by Danni Roan
“Hm?” Will caught himself asking.
“Mr. Roberson are you paying attention?” Katie asked looking at him more closely.
“Yes, yes of course.” His voice was a heavy rasp as it scratched across his throat. “It’s just… it’s just a lot to take in at one time.” Was she blushing Will thought.
For a moment time seemed to stand still as Katie looked up at him, eyes wide, lips slightly parted, breath coming in shallow gulps. Will wanted to kiss her. Longed to reach out and place his large callused hands in her silky tresses.
Clearing his throat he broke the spell, turning his eyes back to the high distant mountain range. There was no doubt about it he’d been alone too long and there was no quicker way to get run off this ranch than to start looking at the rancher’s daughter like a love sick pup. He would have to watch himself, especially if he had any hopes of getting a bit of this land for himself.
“Darn!” Katie’s soft expletive shocked him to the tips of his boots and he turned gaping at her.
“Sorry.” She said her face a light shade of crimson. “I can’t see Mae anywhere.”
Will felt like repeating her mild curse as he began scanning the low foot hills they were approaching.
Kicking their mounts into a brisk trot, they headed out in the direction that the erstwhile Mae had been traveling and before long they came across the tan and white calico pony tied to a low growing creosote bush, his black tail swishing lazily in the late morning sun.
“Mae?” Katie called looking around. “Mae, where are you?” her voice had taken on a desperate edge.
“I’m right here.” Came a disgruntled sounding voice followed by the girl herself, stepping from behind a small clump of trees and buttoning her light jacket.
“What do you think you are doing running off like that?” Her older sister chided. “What if something had happened to you?”
Mae rolled her eyes, “I needed the necessary.” She smirked. “It’s not like it’s just you and me out here you know.” She turned a significant glare on Will.
“Oh.” Again Katie’s cheeks flushed and it was all Will could do to suppress a smile.
“I’m hungry!” Mae then interjected. “Let’s go down by the creek and have lunch.” And without waiting for a reply she untied her pony, mounted and turned westward without a backward glance.
Katie sighed, shaking her head and swung her horse in the direction her baby sister had gone.
Half an hour later, Will found himself sitting on and old blanket next to Katie, under a cottonwood tree eating fried chicken and munching on a somewhat shattered apple pie. Near them Mae sat nibbling her food, her back turned toward them as if willing them away, while she watched a babbling brook gurgle and tumble over large smooth stones. The low green slopes of the foot hills of the Wind River Range spilled onto open prairie dotted with the deep hues of tall ever greens, or thick limbed cottonwoods that grew along the banks of the brook.
In the far distance Will could see mule deer and antelope grazing in the lush grass as granite peaks reached their gnarled summit toward a pristine blue sky. Will had been asking Katie questions about the ranch, and she had been answering them while keeping an eye on her sister. He had still been studying her face when he noticed her eye brow raise in alarm, then she started to get to her feet.
“Mae?” She called sternly “what do you have?”
Mae tried to turn her back further but then her sister was looming over her. Will, curious followed and looked down just as the young, raven haired child was trying to stuff something back into her jacket, but no sooner had she pushed it into the folds along her waistline than a small black and white head popped back out, its beady black eyes gazing up at the intruders. In just the nick of time Will clamped a hand over Katie’s mouth, stifling the scream that was rising in her throat.
“Shh.” He whispered, never taking his eyes off of the fuzzy bundle that came tumbling out of Mae’s coat. The tiny creature leaned down and took a delicate bite from the chicken leg in Mae’s hands. Katie, now calmer, pushed Will’s hand away.
“Where in the world did you get that?” her shocked whisper came out a squeak as her finger pointed at the white stripped baby skunk in her sister’s lap.
Mae at least had the sense to look abashed but didn’t hesitate to reply. “It was in a hole and couldn’t get out.” Her words tumbled over each other in a cascade. “It was making the most terribly sad noise. What could I do? I couldn’t leave it there to die.” her eyes were plaintive.
