Beatrice and the Beast, page 35
‘But if I had to lose one, Stevens would be the one I’d choose, he’s a good drover, but he’s been causing trouble ever since we set him on at the start of the drive.’
‘As long as he stays away from the lady,’ responded Zelletta. ‘There’ll be no trouble. I don’t wanna overstep the mark when you been so hospitable.’
Brolinger showed relief as he grinned warmly.
‘I’ll get that coffee for the lady. Milk and sugar ma’am?’
‘You are very kind Mister Brolinger. That would be most welcome and thank you.’
Zelletta took his coffee black and after they’d both finished, he led her to where he’d left the horses grazing and the supplies by two trees standing side by side. She responded brightly, to all the calls of “goodnight ma’am,” she received from the men, but felt relieved that she was no longer, the centre of attention.
He rolled out their bedrolls side by side and almost touching and though she recognised, he’d never lain as close to her before, she refused to question his motives. As a matter of fact, she thought, having him so near would make her feel safer and more secure.
Eventually, just as darkness began to fall, they both turned in and after just a few minutes, she began to drift away into the mists of sleep only to be awakened by Zelletta getting up from his bedroll. She figured he needed to go and would soon be back and pretty soon, she was sleeping soundly.
…
Steven’s had never wanted anything in his entire life, as much as he wanted the woman who had appeared so suddenly, like a most beauteous angel, before him. He felt that providence had brought her to him and fate decreed that she was destined to be his. But before he took her, he would first kill the man she was with and take his revenge for the humiliating climb down he’d been forced to commit.
He watched when the man and woman left camp and headed for the two trees. He saw the man lay out the bedrolls close together and seethed silently, because Zelletta would soon, be lying close to the woman who rightly, belonged to him. However, rather than allow his jealousy to simmer, he contented himself with the thought that when the man was dead, there would be nobody standing between him and the woman.
When night fell and he could no longer make out the sleeping couple by the trees, Stevens forced himself to be patient. It would be easier for his plan to work, if both they and the rest of the cowboys in camp, were asleep when he made his move. But his timing must be right because after two hours, one of the night guards would come in to wake the reliefs and change the guards. He decided to wait just over an hour before making his move.
When the time came, he crept, knife in hand, toward the sleeping couple. He forced himself to be patient even though his fervent desire to embrace the girl and feel her body pressed to his, was almost overwhelming, as was his anxiousness to take her away from here as quickly as possible.
Because he didn’t own a horse and used one of the remuda horses that belonged to the ranch, he would take Zelletta’s horse and mule and force the woman to ride hers away from here. She wouldn’t be very happy about it at first. But after a few days of getting to know him, she would recognise they were meant to be together and would learn to desire him as much as he desired her.
Soon, he was able to make out the darker shapes of the sleeping couple through the almost, impenetrable darkness and realised he was just feet away. He knew from watching them, Zelletta’s bedroll was the nearest and so he crept nearer until he was almost within touching distance and at that moment, the clouds parted and the moon came into view to illuminate his quarry.
He carefully, manoeuvred himself into a crouching position ready to launch his attack. When he struck, he must go for the heart and inflict instant death to nullify any sound from the man. He didn’t want the girl to wake until he was ready. Otherwise, she would almost certainly scream and wake up the camp.
Knife at the ready, he pushed himself off from his crouching position and as he landed, drove the knife into where knew Zelletta’s heart would be. He moved the knife around to make sure it would do maximum damage to the man’s heart. Then he abruptly, stopped as he realised something wasn’t as it should be. The bedroll was empty and he’d merely stabbed his knife into blankets. Suddenly alarmed, he began to slither backwards away from the bedroll and the sleeping girl but his progress ended abruptly when he felt the cold steel of a gun muzzle pressed to the back of his neck and heard the click of a cocking hammer.
Stevens froze and because he knew who held the gun, the fear he felt was palpable. Especially when Zelletta leaned closer and whispered in his ear.
