El Paso County

By Linda Allen

It's the late 1800s, and all Derrick Winters wants is to continue the family name, running the family ranch and helping folks in need. However, even though El Paso, Texas has come a long way from the rough-and-tumble town it used to be, it still suffers from the lack of law. As raids from a mean Mexican gang called the Banditos begin to increase, Derrick's parents, John and Mary Winters, send their son to Harvard to become the county's first attorney-at-law.

While Derrick—who's determined to return home as soon as possible—struggles to balance the only life he's ever known with the college experience and a convoluted court case, John and Mary do their best to survive the Banditos and the daily challenges of the Wild West. New threats and obstacles arise at both ends, forcing the Winters to rely on each other and the friends they've made along the way if they're to have any chance of survival.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Write My Wrongs Co
• Release date: Aug 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223296775

Linda Allen

Self-styled as “The Storyteller,” Linda Allen is the proud author of Until We Meet Again, Dear John, The Night of the Witching Moon, After the Witching Moon, and Meagan’s Run. All of her novels are packed full of adventure, love, and wholesome family moments, and each reveal one of Linda’s past lives. Linda aspired to be a writer growing up, despite struggling with dyslexia. Armed with discarded, old papers and worn-out books—as paper was too expensive for her poor family—she created new worlds every moment she could. To her, writing was an escape from the harshness of her home life and the place where she could find the love she craved in reality. It took years of hard work and encouragement from loved ones to overcome her fears and accomplish her dreams.  Nowadays, Linda lives in Texas with her dearest husband of fifteen years and has three children who mean the world to her. Driven by her fierce devotion to God, family, and her friends, Linda strives to help others discover their purpose in the world, as she is a messenger of God put on this earth to guide others through life.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Derrick’s grandparents, Bethany and Jefferson Winters, settled in El Paso County after being part of a wagon train that traveled for months, moving from Massachusetts to California.

Bethany was due to give birth to her first child but remained determined to head west for a better life for their family. Once the wagon train reached El Paso County, Texas, the unexpected happened—she went into labor. The birth was not an easy ordeal for her. Not only was she over a month early, but she also hadn’t gained much weight, surprising those who didn’t even realize she was with child. Hours of agonizing labor proved to be fruitless, and the wagon master decided it would be smart to summon a doctor. He rode as fast as his horse would go for nearly two hours into El Paso, praying to God the entire time to keep Bethany Winters safe until he returned, hopefully with a doctor beside him.

He was in luck; the doctor was not only in his office but more than willing to ride back to the wagon train to try and help the woman in need. He followed the wagon master to assist the poor soon-to-be mother, who was giving her all to deliver her baby, to no avail. During that time, Bethany felt she might not make it through the delivery and was certain the child would not make it out alive.

After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor finally delivered a healthy baby boy, guessing his weight to be somewhere around eight pounds—a big baby for such a tiny lady who was barely more than skin and bones. He was sure she was malnourished and worried over whether her milk was healthy enough to feed a newborn, especially one who already looked as if he could drink a cow dry.

Seeing how Bethany lost more blood than normal for a baby delivery, the doctor informed Jefferson his wife would not be able to continue their journey. The wagon train had anxiously awaited the birth of the baby so they could proceed with their trip to California, as they all adored Bethany. The doctor suggested it would be far too dangerous of a trip and way too risky for a frail Bethany and her new baby boy.

The wagon master’s plan was to cross the desert before the blistering temperatures of summer set in, and it was already getting too hot to travel by day. Even the thirsty horses struggled to continue pulling the wagons full of people and supplies, since watering holes were so few and far between. They would soon be climbing over the desert and mountains. As a result, the wagon train would be forced to travel at odd times; they would push on during the night and rest during the day, making it a hard and miserable trip for all. Nights became more dangerous because it would be harder to spot the bandits and Indians who roamed the area, waiting like vultures to attack a wagon train loaded with guns and supplies.

The wagon master held a meeting with all the wagon train families, including Jefferson Winters, to make a hard decision: would they risk Bethany and the baby’s life, or would they travel on, leaving the Winters family behind to homestead a piece of land right there in El Paso County, Texas?

El Paso was founded in 1850 as a rough-and-tough community made up of Mexicans, Native Americans, and a few white families. Soon to be a brand-new railway town, El Paso was neither a friendly nor desirable environment for families. Cowboys behaved in lewd and unsavory ways, and the ladies were far from gentle. Those women were just as tough as the men. It certainly wasn’t the environment Jefferson Winters wanted for his family, yet he seemed to be left with little choice. He simply could not risk the lives of his wife, his son, and the other families on the wagon train. But he knew what he had to do.

After much discussion and prayer, they decided that come sunup, the wagon train would leave, and Jefferson would stay behind with his wife and newborn in El Paso County. So Jefferson bid his farewells, wishing them all well and a safe trip and said there were no hard feelings. He understood it was the best decision for everyone and soon set out to claim a parcel of land to begin building a home.

Bethany, on the other hand, took the news hard as worry and anxiety weighed on her soul. What would she do in such a rough-and-tumble place? How would they survive? What would become of them? Jefferson, who loved his wife more than anything, assured her they must be where God wanted them and that was just his way of making it happen. Bethany found comfort in her husband’s words, trusting God would protect them no matter what. It settled her fears, and she had confidence he would find some land for them, and they’d make a home right where their baby had been born.

