Big Sky Homecoming

“Billy Taylor. A sweet young man who seems a little simpleminded. He says Douglas saved his life.” She repeated Billy’s story.

“What did they want?”

“Just being neighborly.” She didn’t see any point in repeating Duke’s proclamation that the feud was over. Not until she could be sure.

Pa stirred at that moment and sat up. “Smells good in here.”

Ma hurried to fill the kettle. “I’ll make you some tea.”

Pa rose and stretched.

Rose took note of the fact his arms barely rose above shoulder height and that he clenched his teeth as if holding back a groan.

She turned her back to stare out the window. If the harassment from the Caldwells ended, she would be most grateful. Please, God, make it so. Perhaps Duke would take it a step further. Hadn’t he said he wanted them to be friends?

Her cheeks warmed. She tried to dismiss the idea but it had developed tenacious roots. Seeing him on that big horse, hearing Billy talk of being rescued by Duke, recalling the way he’d teased her when they were kids—

Enough. He was a Caldwell. Even without the feud between them, they were a whole universe apart. A rich rancher and an adopted daughter of dirt farmers—no one would ever imagine them together. But the idea dogged her as she helped serve the meal and later as she went to her room.

Two empty beds stood side by side next to hers. Cora and Lilly were married. She still found it hard to believe. For some reason, she thought they’d always be together.

Her earliest memory was of the three of them standing on the dusty prairie watching a wagon drive away and waving bye-bye to their papa. Then she and Lilly had each clutched one of Cora’s hands, their big sister who had promised to take care of them.

That’s where Ma Bell had found them. Lilly had gone eagerly into Ma’s outstretched arms but Cora had hung back. Rose had stuck firmly to Cora’s side.

“My papa is coming back. He said to wait,” Cora had insisted.

“Your little sisters are tired and hungry,” Ma had said. “Come with me and let me feed all of you. We’ll be in town. Your papa will know to look for you there when he comes back.”

Thinking of that day, Rose smiled as she prepared for bed.

“Ise not tired ’n’ hungry,” she’d stoutly insisted, standing bravely at Cora’s side and knowing that if Ma Bell had mentioned milk or bread or cheese, she would have faltered. Instead, Cora had nodded and allowed Ma Bell to lead them home.

Fifteen years later and their birth father had never returned. Rose could remember nothing more about her father and nothing at all about her birth mother. Cora had told her that their mother had died and Cora had promised to take care of the twins.

Rose wished her sisters were still there. They could have discussed what Duke had said. Though she knew they were likely to trust his words. Her sisters had certainly mellowed since meeting their husbands. Was that what love did to a person?

Rose hadn’t changed. Except to finally accept that they would never learn anything more about their birth parents. She was happy enough, but inside, a hole remained. A lack. She knew Ma and Pa loved her and she loved them and was happy they had adopted the three little girls abandoned on the prairie, yet somehow, when Rose looked within, a hungry emptiness clawed at her insides. It wasn’t a large hole but it went deep and persistently made itself known. She had no family history. No knowledge of her real background. No assurance there wasn’t something mighty strange about a man who’d abandoned three little girls in the middle of nowhere. The few times she’d let a boy escort her someplace, they had acted as though her lack of background allowed them to take liberties with her. She’d soon set them straight on that score.

She sat on the edge of her bed and, as was her practice, read a chapter in her Bible and then said her prayers, adding a special request. God, show me what to believe about Duke. I don’t want to trust his every word out of loneliness and weakness. Yet, if the feud is over, well, I’ll thank You wholeheartedly.

* * *

She wakened with a jolt the next morning, her heart pounding as she bolted from her bed. Something had startled her from her sleep. Hopping on the cold floor, she rushed to look out the kitchen window into the gray, predawn light. Cows, pigs, sheep and chickens milled across the yard. The cows mooed. The sheep baaed and ran around in crazy circles, making the chickens fly up with startled squawks. The pigs rooted through the spot where she occasionally emptied the slop bucket.

She hurried back to her room and donned warm clothes, then grabbed her coat and headed outside to again corral all the animals.

Only once did she stop to stare in the direction of the Caldwell buildings. So much for ending the feud.

Duke had not told her the truth. What else was false? His claim that he wanted to be her friend?

A cold wind whistled down the hill, stinging her eyes, causing them to water. There was no other reason for the tears she dashed from her eyes.

* * *

Duke’s emotions tangled as if they’d been caught in the wind. Disappointment, anger and helpless hope formed a rope that twisted tighter with every breath.

He’d ridden over to the Bells’ so certain Rose would be overjoyed at his announcement. Instead she had questioned his sincerity. She suspected his motives.

Come to think of it, she’d always been on the suspicious side. If he took her an apple, she’d check it for worms. If he found a pretty rock and gave it to her, she’d toss it aside wondering aloud if he meant to insult her.

Mrs. Humphrey had noted his distraction when he’d returned yesterday. “Who you mooning over, Duke?”

Duke had forced a boisterous laugh to his lips. “I’d never moon over anyone. You ought to know that.”

He tried to hold on to that sense of injustice this morning.

Over breakfast Mrs. Humphrey considered him in her motherly way.

He met her doubtful look without blinking as he had last night. “Good breakfast,” he said after a moment of measuring each other.

“Duke, I hope you can manage on your own a few days. I want to visit my son.”

“By all means.” It would be a relief not to have to endure her probing looks. “We can certainly manage.” He included Billy, who sat across from him at the table.

“You can always go to the cookhouse and eat with the men if you get hungry.”

Billy made a sound of distress. It hadn’t taken him long to discover how harsh the cowboys’ teasing could be.

“We’ll be fine.”

Not long after breakfast, when she was ready, he arranged for one of the men to take her to town in the wagon.

He wandered through the house; stood in his father’s office. He was in charge now, but it didn’t seem all that exciting. He returned to the kitchen where Billy sat with his papers and pencil.

“Billy, let’s go visit Rose.”

Billy cheered. “She said I could visit the cats anytime I wanted.” He gave Duke a sideways look. “I like cats.”

Was Billy asking to have a pet? Duke had no objection but would wait to check with Rose before he said anything.

They saddled up and were soon on their way.

It had grown colder in the past couple of days. Winter could not be avoided. Father was away and Duke wondered if there was something he needed to be taking care of. Though Father had assured him Ebner knew what to do.

Duke wanted to help. He wanted to work. But when he’d asked Ebner what to do, the foreman had waved him away.

“I got it under control. I always got it under control. I don’t need some young buck messin’ things up.”