Little Sharpshooter Chap 8

Randy was as polite as she could be, but was antsy with every passing day. No outlaws came to harass Miss Daisy. But they might be waiting for Randy to leave. She wasn’t going to make it a production when left town.

Trevor was always nearby when he wasn’t busy doing anything else. When they went into White Oak together for Randy’s treatments, she would eye the horses for sale at the stable across from the boarding house. She spotted one that would be just right for Trevor and kept a close eye on it, a noble chestnut with a sound body and not overly excitable. She would have to come back and make the deal. Randy wasn’t going to tell Trevor yet because she wanted to see his face when she brought the gelding home.

“I have somethin’ I need to do alone in town.” Randy needed to move quick if she was going to buy him. Someone looked him over when they came into town earlier. She had enough notes on her, she was sure. Even if it was more than what Miss Daisy had, it would be worth it to see Trevor stop sulking while on his sorry horse.

“Where we goin’?”

“You mean where am I goin’? I don’t want you there when I talk to the seamstress about my underclothes.”

“Oh. You want me to wait elsewhere?”

“No. Head home. I’ve been here enough. I’ll find my way back.”

Trevor was reluctant. She waved him on. He headed for home sulking on his sulky horse. Maybe a new horse would cure that.

The stablemaster was trying to milk Randy for all he could. She spent plenty of time at the auctions back home. She knew what the gelding was worth. When she was done, Randy paid what she thought was fair for the well-broke horse.

With the chestnut trotting behind Al as she left town, she wondered what great name Trevor would give him.

Randy could hardly control the smile on her face as she trotted Al and the new horse down the drive.

Trevor sulked out of the barn and then looked up at Randy. He did a double take and ran to the new horse.

“What did you do?” he asked. Trevor’s eyes danced as he looked over the horse.

“I bought ya somethin’. He’s much better behaved than my boy.” She dropped the lead rope into his hands.

Trevor ran his hands over the neck of the chestnut and down his back. His hands glided over the smooth slight curve of the horse’s back several times before Trevor checked his legs and in his hooves. He gripped the halter with both hands as he gazed into the horse’s eyes. Then he rested his forehead on the horse’s head and closed his eyes.

“He’s perfect.” Trevor turned away, pressed his fingers in his eyelids when he led the horse to the barn.

Randy urged Al to follow. “I expected a little somethin’ more than that from ya.” She dismounted in the barn. When she turned, Trevor was right there. He threw his arms around her and held her tight to his chest.

Randy’s heart raced and her face flushed. When he let her go, she hid her face from him to lead Al in the stall.  Her face stopped burning when she joined Trevor where he leaned on the stall door that belonged to Trevor’s new horse.

“What’s his name?”

“I’ve always wanted to name my first horse Storm.” Trevor beamed.

“Really? He’s more like a peaceful cloud though.” She reached her hand out and the horse rubbed his upper lip across the palm of her hand

“His name is Storm.”

“I kinda like the name George. It has a nice ring with Al. Al and George.”

“Nope. His name is not Peaceful Cloud or George. I’m callin’ him Storm.”

“He looks like a George to me. I’m callin’ him George.” Randy nodded then caught Trevor’s glare. “I’m sure he won’t mind what his name is. You’re his master. George’ll listen to you first.”

Randy turned away and kicked at the straw on the ground. “I’m leavin’ tomorrow.”

“Already? Zhang isn’t done is he?”

“Today was my last treatment. I’m itchin’ to go. I wanted to make sure I kinda paid ya back before I left. For savin’ my life. Not for tryin’ to steal my horse.”

“I know what ya mean.” He furrowed his brow at her. “I would like to come with ya.”

“I wasn’t plannin’ on company.”

“But it would be best. You looked pretty vulnerable to me that day.”

“What would your nana say?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m old enough to be on my own and she knows it. She has hired help. She doesn’t need me as much as you do.” Trevor was insistent.

“Let’s see what your nana says first.”

Randy had hoped that Miss Daisy would tell Trevor she didn’t want him to go. Instead Miss Daisy surprised them by saying it was a good idea making sure Randy didn’t travel alone.

The last words that Miss Daisy said played over in her mind. “You may be the best thing that coulda happened to him. Make sure he stays outta trouble.”

Trevor went on and on as they headed out on the vast sagebrush covered flat.

“I can’t believe she let me go. Have I told you that Storm is the best horse ever?”

“Yes, you keep remindin’ me.” Randy couldn’t stop smiling with Trevor’s pleasure in his new horse even though she was getting tired of hearing him drone on about it. “I don’t know if you’ll be so excited after you spend all day on George’s back though.”

