LAND OF STARS: The Texas Wyllie Brothers (Wilderness Dawning Series Book 2) Read online

  Thomas stepped in front of Steve to stop him. “Alcalde, you are vexing the wrong men. I advise you to make amends,” he said.

  Speaking in Spanish, the Alcalde quietly said to the servant, “Carlos, pide a los soldados que se unan a nosotros. Diles que echen estos gringos de aquí.”

  Their father moved to block the servant’s path.

  “No need to call your soldiers,” Samuel said. “And no need to throw us gringos out.”

  Stunned that Samuel understood every word, Procela’s dark heavy lashes flew up, and he shoved his plate. His brown eyes darkened even further with barely controlled anger.

  Samuel moved closer to the Alcalde, his hands resting on his two pistols. “It is clear that you have no intention of giving us decent land without robbing us of more of our hard-earned money.”

  Steve stepped around Thomas. “It is also clear that we won’t be giving you any more bribes. And since we won’t be getting land from you, we want our fifty pieces of gold back.”

  “Now!” Father commanded. “Or I’ll let my youngest son unleash those fists on your face. The last Mexican he fought didn’t look much like himself when Steve finished with him.”

  “No, I cannot give you your gold. ‘Tis impossible,” Procela said with a stubborn shake of his head. “It is my gold now.”

  A loud knock at the door came from down the hall. The door opened and a soldier called into the house in broken English, “Alcalde, a doctor and his wife are here to see you.”

  “Show them in,” Procela called before he turned his eyes on them again. “As you can see, I am very busy. You must leave now.”

  “Our business with you is not finished,” Samuel hissed.

  “Give our gold back!” Steve demanded.

  The soldier brought Baldy and Melly to the same room.

  Procela stood and, tossing his napkin on the table, he addressed Dr. Grant. “You are a doctor?”

  Baldy nodded to Procela. “I am Dr. Grant, and this is my wife, Mrs. Grant, who is my nurse and an experienced midwife.” Then Baldy turned toward the four of them with a smile on his face. “Stephen, Samuel, Thomas, and Steve, my dear friends!” He shook each of their hands with warmth.

  Melly smiled at each of them. “Is the Alcalde providing you with the land you need?”

  “We are still working on that,” Samuel said with acrimony.

  “How do you know one another?” Procela asked.

  “We lived near each other at Pecan Point,” Father said. “Dr. Grant was a well-respected physician there. Like us, he was compelled to leave.”

  “Dr. Grant, are you planning to remain in Nacogdoches?” Procela asked.

  “That, Sir, remains to be seen,” Baldy said at once. “My wife and I may return to Louisiana.”

  “Why are you here to see me?” Procela asked.

  “We were told a member of your household was having a baby very soon, and my wife wanted to see if she needed a midwife’s help before we left town,” Baldy said.

  “That is kind of you, Mrs. Grant, but there must be some confusion,” Procela said. “She is not due for two more months. And she is fine now.”

  “Oh, our mistake. Good luck to you then,” Baldy said and turned to leave. Taking swift steps, he and Melly strode toward the door.

  “Wait!” Procela called. “We are in great need of a doctor. And a midwife. Please, would you consider practicing medicine here in our town?”

  “Perhaps. My mind is not yet made up,” Baldy said and moved toward the door. “Good day, Sir.”

  Procela appeared crestfallen and followed Baldy and Melly to the door.

  “Dr. Grant, please wait for us outside,” Father said. “My back has been acting up again, and I need some of your back pills.”

  “Certainly,” Baldy said. “I have some in my bag.”

  Melly smiled warmly at the Alcalde, and then her brows furrowed and her face showed concern. “I certainly hope the woman in your household has no problems delivering her babe and that the child is strong and healthy,” she said. “Good day, Sir.”

  Something flickered in the back of Procela’s eyes, and he appeared to be genuinely disappointed to see them leave.

  After the door shut, Steve spoke up. “Samuel, perhaps we can help the Alcalde if he helps us.”

  “How?” Samuel asked.

  “Yes, how?” Thomas asked as well.

