by Emily Woods
She managed to find a bit of time in the afternoon to scribble down a few observations. It wasn't much, but she'd noticed that Cole ate his food very neatly as though he'd grown up in a very fine home. His good table manners spoke of the upper class. So then, was he from an old aristocratic family or the runaway son of a millionaire? Those were two interesting concepts to mull over, romantic as well.
From where she was standing over the boiling pot of water, she could see Cole and Thomas interacting. She knew that Thomas was also from the east and that he had actually left his wealthy family to come out here, but there were special circumstances surrounding that situation. He didn't talk about his past much, but she knew that he'd left for family reasons.
So, it wasn't that unusual for a man to leave his home and seek adventure. Maybe Cole was telling the truth about his reasons, but then why was he so closed off? There had to be something more to it.
At that very moment, the two of them looked over. Quickly, she pretended to be absorbed in her work, using the long stick to swish the clothes around the water and loosen any dirt. Removing them from the water was the trickiest part and required the most strength. Occasionally, some of the clothes would end up on the ground, doubling her work.
“Want a hand, Maddie?” Thomas was coming over at a half-jog. It would be nice to let someone else help, but her pride wouldn't let her.
“I got it. Thanks anyw—” And then she didn't have it. In her effort to show off how capable she was, the blanket she was currently removing from the pot threw her off-balance. Both she and the load fell to the mud. Thankfully, the blanket wasn't near her or she might have sustained some serious burns.
“You okay?” Thomas asked, but there was amusement very thinly veiled under his concern.
“Yeah,” she muttered. “I'm fine. I can't say the same for this blanket, though.”
They only washed the bedding a few times a year to get rid of the musty smell, but now it was really dirty. The water that the blanket had absorbed created a thick mud with the soil underneath so that the material was completely filthy. It was too dirty to even put back in the pot. She'd have to dry it out, beat it with a stick, then rewash it at the end of the day.
Her pride wouldn't let her look in Cole's direction. She was sure he would be standing there with a smirk on his face. Oh! Why did he have to be like that?
“Need a hand?” Thomas extended both hands to her. For a moment, she was going to refuse because she knew Cole was watching them, but she knew she was being silly, so she grabbed them and allowed him to help her up.
“Thanks,” she mumbled. “Guess I forgot how heavy it is.” Still ignoring Cole, she stared at the blanket in dismay. “Can you help me bring this over to the fence so I can dry it out?”
The two of them wrestled the muddy, now cooled-off blanket out of the dirt and over to the paddock fence, spreading it out so that the sun could do its work. They had just finished when Cole sauntered over.
“Who's going to be sleeping without a blanket tonight?”
Maddie gritted her teeth and turned to face him. “It's mine, actually, so I guess that's just. My pride prevented me from accepting help, so I'll have to sleep with a few knitted blankets instead.” Now she snuck a peek at his face, but didn't see the arrogant expression she'd been expecting. Instead, he merely looked bemused.
“I'd think a girl in your position would have lots of blankets,” he said mildly. “Surely you have an old one kicking about.”
Lifting her chin a little, she fixed him with an icy glare. “I'll have you know that my parents don't spoil me as much as you'd like to think. As soon as I have something new, they insist that we donate the old item to charity unless it's of great sentimental value. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more laundry to attend to.”
If she could have seen her reflection at that moment, she likely wouldn't have been able to keep her composure, but as she didn't have a mirror handy, she spun on her heel and walked away with dignity befitting royalty.
And Cole smiled.
“She sure is a feisty one,” Thomas stated with a grin. “A handful for any man brave enough to take her on.”
Cole blew out a slight snort, but was still smiling. “I'm sure she has her pick of men far and wide, or rather she will when she's of age.”
“What are you talking about, of age? She's eighteen already. But you're right. I'm surprised a lineup of men isn't standing at her door every night. I guess it's because Luke is so influential in the community.”
After considering this for a moment, Cole turned his attention back to the horse they'd been training and stroked her muzzle.
Although he did his best to pay attention to everything Thomas told him, Cole's mind kept wandering back to Maddie. If she were any other woman, he'd be attracted to her, but because she was the owner's daughter, he didn't dare engage with her. Any hurt feelings or misunderstanding could lead to being fired, and that would ruin all his plans.
By the end of the day, Thomas declared the filly broken in and ready to ride, a fact that he proved by taking her out for a short jaunt around the barn and house. Cole looked on, a smile forming on his face. On his ranch, he would devote most of his energy to breaking horses. It wouldn't require nearly as much land as raising cattle and he would make a lucrative career out of it.
“Thanks for everything,” he said to Thomas. “I'm really glad Luke let me watch you.”
“My pleasure,” Thomas replied, getting down from the horse's back. “You can work on the next one and show me what you've learned.”
Cole felt his eyes go wide. “Do you mean it? I mean, thank you! I won't let you down.”
With a firm slap on his back, Thomas nodded and grinned. “No, I don't expect you will.”
