Chapter 5 ]High Chaparral—A Half Hour Earlier]
Buck rode Rebel toward the corral. Exhaustion numbed his arms and shoulders. Chase over rocks and brush irritated him. Greenhorns aggravated him. He wished that John had waited a week before moving the first herd south to their range. Yes, Sir! Big Brother John sure knows what he's doing! Yeah! He rolled his eyes
Rebel neighed at him.
"Yeah you're just as tuckered as I am. Ain't ya?" Buck patted his horse's neck. He dismounted from the saddle. "You'd best get some rest. Once I eat, we'll be right back out there." He took the saddle from the horse's back. "HEY, SAM!"
Sam stuck his head out of the tack room. "Yeah, Buck?"
"How's it goin' in there? You just about done?" Buck swiped his handkerchief across his forehead.
"Just writing down the final tally now. Triny's making some beans in the house. Annie and she said it was okay if I eat in there. Just give me a minute." He trudged back into the tack room.
Now Big John treats his foreman like a blasted clerk! When is it ever gonna end? Buck seethed. He marched across the courtyard to the house. He forced his best smile onto his face. "Hey, Annie? Trinidad?"
"¿Sí, Señor Buck?" Trinidad carried a hot pan of cornbread wrapped in a towel to the counter. She set it there. "You are on time. Yes? We are almost ready to eat. I hope you do not mind if I asked Sam to eat with us."
"Course I don't!" Annie smirked at him. "Ain't you a sight? Maybe you might wash up before table?"
"We like everything to shine like a brand new penny. Don't we, Buck?" Jenny chimed in. She set places for them all at the table.
"That we do! That we do!" Buck sighed. Frustration couldn't stand up to his source of sunshine. "You having a good day, Miss Jenny?"
"Course we are! Mama and I like working together on stuff! Aunt Victoria don't have to worry about nothing around here!" Jenny grinned at him. "You work outside. We all work inside."
"That's right! Don't you be forgetting about Mr. Sam either." Buck walked by the counter. Scent pleased his nostrils. "Mmm-MMM! That cornbread sure smells great! We're going to love that!" He walked into the kitchen. He washed his hands and face. "That sure feels good!" He walked back out to the table.
"Jenny, wash your hands. Then we can eat." Annie motioned toward the pump.
"Right away, Mama!" Jenny rushed toward the back.
Triny shook her head. Still a broad smile spread across her face. "¡Pilar! ¡Comida!"
"¡Sí, Mama!" Pilar hustled into the kitchen. She followed Jenny into the bathroom.
"They are sure a pair!" Buck had to laugh in spite of his earlier mood. "Need help, Annie, or you good?"
"We're good. Thank you. Just relax! You've been in that saddle all day. Land sakes! I'm sure that stomach of yours must be ready to eat itself!" Annie set several bowls down.
Sam came into the house. He felt out of place about sitting at the Boss' table and eating food from the kitchen. Still, he sure appreciated Invitation's grace. "That does smell good! I have to say!" He walked over to Trinidad. "¡Hola!"
"Hola, Sam." Trinidad kissed his cheek. "Lávate las manos por favor. Entonces podemos comer."
"Yes'm!" Sam tipped his hat. "Watch out, Girls!" He eased his way past Pilar and Jenny into the back. "That's going to be good!" He washed his hands and face. Then he took his hat off and joined the others at the table.
Grace was said. Then they started into the beans and cornbread.
"You sure've got them beans figured out, Triny! Mmm…¡Muy delicioso!" Sam ate a few more spoonfuls of the beans. Spices danced across his tongue and down his throat.
"These beans of yourn…what Sam said! This'll warm a man's heart and belly faster'n anything!" Buck dipped his cornbread. "You might make some of this for the trip to Sonora."
"Gosh! When are we going, Buck?" Surprise raised Jenny's eyebrow. Interest grabbed onto her attention.
"You're going to stay with Penny and Blue, Jenny. This ain't going to be a fun trip. Penny and you can visit and stuff! You can have real fun! Besides remember what we talked about?" Annie reminded her.
Jenny nodded. "If the babies come, I ask Penny or Miss Martha what to do. Then I help 'em!"
"That's right, Jenny." Sam cut in. "Sorry if this isn't my place. Remember we're down here. If you all need help, just holler. We'll be right there to help out."
"Absolutamente." Trinidad nodded.
"We all be in this together, Sam. I ain't hung up on all of that status stuff. You know that!" Buck shook his head. He stuffed the last spoonful of beans in his mouth.
Shots echoed from the lookout post.
"Now what?" Buck jumped to his feet. "Can't someone eat in peace?"
"I'll check it out, Buck." Sam got up. "Triny, Annie, keep the girls in here." He grabbed his hat and hustled out the door. His hand rested on his pistol's handle. "Jenkins! What's going on?"
"RIDER COMING IN REAL FAST, SAM! IT'S RENO FROM RIVERTREE!" Jenkins called back down.
Reno now? It's the middle of the day! What the Devil's he…. Realization registered in his mind. "Nah! Can't be!" He watched the slender ranch hand press his horse through the gate and up to the house. "Reno? What's going on?"
"Hey, Sam!" Reno pointed to the house. "Martha sent me. Penny's in labor! Bart and Wind are getting the Doc! Can anyone help?"
"You bet we can! Just a minute! Triny and Annie are in the house!" Sam ran back inside. "Triny! Annie! Forget about that lunch! We got us an emergency at Rivertree."
She'd have to do it now. Guess it's better than us being in Mexico! Uncle Buck's coming! Buck grabbed his own hat. He sprinted out the door. His boots barely touched the dirt across the courtyard. He threw his saddle onto Rebel's back. "Sorry about that! We gotta get moving!" He jumped into the saddle.
"Penny?" Annie rubbed her head. "Jenny, Pilar, can you clean up these dishes please? We've got to go." She tied on her bonnet. "Sam?"
"I'll get the wagon hitched up! You both meet me at the barn!" Sam ran out next. He noticed Rebel no longer by the corral. "Where'd Buck go?"
"He's long gone, Sam. He's heading for Rivertree." Reno glanced back over his shoulder toward the gate.
Sam rolled his eyes. "Just great!" Consternation pounded at his temples. "Give me a hand with the wagon?"
"Sure thing!" Reno got down off of his own horse. He and Sam hitched the fastest two horses to the buckboard. "Okay! Just hope Penny's all right."
"She's strong. Just be positive!" Sam shook his head. "I can't believe Blue's going to be a Dad."
"Tell me about it." Reno smirked. "He's so nervous. It's like watching him walk across a pit of snakes. He's ready. Look at how he does with being a foreman."
"Oh yeah." Sam got up on the wagon seat. He directed the horses out into the compound's center. There he found Annie and Triny waiting beside Reno's horse. "Okay, Ladies! Just a minute." He got down. "Annie, you mind the back? Sorry."
"That's fine, Sam. Whatever gets us to Penny in time." Annie climbed over the wheel and side. She settled in behind the seat.
"Up we go, Triny!" Sam guided his wife onto the seat. Then he took her place beside her. "YAH! Let's go! Reno!"
"I'm right behind you!" Reno waved to Jenkins in the sentry tower. Then he spurred his own horse back to a rapid gallop in Sam's wake.
Reinforcements were on the way….