Have Brides, Will Travel Read online

  “Of course not! I’m sure that once you’re there and you’ve met the men you’re supposed to meet, everything will be fine. I’d just feel better if Mr. Creel and Mr. Morton went along to make sure there are no problems.”

  “Scratch and I haven’t said we’d sign on for this yet,” Bo pointed out.

  “Bo, can I talk to you for a minute?” Scratch asked. “Outside?”

  Bo had seen the way his old friend had been looking at the young women, and he had a pretty good hunch he knew what Scratch was going to say. Still, given their history, it was only right that he listen.

  “All right,” he said. He put his hat on and added, “If you ladies will excuse us . . .”

  “Of course,” Cecilia said. She moved over so Bo and Scratch could get to the door, and the others followed suit, scooting up close together on one side of the room.

  Once they were on the sidewalk and the door was closed behind them, Bo took out his pocket watch and flipped it open to check the time. It was still a little while before they had to be at the courthouse for the inquest.

  Before Bo could say anything, Scratch said, “We’ve got to take this job, Bo. We can’t let those poor defenseless women set out all the way to New Mexico Territory by themselves.”

  “I don’t know how defenseless they are. Miss Macy and Miss Winston look like they could give a pretty good account of themselves.”

  “Maybe, but you know what boomtowns are like.”

  “Even if we went with them, our responsibility would end as soon as we got them to Silverhill. Then it would be up to the men who are supposed to marry them to look out for them.”

  “Yeah, but there’s a lot of wild country betwixt here and there. You heard what Cyrus said. The train’ll take ’em only as far as El Paso. After that you’ve got Apaches and Mexican bandits and who knows what all else to worry about.”

  “Most of the Apaches are either south of the border or farther to the west, in Arizona Territory,” Bo said.

  “Well, what about the bandidos?”

  Bo didn’t say anything for a moment. Although he hadn’t heard any reports of border raids recently, bandits who ventured across the line from time to time represented an actual danger, as anyone who lived in the southern part of the territory knew. Bo wasn’t sure exactly where Silverhill was located, but he assumed it was in that area, since as far as he knew, that was where all the silver strikes had occurred.

  “You know I’m right,” Scratch went on, without waiting for Bo to answer. “Anyway, dang it, you saw those gals! Did you ever lay eyes on a prettier bunch, all in one place like this?”

  “You know good and well none of those women would ever have the least bit of interest in us. Not that way. You said yourself we’re old enough to be their grandpas.”

  “Well . . . maybe Cyrus had it right when he said we’d be more like uncles—”

  “That still doesn’t make any difference.”

  “You’re right,” Scratch said, nodding. “But answer me this. Don’t you enjoy bein’ around young, pretty gals, even if there ain’t any chance anything’d ever happen between you and them? And be honest now, Bo.”

  Bo frowned at Scratch for a couple of seconds and then said, “All right, blast it. You’ve got a point. They’re mighty easy on the eyes, and just being in their company for a trip like that would be a pure pleasure, as long as no trouble cropped up.”

  “And if it did, it’d be a good thing we were there to give ’em a hand with it, wouldn’t it? Plus, you got to remember, Cyrus said he’d pay us. We could use some extra funds to keep us in provisions for a while.”

  “When did you become so doggone persuasive when it comes to arguing?” Bo asked.

  “About the same time I laid eyes on those gals,” Scratch replied with a grin.

  “All right, let’s go back inside and talk to Cyrus.”

  They stepped into the office. The young women had been talking about something, but they fell silent as Bo and Scratch came in. Keegan looked expectantly at them, and the other five pairs of eyes swung their way, as well.

  “All right,” Bo said. “I reckon we’ll take the job.”

  A big smile broke out on Keegan’s face. “That’s splendid!” he said. “The train leaves this afternoon. I’ll make arrangements right away to purchase tickets for the two of you.”

  “Haven’t you forgotten something?” Bo asked. “We have an inquest we need to get to, all three of us.”

