Big Sky Homecoming

“What direction now?” she asked him.

He looked around, twisting in his saddle to glance back in the direction of the farm. “We just came that way, didn’t we?”

“Yes, Billy. That would take us back to my home.”

He nodded. “I rode there as fast as I could.” His whole body quaked. “I was so scared.”

“Yes, when you saw that Duke was hurt.” She gave him a moment to sort through his thoughts. “Where did Duke fall?”

“On the ground.”

She hid her grin. It was a stupid question. “Was he over there?” She pointed to the north.

“Maybe.”

Good. “Then let’s go find him.”

“Or maybe he was over there.” He pointed south.

“I see.” In other words, Billy didn’t know. Maybe he’d remember something else. “Where were you planning to go?”

“For a ride.”

“Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? Were you going to see someone?”

Billy grinned. “You.”

“Me?” Why would Duke want to visit her? She hadn’t been exactly welcoming yesterday and didn’t much care to see him again after she’d spent several hours sorting animals and getting them into their proper pens this morning. “Why?”

Billy ducked his head. “’Cause he likes you.”

She sputtered. Then forced herself to relax. This was Billy talking. He saw what he wanted to see. She sat back and considered her surroundings. The most direct route between the two places would be over that hill. She nudged her horse in that direction.

From the crest of the hill she could see no sign of Duke or his horse. “Did you come this way?”

“Maybe.” A cry choked off the word.

He didn’t know and couldn’t tell her. She’d have to figure it out herself. She took a deep breath. Think. This was Duke. Would he take the most direct route? No. Not anywhere near. He’d take the most dangerous, the most challenging. That meant he’d ride along the escarpment and cross the coulee that lay to the west.

She reined her horse in that direction. She had to confess it was one of her favorite places. From the top, she often observed deer feeding in the coulee and hawks circling overhead. There’d been a nest she’d looked down on in the early part of summer to watch the baby hawks.

She reached the coulee. Some vicious rocks lay scattered across the snow-crusted slopes. If Duke had hit his head of one of those—

She shuddered. She’d imagined finding him injured but perhaps his injuries were beyond help.

Her breath whooshed out when she didn’t see a body anywhere. Perhaps she’d been mistaken in thinking he’d come this way. “Do you remember this place?” she asked Billy.

He nodded. “Maybe.” Then his eyes focused. “Duke wasn’t with me.”

Rose tried to understand what Billy meant. Had they been on this route but Duke had fallen before they reached this place? Only one way to find out.

She made her way across the coulee and climbed the upward path. From there she could see several miles in every direction, clear to the trees filling the hollow toward the Caldwell buildings. And there was no sign of Duke.

Billy jumped to the ground. “He was here.” He pointed. “He’s gone.” He turned his face upward, his eyes wide. “He’s gone to Heaven.”

“No, Billy. I don’t think so.” At least not from this spot because there was no body.

She dismounted and bent to examine the ground where Billy stood. There was a rock and a large dark spot. Blood. Lots of blood. She shivered. Duke might be a Caldwell and a royal pain, but she had no wish to see him dead. She looked around.

Her heart clinging to the back of her throat, she went to the edge of the cliff and looked down. But there was no sign of Duke or his horse. Had the horse remained with him and Duke was now riding homeward?

She swung into the saddle, indicated Billy should do the same, and rode toward the Caldwell Ranch. She veered to the right of the trees.

A movement caught her eye. Something was in there among the stark branches and dark shadows. It could be a deer or even a bear. Or perhaps Duke’s horse. Should she check? She didn’t want to waste time but neither did she want to neglect caution. She reined in and peered into the shadows.

There it was again; something lurching from shadow to shadow. She blinked hard. “Duke?”

Billy hit the ground running. “Duke, you ain’t dead.”

The figure folded to the ground.

Rose dismounted and hurried after Billy.

By the time she caught up with him, he’d squatted beside Duke who was struggling to sit up.

Blood covered his face and soaked the front of his coat. He rubbed his eyes to clear the dripping blood and squinted up at them. But it was plain that he couldn’t bring them into focus.

She squatted in front of him and took his chin to bring his gaze to her. “Duke, do you hear me?”

“Loud and clear.”

Which was more than she could say about his answer. He sounded as if his tongue had gone to sleep.

“Don’t die, Duke. Please don’t die.” Billy sobbed the words.

Duke pulled his legs up and tried to get to his feet. “Got to go home.”

Yes, she needed to get him back to the ranch where he could get warm and have his wound tended.

“Billy,” she said calmly, “can you bring the horses?”

He got started on the assignment without answering.

She turned back to Duke and gently pressed him back to the ground. “Relax. We’ll get you home.”

He nodded, groaned at the movement and grabbed his head. “Hurts.”

“I expect so.” She touched his forehead, trying to see the cut through the blood. It looked deep, deep enough to mar his handsome features. Could he handle knowing that?