Melody's Next Christmas

by George H. McVey

  “I see, and would it matter to you if this expert was a woman with very precise information on the time period and ranching, especially on raising and training horses in that time?”

  Tallis thought about it. He could add horse training by bringing a herd of mustangs from the Dueling N’s here. There were several herds of wild mustangs still on the ranch, and while his father and brothers did round up some every year, he could probably bring a fair sized herd here. If the expert was any good at training, they could use them as trail and cattle horses for the ranch.

  Tallis shook his head. “No, I don’t see that I’d have a problem with a woman as an expert. I thought you might be applying for the job, Reverend.”

  “Oh no, not for me. A young woman of my acquaintance is an expert on the time period: you could almost say it’s like she stepped out of the past she is so knowledgeable. Yet she has had trouble finding someone who wants to allow her to train horses using those methods, and it’s her dream to become known for training horses.”

  “Well if she can show me how to make this ranch look and run authentic then I’ll be glad to hire her as both a historical expert and allow her not only to train horses but share that knowledge with guests who want to learn as well.”

  The Reverend smiled and it made his eyes seem almost hypnotically bluer. “Excellent; shall I bring her by next week to meet you and show you her expertise?”

  Tallis stood and shook the older gentleman’s hand. “That sounds great and if she thinks she can help and I see she knows what she’s doing, then when do you think she could start?”

  “Knowing her I expect she’ll want to move in and start right away. She is between positions and a permanent residence as it were.”

  That feeling sparked through Tallis again. “Then if she is as knowledgeable as you say, I’ll have a room ready for her in the main house. As long as she doesn’t mind sharing it with me.”

  The Reverend smiled and nodded. “I will expect you to treat her as you would your sister, Mr. Ryder. Your family’s reputation is the only reason I felt comfortable coming to you in the first place.”

  Tallis couldn’t help but grin at that this old timer who certainly knew how to remind a young man to act like a gentleman without coming right out and saying as such. “I’ll care for her as if she were family, sir, you have my word.”

  “Good, then I shall see you next week.”

  “Yes sir, I look forward to it. Oh, may I ask, what is your expert’s name?”

  The older man chuckled. “Yes that might be worth knowing, wouldn’t it. Her name is Melody Hughes.”

  “Then I’ll see you and Melody next week, sir.”

  The two men shook and the older one left, driving away in a vintage mustang convertible. As he went up the hill Tallis looked to see his brother Nate’s truck coming down the road. He waited on the porch as his older brother climbed down and walked toward him. “Who was that leaving in the old mustang?”

  “Fellow name Reverend Johnson; he’d heard I need a historical expert and told me he knew one looking for work.”

  Nate got a look on his face. “Johnson you say? That’s strange.”

  “Why is that strange?”

  His brother smiled. “You know how I love to read the old family journals, both Penny and Grace mentioned a Reverend Johnson and though it was a good thirty years apart they both described what could have been the same guy. Older with mostly grey hair and strange blue eyes.”

  That feeling grew in Tallis even stronger. “That is strange, that sounds exactly like the man I just met.”

  “Huh, that is strange but he can’t be the same fellow, he’d be almost 200 years old. Anyway he found you an expert on the ranching in the 1800s?”

  “Said he knew a woman who was an expert on historical life, ranching and horse training for the 1800s.”

  “Are we going to dad’s then and getting you a herd of horses?”

  Tallis smiled. “Not a herd, not yet; but I thought I’d see if she knows her stuff and if so maybe give her one horse to show me how good a trainer she is.”

  Tallis could see that Nate caught the gleam in his eye. “You wouldn’t!”

  Tallis shrugged. “If she’s an expert she should be able to train old Diablo, don’t you think?”

  They walked inside laughing. “So tell me what brings you here, Nate.”

  “I think I found you a contractor who is also an expert on 1800s era buildings including barns. Can you fly to West Virginia this week?”

  “You know an expert in West Virginia?”

  “Yep, runs a company that specializes in rehabbing and reusing old barns and houses. Especially from the 1800s.”

  “Let’s go tomorrow.”

  Nate smiled. “Thought that’s what you’d say. Already filed the flight plan, the plane will be fueled and Captain Ron is ready and standing by.

  Chapter 3

  M elody stood in the stable behind the bed and breakfast, brushing Sunset. She’d just come back from a ride out past her Pa’s ranch. She’d sat at the top of the hill looking out over the valley that her only home sat in, and cried at the injustice of it all. She’d just read that England’s parliament had passed a law, a few weeks ago, allowing a woman to own land. Why couldn’t her own country pass such a law. It wasn’t right that Brent Cooke got the ranch and reputation she and her Pa had worked so hard to build. The longer she’d sat the angrier she’d become, until she’d jumped up and raced Sunset across the open plain. When the thrill of rushing through the open expanse had calmed her, she turned back to town.

  She wouldn’t waste any more time crying over what should have been but wouldn’t be and she’d forge a new life for herself somewhere. Maybe she should save her wages and see about moving to England. Surely they needed horses there as well and if she took Sunset and found a stud to breed her with over there she might be able to buy some land and start her own breeding and training stable. At least over there if she bought land it would be hers and no man could take it from her.

