A Horse Wrangler for Christmas

by Cheryl Wright

  She had put off the inevitable for as long as possible, even making coffee for Daniel. They’d sat by the fireside, sometimes talking, but mostly silent. She was certain his mind was on the same subject – their coming together for the first time.

  The woman at the matrimonial agency told her many couples waited for a period of time, mostly three months. That way they got to know each other better first. Was that what she wanted? Was it what Daniel would want? She wasn’t sure about either, but the sooner it was over with the better. At least to her way of thinking.

  She stood and stretched dramatically, as if making a point. “It’s been a long day,” she said pointedly. “Time for bed.”

  He studied her, then raised an eyebrow. “Do you need help?” His expression was more of confusion than anything, but she couldn’t help but toy with him.

  “If you’re offering.” She smiled coyly, then strode off toward his bedroom. Their bedroom. Well, it wasn’t their bedroom unless he decided it was, but what man would refuse such a wonton offer? She was certain Daniel wouldn’t, and she was right.

  Standing at the door, suddenly unsure of herself, Meredith stared at the double bed with its quilted cover. It had obviously been painstakingly made by someone close to Daniel. It wasn’t the sort of thing you’d normally see on a man’s bed.

  “It’s really beautiful,” she said softly as he came to stand next to her.

  His arm went up around her shoulders. “My mother sent it to me after Uncle Willy died, so I’d have something of home to remember. It wasn’t long after that she was gone too.”

  She heard the sadness in his voice, and it touched her deeply, perhaps because of her own recent loss that still tore at her heart.

  “Enough of that,” he said. “Tonight is about us.” Without warning he picked her up and carried her through the doorway into the bedroom where he laid her gently on the bed. Daniel leaned over, and putting a hand either side of her, moved closer and kissed her. She was filled with warmth.

  ~*~

  6am and breakfast was ready. Those lazy good-for-nothing cowpokes were still in their beds. Meredith sighed.

  She’d been up and about for nearly an hour and already had coffee with her new husband. It had been peaceful sitting out on the porch watching the sunrise, just the two of them. But now it was time to wake the others. She’d given them enough opportunity to do the right thing, now it was war. Daniel wasn’t too sure about her tactics, but she sure as heck was.

  She snatched up her hat and shoved it on her head. They sure were in for a surprise. She flung open the door to the bunkhouse and began to bang the wooden spoon on a saucepan. “Get up you lazy excuses for cowpokes!” She continued to bang the pan until they tumbled out of bed. They stood there in nothing but their drawers, sleep still evident on their faces.

  “What the…?” Angus spoke first. He was the laziest according to Daniel. Well, she’d fix that.

  The three men stared at her. “Mrs Peterson?” Colt said as he yawned. They all flung their hands across in front of themselves. “You can’t be in here. We’re not decent.”

  “No you ain’t,” she said sternly. “And I’m not talking about your state of undress. From now on, you be in my kitchen at five-thirty. Any man who doesn’t take his job seriously from now on is gone.”

  Colt swallowed. “You can’t mean that. Besides, you ain’t in charge.” He scoffed as he said the words.

  She glared at him. “Do you really want to test that theory? We ain’t runnin’ no kiddy farm here. This is a working ranch. Lazy don’t cut it.” She began to turn, but changed her mind. “You got three minutes to be at the table, or you don’t eat.”

  They stared at her. She wasn’t certain if it was because of what she’d said, or because she was in her working clothes. No matter, they all looked shocked, which probably meant they would comply with her demands. Today at least.

  Satisfied she’d done all she could, Meredith headed back to the house.

  “How did it go,” Daniel asked.

  She grinned. “See for yourself.” As she glanced across, the three men were running toward the house. “If you ever want to get rid of these lazy fools, I left behind the best team of cowpokes you’ll ever come across.”

  He studied her but didn’t respond.

