Chapter Fourteen
The wind was starting to blow only Elizabeth paid it no mind as she rode towards a nearby creek. Mr. Billings' nephew was to arrive the next day – the Billings had received a telegram saying so. Most of the possessions she and Nick now owned, along with Paul and Bea Gyvers' things had either been packed or sold. The latter might not have happened only none of them could believe how much stuff they had accumulated in such a short amount of a time. However, none of that was on Elizabeth's mind as she searched for her husband…hence the reason for heading to the creek. It was the one place her husband seemed to gravitate to when he was troubled…and he was troubled. He'd been more ornery and stubborn than usual, and even said a few unnecessary things when she and he were talking about the route they'd take to Kingsville. He'd then stormed off. Now, after waiting an hour to give him some time to cool off-Elizabeth was determined to find him and find out exactly what set him off. Even though, in all honesty, she could pretty well guess. However, she didn't want speculations, she wanted fact.
The path to the creek was still somewhat muddy only, thank goodness, any actual puddle had dried up just enough not to send the muddy water flying through the air. The trees with their new green leaves were beautiful, though Elizabeth paid them little attention at the moment. Sure enough, as the creek came into view, Elizabeth could see Nick throwing some pebbles and smaller rocks into the flowing water in front of him. 'Probably throwing them because there's nothing nearby that can be broken.' She thought as she pushed her horse forward.
Nick wasn't surprised to glance out of his eye and see his wife riding towards him. He threw the last stone into the creek and sat down on a nearby boulder. He couldn't help but wonder what she had to say about the way he'd stormed around the living room, hollering and complaining about the route they'd be taking-along with the other words that had been spoken. It hadn't been necessary, and the route 'Uncle Paul' had brought up was the better route.
"We don't have to stay in Wyoming. For that matter, we don't even have to leave California if you're that dead set against it, Jonathon." Elizabeth said once she had her horse tethered to a nearby tree and was standing next to the boulder. She would have simply called him Nick-since, as far as she knew, no one was around only she didn't want to take any chances. After all, she didn't have eyes in the back of her head. There was nothing but patience and love in her eyes and voice.
'Why did I have to go running off when Mother forbade me to court Elizabeth? Why didn't I simply stand my ground while acknowledging that-most likely- Mother was more than afraid of what Cass might do…and even more terrified of what it might do to Jarrod if something happened to any member of the family?' Nick asked himself-feeling sure now that is where his mother's out of the ordinary behavior had come from. He was equally sure Jarrod had had the same problem. That is, he'd been afraid he'd find the dark side of him appearing again…if something bad happened because of Cass Hyatt. "We've gone too far." Nick shook his head and sighed. "Cass is a sick, vengeful man. Even in prison he's a danger to my family. By now I'm sure even he has learned of our 'deaths'. To resurrect ourselves now would make things ten times worse. I'm sure of it. As much as I miss my family, as much as I know my choices have hurt them, we can't go back. Even if I'm willing to put myself in the line of fire, I refuse to put them in danger." Nick then apologized for his behavior. "It's not the first time I've acted like that in my life, probably won't be the last. Hope you can handle it," He looked away from his wife and focused on the crystal blue water running over, and around, the various rocks and pebbles in its path.
Elizabeth laid her hand on his shoulder. She'd realized some time ago the kind of man she'd agreed to marry. She had no desire to reverse that decision. Smiling, in spite of the stress she'd been feeling, she did her best to give him some comfort in spite of the situation. "Since we don't feel like we can go back, let's go forward. We can have a good life in Wyoming, if we let ourselves. Also, who says you have to work for the Gyvers' nephew?" That-working as a mere ranch hand when they got to Wyoming- was another thing he'd griped about while he was ranting. "I talked to Uncle Paul and discussed various options. He's willing to help us look into a ranch of our own. Yes, he and his son would have to help give us a start, and the ranch would, most likely, be a small one at first. Still, it would still be ours. Well, after we paid Uncle Paul and his son back. Also," she paused, and then continued, "if the good Lord be willing, the rift between us and your family can be healed… someday, somehow."
Go forward…Nick took a deep breath. He had to admit, going forward was a much better idea than holding onto the past. Also, keeping the desire to reconcile with his family alive was also something to take a hold of. "I know I've said this before, only we've got to do that in the future, somehow." Nick stood up and pulled his wife close. "I mean, heal the rift between them and us." He looked around at the trees, rocks, the mountains he could see off in the distance. Due to the fact that 'Uncle Paul' had given them the description his son had included in a letter, Nick wasn't sure what he was going to think of Kingsville, Wyoming. Then again, who said they had to actually live in Kingsville once they delivered Paul and Bea to their son? Who said they couldn't find another town in Wyoming to make their home? "We've got to talk." He stepped back, while keeping his hand on his wife's upper arm. As he told her of the thought that had hit him with such force he couldn't ignore it, they started walking towards their horses-Elizabeth's horse wasn't that far from his.