“I don’t know, but God does.”
Keri stiffened and stepped back. “God doesn’t care about what happens to me. Isn’t that clear?”
“No, it isn’t.” Lulu shook her head. “God loves you. You’re His child—His daughter—and He cares as much for you as if you were His only child. He gave His own Son to die for you.”
“I’ve seen little evidence of God in my life. My mother gave me away when I was a young girl, and the uncle who raised me gambled away my home and didn’t care enough to make sure I had enough money to get by. And now, I may be forced to marry a man I don’t love, just to have a place to live.”
Lulu stroked her hand across Keri’s head and her hair. “It sure sounds like your life is in an uproar, but God’s light shines the brightest when times are the darkest. Trust Him, Keri. He’ll never abandon you.”
Hmpf. Everyone she’d loved had abandoned her. Why would God be any different?
Brooks lifted his hat and wiped the sweat off his brow. He hoped his plan would work. It had to work. Unless God sent a deluge of rain for a week, the water-pumping windmill was his only option to get water for his herd and their needs.
Keri drove the wagon down the hill, and a trail of dust lifted into the air behind her. For the past three days, she had ridden out with an afternoon snack and some water or lemonade, but the biggest treat was seeing her again. He’d missed working around the house, but he was needed out here to help. Other than the team from the windmill company doing the installation, he was the only other man who’d worked on one before. One of the many different jobs he’d held over the past ten years.
He glanced up, proud of their progress. Jess and Daniel, one of the installers, were up at the top of the tower, attaching the fan blades. If the rest of the installation went as planned, they should be ready to test the windmill before supper.
Keri pulled the wagon to a stop, set the brake, and climbed down before he could get there to assist her. She’d forsaken the pretty boaters’ hat she wore that first day he’d seen her for a frayed, straw western hat. Pushing back the brim, she gazed up at the tower. “Wow, that thing is tall.”
Brooks was enamored with the paler skin under her chin that the sun hadn’t touched and couldn’t tear his gaze away. Would it feel as soft as it looked? He shook his head. Where were these crazy thoughts coming from? He needed to focus on something more within his reach. “What’d you bring us to eat?”
She sashayed to the back of the wagon. “I made something called a marble cake and brought some milk to drink with it.” She lowered the tailgate, and Brooks caught a whiff of something sweet.
“Sure smells good.”
Keri glanced at him and smiled. He captured her gaze with his and couldn’t break away. His heart thundered. He had the overwhelming urge to kiss her.
“Yoohoo! Miss Keri. Lookie up here!” Jess hollered from the top of the tower.
She blinked finally and glanced up, past him to where Jess stood near the top of the tower. Brooks turned and scowled at the man for interrupting a most pleasant moment and for horsing around on the tower. The installation team had warned them about such things.
“Miss Keri.” Jess leaned precariously over the side and waved his arm back and forth. “I ain’t never been up this high afore.”
Keri waved back then cupped her hands around her mouth. “Be careful.”
Instead of waving, Jess’s arms suddenly started pumping, and the next moment, he tumbled over the rail, plunging down. Keri shrieked. She spun around, burying her face in Brooks’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and then he started chuckling.
She glanced up, horror marring her pretty features. “You’re laughing?” She shoved him so hard and back stepped. “Jess is dead and you’re laughing?”
He struggled to keep a straight face, then just pointed at the tower. Slowly, as if afraid to look, she turned back and gazed up. Jess swung back and forth, tied to the tower by a rope that the installers had insisted they use. Daniel leaned over the side and was giving Jess orders to stop kicking and grab hold of the tower. Jess did and started the climb back to the top.
Keri leaned against the side of the buckboard and put her head on her arm. “I thought he was dead.”
Guilt for laughing washed over Brooks. He should have considered that she’d just lost her uncle, and losing a hand who’d worked at the ranch since she was small would be traumatic. He walked up behind her and rested one hand on her thin shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
She spun around and slugged him in the chest, tears swimming in her eyes. “You should be. That scared me half to death.” She whacked him again, softer this time. “Why didn’t you tell me he had a rope on?”
