“It’s just that with fence mending and herding and shoveling out pens…” Cassie shrugged as she motioned about her.
“You’d look a darn sight worse doing your chores in a dress. But don’t you have any men to help you?”
“My brother—but he’s only twelve. And it’s a full-time job watching the flock. I can barely find enough time for him to do his lessons.” Cassie paused. “And Bob Jensen. I haven’t found any other help yet.”
Victoria’s eyes shone with sympathy. “That won’t be easy,” Victoria said frankly, covering her distaste at the mention of Jensen’s name. “At least you’re making your brother do his lessons. A lot of frontier women give up on educating their children.”
“What about you?”
“Mine wishes I’d forget his lessons,” Victoria answered with a laugh. “I have a boy who’s eight—Timmy.” Her lips pursed speculatively for a moment. “I guess he’d be too young to be friends with your brother. And Timmy can be a handful.” Victoria’s expression conveyed that Timmy was much more than a mere handful. Cassie found herself laughing along with Victoria. “And there’s my baby,” Victoria continued softly. “Little Megan—she’s two. For a long time we didn’t think there’d be another baby.” Victoria’s voice was thoughtful, but her face brightened suddenly. “But there was—and she’s a joy.”
Cassie smiled at the expression of gentle happiness on Victoria’s face. “I’m glad for you.”
“Me, too.”
“Do you live close by?” Cassie asked, hoping she did. It would be comforting to have one friendly neighbor close by, even if she were related to Shane.
“Close for out here. Not close by city standards. I live in that direction.” Victoria pointed out the shed toward the east. “Just headed by to see Shane. I hear our younger brother’s home. Since he’s supposed to be in law school, I want to find out why he’s at the ranch. And if I know my big brother, he’s going to be hopping mad.”
“Really?”
“I’m afraid so. Ever since Pa died, Shane’s been the self-appointed head of the family. I’m surprised he hasn’t packed Evan back off to school yet.”
“Don’t any of you object to his taking charge?” Cassie didn’t think Victoria appeared to be a timid female willing to obey Shane’s bidding.
“I think I’m giving you the wrong idea. Shane didn’t decide Evan should go to law school. That’s been Evan’s dream for as long as I can remember. And Shane’s been like a father to Evan. Evan was only eight when Pa died. Since Shane took charge and kept the ranch going, we all pretty much accepted him as head of the family.”
For some reason, Cassie doubted Shane’s role in placing Evan in law school was that innocent. But since Shane’s situation as head of the family was uncomfortably close to her own, Cassie decided to steer away from the subject.
“I met Evan the other day.”
“You did?” The surprise was evident on Victoria’s face.
“Shane brought him by.”
Surprise turned into shock. “Well, well.”
Cassie glanced up a bit shyly. “I do hope we can be friends, in spite of my sheep and my tangles with Shane.”
Victoria burst into unladylike laughter, momentarily forgetting the past. “I don’t give a whit about the sheep,” she finally managed. “It’s the tangles with Shane.”
Uncomfortably aware that Victoria was Shane’s sister, Cassie said stiffly, “I can understand if my tangles with Shane might cause you to be uncomfortable, making friendship difficult…”
“Nonsense. Don’t you dare ruin all my fun! I’m counting on you to give Shane a run for his money. And I want a front-row seat!”
8
“How’ve you been, Jensen?” Shane asked lazily, glancing around Cassie’s corral in apparent disinterest.
“Just fine, Mr. Lancer. Just fine.” Jensen’s nervousness increased. Beads of sweat popped out on his forehead while his eyes darted about the yard.
“Like working for Miss Dalton?”
The ranch hand nodded nervously and shrugged his shoulders at the same time. “Sure—it’s all right.”
Remembering the poisoned water discovered on Cassie’s land a few days earlier, Shane studied the man’s perspiring face before he asked softly, “Been pissing in any water holes lately, Jensen?”
Jensen’s head jerked up, and anxiety engulfed his face.
“Make sure you’re not.” Shane’s voice was soft, but an unmistakable thread of steel laced through his words.