They finally decided on a name for the boy. Because of his birthplace and the circumstances of his birth, they named their son Jonathan Paso Winters.

Bethany and Jefferson eventually settled on their homestead, and as the years passed, they grew their ranch and continued adding parcels of land until they had created the largest, most successful working ranch in the county. While the Winters labored away in their own little heaven, the town of El Paso transformed into a thriving community.

The Winters were a well-thought-of family and were folks who helped their fellow man. In fact, everybody in that part of Texas knew of Jefferson Winters and knew they could always count on him. He was well-respected and somewhat feared, as he was known to protect his family and his land at any cost. He wasn’t a fighting man, but he didn’t run from a fight either. Having a strong personality, most folks didn’t mess with him. If anyone became a threat to his family, Jefferson didn’t hesitate to shoot and protect them and what was theirs.

Bethany was a small, quiet woman, and much of the time, she was frail and sickly from all the worry. Despite realizing worry would not change a thing, she did it anyhow; she just couldn’t help herself. She was unable to conceive another child, yet she wished for one desperately. Jefferson would kiss her tears of sorrow away, reassuring her of how fortunate they were to have a healthy and happy son, who would, hopefully, one day take over the ranch and continue the Winters name.

Jefferson had quickly built a small cabin on his piece of land for his family. They lived in that cabin for eight years, but with the help of his field hands, he began to build a large home big enough to host grand parties and gatherings. Even though they only had one child, their house was always full of the ranch hands’ and neighbors’ children because Bethany would gather all the little boys and girls she could find to teach them how to read and write. Many of them didn’t speak English, so her challenge was teaching the non-English-speaking children and the English-speaking children in the same classroom. Bethany loved children, though. It didn’t matter whose child it was, the language they spoke, or their skin color; she would embrace each of them with a love all her own.

After the house was built, Jefferson wanted to turn the cabin into a small school since the only school around was miles away, and the ranch hands’ kids couldn’t go that far each day. Jefferson knew that if not for Bethany, most of those children would be unable to read or write. Both Jefferson and Bethany were set on an education for their own son, hoping one day to send him back east to college to become a lawyer.

As young John Winters grew up, he proved to be a quick learner and understood ranching better than any other young man around. He worked alongside his father, and together, they built the ranch from hundreds of acres into thousands. It was a father and son team; where you saw one, you’d find the other. They were inseparable.

As much as he loved ranching with his son by his side, Jefferson couldn’t wait for the day when he could send him to study law at Harvard. Jefferson loved books and the law, and he hoped John would too. John was book smart like Bethany, so Jefferson had his heart set on his son being a college graduate and attorney at law, hopefully, for all of El Paso County. Luckily, John loved the law and the idea of becoming a lawyer for the town, not just for his father’s sake but for himself as well. He dreamed of helping the community and of making El Paso a safe town for families to come and settle. It would be his way to help the town and the people of the county, just like his parents did. The Winters family did everything they could to help people and make life easier. That was his calling.

But then the day arrived when John’s dreams came to a halt. The influenza became an epidemic, and one of the first to contract it was Bethany. Shortly after she became ill, Jefferson also came down with it, and following a few long days of sickness, each died within hours of one another. So, at the early age of seventeen, John inherited his family’s ranch, with only a few ranch hands and some housemaids to help maintain the large estate. He soon realized his dream of going to college and becoming a lawyer simply wasn’t going to happen. Instead, it was his duty and obligation to keep the ranch going in his father’s name.

Chapter 2

John Winters had to grow up fast, and having worked by his father’s side from the time he could walk, he knew just about everything one could know about ranching. Within three years after his parents’ passing, John had earned respect, and aside from a few swindlers, he felt most of El Paso was a fair and honest town. Most of the folks he knew accepted and embraced John as the smart rancher he truly was, the exception being the sheriff in town whom John didn’t see eye to eye with. The young man enjoyed his work even more than he had as a small boy, maybe even more than his father had.

Every few weeks, with his ranch hands willing to keep a close eye on the ranch, John would ride into town and enjoy a weekend with a drink or two at Rosey’s, the town’s only saloon. Not much of a drinker, he would only partake of a whiskey now and then and relax with an evening of poker. It was his little secret that he had a crush on Rosey, the owner of the saloon. She was a real beauty. Small in structure with golden blonde hair, she had the looks of an angel and the mouth of a rough cowpoke. She was two years his junior. John wasn’t sure how such a beautiful young woman came about operating a saloon while managing a bunch of unruly cowboys every day except for Sunday. (Rosey adhered to the belief that Sunday was a day to give to the Lord, so she closed the doors each week and had one of the girls, who could read and write better than any of them, read the Lord’s word to anyone who wanted to listen.) However, John would find the answers to his questions one day because he made a promise to himself to get to know Rosey better.

Rosey hired and housed young women to entertain the cowboys, the railroad workers, and the drifters passing through. Some of the men working on the railroad also lived at the saloon since Rosey rented out the rooms to make extra money.

One night in March, after a few too many whiskeys, John was watching the girls perform a dance on stage, when suddenly, Rosey came to his table and sat down across from him. He shyly shifted his eyes, fearful she would see his interest. He noticed her smile, a smile that could bring any man to his knees.

Hey there, cowboy. She tilted his lowered hat up to look into his eyes. Would you like to join me upstairs?

