The Comancheros by Harvey Stanbrough

Author:Harvey Stanbrough
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: StoneThread Publishing
Published: 2021-07-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

One week after Corporal Edwards had led the wagon into Amarillo, the town had returned mostly to normal. There was still an undercurrent of conversation among the citizens regarding the ladies who had been rescued, but most of those conversations were short and spoken in hushed tones and generalities. And most of them wished the ladies well. Many citizens contributed to a fund to help purchase tickets on the train or stage for those who wanted to leave.

The captain had called a meeting for 3 p.m. Wes, having walked over to the livery stable to check on Charley during a lag in the day, was hurrying along the boardwalk on his way to that meeting.

Before he realized what was happening, the door to his left opened.

Deputy May said, “I will, Sheriff,” then turned and walked directly into him, the door closing behind her.

As her breasts pressed hard against him, Wes caught her by the shoulders, then quickly stepped back and put up his hands, his palms out. “Oh, sorry.” He looked at his hands and slapped them down to his side. “Sorry. I ought’a watch where I’m goin’ Miss—Deputy May. You all right?”

Color flashing into her cheeks, she straightened her hat. “I’m fine, thanks.” She grinned. “I should look before I walk. Sorry about that.”

Wes rolled his eyes straight up and realized he was still wearing his hat, and in the presence of a lady. He whipped it off and held it at his chest. “Oh, no ma’am, not at all. I’m just clumsy.”

She laughed, those curious blue eyes practically dancing. “Tell you what, let’s agree that we were both to blame.”

He said nothing, but only nodded, his hat still clamped to his chest.

She said, “You know, we should have a drink some time. Or dinner maybe. Or supper. I mean, I know you’re always with your Ranger friends for those things, but—”

“Oh, no ma’am. I can lose those guys any time I like.”

She laughed again, and the sound seemed to enter his ears and sparkle down through his soul.

Wes only grinned, wondering whether he’d said something witty.

The deputy said, “Let’s maybe do that sometime. I mean, if you want to. I really am grateful for what you said that day, about riding with me and standing with me.” She glanced past him, then pointed. “But right now I’m on my way to the ladies’ barn.”

Wes nodded, the grin still on his face. “Yes ma’am. Well, there’s always that.”

She laughed again. “Maybe not too much longer. I think we’re mostly done. Some of the ladies have already left town, and besides, Melinda and Sally have pretty well taken charge.”

“Melinda and Sally?”

“Oh, yeah. Melinda Pearson and Sally Martin. They’re the two who want to go back to their farms. Those two are different, Wes. They seem eager to take on any challenge. It’s like they’re harder than the others. Or maybe less broken and more tempered. Maybe because they’re determined to stand rather than move away.”

Wes said, “Well, that takes a special kind of woman, right there.

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