Randy hated being right. The heat of the day baked them into their saddles and wilted Trevor’s enthusiasm. The nearest town was another half day’s journey once they stopped for the night.

Randy glanced at Trevor and stifled a giggle. He walked with his legs farther apart than normal, but he never complained as he collected wood for the fire. They had been so hot all day that neither one of them were hungry, just wildly thirsty. They stopped near a creek that was almost dry and had enough grass for the horses to eat. Water pooled where Randy dug into the creek bed to make it deep enough for the horses to get their fill.

Randy didn’t want to show it, but she was uneasy being out in the open. They hadn’t encountered a soul all day. There were coyotes around. She had no idea if anyone lived in the area. It truthfully was her first night out without her pa in the open. Trevor flinched at every unfamiliar sound.

“Did anyone ever take you out for an overnighter away from home?” Randy asked

“No. Pa had too much responsibility on the farm to ever leave for long. If he did, he stayed in a boarding house or a hotel. After he died, Nana never went anywhere.”

“Well, my pa took me out plenty of times. But I always felt safe because he was there.” Randy rubbed her arms to brush away the goose bumps, but she wasn’t cold. She started the fire and heated the dinner that Miss Daisy sent with them as the sun disappeared. The heat of the day was long forgotten as the temperature dropped.

Trevor still had little to say and his eyes darted in the direction of every coyote cry. There were a lot of them.

They rolled out their bedrolls. Randy was lost in thought over the best way to handle sleeping with Trevor. He settled down in his bedroll a short distance away.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, but I dunno if it’s a good idea for us to sleep very far from each other.” Randy rubbed her palms on her skirt. She was still peeved that Miss Daisy told her to wear it. She got over it when her concern shifted to wanting to protect Trevor if something out of the ordinary happened. Her eyes darted every time she imagined something lurked to the left or right.

Trevor’s expression brightened to a smile and he was still jumpy when he rolled his bedroll out again behind Randy’s and settled in.

With all the night animal sounds in the distance, Randy listed all the possibilities of what might find them in the dark. Sleep eluded her after that. Trevor was quiet behind her. She could feel him playing with the ends of her hair. The fire died down to coals. Randy was too scared to put it out completely. The light from the coals comforted her more than the heat they put off.

“Randy,” Trevor whispered.

“Hmm,” she responded.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Neither can I.”

“Do you mind if I come closer.”

“For why?” Randy’s eyes widened.

“Just to feel safer and I’m cold.”

“Oh, well, I thought it was because you liked me or somethin’.”

“Pshh. What makes you think that? I would just feel better that’s all.”

“I think I would too.” She chewed on her upper lip as Trevor moved closer. His hand lightly rested on her side. She pressed her back into his chest. His body warmed her considerably.

When Randy woke in the morning, a sound made her freeze. Opening her eyes slowly, she searched for the source but it stopped. Trevor’s arm was in front of her stomach and his head rested against the back of hers. He moved and the rattle sound started again.

Trevor tensed against her back.

“Don’t move. It’s awful close.” Randy slowly reached for her pistol. But a gun was probably not going to help. “It’s not in front of me. Lift your arm slowly and only enough for me to slide out without bumping you.”

Trevor did as he was told. Randy rolled away and sat up to search for the source of the rattle. Trevor didn’t move but his eyes were wide. Randy swallowed hard once she saw it. Curled up next to Trevor’s back was a rattlesnake.

Randy searched for a rock big enough to drop on it, motioning for Trevor to be still. She found one and stood behind Trevor.

“So when I tell you to move, you move away as fast as you can and I will keep the snake’s attention on me so he won’t strike you.” At least Trevor couldn’t see how much she was trembling. Once she was ready, with the stone held out in front of her with both hands, she kicked some dust on the snake. It rattled its tail and lifted its head. Randy swayed so the snake would watch her. She wanted a stick to poke it so it would move closer to her when Trevor moved. There was no room for a mistake. Randy would have to drop the stone perfectly on the snake. She kicked a small rock gently and the snake lunged for it. That would work.

“Get ready.” She kicked another rock, the snake lunged. “Go.” Trevor rolled forward. The snake turned for Trevor and uncoiled. Randy dropped the rock on the backend of the snake. It couldn’t go any farther as it thrashed around. Randy wasn’t sure whether or not to shoot it. Before she had to make up her mind, Trevor dropped another heavy stone on it. It wasn’t long when the section of snake in between the stones stopped twitching. Trevor hugged Randy nearly knocking her over. His racing heart thumped against her cheek. She didn’t push him away. She was as relieved as he was.

“I say we stay in a boarding house or hotel tonight,” Randy said.

“Agreed.” They quickly gathered their gear and prepared to leave.