Chapter Eight

“Has anyone seen Tillie?”

Rex had just taken a sip of his morning coffee when his sister’s voice cut through the quiet of the kitchen. He stopped mid-gulp, his senses heightened as he listened to her question. It wasn’t his place to question where Tillie spent her time, but Annamae’s tone made him curious.

He sat his cup down and faced her, his gaze steady and questioning. For the past two days, he had been avoiding Tillie. His chest tightened every time he glimpsed her bright red hair on the ranch. He didn’t want to feel the pain of not being able to talk to her, which is why he was trying to keep his distance.

“Why do you ask?” he replied, his voice calm but tinged with concern. Annamae shrugged nonchalantly.

“She should have been home hours ago.”

“Maybe she went to town. Or to see Midge.”

“Not to town. She was walking. Goody saw her go into the woods.”

“When did she leave?” His heart pounded against his ribs as he grabbed his duster and hat. He knew better than to roam the woods, but Tillie wasn’t from Nebraska. She didn’t know of the dangers. Large cats, wild dogs, and rattlesnakes roamed these parts. The memory of losing their brother Frank to a deadly strike from a rattlesnake made his hands tremble. The thought of it happening again to Tillie sent shivers down his spine.

“Just after breakfast. She said she’d be home by lunch.”

“Was she armed?”

“W-what?” Annamae returned the coffeepot to the stove.

“Did anyone give her a rifle when she left?”

“I don’t think so...”

Rex’s heart raced as he burst into the barn. He quickly spotted a saddled horse and mounted it, yelling to the man by the door, “I’ll be back soon. Headed towards Bax’s!”

The horse took off in a gallop, its hooves pounding against the dirt path leading to Baxter and Midge’s house. Rex could feel the urgency building inside him as he rode towards his destination.

“Tillie!” he yelled. There was no response. He called again. “Tillie!” He kicked the horse into a faster gallop, scanning the woods for any sign of her. As he turned the corner, he instinctively tugged on the reins, and a solitary figure in the distance caught him off guard. Whit Hartman sat on a ridge overlooking the path.

Rex waved his hat. Maybe Whit saw something.

Whit stared at Rex but didn’t acknowledge him. Maybe Rex was wrong; perhaps it wasn’t his brother. This man wore darker clothes than the ones Whit normally wore in town, and he had a darker hat on. However, the horse and the way the man sat on it were unmistakably that of Whitney Hartman’s.

The man turned his head and took off on his horse, riding hard in the opposite direction. Something wasn’t right. The tension in the man’s posture was a clear sign of distress. Rex watched as the man who resembled Whit disappeared out of sight, then spurred his own horse down toward Baxter’s house.

He stopped his horse next to Peter. “Have you seen Tillie?”

Peter stopped swinging the axe for a moment. “She was here earlier, but she left.”

“Do you know how long ago that was?”

“Nope.” Peter lifted the axe above his head. “You better move back.”

Rex felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He spotted Petunia by the barn, her tiny figure hunched over a horse’s hoof. She didn’t look up as he approached, too engrossed in her work.

“Petunia,” he called, dismounting with a thud, “have you seen Tillie?”

Petunia glanced up at him through the fringes of her shaggy blonde hair. “I’m not talking to you.” With a pop, a stone broke free and flew through the air. “All better, Dusty.” She patted the side of the animal and put the pick in a bucket with other tools.

“Petunia, please.”

Petunia stood, dusting off her hands onto her buckskin trousers. She arched an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “Fine,” she sighed, “she ran off several hours ago. Straight into the woods.”

Rex felt his heart drop into his gut, a sick feeling creeping up his throat. He knew he had to find her, and fast.

“Thank you,” he said, turning his horse back towards the woods.

“Wait, and I’ll come with you.”

“You don’t have to.”

Petunia frowned. “I know I don’t. But you need a tracker.”

With a swift flick of her wrist, she threw a warm, woolen blanket over the back of Dusty. Clutching his mane tightly, she swung herself onto his back and they took off towards the thick canopy of trees in the distance. Hooves thudded against the ground as they galloped through the open field, mud kicking up behind them.

