The Homesteader's Sweetheart

by Lacy Williams

  Jonas reacted, jumping from the wagon and reaching to unhitch the nearest horse from its harness. Time was of the essence. He didn’t want any of the cattle getting injured in a stampede, and he didn’t have extra time in the next days to round up lost cattle, either. He knew Oscar and Maxwell were capable riders, but if the beasts were good and scared, one of the younger boys could get hurt. He needed to join his sons and take charge of the situation.

  “Thunder must’ve scared them,” Matty shouted over the pounding rain.

  Jonas didn’t waste time arguing that the thunder was too far away, he just kept working on getting the nearest horse undone so he could join his sons. If he had to ride bareback, so be it. The horses he’d hitched up this morning were some of his more placid animals and this one wouldn’t balk at it.

  “Where’s Breanna?” Penny called out, and Jonas looked up to see that she was out of the wagon and attempting to unbuckle the straps on the opposite horse.

  “What’re you doing?” he demanded at the same time Matty replied, “She’s with Poppy Walt. Oscar sent them back to the house.”

  “Good,” Penny said, and stunned him with her next words. “I’m coming, too.”

  Freezing, he looked up, straight into her vivid blue eyes.

  “No, you’re not. Walt would—”

  “He would want me to help,” she interrupted, still struggling with the heavy harness.

  “I don’t have time to argue. Matty can take you home and catch up with the rest of the boys.”

  “I’m not going home,” the exasperating woman said through gritted teeth, pulling on the leather strap with both hands. “If I can get this to cooperate.”

  “Penny. There’s no reason for you to do this.”

  “I can ride—”

  “Bareback?” he demanded, remembering her experience with the rearing horse last week. The last thing he needed was a fool woman getting in trouble or getting hurt.

  “I’ll be fine. I’m helping.” She gave him a steady look over the horses’ backs, sodden hair drooping into her face.

  He didn’t have time to hide his displeasure or to help her get the harness undone. He needed to get to his sons before the cattle got any more out of control. They needed those cattle for sale.

  “Fine,” he spat, finally getting the horse on his side unhitched. Jonas wasted no time in swinging up on its back. “I’m going to head straight for the McCoys’ from here—hope I can cut off some of the cattle and turn them. You and Penny follow the old cattle trail between here and the ravine,” he pointed toward the place he was talking about, knowing his son would know where it was, “and try to catch any stragglers.”

  “Watch out for her,” he told his son, who nodded seriously.

  Penny sent him a speaking glance, but he didn’t have time to worry about her hurt feelings.

  He raced off into the pouring rain after the cattle and his sons, praying the whole way. He had a feeling his gang was going to need it.

  Chapter Twelve

  Penny threw one side of the heavy corral gate closed and tried in vain to wipe some of the moisture from her face. Jonas closed the other side of the gate, trapping the milling, bawling mob of cows inside.

  He leaned back against the gate, face raised to the sky. Penny followed his example and rested on the fence, her shaky legs protesting just how long she’d asked them to cling to a horse bareback.

  The boys wheeled their horses not far away, whooping their excitement. Somehow both Penny and Jonas had been the closest to the corral when the last of the cattle had been ushered in, and she’d followed his example and jumped from her mount to shove the gate closed without even a thought.

  “We did it,” she gasped, panting from exertion. A sense of pride she hadn’t felt in a while rose up in her chest and she laughed aloud, turning to Jonas as she repeated, “We did it.”

  His answering smile warmed her from the inside out, no matter that she was soaked to the skin, her dress clinging to her uncomfortably. She didn’t even notice.

  She hadn’t ridden so hard or fast since her childhood—or maybe ever. And she’d certainly never chased down a bunch of rangy cattle. If her mother could only see her cowgirl daughter now… She laughed again.

  Jonas shook his head, a chuckle escaping. “Walt was telling me the other day how you wanted to ride in a cowboy exhibition back when you were around Edgar’s age. I didn’t believe him, but after the way you rode today…”

  A hot flush crept up Penny’s neck and into her face. She’d forgotten about that summer. She’d been, what…twelve? It was the first time her grandfather had really let her help with breaking the horses, and she’d been the happiest she could remember.

