Part 27 (1/2)
”Not where exactly, just that it will be below Albuquerque.”
”They can't change the route to the west side of the river?”
”It'll cost them twice as much to do that.”
A slow smile spread over Regis's features. He leaned back, put down the cigar, and took a swallow of his brandy. ”Then I've got every last one of the d.a.m.ned b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who tried to close me out of the deal.”
”Who?” the other man asked.
”The five richest men in Albuquerque after me. I don't look much like it, but I got mixed blood in me. They don't like that, so they tried to squeeze me out and keep all the profits for themselves. They bought up all the land around the proposed depot. They plan to sell it for a fortune once the railroad arrives.”
”But how is buying up more ranches going to hurt them? They'll still own the land in town.”
Regis's fist slammed down on the table. ”If I own every piece of land between Bernalillo and Albuquerque, not one G.o.dd.a.m.ned train can enter that town until I say so. And I won't say so until they hand over half that deal.”
”Suppose they hold out against you?”
Regis's face hardened into cruel lines. ”There's no man alive who's done that.”
Next morning Tyler found it hard to say good-bye. His feeling of awkwardness wasn't helped by the formal atmosphere of the sitting room. Hen and Laurel had remained in their bedrooms, but he still felt they were looking over his shoulder. Laurel had pinned Daisy's hair up in a tight bun. Tyler like it better in loose curls.
Tyler knew Daisy was in better hands with Laurel, but he felt he was abandoning her. Daisy looked like she felt the same.
”I'd better be getting back,” he said. ”The snow's melting, and it doesn't look like we're going to have any more storms.”
”I hope you find the biggest gold deposit in New Mexico,” Daisy said with a lost-puppy look.
”A medium-sized one will do,” Tyler said, trying not to feel like a heel. ”I'll come by to see you when I'm in town again.” That was a stupid thing to say. She'd probably be married by then, and her husband wouldn't want him about.
”That would be nice. I'd like for you to meet the Cochranes.”
Hen and Laurel came out of the bedroom. ”You'd better get going if you're going,” Laurel said, giving each of them a rather penetrating glance. ”You have a long way to go, and Daisy and I have lots of shopping to do.” Hen helped Laurel into her coat.
”I'll walk down to the livery stable with you,” Hen offered.
Tyler hadn't expected that -- wasn't sure he welcomed it -- but it was impossible to get rid of Hen when he made up his mind to something.
”Will you see Zac?” Daisy asked.
”I doubt it.”
”If you do, wish him luck for me. It's stupid to want to be a gambler, but tell him I hope he wins enough money to buy his own river boat.”
”I imagine George will have something to say about that,” Laurel said as she pulled on her gloves.
”I hope he won't try to stop him,” Daisy said. ”Zac may change his mind later on, but he'll never do it if his brother tries to make him.”
”That's a lesson he learned with the rest of us,” Hen said.
Tyler wondered if Hen included him in that, but he didn't much care. He was caught between a strong desire to escape to the mountains as fast as possible and an equally strong desire to stay. Despite her engagement, he would like to know for himself that Daisy was going to be all right.
Be honest. You want to check out her fiance. What are you going to do if you don't like him, tell Daisy she can't marry him?
He'd better get himself out of town before he did something disgraceful. Daisy wasn't his responsibility. He'd probably be something of an embarra.s.sment to her, something she would have to explain, and right now he couldn't think of any explanation her fiance was likely to find acceptable.
”You sure you'll be all right?” he asked once more.
”Of course she will,” Laurel a.s.sured him. ”Now go.” She pushed him toward the door.
There was nothing left for Tyler to do but leave. He and Hen walked together in silence until they reached the boardwalk.
The church, blazing white in the sun, dominated the Plaza. The streets overflowed with constant streams of wagons, carriages, horses, burros, and pedestrians. Men wore sombreros with tall crowns and draped their bodies with brightly-colored serapes. Ladies wore full dresses and enveloping shawls.
The Plaza was the place of rendezvous for every public purpose, housing markets, religious processions, and a camping place for travelers. Peddlers were everywhere, hawking wares in the center of the plaza and occupying porches in front of the business houses where they spread piles of fruit, vegetables, cheese, pinon nuts, and leaf tobacco. Vendors took over the hitching racks, using them to hang meat carca.s.ses -- both wild game and mutton. It was hard to find a place to tie a horse or mule. Gamblers roamed about with cards in hand, hoping to entice someone into a fast game of three card monte. Almost every store, whether it specialized in dry goods or bakery goods, sold liquor by the bottle over the counter.
”Did Zac head for New Orleans?” Hen asked as they headed west along James Street.
”That's what he told Daisy.”
An edgy silence.
”I hope you find the gold.”
”Thanks.”
Another long silence until they reached the stable. Tyler paid a man to fetch his mule and burro. ”You don't have to stay,” Tyler told Hen. ”It won't take but a few minutes to saddle up.”
”I think you're making a mistake leaving,” Hen said.
”I'm not.”
”You're just going to have to come back to finish it.”
”There's nothing to finish.”
Hen flashed a rare smile. ”It's a shame we're such a stubborn family. If we weren't, maybe we could learn something from each other's mistakes.”
”It would be a mistake to stay.”
”See you in a week or so.”
”I can't possibly find . . . ” Tyler stopped, realizing Hen was referring to Daisy, not the gold. ”I hope everything goes well with Laurel,” he said and turned to go inside the livery.
Tyler was angry at Hen. He was having enough trouble without him making things worse. But Hen never considered anybody but himself. Sometimes Monty. He never seemed to think what he said to his brothers might actually do more harm than good.