by Danni Roan
“How’s my little girl?” The old man said grinning broadly. “You sure are growin’ fast.” He added, “Only eight months old and just look at you.” He gave the little girl a bounce, making her giggle.
As if finally remembering they were there, he looked at the two young men. “You fellas go on down to the bunk house, and we’ll see you at supper then.” And without a backward glance he turned and strode into the house with his granddaughter.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the young woman said politely. “I think you’ll find Billy in the bunkhouse about now. I’m sure he’ll help you get settled and comfortable,” she added as she walked by.
Reginald and Taylor stood for a few minutes looking around them. Everything was neat, orderly and in good shape. "I sure hope they really need us," Reg mused. "Seems like things are in good kip here already."
“I’d better go get Molly before we move on over to our new digs,” Taylor finally said. “With her just about ready to whelp I’d like to find her a place she can stay out of the sun.” Then putting actions to his words, he headed along the porch and around the corner only to return a few moments later followed by the brown and black mutt.
“We might as well get our gear as well,” Reg offered, then headed around the corner and toward their horses who were nibbling grass contentedly in the yard.
Snatching up the reins of their mounts, they led the horses toward the cool interior of the big barn. “It sure looks like a fine place to work,” Taylor finally spoke as he led his sorrel horse into a stall and began removing tack. He paused suddenly, “do you think we should 'a gone after that pony?" He turned to his brother, a worried expression on his face.
“I think Mr. Joshua would have said something,” Reg replied with a shake of his head. “There sure is plenty of wide open spaces for cows, and that wheat looks as good as any I’ve ever seen,” Reg returned to his train of thought.
“I noticed you didn’t ask about wages,” Taylor spoke again. “You think we need to negotiate?”
“I don’t know, but I figure we can give it a bit of time and talk it out once we get the lay of the land. I’d like to have a place of our own in less than a year if possible, and bring Ma on out. I’m not sure how long she and Aunt Beth can put up with each other. I’ve never met two more opinionated women in my life.” He grinned, but his eyes were serious.
Taylor bent down and scratched the head of his dog as she followed him out of the barn. “Well, let’s go see where we’ll be callin’ home for a spell,” he said, and stepped out into the bright summer sun.
Gazing around them as they walked, the Ogden boys tried to take in everything. They heard the ring of a hammer on an anvil from around the corner of the barn, noticed the long-horned speckled cows grazing in wide fields surrounded by barbed wire, and looked to the far away mountains.
As they approached the long, low bunkhouse the woman who had been working in the garden stood and watching them suspiciously as they passed. Both men tipped their hats at the hard-featured gardener as she leaned on a shovel, but she didn’t return their greetings. Her blue eyes were cold; her face, though browned by the sun seemed sallow, and her graying hair hung loose down her back. With a shiver both men walked to the far door on the building and entered.
Taylor blinked as he entered the darkened interior of the log shelter, trying to get his bearings.
“Well, howdy,” a high, crackling voice called. “You must be the new fellas.” A wizened old man, his wild hair and prickly beard snow white, called to them as he jumped to his feet and clumped toward them.
“I’m Billy, and welcome to the bachelor’s digs,” he chuckled as if he’d made a very funny joke, then gestured to them to come in. “Them two bunks on the far wall is empty if they’ll do,” he continued, not giving them a moment to return his greeting. “They’s too far from the fire for most of us older fellas.” He chuckled again.
“I’m sure that will be fine,” Reg finally got a word in. “I’m Reginald Ogden, and this is my brother, Taylor,” he added in way of introduction, then headed for one of the bunks.
The whole interior of the bunk house was one large room. Four bunks lined the back wall of the structure, facing the window on the front wall by the door. A scarred table with miss-matched chairs sat close to a pot-bellied stove that backed to the right-hand wall adjoining the other side of the building. An old cupboard with a few mugs on its dark shelves stood next to the front door.