  It wasn’t long and they were all sitting around the table ready to eat. “Join hands,” she said. “While I say the blessing.” They glanced at each other, then did as requested and bowed their heads. “Lord,” she said. “Thank you for this food you have so graciously provided. There are many who are not so blessed. While I have your attention, I want to say while we’ve had a shaky start, I trust you will help these men to mend their ways. Amen.”

  All three glanced at each other, then at Daniel. He was grinning. “Tuck in,” she said firmly. “It’s already been sitting here for far too long. If you want your food hot, or even want food, you lot be in here on time. I mean every word I said in that bunkhouse.”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” It was said in unison.

  She would whip this lot into shape if it took all her energy. They’d been let get away with far too much for way too long. Daniel had inherited the lazy fools but should have put his foot down before now. He had to take responsibility for the situation, at least partly.

  Daniel reach under the table and squeezed her knee. It sent shivers down her spine. The man had far too much of an effect on her. It had to stop.

  ~*~

  “Since Angus and Colt are on wash-up duty,” Meredith said. “I have a job for you, Billy.” The young man stared at her.

  “Yes, Ma’am.” She watched as he swallowed, wondering what she was about to lumber him with.

  “I need a horse.”

  “A horse, Ma’am?” Now he looked confused. “You goin’ ridin’ some place?”

  She studied him. Was he really that stupid? Then again, none of them, not even Daniel knew what she did. “I need a horse to train.” She heard the collective gasps, but ignored them. “Get me a fresh mustang.”

  “Now hold on…” Daniel began, but she held her palm up to stop him.

  “I have broken more horses than you lot put together, and I’m good at it. You get one and put it in the front paddock, Billy.”

  He still didn’t look too sure, and turned to Daniel who had turned white. She glanced at each man, one by one. “I’ve been running a ranch since before I was a teenager. I don’t put up with no insolence. If I give an order, I expect it to be followed.”

  She waited, but no one spoke. “Each one of you can be replaced. You want to keep your job, do your job.”

  She stormed out of the room, onto the porch. She heard footsteps behind her but didn’t turn to see who it was. Most likely her husband. As she headed toward the barn, he called out her name. She didn’t answer. This was his fault after all. He’d let those lazy varmints get away with doing nothing for far too long. Okay, so Uncle Willy started it, but Daniel should have stopped it when his uncle passed on.

  As she entered the barn, Meredith took a deep breath. The familiar smells and sounds warmed her heart. This was where she was most comfortable – surrounded by horses and their unique odors. She might have only left home a few days ago, but she already missed it so much.

  Home. This was her home now. She was Daniel’s wife in every sense, and she planned to give the marriage her all. They might have a loveless marriage, and in all truth, that may never change, but she vowed to get this ranch running as it should. If the Lord blessed them, she would give him a family he could be proud of.

  She glanced up at the sudden whinnying and stomping. It made her smile. Someone wanted to make their presence known. She moved toward the sound. “Hello beautiful,” she said gently, her hand outstretched. “What’s your name?” Her shoulder was nudged, and Meredith lay her head against the horse’s head.

  “Her name is Misty,” Daniel said quietly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of carrot. He handed it to Meredith. “
That was pretty impressive back there.”

  “I don’t do impressive,” she said gruffly. “Are you sure you don’t want to replace those men?” She placed the carrot on her open palm and offered it to Misty. “Here you go, girl.” Her voice was soft and reassuring. Totally the opposite to what she’d used with those lazy cowpokes.

  Daniel studied her and it made her squirm. She turned to him. “You seen enough? Want me to turn around for you?”

  It made him laugh. “I never know what I’ll get with you. You are one tough lady.”

  She was still shaking inside after her confrontation, but had no intention of telling him so. It was as if he could read her, because he opened his arms to her. At first she hesitated, but apart from Old George, it had been so long since anyone had offered their arms as refuge, so she accepted. She laid her head against his chest and heard his racing heart. Was hers the same? It sure felt like it. His arms enveloped her, and it was as though she’d done this a million times before. Meredith liked Daniel, really liked him, which was too bad because it wasn’t part of the plan. Her intention was to come here and live a good life. There was no plan to get close to her new husband.

