He muttered something before suddenly removing his arm. He sat bolt upright in the bed now.
Clutching the sheet to her breasts she did likewise. Dark stubble covering his jaw and chin, added rather than distracted from his rugged good looks.
“I knew I shouldn’t have stayed here.”
“Where else could you have slept.”
“I would have found somewhere else.”
“Well, you didn’t.”
“I’ll get dressed and sneak off now while no one is around.” He pushed the bed covering aside. “I’ll go over to the diner and have a coffee, then come back in an hour or so to take you down to breakfast here.”
She watched him pull on his pants, then slip on his shirt and vest.
“I was thinking, we could go to the mercantile and you can buy a few things, then we’ll get married and head straight home.”
“I don’t need anything from the mercantile.”
“Food supplies. I live mainly on tinned beans. I’ve got flour, sugar, salt and coffee. That’s about it.”
“All right, do you have vegetables growing?”
“A few on and off. Hughie and Bert, the two old timers who live in the bunkhouse eat better than me. I go over there for supper most nights. I’ll leave now. You work out what you think we’ll need. Now I’m getting a wife, I’ll expect a few decent meals.”
“Do you have chickens?”
“Yes, I do. A milking cow too. Bert drinks a couple of glasses of milk every day. I don’t know how he can.”
“It’s good for you.”
“I’ll go now. You rest for a while longer. I’ll come back about eight o’clock then we can have breakfast. Okay?”
“Yes, if you think that’s best.”
“I do.” He poured water out of the jug into the matching china dish, cupped his hands and splashed the water over his face before running his fingers through his hair.
“Go back to bed, Angel, I’ll knock on the door when I get back. You have a big day ahead of you. It will take over two hours to get to my ranch.”
“Timothy mentioned there was a small town less than an hour’s drive away.”
“I usually go there when I need anything. I only come to Laramie every few months or so. The general store doesn’t have a lot of variety just carries the basics. A bit expensive but it’s handy and my time is valuable.” Taking a peek at the baby, he left quietly closing the door behind him. How ridiculous. She suddenly felt lonely.
****
Angel and Clint walked out of the preacher’s house as man and wife. It seemed strange to be wearing Timothy’s wedding band again on her left ring finger and yet somehow right.
“Thank goodness, that’s done with,” Clint said.
He carried the basket with the baby in it. They had bought their supplies at the mercantile and were heading to the ranch now.
“I can’t wait to get home,” he said.
“Wasn’t it a coincidence the preacher knowing Preacher Tom and Agnes?”
He shrugged. “I guess the religious brotherhood out West isn’t big.”
He lifted her up on to the buckboard and positioned the basket at her feet. The preacher’s wife had given her a piece of fine muslin to drape over the basket to keep the dirt away from the baby.
Clint leapt up into his seat. “Giddup.” He flapped the reins against the horse’s rump and set him into motion. A few interested glances were cast their way by passersby. Angel smiled and nodded, while he stared straight ahead.
“The news of our marriage will quickly circulate around Laramie now Mrs. Hudson from the mercantile knows about it. A nice woman but a notorious gossip.”
“Do you mind?”
He grimaced. “I don’t like my personal business being bandied around town.”
They lapsed into silence. Angel didn’t know how to keep the conversation going when Clint seemed disinclined to talk. The passing countryside wasn’t much different to that around Kilvington. Distant mountains with a mixture of trees and grassland.
What would Hughie and Bert be like? Timothy had told her about the elderly men who had been on the ranch for years. In fact, they were now the only permanent workers there.
Robbie’s sudden wail broke into her thoughts. He was a good baby who spent most of his time eating and sleeping, although when he was hungry, he was always impatient to be fed.
“Would we be able to stop somewhere?”
“There’s a suitable spot up here a bit.” A spasm of irritation passed over his face. She knew he was anxious to return to the ranch.
“I’m sorry.”
“It can’t be helped. He’s certainly got a good pair of lungs.” He pulled the buckboard up, jumped down and came around to her. “There’s a nice little grassed area under the tree, or would you prefer staying in the buckboard?”
“The grass I think, as long as there aren’t any crawly things around.”
He grinned. “Scared of them?”
“Not really, I just don’t want anything crawling on the baby.”
He lifted her down. Had his hands lingered a little longer than necessary? Of course not, what was wrong with her?
He scooped up the baby. “You’ve got a roar like a little bull.” He leaned the baby against his shoulder and patted his back. “Get yourself comfortable and I’ll wait in the buckboard for you.”
The screaming turned into hiccoughing cries. “Your ma will feed you in a minute, no need to fuss.”
For a man not used to babies Clint was doing rather well. “I’ll change him, too,” she said.
“Do you want me to bring his stuff over from the trunk?”
“No, I left a folded diaper in the bottom of the basket.”
Still holding the baby, he reached in and got it out. Once she was seated, he stepped over to her. “I’ll go for a walk to stretch my legs.”
“Don’t go too far, will you? I mean it’s isolated out here.”
“I won’t, anyway I’d hear if anyone came.”