  “Oh, yes, of course. Well, I’ll get those tickets as soon as I can after that’s over—”

  “Wait a minute,” Cecilia Spaulding said. “What’s this about an inquest?”

  “It’s nothing you need concern yourselves with . . . ,” Keegan began.

  “We had to shoot a few fellas yesterday afternoon, is all,” Scratch said, “and now the coroner’s jury’s got to make up their minds whether or not they was justifiable killin’s. No question they were, though. Those varmints were about to rob Cyrus and rough him up, maybe even kill him, and he’ll testify to that.”

  Scratch made it sound so commonplace, Bo thought, but the way the five young women were gaping at them told him they regarded the situation as anything but.

  They might have registered their alarm about that, but at that moment a footstep sounded in the doorway. Bo and Scratch looked around and saw Hugh Craddock standing there.

  Judging by the expression on the rancher’s face, he was ready for another fight.

  CHAPTER 7

  Bo and Scratch turned and squared up to block Craddock’s path if he tried to get to Keegan.

  Craddock raised his hands, though, and held them palm out as he said, “I’m not looking for any trouble.”

  “Then what are you lookin’ for?” Scratch asked.

  Cecilia Spaulding said, “Is this man a friend of the men you shot yesterday?”

  Craddock’s eyebrows rose in obvious surprise. He said, “You shot somebody yesterday?”

  “Just three would-be robbers,” Bo said. “That doesn’t concern you, Craddock.”

  “But him and some fellas who work for him caused a ruckus here,” Scratch put in, explaining the situation to Cecilia Spaulding. “Lucky for them, it didn’t come down to shootin’.”

  Cecilia’s chin lifted as she said to Craddock, “Then please, sir, allow us to finish conducting our business with Mr. Keegan, and then you can speak with him.”

  Craddock’s face had been dark with anger when he came into the office, but now he just looked a mite befuddled. The natural chivalry and good manners of a Westerner, born and raised, took over, causing him to reach up and jerk his hat from his head.

  He said, “My apologies for busting in on you like this, ladies. I didn’t know Keegan was occupied this morning.”

  “Very well,” Cecilia said coolly. “No harm done.”

  Craddock backed out of the room. Bo was a little surprised by him giving up that easily, but like most decent Texans, when a lady made a direct request of him, it was difficult for him not to honor it. Cecilia turned back to Keegan and went on, “So everything is arranged? We’ll depart for El Paso on the train this afternoon, as planned?”

  “That’s right. And once you get there, Mr. Creel and Mr. Morton can make arrangements for whatever form of transportation seems appropriate for the rest of the journey.”

  “One more thing, Cyrus,” Bo said. “We’ll want to ship our horses on the train, too, because even if we hire a wagon for the ladies, Scratch and I will need our mounts.”

  Keegan nodded and said, “Of course.” He looked around the room. “Are there any other details we need to attend to?”

  “I don’t believe so,” Cecilia said. “Shall we go back to the hotel and finish packing, ladies?”

  She led the others out of the office, just as she had led them in.

  That was one gal who was used to being in charge, Bo thought.

  As soon as the young women were gone, Craddock loomed in the doorway, so Bo, Scratch, and Kee
gan didn’t have a chance to talk among themselves any.

  Keegan said, “What do you want, Mr. Craddock? Have you decided to give Miss Hampshire another chance?”

  “That old maid?” Craddock shook his head. “Hell, no.” He drew in a deep breath and went on, “But I’ve come to apologize to you, Keegan. I reckon I was out of line yesterday. It’s not your fault that woman pulled the wool over our eyes. She lied to both of us.”

  Keegan waggled a hand in front of him and said, “A lie of omission, perhaps—”

  “Is still a lie,” Craddock said. “But no matter. That’s over and done with.”

  “Well, I’m glad you’re being reasonable on that point, at least. I accept your apology, Mr. Craddock. Now, if you’ll excuse us, my friends and I have somewhere we need to be . . .”

  Craddock shook his head and said, “Not yet. I’ve got some more business to do with you.”

  “I fail to see what that could be,” Keegan said with a puzzled frown.

