Chapter 155
Tomorrow Uncle Ant said they were going to drive out to the Sanders' ranch and buy a horse for him. He wiggled in his seat, just thinking about having two horses of his own, although from old habit, he was careful not to touch his uncle or Miss Stanton. He started daydreaming about riding his own horse, galloping it down the road. Would it be black or brown? Maybe an Appaloosa like he'd seen Mr. Sanders riding.
The track they followed curved around a hill, and a house came in sight. Not tall like Widda Murphy's and the mercantile building, but long, with a great, shady porch. David had never lived in a home with a porch.
Across the yard was a big barn with weathered gray wood. The barn interested him more than the house because his horses and Ole Blue would live there, and he wanted them to be snug in winter.
When Uncle Ant pulled up to the house and helped them down, David pointed to the barn.
Uncle Ant laughed and ruffled David's hair. "Go ahead and explore, Davy boy. We'll be in the house. Give my regards to the pigs." Then as David took off running, he called, "There's a surprise for you in the barn."
David increased his speed, liking the feel of the flat land, so different from the mountain he'd gotten used to. Much easier to run.
He reached the broad barn door and pushed it aside. Light filtered in through the opening. In the front was a big open area, probably, he recalled from seeing other barns, for the wagon. Up above was a loft with hay spilling over the edge. A ladder was propped against it.
David ran down the aisle peeking into the six empty stalls, the floors swept clean of straw. He imagined his horse and the Falabella in them and could hardly wait until the horses were real not just in his imagination.
Ole Blue will like it here. For a moment he faltered, feeling guilty about the mule. Ole Blue had been David's only refuge. That mule loved him. Said something when a mule cared about a boy more than his own pa. His throat tightened at the familiar pain.
Old Blue had been the only one David had talked to. Sometimes while feeding or brus.h.i.+ng him, David would whisper in his ear. Secrets. The mule's ear would twitch, and he'd toss his head like he understood. He'd felt frustrated and sad how Pa mistreated Ole Blue.
But he's going to be all right. Uncle Ant said so.
Rea.s.sured, David kept going.
In the last stall, curled up on a bundle of straw, a fat brown puppy with a black masked face plunged to its feet and waddled over to him, plumy tail wagging. Joy washed over him, and David scooped the puppy into his arms, where it wiggled in ecstasy and licked his face. He giggled before turning it over to see. Boy or girl? Girl. I'll have to think of a good name.
David played with the puppy for a few minutes and then carried her with him while he explored the rest of the barn. One last stall held a brown cow with big soft eyes. He wanted to go into the stall and get acquainted, but the puppy squirmed in his arms, and he wasn't sure what might happen if he introduced the two.
There was another open area, then a back door. He pushed it open and saw some pigs wallowing in mud. The hot breeze carried pig stench his way, and he wrinkled his nose at the odor. He wanted to go closer to them, but the hayloft lured him back inside. He waved at the pigs. Uncle Ant sends his regards.
He scrambled up the ladder, one arm holding the puppy, then set her down and bounced into the soft hay. With a giggle, he spread his arms and let himself fall backward onto the springy hay. The puppy galloped over and licked his face. Yes, this is good.
Harriet loved the house on sight. Although her dream home had planks instead of squared off logs, this one, although bigger, was close enough to her imaging to make her heart quicken. She put her hand over her chest to still the rapid beating. "I love the porch." Harriet could imagine herself sitting in one of the two rockers and reading.
Ant had told her that the house had been well cared for until Abe's wife died. And she could see the truth of that statement. Weeds poked through the hard-packed dirt between the house and the barn. The roses needed to be deadheaded and more weeds had overgrown the garden--what there was of it. Abe probably hadn't planted new vegetables this year, and only ones that had seeded themselves or came back year-after-year had straggled through the ground. She hoped Abe at least had watered the garden and that she could save some of the plants.
Her gaze continued around. "Look," she pointed. "There's an orchard. There'll be apples in the autumn. I can make applesauce and pies."
"So you bake?"
"My mother wouldn't allow either of her daughters to forego the fine art of domesticity. Although, Mrs. Cobb never lets me do anything, so my skills are rusty."
"I'm sure lucky in my selection of governess and housekeeper."
"What would you have done if I couldn't cook?"
"Muddled through. You should see what I can cook over a campfire."
"What?"
"Beans, beans, and more beans."
Harriet laughed and looked at the house again, imagining it with a picket fence with roses growing on it. "I want a house just like this someday."