  She’d been here less than twenty-four hours, and already her plans had gone awry.

  Chapter Four

  Daniel stood behind the fence and watched mesmerized. She was a force to be reckoned with, that wife of his. The other side of her was the complete opposite.

  She’d handled those men like a seasoned foreman barking out orders and whipping them into shape. In the barn, he’d seen a completely different person. And now? He couldn’t believe his eyes. She was so gentle with the mustang she’d insisted Billy bring for her – if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t believe it.

  Uncle Willy had the touch. Horses loved him and he was able to work with any horse, no matter how gnarly it might be. Daniel was not blessed with such skill, more the pity, especially now his best men had left long ago, fed up with the other three. He should have gotten rid of them before his best workers quit, but it was too late. They collectively rode away one morning without notice, and there was no convincing them otherwise.

  He leaned against the fence and watched as Meredith soothed the agitated mare with her gentle voice. From back behind the fence, she looked like every other cowboy, only Daniel knew different. His wife was all woman.

  Day one was all about getting to know each other she told him. She didn’t even attempt to lasso the mare, although she had a rope at the ready. Every horse was different, but it was rare to have a relationship this early on. She kept eye contact, and never turned her back. It was obvious she’d done this many times before.

  She continued to talk quietly, and ran her hands over the horse. At first the mare took a few steps backward, but Meredith continued until the horse relaxed. He’d seen Uncle Willy do this very same thing. He’d said it was like a massage for the horse, and helped them to gain trust with their trainer. Her eyes wide, Daniel worried the mare might rear up at any moment, but she didn’t.

  He continued to watch as Meredith reached into her pocket and pulled out a soft grooming brush. She held it out for the mare to see and to smell. Gently touching the horse with her hands at first, Meredith slowly introduced the brush, then began to brush the mare all over. She seemed to relax.

  Suddenly she whinnied, tossing her head around, but Meredith continued, then put the brush away and ran her hands all over the mare again. She leaned in and put her head against the mare’s. Daniel held his breath, not sure what would happen next.

  “Boss!”

  Colt’s loud voice wrenched the air and Daniel cursed. The mare reared up and Meredith quickly backed away, making her way to the fence, then jumped over. She rounded on the fool he called a foreman, backing him up against the fence, keeping her voice low. “You are the worst kind of fool. You’ve just undone all the hard work I’ve put in with that mare this morning. Not to mention putting me in danger.” He could see she barely kept her temper under control. “Get out of my sight.”

  She stormed off toward the barn where he knew she would spend some time with Misty. Watching her the previous night, he already knew horses calmed her.

  “Pack your things, Colt. We’re done.”

  His so-called foreman stared at him. “You don’t mean that, surely.” He shuffled his feet and kicked up the dirt.

  “You have an hour to be off my property. I’ll pay you what you’re owed, then I never want to see you again.” He was being generous. Colt didn’t deserve anything. Anger had been building up inside him for months, but this was the last straw. Horses were his livelihood and Colt knew it, yet he behaved like this.

  Colt suddenly threw back his shoulders and glared at Daniel. “You can’t sack me. Willy give me this job.” His eyes danced about, looking at everything except the man who held his future in his hands. Did he honestly think Daniel would call his bluff? Before he had a chance to respond, Colt tried to push him further. “This comin’ from a man whose wife dresses like a cowboy.”

  It took all Daniel’s effort not to slug the man. “She’s a far better cowboy than you’ll ever be,” he ground out. Then he paused to regain control of his temper. “One hour,” Daniel said, then stormed off into the house to calculate Colt’s last pay. He was glad to be rid of the good-for-nothing, but now he was short of workers. The last thing he needed was to replace him with another no-hoper.

  Paperwork was one of his least favorite things to do, but it had to be done. It was the thing that had brought him here to begin with. Without it, he would never have inherited this ranch – the place he’d quickly thought of as home.

