Within the Heart

by Jeanie P Johnson

  She settled in the leather covered office chair that had a Spanish flair to it since the hair of the hide covering the chair remained. The desk was of heavy oak, dwarfing the room as it took up most of the space. Bookshelves lined the walls on three sides, the leather covers of some of the books starting to flake and crack with age. She pulled out a large ledger from the drawer and started flipping through the pages, comparing the number of cattle and profits from one year to the next. She came upon a place in the book where the numbers were written in a different hand, and she realized that was when Cooper must have taken over the bookkeeping chore from Mr. Pritchard.

  Cooper was right. Compared to Mr. Pritchard’s neat easy to read numbers filling the columns of the book, Cooper’s numbers were sloppy, and it was hard to tell what some of the numbers were supposed to be. A seven sometimes appeared like a one and some sixes resembled half closed zeros. Threes could be mistaken for fives, and Ina would have to double check the numbers to make sure the columns were adding up correctly. Then there was the record of the number of cattle, new calves, and cows expected to drop new offspring, strays lost, cattle that died or got sick, the numbers lost on drives, and the number of cattle that made it and what prices they went for.

  Ina noticed that since Cooper came to work for Mr. Pritchard, it seemed that more cattle were either lost as strays or ended up disappearing from cattle drives. It was not unusual for that to happen along the way, but the number seemed to increase, once Cooper started keeping track of the books. There was no explanation of whether they even made an attempt to find the strays, or discover whatever happened to them. When Indians roamed the area, it was normal to lose cattle from raids, or hungry Indians who hadn’t been able to track down the buffalo. However, now the Indians were on reservations and could not raid the ranches, or take strays to use for their own food. Were there dishonest ranchers taking the strays, Ina wondered? Most of the ranchers in the area knew one another, and would never steal someone else’s cattle. However, stray mavericks with no brands were up for grabs for anyone who happened upon them and could put their own brand on them. Only roving rustlers and outlaws coming through the area, sometimes on their way to Mexico, would be brazen enough to steal branded the cattle, sometimes changing their brand. Even if that was happening, it was usually few and far-between for rustlers to tamper with someone’s cattle.

  When Ina finished going through the books, she went out to the bunkhouse and knocked on the door. Cooper answered it.

  “Did the books look all right?” he asked, not liking the look on Ina’s face.

  “Did they seem right to you?” she asked in return. “I have come to let all of you know that tomorrow we are going to round up all the cattle. Then we will put them through the shoots, counting each one. I’m going to talk to Connor about getting some of that barbed wire that is all the rave with a lot of ranchers today. If we fence off the borders of the ranch, we can keep a closer eye on the cattle and keep them on our own property. Apparently, there have been too many strays lost. Having fences would eliminate strays leaving and anything else from coming in. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  She looked straight at Cooper as though accusing him of something.

  “How you gonna to do that?” Cooper asked, not missing the way she had looked at him. “We would have to dig hundreds of post holes, and then do upkeep on the fence line. I’ve talked to other ranchers with fenced in acreage, and even with fences, the cattle can break through, and often sheep herders deliberately cut the fences. Then you have to mend fences and ride the fence line every so often to make sure the fences are still up.”

  “I suppose that is just going to be part of modern ranching of the future,” Ina stated. “But first off, we count the herd. Then in a few weeks, we will count the herd again, just to see if the cattle are straying off, or if something else is happening to them. If we keep losing strays, I’ll suggest to Connor we start fencing the place. We can bring in more Indians off the reservations if we have to, to get the job done.”

  “You are just making unnecessary work for yourself,” Cooper complained. “The money you end up spending for wire and help to put the fence up will probably be more than the money you might lose with a few cattle straying off.”

  “Not if the cattle disappear on a regular basis,” Ina pointed out. “In the beginning, it may be a big chunk of money, but over the years it will end up paying for itself.”

  “You are getting excited over nothing,” Cooper insisted.

