She took one slide off, and put yet another one underneath it and looked through it again.
Finally Alan spoke up.
“So? What did you see?” Uncle Alan pushed his glasses up his nose. Nicholas knew Alan needed to know the results as badly as he did. To have a positive TB test show up in Alberta cattle could be devastating for the local ranchers.
Finally Cara straightened, stretching her arms over her head. Then she gave Nicholas a grin that made him sag against the wall behind him.
“The sparrow droppings tested positive for avian TB,” she said, her quiet words thundering in Nicholas’s head.
“That’s wonderful,” Alan said.
Wonderful didn’t begin to cover the relief surging through Nicholas. Though he had confidence in Cara, hearing her confirm her diagnosis pushed away the last doubt he had.
“I know a follow-up test on the heifers will show them to be clear, as well.” She gave Nicholas another smile. “You won’t be able to ship them until we do the next test, but in the meantime, everything is clear.”
“Are you going to go by her word?” Gordon blustered from the doorway of the makeshift lab Cara had set up. “She doesn’t have near the experience with hands-on vet work that I do. I should have been the one to check that other herd. It was my case.”
Nicholas saw Alan shoot Gordon a withering look. Then, as if Gordon didn’t matter, Alan turned to Nicholas. “I’m rescinding the order to destroy the herd.”
Thank You, Lord, Nicholas thought. He didn’t deserve the break, but he was thankful for it.
“But you can’t go over my head—” Gordon was saying.
“I can and I will,” Uncle Alan retorted.
“If you’re taking her word over mine, I don’t know if I can work in this office,” Gordon said, his hands shoved into the pockets of his smock.
“You don’t have to worry about thinking you can’t work in this office. It will be a reality,” Uncle Alan said in a clipped voice.
Nicholas glanced from Alan to Gordon, wondering what was going on.
Alan turned to Cara. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to have a chat with Gordon and Bill.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Good work, girl. I’m so proud of your dedication.”
He left, closing the door quietly behind him, leaving Nicholas and Cara alone in the room.
As soon as the door clicked behind him, Nicholas spun Cara around on the chair and pulled her up into his arms.
Then he caught her mouth in a long, deep and satisfying kiss.
When he came up for air, her eyes shone up at him, and her hands clung to his shoulders.
“Okay,” she said, her voice sounding shaky. “I guess we’re not going to bother with words.”
“They have traditionally come between us.” Nicholas turned and sat down on the stool and pulled her close. “But I do have something to say.”
He waited, letting the silence settle to allow the moment its full due.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he said. “I was wrong. You were right.”
“Please. No. I was wrong, too. Wrong not to see that the ranch wasn’t competition. That it was a part of you—an important and vital part of you.”
Nicholas shook his head, still trying to reconcile the fact that he was here, holding Cara in his arms.
“You know, you were right. It isn’t all up to me. I was in a mad panic to head out to go and save the ranch when, in the end, you did it. You were the one who saved the ranch.”
She put her finger to his lips. “No. It wasn’t me. I had to learn to listen.” Her voice was suddenly quiet and steady as if she needed him to understand. “I had to learn to let go and to not put myself first.” She removed her finger and replaced it with another kiss. “I’m so thankful God brought us together again and I want you in my life and I’ll take you as you are. Right now.”
Though she spoke the words lightly, he knew their true cost.
And his heart thrilled with possibilities.
“Will you?”
“Will I what?”
“Will you take me as I am? Right now?” He couldn’t stop himself, he had to know. “Would you marry me?”
Cara held his gaze, her smile creating an answering burst of pleasure inside him. “Yes. I will.”
Nicholas bent his head and sealed their promises with a gentle, lingering kiss. Then he sighed. “This wasn’t exactly where I had planned to propose,” he said, thinking of the hillside, the sunset and having everything just right.
“This is as good a place as any.” Cara glanced around the tiny room with its shelves of medicine and supplies. “You had everything perfect the first time around but that was no guarantee of success.”
“Not toward the end.” He gave a rueful laugh. “You sure you’re willing to give engagement to me another go?”
