ranch after breakfast. That way we can discuss
your duties, and you’ll have a chance to see some of the operation here.” Kate
said as she walked to the tack room.
“Sounds good.”
Grabbing a leather halter and lead,
Kate headed out to the pasture that served the remuda. Luke noticed about a
dozen horses here, bays, duns, sorrels and even a couple of buckskins and one
palomino. All were sleek, well-muscled horses. He watched as Kate whistled and
a sorrel mare lifted her head from the grass. Seeing her mistress, she trotted
over to the pasture fence. Kate slipped through the fence, haltered the mare
and led her through the gate, and into the barn.
“This is Gypsy, the one I
use most. She’s a good old girl.” Grabbing a saddle and blanket from the tack
room, Kate swung them up over the horse’s back in a fluid motion, settling the
blanket first and cinching the saddle up quickly. “Most of the older horses in
the remuda are broke to ride. We use the mares as well as the geldings. A mare
has to prove their worth around here before we use them as breeding stock.
Mares with foals or about to foal are out in the far pasture. The two year olds
in there aren’t broke yet, but you can ride any of the older ones that you
want.”
“Think I’ll stick with Rio for
now until I’ve had a chance to look them over.”
“Suit yourself,” she said busy
with her own horse. Finding a pick from the wooden box hung on the wall, she
bent to lift the mare’s front hoof.
“Here, let me do that for you.”
“Thank you, no! I’m perfectly
capable of doing this for myself.” Kate snapped.
“Sorry.” Luke scowled at the
rebuff and strode off to find Rio and ready him for the day’s work.
***
Kate set the mare’s hoof down.
Why had she been so rude? He was only offering to help. She watched him leave
the barn. Sighing, she finished her chores, and joined the men on the way to
the house for breakfast.
Jo and Mrs. Insley had a grand
breakfast laid out for the hungry men and Kate. The plank table groaned beneath
the weight of platters heaped with scrambled eggs, sausage links, biscuits,
butter, jams and even pancakes. Jake let out a low whistle, and Jon’s lower jaw
dropped in surprise. Nana didn’t usually set out such a fare every morning. Jo
was dressed and sitting at the table waiting when they entered.
“Good morning, Mr. Luke,
look what we made for you!” Jo glowed.
“My, my, it does look delicious!”
Luke’s eyes twinkled merrily at the little girl.
“Yes, doesn’t it?” Kate asked
raising her eyebrows at Nana.
“Man should have a good start
here, and he looks a might thin to me,” was the acerbic response.
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
asked Jon as he took his seat.
“You sit here by me, Mr. Luke,”
Jo bubbled indicating the seat next to her on the bench.
They all took their places, and
joined hands for the blessing. Jo reached for Luke’s hand, and he took it,
slowly reaching for Kate’s across the table. She reached out, and gave him an
apologetic smile as she began the blessing. “Dear Lord, we thank you for what
we are about to receive, and Lord we offer our thanks for Your bringing this
good man into our lives. We ask that you bless and protect each and every one
of us as we face the day ahead, and ask that You will bring us together again
safely this evening. Lord, forgive us of our sins, and keep us in the center of
Your will. Lead us to do those things that you would have us to do. It is in
the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.”
“Amen,” was murmured around the
table, though Kate noticed that Luke did not join in. Perhaps he was shy.
Plates were passed and
piled with food, steaming mugs of coffee were poured. Smokey and Candy dashed
in the open door looking for any scraps that may have fallen, and the
conversation was bright and lively. Kate surveyed the scene with a sense of calm
assurance that she hadn’t felt in months.
“How many head are you running
out
your duties, and you’ll have a chance to see some of the operation here.” Kate
said as she walked to the tack room.
“Sounds good.”
Grabbing a leather halter and lead,
Kate headed out to the pasture that served the remuda. Luke noticed about a
dozen horses here, bays, duns, sorrels and even a couple of buckskins and one
palomino. All were sleek, well-muscled horses. He watched as Kate whistled and
a sorrel mare lifted her head from the grass. Seeing her mistress, she trotted
over to the pasture fence. Kate slipped through the fence, haltered the mare
and led her through the gate, and into the barn.
“This is Gypsy, the one I
use most. She’s a good old girl.” Grabbing a saddle and blanket from the tack
room, Kate swung them up over the horse’s back in a fluid motion, settling the
blanket first and cinching the saddle up quickly. “Most of the older horses in
the remuda are broke to ride. We use the mares as well as the geldings. A mare
has to prove their worth around here before we use them as breeding stock.
Mares with foals or about to foal are out in the far pasture. The two year olds
in there aren’t broke yet, but you can ride any of the older ones that you
want.”
“Think I’ll stick with Rio for
now until I’ve had a chance to look them over.”
“Suit yourself,” she said busy
with her own horse. Finding a pick from the wooden box hung on the wall, she
bent to lift the mare’s front hoof.
“Here, let me do that for you.”
“Thank you, no! I’m perfectly
capable of doing this for myself.” Kate snapped.
“Sorry.” Luke scowled at the
rebuff and strode off to find Rio and ready him for the day’s work.
***
Kate set the mare’s hoof down.
Why had she been so rude? He was only offering to help. She watched him leave
the barn. Sighing, she finished her chores, and joined the men on the way to
the house for breakfast.
Jo and Mrs. Insley had a grand
breakfast laid out for the hungry men and Kate. The plank table groaned beneath
the weight of platters heaped with scrambled eggs, sausage links, biscuits,
butter, jams and even pancakes. Jake let out a low whistle, and Jon’s lower jaw
dropped in surprise. Nana didn’t usually set out such a fare every morning. Jo
was dressed and sitting at the table waiting when they entered.
“Good morning, Mr. Luke,
look what we made for you!” Jo glowed.
“My, my, it does look delicious!”
Luke’s eyes twinkled merrily at the little girl.
“Yes, doesn’t it?” Kate asked
raising her eyebrows at Nana.
“Man should have a good start
here, and he looks a might thin to me,” was the acerbic response.
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
asked Jon as he took his seat.
“You sit here by me, Mr. Luke,”
Jo bubbled indicating the seat next to her on the bench.
They all took their places, and
joined hands for the blessing. Jo reached for Luke’s hand, and he took it,
slowly reaching for Kate’s across the table. She reached out, and gave him an
apologetic smile as she began the blessing. “Dear Lord, we thank you for what
we are about to receive, and Lord we offer our thanks for Your bringing this
good man into our lives. We ask that you bless and protect each and every one
of us as we face the day ahead, and ask that You will bring us together again
safely this evening. Lord, forgive us of our sins, and keep us in the center of
Your will. Lead us to do those things that you would have us to do. It is in
the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.”
“Amen,” was murmured around the
table, though Kate noticed that Luke did not join in. Perhaps he was shy.
Plates were passed and
piled with food, steaming mugs of coffee were poured. Smokey and Candy dashed
in the open door looking for any scraps that may have fallen, and the
conversation was bright and lively. Kate surveyed the scene with a sense of calm
assurance that she hadn’t felt in months.
“How many head are you running
out
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