Chapter 16 – Change of Plans
After the service was concluded, Bret and Beau drove everyone back to the ranch, where the whole family sat down to a meal prepared by Lily Mae and all the women. When the meal was over Pappy and Maude returned to their house, and Bret and Ginny took their children and went home. Ginny got the children settled while Bret changed clothes; at least that's what she thought he was doing.
When she returned to the bedroom herself, she found her husband half undressed, lying in bed. "I thought you were gonna change clothes and have a look at the horses." She got no answer from him and stopped to check what he was doing in bed; after taking one look at him, she climbed into bed beside him and wrapped him in her arms. All the anger and grief he'd held inside him for days came pouring out, and he lay in her embrace and wept. They stayed that way for long minutes on end, until there was no more raging emotion left inside him, only emptiness and longing for the brother he'd lost.
When the storm of grief had passed, Bret kissed his wife and rose from the bed, finishing the task he'd begun of changing into work clothes. He left the house and headed for the corrals, beginning the job of separating the horses into the correct barns. He'd only been there ten minutes or so when Maudie joined him, and they worked side-by-side for the next two or three hours while they sorted everyone into the appropriate barns. When they were finished Bret told his niece, "Spreckles is your baby from now on, Maudie. Your father and me had already discussed giving him to you as a birthday present, and I see no reason to change that decision."
She smiled at him, then kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Uncle Bret, for the gift. I promise to do my best with him."
"I know you will, girl. Don't ever forget it was your daddy's idea."
"I think we've got everybody back where they belong. If I ask you a question, will you try your best to answer me?"
He looked at her carefully; she seemed to have grown up in the last several days. "Are the rustlers gonna hang for what they did?"
"Yes, ma'am, I believe they will. But there has to be a trial first, and they have to be found guilty."
"Why do they need a trial? They were caught with the horses. They've admitted to stealin' them."
"Because every man's entitled to a trial, even the ones that were caught red-handed."
"I want to be there."
"You can't attend the trial, sweetheart. Women and children aren't allowed in the courtroom."
She shook her head; Bret had it all wrong. "No, sir, I want to be at the hanging."
He was appalled, at first. This was still a ten-year-old child standing in front of him, asking to witness a hanging. The more he thought about it, the less it disturbed him. Still, he couldn't allow it, no matter how mature she seemed to be. Bart would kill him. "Maudie, I can't let you. Your Ma would have my hide if I said yes."
"What if momma agrees to let me watch?"
"I can't say yes to that, honey."
"But . . ."
"No, Maudie. Besides, they haven't even been tried yet, much less convicted."
"They will be." Maudie refused to give up.
"No, Maudie. No."
She turned and walked away from him, and Bret found himself at his father's front door. He knocked, and Maude opened the door and let him in without a word. Pappy was sitting in a chair in the front room, staring into space. "Pappy. Pappy, look at me. It's Bret."
Beauregard looked up and stared at him. It took a minute before he recognized his oldest son. "Breton. What do you need, son?"
"Pappy, your granddaughter wants to watch the rustlers hang. I told her no, she couldn't. I need to make sure you'll back me up on this."
Once again, Pappy lowered his eyes. "Well, why shouldn't she watch? They murdered her father."
"Pappy, she's ten-years-old."
"Oh. Oh."
"We can't let that happen, no matter what they did."
"No, you're right. We can't."
Bret sat in the chair next to his father and held one of his hands. "He didn't leave us voluntarily, Pappy. But he ain't comin' back. You gotta accept that."
Beauregard sighed and looked Bret right in the eyes. "I know that. I just don't want to."
"I don't either, Pa, but we got no choice. I gotta run this place, and I'm gonna need your help."
Maude brought both men a cup of coffee. "He knows that, Bret. We've decided to postpone the wedding until the two of you feel comfortable with the day-to-day operations of the ranch."
"What do you wanna do about the saloon, Maude?"
"I talk to Doralice earlier. We both think it would be best if we let Billy take over the day-to-day operations. He can pick somebody to do his job; he's got good judgment."
"I'm sorry to bother you about somethin' that seems so trivial, but I wanna make sure we do what you want with it."
Maude nodded and gave him a small smile. "I know, honey. We're all just flounderin' around right now. We'll get it together."
Bret stood, still holding his father's hand, then leaned over and kissed Pappy on the cheek. "Take good care of him, please."
He and Maude exchanged kisses, and Bret left. He went back to the barn to feed the horses and found Beau and Benny had already begun the task. The three men worked in silence until the job was done, then each returned to the place where they would lay their heads. Everyone had managed to get through the most trying day of their lives. It wasn't easy, but it had to be done.
XXXXXXXX
At the DuPont farm, things were looking much better than anyone had a right to expect. Bart had finally been able to tell Jean that his name was Bart Maverick, and he had a family in Little Bend. Clay had committed to riding into Granbury the next day and sending a telegram to the sheriff of that town, to let him know that Bart was alive. Bart was able to get out of bed. He was still weak and shaky, but he was gaining strength with every passing day.
When Clay Dupont went to Granbury the next morning, he stopped in the sheriff's office first and was surprised to discover that the rustlers, including Jean's brother Art, had been arrested and transported back to Little Bend. Not only that, but Bill Collins had confessed to murdering the owner of the herd and disposing of the body by dumping it in the Brazos River. When Clay asked the sheriff what the owner's name was, the answer came back a startling, "Bart Maverick."
Clay made a split second decision and, rather than sending a telegram, hurried back home. "Jean, Jeanie where are you?" He called as he came in the front door.
"Back here with Bart. We're practicing walking."
He almost ran into the bedroom. "I didn't send the telegram. We have to get you home, Bart. Your family thinks you're dead."
