Bran (Prairie Grooms, Book Six) (3 page)

Three

Great. Now what was he going to do? He'd managed to catch her before she hit the ground, and now stood with her in his arms “Miss Sayer?” Like calling her name while holding her was going to do any good. He gently set her down, cradled her upper body with one arm, and patted her face with his free hand. “Miss. Sayer? Come now, lass, don't do this to me. I am
not
carrying ye all the way back to Clear Creek!”

Thankfully, he wouldn't have to. Her eyes fluttered open. “What… What happened?”

“Isn't it obvious? Ye fainted.”

“Fainted? Why ever would I…” She looked at him, eyes wide, and gasped. “Oh no! You!”

“Me?”

She nodded. “You! I almost killed you!”

He nodded. “Almost.”

Apple let out a wail and scrambled to her feet. “I'm sorry… So sorry! I didn't know!”

Bran let out a heavy sigh. “So everyone keeps telling me.” He looked at her and noticed how frightened she was. Did she think he was going to harm her? But then, hadn’t he planned to turn her over his knee the whole time he’d searched for her? Not that he intentionally wanted to cause her any real harm, but he did want to teach her a lesson. Perhaps having to walk back to town with him and stew over what she'd done would be lesson enough. “We'd best be getting back,” he said as he stood and started walking. Sensing she didn't follow, he stopped and turned. “Well? Aren’t ye coming?”

“I… I'm sorry.”

“Ye already said that.”

“I know, but I really am.”

“Fine,” he said and crossed his arms over his chest. “We've established the fact that yer sorry. Now let's get going while there’s still enough daylight.” He turned and started to walk again in hopes it would force her to follow. It worked. He could hear her crashing along behind him. The woman made enough noise to wake the dead, and happily he wasn't among them. But he still wanted to teach her a lesson. Maybe the walk back to town with him
wouldn't
be enough. Hmmm, let's see, what else could he do to show her the error of her ways?

“UMPHFF!”

Bran turned. The silly woman had fallen flat on her face! He hurried to where she lay and yanked her to her feet. “For crying out loud, lass! Be more careful!”

“You don't have to yell! I wasn’t looking where I was going! Can I help it if I tripped?”

He let go of her arm and looked her up and down, silently checking for damage, while at the same time keeping an appropriate scowl on his face. “I wasn't yelling, I had my voice… raised in alarm.” And he was, he realized, when he’d heard her cry out. He was also quick to convince himself it was because it wouldn't do to bring back the Cooke’s relative, damaged.

“Well you have a funny way of showing it!” she scolded.

“Do me a favor, lass, and just walk, all right? Now let's go.” He turned and started off again.

“Are you going to forgive me?” she called after him.

Bran stopped again, and balled his hands into fists. She had to be the most aggravating woman he had ever encountered.

“Well? Are you?”

“Am I what, lass?” he asked, his back still turned to her.

She caught up to him, her face suddenly contrite. Her lower lip trembled when she spoke. “Are you going to forgive me?”

Bran remained silent a moment or two. “I'll think about it.” He turned and started to walk again.

She gasped, and started after him. “What do you mean, you're going to
think
about it?”     He stopped. Again.

She ran right into him with a little “Oommphff!”

He took her by the shoulders and set her away from his body. “Just as I said, I'll think about it.”

She looked up at him, eyes wide with shock. “But, I'm sorry…”

“And I'm lucky to be alive,” he pointed out as he turned and walked away again. Maybe it was the wrong thing to say, but he just couldn't help it. Truth be told, he was still angry with her. If she wanted his forgiveness, she was going to have to work for it.

The girl trudged along behind him a few paces for the first half-hour of their trek, then stopped. The only reason he knew she’d done so, was that he no longer heard the swishing of her skirts. He stopped yet again, and turned to her. “What is it now?”

She was sitting on the ground plucking prairie grass with one hand. “You hate me.”

Bran’s mouth flopped open. Was she for real? But then, if he'd been the one to shove her into a safe, lock it, and be responsible for her life hanging in the balance, how would he feel right now?

Low, very low indeed. “I don't hate you, lass. But I am upset with you. There's a difference.”

Her face became downcast. “All I can say is that I'm sorry. Either you forgive me or you don't.” She got up, brushed off her skirts and began to walk. In fact, she walked right past him.

He watched her go about twenty feet, then threw his hands in the air, and started after her.
Fine!
He thought to himself. Let her walk all the way back to town in a huff. It served her right! Besides, it would make the trek much more enjoyable if she kept her mouth shut. Bran slowed his pace and let her gain some distance on him, and with any luck, he wouldn’t have to speak to her at all. However, not speaking to her was one thing, not to looking at her another. How could he not when she was stomping across the prairie ahead of him in anger? He was good at reading people, and measuring their emotions. He watched her angry defiance display itself in the way she walked, and, how at times her pace would slow, her shoulders slump, and remorse would take hold.

Good. She should be remorseful.

Another half hour passed before he saw a wagon heading their way. At this distance it was still hard to tell who it was, but Bran figured it had to be someone come to fetch them. Why else would a lone wagon be coming across the prairie where there wasn't any road?

The Sayer girl started to jump up and down and wave her arms as if she needed to be rescued from a wild band of Indians. “Over here!” she yelled.

Bran rolled his eyes and shook his head. “They can see ye well enough lass. Ye don't have to jump around to get their attention.”

“The sooner they get here, then the sooner we can get back to town
and
the sooner I don't have to speak to
you
anymore!”

“What?” he said in disbelief.

“You heard me,” she shot back as she planted her hands on her hips. “You've made it quite clear that you're not going to forgive me anytime soon, and that it pains you to be in my presence! So the sooner we get away from each other Deputy, the better!”

