Beatrice and the Beast, page 7
EIGHT
She was awakened by him gently gripping her shoulder and rousing her with a brief shake. It quickly came to her where she was and who she was with, but she was reluctant to open her eyes or move her head from his chest. She felt she had only been asleep a matter of minutes and questioned in her mind, his motives for waking her up unnecessarily.
‘Come on girl,’ he said. ‘Time to dismount’
‘Why, what’s wrong?’ She said without moving or opening her eyes.
‘Nothing’s wrong, were here.’
‘What?’
She opened her eyes and sat up, noticing as she did so, the patch of wetness where she had dribbled onto his shirt. She looked around and saw they were standing by a small coral containing three horses, a trough half full with water and bales of hay scattered around. Ahead, stood a ramshackle log building with a tin roof and a solid wooden door. Each side of the door was a glassless window, with wooden shutters propped up above them. There were several outhouses scattered around which were clearly, used for storage, as well as a privy and a small wooden smoke house. Two wagons, one with a wheel missing and overgrown with weeds, stood close by.
‘How long was I asleep?’ She asked.
‘Couple of hours or so.’
She stared incredulously.
‘Have I been asleep for the whole fifteen miles?’
‘More like ten.’
‘You said we had to travel fifteen miles.’
‘I wasn’t sure about the distance, so I told you the outside one.’
She thought it was rather mean to allow her to think they had farther to go than they actually had, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it, for Zelletta looped a big arm around her waist and lowered her to the ground where she waited for him to dismount. Once on the ground, he unsaddled the horses and unburdened the mule before opening the coral gates and turning the animals loose inside. After placing the saddles on one of the coral rails and leaving the supplies close by, he handed her the new Winchester and holding his Sharps rifle in his hand, steered her by her elbow toward the shack.
On the porch, he told her to stand on one side of the door and when she did so, he pushed it open with his rifle.
‘Wait there,’ he ordered, before stepping inside and moving away from the doorway. Once his eyes became adjusted to the gloom, he saw the usual array of goods like smoked hams, rabbits and chickens, as well as pots and pans and other utensils, hanging from beams. On the floor were barrels of foodstuffs like flour, rice, apples sugar and coffee. In the middle of the room was a potbellied stove with a smoke pipe that went through the roof and at the far side of the room was a long counter behind which stood a big middle-aged man wearing a white canvas apron tied around his waist. In his pudgy fist he held a knife and was in the process of skinning a rabbit which lay in a pool of blood on the counter. By the side of the counter were a bundle of animal pelts and sitting at a table close by, were two men who had the look of trappers, one a young half breed with a pock marked face and the other an older man with a large beard and moustache. Both wore greasy, stained buckskins and both wore pistols in holsters on their hips. All three men stared openly at Zelletta as he stood to one side of the door holding a long-barrelled rifle. As they appraised him, they noted the colt peacemaker in a holster low on his hip as well as his size and menacing presence. Their interest became more intense however, when Beatrice, bored of waiting outside, entered the room and stood by his side.
‘I told you to wait outside,’ he growled.
‘I’m not your dog,’ she seethed. ‘I’m entitled to come in too if I want to. It’s hot out there in the sun.’
The bearded trapper sniggered.
‘Feisty little gal you got there mister,’ he called. ‘Maybe you need somebody to show her how to speak to a man. I’m available if you’ve a mind.’
Zelletta turned his head to regard the two men, before strolling to the counter and confronting the storeman.
‘I don’t want no trouble in here Frank,’ said the man worriedly.
‘You’ll get none from me Mooney,’ said Zelletta. ‘If you’re worried about me facing down them two stinking excuses for animal shit, they ain’t worth wasting my time on.’
The two trappers began to rise from their chairs and Frank, with what seemed like a casual movement, tilted the rifle up to cover them. They both glared at the Zelletta for several moments, before settling back down onto their chairs.
‘You’re a big man with that rifle covering us.’ Rasped the bearded one.
‘I’m a big man without the rifle and you should quit while I’m still in a good mood.’
Beatrice who had sidled over to stand close by sensed the tension that had developed between the men and suddenly stepped between them. She regarded the two trappers and tried not to wrinkle her nose at the smell that emanated from them.
‘Hello,’ she said brightly. ‘I’m Beatrice. It’s nice make your acquaintance.’
She extended her small hand to the surprised trapper. His surprise delayed him from getting one over on Zelletta and before he was able to grab her hand and pull her to him. His chance of using her was lost. Zelletta grabbed her hair and yanked her back behind him. She squealed in pain and staggered backwards before losing her footing and falling onto her backside on the dirt floor. The movement threw Zelletta temporarily, off guard and gave the breed a half chance. He was lithe and very quick as he left his chair with a knife in his hand and lunged at Frank in one swift movement. However, for such a big man, Zelletta was just as quick, both physically and mentally. Though his guard had momentarily dropped, he always expected something might happen. So, he was half prepared as the Indian lunged at him, and managed to side step whilst at the same time, swung the rifle which smacked the breed across the side of his head and sent him sprawling into the counter. Zelletta turned the rifle back to cover the bearded trapper ignoring his younger partner who lay unmoving on the floor.
