Bittersweet

“That’s right.”

While she poured the coffee, Matthew took two female mallards from the bag and laid them on the chopping block. “Karl said he was riding back out. He said, ‘Tell your mother I may be gone all night, I’ll be where I always am…and not to worry.’ Where’d he go, Momma? It’s almost nighttime.”

“Maybe he went to hunt some more. I expect that’s what he did. Maybe he saw a big old buck and didn’t want to lose its trail.”

“He hadn’t see Moss Face.”

Sarah set the coffee down on the table. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry.”

“I looked everywhere for him.”

Sarah brushed the dark hair from his face. “Come on, you can help me carry the coffee. Careful not to spill, it’s hot.” Beaner and Liam had come in from the stable and were warming themselves before the fire. David and Mac sat with their feet stretched to the blaze, David chatting amiably with the driver and the swamper, and Mac, a dreamy look in his dim eyes, a smile on his lips, looking every inch at home. Occasionally the old man dropped his arm down to rub Ma

“David, Mac, there’s a cup left,” Sarah said. “Can I heat either of you up?”

“No thanky, Sarah,” Mac replied. “I’m still nursing this one.”

“Better save it for your husband,” David added. “It’s colder than a witch’s…” Liam laughed and David winked at him. “…toe out there,” he finished.

“Karl’s gone out hunting a big buck,” Matthew volunteered.

“He has, has he?” David ruffled his nephew’s hair. “Don’t you think maybe it’s a little late for tracking? Be dark in less than an hour.”

“It’s true. Ask Momma.”

“Hush, honey,” Sarah said. “Why don’t you go see if Coby’s ready for supper?”

“Supper won’t be done for hours,” Matthew complained.

“Go on now, your coat’s in the hall.”

Reluctantly, Matthew left the fire and the dog and the strange old man and his new uncle.

David unfolded from his chair as the boy let himself out the front door. “I’ve been sitting for two days, one way and another. Guess I’ll stretch my legs while it’s still light out. Give your husband a hand with his horse. I haven’t seen Karl since that tinhorn shot his coyote dog.”

“David, Karl has gone out again. I don’t expect he’ll be back until late.” Sarah busied herself collecting the empty cups.

“That’s a hell of a note. A man’s got to take a day off once in a while. We aren’t going to starve.” David shrugged into a heavy leather coat lined with creamy fleece.

Sarah set the cups on a table. She put them down too hard, and a chip flew from the bottom of one. Her face was tight. “David, where are you going?”

“Going to fetch him home. Can’t have the wedding party without the groom.”

“He’s already gone. Long gone. I don’t know which way he went.”

“I’ll ask Coby. He was out messing around, he might’ve noticed. Coby, that’s his name, right? The blond kid?”

“Yes. Coby. Please don’t go, David. It’s so cold…”

He laughed. “You’re as bad as Mam ever was. You’re hanging on to a thirty-dollar coat. It kept some sheep warm over a west Texas winter, it’ll do me. Let me go, woman, or I’ll never catch him on foot.” His feigned roughness failed to bring a smile. “I’ll be back in half an hour, Sare, even if I don’t catch up with him,” he said more gently, and before she could say another word, he was out the door.

She ran and jerked it open. “David!” He turned and waved as he loped across the yard, his dog at his heels, toward the pump where Coby was finishing washing up. Slowly, Sarah closed the door and leaned her forehead against the frame.

“You okay, Sarah?” Liam called. “You want to sit a spell?”

She wiped her face and smiled weakly. “No thanks, Liam. I’d best get on with supper. It’s too late for duck, but I’ll rustle up something.”

“You want company, Sarah?” Mac’s gravel voice was as strong and sure as ever, and she smiled to hear it.

“I’d like that, Mac.” And she went to take his arm.

The sun had long since set, and the sky was patched with stars where the wind had torn through the clouds. Twice, Coby had offered to go look for Sarah’s brother, but she had insisted he stay by the fire.

At half past seven, Sarah served the di

At nine o’clock, Coby reached for his coat. “I’m going after him, Sarah. It’s been too long now.”

“No!” she snapped, and Coby looked at her sharply.

“What’s eating you, Sarah? If David’s hurt himself, your stewing won’t do him no good. Let me go after him, I ain’t afraid of the dark.”

“No,” she replied. “You are not to go after him, not if you want to work here. Take your coat off.”

“I’ll be going out to the tackroom,” he said stiffly, and left, slamming the door behind him.

It was after ten when Matthew was put to bed. Being up so late made him peevish, and he whined to be allowed to stay up another hour and sulked and fussed until he knocked over his washwater and broke the pitcher. Sarah spanked him and put him to bed with a dirty face.

David returned just before midnight. He let himself in the front door without his customary banging. One of his eyes was blacked-a purple, puffy mark the size of a thumbprint near the bridge of his nose. Ma

“What in hell happened to you?” Liam grunted.

David went to the bar, pulled an unopened bottle of rye whiskey from the shelf, and uncorked it. The glugging of the whiskey into the glass was loud in the quiet room. When the glass was full he turned and faced his sister. For a long minute he regarded her, his eyes unreadable, the line of his mouth hidden in the wild red beard. He jerked the glass high, slopping liquor over the floor. Sarah’s hands flew to her face like frightened birds, and her fingers pecked nervously at her lip.

“To the bride.” He sneered, threw back his head, drank the whiskey down, and hurled the glass the length of the long dining room. It sailed by Sarah’s cheek to break into fragments on the stone of the chimney.

David grabbed another glass, slopped it full, made the same toast, drank it off, and sent it smashing into the fire. The rye was making his eyes water and flooding his face with color.

“Just a damn minute,” Liam began as David reached for a third glass.

“Stay out of this,” David growled. “You stay the hell out of this.” He poured himself another, but turned his back on them and nursed it in silence.

“David…” Sarah took several tentative steps toward him.

“You stay the goddamn hell away from me!” he exploded. Sarah clamped her hand over her mouth and ran from the room. David tossed off the last of his drink and slammed his fist into the wall with a sudden violence.

“The son of a bitch, he is crazy,” Beaner whispered.

“Leave him be,” Mac said. “Davie’s a mean drunk if you bother him. Leave him be and he won’t hurt nobody. You go on now, turn in. I’ll stay with him.”