Beth's mouth dropped downwards. She shook her head. "None," she said abruptly. "I only visited here a few times. Nothing more than that."
Landon's eyes widened and his mouth popped open. "You'd never worked on a ranch before?" he asked disbelievingly.
Beth shook her head. "I had no idea what I was taking on," she admitted. Thinking about the other responsibilities the tragedy had brought into her life, she told herself what she'd said was an understatement. "But I had no choice."
Landon leaned forward placing his powerful arms on the table. That last part seemed to have confused him. "Couldn't it have been sold off?" he asked.
Beth smiled gently. "Not under the circumstances."
Landon peered across at Beth. Was he sensing her reluctance to tell him the next piece of her story. If he was going to be here for a day or two he should know, she told herself.
Beth opened her mouth and was about to speak when she heard the familiar sound of pounding footsteps on the wooden floorboards of the hallway stairs. She stood and walked to the kitchen's open door. Landon watched her, craning his head around, curiosity written across his face. When youthful, excited voices mingled with the sound of pounding footsteps, Landon's eyes widened even more.
Moments later, two small figures tumbled into Beth's outstretched arms. Squealing excitedly, Max and Katie, five year old twins, gazed wide-eyed up at Beth as she hugged them tightly against her skirts.
"Mama, you're back," Max exclaimed, his blue eyes bright with excitement.
"What took you so long?" blonde-haired Katie demanded.
Both children bounced on their toes as they huddled close to Beth. When Landon stood, the grating sound of his chair sliding on the floor caught the attention of each of the children. They turned and stared at Landon. As she felt both Max and Katie grasp her protectively, Beth had to admit Landon must have seemed like an intimidating figure to the children. He stood tall next to the table. His shirt and jeans were still damp. A blood-stained bandage was wrapped around his head. Even if he was doing his best to smile at the children, Beth was sure Max and Katie wouldn't know what to make of the sight of Landon standing right in front of them.
"Max. Katie. This is Mr Landon Baxter," Beth announced guiding both children toward Landon. "He's a friend." Beth paused, noticing the slight arching of Landon's brow at that last remark. "As you can see, he's had a slight accident. But he's going to be fine." Beth lifted her brows. "Isn't that right Landon?"
Landon's jaw was still hanging open. He quickly composed himself and nodded, looking down at the children. "I'm sure I'll be okay," he stated reassuringly. Landon spread his arms wide and grinned. "I know I probably look a sight for sore eyes. I took a tumble in a creek," he said and laughed. "That's what I get for not staying on my horse." He glanced at Beth. "Isn't that right, Beth." His eyes narrowed, seeking an explanation, but she wasn't going to speak about that. Not with the children hanging onto her skirts for dear life. The ranch didn't get many visitors. Especially ones that looked like Landon, Beth reflected.
Beth nodded. "Max and Katie are my children." That was as far she was willing to go for now. Max and Katie glanced up at Beth as if sensing her caution.
"Nice to meet you both," Landon said easily. He stepped forward and stretched out a hand.
Max shook Landon's hand. "Why is your head bandaged?" he asked.
Landon laughed. "I banged it on a rock." He rubbed his head and grinned, trying to make light of the injury. "Hard."
Beth felt Katie flinch at the mere description of Landon's fall. Katie was always sensitive about things like that. Beth thought it had to do with the pain the little girl had suffered losing her parents. Max and Katie were the children of her brother and sister-in-law. And Beth was now wholly responsible for bringing them up. She was their mother, now. She was still trying to get used to the fact that Max and Katie were her son and daughter now. They'd all been through a lot this past few months. Too much, really. And the pain still lingered below the surface. For all of them, but most especially for the children.
Beth leaned down and smiled at Max and Katie. "Why don't you both go outside and bring in the stuff that's on the back of the buckboard. I did a lot of shopping when I was in Inspiration," she announced.
Max and Katie both nodded in perfect unison. They each gave Landon one last look, smiled tentatively, and then made their way outside.
Once they'd left, Landon sat back down and stared at Beth. "They're yours?" he asked.
Beth sat across from him at the table. "They're my brother and sister-in-law's children. I'm their mother now. And the owner of the ranch." She leaned forward. "I told you what happened to my brother and his wife. What I didn't tell you was they had two twins. A boy and a girl." She shrugged. "You just met them. And they're mine now."
Landon gasped and said nothing for a few long moments. She could see the incredulity in his eyes. Maybe it was hard to believe, she told herself. The pain of the tragedy still burned hot inside her. The former good-humor between herself and Landon had been replaced by something darker. Something more intense.
"I'm stunned," he said eventually. "How can you do all this? Look after the children and run a ranch. All at the same time."
"It isn't easy," Beth admitted. "But I try my best. I told my sister that if anything happened to her and Luke, then I'd take care of the children. I didn't figure it would also involve looking after the ranch. But this place is their home. Max and Katie belong here."