“I just put the coffee on if you’d like some,” Billy called as they plunked their meager possessions on their bunks. “There’s a wood box under the bunk if’n you need it. You can keep your things in there,” the old-timer spoke again as he pulled three mugs down from the shelf.
“Where’d you boys say you was from?” the old-timer asked as he moved along to the table with three mugs grasped in his gnarled hands.
“We didn’t,” Taylor piped up, casting his brother a look that conveyed his thoughts that maybe the old man didn’t have all of his faculties.
“I know that, Sonny,” the old fellow snapped. “It’s a way o’ getting information without soundin’ nosey.” His raised an eyebrow as if everyone should already know that.
Reg smiled. “We’re from Pennsylvania,” he said.
“Pennsylvanie huh? I knowed a few folks from there once upon a time. Come and sit.” He indicated the table. “Soon enough you won’t have no time for sittin’, so you might enjoy it while you can.”
The two younger men joined the older one and lifted their coffee to their lips.
“They’s just three of us fellas left here now, so it’ll seem mighty cozy havin’ you young fellas around.” The old-timer spoke, “Walters, he’s our wrangler and he’s out with Stephens just now checkin’ on the horses.” He chuckled again, obviously knowing something they didn’t. “I don’t reckon they’ll have much work ta do now, though. Young Clayton’s stud horse seems to keep that herd in fit fiddle.” He smiled again then looked at the confused faces of his companions.
“Oh, you won’t know who Clayton is now, will ya?” He scratched his beard. “That’s Josh’s daughter’s husband. He come up from Florida.
“You mean Katie’s husband?” Taylor spoke, trying to clarify things in his head.
“No, Katie’s husband is Will. He’s our foreman and he’s out with the cows right now. You musta’ met Katie up at the house.”
The two younger men looked at him, confusion plain on their faces.
“No, Clayton married Meg.” He chuckled again, and now even Reg was wondering if age hadn’t rattled his faculties.
Seeing the expression on the young man’s face, old Billy threw his head back and laughed. Finally getting himself under control he snapped his suspenders and looked at the two young men.
“You fellas are gonna have a devil of a time sortin’ everyone out here at the Broken J, an’ with the way you’re lookin’ at me like I’ve lost my marbles, I might just leave ya to it all on yer own.” He snapped his mouth shut and crossed his arms like a truculent child.
Just then a gentle scratching came from the front door.
“What in tarnation,” the old man jumped to his feet and headed for the door.
“That’s just Molly,” Taylor called, scurrying after the old man. “She’s my dog.”
The old man’s face softened. “You got a dog?”
“Yes, sir,” Taylor replied, lifting the latch on the door to reveal the rotund animal.
“Well I’ll be, look at that. I don’t recollect us ever havin’ a dog on the Broken J afore.” He squinted his eyes at the animal before squatting down to scratch behind her ears. “Looks like she’s gonna have puppies pretty soon,” he said, still patting the dog. “I had a pup when I was young.” The old man smiled softly. “Mebbe you can let me have one of them pups.” He looked as hopeful as a child.
“Don’t see why not,” Taylor replied, “but only if you help us figure out who’s who around this place, since you’re the
one that said it can be confusing.”
Billy bounced to his feet again, surprisingly spry for a man of his obvious age and reached out a hand. “Deal.”
Taylor walked back outside with his mutt and guided her around the exterior of the building, where he found a patch of shade on the east side of the structure. He settled Molly there in the cool darkness where she could slip under the bunkhouse, then walked back into the building and settled himself at the table.
“So explain,” he said, looking the older man in the eye.
“Well,” Billy began, scratching his beard again. “Joshua, myself, Benji, Deeks, and Walt all come out west here in ’68. We mostly met up on the Oregon Trail. Josh and Benji knowed each other already, though. Anyway. Josh’s first wife Bridgette was pregnant with their third child and she wasn’t doin’ so good with that hatchin'. When we reached this area Josh just up and said he was leavin’ the wagon train and gonna stay right here. Benji al’ays sorta went along with Josh, and us other fella’s decided to stay as well.”
