"Dad, I'm going for a ride," Becky announced.
"How nice, but why are you telling me? You normally just go."
"I'm telling you because I'm not taking those two apes you call guards along with me. If I meet anyone with those two along they're as likely to just shoot whoever I come across, as not."
"They're not that bad, Becky."
"Actually, they're probably worse. They're probably on their best behaviour when I'm around which doesn't say much for their normal behaviour. I'm not having them along anymore."
"Well, I suppose you should be safe enough as long as you just stay on the ranch. The last of those nesters packed up and went last week and we haven't had any trouble since. Still, I suggest you stay to the west of here. The crew are out easterly way, preparing for the round up."
Having got her father's permission Becky didn't linger, just in case he changed his mind and sent those two goons to follow her. She saddled the new mare and departed, kicking it into a canter to allow the horse to works some kinks out. The exercise also allowed her to work out a few kinks.
Mindful of her father's strictures Becky headed west. There was some nice scenery out that way plus a couple of places where she could let Star go for a decent run. She was interested in putting the horse through its paces and seeing exactly what it could do.
After a pleasant couple of hours riding Becky stopped by the river and had something to eat, happy that she'd remembered to bring something with her. It would have been a pain having to ride back just to get some lunch.
Becky had finished eating and was sitting back watching the river when she heard Star whinny. Alerted by the noise she decided that perhaps she would head homeward. If Star was calling to another horse, well, it had to be a stranger if the crew was over to the east. Better to be safe, she decided.
Mounting quickly Becky started towards the ranch headquarters. She wasn't in a rush, as she didn't really expect any strangers to be about, but just headed off at a comfortable walk. There was a good point and a bad point to that ambling walk, she found. It meant that when she fell off the horse she was moving slowly and landed reasonably easily. It also meant that she'd been an easy target for the lariat that had sailed out of the bushes and caught her.
Becky tried to get to her feet but a steady pull on the lasso kept her on the ground until her captor arrived. She'd always been quite impressed with the way some of the hands could whip out a couple of piggin strings and tie a calf's feet together. She was decidedly less impressed to find the same skills used on her just as quickly and just as effectively.
"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" she demanded. "You let me go immediately. My father and his men will kill you for this."
"Only if they find out and even then only if they catch me," she was told.
She looked around for Star and was relieved to see her trotting away.
"Ha! As soon as Star returns home without me they'll be looking," she snapped.
The stranger winked at her and let out a piercing whistle. To her great indignation Star turned and came back to them. She actually galloped up to them and was happily nosing the stranger, who was patting her. He flicked Star's reins over her head so they dangled in front of her.
"She's well trained," he said affably. "She'll stay ground hitched until I've finished."
"How do you know Star?" Becky demanded.
"She's mine," came the response. "I helped birth her and have owned her ever since. The fact that your father stole her doesn't make her his."
"My father did not steal that horse. He's got a bill of sale for it. He showed me."
"Signed with an X, I believe. Strange, seeing that I am completely literate and I can read and write as well as the next man. Assuming, of course, that the next man can read and write."
"So you're saying my father bought the horse from whoever stole it?"
"No. I'm saying that his boys held me at gunpoint, burnt out my house and barn, demolished my corral, rustled the few cattle that I did have, and took my horse. They demanded that I sign the paper so I did. With an X. It won't hold up in court. Your father may not realise it but he's committed some federal offences. He may own the local law but he doesn't own the Marshall's office. I've already sworn out an official complaint and I have the evidence to back me up."
"You're one of those nesters that were on our land," Becky accused.
"Jon Adams is the name and I wasn't a nester on your land. I was a settler on government land and I proved up on it and have legal title. I suspect that that is more than your father can say for any of the land he claims. Even if I was a nester, that didn't give him the right to steal my stock or burn my property."
Becky gave him a very nasty look.
"I suppose you're here to steal my horse," she said, anger throbbing in her voice. She really liked Star.
"My horse," Jon gently reminded her. "That was my intention. How old are you."
"What difference does that make?"
"It makes a difference to me. Answer the question. You're not exactly in a position to refuse."
"I'm eighteen. Nearly nineteen."
"There, you see. A civil answer and all sorts of good things may come your way. I'm going to let you keep Star. That's her name by the way. On account of that mark on her forehead."
"I called her the same thing," said Becky warily. "You're really going to let me keep her."
"I'll even write out a proper bill of sale for you," Jon said airily. "There's just one tiny catch."
"And that is?"
"I'm going to fuck you first. We'll consider it payment in kind."
"You're out of your tiny mind," said Becky, aghast.
"Not really. It's quite fitting, really. Your father screwed me good and proper. Now I get to screw him in proxy."
"You'll never get away with it."
"Mm? You're going to let everyone know that you had sex?"
Becky cringed mentally. If some of those animals who worked for her father suspected she wasn't a virgin they'd hunt her. They wouldn't be too careful about asking, either. Especially those two supposed guards. She glared at Jon mutely, not knowing what to say.
What she finally wound up saying was, "What are you doing?"
"Taking your clothes off," Jon replied, busy undoing buttons. "You do realise that I need you naked?"
"But, but you can't take my clothes off."
"Why not? It will make it a lot easier for me to play with you when you're naked. You'll find it's quite normal to be naked in these situations. If it's any consolation to you I'll be naked as well."
"I don't want you naked, either," she protested. "Are you listening to me?"
"Well, yes and no. I hear what you're saying but it doesn't make any difference to what I want so I'm ignoring it. If it makes you any happier I'm about to untie your hands."