When Cole galloped anywhere, it usually meant he was on his way to report more trouble. Daniel braced himself for the next round of bad news.
“Boss, we’ve found another butchered yearling in the west pasture.” Cole’s eyes said there was more bad news coming.
“And?”
“And it’s a fresh kill. So fresh we can butcher it and save the meat.” His gaze moved to the ranch house.
Daniel looked to the house, also. Hannah was coming out the kitchen door. He watched as Jeb walked to meet her. At least he knew she was safe, meaning he could focus on the poachers.
He felt Cole’s eyes upon him. Daniel turned to look at his best friend. “Let’s get busy.”
Cole swung his horse around to ride alongside Tornado. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Was he in love with her? Daniel glanced over his shoulder and saw that Jeb had brought two horses from the barn: Brownie for Hannah and another mare for himself.
Hannah pulled herself into the saddle with ease. No longer was she the woman who’d been afraid to get too close to a horse when he’d first met her. Her skin had tanned over the past six weeks and she’d slimmed down. The riding skirts she now wore looked better on her than any dress a woman could wear.
His mouth went dry again at the thought that she could have stumbled on the poachers this morning. Who knew what they might have done to her? He cared about her deeply, but love?
Cole laughed. “If you have to think that hard on the question, then I’d say the answer is yes.”
Daniel turned back around. His friend was right, but he didn’t have time to dwell on feelings of love. And he definitely wouldn’t confess it to her until after this business of poachers and rustlers was put to rest.
* * *
“Really, Jeb. I can make it from here.” Hannah tried to convince the old man to return to the barn.
“Miss Hannah, my job is to get you back home safely, and that’s what I’m a-doin’,” he answered without looking at her.
She had to admire him for wanting to see his assignment through. “All right.” Hannah followed Jeb’s mare through the woods. She could point out that she’d walked to the ranch house in the dark this morning, but knew that wouldn’t sway the old man to give her some solitude.
At least school wasn’t starting for a couple hours, she told herself. She’d be able to settle down for a few minutes and reflect on her morning. Not that she really needed to.
She’d found the henhouse empty of chickens and eggs, told Daniel and gave the news to Opal and Bonnie. She’d listened as Daniel discussed with his mother what needed to be done to make the ranch more secure, and had been told by Daniel to not wander about the ranch alone.
Hannah knew he was thinking of her safety, but he needn’t have talked to her like a child. She still fumed at the thought. The schoolhouse came into view; Hannah knew she needed to get her emotions under control before her students began arriving.
Jeb stopped on the edge of the woods. “I’ll watch until you wave,” he said.
She nodded. “I’ll tie Brownie up, then wave goodbye.”
“Fair enough.” He moved the piece of hay from one side of his mouth to the other.
“Thank you for bringing me back.” Hannah waited for his nod, then proceeded to the lean-to, which stood a good fifty feet from the schoolhouse. Brownie snorted when she tied her to the post.
Hannah left the saddle on. “I’ll have one of the older boys unsaddle you in a little while.” She patted the brown mare’s rump and walked around to the front of the schoolhouse, where she waved to Jeb.
She watched as he left.
Was it her imagination or was she hearing chickens squawking? Hannah heard her puppy, Buttons, yelping inside the school.
She hurried up the front steps to let her out. It wasn’t like her to forget to put Buttons in the pen Daniel had built for him in the back. Even now she would have sworn she’d done just that this morning, before leaving.
Hannah opened the door and feathers almost choked her as the air pulled them toward her. The roar of the dog barking and hens making a big ruckus filled her ears. What in the world was going on? She stepped inside and found the little black-and-white puppy chasing chickens.
They were everywhere! What were the chickens doing in the school? She made a grab for Buttons and slipped. Her feet flew out from under her and Hannah landed with a resounding thud on her back. She looked upward and saw frightened birds flapping about the room, trying to get away from the loud puppy.
“Buttons! Stop!” She tried to sit up.
Buttons ran over, licked her face and took off after another hen. His sharp yelps filled the air and caused her ears to ring. The angry and frightened chickens were making quite a fuss of their own.
“Buttons! Stop!” Hannah yelled again. She managed to stand up among the flying feathers and flapping wings. Her feet slipped in the goo that seemed to cover every inch of the floor.
The dog raced around her ankles. Hannah grabbed his wiggling body and hurried through the building to the backyard, where she promptly released the excited puppy in his enclosure.
She rushed back inside. The chickens were settling down, but still clucked and fussed. A few hopped and flapped their wings in aggravation.
Hannah groaned. Now that they had calmed down her other senses kicked in. The smell of poop and hot birds became overpowering. She covered her nose. What was she going to do with them? Why were they here? And how was she going to gather them all up?
The only pen she had was the one Buttons now occupied. She couldn’t put the hens with him. But they couldn’t stay in the schoolhouse; the children would be arriving soon. Hannah wanted to sit down and cry. She knew the mess had to be cleaned up and something done with the chickens.
She inhaled to calm her nerves and quickly wished she hadn’t. She thought about closing the door and going to Jeb with her problem, but then remembered Daniel telling her not to wander about the ranch. Since the hens were in her house, that meant the poachers had been, too.
