Courage Canyon Read online

  Directing her out of the study and into the living room, he looked out the window, seeing their almost two-year-old son, Patrick, running around while Lydia watched him, holding her infant son, Joshua. “Seems to me you took a few naps before Patrick was born. Lydia will watch him, and Ginny will be over in a bit to help out.” Leaning down, he placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

  “You know Ginny’s about as far along as me. Luke said she may start staying with us in a few weeks.”

  Dax nodded. “He told me. It’s a good idea. Most of the men at the other ranch house are out with the cattle each day. There’s no one around if the baby decides to come.”

  Dax and Rachel lived in the original ranch house, while Luke and Ginny lived in the house they’d purchased, along with the Tolbert ranch, after King Tolbert died. His cook and housekeeper now worked for Suzanne and Nick Barnett at the boardinghouse in town, leaving no one at the ranch house with Ginny when Luke left each morning.

  Continuing to stare out the window, Rachel watched as Dirk rode off, tipping his hat to Lydia.

  “There’s so much about Dirk we don’t know.”

  Dax glanced down at her, his brows furrowed. “Such as?”

  “He worked for King Tolbert as a foreman before staying on to work for us. Besides that, I know he was a captain in the Union Cavalry, but nothing else.”

  Shrugging, Dax watched as the man disappeared down the trail. “Not much else you need to know. He works hard and keeps to himself. A lot of people are the same, especially those who fought in the war. If Dirk ever wants to share his past with us, he will.” Turning her toward the stairs, he accompanied her to their bedroom, giving her a kiss and a slight nudge. “Get some rest. Ginny will wake you when she arrives.”

  Dirk stayed alert, eyes vigilant as he rode back to the main herd. He’d be thankful when Bull finished his obligations in town and was back at the ranch. A talented designer, Gabe Evans and Nick Barnett had asked him to plan the new clinic, which meant he spent his time in town most days. With spring coming, the men Bull hired would start building, allowing him to spend more time at the ranch.

  At first, Dirk had no interest in sharing the foreman job with someone else. As he’d gotten to know Bull, he’d changed his mind. They worked well as a team, their individual skills complementing each other. It helped that Bull had served as a lieutenant in the Union Army and was a crack shot, a role Dirk admired, even if his friend seldom mentioned it. Other than Dax and Luke, there wasn’t another man at Redemption’s Edge he’d want guarding his back.

  Reaching the herd, he spotted two longtime ranch hands. Tat Whalen and Johnny Grove had been with the Pelletiers almost as long as Bull. Dirk guessed both to be somewhere between twenty-five and thirty, but never considered asking. They worked hard, played harder, and along with Travis Davis, were the best wranglers on the ranch.

  “Boss.” Tat rode up, slipping his hat off to run a hand through his hair.

  “Dax wants us to merge the cattle into two herds in the pastures closest to the house. We’ll be tripling the night guards, and I want extra men posted during the day.”

  “I’ll tell Johnny and the others.” Tat swiped an arm across his forehead. “You know, Boss, ten head isn’t a lot to lose in a herd this size.”

  Dirk glared at him, remembering a similar comment by Dax. “Missing cattle means less profit for the ranch and less need for men like us. We either find where they’ve wandered off to or figure out what happened.”

  Setting his hat back on his head, Tat nodded. “We can circle around again, maybe pick up tracks we didn’t see on our first try.”

  “Take Johnny and two others. I’ll handle getting the herds moved while you boys search.”

  Tat nodded, reining his horse around. “We’ll get right on it.”

  Watching him ride off, Dirk wondered if Dax and Tat were right. Maybe he was making too big an issue over ten head in a herd of several hundred.

  He’d been a trusting soul before the war, believing people were basically good and tried to do right by others. Like most who’d served the North or South, he returned home with a more jaded perspective. Watching death and destruction on a daily basis would change anyone. He still looked for the good in people, but wasn’t surprised when they failed him.

