An Unexpected Welcome

  An Unexpected Welcome

  Rita Hestand

  An Unexpected Welcome

  (Book Thirteen of the Brides of the West)

  Rita Hestand

  Smashwords Edition

  Copyright© 2016 by Rita Hestand

  All Rights Reserved

  ISBN # 978-1310803000

  Cover Design by: Sheri McGathy

  License Note

  This book, An Unexpected Welcome is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without express written permission of the author. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy or copies. If you did not purchase this book or it was not purchased for your use, please go to Smashwords.com to purchase your personal copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  An Unexpected Welcome is a work of fiction. Though some of the cities and towns actually exist they are used in a fictitious manner for purposes of this work. All characters are works of fiction and any names or characteristics similar to any person past, present or future are coincidental.

  ~Dedication~

  Sometimes people don't get the right start in life. But there are many adopted children out there that are living a good life, thanks to a responsible person. Here's to all the dad's, like my own, who adopted me!

  God Bless

  Rita Hestand

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Rita's Other Books

  West of the Pecos

  1874

  Chapter One

  Cord rode through the town of Doubtful on that warm April morning, his eyes focusing on the small town he used to call home. They named the town Doubtful because one of the first settlers had kept saying it was "Doubtful they'd get any rain." A noisy mockingbird was singing his heart out in one of the few cottonwood trees that sat off toward the creek. Cord craned his neck to spot him. Mockingbirds had always fascinated Cord for some reason. He guessed he liked them for their music. Perhaps their loneliness leaked to Cord in some way, because loneliness had followed him for a long time now. The music the little bird made could lighten any heavy heart, if only people listened.

  A dog ran toward him and barked, but ran back quickly when the horse picked up his pace.

  Dust stirred in the west Texas town in small whirlwinds. The wind had a lonely call.

  The town hadn't changed. There was the bank, the only building made of brick, a dry goods store with a couple of outside displays to interest a passerby, an old mill down the road that had been closed at the start of the war, a hotel that had seen it's better days and the livery stable that except for the lack of bricks rivaled the bank. That made up most of the town. Homes were scattered toward each end of town. The blacksmith pounded out a music to the air. The saloon had a piano going, and a whiff of whiskey assailed his nostrils.

  It was a small town, only one main street. The town didn't seem to prosper; it hadn't changed just gotten older.

  Not one person lifted their eyes to him, and yet everyone on the street knew he was there. No one nodded, or smiled at him. An unwelcome intruder, he hadn't expected any salutations. He knew better than to expect anything from this town. He wasn't a welcomed guest. Still, that didn't matter as his mother just died and he was here to see to her burying.

  No one greeted him at least until he passed the No Holes Barred Saloon. There standing in the doorway, was a beautiful redhead, Lilly, and she was smiling at him. She jogged his memory, and made his heart thump a little faster. She'd been pretty when he left, but the woman staring at him now, was gorgeous and made his loins tighten just gazing at her. That hadn't happened in a while. He tipped his hat and smiled.

  At fifteen Lilly had been sweet and fiery all in the same breath. Kicked out of her folk's home for flirting with her sister's boyfriend, she had become the youngest saloon girl in Doubtful. Cord remembered how disappointed he was that she had come to such an end. They'd become good friends though through their younger years, basking in the unfair treatment of the town.

  Now she stood staring at him, a smile on her face, her eyes fixed on him, her breath making her bosom swell against the edge of her dress. She'd only gotten prettier, if that were possible. Gone was the skinny young girl, replaced by a voluptuous woman.

  There was no way he could pass her up and not speak, he ambled his horse toward the horse railing and stared at her. She walked toward him on the boardwalk. A tension between them stirred the air. What he felt like doing, and what he did do were two different things. He didn't want to cause the tongues to wag in Doubtful, so he stared, his eyes traveling her, up and down, several times, he winked.

  "Good to see you Lilly." He said his voice raspy. His expression was saying more than his words.

  "Cord, why don't you light a spell and have a beer?" She offered. Her offer was tempting, but he had things he had to tend to.

  "I got to get out to my place Lilly, I haven't seen Ma yet. But I'll take you up on that beer, later."

  "Promise?" She asked, tossing him a flirty smile.

  "You bet, we got a lot of catching up to do." He returned her smile with a sexy grin.

  "I'm glad you made it in time for the funeral."

  "Me too honey. Me too, see ya soon."

  She nodded.

  Usually not effected by people snubbing him, it warmed his heart to have at least one person acknowledging his arrival.

  Turning his head, and tipping his hat to her, he rode on.

  He knew why no one else bothered with him. It certainly hadn't been a secret. But that had been ten long years ago, and they still hadn't forgotten, nor forgiven.

  He rode on. Although he would have liked to have stopped at the saloon, and talk with Lilly a while, he rode on. There was something about Lilly that made his heart thump like the clacking of a train on a track. She stirred him years ago, and even more so now. No other woman had that effect on Cord.

