The Touch of Sage (38 page)

“
The paintbrush is fiery this summer,
”
Mary said.
“
And the columbine seems more vibrant than last year too.
”

“
Yes,
”
Sage said.
“
It
’s a lovely summer…
makes me dread winter.
”

Before long, Sage had delivered Mary to Mr. Getcher.
He
’
d offered the old woman his arm
,
and she
’
d smiled at him, slapping it away playfully.
Sage smiled.
Mary deserved a little attention.
She
’d lived a hard life—
become a hard woman.
She deserved
a little romance in her life—h
owever little it was.

Stepping out of the general
store, Sage surveyed the goings-
on in town.
Three little boys were tormenting a bull snake in the middle of the road, using a stick to move the reptile this way and that.
Sage giggled when one of the boys paused, pulled a frog out of his pocket
,
and tossed it into a nearby watering trough.

Forest Simmons was leaning against the outer wall of the dress shop across the street, nodding as he listened to something
Winnery
and Reverend Tippetts seemed to be discussing.
Milly Michaels, Katie Bird
,
and Dotty Be
t
ten were nearby giggling and whispering to one another as they watched a young cowboy walk down the street.

It was a good place to live,
with good people. Sage sighed—
glad for that at least.
Glad she had
a way to provide for herself—t
hankful she had the widows.

“Well now…
we meet again, at last.
”
             

Sage tried not to frown as she glanced to
one
side to see Ivy Dalton smiling at her.
She carried a pin
k parasol that perfectly comple
mented her pretty pi
nk dress. Her hair was lovely—her smile dazzling—
her eyes spitting fire.

“
Good mornin
’
,
”
Sage greeted, forcing a friendly smile.

“
I
’
ve been hopin
’
I
’
d run into you, Miss Sage Willows,
”
Ivy said.

“
Really?
”
Sage asked.
She w
anted nothing more than to run—run as fast as she could. E
scape was her only hope as she felt tears welling in her eyes.

“
Why, of course,
”
Ivy said, still smiling.
“
After all, I
’
d like to know exactly what it was that happened between you and my Reb.
”

Sage frowned.
She had no desire to talk to Ivy Dalton at all, let alone tell her anything about Reb.
Yet a sort of hateful pride rose in her at the kn
owledge Ivy knew something had—
whatever it was.

“
What do you mean?
”
Sage asked.

“
Well,
”
Ivy began,
“a
nd don
’
t get me wrong, I know there
’
s not a woman in this world who could outshine me in Reb Mitchell
’
s eyes, but to hear Charlie Dugger tell the story…it seems you gave it a good try.
”

Sage frowned.
“
Is that so?
”

“
Well, to hear Charlie tell it, it is,
”
Ivy said.
“
Seems there
’
s somethin
’
about it bein
’
your fault Reb was hurt by that mountain lion.
And I
’
m sorry…but that upsets me somethin
’
terrible.
”

Sage felt her eyes narrow.
What a
“
chili pepper in the maple syrup
”
the woman was!
Sage knew Charlie would never say such a thing!
Furthermore, she sensed Ivy was worried.
She
’
d twisted the stor
y of the mountain lion attack—
and for what purpose?

“
Charlie told you about it, did he?
”
Sage asked.
She
’
d play along with Ivy
’
s game.
She was curious as to what the woman was up to.

“
Well, yes
,
he did,
”
Ivy answered.
“
And to be honest with you, Miss Willows…it is
‘
Miss,
’
isn
’
t it?
I have heard you
’
ve never been married, even for your obvious experience and years.
”

Sage seethed with anger but did not let it show.
What a vindictive woman!
She wondered what Reb possibly saw in her!
What he ever saw in her!

“
Yes,
Miss
Dalton
,
”
Sage answered, emphasizing Ivy
’
s own lack of a husband, or at least current lack of a husband.
“It is
‘
Miss
’
Willows.
”

“
Yes, of course,
”
Ivy said.
Her eyes narrowed, even though her sweet smile remained.
“
As I was sayin
’
, Charlie was tellin
’
me all about how you rode out to the ranch one day, apparently to try and…well, how can I say this…apparently you intended to…to try and seduce my Reb.
”

“
Is that so?
”
Sage asked.
The woman was unbelievable!

