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It was already light out when Charlotte woke the next morning, and she let out a groan. Another hard day. And then she remembered. Earl was there. She was married again, and life was going to be easier from here on out.
She quickly dressed in her britches and work shirt before walking into the kitchen to start breakfast. To her surprise, Earl had beaten her there, and perfect pancakes were cooking on the stove. “Who taught you to cook?” she asked.
“My sister Elizabeth. She thought that all men should be able to cook, so when she moved out on her own, she invited each of her brothers to spend one month with her, with the understanding we’d be learning how to cook during that month. I think I was the only brother to take her up on it. Ma taught all my sisters to cook, but she didn’t think boys should cook. I figured I needed to learn everything I could so I would be of benefit to someone somewhere.” He motioned toward the table. “Sit. I’ve milked the cows and gathered the eggs.”
“You know, I’m going to have to dosomeof the work here. It can’t be all you.”
He laughed. “For the first couple of days it should be all me. You’ve been doing too much for too long.”
“Are you sure you didn’t ride in on a white horse?”
“Positive. I’m not taking you away from your problems. I’m just helping you deal with them.” He carried the pancakes and bacon to the table. “I found a coffee pot and made some coffee. I wasn’t sure if you drank it.”
“How else would I have kept going for the past year?” she asked. “I’ve got more coffee in me than blood at this point in my life.”
“Should I wake Walt?” he asked.
She shook her head. “He needs lots of sleep. I usually wrap his breakfast in a napkin and take it with me as I go to work. He eats it as soon as he’s awake enough to care that he’s hungry.”
“Well, I don’t plan for the two of you to be working on the ranch today,” he said. “I’ll go to town, hire the men we need, and then I’ll meet you back here. I’ll lead the men and you can be a housewife again.”
“But you don’t know what needs to be done…” she said.
“You’ll tell me. I have a feeling any men I find here are going to know how to do whatever we need.”
Charlotte considered for a minute. It sounded so tempting to just stay in and cook and clean for a change. “I’m not sure if that could work.”
“Then you sit down and make a list today. When I get the men here, we’ll start conquering that list. I don’t think the men should see you in your britches with the way they treat you.”
She pursed her lips, thinking about it. “Does it bother you that I don’t always wear a dress?”
“Why would it? No, I have no problem with you wearing what’s appropriate for the work you’re doing. I just know that it’ll be harder for you if you are seen wearing them any time soon.” Earl needed her to understand that he accepted her for exactly who she was, but he would protect her if there was any way to do it. “I’m just not going to be able to protect you from every lewd look you get if you go out in pants. It won’t work.”
Understanding his meaning, Charlotte nodded. “All right then. I’ll wear a skirt. And Walt and I will begin working inside instead of out on the range every day. If I need to show you how to do something, I’ll show you on Sundays or at night when no one else is around.” Her eyes met his. “Thank you for giving me my life back.”
He nodded. “I’m happy to do it. Just try and work with me, and not against me.”
“I’ll do my best.”
After breakfast, she washed the dishes while he headed to town to try to hire men. She kept thinking about all the work that needed to be done, but she couldn’t let herself fret over it. She could already tell her new husband was an extremely hard-working man who would do what needed to be done around the ranch.
When Walt came out of his room, he ran from room to room, obviously looking for something. She understood after a moment and crouched down in front of him. “Earl is still here. He went to find some men to do all the work you and mama have been doing.”
Walt seemed upset still, but he nodded understanding, going to the table to have his breakfast. As he plowed through the pancakes, Charlotte did her best to explain to him how everything would work. “Earl is my new husband and your new papa. He will live with us for always, but he must do the same kind of work your papa did. He’ll have to hire the men and work with them all day long. He won’t get to spend all day in the house with us. But Mama will be able to wear dresses again, and I can stay home and clean the house instead of working outside all day. And you get to stay home with me. Does that sound good?”
Walt nodded. He looked happier after her explanation.
Two hours later when Earl returned, he went into the house for lunch. “The men are all starting at one, which means I have an hour to eat.” He spotted Walt sitting at the table, looking a bit shy. “There’s my boy! I missed you at breakfast, you little lazy bones.”
Walt’s face lit up at Earl’s words. He held his hands in the air for Earl to pick him up, which Earl did without hesitation, dipping him upside down.
Charlotte watched the two of them for a minute while she continued her lunch preparations. “I desperately need to make a trip to the general store in Cauldron Valley, but it’ll wait for a day or two. We need supplies badly.”
“Have you had time to put in a kitchen garden?” Earl asked.
“No. I haven’t done a thing in that regard. There was an area Howard plowed for me last spring, but it’s overgrown now.”
“It should be able to wait until Sunday for me to plow it. And if you don’t mind, I really enjoy gardening. I’d love to put in the kitchen garden.”