‘The only reason I ain’t blown your damned head to kingdom come is because I don’t want to wake the girl. But just give me a reason and I’ll do it anyhow. Now on your feet and drop that knife.’
Stevens actions and the stabbing motion he’d made, was reason enough for Zelletta to detect he was holding a knife and he reluctantly, dropped it, then climbed slowly, with the gun pressed hard against the back of his neck, to his feet. Zelletta whispered for him to walk past the trees and Stevens, knowing he would be shot if he resisted in any way, complied. He’d vaguely, heard of Zelletta’s reputation and knew exactly, the type of man he was, so felt a certain amount of gratitude that he hadn’t already shot him.
Because the moonlight was enough to allow him to see the man reasonably clearly, Zelletta dropped back a pace and prodded the man with his pistol to get him moving in the right direction. They came to another tree around ten yards away and the big man brought his pistol down hard on Steven’s head, who, without a sound, slumped unconscious, to the ground at Zelletta’s feet and lay still.
Zelletta dragged the lifeless man to the tree and sat him with his back to it, before, using a rope he’d planted there earlier, lashed him tightly to the trunk. Then picked up a handful of moss which he fashioned into a ball and stuffed it in his mouth after that, he used Steven’s own bandanna to securely, keep the moss in place and very effectively gag him.
When satisfied that Stevens was securely lashed to the tree and would neither, be able to move nor make a sound, Zelletta looked around for what he needed to complete his handiwork. It took him a while to finish the chore he’d set himself but when he had, he gave a satisfactory grunt and turned in close to Beatrice who knew nothing of how close she’d come to being abducted by a crazy man.
THIRTY-NINE
When Zelletta woke the girl just after sunup, the camp was already busy. The fire had been built up and cookie was frying eggs and bacon in a huge skillet atop a woodburning stove he carried in the chuckwagon.
The horse wrangler had already eaten breakfast, as had some of the drovers who had saddled up and rode to flank the cattle, and was at that moment, cutting out mounts ready for the rest of the hands to saddle up and get the cattle on the move.
When Beatrice and Zelletta entered the campsite, they, or rather she, was greeted with cries of “good-morning ma’am,” and she smiled brightly, if a little embarrassed, as she reciprocated the greetings.
Cookie had already seen their approach and handed each, a tin plate bearing egg, bacon and beans and told them to help themselves from biscuits that were piled on a tray. He wilted visibly when Beatrice treated him to a beautiful smile and thanked him warmly for his efforts.
‘Aw shucks,’ he stammered. ‘Tain’t nothin ma’am. I gotta cook fer these fools anyhow.’
They sat down with their backs to one of the wagon wheels while the chaos abounded around them as the hands, having finished their breakfasts, prepared to break camp and get the cattle on the move. Brolinger, who, with his trail boss, had been directing operations, came to edge of camp and yelled out to anybody who was in the vicinity.
‘Where the hell’s Stevens? Has anybody seen Stevens?’
‘Not since last night boss,’ replied one man.
‘Well he can’t be far,’ continued Brolinger. ‘None of the horses have gone. That guy’s been nothing but trouble ever since I set him on.’
Zelletta nudged Beatrice.
‘Time we were leaving,’ he said softly.
‘I haven’t finished my coffee.’
‘Leave it, we can’t waste time waiting for you and your little bird way of drinking damned coffee.’
She gave him a sharp look as she realised, he still felt the hurt of her rejection and was being as sullen and difficult as usual. She tossed the contents of her mug onto the ground and gathered the plates and mugs together to return them to the chuck wagon. While she was doing that, Zelletta approached Brolinger who was talking to his trial boss. The ranch owner saw his approach and smiled warmly.
‘You heading out Mister Zelletta?’
‘Yes sir, and I want to thank you for your hospitality.’
‘Think nothing of it, I would hope you’d do the same for me.’
‘Goes without saying Mister Brolinger. Before we leave, I gotta tell you about your man, Stevens.’