“
That
’
s how Charlie tells it,
”
Ivy said.
“
He says the old mountain lion went after you, and Reb had to put himself in harm
’
s way to save you.
Charlie says that
’
s how Reb got so torn up…t
hat it was your fault. And,
well…I was just wonderin
’
what in the world would make you think Reb Mitchell would look twice at the likes of you?
”

Humiliation, shame, heartbreak
,
and anger ran through Sage
’
s veins as thick as gravy!
Oh, she knew full well Charlie Dugger would never say such things about her.
No doubt Charlie had told Ivy about the mountain lion attack
,
and Ivy had spun her spider
’
s web to create her own story in an effort to discourage Sage.
Unfortunately
,
it had worked.
Still, Sage wasn
’
t about to give Ivy the satisfaction of knowing it.

“
Why don
’
t you ask Reb?
”
Sage said, fairly trembling with anger and hurt.
“
In fact, why don
’
t you ask Reb what went on between us before we got back to the ranch that day
?”

“
Why don
’
t you tell me yourself, Miss Willows?
”
Ivy
asked, her sickeningly sweet smile fading at last.

“
Well, I
’
d like to,
”
Sage began.
“
I really would.
I
’
d like to tell you all about how Reb gambled with me over a game of cards.
How he gambled to either whitewash my boardin
’
house if he lost or to
‘
have his way with me,
’
as he put it, if he won.
And he did win that day, Miss Dalton.
He won and took me out to the ranch
house. Unfortunately, the mountain lion arrived before he could…shall we say…collect his winnin
’
s.
”
Sage felt her bosom rising and falling with the labored breathing of fury and hurt.
She
’
d lowered herself to Ivy
’s level—
to spiteful, hateful exaggeration.
Yet she hadn
’
t been able to stop hersel
f! She wanted Ivy to know—
whether o
r not all the rumors were true,
whether or not Reb had take
n the woman back into his life,
back into his arms.
She wanted Ivy to know she
’
d tasted Reb
’
s kiss too, been the object of his attentions.

“
That
’
s a lie,
”
Ivy nearly growled.
“
I
’
ve been out to that ranch house.
I
’
ve seen Reb
’
s blood stainin
’ the floor…
heard what you caused to happen to him.
”

“
Believe what you want,
”
Sage said.
“
But I think you know I
’
m tellin
’
the truth.
”

Ivy continued to glare at Sage.
Sage cont
inued to fight the need to cry—
continued to try and drive the pain from her heart.

Suddenly
,
the sound of approaching horses, coupled with Ivy
’s exclamation of “
Rebel!
”
drew Sage
’
s attention away from the villainess.
Following Ivy
’
s startled gaze, Sage turned around to see three horses approaching at a mad gallop.
A man unfamiliar to Sage rode the first horse.
Reb sat the second, riding hard, obviously in pursuit of the first man.

Charlie Dugger rode the third, shouting,
“
Reb!
Reb!
Don
’
t do it, Rebel!
”

As the riders and horses approached, Reb rode up next to the first man.
Reaching out and taking hold of the reins of the man
’
s horse, Reb pulled his own horse and the man
’
s to an abrupt halt.

Reb leapt from his saddle, reaching up and taking hold of the stranger
’
s shirt and
pulling
him
from his horse
to the ground.

Charlie reined in, dismounted
,
and shouted,
“
Reb!
Hold yer head there, boy!
”

Sage gasped, stunned as Reb clutched the man
’
s shirt in one hand, landing a powerful fist to the man
’
s face with the other.

“
You dirty son of a…
”
Reb growled a moment before his fist met with the man
’
s face again, knocking him to the ground.
Only momentarily dazed, the man swiped his leg across the ground, knocking Reb
’
s feet out from under him.
Reb stumbled backward, falling to the ground himself.
Instantly
,
the stranger stood, kicking Reb square
in the stomach. Sage screamed—heard Ivy scream as well—
as Reb doubled over in pain.
Still, he reached out, grabbed the man
’
s leg
,
and tripped him, sending him sprawling to the ground once more.