  “Those women who were just here, they’re mail-order brides?”

  “I’m not really fond of that term, but yes—”

  “Good,” Craddock said. “I’ll take one of them. That tall brunette, the one who spoke to me.”

  Keegan still looked confused. He said, “What?”

  “That girl in the dark blue traveling outfit. I’ll marry her, instead of the one you brought here for me, and we’ll call it all square between us. Hell, I’ll even pay you the rest of the fee I owe you.”

  Keegan’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he was able to say, “But . . . but . . . that’s impossible.”

  Bo said, “That young lady is spoken for, Craddock.”

  The rancher glared at him and said, “I don’t think this is any of your business, mister.”

  “Reckon it is our business,” Scratch drawled. “We just went to work for Cyrus here, didn’t we, Bo?”

  “That’s right,” Bo said. “And we’ve given you the straight of it. Miss Spaulding already has a prospective bridegroom picked out and waiting for her.”

  “Spaulding, eh?” Craddock repeated. “So that’s her name. Well, I plan on changing it to mine, once we’re hitched.”

  Keegan shook his head and said, “Please, sir, have you not listened to anything we’ve told you? It’s utterly impossible for you to marry the young lady.”

  “People told my pa it was impossible to start a ranch on the other side of the Brazos, too. They said the Comanche would have his scalp before he was there a year. But the Diamond C is still there, bigger and better than ever, and it always will be. There’ll come a time when my sons and grandsons will run it, just the way it was supposed to be all along!”

  Even though Craddock’s arrogance rubbed him the wrong way, Bo couldn’t help but understand how the man felt. He had been the same way himself once, bound and determined to build a legacy that his descendants would carry on.

  That wasn’t the way things had worked out, of course. Any small legacy Bo had was that of a footloose adventurer . . . but he remembered what those other dreams were like.

  Despite that, Craddock was barking up the wrong tree, and Bo told him as much, bluntly.

  “You’re just going to have to find somebody else, mister,” he said. “Miss Spaulding’s not available.”

  Craddock sneered and snapped, “That’s not for you to say. Looked to me like she’s a grown woman. She can make up her own mind.”

  “She already has. You’d better leave that lady alone,” Keegan warned. “If you bother her or any of those other young women, I’ll have the marshal on you!”

  “You think I’m scared of Longhair Jim?” Craddock shook his head. “He’s just another tin badge.”

  “You may find out differently when he comes to arrest you.”

  Scratch hooked his thumbs in his gunbelt and said, “Courtright ain’t the only one you have to worry about, neither. Like we told you, we work for Cyrus now, and that job includes makin’ sure nothin’ happens to the ladies in his charge.”

  Craddock laughed and said, “You’re full of hot air, old man.”

  Bo took out his watch and checked the time again. “We have to go,” he said. “Otherwise the marshal is going to come looking for us. Move along, Craddock.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  Bo put his hand on the butt of his Colt and said, “Just telling you to move along.”

  “You’ll be sorry about this,” Craddock blustered. “And this isn’t over, Keegan. Not by a long shot!”

  “You keep sayin’ that,” Scratch said, “but that don’t make you right about it.”

  Craddock glared darkly, turned on his heel, and stalked out of the office. The door slammed hard behind him.

  Keegan blew out a breath and said, “Good Lord, if I had known what a stubborn, unpleasant individual that man is, I never would have entered into a business arrangement with him in the first place.”

  “We’d best go,” Bo said, “or we’re liable to find out how unpleasant the coroner and the marshal can be.”

  * * *

  They made it to the courthouse in time for the inquest—barely.

  Marshal Courtright had been correct, though. The proceedings were simple and relatively short. Cyrus Keegan was called to testify first, then Bo and Scratch. Finally, the marshal himself took the stand and repeated everything the surviving robbers had told him, all of which backed up the testimony Bo, Scratch, and Keegan had given.

  The jury didn’t even have to leave the room to deliberate before delivering a verdict stating that the deceased had died in the commission of a crime and had been killed, justifiably so, by Bo Creel and Scratch Morton. They also recommended that no charges be brought against said Creel and Morton.