But why had they let Buttons inside?
Hannah didn’t have the answers. She walked to her desk and sat down. The chickens now studied her as they moved about the room, making soft clucking sounds. Hannah was sure they were complaining about their new living quarters.
She laid her head on her desk and muttered, “Lord, what am I going to do now?”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Daniel looked up at the bright sun, which was straight overhead. They’d worked all morning cleaning up the butchered calf. He’d given most of the meat to the men and taken the rest up to the big house.
He and Cole had tried to track the poachers but had lost their trail along the river. All morning he’d thought of Hannah and knew he owed her an apology for his rude behavior. Tornado pulled at the bit, wanting to go faster. Daniel held him at a steady walk.
What was he going to say to Hannah? Should he confess he loved her? Tell her that he’d been praying over the words she’d said the night before? Explain that it would take time for him to understand his new feelings toward her and God? He leaned against the saddle.
The sound of children’s laugher could be heard as he got closer to the school. Assuming they were at recess, Daniel was shocked when he saw them walking in a straight line, holding a chicken, with some holding two.
Hannah was leading them. She held four hens upside down by their feet, two in each hand. Where had she gotten the hens? He stopped Tornado and watched as they passed, seemingly unaware of him and the horse.
Daniel could hear the hens clucking now. He spotted Opal’s granddaughters in the line. Daisy cuddled a hen close and stroked its head. Mary walked beside a ten-year-old boy who held a hen in each hand, the same way Hannah carried hers.
“Stay in line, children. You older ones make sure the younger pupils are keeping up. Once we get these chickens put away, we’ll start on reading.”
Groans filled the air. “Can�
�t we have a break, Miss Young?” one of the children asked.
“No, we cannot. All we have done today is chase these poor hens around. We need to get some schoolwork done.” She glanced in his direction, raised one chicken-filled hand and gave a sort of wave.
So she had known he was there. He called to her, “Miss Young, what, may I ask, are you doing?”
Hannah stopped walking. The children stopped, too. “Why, can’t you tell, Mr. Westland? We’re taking your hens home,” she called back.
“I see that. But how did you get them?”
“Someone was gracious enough to leave them in the school for me to find.” Hannah began walking again. “Come along, children.” Her students followed her like baby ducks.
Daniel felt the hair on his arms and neck stand on end. Was she saying someone had broken into the school and left the chickens inside? What if she’d been there?
He fell in line after the last child. When they got to the henhouse, Hannah put her chickens inside and then instructed the children to do the same. She supervised, and assisted them if they needed help. The kids seemed to be having fun as they laughed and watched the chickens reacquaint themselves with their home.
“You’ve all done such a wonderful job, why don’t we go to the house and see if Miss Opal has any cookies we can have?” Daniel suggested.
Though his question drew a loud, excited response from the little ones, Hannah frowned. “I don’t know if Opal made cookies today, Mr. Westland.”
The children all became quiet at this new information. He grinned at them, then answered, “I was just up at the house and the smell of sugar cookies tells me she did.”
Once more the children shouted happily. “My grandma makes the best cookies,” Daisy yelled above the cries and laughter.
Hannah laughed, too. “Well, thank you, Mr. Westland. I do believe we’ll take you up on your kind offer.” She lined the children up again, from youngest to oldest, and marched them toward the ranch house.
Daniel couldn’t help but admire the way she worked with the kids. After they each received a cookie, Hannah took them out to a tall oak tree and had them sit down in the cool grass to enjoy their snack. When everyone seemed content, he pulled Hannah to the side.
“I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you this morning, Hannah. I was worried about the chickens and the men who had taken them, and I came across as bossy. I’m sorry.” He laid a hand on her shoulder and looked deep into her eyes.
She smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
He gently squeezed her shoulder and then dropped his arm, tucking both hands in his back pockets. “The chickens were in the school when you got there?” He hoped he sounded casual.
“Yes, and so was Buttons. I know I put her in her pen this morning, but someone let her into the house with the chickens.” She watched the children eat and play. “But, I can’t figure out why.”
“I can. They probably thought he’d accidently kill one, and then once she tasted the blood she would kill the others.” Daniel felt sick to his stomach at the thought of what Hannah would have found if Buttons had done that.
“Oh, that’s horrible.” She shook her head in disgust.
Daniel nodded. “I agree, but whoever is doing these things isn’t nice.”
Hannah turned her attention back to him. Her blue eyes searched his face. “What else happened?”
How did she know something else had happened? Was he that easy to read? Or did she just have a sixth sense about these things? “Someone killed a calf in the west pasture.”
“Oh, Daniel, I’m so sorry.” Hannah glanced at the children again.
Now was the time to make his suggestion. “Hannah, I think you should move here with Mother, or come live with me.”
Her head snapped back around. “What? Why?”
He pulled his hands from his pockets and pushed his hat back. “I’m worried about you living alone. Those men were in the schoolhouse today.” Daniel wanted to just tell her she didn’t have a choice, but he expected she’d come to that conclusion on her own.
“No. I won’t give them the satisfaction.”