  Dirk hadn’t been back in Pennsylvania long before his entire life changed. Trust transformed to cynicism, forcing him to make the hard decision to move west. He’d briefly worked for a couple other ranches before making the journey to Splendor and King Tolbert’s ranch. When he died and the Pelletiers took over, Dirk wasn’t sure he’d stay. A few months working for Dax and Luke solidified his decision. Although both served the South, Dax as a general, Dirk had formed an unexpected bond with them, trusting them more than many Northerners he knew back home.

  Although he’d finally found a new home, it didn’t change the fact he’d become skeptical of most people, trusted few men and fewer women, and discussed his past with no one. It colored the way he viewed life. When the cattle went missing, he assumed they’d been stolen. These days, he always anticipated the worst, being somewhat surprised when proven wrong.

  “Hey, Boss.”

  Dirk blinked, clearing his mind of the depressing path his thoughts had taken, looking up to see one of the men riding up alongside him, a look of panic on his face.

  “Johnny’s down. His horse lost its footing and stumbled, throwing him off. Tat’s with him now. Thinks he has a broken leg.”

  Mumbling a curse, Dirk nodded, indicating for the young rider to lead the way. The last thing he needed was one of his best men out for a few weeks or months.

  Dirk barely acknowledged Rosemary as he shoved open the clinic door. “Where’s Doc Worthington?” He didn’t look at her as he spoke.

  Rosemary’s features hardened, back rigid as she clasped her hands in front of her. “He rode out for an emergency at the Murton ranch. Doctor McCord is eating his meal. I’ll get him.” She started to move when she heard an agonized groan, seeing two of the Pelletier men carrying Johnny into the clinic. “Good heavens. What happened?”

  Dirk didn’t spare her a glance. “Thrown off his horse. Broke his leg.”

  Pointing to the examination room, she held the door wide. “Set him on the table.” She looked up. “Dirk, Clay is in Doc Worthington’s house out back. Get him for me…please.”

  Glaring at her, he hurried out the back door, returning with the doctor a minute later. Dirk’s eyes widened when he saw Rosemary bending over Johnny, using a knife to cut away the leg of his pants to expose the break.

  Clay stepped up to the table. “I’ll take over, Rosemary. Please get me some warm water, rags, and chloroform.”

  Johnny groaned, shaking his head. “No…chloroform.”

  Doc McCord looked down at him. “It’s going to hurt like hell when I reset it.”

  Johnny shook his head again. “Whiskey.”

  Glancing up at Rosemary, Clay nodded. Grabbing it from a cupboard, she opened the bottle, holding it to Johnny’s lips. She gasped when his hand shot out, gripping her wrist.

  “I’ll do it,” Johnny rasped out, taking several big gulps before looking at Clay. “I’m ready, Doc.”

  “Dirk, I’ll need you and the others to hold him down. Even with the whiskey, it’s going to hurt. With luck, he’ll pass out.”

  “I ain’t passing out…” Johnny’s voice turned to a groan when one of the men took hold of his good leg while the other helped steady the broken one. Dirk stood at the head of the table, holding down Johnny’s shoulders.

  Looking at each man, Clay didn’t give any warning before a quick pull straightened the bone. Dirk let out a breath, certain Johnny’s scream could be heard on the street before the cowboy’s eyes rolled back and he passed out.

  “Best for him to be out,” Clay said as he and Rosemary worked on the leg. “Why don’t you men wait out front? This will take a little time.”

  Dirk looked at the others. “Leave the wagon an
d you two head back. I’ll wait here. And find Tat. Tell him to go ahead with what we talked about this morning.”

  Both nodded, walking out and shutting the door. Without asking, Dirk sat down in a chair against the wall, watching as Clay and Rosemary cleaned the injury and set the leg. Her hands were steady, eyes full of compassion as she worked, never once looking at him. Not that he wanted her to. Dirk would be happy if he never had to be anywhere around her.

  “Get the laudanum, Rosemary. He’s going to need it when he wakes up.” Turning toward Dirk, Clay leaned a hip against the table. “It’s going to be a while. Rosemary hasn’t eaten. Why don’t the two of you grab a meal and I’ll come find you if he wakes up.”

  “No.” They replied in unison, their rigid responses surprising Clay.

  Dirk shot a look at Rosemary, seeing her glance down at her feet, then moved his gaze to Clay. “I’ve got business at the bank, then I’ll be at the Dixie, having a drink with Nick.”

