She put her arm around Steve’s shoulder and gave him a hug. “No one could ever be upset or angry with a sweet boy like you. I’ve just been thinking about some things that have troubled me.”
“Just tell me who it is. If I can’t get rid of them, Jared will.”
If only things could be that simple. “It’s not anybody. I’m just trying to forget some ugly things that were said about me.”
“Who could say anything ugly about you? You’re beautiful. You’re perfect. Tell me who said that. Jared will make him wish he was dead.”
“He is dead.”
“Oh.” Steve thought a moment. “Was it your husband?”
“Yes.”
“Then he deserves to be dead.”
Laurie gave him another hug. “If you weren’t so young, I’d marry you. You’d always make me feel beautiful.”
She immediately wished she hadn’t said either of those things. She didn’t want to put any foolish ideas in his head, and she didn’t want him to think all she was concerned about was feeling beautiful. It’s just that not feeling ugly was such a relief it was hard to think of anything else.
“Forget what I just said. It makes me sound like a silly and vain woman.”
“I’m not that young.” He sounded like his feelings were hurt.
“Maybe not, but I’m that old. And I’m a widow to boot.”
“Jared doesn’t care that you’re a widow, and I don’t, either.”
“I’m glad. Now tell me what you’re going to do on Sunday. You’ll have a whole day without any work to do.”
“You mean I don’t have to cut wood?”
“I forgot that. I meant work on the ranch. Do you want to go to church?”
“Do I have to?”
“No, but you might meet some very pretty young girls.”
“None of them will be as beautiful as you.”
It was quite possible she’d underestimated the strength of Steve’s crush on her. She was certain it would burn itself out before long, but she had to be careful to do nothing to encourage it. Even if he hadn’t been so young, she would have had absolutely no romantic interest in him. She couldn’t say the same for his uncle.
***
Laurie had barely had time to get a pot of coffee on after coming home from church when she heard a ferocious knocking on the front door. She opened it to find Norman standing on her porch looking more infuriated than she’d ever seen him. He must have heard she was working at Jared’s ranch. She hadn’t told him because she hadn’t wanted to endure a tirade, but she had known it was coming.
“Come in, Norman, before you explode and make a terrible mess on my front porch.”
“I’m in no mood for levity.”
“I can see that, but you don’t look like you’re in the mood for rational conversation, either. Sit down. Would you like some coffee?”
“I would if you have some.”
“I just put on a fresh pot. It won’t take a minute.” She resisted the temptation to take longer than necessary. The sooner she got this conversation over with, the sooner Norman would leave her house. She handed a cup of coffee to Norman and took her seat. “I hope you’ve come to tell me you’re increasing the money I have each month.” She knew he wasn’t, but she wanted to remind him at every opportunity that he was keeping money that wasn’t his.
Without giving his coffee time to cool, Norman took a big swallow and got burned. He shook his head, made a face, and rested his cup in his lap. She resisted the temptation to smile.
“I’m not here about your money because I see no reason to increase it. I am here because I overheard Mae Oliver and Elsa Drummond saying you’d helped Jared Smith buy supplies when he came into town yesterday. I told them they were mistaken. You would have no reason to help him or know what he needed.”
This was the perfect opportunity to get it all out at once. “I did more than help him choose his supplies. I made out the list.”
“That’s ridiculous. You couldn’t—”
“I knew what to put on the list because I’m cooking and cleaning for him.”
Norman started so badly he spilled his coffee. He managed to control his trembling hands long enough to set his cup down before his anger exploded. His color rose to an alarming shade of red. His hands shook so badly he had trouble wiping up the coffee with the cloth Laurie handed him. Once he regained his seat, he tried to speak, but he sputtered. The words finally shot from him like a small explosion. “Are you insane? Do you know what people will say when they find out?”
“They’ll probably say you’re so stingy with my money that I had to take a job so I could have food to eat and keep a roof over my head.”
If possible, Norman turned even redder. “I made a very careful study of your needs. You have more than enough money to support yourself, but that’s not what I meant. You’re out there with men you don’t know and no woman to preserve your reputation.”
Laurie sat bolt upright in her chair and directed an indignant look at Norman. “Are you implying that I would do anything dishonorable?”
“Of course not,” he snapped, “but a woman is not always in control of herself. Surrounded by so many men, and far away from those who have her best interests at heart, she might be persuaded to do something she would never have done otherwise.”
“And just what would that be?” Laurie was too accustomed to Norman to spend time being truly angry with him. It would be a complete waste of energy.
“Men are prone to flatter single women, especially attractive women who have money.”
“I am single, though being a widow qualifies that somewhat. I never knew you thought I was attractive—your brother didn’t—and you know better than anyone I don’t have any money. You have it all.”
Norman’s complexion assumed an alarming shade of purple. “I don’t have your money, and I’ll thank you not to go around saying that I do.”
“I’ll say what I please. I don’t have to depend on you any longer.”
“I’ll reduce your allowance.”
“Cut it off altogether. It won’t make any difference to me.”
“I’ll take your house.”
