man’s job since I was eight, so I didn’t see anything wrong with making my own way.”
“When you were fourteen?” Sally gasped.
“Yep.”
“Mandy is ten; that’s only four years from now.”
Clay almost stumbled when he thought about his little girl going off and leaving him so soon. Then he shook his head to clear it. “Girls are different. Mandy isn’t going anywhere for a long time.”
“So what did you do after you left your pa?” Sally stood aside as Clay began slapping leather on his Appaloosa.
“I hunted grub and worked for a meal time to time. By the time I reached Cheyenne, I’d calmed down and went home.” The truth was he’d been so homesick for Pa and the mountains, he’d signed on with a cattle drive heading into Montana and meandered home.
“I lived in unsettled places where there wasn’t any church, and now that I have a chance to go worship with people, I’m looking forward to it.” Clay talked with Sally as he saw to the meager chores and made note of some sagging fence posts and a couple of barn doors hanging from one hinge.
“We don’t like Mosqueros much,” Sally said.
“Why not?” Clay barely listened to her as he looked at the neglected ranch. It would have to wait until he got a handle on the cattle and ranch land. There were several spots he wanted to dam up on the creek before the spring rains quit, and then he had to get to the fence. He stretched his battered muscles and felt the strength of his back. He loved the life he’d gotten himself into.
Sally said, “I reckon it’s ’cuz we’re Yankees.”
Clay suppressed a smile. He knew of the lingering hatred some people were capable of, and it sobered him to think of some of the cruelty his wife and daughters had no doubt been subjected to while Cliff was gone fighting. But everyone in town had been very friendly to him yesterday. His new family just hadn’t been to town in a while.
He couldn’t think of what to say to reassure her. Then he thought of those girls alternately crying and giggling at him at the same time, he already loved them. They scared him to death! So he thought he ought to head off another bout of tears. All he could think of to say was, “Don’t you worry yourself about it. I’ll take care of you.”
Sally smiled uncertainly, and they both turned back to the chores. She was eager to do any little task for him, and although she actually slowed him down, he enjoyed being with her. When he was nearly done he said, “You better run on back to the house and get on your Sunday dress.”
With wide, solemn eyes, Sally said, “But this is the only dress I have.”
Clay looked at the bedraggled little dress, neatly patched but worn as thin as parchment paper. His family needed to do some shopping. “Well, go on and clean up anyway. Your ma will want to find the pretty face under all that dirt.”
Sally giggled and gave him a big hug. Her soft, little arms were a wonder to him as he hoisted her up in the air to hug her tight. She ran off to the house, giggling some more. As he headed back in to gather his women, he slowed a bit as he thought of the house full of their giggling and the sudden way they had of bursting into tears. He wondered ruefully if he’d ever get used to them. Then he remembered their beautiful blue eyes and all that long, golden hair and Sally’s soft, generous hugs and how they all seemed to adore him. And he remembered Sophie’s warmth and hurried his step.
He was looking forward to going to town.
The thought of going to town made her sick.
Sophie thought of the evil eyes of the man who had come to her house in the thicket last night and wondered if she would run into him in Mosqueros. She thought of that arrogant sheriff and the greasy banker, and she dreaded town so much, she felt goose bumps break out on her body.
Clay hadn’t even asked her if she wanted to go. The Edwards family had never attended church! Cliff hadn’t cared for Parson Roscoe when
“When you were fourteen?” Sally gasped.
“Yep.”
“Mandy is ten; that’s only four years from now.”
Clay almost stumbled when he thought about his little girl going off and leaving him so soon. Then he shook his head to clear it. “Girls are different. Mandy isn’t going anywhere for a long time.”
“So what did you do after you left your pa?” Sally stood aside as Clay began slapping leather on his Appaloosa.
“I hunted grub and worked for a meal time to time. By the time I reached Cheyenne, I’d calmed down and went home.” The truth was he’d been so homesick for Pa and the mountains, he’d signed on with a cattle drive heading into Montana and meandered home.
“I lived in unsettled places where there wasn’t any church, and now that I have a chance to go worship with people, I’m looking forward to it.” Clay talked with Sally as he saw to the meager chores and made note of some sagging fence posts and a couple of barn doors hanging from one hinge.
“We don’t like Mosqueros much,” Sally said.
“Why not?” Clay barely listened to her as he looked at the neglected ranch. It would have to wait until he got a handle on the cattle and ranch land. There were several spots he wanted to dam up on the creek before the spring rains quit, and then he had to get to the fence. He stretched his battered muscles and felt the strength of his back. He loved the life he’d gotten himself into.
Sally said, “I reckon it’s ’cuz we’re Yankees.”
Clay suppressed a smile. He knew of the lingering hatred some people were capable of, and it sobered him to think of some of the cruelty his wife and daughters had no doubt been subjected to while Cliff was gone fighting. But everyone in town had been very friendly to him yesterday. His new family just hadn’t been to town in a while.
He couldn’t think of what to say to reassure her. Then he thought of those girls alternately crying and giggling at him at the same time, he already loved them. They scared him to death! So he thought he ought to head off another bout of tears. All he could think of to say was, “Don’t you worry yourself about it. I’ll take care of you.”
Sally smiled uncertainly, and they both turned back to the chores. She was eager to do any little task for him, and although she actually slowed him down, he enjoyed being with her. When he was nearly done he said, “You better run on back to the house and get on your Sunday dress.”
With wide, solemn eyes, Sally said, “But this is the only dress I have.”
Clay looked at the bedraggled little dress, neatly patched but worn as thin as parchment paper. His family needed to do some shopping. “Well, go on and clean up anyway. Your ma will want to find the pretty face under all that dirt.”
Sally giggled and gave him a big hug. Her soft, little arms were a wonder to him as he hoisted her up in the air to hug her tight. She ran off to the house, giggling some more. As he headed back in to gather his women, he slowed a bit as he thought of the house full of their giggling and the sudden way they had of bursting into tears. He wondered ruefully if he’d ever get used to them. Then he remembered their beautiful blue eyes and all that long, golden hair and Sally’s soft, generous hugs and how they all seemed to adore him. And he remembered Sophie’s warmth and hurried his step.
He was looking forward to going to town.
The thought of going to town made her sick.
Sophie thought of the evil eyes of the man who had come to her house in the thicket last night and wondered if she would run into him in Mosqueros. She thought of that arrogant sheriff and the greasy banker, and she dreaded town so much, she felt goose bumps break out on her body.
Clay hadn’t even asked her if she wanted to go. The Edwards family had never attended church! Cliff hadn’t cared for Parson Roscoe when
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