Once they entered the wood line, they slowed to a stop.

“Tillie!” Rex called.

Petunia chimed in. “Tillie! Where are you?”

He knew these woods like the back of his hand, but they seemed so much more daunting now.

“Found something.” Petunia pointed to a broken shard of fabric caught on a low branch. “Look here. Could be hers,” she muttered, her voice low and steady. Rex nodded, hardly daring to breathe as he reached out to grasp it. It was a piece of Tillie’s faded blue calico dress.

He clutched it tight in his fist, heart pounding in his chest as they moved forward.

“Matilda!”

A low groaning noise echoed from somewhere around them. Rex’s heart pounded in his chest, the blood roaring in his ears. He hopped off his horse. “Tillie!” he called out again. He ignored the branches whipping against his face and arms as he pushed forward.

“Rex? I’m down here.”

Rex leaned over the side of the creek bed, and Tillie was laying in the mud. Her dress had torn and become dirty, while smears of dirt and blood made her face pale. His heart constricted as he slid down the embankment towards her.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Tillie lifted her head and attempted to push herself up. “I’ve been better.”

“What are you doing down there?” Petunia called, leaning over the ledge.

“I thought the water looked so refreshing. I’d just come down here for a swim.”

“In winter?”

Rex shook his head. “Petunia, grab the rope from my saddle.” When she disappeared, he turned back to Tillie. “I was worried sick.”

“I’m alright. I just stepped wrong.”

“How did that happen?”

“I thought I saw someone, but it turned out to be a rabbit. When I stepped backwards, I lost my footing. And then I couldn’t get back up.”

“Let me help you, sweetheart. Put your arms around my neck.”

“I’ll get you all muddy.”

“It’s okay. I’m due for a bath this week,” he chuckled.

Tillie reached up to brush the hair out of her face, but her fingers got stuck in a clump of mud. She groaned and shook her hand, flinging little blobs of wet earth across Rex’s coat. “I must look a fright.”

“You still look beautiful.”

Tillie looked up at him, her green eyes opening wide. He cupped her face in his hands and used his thumbs to brush away the dirt that clung to her cheeks. “I’d kiss you if we...”

“Here ya go, Rex!” Petunia tossed down a rope, hitting Rex on the back.

Tillie let out a light laugh. Rex hesitantly let go of Tillie and grabbed the rope, securing it around his waist.

“Tie the other end to the saddle horn,” he called to Petunia.

He shifted his weight to the back of his heels and reached for Tillie’s hand, guiding it to rest around his neck. Carefully, he slid his arm under her knees and hoisted her up against his chest. He stood in one motion, gently rocking Tillie in his arms.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Just my pride. Nothing’s bruised.”

Soon the slack on the rope tightened as the horse moved forward and Rex allowed the rope to guide his climb upwards. The horse’s hooves scrabbled for purchase as they made their way up the steep embankment. Rex dug his heels into the wet earth, feeling it give way beneath him, but he held on tight to the precious cargo in his arms.

Once he could see the top of the embankment, he put Tillie down and scrambled up next to her.

“That certainly was something,” Petunia said.

Rex’s eyes narrowed with concern as he studied Tillie’s flushed face. “I think we should get you to the doctor.”

Tillie rolled over and pushed herself to a standing position. She took one step and then danced on her toes. “Really, I’m fine,” she protested weakly. “It is nothing more than a sprain.”

Rex whistled for his horse, who trotted over. Lifting Tillie in his arms, he carefully settled her on the saddle. “Sprain or no, you should rest.” Tillie opened her mouth, likely to protest, but Rex cut her off. “No arguments, Tillie.”

He untied the rope from around his waist and unhooked it from the saddle horn. As he coiled the rope, he noticed Petunia move to the other side of the horse to say something to Tillie.

Tillie nodded and wiped a tear from her eye.

“What’s this about?” Rex asked as he draped the coiled rope back around the saddle horn.