Bran fought the urge to sigh in exasperation. It would be normal at this point for her sorrow and remorse to turn into anger. But she wasn't angry with him, he sensed, so much as with herself. He knew because he’d done it plenty of times, and wondered how long it would take her to figure it out. “Fine, lass. I'll give no argument there.”

She squared her shoulders as her arms fell to her sides. “Fine,” she said, chin up. She turned, crossed her arms over her chest, and waited for the wagon.

Now that her back was to him, he shook his head and smiled. She was a feisty little thing, he’d give her that, and lively, very lively. He didn't know how else to describe her. He continued to smile as he looked at the wagon. He recognized Levi and his wife Fina, and breathed a sigh of relief. The girl’s relative would calm her down, no doubt, and he'd be spared any further confrontations with the little spitfire during the ride back to town. But the thought didn't bring him the relief he expected. Instead, he felt a pang of disappointment as he realized Apple Sayer might never speak to him again.

* * *

“Apple!” Fina cried as she waved. “Are you all right?”

Apple picked up her skirts and ran the last ten yards to the approaching wagon. “Fina!”

“Whoa,” called Levi over the jangle and creak of harness. “Whoa there!” He brought the team to a stop and set the brake. “Apple, what happened?” He then looked past her and saw the deputy.

Apple sent him a glare, then looked up at Levi. “A snake spooked my horse and I fell off.”

Levi looked at the deputy and noted his disheveled appearance. “And what happened to you?”

“I met the same snake,” was all Bran offered.

Levi looked between the two and shook his head as if to clear it. “You were both thrown off your horses by the same snake?”

Fina gasped. “A snake? What kind of a snake?”

“A rattler,” announced Deputy O'Hare. “A big one.”

“Oh, Apple!” said Fina with worry. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” she said and again sent a dagger of the glare to the deputy.

Levi watched them both as he climbed down from the wagon. “Your little mare came running into town and went straight for a trough. Wilfred noticed her and we figured something had to have happened.”

“We knew the sheriff's deputies were out looking for you, but weren’t sure who might find you,” said Fina.

“Then when Deputy O'Hare's horse came back, we got really worried,” added Levi.

“I'm so sorry,” said Apple. “This is all my fault.” Her tears began to fall. “If it weren’t for me, none of this would have happened.”

Levi helped Fina down from the wagon. As soon as her feet touched the ground she went to Apple and gathered her in her arms. “There now, sister. It's over and you're safe. That's all that matters.”

Levi took the deputy's hand and gave it a shake. “And so are you, I hear.”

“Aye,” he said with a sigh. “I'm no worse for wear.”

Levi patted him on the back and gave him a reassuring smile. He then turned to Apple and his wife. “Fella, what say we take Apple home with us? I'm sure she'll want the company of at least one of her sisters tonight.”

“That's a wonderful idea!” She turned to Apple. “You will won’t you?”

Apple nodded as she wiped away her tears. Yes, I'd like that very much. I don't want to be around the family tonight at the ranch. Everyone will just yell at me anyway.”

“Now, Apple,” said Levi. “It's not as bad as all that. The deputy is alive and well. We can't ask for more.”

“Except that it never happened in the first place,” said Apple as she stepped out of Fina’s arms and headed for the wagon. She watched out the corner of her eye as Levi turned to the deputy and shrugged. She knew Deputy O’Hare was upset with her and she didn't blame him. But she was also upset, and wanted to get as far away from him as she could. She’d been both shocked and annoyed when she found out he was the one she shoved into the safe. Of all people, a lawman! At this point she wished it really had been an outlaw. She wouldn't feel so guilty over a stranger. But this man everyone knew, and she was sure that
he'd
make sure that
everyone
knew what happened!

“We need to get back and let the others know we’ve found you,” said Levi. “Otherwise they'll be searching all night.”

“Where's Grady?” asked Deputy O’Hare.

“Chase has him down at the livery stable. Don't worry, he's fine. He trotted into town without a scratch on him.”

“Good. As soon as we get back I’ll go out and find the sheriff. By now he's probably reached the tree line and is searching the forest somewhere near your place.”

“Most likely, if that's the direction he headed. Henry Fig was going for Ryder’s place. It shouldn’t take long to find them.”

Levi helped the women up into the wagon so they could settle themselves in the back, while he and Deputy O’Hare rode up front. Good, Apple thought. She didn't want to have to be anywhere near the man! She sat next to her sister, who took one of her hands and gave it a squeeze. “Everything's going to be fine, Apple, you'll see.”

Apple shook her head. “Not for me,” she said in a low voice. “The deputy hates me now, and I don't blame him.”

Fina leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. “In time he'll get over it, and so will you. Just be thankful he's alive and that you didn't get bitten by that snake!”

Apple gave her a half smile. “I suppose you're right. I just want this day to be over.”

“It will be, and you can stay with Levi and me for as long as you want.”

Apple hugged her sister, leaned her head against her shoulder, closed her eyes, and waited for the ride back to town to be over.

* * *

That night Apple sat on the sofa and stared at the fire while Levi and Fina finished up some chores in the barn. She stared at the flames and wondered if she would ever have a husband to do chores with, to cook for, take care of, and in turn have him take care of her. She sat back and blew out a long breath. “I doubt it,” she said to herself, “especially after this.”

The front door opened, Levi, and Fina were back. “Why don't I make some coffee?” suggested Fina.

“Sounds good,” said Levi. He looked at Apple. “We even have pie to go with it.”

Apple sat up a little straighter. “Sister, you baked a pie?”