landscape she
viewed from the hill. “I'm sure Hannah would have approved of this
spot high on the hill overlooking the ranch she loved.”
“I reckon so.” Bat suddenly
remembered Billie's warning. He shouldn't talk about Hannah to a
woman he dated. He should change the subject, but he had to ask,
“Leta, you mind me telling ya about my life on the ranch with
Hannah and showing ya where she rests?”
Leta turned to him, puzzled. “Of
course, I don't. This ranch is your life and that included Hannah.
You loved her very much. Why would you ask?”
Bat grinned. “Guess Billie might
be wrong once in awhile. She said if I brought a lady to see the
ranch I shouldn't talk about Hannah. Most women didn't want to hear
such talk.”
Leta reached for his hand,
squeezed it and smiled. “I'd say you're right. For once, Billie is
wrong.”
Chapter
Eleven
Bat took her arm. “Come on. Let's
go back to the house and look at where I live when I
working.”
Leta didn't budge. “I'd love to,
but after that, do we deliver the bonnet?”
“Yip, that's the plan if
everything goes all right,” Bat said hesitantly.
Leta questioned, “What could go
wrong with giving a woman a pretty bonnet?”
“I'm hoping
nothing when the time comes,” Bat said nervously, taking off down
the hill to avoid Leta's stare. She walked up the porch steps ahead
of Bat.
The whippoorwills were calling as
he reached into the buggy and grabbed the bonnet package. He held
it behind his back as they went into the house.
He was glad Billie's job of house
cleaning had held up as he gave Leta a tour of the
rooms.
She was complimentary about the
whole house. “I can see why you love it here. This is a lovely
house and ranch. I'm surprised you ever moved to town and left your
home.”
“It got lonesome here after my
wife died. Too quiet in here by myself. Too many ghosts and
memories,” he said truthfully, knowing his voice sounded
sad.
“I can see how that would be
right. Are you ever going to move back here? This is where you
belong you know?” Leta told him.
“Yip, I know. I
miss wakin' up to the sun peekin' over the ridge and shinin' in my
bedroom window to brighten the room and my day.
I miss goin' to bed with the
coyotes yippin' and a hoot owl answerin' them. Lately, while I've
been workin' with the cowhands, I found I missed livin' here where
I can help on the ranch. So I'm fixin' to move out here right away.
Want to help me move?” Rushed out of Bat's mouth.
Leta gave him a curious look. “Me?
Well, if you don't have enough help, I'd be glad to help you get
everything unpacked and into place. I'm glad you're moving back
home if that makes you happy. Of course, I'll miss running into you
in Dead Horse.” She paused when he looked regretful. “I didn't mean
that literally. Now we should deliver the bonnet before it gets any
later.”
Bat licked his lips. It was now or
never. He held the small brown package out to Leta. “I brought the
bonnet in with me. Do me a favor. Put the bonnet on so I can see
how it looks.”
“I'm not sure a woman would like
another woman trying on her gift, before she gets to wear it, but
all right,” she said reluctantly. Leta slipped the bonnet on. She
turned her head one way then the other, proudly modeling her
creation. “The lucky woman you bought this for should be very proud
of it. What do you think?”
“I think that bonnet suits ya to a
tee. It matches yer eyes. I’d like ya to be the lucky lady to keep
and wear that bonnet for me. That is, if ya will have it and
me.”
Leta stopped twisting around and
wobbled on her feet. “What did you just say?”
“Will ya marry me?” Rushed out of
Bat’s mouth.
Leta gasped and took the bonnet
off. She draped it over a rocker. “I'm afraid you've taken me by
surprise. I didn't see this coming.” She paused a moment to take in
what he said.
“Say somethin', Anythin',” Bat
urged. “I'm dyin' here.”
Leta's eyes teared up. “I
viewed from the hill. “I'm sure Hannah would have approved of this
spot high on the hill overlooking the ranch she loved.”
“I reckon so.” Bat suddenly
remembered Billie's warning. He shouldn't talk about Hannah to a
woman he dated. He should change the subject, but he had to ask,
“Leta, you mind me telling ya about my life on the ranch with
Hannah and showing ya where she rests?”
Leta turned to him, puzzled. “Of
course, I don't. This ranch is your life and that included Hannah.
You loved her very much. Why would you ask?”
Bat grinned. “Guess Billie might
be wrong once in awhile. She said if I brought a lady to see the
ranch I shouldn't talk about Hannah. Most women didn't want to hear
such talk.”
Leta reached for his hand,
squeezed it and smiled. “I'd say you're right. For once, Billie is
wrong.”
Chapter
Eleven
Bat took her arm. “Come on. Let's
go back to the house and look at where I live when I
working.”
Leta didn't budge. “I'd love to,
but after that, do we deliver the bonnet?”
“Yip, that's the plan if
everything goes all right,” Bat said hesitantly.
Leta questioned, “What could go
wrong with giving a woman a pretty bonnet?”
“I'm hoping
nothing when the time comes,” Bat said nervously, taking off down
the hill to avoid Leta's stare. She walked up the porch steps ahead
of Bat.
The whippoorwills were calling as
he reached into the buggy and grabbed the bonnet package. He held
it behind his back as they went into the house.
He was glad Billie's job of house
cleaning had held up as he gave Leta a tour of the
rooms.
She was complimentary about the
whole house. “I can see why you love it here. This is a lovely
house and ranch. I'm surprised you ever moved to town and left your
home.”
“It got lonesome here after my
wife died. Too quiet in here by myself. Too many ghosts and
memories,” he said truthfully, knowing his voice sounded
sad.
“I can see how that would be
right. Are you ever going to move back here? This is where you
belong you know?” Leta told him.
“Yip, I know. I
miss wakin' up to the sun peekin' over the ridge and shinin' in my
bedroom window to brighten the room and my day.
I miss goin' to bed with the
coyotes yippin' and a hoot owl answerin' them. Lately, while I've
been workin' with the cowhands, I found I missed livin' here where
I can help on the ranch. So I'm fixin' to move out here right away.
Want to help me move?” Rushed out of Bat's mouth.
Leta gave him a curious look. “Me?
Well, if you don't have enough help, I'd be glad to help you get
everything unpacked and into place. I'm glad you're moving back
home if that makes you happy. Of course, I'll miss running into you
in Dead Horse.” She paused when he looked regretful. “I didn't mean
that literally. Now we should deliver the bonnet before it gets any
later.”
Bat licked his lips. It was now or
never. He held the small brown package out to Leta. “I brought the
bonnet in with me. Do me a favor. Put the bonnet on so I can see
how it looks.”
“I'm not sure a woman would like
another woman trying on her gift, before she gets to wear it, but
all right,” she said reluctantly. Leta slipped the bonnet on. She
turned her head one way then the other, proudly modeling her
creation. “The lucky woman you bought this for should be very proud
of it. What do you think?”
“I think that bonnet suits ya to a
tee. It matches yer eyes. I’d like ya to be the lucky lady to keep
and wear that bonnet for me. That is, if ya will have it and
me.”
Leta stopped twisting around and
wobbled on her feet. “What did you just say?”
“Will ya marry me?” Rushed out of
Bat’s mouth.
Leta gasped and took the bonnet
off. She draped it over a rocker. “I'm afraid you've taken me by
surprise. I didn't see this coming.” She paused a moment to take in
what he said.
“Say somethin', Anythin',” Bat
urged. “I'm dyin' here.”
Leta's eyes teared up. “I
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