Pioneer Vengeance by Becky Harris

Author:Becky Harris [Harris, Becky]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-29T16:00:00+00:00

12

Morning dawned and awakened the party in the little ranch house. Mary and Ben cleared their bedding from in front of the stove. Ben found the wood pile to the side of the house and brought an armload inside in his one good arm. Mary set about fixing a real breakfast, not one for the trail.

Jeane had rolled over in the night and snuggled up to Belle in her sleep. When she opened her eyes, she found Belle was still asleep. Belle’s face was turned toward her. Jeane winced to see the nasty black eye. A sickly yellow had started to creep into the black and blue bruising. Where it had been ground into the sod, Belle’s face was slightly swollen. The awful scrape was open and raw, it seeped.

Jeane raised the covers and took stock of the damage done to Belle’s body. Bruising covered most the left side of Belle’s ribs. Her arms had bruises. Then there was the gun shot wound on her left arm. The bandage had a stain of blood that had seeped through during the night. Jeane closed her eyes against the ghastly sight of her lover’s body. She left Belle to sleep.

Mary smiled at Jeane as she entered the main room, ‘Morning. I hope you’re hungry.”

“You didn’t need to do that, I would have fixed ya breakfast.” Jeane replied.

“Nonsense. Have yourself a seat and I’ll get you a plate of food.” Mary piled on more food than Jeane could handle.

“I can’t eat that much.” Jeane’s eyes were wide at the sight of the heaping pile of bacon, taters, onions and small biscuits.

Mary chuckled, “Belle will eat what you don’t.” Mary paused from serving up more biscuits, “Where is Belle?”

Jeane looked forlornly at the plate, “She’s still asleep in there.”

Mary studied Jeane for a moment. Ben had just finished eating. Mary patted him on the shoulder, “Why don’t you check on the horses?”

Ben got up to get more coffee, “Oh, they’re fine.”

“Then take the dogs out,” Mary’s tone was flat.

Ben put the kettle down, “Come on Jose, Jack, I guess we need to pee.” He made a fast exit.

Mary set down two cups of near boiling coffee. She pushed one over toward Jeane. “I used to tell Belle I’d give her a penny for her thoughts.” That made Jeane look up. “Course, I never had a penny,” Mary smiled. “How did you two meet anyway? It had to be after Belle left town.”

Jeane drew in a deep breath, “Our wagon broke down. Mama and Daddy both died on the trail, so I was alone with Jack. Belle saved me.”

“Saved you, from what?”

Jeane told her the story of the three men that she thought would help her. Only, they had other ideas for a woman alone on the trail. She had shot and killed one of the men. Belle and Jose appeared out of nowhere, like some miracle. Belle just sort of took over, took Jeane under her wing.

She told Mary about their travels to the cabin together, about meeting Jason Mean Bear and his son and how Belle had given them food.

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