Chapter 4 [Rancho Rivertree—Three Hours After Mercedes' Breakfast]

Mercedes carefully set her dresses into her trunk. Packing had occupied her since breakfast. Worry plagued her. Manolo, why did you ride out? We have to leave tomorrow! I have no idea what he will want to wear. She shut the trunk's top and secured the latches. She trudged down the hall.

Penny pressed herself as usual. She'd already swept the entire downstairs. She polished the wooden furniture. After that was done, she'd find something else to do.

She amazes. "Take a break, Penny. Por favor." Mercedes descended the stairs. "I am sorry. I should help you."

"Gosh! You have to be ready! I'm starving. I hope Manolito and Blue get back here soon. I'm sure they're okay, Tia." Penny relented. She slumped into a chair. "Whew!"

"You stay there. Has terminado por ahora." Mercedes poured water into the coffee pot. "My trunk is packed. I am ready for tomorrow." Her eyes couldn't help but glance out the window.

Two shots echoed from the roof.

"RIDERS!" Bart yelled down.

¿Ahora que es? Mercedes looked out the window and toward the main road. Seeing nothing there, she scratched her head. She turned toward the western horse trail.

Manolito and Blue rode Makadoo and Soapy back into the compound. Ira, Wind and Chad rode hard behind them. Occasional glances over the shoulder had peppered their ride to insure Tularosa's warriors were not following them.

"HEY, MANOLITO!" Bart called from his post. He waved to his boss and Amigo.

Manolito grinned. He waved to his sentry. "HEY! ARE WE BEING FOLLOWED?"

Bart looked over in the direction they'd just come in. His eyes looked at the rise. Then he shook his head. "NOPE! SURE AIN'T NOTHING LEAST THAT I CAN SEE!"

"¡Muchas gracias, Amigo!" Manolito watched his compadres dismount. Despite Tularosa's promises, Ill At Ease needled his mind. "Blue! Vamanos a la hacienda. Ira, you're next on watch. Chad, Wind, ride to the High Chaparral."

"We will be careful." Wind nodded. Regard for Manolito and Blue had increased after their meeting in the pasture. He saw Chad already back on his horse. "You do not waste time."

"Ain't no time like the present. We got us a sitch-e-ation." Chad tipped his hat to the Padron and foreman. Then he took off down the road.

"I like that one. He actually gets right to it." Wind smiled and shook his head ever so slightly. Then he rode down the path.

"Think we're getting some comradery up here?" Blue looked to Manolito. Hope warmed his heart at Prospects' promise.

"Si. We shall take care, Amigo. Vamanos. I believe we are in trouble." Manolito raised an eyebrow.

"Hey! I'm not the one who took off on his wife and didn't say nothin'. I had an argument with Penny. Least she knows where I went." Blue smirked. "And wait until she tells Victoria. You, the ladies and Pa all the way to your Pa's rancho. Mmm-MMM! Nope! Sure glad I ain't in your boots, Padron."

Manolito saw Mercedes' cross look across her face. He ground his teeth. "You are not helping."

"Oh I wasn't? Well let's hope they don't scalp us before Tularosa does." Blue sighed. "That is if Pa and Victoria don't tomorrow. And if Penny don't divorce me." He came up the stairs. "Mercedes, everyone's all right." He took his hat off and bowed his head.

"You could convince him not to ride out as you did!" Mercedes softened her tone and expression. "Gracias, Blue. I have been so worried about you both." She grabbed onto him. "Do not take such chances! All right?"

Blue stiffened. "Yes, Ma 'am." He considered Worry's and Desperation's looks across her face. "Sorry."

"I know. At least you told her where you went. Gracias. Penny está esperando." She pointed into the hacienda. "Manolo and I require privacy." Her eyes narrowed.

Blue ground his teeth. Sure glad that ain't me! Then again, it just might be! He headed into the house. "Closing the door!"

"¡Gracias, Blue!" Mercedes called.

"Yeah." Blue secured the door. "Whew!" He took off his boots and placed them by the door. "Penny?"

"Right here, Blue." She set his coffee cup on the counter with a firm clang. Relief and Irritation played equal parts across her eyes. "Just tell me you're okay."

"Yeah. Everything's fine." Blue shrugged. "Found some things out. Least we know it'll be okay to plant the trees and crops." He walked over to her. "I know you're mad. Can I get a hug or something?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Mad? MAD? Course I'm MAD! What do you I tell you about going off like that? BLUE! You're gonna get yourself killed! What if them Apaches weren't in their winter place? What if those bandits were out there? You could've been in trouble! You…" Her eyes watered. "You know how worried we were about you two?"

"Yeah well…" Blue considered not telling her the whole truth. But only for a heartbeat. Somehow Common Sense overrode that notion. "Penny, I ain't lied to you. Right?"

"Right. And?" Her eyes narrowed to slits. "They were there? Weren't they?" She face palmed herself. "BLUE!"

"Hey! I'm being honest! Okay? I want to tell you what happened." He put his hands up. "Maybe we ought to sit down."

"Fine! I want to hear everything!" She fixed two cups of coffee. "I should make you get your own. You did go with Tio and you're not hiding anything." Annoyance hissed a deep breath through her teeth. "You ain't hiding nothing, Blue. The whole thing." She set the coffee cups on the table.

He sighed. I sure called it out there. For a split second, he felt as if he was on the receiving end of John's, Victoria's or Buck's lectures again. "That's what I intend to do!"

"Okay." She sat down across from him. "Let's have it then. What do you mean it's okay to plant our trees and crops? We know it is!"

Blue nodded. "We saw some Apaches in the North Pasture. Manolito turned us around. We went back up the trail. When we got to the top, there were more waiting. Their chief was leading them. He and Manolito talked. No shots fired. Nobody got hurt. They want graze for their couple dozen cattle. You'd have to ask Manolito about the rest. At least we have an understanding. Tularosa wants to take care of his village. Maybe we can help."

She nodded. "And that's it?"

"Other than us riding back as fast as we did, that's the whole thing. I don't want a divorce, Penny. I…" His voice caught in his throat.

"One of these times, I just might be tempted." She shook her head. Despite Threat's sharp edges, his baby blues tugged at her heartstrings. She knew he only did what he thought was right. She saw him tell Manolito to take the men with them. "Least ways, you didn't let him go off by himself!" She slapped the counter. "Gosh, Blue! You think I like yellin' at you?"

"Uh no." He bit his lip.

"Sure shootin' I don't! I worry you know. I'm afraid you ain't going to come in one day. Then what do I do? I don't want that. I love you!" Penny snapped at him. She let the rest of Anger's spleen out with another terse breath. "Drink your coffee before it gets cold."

"Yes'm." He drank from the cup. "That sure is good after that chilly ride. Sure glad Manolito can deal with that chief. He and Pa sure don't like each other. He did good, Penny. Real good."

She nodded. "You ain't just tellin' me that to butter me up now, Blue Cannon? Better not be."

"I'm saying it because I was impressed. Manolito didn't say much else. We were riding hard to get back here." Blue looked out the window. "Now I really want that fence put up. Even if everyone gets along, we got to have something to fall back behind."

"That's better. You're talking good sense." She took a mouthful of coffee. "I ain't saying we can't get along with them. We sure can. I'm all for giving them a few pecks of them apples. Their kids gotta eat too. Right?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Let's hope what Mano said adds onto that."

"Hope so." Her eyes sparkled into his. "Blue?"

"Yeah?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You're forgetting about that hug." She held her arms out.

He grabbed onto her. He swung her around in his arms. His lips pressed down onto hers.

And with that, all was well in their world….