The Wicked Redhead (Part 2)

***

After breakfast and clean-up, I stayed in the house acting as prim and proper as expected.

That evening, Dad came back in the house. “That horrible mare has been in her stall for 2 days now! No one can move her! We need to clean that stall! My ranch hands are all afraid of her, and I can’t say as I blame them one bit!”

I stood in front of my father and looked at him directly. “I can.”

“No, Young Lady, you cannot!”

“You know I can. You’ve seen me,” I said calmly.

“I know you can go to your room.” He pointed firmly toward the stairs. “That’s what I want to see. Now march!”

I turned and walked up the stairs to my bedroom, closing the door quietly behind me. I wasn’t even called for dinner. I sat on my bed reading a book and waited for the house to go dark and quiet.

***

I glanced at the red numbers on my clock – we kids weren’t allowed cellphones. Only Dad had one “for emergencies,” he claimed. I only had this digital clock to tell time by. It was pretty late. By now, everyone should be sound asleep.

I had pulled my auburn hair back into a ponytail again and slipped on my favorite pair of worn jeans.

Stocking-footed, I crept down the stairs and filled my bag with several apples and carrots and added a couple bottles of water. I also grabbed a couple of home-baked cookies to munch on the way to the barn.

I pulled in my boots just before exiting the front door.

Again, I hurried off under cover of dark. The mare softly nickered as I entered the barn and approached the stall. I grabbed an apple from my bag for her. Then I entered the stall, haltered her gently and gave her a few light rubs. I led her easily from the stall and out the front door of the barn.

As we stood together outside, under the moonlight, I rubbed her muzzle and spoke softly. “Okay, Girl. I’m gonna get you outta this place – this mess – but I need you to let me ride. Are you going to be okay with that?”

She looked at me and blew air gently through her nostrils.”

“Okay, Belle. Here we go!” I swiftly swung myself onto her back and we took off toward the back acreage. We had many miles to ride and keep hidden. I planned for only a day to prove our point.

The tracks we left leaving the barn never crossed my mind, either.

We covered several miles, guided only by the moon and stars. Belle never took a hesitant step beneath me.

***

In the morning, the family called for Devyn to come down to help with breakfast. When she didn’t show, Mama sent the sister up to check on her.

Rose came pouncing back down the stairs when she opened the door to an empty room.

” She’s not in her room!” Rose reported snidely.

“She better not be in the barn again!” Dad stated as he wrenched on his boots. He stormed out of the house to check the barn.

Shortly, he returned. While he slammed the screen door open and closed, he hollered. “The mare is gone, too! Both Devyn and that crazy, red mare are gone!”

***

As daylight approached, Belle and I made it to the perimeter of the ranch property. I decided that’s what we would follow. Taking it at an easy walk and with a couple of breaks, we would make it back to the farm by late afternoon.

***

Dad had given the ranch hands the weekend off a day early to celebrate the holiday. He was on his own. After a quick bite, he went down to the barn and saddled his own horse to ride out and take a look for Devyn and the mare. He could easily see where they had both gone.

***

Belle was probably getting a bit tired and hungry. I knew I was! My stomach growled when we came upon a nice patch of grass where Belle could graze. I hopped down, leaving the mare to graze, and grabbed an apple for myself out of my bag to eat, as well as a strip of jerky I found still hiding in my pack from an earlier summer trail ride.

I finished my snack with a few gulps of water, then hopped back on Belle to continue our quest.

We trekked on for about another hour when I heard the sound of hoofbeats in the distance. Belle stopped then and gave a whinny.

Before long, I saw it was my dad. This was not the plan. And how did he find us so quick?

I urged Belle forward into a gallop. Her earlier days of training and racing on the track showed! She launched into a gear I didn’t know was there – she was so fast! Her only focus seemed to be staying far and ahead of the horse behind.

I grabbed a hunk of mane and leaned in for the ride, my ponytail streaming in the wind, matching her own red tail.

After about a half mile sprint, Belle began to pull up a little and it occurred to me suddenly that we couldn’t keep running forever.

I sat back up and slowed the mare to a stop, turning the mare around to face my dad coming upon us at an easy jog.

“I’m sorry we ran,” I said when he got close.

“Me too,” he muttered. “Man, that horse is fast!” He grinned and pulled something from his saddle bag. Handing it to me, he said, “I just wanted to give you this sandwich and make sure you were doin’ alright.”

My mouth agape with some confusion, I took the sandwich and stuttered, “Thanks. We’re fine.”

“Okay, then. Enjoy your ride. Seeya at dinner.” And he turned toward home, riding his horse again at an easy jog.

I sat atop Belle and watched him go. I opened and bit into the ham and cheese, finishing the lunch while I thought about what just happened. When I finished, I turned Belle back around and we continued our ride at a lazy walk, until I spotted another good patch of grass to give the horse a rest.

I slid off Belle’s back to let her graze. Sitting myself in a patch of shade, the end of Belle’s lead rope in hand, I took a drink of my water and thought about what to do next.

***