Dusty Britches (6 page)

“
Miss Raynetta fell for a cowboy…long while back.
’
Fore you were born. But
she was young,
and he was older…and he hitched up with somebody else
’
fore she was old enough really to have a chance to catch him.
”

Dusty turned and looked to where Miss Raynetta sat next to Becca, both of them surrounded by adoring hands. Miss Raynetta was magic! She had a way of drawing people to her like bees to honey. And yet…

“
She seems happy enough,
”
Dusty mumbled. If Miss Raynetta could be happy without a man in her life
,
then…

“
Fact was…the man didn
’
t even know how she felt. He went off and married his darlin
’
not even knowin
’
that he
’
d broke some other little girl
’
s heart.
”
Dusty watched Feller as he now inspected the wagon for something that might have caused the team to
run
.
“
Took her so long to quit hurtin
’,
and
she sure didn’t want
any other man that come along…
well,
by the time she was over it
,
she
’
d miss
ed the best years of her life—t
hem carefree, flirtin
’
, courtin
’
, sparkin
’-on-the-porch-swing
years.
”

Dusty was irritated. Somehow Feller always managed to work in a sermon
and preach
to her.
 
“
And she seems fine for havin
’
the wisdom to avoid it all,
”
she grumbled.

“
Seemin
’
and bein
’
are tricks of the trade, Dusty,
”
he told her frankly.
“
Never had her own children or a husband to keep her warm and safe…to laugh with and work alongside of.
”

“
And how is it that you know so much about her?
”
Dusty asked a bit too sharply.

“
Me an ol
’
Willy McCarthy used to be good friends. Willy
’
s Miss Raynetta
’
s little brother
and the same age as me. W
e started cowboyin
’
together for Miss Raynetta
’
s daddy. We had a lo
t of time to talk. Willy
told me.
”
Then he looked up at her and reminded,
“
You asked me about it, Dusty. Remember that.
”

“
Yes, I asked you,
”
Dusty whined,
“
but you always turn it into a sermon. I
’
m fine where I am, Feller. I
’
m fine and happy. I tried the
‘
lovin
’
a man
’
part of life once…and once was enough for me.
”

“
You tried it
twice
, Dusty,
”
he corrected her.
“Then ya
tucked tail and ran.
”

Dusty couldn
’
t be angry with him. He was right on both counts! She knew it. So she tightened her jaw and stroked a horse
’
s nose.

“
How are you feelin
’
just now, darlin
’
?
”
he asked unexpectedly.
“
Ol
’
Ryder Maddox rides in after five years a
-
lookin
’
as big and strong as anythin
’. A
nd I ain
’
t much of a judge when it comes to good
-
lookin
’
or ain
’
t…but I suspect he
’
s the handsomest boy any female ever laid eyes on. And…I
’
m a wonderin
’
how you
’
re feelin
’
about now.
”

Dusty stared at the horse in front of her, never seeing it.
“
I feel like I
’
ve been thrown to the ground and trampled until I can
’
t breathe…or get up…or go on. I hate him. I hate him more than I did five years ago.
”
She walked away with loathed moisture in her eyes, a pounding in her head, and hatred in her heart
the
like even she
’
d never imagined.

Feller sighed heavily and shook his head. That little girl concerned him more than she
’
d ever k
now. And that Raynetta McCarthy—
he
’
d told Dusty more than he planned
, and
he hadn
’
t told her all of it.

“
Sure y
a
hate him, girl,
”
he said to himself.
“
If y
a
hated him…y
a
wouldn
’
t be so miserable.
”



Miss Raynetta had been saved, Feller had finished up the cooking, and now everyone sat enjoying the cool of the evening and a good meal.

“
That Becca,
”
Ryder chuckled as he sat with Feller
eating
his meal
.
“
She ain
’
t changed a lick…
’
cept in growin
’
up a mite.
”

“
And that Dusty has, you mean to be sayin
’
,
”
Feller stated with the awareness given an experienced man.