She didn't realize she'd said the words out loud until Ant gave her a curious glance.
"My father died when I was three. My mother and sister and I moved from relative to relative, never a place to call our own." Harriet lifted her chin. "But I will have my own place. As soon as I save up enough money."
"Why don't you claim a homestead?"
"I've thought of it. I know other women who have." She gave him a wry smile. "But I don't think I have the fort.i.tude to spend long months alone
He gestured to the house. "Shall we go inside?"
"Of course."
He took her elbow and escorted her to the porch.
Harriet s.h.i.+vered at his touch. Why does he have this effect on me?
"Abe told me his wife wanted high ceilings. She was a tall woman apparently."
"Tall and big-boned. She towered above her husband. I always thought them a comical sight. He adored her, though. That was obvious." And touching. Harriet looked up, comparing the top of Ant's head to the roof. "You must b.u.mp your head a lot."
"That I do." He took off his hat and ran his hand through his dark hair. "Ole knothead. That's me." He reached a long arm out to open the door for her.
Harriet took eager steps inside.
"Abe left me most of the furnis.h.i.+ngs. I'm having a bed made for me. Nothing fancy, but the carpenter promised to have it ready and delivered tomorrow."
Harriet looked around. The main room was s.p.a.cious--for a log cabin, with c.h.i.n.king between the logs. A settee and a big chair grouped in front of the stone fireplace were the only furniture.
A doorway led to a kitchen with a table. A simple wood hutch on one side held rose-patterned dishes. Harriet walked over and picked one up, admiring the pattern. "Did he leave these for you?"
"And more. Said his daughter already had plenty. I wrestled him for a few extras. Still didn't cost me nearly what it would have if I'd had to buy new."
Harriet glanced out the window over the dry sink, approving of the view of the mountains. Then she admired the heart pattern punched through the tin doors of the yellow pie safe that stood next to the sink. She peeked inside, imaging the empty shelves filled with baked goods. She walked over and touched the stove, which was desperately in need of cleaning and blacking.
Ant sat on the edge of the table watching her.
Heat rose in Harriet's cheeks. She walked over to the far wall and poked her head through an open doorway. Instead of the lean-to she expected, she saw a square pantry. The logs, set at precise right angles, created a s.p.a.ce a housewife with a far bigger home would envy. Plenty of shelves for food and supplies lined the walls. On one side a wooden tub was tucked under the lowest self, and a broom leaned against a corner. She imagined how the pantry would look filled with cans, jars, and crocks, and bags of beans and rice. "The Cobbs will be pleased about the big order you're going to have to place with them." That's good because nothing else about this move pleases them.
Ant leaned over her, his height making it easy to see into the pantry. "Didn't even know this was there." He backed away from her.
Harriet rolled her eyes. Just like a man. She turned toward him. "You didn't make a thorough investigation of the house?"
Amus.e.m.e.nt glinted in his eyes, although he kept his face deadpan. "No, my lady."
"Did you look through the outbuildings? Henhouse? Smokehouse? Root cellar? Icehouse?"
He held up both hands in a placating motion. "I'm a newspaper reporter. What do I know about henhouses and root cellars?" he said, laughter in his voice.
"Well, I'm a schoolteacher, and I know about them."
"I'm a roving reporter, not one who has a regular beat in town." His expression changed. From the look on his face, he obviously was remembering that he no longer roamed Europe in search of news stories.
Not wanting to lose the feeling of happiness and camaraderie between them, Harriet grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the doorway. "Come on. I want to see the rest of the house, and," she teased, "the barn, henhouse, smokehouse, root cellar, icehouse, privy, and pig pen."
Ant groaned. His huge hand enveloped hers, and then he obediently followed.
When they reached the doorway, Harriet knew she needed to drop his hand. Their connection, the playfulness between them felt too good. I'm his employee, she reminded herself, and slid her fingers out of his, feeling a sense of loss when he pulled his hand back.
Living under the same roof might be harder than I thought.
CHAPTER NINETEEN.
Ant drove David in the buggy over the final hill leading toward the Sanders place. At the top, he couldn't help but pause the horses to admire the beauty of the scene before them. In the valley, a small lake sparkled in the sun. A long pasture fenced with barbed wire on the opposite side of the lake provided room for horses to graze.
A more distant field held cattle, although Ant understood that Sanders mostly focused on horses. He didn't have a spread big enough for cattle, and, with a wealthy wife, the man didn't have the need to run a herd. By all accounts Nick Sanders was a wizard with horses and could afford to specialize.
