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Abby let out a sigh and smiled. “I was so worried when I came up here. Life in Denver...well, Lucy’s school is dangerous, and I’m not happy where we have to live. I’m sorry to lose my cousin, but it’s like a miracle that he left his place to me. It’s a whole new life opening up for Lucy and me.”
“You’ll like living here again.”
Her face tautened. She grimaced. “You know about my father...?”
He nodded. “It’s a small town. We know everything. But that was long ago. Things will be very different now.” He smiled. “If you want the job, we’ll expect you Monday at eight thirty.”
“I’ll be here Monday at eight thirty. Thanks very much, Mr. Owens.”
“You’re most welcome. And by the way, we were handling your late cousin’s legal business, including his will. We’ll have the reading of it tomorrow at the ranch if that suits you. About ten in the morning?”
“That would be very nice.”
“You could move in now if you wanted to,” he added.
She smiled. “We’ll wait for the will to be read,” she said softly. “It’s going to be a difficult time for the people who work for him. I want to do things by the book.”
He smiled back. “Then that’s fine. One of us will be out there tomorrow for the legal formalities.”
Abby shook hands and went to get her niece from the waiting room. One of the administrative assistants had given her a soft drink.
She smiled at Abby. “Hi. I’m Marie, one of Colie’s friends. I came to replace her best friend, Lucy, who used to work with her, but Lucy and her husband moved up to Billings. Welcome to the firm!”
“How did you know?” Abby laughed.
“I happened to be walking past Mr. Owens’s office just now.” She grinned. “You’ll love it here. The attorneys are all nice people and great to work for.”
“I’m very grateful to have found a job so quickly.” She glanced down at Lucy. “We hated living in Denver.”
“I have a son just about Lucy’s age,” came the reply. “The schools here are wonderful, and she’s going to love it.”
“At least I won’t have to be in the principal’s office begging for protection for her,” Abby said on a sigh. She shook her head. “Schools have changed a lot since I was in grammar school.”
“Tell me about it!”
“I’ll see you Monday, then.”
“See you.” She grinned at them. “My Matt’s having a birthday party next month. Lucy’s going on the guest list, too! I bake my own cakes and make homemade ice cream.”
“Oh, boy,” Lucy said.
“You can come, too,” Marie added, wiggling her eyebrows. “I have a separate table for the mommies so we can all have treats while the kids do.”
Abby laughed. “Now I’ve got to come! I love cake and ice cream.”
“Me, too!” Lucy enthused.
“I’ll see you Monday, then,” Marie said. “Bye, Lucy. It was nice to meet you both.”
“Nice to meet you, too,” Abby and Lucy chorused.
SHEANDLUCYdrove out to the ranch the next morning. It was out in the country, in a stand of lodgepole pines and aspen trees, with the sharp outline of the Tetons far in the distance. The ranch was in a valley with a silvery stream running through it. Autumn was in full glorious display, and the trees were red and gold and the air just nippy enough to make a jacket comfortable. Probably there were trout in that pretty stream, Abby thought. She was an avid fisherwoman, though mainly of the cane pole and bait variety, but she wouldn’t mind learning how to use a rod and reel. In fact, she and Lucy could learn together.
It was a very big ranch. It seemed a long time before they got to the main ranch house, sitting apart from a scattering of buildings. One looked like an equipment shed. The other two were, most likely, a stable and a barn. The fences were relatively new and seemed sturdy enough. The pastures were full of black cattle. Black Angus, Abby recalled.
She pulled up at the front door. The house was rustic, but elegant, basically a huge two-storied cabin, with a long, wide front porch. There was a swing and a few rocking chairs. The steps were firm. The house had been recently stained, because it was a bright dark mahogany color.
She got herself and Lucy out, a little concerned because the people who lived and worked here might not like an outsider taking over the operation.