  “I’ve never even been to a round up,” she admitted, attempting to wipe some of the rain and mud from her face. “My mother thinks the crowds are too rough for a young lady of my deportment.” She finished the sentence with a bit of mockery in her voice. Now that she was finding her feet between Jonas’s homestead and her grandfather’s place, her mother’s concerns of propriety seemed a bit too much.

  Jonas’s eyes rested on her face for a long moment.

  “Well, today you were amazing,” Jonas’s baritone rumbled. He lifted his head back to the sky, face open to the now softly falling rain.

  “Really? Why, thank you, kind sir.” Penny pushed away from the fence to drop an exaggerated curtsy.

  Her wobbly legs threatened to fold at the movement and his arm came around her shoulders, steadying her, pulling her close to his broad chest, covered only by the shirt that clung to him like a second skin.

  “We make a good team,” Penny said, face upturned to his, their accomplishments still making her giddy.

  He stared down at her, silent and serious again, eyes tracing her face and lingering on her…mouth?

  Then he nodded, and the movement of his hat sent rivulets of cold water splashing onto her heated cheeks and ruined the moment. She stepped away, gripping the railing to steady herself, staring blindly at the animals before her.

  Had he been about to kiss her?

  Would she have resisted if he had?

  She didn’t know anymore. She was finding it hard not to like the quiet rancher who’d built a life for himself. Poor or not.

  “We should get back to the house.” Jonas rubbed the back of his neck with one hand so his arm blocked her view of his face. “I’m sure Walt’s worried about you.”

  “Mmm,” she agreed faintly. “And we should check on Breanna. I hope the excitement hasn’t upset her.”

  She fell into step with him, one of the boys—Davy—waved at them from atop his horse and motioned to the two unsaddled horses he held by the reins.

  “You want to ride back to the cabin?” Jonas asked.

  She shuddered at the thought of getting back on that horse bareback. “It’s not far, is it?”

  Jonas waved off his son. “No, not far. Just watch your step,” Jonas cautioned. “Might be slick.”

  His concern reminded her of the way he’d told Matty to watch out for her just before he’d ridden away. He was a man who took care of his own. And his concern made her feel as if he cared for her.

  Would she welcome it if he did?

  Her earlier joy faded, leaving her out of sorts as she contemplated the possibility of a relationship between herself and Jonas. It couldn’t work. Could it?

  She didn’t want to live on an isolated homestead. Not even one with her grandfather as a close neighbor. She liked visiting her friends in town, being able to walk down to the café and have a cup of coffee with Merritt, the schoolmarm back in Calvin.

  And her fine gowns, including the peach taffeta she adored, had no place here. Her first days working with her grandfather had taught her that. Both dresses she’d brought from home had been utterly ruined.

  If Jonas did feel something for her, wasn’t it better to draw away now, before his feelings could be engaged any more than they already were? And before her own heart became
involved?

  Foot slipping on a muddy patch, Penny nearly toppled, but Jonas steadied her with a hand on her forearm, then offered her his arm. She took it, even though they were getting close to the house. Better to be safe and not have a bruised posterior to go with her tired legs.

  Penny snuck a glance at the man who’d trudged silently next to her while she ruminated and who now stared ahead at the snug cabin. Except for offering her his arm, he didn’t even seem to register her presence.

  Perhaps he wasn’t even attracted to her. He’d freely admitted he didn’t know how to woo a woman, so wouldn’t she be able to tell if he fancied her?

  Maybe he didn’t think about her as a potential wife. Maybe his concern only meant he was being polite.

  If that was the case, why was she strangely disappointed?

  * * *

  Jonas couldn’t get away from Penny fast enough. He needed the distraction his sons provided—to keep him from thinking on the way her face had looked turned up to his and shining with joy.