  “We’ll see how much of nothing it turns out to be after we count the cattle, and then keep checking them,” Ina smiled. “So get a lot of rest tonight because tomorrow it will probably take most of the day rounding up all the cattle, and then another day counting them all. We’ll put them all in the holding pens overnight, once we bring them in. In fact, we can kill two birds with one stone, cause we can separate all the calves and brand them after we let the other cattle loose again.”

  “You must love making unnecessary work for us to do,” Cooper grumbled.

  “I’ll be working right alongside you. It’s not like I’m not going to do my share, so stop your bellyaching! Did you come here to work the ranch, or sit back and let cattle wander off? Seeing as how they are not your cattle, and you get paid just the same, you probably don’t much care. But my family owns this ranch now, and if it doesn’t bring in a profit, we might as well just close it down. Then you would all be out of work.”

  Cooper shrugged.

  “I guess you are the boss, but I don’t have to like it.”

  “It will give Hudson an opportunity to get his feet wet and see if he likes being involved with cattle. Maybe he and his sister will be like their father and return to New York, rather than be faced with hard work.”

  Hudson turned and looked at Ina.

  “I resent you accusing me of not wanting to work. It is not my fault my father left the ranch and raised us in New York. My uncle should have left us this place, and then I would be calling the shots.”

  “Only you wouldn’t know what shots to call, and this ranch would continue to lose money, with Cooper advising you what to do. At least this way, you will be making an honest wage.”

  “And worth every penny of it,” Hudson grinned. “I don’t plan to be like my father. If I can’t have the ranch, at least I can prove to you that I am willing to work on it. If I learn to like it, I may take the money my uncle left us and put it towards a ranch of my own.”

  “If you did that, I would be the first to congratulate you!” Ina said, seeing Hudson in a new light. “I didn’t think you had something like that in you, so maybe you can prove me wrong.”

  “Yeah, maybe I can,” Hudson agreed.

  When they rode out the next morning, Hudson came up alongside Ina.

  “I want to tell you that I am rather impressed with you!” he said almost sheepishly. “It takes a lot of fortitude to be doing what you are doing. Cooper told me about your mother and how she took her cattle to market pretty much on her own, with just the help of you kids, and the help of the Indians halfway through. He had made bets she would never make it, but she did.”

  “I was only about ten at the time, and it was Cooper’s fault my mother was left without any workers, but it was the best time of my childhood. It made me feel important having our new mama counting on me and my sisters and Connor. Even little Beth drove the chuck wagon and took care of the babies. It was scary and rewarding and made us a closer family in the end. That is why I need to impress my parents, and Connor, by succeeding in getting this ranch back on its feet.”

  “I’ll be willing to help in any way I can,” Hudson told her. “Even though it is not my ranch, it belonged to my family, and my father was raised here. That counts for something, I figure. I will be glad to see it succeed even if you are the one running the show.”

  “I appreciate your vote of confidence,” Ina smiled, taking a closer look at Hudson.

  Dressed in work clothes, he no longer looked t
he dandy he had when she first met him in his New York outfit with his attitude of entitlement sparking in his eyes. Now he looked like he was willing to conform to his situation and not complain about it. She had expected him to end up being a handful, but maybe he had ranching in his blood and didn’t even know it, she smiled to herself.

  Adoette came up on the other side of her, his long dark hair flowing from beneath a cowboy hat Cooper had given him to wear. He wore Indian leggings over his blue denim britches, like chaps, and a lariat was hung over his saddle horn. His cowboy boots looked old and worn. A smile played over his full lips and his dark eyes turned down in what looked like amusement.

  “It is an honor to be working for Miakoda,” he said, nodding at her. “Whatever you wish me to do I will live to accomplish it.”

  “I am sure you are a very good worker,” Ina said, glancing at him.

  “I hope I do not let you down,” he mumbled.

