The Star of All Valleys

  Chapter 14

  The ride back to their new campground was quiet. The children were all tired from a long and happy day. Willy was looking forward to a rest also. When she had pulled into their parking space again, she left the kids sleeping with Aggie in charge and walked to the rest room. On her way back, Mrs. Woods came hurrying out of the office waving to her.

  "Mrs. Milton, there is a message here for you," she called, waving a piece of paper. "A man in a ranger uniform asked me to give it to you when you got back."

  "Thank you," Willy said, taking the paper. She disappointed her interested messenger by returning to her camper before opening it.

  It was from Max as she had expected. His masculine handwriting was hard to read, but she was able to decipher the note. It told her that he had checked with his brother and that he had some horses they could ride if they were interested. Max would come by at four o'clock to pick them up if they wanted to go.

  Willy tried hard to be upset that he had so obviously ignored her instructions to leave them alone. He was a hard man to discourage. In fact, though, she was secretly pleased that he hadn’t given up so easily. And anyway, how could she pass up this chance to let Aggie ride some horses? For free even. She had always enjoyed riding herself and knew that the kids had wished for such an opportunity. She decided to give in to the invitation but to keep cool and distant.

  Aggie was ecstatic when she heard the news and Jeffy let out a squeal of delight. They were excited at this stroke of good luck. Allison was happy, too, but was a little apprehensive. "Mama, I don't know how to steer a horse," she said, a worried look in her eyes. "What if I can't do it?"

  "I'll hold the reins so that you'll be all right," Willy assured her. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

  They were ready and waiting when four o'clock came. Max was a few minutes late and Jeffy was sure he had forgotten and that they should go and look for him, but Willy calmed him. "He'll be here," she said.

  Finally, a pickup drove in by the office. Max got out and looked around the small campground. It was easy to see their camper and he headed right over. He was met by three very eager children, loud in their excitement at the coming event. Willy watched him closely to try to determine what he felt, but he seemed unchanged in any way. He just acted like he belonged. She went to lock the camper and grab jackets just in case it turned chilly then joined the group. Jeffy clutched his new cowboy hat to keep it safe.

  Aggie asked if she and Allison could ride in the back of the pickup. Max looked at Willy for permission but she was all right with it. She had spent many a happy excursion riding in the back of pickups and knew they would be safe as long as they stayed seated. Max helped them in and got them settled while Willy buckled herself and Jeffy into the seat. It wasn't far to Max's home and soon they were pulling into the driveway. "Come on in and meet my parents," Max invited when they were out of the truck.

  Shyly, they entered the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the home. Mrs. Bell hurried into the room, wiping her hands on a towel. "Hello! You must be Willy!" she bubbled. "Max told us all about you and your little family. My, look at these sweeties! What is your name, dear?" She stooped to look at Allison right on her level.

  Warmed by such a grandmotherly interest, Allison forgot her timidity and smiled. "Allison," she said softly.

  "You look just like your mother," said Mrs. Bell, ruffling her curly blonde hair. She turned her attention to Allison's brother. "And who have we here?" she asked him, smiling.

  "I'm Jefferson Ryan Milton," that young man informed her. "I'm free!"

  "I could tell you were three," Mrs. Bell said, correctly interpreting his childish talk. "You are quite a big boy."

  She stood again and was introduced to Aggie. She gestured to the comfortable sofa. "Will you sit down? Charlie will be in soon, I think."

  "No time for that, Mom," Max said, his arm around his mother's shoulders. These people have come to ride horses and they can't wait any longer. We'll meet Dad outside."

  "All right," laughed his cheery mother. "But be sure to come back in when you're done. I'm baking cherry pies."

  Willy was surprised at the invitation and began to refuse. She certainly didn't want to impose on Mrs. Bell.

  "Now, I won't take no for an answer, Willy," Mrs. Bell exclaimed. "They are already in the oven and there's way too much for us. We need to get better acquainted. Max spoke so highly of you that we're anxious to have a nice visit."

  That gave Willy some food for thought and she wondered what he had been saying about them. Her mind was whirling as they trooped through the fragrant kitchen and out the back door. They followed Max to the outbuildings behind the house. He headed for a corral with several horses inside. "Lloyd?" he called, his loud voice making the horses prick up their ears and move toward the fence, hoping for a hand-out.

  "Be right there," called a voice from another building. Soon a man emerged through the door. He was not quite as tall as Max but looked very much like him. "These must be the Milton's," he commented, looking them over. "So you want to ride some horses, do you?" he asked, removing his hat and wiping sweat from his forehead.

  Max introduced them all. They learned that Lloyd and his wife, Jean, had three children and lived in the smaller house across the road. "Jean would be over here riding, too, but she is expecting again and has to keep off the horses," he told them. "My daughter, Kelly, will be over any minute, I expect. She never misses an opportunity to get on a horse. She's about your age, Aggie."

  With Max's help, Lloyd caught and saddled four horses. "Aren't you going to ride a horse with us, Mr. Rangerbell?" asked Jeffy, wistfully.

  "Oh, yes," he replied with a grin. "Smoky is in the barn over here, though, because he jumped a fence again so we're keeping him penned up for a day or two. We're hoping that if he gets penned every time he jumps a fence, he will get the message that it isn't so bad to get caught and ridden. I'll go and saddle him right now."

  When they were all mounted, Max leading Jeffy's horse and Willy holding the reins of Allison's, they started off across the field. The air was fragrant with the smell of freshly cut hay. The horses were well-trained and gentle and they proceeded at a walk until all felt confident and comfortable. Jeffy wanted to do his own guiding with his reins, but Max noticed his jumpy seat and kicking feet and held on to the leading rope. Allison got over her fear quickly and learned to turn her horse. Willy asked Max if he thought she would be all right if she was on her own.