Landon shook his head. "Really. I'm lost for words, Beth," he admitted.
Beth heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Sally strode into the kitchen. "Your room is ready Mr Baxter," she announced. "I'll see you upstairs."
"I think I can make my own way up," Landon objected as he stood and immediately swayed from side to side. He grasped the edge of the table. Beth wondered if the shock of the revelation about the children was also making him unsteady on his feet.
Sally seized Landon's arm. Ignoring Landon's astonished look, Sally tugged on his arm. "I'll be the judge of that, Mr Baxter," she stated. "You can come with me."
Landon eyed Sally for a moment, seemed to consider saying something, but then changed his mind. Maybe he knew when he was beaten, Beth reflected. There weren't many who could win a contest with Sally. The ranch hands would testify to that fact.
Realizing she might have been spared a long and difficult conversation with Landon, Beth felt instant relief as she watched Landon being led out of the kitchen. He'd need a rest to recover from his injury. But he'd also need a chance to get used to the idea that he'd been brought to a ranch where a young woman was bringing up two children all on her own.
CHAPTER FOUR
The first thing that came to Landon's mind as he awakened later on the small bed in the upstairs room was that he'd dreamed the entire day. The incident at the creek; meeting the beautiful ranch owner; the way the children had gazed in amazement as Landon had stood in the kitchen, looking like he'd stepped out of a boxing ring. But it had all been real, he told himself. Very real.
It took him a few moments to adjust to his surroundings. The room was in semi-darkness which made him guess it was early evening. The air felt cool. Realizing he'd slept, he tried to sit up but halted the instant his head throbbed with pain. Laying his head back down on the pillow, Landon groaned quietly. His body felt fine, but his head did not. Maybe Beth had been right. It would be wise to give his head a chance to recover.
Landon recalled meeting the children downstairs. He remembered Beth's measured tone as she'd explained her situation to him. It all seemed extraordinary. The children were cute, Landon admitted to himself. But he hadn't liked seeing the concern in their eyes as he'd risen from the chair at the kitchen table. He knew he'd have to do something about that. He'd need to show them he wasn't an ogre. That he was friendly.
Landon tried again to rise from the single bed. This time he succeeded. Pausing briefly at the edge of the bed, he realized he wasn't wearing any of
his own clothes. Apart from the white pants of a pair of long-johns and loose-fitting gray shirt which he presumed must belong to someone else. Maybe one of the ranch hands had supplied the clothing. Then he remembered the housekeeper, Sally, ordering Landon to put them on because his own clothes needed drying by the fire downstairs. She'd stepped out of the room while he'd changed. But he'd heard her foot tapping on the wooden floor in the hallway the whole time.
Standing, he took a few careful steps toward the table and chairs by the window. Thankfully, he didn't feel any dizziness. That had to be an improvement, he told himself. Beth had mentioned something about sending for a doctor. It would take a while for the doctor to get all the way out to the Circle D.
Leaning against the table, he gazed out the window. It was getting dark. In the soft evening light he saw some ranch hands going about their business over by the corral. They were working with two horses and having a hard time dealing with what looked like two ornery animals. Beyond the corral, he saw the rangeland, a sweeping vista of rolling hills and valleys. The countryside looked beautiful. But then everywhere in Montana was a delight for the eyes, he told himself. He wasn't often in these parts, he reminded himself. It was rare for him to leave the Baxter ranch except whenever cattle had to be taken to the railhead near Billings to be sold.
He heard laughter from below his window. The pounding of footsteps on the porch. The children must be playing. When he saw Max and Katie running out across the yard, playing tag with one another, Landon stepped back from the window, anxious not to be seen. He tried to imagine what it must have been like for the two twins to lose their parents in that tragic accident. Landon's heart swelled with feeling as he considered how their lives had been turned upside down. Children were resilient. He knew that. But a tragedy like that would need more than just resilience if the children were to rebuild their lives. It would need love and care. The attention of people who wanted the best for them.
And that was where Beth would come in. Responsibility for the well-being of the children had been laid firmly on her shoulders. It must have seemed daunting. Even impossible. But she'd taken it on. He had to respect her for that. Even though they'd only just met, Landon could already sense the strength lurking inside Beth's defiant figure. He'd seen the way she'd dealt with Wes Harding. In the first moments when he'd seen what had been going on, Landon had almost come to believe that Beth was capable of handling Harding herself. But, seeing the man's terrible attitude, a sense of duty had compelled Landon to cross the creek and make sure no harm came to the beautiful woman who'd been tussling with the older man.
Landon knew his family would get worried once he didn't return home by the end of the day. Even though Beth had promised to send one of the ranch hands with a message to the Baxter ranch, Landon knew his parents and brothers would be concerned about him. Landon had been visiting a friend south-east of Inspiration. Taking a detour on the way home seemed to have been a good idea at the time. Luckily for Beth, he'd been at the right place at the right time.
