can’t just order them shot the second they set foot on Wellspring land.”
Payne seemed inclined to argue that, but she laid a hand over his, silencing him.“If we had a sheriff worth a damn, we might expect some help there, but—”
“But Lutz is so far up Reichardt’s ass he can spit out of his belly button,” Cade finished for her.“So what can we do, ma’am?”
“Not the way I would have worded it,” Mrs.Roarke replied without blinking an eye.Erick’s estimation of her went up another notch.“As for what we can do, nothing until they act on it.Talking isn’t illegal, even if they’re making threats.But forewarned is forearmed.”She turned to Payne.“No one out on the range alone, ever.And double the night shifts because however they decide to put pressure on us, they’ll do it at night—sabotage, trying to steal our cattle or horses, even outright attacks.”Then she looked at Erick.“I don’t imagine this was what you had in mind when you signed on here.If you’ve changed your mind, I understand.But if you stay, I need to know you’ll fight as hard as the rest of us to protect the ranch.”
Erick had to admire her determination.“This is my home now.I will defend it as long as I draw breath.”Even if he had not already given his loyalty and respect to Cade, the reception he received at Wellspring earned his allegiance.
There didn’t seem to be much to say after that.Mrs.Roarke smiled grimly and Payne scowled but nodded his approval.“Thanks for the warning, Webster.Heller, get settled this evening so you’re ready for work tomorrow.We start early around here.I’ll see you in the barn at six.You can show me whether you’re as talented as the last stray Webster brought back with him.”
Payne must be referring to Chel, though surely he could not be alluding to the position she was engaged in before she left Austin?“I shall do my best.”He bowed his head toward Mrs.Roarke before following Cade out.
“That went over about as well as I expected,” Cade said when they were alone.“At least Payne didn’t start cussing.Course he’s probably in there turning the air blue now, but that’s better than cussing at me.”
Chapter Twelve
THE DINNERbell rang just as they were leaving the ranch house.“It’s chow time,” Cade said, his stomach rumbling at the thought of Javier’s cooking.“We’d better hurry so we aren’t at the end of the line.Javier always makes plenty, but if we’re at the front of the line, we’ll be done first so we can go back for seconds.”
Erick laughed as they joined the other hands crowding toward the collection of rough-hewn tables and benches that served as the dining hall whenever the weather allowed.They all squeezed into the actual dining hall when it was raining or cold, but it was usually more comfortable under the shade of the live oaks than it was in the mess hall.As soon as they’d secured their place in line, Cade began introductions.
He wouldn’t have chosen to start with Burke, but he was the one closest in line.“Erick, meet Ned Burke, our blacksmith and all-around jack of all trades.He can fix pretty much anything.”
“You trying to staff Wellspring all by yourself?”The smith thrust a grease-stained hand in Erick’s direction.“First Chel, and now this one?Not as easy on the eyes as Chel, but as long as you don’t break anything I’ll have to fix, I guess I can work with you.”
“I would ask if you could look at the shoes on my horse, when you have the time,” Erick said.Cade gave him points for not wiping his hand on his jeans after they shook.“He has ridden hard from Galveston, and I am not sure the shoes he had when I acquired him will suit for this country.”
“Sure, Hoss, give me more work to do your first day,” Burke grumbled.
“Save your sarcasm—and your attempts at humor—for someone who appreciates them.”Cade elbowed Ned in the side, but he knew Burke would check Zephyr as soon as he finished eating.“As for staffing Wellspring, I just meet interesting people.”
“I’m interesting,” Burke protested.
“Like a rattlesnake is interesting,” Cade muttered.He smiled at Erick.Now that their news was delivered, he had two weeks of neglect to make up for, pushing from sunup to sundown, too focused on getting back to Wellspring to give Erick much attention, and while he couldn’t reach out and hold Erick’s hand the way he wanted, he could usher him through the meal and meeting the rest of the outfit in other ways.“Moving on.Now that you’ve met the worst we have to offer, meet the best.Javier Trujillo, ranch cook.Javier, this is Erick Heller.He’s just off the boat, so warn him before you feed him anything too spicy, okay?”
“Of course.”Javier handed them each a plate.“The enchiladas aren’t spicy by my standards, but if they’re too much for you, let me know, Heller.I’ll keep it in mind for future dishes.”
“I have eaten enough beans and jerky to enjoy anything you put before me,” Erick said.“Ca—Webster has praised your cooking, so I look forward to learning to appreciate a new cuisine.”
“You hear that, Burke?Cuisine,” Javier called to the table Ned had taken a seat at.“I think we’ll get along just fine, Heller.”
Cade ignored the byplay between Javier and Ned, used to their banter.No, he was focused on what Erick had said—or almost said.Erick had started to use his given name rather than his last name.It wasn’t much, but combined with Erick’s insistence in the barn that Cade was indeed his friend, it was enough to leave his palms sweaty and his skin tingling as he hoped against the odds.Whether that friendship could turn into an interest to match Cade’s own remained to be seen, but Cade was more determined than ever to find out.
CADE GUIDEDErick to a seat at the table Ned Burke had claimed, so Erick assumed the taunting between the two of them was not as serious as it sounded.The cook, Trujillo, had sniped at Burke also.It seemed that mocking comments were a common form of interaction, one he would have to accept if he were to fit in here.He very much wanted to shed the “just off the boat” image Cade had used to describe him.And as much as he appreciated Cade taking the time to introduce him to the rest of Wellspring’s hands, he needed to shed his dependence on Cade for everything.