“It happened so fast, there wasn’t time.”
“You had time to laugh.” She pushed away from him and stomped to the back of the wagon. She pulled half a dozen plates from a basket and started slicing the cake.
“There’s a piece missing.”
“I didn’t eat it, if that’s what you’re wondering. I gave it to Nate. He’s hoping you hit water today because some of the garden is starting to wither up.”
The crew gathered around the wagon, and Brooks handed each man a plate with a generous slice of cake on it. Then he poured milk for those who wanted it. Jess and Daniel ambled up to them a few minutes after everyone else.
“Did you see me flying like a bird, Miss Keri? Thought I was a goner for a minute there.”
Keri sent a scolding glance at Brooks, then softened her expression for Jess. “You scared me half out of my wits.”
“I know just how you feel.” Jess rubbed the side of his head then his eyes lit up and he reached for a cake plate. He shoved a huge bite into his mouth. “Hey,” he said, spitting crumbs like a Gatling gun shooting bullets. “This is a heap good. How’d you make it diff’rnt colors?”
“I’m glad you like it. I made two batters and darkened one with molasses and some spices. Then you take turns spooning in the two batters. Lulu gave me the recipe.”
Brooks closed his eyes as he took a bite and enjoyed the sweet flavors. Keri’s cooking seemed to improve each day. A man would be lucky to have a wife like her. He clenched his jaw, set down his empty plate, and walk away from the group.
The men, obviously sensing the end of their work, joked and cut up with one another. Laughter rang out among them. He was glad they were in high spirits, as he was. He felt certain they’d gain victory over Saul Dengler without resorting to violence. It felt good to know that he’d outsmarted the vile man.
He walked over to the tower and gazed up at the crisscross web of wood and metal. Giving it a shake, he smiled at its solidness. By tomorrow, they should be watering their cattle.
“So, how did you pay for this monstrosity?” Keri stopped beside him and put her foot on the lowest crossbar and raised up her arms, grabbing a bar just over her head.
“We sold a few head of cattle—six to be exact.”
“Six head isn’t a few.”
“We can spare six. If we don’t get water soon, we’ll be selling the whole herd for less than market value. Is that what you want?”
“No, of course not. It’s just—what if you spent all this money and this thing doesn’t work?” She ducked her head. “What if it’s just a big waste of effort and money?”
“This isn’t the first windmill in Texas; you know that.”
She cast him a sideways glance then rolled her eyes. “Of course I know that. I wasn’t born yesterday. What I meant was, what if there isn’t water down there?”
Brooks grinned to hide his disappointment. “You have no faith in me.”
“Ah. Something we finally agree on.” She laughed, as if making a joke, but the words still stung.
“I’d better get back to work.”
“Wait!” She grabbed his arm as he stepped back. “Tell me how this contraption works.”
If he couldn’t impress her with his ingenuity and his brawn, maybe he could impress
her with his know-how. “The windmills work by pumping water from the ground. When the wind blows, it spins the sails—those metal blades at the top—which makes that rod in the center of the tower go up and down, and that pulls water up from the ground. Then it spills out into the troughs and that storage tank.”
She pushed away from the tower. “Well, let’s hope it works. We’ve got a lot riding on this contraption.”
“I’m praying it works.”
“Hmpf. I sure hope you aren’t disappointed come tomorrow.” She peered up at him for a moment, then turned and walked back to the wagon.
Brooks blew a heavy breath out his nose. He hoped they wouldn’t be disappointed too.
Keri pulled the pot roast from the oven, flooding the room with its delicious aroma. She made a slit in the top with a knife to check its doneness. Juice ran down the side of the large hunk of meat, and she slid it back in to finish cooking. She returned to the table to cut out the rest of the biscuits, thinking about the tall water tower. It had been impressive.