Over dinner that night, Thomas regaled the others with tales of Cole's natural ability with horses. Everyone was impressed, even Luke.
“So, you've got the touch, then? A bit of a surprise for a city boy, but I kinda knew it when I saw you with your own horse.” Luke was nodding and smiling at him.
Swallowing hard, he tried to smile at his boss, but the man was engaged in a conversation with Maddie.
That girl sure cleaned up nicely, he thought. Even in men's clothes, she was attractive, but when she put on a dress and did her hair...
But he couldn't think about that now. He had his whole future ahead of him and wouldn't be thrown off by a pretty face. Once he had his own ranch, then he would have time for romance with someone suitable.
But not now...and definitely not Maddie.
10
The days turned into weeks and Cole worked harder than any other hand. He spent many days working with Thomas breaking in new horses, but Luke also had him out riding the range, branding cattle, looking for lost calves, and of course, working on the fence.
“It needs to enclose the entire property,” he told all the men. “I know it's back-breaking work, and I'll divide it up among you all fairly. No one will have to do more than the other.”
Some of the hands who had been there longer started to grumble, thinking that their loyalty should earn them a cushier job, but Luke had an answer for them.
“What would happen if I started giving all the hardest work to the newest men? They would burn out and have to leave. Besides, I'm out there myself, as you all know. I don't ask you to do anything that I'm not doing myself.”
That was one of the traits Cole admired the most about his boss. He worked hard all day long, never spending the day inside relaxing as many owners might.
Today was his turn to work on the fence again, and the weather was so hot, he was tempted to strip down. However, he knew that Maddie could turn up any minute, and he didn't want to invite trouble. Sure enough, in the mid-afternoon, she appeared where he and Austin were working away.
“My father gave me permission to bring you two something to drink.” She slid off her horse and brought over a canteen. She offered it to Austin first, but he nodded to Cole.
“Can I help you at all?” she asked, her eyes hopeful.
“No offense, Miss Maddie,” he replied before Austin could open his mouth. “But this is hardly women's work.”
He passed the canteen to Austin now, but not before seeing her mouth press into a thin line. When Austin was done drinking, Maddie screwed the cap back on and set the canteen on the ground between them.
Without another word, she stalked over to where the stack of split trees lay on the ground. Resolutely, she picked the end of one and proceeded to haul it over to where they were working. She did this ten times before fixing him with a glare.
“There's no such thing on a ranch,” she declared hotly, somewhat out of breath. “Work is work and whoever is available does it.”
“Then why doesn't your father cook for us?” he countered. “And why doesn't your mother help muck out the stalls? Don't tell me there isn't a difference between men and women.”
She had no answer, so he turned his back on her and continued to work as though she weren't there. It was hard to know which was worse: getting her angry or encouraging her flirtation. He was definitely stuck between a rock and a hard place. Couldn't she just leave him alone?
“So, Austin,” he heard her say. “Doesn't the Bible say that God approves of a hard-working woman? I read in Proverbs that an excellent woman works hard and has strong arms. Isn't that right?”
Austin paused in his labor. “That's true. It also says she has respect for the Lord and her husband trusts her completely. She speaks wisely, teaches faithfully, and watches over her family. What's more...”
“Okay, I get it. She's perfect, but my point was that hard work isn't just for men.”
Now Cole was getting irritated. “Are you saying that your mother doesn't work hard? Is she lazy?”
The shock on her face was well worth any consequences he might face further down the line.
“How dare you say such things!” she exclaimed. “My mother is always busy doing something or other. She barely sits still for five minutes altogether.”
“And does she build fences of cut down trees?”
Apparently, his arrow found its mark. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and he was sure that that last comment would send her on her way, but instead, she just turned her back on him.
“My father wants this fence built as fast as possible,” she said evenly, speaking only to Austin. “And seeing as my mother and Gram have things under control at home, I'd like to help out here. Do you have any objections?”
“If your father doesn't object, I surely shouldn't,” he replied wisely.
There was a brief silence during which the only sound was the pounding of nails.
“So,” Cole said slowly, not being able to resist. “It's not laundry day then?”
The muscles in her cheek clenched and her nostrils flared, but then her lips twitched and she released a most decidedly unladylike snort. Austin chuckled a little and then a giggle escaped from Maddie. A few seconds later, the two of them were laughing and Cole felt a grin steal over his face. Why had he said that? He didn't want to tease her. He wanted to hold her at arm's-length and have nothing to do with her, but she was kind of adorable working away, trying to prove herself. His image of the spoiled little girl was slipping away a little at a time. Was she changing or was he? Maybe both.
“I'd like to see you do it,” she finally said when the laughter had subsided. “It wasn't that the blanket was all that heavy, but it's tricky to lift out of the pot.”
“Yeah, it surely is,” Austin added. The two of them regarded him curiously. “I used to help my ma with laundry when I was younger.”
“That was good of you,” Maddie declared. “Not too many men would be willing to do...women's work.” She shot Cole a look loaded with meaning.
