Chapter Four: My Darkest Night will Turn to Day
Mexico. Mattie had never been, but she had heard horror stories of desperadoes and hoodlums. It was the country of everything her mother would have been traumatized to hear about, and now Mattie's own aunt, her mother's own sister, was suggesting that three single women, none-too-terrible-looking, should all chase a band of ruffians into the hostile land.
"I'm not suggesting we go there," Eileen grinned, unfazed by Mattie's and Caroline's shared looks of dismay. "Do you need help getting back up onto your horse, Mattie?"
"I think I can manage," Mattie shook her head, struggling only briefly to get on her pony's back. "So we're going to chase them to the Mexican border?"
"We're going to chase them to Dallas, where they plan to regroup with some friends and prepare themselves for the journey. Once in Dallas, we're going to go to Lem's, and then we're going to find a ranger or someone who can help us with Larson. We will probably need someone who can track the gang, and then we'll decide what to do from there."
"Lem's?" Caroline demanded.
"Who is Lem?" Mattie asked as the horses trotted side by side across the field.
"An old friend of mine," Eileen smiled.
"He owns a saloon," Caroline grimaced. "Eileen, I don't know that..."
"Now ladies," Eileen said firmly, turning Lone Star so that the other horses had to stop, "I intend to go after Larson with or without you. Dallas is an immense city, and we won't be able to find Larson in a day. Lem may own a saloon, but he is a good friend, and he can give me work. I would be willing to bet that Larson and his gang are going to take a train to the Mexican border, and we are going to need to get more money if we're to go along with them. We will be safe with Lem, regardless of how much you might be opposed to a saloon. We will be safe there."
"If you're going to be singing at a saloon, you will need to keep your dress safe," Mattie commented. "We are about to enter a wood. Why don't you change once we get there? I am sure Mama packed clothes for you, Eileen."
"Thank you, Mattie. I hadn't even thought of that."
"How were you going to travel to Dallas?" Caroline asked as the horses entered the woods. "Just ride until you can't go anymore?"
"No," Eileen shook her head. "That will be Larson's idea, and he won't do well by it. It takes about a week to get to Dallas, if the weather is good. He can't run his horses for that long before they'll need a long rest. He and his men never did take good care of their mounts. Lone Star could go for a long time without a stop, but I don't know about your boys. We'll travel by night and rest in the daylight. The nights will be cooler, so we can travel further."
"There isn't much hoping of beating the men to Dallas, is there?" Mattie asked.
"It's possible, but I sincerely hope we don't," Eileen shook her head. "He'll have gathered more men on the ride, and we don't have the gun power or the manpower to do anything about them until we get help in Dallas. Let's stop here."
She swung off Lone Star and then held Mattie and Caroline's horses as they dismounted.
"Let's see what your mama packed, Mattie."
Eileen took the saddle bags off the horses and began to rummage through them. "Some pistols, a couple of rifles attached to the saddles, food, a brush, and bless my stars, my makeup and a clean corset. And these..." Her voice got soft, and she pulled out a pair of deerskin breeches, a bolero hat, and a heavy buckskin jacket with fringe dangling from the sleeves. "And my boots." They were knee-high boots made of the softest tan leather to match the buckskin jacket.
"Those must mean a lot to you," Mattie commented as Eileen looked through several more bundles of clothes and supplies and then began to unlace the front of her saloon dress.
"Oh yes," Eileen nodded. "The bolero was from a friend in Mexico. The breeches are from an Apache who enjoyed my singing and appreciated my kindness. The boots are from Pa, and the coat," she paused, "the coat is from a very, very dear friend."
She loosened her corset and removed her shoes and bloomers before pulling on a loose white shirt, her breeches, and her boots. "It's going to get colder tonight, ladies. There are gloves and other warm articles of clothing in the saddle bags if you need them."
Mattie watched as Eileen pulled on her coat and then her bolero. There was something familiar about the coat, and Mattie was reminded of Mr. Laboeuf. His eyes suddenly twinkled at her from the stars and she shook her head, trying to shake away thoughts and a blush. The man had been such an arrogant scoundrel. She didn't understand why now, after all this time, she felt strange stirrings for him.
"Shall we ride?" Eileen asked, putting the saddle bags back in their places and then swinging up onto Lone Star's back. Even in men's clothes, she was glamorous, her long hair pulled back with a leather strip, cascading in rich curls down her back.
Mattie nodded and then clucked her tongue at her mount, encouraging him to move on.