“I guess I hurt more than I thought,” Tillie said. “I’m ready to go home now.”

“I’ll let Annamae and Sawyer know you are taking her to town to see Doc.”

“Thank you, Pet,” Rex said. “I owe you one.”

“Yes, thank you,” Tillie mumbled.

“You don’t owe me anything.” Petunia watched them for a moment, hands on her hips, before she grumbled under her breath and turned away. She moved to her own horse, throwing one last concerned glance at Tillie before she kicked her horse into motion.

Rex swung up behind her, wrapping one arm securely around her waist. “Are you comfortable?”

“As comfortable as I can be,” Tillie replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

With a deep breath, Rex spurred his horse gently, and they began trotting along the muddy path leading out of the woods. Tillie stiffened in his arms, her body pressing closer into him as she attempted to find some warmth.

“You can relax,” Rex murmured, his breath caressing her ear.

“I don’t want to get you muddy.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against him. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her neck as he whispered in her ear. “Trust me,” he said, as she leaned her head back onto his shoulder. “I can deal with a little mud.”

They continued in silence; the horse going across the meadow towards town at an easy gait. The scent of wet earth and decomposing leaves filled their nostrils, mingling with the musky scent of his horse. Rex finally felt Tillie relax against him, her body leaning back into his chest.

“Rex?” she whispered after a while.

“Hmm?”

“There’s something I need to tell you,” she began hesitantly.

“What is it, sweetheart?” His voice was soft, encouraging her to continue.

“George... he...” She choked on the words. “I’m sorry, Rex.”

“Whatever it is, we’ll work through it together,” Rex promised, his voice filled with conviction. “You can trust me.”

“Can you promise me you won’t hate me?” Tillie asked, her voice barely audible.

“Of course, I promise,” Rex replied, his grip tightening around her. “I could never hate you.”

Tillie took a deep breath, trying to gather the courage to continue, but the weight of her secret seemed too heavy to bear. “Maybe... maybe I should wait,” she finally whispered, her resolve crumbling. “I’m just feeling so overwhelmed right now.”

“Alright,” Rex agreed gently, sensing her struggle. “We can talk when you’re ready. Just know that I’ll be here for you, Tillie, no matter what.”

As they continued their ride to town, he watched as Tillie nervously fidgeted with her fingers. He couldn’t help but wonder what was weighing on her mind, what secrets she was struggling to keep hidden. Would he be able to protect her once the truth came out? The questions swirled through his head as they approached the outskirts of town.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive in front of Doc’s office. Rex helped her down from the horse, his powerful hands steadying her as she stepped onto the wooden sidewalk. For a moment, they stood there, their eyes locked, and Rex wished he could pour out his heart to her right then and there.

“Stay with me,” she pleaded. As he looked into her green eyes, he would have given her anything at that moment.

“I’ll take you inside, but I can’t stay.”

“Why not?” She started chewing on her bottom lip.

Rex pulled it from between her teeth with the pad of his thumb. “It would be improper. I’ll be right across the street in the mercantile. See that window?”

Tillie looked at the large display window in front of the mercantile.

She gave a brief nod. “Yes.”

“I’ll be standing right there, and I’ll be able to see you come out. As soon as I do, I’ll be right over here to get you. Understand? I’m not going anywhere. I’ll just go pick up a few things and I’ll be right back.”

Tillie nodded, and Rex cupped her head in his hands.

“Thank you for bringing me here, Rex,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

“Of course,” he replied, his gaze never leaving hers. “I’ll be right here for you when you’re done.”

He leaned down, brushing his lips gently against hers in a tender kiss. He could feel the fluttering tension in her, like a flock of birds taking flight. His warmth seemed to wrap around her as she closed her eyes, drinking in the fleeting moment of connection before he reluctantly withdrew.

“Go on,” he urged with a gentle smile. “I’ll be here.”

He stood outside the doctor’s office and watched her walk in; her steps were determined and focused. Once she disappeared behind the doors, he jogged across the street to the mercantile, his heart racing with anxious thoughts.