  "Old Jenny wouldn't run even if she had a chance," he told her. "I think Allison would do great on her own."

  Aggie was over-confident at first but quickly learned to give clear directions to her horse after ending up going the wrong way a couple of times. She was frustrated that it wasn't as easy as she thought. Soon, though, she was able to keep her horse going the right direction and keep up with the others.

  Willy had ridden several times before on hunting trips with her husband so she was comfortable around a horse. She didn't like to gallop much, but she did fine on slower rides.

  "Here comes Kelly," called Max, pointing to a cloud of dust in the distance. They watched a young girl expertly ride a beautiful roan horse galloping full speed toward them.

  "Wow," Aggie said in admiration.

  Kelly pulled up her mount and walked the last few yards to meet them. "Hi, Uncle Max!" she greeted. "Are these your friends?"

  After another round of introductions, Kelly joined the group on their way. They followed the barbed wire fence to the end of a field then found a path that ran along the side of a stream. "What's the name of this stream?" Willy wanted to know.

  "This is the mighty Salt River," he told her. "It's the same river you followed coming into the south end of the valley. It continues all the way to Alpine where it runs into the Palisades Reservoir."

  "People go canoeing on a stream this little?" she asked, remembering that he had told her that she shouldn't leave the valley until she
had canoed on Salt River.

  "Well, it gets deeper farther north where it goes through the Narrows into the Lower Valley," he chuckled. "It is a little small here for many water sports."

  After they had ridden a while, Max pulled up and asked if they were getting stiff and sore yet. Willy was definitely beginning to feel uncomfortable from the width of her horse and the hard saddle. The others agreed. "Let's start back, then," he said. "You greenhorns can get off and walk if you don't think you can sit any longer."

  They all thought they could tough it out until they got back to the corral. Willy guided her horse carefully through a ditch between fields, but her mare stumbled on the way out and started limping. "Kelly, why don't you take Jeffy's rope and you all keep on your way. I'll take a look at Grace's hoof and see if she’s picked up a stone," Max suggested.

  "Sure, Uncle Max," agreed Kelly. She had struck up a friendship with Aggie and they were talking about all their interests. Allison was doing well with her horse and wasn't about to leave the comfort of his back. They kept going at a walk and soon were out of sight behind some trees.

  Max had helped Willy out of the saddle and lifted the horse's hoof. "She's just got a rock in her shoe," he discovered. He took out a pocket knife and worked at extracting it.

  "This has been so much fun," Willy began. "How can I thank you for all the time you have...," she broke off abruptly, having caught Max's eyes as he lifted them to hers. She saw in their humorous depths the memory of the last time she had asked him how she could thank him and the 'sip' he had taken of her lips in payment.

  "Let me rephrase that," she said, her face turning red.

  Max had finished his task and took Grace for a short walk to check for a limp. There was no sign of one. He tied a rein to a bush and walked toward Willy. She didn't know whether to run or stand her ground. The look in his eyes was sending thrills up her spine and she knew what was coming. Trying to stall him, she stammered, "Max, please, what would your little ranger friend think if she saw you with another woman?"

  Max stopped, his head tilted to one side. "My little ranger friend?" he asked.

  "The one you had your arm around in the ranger station when we were checking out," she enlightened him.

  "Oh, Eva," he laughed, remembering. "She's nobody special to me, although sometimes she thinks she is. No, I'm between girlfriends right now.  Footloose and fancy free!" He was close enough to put out his hand and touch her, but he refrained, perhaps because of the guarded look in Willy's eyes.

  "Talk to me, Willy," he said, so softly she could hardly hear his words above the gentle breeze. "I don't want to do anything that you don't like. You're so warm one minute and cool the next. I know you're a widow and that you must have loved your husband. I think you're afraid that I am moving in on his territory. You're so lovely and inviting that...."

  "Inviting?" demanded Willy, eyes flashing. "I've never invited you to kiss me!"

  "No, not exactly. I guess I just assumed that your presence in my arms was permission enough," he laughed, still in a quiet voice.

  "You caught me in some weak moments," she accused, excusing herself. "I never intended for you to be so...so pushy!"

  "Just tell me how you feel," he asked, not taking offense at her belligerent attitude. "I could easily become very much more interested in you. I already love your kids." He reached out a hand now, and tousled her tawny hair. "I like short, curly hair. Your eyes make me want to stare into them until I drown. I can't breathe when I look at your delicious figure. What really sent me spinning, though, was the sound of your voice. Both times I've heard you sing about the windows of heaven, I've had to wipe tears away. Me! Tough-as-nails Max! I don't feel the need to shed tears very often, but your voice sounds like it comes from an angel."

  Willy looked up at him. Her eyes had fallen before his intent gaze as he enumerated her charms, but the break in his voice surprised her. "I wondered why you were wiping your eyes that night around the campfire," she said, wonderingly. "I thought you got smoke in them."

  "I don't want to rush you or scare you or drive you away," he told her. "I just want to be near you. I want to hold you in my arms. I want to feel your heart beat against me. I want to taste your lips. I want to...."

  "Stop!" she cried, turning from him. "No! Just stop!"

  She went to her horse and climbed rather ungracefully into the saddle. Wiping tears away with the back of her hand, she guided Grace back to the trail and kicked her flanks into a trot. She had to get away. This was intolerable. She couldn't let Max fall in love with her. She had made a vow to Ryan to never replace him in her heart. She couldn't break it. She just couldn't let herself break that promise!