Ryder nodded and smiled at his friend
’
s insight.
“
Yep.
”
He paused a moment before going on.
“
Ol
’
Hank…he told me how he lost Mrs. Hunter. She was the finest woman I ever knew.
”

“
Amen,
”
Feller whispered in emphatic, reverent agreement.

“
But…I reckon there
’
s somethin
’
he ain
’
t told me about Dusty.
”
Ryder let the comment hang in the air, knowing Feller Lance would tell him what he wanted to know if he felt it w
ere
the right thing to do. And
he wouldn
’
t if he didn
’
t.

Feller chewed and swallowed a bit of beef
. He
inhaled deeply and began.
“
Well…I
’
ll tell y
a
honest, boy
…I don
’
t usually take it as my place to tell anybody nothin
’
where Dusty is concerned, but I think since you mighta had somethin
’
to do with it…you oughta know.
”

Ryder looked down at his
plate
—guilt-ridden
.
“
She was fourteen years old, Feller. You know that.
”

“
I know it, boy. I ain
’
t blamin
’
you. I just said when it comes to the heart of Miss Angelina Hunter…you were the first one there. That
’
s all.
”

Ryder nodded
,
and Feller knew he
’
d made his point.
“
Well, boy…you remember the
Richardsons
in town? Man who owned the bank?
”

“
Yeah. Yeah, I do.
”

“
You remember their son, Cash?
”
Feller asked.

“
Yep. Little wormy, pampered kid…didn
’
t know how to get his hands dirty,
”
Ryder answered.

“
That
’
d be the one. Well…he took a likin
’
to Dusty a year or so after you left. When she was…oh,
’
bout fifteen
,
he started really payin
’
her court. Not official, mind you. But he rode out here a lot
,
danced with her a bunch at all the socials in town, sent her little love notes
,
and all that.
”
Feller noticed the disapproving frown on Ryder
’s face,
the way he wrinkled his nose in distaste, so he added,
“
Now mind you, Ryder…that boy filled out. And fast! He
’
s a big ol
’
boy now. Not a hair under you and perty handsome for a town boy. Weren
’
t a girl for two counties wasn
’
t plum gone on that boy. Oh, and let me tell y
a
…he was a charmer
. C
harmed every female in the county clear down to her toes. And he took to our little Dusty like kittens to cream.
”

Feller watched as Ryder looked up to where Dusty sat alone eating her
meal
. He knew the cowboy
owned
an ocean of
guilt where Miss Angelina Hunter was concerned.
“
Anyway,
”
he continued,
“
for two years that boy charmed, courted
,
and coaxed that girl. Treated her good…I can
’
t deny that. And she fell for him
—a
s much as a girl can fall when someone else is always a
-
lurkin
’
in the back of her mind.
”

“
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
”
Ryder grumbled.
“
You done made your point, Feller.
”

Feller chuckled and slapped the man on the back.
“
Anyway…
’
bout six months after Dusty turned seventeen, ol
’
Cash proposed marriage.
”

“
Really?
”
Ryder seemed surprised.
“
And she said…
”
he coaxed.

“
She said…she
’
d think about it, as I recall. Seemed she wanted
to talk it over with her daddy,
bein
’
that her mama had just passed about a year or so before and all. So our little Dusty
—
and she
’
s a good gal
—
she wouldn
’
t even consider it
’
less she was really lovin
’
that man in some way…I assure y
a
of that. Anyhow…she decides some young cowhand she had her heart set on has grown up and got hisself married somewhere…
”

“
Ah, now come on, Feller! Cut me some rope here
,”
Ryder chuckled.

Feller smiled.
“
All right, boy. All right. So Dusty…she decides to marry Cash. He gives her a ring…big ol
’
rock of a diamond and gold band
. H
e gives her a ring
,
and they set a date. Then one day
,
Dusty goes into town to surprise him with a birthday cake she made for his twentieth. Walks up to the
Richardson
house…knocks…no answer. She hears somethin
’
comin
’
from their barn…walks over, opens the barn door…and sees Mr. Cash Richardson hisself a
-
smoochin
’
and rompin
’
in the hay with one of them loose girls from the saloon.
”