  And that hint of awareness that had entered her eyes. Had she expected his kiss? Wanted it?

  Or was he being foolish and imagining what he wanted to see in her eyes? He didn’t know much about women, and didn’t have a ma to ask.

  Regardless, the camaraderie and shared success he’d felt with Penny after rounding up the cattle had been powerful. He couldn’t believe how well she’d ridden. Her childhood skills must have come back to her in a moment of need. He was proud that she’d accomplished it, glad the cattle were back where they belonged.

  Jonas released Penny’s arm and stomped up the porch steps, grateful that he could turn her over to Walt and send her home. He needed distance.

  He opened the door to a cacophony of noise. Sounded like the boys were regaling Walt and Breanna with how they’d rounded up the cattle, and all talking at the same time. As usual.

  The scent of fried chicken and warm bread registered at the same time the blast of heat did. He didn’t realize how cool it had been outside.

  “Oooh,” Penny murmured from behind his shoulder, at the same time he heard her stomach gurgle. “I’m starved.”

  “You worked hard,” he told her, and no one even seemed to notice they’d come inside. “You did good.”

  She flushed at the compliment and he looked away before she could see how much her pink cheeks affected him. “C’mon, let’s get some grub,” he said gruffly.

  She looked down at herself, her dress soaked and muddy under the too-big slicker. “I’m a mess—need to get dry—”

  “Miss Penny, you can borrow some of my things. They’ll probably fit.” Davy appeared with an armful of clothing: some of his trousers and a button-up shirt, wool socks.

  Jonas waited for Penny to refuse the items, thinking she wouldn’t wear boys’ clothing, but she just thanked his son and slipped into Breanna’s room. Minutes later, after he’d donned a dry set of trousers and homespun shirt himself, she stepped out into the living area.

  He stared, mouth dry. The boys and Breanna had already sat down at the laden dining table, ready to dig in to the delayed noon meal and didn’t seem to notice anything unusual about Penny’s appearance.

  Apparently, Jonas was the only one fascinated by the sight of her in his son’s clothing. The shirt didn’t reveal any more curves than other shirtwaists he’d seen women wearing before. It was the trousers that showed her long legs. When he was able to tear his eyes away, he was gripped by the auburn curls that turned dark when wet, falling around her shoulders and halfway down her back. He itched to run his hands through those locks. But he had no right, Jonas reminded himself sternly.

  Penny self-consciously ducked her chin as she neared where he stood, halfway between the table and the bedrooms. “I must look a sight.”

  She did. An attractive, beautiful, breathtaking sight.

  He cleared his throat, tried to get his voice to work. “You look…just fine. It’s only family anyway.”

  Thankfully, she didn’t call him on the understatement, but just moved toward the table. He followed dumbly, now immune to the smells of the food, attuned only to Penny. She’d enchanted him.

  Penny took the second-to-last seat left at the long table, leaving him to scoot in on the end next to her. Would he even be able to eat with this sizzling awareness of her at his elbow?

  “Miss Penny, you were amazing!” Ricky called from the far end of the table, after Walt had prayed for the food. “I saw you race down that ornery ol’ red dogie and bring her back in.”

  She shifted on the seat next to him, shrugged off the compliment as she dished some corn pone onto her plate.

  Oscar chimed in, “I saw her collect two steers at once—”

  And so did Seb, who’d mostly stayed out of the way by Jonas’s plan. “You ride real good for a girl!”

  Perhaps most telling of all was Maxwell, who was usually too shy to speak at all around young women. “I couldn’t believe she was riding bareback in the rain. I almost slipped off old Silver’s saddle twice myself!”

  Jonas had had his own moment of nearly being unseated, so he knew Maxwell’s compliment was genuine.

  “Maybe Miss Penny should think about riding in the Bear Creek round up.”

  Jonas had been distracted by Penny’s beaming smile and wasn’t sure which boy had thrown out the teasing comment, but he winked at Penny anyway, remembering their exchange near the corral. Her joy at the boys’ plain-spoken admiration made Jonas’s gut feel funny inside.