Katie closed her eyes, breathing slowly through her nose to maintain her calm so as not to panic the black and white urchin who was still calmly eating Mae’s lunch. Swallowing she spoke with more decorum than she felt.
“Mae. You can’t keep it. You need to turn it loose.”
“But why?” Mae asked, confusion plainly etched on her face.
“Because it is a skunk and if for any reason it were to get startled… it doesn’t bare thinking about.”
“Oh.” Mae’s face fell and her eyes lingered on the tiny creature that had now cuddled into her lap. “It’s just so tiny and all alone.” Bright tears glistened in the girls eyes.
“I know but it needs to be with its mother.” Katie’s voice was now soft, gentle. “We’ll take it back to where you found it and leave it there with some food. I’m sure its mother will come for it.”
Mae simply nodded, wrapping the little bundle in her hands and tucking it back into her jacket.
Mounting up again they all turned back toward where they’d come from. Soon Mae was standing by the same creosote bush she’d tied her pony to earlier and placing the little skunk, with a healthy helping of chicken and pie, in its sheltering branches. Katie wrapped her little sister in a big hug afterward and softly wiped away her tears.
“He’ll be happier here, Mae.” She whispered. “Now let’s head home.”
Silently Mae mounted her pony and turned toward home.
The ride back to the ranch was subdued. It was obvious that Mae was taking the loss of the little pole cat hard and Katie felt like the bad guy once more. It was hard being the oldest in this family. Mae was so full of life and compassion; imagination and dreams. Why was it that Katie always had to be the one to step in and squelch it? As the oldest she’d had to look after her sisters; she knew she was too serious, too bossy, but if she didn’t take things seriously who would.
This ranch was everything. She was a very part of the land, the sky, the grass. It pulsed in her like a second heartbeat. The snort of a horse next to hers brought her out of her depressing thoughts and she looked up to see Will Robertson gazing at her.
“You alright?” He asked tentatively. For a long moment Katie was unable to answer, shocked not only that he would ask but by the intensity in his deep hazel eyes.
“Um, yes.” She replied softly.
“You did the right thing you know.” Will’s words were gentle. Katie looked up at him and smiled.
“Thank you. I know I did the right thing but I didn’t want to hurt Mae.” She watched as her sister trotted along a short distance ahead of them.
“Sometimes it’s hard to be responsible.” Was Will’s simple reply and for some reason it did something strange to Katie’s heart. A warmness seemed to surround it, wrapping it in a soft glow.
The rest of the ride home was completed in silence, but it wasn’t awkward or strained. Each of them rode cloaked in their own thoughts as their horses plodded along toward home.
As the trio approached the entrance to the ranch. Mae kicked her tri-colored pinto into a gallop and dashed through the archway, skidding to a halt at the hitching rail. The sound of galloping hooves had brought the old Chinese cook to the door, but Mae, tears in her eyes, dashed passed him and on into the house.
Will heard Katie sigh as they swung down at the front of the house and looked up at the disgruntled face of Mae’s great grandfather.
“Kat-tri-on!” He snapped “What you do to upset Mae?” He
glared down at her his dark eyes, fierce as he rested his hands on his narrow hips.
“I…” Katie stammered.
Suddenly Will felt fiercely protective of the woman standing beside him and he had to clench his fist to keep from reaching out and taking her hand.
“She only did what was right and what needed doing.” He said before he could stop himself. “She didn’t want to hurt Mae. She was just looking out for her.”
For a moment, the old man glared at Will, a scowl on his parchment face. Then Will watched as the old man shook himself, his whole body sagging. “What did she do?” He finally asked in resignation. “Do I need go see her now?”
Quickly Katie sketched out what happened and to Will’s surprise the old man doubled over with laughter before turning back toward the house.