Here he paused and sipped his coffee, giving his words time to settle before continuing.
“Bridgette had that baby, but she just never recovered, so that left us men and three baby girls.”
He looked at the younger men to be sure they understood. “Katie was the oldest. She was near about five by then.” He smiled as if remembering the little girl who was now a mother herself.
“Then there was Meg. Her proper name’s Muiread but we call her Meg. Then Fiona was the baby. She sure was a handful I tell ya, al’ays fussy as could be. I took care of her best I could, but…” his voice trailed off.
Taylor raised a brow in the general direction of his brother who only shrugged.
“See, I had me a goat I’d brought along from Virginie, and so I was the one left to tend them younin’s. Anyway. Them’s the first of the James girls. Katie married Will who’s our foreman, Meg married Clayton, and Fiona married Hank. You can’t miss Hank, he’s a bigun’.”
“We met the twins, Issy and Lexi, at the house earlier,” Taylor said, a soft gleam in his eye.
“I’d say we met Mae as well but I’m not sure that’s what you’d call an introduction,” Reg added.
“Tarnation!” Billy cried, "What’s that girl gone and done this time?” He practically bounced on his chair in anticipation.
“I’m afraid she got tossed from her pony,” Reg spoke.
“Mae?” Billy’s voice was incredulous. “Why she can sit a critter better than most fellas I ever did see.”
“The problem was she wasn’t sitting,” Taylor said, his face darkening as he remembered what could have been a very serious accident. “I’m afraid Molly barked at her pony and…” his voice trailed off, letting the old man fill in the blanks.
“Was she hurt bad?” Billy asked, leaning across the table.
“Mostly just got the wind knocked out of her and skinned up a bit,” Reg replied.
Billy shook his head. “I never did know a girl who could get in more trouble than that one,” he finally said. Then suddenly his eyes took on a glimmer.
“So you fellas met the twins, did ya?”
“Yes, sir,” Taylor said, his voice soft.
“Well them girls is Josh’s daughters from his second marriage. Not long after we settled here, Joshua was out huntin’ and come across a man and a woman whose wagon had broke down, and their wagon train had just left ‘em. They was trying to get back to the fort and the crossing what was Casper at the time, but not makin’ much progress and in a boat load of worry what with the native people here being pretty riled up.” He paused again, sipping his rapidly cooling coffee.
“They had a daughter called Cammy and afore you could blink she and Josh was sparkin’ and got hitched. She sure was a pretty little thing. Them twins look a lot like their ma. Well, you’ll meet their grandmother Bianca, I reckon. She’s the one who had that broke wagon, she and her husband Isadoro.”
“I think we saw her for a minute,” Reg answered. “She came out when Mae fell.”
“Short woman? Plump?” Billy asked, waggling his hands in a curvy motion.
Both young men nodded.
“Yep that’s Bia, but you’ll see that the girls call her Nona, and don’t get me wrong about the twins. They might be Bianca Leoné’s granddaughters by blood, but she sees all them girls as hers. Right proprietary she is, too.” He gave both young men a steely look before he continued. “You’ll meet Isadoro tonight, I reckon at dinner. You’ll recognize him ‘cause he’s a might darker and shorter than most of the hands. He can build up just about anything he puts his mind to, though. Built most of the buildings here at the ranch.”
Reginald Ogden turned his head and looked out the window toward the house. He was beginning to believe that this truly would be a confusing place to work, at least at the start.
“What happened to Cammy?” He finally asked as he compared the twins with their younger sister in his mind. They didn’t look nearly enough alike to have the same mother.
“She died, I’m afraid.” His eyes looked sad for a moment. “She got a fever and never recovered. Mae is the child from Josh’s third marriage.”
Reg ran a hand through is rust colored hair and blinked at the old man. It seemed that their new employer was quite the lady’s man at one time, but he’d known plenty of widows and widowers over the years, several who had remarried.