  Talking to Lilly could only bring her problems, though. Sam the bartender kept a tight reign on her comings and going, Cord doubted that had changed.

  No, it was best to just ride on, not cause any trouble. Not that he couldn't handle Sam in a duel, but he didn't want to cause her problems either. Still, he'd made a date with her and he'd keep it.

  Some came out of buildings to watch him ride through. Most everyone that looked at him had that hesitant expression as if they didn't know whether to acknowledge him or not. It didn't matter.

  He had only one reason for coming home and right now that reason was eating him up. He'd gotten word, from an anonymous friend that his mother had died. He folded his cards in the card game he'd been in, and left without changing clothes or readying himself in any way. He'd been in Fort Worth at the time, and the ride was long and hot.

  He wouldn
't be here long enough to worry about clothes.

  The old homestead was north of town about twenty miles, he'd be there before sundown.

  First he had one stop to make and then he'd be on his way.

  The shingle for Doc Crosby was barely visible, but he knew the place so well, he didn't have to read the shingle.

  He got off his horse and glancing around the town, he went up to the door.

  He knocked several times before the old doc answered. A bachelor, the doc led a sedentary life except for his medicine.

  "Doc…it's me, Cord McCall." He exclaimed.

  "Cord McCall." The old doc eyed him for a moment through the glass in the door before he opened it. "I don't think I would have recognized you, boy. You've gotten taller, and filled out some from that skinny young cowboy I once knew. It's been a while. Come on in son." the old doctor directed him, stepping aside so he could walk through the door.

  The little house was nicely furnished and always neat, Cord remembered that much. He'd only been seventeen when he left for the war. But he'd stopped off to ask the good doctor to look in on his mom every now and then. Leaving her, he worried about her. The doc was one of the really decent men in Doubtful.

  "Guess you know why I'm here. Have you had the burial yet?" Cord asked, his face waded into a frown.

  "No, not yet. Tomorrow. I wasn't sure you'd be here. We were holding out, hoping you would come."

  "We?" He asked.

  "Me and Lilly of course." He smiled.

  "As soon as I got word I came. Did you send the letter?"

  "Nope, I didn't know where to reach you."

  "I wonder who did?"

  "There's only a few in town that would speak to you, Cord. Take your pick of them." The doc looked up at him with a quirk to his brow. "The town hasn't grown much since you left. But a few left and never came back. Like you did."

  "Yeah, I guess you are right. Tell me, what did Ma die from, Doc?"

  "Consumption. She didn't suffer long. She was pretty frail and it didn't take much to kill her. She left you a letter, I have it. Let me see if I can find it." The doc began raking through his desk drawers. "Here it is."

  Cord reached for the letter then looked at the doctor. "Do I owe you anything, Doc?" He asked sticking the letter in his shirt pocket for later.

  "No…she paid for my services ahead of time. She paid everyone she owed, when she owed them. She took in sewing, and taught several of the kids piano for extra money and she sold off her cattle every year of course. The townspeople were a little cruel to her, son. She rarely came to town, usually sent her Mexican hired hand to tell me when she needed something, you know Pedro. The townspeople didn't see much of her. But I'll tell you something, she was happy most the time, she worked up until the last year. Pedro had to do most of the work then. Don't know exactly why she turned so frail, but suspect it had to do with her worrying over you. She missed you. She kept looking up that road, thinking you was coming home again."

  Cord shot him a raised brow. Hanging his head for a minute he swallowed hard. "I figured she'd be better off without me, doc."

  "Oh she never said it aloud, but I could see it in her eyes. That far away look she got every now and then. I knew it was you she was thinking about. Her only son, only child."

  "I wrote her pretty often Doc, after the war…"

  "I know, she showed me all the letters." The doc smiled sadly.

  "Why were the people mean to her, she didn't do anything." Cord fisted his hands. "I was gone, there was no need for that."

  "People have a tendency to take things out on whoever is around at the time. She was around. But because of their attitudes, she stayed at the ranch most of the time. I helped her along as good as I could." The doc hung his head. "When I look back, I try to remember you were only sixteen when you killed Dubs. Still just a boy. Sometimes the people forget about that. I have to remind them."

  "He pulled a gun on my mother, and no one does that, Doc. No one. I never understood why it was so hard for the town to understand."

  "I guess the biggest reason is no one knew why you killed him?" The Doc looked angry at him. "You should have told someone."

  "I told the Sheriff. He didn't care. But the gun in Dubs hand, said it all. It was a fair fight. I rode into town that very day and told him what happened. Ma made me. But, Dubs owned this town, Doc, including the Sheriff. Dubs came out there to run my mother off her land that day. Naturally, she wouldn't budge. He tried words but they didn't work, either. Finally, he pulled a gun and told her she would either sell her land to him, or move on. Said he'd make it intolerable for her in this town. She refused to do either. She was late a payment. He knew and threatened her with it. When I saw him holding that gun on her, I lost my head and called him out. I didn't mean to kill him, but I doubt anyone would have believed that. I was pretty wild back then. All I can remember is the rage I felt when I looked at my poor mother. Her face was so white, she was scared to death, and then afterwards, she was scared for me. Afterwards I sent what the Army paid me to her. And she wrote me a letter saying she finally paid it off, it was free and clear."