Having never been with a woman before, John wasn’t sure what he was going to do or how to go about doing what he was pretty sure she was suggesting. But he’d had the right amount of drink in him that night to make him vulnerable enough to give it a go with Rosey. How could he resist such a beauty? It was something about her contagious smile and the way her hair fell over her shoulders when she brought her face closer to his. She was close enough that John could smell the scent of her luscious curvy body. He had not spent a lot of time daydreaming about the opposite sex until the day he met Rosey. Since then, he found himself thinking about her nearly every day, what it would feel like to hold her, maybe kiss her until they were both helpless. He told himself he needed to stop fantasizing about Rosey and get back to work. Yet there he was, facing Rosey, about to make his desires come true.

Taking John’s hand, she led him up the stairs to her own private quarters, a room she allowed no other visitors in. It was a fact she didn’t share with John. Once inside her room, she sat him in a chair and poured him another whiskey, one he did not need but accepted just to be polite. John was not a big drinker and was beginning to feel some queasiness from the drinks he’d already had.

Rosey, being a take-charge kind of girl, slid onto his lap and began kissing him, causing heat to rise from his neck to his face. Then, she snaked her arms around his neck. John gasped a little when she parted his lips with her tongue and pulled his head toward her. Slowly, she began undressing him. First it was his shirt, one button at a time, and slowly she made her way to his pants and struggled a little unbuckling his belt. Beginning to take control of their lovemaking, John finished unfastening his belt and stood up, his pants falling to the floor. Removing his boots, he completely undressed while Rosey did the same. He watched her intently with anticipation of what was coming next. He felt the room spin and a new sensation stirred within him, though he was unsure of what to do about his next move. Sensing he had never been with a woman before and was lost on where to begin, Rosey put him at ease with a little moan, letting him know he was doing everything right, and she was excited at the thought of him inside of her. John tenderly traced her collarbone with the tip of his finger, entranced by her delicate skin and beauty, showily making his way to her breast where he began kissing and not believing how it felt so right.

It was as if she awakened something in his soul, and he felt himself becoming a little out of control. Embarrassed, he wanted to pull away as he thought back, trying to remember talking about everything with his father; they had never talked about it, and he really wished they had. However, Rosey’s plump lips on his and her tongue darting in and out of his mouth sent a wave of pleasure crashing through him, distracting him from his thoughts. He was drawn to Rosey like a magnet. All he wanted was more, and Rosey continued taking charge as if she understood. Oh, how small and warm she felt. John couldn’t imagine any place he would rather be.

Moving them to the bed, Rosey pulled John down with her, and he inhaled her scent of roses and lavender. He wanted to kiss her everywhere: the small of her stomach, her neck, the creamy softness of her breasts. Gently, Rosey guided him toward her, pausing for a moment before drawing him in. Her breath caught. In response, John pressed forward, feeling warmth in unadulterated waves. While the waves receded, John held Rosey and kissed her softly; he had never felt anything so wonderful before. He watched the woman in his arms drift off to sleep, and as the night wore on, he could not shake the feeling he just might be in love with her.

After that, John continued to ride to town at least once a month to have a few drinks, play cards, and spend the night in Rosey’s room. His daydreams of being in love with Rosey came to a complete halt one breezy fall evening when he rode into town, looking forward to an evening in Rosey’s bed. Once he entered the saloon, something felt different. He wasn’t sure what, but the mood of the saloon had changed. The girls were dancing on the stage while drunken men were hootin’ and hollerin’ and grabbing at their feet. But that wasn’t any different than normal. Where was Rosey?

John sat on a stool in front of the long wooden bar and scanned the room for her. Whiskey, he told the barkeep, who put a shot glass in front of him and filled it up. Finally, John heard Rosey’s contagious laughter, followed by a man’s hearty voice.

Hell, Rosey, I’m up for another romp in the hay if you are.

Laughing louder, Rosey replied, Wild Bill, I will get naked in my room for you any day!

Feeling foolish, John made sure he stayed out of Rosey’s sight because he wasn’t up to facing her. What was I thinking, he admonished himself. He really thought he was the only man who shared Rosey’s bed. Didn’t she feel for him the same way he felt for her? What a fool he was to think he meant more to her. He’d just felt he was so special!

In that moment, John knew he meant no more to Rosey than any of the other gents who frequented the establishment—and that was that. All the men were there to have a good time with one of Rosey’s girls or Rosey herself, and there was no exception to that rule. So once Rosey disappeared upstairs with Wild Bill, John left the saloon and rode the four hours back to his ranch, giving no thought to the bandits prowling the night, waiting to rob or kill whoever they came across.

From then on, John avoided Rosey’s saloon each time he went to town for supplies. As tempting as it was to spend the night with her, he wasn’t willing to let her know he’d seen her that night she was with Wild Bill. John realized he was a paid date for her and nothing more. He felt so silly and set out to make sure his feelings mended from the pain before he saw her again. Although, he wasn’t sure when that would be; his heart still ached. Each long day he worked, he tried keeping his mind off Rosey despite admitting to himself how much he missed her.

Chapter 3

A month went by. Realizing his need to gather supplies before winter set in, John prepared to make a trip to El Paso. He hitched his horse to his wagon and headed to town. Once he entered the general store, he came face to face with Rosey.

John! She smiled, tossing her head a little to the side and pretending seeing him was not a problem at all. Good to see you. She spoke softly, as to not let anyone hear her. Rosey was good like that—always careful to never let anyone know who came into her establishment.

