The pair made their way across the field and circled through the opening between two patches of trees. Ahead a road was visible, that Grace assumed was the same road that she had traveled with Constance when they arrived at the farm. As they neared the road, Owen gestured down the road to their right.
“Cutting across the fields and through those trees cuts about 15 minutes off the ride time to town. The wagon can’t be able to make it though, so I usually just throw on a couple of saddle bags and ride into town if I can get away with it.” Owen said.
“That makes sense. If you have anything big to pick-up, you just can’t take the shortcut then.” Grace answered.
“Yep.” Owen answered, as he gave his horse a snicker and began to ride across the road.
The breeze had picked up since earlier that morning, but the sun had risen more and warmed the air so that it was a pleasing mix of sunshine and cooling breeze. Grace listened to the sounds of the birds and squirrels, as they continued to ride. Montana was so unlike the east-coast. It was so wild, so untouched by man. It gave her a sense of serenity.
As they rode along, they came to a dry creek bed and Owen pulled his horse to a stop. Pointing down the creek bed, he told her, “If you are interested, there are some pretty nice views to see if we follow this creek bed. We’ll get back a little later though.”
Good! I am really not ready for this ride to end soon. Grace thought to herself as Owen waited for her response. “That is fine with me, I’m having fun.”
Signaling to his horse to turn onto the creek bed, they started off again. The creek wound through the countryside, which Grace found disorienting. She was glad that Constance had the common sense to insist that she not go out alone. She surely would have gotten lost if she had. Having Owen with her made her feel safe, and she was able to relax and enjoy it more.
Each bend in the creek revealed another beautiful scene. The raw beauty of the land took her breath away. She wished she knew was more artistic, because she would have loved to paint the landscape while it was fresh in her mind, so she could hold on to it forever.
“I don’t think I could ever get used to the view here.” Grace admitted, after the two riders had stopped to observe a mule deer and her fawns traveling across a small patch of open ground between two stands of trees. “Between the landscape itself, and the animals that inhabit it, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect place on the planet.”
Owen laughed. “You surprise me, Miss Russell.”
“How so?” Graces asked, interested in what Owen was thinking.
“Well, I’ve met few women that have moved here from out east, that have had any real appreciation how beautiful it is here. Most of them do nothing but complain about how hard life is here.” Owen answered.
“Really?” Grace asked, surprised. “Is it really that much harder than anywhere else? I’d imagine that aside from not having nearby conveniences, life for a woman here is much the same as anywhere else.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, regardless of where you live, a woman has to keep up the home, and provide warm meals for the family. Life doesn’t amount to much more than that.”
“That doesn’t sound like much to look forward to.” Owen said. “When I marry, my wife will be happier than that. She’ll be rewarded by a loving, loyal husband, for all of her labors. She would never go unappreciated.”
“Awww. How romantic. Any woman would be lucky to have you for a husband.” Grace regretted speaking the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. She wasn’t normally so forward. Owen didn’t seem to notice though, much to Grace’s relief.
A short time later, Owen turned his horse from the creek bed and began to head along a tree-line in the direction that Grace assumed would be toward the house.
“Just ahead is a place I’d like to show you.” Owen said. As they circled around a large boulder, Owen pointed across a meadow toward a patch of trees. “We’ll stop right over there.”
The horses seemed to recognize the spot also. They both let out a few snorts and picked up their pace a bit, until they had traveled across the meadow to the spot that Owen had pointed to. Once they arrived, Owen hopped off his horse and came around to help Grace down.
“We’ll sit down in the shade to cool off and rest a bit.” Owen suggested as he approached Grace, still sitting in her saddle. “Put your arm around my shoulder and I’ll help you down.”
Grace was happy to be out of the saddle, even though she was enjoying the ride. She was beginning to get stiff. The opportunity to walk around a bit and stretch her legs brought welcome relief. They led the horses to a small stream which flowed in the direction of the dry creek bed. Once the horses had their fill, Owen tied both off, with their leads loose enough that they were able to reach the ground to nibble on the grasses.
Owen placed his hand onto the small of her back and began to lead her a short distance away from the horses. They arrived at the spot he had in mind, and Owen removed his hand, too soon in Grace’s opinion. Following his lead, Grace took a seat beside him on a fallen log.
“What a beautiful spot!” Grace exclaimed as she looked out toward the mountains, partly obstructed by low clouds. Just peaking over them, far to the north, she could see snow-capped peaks that were not visible before. A small stand of apple trees, still heavy with their bright red fruit, stood in stark contrast against the green backdrop created by the pines that covered the foothills beyond.
“Sometimes if you are lucky, and quiet enough, you can see deer and an occasional elk or moose, come along and eat fruit off the ground or the lower branches of the trees.” Owen said.
“Maybe we can pick a few so I can bake a pie later. I imagine the apples must be delicious. I can smell them from here!” Grace said, breathing in the sweet fragrance of the apples.
“By the way, I’ve been meaning to compliment you on that scent that you are wearing. I’ve been enjoying it the entire ride, at least every time that I happened to find myself downwind of you.” Then with a wink, he added, “Which I might have made sure to have been most of the ride.”
