“I thought I heard laughing.” She knelt by Emily. “Are you all right?”
“Oh . . . yes . . . I’m fine.” Emily’s gaze shifted to Jake. “Thanks a lot.” Sarcasm and a smile hung in her tone.
“Pleasure was all mine.” Jake meant every word.
CHAPTER 20
THE NEXT MORNING Emily awoke before dawn’s first light. She’d stayed on the back porch with Jake and Deidre until Iris and Rez came back from their stroll. Once darkness fell, she and Iris retired to their room and readied for bed. Beneath the soft bedcovers Iris had talked and talked about Gregory Flores’s marvelous qualities. Emily found out more about the man than she cared to, and she wished Iris wouldn’t set her heart on marrying the first man who paid her some attention. She was certain to get her heart broken.
Yawning, Emily slipped out from underneath the thick quilt. She’d had a good night’s rest. As she brushed out her hair, thoughts of Jake permeated her memory. Emily enjoyed sitting so close to him on the porch bench, teasing him about wanting to learn to knit. And he could have moved over several times, but he didn’t. So what did that mean? What about the girl he had his heart set on back in Manitowoc?
Emily dressed in the dark, slipping into the same skirt and simple shirtwaist she’d worn last night. She opened the door slowly and then tiptoed across the plank floor. The boards squeaked beneath her weight as she made her way through the kitchen. Sliding back the heavy latch, she opened the back door and stepped out onto the porch. A cool breeze greeted her, but she decided against retracing her steps and retrieving her shawl at the risk of waking someone who wanted to sleep longer. She stifled a gasp when the two hounds bounded toward her, although their tails wagged and their tongues dangled eagerly from their mouths. She patted their heads, wondering why she hadn’t seen them before.
“Sorry, fellas, I don’t have any treats for you just now.” They seemed friendly enough.
Smiling, Emily moved to the step and sat down. The dogs lay down, one on each side of her. They smelled vaguely of skunk. Nonetheless, she felt oddly protected by their presence.
To the east, strokes of magenta and gray swept across the sky. Birds sang and flitted from the treetops to the clothesline. They dove into the garden and flew to the barn roof.
The hounds suddenly stood, whined, and each leapt from the back porch. Emily heard a man’s low, soft voice, and soon Jake came into view. He made his way up the path, and when he saw her he smiled. “Good morning, Em.”
“Morning, Jake. I would have started coffee, but I’m not sure how Deidre does things around here yet.”
“No problem.” He mounted the three stairs, passed her, and entered the cabin.
In the silence that followed, she prayed for her family, remembering each one to the Lord. Bless them, keep them, make Your face to shine upon them, Lord, and grant us peace . . .
“Looks like it’s shaping up to be a nice day.” Jake walked to the steps and Emily spied his scuffed boots.
“It’s a pretty sunrise, that’s true. But Poppa always said red sky at morning sailors take warning.”
“Hmm . . . never heard that one before.” Jake sat down next to her. “But there aren’t a lot of sailors around here.”
She heard the smile in his voice.
“Coffee should be done soon. Do you drink coffee? I think I’ve only seen you with tea.”
“Sometimes I drink coffee.” She enjoyed the strong flavor but always thought tea was a more genteel choice. Besides, Momma hailed from London and had taught her the perfect way to prepare tea—a lump of sugar and a splash of milk.
“Would you care for a cup? Honestly, I don’t know that Deidre has any tea and I don’t keep any groceries at my place, since I do all my eating over here.”
“Coffee is fine. Thank you.”
“Cream? Sugar?”
“Just black.” That’s the way Poppa liked it too.
“All right then. I’ll be back.”
“No hurry.”
Jake stood and walked back into the house, leaving Emily to wonder over his solicitousness. But whether or not he had his heart set on someone else, Emily enjoyed his company. Could he ever love her best, above that other young woman, whoever she was, or were she and Jake merely good friends?
He returned with two cups of coffee and, once more, sat on the step beside her, so closely, in fact, their arms collided.
“Thanks, Jake.”
“Sure thing.”
Emily blew into her cup of boiling-hot brew then inhaled its rich aroma.