Katie turned to Will and just looked at him for a long moment. Her steady eyes on his face made his cheeks warm as he smiled down at her. Then he remembered himself; reminded himself that he was just a hand on this ranch and that this was the owner’s daughter. Putting a check on his feelings.
“Ma’am.” He said calmly. “I’ll just take the horses back to the barn if that’s all you need for now.”
“Oh,” Katie whispered, handing him the reins of her mount, then watched him stride toward the barn, the two horses at his heels.
Wearily Katie trudged up the stairs to her room. She was hot and tired and feeling very confused. She just wanted to find some time to sit and think. She needed to make sure that everything was alright at home. Check and see if the final round up and branding went well. She wondered if her father had worked the rest of the day or if he was just checking stock. She knew that as the oldest daughter her responsibility was to the ranch; to seeing that it continued to prosper and support her sisters. Her father was getting on in years. How much longer would he be able to keep this up? She had to take care of him.
Her mind drifted to the cowboy she’d spent the morning and afternoon with. At least her father was starting to hire some younger men to take on the heavier work. He’s handsome to. She pushed the stray thought away.
Still completely engulfed in her thoughts, she turned the knob on her bedroom door and pushed it open only to find both Meg and Fi waiting for her.
“We thought you’d never get back.” Meg called excitedly waving a hair brush. “Nona says you’re to have a bath and we came to help. Now tell us everything. What is the new cowboy like? Where did you go? Why was Mae upset? Don’t you think this new fella is handsome?”
Before Katie could even begin to respond the twins entered, filling the room almost completely.
Katie, raised a hand to stave off the onslaught just as Nona arrived carrying a bucket of steaming water and poured it into the half full tin bath sitting on the floor.
“You had nice ride?” She asked her accent stronger than usual for some reason.
“Yes.” Katie replied, somewhat confused about all of the fuss.
“Good, good. You must be hot, take nice bath and have a rest before supper. Yes?” then patting Katie on the cheek she left the room latching the door behind her.
With a deep sigh, Katie began unbuttoning her blouse. Her sisters rushed to help battering her with questions about Will the whole time.
“Oh, Katie.” Meg finally gushed. “What if he falls in love with you and you get married?”
“Meg!” Fi chided her dreamy sister. “Leave her alone.”
“Meggie, I know you have dreams of love and marriage and all of that, but you’re younger than I am. I’m already twenty-four and well past marriage. Don’t be silly. Besides I have enough in my life with this ranch and all of you. What do I need with romance?” she finished as she undressed and stepped into the tepid water with a sigh. Katie leaned back into the tub allowing the warm water to wash away the dust and tiredness of the day.
Picking up the hair brush again Meg smiled wickedly at her sister. “Then I guess I’ll just have to marry him.”
A strange cold feeling slowly slipped into Katie’s stomach and her eyes flashed back at her sister in the mirror. “Do what you want.” She said, her voice terse.
To her surprise Meg collapsed in peals of laughter on the bed. “I don’t want him. He’s too skinny for my taste.” Again she cackled wildly making Katie and Fiona shake their heads.
“Maybe Fiona will have him.” Meg finally rasped out between extended giggles.
Rolling her eyes Katie climbed out of the bath wrapping a heavy towel around her.
Fiona, who had taken the brush from Meg began working on smoothing and drying Katie’s waist length hair, flinched. “He’s far too old for me.” She finally whispered. Which set them all off to laughing.
Strangely the whole thing seemed to relieve Katie’s worries about the ranch and her father and she could feel a lightness in her she hadn’t had in a long time.
Chapter 6
Over the next several days Will threw himself into his work, keeping close to Benji and learning the ropes of the Broken J. He hoped that long days in the saddle and hard work would put a pretty face, and a pair of jade eyes out of his mind, but each meal put him face to face with the girl again.