Grace laughed. “Thank you. It was given to me by my mother.”
“You must miss her. How did she feel about your traveling out here alone?” Owen asked.
Grace shifted in her seat. After taking a deep breath, she answered, “I do miss her a lot. She would not have approved of my moving out here, but I didn’t have any choice. She died about a year ago.”
“Oh, no. I am so sorry.” Owen said, his thoughts accusing him of speaking out of turn. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s okay. You couldn’t have known.” Grace said, staring at her lap. “I don’t talk about her often. I guess it’s just easier to try not to think about her.”
“What about your father?” Owen asked.
“Never got to know him. I was raised by my mother alone. She told me that he died when I was a baby, but I’ve never really believed that story.” Grace answered.
“I am really sorry. Is that why you came out here then?” Owen asked. “To get a fresh start.”
“Sort of.” Grace hesitated. “We didn’t have a lot, growing up. My mother did as well as she could for me, but it was all she could do most of the time just to provide for our basic needs. Toward the end, after she got sick, she worried a lot about what would become of me, when she would pass. I didn’t want to add to her stress, so when a local guy proposed to me, I accepted, though I really was not that eager to marry him.”
“So what happened? Did you end up marrying him?” Owen asked.
“Nope. In the end, he ended up leaving me standing at the altar. I guess he wasn’t any more eager to marry me than I was to marry him. I was just glad that my mother wasn’t around to see it. It would have broken her heart.”
“I can imagine. But it sounds like it was for the best for you.” Owen said. “How did you end up engaged to the guy from here then?”
After my fiancé walked out on me, I was in a de
sperate situation. My mother had not left me much when she died, and I could only earn enough just to feed myself. I didn’t know what to do, until I stumbled upon a marriage journal. I ended up responding to an advertisement in it. I figured that it was a means to an end, and that if I worked hard to be the best wife that I could be, then we could both be happy. Well, you know how that turned out.”
Owen became quiet, and Grace wondered if she had shared too much with him. She always felt that she had a difficult time stopping herself before she said too much, but it felt good to be unburdening herself with Owen. He listened, when most men would have changed the subject. Now she was not sure. His silence could be taken either way.
“I come here sometimes when I want time alone to think.” Owen said, the uncomfortable silence finally broken. For a moment, Grace thought he was changing the subject, but as he spoke, his expression gave the impression that he was somewhere far away, that he had something serious on his mind. “I found this spot shortly after we arrived here, and I’ve been here many times since.”
Grace didn’t say anything, but turned to face him so he would know that he had her undivided attention. She sensed that he had more on his mind, and that he wanted to share it with her. He sat silent for a time, staring at his boots. Her heart ached, she recognized the pain that he felt, as the same pain she experienced when she thought about her mother.
“I completely understand how you feel.” Owen said, and then as if anticipating the questions on her mind. “I knew my father, early on. He abandoned my mother, and my sister and I, for a woman that he met in a saloon. I haven’t seen him since, and never want to again. He left my mother with nothing, and we struggled through life because of it. She died, I believe of a broken heart. I was only 15. She lived long enough to see my sister get married, but died shortly after. I was not of age yet, so my sister and her husband took me in with them, and we moved to Montana. He had big plans to find gold, but he didn’t make it long enough to have a fighting chance. It’s been my sister and I for most of the time since we arrived here.”
“I’m sorry. Nobody should have to live through that.” Grace felt her heart breaking. He said that he understood, and she now knew that was not just his way of being polite. He was a kindred soul, who had experienced much the same pain in life as she had. She was just glad that he had his sister to help him through it.
“You should be able to find a good man to marry out here.” Owen suggested, changing the subject off of himself. “Men outnumber women by huge numbers here. As soon as word gets out that there is a beautiful single woman staying with us, they’ll come knocking at the door to introduce themselves to you.”
I think I may have already found a good man. Grace thought to herself. “And what about you? Do you ever plan to marry?” She asked, trying to sound like she was just making conversation.
“Actually, there is someone back home in Virginia that I promised that one day I would return for.” Owen answered.
Remembering the rumor that she had heard from Mrs. Metzger a few weeks earlier, Grace felt herself becoming tense, but tried not to let it show. Though she feared that his answer would confirm that the rumor was actually truth, she had to find out. “Why haven’t you gone back yet? Do you still intend to marry her?”
“I planned to, but when my brother-in-law came down with the fever and died, I couldn’t just abandon my sister. I’ve stayed to help her with the farm because she doesn’t want to leave and wants to hang on to it.”
Grace admired Owen’s loyalty to his family. It was a quality that she valued more than any other in a man. “So then you would have gone back already if it were not for your brother-in-law’s death?”
“I think so.” There was a bit of uncertainty in the way that Owen answered.
Grace was afraid to push for more detail, thinking that perhaps Owen didn’t want to talk about it. She decided to shift the subject, “Has your sister had any suitors?”