“Pretty soon my sister’s garden will be in full bloom.” Jake pointed to their left. “She’s got three acres of fruit trees and just about every kind of vegetable. Deidre cans as much as she can store and then goes into Fallon and sells the rest from the back of the wagon. She tries to catch the cowboys during drive time because they’re usually desperate for fresh fruit and jarred preserves.”
“Think she’ll go this year? She’ll be pretty far along.”
“I don’t know. I’m still in shock about Deidre expecting. Didn’t think it would happen.”
“Do you like children?” She could easily imagine herself as Jake’s wife. She could almost see their children, running through the yard . . . except in her mind’s eye it looked like her parents’ yard on the farm, not this yard.
“I like children just fine.” He turned to her. “Do you like children?”
Emily laughed. “I’m a teacher, silly. Of course I adore children.”
“Hmm . . . just checking.” He smiled and arched a brow. “Besides, I love to hear you laugh, Em. It’s a happy sound.”
“Laughter usually is, don’t you think?”
“Not always. I’ve heard plenty of sinister laughs or cynical chuckles.”
Was he thinking of his father as he stared into the yard? Emily yawned, slumping a bit.
“Don’t tell me you’re still tired.”
“All right. I won’t.” She smiled. “Seriously, I’m not tired at all.”
She straightened and sipped her coffee.
“I own several horses that Web looks after whenever I’m gone. One of them is a spirited but well-behaved mare that I think you’d enjoy riding. Another is a mild-mannered sorrel who would suit Iris. Would you ladies care to take a ride after breakfast? I’ll show you around the ranch.”
“I’d love to, although Iris isn’t much of a—”
“Cowboy?”
“Um . . . well, yes, that too.” Smiling, she sipped from the thick porcelain coffee mug. Strong and a little bitter.
“A neighbor almost convinced me to raise polo ponies. He said there was good money involved, and it seemed like something I could do in between assignments. But I found I wasn’t dedicated to the profession. Even so, I’d grown particularly fond of a number of horses and kept them.”
Jake reclined on the steps. She’d never seen him dressed so casually before, tan, collarless shirt, dark-brown trousers whose suspenders hung lose around his hips. No vest, no badge, no gun, no hat. Slivers of sunlight fell over his sandy-blond hair. He looked less daunting, not that he’d ever intimidated Emily.
He caught her staring. When had she stopped admiring the sunrise? A grin tweaked the corners of his mouth.
“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined Emily Sundberg here, in Fallon, Montana.”
“Why ever not?”
Jake assessed her. “Well, to be honest, I never thought of you as the pioneer type.”
The comment gave her pause. “I never had call to be.”
“True enough.”
Emily began to wonder if the young lady, whom Jake had his heart set on, knew she’d end up a pioneer wife. That sort of woman, like Deidre, needed gumption, that’s for sure. Emily wondered if she, herself, would be able to endure the numerous hardships that settling in the Fallon area would bring.
Jake glanced toward the house. “Deidre ought to be up in the next half hour.”
Emily reached back and
grabbed hold of her braided hair. It hung freely down her back. “Then I ought to go and finish readying myself for the day ahead.” And it was about time she roused Iris, that lazybones. She wondered too if Iris had any idea of the perils life in eastern Montana afforded. Perhaps if she understood, she wouldn’t be so quick to flirt with Rez.
She stood. “Thanks again for the coffee.”
“You’re most welcome, Emily.”
“It’s a great morning for a ride.” Deidre smiled from her place at the table and glanced from Iris to Emily. “Good thinking, Jake.”
In her haste to pin up her hair and meet Deidre in the kitchen, Emily had forgotten to mention the idea to Iris.
"While you’re gone, Web, Rez, Charlie, and a few other men will get my stove in and operating.” Her smile broadened. “Emily and Iris can help me fix supper and do some cooking for tomorrow.”
“We’d be delighted.” Emily smiled at Iris, who nodded.
“Be sure to take them for a ride along the Yellowstone, Jake. The cottonwood trees are blooming, and they’re so lovely.”
“I’ll do that, Sissy.”