  “I assume you have a wagon.”

  “Out front. When he’s ready, I’ll need your help getting him in back.”

  Clay pulled a sheet up to cover Johnny’s legs. “Bring Nick when you come back. We could use one more set of hands.”

  Standing, Dirk took one last look at Johnny before leaving the clinic.

  Clay crossed his arms, a slight grin playing across his face. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on between you and Dirk?”

  Rosemary covered her surprise by turning away. “Nothing.”

  “Nothing? I can’t remember a time you two had a normal conversation.”

  Tossing out the soiled rags and dumping the water down a drain, she rubbed a finger over her brow. “Does anyone have a normal conversation with Dirk?”

  Clay’s brows scrunched together, but he didn’t answer.

  She let out a breath. “I’m sure you’ve seen it. The man’s obstinate, egotistical, and rude.”

  Chuckling, he straightened, dropping his hands to his sides. “Except for rude, I would believe you were talking about most of the men in Splendor.”

  Her face flushed, knowing Clay had a point. Rosemary didn’t know why she had such a strong reaction to Dirk. Every time she saw him, ice formed in her stomach, her chest squeezing until it became hard to breathe. All she wanted was to live a peaceful life, visit her brother and Rachel at the ranch, learn nursing, and forget about her past. His presence pushed it all aside, creating tension she didn’t need.

  “Your relationship with Dirk is none of my business, Rosemary.” Washing his hands, he grabbed a towel. “Go ahead and eat. I’ll stay with Johnny.”

  “I’ll be over at McCall’s. Betts wanted me to try her new potpie recipe.” She smiled over her shoulder. “If it’s good, I’ll bring you back one.”

  Stepping into the afternoon chill, she wrapped the shawl around her, crossing the street to McCall’s. The small restaurant was owned by Betts Jones and her husband. Most townsfolk still tended to gravitate to Suzanne’s boardinghouse for regular meals, or the St. James Hotel for fancier fare. Rosemary loved Suzanne, but often preferred the quiet atmosphere of McCall’s.

  Entering, she glanced around, her gaze lighting on the one person she didn’t want to see. Turning to leave, she stopped at the familiar deep voice.

  “Don’t leave because of me.”

  Shifting back around, she steeled herself to face him. Standing, Dirk pulled out a chair at his table, gesturing for her to sit down.

  Sighing, Rosemary saw no way to gracefully refuse, not with the other diners staring between them. Walking toward him, her eyes sparked, a grim smile on her face.

  “All right, but my presence just might spoil your appetite.”

  Chapter Two

  Dirk tossed the frayed rope into a pile in the corner of the barn, muttering under his breath as he ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. Slamming his hat onto his head, he stared out the doors leading to a large corral, unaware he wasn’t alone.

  “Are you talking to me, Boss?” Tat set his saddle on a rack a few feet away.

  Shaking his head, Dirk scrubbed a hand down his face. It had been a mistake inviting Rosemary to join him at McCall’s. She’d been right. Her presence had spoiled his appetite.

  Three days had passed since he’d returned with Johnny in the back of the wagon and he still couldn’t push the bad decision out of his mind. They’d sat there like total strangers, him doing his best to start a conversation, her ignoring every word. After a couple attempts, he got the message.

  Shoving down their meals in silence, she returned to the clinic and he headed for the Dixie, anger simmering as he headed for the bar. Two shots of whiskey hadn’t improved his mood.

  “How’s Johnny doing?”

  Tat lowered his lean body onto a well-used bench, stretching his long legs in front of him. “As you’d expect. Furious at himself, his horse, and everyone else right now. He hates being laid up. Can’t say as I blame him.” Grinning, he shook his head. “He can’t stop talking about Rosemary, though.”

  Dirk shifted, focusing all his attention on Tat. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s no mystery, Boss. She’s turned into a beautiful woman with a passion for helping others. I might just consider courting her myself.”