“I’ve read Noah’s will so I know you can’t do that, but it wouldn’t matter if you did. I’d just move out to the ranch and become Jared’s full-time housekeeper. He would like that.”
For a moment Norman didn’t know what to say. He was so used to controlling people with money that he didn’t know what to do when that failed. The longer he went without speaking, the closer his color returned to normal. “I’m not going to reduce your allowance or force you out of your house.” He didn’t look like he’d accepted defeat but was instead trying a different tack. “I was just trying to show you how imperative it is that you give up this job. No woman is safe when she’s surrounded by men. None of them are married. Who’s there to protect your reputation?”
“I don’t need anyone to protect my reputation. I go to the ranch, do my work, and come home. The men work away from the house all day. When they come in to eat, they’re very respectful.”
“Men have needs that women don’t, that they have difficulty controlling.”
“Are you implying that one of those men might rape me?”
The word shocked Norman. “No, just that a man’s nature might cause him to do something improper.”
They were interrupted by the front door opening. Steve came directly into the parlor, his mouth open to say something, when he saw Norman. “Who’s that man?”
“He’s Norman Spencer, owner of the bank and my former brother-in-law. Norman, this is Steve Smith, Jared’s nephew.”
Norman was immediately suspicious. “What is he doing here?”
Steve took a protective stance. He moved between Laurie and Norman. “I’m staying here. What are you doing here?”
Norman ignored his question. “What does he mean he’s staying here?” he asked Laurie.
“Ranchers eat two meals a day, bre
akfast and supper. Preparing those two meals means I have to leave before dawn each morning and return home shortly before dusk. Jared wasn’t willing to let me do that by myself, so we decided Steve should drive back with me after supper, sleep here, and drive back with me in the morning.”
“You must be insane!” Norman exclaimed.
“Nobody calls Miss Laurie insane,” Steve said. “Take it back.”
“You let him call you Laurie? What else do you let him do?”
“Stand up!” Steve shouted.
“I’m not talking to you, boy.”
“I’m talking to you, old man. Stand up before I punch you in the face right where you sit.”
Norman looked so shocked that a boy would challenge him that Laurie nearly burst out laughing. “Ignore him, Steve. Norman doesn’t mean what he’s saying.”
“It sounds like it to me.” He turned to Norman. “I won’t allow anybody to insult Miss Laurie. Now take it back.”
“Take back what?”
“What you said.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“For Pete’s sake, Norman, tell him you didn’t mean it when you said I must be insane.”
“Maybe not insane,” Norman equivocated, “but you’ve lost all sense of what is proper for a woman in your position.”
“My position is that of a woman with more expenses than income. I consider my actions quite sensible.”
“Miss Laurie is very smart,” Steve said. “Jared said she’s the cleverest woman he’s ever met.”
“I have no regard for your uncle’s opinion,” Norman stated. “Or yours. Laurie is a member of my family. I expect her to act like it.”
“Loomis says Miss Laurie’s a perfect lady,” Steve declared. “He comes from Virginia so he ought to know.”
“We know what a lady is in Kentucky.”
“Loomis told me Kentucky used to be part of Virginia. He says Virginia got rid of it a hundred years ago because you were nothing but a bunch of backwoods yokels who were so ignorant you thought it was okay to eat a coon.”
Laurie didn’t know whether to laugh at Norman being rendered speechless by a teenager or to be amazed at Steve’s willingness to face down anyone he thought was threatening her. It was a novel situation, one she wouldn’t have minded enjoying a little longer, but she wanted to end this confrontation.
“I need some wood for the kitchen if you want any supper,” she said to Steve. “I’d appreciate it if you’d bring it in now.”
“Is he going to stay here?” he asked, indicating Norman.
“He’s said what he came to say so he’ll be going home soon.”
Norman glared at the boy, but Steve glared right back at him. “I haven’t said all I was going to say. If you really think it’s necessary, I’ll increase your allowance.”
“I don’t want you to increase my allowance,” Laurie told him. “I want everything turned over to my control.”
“That’s impossible. The terms of Noah’s will won’t allow me to do that.”
Laurie stood. “Then we have nothing more to say to each other. I’m sure you don’t want to be late for your midday meal. Sibyl is an excellent cook.”
“So you won’t give up this job?”
“You give me no choice.”
“Your reputation is in danger.”
“Not from anybody at the ranch,” Steve said.
The boy was a regular knight in shining armor. “I’d rather have a lost reputation than starvation. Now you’d better go. I have to prepare something to eat for Steve and me.”
“I’ll send Sibyl to talk to you.”
“I’m always happy to see my cousin, but nothing she can say will change my mind as long as you insist on keeping my money.”
“I’m not keeping your money!” Norman shouted. “I’m doing what Noah wanted.”
“Which is to keep my money. Go home, Norman. I don’t want to talk to you any more than you want to talk to me.”
Norman took a final swallow of coffee and stood. “I will be back. You must not be allowed to do this.”
Laurie wanted to tell him that never again was any man going to not allow her to do anything, but it would be a waste of breath. Norman would only believe that when he couldn’t believe anything else.