  “Of course, you won’t,” Ina smiled. “You and the rest of the braves are a Godsend. Where else could we go to find faithful workers, than at the reservation? I am sure you will make me proud.”

  “Thank you,” Adoette said. “I feel a storm coming on. We should hasten to finish our task,” he mumbled and then rode up ahead to join Chogan and Cooper who were riding in the lead.

  “Who is Miakoda?” Hudson asked when Adoette rode off.

  “It is the Indian name Chogan gave me. It means Power of the Moon.”

  “A strange name,” Hudson chuckled. “But I like the sound of it and its meaning.”

  “All Indian names have meaning to them. I guess I will have to live up to my name and use whatever power the moon offers me, to get the job done,” she laughed.

  “I have a feeling you don’t need anything to help you get the job done. You seem to have enough self-confidence to accomplish any task you put your mind to.”

  “It’s nice to know you have faith in me,” Ina smiled, but she was thinking that maybe Hudson was just trying to impress her with his compliments, in order to gain her trust.

  For the first time since she met Hudson, she started to wonder if he had ulterior motives and was intending to sweet talk her, and get her to like him enough to marry him, so he would end up with the ranch after all? It was a sure thing, once a woman married, the husband legally owned everything she owned. Then she remembered that the ranch didn’t even belong to her. It belonged to Callie, and since Callie and Chayton weren’t legally married, she was the sole owner of both ranches. For some reason, this relieved Ina. She had to admit she wasn’t ready for the responsibility of owning the ranch, she just was happy to work on it to help her family succeed.

  She hoped against hope that Hudson was being honest with her because she was starting to notice things about Hudson that she liked. She didn’t want to be fooled by some underlining agenda Hudson may have. She looked up ahead at Adoette riding alongside Chogan. She believed he was right about a storm on the horizon. She hoped they could get the cattle back before the storm broke. Adoette glanced over his shoulder at her and gave her a smile. She was starting to like him as well and remembered how Chogan had told her that Adoette liked her. It was plain that Hudson liked her too, which made Ina start to feel better about the challenge ahead of her. It was good to have her helpers on her side, she thought with a smile. Now if she could learn to trust Cooper, she wouldn’t worry about the future, she thought.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Connor watched as Hudson helped his sister down from the wagon. She looked frightened and unsure of herself, which made Connor’s heart go out to her. She knew nothing of the life ahead of her. She was almost like Callie, pulled from an easy life into an uncertain future of ranching. However, Carrabelle was not faced with the prospects of having to marry someone she did not like or wish as a husband. On the other hand, if she was hoping for a husband, Carrabelle would only have ranchers and cowhands to choose from instead of, perhaps, some wealthy man in New York. Therefore, Connor decided he would try to make it as easy on Carrabelle as he could.

  Now he appraised her from a whole new perspective. Before, he thought her to be a little uppity and disdainful, but now she merely looked hopeless and vulnerable, totally unsure of herself in a way that actually attracted him to her. He wanted to be her hero, but he wasn’t sure why. Could it be those dark, troubled eyes, she shot at him, and then lowered, shading them with long thick eyelashes, resting on her pink cheeks? Or was it the full, almost trembling lips that were not so much pouting as trying to remain indifferent? Her dark ringlets fell around her neck in an appealing manner, and she looked so far removed from a cook, that Connor hesitated to put her in that position. If he didn’t, though, his sisters would hound him and accuse him of being soft on her. And they would be right, he thought with an inward smile.

  “Welcome to Double C Ranch,” Connor said softly, trying to relieve her fears and knowing he was not succeeding. “You’ve met my sisters and Mr. Daniels, but you have not met our workers.”

  Connor whistled, and Avonaco put his head out of the bunkhouse door.

  “Bring your crew over to meet my new cook,” he called.

  Avonaco approached with the three Comanche’s that remained to help Connor.

  “This is Avonaco, Konton, Taima, and Maska. They may look a little fierce, but I assure you, they are friendly and kind.”