  A low growl escaping, Dirk took the few steps to stand in front of Tat. Crossing his arms, he looked down at him, noting the cowboy’s eyes widen. “I don’t need you, Johnny, or any of the other men filling your heads with any ideas about Rosemary. You focus on work here at the ranch and keep away from her.” Turning, he picked up another frayed rope, seeming to study the damage before tossing it on top of the pile. “Bull came into the Dixie while I was in town. He knows we’re looking for a few men to get us through the spring and summer. He’ll pass word around.”

  Standing, Tat walked toward the door, looking back at Dirk. “You’re the boss here and I respect that, but don’t go thinking you can tell me or any of the men what women we can or can’t see. Just because you two can’t tolerate each other doesn’t mean Rosemary isn’t a fine woman.” He didn’t wait for a response before heading in the direction of the bunkhouse.

  Staring after him, Dirk’s anger rose another notch as he mumbled a string of curses.

  “Should I come back later?”

  He’d been so intent on Tat’s comments, he hadn’t noticed Rachel enter the barn, hands clasped in front of her. “Apologies, ma’am,” he breathed out, steadying his nerves. “Were you looking for me?”

  Taking a few steps toward him, she nodded. “I thought it might be best to have Johnny stay in the house until Doctor McCord comes out and says he can move around. We have crutches ready, but he’s still having a hard time leveraging himself up. Between me, Ginny, and Rosemary, we can watch after him for a few days.”

  “Rosemary?” Dirk smirked. “I thought she was staying at the boardinghouse.”

  “Bull’s bringing her back this afternoon for a few days while Dax and Luke ride over to Big Pine. My uncle or Clay will send word if they need her. We all talked about it when Dax took me into town yesterday. With both me and Ginny pregnant, and Lydia caring for baby Joshua, Dax and Luke feel better having Rosemary close by.”

  A muscle quivered at his jaw, but he didn’t comment.

  Seeing the pile of rope, Rachel picked up a piece, holding it out to Dirk. “There’s no reason Rosemary can’t work on these while she’s here. As I recall, Tat was teaching her how to repair them before she started to learn nursing. I’m sure he’d be willing to work with her again.”

  “I’ll teach her.” He grimaced, not knowing why he’d made the offer.

  She bit her lip to stifle a grin. “That’s a fine offer, Dirk. I’m just not certain Rosemary would be willing to learn from you. Tat might be a better choice.”

  His brows slanted into a frown. Rachel didn’t have to explain further for Dirk to pick up her meaning. Seemed everyone knew he and Rosemary were always at odds, avoiding each other as much as possible.
r />   Pushing his hat back from his forehead, he nodded. “You may be right. I’ll talk to one of the men about helping her.” He purposely avoided mentioning Tat, having no desire to stoke a fire already simmering between the ranch hand and Rosemary. “I’m heading out again to check on the herd.”

  “I understand the men found six of the strays.”

  He let out a breath. “They did, plus the remains of another one. Who knows what happened to the rest.”

  “They still might show up.” Tossing the frayed rope onto the pile, she turned to leave, then stopped. “Would you mind having a couple of the men help Johnny to the house? I’d like to get him settled before supper.”

  Touching a finger to the brim of his hat, he nodded. “I’ll talk to them before I ride out.”

  Walking to the corral, he retrieved his horse, making short work of saddling Banshee before leading him to the bunkhouse. Giving the men Rachel’s message, Dirk mounted the impressive stallion that had been his constant companion since joining the cavalry. He had every intention of using the beautiful horse as a stud when the war ended, seeing him as the cornerstone of his and his brother’s breeding program.

  Instead, Dirk found himself riding the stallion across country, wearing his bitterness like a second skin as he traveled through one state, then another. Taking the job with King Tolbert had been a temporary reprieve before continuing to California, a state full of disenchanted dreamers and those seeking a new life.

  Accepting a foreman job with the Pelletiers after Tolbert’s death had been the one good thing to come out of the last few years, and he meant to hold onto it with both hands.

  Dirk had done his best to set aside his distrust and cynicism, yet they continued to haunt him until he accepted they were as much a part of him as the air he breathed. Unlike most men on the ranch, he had no further desire for the dreams of his youth. Love, marriage, and a family no longer mattered. A warm bunk, decent food, and bosses he respected were what kept him going, not the recurring images of a feisty, long-haired beauty he’d never allow himself to trust.