  Even though that was the outcome Bo and Scratch had expected, it was always good to hear such a verdict entered into the official record.

  Courtright confirmed it after the affair was adjourned by telling the drifters, “You fellows are free to go. I’ll appreciate it, though, if you don’t kill anybody else while you’re in Fort Worth. And if you do, please make sure you’ve got a mighty good reason.”

  “They’re going to be here for only a few more hours, Marshal,” Keegan said.

  Courtright cocked an eyebrow and said, “Oh?”

  “They’re accompanying a group of my young ladies to New Mexico Territory. They’ll all be leaving on the afternoon westbound.”

  “You sounded a little like a whoremonger there, Cyrus,” Courtright said with a smile.

  Keegan flushed a deep red and said, “You know it’s nothing of the sort, Marshal. Everything is perfectly legitimate, and the ladies involved are of the highest moral character—”

  “I’m just joshing you,” Courtright said. “I know you run an honest business.”

  He looked at Bo and Scratch and added, “I can’t say I’m sorry to hear that you’re leaving town, though. And it’s nice to know the young ladies will have some protection on their trip. Where’d you say they were heading?”

  “Silverhill, New Mexico,” Keegan replied.

  Courtright raised his eyebrows again. “Seems like I’ve heard of that place,” he said. “Boomtown, isn’t it?”

  “That’s right,” Bo said.

  “Watch your step when you get there, and keep an eye on those ladies until you’re sure they’re safe.”

  “We know how to do our job, Marshal,” Scratch said.

  “Oh? You’ve escorted mail-order brides before?”

  “Well . . . no. But we’ve rode shotgun on some mighty precious cargoes, and I can’t think of none more precious than five fine young ladies.”

  Courtright nodded and ambled away.

  Keegan said, “We’d better get started making arrangements for you and your horses. I don’t want that train leaving without you.”

  “Hold on a minute, Cyrus,” Bo said. “I’ve been thinking about something. Craddock heard Miss Spaulding’s name, and he knows they have roo
ms at a hotel. It wouldn’t be that hard for him to scout around and find the place where they’re staying.”

  A look of alarm appeared on Keegan’s face. He said, “Good Lord. You don’t think he’d try to locate them, do you? And . . . and kidnap Miss Spaulding?”

  “I think it might be smart to keep an eye on the ladies until they’re ready to leave this afternoon. One of us can go to the hotel and stand guard while the other gets the horses and our gear ready to go.”

  “That’s an excellent idea,” Keegan agreed.

  “I’ll go to the hotel,” Scratch volunteered, which didn’t surprise Bo at all. Standing guard meant that much more time he would spend around the five young women, even though he’d be down in the lobby and they would be up in their rooms.

  Bo didn’t have a good reason not to go along with the suggestion, though, so he nodded and said, “I’ll get everything ready, then join you at the hotel. Where are they staying, Cyrus?”

  Keegan gave them the name of the establishment and told them how to find it. The hotel was only a few blocks from the courthouse.

  “I hope Craddock doesn’t cause any more trouble,” he said worriedly. “I swear, when I started this business, I never dreamed such things would happen.”

  “That’s why you’ve got us around now,” Scratch told him. “To make sure they don’t.”

  CHAPTER 8

  It was midday before Bo reached the hotel where the five young women were staying. He found Scratch in the lobby, sitting in an armchair next to a potted palm. He stood up as Bo approached.

  “No sign of Craddock or any of those cowhands who were with him yesterday,” Scratch reported. “But there’s been plenty of other fellas in and out who might work for him that I ain’t ever seen before.”

  “We can’t help that,” Bo said. “What about the girls?”

  Scratch grinned and pointed up with a thumb. “They’ve got rooms on the third floor. I went up when I got here, and spoke to each of ’em through the doors to make sure they’re all right. They’re all fine. Nobody’s bothered ’em. You reckon maybe Craddock decided to back off, after all?”