AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You may be the head over this house, but I ain’t never let a man boss me around or tell me what to do and I ain’t aimin’ to start now.”
He had only himself to blame for not going to Kentucky and meeting Selina before getting married. Now he was stuck with the consequences of a headstrong woman. If he wasn’t so frustrated over the whole mess, he would laugh. She couldn’t be more than five-foot-three inches tall, yet here she stood, mere inches from him, glaring up at him and daring him to refute her.
And refute her he would. “That cat better be out of here by the time I get home, or I’ll put her out myself.” He whirled, changed his torn, bloody shirt, then stormed out of the house.
Chapter Five
The next morning, Michael was already gone when Selina woke up. The cookie jar sat on the table along with an empty milk glass. Selina wondered why he didn’t wait for her. Surely he wasn’t still upset with her. Yesterday, whenever the cat had woken from her nap and wanted outside, Selina had obliged her. So the animal wasn’t in the house when Michael got home. Maybe she’d gotten up too late. She walked to the window and peeked outside. The sun wasn’t even up yet and neither were the roosters, it was so early.
It bugged her that he hadn’t woken her up to fix him some breakfast. Maybe with his arm hurt he wanted to get an early start, knowing it would take longer. Who knew. Either way, Selina wanted to help her husband with whatever chores needed to be done.
She grabbed a biscuit and gulped it down before heading out to the barn. Inside the barn, she found a lantern and lit it. Once the horses were fed and watered, the barn was mucked clean and the lantern was snuffed, she stepped outside just in time to watch the sunrise.
A long yellow streak outlined in orange rose above the mountain. Shadowed puffs of clouds dotted the blue sky. “Mighty fine job Ya done there, Lord. Sure is purty.” She watched it for a few more minutes, then turned toward the outbuildings in search of Michael.
Little things around her snagged her attention, though, and she forgot all about looking for Michael. God’s creation was something to behold. She wandered around the ranch yard, stopping often to enjoy the good Lord’s many pleasures. Like the smell of sweet apples filling the fresh air. Dew drops sparkling on the leaves of bushes, birds singing their morning song, squirrels chattering, probably telling something or someone that they were in their territory or taking their food. Yellow, fluffy baby chicks peeped, and chickens pecked away at the feed she’d just tossed them.
Time passed until she realized the sun had fully risen and had driven the morning chill from her body.
Standing near the woodshed, she turned when she heard footsteps brushing the grasses.
Leah came bustling toward her. “Hi, Selina. I’ve been looking all over for you. Michael asked me to take you into town to buy some material and some new boots. It sounds like so much fun, and I’m looking so forward to getting to know you better,” the young woman said excitedly.
Selina looked down where Leah had linked arms with her as if they were old friends. To her delight, so far, everyone here was friendly. Made her feel welcome. She smiled at the pretty young lady whose blond hair shone like a halo. Field flowers surrounded the air about her. “You sure smell nice.”
“Thank you.” Leah smiled.
“Where is Michael anyways?” She allowed Leah to lead her toward the barn. Leah’s skirt swished as she walked.
“He’s out doctoring and checking the cows.”
“Maybe I should go help him. Can you show me what direction he went?”
Leah’s voice and face fell. “He went up north. I could show you, but I was so looking forward to taking you shopping.”
Selina could tell how much it meant to her, and she didn’t want to disappoint Leah. “I can help him another day.”
“Are you sure?” Her face lit up.
“I’m sure.” Selina wanted to earn her keep, but Michael had asked his sister, her sister now, too, to take her, so she reckoned it was okay.
“Oh, goody. Let’s go, then. I have the buggy all hitched and ready.”
Leah led Selina to a fancy buggy with a half top. A black horse with a spotted rump was hitched to it. “That’s a right purty horse. Ain’t never seen horses like the ones y’all have before.”
“They’re palouse ponies. They are beautiful, aren’t they?”
“Sure are.”
They climbed into the buggy. Leah picked up the reins and gave the horse a light slap on the rump. “Giddyup, Lambie.”
Lambie? As in lamb, the animal? That was a mighty strange name for a horse.
