It really was pretty countryside, down here on the banks of the Trinity River, as summer began to turn into fall. No wonder Mary Rose kept a 'getaway' cabin here, after the dirt and bustle of Houston. I know that Pappy had come down to stay with Mary several times over the years; whether it was platonic or romantic, I couldn't say for sure. Knowing Pappy as well as I do, and Mary Rose as little as I do, I'd still bet they were more than just friends. When there's a beautiful woman around, none of the Maverick men are inclined to be bashful. I'd met Mary Rose several times, and she certainly fell into the category of beautiful women.
If I'd known the countryside better I might have ridden Noble bareback, just because we both enjoy it, but I hadn't explored much of the surrounding area, and I didn't know what might be out there waiting for us. Besides, Noble tends to be a bit friskier when Blackthorn is around, and I didn't need a broken anything at this point in my life. I'd had enough, thank you.
Bret and I set off in an easterly direction and just rode for a while, wanting to put a little distance between the water and our rabbit hunt. I don't know what Bret was lookin' for, but I was after some black-tailed jackrabbits since they were so prolific in this area. Once we'd ridden for a time we dismounted and tied the horses to a tree, making the rest of our way on foot. It didn't take long to find what we were after, and we each had one within thirty minutes. I don't mind huntin' them, but I leave the stew making to my brother. He's more experienced at it, anyway. Like I said before, I'm better at ordering than cooking. But I do right well with fish.
On the way back to the cabin both the horses got a little spooked, and eventually we figured out why. Bret spotted what looked like a southern copperhead near a fallen tree, and we steered clear of the area. By the time we returned I was getting sleepy, and it dawned on me that I'd gotten used to taking a nap, and I'd missed mine today. Funny how quickly we fall into habits.
I took care of the horses and Bret skinned the rabbits, then got them started cooking. Melody was laying in the middle of my bed, fast asleep, but woke and greeted me with a 'Hey, buddy, where you been?' meow. "You'll have a treat tonight for dinner, little lady. And you didn't even have to catch it," I informed her, and scooted her over so I could lie down on the bed. She snuggled right up next to me and Bret just looked over and shook his head.
"What is it about you and women?" he asked.
"I don't hardly think Melody qualifies as a woman," I told him.
"Alright, what is it about you and females?" was his modified question.
"You're one to talk," I reminded him. "I didn't try to get married when I was fifteen."
"That was different, and you know it."
"How was that different, big brother?"
"It just was."
It was a long time after that summer before I could actually talk to Bret about everything that had happened. Especially in light of what took place the following summer. He might have been only fifteen, but I really do believe he loved Mary Alice. I'd had my first female encounter of any consequence that same summer, and I know how long it was before I was willing to get involved with another girl.
"And you've been such a pious soul when it comes to women ever since," I reminded him.
He sat down on his bed and grinned at me. "Let's face it," he offered as a defense. "Women just can't resist the Maverick charms." Right at that point Melody raised her head and meowed, and not the sweet little 'Brrrrrrruuuppps' she'd been handing out. This was a full-throated, hair-raising comment on my brother's last remark. Then she got up, stretched, and jumped down on the floor, scooting underneath my bed.
"There's one that can," I managed to get out, laughing as hard as I could. "At least your Maverick charm."
"What does she know? She's a cat."
An absolute howl of protest from under the bed. "I think you better quit before this gets any more contentious."
"Like I said yesterday, she's got an attitude. Just like the horse. Do you ever attract anything that doesn't?"
I looked him right in the eyes. "Nope. Ain't that why you hang around?"
Bret laughed and said, "Touché."
I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. I woke up briefly and went right back to sleep, this time with a cat in my arms. The next time I woke I was facing the other bed, and there was no Bret in it. There was also no cat next to me. I lay still for a minute, clearing my head, then sat up and looked outside. The late afternoon sun was hitting the deck, and the only thing in sight was an empty rocking chair and some fishing equipment. No cat, no brother, no sign of either of them. I reached under the bed and picked up my Jules Verne book and took it outside, and sat and read two or three chapters before I began to get a little concerned. Knowing Bret, he probably went for a walk, but what about Melody? Had she followed him and gotten lost? Didn't seem likely, she was a cat, after all.
That's when I heard the gunshot; it broke the stillness and shattered my reverie. Just one, and then silence again, but it was enough to leave me with all sorts of wild guesses about what had happened. I got up from the rocker and went inside for my gun belt, strapping it on and reaching for the shotgun standing in the corner, just in case I needed it. That's when I heard what sounded like somebody or something crashing through the underbrush. Whatever it was, it was coming fast. It was only a few seconds before I heard Bret yelling, "Bart! Bart, get out here!"
I practically flew out the door and my brother quickly came into view, running for all he was worth and carrying something close to his body in his left arm. A few seconds nearer and I could see that it was Melody he had hold of, and she wasn't fighting him. "Here, check her. See if he bit her," and he shoved the cat at me as soon as he got within reach.
"See if what bit her?" I asked slightly panicked, not quite sure what I was looking for.
"Copperhead," he gasped out, and bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.
Melody lay still while I examined every square inch of her. It was only when I was finished that she clawed her way out of my grasp and up onto my shoulder, where she sat trembling. "Clean," I told him, and then asked, "What happened?"
He put his hand up, and I waited until he had his breath back and could talk. "I went for a walk and your lady friend followed. I didn't see the snake until he struck at her. If he hadn't attacked her he probably would've gone after me; I was headed right for him."
"So the gunshot – "
"Was the copperhead. Yeah. You sure he didn't get her?"
"Sure. Come 'ere, little lady." I reached up and took her off my shoulder. She seemed calm now and swatted at my nose as I brought her down to eye level. "What'd you do, pick her up and run?"
He stood straight at last and nodded his head. "Figured she wouldn't let me check her out, ran back to you."
She 'Brrrrrrruuuppped' and head butted me, then started to purr. I looked her right in the eyes and told her, "Thank you for protectin' big brother. I'd be kinda lost without him." Then I looked over at Bret. "Thanks."
"For what?" he asked.
"For gettin' her back here, just in case."
He walked over to where I stood, holding the kitten, and reached out to scratch her ears. She let him and kept purring. I carried her in the crook of my arm as we walked back to the cabin. "Let's be careful, just in case the snake had a family."
"Fine idea," I agreed with him. That had been a close call. Good thing he had uninvited company on his walk. Or did he?