And she hadn’t been very nice to Mr. Morgan. When she first learned what he was up to, she’d gotten upset that he’d sold some of her uncle’s cattle to buy the monstrosity, but in spite of her snide comments to him, she’d been impressed with the solidness of the tower. If it worked, it would solve one big problem. They’d have water for the cattle again—and that would be a blessing.
After cutting out the biscuits, she cleaned her hands and went out to take her laundry off the line. Timing her wash to get dried before the men returned was challenging at times, but she didn’t want them viewing her unmentionables, especially him.
Heat rose to her cheeks at the thought. She quickly removed her laundry, then carried it upstairs to her room, folded some, placed others in a basket to be ironed, and then walked over to the window. In the distance the tower rose up, tall and shiny. The fan on top was spinning in the warm, late afternoon breeze. It was quite an impressive structure, and she certainly had never expected to have one on her property. Tiny figures moved around the base of the tower, so she knew she had some time before the men returned.
She started back downstairs, but paused and glanced at the door to her uncle’s bedroom. There were things in there that needed tending to, and what if he’d left a will tucked away in a safe spot? She needed to know, and she couldn’t ignore the room forever.
Pushing the door open, she was immediately hit with her uncle’s scent, laced with a mustiness from the room being closed up for a while. It was as if he just left the room. She breathed in, remembering the fun times they’d had together, once she’d gotten over being angry with him for taking her from her mother. They were never very close but she’d had no one else.
She pushed back the curtains and opened the windows to allow fresh air in. Uncle Will’s room was tidy as always. Tomorrow she’d strip his bed and wash the sheets and his quilt. Opening the tall wardrobe, she stared at her uncle’s clothing. She recognized all but two of his shirts. Leaning against the door, she sighed. Why hadn’t he told me he was ailing? She would have hopped on the first train home and taken care of him. They could have spent his last months and weeks together.
Shaking her head, she pulled one shirt after another off the hangers and tossed them onto the bed. Nate might be able to use some of the shirts. Keri tugged one of the newer shirts off and held it up. Odd, it looked smaller than the older ones. Grabbing a red plaid flannel, she held the newer blue one in front, and sure enough, it was several sizes smaller. She hugged the shirts, relishing in her uncle’s scent that still clung to them and feeling sad that her robust uncle had lost so much weight that he had to downsize his clothing. He’d always been such a stout, hardy man. Tears stung her eyes at the thought of him withering away.
Loud shouts rang out in the distance, and she tossed the shirts on the bed and ran to the window. From this angle, she couldn’t see the water tower. She hurried to her room and leaned on the window sill. What if Brooks had been hurt—or killed?
The tiny figures were dancing and hooting. She counted them to make sure everyone was accounted for, then relaxed, a smile tugging at her lips. They must have struck water.
Keri smiled, and she knew Brooks was smiling too. Then her grin dipped.
She shook her head, not liking her train of thought. She couldn’t let herself become attracted to the man who had stolen her ranch. No way, no how.
And one thing was for certain—now that he’d been successful with the windmill venture, he’d be even harder to live with. She could imagine how big his smile was just now. How come it didn’t irritate her as much as it once had?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Keri hung the last of her uncle’s shirts on the clothesline and stretched her back. The shirts snapped and popped in the breeze, waving like flags. With the bedding done yesterday, all that remained to be done was to sweep and dust the room. She’d tackle that this evening after supper when it was cooler or tomorrow morning. What she really wanted to do now was to go for a ride.
Fifteen minutes later, she’d saddled Bob and was galloping down the trail toward the windmill. It rose up tall and shiny, changing the shape of the landscape she’d known for so long. The blades spun in the gusty breeze, making a faint swooshing sound. So much water had pumped out that the trough had overflowed, running in a stream down the hill where it had formed a small lake. Cattle surrounded it, and a few stood ankle deep. Joy flooded her heart to know that Dengler’s cruel and selfish scheme had failed. All thanks to Brooks.
