Pearl (30 page)

‘‘She rides all the time without a bridle.’’ Cimarron caught her before the first step. ‘‘She and Bay are best friends. You don’t need to worry.’’

‘‘But . . .’’ Ruby clamped her arms across her chest. She watched as Bay listened to Opal sing, ears flicking back and forth. She stood by the fence, watching the other horse, and when Opal leaned forward to hug the mare, Bay turned her head and nuzzled Opal’s extended hand.

‘‘See, what did I tell you.’’

Ruby relaxed arms that had tightened when Opal leaned forward. ‘‘How could that happen so fast?’’

‘‘They just were meant for each other.’’ Cimarron reached for another cookie. ‘‘I had a horse like that once. He followed me everywhere. Called him Prince.’’

‘‘What happened to him?’’

‘‘I dunno. I think my pa sold him when I left home. He wasn’t a good workhorse, and they needed the money.’’ She took a bite of the cookie. ‘‘Sure was a good horse.’’

‘‘You can ride Baldy any time you want.’’ Ruby wanted to go hug Cimarron. So many things had been lost in her life. If only they could find a good man for her, one who could overlook her past.

Jed Black ambled around the corner from where he was helping Charlie and Carl. He stopped beside Cimarron and smiled down at her.

Feeling someone watching her, Ruby turned and caught Rand’s gaze. Could he tell what she’d been thinking?

‘‘You ever ridden a horse?’’ Cimarron asked Pearl.

‘‘No, and I don’t really care to. I mean, it isn’t necessary that I learn to ride, is it?’’

Ruby shook her head. ‘‘I rode for the first time last summer, and if I could do it, anyone can. As someone’’—she stared pointedly at Rand—‘‘once told me, there’s a lot of places in this area you can’t get to with a wagon. Horses are easier than walking.’’

Rand nodded. ‘‘You learned well. And now you have a horse to ride again. Perhaps you will even make it out to the ranch one day.’’

‘‘Perhaps.’’ Why was it that man could fluster her with only a look? And why did she always want to argue with him? ‘‘Think we better be getting supper started. Rand, you staying?’’

‘‘If I’m invited.’’

‘‘The invitation is always open.’’

That man, he can drive me crazy faster than anyone I’ve known in
all my life
. Ruby slammed the cutting board down on the table and took out a knife that needed sharpening. She found the whetstone, dampened it, and was sharpening the knife when Rand walked through the door.

‘‘Can I help you with that?’’

‘‘You think I can’t even sharpen my own knife?’’

Rand sighed and rolled his eyes. ‘‘I just offered to help. I’m a good knife sharpener.’’

‘‘Oh. Well, all right.’’ She handed him both knife and stone.

‘‘You have others that need sharpening?’’

‘‘I guess.’’ Why did she feel this conversation had more to do with something other than sharpening knives? And why couldn’t she just be grateful?

While he sharpened, she went down in the cellar where it was cool for the ham. Tonight they were having fried sliced ham and would save any leftovers for breakfast.

After supper the girls would be practicing for church in the morning. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Belle all day. She plunked the ham on the table, panting a bit since it was a whole haunch.

‘‘Would you like me to slice that since Charlie is still working outside?’’

‘‘Please.’’
All right, Rand Harrison, why are you being so nice?

‘‘Why don’t you like Jed Black?’’

That did it! So much for being nice. She spun around as if to attack, saw what she could only construe as concern in his eyes, and felt herself wilt like a pulled-up flower in the sun.

None of your business
was a possible answer.
I don’t
another. And
what do you mean
a third. She shook her head. ‘‘I can’t tell you’’ hadn’t been on her list, but it was what she said.

‘‘Oh. He did something to offend you?’’

Please, someone, anyone, come in here and interrupt
.

She’d read a line one time in a romance,
‘‘His eyes caressed her
face.’’
Now she knew what it meant. Her skin tingled as if he had grazed it with a fingertip.