  Steve tried to look as though the idea just came to him. “Well…if the Alcalde can find decent land with water for us…perhaps we could persuade the doctor and his wife to stay in Nacogdoches. We could offer to build his clinic just like we did in Pecan Point.”

  They watched as thoughts raced across Procela’s face, and his eyes lit with realization. “Si, that is an excellent idea,” the Alcalde said in an overly friendly tone now. “Today, I will study my ledgers and maps. I am certain there must be some land for you. You come back tomorrow afternoon with Dr. Grant.”

  As soon as they were outside, in front of the home’s windows, Baldy made a show of searching through his medical bag for some pills. After Baldy found what he was looking for, the doctor handed them to Father. His father paid Baldy with a coin. It was all part of the act in case someone was watching them.

  “Join us at the tavern for an ale?” Samuel asked Baldy.

  “I have to escort Melly back to the Tylers,” Baldy said.

  “I’ll take her,” Steve quickly volunteered. He’d been trying to come up with a good excuse to see Rebecca again.

  Baldy glanced at Melly and she nodded.

  “Thanks,” Baldy said. “I could use a whiskey to wash away the foul taste just talking to that man leaves in my mouth. There’s something about him…something dark and sinister.”

  “Something besides greed, corruption, and immorality?” Father asked.

  “I think Baldy’s right,” Samuel said. “His core is evil.”

  Anxious to be on his way, Steve told them, “I’ll meet you all back at the camp later today. I’m going to ask Rebecca to take a ride with me.” And if things worked out the way he hoped they would, he planned to ask her something else too.

  They all mounted and rode out together until they reached the turn for the Tylers. After she said goodbye to Baldy, Steve and Melly split off from the others.

  “That went well,” she said.

  “You played your part perfectly,” Steve said.

  “I wasn’t play-acting,” Melly said. “I truly do hope the mother and child will be fine when it’s her time to deliver her babe.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply…”

  “You didn’t. I just want this to turn out well for everyone. The Alcalde and his mistress included. I just don’t understand why things always have to be so complicated.”

  “Are you aware of what the Alcalde did to Rebecca’s brothers? Possibly with the commander at the fort?”

  “Brothers? I didn’t know she had any brothers,” Melly said.

  “She doesn’t.”

  Chapter 25

  Steve and Melly tied their horses in front of the Tylers’ front yard fence and went inside. Rebecca greeted them as they came inside, and once again, Steve was struck by her overwhelming beauty.

  “How did it go with Alcalde Procela?” Rebecca asked, her resentment of the man obvious in the way she said his name.

  “The contemptible man wants another bribe,” Steve said. “We’re trying to entice him with Baldy.”

  “How?”

  “We know the Alcalde wants a doctor and midwife for the town and his mistress,” Melly said. “We’re hoping he will give Samuel and Steve the land they need in exchange for our staying in Nacogdoches.”

  “Enough about that revolting man. Take a ride with me,” Steve said to Rebecca. “That is if you don’t have other plans.”

  It was a beautiful day, and the glorious countryside begged to be explored. And they needed some peaceful, quiet time together. He wanted to learn all he could about her. He’d already learned wha
t made her sad and angry. Now, he wanted to learn what made her happy—her hopes, her dreams, her wishes.

  And he wanted to tell her what his heart told him—he was in love with her. And he had been since he first caught sight of her.

  “I’ll have to ask Father’s permission. If he says yes, can I ride your horse?” Rebecca asked Melly. “Missy is still recovering.”

  “Of course,” Melly said. “She’s still tied out front.”

  “Thank you. I’ll just go speak to Father and then change into riding clothes,” Rebecca said and hurried toward her father’s study.

  Melly went to the kitchen to make tea, and Steve was soon joined in the front room by Mr. Tyler. Steve told Rebecca’s father that they were leaving shortly to go on a ride.

  “Did you get your land?” he asked at once.