Heartbeat racing at the sound of her voice, John tipped his hat, averted his eyes, and kept on walking as if he didn’t even know who she was. Hurt, Rosey bowed her head and left the store.

John set about gathering his supplies, feeling like a big heel for treating Rosey so coldly. Suddenly, he left his supplies on the counter of the store, telling Robert, the store owner, to have his tab ready when he returned. Then, he went over to Rosey’s for a shot of whiskey.

Entering the saloon, he instantly spotted Rosey behind the bar talking to the barkeep. As he walked up to her, she glanced up and shyly spoke. John, it’s so good to see you. It’s been a long time.

Yep. The ranch has been keeping me busy, he lied.

Well, I’m glad you were able to get away. Can I buy you a drink?

No, I’ll buy my own drink, and then I must be getting back to the ranch.

Oh, well... let me know if there’s anything I can do for you. It really is good to see you. I’ve missed you. She forced a smile to cover her broken heart and walked away.

John felt like an ass, but no way could he go to her room after knowing she was only doing her job by entertaining him. That wasn’t what he wanted from a woman. Downing his drink, he left the saloon.

Chapter 4

It had been an unusually cold and brutal winter for El Paso; for the most part, they had mild winters with little snow. But that year was long and unforgiving.

One day, when he could finally leave the ranch, John rode up along the river and noticed smoke coming from a chimney, only then realizing someone had moved in on the land next to his. Though disheartened, as he’d wanted to purchase the land himself, he let curiosity take over and decided to do the neighborly thing. As he rode through the gate to introduce himself, he saw a young woman from the corner of his vision hanging clothes on a clothesline right outside the house. Getting off his horse, he politely coughed to let her know someone was on her property and avoid startling her. Still, the woman dropped the dress she was about to hang. They both reached for the garment at the same time, causing them to bump heads. Laughing, they stood up, and John extended his hand to introduce himself to the second most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

Hello, my name is John Winters. I have the ranch adjoining this property.

I’m Mary Martin. My family and I just moved here this winter, but my father is in town buying supplies, and my mother is scrubbing clothes, she said sweetly, as if reading his thoughts.

Well, I’m not here to bother you. I just wanted to stop by and introduce myself and offer any assistance I can.

Thank you, Mr. Winters. Let me tell my mother you’re here. I’m sure she’d like to meet you.

As she turned and walked away, John found himself standing there, mouth agape. Wow. What a beautiful woman! he thought to himself, and for the first time in a long time, his mind was not on Rosey.

A few minutes later, Mary came back out to where he was standing. With her was another beautiful woman who Mary introduced as her mother, Gloria Martin. He couldn’t believe the two women were mother and daughter because they truly looked like sisters. They visited for a few minutes until John politely excused himself to leave.

Mary’s mother said, It was so nice to meet you, Mr. Winters. Will we be seeing you at church on Sunday?

Well, yes, ma’am. I do believe you will. He didn’t bother telling her he’d never been to church before, but he might just start going. He bowed to the ladies and gave a small wink to Mary, who blushed and hid behind her mother.

Sunday morning, John jumped from his bed bright and early. He had no idea what time church started. His plan was to rise early, finish his morning chores, then ride over to the church where he’d hide behind some bushes until he saw everyone gathering for the service. Soon enough, John found himself coming upon the little one-room schoolhouse that served as the church on Sundays. John was ashamed he hadn’t been in a church since old man Watkins’s burial service. Even then, he only attended the service because Mr. Watkins had been kind to him after his folks passed away. Mr. Watkins and his wife brought him many a meal and tried as hard as they could to bring John out of his carefully crafted shell, begging him to join them after church for Sunday dinners. He always declined their invitation but would stop by their house every Christmas Eve with a gift of his special-cured bacon. He had a knack for curing bacon; anyone who tasted it simply could not figure out how he made it taste as grand as it did. Not many folks in the area raised hogs as it was, and to have bacon on the table was a delicious treat. John regretted not spending more time with Mr. and Mrs. Watkins, as he’d found them to be kindly folk always willing to help their neighbor.

John, is that you? A beautiful, soft voice suddenly spoke behind him.

Yes, he replied, falling back into the bushes where he was hiding, waiting for the churchgoers to arrive. He’d been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn’t heard Mary come up behind him.

Whatever are you doing hiding in the bushes? she asked, amusement in her voice.

Well, uh, to tell you the truth, ma’am... I was waiting for the church folk to arrive before I came out of these here bushes. At that point, he felt it was better to tell the truth than to make up a lie.

Giggling, Mary held out her hand for John to take. Well, sir, will you escort me into the church where we may join my folks?

John licked his lips and grabbed her hand, pulling himself up. He began brushing himself off, glancing around as he did, in part to avoid Mary’s gaze but also to make sure no one was watching. I, um... His voice trailed off as Mary straightened his jacket and tie. He ducked his head in attempt to hide a blush and cleared his throat. I’d be honored to escort you, ma’am. He stuck out his arm, and the two shared a shy smile. Mary threaded her arm through his and together, they walked into the church—the same church he would marry her in three months later.

Chapter 5

John sat on his bed, staring through the window that overlooked the ranch. It was their wedding day, and his nervousness was mounting. Eventually, he got up and paced the floor, wringing his large hands. He wished his mother was there, comforting his fears and giving advice as he was about to wed sweet Mary. But he knew Bethany was looking down from heaven and smiling upon him. John imagined both his mother and father watching him with pride just like they had so many times when he was younger. He was excited to bring Mary to the ranch and make it their home, where they could raise a family and begin their life together. On that day, John appreciated the house his father had built for his mother more than ever because his father had taken great care to make it as perfect as he could, knowing Bethany would make it a home.

