Love’s Sweet Revenge(123)

Evie smiled. “We haven’t discussed that with your uncle Lloyd yet.”

“Your mother can call this valley anything she wants,” Lloyd called to the boy.

“I think there is gold in it,” Little Jake shouted in reply. “Maybe me and Grampa will find it together.”

“And maybe we’ll just stick to ranching,” Jake told him, pressing him close. “Grandpa has climbed around enough rugged places like that and slept on the ground off and on for too many years, Little Jake. I prefer the comforts of home.”

“Aw, you’re tough, Grampa,” the boy answered, holding up a fist. “Did you use places like that to hide out when you were an outlaw?”

Jake just shook his head. “We definitely need to talk.”

“Go fast, Grampa! Catch up with Ben and Stevie!”

Jake kicked the horse into a faster lope, and Evie shook her head. “Mother, that boy might as well live with you and Daddy full-time so Daddy can have complete control of him. He wants to be just like Daddy, including being an outlaw.”

“Jake will straighten him out,” Randy answered. “He’s just a little boy who sees his grandfather as a hero and doesn’t understand how bad it really was for Jake.” She took her daughter’s hand. “Don’t worry, Evie. Little Jake has your goodness in him, and three good men in Brian and Lloyd and Jake to teach him how to be an equally good man.”

“First we have to cure him of cussing and wanting to smoke,” Lloyd spoke up.

“Oh, and you and Daddy are great examples,” Evie teased.

“Sure we are,” Lloyd answered, “although right now I could use a cigarette.”

They laughed, and Randy couldn’t remember feeling happier. She reached into the back seat and grasped Lloyd’s arm. “We’re going home, Lloyd. It feels so good to be on J&L land!”

“It sure does.” Lloyd yelled out to Pepper, who rode nearby, “Saddle me a horse, Pepper!”

“Lloyd, no!” Katie objected. “You aren’t strong enough yet.”

“I damn well am! Stop the carriage, Brian.”

“Lloyd, you really shouldn’t—”

“I can’t think of a better cure!”

Reluctantly, Brian halted the carriage, and Lloyd climbed out. “Give me your horse, Pepper! Go saddle one of the extras for yourself. There are two new saddles in the supply wagon anyway, and they need breaking in.”

“You sure about this?” Pepper climbed down.

“Damn sure!” Lloyd stepped into the stirrup. Grimacing with pain, he mounted Pepper’s big roan mare.

“Lloyd, please be careful,” Katie called out.

Lloyd took the leather tie from where his hair was wrapped into a tail at his neck. He shook out his hair. “Thanks, Pepper!” he yelled as he rode off to catch up with Jake, letting out an Indian-like war whoop.

“Oh, Brian, do you think he should be doing that?” Evie asked her husband.

“He’s a Harkner.” Brian turned to meet her gaze. “Have I ever been able to stop you, or even Little Jake from having your way?”

Evie smiled. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “And you are the most patient man on the face of the earth. Do you know how much I love you?”

Brian wouldn’t let her get away with just a peck on the cheek. “I think I do.” He grasped the back of her neck and kissed her warmly on the lips.

“Would you two like to go ride inside the covered wagon?” Katie teased.

Evie smiled, grasping Brian’s arm as he snapped the reins to get the buggy moving again. “We can wait till we reach home. I can’t think of anything more wonderful than being in our own house tonight, can you, Mother?”

“No, I can’t, Evie.” She watched Lloyd catch up to Jake, getting more anxious to reach her own home and to bake bread again and hold her beautiful granddaughters and have the whole family together. She watched Jake turn his horse to greet Lloyd. They exchanged words, and she knew Jake was likely telling Lloyd he shouldn’t be on a horse yet. Ben and Stephen caught up with the men, and they all rode side by side, Little Jake still riding proudly with his grandfather.

“Those boys are turning into men,” Randy told Katie. “I think Stephen will be tall like his father, and I’ll bet Little Jake won’t be so little in a few years.”

“What a sight,” Katie answered. “I hope Lloyd will be okay.”

“I think getting on a horse and heading home is better medicine than anything else could possibly be,” Randy told her.

For the next two hours, they rode over rolling foothills, cattle grazing here and there in scenes that seemed more like paintings. Anxious to reach home before dark, they didn’t stop to eat or take breaks. Even though it was late July, the surrounding mountains still showed white caps, some of the snow streaking down into deep, still-cold purple crevasses. The tree line of dark pine and white aspen decorated the mountainsides in colorful glory. Before them lay a sea of green and yellow grass, and here and there huge boulders lay piled up as though God had taken them from the nearby mountains and placed them there by hand. Wildflowers in red and purple were scattered everywhere, and the sun came out to light up the colors in a welcoming scene that had never looked so good. They crested a rise…and there it was.