A Father's Wrath

Lydia gave her friend a withering look. "We're just takin' a break, do you mind?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, I don't mind. I just have something for Ike anyway."

For Ike? Lydia raised her eyebrows but said nothing. She covertly watched her old friend as Ike stood and they walked a few feet away. Simon whispered something to Ike, and he replied by signing rapidly. From the angle where she was sitting, Lydia couldn't make out that it was. Apparently, Simon had difficulty making it out as well, because Ike turned and motioned to Buck to join them. She frowned when Buck did so, as Ike then turned his back towards her, so she couldn't read what he was saying at all. And as both Simon and Buck kept their voices low... she had no idea what was going on.

As soon as Simon and Ike had moved away from the others, Simon pulled a little package from his pocket and handed it to Ike. It was a jewellery pouch. Ike opened it and let the contents fall into his hand. There, nestled in his palm, was a beautiful gold locket, oval-shaped, with engraved swirls on the front.

"I hope that was the one you wanted," Simon said.

Ike nodded. It was. Ike had been admiring that locket in the general store, wanting to buy it for Lydia. But Bent's Fort was an small town, and everyone would have thought it strange that a mute hired hand would buy a gold locket... and wonder who he bought it for. He couldn't take the risk of Gavin Mitchell even suspecting there was something going on between him and his daughter. Simon knew this and volunteered to buy the locket for him, adding a little surprise.

"Open it," Simon urged.

Puzzled, Ike did so. Inside, he found that Simon had put in a little picture of him. He glanced up at Simon and started signing rapidly—too rapidly for Simon to be able to translate. At the look of confusion of Simon's face, Ike turned to Buck and made a quick sign for him to join them, carefully turning his back toward Lydia as Buck stood. He did not want to be rude, but the locket was supposed to be a surprise which he did not want to spoil.

"What is it?" Buck asked.

Ike shushed him, nodding toward Lydia, then showed him the open locket and started signing.

Buck smiled. "He wants to know where the picture came from and why it's there?"

"Remember when I was takin' those photographs for that competition a while back?" Ike nodded and motioned for Simon to continue. "Well, a few of those picture didn't turn out properly and I was ready to throw them out. When Ike said that he wanted to buy this locket for Lydia, but didn't want the town talkin', I said I'd get it for him. I remembered that one of the pictures had a fairly clear shot of Ike's head, but not much else, so I cut it out and put it in the locket. Lydia once said she thought it was romantic." Simon chuckled. "Of course, she was only about thirteen years old at the time."

Ike stared at the locket thoughtfully for a moment, not 'saying' anything; and Simon was becoming increasingly nervous. Perhaps he had erred in putting the picture in the locket. "So, what do you think?" he asked finally.

A slow smile spread across Ike handsome features. <<I like it>> he signed. <<I think it's sweet>>

Buck turned to Simon to translate, but he held up a hand. "I got the gist of it," he said, "but if you guys don't finish the brandin', you'll be fired, and Lydia won't even get the locket."

"You're right," Buck agreed reluctantly as Ike put the locket back in its pouch and put the pouch in his pocket. "Hey, Lydia," he called. "Time to get back to work."

Lydia groaned and stood stretching, then made her way over to them "What were you guys talkin' about?" she asked casually.

<<Nothing much>> Ike signed. <<Just how to take care of nosy girlfriends>>.

"Oh, you," Lydia swatted him on the arm as Buck started laughing. "Come on, let's get back to work before Papa comes."

Gavin Mitchell went on his picnic with Wendy—and stayed longer than he liked. He had meant to go back and spy on his daughter working with those ranch hands; but somehow, as usual, he lost track of the time when he was with his new wife. Sighing, he gently disintangled himself from her arms and straightened his clothes.

"Where are you goin'?" Wendy asked sleepily.

"It's gettin' dark and I wanted to watch Lydia workin' with that damned half-breed and his friend. Remember, you suggested I keep a close eye on her."

Wendy sat up, her displeasure at Gavin moving replaced by secret joy at the thought of Lydia being caught in the act and brought down a peg or two by her father. She always thought that Lydia was too spoiled, and that Gavin let her get away with entirely too much—like mixing with the hired hands for example. If Wendy had had her way, Lydia would have been sent to a certain Ladies College in Baltimore months ago. But that was the one thing Gavin refused to do for his wife, send his precious daughter away.

Some day, Wendy vowed to herself. Some day I'll get my way, and she'll be gone. If I'm lucky, maybe Gavin will catch her out with those ranch hands, and that day'll come sooner then I thought. Then I'll have Gavin and his little empire all to myself.

Simon and Buck stood outside the barn, talking; unaware that they were being watched from afar by Gavin Mitchell. Occasionally, Buck felt the sensation of being watched, but he could see nothing unusual when he looked around. They were standing there for a reason. Ike and Lydia were in the barn, spending some time alone before they had to part for the night. Also, Ike wanted to give Lydia the locket before anybody found him with it. So Simon and Buck were outside giving them privacy—also to serve as look-outs in case anyone came along.

Inside the barn, Ike and Lydia were brushing down their horses. It had been a long day, and they were glad for the silence and privacy. Finishing before she had, Ike went over to Lydia and helped her; which actually turned out to be more of a hinderence, as they were a little more interested in each other than Lydia's mare.

Ike took Lydia by the hand and gently led her to a pile of hay and sat her down, kissing the top of her head. "What is it, Ike?" she asked.

<<I have something for you,>> Ike signed, reaching into his pocket.

"What?"

<<This>>, He pulled out the jewellery pouch and handed it to her.

Curious, she opened it; gasping when the gold locket fell out into her palm. "Oh, Ike."

<<Open it>> Ike signed when she looked up at him. Tears welled in Lydia's eyes when she saw the picture. <<Like it?>> Ike asked.

"I love it," she said, flinging herself into Ike's arms and kissing him fully on the lips. Ike caught her with ease, and returned her kiss with a passion and urgency that he had never shown before. At first, Lydia was a bit frightened. Ike's kisses had always been gentle. But she soon gave herself up to the tide of emotions that Ike was producing inside her. "And I love you," she said when they broke for air.