The saloon closed with the men all staying put, and when morning rolled around they were still more or less in the same spot. They'd come and gone during the night, checking on the town and looking in on Ezra, but had always come back to wait together. When Vin stood up, stretched and made a move toward the stove to put on coffee, Buck grabbed his arm gently and pulled him back.
"We've had a hard enough time. No need to make us suffer through your coffee as well." The timing proved perfect, as Josiah came into the room a few minutes later and headed straight for the pot.
"He slept most of the night." He spoke without being asked. "Even you guys coming and going wasn't enough to really wake him. Nathan is changing some of the bandages."
"Did he really sleep?" Chris doubted Ezra had a peaceful night.
"Off and on." Josiah admitted. "Tossed and turned as much as the injuries would let. Woke up upset a few times, but tried to hide it."
"You still aiming on heading to White Rock." Buck looked ready to join in if the answer was yes.
"He asked me – us – not to."
"What the hell did you tell him for?"
"Didn't have to Buck. He knows us. At least at one level. Said we shouldn't do anything foolish on his account. Doesn't want us getting into trouble with the Judge. Or any other law."
"He'd do it for us." JD countered.
"Yeah, he would. And we'd be mad at him for being stupid. We have to honour what he wants."
Buck finished off his coffee. "Well, if we ain't heading out, guess I should look at getting on patrol for the morning. You tell Ezra I'll be by to see him when I get back." He headed for the door, dreading the idea of walking into the livery and seeing Chaucer's empty stall. Nathan entered just as he was leaving. A quick look told all of them there was nothing new.
"He's resting again. Burns are settling down, but he'll be damned uncomfortable all day. He needs to stay put, and that will be easier if we can make sure one of us is close by do keep him from getting any ideas."
Chris and JD rose at the same time, and after a moment's hesitation the younger man deferred. "I'll head over to the jail for now. Check and see if I got an answer to the telegraph too. Tell Ezra I can come by later and read some to him later if he'd like."
A few minutes later Chris was gently knocking on Ezra's door.
"I am awake, you may enter."
"Nathan said you can have a half cup of coffee if you'd like. And before you ask, Buck made it."
"Thank you, but I really do not feel like anybody's brew this morning. And I am sure you have more important and worthwhile places to be. There is no need for you to sit and hold my hand. In fact," he held it up to show the fresh bandages. "I imagine such an effort would be ill advised."
"Not holding any hands Ezra. Don't have anywhere more important either."
Ezra shrugged his capitulation. "I presume you have arranged for my duties for the day to be handled by someone else? I am sure our eager and energetic sheriff is up to the task."
"Don't worry about it. You're in no shape for that. I guess it'll be a few days until Nathan even clears you to be up and about again. You can sleep late with no guilt."
Ezra's eyes clouded over. "I would prefer to be out riding the patrol."
Chris sighed. Way to put your foot in your mouth Larabee, he thought. "I know Ezra. I wish I could do something about it."
"You can. Please, make sure none of them do anything foolish. I know the way they think. No one needs to put themselves at risk for this."
"Relax. We've agreed to let the law handle matters. There's two of the gang left, and they'll be tried quick. Likely in the next few days since Travis is there, or at least on his way. They've got them for rustling, stealing, and attempted murder of a lawman – you. And the attack on the army patrol and God knows what else. They'll hang Ezra."
"That is too good for them."
"Well, Buck did spend most of the night coming up with ideas for other ways for them to die, but I doubt the Judge would allow most of them. I kinda liked the ant hill and honey idea." Chris was rewarded with the briefest suggestion of a smile from Ezra.
"I am certain there were a number of creative suggestions put forward. Please share with the others my gratitude for their concern. And, since I doubt I was in condition to express this yesterday, I offer my thanks to you for coming out in search of me. I don't know why you sensed I needed assistance, but I am grateful you did."
"Well of course we came looking for you. The minute we found out some to the gang was headed your way. Just wish I'd known sooner – or had gone with you in the first place."
"Surely you can't be taking the blame for any of the this?"
Chris said nothing. Ezra tried to sit up, but the stiffness that had set in made movement more than uncomfortable, and he was unable to stifle a groan, which had Chris on his feet instantly.
"No, please sit. I am fine. This was not your fault. I was careless and Chaucer paid the price for it."
"You weren't careless Ezra. These guys ambush people. That's what the do – did – and they were damned good at it. The fact you survived is a miracle we'll take gladly. I was stupid to send a man out on his own knowing these guys were around." Chris was surprised to hear a soft chuckle coming from the bed.