Still he was determined to show his worth as a top hand and hoped that if he proved himself worthy, a piece of the ranch itself could be his. He spent his evenings talking to Benji and the other hands about the ranch coming to understand how each had earned their part of the share. Most of the men had been on the Oregon Trail with Joshua and when he’d decided to stop here in Wyoming they had chosen to stay too.
At the long dinners he answered the questions of all of the girls, as well as Joshua James and began to notice just how serious and worried Katie seemed to be. Her soft face often drawn into a frown as she questioned her father about the preparations for the drive to Casper’s brand new rail head. He knew, she, Meg, and Fiona had been working the round up as well and was impressed by her tenacious attitude.
Will had been on the ranch for nearly three weeks, working himself and his horses hard and getting things done. Rising to a gray watery dawn he dressed and slapped his hat on his head then headed for the back porch and breakfast.
At the table he and Benji got down to going over the plan for the day while they waited for Joshua and the girls to make their appearance. In just under two days the herd would head down the trail to Casper and the trains that would take them to the big cities back east. The cattle had been bunched, and culled and the breeding stock and young stuff had been driven out to the best grazing land in preparation for the winter. Will was looking forward to ram-rodding the drive and seeing it completed.
Nearly all the food was already on the table by the time Joshua and his daughters arrived. Katie stepped onto the porch boards close on his heels still arguing some point in a loud whisper, but as they rounded the corner of the table, the rest of the family strung out behind them like ducklings in a row, Joshua James wheeled and faced his daughter, his face grim. Katie, just had time to come to a stop before slamming into her father’s wide chest.
“Katrion-Blakely-James.” He pushed the girl’s three names out between clenched teeth. “I’ve told you how it will be and that’s how it will be. You’re going and I’ll have no more argument.”
“But Pa…” Katie tried plaintively “Meg…”
Joshua stopped her with an uplifted hand. “No. You’re going and that’s that.”
An awkward silence fell over the whole porch as all eyes watched the interaction between father and daughter. Finally Katie dropped into her seat with her face a storm cloud. Joshua, sat, said grace and picked up his fork. As he and the rest of the men began eating a hearty breakfast of biscuits, saw mill gravy and eggs, he turned his eyes to Will.
“I’ve a special job for you today.” He said without preamble. For just a moment, Benji’s eyes strayed to where Isadoro and Bianca sat at the end of the table.
“Yes, sir.” Will addressed Joshua ready to take on the next job.
“I need you to see Katie safely up the mountain to my brother-in-law Brion’s place. He’s not doing well and sent a message down asking for some supplies. I have everything ready so you’ll need to get a move on pretty quick if you want to be there before sundown. I’ll trust you to keep my Katie safe on the ride.” The big man’s piercing blue eyes bored into Wills.
“Yes, sir.” Will said again, trying to control his features so that utter shock was not evident. Briefly he looked across the table at Katie’s storming face, and understood her frustration. Still he simply nodded then dug into his breakfast.
As soon as his plate was clean Will followed a tight lipped Katie through the house, out on to the front porch, and down the stairs to where their horses along with two pack horses stood waiting for departure. Katie, dressed in her dungarees, chaps, and a flannel shirt threw herself into the saddle of her familiar palomino horse, her jeans making a soft slapping sound as her bottom hit the seat, and without a word she turned toward the hills in the far distance.
Will, still a little shocked, scrabbled to take up the lead lines of the two pack horses, then leaping into his saddle, turned to follow her.
For the first hour Will followed behind the ridged form of the girl on the golden horse. He noted her stiff shoulders, and straight, tense back as she kept her horse at a quick walk. Finally he pushed his roan up beside her, catching a softly grumbled word as he matched her pace.
“He did this on purpose you know.” she said, not really talking to him but needing to vent at the same time. “I told him I was going with him this year on the round up and so he’s dreamed up some excuse to keep me home.”
She was quiet again for a while and Will, instinctively realizing she just needed to talk, kept quiet.
“I’m the oldest, I have a right to see that things get done. I have responsibilities.” Katie’s voice was soft.