Jesse by Barbara Goss (namjoon book recommendations txt) 📕

“Hasenpfeffer,” he said.  “Well, without the stew, that is.” He took out his knife and cleaned the rabbit on a nearby tree stump.  “Charlie, try to find us a nice-sized twig to use as a spit for the meat.”

Charlie went to the edge of the woods, picked up several sticks, and brought them back to show Jesse.  “Which one will work best?”

He studied each of them and chose one.  “This one is perfect.”

They took turns holding the rabbit meat over the fire until it had turned brown.

“Is it done?” Charlie asked.

“It might be, but it’s safer to let it get even darker.”  Jesse wiggled the leg of the rabbit. “Nope, not done yet. When I can wiggle a leg and it starts to fall off, it’s done.”

While they ate, Charlie thought about getting to Cheyenne and going back to New York, which saddened her.  She’d never cooked over a fire or eaten wild game in New York.  She loved her life here, and she didn’t want to leave.

She helped Jesse clean up after the meal.  He took the remaining rabbit meat, and laid it on a clean cloth napkin, poured salt over it, and wrapped it up. He put the sack in his saddlebag.  “That’s tomorrow’s supper.”

Charlie said, “I’m learning a lot.  What do we do next?”

“Now, we sit around the fire and tell stories.  Then, we each go off, take care of our personal needs, and go to sleep.”

Once they were seated by the fire, Charlie moved closer to Jesse. “I don’t want to go back to New York.”

He laughed and shook his head.  “Now’s a nice time to make that decision.  You should have talked this over with your sister and Sean.  I’m bound by my word to get you to Cheyenne, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

“Well,” she said, “you can do that, but I won’t get on the train.  I’ll find some way back to Sunset Creek... or maybe I’ll go to Sterling’s Mill and get a job in one of the saloons.”

Jesse gave her a stern look.  “You will not!”

“I’m not going back home.”

Jesse snapped, “Yes, you are, and I’ll stay in Cheyenne and watch you get on the train, and wait until it leaves.”

She wasn’t sure if it was the tone of his voice, the cross look on his face, or what he’d said, but she felt herself begin to choke up.  Charlie blinked as rapidly as she could, but before she could control it, she burst out crying.

Jesse hadn’t realized how fierce he must have sounded, and he felt bad that he’d been so hard on the woman.  He put his arm around her shoulders and tried to comfort her.

“I’m sorry.   I didn’t mean to come on so strong, but I am a man of my word, and I did promise Sean I’d deliver you to the train.  Please, don’t cry.”

His words reduced her crying to small sobs.  “Please, don’t make me go home,” she cried.

She looked up at him as she pleaded and his heart felt like it was melting. What was he to do?  What else could he do but take her to the train in Cheyenne?  He hated to be a bear, but a promise is a promise.

He held her tighter with the hope of stilling her crying.  “Let me sleep on this... maybe tomorrow I can think of a way to make everyone happy.”  He let her go and helped her stand.  While walking her to her bedroll, he patted her back.  “I promise to come up with a solution.  Now, stop crying and get a good night’s sleep.”

They went off in different directions to take care of their personal needs and met back at Charlie’s bedroll.

“Good night, Charlie,” he whispered as she settled into her bedroll.

She turned toward him and said, “Remember your promise, Jesse. Goodnight.”

Long after he'd heard Charlie’s soft, rhythmic breathing, he tossed in his bedroll.  How was he going to make everyone happy, and why had he promised to find a solution?  He had none,  yet he felt like an ogre, forcing her to do something he knew she hated doing, and he couldn’t come up with a thing to make everyone happy.  He kept tossing, and suddenly, one solution popped into his head.  Like it or not, it was the only way.

Chapter Nine

Roy shook his index finger at Delia.  “This is all your fault.”

“My fault?” She pointed her finger back at him. “You barged in too soon.  I’d have had him in bed in no time.  It’s your fault.”

Sighing, Roy sat down on the settee and said, “What are we to do now?”

“You could rob the bank and leave me alone,” Delia said with hands on hips.  “Or, go ahead and tell the sheriff.  I killed Mr. Hackett, but it was self-defense.”

“I don’t have what it takes to walk into a bank and rob it, all right?”

“But you do have the nerve to kill a friend for his money. Ha!” she laughed.  “I don’t understand you at all, Roy.”

“It’s different,” Roy said.  “No one would see me, and I’d make it look like an accident.”

Delia sighed, “And now I’m stuck working in a saloon having men pawing at me every night, just so you could pull off this dumb plan.  I wish I’d never have come out to Wyoming.  I came because I missed my sister—a sister who’s no longer the same person since she married you.”

Roy played with his hands nervously.  “I just know Jesse Morgan has a lot of money.  That old geyser who left him the property also left him a bundle.”

“He had to build the house, so there might not be much money left,” Delia pointed out.