Cole couldn't help the chuckle that burst out.
“I didn't really have much choice,” Austin informed them, his voice mild. “My mother only had boys and we made a whole lot of laundry. Anyway, I'm just saying that I know what it's like, and you shouldn't make fun until you've tried it.”
“That sounds like a challenge.” Cole straightened up to look at the two of them.
“If you like,” Maddie replied with a cheeky grin. “It's laundry day tomorrow. Of course, there won't be any blankets, but I'm sure I can find something.”
Even though he'd come west, come to this ranch, to work hard and pursue his goal, Cole realized that he'd been missing out on something in his life: friendship. And here were two people extending it. They were teasing him, joking around, and daring him to try something he'd never imagined he'd do. For once, he decided to take a risk on people.
“You're on.”
Maddie nearly skipped from the barn to the house after unsaddling and brushing down Spark. Cole's acceptance of the laundry challenge made her feel light. Gone were the thoughts of investigating him, and for now, she'd set aside any feelings that had been developing. She was just having fun.
“Guess what, Mama?” she said as she entered the house. “Cole's going to help me with laundry tomorrow.”
Kate and Marge both looked at her skeptically, Marge more than her mother. “What are you saying, girl? That man has more important work than playing with clothes.”
“I agree,” Kate added. “I don't think your father would be too keen to dismiss him from his duties, especially with that fence not even half-done.”
Her jovial mood vanished as the two of them essentially poured cold water over her idea.
“How did that even come about?” Gram asked. “Did you goad him into that?”
Truthfully, it had been a combination of her and Austin's comments. “Not really. It's was more Austin's idea.”
Now the women laughed. “Breaking in the rookie, I guess,” Kate said. “Well, if he's game and your father agrees, then I'll allow it. Get cleaned up and set the table please. Dinner's almost ready.”
Relieved that her mother wasn't angry, Maddie quickly did as she was told. Her younger siblings had been playing and studying in the parlor, but crowded around the table when the smell of pot roast wafted through the house.
“Is it ready?” Jane asked eagerly. “We're starving!”
“Not likely,” Maddie replied, playfully yanking on one of her sister's braids.
“Just about,” Kate replied. “Go ring the dinner bell.”
Twenty minutes later, she'd just put the last plate on the table when the men strolled in. The table was groaning with all the food the women had prepared. Maddie was pleased with the rolls she'd made before she'd gone out for her ride in the afternoon. She'd also shucked the new peas and peeled the potatoes, which had since been mashed and mixed with cream and fresh butter.
“Looks good,” Luke commented, taking his seat at the head of the table.
Once they were all seated, he prayed a blessing on the food and the men began to serve themselves.
“I heard you got roped into helping us out tomorrow,” Kate said to Cole. “I hope you're not needed elsewhere.”
“What's this?” Luke asked, piling the potatoes on his plate.
“Oh, Cole said he wanted to learn how to do laundry,” Maddie said innocently. “Isn't that right?”
She saw a muscle twitch along his jaw, but he played along. “Something like that.” He had an amused expression.
The other hands chuckled a little, but Mark, sitting directly across from her, looked confused. “I didn't know you needed help.” He turned his puppy eyes on Maddie. “I would've offered a long time ago.”
“I don't really, but Cole is trying to prove a point,” she informed him. Goodness, was he going to offer to help now too?
“I thought it was the oth
er way around,” Cole said softly when the others weren't listening. “Or maybe I misunderstood.”
She wasn't sure what to say, but this was the first time she'd sat directly beside him at the table and her brain was a little fuzzy as he spoke into her ear. Their legs weren't touching, nor was any other part of their bodies, but she could feel warmth emanating from him, and she was very aware of every inch that separated them.
“Perhaps it goes both ways,” she replied lightly, cutting into her roast methodically. “Maybe we'll each learn something tomorrow.”
“I'm glad it's not me,” her brother put in disdainfully. “I'll never do laundry. That's women's work.”
Maddie's eyes narrowed dangerously. “What was that?”
The men around the table chuckled a little.
“Careful, son,” Luke warned. “Or you might not have any clean clothes for a while. Even though we all have our own jobs around here, nothing is more important than anything else.”
“That was my point,” Maddie said, her eyes sliding toward Cole. “But it's good for the opposite sex to know how hard some things are.”
Kate adroitly changed the subject at that comment, and soon they were talking about their next trip into town.
“Can I please get some new fabric?” Maddie begged. “My birthday is coming up.”
Luke sighed deeply. “I can't believe you're going to be nineteen. It seems like just yesterday you were a frightened little girl who could barely say a word.”
Cole looked up, interested. “Maddie used to be shy?”
“She was mute!” Jane announced, looking pleased with herself.
Maddie wished her sister was close enough to kick, just a little, for her comment. “We don't need to talk about that now,” she said, a note of warning in her voice. “It's not that interesting. Anyway, I'd really like a dark pink or maybe a light blue. I promise to do all the sewing myself...unless one of the fellows wants to learn?”