Wild Rose

By Alexander Buchan

Once Juliet was on board, Howard climbed down off the other side of the wagon and climbed up onto his own horse. Juliet looked at Howard. What are you doing, Mr. Jones? she asked, and Howard replied, You can drive one of these, Mrs. Nicholson, Ill follow you. It will be a lot easier if Im on my own horse to deal with any problems if any should arise, okay? Where will this adventure take Howard and Juliet?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Apr 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491892640

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© 2014 by Alexander Buchan. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 04/08/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9263-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9262-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9264-0 (e)

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As the lonely stranger sat by his camp fire he listened to the sounds of the coyote’s in the distance as he sat cooking the meal he caught earlier that night and heating a can of bean’s off his camp fire, his horse was grazing around eating the grass near the camp, as the stranger sits there eating his meal he hears the sound of rustling in the bushes near by that startled his horse but the man pretended not to notice then suddenly as if from nowhere a woman came running out from within the bush’s with the look of fear in her face as she ran as fast as her leg’s would carry her as she screamed out for help, which made the stranger jump up from where he sat grabbing his gun from his holster and turning towards where the screaming woman was to suddenly see her being chased by four coyote’s, The stranger ran up to his horse and jumped onto it and as fast as he could then he rode towards the terrified woman as he got nearer he leant to the left side slightly and grabbed her right arm pulling her off the ground onto his horse just as one of the coyote’s had caught onto the bottom of her dress just as he’d grabbed her and pulled her up as they rode then the stranger turned his horse back to face the coyote’s with his six-shooter in his hand the woman shouted What are you doing? We’ve got to get out of here but he wasn’t listening he targeted them as fast as he could one at a time and shot two of them dead the other’s ran away one was wounded but still managed to get away before their fate ended the same, the lone rider got his horse to take them back to the camp as fast as possible with the scared woman then once they got near he jumped down off his horse and helped the woman down There you go mam your safe now he said to her as she looked back towards the two dead coyote’s.

He didn’t say anything after that except There mam take a seat, I’ll pour you some coffee, that’ll help your nerves so she sat down still quite frightened by her encounter with the coyote’s, as she sat there she looked at her saviour as he cut up his supper then poured them both some coffee the woman then said Sir I don’t know who you are? But I’m really glad that you were there and helped to save me from those beast’s the stranger looked back at her as he handed her the coffee and said you’re welcome mam! Now tell me what the heck were you doing away out here anyway? She started to cry and replied My name’s Mrs Nicholson, Mrs Juliet Nicholson! My husband and I were captured by savages and we was robbed an hour away from here, they had us on our knee’s my husband begged for them to let us go and to just take whatever they wanted and two of the men started to beat my husband as the other’s robbed us and when they wasn’t looking I got up and ran as fast as I could then as I was running I heard the sound of those coyote’s, which I thought to start with were in the distance as that’s what they sounded like just far away until, I suddenly seen something in the night shadow’s running at me so I ran screaming hoping that someone would save me or at least hear me screaming then the next thing I know from nowhere you grabbed me whilst still on your horse back and saved my life and I’m in deed thankful to you sir I owe you my life, I just truly hope my husband is okay she said as she wiped away her tear’s the stranger threw down a spare blanket for Juliet and took off his hat there was a brief moment of silence as the light of the moon shine’s down on them Juliet looked around to the stranger and then she suddenly noticed a scar which was revealed on his neck by the moon light but Juliet didn’t ask any questions about where he got them Get some rest Mrs Nicholson and in the morning we’ll go see what’s happened to your husband then he lay down and went to sleep, Juliet still upset lay down looking at her saviour again she said once again Thank you again sir for saving my life but the stranger never replied, but she knew that although he didn’t say much of anything the look on his face read a thousand words that has seen his fair share of pain and suffering without causing it himself yet he was also quite a mysterious man but yet she felt safe with him, as Juliet lay there she listened to the sounds of the coyote’s away in the distance and to the sounds of nature around them and then she drifted off to sleep without even knowing it.