She turned Bob to the south and galloped him for a while, enjoying the wind whipping in her face and whipping her clothing. Back at school, on the rare times that she got to ride—sidesaddle, of course—they were only allowed to walk their horse. It was boring and she always ended up with a cramp in her hind end and right leg, but at least she was on a horse for a few glorious moments. She’d dreadfully missed riding and needed to ride more, now that she was home. Some part of school must have rubbed off on her, because she had become far too domesticated—cooking and cleaning instead of riding out with the men each morning like she had most days before she’d gone to Georgia. She suspected her uncle allowed her along so he could watch over her, since he didn’t like leaving her alone at the house. At least Brooks had finally relaxed his rule about that. He hoped that their troubles with Dengler were a thing of the past, but she wasn’t as certain. Men like Dengler didn’t stop until they got what they wanted. He thought blocking their water meant they’d be forced to sell out, but he was wrong.
Up ahead, she saw the men working the fence line and rode toward them.
Brooks saw her first and started walking her way. He smiled, pulled off his hat, and swiped his sleeve across his forehead. “You’re the prettiest cowpoke I’ve seen all day.” His shirt was sweaty and dusty, but he was still one of the best-looking men she’d known. And nothing seemed to get him down in the dumps, not even a hangman’s noose. “D’you bring us a snack?”
Keri waved at Nate and Jess, who were rolling up fence wire, then glanced down at Brooks. “Sorry. Just out for a ride.” As far as she could see, the fence line was intact. “Nice job.”
“Thanks. We’re about done here. If you want to wait a few minutes while we pack up, I’ll ride with you.”
She nodded and dismounted, then walked Bob around while the men loaded the wagon. Brooks’s horse grazed under a tree where the other two horses were hobbled, and in the leaves above, a bird chirped a cheerful song. Things were so quiet—so peaceful here. Here a person could fully relax, unlike back in Georgia where something was always going on. If not classes, then it was social gatherings—teas, recitals, and poetry readings. There was nowhere she could get away from people. She’d been surrounded by a sea of humanity.
But here, in almost every direction she looked, there were no people—not even a building. Just nature. And quiet. She dropped down in a patch of clover and began looking for four-leafed ones.
If she married Carl, she’d hav
e to leave all this. She knew he owned land, but she’d never been to his home. If it was anything like his clothing, it would be a fine home, she was certain. As much as she longed to stay here, she had to face the truth: she no longer belonged here. She didn’t belong anywhere. Sighing heavily, she tried to imagine herself as Mrs. Carl Peters. Keri Peters. The name did nothing for her. There was no expectancy or excitement.
“You ready to ride?”
Keri jumped. She had been so engrossed in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard Brooks sneak up on her. “Oh, uh … sure.” He held out a hand, and she allowed him to pull her up, and when he started for his horse, she dusted off her backside.
Instead of mounting his horse, Brooks waited beside Bob. He gave her a leg up, then handed her the reins with a smile and a wink. Butterflies took wing in her stomach as she watched his loose-legged gait take him to his horse.
He rode up beside her and stopped. “Ready?”
She nodded and urged Bob forward with a quick tap to his sides, then she bent over and nudged him harder. The horse broke into a trot, then a gallop, as they passed the wagon. She waved her hat and tossed a big grin at Nate and Jess. Brooks quickly caught up with her and they rode side by side, almost as if they belonged together.
When they neared the house, she slowed Bob to a walk, and Brooks did the same. She sidled a glance at him. “You’ve never told me how you met my uncle.”
“It was an accident actually, or maybe it was all ordained by God.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you see, there was this little hailstorm, and Jester and me was looking for a place—any place—that offered some protection. Right about the time the hail started, we rode into Shoofly. I rode Jester up on the boardwalk, left him there, and went into the café. All I had at the time was enough money to buy a cup of coffee. And there sat Will, all by himself, and he invited me to sit and eat with him. Even paid for my dinner. He sure was a nice, ol’ man.”
Keri ducked her head. That sounded like something her uncle would do. “Then what happened? How’d you get from eating with my uncle to owning his ranch?”
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