“Harassing my help?”
“I’ll leave that to you.” His gaze raked Cassie’s face and body, his expression once again detached, cool.
Exasperation flooded Cassie as she willed her stomach to stop tightening in anticipation. It was one thing to plan to stay in control when he was away, but at this proximity her head whirled treacherously. She’d laid all those sorts of feelings to rest years before when she’d realized she had been left on the shelf. It was even more annoying to find them resurrecting themselves for an unprincipled man like Lancer.
“Are you implying I don’t know how to treat my hired help?”
Shane took Cassie’s arm unceremoniously and led her out of Jensen’s earshot. She refused to acknowledge the tingle she felt at his touch. The strength in his long, lean fingers both irritated and unnerved her.
“I tried to tell you before. You don’t need someone like Jensen working for you.”
“And I suppose you know who should be working for me?”
His eyes were hard again. She must have imagined the softness she’d seen in them that day in the meadow. Every other time she’d seen him, his eyes appeared flinty, emotionless.
“Sell out and you won’t need anyone working for you.”
“Save your breath,” she answered shortly, wishing she were standing further away from him. But to back up would show cowardice. She dug in her heels.
“How long do you think you’ll get along without any supplies?” Shane had to remember why he’d come here. It wasn’t to admire the way her eyes flashed or to fantasize about the curves beneath her form-fitting breeches.
The surprise in her face almost made him regret his words. Almost. The townspeople were justified in their actions, and he had to remember he had good reason too.
“So you were the one behind my supplies being cut off,” she accused softly, disbelieving. Shaken by his revelation, she refused to let him see her reaction. Had he convinced the townspeople of some horrible story about her uncle?
“Believe that if it’ll make you feel better. But I warned you to sell out.”
“And if I don’t, you’ll see that I’m starved into selling?”
“I won’t rest till I have this land, Cassie.” His warning reverberated in the air already thick with tension.
She swallowed, the mix of emotions she felt impaling her, choking her. “And I won’t sell.”
He watched the emotions chasing over her face—disappointment, anger, regret, and then stubbornness. He clenched his jaws together, the pocket of his cheek twitching with the effort. Shane wanted to erase the regret. But the past could not be denied.
“You’ll sell. You just don’t know it yet. In the meantime, keep on eye on Jensen unless you want to be murdered in your sleep.”
She blanched. Was he saying Jensen had been involved in her uncle’s murder? She pressed her knuckles to her lips. And did that mean Shane had orchestrated his death?
Unable to reply, she stared sightlessly into the dust following in his wake as Shane rode away. Remembering his kisses, her body fought the accusation, but her mind whirled as she turned to stare at Bob Jensen. He hastily averted his gaze, and Cassie swallowed her growing horror. The vast plains seemed to close in as despair engulfed her. If what Shane had implied was true, she might well have set the stage for her own murder.
9
Days had passed slowly while Cassie waited for Jensen to set some trap in motion. When none materialized, she finally relaxed
. Picking up the feed bucket, Cassie patiently tossed a few pieces of grain on the ground, glancing backward as she did so.
Apparently it worked. The books had said that in order to establish a leader, you worked to get the sheep accustomed to following a particular person. It seemed that sheep had good memories, even if they weren’t able to reason very well.
Cassie grinned back at the flock of sheep that followed contentedly behind, feeling a bit like Mary with her little lambs. She stopped tossing the grain to see if the animals would still follow her. The faithful group continued shadowing her lead.
Pleased that it had worked, Cassie turned toward her horse to return home. It always seemed she had thousands of chores waiting. No matter how hard she worked, or the long hours she spent on the books, she never felt caught up.
But as Cassie moved forward, she heard the hooves of the sheep close behind. Craning her neck backward, she saw the flock moving steadily behind her. She stopped and turned toward the group.
“Go back. Go on.” Cassie took a few steps forward. The flock pranced forward as though on cue.
“I really mean it. I have to go home now. Shoo!” Cassie began walking hurriedly toward her horse. The woolly creatures moved quickly in her wake.
