Authors: Cherie Shaw
“Exactly. You know, Logan, the funny part of this
whole affair is that I am a very wealthy man, so I don’t really need the income
from this Texas property. I’ve just been sitting on it, and reinvesting the
small proceeds from it. However,” Claude paused here, then took a deep breath
and grinned, “It’s only one small holding of mine, left to me by a distant
relative some ten years ago, who had no close heirs. I haven’t really paid all
that much attention to it.” Claude paused again, then continued with a shake
of his graying head, “I have always been a fair businessman, and as a result,
have demanded fairness in return. When my instinct tells me something is not
right, I always listen. I’ve built up a worldwide industry that had been in my
family for generations, but my instinct has assisted me in slowly, over the
years, increasing that industry a thousand-fold to what it was when I took it
over as a young man forty years ago. I don’t need the income from this ranch,
but I’ll bloody well be damned if I’ll sit by and watch some shifty characters
take away what will some day be a part, no matter how small, of my niece and
nephew’s inheritance.”
Logan
nodded
thoughtfully in agreement. “Exactly.” He said. “I will assist you in any way
I can sir, and be assured that you can count on Ricardo as well.” He thought
for a minute, then, “Wait a minute Claude. I have an idea.” Logan scanned the
area around them, then quietly said, “If it’s alright with you, Lord Beckford,
just possibly Ricardo and I could mosey on down to the Triple B and see if they
are hiring on any new hands. No one around here knows for sure if we are all
traveling together, or if we just met on the way here. Ricardo and I were
riding horses next to the stage anyway, so I doubt if any of the passengers
realized we were together. When we find out any information as to the
situation at the Triple B, we can report to you some way or other. At least
then you will be forewarned, and we can take whatever actions are necessary.”
Claude pondered the idea for a moment, “By Jove Logan,
that just may work. Let me think on the subject overnight. I’ll talk to
Olivia and see her reaction is to all this and you speak to Ricardo. We’ll
come to a decision in the morning. Meanwhile I have to get the ladies checked
into their hotel rooms so they can do some shopping before supper.”
Logan
nodded, tipped
his hat, then, picking up the trunks and other baggage that had been left; he
headed for the hotel entrance, following after Lord Beckford.
Lulu stood inside the mercantile staring out the
window toward the walkway where Claude and Logan had been standing, deep in
discussion. She wondered at the intensity of their hushed conversation, and
hoped that Claude would show up in the dining room for supper. Her situation
was dire. She didn’t want to work in her sister’s store for the rest of her
life, but that was the reason for this journey. She had promised Clara, her
widowed sister, as there was nothing else for her back east. Lulu’s fourth
husband had run off and left her some six months ago, leaving a stack of bills
for which she could avoid no longer. She’d filed for divorce on grounds of
desertion, then had left Philadelphia immediately afterwards. She needed a
rich husband. And fast. Lulu hoped the rancher she’d met on the stagecoach
was well-to-do. He appeared to be.
Lulu felt herself too classy to waste her years
working for a living anyway. Maybe that rancher who had been on the stagecoach
would weaken. He had a heavy British accent. She pondered briefly on that,
but it was of no great importance. Lulu gave a deep sigh, then walked back to
the counter, donned a white muslin apron and began dusting off merchandise.
Her sister, Clara, who owned the mercantile, had been ill, and the place was a
mess. Lulu wasn’t afraid of hard work. She just didn’t like it. Working for
a living was degrading to a lady of her looks and intelligence. Well, she’d
never had a problem enticing male attention before now. Surely she wasn’t
losing her touch in that direction. During supper she would work extra hard putting
on the charm for the rancher. He would most certainly be enamored then.
Wouldn’t he?
<><><>
Olivia stared at her uncle Claude in disbelief, as
they stood inside her hotel room. “Are you certain you have read this
situation right?” She spoke in a shocked voice. “After all this traveling, we
may not even be able to see your ranch?”
