Page 15 of Wellspring

CADE DROVE on until well after dark, but since he hadn’t spoken since the confrontation with Carter, Erick didn’t question him.

Fortunately the night was clear enough that the rising half-moon provided sufficient light to avoid any overt dangers.

Finally, after passing a large outcrop of rock, Cade drew the team to a halt.

“Sorry for pushing so hard, but I wouldn’t spend the night on JR land. We just crossed onto Wellspring property.”

Erick patted Zephyr’s neck, but the horse hadn’t worked up a sweat. “We can continue if you wish to reach the bunkhouse tonight.”

The first smile since they’d left Austin lit Cade’s face, making Erick realize how much he had missed them. “It’s another half-day’s ride to the ranch buildings. Wellspring runs a hell of a lot of land.”

“You know the land and the situation better than I,” Erick said. “If you wish to continue, I will follow. Or we can camp tonight and make the remaining journey tomorrow morning.”

“As much as I want to sleep in my own bed, there’s rough terrain between here and the ranch house, and Payne would have my head for risking the horses. Unless Reichardt is already at the house, he won’t beat us there in the morning.”

“Then let us find a place to make camp.”

Cade gave him another luminous smile and hopped off the wagon. “Here is as good a spot as any. The outcropping gives us a bit of shelter, not that the weather is bad, and it’ll hide our fire from JR.”

“Are you that worried about what they might do? You said this is Wellspring land.” Erick dismounted and began unsaddling Zephyr as they talked.

“Call it being careful,” Cade replied. “I don’t think they’ve gotten desperate or stupid enough to attack us openly on Wellspring land, but I’d rather be safe than dead.” He unhitched the team and hobbled them nearby.

“That seems a reasonable course of action.” Erick got Zephyr settled and began building a fire so they could heat up more beans and fatback for dinner. While he understood and supported Cade’s caution, he would be glad for a bit more variety in their diet.

“Just wait until your first meal at Wellspring,” Cade said as he pulled the pans from the wagon.

It wasn’t the first time Erick noted how their minds traveled the same paths, though perhaps Cade was just as hungry as Erick was.

“Javier is a wonderful cook, and there’s always plenty for all the hands. ”

“Javier?” Erick stumbled a little over the unfamiliar name.

“Javier Trujillo, our cook. I don’t rightly know how we got lucky enough to keep him since his family are Mexican hidalgos. He don’t talk about why he left, but it’s our win.”

It seemed he was not the only one leaving a family behind to start anew at Wellspring.

Assuming he would have that chance. “You are confident Herr Payne will take me on?” Erick hoped his uncertainty wasn’t reflected in his voice.

He’d agreed to Cade’s offer to accompany him to Wellspring because he had no other option, but over the journey he’d grown to hope he’d find a place—a home—there.

“You’ve more than proven yourself to me on the way here.” Cade opened a can of beans and dumped them in the pan over the fire Erick had started. “He’d be a fool not to hire you on, and Payne may be a lot of things, but he ain’t nobody’s fool.”

Erick held that approbation to his heart. If he could have nothing more, at least he’d earned Cade’s respect.

“And if the JR outfit really does start a range war, we’ll need all the help we can get,” Cade added as he stirred the beans. “I hope it won’t come to that, but I wouldn’t put anything past those bastards.”

“You hate them so much?” Erick asked.

“They don’t have no respect for anyone who don’t think or act exactly like they do,” Cade explained.

“They hate Payne because he’s black. They dismiss Miz Roarke because she’s a woman.

I’m trash because I lived with the Comanche as a child.

They’d give you a chance because you’re a white man, but only if you shared all their attitudes, which you don’t or you wouldn’t be coming with me.

And as far as they’re concerned, if you don’t fit in with what they think, you’re worthless. ”

“Then let us hope your opinion of my chances is correct, because though I have no wish for conflict, it would be my pleasure to prove them wrong.” He didn’t know the others Cade had named yet, though he was sure once he did, he would share Cade’s esteem.

But he would not allow anyone to think of Cade as trash.

AS THEY rode the next morning they passed scattered clusters of cattle, and once a cowboy rode by, raising a hand in greeting but not stopping to speak with them.

The sun was directly overhead before Erick caught sight of buildings in the distance.

Cade gave a whoop and cracked the reins over the draft horses’ backs, coaxing them to their top speed.

