of you hangin’ around Jack Duval. I have no intention of recognizing him publicly as my son, and I don’t want him or Marianne to get the idea they’ve got a nickel’s worth of claim on this place.”
Deidre looked as though their old man had slapped her. Bye wondered for a minute how any man could be so callous about his own flesh and blood. Then, when he thought about it, he came to the conclusion that Four had about as much concern for his kids—himself and Deidre included—as he did for the prize beef cattle he showed with pride and then sent off to slaughter. “Rest easy, Dad. I’m not going to town to drink beer with my newfound half brother.”
Deidre’s shoulders shook, but then she skewered Four with a venomous look. “I’m gonna ride with Diego and the boys today. See if I can help out with whatever they’re doing with the calves.” Deidre pushed her chair back from the table and stood. “I need to change.”
Four looked up at her. “You don’t need to—”
“Dad, leave her alone. Can’t you see she doesn’t want to rattle around the house all day, today of all days?”
He had the grace to nod. “You’re right. Go on, princess, get on some jeans. Hurry up and we’ll wait for you.” When Deidre left he turned to Bye. “I know she had a thing for Duval. She’ll get over it. You make damn sure all the hands keep it front and center in their heads that your sister’s off limits. I’ll let Diego know I’ll hold him responsible for keeping an eye on her.”
It was as though his mom had ceased to exist for his father. Bye had to admit, though, that Four seemed to have even less concern for his mistress who was very much alive, or had been as recently as yesterday. Bye wanted to say something smart-assed but realized fueling an argument he couldn’t win would be stupid. “Okay. You ready?” His appetite had gone south, but he shoved down the rest of a taco and another bite of sausage. “We ridin’ or taking the Jeep?”
“Jeep.”
Bye figured that. It wasn’t often, since the old man had taken a nasty spill a few years back, that he opted to ride fences on horseback. “Fine with me. I took Vampire for a long run yesterday. He can use the rest.”
“Ha. That six-figure thoroughbred of yours gets nothing but rest. None of the hands can ride him. If he didn’t make me more in stud fees than he costs in feed and pampering, I’d sell him for dog food. He’s worthless for ranch work.”
“Yes, Dad.” Vampire had been a source of discord between them ever since Bye had bought him and brought him home. The old man never would understand how bad it had made him feel when he’d first seen the spirited young colt being practically starved by a bankrupt owner, or why Bye had spent several months’ allowance to buy him and a horse trailer that had seen better days. So he hadn’t told Byron Four. He’d boarded Vampire at a stable near the university, nursed him back to health and saddle-broke him before loading him in the trailer and bringing him home to the Bar C along with his degree.
The big horse was his friend. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t bred for cutting cattle like the Bar C’s string of purebred quarter horses. Taking a last swallow of coffee, Bye stood and made for the door. “I’ll go warn the cowhands off my sister.”
“See that you make it crystal clear.”
* * * * *
There must be at least a hundred miles of fence along the southern edges of the Bar C, so why had they had to pick the section that bordered the Rocking O today? Bye wiped sweat off his brow after hammering brads to secure barbed wire along the top of a section of four-foot-high board fence along the property line. “What started the feud, Dad?” he asked, looking down at the wild brambles and noisy pumpjacks that peppered the neighboring pasture land.
“Doesn’t matter what started it. The damn Oakleys have kept it going by being lousy neighbors. They’ve kept their place like a
Deidre looked as though their old man had slapped her. Bye wondered for a minute how any man could be so callous about his own flesh and blood. Then, when he thought about it, he came to the conclusion that Four had about as much concern for his kids—himself and Deidre included—as he did for the prize beef cattle he showed with pride and then sent off to slaughter. “Rest easy, Dad. I’m not going to town to drink beer with my newfound half brother.”
Deidre’s shoulders shook, but then she skewered Four with a venomous look. “I’m gonna ride with Diego and the boys today. See if I can help out with whatever they’re doing with the calves.” Deidre pushed her chair back from the table and stood. “I need to change.”
Four looked up at her. “You don’t need to—”
“Dad, leave her alone. Can’t you see she doesn’t want to rattle around the house all day, today of all days?”
He had the grace to nod. “You’re right. Go on, princess, get on some jeans. Hurry up and we’ll wait for you.” When Deidre left he turned to Bye. “I know she had a thing for Duval. She’ll get over it. You make damn sure all the hands keep it front and center in their heads that your sister’s off limits. I’ll let Diego know I’ll hold him responsible for keeping an eye on her.”
It was as though his mom had ceased to exist for his father. Bye had to admit, though, that Four seemed to have even less concern for his mistress who was very much alive, or had been as recently as yesterday. Bye wanted to say something smart-assed but realized fueling an argument he couldn’t win would be stupid. “Okay. You ready?” His appetite had gone south, but he shoved down the rest of a taco and another bite of sausage. “We ridin’ or taking the Jeep?”
“Jeep.”
Bye figured that. It wasn’t often, since the old man had taken a nasty spill a few years back, that he opted to ride fences on horseback. “Fine with me. I took Vampire for a long run yesterday. He can use the rest.”
“Ha. That six-figure thoroughbred of yours gets nothing but rest. None of the hands can ride him. If he didn’t make me more in stud fees than he costs in feed and pampering, I’d sell him for dog food. He’s worthless for ranch work.”
“Yes, Dad.” Vampire had been a source of discord between them ever since Bye had bought him and brought him home. The old man never would understand how bad it had made him feel when he’d first seen the spirited young colt being practically starved by a bankrupt owner, or why Bye had spent several months’ allowance to buy him and a horse trailer that had seen better days. So he hadn’t told Byron Four. He’d boarded Vampire at a stable near the university, nursed him back to health and saddle-broke him before loading him in the trailer and bringing him home to the Bar C along with his degree.
The big horse was his friend. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t bred for cutting cattle like the Bar C’s string of purebred quarter horses. Taking a last swallow of coffee, Bye stood and made for the door. “I’ll go warn the cowhands off my sister.”
“See that you make it crystal clear.”
* * * * *
There must be at least a hundred miles of fence along the southern edges of the Bar C, so why had they had to pick the section that bordered the Rocking O today? Bye wiped sweat off his brow after hammering brads to secure barbed wire along the top of a section of four-foot-high board fence along the property line. “What started the feud, Dad?” he asked, looking down at the wild brambles and noisy pumpjacks that peppered the neighboring pasture land.
“Doesn’t matter what started it. The damn Oakleys have kept it going by being lousy neighbors. They’ve kept their place like a
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