‘You seen him?’
‘He tried to kill me last night while I was sleeping.’
Brolinger looked shocked.
‘The hell you say. I take it, ‘cos you’re still alive, he’s dead.’
‘Nope, but the only reason I didn’t kill or maim him, was because of the lady and because you’re short-handed and need all the help you can get.’
‘That’s mighty neighbourly of you, but I wouldn’t have blamed you none if you had of kilt him. I can’t believe he’d try and kill you just ‘cos he lost face.’
‘I don’t believe that was the reason. I think he wanted the lady and with me out of the way, he would have taken her and my hoss.’
‘Sonofabitch!’ growled Brolinger. ‘I wish you’d a killed the bastard.’
‘Well, you’ll find him tied to a tree not far from where we slept.’
‘I might leave him there, ‘cos when the rest of the hands find out what he intended to do to your woman, I wouldn’t be surprised if they lynch him anyhow.’
‘Well, that’s up to you Mister Brolinger, it’s outa my hands now.’
Zelletta extended his hand and Brolinger shook it warmly as did the trail boss who had been standing by listening to the exchange. Unknown to Zelletta, so had Beatrice. She stood slightly behind him and to one side, having walked silently to join him as they said their farewells.
‘Good luck Mister Zelletta and you too Miss Mellowday, it was a pleasure meeting you.’
A surprised look crossed Zelletta’s face when he saw Beatrice step forward to offer her hand to Brolinger and he wondered how much she’d heard of the conversation.
‘Thank you so much for your kind hospitality, Mister Brolinger. The food certainly made a pleasant change from what I’ve become used to.’
Zelletta scowled at the slight but didn’t react. Instead, he turned and strode toward where the horses had been picketed.
‘Bye Mister Brolinger,’ said the girl hurriedly. ‘Perhaps we may meet again one day.’
She didn’t hear his reply as she hurried after her companion.
…
After they’d packed up the supplies and bedrolls and saddled up, Beatrice noticed two of the cowhands helping Stevens who looked dazed, as they half dragged him, none too gently, toward the chuck wagon. A rope had been draped around his neck with, hanging from it in front of him, a large log which was big enough to cause him to stoop and walk labouredly from the weight.
As they rode away, she continually looked back and saw the men force Stevens to his knees in front of the boss and cringed when she saw Brolinger punch the cowering man, causing him to sprawl sideways on the ground. She spurred her horse to come alongside Zelletta who had been totally unconcerned about what was happening behind them.
‘What will happen to him?’ She asked
‘I don’t know and don’t really care. If Brolinger has any sense, he’ll hang him and have done with it.’
‘Oh god!’ she cried. ‘a man’s life is at stake because of me. I wish we had never stopped here then nothing would have happened.’
‘It wouldn’t have made much difference. Sooner or later, he would have gone after another woman and more as long as he kept on getting away with it. If Brolinger does hang him, you might have saved a woman or women from being raped and probably, killed.’
‘What did you do to him?’
He glanced her way before quickly, facing forward again.
‘You heard what I told Brolinger?’
‘Yes, most of it.’
‘I wanted to keep it from you, but now you know what happened, I hope you figure it out, he was trying to get to you through me. If he’d killed me, I reckon he’d a taken you and the animals and headed out to god knows where. There’s no telling what might have happened to you once he had you alone out there.’
She shuddered as she speculated on her close call and silently thanked Zelletta’s forward thinking and recognition of the danger Stevens posed.
‘Did you hurt him?’ she asked. ‘He seemed quite distressed when those men dragged him back to camp.’
‘I knocked him out and tied him to a tree. Apart from that, I didn’t hurt him unless you count tying that log around his neck, hurting him.’
‘Why did you do that?’
‘I wanted to leave a message for whoever found him so they’d know the reason for him being tied up that way. I figured we’d leave without telling Brolinger about him. But after he’d been so hospitable to us, I figured he deserved to know what happened to his man.’
