Chapter 1 [Two Months After "Holiday"—Rancho Rivertree]
Jack Frost held the high desert and adjoining grasslands in his chill grip. The skies held their navy blue tint between the clouds. Wind whipped through trees, around buildings and reddened the ranch hands' faces.
Exploration's urge however still beckoned to some….
[Manolito's Office]
Manolito rubbed his chin. His eye scanned Patterson's few remaining notes about the rancho. He looked at the crudely roughed out map on another piece of paper. He shook his head. We have no idea how far this land goes! What's beyond the western range? What are the resources? He rolled his eyes. What are the dangers? Comancheros? Apaches? Ay! Ay! Ay! You get yourself into trouble through your own ambition. He shook his head.
Whatever he and Mercedes decided to do, they needed a better idea of what they had. That in itself was a first step….
I remember that horse trail where we found the mustangs. Perhaps there is yet more fields? What good is land if we cannot maintain it? If we hold it, we should what is out there. ¡Si!" He nodded and slapped the table. "¡Si!"
A knock came from the door. "Manolo?"
He smiled. Gentle Warmth lit in his eyes. "¡Pasa, Mercedita!"
Mercedes opened the door slowly. "Are you all right? You have been in here all day."
"Si. I am thinking about our rancho and nuestro futuro. Es una buena cosa. ¿No?" He wheeled about in his chair to see her in a beige muslin blouse and a rouge skirt. I am glad Don Ricardo cannot see her. ¡Ay Chihuahua!
"Si. It is…when you do it with everything else. Manolo, this does not have to do with my father's plans to return. Does it?" Skepticism raised an eyebrow. She put her hand on her right hip.
"What? No! Mercedes! I would do this whether Don Ricardo is here or not! He would agree. I am talking about a land survey. This is a good time. The herds are on Chaparral range. We can ride and see what is out there. Blue can come with me. We will have a sound map." He shrugged. "I need to know what we have."
"And what if there are Apaches, more banditos or worse Comancheros? Do we wish to stir up trouble?" She shook her head.
"You do wish places to plant your trees and crops. Do you not?" He shrugged.
She had to give him that argument. As much as everything would grow with the lake and well, perhaps they could do more in the grasslands to their north and west. "Maybe we can talk about it at the table? Penny and Blue wait for us."
"Wait?" He glanced out the window. There he saw Dusk's darkening hues across the sky. "I have been here all day."
"Si. Blue had the men in their routines. Papa would tell you to balance everything. I believe John would say the same? I could have Victoria talk to you." She coughed.
He ground his teeth. His mind could almost hear his sister's nagging about being out of sorts. Still, even Victoria would agree that they needed an accurate assessment.
On the other hand, he understood Mercedes' point as well. He could hear his father. "Beyond those mountains, there is nothing but trouble!"
And there could be trouble beyond the west range too. He sighed. "Let us eat and speak with the others. ¿Bueno?"
"Gracias, Manolo." She kissed his cheek. "Lo siento. I worry about you."
"I know." He grinned at her. "Vamanos." He led her back toward the dining table.
Surveys were important…so was familia….
[Dining Table]
Blue leaned back in his chair. Impatience squinted through his eyes at the office. Thankfully, most of the hands rode herd on the South Range. With the blacksmith lean to, the building projects were behind them at least for the present. He had the remaining men rotating through the watches.
Concerns however darkened his outlook. He and the men had run into Apaches in the western meadow. They'd seen Comanchero tracks on the hillside beyond that point but still within the rancho's holdings. Coyote howled at the moon. How will we run herd through those meadows if we have to worry about those things?
"Blue, relax. It'll be okay." Penny assured him.
"Huh? Oh sure! Sorry, Penny. I drifted off." He set the chair straight. "The coffee's great. Thanks!"
She smiled. "Gosh! You're welcome!" She set a plate of pulled chicken in the table's middle. Then she placed bowls of beans and rice beside it. "Victoria suggested this. Figured I'd try it and give Tia a break." She shrugged.
"Maybe I'll tell you." He reached for the plate.
"Hey! Let's all sit down first, Mister!" Mischief twinkled in her eyes and her smirk. She waved her wooden spoon at him.
"Oh! I see how this is!" He grinned at her.
"Yeah well…I just want to eat together, Blue." She brought the coffee pot over and refilled his cup.
"Yeah I know." His eyes twinkled back at hers. Then he spied Mercedes leading Manolito into the room. "Mercedes, you found him!"