“I’m an experienced horsewoman,” Iris told Rez, who’d seated himself beside her on the bench like last night.
Emily squelched the urge to roll her eyes, but Jake saw her struggle and sent a wink across the table. Funny how they seemed to read each other so well.
“Just in case, Iris, I’ve got a backup plan.”
Good thinking—at least on Jake’s part. However, Emily remembered she hadn’t packed her riding habit or boots. Had Iris?
“We may have a problem.”
All eyes fixed on her. Emily dabbed the corners of her mouth with the white linen napkin and looked at her hostess. “Deidre, I wonder if you might own spare riding clothes that I can borrow so I don’t have to ride sidesaddle. You see, I thought I was going to stay on the train all the way to the Pacific.” Emily turned to Iris. “That was the original idea.”
Iris’s eyes blinked from behind her thick lenses. “Didn’t I mention that I hoped we’d stop and visit the ranch on which Jake lived?”
Emily tried to recall their conversation. “If you did, I don’t remember. I’m sorry.” Her face heated with embarrassment as she flicked a glance at Jake. “I didn’t pack appropriately for visiting a ranch.”
“That’s all right, Emily.” Deidre smiled. “I have a divided skirt you may borrow.”
From the other end of the table, Web chuckled. “Just see that you don’t get arrested wearing it.”
“A divided skirt?” Emily had seen a riding habit of that fashion once. “Why would I get arrested?”
“It’s the funniest story, but once quite a scandal.”
Emily surveyed the men’s grins around the table.
“Our neighbor, Mrs. Cameron, who is quite unconventional, ordered a divided skirt from California over five years ago. When she first wore it into Terry, everyone was aghast, and in fact, the sheriff said he’d arrest her if she ever wore that split skirt to town again. The news of this most convenient skirt traveled from Terry to Fallon and up to Glendive. Mrs. Cameron allowed me to make a pattern from hers, and I shared it with my friends. We all love our divided skirts. They look every bit like proper full skirts when walking, but they divide conveniently so women can ride astride instead of sidesaddle.”
“Sounds like my kind of skirt.” Emily smiled.
Jake stood and stretched. “Reckon I’ll let you ladies figure out the particulars while I saddle up the horses.” He kissed the top of Deidre’s head. “Thanks for breakfast.”
“You’re welcome.”
Web, Charlie, and Rez excused themselves and sauntered off.
Emily and Iris helped Deidre clear the table, and then Deidre brought out the divided skirt, a pair of black boots, and a floppy suede hat. The boots were a size bigger than Emily usually wore, but better that than too small.
“Thank you so much, Deidre.”
She smiled a reply as she prepared to wash the dishes. “You know, I haven’t seen Jake this happy in a very long while. Wonder why that is.” She sent a look at Emily over her shoulder.
Emily raised her shoulders.
“Must be spring fever, eh?”
“Must be.” Emily took a step backward. Far be it from her to tell Deidre that whatever made Jake happy didn’t have anything to do with her.
Or did it?
CHAPTER 21
AS THEY SET out, Emily had to admit that Jake selected two perfect horses for Iris and her. She patted her horse’s neck. Rusty had a gentle manner and yet definite ideas about which way he’d like to walk. Emily continually coaxed him to follow Jake and his horse, Nickel, named for his silvery-gray coat. Her horsewoman skills were put to the test, particularly as Iris’s horse, Cloud, was tethered to Rusty’s bridle to ensure that Iris didn’t trot off in the wrong direction.
“Experienced horsewoman, indeed.” She flicked an annoyed glance at Iris.
She lifted her shoulders in a helpless gesture. “I didn’t say I was a good horsewoman.”
Jake turned in his saddle. “Keeping up, ladies?”
“Oh, yes. We’re having fun.” Iris’s voice wobbled as she bounced up and down.
“Keep your feet in the stirrups and use your legs when the horse trots, Iris. Remember? Up and down. Up and down.” Emily caught Jake’s grin before he faced forward again.