Near the lake, a grove of trees sheltered a small house. Ant looked away, not wanting to remember the last time he'd seen that house...his discovery of Harriet's feelings for Nick Sanders. Instead, he glanced at the Queen Anne on the hill, reigning over the valley.
Even in the few days since he'd last been here, Ant could see the workmen had made more progress on the house. They'd finished the front porch that wrapped around two sides, but not painted it yet. Ant figured he could knock on the front door instead of going around to the kitchen, as the guests had at the party.
The sound of hammers rang through the air. On the other side of the Queen Anne was a tent town for the workers who still swarmed the place to get more of the house completed by winter. He'd have to speak with whomever was in charge about building his office.
But not today. Ant glanced down at David, seeing the eager expression on his nephew's face as he watched the horses. Today is a time for David.
Ant didn't have long to ponder which door of the house to use because Nick Sanders walked out of the barn. He swerved to avoid some chickens pecking at the ground and glanced over at the visitors. He pushed his black hat back, grinned, and gave a friendly wave.
Ant pulled up beside him. "Sanders. Came to see if you have a horse I can buy for my nephew."
"My friends call me Nick."
Ant had to rein-in his instinctive growl at the idea of being friends with the object of Harriet's affections. But in spite of some lingering hostility, Ant couldn't help but like the man.
"Also going to need a horse to pull a buggy. We're renting Mack's buggy so often it would be cheaper to buy."
"You mean that big black of yours won't demean himself to pull a buggy?"
"Not Shadow. If I value my life, I won't even try."
Nick laughed and reached up a hand to help David jump down.
To Ant's surprise, the boy accepted, although he let go when his feet touched the ground. Then David allowed Nick to drop a casual hand on his shoulder without flinching as he did with his uncle.
Nick pointed at a corral. "Why don't you go look at those horses, David, while I talk to your uncle."
Ant stared after David as he ran toward the corral. The boy had always s.h.i.+ed away from being touched, yet he'd just let a virtual stranger help him down and place a hand on his shoulder. Ant stored that fact away to mull over.
One of the cowhands ambled out of the barn, walking in the bowlegged stride of a man who practically lived on horseback. Nick summoned him over with a jerk of his head.
As he drew close, Ant could see the cowboy was old with a tanned, seamed face.
Nick asked the hand to see to Ant's horse. The man smiled and nodded at Ant, showing stumps of teeth in pink gums.
Ant set the brake, gave the man the reins, and stepped down.
They started toward the corral. Then Nick slowed his steps and shot him a quick upward glance. "From what I've heard, your boy's looking better."
"Still doesn't talk though."
"Well," Nick's voice slowed to a drawl. "I wasn't ever much for talking either. You know if he's ridden much?"
"He was quite experienced for a city boy. Had lessons. I took him riding a few times. Good seat. Light hands on the reins. Since then..." Ant shrugged. "They had an old mule. Bag of bones. Doesn't look like it could carry a sack of beans, much less a man."
Nick's eyes narrowed, giving a menacing cast to his pleasant features. "Saw the mule at the livery yesterday. Recognized it. Saw David's pa once. Rode into town on that mule. Thought it would collapse, but it kept right on plodding along. Stronger than it looks. Was tempted to take a whip to the man for starving an animal that way."
"I wish you had," Ant muttered.
Nick grinned. "Snuck the mule some feed while the man was in the saloon."
Ant stopped and stared. "You fed a stranger's mount?"
"Woulda bought the poor thing. Planned to approach the man. But that was when we had all that ruckus about Samantha Rodriguez's twins and the fires. Reverend Norton came up to me to tell me about the town meetin' and the poor critter went plumb out of my mind. Then later, when I remembered, I figured I'd meet up with the owner again. But I never did." He gave Ant a quick apologetic glance. "David wasn't with him, though."
"Harriet--Miss Stanton told me about what happened with the twins."
Nick's eyes twinkled. "Goin' to be interesting, you and Miss Stanton living together."
Ant didn't want to talk about Harriet with the man she loved. "You have a horse that would suit David?"
Nick flowed with the conversational switch. "Let's mount him on a gentle old mare. See how he does."
For the next few hours, Nick worked with David, first with the placid old mare, then, when satisfied with his riding skills, with a more spirited animal.
All the while Ant leaned against the rails of the corral and watched.
Nick's a.s.sessment of David impressed Ant. The man didn't just stand back and watch how David rode, he stepped in to teach, giving directions in a calm voice, and using brief touches to guide the boy.