"I have a thought." Ezra offered. "Rather than contesting to determine which of us is most responsible for the tragedy that has come to pass, what do you say to the suggestion we place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the bastards who committed the crime?" Chris knew Ezra was not going to let himself off so easily, any more than he was willing to forgo his part in the mess, but for the moment, it seem like a reasonable compromise. Besides, he was supposed to be helping Ezra rest, not get him riled up. After a few minutes of silence, he heard the subtle change in breathing that let him know Ezra was sleeping again, and he settled back in his own seat to wait.
7-7-7-7-7-7-7
"I see there has been a changing of the guard." When Ezra woke mid-day, he discovered Buck lightly dozing in the chair Chris had vacated.
"How you feeling Ez?"
"Likely about the same as I appear – sad to say. Not that you are looking all that splendid yourself at this point. Perhaps you should be resting in a more suitable location?"
"I'm just fine right here. What do you mean I don't look good? Big part of my charm is that I always look good."
"I assure you no offense was intended, but then you knew that. However, as you and the others were all likely awake, or at least not in bed, for the night, it is to be expected none of you will be a peak performance today. And from the dust and dirt covering you, I presume you did morning rounds today."
"Yeah – rode out early. Oh, damn. Sorry Ez. Shouldn't have said that."
"I doubt very much that it is possible to carry on for any length of time without the mention of riding or horses. Please, do not feel the need to make such an effort."
"I know but –"
"In fact, I was giving the matter some thought. You are quite well versed in the matter of the available steeds in the region. I believe you make an effort to keep yourself current on such matters."
"Yeah, I got a pretty good idea."
"Tell me then, can you think of any mounts that might prove to be a suitable replacement for me?" Ezra was making a strong effort to keep his tone and manner calm as he spoke, but Buck could see the strain on his face and hear it in his voice as well.
"That ain't a decision for you to make today Ezra. Or even in the next few days."
"Nonsense. Unless there have been changes I am unaware of, I still have a job which needs to be done, and cannot do my part without a horse."
"There is no part right now. You need to get healed up for one thing. And – well I don't see a reason to rush any of this."
"And I see no purpose in postponing matters. Are you aware of a suitable replacement or not?"
"No. There is no replacement, and we both know that. You and Chaucer, that was special. You can look for 50 years and you won't find a replacement. Don't make sense to try."
"Do you propose I spend the rest of my days walking from place to place? I grant you it would be good for my health, but it will severely limit my ability to patrol."
"We can find you a horse Ezra. I know of a couple of good ones out at Henderson's ranch. He'll give you a fair price on one. Point I'm makin' –"
"I know the point you are making. And I don't deny the veracity of your statement. However, it does not change the reality of my situation." He was losing the battle to keep his emotions in check. "There will never be another Chaucer. I know that. No one gets that lucky twice in a lifetime – not even me."
"I think sometimes we make our own luck Ezra. What I'm trying to say, and not doing a good job of, is that I am going to help you find a horse that will live up to Chaucer's memory. I like to think that some of that spirit is going to come through in any animal you train, because it was your style that helped make Chaucer the special horse that he was. So, we aren't gonna rush into anything. I'd be proud to help you find you the right horse – not to replace Chaucer, but to pick up where he left off."
"The next time," Ezra spoke, his eyes glistening with moisture, "anyone dares to accuse you of being an insensitive buffoon, he shall answer to me."
"Don't you go ruining my reputation Ez. Ladies start thinking of me as sensitive they're gonna expect more of me than I'm ready to give." He winked, allowing a tear of his own to drop as result.
7-7-7-7-7-7-7
The team spent the remainder of the day discouraging visitors. Half the town came by offering everything from food to the use of a horse. A number of the men of the community volunteered to cover for Ezra until he was up to patrolling again. It was all proving to be more that he could have ever expected, as he kept commenting on with each update.
"When are you going to accept that folks around here like you Ezra?" JD finally asked him.
"I do realize the evidence is there, it is just not a sensation I am accustomed to. Never before have I been accepted for who I am. Of course, I have rarely ever let anyone see that aspect of my nature, so the blame is my own."
"Hell, we all accepted you."
"No, you didn't. You do now, and I will forever be grateful for that, but there was justified doubt and suspicion from the first moment we all met. You would have had to be fools to feel otherwise, and none of you are fools." He smiled at JD's obvious desire to challenge the claim, and inability to do so. "Don't let it concern you. I have never been accepted at first contact."