“Hey, I have to leave now. And you have to stay here.” Cassie broke into a run. The sheep hurried along, keeping step with her.
Exasperated, she tried to plead with them. “You don’t want to come with me.” Cassie pointed at the grassy pasture in which the animals stood. “See, this is much nicer than where I’m going.” She backed away slowly and then turned toward her horse. The sheep moved along behind her, keeping rank.
“I’ll just get on my horse and outrun you!” she finally shouted, then stopped still. No she couldn’t. Running sheep on a warm day would kill them. Wonderful. She’d trained the little beasties so well, she was going to be stuck out in the pasture with them.
Disgusted, she flopped onto the grass, cradling her knees with her arms. The confused sheep crowded closer. Unable to believe what she’d created, Cassie got to her feet. Gazing to the east she realized that Andrew was only about two miles over the crest. She mounted the horse, but the skittish mare refused to walk slowly enough to accommodate the sheep. Knowing what would happen to the sheep if they ran on the hot summer day, she stared at them in dismay. Exasperated, Cassie dismounted, tying the horse to a nearby oak tree. With a sigh, she glanced at her maddeningly obedient flock and started walking.
A few blisters later, Cassie rested on a crested butte, wondering where Andrew was. She checked again and saw what seemed to be patches of sunlight under the trees. Then some of the patches moved. All at once the whole side of the hill seemed to be moving, and Cassie realized she was watching the sheep, breast high in the brush.
Walking down the crest, she spotted the odd-shaped canvas-topped wagon. Smoke billowed from the stovepipe that jutted upward in the center of the wagon. Near the wagon tongue, Andrew sat by the door on a collection of different-sized boxes that served as steps. Cassie waved and hollered a greeting.
When they were close enough to hear one another, Andrew yelled at her in disgust. “Why’d you bring them back over here? I just got ’em moved to the other pasture this morning.”
“I didn’t exactly plan on bringing them over here.”
“You were just out taking a walk, and they followed you here, I guess.”
“Well…”
“Have you been training them to follow you again?”
“I thought it’d be a good idea.”
“Except now you can’t get away.”
“I hadn’t counted on that happening.”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “There’s only one cure.”
“I don’t care what it is. I’m not sleeping with this pack of overgrown babies.”
“We’re going to have to lead them down to the next pasture,” Andrew warned.
Cassie wiggled her protesting toes. Then she glanced back at the white, woolly faces waiting for her.
“Let’s go,” she agreed with a sigh.
“Lead on,” Andrew replied, snickering.
“Funny, Andrew. Really funny.”
It took better than an hour, but they finally reached Hector’s corral area. Andrew pointed to a series of gates that had been built between each corral and pen.
Cassie glanced at Andrew inquisitively.
“You’ll see.” Andrew headed toward the corrals. Cassie and her group followed. When they neared the gates, Andrew paused.
“Move to the side, Cass.”
She moved, and Andrew waited while the sheep crowded around. Then he opened the gate. As though on fire, the sheep rushed forward. Cassie watched in amazement as they clambered to get through the gate.
“But…why?” Cassie asked.
“They love gates, any kind of gates. Even Hector doesn’t know why. But give ’em a gate, and they go crazy. Can’t wait to get in there.”
Cassie shook her head in wonder.
Andrew smiled. “Wait till you see this.” He jumped into the next holding pen, which emptied into the large corral. Winking at Cassie, he put his hand on the gate latch. The sheep immediately crowded close. When they were all pawing at the ground, Andrew opened the gate and they bolted through, running madly into the large corral area.
Hooting, Andrew ran back to Cassie. “Now watch,” he said with a giggle. After all the sheep had rushed through the open gate, they stopped and gazed back, puzzled. The poor beasts acted as though they wondered what all the rush had been about.
“Problem’s solved, Cass. Just carry a gate with you wherever you go and—”
“You’re so funny I think I’ll double your lessons,” Cassie retorted.
