Silver Springs Page 11
They both stared miserably at their feet. “We put in just a little at first,” Jared mumbled, “but then I went back and put in some more.”
“I did the same thing,” Shannon confessed, “because I didn’t know Jared had.”
Angel rolled her eyes. “No wonder he nearly choked to death. Whatever possessed you to tamper with his food anyway?”
“W-we were just trying to help.”
“Help what? Shorten his life? He’s never done a thing to either of you.”
Jared scuffed his foot on the floor. “It was because of the Brady oath.”
“The Brady oath?” Angel repeated. “All you swore was not to tell Father who I really am. It had nothing to do with Mr. Treenery.”
“He wants to marry Alexis,” Shannon whispered. “We were trying to change his mind.”
“You said yourself you were here to get rid of the bothersome beau,” Jared reminded her. “We Bradys stick together.”
“Oh, dear.” Angel bit her lip. With Shannon and Jared after him, Ox didn’t stand a chance. She couldn’t very well tell them what she and Ox were up to, but she definitely needed to put a stop to their so-called help. “It turns out Mr. Treenery doesn’t want to marry Alexis after all.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. He told me so himself.”
“Does he know you’re really Angel?”
“No, he still thinks I’m Alexis, but it wouldn’t matter. He doesn’t want to marry either of us.”
Jared crossed his arms and looked down his nose, a perfect copy of their father. “Then why is he spending so much time with you?”
“And why does he watch you with that funny expression on his face?” Shannon added.
“We’re trying to fool everybody into thinking we’re falling in love.”
Shannon and Jared looked at each other. “Why?” they both asked at the same time.
“Because then they’ll let us run The Flying T for them without any interference.”
Jared scratched his head. “Do you want to do that?”
“Yes, we do.”
“Where’s Alexis?” Shannon asked suddenly. “Does she know what you and Mr. Treenery are doing?”
“Alexis is staying with friends, and yes, she knows what’s going on.”
“Oh, I see.” Jared nodded wisely. “She got tired of Father telling her what to do and decided to let you handle it for a while.”
Angel resisted the urge to sigh in relief. At last, an excuse they’d believe. “I suspect that has something to do with it. She said she needed some time away.”
Shannon frowned. “What if Mr. Treenery really falls in love with you? Wouldn’t he be mad if he found out you’d been lying to him all this time?”
Angel laughed. “Don’t worry. Ox and I have known each other for several years and haven’t fallen in love yet. Nor are we going to. Besides, he isn’t the type to settle down.”
“Martha said you like him a lot.”
“She did?” Angel was startled. “When?”
“When Jared asked why you were spending so much time with him.”
“Well, she’s right. I do like him. We’re very good friends.”
“Martha also says friends make the best husbands.”
“That may well be, but husbands and wives should be in love, too. Since I’m not going to fall in love with him, you can stop worrying so much.” Angel fixed a stern look on her face. “Now then, about my mission here. Your mother sent me to tell you you’re both banished to these three rooms for the remainder of the week. She assures me you have plenty of schoolwork to catch up on.”
“Is that our only punishment?” Shannon asked in a small voice.
“No. You’ll be expected to apologize fully to Mr. Treenery for tampering with his food and to your mother for ruining her tea party. Martha also has a long list of chores for you to do.”
Jared’s face fell. “Knowing Martha, we’ll be busy for at least another week.”
“You’re lucky Father didn’t want to take the time to discipline you himself.” Angel crossed her arms and looked down at them. “And no more help with the bothersome beau. Promise me.”
“Promise,” they chimed together.
“Good. Now I can assure Mr. Treenery he’s quite safe from the two of you. I have an appointment, so I’ll leave you to your studies.”
Shannon and Jared watched the door close behind her. Then they looked at each other and grinned as they brought their crossed fingers out from behind their backs.
Usually, Alexis was already at the cabin by the time Ox arrived, but today he was a few minutes early and found it deserted. He looked at the mantle, hoping to find the miniature of the twins, but its place was still empty. The painting had mysteriously disappeared after his first visit to the cabin. Alexis seemed to think it had been misplaced when Martha came to clean and would show up eventually. Unfortunately, that hadn’t happened. With a disappointed sigh, he sat down to wait.
A pair of pink slippers peeking out from under the bed caught his eye and brought a smile to his lips. They represented the enigma that was Alexis. One minute, she’d been completely matter-of-fact about wearing them and getting him out of his wet clothes. The next, she’d tucked her feet out of sight and been too embarrassed to even look at him.
Everything she did was like that. Sometimes she was so silly, she set his teeth on edge. Just when he’d decided Angel had gotten all the brains, Alexis came up with a financial plan that still amazed him. Her business savvy was nothing short of amazing, but she’d been completely bored by yesterday’s tea-time discussion about stocks and bonds. He never knew if a teasing remark would be met with a sarcastic rejoinder or a blank stare. All in all, Alexis Brady Smythe was a bewildering collection of inconsistencies. One that utterly fascinated him.
As if he conjured her with his thoughts, the door swung open and Alexis swept in.