"Si. I did manage to pry him away from his labor." Humor and Lecture raised Mercedes' eyebrow at Manolito. "That chicken smells wonderful!"
"Thanks. I made lots! Hope everyone's hungry." Penny set filled coffee cups around the table. "Manolito, are you all right?"
"Si." Manolito frowned. "Why does everyone ask me this? Estoy sano. Life is good."
"Because you've been in there more and more. That's why." Blue took a mouthful of coffee. "Men have been asking about you. We're just concerned."
"There! You see?" Mercedes shrugged. "Everyone is concerned."
Manolito shook his head. Years earlier, he'd stood beside Buck and Blue in such discussions with Big John. He'd been one of those who wanted to make suggestions…
…well at least until Big John dared him and the others to take on the ledgers….
And now I do understand. "I have had matters to plan for. I am Padron. That is a responsibility." Manolito tapped his fingers on the table. "It is much like your new role, Blue. You may notice I do give some advice. I do not get involved." He shrugged. "I do not have to. You grow into your role. Most of the ranch hands, they know us."
"But they need us. Even your father would be out there." Blue shrugged.
"Si. He lets his foreman and the vaqueros do their jobs. He watches." Manolito exhaled. "Speaking of watching, Compadre, I have a question. It will help you and the ladies to understand."
"Sure." Blue exchanged looks with his wife and Mercedes. "Go right on ahead."
"Bien. Gracias, Amigo." Manolito rubbed his chin. 'Have you noticed anything wrong in the pastures?"
"Depends on what you mean by wrong." Blue got up. He walked toward the window. "You know how long we were at Chaparral, Mano?"
"Si. Years." Manolito drank from his coffee. "And?"
"You and I learned how to have eyes in the back of our heads. Apaches, bandits and renegades are always out there. Pa and Uncle Buck always got on me about that. Remember?" Blue gazed out the window into the deepening dark outside.
"Indeed. Well said." Manolito nodded. Approval broadened his smile. "And that is why I ask, Amigo. You remember what Don Ricardo said about this hacienda when we built it?"
"Yup. He'd rather we were behind good stout walls." Blue turned his eyes toward the northwest. "I didn't get it. I should've especially all the times the Apaches attacked the High Chaparral. Remember when Mercedes' namesake was leading us down that trail in them mountains? The wolves?"
"Si." Manolito narrowed his eyes. "You worry them, Blue. But you are making a good point. Get to it." Terseness lowered his voice several octaves. "Por favor."
"We were okay because we were alert. We stayed ahead of 'em. But they were following us for days and miles. We couldn't see them. They were there." Blue turned back toward the others. "The men and I've seen shod horse prints in the pastures off and on. Just a few weeks back, I took a ride that way. I took Wind, the Rondos and Bart with me. We saw some Apache up there. They saw us and took off."
Manolito raised an eyebrow. He nodded.
"We have Apaches and bandits?" Penny's eyes went wide.
"Señor Patterson said that." Mercedes sat down beside him. "Is that why you look at those papers?"
"Mercedita, now you understand." Manolito rubbed her hand. "Blue is right. There are comancheros, bandits and Apaches just out of sight. We cannot see them. But they watch us. Un minuto por favor." He got up and walked to his office. Then he came back with the notes and map. "This is what Patterson left for us."
"Yeah. Not much. He couldn't go very far by himself." Blue spooned up some rice and beans.
"We may have more men than Patterson. Whoever is there can bring more as well." Manolito fixed himself a plate of beans, rice and spiced chicken. "This has a pleasing smell." He bit into the chicken. "Mmm! ¡Muy delicioso!"
"Penny and I are learning las recetas de mi Bisabuela Victoria. She made the chicken." Mercedes bit into the chicken. "Excellente. ¿No?"
"Oh yeah!" Blue ate some beans. "Mmm! Just wish I had a warm wrap. I'd make a great big burrito. Hey! Maybe that would work on the trail!"
Manolito took another mouthful. "A one day ride. After that, Compadre, the sauce would soak through the tortilla. You would have a mess on your hands. It is a good idea." He mused over that point and his earlier one. "We need to know what is out there. We want to plant trees and crops. Will they be safe? Is there a good spot for a shack out there between the north and west pastures? Perhaps there is another silver deposit? Are there other resources. We should find out."
"And you could run into trouble too." Penny frowned. "I want to know as bad as anyone, Tio. I don't want anything happening to Blue or you."
"Pa might know something. Maybe we ask him?" Blue suggested.
"You are full of good ideas tonight, Amigo." Manolito bit into more of his feast.
Inspiration could come from anywhere….