“I could let them back out before you get away—”
Cassie broke in hastily. “You’ll glide by this time, little brother, but—”
“Yep, I think they’re about ready to break out.”
Her voice held a mixture of frustration, amusement, and acceptance. “Don’t get too big for your britches, young man.”
“Uh-oh. I see them nearing the gate leading out now…”
“I’m going.” Cassie slammed her hat on and limped away on blistered feet. After she was out of Andrew’s line of sight, she allowed a smile to surface. Wouldn’t do to let him know she’d given up the struggle for authority without concern.
Glancing behind her, seeing the sheep securely penned, she issued a sigh of blessed relief. Favoring her painful feet, she hobbled forward with a grimace. No wonder they called dudes “tenderfeet,” she thought with disgust. By the time Cassie reached her mare, she’d be lucky if she had any feet left.
Hearing a rumble in the distance, she hoped fervently it wasn’t Shane. Spotting Wilbur’s wagon, she raised a hand in greeting, a smile lighting her face.
But when the wagon pulled up, her smile dissolved into a frown of embarrassment.
“Out for a walk?” Shane asked pleasantly, slowing the wagon to accommodate her pace.
Shooting him a murderous glare, Cassie continued walking.
He held the wagon in a slow, even gait. “It’s been a fine day to take a ride. You can see the most interesting sights from up on the bluff,” he continued.
“I didn’t know you were reduced to hauling supplies,” she responded curtly, gesturing to Wilbur’s wagon. Did the man have some sort of sixth sense that beckoned when she was making a fool of herself?
“I’m not proud. Just do what needs to be done—even if it means hauling piece goods from town.”
She merely nodded in reply, trying not to limp as she strode forward.
“One thing about these wagons, though…”
He paused, and she answered through gritted teeth, “And what might that be?”
“Just that they’re kind of lonely. All this room and only one body to fill it.” He shrugged his shoulders expressively.
Peering at him suspiciously, she doubted that he’d been lonely one second
of his life.
“’Course, you could help me out of my predicament.”
She tried not to concentrate on how many blisters had no doubt formed by then as she placed one painful foot in front of the other.
“So you won’t be lonely, I suppose?” She would walk all the way to Boston before she admitted she needed a ride.
“No, so I don’t have to visit my sister by myself.”
“Victoria?” Cassie halted abruptly.
“She talked me into getting her shipment while I was in town, so now I have to go out to her place.”
Cassie thought briefly of Victoria’s visit and about her friendliness and good humor.
“I would like to see Victoria,” she replied hesitantly.
Shane set the brake, jumped down, and lifted her into the wagon before she could protest.
“We can tie your mare to the back of the wagon,” he began.
“How do you know my horse is out here?” she asked warily.
“I’m sure you didn’t get all the way out here by yourself,” he answered innocently, his eyes carefully blank.
“Not exactly,” she admitted, thinking of the flock that had cheerfully accompanied her.
He flicked the reins, increasing their speed. He spared her one glance filled with both understanding and amusement. “I didn’t think so.”
She kept her silence, realizing that he was merely being kind. He hadn’t offered her a ride because he needed company. He’d saved her from a painful walk—and from an even more painful embarrassment.
As the wagon bumped over the rough ground leading away from the hillside, Cassie enjoyed the companionable silence, listening as Shane whistled to the horses. The hills receded, sloping downward to a sprawling house. Cassie gasped when she saw the sleek lines of the home; its elegance befitted Beacon Hill. Rather than seeming out of place, however, the home lent grace to an incomparable setting.
Cassie’s face lit with pleasure when Victoria swept out of the tall double doors. Cassie returned Victoria’s wave and smile, relieved to see a friendly face.
But instead of stopping to speak, Victoria rushed to the bed of the wagon. “Did my material come in?” She continued digging until she unearthed the treasure she’d been searching for. Holding up a bolt of piece goods, Victoria squealed in delight. “Look, Cassie. For the dress I’m going to wear to the annual cookout. What do you think?” Twirling slightly with the material held in front of her, Victoria preened while she waited for an answer.
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