Eleven

Marty stared at the leg and boot blocking her path. He was going to make a nuisance of himself after all. She would try talking first to not draw unwanted attention, but if that didn’t work, she would use other means of persuasion. “Please, move your foot. I would like to get by.” She tried to sound pleasant, but the words came out forced and terse.

He lowered his foot slowly to let her pass. When she did, he leaned forward and said, “Flash’s in the field.”

Marty stopped one step past him. She turned slowly and looked up at him. What was he up to?

“I’ve had a terrible time with him.” He strode over to the stable doors that opened to the field. “Can’t get him to come into the stable. High-spirited. . .like his owner, I presume.” He cocked his head toward her.

She glared at him, unsure of what to think of this stable boy.

“I saw you arrive with those two men and the little redhead girls. Keegan asked me to look after your horse. He said if I didn’t, you’d be pretty mad and to watch out. You don’t look dangerous to me.”

Just try and stop me.

“If you want your horse, you’re going to have to get him yourself. He won’t let me get near him since I unsaddled him the first night.”

He didn’t think she was capable of getting her own horse. She would show him. With her gaze still on him, she whistled for Flash. Flash’s ears perked, and he turned her direction. The ranch hand looked in awe at the galloping horse. He didn’t slow down at the fence but sailed over it and came to a stop at Marty’s side.

Marty turned to her faithful companion and rubbed his nose. “Good boy.” He rooted at her hand. “I’m sorry, Boy. I don’t have anything for you.”

Flash snorted and bobbed his head.

“That’s some animal you got there.” He reached out and stroked his neck. “I wouldn’t feel right about letting you ride by yourself.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“You gotta let her go,” Sally whined. “You just gotta.”

He looked down at Sally and knelt to be at her eye level. “And why is that?”

“Pa’s gonna make her one of the entertaining girls if her man doesn’t return,” Nevin said in her defense. “It ain’t right.”

So some of those “ladies” were saloon gals in residence to keep his men happy and return some of his own money to his pocket. “I told you, he’s not my man.”

“She has to save Daphne and Daniella. Those bad men kidnapped them,” Sally added.

The three explained the whole story to him before convincing him to let her go. “Nev, go to the kitchen and get her some grub for the trail. Sally, you climb up in the hayloft and give a holler if you see anyone coming.”

Nevin and Sally scrambled away to their assigned tasks. The young man took Marty over to a pile of hay. He brushed the hay away and pulled back a tarp. There was Marty’s saddle and all her gear, guns included. Her guns were clean and empty. She loaded her Colt and then the Winchester.

“You aren’t going to shoot me now, are you?” He held up his hands in mock surrender.

But Marty’s response was serious. “Only if you get between me and my nieces.” She picked up her saddle and flung it on Flash’s back. Nevin returned with the food.

Marty looked down at her dress. “I need to change.”

“Here comes Butch,” Sally yelled from the loft.

“No time now.” The stable boy shoved her up in the saddle. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Marty nodded. “Thank you.” She nudged Flash into a gallop away from the house, heading due west.

Marty rode hard and fast, weaving in and out of the trees until she was sure no one had followed her. She swung down off Flash and let him wander by a trickle of water, pooling by a large rock that she leaned against. Her heart thundered in her chest just as Flash’s hooves had thundered on the ground. She had gotten away and was on her way to her nieces. Hang on, Dani and Davey. She looked west. I’m coming.

She changed into her jeans and riding clothes and stuffed the dress into her saddlebag. She walked for awhile with Flash trailing behind her. It felt good to be moving after being rooted on that bed so long.

After about half an hour, Flash nudged her shoulder, and she climbed back on. They moved along at a good clip, but not the breakneck speed they had for their getaway. She went as far as she dared, even into the dark of night.

When she unloaded her gear, she noted that everything was there: her cook kit, ammunition, bedroll, even the coffee Cinda had packed for her. As if someone had expected her to need them. Did Reece know she would get away? Did he really intend to come back for her then? Why did it bother her that he might not? Maybe because she needed to believe he was a good man deep inside and wouldn’t let any harm come to her nieces. It tore at her thinking some harm might have befallen them.