  She turned at the sound of a throat clearing behind her. “Excuse me, miss, but would your name happen to be Miss Melody Hughes?”

  She looked at the man in preachers clothes. His mostly grey hair perfectly in place and eyes that caused her breath to catch in her chest at their intensity. “I am, Reverend, how can I help you?”

  The old man’s face broke into a smile that caused his eyes to almost pulse with light. “I heard that you might be looking for a ranch that needs a trainer.”

  “Don’t make fun of me, Reverend, it isn’t funny. We both know that no man is going to hire me to train horses or do any other kind of ranch work. I’ve only been offered two kinds of employment, or the option of marriage, which combines both kinds together.”

  The old man nodded. “I’m sure that’s true but I do have an offer to make you and it’s not to be a wife or a housekeeper. Why don’t we go inside and let me tell you about it?”

  They entered through the back door and went into the kitchen. Clara watched them come in. “Oh you found her, Reverend Johnson. Good, I was getting worried.”

  Melody sighed, “I told you I was going to exercise Sunset, Clara. I was perfectly safe.”

  “Well you were gone a long time, Melody. I wasn’t sure if you’d decided to take Brent up on his offer or if you had taken a fall and were hurt, or if you just got lost riding your mare through the countryside.”

  “I just went for a ride. No danger, no returning to that boorish man either. I’ll not give up on my dreams, Clara, not for Brent Cooke, not for anyone; and if I can’t make them happen here I’ll find a place where I can make them happen.”

  “I believe I can help with that, my dear.” The older Reverend smiled at Melody, “As I was telling you I have a gentleman who just bought a ranch and he needs someone to teach him how to work it like your father’s ranch was worked when he was alive.”

  Melody looked at him. “Where is the ‘gentleman’ from and where is his ranch?�
��

  “He is from the New Mexico territory. He’s kin to the Ryder family and his new ranch is here in Montana.”

  Melody frowned as his answers gave her more questions than they did answers. “If he is kin to the Ryders, why does he need me? He could ask Nugget Nate to send him someone or to come himself and show him how to ranch.”

  “He would prefer to do this on his own. He is trying to show that he can make it on his own without relying on his family. You might say that, just like you Melody, he has a need to prove himself.”

  “And you’re certain-sure he won’t mind having a woman to show him how to ranch? I don’t know of any man besides my Pa who was willing to let me do what I did. I don’t want to agree to take this job and then get there and not be able to work when he realizes I’m a woman.”

  “He knows that you are a woman and it didn’t bother him. Remember he is kin to the Ryders, he knows strong women and that they are just as capable as a man.”

  “What does the job pay?”

  “He didn’t tell me what he was planning to offer you pay wise. He did say that he would provide you with a room in his main house and feed you as well as pay you. I’m sure you and he can come to some sort of agreement after we get there.”

  Clara gasped. “You mean she will be living with an unmarried man in his home? Reverend, you should know better, her reputation will be ruined.”

  “I assure you that every precaution will be taken to keep her reputation intact. As she has already stated, she plans to see her dreams fulfilled no matter what, so I do believe her reputation will survive this.”

  Clara looked at Melody and placed her hands on her hips. “Melody Hughes, don’t you even think about it. It’s scandalous enough that you refused to marry and insist on doing men’s work. If you do this no decent man will marry you afterwards.”

  The reverend cleared his throat and laid a hand on Melody’s. “Miss Hughes, you have my word. If you take this job and see it through to the end, I guarantee that you will see you hopes, dreams and truest heart desires fulfilled.”

  “When do we leave?”

  Reverend Johnson slapped the table with a huge smile on his face. “You’ll take the position then?”

  “Yes, but I’m taking Sunset with me. I raised her and trained her and I won’t go without her.”

  “Hmm, yes, well, I believe that shouldn’t be an issue. We’ll leave tomorrow if that is fine with you?”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  “Good then, let’s have a toast to your new adventure.” The Reverend pulled a flask from his inside jacket pocket and Clara gasped. “Reverend!”

  He looked up at her and saw the look on her face at his flask. He laughed. “It’s water, my dear. From the spring outside my home. I carry it to toast special occasions with.”

  He stood and grabbed two glasses and poured from the flask into them. “For some reason it seems to stay cool in this flask.” He set one glass before Melody and took the other himself. “To your new life and making all your dreams come true.”

  Melody smiled and raised her glass and sniffed the drink. Sure enough, it smelled of water. “To my new life.” She lifted the glass to her lips and drank the water. After the first sip the coolness of the liquid surprised her and she found herself draining the glass. The reverend smiled and stood. “I need to make preparations for our departure so I will say goodnight. Make sure and get a good night’s rest; you’ll need it.”

  With final goodbyes the Reverend left them. Melody retired to her room to pack but she felt tired and sort of dizzy so she laid down and fell asleep. As she slept she dreamed about a dark-haired cowboy with green eyes the color of moss, who smiled at her in the dream and made her heart leap in her chest.