“I didn’t say that, Ollie. It is my property, and we
certainly will be able to see the place, even stay there. It’s just a small
matter of ownership that needs to be cleared up. I’m not sure it would be such
a good idea to take you ladies to the property as quickly as planned. I need
to see this attorney first, the one who oversees the property for me, then
again….” Claude paused here, “Maybe not before I find out what the situation
is there.” We need to think this over. Maybe I’ll just wait on seeing that
attorney. Who knows just how deeply he is involved in the workings of the
whole situation.
“Logan and Ricardo will be riding out to the ranch in
the morning, only to be seeking jobs on a ranch. Even if they don’t get hired,
it doesn’t matter, they will go there to look things over anyway, then report
back to me later on in the day. They’re both very experienced cowhands, so if
the ranch is shorthanded, they may be able to hire out for a few days and get a
truer picture of the place and its workings. Though I won’t know what should be
done until I hear back from them.”
Olivia nodded, “I trust your judgment, Uncle. It’s
just a disappointment, that’s all. I’ve lived at the well-organized Beckford
Manor estate for so many years; I guess I always expect things to go according
to plans, though from what I heard of Mr. Wakefield’s experiences for eight
years of his life, things were certainly not according to his plans. I should
have expected the unexpected on this trip to America.”
Claude smiled fondly at his niece, “After all these
months, Logan is still ‘Mr. Wakefield’ to you, Ollie? Can’t you refer to him
as ‘Logan’ now?”
“Of course, Uncle. It’s just that I’m not used to the
man; he’s a virtual stranger to me.” Olivia stated emphatically, trying to
cover for her nervous reaction to the mention of Logan’s name.
Shaking his head, Claude hid a knowing grin, then
quickly reversed the subject to the previous topic of discussion, “We will wait
here in town until I can figure out what to do about the ranch. Though from
now on, and from all appearances to the town’s folks in general, we are only
visiting the area, then will be traveling on to another town, to visit friends
and relatives.
“I didn’t want to worry you, Ollie. I figured you
should know just what we are possibly up against.”
Claude gave Olivia a quick hug, then said, “You get
some rest, and then you and Maria should do whatever shopping you need to do,
just be careful who you talk to, and don’t give out any information about why
we are here in Coyote Springs, or where we are going from here. I believe we
should keep a very low profile for the time being.
“Right now,” Claude continued, “I need to send a wire
to your brother, Garth in New York, to let him know that we arrived here
alright. Hopefully we’ll receive an answer from him as soon as he gets my
wire. The lad is so unpredictable. With a little luck he will have remained
at the townhouse and not left the country yet.”
“I’m still surprised at his marriage, Uncle Claude,
though I will admit he chose well. I like Bridgett a lot, and she just may be
the sort of settling influence that Garth needs. Her character runs deep, much
more than she would lead us to believe.”
“You are right about her, Ollie, as I’ve had the same
feeling about the lady. She portrays herself just the way she wants the world
to see her, though that’s not really the type of person she is. I’m sure Garth
saw beneath the surface as well.” Claude chuckled. “Those two go well
together, seeming to compliment each other. There will certainly never be a
dull moment in that marriage.” He walked toward the doorway, turned the knob,
then looked back at Olivia. “I’ll be back here at seven to take you and Maria
to supper. Ricardo knows to have Maria meet you here before then, although he
and Logan will not be dining with us. They will be busy making themselves
known around town tonight as two cowboys looking for work. I don’t want them
to be seen in our company, in case someone should detect as to why I am here,
and who I am.”
Olivia agreed with her uncle. He then left the room
and descended the stairway to the hotel lobby. As he headed for the outside
exit, the desk clerk called to him, “One moment, sir.”
“Yes, what is it?” Claude turned and strode back to
the desk.
“I remembered a telegram that came in a couple weeks
ago, addressed to Claude Beckford, that is you, isn’t it sir?” At his nod, the
clerk handed him the missive, and added, “I was instructed to hold on to it
until you arrived and checked in, then I almost forgot to give it to you when
you registered.”
Claude thanked the young fellow, then took the cable
and moved over to sit on a leather chair which stood on the far side of the
lobby. He hoped it was from his nephew Garth, and was not disappointed as he
opened the envelope. Garth’s telegram was long and detailed. The lad believed
in spending money at the western union offices. His messages were very rare
indeed, but when he did send one, he certainly made up for lost time. The
missives were always lengthy to say the least.