‘‘But . . .’’ Where had her breath gone? ‘‘But he apologized, and all is right now.’’

‘‘I see.’’

She could tell he didn’t. But then, she didn’t either. She’d asked God to help her feel as if she forgave Jed Black, but so far—nothing.

‘‘Well, Rand Harrison, you going to be playing tonight?’’ Belle stopped in the doorway to the stairs.

Never had she been more pleased to see Belle. ‘‘I didn’t see you all day. Are you feeling all right?’’

‘‘Sure, I guess. Just took a long nap this afternoon is all. That way I’ll be in fine form tonight, so be prepared to lose, cowboy.’’

‘‘Now, Belle, you wouldn’t want to keep my hard-earned money. I came more for the social time than to lose money. We’re practicing tonight, correct?’’

Belle nodded. ‘‘Where is everyone? Out back?’’

Daisy and Cimarron came through the back door one after the other.

‘‘Sure will be glad when the potatoes are ready. The peas are almost there.’’

‘‘I’ll make the biscuits tonight,’’ Cimarron said. ‘‘Hey, Rand, you look good slicing ham. Thank you.’’ She tied her apron back on. ‘‘The breeze is coming up. Smells like it might be rain.’’ She gathered her hair in a rope and looped it around before pinning it back again in a bun. ‘‘There, that’s better.’’

When had she taken it down? In time to be seen and appreciated by Jed Black?

‘‘Cimarron.’’ Ruby leaned close to whisper. ‘‘I need to talk with you after the practice tonight, okay?’’

‘‘Fine.’’

Ruby glanced up at the feel of Rand’s gaze on her again. He was the last person, other than Opal, she wanted eavesdropping on that coming conversation.

‘‘May I sit here?’’ Rand asked Pearl and Carl after most of the guests were seated and the meal was coming out of the kitchen.

Pearl looked up with a smile. ‘‘Of course. You have met Mr.

Hegland?’’

Carl looked up from pouring his coffee into the saucer to cool and greeted Rand with a nod.

‘‘Looks like you’ve been busy making new beds.’’

‘‘Ja, untilWainwright comes back, and I go to work for him.’’

‘‘I thought he was to be back by now.’’

‘‘He is late, a week late.’’ Carl sipped from his saucer, realized the other two were not doing so, and poured the cooled coffee back into the cup. ‘‘Excuse me.’’

‘‘And how are you enjoying Little Missouri, Miss Hossfuss?’’ Rand asked.

‘‘It is certainly different from Chicago.’’

‘‘You have plenty of cattle there too.’’

‘‘In the stockyards.’’ She glanced up at Daisy, who set plates before them. ‘‘Thank you. This looks delicious.’’

Rand turned to Mr. Hegland. ‘‘So, Carl, what brought you out here?’’

‘‘The advertisement said they were in need of carpenters here. I needed a job, so I came.’’

‘‘I see.’’

When the conversation came to a dead stop, Pearl got things started again. ‘‘And you, Mr. Harrison, how is the ranching coming? I heard you had a roundup. I am not certain what that means.’’

‘‘That’s when we go out and bring all the cattle in to brand the calves so the owners know which is theirs. We check for health things and count the cattle. Since we have open range here, the cattle wander wherever they want.’’

‘‘So you do not feed them?’’

‘‘No. There is plenty of grass for grazing and rivers to drink from.’’

‘‘And in the winter?’’

‘‘The valley is protected with plenty of forage and water. That’s what makes this such a perfect place for raising cattle.’’

The conversation lagged again. Rand watched as Carl ate his meal without looking up or saying another word. He hadn’t seemed surly outside. Was he just shy?

‘‘Mr. Hegland, I saw you reading earlier,’’ Miss Hossfuss said. ‘‘What book are you reading?’’

He looked up. ‘‘John Donne’s poetry.’’

‘‘He is a magnificent writer. You brought books with you?’’

‘‘Ja, three.’’

She waited for a moment before asking, ‘‘And they are. . . ?’’