  “No, Sir, not yet.” He told Tyler what had happened at the Alcalde’s home. “The likelihood of securing a land grant is looking dismal at best. But we haven’t given up hope. First, we made the Alcalde understand that we intended to demand the return of our gold. Second, we suggested that as friends of Dr. Grant, we might be able to persuade him to stay in town. Procela said he would reconsider and look again for land with water. But I don’t trust the man to keep his word.”

  “I agree with you. When you get back from your ride, we’ll have a late lunch and talk. Right now, just focus on Rebecca. If you’re as smart as I think you are, and if you have the sand I think you do, you’ll…”

  “Where do you want to ride?” Rebecca asked the instant she joined them. She’d changed into a dark green riding habit. The fashionable outfit was far more practical than a gown, yet decidedly feminine with its fitted bodice, puffed sleeves to the elbow, and voluminous skirt.

  Sand was a frontier term meaning courage or grit. Steve suspected he knew what Mr. Tyler was about to say. But it wouldn’t take courage or grit to ask Rebecca to marry him. He would count himself fortunate if she said yes, and Mr. Tyler gave his blessing. But without his owning land, was it the right thing to do? Rebecca was used to an affluent and comfortable life. He couldn’t provide that for her working as a hand for someone else, even his brother. He needed to be successful on his own and make his own fortune. But to become prosperous, he required a considerable amount of land.

  “You know the area better than I do. Where shall we go?” Steve asked Rebecca.

  “Have you ever seen the Caddo Indian mounds?” she asked.

  “No, but I’ve heard about them.”

  “They were a ceremonial center for the ancient Mound Builder culture. Grave robbers and farmers have destroyed some of the mounds, but there’s a few still intact. And they’re not far from here. A short ride to the west.”

  “Sounds intriguing,” Steve said. “Let’s go. I want to water the horses before we leave.” They bid her father goodbye and hurried outside. The bright sun lit a cloudless sky, and for once the air wasn’t humid. It would be a perfect day for a ride.

  Riding Stardust and Melly’s mare past tall pines and sweeping hardwoods for almost an hour, they talked nonstop. He asked her everything he could think of and she did the same with him, answering openly and honestly without hesitation. It was the best conversation he’d ever had with anyone.

  As they rode mile after empty mile, Steve found Texas to be both majestic and inscrutable. It was hard to tell what land belonged to someone already and what land was still unoccupied. But all of it was beautiful.

  “There they are!” Rebecca said.

  Looming ahead of them were what looked like small hills popping up out of level ground. No trees grew on the mounds, but they were covered in short, deep-green grass.

  “The deer and rabbits keep the grass short,” Rebecca said. “I have made several trips here with my old school teacher and a few of the older students. We’ve been studying these mounds for the last year. My teacher thinks these mounds were sanctified hundreds, maybe thousands, of years ago by Indian medicine men. We think they were special places where the Caddo tribe came for rituals, festivals, and other gatherings. My teacher is excavating the mounds that have already been disturbed. And I’ve been drawing pictures of them for the book he’s writing about Indian mounds.”

  “You are a woman of many talents,” he said with a smile. “You told me on the way here that you enjoy drawing. You also have an interest in history?”

  “I do. I’ve read dozens of books about history and different cultures around the world. There are so many interesting people and places in books. All a person has to do to travel in time and meet people of the world is read.”

  “Even here, on the edge of civilization, there are interesting people and cultures,” he said. “I’ve met some fascinating men as they passed into Texas at Pecan Point. I believe some of them will leave a mark on history.”

  “And I believe you will too,” she said with a warm, affectionate smile.

  As always, when she smiled at him that way, his heart thudded.

  As they rode closer, the silent and mysterious place reminded Steve of one such man his family once knew. “I knew a Caddo brave named Kuukuh.”

  Her eyes widened. “Truly? What was he like?”

  “He was spectacular. The brave was an impressive fighter. He could ride a horse astonishingly well. It was like the two of them became one. He saved Louisa’s life once and then likely saved all of our lives in a later battle. I wonder if Kuukuh has ever been here and where he is now.”