The sun was high in the sky when the women finally prepared to stop their horses. They had ridden steadily through the night, at a decent pace, moving as quickly as was safely possible through the trees before they exited the woods and found themselves on a well-worn dusty stage coach trail that traveled south.
"There's a patch of trees just down the way," Eileen yawned, pointing ahead. "We'll stop there and hide under cover of the trees. They will give us shade and protection."
"Are we going to be able to sleep through the daylight?" Caroline asked, patting her horse's neck as they entered the trees.
"I think so. It's going to be a rough night of riding, so you'll have to try your best," Eileen sighed.
"Oh?" Mattie asked, bringing her horse to a stop and then swinging off.
"It's rather humid. We're in for a thunderstorm."
All three women were saddle sore as they took the saddles, blankets, and bridles off their horses. Mattie had trouble keeping her eyes open as she made sure her horse's halter was securely fastened and then led him to a small stream that flowed through the trees. She ground tied her horse near the water and then waddled to where Caroline was resting with her back against a tree. Eileen took care of both hers and Caroline's horses and then plopped down next to the girls.
"Dry meat, an apple each, and two flasks of water," she announced, tossing a small parcel to Mattie. "Comfortable, ladies?"
"Tired," Caroline yawned.
"Agreed," Eileen stretched and then popped a piece of dry meat into her mouth. "Meal of kings, this."
"What is Dallas like?" Caroline asked, speaking between pieces of apple.
"Very busy. You have to be careful when you try to cross the roads. It isn't proper or safe for a lady to go out alone at night, although I guess that isn't proper anywhere. There are shows every night. Operas travel through there, and all sorts of merchandise. It's very active and somewhat tiring, but fun," Eileen said, leaning back and closing her eyes.
"What were you doing in Dallas?" Mattie asked, suddenly more awake than she wanted to be.
"Eileen went there with her beau," Caroline said, her cheeks turning pink.
"I was told Dallas was the best place in the world for singers," Eileen smiled slightly, tilting her hat so that it covered her eyes. "I had a young man that was willing to bring me there."
"We shouldn't talk about such things," Caroline said firmly.
"You're just like Mattie's mother," Eileen chuckled. "It wouldn't have been very appropriate for me to go alone, would it?"
"You know what I mean," Caroline stammered.
"I had a beau," Eileen said, lifting the brim of her hat and looking sideways to Mattie. "He gave me this jacket, actually. He was a decent, moral, and tempting gentleman. He wooed me away to Dallas. I met Lem there, and I ended my relationship with my beau."
"Why?" Mattie couldn't help herself.
"Because he had a bigger love for Texas than he did for me," Eileen shrugged, closing her eyes again, a smile tugging at her lips. "I can't compete with that. Now if you don't mind, ladies, I need to sleep."
"Now that you've thoroughly woken us up," Caroline huffed.
"I can't help your high standards, Caroline."
"It was disgraceful, and you know it. Rosemary said it sent Pa to his grave."
"My leaving with my man didn't send Pa to his grave. It was my not marrying him. Pa wanted nothing more than to marry us all off. You're lucky you weren't old enough," Eileen said calmly. "Pa was a wonderful man and loving, but he was pushy when it came to men and marriage. He always regretted not having a son. He loved your father, Mattie. He was the son Pa never had. He loved Glen, too, but he wouldn't have minded if I married the man without much love involved. I couldn't compete with Texas, as I said. She's too big a competitor and too tempting a mistress. We need to sleep."
"I'm sorry, Eileen," Caroline's voice softened. "I didn't mean to upset you. It isn't any of our business anyway. Can you sing to us, to help us sleep?"
"You know me well," Eileen answered. "Very well. Get comfortable, girls."
Mattie lay down, using her saddle blanket as a pillow, and closed her eyes. The faintest of breezes rustled through the trees, licking at her face, and she breathed deeply, hoping that Eileen's voice was the type that could lull her into sleep.
"I gave my love a cherry that has no stone.
I gave my love a chicken that has no bone.
I gave my love a ring that has no end.
I gave my love a baby with no crying."
It was the most soothing voice Mattie had ever heard. She could feel a lump building in her throat, and she gathered the saddle blanket in her arms, letting the sweet voice wash over her.
"How can there be a cherry that has no stone?
How can there be a chicken that has no bone?
How can there be a ring that has no end?
How can there be a baby with no crying?"
A cherry when it's blooming, it has no stone.
A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone.
A ring when it's rolling, it has no end.
A baby when he's sleeping, has no crying."