‘Do you want some?’
The man held both hands aloft.
‘I’m a peaceable man mister. I wuz just funning you. I didn’t think you’d take it so personally.’
Zelletta drew his colt and cocked it before placing the muzzle to the man’s forehead.
‘Yeah right. Hand me your gun and then give me your friend’s gun.’
The trapper carefully, drew his gun making sure to use just two fingers, before handing it over. Frank took it and using one hand, opened the cylinder and ejected the shells. Then he stepped back and indicated the prone Indian with his gun. The trapper carefully, climbed to his feet and knelt by his pard. Then with Frank’s gun an inch from his head, he removed and handed him, the younger man’s gun.
‘Are they your hosses in the coral?’
The trapper nodded his head.
‘Ok, pick up your pard and go saddle ‘em up and get the hell away from here. If I see either one of you within shooting distance of me again, I’ll blow your goddamned heads off, savvy?’
‘What about our guns? We gonna be in trouble out there without weapons.’
Frank handed him the empty pistols.
‘Don’t take me for a fool mister. I expect you both got rifles with your saddles and bullets for them revolvers. You’re welcome to try and take me out any time you want. But if you do, you’d better be prepared to meet your maker sooner than you planned. Now help your pard up and go saddle your hosses.’
The trapper helped his younger, still dazed, friend to his feet and they staggered outside with Zelletta following with his pistol in hand. On the way, he passed a subdued Beatrice still sitting where she had landed on the floor, with a confused and pained look on her countenance. As he walked by, he spoke to the trader.
‘Mooney, any chance you could rustle up a meal and coffee for the lady and me?’
‘Sure Frank, it’ll be no bother a-tall.’
Zelletta watched while the trappers saddled and mounted their horses and rode away. When they were around three hundred yards away, he turned and went inside, retrieving the Winchester the girl had left propped against the wall. He saw Beatrice was seated at the table the trappers had vacated and placed the rifle forcefully, down on the table in front of her.
‘Don’t ever leave your gun lying around. It’s for your own protection and aint gonna do you much good propped against the damned wall. And don’t ever get between me and a pair of killers again. You were damned lucky they were too surprised to grab you and use you as a goddamned shield.’
‘Stop swearing at me,’ she pouted. ‘And I’m not at all enamoured at the way you treated me just now. A gentleman would never do what you did.’
Her protestations fell on deaf ears, for Zelletta, having holstered his pistol, was heading for the door again with his sharps in hand while at the same time, chambering a shell. At the door, he brought the rifle to his shoulder and peered out.
Beatrice watched the man as he aimed the big weapon and was visibly startled a few moments later, when she heard gunfire from outside and the loud voice of Frank Zelletta telling her to get down on the floor. She was further shocked when bullets zinged by her having been fired through the open window. She needed no further urging from the big man. She dove to the floor and crawled under the table to lie there quaking with fear.
After riding what they considered to be a good distance from the trading post, the trappers had watched as Zelletta re-entered the trading post. Then reloaded their pistols and palmed their rifles. This, they considered, was their chance to take him by surprise and figured he wouldn’t expect them to return with their guns blazing bullets all over the building.
The two men came on at a gallop and were good enough horsemen to ride controlling their horses with thighs and knees while at the same time firing their rifles at the building, especially the Indian who was way out in front by the time they started shooting. The idea was to ride past at speed and pepper the cabin with bullets, then ride away in the hope that some or all the occupants would be hit at least once.
Zelletta placed the sharps to his shoulder and sighted down the barrel just as the two men, after riding away for around three hundred yards, wheeled their horses and came on at pace. He felt some satisfaction that the Indian had taken the lead and was pulling away from his partner, because he figured he was the more dangerous of the two.
When the leading rider was within two hundred yards of the building, he began shooting and fired his rifle repeatedly as did his partner. Frank yelled for the girl to get on the floor and took aim. When the Indian was less than a hundred and fifty yards away, he squeezed the trigger and the big sharps rifle boomed. A blink of an eye later, the rider was bowled over backwards from his horse and lay prone on the ground. The other trapper, stopped and wheeled his horse before riding away. But he’d sealed his fate by making an attack against Zelletta instead of riding away when he had the chance. The sharps boomed again and the man slumped forward over the horse’s neck. After a few seconds, he tumbled from his mount and fell on the ground to lay perfectly still.
Zelletta went back inside and returned to where he’d left Beatrice. He stooped and peered beneath the table where his eyes settled on the wide-eyed girl lying curled up on her side and staring back with frightened eyes.
‘You can come out now,’ he said gruffly.
She crawled out and clambered to her feet, before brushing the dirt from her skirt.
‘You’d better sit down before you faint,’ he said. ‘You look as though you’re about to throw up.’
She plumped herself down on a chair and stared at his scarred face.
‘I thought I was about to die,’ she said hoarsely. ‘There were bullets flying all over the place. Were those men attacking us?’