“I think we’re getting pretty good at it.” Cara clasped her hands behind his neck, leaning back to look at him. “We’re starting from another place.”
“You’re right about that. I’m not going to the rigs again,” he said. “I want to stay on the ranch full-time, though I won’t make as much money.”
Her look held a vestige of sorrow. “Do you think that matters to me?”
“No. I suppose it wouldn’t.” He released a nervous laugh. “Not like it mattered to my mother. But like you suggested, I think she was lonely and being broke didn’t help. And you, living with your aunt and uncle, always seemed to have more than enough. But I never realized what you had to live with.”
“Doesn’t matter. It all came together to bring me here. To meet you.”
“Again,” he said with a laugh.
“Again.”
He kissed her again, then traced the line of her lips. “You know I love you, Cara Morrison.”
“And I love you, Nicholas Chapman.”
The words hung between them, rife with promises and hope. Hope for today and for a future.
“Let’s go tell my uncle,” Cara said, tugging on his arm. “I’m sure he’s wondering what’s going on in here.”
“Oh, I think he has a pretty good idea,” Nicholas said.
“And then we should go talk to your father.”
Nicholas pulled her back. “I’m sorry about him, too,” he went on, realizing it needed to be said. “I’m sure he’ll come around in time.”
Cara slanted him a half smile. “I guess I’ll have to turn on the charm, then, won’t I?”
“Or tell him he can get free vet services,” Nicholas said.
“Maybe I’ll have to start my own business,” Cara said, pulling open the door. “Be competition to my uncle and Bill.” She stepped out into the hallway, almost colliding with Gordon, who shot Cara a baleful glance before slamming the back door behind him.
Nicholas looked from the door, to Cara then to Alan standing in the doorway of his office, his hands on his hips.
“Something tells me you might have a job waiting right here,” he said. He slipped his arm over her shoulders and in front of her uncle, dropped a kiss on her head, then together they walked toward him to share their good news.
Together.
Dear Reader,
This story came to me while I was doing research for another book. That often happens to writers. It’s as if our internal radar is always searching. But the concept had to be put aside while other ideas clamored to be given form, so I was glad to finally tell Cara and Nicholas’s story. What I was trying to show with this book is the false idea of thinking we have control over our lives. We can make all our plans and then, like Nicholas, things happen beyond our control and everything is in turmoil. I know I struggle again and again with thinking, again like Nicholas, that if everything is exactly right in my life, then I can be happy. Whereas, instead, I’ve had to learn to be content this moment with where I am. To look to God and realize that the most important plans I can make are with Him in mind. I hope you enjoyed the journey Nicholas and Cara had to make to grow and change.
&
nbsp; P.S. I love to hear from my readers. Drop me a note at [email protected] or visit my Web site, www.carolyneaarsen.com to find out what’s going on in my life and my writing.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
What do you think is the main theme of this story?
How is that represented?
Which character could you identify the most with in this story and why?
Cara’s mother seemed to think that it was more important to help needy children in other countries than her own child. What are you thoughts on this?
Was Cara’s mother right in her actions? Why or why not?
Money seems to be an issue for Nicholas. Why do you think that was?
Was he right in thinking this? Can you sympathize?
What was your reaction to Cara’s initial ultimatum to Nicholas? Was she right in her expectations?
In what way does the story show Cara’s change in her attitude? Is there a change?
Who do you think had to make the biggest change in his or her attitude in this story and how was that portrayed?
In my stories I often deal with the repercussions on children of decisions made by parents. Have you had to look at your own life and deal with things your parents have done to you? What were the results?
Have you ever had to look at your own life and wonder about the repercussions of some of your decisions on your children’s lives? And if not your children, then brothers? Sisters? Cousins?
Was the ending of this book realistic? Why or why not?
What did you learn from this story?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6076-8
CATTLEMAN’S COURTSHIP
Copyright © 2010 by Carolyne Aarsen
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.
® and TM are trademarks of Steeple Hill Books, used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
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*Stealing Home
Table of Contents
*
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Letter to Reader
Questions for Discussion
Cattleman's Courtship Page 18