After John announced to the housemaids he was about to bring a wife to live in that big, lonely house with him, each of them became excited. They then set out to make sure every detail of the house was clean and tidy, so it would be ready for the new bride.

Chapter 6

Arriving at the church right at 2:00 p.m., John unhitched his horse, Blaze, from the wagon and tied him to a nearby tree, so he was free to graze on the fresh spring grass. Blaze had been given to him as a colt by his father, just before his parents died. John loved that horse like a member of his family. In fact, until recently, Blaze was his only family left. He would soon have Mary and her parents as his family, though, with hopes of having children to carry on the Winters legacy.

John straightened his tie and pressed his freshly ironed shirt with his hands before entering the little, white, one-room church where he would soon meet his bride.

To his surprise, the room was already full of friends and neighbors sitting in the pews, looking around at the simple yet beautiful setting for a wedding. It was a cool spring day, yet folks held handmade fans, trying to cool themselves from the dry heat generated from being cooped up in such a small space. One could tell they were in for a hot summer by the early warm days.

The piano player performed a wonderful love song as John strolled to the front of the church where the preacher was standing by the pulpit, waiting for him.

Moments later, the tune changed to the wedding march as Mary came walking through the door on the arm of her father. The guests murmured their approval, but her eyes never left John’s face. She walked toward him, looking radiant and carrying an armful of red roses mixed with baby’s breath. Her dress was made of an airy gauze material, with soft lace lining the bottom of it. Mary was always beautiful, but her dress defined her small frame and delicate features. The headpiece she wore gave her an elegant, graceful presence that reminded John of the pictures of Mother Mary he’d seen in the books he valued so much. Mary glided down the aisle as if in a dream. John stepped forward and politely waited for her father to place her hand in his to have, to hold, and to protect till death do them part.

After the I do’s were said and the marriage certificate was signed, they left the church to attend a party all the ranchers’ wives had put together. The event was outdoors, which was the perfect complement to the spring day, the most amazing day of John’s life.

The tables were full of food, except for one that held gifts each family had brought for the newlyweds.

It was a lovely celebration. When it was time to leave with his new bride, John looked over to his awaiting wagon, where he saw the shadow of a woman running away. He tried not to bring attention to the woman whom he believed to be Rosey. What was she doing there? Had she been there the entire time? Attempting to shake Rosey from his mind, John focused on his new wife as they headed home. Try as he might, though, he just couldn’t get the image of Rosey out of his mind.

Chapter 7

Four years later, on a cool October day, John was working alongside his ranch hand Jacob, when Mrs. Barber, the kitchen maid, came screaming for him. Master John, Master John! Please, you gotta come now! Mrs. Mary’s ’bout to have that youngin!

Tossing aside the hoe he was holding, John ran alongside Mrs. Barber with Jacob in tow.

Meanwhile, Mary was bent over the kitchen counter, sweating and waiting on John before going to the birthing room she and Mrs. Barber had prepared for the birth of their upcoming baby. When he arrived, he gently carried Mary to the birthing room, careful not to be too rough. Despite being pretty upset, he still had to give thought about how to handle the situation.

Mary, you’re going to be okay, John encouraged, not so sure he was right about that statement but praying he was. Feeling helpless, he then asked Mrs. Barber if there was anything he could do.

No, yous just best stays out of da way while we bring this youngin into this world. It beez fine, Master John; babies are born every day. It beez just fine.

Going back to Mary, who was pushing from a contraction, John grabbed her hand in an attempt to bring her some support.

Mary raised her head and forced a sweet smile, trying to let John know she was in pain but still excited, knowing she had to go through it to bring their son into the world. John, we are about to be parents.

Jacob, please ride over and fetch Mary’s mother.

Happy to have a chore, Jacob ran out the door to get Mrs. Mary’s mother.

Mrs. Barber, is everything going as it should be? John asked with great concern. He remembered stories his mother told him of his own birth and prayed nothing like that would happen to Mary. Was she able to give birth naturally? He had heard cases where women were not. What would they do if that happened to Mary? Stop! he scolded himself. Stop asking for trouble. She will be fine. Mrs. Barber already said she would, and Mrs. Barber’s never wrong.

Yes, sir. As far as I sees, we is gonna have us a baby here real soon now. Yous don’t worry none; I have brung many a baby into this world. With that, Mrs. Barber, the senior housekeeper, shooed John out of the room so she could continue going about her business, shouting orders to the rest of the staff. They frantically prepared the boiling water and warm blankets to receive the latest addition to the family. Normally, Mrs. Barber would be the delivery attendant, but she had a slight fall a couple of weeks back and hurt her wrist, making it difficult to deliver a baby. So instead, she was going to give instructions to her new house helper, Prissy. She was confident Prissy could learn how to bring a young child into the world.

Nervous excitement buzzed throughout the ranch at the thought of new life being brought into the home. Mary was greatly adored by the house staff, and they could not do enough for her. She was good to everyone, so John could only imagine how excited they were to have a baby to care for. Over the last four years, conceiving hadn’t been easy for Mary; she’d already lost two before finally carrying one full term.