  Colt stood at the bottom of the steps to the ranch house. Daniel was there waiting when he arrived. It wouldn’t take much and Angus would be gone too. Billy held his job by a thread, but Daniel was certain the other two had tainted him. Billy was young, probably mid-twenties, and with guidance would make a good cowpoke.

  He counted out Colt’s final pay into his hand. “You brought this on yourself, Colt. I gave you far too many chances – I should have sacked you long ago. I could see how lazy you were when Willy was still around, but out of respect for the old man, I kept you on, more’s the pity.”

  Colt harrumphed and swung away without a word. He mounted his horse, and with his meagre belongings, rode out of the ranch forever.

  Angus came out of the barn and over to Daniel. “Is that Colt? Where’s he going?” The man looked confused.

  “I sacked him. Unless you get your act together, you’re next.”

  A number of expressions passed over his face. “You can’t do that!”

  “Remember who you’re speaking to,” Daniel said, and Angus turned away. Daniel knew it wouldn’t take much and he would send Angus packing too. He could least afford to lose his workers right now, but they did virtually nothing anyway. An idea sprung into his mind, and he went inside to put it into play.

  ~*~

  Sunday was the one day of the week they didn’t work. Naturally there were still chores to be done, animals to be fed. Despite the influence of Colt and Angus, Billy had fed the horses each day, even Sundays, which was his day off. Meredith fed the chickens and collected the eggs. Angus was still asleep in bed. He didn’t have to work today, so there was nothing Meredith could do about it. Tomorrow was a different story.

  Once breakfast was over, they readied themselves for church. Daniel prepared the buggy, and wearing their Sunday best, they climbed aboard. Billy scrambled into the back of the wagon, while Daniel helped Meredith up. To be honest, she didn’t need the help, she was a modern independent woman, but it felt nice being held by her husband.

  For the first time since she’d arrived, Meredith took the time to check out the countryside. Knowing Daniel was on a deadline for the horses to be trained, she’d pushed herself to the limit, and hadn’t taken the time to check it out. Now she decided it was time. Not that they weren’t still on a deadline, because they were, but she fe
lt less stressed now that she’d settled into her new home.

  As they pulled into the church yard, she recognized Pastor Elliott. He was greeting parishioners as they arrived. He was a kind man, and she’d felt connected to him from the start. It wasn’t like that with her pastor back home. Perhaps because she didn’t attend church as often as she’d liked. With pa’s ailing health, she’d taken on far more than she could handle. At least that’s what everyone told her.

  The fact she had the best team of trainers in the area was the only thing that saved her. Oh how she missed those men. They were like brothers to her, always looking out for her, doing what needed to be done without being told, and generally helping out where necessary. She missed Old George the most. The two of them were very close, particularly since she’d grown up with him.

  Her vision blurred slightly, and she swiped at her cheeks. Meredith straightened in her seat and pulled her emotions into place. She couldn’t attend church with blotchy red eyes. Daniel glanced at her strangely. “Are you alright?” He looked concerned for her welfare.

  She wiped another stray tear and turned to face him. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you,” she said, despite it being a lie. “I’m just missing my old ranch.” It was true, but she missed the people there more. At least she knew they all had a job and would still be happy. They probably hadn’t even given her a thought since she’d left. They’d be far too busy for that.

  Billy jumped down the moment the brake was applied to the buggy, and Daniel came around to her side. She was already halfway down, and he frowned at her. “You should wait,” he admonished her. “You’re not used to wearing gowns,” he said quietly. “You might trip and fall.”

  He was right. She could easily hurt herself. Besides, she liked when he touched her. A shiver went down her spine as he reached out and took her hand, and warmth flooded her. Meredith felt guilty at such a thought, particularly in the church yard, and on a Sunday. She was still getting used to her husband, but the things she felt when he was around astounded her. In the short time they’d been together, she didn’t expect to have feelings for him. At least not those kinds of feelings, but she did. She gazed at him thoughtfully. Did he feel the same way about her? Meredith thought not, as he’d made no indication that was the case.