‘‘My Bible, John Donne, and Goethe.’’

‘‘I brought books with me too. You are welcome to borrow them if you want.’’

‘‘Mange—er, thank you.’’

‘‘I speak Norwegian. My father came from Norway when he was a boy.’’

Carl laid his fork and knife on the edge of his plate. ‘‘I was born here.’’

Rand finished his meal and laid his napkin on the table. ‘‘I enjoyed talking with you. Excuse me, please.’’

He passed Charlie on the way into the kitchen and said, ‘‘If she can get that man talking, more power to her.’’

Practice went well, with Opal gaining in confidence each time she sang. The others hummed in harmony while she sang the verses and then joined her on the chorus.

‘‘Sounds mighty good,’’ Charlie said when they finished. ‘‘Opal, I had no idea you could sing like that.’’

‘‘Me neither.’’

The sound of clapping came from the corner.

Ruby glanced over there to see Jed Black laying his hands back in his lap. She turned to her sister. ‘‘Do you have enough copies of our hymns, Opal?’’

‘‘I think so. We’re going to use some from before. I’ve been collecting them at the end of the services.’’

‘‘I could help copy those,’’ Pearl said. ‘‘What time is church?’’

‘‘Ten o’clock. That gives us time to clean up after breakfast.’’

Opal tapped the pages on the piano and lined them up even. ‘‘We have church every two weeks.’’

Ruby beckoned to Cimarron and led the way to the darkened kitchen. ‘‘I really need to talk with you.’’

‘‘Let’s go outside. With that storm coming the mosquitoes won’t be so bad.’’ They stepped out to a gusting breeze that tossed their skirts and teased their hair.

Cimarron sat down in the rocker she’d used before. ‘‘Ah, my favorite time. I have always loved storms.’’

Ruby pulled another chair close. How to begin. ‘‘Cimarron, you know the other day when you asked me why I don’t like Jed Black?’’

‘‘Yeah.’’

‘‘And one day you commented on how he has changed?’’

‘‘Umm.’’

‘‘Well, the day I met him, I showed him to his room. He’d been drinking, and he attacked me.’’

‘‘Oh no.’’

‘‘Charlie pulled him off before he—But even though he has asked me to forgive him, and I did, I cannot like him or even want him around. All I could think of was you and . . . and . . .’’

‘‘I put that behind me.’’

‘‘I know you have, and I have to tell you how much I admire you for that. How did you do it?’’

Cimarron kept her chair creaking comfort. ‘‘I asked God to forgive them for me because I didn’t think I ever could.’’

‘‘I think it would be easier if he were gone.’’

‘‘Maybe, but he sure isn’t the man who used to come in here.

I kinda like him. He makes me feel like I’m special, and he makes me laugh.’’

‘‘He promised to never drink again, that it was the liquor that did it. You think you can believe him?’’

‘‘When God makes the changes in a person, we stay changed.

Look at me, Ruby. You helped change me, but God did the real work.’’

Ruby sighed, lifting her face to feel the first drops of the cooling rain. ‘‘Thanks. I just didn’t want you to be hurt again.’’

‘‘I won’t be, not by Jed Black.’’

Please, God, let it be so. And like Cimarron says, please forgive him
for me and help me—help me to like him for Cimarron’s sake
.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

‘‘Oh for mercy’s sake, leave her alone.’’

Ruby knew it was Cimarron talking, but to whom?

‘‘She’s always dropping something or tripping or . . .’’ Ruby now recognized Daisy’s voice.

‘‘And that’s her fault? Those are accidental, not on purpose. She’s just a kid after all.’’

As she’d learned, eavesdropping did not always give a good report. Daisy had to be upset with Milly, seeing as that’s who Daisy usually worked with, but no one tried harder than Milly. Ruby heaved a sigh. Since spring had come to put an end to the bickering of winter, the women had been getting along too well for it to last.
Guess I should expect a relapse or two
.