Her best friend from Colorado, who was also named Mary, wrote to her often, and every time Mary Winters turned around, her friend was with child. However, Mary didn’t want to make her friend feel guilty about her healthy, growing family by letting her know she wished that had been her. She wanted a house full of babies too, but she thought it just wasn’t going to happen for her.

After about an hour in the birthing room, Mary’s mother came rushing through the front door. Excitement lit up her eyes as she placed her hands on John’s shoulders.

John! Is my baby all right? Has she given birth yet?

No, ma’am, she hasn’t. I think she was waiting on her momma to get here, John replied with more humor than he was feeling. Mrs. Martin, he asked, stopping his mother-in-law, how long did it take for you to give birth to Mary?

Smiling at John, she instantly recognized his worry for her daughter. It took me several hours, so don’t you fret none; Mary is going to be just fine. It takes a while to give birth. I’ll go in and check on her, then come back and tell you how it’s going.

Momma, this pain—hurts! Mary cried from the next room. The pain was intense, and Mary felt movement. Her mother came in and at once, went to Mary’s side. Just then, Mary let out a loud groan, bore down, and clung to her mother.

I know it hurts, my sweet child, but it’ll be over before you know it. Mrs. Martin wiped her daughter’s brow. Prissy, how much longer do you expect?

I’d say within the hour, Mrs. Martin. She be right there near birthin’ time, and the babe is turned right, anxious to sees his momma.

No sooner had Prissy said the words than Mary let out a bloodcurdling scream that sent John running to her side, no matter what his instructions had been. And he busted into the room just in time. Mary felt a gush of warm water and, with one more push, felt a shuddering throughout her lower body. At last, her son moved out and into Prissy’s waiting hands. Prissy held up baby Derrick, cord still attached. He expressed his first complaints but was otherwise a healthy, big boy. It’s a boy, Mrs. Mary! A boy! Prissy stated, pride showing on her face.

There was not a dry eye in the room. As Prissy took care of Mary, Mrs. Barber cleaned the newborn, a long, squawking boy with a head full of black hair. Meanwhile, John and Mrs. Martin cuddled Mary.

The swaddled baby was laid into Mary’s arms, and everyone in the room continued crying and making baby talk to the newborn. All was well, and young Derrick entered the world a very fortunate boy, in more ways than one.

A proud Mrs. Barber took Prissy aside and announced to her, Yous done a good job. Yep, yous did just fine.

Prissy nodded her thanks, then walked away with a smile on her face.

Chapter 8

The Winters were a happy family and the envy of everyone in the county who were fortunate enough to call them friends. They were a pillar of the community, going to church every Sunday they could, and life for them seemed to be a fairy tale.

Wishing for another child, Mary kept conceiving but couldn’t seem to carry a baby to full term. She miscarried three times, and the one child she carried for six months was a little girl. Mary and John’s daughter entered the world too early and passed away two days later, something that almost shattered Mary. It was the only time in Derrick’s young life that his mother was withdrawn and distant.

Grandma Martin came to stay with her daughter for a few days and allowed no one to see her, including John and Derrick. It was a dark time for the Winters family. Derrick remembered his grandmother taking homemade soup to his mother, and the two would talk for hours. It seemed his grandma was the only person she would respond to during that painful time.

The silence of the house eventually began to get to John. He’d never experienced anything like that from his wife, but he knew they had a strong marriage and decided to be patient. So he focused on building the ranch as Mary worked through her pain. Mary’s mourning period lasted a few months, and then she began to come out of it and joined the family at the supper table once again.

During the time when John would go into town for supplies, he would end up staying the night at the local inn. There was a gang of murders called the Banditos that came across the border from Mexico, robbing and killing. Mary begged John to travel only in the daytime and never at night when he wouldn’t be able to see who could be hiding in the bushes out in the desert. It was too dangerous. John felt more comfortable spending the night at the inn rather than at Rosey’s. He had gotten over his feelings for Rosey, and from time to time, he would go to her saloon and have a whiskey and share stories with her about Derrick. Rosey loved John’s stories and often fantasized that Derrick was her own son. She knew she would never marry nor have a child of her own.

She also knew in her heart how in love with John she had been and still was—a secret she planned to take to her grave.

John also told Rosey about Mary losing their baby girl and how she mourned and would have nothing to do with him or Derrick. He even revealed his fear at the time that he may never get Mary back. Rosey consoled him, assuring him she’d seen that type of grief before, and one day, Mary would pull herself out of it.

As his friendship with Rosey grew, John eventually started bringing Derrick into town with him. One evening, John and Derrick were eating at the local café and in walked Rosey and one of the dancers who worked at the saloon.

Even though Rosey spotted John immediately, she wasn’t going to speak to him since she saw he had his thirteen-year-old son with him. She was shocked when John spoke up.

Rosey, how are you? Let me introduce to you my son, Derrick.

Derrick smiled shyly at the beautiful woman with green eyes.

Hi, young man. Oh my, you are a handsome one.

Derrick held his hand out to take Rosey’s, instantly taking a liking to her. In a gentleman-like fashion, he bowed and kissed Rosey’s hand. Rosey laughed, placed her hands on his cheeks, knelt, and kissed him.

Son, this is an old friend of mine from years back.