“Sorry I’m late. I was having a long talk with my brother and sister. I don’t suppose you’re quite ready to receive their apologies yet?”
“Frankly, I’d rather not see them for a while.”
She grinned. “I can’t say I blame you, however, they did promise me there’d be no more nasty surprises.”
“Thank God. I’m not sure I’d live through another one.”
“It wasn’t personal, you know. They were just trying to help me.”
Ox cocked an eyebrow. “Help you what? Do away with me?”
“More or less. They overheard my father and I arguing about the betrothal and knew I didn’t want to marry you. I guess they were trying to scare you off.”
“I’d hate to see what they’d do if you were really threatened.”
“They’re very protective of Angel and me.”
That got a laugh. “Angel too? Now, that’s funny.”
“Why?”
“Angel needs about as much protection as a grizzly bear.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nobody but nobody tangles with Angel,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s kind of like kicking a cougar in the backside. If you’re stupid enough to do it, you’d better be prepared to run for your life.”
“You make her sound like some kind of monster.”
“Hey,” Ox said, reaching out and touching her cheek. “Angel’s my friend, remember? I’m kind of proud of the way she stands up for hersel—”
“Never mind.” She turned away, her entire body rigid with anger. “Your note said you had a surprise to show me.”
“Alexis, I didn’t mean—”
“Look, Treenery, this is a business relationship, right?”
“Yes, but—”
“So, it really doesn’t matter what you and my sister were to each other, does it?”
“No, I guess not.”
“Good, then let’s drop it and get on with the business at hand. I take it this surprise isn’t here?”
“No, it’s at a farm outside town.”
“Fine then, le
t’s go.”
Ox frowned as he followed her outside. What in the hell had gotten into her? You’d have thought he’d insulted her sister, instead of bragging about the way she could take care of herself. It wasn’t as if he didn’t like Angel.
They rode the mile and a half in almost complete silence. By the time they finally reached their destination, Ox was convinced Alexis had the right of it. Keeping their relationship purely business-oriented was the best bet.
“Here we are,” he said, swinging down from his horse next to the corral. It was obvious the eight horses inside the fence had been bred with strength and endurance in mind. They wouldn’t win any beauty prizes, but what they lacked in looks, they more than compensated for with broad chests and sleek muscles. They were powerhouses.
“The first of our horses,” Ox said proudly. “All eight of them have been trained together so we’ve got one six horse hitch and the beginning of another. We’ll need about a dozen more like them to start.”
Angel dismounted and walked over to the fence. “Are these the ones Father took you to see yesterday?”
Ox grinned. “Not hardly. These are for The Silver Springs Express. They’re the best horses I could find.”
“And the ones you and Father went to see?”
“Are exactly what I wanted for The Flying T. Showy but with very little stamina. There weren’t more than half a dozen in the whole bunch worth a tinker’s damn. Neither your father nor my grandfather know beans about carriage horses.”
As Ox reached up and lifted her down from her horse, he had the irrational desire to put his arms around her. Would she fit the curve of his body as well as he thought she would? He set her away from him before he could give in to the impulse.
“And you bought the other horses for The Flying T?” she asked.
“Lock, stock, and barrel. What choice did I have? Your father thought they were just what we needed, and he is part owner of The Flying T after all.”
She giggled. “No wonder he looked so smug when the two of you came in. He thinks he can control you.”
“Exactly. He also hinted he’d be more than willing to lend me any amount of money to tide me over, since we’re about to be related, and he knows how tight my grandfather is.”
“At a ridiculously high interest rate, no doubt.”
“We never got around to discussing it, but I wouldn’t doubt it.” He smiled down at her. “Are you ready for the surprise?”
“There’s more?”
“Oh, definitely.” Ox walked over to the barn and threw open the big double doors. “Take a gander at this,” he said, stepping back out of the way.
After the bright sunlight, it took Angel’s eyes a few minutes to adjust to the shadowy interior of the barn. Then she caught the faint gleam of polished brass. “You got a coach!” she cried, hurrying inside to examine it.
“Yep, and the other one will be delivered sometime next week. The two of them together only cost us seven hundred dollars. They belonged to an old friend of mine who used to own a stage line, until Ben Holliday put him out of business back in the sixties. He was glad to sell them to me.”
He opened the door, and she climbed up on the step to peer inside. “Oh, Ox, it’s even better than we hoped for. It will carry a dozen people.”
“Only nine on the inside, but more can ride on the roof.”
“Can we take it out for a ride?”
Ox rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Is there any possibility we might meet your father?”
“He went to Denver and won’t be back until the end of the week.”
“Good. My grandfather left with my mother this morning. That means we’re perfectly safe in taking it out. It’ll take me a minute to catch the horses. Normally, we’ll run six to a team, but we might as well give all eight a workout.”
“I’ll just sit here until you’re ready.”
Ox smiled as she climbed into the coach’s roomy interior without waiting for him to help her. It was probably just as well. He was still a little unsettled from the last time he touched her.