  Tallis sat in the office of a man named Mark Bowe, and already he was impressed with what he’d seen. Mark had shown him around “the boneyard” as he called it: a place with several stacked houses and barns that his team had carefully torn down and salvaged to sell and reconstruct on other sites. “Mister Ryder, tell me what you want from me.”

  Tallis smiled. “I want to hire you for a while. I’d like to fly you out to my ranch in Montana to consult, and if agreeable, then hire your company to build a couple of buildings and help me salvage three others.”

  “It would be expensive to transport any of our buildings all the way to Montana. I might be able to find a couple other buildings there that we could salvage easier and cheaper than hauling them from the boneyard here.”

  “Cost isn’t what worries me, Mark, its time. I want to get my ranch up and running by this time next year. I want to be able to offer my guest a genuine 1800s ranching experience.”

  “Then let’s go see your ranch and after that we can sit down and make plans.”

  Tallis nodded. “I can have the jet readied to transport us tomorrow if that works for you. I’d like you to plan to stay a week, so after you see my place we can go ahead and lay out what you and your crew will do for us, if that’s okay.”

  “That will be fine. I’ll get my researcher to see if she can find us a few barns and cabins in Montana that would work for what you’re wanting and if we can purchase them. If not we can talk about hauling from the boneyard, but again that’s the most expensive way to do this.”

  “I understand. I want to be authentic and if we can use old structures and logs then great, if we need to use new cut and just build them in the old style, that would be acceptable as well.”

  “Then let’s plan to look at what you’re wanting and draw up some plans while we’re onsite.”

  Tallis stood and shook the man’s hand. “Sounds great. We’ll see you at the airport tomorrow morning then.”

  “I’ll meet you there.

  Tallis and Nate left and went back to their hotel suite. “I like him and those logs were impressive.”

  Nate laughed. “I told you he’s what you’re looking for. If you tell him what you’re wanting to do with your house, I bet he’ll have some ideas that will help you get it all authentic and maybe even tell you how to keep power in your office without it showing.”

  “That’s a great idea. I’ll have to ask him.”

  “So tell me about this expert you have coming next week.”

  “I don’t know much about her; like I said, this Reverend Johnson said she was good and I figured wouldn’t hurt to talk to her.”

  “Yeah, I guess you don’t want me to have our legal team run a check on her?”

  “Not yet, let’s meet her next week and see if she is as good as Johnson says.”

  Nate nodded. “I did have them run a check on Johnson, by the way. They found out he isn’t just an ordained minister, he is also a lawyer. He seems to specialize in helping people with problems that no one else can help with and the legal team couldn’t find anything but praise for him.”

  Tallis steepled his hands in front of his chin. “So anyone he recommends is probably going to be solid.”

  “I would expect so. Can I offer a suggestion?”

  “Sure, what are you thinking?”

  “You might want to see what Sara Marie is doing this year now that she’s graduated. If this woman is as good as your buddy Reverend said, then you might want to have a woman on hand so your new expert doesn’t feel weird living alone in that house with you.”

  Tallis thought about that for a minute then picked up his cellphone. “Hey Sara, how would you like a job?”

  His little sister had a smile on her voice. “What did you have in mind?”

  “I have a female historical ranch expert coming next week and if she knows her stuff like I’ve been told, she’ll be staying and trying to make sure we set up right and teach us how to ranch and train horses like they did in the 1800s. I’m thinking I’d pay you to be her assistant, help her with anything she needs and live here at the house with us.”

  Sara laughed. “You mean you’ll pay me to be a chaperone, don’t you?”

  “No, I meant exactly what I said.
But I did think she might feel more comfortable with another woman in the house.”

  “When she coming?”

  “Next week. I’m having Dad send Diablo up for her to try and train. Why don’t you come up then?”

  “I’ll be up this weekend. I figure your house needs to be cleaned before a woman moves in.”

  “Hey! I’m not that bad.”

  His sister laughed. “That’s what you think.”

  “I’ll be up Saturday, make sure you send a car for me.”

  “I’ll come get you on the bike.”

  “Hello, Luggage!”

  Tallis sighed. “Fine, I’ll send Nate.”

  “See you then, bye now.”

  With that she hung up and Tallis went back to thinking about how to get the buildings he needed.

  Chapter 4

  M elody woke to a horrendous sound like a tornado, only faster. Then it faded to a sound like thunder and soon was gone. Her eyes were fuzzy and her head hurt like she’d been bucked off a bronc and onto her skull. The room around her looked strange and not at all like her room at the Bed and Breakfast, and it most certainly wasn’t like her bed back on the ranch. Where was she? She noticed that while the tornado sound was gone there were lots of other unfamiliar sounds coming from outside. When she got out of the bed and opened the curtain she instantly shut it again. What she’d seen was a nightmare. That was it; she was dreaming! She had to be dreaming, things like she was seeing don’t exist.

  She threw herself back into the bed as she heard another one of those roaring noises overhead. She’d no sooner pulled the covers up than a knock came at the door, followed by Reverend Johnson calling out her name. “Miss Hughes, are you awake? I need to talk to you if you are.”

  Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t know how but something told her this was all real and it was that man’s fault. “Come in.”