It’s morning and Juliet wakes up to see the camp fires burning and the coffee’s boiling but there’s no sign of the stranger so she lift’s the coffee pot off the fire but as she does there’s still no sign of the stranger who saved her life she sat up on to her knees and started looking around her slowly getting up to her feet, she then stood up and looked around her and as she turned back around towards the camp she looked over her left shoulder to suddenly see what looks like their horse and carriage but from where she’s standing looks like an empty broken carriage and then she sees her one man saviour driving it, as they get closer she sees something covered up on the back of the carriage and knows straight away that something’s really wrong and suddenly falls to her knee’s with her head in her hands crying as the carriage pull’s up closer the stranger pull’s on the reign’s shouting Whoa there then climbs down and walks over to Juliet and say’s I’m sorry for your loss Mrs Nicholson! When I found him he was hanging from a nearby tree and there was another gentleman hanging by him as well but I didn’t know which one was your husband so I cut them both down, I suggest we pack up the camp and get you home before those savages or bandit’s come back looking for thirds, which way is home mam? he asks her, as Juliet stands she looks at him in disbelief that she has only just got her husband back although he’s dead and the stranger’s talking about packing up and moving on already It’s five miles east sir, have you no compassion I have just got my husband back dead I’m grieving and you want to move on?(she slaps him) what is your name sir? I mean you still haven’t told me that as she dries away her tears My name is Howard Jones miss and yes I do have compassion but that won’t be enough to keep those robbers or coyote’s from hunting us down, do you think those men had compassion when they killed your husband? Do you think those coyote’s had compassion when they tried to kill you? So let’s go before they come looking for us she looked at him as she wiped her eye’s with her hanker chief she had a little smile and replied back We’ll Mr Jones since you put it so bluntly I guess we better had get moving, and I sincerely apologise for slapping you Howard climbed up onto the carriage then lowers his hand to help her up and at the same time replied Oh I wouldn’t worry about that mam I’ve had a lot worse believe me then he laugh’s.

