The Long Trail (The McCabes Book 1) by Brad Dennison (microsoft ebook reader .TXT) 📗

from you all. I rode in here wanting to be a part of all this, thinking the blood and the name made me one of you. But I’ve realized I can never quite be a part of the family, not the way you are. You were born and raised a McCabe.”

“I guess you haven’t quite learned yet what a family is, have you?”

Now it was time for Dusty to knit his brow out of puzzlement.

“A family isn’t built by time, Dusty. It’s built by love, alone. Good, honest, unconditional love. You’re my brother. Unconditionally. And nothing is ever going to change that. You fought alongside me, helping us defend our home. You rode with me to go after the men who attacked it and almost killed Pa, and you risked your life so I could escape. That sounds like unconditional love to me.

“Let us give some of that back to you. At least, once you’re finished in Oregon, come back and give yourself a little more time to find out what a family is really all about. You belong here, not anywhere else.”

Dusty nodded, and took a plug of coffee. “Thanks, Josh. I’ll think about that.”

A voice spoke from the doorway to the parlor. A man’s voice. “You got about six more weeks to think about it.”

Pa was standing there, standing strong. Four weeks had already passed since he had been shot, and though he wasn’t quite strong enough yet to sit in the saddle, you wouldn’t find a sign of weakness in his step. The gauntness and the grayness his face had taken on during those first few days, when he had been so near death, were now gone like they had never been there. His hair was pulled back into a tail, he was freshly shaven, and he wore a range shirt and jeans. Buckled about his hips were his ever-present guns.

He said, “I figure I have about six more weeks before I can spend a full day in the saddle without falling over. Then, if you want, you can head off to Oregon. And I’ll probably send Josh with you, because that’s a lot of country for a man to be covering alone.”

“I’ve ridden over longer distances than that alone.”

“Yeah, but you’re not alone anymore. You’re part of a family, Dusty. This family. And I hope you come back here to us when you’re done in Oregon.”

“You’ll have to come back,” Josh said, looking at his brother. “I’ll be with you, and I’ll drag you back.”

That got a smile and a chuckle from Dusty and Pa.

Josh drained his remaining coffee with one gulp and said, “Let’s get moving. We’ve got a big day ahead of us.”

Josh was out the door, and Dusty a few steps behind, taking his last mouthful of coffee and setting his cup on the counter, when Johnny said, “Dusty?”

Dusty stopped and looked back. “Yeah, Pa?”

“There’s something I’ve got to say.” Johnny approached his son, and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I want you to know, if I had known about you, I would have come back for you.”

“I know that, Pa.”

“But I never actually said it. Some things have to be said. You’re my son. You’re as much mine as Josh and Bree and Jack. And I love you just as much. I do hope you come back here when you’re done in Oregon, son. This place will always be your home.”

“Thanks, Pa. You’ll never know how much being a part of all this means to me.”

Johnny nodded, one corner of his mouth twitching into a half-smile. “Yeah, I think I do, because I know how much it means to me. Now, you’d better get going before Josh starts bellowing for you and wakes half the countryside.”

Dusty grinned, and turned and headed out into the ranch yard.

Johnny turned toward the coffee pot, intending to fill himself a cup and then head out onto the front porch to watch morning take the land, when he saw Ginny standing in the parlor doorway, her face glowing with a smile, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“What are you looking at?” Johnny asked, as he reached into a cupboard for a coffee mug, knowing fully well what she was looking at. She had apparently been standing in the doorway, eavesdropping on his conversation with Dusty. He braced himself for one of her barbs, such as an I-told-you-so, regarding Johnny’s acceptance of Dusty as his son. But she surprised him.

“Nothing, John,” she said. “It’s already turning out to be a beautiful day, that’s all.”

*

Fred had left fresh mounts for Josh and Dusty. They were tethered to the corral fence. Josh took the rein in one hand and was about to step into the saddle, but then he glanced toward the house, and saw Temperence at the front porch.

He and Dusty had been rounding up strays. They had brought five hundred head into the valley, to graze on the lush, green grass growing at the valley floor. Then, a couple nights ago, a thunderstorm had sent them scattering. They had been working sun-up to sundown for the past couple of days at this. However, they were close enough to the house to allow them to return for lunch.

Aunt Ginny’s sandwiches and a cup of hot coffee sure beat chewing on jerky and drinking warm water from your canteen. And, Temperence was at the house. Josh found himself taking any opportunity to see her, even if was simply to sit with her and the family at the table. He found she was occupying his thoughts much of the time.

Dusty had swung into the saddle. He and Josh were about to return to rounding up strays. But Josh wasn’t getting into the saddle. Dusty saw him looking toward the house, and followed his gaze.

Dusty couldn’t help but grin. He said, “I’ll ride on ahead.”

Josh gave the rein a couple turns around the top rail of the corral, and then walked toward the front porch. He was covered