“Do your parents know what you’re doing? They wouldn’t wish it.”
“My parents weren’t interested in my wishes when they forced me to marry your brother. I have no interest in theirs now.”
“You’re upsetting Miss Laurie,” Steve said. “It’s time for you to leave.”
Norman looked down his nose at Steve. “I am about to leave, but certainly not at your behest.”
“I don’t know what a ‘behest’ is,” Steve said. “I don’t think I have one, but I can see that you leave.”
Laurie spoke up when Norman looked as though he was about to take issue with Steve. “Leave before you cause any more trouble.”
“I’m not causing trouble. I’m trying to prevent it. If Jared is as ignorant as his nephew—”
“Neither Jared nor his nephew are ignorant. Now go.”
Norman’s expression turned mean-spirited. “I don’t know why Noah married you.”
“Neither do I. He certainly didn’t like me.”
“You were never like this with him.”
“I should have been.”
“I’ll talk with your father before I decide what to do about this.”
Laurie didn’t reply. It would only cause Norman to stay longer.
“I hate that man,” Steve said when the door closed behind Norman. “I was mad at him for refusing to give Jared the money to buy his Herefords, but I hate him for what he said about you.”
Laurie returned to the parlor, picked up the empty cups, and headed to the kitchen. “Don’t pay attention to anything Norman says. He tries to control everybody and gets angry when they won’t do what he wants.”
“I’m not going to let him control you.”
Poor Steve. He had no idea the kind of power Norman wielded over the people of Cactus Corner. Laurie was thankful she had the means to escape it. Well, most of it.
“Thank you. Now, what would you like to eat? You must be starving.”
***
Jared knew he had been making excuses to stay at the ranch during the day while the rest of the men were away, but he had kept doing it. It wasn’t that there wasn’t plenty of work that needed to be done. It was just that he would have come up with reasons to stay if there hadn’t been any work at all. Today it had been working on the windows so they would keep out the cold air. Winter had returned and there was a threat of snow. Snow wasn’t any more likely than it had been in southern Texas. But when it did snow there, it was so light it melted within a few hours. Today, however, was cold and windy, much colder than he’d thought possible in the Arizona Territory. If it snowed, it would stick.
Laurie opened the door to Steve’s old bedroom and stuck her head in. “I hope you’re done with that window. I can feel the wind all the way to the kitchen.”
“You’re a Kentucky girl. A little cold shouldn’t bother you.”
“I didn’t like the cold when I was in Kentucky, and I don’t like it here.”
“I’m almost done. Some hot coffee would be nice.”
Laurie smiled and his heart pounded against his rib cage. If she didn’t stop that, he was going to drop dead from heart failure. He’d been without female companionship for extended lengths of time before, but he’d never had temptation in front of him every day. It was affecting him worse than Steve.
“I’ve kept a pot going all day. It was the only way I could stay warm.”
He’d smelled it, but hadn’t gone near the kitchen. After the kisses they’d shared just a day ago, he wasn’t sure he could control himself. All he could think about was kissing her again. It was barely past noon. He didn’t know how he was going to get through the rest of the day until the men returned.
He turned h
is attention back to the window. He’d tightened the strips that held the windows in place as snugly as he could without making it impossible to open them. Cold air would still get in, but not as much. That normally wasn’t a problem, but there were no fireplaces in the bedrooms. If it fell below freezing tonight, they’d be bitterly cold. Not that it mattered. No one would be using this bedroom because Steve had no intention of ever moving back from the bunkhouse. The men would be warmer than Jared because they had a potbellied stove they’d keep going all night.
He gathered up his tools and carried them to the shed. The previous owner had spent a lot of money to make sure the ranch was well-equipped. Maybe that’s why he hadn’t been able to make a go of it. Jared was determined he wouldn’t make the same mistake. His problem was that he’d had to spend so much of his and Steve’s money to buy the ranch that he didn’t have enough left to buy the kind of cattle he wanted. Laurie’s money was going to make that possible.
Yet his feelings toward her were far from gratitude. Not that he didn’t feel grateful. It was just that other feelings were more powerful. So powerful he thought it would be a good idea to stay outside a little longer and let them subside. That wasn’t likely to happen unless he was forced to think about something else, so he decided to check on the horses.
He had a couple of good mares he’d bred when he was in Santa Fe. Both had gotten in foal, so he kept them in a large corral that had a shed to keep them out of the worst weather. That’s where he found them, their heads under the shed with their rear ends facing the weather.
“What’s wrong, Gracie?” he asked a long-legged sorrel who didn’t turn her head to greet him. “You think it’s going to snow?”
In answer to his question, a flake floated down from the leaded sky and settled on the thick hair of Gracie’s winter coat. It was quickly joined by another. And another.
“Looks like you’re right.” He turned to the other mare, a short-coupled, muscular bay with the typical Morgan clean-cut head and arched neck. “What about you, Mandy? Are you afraid of snow?” Gracie was from Texas mustang stock, but he’d bought Mandy from a Union soldier after the war. Mandy turned her head, her huge brown eyes focusing on him.
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