  Carrabelle gazed over the group as though she did not believe Connor.

  “This is Carrabelle, the cook for the house,” Connor informed them.

  “Nice to meet you,” Carrabelle mumbled in a shaking voice. “I saw your friends at the Circle P before Hudson brought me here.”

  Hudson glanced at Connor.

  “I assume you will keep my sister safe,” he said, almost glaring at Connor as he formed the words.

  “You know I will. I would never let any harm come to any of my workers, be they white or Indian. We respect each other around here.”

  “Then I will leave her safely in your care,” he shrugged and climbed back up into the wagon. “I will check back later to make sure you are keeping your word.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” Connor questioned. “I allowed you both to remain out here so you would not become homeless. A little gratitude would suffice.”

  “I will show my gratitude by being an asset to the Circle P, and I am sure Carrabelle will do her best to do the same at the Double C.”

  “Then I will put my worries to rest,” Conner chuckled. “Good luck. Don’t let me regret hiring you both on.”

  “Don’t worry, we won’t,” Hudson assured him as he turned the wagon and headed back toward Circle P Ranch.

  “Avonaco why don’t you take Carrabelle’s belongings up to the guest room, while I show her the house,” Connor suggested and took Carrabelle’s elbow to lead her through the rooms.

  “Mr. Daniels will come after lunch, and teach you what you need to know about the kitchen. For the first few days, you can watch him fix the meals for the hands, and we will all eat with them until you feel more comfortable in the kitchen. Tommy and Beth are out doing chores. Tomorrow, we will all head out to round up the mama cows and their calves, so they can be branded. You will stay put at the ranch and Mr. Daniels will give you some cooking lessons, while we are out, maybe bake some bread or something.”

  Carrabelle merely nodded as though she was terrified of voicing an opinion, or the thought of baking bread alarmed her. She looked frightened and appeared to want to be any place but there.

  “I will show you to your room and let you freshen up and rest. We have an indoor bathtub if you wish to bathe and change. You will find life in this house as comfortable as any house you have lived at in New York. It was fashioned after a fashionable townhouse in Philadelphia where my mother once lived. If you need anything, just let me or one of the girls know. They will be happy to have the company of another woman since most of their social life is limited to working-men or ranchers with a few women at church to visit with. We don’t have fan
cy balls or gala affairs out in the country, but there are country-dances and fairs to go to, not to mention church on Sunday and church socials and picnics from time to time. At church, you will be able to visit your brother, and my family will get to see Ina. I am sure you will adjust.”

  “I hope so,” Carrabelle mumbled, taking a chance to dart a look in Connor’s direction since she had been keeping her eyes down in her shyness and precarious position.

  She had always felt poor, even though she had attended a good school afforded to her by her uncle. Only now, she felt more than poor; she felt like the working class, which she had never had to face before. In spite of her position created by her thoughtless father, she had been given the opportunity to rub shoulders with the elite, and learn all the social graces that came with it. She pretended at being well off for so long, she had begun to believe it was true during her school years. Now she was being brought back down to earth with a resounding crash! She had always expected to marry into wealth, since most of her friends were wealthy, and thought her to be. She had thought, when she and Hudson inherited her uncle’s ranch, she wouldn’t have to pretend at being wealthy any longer. Now she couldn’t pretend at being wealthy, even if she wanted to. She would have to accept her station in life, and so far, she did not like what she had to look forward to.

  Carrabelle glanced down at her hands, which had never had to perform a task. When she was young, her father still had his inheritance. It wasn’t until she was older, that he had lost most of it, and they had to rely on Uncle Hank’s generosity of paying for her and Hudson’s education. Now she had to face the reality of her life and the prospects of never being able to rise to a higher social status, or marry wealth unless it was a wealthy rancher. She now understood why her father had loathed ranching. She was going to loathe it too. She was surprised at Hudson’s attitude about it all.