“Does that help, young fella’?” Billy asked, “Does that mean you’ll let me have a pup?” His eyes twinkled in his wrinkled face.
Taylor smiled roguishly. “I’m sure you can, but I’m not sure this whole story helps. Seems there’s a passel of people to keep track of.”
“We’re just one big, happy family,” Billy said with a grin. “Though I reckon Mae won’t be so happy for a while.” His face grew serious but his eyes still twinkled. “I’m sure you boys will be right to home here in no time.” His chortle had the boys looking at each other again.
Chapter 3
Issy and Lexi walked up the front stairs, then down the long hall to the room they shared, and plopped down on their twin beds.
For several minutes they just sat there comfortable in the silence that surrounded them. It had been an interesting day and they had much to think about.
“Well, what do you think?” Issy finally spoke, studying her sister’s familiar face to judge her feelings.
“We’ve barely met them,” Lexi replied.
“I think they’re both cute.” Issy had a look on her face that spoke more than her words.
“But which one do you think is especially cute?” Lexi knew her twin too well to let her get away with vague statements.
Issy blushed softly. “I like the look of the one called Taylor.”
“Really?” Lexi couldn’t disguise the surprise in her voice. “But he’s short?”
“Grandpa Isadoro is short.” Issy tossed her head as if this should be obvious, making Lexi laugh.
“I just don’t know if I’m ready for this,” Lexi finally said, growing serious.
“We’ve been nineteen for several weeks now,” Her sister chided. “Besides, it’s not as if we’re being forced into it.” Her dark eyes twinkled with mischief. “It’s like an adventure, and if we don’t like where we end up at, we don’t have to go any further.”
“I still can’t believe Pa sent off for men this way, or the way he used his brothers to look for prospects.” Lexi looked at her twin but smiled. “He’s a lot sneakier than I ever would have believed.”
Issy rose from her bed and walked to her sister’s before sitting and wrapping an arm around her.
“You’ve seen how happy our sisters are now though, haven’t you?” she said. "Besides, how are we supposed to meet respectable young men all the way out here on the ranch?"
“Our sisters might be happy now, but my goodness, the things they put themselves and the rest of us through in the meantime.”
“I don’t know. It was rather fun wat
ching them and seeing what would happen,” Issy said. “Like when Clayton had to try to find Meg’s room after Pa told us they were married.”
Lexi smiled despite herself. “It’s funny now but at the time I don’t think either one of them were very happy.”
“Let’s just give the two young men a chance and then decide. We’ll do everything together and then evaluate the situation in two weeks.”
“That sounds like a plan. We’ll take turns getting to know each one of the Ogdens.” Lexi paused, studying her identical sister, a frown puckering her brow. “We’ll have to start dressing in different colors though, or they’ll never know who’s who.”
Issy looked down at the dark blue day dress she’d been wearing and smiled. “I guess that’s true, but I won’t promise not to switch on them, like we used to do to Nona.”
Lexi giggled, “I’ve always wondered if our grandmother actually knew what we’d done though, and just played along.”
Issy shrugged, rising and walking toward a tall wooden wardrobe. “I think I’ll wear my yellow gingham tonight for dinner,” she mused. “What will you wear?”
“I think I’ll change and put my navy blue calico on - the one with the black flowers and lace.”
A half hour later both girls walked down the stairs to the front of the house and gazed out the screen door. The men would be coming in soon, and even if it were Fiona’s turn to cook, they knew they should help in the kitchen. The sun was still high, but steadily heading westward toward the mountains. Issy linked her arm with Lexi’s. “Come on, no point putting it off.”
“Oh girls, I’m so glad to see you,” Fiona called as they walked through the hallway door. “I’m sorry to be such trouble but could you get some potatoes from the cellar? I just hate going down there anymore than I have to.” She ran her hand over here large belly in explanation.
“I’ll go,” Issy volunteered and turned back to the door way in the hall.
“What are we making tonight?” Lexi asked, pulling down an apron and walking toward the sink as she studied her sister’s pretty face.