Claps, cheers, and relief ensued as Goodnight slapped his own saddle on the horse. Gary held the halter tight while Goodnight tugged on thick leather gloves.
The blue ignited as the man sank onto its back. Gary jumped clear as the stallion pitched and bucked. Pebbles and dirt flew. The saddle skirts flapped as Goodnight dug his boots deep into the stirrups. The blue jerked its chin up and reared, front legs pawing air. Goodnight flopped like a ragdoll atop the bucking, contorting mass of horse flesh. Would the man or the horse win? Up and down the length of the corral, the pair fought.
Men cheered.
“C’mon. C’mon, you can do it.” Charlie pumped his fist against the worn wood.
Suddenly, the horse leveled. Was he beaten? The animal snorted, then blew a gust that echoed around the corral. Quicker than a snap, the horse took off at full gallop, charging for the side of the corral. A communal gasp went up as the blue’s four hooves left the ground in a leap that carried both rider and animal over the railing. The animal struck ground and darted across the field away from the trees with Goodnight still in the saddle.
“He’s headed for the creek bluff,” Harry called out.
This could be serious. Ben started at a jog and picked up speed, Cora and Charlie right behind him. The whole crowd flocked after the runaway.
Horse and rider dove between a couple of hackberry trees. The branches barely missed the man. The blue’s hooves sprang into the air, and both rider and animal disappeared over the side of the bluff.
A rumble and a neigh echoed up.
Ben reached the edge first. Four or five men ran up alongside of him. Cora bumped into his back.
“He did it,” the cowhand congregation hollered.
Charlie skidded to a stop and whooped. “He’s still on.”
Mud encased the animal’s legs all of the way to the saddle skirts, but Goodnight sat astride, bent over, hands on his thighs and boots scuffing against the brown ooze.
Goodnight swiped his arm across his forehead and waved.
At Ben’s side, Cora gaped. “Amazing. Did you see that?” She turned to Ben. “He held on. Through it all. My goodness.” Her eyes lit up like fireworks.
Ben snorted. Next thing he knew, she’d be asking for a formal introduction to the man. “It’s not that special.” He kept his voice low.
“Not special?” She nudged his arm. “He rode him off the cliff?—”
“Maybe a smarter man would have let go.”
“Maybe you just don’t know…”
Her words faltered as his glower deepened.
He smacked his gloves against his trouser legs and stomped away from the crowd. He’d had enough of the scene.
“Where are you going?” Cora trailed after him. “We need to talk to him?—”
“I will. After everyone gets done slapping him on the back.” He lengthened his stride. Hopefully, she wouldn’t catch up.
Across the field and past the outbuildings, he walked. He’d check on their horses they’d tethered next to a fence on the other side of the main house.
At the stone well, he filled a bucket and wiped the back of his neck with his neckerchief. His stomach burned as if someone had prodded him with a branding iron. It acted up every time his temper flared nowadays. The anger, the pain, the continued weakness. All of it indelible scars scratched in him, body and soul, by Andersonville. Or was it from the medicine? Laudanum. The quinine LeBeau had given him helped alleviate the worst of his ailments, but it was nothing compared to laudanum. He could almost taste the brown liquid even now. He shook himself and picked up the bucket, sloshing a bit on his trouser legs as he quickstepped to the horses. As if he could outrun the hunger.
CHAPTER 17
Twenty minutes later, he stood by the gate, half listening to Charlie tell about how they’d dug the blue out of the muddy creek bottom. The boy’s words flittered past Ben’s ears. Instead, his gaze locked onto Cora sashaying back through the tall grass with a cowhand on either side. At least she clasped her hands in front of her instead of hanging on one of their arms.
Stupid of him to let his temper get the better of him and leave her alone like that.
Surrounded by others and bespeckled with dirt, Goodnight led the blue into the yard, his gaze traveling Cora’s way more than once. The man obviously spent too much time on the trail and not in town, where womenfolk could be found.
Ben strode over to Cora, tipped his slouch hat to the men, and placed her hand on the crook of his arm.