Rosey beamed with pride when John introduced her to his son—the son she knew was his pride and joy, and the son she wished had been hers and John’s. She knew she would love and protect Derrick for the rest of her life. I must return to the saloon, John. Then she turned to Derrick. It was nice meeting someone as handsome as you, young man. Rosey gave a knowing smile to John and winked. He is all you, John; I’m so glad you introduced me to your son.

After that visit to town, John took his son each time from then on when he went for supplies, unless it was a school day. Derrick’s education was important to John. El Paso County was beginning to show signs of stress from the lack of law; the Banditos were a mean gang of Mexicans, raiding and killing throughout El Paso County. However, John’s dream of Derrick becoming a lawyer was really his own unfulfilled dream. He’d always wanted to attend Harvard Law School and graduate as an attorney, but his parents died early, leaving him no choice except to abandon his dreams and work the ranch. So, nearly from the time Derrick could talk, John drilled into the boy that he would be going to Harvard one day to become a lawyer. That was not Derrick’s dream; he wanted to be a rancher. Every day, he worked hard, trying to prove to his father what a good rancher he could be and how badly the ranch needed him. Deep down, though, Derrick knew one day he would lose the argument and go to Harvard to fulfill his father’s dream. He knew it was his duty, and destiny, to become an attorney.

Chapter 9

Growing up, Derrick was mostly a wild loner who feared nothing, including getting his hands dirty. He could do any job and did everything around the ranch that was required of him. He built his reputation on being an excellent sharpshooter and horseman. Working beside Jacob in the fields gave him a source of pride, shadowing everything the man did. If Jacob was working, so was Derrick.

John couldn’t have been prouder of his son. He no longer worried about him when he took off on his black stallion, Midnight, and didn’t come home for a day or two. The first night Derrick didn’t return, back when he was sixteen, both John and Mary worried themselves sick. John and Jacob set out searching for him only to find him camping with his bedroll on the bank of the Rio Grande River, which ran for miles along their land, tempting and calling out to Derrick to follow its full length.

Once they found him, John cuffed his son on the back of his head and gave him the scolding of his life. What kind of boneheaded idea was this? Do you know how worried your mother and I were? You know full well the dangers out here. Why didn’t you tell us? Were you even thinking, boy? John paused his tirade and took a deep breath. He loved his son, but he’d never been so scared before. Meeting his son’s wide eyes, John continued a little more calmly. Look, I know you’re growing into a man and love exploring, but the next time you’re planning to camp out, tell us. We were worried sick.

I’m sorry, Father. I promise I’ll do better. It’s just... I’m my own man now, and I love being free. Roaming our land makes me feel so... so alive.

I understand that, son; I was a lot like you. But there are killers on the loose, and we had no way of knowing if you were in trouble or not. John shook his head. Don’t ever scare your mother like that again, understand?

Chapter 10

It was a cold December day, which was unusual for the area, and a light snow was falling. John informed Mary he was going to El Paso to do some shopping and that he might be gone a couple of days; he didn’t want her worrying. Christmas was three weeks away, and John felt strangely compelled to celebrate the holiday to its full extent that year.

Bundling up in warm clothes to ward off the falling snow, John began hooking up his horse to his wagon. Suddenly, a strange sensation traveled down his left arm, a pain he hadn’t felt before. He ignored it, though, and continued hitching his horse up before loading the empty barrels he intended to fill with supplies. The pain struck again, but for a second time, he dismissed the strange feeling and boarded the wagon. Riding past the gate of the ranch, John turned around to look at the house. Sure enough, Mary stood on the porch, waving goodbye. He waved back, then said aloud, God, thank you for that woman. I love her so much!

The ride into town was uneventful, and John felt fine. He soon pulled up to the old hitching post between the mercantile store and Rosey’s saloon and jumped off the wagon. Just then, another stab of pain shot through his arm and ran all the way through his chest. It was severe enough to drop him to the ground. Rosey, who had been walking down the boardwalk, saw him fall. She started running and screaming. John, John! Help me! Someone, please help me!

Shocked by Rosey’s screams, men came running from everywhere, and those in her saloon who heard the panic in her voice knew something was terribly wrong.

John, talk to me, she demanded, leaning over him and gently rubbing his face. Fetch the doctor! she ordered one man after John didn’t respond. Here! Carry him to the saloon, upstairs, and lay him on a bed, she ordered others.

All the while, John remained unconscious and oblivious to everything going on around him; neither Rosey nor the movement of being carried woke him. Two men, who had been enjoying their Wednesday afternoon in the saloon, obediently carried John to one of Rosey’s rooms and laid him on the bed. Rosey began barking orders for one of her girls in the establishment to bring a basin of water and some clean towels so she could bathe John’s face. He still hadn’t woken up, and she had no idea what could be wrong with him.

She loosened John’s belt and set about washing his cold, sweaty face, while others stood around helpless. No one knew what happened or how they could help. Had he been shot? They examined him, finding no wound nor any blood, so an injury wasn’t the issue.

Finally, the doctor arrived and began examining John by listening to his heart. After a few tense moments, the doctor brought John around.

John being John, he instantly tried rising out of the bed, only for another sharp pain to run through his chest, causing him to fall back onto the bed, gasping for air.

John, the gentle doctor said, you need to stay quiet. I don’t know what happened, but you need to lie still. Don’t move.

John was confused until it began to sink in; he was in Rosey’s room. He remembered it from all those years ago. How would he explain that to Mary? A few minutes later, the doctor turned to Rosey and said, I hope you don’t mind, but he needs to stay right where he is for a few days under complete bed rest and twenty-four-hour care. Can you manage to help us out?