‘Yeah, but their attacking days are finished now, so you’re safe for the time being.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean, if you stupidly, get yourself between me and men who mean us harm, again, I’m gonna shoot you first before I shoot them. So, think yourself lucky I only pulled you back by your hair.’
She stared at him, unable to accept he could threaten her so cruelly.
‘I meant, what did you mean? When you said their attacking, days are finished.’
‘Never mind, it ain’t nuthin’ for you to worry about.’
‘You killed them, didn’t you?’
He ignored her and turned to Mooney who had got up from his place of safety behind the counter and was glowering angrily at Zelletta.
‘Sorry about what happened Mooney. I had no choice. If I hadn’t of killed ‘em, they would have shot up this place and done a lot more damage than they did and likely killed somebody.’
‘If you hadn’t antagonised ‘em in the first place and told ‘em to get the hell away from here, they likely would have left peaceably eventually.’
‘You keep telling yourself that Mooney. They wuz hankering for trouble and if we hadn’t walked in here, they might well have started on you and your missus.’
The owner contemplated what he had said for a few moments, before softening his demeanour.
‘I guess you’re right Frank. They’d already started making remarks that could only be seen as threats. I figured sooner or later, I’d have to use old Bessy on ‘em.’
He showed Frank the shotgun he kept behind the counter as an explanation as to what Bessie was.
‘There you go then. Can I leave it to you to get rid of their bodies? You can keep anything they got ‘em, but I want their hosses.’
‘Sure, I already paid em for them pelts in the corner so I’ll have that back for starters and it wouldn’t do for their hosses to be found here anyhow. Somebody might recognise ‘em.’
Beatrice was horrified as she listened to the conversation. She found it incredulous that they could talk about the two dead men so lightly as though they were a minor irritation. Furthermore, they were talking about robbing them. What kind of fiend would resort to robbing dead men of their belongings and horses?’
Zelletta sat down at her table and spoke again to Mooney.
‘How’s that grub coming along?’
‘I’ll go and check on Bella,’ replied the man. ‘She’ll likely be wondering what’s been happening with the shooting an’ all.’
When he’d gone through a blanket covered doorway behind the counter, Beatrice finally, found her voice.
‘You killed those men.’
It was clear he had but she still needed to clarify it.
‘You don’t need to be concerned about them,’ he answered. ‘They ain’t gonna cause us any more bother.’
‘You were talking about robbing them.’
‘Not robbing ‘em exactly. Just taking stuff they no longer have any use for.’
‘That is the most callous remark I have ever heard.’
‘Better get used to it girl, you’ll hear plenty more before you reach your destination.’
‘I’ll never get used to it and I’ll never come to terms with how you find it so easy to murder men as if they were wild animals or something.’
‘They were worse than wild animals. They came back figuring to shoot the place up and kill one or all of us if they could. All I was doing was protecting us. I saw the way they were watching you and make no mistake missy, if they’d ‘ave gotten their grubby paws on you, you’d a wished you were dead and when they considered they’d had their fill, you would be. You already experienced how some fellers treat women when you were accosted in Wichita. Didn’t that teach you anything?’
She stared in disbelief at his revelations.
‘I can’t believe all men out here are like that.’
‘No, they ain’t. Most western men respect women and treat them accordingly. But you gotta learn to recognize the bad apples and take steps to avoid them, or at least be on your guard.’
She regarded him for a moment, then decided to test his credentials.
‘And what kind man of man are you Mister Zelletta? Which category do you fall into?’
‘I’m considered in some folk’s eyes to be a bad man and as evil as Satan himself. But you needn’t be concerned about that. Once I’ve got you to Texas, my work will be done and you can forget all about me.’
‘I believe you will get me to Texas Mister Zelletta, but it is what may happen along the way that concerns me.’
He glowered at her for many moments, before responding to her concerns.
‘Don’t flatter yourself Miss Mellowday. Any interest I have in you is purely financial and the sooner I get you off my hands the better. As far as I’m concerned, you are nothing more than a package that has to be delivered in good condition.’ He studied her dirty face and tussled hair. ‘Well reasonably good condition anyhow.’
She felt foolish and her cheeks became heated with humiliation.
‘I…I didn’t mean…’ she stammered.
‘I know exactly what you meant, but don’t worry your foolish little head. You are perfectly safe from me and will be all the way to Laredo.’
Mooney appeared and approached the table carrying a tray bearing two bowls of beef stew and a plate laden with thick chunks of bread as well as knives and spoons. When he had gone, they ate in silence and Beatrice noticed Zelletta never removed his hat, keeping it pulled down low over his eyes to hide as much of his face as possible. But not wanting to antagonise him further, she decided not to question him about it.
When Mooney reappeared to collect their bowls, he held a pot of coffee and two mugs which he placed on the table before them.
‘Ain’t you goin’ after them hosses?’ He asked Zelletta.
Frank turned his gaze upward to regard him.
‘I figure they won’t have gone far with trailing reins an’ all. They might even come back to the coral where the other animals are. I’ll take care of it when I’ve finished my coffee.’
Mooney shrugged.
‘Well I’m gonna go and take care of the bodies, I wanna do it before they start stinking.’