  “I’m just glad I was useful,” she said between bites, still as proper as she could be. “Not like burning the food—and the kitchen.” She paused, her next words were spoken softly, almost to herself. “I actually felt like a part of the family.”

  Problem was, he was starting to imagine her as a part of the family, too. His wife.

  He cleared his throat, trying to keep his thoughts from traveling down that road. “I noticed Sam did a good job, too.”

  The usually reserved teen’s head came up and his eyes glanced off Jonas’s steady gaze.

  Maxwell clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s true. Saw you cross in front of two steers and drive them back into the herd.”

  Sam endured some good-natured ribbing from the boys and actually smiled. Penny gifted Jonas with another beaming smile and he felt as if he’d accomplished something, simply by encouraging her brother.

  * * *

  Jonas wiped his hands on the damp towel and set it aside, finished with the dishes. He leaned one hand on the wall above the washing tub, looking out the window without really seeing. Too much rain still falling to see much, anyway.

  When he’d built the cabin, he’d arranged the kitchen so there would be a window his future wife could look out of and enjoy the view of the mountains in the far distance. At that time, with only Breanna, Oscar and Seb to look after, he’d had dreams of finding a wife. He’d had dreams of having someone to love him since his childhood. It wasn’t until his bricklaying apprenticeship in Philadelphia that those dreams had coalesced into a vision of a wife, a partner, a friend closer than any other.

  Oh, he knew the kids loved him, but it wasn’t the same as having someone who didn’t depend on your for their well-being—someone who chose you.

  What had happened to those desires? Had Jonas become too busy with the daily hubbub of life and those dreams had faded into the background? If he wanted a wife, he could find a wife!

  With eight children to watch after, he didn’t have a lot of time to think about courting. In fact, he had none during the busy months of summer. But if it was important enough, he could make time for it.

  Or was it a deeper issue than time? Was he scared that if he got close to someone, they would find him lacking, just like his own parents had? What if he fell in love, completely and deeply in love, and the woman left him like his parents had?

  And why had Penny’s presence resurrected his dreams of finding a true partner? Could it simply be because she’d been the
re during his tumultuous eighteenth year, when he’d first dreamed of having a wife?

  Or was there something special within her that attracted him? Like the fact that she treated Breanna as if she was completely normal?

  He didn’t know. This confusion and insecurity didn’t sit well with him. He liked things ordered. Liked his quiet, homesteader’s life.

  And yet, he couldn’t be disappointed that Penny had come into his life, even if the disruption was temporary.

  Dishes done, he looked over his shoulder. It had grown awfully quiet in the other room, where Penny had been playing parlor games with the children to keep them busy while they were stuck inside. Last he’d checked, Walt had fallen asleep in the rocker near the fire, amidst all the noise.

  Jonas felt a little isolated in the kitchen away from the laughter and shouts, but he was the one who had insisted on it after lunch. He’d needed the space to catch his breath and try to figure things out. Not that it had done him much good. He was still as confused as he’d been before.

  A peek through the doorway revealed Breanna curled up next to Penny on the sofa, head on the woman’s lap, fast asleep. Maxwell was the only boy left in the room and sat against the wall facing Penny.

  Jonas suspected Davy and Ricky had snuck out to the barn to check on a new foal and the others had probably retired to their rooms for a rainy-day nap, a luxury they rarely got.

  “She’s a real sweet gal. Helps her folks with their store, and keeps her little sisters.”

  Jonas realized Maxwell was talking about a girl. His son had never expressed an interest in the fairer sex, at least not to Jonas, but this certainly sounded like admiration.

  “She sounds sweet. Do you know her, Jonas?” Penny asked, bringing him into the conversation though he wasn’t aware she’d even noticed him standing in the doorway.

  Maxwell looked up from his spot on the floor. Jonas stepped into the room, hoping his son wouldn’t shut down because of his presence. Maxwell still kept some things private, even from his adoptive father.