After she ate, she settled down in the cold mountain air and attempted to sleep but stared up at the stars instead. The night was clear and cold. She wondered if she should bother to pray. She doubted God would bother to listen to her. He probably didn’t like her much because she wasn’t much of a lady. And if He did, He would only get in her way and try to stop her.

She rolled to her side and stared into the fire. She was anxious to keep on the move but knew she needed rest to keep up her strength.

❧

Cold and wet, Marty finally rode into the city called Seattle. The rain battered down on her. She had been riding in a steady downpour for the past two days. A hot bath and dry clothes would feel wonderful even if the only thing she had was a slightly damp dress.

Seattle was huge by Marty’s standards. She had never been in a town this big before. Her small town of Buckskin was more or less an accident. The local ranchers grew tired of the distance they needed to travel for supplies, and it grew from there. Now there was a livery, saloon, telegraph and post office, general store, barbershop, blacksmith, and schoolhouse that doubled for the church when the circuit preacher was in town.

This Seattle was a bit overwhelming. Marty had never seen so many people in one place. She had read of big cities, but it was nothing like experiencing one. She looked around in wonder at the number of wooden buildings. How would she find her nieces in this big place? Should she knock on every door? And what if the McRaes lived outside of town? This wasn’t going to be a simple retrieve and leave. She needed a foolproof plan. Simply kidnapping them wouldn’t work here.

She rode by a saloon, a grocer, another saloon, a blacksmith, and another saloon. It seemed that half the places in town were saloons. Marty pulled into one of the livery stables across from a hotel. She boarded Flash and headed across the street for a room and a hot bath.

As soon as Marty entered the hotel lobby, she could feel several pairs of eyes on her. She eyed seven dirty, unshaven men gawking at her. They were not at all embarrassed at being caught. Even Marty had enough manners not to stare. She decided to ignore them and headed for the front desk.

“I would like a room.”

The man behind the desk gave her an odd look. “You’re a girl.”

“I’m well aware of that shortcoming.” The group of men gathered around the desk and Marty. “Now, may I have a room?”

“Yes, Miss.” He turned and retrieved a room key, number 17.

“I told ya she was a she,” one of the older men said, throwing out his chest.

“Well, she don’t dress like one. Anyone could’ve mistook ’er fer a boy,” a tall blond said.

Marty rolled her eyes. The men continued to speak around her but not to her. She wished they would leave her alone. She signed the register. “Sir, where can I get a hot bath?”

“I’ll have one sent up to your room immediately,” the clerk said.

“My room?”

“Yes, Miss. I can’t let you go to the bathhouse down here.”

“I’ll take her bath up to her,” said a particularly dirty man. She wondered if he even knew what a bath was.

“And I’ll help her,” said another man.

“I can manage on my own.” She pulled out her Colt and spun the cylinder. “Any objections?”

The men shook their heads and stepped backward.

“You men git along,” the desk clerk said. “The dining room will be open soon for supper. Now git.” The men shuffled away in a huddle to the other side of the lobby and watched her.

“Miss, maybe you would prefer to stay at one of the nicer hotels,” the clerk said apologetically. “We don’t get many ladies here. You would probably be more comfortable in another part of town. I wouldn’t feel right taking your money without letting you know.”

Marty smiled stiffly and said, “I can take care of myself.” Why did every man she met think she was some helpless ninny? And why were those men constantly staring at her? Hadn’t they ever seen a girl before? It was probably that they had never seen one dressed in trail clothes. Well, she didn’t care what they thought of her.

“What’s with those men? Don’t they approve of a girl wearing pants?”

“No, Miss. That’s not it a’tall. Out here men will take a woman jist about anyway they can git one.”

Marty raised an eyebrow.

“What I mean is, women are still pretty scarce around here, and the men aren’t too particular.” He realized how that sounded and immediately stammered, “Not to say that you’re plain or somethin’s wrong with you. You’re right pretty. You’ll probably have five or six men fighting over you. If you’re looking for a husband, that is.”

Marty narrowed her gaze. “Well, I’m not.” She snatched her key and strode upstairs.

She could feel the men’s eyes on her, and a chill ran down her back.