Erick let Zephyr continue to canter, uncertain of his reception despite Cade’s assurance.

A small crowd had gathered outside the ranch house by the time Cade—and shortly after, Erick—reached it.

“Bringing home strays again?” a big man dressed entirely in black drawled when Erick reined Zephyr to a halt.

He didn’t need Cade to tell him this must be the ranch foreman; his tall, confident stature and the air of authority with which he spoke made that clear.

“You know me, boss. I can’t resist,” Cade replied as he threw a wink over his shoulder at Erick.

“Erick Heller, meet Zeke Payne, foreman of Wellspring Ranch. Payne, Heller’s got a way with horses.

I was thinking he could work with the mustangs until we can teach him the finer points of driving cattle. ”

Payne ran an appraising eye over Erick and Zephyr. “If he can manage that stallion, I might be convinced to give him a chance.”

“Not only managed but tamed him. He was a screaming brute until Heller took him in hand.” Cade’s exaggeration made Erick uneasy, but he’d just have to prove to Payne that he was as capable as Cade implied.

He dismounted and offered Payne his hand. “I will work hard for you if you will have me.”

Payne frowned but took his hand in a rough clasp.

“We need a new bronc buster, and Webster’s as good a judge of character as anyone I know.

We got two rules around here. Do your best and tell someone if you fuck up.

Well, and don’t mess with the women. Fastest way to get your ass fired is unwanted attention to any of them.

Other than that, we’re easy to get along with.

Stow your gear in the bunkhouse and welcome to Wellspring,” Payne said.

The women had nothing to fear from him, but Erick wasn’t about to admit that to Payne.

He glanced toward Cade, who had climbed out of the wagon and was surrounded by people clapping him on the back and welcoming him home.

He’s already done more for me than most men would , Erick told himself .

He has his own duties now. I can’t expect him to always guide me by the hand.

He gathered his few things from the back of the wagon, took Zephyr by the reins, and led him toward the long building Payne had indicated as the bunkhouse.

CADE GREETED everyone who’d gathered to welcome him home, but he kept one eye on Erick—he’d become Erick in Cade’s head when he’d backed Cade up during the confrontation with Carter—the whole time.

He wasn’t at all surprised Payne offered Erick a job, but he wanted to be the one to show Erick around and help him get settled, so when Erick started toward the bunkhouse, Cade pulled free from his friends, grabbed his own bedroll, and fell in step beside Erick.

“Told you he’d hire you. Let’s get you and Zephyr settled. Javier is making chicken enchiladas, and we don’t want to miss that!”

“I must not keep you from your work,” Erick protested, but Cade thought he caught a glimmer of pleasure, or maybe just relief, in the other man’s expression.

“I could use your help unloading the wagon in a bit. But for now, let’s get you settled in.

” The interior of the bunkhouse was dim and cool after the bright sunlight outside.

Cade glanced around, looking for an unclaimed bunk.

Unfortunately the beds on either side of his were both taken.

It would have to be Carter’s old bunk, then.

He led the way toward the back of the long row of cots, one bed atop another to double the number of hands it could house.

“You can stow your things in here.” He indicated the chest at the foot of the bed.

“It don’t lock, but no one will mess with your gear. ”

Erick set his saddlebags on top of the chest and tucked his bedroll under the bunk. It wasn’t much, but Cade hoped Erick would see the thin mattress as a step up from sleeping on the ground.

“Thank you. For everything,” Erick said.

“It was nothing special,” Cade demurred, embarrassed at having attention drawn to his actions. “Just helping out a friend in need. You’d have done the same if our positions were reversed.”

“I will hope for the opportunity to repay you,” Erick insisted. “I cannot afford to take my only friend for granted.”

Cade hoped his face wasn’t flushing. He didn’t need repayment for basic human decency—not that he’d complain about a kiss like the girls at the Lucky Penny insisted on giving him every time he dropped by—but he would miss having Erick all to himself.

“That won’t last long. I’ll introduce you around to everyone at dinner. ”

“If you will show me where I may stable Zephyr, I will help you unload the wagon,” Erick offered. “Then you or Herr Payne can instruct me on what else needs done.”

“Just Payne,” Cade reminded him, though he thought he’d miss Erick’s quaint formality. “C’mon, I’ll show you where you can get Zephyr settled.”