have to watch the woman flirt with Harrison because such blatant tactics were bound to make her nauseated. Harrison was so naive. Most men were when it came to the ploys used by certain women. Harrison wouldn't know what Catherine was up to, but Mary Rose would. Women understood each other. Catherine wanted to snare Harrison. Finding a man wasn't difficult in the valley. They outnumbered women by well over a hundred to one. Finding a good man was another matter altogether. They were as scarce as diamonds.
Mary Rose didn't believe she was jealous. She was just looking out for Harrison. He was her guest, after all. Catherine Morrison was just going to have to find someone else to chase.
On the way into town Mary Rose must have asked Cole and Douglas at least five times to look after Harrison. The two brothers soon got tired of promising her they would. They told her to quit nagging them. She would have asked Travis, but he and Harrison were riding their mounts side by side, and she didn't want the man she wanted protected to know she didn't think he could take care of himself. He couldn't, of course, but she didn't want him to know she realized it.
Luck was on her side. Catherine wasn't in the store. Mary Rose saw Harrison talking to Catherine's father, but the conversation lasted only a minute or two, and then Harrison was being introduced to Floyd Penneyville, another new resident, and the topic turned to the annual cattle roundup that had ended just three weeks before. Both Floyd and Harrison were sorry they'd missed all the excitement.
Dooley caught up with her just as she was leaving the store. She was on her way to the stables to collect Douglas. Cole and Travis and Harrison were all talking to Floyd.
'Morning, Miss Mary. My, you look right pretty today.'
'Thank you, Dooley.'
'Henry chased me down,' he said. He remembered his manners then and immediately took his hat off. 'We'd already sent word to Cole that Webster had some cronies with him. I guess, from seeing the brothers, he's expecting trouble.'
'One must always be prepared for any eventuality,' Mary Rose told her friend. She was quoting Adam, of course. He was always telling her to be prepared.
Dooley followed her outside and walked by her side down the wooden walkway.
'Anyways, Henry told me you were taking supplies to Crazy Corrie. Was he fibbing me or telling the truth?'
'He was telling the truth,' she said. 'Corrie isn't crazy. I would appreciate it if you'd tell your friends so. She's my friend, Dooley.'
'That's exactly what Henry said you'd say. I got some bad news for you, Miss Mary. Bickley and some of his vigilante friends is going up to the ridge to burn Corrie out. They think she's a danger to folks.'
Mary Rose was appalled. 'How dare they,' she cried out. She grabbed hold of Dooley's arm. 'Have they left yet?'
'No, but they're getting ready to,' Dooley explained. 'Henry and Ghost are keeping them busy bragging. You know how Bickley is. He likes to boast about hisself. He's the devil's own brother, Miss Mary. I wish he'd go on back to Hammond where he belongs. He's got no business trying to be a big man here. Some of his friends got to be bad to the core. One's so ugly, he makes me want to puke just looking at him. Calling themselves vigilantes, like they're something special.'
The old man paused to snort. He would have spit, but he didn't think Miss Mary would appreciate it.
'Where are they now?'
'Inside the saloon. They're itching to leave though. Henry's running out of questions to ask, and you know how Ghost is. Ever since he started making his own brew he's been acting real funny. It takes him a long time to figure out what folks are talking about. He can't concentrate is what it is, cause he's got all them spirits talking to him all the time. Course, getting hit by lightning didn't help him none, but I'm still saying he'd be right in the head if he'd stay away from liquor. Miss Mary, where are you dragging me?'
'To the saloon.'
'You aren't thinking about going inside, are you?'
'If I have to, I will,' she said. 'I've got to put a stop to this.'
They were running down the walkway. Dooley was soon out of breath. 'Let me fetch your brothers, Miss Mary,' he begged between gasps. 'You wait right here.'
Mary Rose saw the wisdom in getting some assistance. She agreed to wait and had only just sat down on a bench outside of the warehouse when Bickley and his cohorts strutted outside. Their horses were waiting, their reins tied to the hitching posts in front of the saloon.
She didn't dare wait any longer. She prayed to God the men weren't liquored up. She didn't know Bickley but she'd heard stories about him, and none of them were worth repeating. His appearance was every bit as nasty as his character. He had long, stringy, brown hair and beady eyes. He looked like a sneak, she thought to herself, and from all accountings, that's exactly what he was. Bickley was only a couple of inches over five feet. Adam said he was a little man trying to be big.
'Bickley? Might I have a word with you?'
Mary Rose stood on the corner of the walkway and waited for the leader to acknowledge her. She hoped he would come over to her alone and that his friends would wait by the doors of the saloon.
He turned at the sound of her voice. He gave her a grin, squinted his eyes against the sunlight, and sauntered over to her. She was sorry to see his friends followed him.
'What might I do for you, Miss Mary?'
Bickley was sour from the stench of liquor and old sweat. She wasn't surprised he knew her name. There were so few women living in Blue Belle that all the men who lived in the town and in the surrounding area knew who the women were. She was even known as far away as Hammond.
'Are you and your companions going up to Boar Ridge?'
'That's where we're headed, all right. We're going to burn out that crazy woman before she kills someone. We respect the law, and since Blue Belle don't have a sheriff, I figure it's our duty to take care of things around here.'
I can't imagine why you would think anyone around here is your responsibility,' she said. 'You live in Hammond, not Blue Belle. We take care of our own here.'
She wanted to tell him to go back where he belonged and start minding his own business, but she didn't offer the suggestion for fear she'd antagonize him into doing something rash.
'There's a sheriff in Hammond,' he said. 'He don't want my help. Folks around here will be more… appreciative.'
One of his cohorts chuckled. Mary Rose diligently tried to control her temper. She took a deep breath and then tried to reason with the vile creature.
'Just yesterday I went up to the ridge and had a nice long visit with the dear woman. Corrie isn't crazy. She's shy. She doesn't like outsiders trying to pry into her life. No one does. Corrie only likes people who live around Blue Belle.'
'You're trying to keep us from doing our duty, aren't you?'
'Corrie is my friend. I want you to leave her alone.' Her tone had taken on a hard edge.
'I don't have to listen to you. I got my mind set. Don't I, boys?' Mary Rose couldn't keep her temper contained another second. 'If you bother that sweet woman, I shall personally go to Judge Burns and sign a petition. I'll charge every single one of you with attempted murder, and my friends in Blue Belle will appreciate watching you hang.'
Bickley didn't cotton to being threatened. Especially by a woman. Liquor made him forget all about the Clayborne brothers. It was time someone took the uppity bitch in hand. He was just the man to see the duty done. He would shake some sense into her and have her quaking with fear in no time at all.
'Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?' he asked in a shout that caused spittle to drip down his chin.
'I'm a woman who knows an ignorant fool when she sees one.' she replied.
Bickley wasn't overly intelligent, but he was certainly quick. Before she realized his intent, he grabbed hold of her upper arm, squeezed hard, and tried to pull her toward him. She kicked him soundly in his leg, right below his kneecap. Pain shot up into his thigh. He used the back of his hand and struck her across the face, and when she didn't cry out, he used his fist to hit her again.