  "I wish I had known all this. I didn't know he was trying to force her off that land. I knew he wanted it, for the water, but I had no idea…"

  "It doesn't matter, Doc. Not now. It's been ten years since I left. I hung around for a while to see if they would arrest me. Knowing how the town felt, I figured they would. But, no one came. But the people, I thought I'd be doing Ma a favor if I just left. So I did. I joined the Confederate Army. Ma suggested that. In all her letters, Ma never let on that the town had been mean to her. I wish she had. I'd have come to get her myself, if I'd known."

  "Why? Would you have come to kill again?"

  "Doc you know as well as I that was a fair fight between me and Dubs." Cord insisted. "He was laying there on the floor with his gun in his hand. The gun had been fired once, he missed me. But the town considered me a gunslinger after that. Hell, doc, I was only sixteen. Never hurt a fly. I didn't beat him to the draw, I beat him to the target. I wasn't a gunslinger. The whole town knew that. I was just a wet-nosed kid then. In all these years they are still harboring bad feelings. I could feel it when I rode into town. Not one nod…except for Lilly."

  "Ah…yes, Lilly. Sweet lady, that Lilly. Sure it was fair. But Dubs was the pillar of the community, and you were a smart aleck kid. Dubs ran this town and the people here didn't know any better than to like him for it. I see you are still wearing your gun." The doc eyed his gun.

  "Yeah, I'm still wearing it doc, I want to stay alive. I fought a war doc, and I killed men that were not any older than me, but they were men, because they chose to fight for what they believed in. I respected that. Many was the day I cried over their bones. But after the war, it wasn't much different. Everywhere I went there was some injustice. I had my belly full of injustice. There were plenty of Dubs, Doc. And I seemed to run into every one of them. I guess I've got a bit of a reputation for using my gun, but I promise you, after the war, I only killed because I had to."

  "I guess you'd have to wear it for that very reason, and I'm sorry about that. Dubs boys are still living here, running the ranch. They don't have the kind of ambition their father had. But they wreck havoc on the community a lot now. Mostly Butch and Dan. Jason's got better sense. He keeps them in line, most of the time. Mischievous and onry. Always doing stuff in the name of their daddy. The town overlooks it. They are mean, and best you stay away from them."

  "All three of them?" Cord asked.

  "Yep, they just drink a lot and raise hell when they come to town. I'd stay away from them, if I could."

  "I don't plan on hanging around Doc. You don't plant yourself in a town that don't want you." Cord's words were almost bitter. "And they've already made that clear. I don't want trouble. Just want to take care of Ma, that's all."

  "It's been ten years; don't you think that's long enough to harbor bad feelings?"

  "Not from the looks of t
he people I saw. But that don't matter, I'll be moving on. I got nothing to stay for."

  "I wouldn't let them run me off. That land is yours Cord. It's got water, and it could be a good ranch. You still got cattle on it. Pedro's been seeing to it."

  Cord looked at the doc and smiled for the first time, "I'll think on it. But I gotta admit it would take something pretty powerful to make me stay. First you tell me not to tangle with the Dubs boys, then you tell me not to run off. It can't be both ways. I got no reason to stay here."

  "Dubs ran the town, that's true enough. But he ain't here no more. Those boys, they just stir up trouble. Lot's of folks have rethought Dubs, these days. Even though it's too late. But, Cord, that land belongs to you. You were all Kate had."

  Cord drew a slow breath, and let it out. He had to keep his temper at bay. The people of Doubtful never ventured out of the town limits. They were a bunch of scared people who gladly gave up their rights to think, and let Dubs run the entire town to his satisfaction.

  Cord let the past wash over him for a minute. He'd fought a war, and lost, he'd had to use his guns like some men used their wits. The people here, had no idea he was in the army at one time. They didn't know a lot of things, and Cord wouldn't be telling them. It was too late for explanations.

  The war had made a huge impression on Cord. He'd seen more death, more struggles, more hardships than this town knew existed. He'd seen thousands of men, lying dead after an hour's battle. And it had warped him for a while. It was hard to comprehend that one minute you were talking to a friend, the next minute that friend was dead. Now, he was simply tired. Truth be known, deep down inside, he wanted a place to lay his head and call home. But where was that place? With his folks dead, he wasn't sure there was a place for him.

  Sure, he'd hired his gun out after the war. He'd killed a few, but none that didn't need killing. He'd looked evil in the eye too many times to count. And the one thing he knew, there were always some that wanted to get even for a killing. Because once the evil is gone, the people didn't know what to do with themselves. They'd been led so long, being on their own was a complete mystery to them. He'd realized this in the last few years. People weren't grateful, but always fearful.