As he read the long and detailed contents of the
telegram, Claude mumbled to himself, “Interesting……very interesting.” He
thought. “Logan needs to read this one too.” Claude headed back up the
stairway, then after scanning the hallway, he lightly tapped on Logan’s hotel room door, which was the first door to the right at the top of the stairs. Logan opened the door, then stepped back to admit Claude.
After again checking the hallway and stairs, he
stepped into the room, then quickly shut the door. Holding up the telegram, he
told Logan, “I have received a very interesting wire from my nephew. You met
Garth and his wife, Bridgett, at my townhouse in New York.” He thrust the
thick envelope towards Logan. “Here, take your time lad. I want you to read
this and then tell me your reaction.”
Logan
’s expression was
puzzled as he hesitantly reached for the cablegram. He sat down on the edge of
the feather mattress, on the four-poster bed, and began reading. An eyebrow
raised, and a slight smile quirked the side of his mouth, as he read:
UNCLE CLAUDE,
HAVE SOME INTERESTING BIT OF NEWS FOR YOU. IT SEEMS
THAT CAPTAIN DEVLIN IS BEING DETAINED. ARRESTED BY U.S. INTELLIGENCE, IN
COOPERATION WITH BRITISH INTELLIGENCE AT THE NEW YORK HARBOR. RED DRAGON
IMPOUNDED. DEVLIN TRIED TO RUN. SHIP WAS ATTACKED BY U.S. MILITARY. SOME DAMAGE. DRAGON MAY SINK.
DEVLIN IS ON THE WAY TO ENGLAND AT PRESENT TO STAND
TRIAL FOR CRIMES ON THE HIGH SEAS INCLUDING SMUGGLING, SLAVES, KIDNAPPING,
FALSIFYING BOND DOCUMENTS, AND PIRACY. CAPTIVES ON BOARD SHIP WERE RESCUED AND
RELEASED AFTER MEDICAL TREATMENT. SOME WILL NEED TO TESTIFY AGAINST DEVLIN AND
CREW. TELL LOGAN HE IS NO LONGER WANTED FOR JUMPING SHIP. NO MORE WORRIES.
HERE’S A STRANGE BIT OF INFO: ONE OF THE CAPTIVES TO
BE RELEASED WAS OUR FRIEND HENRY J. ADAMS, ALIAS HENRY BIRCH. WONDER HOW THAT
HAPPENED. NOT SURE WHERE HE WAS HEADED WHEN RELEASED. BE CAREFUL.
GIVE OLIVIA MY LOVE. BRIDGETT SENDS REGARDS.
YOUR LOVING NEPHEW,
GARTH
P.S. YOU NEEDN’T REPLY. WE MAY LEAVE FOR ENGLAND, UNLESS YOU NEED ME THERE. WONDER WHAT HENRY ‘BIRCH’ IS UP TO? PROBABLY NOTHING
THAT REQUIRES INTELLIGENT THINKING.
Logan
handed the
telegram back to Claude with a wide grin on his face. “That happened faster
than I’d ever have expected. I know Garth said Devlin was being investigated,
but so soon after we left New York he was taken in? Well, I must say it
couldn’t have happened to a more deserving fellow. And that crew of his. I
hope they got all of them too.”
“Time will tell.” Claude answered, then putting out
his hand to Logan, he said, “Well, I believe I’ll turn in now. It seems my
nephew’s been busy.”
Logan
looked
quizzically at Claude, “Do you think Garth may have had something to do with
this investigation?”
Claude paused a minute before answering, then, “Logan, this is completely confidential so keep it under that black hat of yours. Not even
a word to Ricardo or my niece, but, yes, my my nephew is working under cover
for the British Government, and has for quite awhile. He doesn’t know that I
know, however, the Queen and I have spoken at great lengths regarding Garth and
his natural abilities and talents. She is quite impressed with him. I’m
guessing that flighty little wife of his may be in the same business. That
personality of hers is only a cover-up. She’s quite a talented actress, but
she doesn’t fool me a bit.