This Loving Land - Dorothy Garlock [30]
Summer was not sorry the visit had come to an end. She liked Ellen, and her opinion of Travis had undergone a drastic change since the afternoon before, but it was a strain having guests when she had been in her new home for such a short time. Travis was friendly without being overly so, and he seemed to have faultless manners. He came up to her now, and extended his hand.
“It’s been a pleasure, Miss Kuykendall. Thank you for your hospitality.” He grinned boyishly and tilted his head toward his mother. “She’ll be easier to live with for a while.”
Ellen’s sparkling laugh filled the morning stillness. “Don’t mind what he says, Summer. He and Jesse would have you believe I’m a regular nag.” She went to Summer and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “I would have loved having a daughter like you, dear. But,” she raised her eyes upward in mock despair, “I was given this unbearable son!”
John Austin came out of the house, rubbing sleep from his eyes, followed by Mary holding up her nightdress so she could walk. The little girl made straight for Jesse, much to Sadie’s distress, and reached up and tugged on his hand.
Jesse’s stern face softened, and his hand came out to fondle the dark red curls before he squatted down on his haunches so she could reach into his breast pocket for the candy stick she knew would be there.
The smile that came to Summer’s face when she saw the amazement on Sadie’s faded when she looked at Ellen. The older woman’s brows were drawn together and she seemed to be repulsed by what she saw. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and moved a step closer to Jesse and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Well . . . Mama!” Travis laughed teasingly. “You’re gonna have to keep a tighter rein on your man. I do believe he’s been out prowlin’.”
“Shut up, Travis.” Jesse barked the words as he lifted Mary up in his arms. Turning to Ellen, he said, “Get in the buggy.” He handed the child over to Sadie and raised his hand to the brim of his hat. “Ma’am.”
They had moved only a few paces off when Travis spat: “Now ain’t he being all godawful polite to a whore!”
“Travis, be nice,” Ellen admonished.
Travis doffed his hat in mock salute. He swaggered to his horse and mounted, pulling the reins up tight so the animal danced nervously among the drovers that waited to escort the buggy.
“That red-headed mare’s been rode so much she’s got saddle sore, Jesse. Can’t you do no better than that?” He said something out of the side of his mouth to the drovers, and one of them laughed nervously. “Hey, Jesse . . .” Travis had the attention he wanted and was making the most of it. “That filly of hers won’t be ready for bustin’ for a few years. You stakin’ your claim now?”
Ellen took hold of Jesse’s arm. “Jesse, no! He’s just funnin’.”
Jesse shook her arm loose and in a few quick strides reached Travis, who was crowded in tight among the drovers. Before the younger man could draw a breath, he snatched him from the saddle.
Travis hit the ground and bounced to his feet, his face twisted in anger.
“Goddam you,” he snarled. “I ought to have killed you when you first came smellin’ around my mama!”
“How about now?”
The words were calmly spoken and barely out of his mouth when Travis charged him. Jesse’s fist flashed out and slammed him in the face. Travis’s head snapped back and he stretched out full length on his back. He came up clawing for his gun. The drover, who had dismounted to hold the nervous horse, stepped on his arm and jerked the gun from its holster.
Travis got slowly to his feet, his face a mask of hatred, blood from his busted lips running down his chin.
“You bastard! You son-of-a-whore!” He stood swaying, his hands hanging at his sides, his eyes darting from Jesse to his mother who stood with gloved hands pressed to her mouth.
“Jesse! Please!” Ellen pleaded.
The big man moved deliberately, and with his open hand slapped Travis across the face on one side and with the back of his hand on the other.
“Get on that horse, and count yourself lucky I don’t stomp you to death.”
Travis staggered back against the horse.