‘How can hanging a log from his neck send out a message?’
‘I carved, woman molester, on it. Most cowboys are decent where women are concerned and wouldn’t tolerate any female being abused. That’s why, they’ll likely lynch him.’
‘Oh no, I can’t be the reason for someone losing his life that way. We must go back and stop it.’
‘Ain’t nothing can be done about it now. Anyhow, they might let him off light seeing as they’re short-handed and just give him a beating.’
She stared at his set features, and tried to figure out if he was serious. Then decided he was.
‘What shall we do?’ she asked.
‘Apart from carry on riding south, nothing. He knew what he was doing when he tried to kill me and kidnap you. Now he gotta face the outcome and you ought to think yourself lucky his plan didn’t work.’
She fell silent in the knowledge he was right. She’d had a lucky escape and as long as that man was allowed to roam free, no woman would be safe from his evil ways.
FORTY
Laredo was a mix of wooden, brick and Mexican style adobe buildings and Beatrice was struck by the diverse nationalities of the residents, with a very large portion of the population being Mexican.
Zelletta decided they would stay overnight before setting out on the final leg of their journey to Zimmerman’s ranch the next morning. That way she would be able to take a bath in hot water and freshen up ready to meet her future husband.
They found a nice hotel and ate dinner in the hotel restaurant and while they sipped their after-dinner coffee, he informed her it would take just over half a day’s journey to get there, after which, he would hand her over to her intended and collect his fee.
‘You speak about me as though I am a horse you are delivering Mister Zelletta.’
‘I’m sorry Miss Mellowday, no insult was intended and to be honest, I’m not sure I’ve earned my fee. I was supposed to keep you from harm on the journey. But as things turned out, it was you who not only saved my life, but rescued me from being tortured in ways that would likely, have caused me the worst pain that fella would be able to inflict.’
‘I had no choice but to save your life Mister Zelletta. I need your expertise, for without it I wouldn’t have been able to find my way here.’
He regarded her smiling face and realised she was teasing him. He allowed a rare grin to play on his lips as he matched her steady gaze.
‘I think, under different circumstances, you would be a very entertaining lady to be with Miss Mellowday and I am envious that your intended husband will be the one to reap the delights of your charm.’
Despite her jocular remark, she didn’t feel as light-hearted about the fact she had killed two men in the process of saving him and though it was preferable that Zelletta had lived rather than the men who wished him harm, she nevertheless, felt the regret would live with her for a very long time.
She was a little surprised at his eloquence and delighted that he had also removed his hat before sitting at their table. For despite the scars on his face and the mutilation of his hairline, he was, in her opinion, a handsome man and if anything, the scars added to his character.
‘I regret the situation we find ourselves in isn’t different Mister Zelletta. Perhaps if we had met at another time and another place and under alternative circumstances, we might have found some common ground.’
‘Is that a way of saying we could have been friends?’
‘I would have hoped we are friends.’
‘I guess so.’
She smiled sadly as she detected the disappointment in his voice.
‘I know you think I’m some kind of gold digger Mister Zelletta, who is marrying a man three times my age for financial gain, and in a way it’s true. But it isn’t riches I crave or even luxury. I want to feel secure in the knowledge I will be cared for in a way I am used to. I have lived a sheltered life for nineteen years and know no other. Now, I have a chance to carry on that kind of existence with Jacob secure in the knowledge, I would never be able to adapt to your way of life.’
‘You say that Miss Mellowday, yet you have adapted to my way of life very well, much better than I would have expected.’
‘Only because I had to. Otherwise, I would never have made it this far. But I would never be able to make it a permanent day to day existence, no matter how much I think of you.’
‘Does that mean you do have feelings for me?’
She regarded him sadly.
‘Yes, I do. I already told you that. Didn’t what happened after those men captured you, tell you anything? I think I love you Mister Zelletta and that makes me very sad because you and I will never be together.’