She was not normally this fearful, but for the baby’s sake she had to be extra vigilant. A few birds flew around, a slight breeze stirred the leaves above her head. Would Clint ever feel more for her than the obligation to care for his brother’s widow? Would he be tempted to have his male needs met by other women? The thought had her heart slamming against her ribcage.
Maybe once they got to know each other better he might want to change the conditions of their marriage. She grimaced. What kind of wanton woman was she?
He came back and sat in the buckboard, his hat pulled down over his eyes. After the baby had finished feeding, she buttoned her bodice, lay him across her knees and changed him. “Well, my darling, you should sleep until we arrive at our new home.” He stared sleepily at her and gave a little yawn.
“I’m finished,” she called out.
Clint flicked his hat back on his head, climbed down from the buckboard and strode over to them. He leaned down and picked the baby up, balancing him in one arm he used his free hand to help her up.
Chapter Seven
As they journeyed on, the countryside became rougher, more isolated. Whereas before she’d seen chimney smoke from a few ranch houses, out here there was nothing. They passed through a cutting with jagged rocks on either side which opened out on to a flat plain stretching for as far as the eye could see. Only when she glanced back did she realize they had been slowly climbing and were now quite high up.
“We’re situated on a large plateau,” he said, as if guessing her thoughts. “Some freak of nature I suppose you could call it. It’s cooler up here than it is down below.”
“Do you ever get snow?”
“Occasionally if the weather is really bad, we aren’t that high up, though.”
About ten minutes later they passed under a wooden archway with the word Argyle burned into it. “This is it,” he said. “Home.”
When they drove into the fron
t yard, she glanced with interest at the split log cabin, which over the years had been weathered silver by the elements. It had two windows overlooking the porch and one large window on the high gabled loft area.
“This cabin was built by my grandfather when he first came here. The house my father built, well you know the story. Two blackened tumbledown chimneys are all that’s left of it now.”
The bunkhouse, stables and barn were built from vertical timber boards and she wondered whether the house had been built of the same materials.
Clint helped her down, picked up the baby’s basket and walked to the porch. “You go inside, I’ll put your luggage and the stores on the porch and bring them in when I get back from taking care of the horse. I’ll let Hughie and Bert know I’m back. They’ll want to meet you. The baby will come as a shock especially when they know he’s Tim’s.”
Once she walked inside, Angel took off her bonnet and glanced around her new home. It was tidy, a little dusty and drab. No personal items lay around.
The sitting room and kitchen were combined. Two doors led off it, one probably the bedroom, the other leading to the backyard she surmised.
The small cook stove had an oven at least. She peeked into the basket and the baby slept soundly. He seemed to enjoy travelling in the buckboard.
On the kitchen hearth was a wooden box full of kindling and logs. At least she could get the fire going. Ham, eggs and biscuits for supper, something quick and easy while she got acquainted with everything. A staircase opposite the back door led to the loft area. The space under the stairs had been turned into a closet. Timothy had sounded so proud when he spoke of the work he had done on the cabin. How sad she and Robbie had never been able to share it with him. Once the stove was alight, she filled the coffee pot and placed it on one of the hotplates. This kitchen wasn’t as good as the one in Preacher Tom’s place, although better than what they had on grandpa’s ranch.
The back door swung open and Clint entered followed by two elderly men, both short and wiry and slightly bow legged from years spent in the saddle.
“Angel meet the old timers.” Clint grinned. “Hughie is on the right and Bert is on the left.”
Hughie was the slightly taller of the two. “I’ve told them everything. To me they’re family.”
“Good afternoon Hughie, Bert. Timothy spoke very highly of you both.”
“Howdy Miss um….”
“Call me Angel, Hughie, you too Bert. I’m pleased to meet you at long last.”
“You’re a mighty pretty gal,” Hughie said. “And Tim’s son, where is he?”
Bert stood silently.
“Over in the basket,” Clint said. “He’s got a good set of lungs.” He laughed. “You ought to hear him bellow when he wants a feed.”
“Is that all he’s got to sleep in?” Bert asked. “I could build him a proper baby bed. I seen one in a catalogue once.”
“Oh, Bert, that would be lovely if you could. I couldn’t bring much with me.”
“I’ll do it,” he said. “Nice looking baby.” He peered into the basket.
Hughie elbowed him out of the way so he could see. “Spitting image of Tim,” he said.
“We got chores to do,” Bert said.
“Yeah, we have, let’s go.”
“Once I get settled in and find out where everything is, I’ll expect you to have supper with us sometimes.”
They nodded.
Once the men left Clint said. “You’ll have to have the main bedroom. I’ll move my stuff up to the loft.”
“I couldn’t take your bed it wouldn’t be fair.” She had lobbed on the man with a baby he hadn’t expected. She couldn’t take his bed as well.
“You can’t attend the baby’s needs at night from there, it’s too dangerous.”
He was right, traipsing around in the dark would be dangerous and she couldn’t risk it. She gnawed her lower lip. “Maybe we could share.”
“You want this to be a real marriage?”
“Well, I….”
“I can’t share a bed with you. I’m a flesh and blood man and you’re a pretty gal, I couldn’t guarantee to be able to keep my hands to myself.”
