Mae: Book Six: The Cattleman's Daughters Read online

  A deep chuckle behind him made Reese turn from where he’d been watching Mae run to the house.

  “She’s a special girl,” the other man said, looking Reese square in the eyes. “Her great-grandfather’s been miserable without her.”

  Reese nodded, pulling images of the bony Chinese man up in his mind’s eye, but unsure what to say.

  “You interested in ranching?” the man called Stephens asked, suddenly changing the subject.

  “I’ve always been interested in the wild west and the frontier,” Reese replied honestly.

  Stephens chuckled. “I don’t know how wild it is around here anymore, though it used to be considerably wild, but ranching has its challenges.”

  Reese nodded, looking around at the well-built barn and the empty stalls.

  “Here,” the other man spoke again, handing Reese a pair of leather gloves and a pitchfork. “You help me finish up my chores and I’ll see about showing you around.”

  Reese had never in his life cleaned a barn. He wasn’t even sure where to begin, but the wrangler was patient and showed him what to do. To his surprise, there was something strangely satisfying about the physical work.

  “It was a good thing you did, bringin’ our Mae home,” Stephens spoke after they had been working a while.

  “I couldn’t leave her there,” Reese replied simply.

  Stephens paused in his work and leaned against his fork handle. “It’s more than that, but your business is your business.” He paused again, before starting back to work. “Mae ever tell you how her Chen Lou came to the ranch?” he asked, scooping muck from a stall and tossing it into a cart.

  “No,” Reese replied, wiping sweat from his forehead. “Actually, she spoke very little of him.”

  “The Broken J had finally been established, I mean really workin’ up ta’ something, when Josh found Chen Lou.”

  “Found him?” Reese was surprised by the words.

  “Yep. It was a bad time for Josh, the man’s seen too much sorrow in his life but somehow he keeps on going.” The sound of the pitchfork digging into straw punctuated his words and Reese followed suit.

  “Cammie, Alexis and Isabella’s ma, had passed a short time before. Left us all in a dark place. Josh felt like he’d done something wrong, like he was paying for some sin he didn’t even know about. Still he kept workin’. He had five little girls to keep going for.”

  Again the cowpuncher stopped, broke open a bale of straw and began scattering it on the now clean floor. “It was a couple of weeks before we got the whole story from Chen Lou, but it seems like he and his granddaughter Sue Lynn was working on the railroad…”

  “His granddaughter?” Reese interrupted, turning to look at the man.

  “Yep, they’d been doin’ the laundry for the men that worked the rails. Anyway, somehow the men found out about his granddaughter bein’ a girl…”

  “Stephens, you’ve lost me,” Reese rubbed his forehead. “Didn’t they know she was a girl before?”

  “Chen Lou had her disguised as a boy,” Stephens answered. “Now let me get on with my story. Ya see, Chen Lou come from China with his granddaughter ‘cause people didn’t like her being mixed race.” His dark eyes studied Reese’s face before going on.

  “Chen Lou’s daughter had taken up with an English fella and had a baby. She gave the baby, Sue Lynn, to Lou, but kilt herself ‘cause of the shame.”

  Reese furrowed his brow, putting the pieces together. He could see how a young woman might be shunned for having a child of mixed race.

  “So anyhow, Lou left China, came to California and worked there, raising Sue Lynn by working in the laundry.” The man chuckled, surprising Reese. “Lou likes to do laundry and ironing. Funny, ain’t it?”

  “I don’t know, is it?”

  “Well mostly men think that’s woman’s work.” Again the man chuckled, “Though things are different here, but that’s another story. Now where was I?”

  Stephens lifted his hat and ran a hand through his graying hair. It was obvious that he was the youngest of the men on the ranch, but he still had to be in his fifties.

  “So Chen Lou and Sue Lynn left the rail camp and started out to find a town where they could work. Josh was out riding on the range and found them and brought them home.” He smiled as he finished his explanation.

  “Then Mr. James married Sue Lynn?”

  “Not right away mind you, but yes. They were like two kids playing house, but they were happy.”