Once Juliet was on board Howard climbed down off the other side of the wagon and climbed up onto his own horse Juliet looked at Howard What are you doing Mr Jones? she asked and Howard replies You can drive one of these Mrs Nicholson I’ll follow you it will be lot easier if I’m on my own horse to deal with any problems if any should arise okay? so Juliet agrees and set’s off for home knowing that she’ll be safe with someone guarding her on the way, as they are travelling Juliet start’s thinking to herself about how happy herself and her husband was as they were heading home talking about the family and their home and all the big things they have planned for them and the family, Howard speed’s up a little to catch up with Juliet and rides alongside the driver side of the carriage and shout’s over to Juliet So Mrs Nicholson how far is it from your home now? as she stops day dreaming she tells him this is my home over there Mr Jones she points two miles down the beaten track to their big ranch as they finally get closer to the ranch Howard looks down the track and sees an old man and woman sitting on the porch both on rocking chairs the old man sat with a dog lying next to him, the house must have been quite a few years old as you could see the wood on it was well beaten by the weather but well-built he noticed it was big enough to hold a large family but built all on one level with a well out the back of the house, then as Howard look’s around he then sees that their are two children playing around by a big old tree with a rope swing on it there are kids who sound like they are happy and then suddenly then one of the kids looks around and sees their mother and father coming and shouts out Look Grandpa it’s mamma and papa I think? Juliet’s parents both look over to see where the kids were pointing and then suddenly they see how badly smashed up the wagon is, they both knew that wasn’t how it looked before it left the other day Robert suddenly stood up as the they were drawing closer and as they drew closer they then seen that the shadowed figure in the distance with their daughter was not actually their daughters husband, the old woman looked on in disbelief as she grabs her husband’s arm and says to him Oh my god Robert something’s wrong I know it is Robert hurry’s down the steps from the ranch porch shouting over to the kids Get inside right now you two (then look’s at May) take them inside hurry as the kids run upstairs to their grandma she takes them inside still looking back every so often worried as the children’s mother and the stranger pulls up to the ranch Robert takes hold of the reins on the actual horse just to keep Juliet’s horse steady and then says My god Juliet what the hell happened? Juliet climbed down and started walking up the steps to their home and started to explain to her father about everything that had happened to them on their way home and where she met the stranger who was hitching his horse outside from when they had the moment of terror with the coyote’s and how she seriously believed she was done for and as she did that Howard looked around the ranch and seen where he could hitch his horse so that it was right out-of-the-way, then where he could take Juliet’s horse but he needed to get the carriage nearer to the biggest barn first once he unhitched so he got them over to the beaten old barn ready then once he got their horse unhitched from the carriage he then took the horse to its pen with the other horses were closed in at and headed back to the barn and then looked for a shovel then went out and started digging two graves one for the unknown stranger and one for Juliet’s husband but Howard made sure that one grave was further away from Mrs Nicholson’s husbands grave just in case they wanted to have a family only grave site on the ranch even though he didn’t know, so once he had done his part to help them he would have left the family to identify them and to do the funeral as only Juliet and her family would know which one was or wasn’t her husband. By the time Juliet had finally explained everything to her family, her father decided it was time he went out to see Howard but before he left he was demanded that he takes Howard up to the house to have breakfast so Robert went down to greet the man who saved his daughter’s life Well there stranger looks like a mighty fine grave their son, My name’s Hannigan, Robert Hannigan (he stretch’s his arm out to shake Howard’s hand and say’s)son I want to thank you for bringing our daughter back to us alive she and our grand kids are the most precious things we have and thank you for saving her from those coyote’s, Now before you think of running away I’ve been told to tell you’ve to come inside for breakfast that one’s actually an order from the women of the house not a request, Juliet said you haven’t eaten since your supper last night as he shakes Robert’s hand he replies No thanks sir I really got to be on my way! then suddenly a voice from behind Robert speaks out Young man, (Howard look’s over Robert’s left shoulder) you saved our daughter’s life then you bring her home to us making sure she gets here safely so I think it’s the least you can do is let us repay you by giving you a meal and sit down and eat with us, take it as our way of repaying you for taking our daughter back alive and for finding her husband for her to bring him back to us as Howard looks over Robert’s shoulder he sees the old woman he realised that they wasn’t taking no for an answer, so Howard looks at them both and smiles as he picks up his hat and puts it on along with his long coat and starts walking with May and Robert Well then it doesn’t look like I’ve got much of a choice now does it (Howard laugh’s) Imagine ambushing a man like that, But how can I resist? so they all head back towards the house but as they do they start to hear gun fire away in the distance Howard looks at Robert and say’s Is that a regular thing in these here parts? May replies back before Robert gets the chance Oh yes sir, it’s been that way ever since the invention of those confounded guns, men go blasting their way around the country side waving those confounded things like it’s the fourth of July blasted things Howard grin’s and whispers to Robert I take it she doesn’t like gun’s then? and as they enter the house before Robert gets the chance to reply May suddenly shout’s over Young man, I’m maybe getting old but I’m not getting deaf now come in and take off that coat and hat and as they enter the house he is greeted by the kids and the dog Hi Mr, Hey Mr! Sir did you know our mamma ran over a rooster last week poor thing it just didn’t stand a chance Howard looked at Juliet then laughed and replied Really Juliet replies back embarrassed Oh don’t pay any attention to them as she serves up their meal the kids always like to sit at the table next to their Grandpa and grandma, the family all sit talking among each other but the kids seemed to be more interested in where their mother and father was but as they all sit and eat Howard looks over the table and as he eats the morning sun is beaming in the kitchen window onto the table from behind Juliet as it does it shows the shadow of a grieving widow keeping it together for the children, he could see even though her husband was now dead they would struggle quite a bit due to their loss but yet they would still carry on as normal somehow some way, suddenly a voice of a child talks to Howard Are you a real sheriff sir? Howard looks on at the little girl and replies No little lady I’m not a sheriff, I’m just a lonely horseman that your mum was lucky enough to find laying around resting and she needed my help and you’ll be happy to know she didn’t nearly run me over either everyone had a little laugh because of the comment Jack made earlier about the rooster and the kid’s looked at each other confused and said I don’t get it? which made them laugh a little more as they all continued to eat, Mr and Mrs Hannigan looked over at Howard curiously they knew he looked like either a law man or a bounty hunter but didn’t ask but from that moment on there was a brief moment of silence as Robert turned to Howard and asked Howard Forgive us for not minding our own business Mr Jones, but where were you heading anyway? Before you met our daughter that is Howard looked at them all staring at him with curious eye’s I’m heading about two hundred miles east of here, and speaking of which I really hate to be rude folk’s but I really must be going daylights fading away and I’m roughly only five miles further than I was last night Howard stands up puts on his hat and coat then starts to leave but before he goes he turns tips his hat a little and says I want to thank you all for the hospitality (then looks at Juliet and says)Try staying out of trouble mam then turned to walk out, as he leaves May decides to accompany him out the door and then says Can I have a word with you Mr Jones? he turns to see a woman with a look of concern in her face so he stops walking turns and replies How can I help you mam? just as he puts his hat on he then turns and looks at May as she replies Well it’s like this Mr Jones now that our beloved son in law is recently deceased we really could use an extra helping hand around the ranch we couldn’t afford to get in any extra hired help and as you can see my husband’s not as fit as he once was to run around and do most of the chores round here Jack junior and Rose aren’t old enough to be able to carry out some of the chores that would require doing so they just can’t help, but I’m sure they would learn from watching you do most of the chores if you showed them how to, Would you please consider staying on as a helping hand? We couldn’t pay much but you would get free food and bored as a token of thanks Howard looked around the ranch and sees that there are quite a lot of chores that needs doing and some that require immediate attention mostly because of the children and that there was a definite lack of helping hands around the place which means they needed all the help possible so he turns to May and say’s Look lady all this isn’t my problem, I’ve got my own thing’s to deal with but I’ll tell you what Mrs Hannigan, I’ll stay for a few days or so just to help you guys start getting back on your feet but then I really have to go, I’ve got to take care of my own problem’s, So how does that sound to you do we have a deal? May shakes his hand then said "Ok we