McKettrick's Choice - Linda Lael Miller [47]
Lorelei considered the proposition again, then nodded. “I’ll get your money,” she said, and made for the house.
Seesaw was waiting patiently under a nearby oak tree, his halter rope dangling, when she returned with the agreed-upon payment.
The driver counted the money, folded it and tucked it into his shirt pocket, behind the round snoose can. “Thank you kindly,” he said, with a little smirk, tossing the shovel he’d used to dig out the wagon into the back and then turning his attention to the task of hitching two of the remaining three mules to the rigging. He tied the third to the tailgate and set out for the road.
Raul, having cast several curious glances in Lorelei’s direction over the course of the transaction, made his way down off the roof and came to stand beside her, watching as mules and man trundled up the slope and onto the trail, headed for San Antonio.
“You bought this mule, señorita?” Raul asked.
Lorelei, who’d been watching the team and wagon, turned to look at Raul, expecting disapproval. To her surprise, Angelina’s husband was grinning broadly.
“Yes,” she said. “His name is Seesaw.”
Raul left her side to examine the mule, running practiced hands over Seesaw’s legs, checking the animal’s hooves and teeth. “He will be good for plowing,” he said, when his inspection was complete.
“Plowing? I intend to ride him,” Lorelei said.
Raul went still, as if he’d just run across a snake or a scorpion in the wood pile. “Ride him? But, señorita, you have never—”
“I’ve never done a lot of things, Raul,” Lorelei broke in. “That doesn’t mean they’re impossible.”
“But, señorita, he—”
Lorelei joined Raul beside the mule. “Help me onto his back,” she said. She was afraid, even terrified, but she knew that waiting would not lessen her fear.
Raul’s eyes rounded, and he shook his head. “No, señorita—I cannot.”
“Fine,” Lorelei said. “I’ll stand on a box, then.”
“Señorita, please—”
Lorelei started for the house again. They’d chopped up most of the crates from the mercantile for firewood, but there were still one or two left.
“Wait!” Raul called, with a note of desperation that made Lorelei stop and turn around to look at him. “I will ride him first.”
Raul was an accomplished horseman, so this approach made sense to her. “All right, then,” she said, and waited.
Raul threw the halter rope over the mule’s neck, then sprang nimbly onto his back.
That was when they learned why the beast was called Seesaw.
He pitched forward, then back, while Raul clung valiantly with both hands and both legs. Seesaw brayed fit to raise the dead from their slumber, and kicked both hind feet straight out.
Raul flew over the animal’s head, turning a perfect somersault in midair, then landed on his back in the deep grass. Seesaw returned to his grazing, as casually as if the whole incident had never happened.
Lorelei, momentarily paralyzed with shock, broke free and rushed toward Raul, who was muttering in Spanish between gasps.
“Are you hurt?” Lorelei cried, dropping to her knees beside him. At the periphery of her vision, she saw Angelina drop her catch of shiny trout, pick up her skirts and hurry in their direction.
“No,” Raul gasped. “Just let me—catch my breath—”
Angelina, arriving on the scene, helped her husband to sit up.
“Raul!” she cried.
“I think I’ve been taken,” Lorelei lamented, standing up.
“Madre de Dios,” Angelina murmured.
DAMNED IF SHE HADN’T found herself a mule, Holt thought, as he and Rafe rode across the creek, with Melina behind them on a little spotted pony borrowed from John. Lorelei teetered on top of an overturned box, just about to swing one leg over the critter’s back.
“You didn’t tell me we were going to see a rodeo,” Rafe said dryly.
Holt spurred the Appaloosa up the bank onto Lorelei’s spread, his gut suddenly wedged up between his collarbones. She met his gaze with what looked, from that distance, like pure defiance, and mounted the mule.
For a moment, all of time seemed