  “Didn’t anyone have a problem with him marrying a Chinese girl?” Reese questioned.

  “Who’d care all the way out here?” Stephens replied.

  Reese smiled. “Freedom,” he whispered, and got back to work.

  By lunchtime Reese could feel a tightness in his shoulders. He’d finished mucking the barn with Stephens, then helped to throw down hay from the loft and feed the horses. They’d also checked the big windmill that pumped water into a trough in the corral.

  Reese had never done any real physical labor in his life, and now realized that the few things his friends had considered sport had not prepared him for the everyday activities of a ranch. Still, it was liberating. No one told him what he should be or how he should dress or what job he needed to do. Something inside him seemed to expand to take in the wide prairie.

  Reese followed Stephens around the side of the house to where two big washtubs stood on a rickety old table. He watched as the older man stripped off his shirt and washed away the sweat and hay from his work.

  With a quick grin, Reese pulled his shirt over his head, exposing wide shoulders and a lean chest. He had always been athletic and smooth muscles rippled under his skin, but he could feel the ache of unfamiliar work settling in.

  Once washed, he pulled his shirt back on and walked around the side of the house to the back porch where two long tables sat, now loaded with food for the noontime meal.

  “Oh, there you are,” Nona called, her plump face passive. “Mae’s over at Rachel’s,” she pointed along the back yard to the bunkhouse. “Deek’s apartment is on the right.”

  Reese watched as the woman disappeared into the house, then turned toward the other building. It seemed he was being asked to fetch Mae.

  A medium-sized dog walked around the side of the bunkhouse and wagged its tail at him as Reese knocked on the door. “Hello,” he said as he waited for the door to be opened. The mutt let him pat its head before it wandered off toward a garden green and ripe with produce.

  Reese knocked again, this time harder. “Come in,” a voice called from the interior, and he laid his hand on the latch, pushed, and stepped through the door. The small apartment was full of light from the large window in the front of the building, illuminating a one room living area complete with bed and bureau at the back and table, hutch, and cook stove at the front.

  “You really did bring home a city slicker, didn’t you, Mae?” a woman said, turning toward him, her blue eyes suspicious.

  “Aunt Rachel,” Mae protested. “He’s been wonderful. His sister, Mel, is my dearest friend.”

  The woman in her early fifties, with gold and silver hair hanging loose down her back, eyed him skeptically. He was surprised to hear an obviously educated voice wrapped in such simple garb.

  “Reese, this is my Aunt Rachel, she married Deeks a few years ago. He’s the blacksmith here at the ranch.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” he said, offering his hand.

  Rachel Deeks’ blue eyes seemed to strip him bare, measure, and try him all at once. He’d only seen eyes like that once before. Eyes that had seen too much of the world.

  “Bianca must have sent you to fetch us for lunch,” the older woman said, her eyes still cool.

  “Yes, Ma’am,” Reese replied withdrawing his hand.

  “Mae, won’t you run along to the house and I’ll follow with Mr. Middleton in a moment. I need a man to help me lift something.”

  Mae looked between Reese and her aunt, feeling like some
thing was happening, but not sure what. “Alright,” she said, “don’t be long.” She smiled, waving a small hand as she left.

  Reese turned back to the woman before him. She wasn’t a big woman, though middle age had added to her girth. He shivered at the look in her eyes.

  “That girl is no one to be trifled with,” the woman began. “She’s had a hard time with that Jemma from what she said, and I’ll not have anyone taking advantage of her.”

  Reese Middleton stood to his full height of six foot two, his face going red with anger at the veiled suggestion in the woman’s voice.

  “Mrs. Deeks,” he said coldly, fisting his hands to keep his temper under control. “I may not be what anyone expected here at the Broken J, but one thing I can promise you is that I will never take advantage of Mae.”

  For a long moment the woman stood there studying him while shadows passed in her eyes, and as his heartbeats lengthened, he considered simply walking away.

  Rachel Deeks reached out her hand. “I believe you,” she said and with the words a strange transformation took place. Where before her eyes were hard and cold, they now shone brightly with a new light. A soft smile played at her lips and he could see the true beauty that she’d once been.

