Read Online Texas Brides Collection by Darlene Mindrup - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Darlene Mindrup
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“kill rangers and have women for ourselves.”
Chapter 9
S erena aimed the rifle and fired into the dark shadows of the barn in reply to the Mexican’s threats. She laid the firearm aside and snatched up a loaded pistol. Glancing at the one left by Chet, she shuddered.
For Ma and me
. She refused to let it happen.
Within moments, her ma had carefully measured the gun powder and slipped a bullet into the rifle. Laying it on the floor beside Serena, she stared at Pa, still unconscious.
“How is he?” she asked, studying what she believed to be the figure of a man lingering close to the barn door.
“He’s doing fine for right now. When this is done, you and Chet can help me get him into bed.” She sounded more optimistic than Serena knew Ma truly felt.
“Good. Soon Chet will have them sprawled out there in the dirt.”
“Serena, I’ve never heard you talk this way,” her ma said, shock edging her words, “but…in all the nineteen years your pa and I’ve been married, we’ve never had danger at our door, either.”
Serena refused to let her emotions overrule good judgment. “All I know is we have to stop those men out there.” She stole a glance at her ma. Nothing else needed to be said, for reality cut deep.
Ma nodded and paled again. “Praise God, your pa taught you how to shoot. I wish I’d taken the time to learn. Then I could do my share now.”
Serena steadied the pistol. “Simply keeping these guns loaded is help. And please pray I won’t lose my nerve when the time comes, ’cause I’m scared.”
Ma brushed an errant strand of hair from Serena’s face and tucked it behind her ear. “I will…I am, but you’ll do just fine. I’m sure of it.”
“Thank you.” Serena waited for a wave of emotion to pass. “I love you, Ma. We’ve had lots of good times together, haven’t we?”
Ma nodded, sorrow etching her smooth features, and her hand touched Serena’s arm. “And we’ll have years more. Someday your babies will crawl on my lap, and I will tell them what a beautiful, brave mother they have.”
“And how I spent my eighteenth birthday? This isn’t how I pictured today.” She nodded toward the cook fire. “And would you look at breakfast? The eggs and bacon have burned.” She wanted to make light of their precarious situation, but instead tears stung her eyes, and she hastily wiped them away.
“I’m proud of you,” Ma said, ever so gently. “We’ll make it through this thing…and work out your and Chet’s problem, too.”
Before Serena could reply, movement from the side of the nearest corner of the barn caught her attention. At first she thought the figure to be Chet, but the man wore a sombrero.
She stared at the far corner, where a second man, dressed like a Mexican but more closely resembling an Apache, studied the cabin. Chet had said three men followed Pa. Then she saw a third lurking inside the barn, near the entrance.
Dear Lord, I’m so scared, but I can’t let them get to the cabin
.
She realized then what they planned. She figured while the two men rushed and covered the man in the barn, he would head for the cook fire and a burning log. In the dry heat, he’d toss the log through a window. A simple plan for three ruthless men who thought they dealt with one badly injured ranger and another single man. A lot they knew about the women inside. If only she knew what Chet wanted her to do. But what God wanted of her ranked even higher. The Indian raised his rifle.
“They’re coming,” she said, wanting to shout. Her heart pounded more fiercely than before, and she clenched her fists in an effort to dispel her shaking hands. Every breath became a prayer.
“We have God on our side,” Ma said, “and He does not forsake His own.”
Serena refused to think of Goliad and the Alamo. The brave men who died at the hands of the Mexicans believed God had been on their side, too.
“Yes, of course we do,” she replied.
Raising the rifle, she took
Chapter 9
S erena aimed the rifle and fired into the dark shadows of the barn in reply to the Mexican’s threats. She laid the firearm aside and snatched up a loaded pistol. Glancing at the one left by Chet, she shuddered.
For Ma and me
. She refused to let it happen.
Within moments, her ma had carefully measured the gun powder and slipped a bullet into the rifle. Laying it on the floor beside Serena, she stared at Pa, still unconscious.
“How is he?” she asked, studying what she believed to be the figure of a man lingering close to the barn door.
“He’s doing fine for right now. When this is done, you and Chet can help me get him into bed.” She sounded more optimistic than Serena knew Ma truly felt.
“Good. Soon Chet will have them sprawled out there in the dirt.”
“Serena, I’ve never heard you talk this way,” her ma said, shock edging her words, “but…in all the nineteen years your pa and I’ve been married, we’ve never had danger at our door, either.”
Serena refused to let her emotions overrule good judgment. “All I know is we have to stop those men out there.” She stole a glance at her ma. Nothing else needed to be said, for reality cut deep.
Ma nodded and paled again. “Praise God, your pa taught you how to shoot. I wish I’d taken the time to learn. Then I could do my share now.”
Serena steadied the pistol. “Simply keeping these guns loaded is help. And please pray I won’t lose my nerve when the time comes, ’cause I’m scared.”
Ma brushed an errant strand of hair from Serena’s face and tucked it behind her ear. “I will…I am, but you’ll do just fine. I’m sure of it.”
“Thank you.” Serena waited for a wave of emotion to pass. “I love you, Ma. We’ve had lots of good times together, haven’t we?”
Ma nodded, sorrow etching her smooth features, and her hand touched Serena’s arm. “And we’ll have years more. Someday your babies will crawl on my lap, and I will tell them what a beautiful, brave mother they have.”
“And how I spent my eighteenth birthday? This isn’t how I pictured today.” She nodded toward the cook fire. “And would you look at breakfast? The eggs and bacon have burned.” She wanted to make light of their precarious situation, but instead tears stung her eyes, and she hastily wiped them away.
“I’m proud of you,” Ma said, ever so gently. “We’ll make it through this thing…and work out your and Chet’s problem, too.”
Before Serena could reply, movement from the side of the nearest corner of the barn caught her attention. At first she thought the figure to be Chet, but the man wore a sombrero.
She stared at the far corner, where a second man, dressed like a Mexican but more closely resembling an Apache, studied the cabin. Chet had said three men followed Pa. Then she saw a third lurking inside the barn, near the entrance.
Dear Lord, I’m so scared, but I can’t let them get to the cabin
.
She realized then what they planned. She figured while the two men rushed and covered the man in the barn, he would head for the cook fire and a burning log. In the dry heat, he’d toss the log through a window. A simple plan for three ruthless men who thought they dealt with one badly injured ranger and another single man. A lot they knew about the women inside. If only she knew what Chet wanted her to do. But what God wanted of her ranked even higher. The Indian raised his rifle.
“They’re coming,” she said, wanting to shout. Her heart pounded more fiercely than before, and she clenched her fists in an effort to dispel her shaking hands. Every breath became a prayer.
“We have God on our side,” Ma said, “and He does not forsake His own.”
Serena refused to think of Goliad and the Alamo. The brave men who died at the hands of the Mexicans believed God had been on their side, too.
“Yes, of course we do,” she replied.
Raising the rifle, she took
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