“I didn’t think. I’m causing you a lot of trouble, aren’t I?”
“Yes.” He gave a resigned sigh.
“I’m a good cook and housekeeper.”
“Thank goodness for that, at least I get something out of the deal.” He grinned. “You better be a real good cook.”
“I am.”
“I’ll bring your trunks into the bedroom and show you where I keep my stores. I’ve got a root cellar under the mat near the back door. There’s blankets and linen in the closet. I mainly slept in my bedroll on the mattress.” He shocked her by saying. “I wasn’t here that much, and I’d often sleep in the bunkhouse.”
He picked the basket up and carried it into the bedroom and she followed him into quite a large room containing a double bed with a mattress and pillows, which fortunately looked clean.
He looked somewhat shamefaced. “There’s blankets and a quilt in the closet. Tim liked his bed made up, me not so much after….”
“It’s fine, I can put linen on it.”
“Good, I’ve got a few things I need to discuss with the boys.”
Angel stifled a laugh by turning it into a cough. They certainly weren’t boys although the obvious affection he felt for the men was touching.
“Could you have supper ready by about six?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t bother with anything much tonight. You must be worn out.”
“I am. Not tonight, but if the men would like to, I’d be happy for them to come here for supper each night.”
“Thanks, they’ll be mighty pleased. Their cooking is better than mine, though still not too flash.”
He strode off.
After making sure the baby was sleeping, she hurried out to the kitchen. A couple of leather armchairs and a side table covered with papers and a large chest of drawers were the only furniture in the sitting room. Pushed up against the wall in the kitchen was a table and four chairs. No window coverings. The place was screaming out for a woman’s touch.
How awful it must have been for them to lose a large comfortable home and be reduced to living in a small cabin. Well, it wasn’t small to her way of thinking. The way Timothy had spoken of the main house she could visualize what it might have been like. Six bedrooms, formal dining room, sounded like a mansion to her way of thinking.
Checking to make sure the baby was all right, she dashed outside to a large chicken enclosure with a henhouse made of wood and containing several nesting boxes. A few blossoms still adorned the trees in a small orchard and a neatly tended vegetable garden caught her eye. From what she could see there wasn’t a great deal of stock. She thought she could smell pigs but couldn’t see them.
It must be heartbreaking for Clint to see his once prosperous property reduced to this. She wanted to weep for all he had lost.
She set to work making a batch of biscuits, also ginger cookies. She had noticed a well not far from the burned-out house. Clint obviously brought water in from there. At the end of the back porch was an enclosed area with a washing trough, a copper and a hip bath. Given time and a little money, not to mention a free hand, she could turn this cabin into a comfortable, cheerful home.
After the biscuits and cookies were in the oven, she decided to make up the double bed. Neatly folded sheets and blankets were on the top shelf of the closet. She placed a couple of her lavender bags in the closet and quickly made up the bed. A ranch like this would hopefully have lavender bushes or roses growing. She liked to dry the lavender out, rose petals also, as they were her two favorite flowers.
Robbie woke up so she fed and changed him. He didn’t go straight back to sleep. This was one of his waking times, when he would lay sucking his fingers and looking around. How much he could see she wasn’t sure, although m
ovement seemed to attract his attention.
Right on six o’clock, Clint strode in. He had washed his face and hands. “Something smells good.”
“Cookies and biscuits.”
“Mm, you’re spoiling me.”
“No, it’s nothing much.”
“For a man who virtually lives on tinned beans it is.” He stepped over to the table where she had placed the basket. “Is he awake?”
“Yes, he’s starting to have spells of being awake now. The older he gets the less he’ll sleep during the day.”
“Hughie reckoned he looked like Tim.” He stared at Robbie. “I think he does bear a strong resemblance to him. Tim would have been a good father.”
“I’m sure you will be, too.”
“I’ll try, I swear I will. He deserves the best and so do you, I’m just not sure I can give you what you need.”
“I’m confident you can.”
“My marriage, if you could call it that, has, well damaged me I suppose. Don’t expect too much from me, Angel.”
Did he sense that even on such short acquaintance she liked him, and was warning her off?
“I’ll do eggs and fried potatoes and onions. I found some down in your root cellar.”
“When we have a kill, we dry or salt most of the meat. There should still be some down there. I don’t like slaughtering my cattle, I’ve got few enough as it is now.”
“You’ll build up your stock again, I know you will.”
“It takes time and money.”
“I know, but you can do it. If you need to go away to buy cattle or anything, I can cope here. I’m not afraid of being on my own.”
“I’d never leave you or the baby completely alone, either Bert or Hughie will always stay behind when we go out. There’s a few wild cattle to be had if you can find the cunning varmints.”
“Will I have time to shift a few of my things out of the closet? I’m up early in the morning and don’t want to disturb you or the baby.”
He was a thoughtful man putting her needs above his own even though this was his home. She had gone up into the loft. Wild horses could not have kept her away. There was a small bedroom being used for storage, the other one was larger containing a single bed, closet and chest of drawers. The floor was bare, whereas down here, except for the kitchen, there were tanned cow hides covering the boards.
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