  “I’m glad we understand each other,” Reese said, taking her hand and shaking it. “Mae is too special.” He ducked his head at his foolish words.

  “That she is,” the woman replied squeezing his hand. “She will never turn away from a body in need, no matter who or even what they are, but she’s too trusting.”

  “I’d like to look after her…” Reese tried, then stopped, shaking his head.

  “I’ll pray for you, young man,” Rachel spoke softly. “Try to have faith. Now let’s go to lunch.”

  Chapter 25

  Mae woke early, excitement coursing through her veins. She’d been back on the Broken J for two weeks and it was glorious to be home. She’d been having a wonderful time exploring her old haunts and showing Reese the ranch.

  She smiled, thinking of all of the work Stephens had kept Reese busy with. It was funny to see a grown man learning how to do basic things that she’d grown up with. She’d laughed when Ye-ye told her how shocked the man from Boston had been at the bathhouse. Pleased, but shocked.

  “He seem to think we are uncivilized,” the old man had said with a twinkle one night as they visited in her room. “Then we tell him he have to fill his own tub.” The old man had laughed. “He said he need to pay his servants more.”

  It had been wonderful to be home, to spend time with her Ye-ye and all of her sisters. It was different returning from far away, as if she and her siblings now had more to talk about. She had barely had time to get to know her newest brothers-in-law, Reginald and Taylor, before she’d left for Boston. Now they amazed her with how they’d become an integral part of the ranch, each offering a special skill all his own.

  Laughing at all of the wonders of the Broken J, Mae wriggled into her jeans and big flannel shirt. Today was going to be special. Stephens was going to let Reese rope a calf. She giggled again thinking about what a show it would be and snatched up her boots.

  Standing, Mae stomped her feet into her high-heeled riding footwear. A sudden stabbing pain raced through her heel as a burning ache ran up her leg.

  “Ouch, ouch, ouch!” She wailed, realizing she hadn’t shaken out her boots. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she started to pull her boot off before the room started to spin and everything went black.

  *****

  Reese Middleton shook out the lariat again and swung for the fence post. He’d gotten pretty good at catching posts. Hopefully he wouldn’t make too much of fool out of himself today, trying to rope an actual animal.

  All the men of the Broken J were gathered around the corral, talking and waiting to see what he could do.

  “Help! Help!” Fiona came rushing out of the ranch house. “Help! Pa, it’s Mae!” Bright tears ran down the young woman’s face.

  Reese ran. He flew over the fence as if it didn’t exist and dashed through the front door, almost knocking Fiona to the floor in his rush.

  Standing in the hall on the other side of the door, he gazed around him. Where was she? A sob drifted down the stairs and he charged upward, taking them two and three at a time.

  Katie, Alexis, and Isabella stood by Mae’s door.

  “Let me through,” he commanded, and they parted, giving him access to the brightly painted space.

  Bianca Leoné knelt on the floor, holding Mae’s hand and sobbing. “Mae, wake up Mae.”

  Gently, Reese laid a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “What happened?” he asked, forcing his voice to be calm.

  “It’s just like her mother,” Nona wailed, “I can’t see a thing wrong with her.”

  “Help me get her into the bed,” Reese spoke, his voice firm, as he slid his arms under the still form of the petite girl.

  Nona pulled back the blankets as he laid Mae on the white sheets, her black hair an inky contrast to the brightness.

  “One of you girls get my case from my room please,” Reese spoke softly, firmly as he looked back over his shoulder, his green eyes fierce.

  “We need to get her undressed,” Reese said, taking Nona’s dark eyes with his gaze. “You need to stay calm.”

  The older woman nodded, making the tight knot of gray-streaked hair at the back of her neck bob.

  Moving to the foot of the bed, Reese pulled on one of Mae’s boots; it was loose and slipped free easily. As he started to throw it aside, a small black form slid onto the covers.

  The scorpion was tiny. Barely the size of dime, and it was dead.

  Reese looked up to see where Mae’s grandmother was steadily unbuttoning the girl’s shirt.