"I think you were – once. Chaucer. I'm betting the two of you were friends right from the first time you met."
Ezra smiled at the memory. "You would lose that bet, but only on a technicality. He wanted nothing to do with me. Nothing to do with anyone. I can honestly say though it took just minutes for him to acknowledge that we were indeed kindred spirits."
"How do ya mean?"
"He did not care for the man who owned him. An unsophisticated brute."
"He hurt Chaucer?"
"Not physically. But he did not allow the spirit to live. He named him 'Brownie'." Ezra shuddered just saying the name. "Can you imagine."
"So you offered to buy him?"
"In those days I had neither the funds nor the inclination to make a purchase when there were other means of acquiring what one desired."
"Won him in a card game." JD concluded.
"No, again I had no funds to play for a sufficiently long period to encourage him to place Chaucer in the pot. I merely bet him that I could get the, to use his words, 'stubborn unrideable beast' to do tricks."
"I don't get it? When did you have time to teach him any tricks?"
Ezra smiled again. "I did not need to teach him anything. He knew. I don't know how I was so certain of that fact, but I had no doubt he would follow my lead. And he did. It was a sight to behold. He pranced down that street like the finest of show animals. Knelt when I waved him down and reared when I raised my arm. He counted off as instructed and took a single peppermint from my pocket. The applause was deafening. Even such a man as had owned him saw that Chaucer belonged in a world different from the fate he'd had in mind. So, he was mine."
"That's great Ezra. You rescued him."
"Yes, I rescued him, only to lead him to his death." The bitterness was back in an instant.
"Damn Ezra – that wasn't your fault. You gotta think of the good times you two had together. I mean, he would have been put down years ago, or stuck in some kind of dull farming life. Instead, he got adventures and wide open country. You can't tell me he didn't have a good life with you."
Ezra thought back over the years. "Well, I can certainly say his life was never dull."
"Look – I don't know if horses can feel things the way we do, but I will say that Chaucer loved being with you. Would hardly let anyone else even near him, let alone try to ride or groom him. I think he was happy. And I don't think he'd like the way you're blaming yourself for this. I mean, you wouldn't want him moping around and being mad at himself if things had gone the other way round – would you?"
"I daresay you are ascribing to him the same human characteristics as I am prone to do. I thought I was alone in that quirk of imagination."
"Ezra, if ever there was horse that was part human, it was Chaucer. Now, I am supposed to be here getting you to eat some supper, so unless you want Nathan mad at both of us, why don't you try to pick up that spoon and try to get some of that stew into you?"
7-7-7-7-7-7-7
It wasn't a typical Friday night at the saloon. The mood subdued, the conversations quieter. Vin spent a few hours sitting by Ezra's bed, but the exhausted man slept through the visit. He was roused only by another round of lotions and bandages. Nathan smiled to see how well the damage was healing.
"I take it I shall live to see another day, thanks to your efforts."
"Well, Vin was a big help too. That cactus pulp really helped take the worst of the sting outta the burn for you. Don't seem to be itching to much as it heals."
"It is hardly comfortable, but it is not a painful as I might have expected." He was able to tolerate Nathan's gentle application of the lotion to his arms and chest with far less discomfort than there had been the night before. Nathan noticed a ghost of a grin cross Ezra's face.
"What got you smiling?"
"It is foolish. I have a vague memory of a similar experience as a child, perhaps 4 years of age. I had some ailment – I recall coughing badly for several days until someone provided us with a lotion to be applied to my chest. It smelled almost mint like, but not quite. I have no idea what it was or where it came from, only that it was applied much like what you are doing now. The difference was the action was accompanied by the singing of a lullaby that I had a great fondness for."
"Who was taking care of you?"
"Mother."
"Maude? Singing and tending to you? Maude?"
"I realize she is not the most shining example of motherhood to ever walk the face of the earth, but there were moments. They were few, short, and spread out over the years, but there were moments, when she actually took on the role."
"I'm sorry Ezra. I shouldn't have reacted like that. It's just, well, just that I have some trouble seeing her that way."
"As do I. But as I said, there were moments. I believe there were three moments to be precise."
"I'm sorry Ezra." Nathan repeated. "Not just for you either. I'm sorry for your mother. She missed out on something – someone – pretty special."
tbc
M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7