As Deidre suggested, Jake led them along a trail that paralleled the Yellowstone River. Certainly the seeds on the cottonwood trees resembled cotton and the panoramic view was magnificent. Lush prairie spread out for as far as the eye could see. Jake pointed out the downed trees and broken fences, remnants of the tornado that ripped through the countryside last week.
They reached Fallon and crossed the river on the ferry. Jake called their attention to the swift and powerful current, which Emily hadn’t noticed yesterday morning when they first crossed over. She watched how the ferry operator strained with the pulley system, but at last they safely disembarked on the other side. Emily and Iris learned the Ready Web was located west of Fallon, bordering what was known as the badlands.
After walking their horses and stretching their own legs, they mounted and rode for about another hour. Soon they arrived in the town of Terry.
“It’s shearing season.” Jake pointed out the crude, wooden shanties or shearing sheds in which the sheep men, as they were called, could work out of the hot June sunshine. Emily had seen sheep shorn before, but never to this magnitude. Sheep men and their animals filled the streets. The bleating of the sheep was nearly deafening. Nevertheless, Jake led them through the crowd.
“Once the wool is bagged,” he called over the din of the people and animals, “it’s loaded onto railroad cars.” He inclined his head toward the depot and the long, seemingly endless train. Emily counted only one passenger car.
On Terry’s main street, Emily spied a hotel, bank, land office, general store, dress shop, and a newer-looking building that had the word RESTAURANT painted across the top. Jake steered them to the side of the road, where they dismounted and tethered their horses.
“This is the Central Café. I thought we’d stop here for some lunch.” Jake smiled. “My treat.”
“My, but this ride has been so educational.” Iris peered around, wide-eyed. Her gaze halted at the depot. “I wonder if there’s room for one more passenger on that eastbound train.” She looked at Jake. “Do you think?”
He hiked his hat up off his forehead and his dark eyes set on Emily. “Plan B.”
“Ah . . . ” She looked at Iris.
“Does that mean I won’t have to ride this beast back to the Ready Web?” Iris pushed up her glasses.
“That’s the thought, assuming there’s room in the passenger car for you and, going east, there probably is. It’d be under a half-hour ride to Fallon.”
“Thank God!” Relief spread over Iris’s sharp features. “I can’t bear to ride in this saddle a moment longer. I’m ach
ing all over from all the jostling.”
Jake turned to Emily. “Would you prefer the train as well?”
She took note of the challenge glimmering in his gaze and drew taller in the saddle. “Of course not. I’m having a wonderful time.”
“Always have to keep up with the big boys, don’t you, Em?” His teasing smirk only made her grin.
“Let’s just say I can hold my own.”
“I’d agree with that.”
“High praise indeed.” She smiled.
After dismounting and tossing Nickel’s reins over the hitching rail, Jake helped Iris down off Cloud’s back. She could hardly stand on her own.
Emily swung off her saddle and jumped to the ground. This divided skirt was truly a blessing. She hitched up Rusty.
“I’ll lead Cloud home, Em.”
“Thanks, Jake. I’d appreciate it.” She sent him a look of gratitude. Rusty had been horse enough to manage.
Iris patted her arm. “Take heart, Emily. Every time I ride I get a little better at it. You’re a fine teacher.”
“And you just had your last lesson.” She gave Iris a glare.
“Maybe Rez can teach you in time for the roundup.” Jake had a good chuckle over that.
Emily giggled until Iris sent her a wounded frown.
After seeing the horses tethered, Jake faced them. “I’ll go see about buying you a ticket, Iris. Why don’t you ladies go on into the café and sit down? Tell Zelda I sent you and that I’ll be along shortly.”
Emily took hold of Iris’s wrist and led her to the establishment’s front door. Lace curtains hung in the two front windows; however, the nicety vanished when smells of raw wool and unwashed humanity assaulted her after she stepped inside. Her eyes watered.
She pulled Iris close. “I can’t eat in this place.”
“We’ll get used to it, Em. Be brave.”
“You’re a fine one to speak of bravery, getting on the train instead of Cloud.”
“We all have our ways of proving ourselves capable of living in Montana, don’t we?” Iris stared her down.
“And riding the train back to Fallon alone is your way?”
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