“She has had a few, but none of them have worked out. There are a lot of men out here, but most are not the type of man a woman would want to marry.” He answered, and then added, “But she does have a suitor now that she seems pretty interested in. You’ll get a chance to meet him soon, as he’ll be along for another visit soon.”
“Good! I look forward to it. And maybe you’ll be able to return home for your girlfriend soon then.” Grace tried her best to sound happy and encouraging, but inside she felt that she had once again had hope ripped away from her. It worried her. It wasn’t that she had fallen in love with him, but she was interested in him. It worried her that she should feel so drawn to Owen, so quickly. Maybe it isn’t real. Maybe I am just getting desperate.
“Maybe we should be getting along soon.” Owen suggested. “If you are still wanting some of those apples, we better go pick them now.”
Grace nodded her assent, and Owen left to retrieve the horses. Once he returned with them in hand, they saddled up and rode across to the field to collect the apples that she needed. Then they took off again.
Grace wondered what it meant that Owen had not responded to her suggestion that he would be able to return to his girlfriend if Constance married soon. Don’t assume it means anything other than that he doesn’t want to talk about it. She tried to convince herself. The rumor has a ring a truth to it now.
As they rode along, they suddenly came upon some wild flowers growing on a sunny knoll that they had just ridden upon. She commented on how beautiful they were, and without missing a beat Owen lept from his horse, and picked a few, which he then presented to her.
“A beautiful woman deserves to have beautiful flowers.” Owen said as he held them out to her, a proud grin spread across his face.
“Thank you, but you didn’t have to.” Grace said, confused that he would have even thought to have picked flowers for her after the conversation that they had a short time ago. He tells me that he wants to marry someone else, and then gives me flowers? Can’t he tell how hurtful that is to me?
Owen hopped back into his saddle, looking satisfied, and they rode on. Grace didn’t talk too much on the rest of the ride home, though several times Owen attempted to engage her in conversation. Soon the homestead came into view, and arriving, Grace did not wait for Owen to come around to help her dismount. He looked surprised to find her on the ground as he approached. She handed him the reins to her horse, and spun on her heals without a word, her skirts flying up around her. She walked at a brisk pace toward the house, and didn’t respond when he called out to her, asking if he had done something. How dense can a man be?
CHAPTER 7
What got under her bonnet? Owen thought to himself, as he watched the door shut behind her. He thought they had just had a very enjoyable time, and he was really glad that he had the chance to get to know her better. Women can be so fickle sometimes. Happy now, miserable later!
He just couldn’t shake the feeling. He knew he shouldn’t have it, he was already in love after all, but something about her caused him such confusion. He found himself wishing at times while on the ride, that he girlfriend would quit creeping into his thoughts because what he really wanted to do was to focus on Grace. That just made him feel guiltier. He thought accusingly of himself… I shouldn’t even be thinking of another woman for a second. What kind of man does that make me?
He led the two horses to the barn and tied them both up outside their stalls. Grabbing two bags from hooks on the wall, he filled them with fresh hay and hung them over the stall doors so each horse had something to munch on while he brushed any burrs from their fur before they had the chance to work themselves in deeper. He then used a small metal pick to remove any rocks and debris from their hooves, and finally checked over each horse for any sign of injury or irritation.
Both looked fine, so he put them into their respective stalls and sat down on a bale of hay, leaned back against the wall and let out a sigh. Why do women have to be so complicated? He thought to himself as he recalled the day’s events
. One moment Grace seemed on top of the world, the next she seemed as if she was upset with him for something. Only I haven’t done anything.
“I guess I should let it go. It doesn’t matter anyway.” He said in the direction of the horses. “I really shouldn’t care either way.”
“Care about what?” Owen turned and saw his sister standing in the open doorway to the barn.
“Oh nothing.” Owen swallowed. “It’s nothing.”
“Well it can’t be too much of nothing.” His sister said. “First Grace walks in with this distant look on her face and when I ask how the ride went, she says, ‘alright.’ And now I walk out here to find you talking to horses. What did you do?”
“Why do I have to have done something?” Owen did not like the accusatory tone. “I didn’t do nothin’ at all!”
“Well you must have done something. That girl left here in high spirits and returned in a sullen mood. And you don’t look any better than she does.”
“Look, I didn’t do nothin’. All we did was ride around the area and take a quick break over by the creek. Everything seemed fine until we started heading back. I think it’s just a woman thing.” Owen said, tired of the direction the conversation was heading. “What did you come out here for anyway?”
“Mainly just to check on you, but also to let you know that supper is already ready.”
“Wow! It’s that late already? I didn’t realize.” Owen scratched his head, wondering how so much time could have passed already.
“Well you two were gone for a really long time. I was starting to think I better go look for you.” His sister answered with a disapproving tone.
“We just lost track of time. Anyway, I’ll be in shortly.” Owen got up and began to gather all the tack that they had used for the ride, and put them away. His sister left without another word, leaving him to his thoughts. So she is upset with me. What possibly could I have done?
Montana Bound: A Sweet Mail Order Bride Historical (Mail Order Bride Journeys Book 2) Page 5