  “Mrs. Leoné, Mrs. Leoné.” She did not respond. “Nona,” he said gently, causing her to turn.

  “Nona, Go to the kitchen and find as much bicarbonate of soda as you can. Bring it to me with a cup of boiling water.” His voice was soft yet urgent.

  For a long moment the woman blinked at him, shock warring with her usual practicality. “Now.”

  Nona jumped, nodded her head and turned for the back stairs.

  “Mr. Reese.” Bella returned with his large case, her dark eyes troubled.

  Quickly snapping open the case, Reese pulled out a stethoscope, settling it on his ears before placing the cup on Mae’s chest. Her heartbeat was slow, labored and her breath was shallow.

  Pulling the device from his ears, Reese began rummaging in his bag. His study of medicine was incomplete, but he had passed most of his classes and had been allowed to create a small kit of essentials, which he carried with him.

  He was thankful that Carl had been able to include it in the items he’d requested before leaving Boston.

  “Argh!” he shouted in frustration. “I can’t find it.”

  “What do you need?” Katie spoke from the doorway; all of the girls still stood there and he could hear the noise of anxious activity below.

  “Eucalyptus oil and camphor, but I don’t have it.”

  Without hesitation the blonde woman turned and disappeared.

  “Here,” a brisk, excited voice called as Nona returned with a large sack of bicarbonate of soda and a cup of steaming water. Reese blinked, shocked at the supply.

  “Good,” he said, pushing items off Mae’s night stand. “Now mix a paste with it. Something between a dough and a slurry.”

  The woman nodded and began make up the paste.

  “Reese.” Rachel Deeks stood in the doorway, a round blue tin about the size of her hand outstretched. “It isn’t oil, but it has what you want in it.” She twisted the can open and a strong menthol odor filled the room.

  “Rub it on her chest, lots of it. We need to open her airways,” he barked.

  As Rachel bent to spread the ointment on the girl’s chest, a slight scuffle broke out behind them. Reese turned to see Chen Lou slip past the women and into the room. A deep sob shook him an
d he swayed as he looked at Mae.

  Springing to his feet, Reese grabbed the old man. He felt small and frail in his hands. “Sit down, sir.” he said quietly, ushering the man to a chair by the window. As the ancient figure sat, he lifted weary eyes to Reese. Depths of sorrow seemed to swim in those ageless orbs, and Reese felt his throat close.

  Something bumped Reese in the chest and he looked down to see the old man lifting a bottle of clear oil in one shaking hand. Wrapping his hand around the gnarled appendage, Reese gently took the proffered vial.

  “Eucalyptus,” he said knowingly.

  “I need more hot water,” Reese barked and heard the scuffle of running feet. “We need to fill the room with this.” He waggled the bottle and more feet scurried.

  “Paste,” Nona said, her voice raspy as she offered him a cup of the thick, white mixture in shaking hands.

  “Look at Mae’s foot,” he said, indicating the foot that was missing a boot, “find the red welt where the sting is and put that on. Make it as thick as will stay.” He closed his eyes, his heart constricting in his chest. “Hopefully it will help draw the poison out.”

  “Poison?” Joshua’s voice sounded weak where he stood in the hall, Will and Hank nearly carrying him.

  “Mr. James,” Reese said gently. “Mae’s been stung by a scorpion and has had a reaction to it.”

  Reginald Ogden appeared in the doorway then, his garishly red hair like a flame in the deep shadows of the house. He held a chair in his hands and placed it softly on the plank floor. Will and Hank helped Joshua to sit.

  “I can’t have everyone here,” Reese spoke. He had to be firm. He couldn’t deal with Mae and all of her family at once. Quietly they disappeared, leaving Josh sitting forlornly in the hallway of his sprawling house.

  Fiona returned a moment later, carrying a steaming kettle, followed by her sister Meg, who carried a large pot.

  “We’ll make a tent,” Reese offered. “Do you have another sheet?”

  In only minutes they had erected a draping tent of sheets over Mae’s head and shoulders and placed the steaming water with several drops of oil in it near Mae’s head. Her skin was so white, her normally red lips pale.