Having no problem with what the doctor asked, Rosey was happy to take care of John. She pushed aside her fears that John might not make it through the night and focused on him getting well.

Yes. Of course, doctor. We’ll give him ’round the clock care. I have a girl here who is a wonderful nurse maid, and she’ll help me care for him.

The doctor grimaced and gave Rosey a troubled look. Someone needs to alert his family as to what’s happened here.

I can do it! Jeff Wallace piped up. I know the family; I see them at church now and then. Come sunup, I’ll ride out to the ranch and tell Mrs. Winters.

Once again, John tried lifting himself onto his elbows, but the pain was so excruciating, he passed out again. The concerned doctor thanked Jeff for his offer, then firmly stated to Rosey that John was not to get out of bed under any circumstances. He gave her a small bottle of pills and said to give him one every four hours; it would help with the pain. No one really knew what happened to John, but they all realized it wasn’t good. John was a strong, healthy man, and him lying there passed out from pain was almost unbelievable.

Rosey agreed to follow through on the doctor’s instructions, and the doctor left with a wave. Rosey brought her chair over by John’s bed and ended up spending the night checking on him and making him as comfortable as possible. He was in and out of sleep and remained unaware of his surroundings or anything at all. In his delirium, Rosey wiped his head with a wet cloth, whispering, John, don’t die. Please don’t die. Even though I can’t have you, I need to know you’re alive. John, I love you so much. Please don’t die! She wept.

Chapter 11

Around noon the next day, Mary heard a knock on the front door. Grabbing her rifle, she jumped up with a start, pointing it toward the opening. Who goes there? she demanded.

It’s Jeff Wallace, ma’am. I’ve come with some news about John.

Cracking the door open enough to see, she recognized the man on the other side as the neighbor who lived not far from her own family. Relief washed over her as she lowered the weapon and slung the door open. Mr. Wallace, what’s wrong with my John? Instinctively, she seemed to know the news he had to share wasn’t good.

Well, ma’am, John collapsed in town. We have him laid up in Rosey’s saloon with the doc, and Rosey’s taking care of him. I came out here to fetch you myself and escort you to town, if you desire to go.

Yes, of course I’ll go. I need to find my son; he’s out in the back doing chores. Mr. Wallace, would you mind fetching him so he can join us?

No, ma’am. I’ll find your boy. You may want to bring a change of clothes; Doc says your husband can’t travel for a bit.

What could’ve happened to him? He seemed fine when he left here yesterday morning.

The doc doesn’t seem to know, but each time your husband sits up, he falls back with a lot of pain, which is all I know, ma’am. He continued to tell her proudly, I helped carry him into the saloon. He seemed hardly breathing, but he was a bit better when I left. I’m sure he’ll be fine once he’s had some rest.

Mary gave him a small smile.

Not knowing what else to say, Wallace politely excused himself and set out to retrieve Derrick. He found the boy tossing hay to the horses and quickly informed him of what happened to his father. Derrick had no second thoughts about leaving and immediately finished what he was doing. He would join his mother on the ride to town, but he realized he had to make decisions for the ranch before they left. So, he set out to find Jacob, who’d been with the family for as long as Derrick could remember, and gave orders of what needed to be done on the ranch while he and his family were away. Next, he alerted the house maids of the situation. Derrick knew his mother wasn’t in any condition to give orders, so he did what any man would—ensure the ranch ran smoothly for as long as he and his mother were away.

Derrick hitched a horse to the wagon he used for hauling hay and other chores. He felt his mother would be more comfortable in a wagon for the more-than-half-day trip instead of riding on a horse. By that point, the snow had accumulated to around two inches, and it was extremely cold. Bundling his mother into the passenger’s seat of the wagon, the two rode beside Jeff Wallace into town, no one speaking a word the entire journey. Derrick found out years ago that when his mother was silent, she was worried and in her head. He was feeling anxious himself. His father was the strongest man he knew. What could’ve happened to him? He’d showed no signs of being ill before he left yesterday. All those thoughts ran through his mind as they continued pushing through the cold Texas afternoon.

Chapter 12

John, don’t get up! was the last thing the doctor ordered before he left John in Rosey’s care the day before.

You, stay in bed! Rosey ordered.

Well, did the doctor say how one was to relieve himself while he’s lying in bed?

Oh! Oh, I’m so sorry! Here, John, use this. She handed him a container, promising to leave the room so he could relieve himself.

After a minute, she reentered just as he slumped over the bed.

John! she cried, running over to catch him before he fell. Here, hold on to my arm. Together, they got him back on the bed.

John laid back, feeling like a weak specimen of a man. What’s wrong with me? I’ve never had anything like this happen before, he declared, frustration bubbling over in his voice.

The doctor said he didn’t know and to just take these pills. He promised they’d help with the pain.

Rosey sat by his bed for the entire day while she anxiously waited for his family to arrive. Although she’d never met Mary before, Rosey at least knew what she looked like from seeing her in town shopping with her parents before she married John. Then there was the wedding, when she hid behind a tree to watch the ceremony, or at least see if she could spot the couple who were there that day to marry for better or for worse. Thinking back on it, Rosey didn’t know why she’d done that exactly, but she just had to see the woman John was calling his bride. She hid behind the tree wishing it could’ve been her instead. She realized no man was ever going to marry her; no man would want to make an honest woman out