That wasn’t what he expected. Why couldn’t she be sensible and do as he asked? He studied her profile as she watched the children. Her lips had thinned and her jaw was set. In this mood, he doubted he could talk her into moving. Daniel knew when he was whipped. “Please, think about it.”
The children were getting restless. Hannah looked at him. “I’ll think about moving in with your mother. You and I will have to be married before I move in with you.”
“That’s all I can ask.” He knew that Hannah was never going to be alone at the school again. If she didn’t move to his mother’s, then he’d guard her every night and put a guard on her every day. Now that he’d found her, Daniel couldn’t let someone take her from him.
* * *
Hannah spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about Daniel’s request. The thought that someone had been in her living space gave her the willies.
But she also enjoyed her freedom. She and Bonnie had become friends, but Hannah couldn’t forget that Daniel’s mother was the reason she was living in the schoolhouse to start with.
She wasn’t surprised after school when Bonnie rode up on her horse. Moments later, she entered the building.
“Good afternoon, Bonnie. What brings you out here?” Hannah had learned that Daniel’s mother was a straightforward person who appreciated the same characteristic in others.
Bonnie came forward and sat in one of the front desks. “Two reasons. One, to say thank you for bringing the hens home, and two, because I want to invite you to move into the ranch house.”
Hannah asked the question that burned in her mind. “Did Daniel put you up to asking me?”
“No. As soon as I heard what happened this morning I knew it wasn’t safe for you to live alone here. I know I wasn’t the most sociable person when you first came, and I’m sorry about that. I really would like it if you’d move into the house.” Bonnie ran her finger over one of the grooves in the wood of the desk.
Hannah knew how hard it was for this woman to ask, and she was grateful for the invitation. “I’ll think about it, but honestly, I’d rather stay here and face my fears.”
“Do you realize how much alike you and I are?” Bonnie asked, looking her in the eye.
Hannah laughed. “I suppose we are a little.”
“A little, nothing. You know your own mind and don’t back down until you’re good and ready. I’m the same way.” Bonnie stood to leave. “But Hannah, I’ve often regretted not using common sense in some of my decisions. Please don’t make the same mistakes I have.” With those words, she walked out the door.
What had she meant? Did Bonnie think Hannah was acting foolishly by staying? Maybe she was. Was she being prideful in thinking she could take care of herself? All her life she’d done things on her own. Why did this have to be any different?
Memories of being held hostage with her friends Rebecca and Eliza sent a fresh chill down her spine. Even then she’d tried to be brave and strong. Until today, she’d not let those memories frighten her. She’d put on a brave front for her friends and believed that God would keep her safe.
For the first time in a long time, Hannah was scared. She silently prayed, Lord, I have to be strong. I will continue to lean on You and believe that You will keep me safe.
* * *
Daniel rode into town with a heavy heart. Hannah still refused to move out of the schoolhouse, and Levi hadn’t been home in three days. Daniel’s job today was to find his brother, apologize and see if he would return to the ranch.
Why did everyone in his life have to be so stubborn? His mother’s anger at the rift between him and Levi caused her to stubbornly refuse to talk to him about anything other than the basic workings of the ranch. Levi’s stubbornness kept him in town, when he should be home, working. And Hannah’s determination to prove she could take care of herself had Daniel’s gut in k
nots.
He’d already stopped at the hotel, looking for Levi, and been told to check at the new boardinghouse on Elm Street. Daniel mounted Tornado, all the while wondering when the boardinghouse had opened.
From the looks of Elm Street, several businesses had popped up over the past week or so. He scanned each sign as he passed it: Bob’s Mercantile. A Sewing Room. The Bakery.
He stopped in front of the next business, a three-story house with a wooden sign on the front lawn that proclaimed Beth’s Boarding House and Restaurant. He recognized the simple scroll design around the name as Levi’s handiwork.
Tornado’s saddle creaked as Daniel stepped out of it. He tied the stallion to the hitching post and walked up to the boardinghouse and restaurant. A bell dinged over his head as he entered.
The fresh smells of baking breads and pastries filled his nostrils. A large wooden counter rested against the back wall, with another of Levi’s signs hanging behind it that read Registration Desk. To his right was a stairway that he assumed led up to the rooms for rent, and to his left a door opened to a dining area filled with tables and chairs.
Daniel walked to the dining room door. A long glass counter rested just inside, with fresh baked cakes, cookies and pies temptingly displayed. His mouth watered and his stomach rumbled.
“I see you’ve found me,” Levi said from behind him.
He turned to look at his brother. “It would appear so. I’m hungry. How about lunch?”
Levi nodded. “Sounds good. Beth makes the best meat loaf in town.”
Daniel followed him to a table beside the window. A young woman hurried over and offered them coffee. She poured it into their cups and asked what they’d like to order.
“We’ll have the meat loaf special, Beth,” Levi answered for the both of them.
Daniel smiled up at her. “I’d like a slice of pie, also.”
“I’ll be back with your food in a few minutes.” She left their table and headed for the kitchen.
“She seems awful young to be running a business,” Daniel observed as he watched her leave.
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