Landon sighed quietly, thinking about Beth. Perhaps there had been more than luck at play. During his slow ride through the forest, following one of the older trails, Landon had felt a strange sensation. He'd sensed a growing unease in himself as he'd ridden beneath the canopy of trees. And, when he'd emerged at the creek's edge, and seen what was going on, that unease had grown to barely concealed outrage. He'd acted, doing all he could to do what he felt was right. Protecting Beth had been the only thing on his mind.
Landon heard footsteps outside in the hall. He hurried back to the bed and slid beneath the covers. The door opened. He expected to see Beth. Instead Sally the housekeeper peered around the open door. She smiled. "I see you're awake," she said and strode into the room. She was carrying a flat bundle of what Landon recognized as his own clothes. "These are all dry now," she informed him, laying the bundle down on the bed. Sally thrust her hands against her hips and peered down at Landon. "How are you feeling?"
"Still a bit light-headed," Landon told her.
Sally nodded thoughtfully. "The doctor will be here tomorrow morning. I doubt he'll come riding out here this late. Our ranch hand left a while ago. He hasn't returned, yet." Sally eyed Landon. "You've got your color back. That's a good sign."
Landon glanced at his clothing, eager to put his own things on. Sally noticed his look and started toward the door. Pausing there, she turned. "Beth wants to bring your dinner up in a little while. I don't think it's advisable for you to come downstairs," she said. "Not until you're feeling right."
Before Landon had a chance to object, Sally left the room and closed the door gently behind her. The prospect of Beth coming to his room drove Landon to get dressed quickly. His shirt and pants were dry, as well as his own undergarments. It felt good to be properly dressed. There was a wardrobe in the corner of the room. The open door had a mirror on the inside. Landon stood in front of the mirror. Despite the fact he was wearing his own clothes, Landon had to admit he didn't look too good. Sally had been diplomatic. Leaning his head closer to the mirror, Landon examined the slight bloodstain in the bandage. He wasn't tempted to pull the bandage back and look at the cut. At least the wound had stopped bleeding. And it had been cleaned. The risk of infection was probably small.
"I see you're all dressed again," he heard a voice from the doorway. Whirling around, he saw Beth standing at the open door. She was holding a tray upon which was a plate covered with a white napkin. She arched a brow as she looked Landon up and down. Was that approval in her eyes? He felt his heartbeat quicken.
"It feels good to be in my own clothes again," he said.
Beth went to the table by the window and laid the tray down. Lifting the napkin away, she revealed some soup on the plate. Landon went to her side and looked down at the plate. "Chicken soup?" he asked.
Beth nodded. "The best in the territory," she replied. "Sally has a secret recipe," she added with a smile.
The soup's aroma triggered hunger in him. Glancing at Beth, he asked: "You're not joining me?"
Beth smiled. "The children and I are having dinner downstairs, soon," she said.
Landon pulled a seat away from the table. "At least stay while I eat this," he suggested. "We can talk."
He saw Beth's brows furrow slightly. "Then you promise me you'll get some more rest," she said.
"How long was I sleeping?" he asked.
"A couple of hours," she answered. "I kept an eye on you."
"You did?" He had no memory of seeing her in the room. She must have moved quietly if she'd been here, he told himself.
Beth nodded. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay."
That simple statement made his heart warm instantly. He sat down and Beth took her place opposite him. He started to eat the soup. Nodding approvingly, he smiled at Beth. "This is almost as good as the soup my mother makes."
Beth's brows furrowed. "I better not tell that to Sally. She can be pretty fearsome when it comes to her own cooking."
He sipped soup from the spoon, swallowed it and then nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Since I'm going to be here a day or so."
Her lips pouted thoughtfully. Maybe he'd been presumptuous, he told himself. Perhaps she'd prefer it if he left as soon as he could. As if she'd read his mind, she said: "You might need a bit longer than a day. It depends what the doctor says."
"I know Doc Clanton. He's a tough old bird. He's seen to some of our ranch hands when they've been injured," Landon explained. Smiling, he added: "He likes to get men up and about as fast as he can. He's not the kind the let a man lie down for too long."
Beth paused, her brows furrowing. She leaned her elbow on the table and cradled her chin in her hand. Her gaze settled on him. She was quiet for a time, watching him eat. For a moment, a thought came to his mind as he spooned some more soup. It had been a long time since he'd seen someone as pretty as Beth Russell. And a long time since a beautiful woman had looked at him with such interest. Her lustrous dark hair tumbled
down the side of her neck and rested on her shoulder, touching the collar of her dark-blue gown. And her blue eyes possessed an intensity which he found impossible to ignore. There was a quiet determination behind those eyes, he told himself. The same defiant spirit he'd witnessed earlier. But, now up close and personal, in the soft light, he could see so much more in her steady expression. A will to survive; a desire to do good; a calm patience.
The Rancher’s Frontier Family Page 3