As soon as Ox was out of sight, Angel sank back against the seat. What am I doing? She thought to herself. Other than a giggle instead of a chuckle, she had dropped her Alexis act and been herself. If she wasn’t careful, she’d give herself away. She closed her eyes and focused on what Alexis would be interested in. Not the horses for sure. Though Alexis rode horseback and had her own buggy, Angel doubted if her sister knew a decent horse from a hack. She’d probably have been disappointed Ox hadn’t gotten flashy matched teams. The time had come for what Angel thought of as Alexis intervals. She’d found by exaggerating a trait she didn’t share with her sister, she was able to slide back into the masquerade. After due consideration, she decided on Alexis’s tendency to chatter when she was excited.
When Ox came back with the horses, she was bubbly and exuberant as he helped her to climb down.
“It’s wonderful inside, all nice leather and comfortable padding. You know, Ox, I was thinking, we can provide lap robes and warming bricks for the passenger’s feet in the winter. I rode in a coach like that once and…”
It wasn’t long before Ox’s smile began to fade. By the time the horses were hitched to the stage, a lengthy process indeed, he was frowning and looked ready to wring her neck. Angel hadn’t stopped chattering during the entire process nor had she said one consequential thing in all that time.
“Let me help you back inside,” he said. “You’ll want to experience it just like a passenger would.”
“No, I want to ride up on the box with you,” Angel said. Her Alexis mask was firmly back in place, and she once again felt equal to the task of playing her sister. She may have over-done the talking, though. Alexis was never annoying about it.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s wise. The horses don’t react well to...uh…”
“To what, magpies? Don’t worry, I’ve quite run out of things to say.”
“That’ll be the day,” Ox muttered under his breath.
Angel swallowed a grin and followed him around to the far side of the coach. “Is this where we go up?” she asked, studying the rungs that ran up to the seat high above them.
“Yes, but—”
“Good, give me a hand, will you?”
Angel could almost feel him making a face behind her back, but he obediently boosted her up to the first step. She clambered to the top and settled herself comfortably on the seat. “Well, what are you waiting for?”
“Not a thing.” Ox was practically glowering when he climbed up beside her, picked up the reins, and gave the leaders the signal to go. Angel again fought the urge to grin as they pulled out on to the open road. It appeared Ox was waiting for the flow of babble to begin again. I might have overdone the chatter, she thought to herself as she focused on the passing scenery. After several side-long glances, he gradually relaxed and enjoyed the drive.
Angel’s gaze was drawn to his hands. Never had their size and strength been more apparent. Each pair of reins ran between a different set of fingers. The muscles of his hands and forearms flexed as he controlled the eight huge horses. “Amazing,” she said in awe.
He looked down at his hands in surprise. “What?”
“The way you handle all those reins at once. I’ve never seen anyone drive an eight-horse hitch before.”
Ox shrugged. “I’m a mule skinner, remember.”
“It’s not the same thing.”
“No, but horses aren’t all that different. I’ve driven twelve, but I don’t think I’d want to do it again. I almost—Uh oh,” he said, pulling back on the reins.
“What’s wrong?”
“It looks like some kind of accident up ahead.”
As they drew closer, they could see a stagecoach overturned beside the road with the familiar bright red and gold shining in the sunlight.
“Oh, Ox, it’s one of The Flying T coaches!”
“Damn. It looks like we’re in business, partner.�
�
She looked at him in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“I think the Silver Springs Express is about to take on its first passengers.”
Chapter 12
“Whoa there.” Ox brought the horses to a halt next to the overturned coach. Chaos reigned as a young man who didn’t look much more than eighteen tried to calm the frightened horses tangled in the traces. Two of them were down, and the rest were frantically trying to get free.
“Grab the bridle and pull his head down!” Ox called as the young man tried to calm the leader. “It’s the only way to control him. Then get those tugs unhooked from the coach, if you can.”
While the young man scrambled to follow Ox’s instructions, the sound of sobbing suddenly rose from inside the coach. “Sounds like someone in there is hurt,” Angel whispered and started to climb down.
“Wait, Alexis,” Ox said urgently. “I can’t leave the horses. They’ll never stand with all this noise.”
She didn’t even pause in her descent. “And I’m completely useless up here. Can’t you take the horses down the road a ways and hobble them or something?”
“I can try.” He winced as she jumped the last few feet to the ground. “Careful!”
Angel raised her hand in a brief acknowledgment, then hurried over to the other coach where the horses were finally starting to quiet. “How many people are inside?”
The man didn’t even look her way. “Two.”
“All right, I’ll see what I can do to get them out.”
She saw a man lying off the side of the road. His neck was twisted at an odd angle, and she knew without stopping that it was too late for him. Fighting down nausea, she stepped around the body and moved toward the open door, which was at least two feet above her head. “Hello in the coach,” she called. “Can you hear me?”
“Y...yes,” a feminine voice quavered as though trying to control her sobs. “We...we need h...help.”
“Hang on.” Angel bit her lip. Unless the other woman had something to stand on, she wouldn’t be able to pull herself out through the opening. First things first. “Is either of you hurt?”
“Sam is.”
“How bad?”