The Locke Family Saga by Loretta Miles Tollefson

Author:Loretta Miles Tollefson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical fiction, women's fiction, family saga, american southwest, western, new mexico, old west
Publisher: Palo Flechado Press
Published: 2021-10-26T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 30

When Gerald and Ramón open the front door two hours later, Chaser is still dozing on the fireplace, Alma is asleep on her mother’s chest, and Suzanna sits and stares bleakly into the dying fire.

As the men begin quietly unwrapping themselves, Suzanna stirs and looks up. She doesn’t speak. She should ask about the condition of the cattle and other animals, but she can’t find it in herself to care.

Ramón goes to the kitchen as Gerald hangs his coat, scarf, and hat on the wooden pegs by the door. He crosses the room, bends to kiss the top of Suzanna’s head, and reaches for Alma, then pulls back. “My hands are too cold,” he says. He moves to the fire and places a log on the hot coals. “This is about to go out.” He smiles at Suzanna. “I see you were otherwise occupied.”

She nods slightly, to indicate she heard him, and stares blankly toward the window. Gerald gives her a long look, adds another log to the licking flames, then pats the dog’s head and extends his hands over the fire. “It’s bitter out there!” he says.

Suzanna turns her head. “And that makes you happy?”

He glances at her and leans to scratch behind the mastiff’s ears. The dog moans with pleasure.“A little contrast is nice sometimes,” Gerald says mildly.

“This valley is just one big contrast.”

“Hmm.”

She straightens and glares at him. “You think I’m just being an emotional female. That I have no reason for my discontent.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t need to. All you have to do is go outside to the animals, you and Ramón both, and stay out there as long as possible. You’d rather endure any amount of cold than be shut up inside this cabin with me.” She can feel the tears threatening again. She looks away, then jerks her chin at him. “And then when you do come inside, you look so happy with yourself, so contented with your life. As if you’ve just spent three hours out in the woods hunting instead of digging through snow drifts and forcing ice-bound cattle into the barn. Cattle too stupid to know what’s best for them.” She wipes at her cheeks with the back of her hand. “Anything is preferable to being here, listening to me!”

Gerald lifts his head, his gray eyes hooded, then turns and crosses to the bench that stands by the wall nearest the kitchen.

“Even when you’re here, you stay as far away from me as possible!” Suzanna says.

“It seems safer,” he says. “Nothing I say or do is going to make you happy. I’ve said I’m sorry. But there’s nothing I can do about conditions right now. I’d take you to Taos if I could.”

“And I’d gladly go!” She twists to glare at him. “However, it’s a little late to make that offer now, isn’t it? When it was possible, when the roads were still clear, you didn’t suggest such a thing!”

“When the roads were still clear, you weren’t as upset as you are now.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.