  None of them had seen the impressive brave for years. The Indian had come into their lives from nowhere and disappeared just as quickly. But Kuukuh left a burning imprint on his memory. The brave helped him, as a young man, to understand that in all cultures, there are both good and bad people. Steve hoped that someday their paths would cross again.

  “It is thought that Caddo workers carried heavy baskets, one by one, and mounded up the dirt in a slow, back-breaking process,” she said.

  “It must have taken hundreds of thousands of basket loads of soil to build one of these,” he said as he gazed at the mounds.

  “Some local residents believe spirits still rule the mounds to this day.”

  He cocked a brow at her. “Good or evil ones?”

  She chuckled. “Just like the living world, I believe there’s both here. Sometimes when I’m here, I feel the good spirits. Other times, I feel a definite malevolent presence.”

  An uncomfortable shiver raced down his spine at the mention of evil spirits. He took a deep breath and tried to relax. He’d never been one to enjoy ghost stories, unlike Thomas and Cornelius, their other brother in Arkansas. Spooks were best left alone he’d decided long ago. As the youngest of four brothers and two sisters, his siblings had sometimes subjected him to eerie tales of haunting spirits.

  “Want to climb one?” she asked.

  “If you’ll go with me,” he said.

  “Of course!”

  With a glance at Rebecca, who was obviously animated and enthusiastic about climbing the mound, he decided there must be nothing to worry about. She was full of life, the day was beautiful, and they were together.

  They tied their horses and started up the incline of the largest of the grass-covered mounds. From the base of the mound, the top appeared to be a daunting distance uphill.

  “Will you hold my hand?” he asked with a grin. “In case we encounter any malevolent spirits.”

  She chuckled. “I will if you promise you will remember your pledge to my father to be a gentleman.”

  In answer, he reached out a hand to her. “I always remember my promises.”

  She not only took his hand, she squeezed it affectionately and smiled. “I like it when you hold my hand.”

  He was also enjoying the feel of her hand in his, and he drew her closer to him as they climbed steadily higher.

  “Why do you think there might be evil spirits here?” he asked on the way up, still a little disturbed by the thought.

  “My teacher believes that human sacrifices w
ere offered on the top of the formation and that their ill-fated spirits continue to haunt it.”

  “Let’s hope there aren’t any unhappy spirits here today.”

  “No, there will only be happy spirits today,” she said, a bit breathless.

  Soon, they were both breathing deeper and working up a slight sweat. It took longer to reach the top than Steve would have guessed. Rebecca’s face grew flushed before they reached the flat, topmost point.

  They both spun around in a circle, taking in the beauty of the magnificent scenery. They could see the treetops of tall pines and spreading oaks for miles around. In the distance, a sparkling stream snaked through the tall grass and colorful wildflowers budded in an open prairie. Hunting hawks glided through the breeze, and a resplendent eagle spiraled against the intensely blue sky.

  But with an appreciative glance at Rebecca, he quickly forgot the beautiful scenery. He found her beauty even more enchanting. A breeze gently fluffed her soft, dark hair, and her cheeks glowed a pearly pink. And, though she was tall and trim, he couldn’t help but notice the curves beneath her riding habit in all the right places. He quickly glanced away and returned his eyes to the landscape.

  The wide-open view seemed to open his mind and his heart at the same time. It was time to be with one woman who could love him. One special woman to be the mother of his children. Someone who valued family as much as he did. Which was a great deal.

  What he felt for Rebecca ran just as deep as his feelings for his family. Maybe even deeper, into the depths of his soul. Some might say they hadn’t known one another long enough to be in love. But he’d seen his sisters and brothers fall in love over the last few years and in all five cases, they fell fast. And they fell hard. It was what Wyllies did. Maybe it was in his blood. He just knew that being around Rebecca heated his blood. Even now, the space between them sizzled. He reached out to her and drew her close to his side.

  “Wouldn’t it be spectacular to watch the stars from up here on a clear night?” she asked. “I want to do that someday. I bet it would feel like you were in a magical land of stars.”

  “Texas is a land of stars,” he said. “There’s nothing more beautiful than the big Texas sky on a clear night. Except you.”