As if he’d never heard a woman laugh before.
“About the foreman?” she asked again, her eyes twinkling.
“He’s been busy at the river, fighting Sobel’s men to allow the cattle to drink.”
“Aw. That’s not nice. I’ve not liked this Sobel man since you—” She stopped before she could again say he’d written her. “Since I first heard of him. But you got everything sorted out, did you?”
“For now. But Sobel is determined to make me quit. He thinks he’ll succeed because, in his eyes, I’m nothing but a boy.”
“Just as I’m nothing but a girl, and yet, I’ve taken care of my grandmother and her house. She is failing. I hated to leave her,but she assured me she could manage with the help of a girl she hired. I nursed Callie as she lay dying. I will raise Poppy as my own daughter.” Her voice grew firmer with each word. “And I traveled west to get married.” The fire in her voice died, and she stared at her hands.
“I feel at a disadvantage. Someone has told you all about me and my situation, but today is the first I’ve heard of yours. You’ve had a lot to deal with.” Not unlike himself. He dismissed a tremor of connection before it could take up residence.
She lifted her head and gave him a look full of determination. “No more than have you.”
Their gazes fused as he recognized in her someone who’d been forced to grow up early and fast. Again, the thought… not unlike himself.
This time, he couldn’t as easily dismiss the notion. In that moment, he felt they shared something he’d been unable to share with anyone else. He couldn’t understand why it should be, but the idea calmed his soul and strengthened his spirit. Made him feel lighter.
“Did you get settled into a room upstairs?” His gaze sought the steps that rose to the second story.
“Kat helped me move into the next to the last.”
Zach had the first, Pa next to him, and then Kat.
“Kat helped you?” He couldn’t keep the disbelief from his voice. “Lately, she’s balked at helping do anything but eat.”
Amelia raised a hand. “I’m not about to claim she was overjoyed, but she helped. She and Poppy played together, and that helped as well.” A smile curved her lips as her gaze circled the room. “Your home is every bit as lovely as I expected. What I’ve seen of the countryside is peaceful. I can see why you called the mountains ‘guardians of the land.’”
“I said that?”
“Well, whoever wrote the letters and signed them Zach Taggerty did. I’m still having trouble thinking that person isn’t you.” She pressed her fingertips to her forehead. “Who would do such a thing and for what reason? It puts me in rather an awkward position, wouldn’t you say?”
Him too. He tried to think how to answer, but everything that came to mind sounded unkind. “Someone will want to marry you.”
“Of course they will. After all, I’m a hard worker. I made a decent meal, didn’t I? I tended the horses with Kat’s help, and I settled your pa. By the way, your pa thinks I’m here to help.”
“What does Kat think?” She could make life difficult for them all if she chose to.
“I think she was glad to have someone take charge of Gil and your pa and supper.” She gave him a look that made him blink. What had he done to earn a silent challenge? “I hope you don’t mind that I took over things.”
“You said you would, and I left you to do so.” He pushed back from the table. “I appreciate coming home to a hot meal. Thanks.”
He stood behind his chair. “But it doesn’t change anything. I don’t have time for courting or tending to a wife’s needs. Truth is, I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to save this ranch from ruin, and not just because I’m a kid, as Sobel never fails to remind me. Between the drought, the men—” He didn’t know what the author of those letters had told her about the men, but he didn’t intend to whine about it.
She rose and faced him, her hands clasped to the chair’s top rung. “What about the men? The letters mentioned they didn’t feel they should obey your orders, but I thought getting Morgan as the foreman had fixed that problem.” She waited a heartbeat. Two.
He didn’t answer, didn’t know how.
She pressed. “Did it not?”
“Not entirely.”
“How much did it not help? Are the men refusing to obey your orders?” Her eyes narrowed. “Are they in cahoots with Sobel? How much do you trust Morgan?”
They studied each other over the table that had been the site of many family meetings. Pa had included Ma in all the decisions. “It’s as much her life as mine,” he’d said. “Besides, she has some good ideas. You should listen to her as well.”
He didn’t expect any wise words from Amelia. After all, she was a newcomer. Nor did he expect an easy answer, but he sure didn’t mind sharing some of his worries, even if this woman waited for another man to write from the Dakotas and offer her marriage. “I have wondered if one or two aren’t working for Sobel, but I haven’t found any evidence to prove it. As to Morgan, I trust him completely, but he has his hands full dealing with Sobel’s men at the river. It’s the only place for the cows to water.”
